Time After Time
By Wayne-Daniel Berard
You’ve loved Wayne-Daniel’s fanfiction in the past, including Xander’s new company which resurrects the dead, and Susan getting a conjugal visit with Brady in Statesville. You told us that Wayne-Daniel’s idea for who killed Charlie Dale was a terrific idea. Now, he’s gone and killed off a popular character, sent someone into rehab, and has Anna fixing a mistake. Though we think some viewers might like Anna’s “mistake.”
Scene, Nicole’s apartment
There’s a knock on the door; Nicole answers to find Rafe standing there, smiling sheepishly. He holds Duke, the teddy bear.
“Well, hi there!” Nicole beams. “To both of you!”
“Howdy, partner,” Rafe moves Duke up and down in his hand. “It’s your turn to babysit the bear! Speaking of which, are Henry and Allie here? Just wanted to check in, see how she’s doing.”
“No, they’re not, but come in, please,” Nicole steps aside and Rafe walks in. “With the weather warming up, Allie decided to take Henry for a stroller-ride through the park. Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s going to meet a certain someone there?” She grins.
“Tripp, I’m guessing?” Rafe responds. “Are those two getting closer?”
“Well, let’s just say that romance may very well be in the air!” Nicole says.
“Good,” Rafe nods. “Tripp’s a really good guy. Not a lot of people could see past what happened to him, let alone get close to Allie.”
“Yes, he IS a good guy,” Nicole replies. “He reminds me of someone.” Her eyes sparkle when she looks at Rafe. “Thanks again for taking in Ava.”
“Glad to help, ma’am!” Rafe once again moves the bear about while doing his awful John Wayne voice.
Just then Nicole’s phone rings. She looks at the screen.
“That’s the country code for Zambia!” she nearly squeals with excitement. “Eric!”
“Hi, honey!” Nicole answers joyfully. But almost immediately her face changes. “Oh, sorry. I thought you were my husband calling. Yes, I’m Mrs. Nicole Brady. What?! No! That’s not possible! There must be some mistake!” Nicole drops the phone to the floor and begins to sway, as well.
“Nicole!” Rafe jumps up and catches her. “Nicole, what is it?!”
“That was the police. From some city called Lusaka. Eric was taking a flight to London, then on to the States. He texted me yesterday about it.”
“What happened?” Rafe asks, although his tone says it all.
“The plane crashed immediately upon takeoff,” Nicole speaks like a sleepwalker. “There were no survivors. Oh, Eric!” And she breaks down in Rafe’s arms.
He leads her to the couch. “God, Nicole!” he says. “I’m so sorry.”
“What will I do now?” Nicole laments. “I have no one. I’m all alone, Holly and I.”
“You’re not alone,” Rafe insists. “You have me.”
Nicole reaches out a hand and touches Rafe’s cheek. “I have you” she repeats and nods. “I always have you. You’re such a good man.”
“Let me get you some water.” Rafe starts to stand.
“No!” Nicole panics. “Don’t leave me! Stay close to me! Please!”
“Ok, ok,” Rafe reassure her. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Oh, Rafe!” Nicole moans. “I need you! Don’t you leave me, too. Please.” And she kisses his cheek.
“Nicole, I don’t think —“ he begins to say.
“I can’t think!” Nicole responds. “I can’t feel — anything but pain. Help me, Rafe!” She kisses him full on the mouth. “You’re so good and everything else is so dark!” She kisses him again. “Everything’s been taken away. Please, take me, before the darkness does! Save me, Rafe! I’m begging you!”
And the two lock lips and fall back together onto the couch.
Scene change. The wine cellar. Earlier that day.
Gwen is struggling against her ropes when the door opens. There stands Anna, with her mouth agape.
“Oh, thank God!” Gwen utters. “Untie me! Get me out of here!”
Anna takes a few steps into the room.
“What are you doing here in the first place, dear?” she asks.
“Your deranged niece and her psycho new best friend drugged me and dragged me here. Abigail and Gabi. Now untie me, will you!”
“Why on earth would they do that?” Anna says.
“To force some sort of confession out of me!” Gwen is pulling at her ropes. “But I can’t bloody confess to something I didn’t bloody well do! And I’ve never killed anyone — yet, anyway! Are you going to get me the hell out of here?!”
Anna raises her eyes and one index finger. “Hold that thought,” she says and trots out the door.
— This would be a good spot for a commercial break! —
A few minutes later, the wine cellar door opens. Anna has returned.
“Where the hell did you go?!” the still-bound Gwen asks her.
“Oh, just ran to my room for a moment,” Anna answers, smiling — and reveals a syringe in her hand. “I was a nursing student before I met my Tony, did you know that? I keep quite a little pharmacy in my night bag.”
“Stay away from me, you crazy old bat!” Gwen is squirming, terrified.
“Don’t worry, dear.” She bends closer to her. “I needed this when I was mourning my Tony. One dose, and you’ll sleep like the dead!”
A moment later, she’s standing over a comatose Gwen. “Now to arrange some transport.” And Anna exits.
Scene change, outside Dimera wine cellar
“I’m just going to scare her with it!” Abigail is insisting as she brandishes a syringe in one hand, a key in the other.
“And what if she still doesn’t cave, huh?” Gabi asks derisively. “Never make a threat you’re not prepared to keep!”
“Does that include ‘Shut up or I’ll use this on you?’” Abby smiles sarcastically.
The door opens. Gwen is sitting, bound to the chair, head down and eyes closed.
“Wakey-wakey!” Abby sing-songs. “Time to confess.”
Gwen doesn’t move.
“Come on, cheap stuff!” Gabi shakes Gwen’s shoulder. “Nap time’s over!”
Gwen’s head lols back and forth, but no response.
Gabi and Abigail look at each other. Gabi presses a finger to the side of Gwen’s neck.
“She’s dead!” Gabi exclaims.
“What? No! She can’t be dead!” Abby answers.
“Check for yourself,” Gabi responds.
“No! I’m not touching that! You’re the expert on dead bodies around here! Nick Fallon springs to mind?!”
“Well, this bitch ain’t springing anywhere!” Gabi puts her hands on her hips. “She’s dead!”
Abigail inhales sharply. “I’m gonna be sick!” she says. “I gotta get out of here.” And she runs from the room.
“Amateurs!” Gabi says disgustedly and follows her.
Scene change: Abby and Gabi have wheeled a laundry cart to the door of the Dimera wine cellar
“It worked the last time!” Abigail is insisting.
“Sure, but what do we do with her once we get her into this thing and out of the mansion?” Gabi asks.
“We wheel her back into the Salem Inn where we found her! Easy!” Abby answers.
“But we don’t have her room key!” Gabi objects.
“So, we just dump her in front of her door and take off!” Abigail is nearly shouting now. “Or we could always push her into the river and have her show up at your NEXT wedding like Tricky Nicky?!”
Abigail unlocks the door and they enter — to find an empty room! The chair is vacant, and pieces of rope are scattered about the floor.
“Holy crap on a Kiriakis! Where is she?!” Gabi exclaims.
“Beats me!” Abigail answers.
“Don’t tempt me!” Gabi is fuming! “This is YOUR friggin dungeon! How the hell could this have happened?
Scene change: the Visitors’ Room at Statesville Prison
Dr. Rolf is sitting at a table. He looks up.
“Do you know who I am?” A voice comes from off-camera.
“I have seen family photographs,” Rolf answers.
Anna Dimera sits herself down opposite him.
“I have a gift for you,” she says with a sly smile.
“A gift?” Rolf asks. “How touching! What’s the occasion.”
“Life and death,” Anna answers. “Your specialty, I understand.”
“What do you want, Mrs. DiMera?” Rolf inquires.
“I understand that you need . . . raw material for your research?” she answers.
“Yah. Yah, I do,” Rolf answers. “I won’t be locked up in this hell-hole forever. One day, I will return to my work.”
“Well, I have a fine specimen all set for you,” Anna explains. “Young . . . ish! Healthy.”
“Dead?” Rolf asks.
“No, although she seems so. She’s currently enjoying the generous trunk space of a Mercedes S Class rented under an alias. And she’s all yours. Just tell me where to — deposit her. I’m assuming you have confederates on the outside?”
“Of course,” Rolf replies. “But who is this woman? And why ‘donate’ her to me?”
Anna leans in. “Let’s just say she’s a threat to my family — which is Stefano’s family, as well. I’m not much for mayhem, but I would like her obliviated, to the point where she doesn’t remember her own name — which, by the way, is Gwen Rizczech.”
Rolf’s eyes grow wider. “Gwen Rizczech? My dear lady, you are doing me a service! Ms Rizczech has, as the saying goes, ‘things on me.’ With her out of the way, my release would become immanent!”
“So, we have a deal?” She reaches her hand across.
“We do, indeed, Mrs. Dimera,” Rolf replies, clearly overjoyed. “Anything for la Familia!”
Scene change: a month later. The Horton living room
Jack, Jeniffer, Abigail, and JJ are all sitting around having coffee and cake.
“I’m so glad you could get back for your Dad’s birthday,” Jen begins.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world — even if I had to fly halfway around it to get here!” JJ laughs.
“Chad sends his best, Dad,” Abigail says. “But the kids have that bug, and I won’t leave them with anyone but family, ever!”
Jack nods, absently.
“You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?” Abigail asks.
“I can’t help it,” Jack shakes his head sadly. “With all that research she did on our family, she has to know when my birthday is. I thought maybe I’d get a call.”
“Which just proves my point, Dad,” Abigail continues. “Gwen skipped out on the bail you set for her. Now she’s not just a suspect in Grandma’s death, she’s a fugitive. And all this time, not a word from her? She was playing you, Dad. You’re better off without her. We all are.”
Abby’s cell goes off.
“I need to take this. Sorry.” She gets up and leaves the room.
“Did she call today?” Gabi is asking on the other side of the call.
“No!” Abigail whispers. “And I almost wish she had! Where could she be? It’s driving me crazy!”
“With your history, that’s not a drive; that’s a putt!” Gabi mocks her.
“Ha-ha! Very funny!” Abigail responds.
“Look, I don’t know how she escaped, but she’s gone and that’s that! Just be happy about it! Stop stressing!”
“I wish I could,” Abigail sighs. “I just can’t shake this feeling that we haven’t heard the last of Gwen Rizczech.”
“Honey!” Jeniffer calls from the next room. “It’s Doug and Julie, calling from London!”
“I gotta go,” Abby says and hangs up. She re-enters the living room.
“Hi, Doug? What?! Oh no!” Jeniffer is saying.
“What is it?” Abigail asks.
“Julie tripped in Trafalgar Square. She’s broken her hip! She’s in a London rehab center,” Jen relates the news.
“Some second honeymoon!” JJ sighs.
“Please tell Doug our thoughts and prayers are with her,” Jack says. The call ends.
“Poor Julie!” Jen laments.
“And the poor staff that has to take care of her!” JJ adds. They all look at him. “Hey, I love Julie as much as the rest of you. But you have to admit, she ain’t easy!”
Scene change: London Rehab Center
“Orderly! Orderly!” Julie is calling from a wheelchair. “I buzzed twenty minutes ago for more blankets. I’m freezing! What type of inept operation are you running around here!”
“I’m sorry, Madame,” a voice apologizes. “Here they are.”
“Well, it’s about time!” Julie looks up and suddenly appears terrified. “YOU!” she shouts. “Not you! You get away from me! HELP! HELP! MURDERER!”
“Madame, please! What ARE you going on about?”
The orderly turns, and we see that it is — Gwen Rizczech!”
“I know who you are!” Julie is frantic. “You stay away from me!”
“What’s wrong, Jackie?” a male voice can be heard approaching.
“Mrs. Williams seems to be having some sort of breakdown?” Gwen/Jackie explains. “I’m glad you’re here, darling.”
“Listen to me!” Julie calls out. “That girl is no Jackie. She’s a Gwen! And she’s wanted for murder back in Salem.”
“I can assure you,” the man enters the scene, carrying a mop. “My wife has never murdered anyone.”
“Your wife?” Julie looks as if she’s seen two ghosts. “But — oh my God! You’re Eric! Eric Brady!”
“I’m Rom,” Eric smiles sincerely.“ Romulus Smith. And this is my wife, Jacqueline.”
“And where the hell is Salem?” Gwen inquires.
“Language, darling,” Eric reminds her.
Julie pulls her new blankets up to her nose and bellows: “DOUG!!!!”
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