Psychobabble

Belle gets out of bed and goes to the window. Claire cries. Belle stares. Phillip holds the baby and wonders what is wrong. He calls for Belle. No answer. "At least somebody is sleeping ," he says.

Shawn and Mimi are coming back home. Shawn hears the baby crying. He remembers JT doing that when they had no idea he was sick.

Mimi asks, "Do you think there could be something wrong?" Yeah, the kid found out who her mother is.

They decide to butt in. Phillip answers the door. "Are you OK," asks Shawn.

"No," says Phillip, "I'm glad you guys are here."

Alex finds the jewel, "John has had too much time with Marlena. We have to get him out of the picture."

John and Marlena dance. "Are you remembering," asks John

"I'm remembering dancing with the man I love," says Marlena

"Thank God," says John, "your memory is coming back."

Jack and Jennifer dance. Jack twirls and collapses. Jennifer calls for help. John and Frankie rush to check him out. Jack gets up and insists he is OK. He doesn’t want to go to the hospital.

Alex takes the opportunity to check on Marlena. He asks if she is OK. "No," says Marlena, "I am a doctor. I should be able to help."

Alex drags out the jewel, "Do everything I say... I want you to tell John you want to go home; that you don't want to see him any more."

Marlena says, "But that's not true. Why do you want me to tell him that?"

"Marlena," says Alex, "I know what's best for you. You don't want to be with him. He's not good for you."

Marlena asks, "Are you sure?"

They ease Jack into a seat. John thinks Jack needs to see a doctor.

"There isn't anything a doctor can do for me," says Jack. He turns to Jennifer, "If you don't mind going home with a crumpled cape crusader, I don't mind going home with you." He asks Frankie to take him home.

Jennifer asks John to call Lexie.

John tells Jennifer he's sorry to hear about Jack's condition. Jennifer asks how things are going with Marlena. John says things may be turning around for them, "If there is anything I can do..." Jennifer leaves. John calls Lexie.

Phillip doesn't know what is wrong with the baby. He tells them Belle hasn't been nursing. He gives the baby to Mimi so he can go up and check on Belle. Mimi dumps Claire like a hot potato. Shawn intercepts.

Belle stares. Phillip asks if she heard him call. Yes she heard. She should have come down. He asks if there is anything he can do. Belle says there isn't.

Phillip has an epiphany, "You're not right."

"I don't know that I ever will be again," whines Belle.

Meanwhile, down in the living room, Shawn holds the baby. Mimi turns on TV. GUESS WHO! The Stones! Streets of love. Shawn asks if Mimi is OK. Mimi says she is. We watch the video. Again. Shawn looks at Belle's picture.

Phillip tells Belle things will get better. Belle goes off the deep end, "How do you know that? You can't see the future. Don't say that."

Phillip says, "When I lost my leg I hated it when people said that, just like you do, but they were right."

"How do you know, when I don't," says Belle, "I have no control. It's like I'm a different person. Everything makes me anxious. I can't focus. I'm numb inside."

Phillip asks, "Have you taken your medication?"

"What?"

"The medication I picked up for your moods," says Phillip.

"No," says Belle, "I haven't taken it."

He gives her a dose. Silence. Phillip says, "The baby has stopped crying."

Belle snaps, "You left her alone!"

"No," says Phillip, "Shawn and Mimi came. Do you want to say hi?"

"No."

"They're our best friends," he says.

Belle is a little touchy, "STOP PUSHING ME!"

Phillip says, "You have to see them sooner or later."

Belle whimpers, "They seem to be doing everything together lately."

Phillip says, "Every time I mention the two of them together, you get very upset."

Belle protests, "I do not!"

Phillip says, "That's because you're afraid of losing Shawn." Belle stares through the tears.

Jack, Jennifer, Frankie and Lexie are at the Devereaux house. Jennifer goes to make tea. Frankie offers to help. He says he wants to get away from Jack.

Frankie tells Jennifer she is scared. She needs to let it out.

Jennifer asks, "Why did I let Jack take me dancing?"

"He wants to be close to you," says Frankie, "He has every right."

"I'm so scared. I feel like his is the beginning of the end," says Jennifer. Don't we wish?

Jack asks how much time he has. Lexie dodges the question, "You are getting weaker."

"No kidding," says Jack, "Super-Guy just fell on his keester. How bad is it going to get? I'll tell you what. I'm going to change back into mild-mannered Jack Devereaux. Then we will talk. You have to give it to me straight."

Marlena protests. Alex has her hold the pendant, "When we first came here, you were so upset with people pushing you. I couldn’t believe how selfish they were. I am the only one who put you first, last and always. I am the only one who truly cares about you. I love you."

John overhears, "What did you just say to my wife?" Alex says, "There is no point in trying to hide it any longer. Marlena and I are in love." John squints like a mole in the sunlight.

Frankie comforts Jennifer. Jennifer says, "I should not be leaning on you like this." Frankie says, "I got a perfectly good shoulder going to waste here."

"I just feel so weak sometimes," says Jennifer.

Frankie says, "What you're dealing with is so difficult. You've mourned Jack twice already. Off in the distance was a clock ticking and you didn't know it until Jack got sick. Now you have to say goodbye again. That's got to be the toughest thing in the world."

"I'm so worried about my children," says Jennifer, "Abby idolizes him."

Jack says, "You know, for the longest time, I didn't want to know what I was up against but now I do. Let's palaver. Tell me, Lexie. Have you told me the worst? I can handle it."

"OK," says Lexie, "You will lose most of your muscle control and your motor functions. There are no medications that offer effective pain control. Your family will want to take care of you."

"No," says Jack, "I won't put them through that."

"I'll arrange for a private nurse," says Lexie.

"No," says Jack, "Jennifer wouldn't allow a stranger in her house. She'd rather have me run off and kill myself and wonder what happened to me for the rest of her life. She would be there for me wondering if it was spoon-feeding time or diaper-changing time. One kid in diapers in this house is enough. There are lots of things you don't think about when you say 'for better or worse.'"

"Unfortunately it happens to all of us eventually," says Lexie.

"I won't be there for that," says Jack, "I'm going to commit suicide. With the help you and your medications."

Lexie stammers, "I've taken an oath."

"Forget the oath," says Jack.

"No," says Lexie, "I can't give you the medications to do this."

Jennifer steps out of the kitchen, "NO JACK! I will not let you do that!" Nobody's buying this, right?

John asks Marlena if she has fallen in love with Alex. Marlena says, "I've turned my future over to him."

"I knew you were after her," growls John. He turns to Marlena, "It's been him all along. He 's the one who wanted the divorce."

"Yes," says Marlena.

"Marlena asked you for the divorce because we love each other," says Alex, "I know this won't be easy for you."

"Drop all that phony psychobabble, pal," snaps John, "How did this happen?"

Alex says, "It's quite simple. I love Marlena and she loves me."

"Just answer me this," says John, "How did you do it?"

Alex says, "We were together and we talked and nature took its course. Its' enough for you to know we love each other and Marlena wants to end it with you."

John says, "Before Jack fell, Marlena and I were doing well. What happened? Go ahead, Marlena, tell him what happened earlier." Marlena stares.

Belle asks, "Why do you keep bringing this up? I am not jealous of Shawn and Mimi."

Phillip says, "I'm going to put this carefully." Good decision "I don't think you are jealous. You and Shawn are through and I am clear on that. Mimi still blames you for Rex. In her mind, he left her because of what you said."

"That's ridiculous. She comes over every day," says Belle.

"She comes over with Shawn," says Phillip, "I'm not threatened by what you and Shawn used to have. I know I have your heart, right? I'm going to check on the baby and will tell them you are asleep."

Shawn checks the kid. Mimi asks if he is OK. "Yeah."

Mimi asks, "Music is a powerful thing isn't it?"

Phillip comes down and tells them Belle is resting. He appreciates them coming, "This PPD is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"You look wrecked," says Mimi.

"I haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately," says Phillip, "The baby has been fussy. I keep her down here with me so Belle can sleep. I love both of them very much. I just want to make the baby happy again. Claire, too. I'm starting to be obsessed with it."

"It goes with the territory," says Shawn, "I know I always came first with my parents.

"I came first with Henderson," says Phillip, "I have to get my life going again."

"How is the leg," asks Shawn

"It's been bothering me a little," says Phillip.

Shawn offers to take Claire for the night.

"Oh you guys are the best," says Phillip.

"She'll have such a good time she won't want to come back," says Shawn, "We can handle her." Phillip gets the worst end of this bargain. He has to handle Belle. Mimi stares.

Jennifer will not let Jack take a habit-forming drug. Jack points out, "I don't have that much time to get hooked."

"You can't just give up," insists Jennifer.

"Actually," says Jack, "Lexie and I were in the middle of a doctor-patient thing."

Jennifer goes back to the tea, "You can't give up, Jack."

Jack says to Lexie, "That kills me. No pun intended. Seeing her live in a dream world."

"That's a natural tendency," says Lexie, "And it's a better course than committing suicide. Jack, if you do this, the consequences for your family will be devastating."

"No," says Jack, "They will never know when I leave this planet. They won't have my death haunting them forever."

Lexie says, "Jack, millions of people go through the ritual of saying goodbye. It's a necessity."

"I know it's against the law for you to assist me," says Jack.

Lexie says, "No, Jack, I can't help you. My ethics won't do it. I draw the line at romping around with Tek and being unfaithful to Abe."

"You are entitled to say no," says Jack, "But those same ethics bind you not to tell anyone what we just talked about." Lexie scowls.

John says to Marlena, "Tell him you love me so he can pack his bags."

Marlena clutches the pendant, "I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"He has brainwashed you," says John, "You have to fight. Don't let him tear you away. Open your eyes."

Alex butts in, "I am not doing anything to her except loving her more than you ever have. You are a danger to her. I will make sure you can't get close to her. I have already requested the restraining order."

"Damn that restraining order," says John. Marlena tells him he is making a scene. "I don't care if anyone is watching. How do you expect me to react? Can't you see what is happening here? He did something to you!"

"We're going," says Alex. He takes Marlena's arm.

"You get your hands off of her," says John.

Shawn hands Mimi the baby. Mimi freaks. The baby wakes up and cries.

"I didn't ask if you were OK with this," says Shawn, "I am so sorry. I saw how overwhelmed Phillip was. What do you want to do?"

"Just get the door open so I can give her back to you and she will stop crying," says Mimi.

Belle lays in the fetal position, "What is wrong with me? It should be the happiest time of my life. Why am I so unhappy?" Phillip watches.

Jennifer pours that great healing elixir. Lexie tells Jennifer Jack will deteriorate. She asks if Jennifer is OK.

"I have to be OK for Abby and Jack Junior," says Jennifer, "But every bit of strength in me I have to give to my husband. I can't let him down."

Jack asks Frankie, "You really do still love her don't you?" Silence. "Ho boy... Sigh... Be careful what you wish for, Frankie. I can't tell you how much that hurts. Maybe I could just die of a broken heart and save everyone a lot of trouble. You are my gift to Jennifer. You will be here for my family. You will give them support and protection." Guy hug.

"John, let go of my arm," says Alex. Marlena begs him to let go.

John loosens his grip, "You're not leaving with him."

"That's Marlena's choice," says Alex, "I could have you arrested for assault. One last thing. You accused me of making Marlena fall out of love. All I did was remind her of the love we shared. So obviously the love we shared was considerably stronger than any love she shared with you." Alex leaves with Marlena. FF on the tormented John.


Previews
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