*Only Time* ~ Ch. 12 ~
by rockstar
 
 
 
 

"Hello Chad."
"You already said that." Chad said, making Eve feel even more uncomfortable than she already was. "Rick, why don't you take an hour?"

"An hour? I haven't been working for 10 minutes." Rick said.

"You can keep your break this afternoon and you won't be counted off." Chad said, never taking his eyes off Eve.

"Your the boss." Rick said, grabbing his coat and walking around Eve and out the door.

Chad stared at her for a moment until her eyes connected with his. He turned around to the bar, pretending to be busy, flipping through some papers.

Eve sighed and walked up to him, "Alexis Davis called me last week. I met with her the other night."

Chad fought the urge to turn around and face her as he saw her out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe she can help with Simone."

"You called her before, to tell her about the divorce." Eve paused for a second and moved her hands toward his shoulders, "Thank you."

As soon as Chad felt her hands on his shoulders, he know she was getting too close. He moved with one swift move, breaking contact and stood facing Eve.

"TC hasn't been treating you fairly. He's not acting like he loves you or he ever has."

"I don't deserve his love or anyone else's," she said, looking at the floor.

"That's not true." Chad said, before he had a chance to stop himself.

"You mean that?" Eve asked.

"Well, yeah. Everyone deserves someone. Even if someone does something wrong. We all do. We're human."

"Thank you. That means so much to me coming from my son," she said, stepping forward, wanting to put her arms around him. Chad knew where she was heading and stepped back. "Not yet," he said.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."

"No, it's just-" Chad sighed. "Everytime I look at you, I don't see my mother, I see Whitney's mother."

"I am so sorry, Chad." Eve pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"I don't know if I'll ever see you differently. And that's not your fault. It's mine. Maybe that's why I called Alexis for you, because I felt bad because I might never be the son you wanted or deserve."

"You are everything I ever dreamed my son would be like and more."

"You can't say that."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't know. You don't know me, so how can you know I'm all that?"

"I just know. You helped me when you could've just ignored my existence. You helped Simone, your sister."

"How is she?" Chad asked, seeking a good chance to change the subject.

"She's good. She's came by to see me 2 days in a row and we're supposed to have lunch today. With Alexis actually."

"That's great. Did you tell her about TC?"

"What about him?"

"Surely you think it's strange that while you husband is shoving a restraining order, sighed by your daughter, in your face, the same daughter is trying to see you every chance she gets."

"You think TC forged the restraining order?"

"Oh no, the restraining order's real. It's Simone's signature. That's about as real as $3 bill."

"He forged her signature? To keep my own daughter away from me?" Chad nodded his head. "God, he really does hate me doesn't he? And even with that, I be using Simone the way he has been. Trying to turn her against him by telling her about all this he'd done, would be just as bad as what he did. I have to let her make up her own mind about him."

"How can you still care about him?"

"I loved him. I still do. He's the father of my children. My daughters." Eve could've kicked herself for bringing back up that subject. "I think I'm going to quite while I was so far ahead. Thank you for everything, Chad." Eve turned around and walked toward the door.

"Your welcome." Chad said quietly. Eve turned around and gave him a slight smile and continued out the door. Chad watched her leave, then grabbed his coat and went out the door.
 

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Luis slouched back against the soft cushioned couch and closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt the side of the couch move next to him. Opening one eye, he saw Sheridan sitting next to him and leaning over him.

"Luis, you're not asleep are you?"

"Come back in 5 minutes," he said, closing his eye again.

"Luis!" Sheridan said, "You can't spend your first day of in weeks just sleeping on the couch."

"Sure I can. All I have to do is keep my eyes closed and ignore all surroundings."

"Even me?" Sheridan pouted, "How can you ignore your own wife?! The mother of your child?!" she said, quickly switching to anger.

"Whoa, whoa. I'm not going to ignore you." Luis said, sitting up.

"You just said you were going to ignore all surroundings."

"I meant WE could ignore all surroundings. We could lay here together," he said, putting his arm around her. Sheridan gave in and smiled, leaning back into the couch as Luis sighed.

"Oh nothing could ruin this day."

The slamming of the front door made Luis sit up in surprise as Julian walked down the few steps.

"So much for that." Luis sighed again.

"Is everything all right with you two? I heard yelling outside."

"We just had a slight misunderstanding." Sheridan said.

"Are you getting divorced?" Julian asked, sounding just a tad too hopeful.

"No," Sheridan and Luis said in unison.

"All right." Julian walked over to the small tray across the room and got a cup of coffee while Luis just stared at him, amazed of his rudeness. Sheridan put her hand up to Luis to stop him from saying something and walked over to Julian.

"Did you need something, Julian?" she asked.

"Oh, yes. I wanted to talk to you about something. Privately," he said, cocking his head at Luis.

"Luis is my husband. He'll find out what we talked about sooner or later. More than likely sooner."

"All right fine, " Julian said, sitting down his coffee cup and facing Sheridan, "I have come up with a new way to connect with Chad."

"Really? Does it involve money?" Sheridan asked, suspiciously.

"No." Julian said, proudly.

"Well, what is it?" Sheridan asked, just before Luis had a chance to walk over to Sheridan and Julian.

"Julian remember, if this plan of yours involves kidnapping, drugging, hypnotizing or any other illegal method, I'll have to arrest you."

"I'm not going to hurt Chad. I'm going to help him."

"How?" Sheridan asked for what felt like the millionth time that night.

"I'm going to help Chad forget about all of his heartache. I know he was deeply hurt when he found out he and Whitney were brother and sister, so I'm going to help him move on. Meet someone new, Different. Unrelated."

"Whoa Julian, are you planning on finding some girl to fix Chad up with?" Sheridan asked.

"No, I already found one. You know the Watson's of Boston?"

"Slightly."

"Well, their daughter, Nelly, is single, very gorgeous,-"

"No." Sheridan said quietly.

"-successful, what? What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean, no, you can't do this. Chad is no where near ready to start dating."

"And even if her were," Luis jumped in, "I highly doubt he would want to be set up on a blind date with a woman you picked out."

"Luis is right, Julian."

"No, this could work." Julian said, "I have already brought the idea up to Marcus and Michelle when they and Nelly were over for dinner the other night."

"Whoa, they know you have another son besides Nikolas?" Sheridan asked, shocked.

"They do now."

"And these first class citizens didn't have a single objection to their daughter going on date with your illegitimate son?" Sheridan said.

"Oh like they'd go against me. I'm Julian Crane."

"You're a moron." Luis piped up, "What about this Nelly? What did she have to say about this?"

"Well, she kind of snuck out the bathroom window before she had a chance to respond." Julian informed them and Sheridan and Luis looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"But that doesn't mean anything!" After a slight pause, Julian continued. "Sheridan. Granted I picked this girl within a matter of minutes, but I've actually been thinking about this. I've thought of the way Nelly acts and speaks and walks and the way she lives. And I really believe she would help Chad."

"And you'd just happen to take the credit." Luis said.

"Sheridan, can you help me?" Julian asked, ignoring Luis.

"Help how? Chad won't like the idea anymore coming from me."

"I know, but I need to know of a way for them to meet. Someplace were Chad normally is whereas she can just walk in and they just happen to run into each other."

"The Book Cafe. He's there a lot." Sheridan said.

"And specific time?"

"Friday's. He's always there every Friday at 8pm."

"Why then?" Julian asked, curiously.

"I don't know. Beth just told me that he's always there at that time."

"Well, then I'll call Marcus and Michelle and tell them that Nelly should show up at that time."

"Wait, Julian. What if this girl doesn't want to go?" Luis asked.

"I'll take her there. People seem to like me." Sheridan said.

"I thought, you thought that this was a bad idea?" Luis asked.

"I did, but maybe Julian's right and this will help Chad."

"Thank you!" Julian said, "I'll call Marcus and Michelle right now!"
 

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"Listen to me, Carol. Just tell Mr. Penton that I am extending my vacation to last through Thanksgiving. And if he says anything, just tell him that when he pushes back the best damn documentary story ever written for this paper, he looses his best damn writer for a couple weeks. All right, thank you."

Nelly closed her phone and sighed, just in time for her phone to ring. She growled irritated to herself and pushed 'talk.'

"Listen to me, Penton-"

"Nelly, darling! It's your mother." Michelle said.

"Mom." Nelly said, while mouthing obscenities to herself. Ever since the dinner the other night, she was on the watch for her parents call. "Listen, if you're going to give me a lecture about cutting out on you at the dinner the other night, I'm not going to apologize-"

"And I don't expect you to." Michelle said.

"What?" Nelly asked, shocked.

"I don't blame you for getting upset, darling. Frankly, if I was in your position, I would've probably ran screaming out of the house. I mean, Julian Crane is no saint, but my God, trying to fix MY daughter up on a date with his bastard son. What was he thinking?"

"Mother. That's not too nice. I'm sure his son has a name."

"I'm sure he does too, it is the truth, but Julian did call Marcus and I not too long ago-"

"No."

"-and since you're are still in Harmony-"

"No."

"-he wants you to got on a date with his son and meet him at some coffee place. It's incredible tacky."

"Mother! Please tell me you told him no. Please."

"It's just one date darling. Just go, put up with him for a few hours and then call it a night. You'll never even have to see him again."

"No, you know what? I'm putting my foot down. I am not going. You better just call Julian up and tell him I can't come."

"How in the world do you expect me to say 'no' to the wealthiest man in the world?"

"Just like you would say it to the poorest or the stupidest. Which is pretty ironic since we're talking about Julian Crane."

"Nelly! It is not that simple. You have already put us into bad dealing with the Cranes all those years ago when you were in college with Felicity."

"I put you into bad dealings? That moronic bitch put glue in my hair!" Nelly yelled, not wanting to relive that horrific period in her life.

"If you hadn't wanted to try and go up against her-"

"I wasn't going to bow down to that woman. I never have and I never will."

"Well, let's just forget about Felicity and you have to get off the phone and go get ready for this date."

"I thought I told you I wasn't going. In case you missed it, here I go again: I'm not going, mother."

"Nelly. Listen, this son of Julian's obviously means a great deal to him. To Julian CRANE. And besides, this kid himself is a Crane. He's probably just some hoodlum looking for a free ride from his family."

"And that's not what you want me to find in a man?" Nelly said, dropping her large purse and the contents falling out. She bent down to picked them put.

"A good man. With an education, class, and good career. But for now just do this for me darling. Please." Michelle hated begging for anything, but with Nelly she always seemed to be.

Nelly threw her items back into her purse, when she got to a photo and smiled slyly, "Sure."

"What? You'll do it? You'll go?" she asked in shock.

"Yes, tonight, this man will see Nelly Watson."
 

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"Oh, I loved that ending." Roxy said, coming out of the movie theater followed by Jax, "It was so romantic."

"Oh yes, I don't know how you talked me into seeing a romance film."

"Oh, you're weak for women!" Jax chuckled and ran a finger down Roxy's cheek and to her chin.

"Has it ever occurred that I'm just weak for you?"

"Are you putting the moves on me?" she asked, jokingly, putting her hands on her hips.

"You'd know if I were," he said, running his hand through her straight hair, just as she'd promised Nelly.

"Okay, you're definitely flirting with me now."

"And that bothers you?"

"Hmm, drop-dead gorgeous, wealthy man with a killer accent flirting with me? Hmm, I'll deal." Roxy stepped forward and put her arms around Jax, "But I've had enough foreplay," she said, just before capturing his lips with hers.
 

Chad walked down the street and stopped cold in his feet at the sight of the couple in front of him kissing. He didn't recognize the man, but he knew the woman as clear as day, though her hair was different. Chad looked away from the couple. He had needed to see Nelly and talk to her about their night together, but for some reason he didn't want to interrupt her with that guy. 'But why would she be kissing another guy?' Chad thought, 'it's not like she's your girlfriend or you know a hell of a lot about her.' So then why did watching her kissing another man hurt so much? Chad took one look at them and walked back in the direction he came.
 

Roxy and Jax's kiss lingered on until they both slowly pulled away just as Roxy's cell phone rang.
 

"Hello? Hey, Nelly. What's up?" Roxy said, listening to Nelly, "Whoa, you want me to what?"