Daily Updates

Subject:      GH:  UPDATE for Monday 3/16/98
From:         ninapie@ntcnet.com
Date:         1998/03/22

General Hospital Update for MOnday March 16, 1998--

*Gulp*  I have a tremendous responsibility to live up to today--
I hope I'm equal to the task--

A lot of men are in crisis on today's program.  Some, like Jason
Luke, are facing their worst fears and the ugliest parts of
themselves. Some, like Justus, turn their backs on one "devil" only
to accept a more dangerous one.  Some, like Tony, are so removed
from reality that they only have a toehold on their sanity.

We begin...
  Port Charles Hotel--
  Robin enters the lobby and brushes past someone hidden behind a
newspaper, apparently reading.  Ah-hah--the newspaper is lowered
and we see it is Helena.  Hel tells Robin how grateful she is for
the part Robin played in Nikolas' recovery.  Robin politely but
firmly brushes her off.  Hel concedes graciously, but lets Robin
know that should she ever need a *friend*...
  Next Robin runs into Ed Q and shortly thereafter, Justus.  Justus
greets her while ignoring Ed.  She remarks how well he looks since
beginning his "new Life" with Jason.
  When she leaves, Ed tries to confer with Justus about the baby.
There's been no more word.  Ed feels there's something fateful in
their meeting tonight.  No need to remind me, Justus answers--"It's
2 years ago today that I killed Damian Smith." "And you took your
first step toward your family--toward me," Ed adds. "Maybe it was
destiny that brought us together today.  Maybe we're being given
another chance."
  Justus tells him to get to the point.  Ed tells him that the
re-built Ward house is a tribute to all Mary Mae stood for--and
that Justus himself is a tribute to Damian Smith.  Through him the
pain and guilt still lives on.  Justus tells him that's an old
story.  Where he is now, Justus has the trust and confidence of
someone he respects--a feeling he never had among his supposed
family.  "Stop it!" Ed Q demands, his eyes moist (we'll have a lot
of that today).  "Make this day count for something!  Come back
to your family--come back to me." Justus tells him not in a million
years.
  Well, so be it, Ed replies.  He may have lost Justus.  But he will
not lose his great-grandson!  He storms off, ignoring Justus'
insistance that he not get involved.

  Jason's Place--
  Carly enters and begins to berate Jason for still conducting
business when Michael is still missing. He promised to put every-
thing aside to search for the baby!  Why won't he go to Edward,
who promised to help in any way?  She rants and raves while Jason
tries to hold on to his grip.  Yeah, well, Carly, why don't you
go up and take a nap or something?
  How can she sleep when her baby has been kidnapped?!  They argue,
as Carly accuses Jason of not doing enough for or caring enough
about baby Michael.
  "Look," he explodes, "I'm as scared inside as you are!  I'm doing
everything I can to find Michael, so why don't yous tay out of my
face?!"  "Fine!"  Carly hollers back. "Edward has already offered
me a place to stay!  As for Michael, he's already out of your face,
isn't he?"
  Jason slams out.  Carly runs after him, crying that she's sorry,
but the elevator doors have already closed.

  The docks--
  Nik is hanging out here, for some reason, when Helena pops up
and tries making nice iwth him, telling him how pleased she is
that he's regained his voice.  Nik reminds her that he's asked
her to stay away. Hel accepts that he does not like her, but just
the same, she likes him.  She comments on his frienship with Robin
and is reminded of her father, Robert Scorpio.  Just like her
father, Robin has a strong ethical code (except when it comes to
horning in on other girls' guys) and Helena is just *amazed* that
Stefan would have stooped to offer her money. Nik acts like he's
already heard this tidbit, and the grande dame bids her cher
Nikolas good evening, confident that she's caused a little more
trouble for Stefan.
  Stef appears and Nik makes short work of asking if Stef really
did try to pay off Robin.  Isn't he (Nik) allowed to pick his own
friends?
  Stef tells the boy that he and Robin have no future together.
She's still involved with the hooligan Jason Morgan.  And has
Nikolas forgotten Robin's HIV+ status?  Or was he going to try
to pretend it didn't exist?
   Nik defends Robin in glowing terms and informs his uncle that
he has no intention of breaking off his friendship with her.

  "Their" bridge--
  Jason groans in rage and frustration and begins slamming his
fists into the stones of the bridge.  Robin pleads with him to
stop.  "Whatever it is," she promises, "I'll help you."
"You can't," he tells her.  "Micheal's gone."
  Robin wraps his hand in a handkerchief as Jason blames himself
for the kidnapping.  The other suspects (Tony, the Qs) have all
come up clean.  Whoever took the baby was trying to get back at
*him*.  He's worried for Michael--is he being cared for?  Is he
scared.  Jason never understood before what it meant to be afraid--
but now he does, and it's the worst feeling in the world.
        "You'll find him," Robin assures him.  They embrace.  "Yes," Jason
agrees.  "I'll find him and bring him home.  And then I'll find
who took him and I'll make them pay."  Robin is pressed to Jason's
 coat, so she can't see his face turn hard and cold.

  Mercy Hospital--
  Tony holds baby Michael, who's suckin' away at his little
 pacifier (this kid is so cute, I can't get over it) as the nurse
gushes over how good he is with the baby.  "I just like kids,"
Tony tells her.  He says that the baby's mother is having problems
with immigration services and the baby just needs a safe place
to stay for a while.  He's told that the baby can stay as long as
needed.  When he and Michael are alone, Tony murmurs to him like
to a co-conspirator: "So far so good, huh?"

  Luke's house--
  "Get out of my way," Lucky tells his father, who stands between
him and the door.  "Not until you tell me what's with the packed bag
and the attitude."  Lucky tries to walk out, but Luke pushes him
back and they struggle briefly.  What's Luke gonna do, Lucky asks.
*Force* him to stay because he's bigger and stronger?
   Luke is trapped now.  He knows it. "What do you know?"
 Luke grinds out.
   "Say it!"
   "You think the words will make you feel better?"
   "If you can't look me in the eyes and tell me the truth," the
boy cries, "then we have nothing.  We have less than nothing!"
   "Less than nothing?"  Luke mutters.  "Is that so?  All right.
A long time ago...long before you were born...In another life...
I raped your mother.  There.  I said it.  Feel better?"
   Lucky is shattered, but he has to know everything.  "Where'd
you rape her?...I want to hear about the big lie my whole life is
based on."
   "There is no big lie!"  Luke shouts. "You were conceived, born
and raised in love...nothing but love.  And what happened between
me and Laura a long time ago are personal matters that don't
concern you.  And the darkest places in my soul are not yours to
examine on demand!"
    Lucky's voice breaks and tears run down his face.  "You are so
full of crap!  You're a coward.  You were a coward then and you're
a coward now."  He tells Luke that he hates him.  He's a liar and
a hypocrite.  Lucky demands to know what exactly happened on that
night.  He's sick of being lied to!  "I have to know!"  he screams.
  Luke's breath is shuddering, his speech is choked and halting,
as through he's about to throw up.  "You want the truth?
I don't even know if I know the truth... all right, son.  I'll tell
you everything I know."
  Luke is seated on the sofa and as he begins to speak, his voice
is almost detached, as though telling someone else's story. "In
those days I managed a disco--a cheesy little joint.  Laura worked
for me as a waitress.  And I was obsessed with her."

  [N.B.--what follows is not a verbatim retelling of the dialogue--
for that, see Allynn's excellent posting of transcript]

  I was a walking dead man...Frank Smith had decided I was
expendable...I was drunk.  That's not an excuse, just a fact.  But
not as drunk as I wanted to be.  It was late, the disco was closed.
And I was alone.  It seemed like a good time to die, and I was as
close as I've ever been to putting a bullet in my head.  And then--
there she was.  My angel..."

  We see--black and white flashback of the disco, Luke's tall
silhouette turning from the bar--it's very hazy.  Then the screen
becomes clear and we see a close-up of the lovely teen-age Laura's
face.  She looks confused by Luke's presence.

  "She was dressed in blue...her hair was long and loose...
(Luke's voice breaks) God, she was beautiful...how I loved her."

  We see--Luke crying at the bar, Laura going up to him in concern

  "She wanted to know what was wrong...I told her to go away, but
she wanted to talk..she told me her marriage to Baldwin was over..

  We see--Laura talking to Luke, trying to convince him, and Luke
circling her, gulping another drink at the bar.

  "She started talking nonsense, like how Scotty and she were my
friends, the three of us could go to the police--it was absurd,
insane, pathetic...and so familiar...her refusing to go away...
I couldn't take it any longer, so I told her she was a chain around
me...she was tearing me apart..."

  We see--Luke talking to Laura, her seeming to turn away in
discomfort.  He grasps her shoulders, staring at her, forcing her
to face him while he speaks. She's trying to calm him, touches
his shoulder.

  Luke's voice is full of yearning.  "I was on fire..she touched
me and felt like salvation..and she smelled of roses...and I wanted
to drown in her...I wanted her to hold me underwater until my
last breath exploded from me.  I wanted to die in her arms.
But then she turned away.  Then she wanted to leave, just when I
wanted her to stay.  And that was the dance we did..back and forth,
push and pull..."

  We see--Laura turning to get her purse.  Luke grabs her shoulder,
pulling her around and throws her purse to the ground in rage?
frustration? what?  Laura stares at the purse in confusion.  Luke
circles in front of her.

  "There was a song on the turntable and the stupid disco lights
were on..." (We hear the throbbing disco beat in the background)
"And all I knew was I couldn't go to my grave without holding her
once...(his voice shakes) *one* time..."

  We see--Luke standing in front of the jukebox, holding out his
arms to Laura, almost smiling.  Laura shakes her head no.  The
scene turns to color and we see Laura's blue blouse and skirt.

  "The song on the tunrtable was "Rise"..and she was standing on
the dance floor looking at me...eyes so blue... it could almost
make you believe there was a God.."

  We see--Luke moving forward toward her as she backs up a little.
His arm is extended and he takes her hand and draws her forward.
He places her arms upon his shoulders and they begin to dance.

  (whispering) "Dance with me, Laura...dance with me..."

  "And then she got scared...and she wanted to go home..and I
kissed her."

  We see--Luke twirling her and moving behind her.  He's staring at
her intently.  He kisses her neck, Laura's uncomfortable, scared,
 trying to turn her face away.

  "She kissed me back (voice shaking)...I know she kissed me
back.."

  We see--Luke swings her out again and draws her close, kissing
 her lips.  Her arms are in front of her, not around him--she
tries to pull away.  She shifts in his arms so we can clearly
see her face, saying no, no.

  "And then she said no.  I think she kept saying no, but I pulled
her down on the floor and I took her.  I raped her."

  We see--Laura saying no and crying as Luke kisses her and pulles
her down.  The camera moves away from them to focus on the flashing
disco lights.

  "I think I blacked out or something.  When I came back to myself
I was standing, looking down...and she was huddled in a ball, her
clothes were torn and I don't know how that happened (voice breaks,
crying)..."

  We see--Luke standing, shirt unbuttoned, in a daze.  He looks
down at Laura and holds out his hand.  She is rolled into a fetal
position on the floor.  Her make-up is smeared, her blouse is
torn.

  "And her face was smeared with make-up, black tears, and I reached
out to her, to help her up, to say I'm sorry, to apologize...and
she cowered away from me like a little wounded animal..."

  We see--Laura shrinking from Luke's hand.  Luke's face is stunned,
as he seems to realize what he's done--he turns away, raking his
hands through his hair, heading toward the bar, while Laura
crouches in fear, creeping out of the room.

  "Ringing...there was a telephone ringing somewhere...and then she
was gone.  She ran to the park.  Someone found her there.  And I..
I..."

  Luke holds his hands clasped in front of his face, breathing
deeply as though to compose himself.  He turns to his son, his
voice and eyes hard.  "That's all I know."  He turns away and his
face collapses.
  Lucky has listened in silence.  He stares at his father without
expression.  Tears and mucus streak his face.  "Nice story, Dad."
His voice is very low.  "I'm real proud."  He picks up his
duffel bag and walks out.  Alone, Luke breaks down.

  ***Just have to say, this was an amazing performance and scene
that overwhelm my powers of description.  The mixture of emotions
in Tony Geary's performance--remorse, self-loathing, self-pity,
shame--just incredible!  Astounding!  Can't think of enough
superplatives!  Back to updating...***

  Bobbie rushes in.  "Oh, Luke I'm glad I found you."  She's about
to tell him how much Lucky suspects when Luke tells her that he
told Lucky the whole thing.  He's huddled on the sofa hugging a
pillow.  Bobbie sinks down next to him.
  Well, she wonders after the shock wears off, isn't Luke going
after him?  No.  Luke is still shaken, his voice quiet.  If he's
ever going to get his son back, he has to let him go now.  Well,
shouldn't he at least tell Laura?  "No way in hell," he answers,
himself again.
  He goes to the mantel and touches the family photos there. Right
now, all of Lucky's anger is directed at him, and that's how he
wants to keep it. Laura has paid enough for that night.
  "Will you ever stop protecting her?"  A baffled Bobbie demands.
"Someday you reallyy should, you know."  Then she softens and
tells him how sorry she is about everything.  "Yeah, me too," Luke
murmurs.  He tears up again.

  PC Bus Terminal--
  Lucky wants a one-way ticket out of town.  "Where to?"  The
ticket guy asks.  Lucky is emotionless.  "Whatta ya got?"

The End!

****
Nina P.