Chapter 7
"Something about that visit with Cooper just doesn't sit right with me Victor." Lucy confessed with a sigh looking through her rain soaked windshield as she flipped on the wipers. 
"That entire interaction we had with that young man was a mistake." Victor agreed still filled with an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach as he thought of Cooper's final outburst. "We never should've gone up there trying to reason with him." 
"I don't know Victor...." Lucy trailed off biting her lower lip as she remembered Cooper's strange behavior. "Somehow I have this feeling that we were very close to something huge. It was almost as if you and I were on the verge of stumbling upon the answers we were so desperately searching for when Cooper had his eruption. It was like he was so eager to tell us something, yet reluctant to do so.......as if it was part of his game he was playing with us, yet he wasn't in control. I mean the way he kept trying to pull answers out about my feelings for Kevin was as if he knew something that we didn't, but wasn't willing to share." 
"Now that you mention it, something did strike me as odd." Victor admitted thinking it over as he felt chills crawling down his spine. "When he started talking about doing anything to find the way back into the life a person felt they deserved and the way he kept saying he, it was as if there was someone else feeding him those words.......as if he was rehashing something he'd been told in the past.....as if........." 
"As if there was someone else involved and that worries me Victor. The way that he talked about Kevin......." Lucy trailed off struck with an eerie feeling as she pulled off the highway onto the exit ramp. As the car decelerated she found herself gasping for breath as her vision was clouded over with darkness. "Doc?" 
"Lucy, watch out!" Victor cried out in horror as they stumbled upon the main road and found a semi coming straight at them. 
"Oh my God!" she screamed pulling her car onto the shoulder of the road as her heart began pounding in her chest and she found herself gasping for air. 
"Lucy, what is it? What's wrong?" Victor questioned reaching out to touch her shoulder as she remained unresponsive to him drawing in shallow breaths as if she was a fish out of water. "Lucy?" 
"Doc......." she muttered in between trying to suck up enough air to fill her lungs. She could feel herself starting to hyperventilate as the world slowly became clearer around her once more and the sound of Victor's voice filled her ears. 
"Lucy, Lucy? Can you hear me?" Victor questioned shaking her out of her trance as she turned to face him with frantic tears in her eyes. "Lucy?" 
"Victor," she began clinging to him unable to rid herself of the terror she'd just experienced in the brief moment before she'd pulled over, "we.....we need to get back to Port Charles as soon as possible." 
"We'd better get you to the nearest hospital." Victor announced pulling off his safety belt as she slowly returned to normal. 
"No!" she shouted in a panic. "Please Victor we need to get home right away. I need to see Kevin as soon as possible." 
"Lucy, what you need is to be checked out." Victor insisted eyeing her closely. "I knew that seeing Cooper was a bad idea. I never should have dragged you with me." 
"Victor, this had nothing to do with Cooper." Lucy tried assuring him forcing a weak smile. "You have to trust me on this one. Please let's just go back to the lighthouse." 
"All right," Victor reluctantly gave in sensing Lucy's need to communicate with Kevin, "I'll take you to Monk, but I'm driving the rest of the way home." 
"That's fine with me." Lucy agreed reaching out to hold her head in her hands. "I'm still feeling a bit light headed." 
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"Lucy......Lucy........" Kevin muttered in his drowsy state as he sprawled out on the back seat of Chris' car. 
"I can't believe this is happening." Chris announced silently cursing himself for not picking up on the clues earlier as he glanced in the rear view mirror watching Kevin twitch sporadically. 
"Is he going to be all right?" Tracie questioned reaching out to touch Chris' arm as they drove towards Port Charles. She looked over her shoulder at Kevin who had seemingly settled down a bit after Chris had sedated him. "Chris, he just looks so weak........" 
"I'm doing the best I can Tracie." Chris answered pressing his foot down on the accelerator as they drove along. "We should be at General Hospital in less than fifteen minutes." 
"What's going on Chris?" Tracie questioned listening to the soft whimpers in the back seat of the car. "Who is this poor man?" 
"He's Kevin Collins." Chris replied feeling his chest tighten as the words escaped his lips. 
"Kevin Collins? How is that possible Chris?" Tracie asked a bit confused remembering the dashing man she and Chris had encountered the other night at the restaurant. "There's no way this man is the same man I saw the other night." 
"He's not Tracie." Chris explained as he began to piece things together. 
"You've lost me Chris." Tracie replied a bit flustered as Kevin started shaking wildly in the backseat. "Chris.......he's starting again." 
"No......no........no please.......no more." Kevin trailed off consumed with tremors as Tracie reclined her seat back reaching out to comfort the suffering man before her. 
"How can this poor creature be Kevin Collins when you and I saw him the other night and he was fine?" Tracie questioned listening to Kevin's sobs die down as she ran her fingers through his dark hair in a soft, soothing motion. "How is that possible?" 
"I....I don't know Tracie." Chris muttered reaching for his cell phone alerting the hospital that he was on the way with a patient. After hanging up the phone, he found himself lost in thoughts as a combination of Kevin's cries and the pounding rain invaded his ears. Moments later he found himself drifting back to another rainy morning not so long ago when he and Eve had been sharing breakfast with one another.............. 

"The dark half of the Collins family tree?" Chris chuckled glancing up from his morning paper as he looked up at Eve. "You mean there's more skeletons in the Collins closet of horrors that I'm not aware of?" 
"Gosh, you make it sound so horrible Chris." Eve replied eating a spoonful of her cereal as she continued to thumb through the clippings. "I just wanted to do a little research to see what I was getting myself into. That's all." 
"I'll tell you what you're getting yourself into Eve......nothing but trouble. It seems to radiate around that man. Just look at what happened when he attempted to be creative...boom, all of our lives were exploited beyond belief. I'm telling you he has a dark shadow surrounding him." Chris insisted setting down his newspaper. 
"Some people could say the same thing about you Ramsey." Eve came back unimpressed with his comment as she continued to thumb through her findings. "Besides, you and I both know that Kevin never intended for any of that to take place. How was he to know that Cooper and Julie would use his novel as a model for their sick killing spree?" 
"Say what you will, but I still think you can do better than Kevin Collins. The guy gives me the creeps." Chris explained point blank as she ignored him. "So what are you reading?" 
"Nothing much." Eve shrugged as Chris snatched one of the clippings out of her hand and read the headline. "Hey, give that back." 
"Ah, the notorious Ryan Chamberlain?" Chris questioned raising an eyebrow as he stared at the photograph on the page. "So tell me Eve, why the sudden interest in learning about Dr. Psychobabble's twisted brother? Did Kevin put you up to this?" 
"No, not at all." she replied pulling the clipping out of his hand. "In fact, he'd be furious if he knew what I was doing." 
"Then why are you doing it?" Chris questioned a bit confused with her sudden interest on the topic. 
"Can you keep a secret?" Eve asked looking up at him with a worried expression. 
"For you, anytime." Chris replied with a nod leaning back in his chair. "Lay it on me baby." 
"All right," Eve began with a sigh, "Kevin's just been so distant lately and I'd heard the rumors floating around the hospital about all he went through when his brother died all those years ago, and I knew that the anniversary of his death was coming up and........" 
"........and you took it upon yourself to flood that beautiful brain of yours with all the gory details." Chris finished eyeing her skeptically. "Why torture yourself like that Eve? Don't you think the man wants to put it behind him?" 
"Well, yes, but....you see Kevin brought it up to me once before and well, he'd mentioned that he'd gone through that time with Lucy......." Eve started a bit flustered as she spoke. 
".....and you took it upon yourself to bone up on the subject so that when the anniversary arrives, Kevin will be able to turn to you instead of running into Lucy's arms." Chris continued shaking his head in disbelief as he let out a disgusted sigh. "Eve, when are you going to realize that you aren't Lucy Coe?" 
"I'm not trying to be Lucy Coe. I just want to be there for the man I care for in his time of need." Eve explained sorting through the clippings once more as she was greeted by silence. "You think I'm ridiculous, don't you?" 
"That's putting it mildly." Chris responded getting up from his chair and moving across the room. 
"Chris, that's all your going to say?" Eve asked in confusion. 
"No, it's not all I'm going to say." Chris replied turning around to face her once more. "You know Eve, if you think you need to do this to yourself in order to keep Kevin, then perhaps you're not meant to be with him. After all, when you're in love, it's just supposed to fall into place with that person. They're supposed to love you for who you are. You don't have to make yourself someone you're not...not for anyone....." 
"You're right. This was foolish of me." Eve replied taking the clippings and crumbling them in her hands. "I don't know what I was thinking. The last thing I should be doing is digging into the skeletons in my boyfriend's closet." 
"That's right." Chris agreed as she moved in to hug him. 
"From now on it's carpe diem. No more looking for past disasters to get in the way of my happiness." Eve decided pulling back from Chris. 
"In that case, let's seize the day together." Chris suggested wrapping his arms around her waist. 
"I'd love to, but would you look at the time?" Eve replied checking her watch. "I've got to meet Kevin in less than an hour, and I'm not even close to being ready. Thanks for the pep talk Chris." 
"Don't mention it." Chris replied watching her rush into her bedroom closing the door behind her as he reached into the trash bin reading the individual clippings as the truth about Ryan Chamberlain unfolded before him. Deciding to finally crumble the dreadful article up after he'd finished reading it, he let out a sigh listening to the sounds of the shower running. "As much as I can't stand Kevin, at least he's not as twisted as his brother. God only knows what would happen if any of us were around to have a run in with someone like that." 

"Chris?" Tracie called out interrupting his thoughts and starling him. "Hey, are you okay?" 
"I'll feel better when we get a hold of Eve." Chris confessed reaching for his cell phone once more and dialing the apartment. 
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Eve opened her eyes trying to focus on the images around her. Blinking back tears she strained to get a clear view of the world around her, but was greeted with darkness. She prayed for a sign or indication as to her whereabouts, but she was left with nothing but darkness. Unclear as to whether or not she was asleep or awake sheer terror ran through her veins like ice water as the realization of what she'd gotten herself into sunk into her brain. 
Closing her eyes, she was greeted with the sounds of faded laughter as images of the past began to flash before her. In that instant of nothingness, she found herself lost in the time between the past and the present. Within no concept of time, her thoughts drifted from to the mistakes she'd made in the past to the all of the things she'd hoped to accomplish. From the earliest memory of playing dress up with Shelly, to her first declaration of her passion for medicine and her acceptance letter to medical school.....they all came into her mind clear as day. As she continued through this mysterious portal of time travel, she found herself drawn into the dark side of her past where things had been cold and unforgiving as her affair with Bennett up until the events leading up to Serena's accident charred themselves into her brain. 
As the images continued to torment Eve, she silently pleaded to find some positive moment in her life to cling to. She felt as if she was free falling as she thought of all the time she'd lost and the love she'd wasted on the wrong people until finally one face in particular lingered in her mind...the face of the one person who had truly loved her for her......the person who would've done anything for her.......the person whom she'd neglected the most over the past year or so.... There he was sleeping peacefully in bed as she had left him..........left him to be alone......not taking the time to be honest with him about what had been going on in her head as she had selfishly kept it inside. Now feeling her existence moving further and further out of her reach, she thought she felt the hot tears burning against her skin as the thought of never begins able to tell him how she truly felt about him as weakness began to take over. 
"Chris......" she mumbled almost incoherently wishing he'd be able to hear her plea to him as the world engulfed her once more and her mind went blank. 
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Rushing through the doors of General Hospital, Chris and Tracie were met by Ellen Burgess who'd been informed of Kevin's condition as the paramedics wheeled him into emergency. Tracie, still shaken by all that had taken place, watched as Chris went into emergency after Ellen. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't shake the terrible feeling that had taken her over less than twenty four hours ago when Kevin Collins had seemingly abducted her. Closing her eyes, she thought of how her initial hatred for the man that had taken control away from her had dissipated and was replaced with sympathy and compassion as she said a silent prayer for his recovery. 
"Hey you," Chris called out interrupting her thoughts as he emerged from the emergency room still looking a bit flustered as he approached her. 
"Chris," she began in concern as she reached out to hold him tightly burying her head in his chest. After lingering a moment enjoying the feel of having him in her arms, she gazed up at his twisted features noticing a dark expression clouding over his features. "How is he doing?" 
"Ellen's doing her best on him in there." Chris explained pulling away from her embrace as he began to pace around the waiting room. 
"So what now?" Tracie questioned noticing how on edge Chris appeared to be. 
"I have to find Eve." Chris blurted out remembering the last time he'd seen her. 
"Chris, you tried the apartment and she wasn't there." Tracie reminded him placing her hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps she went out shopping or something." 
"No, she's not shopping. When she left this morning, she was going to see Kevin." Chris responded looking into Tracie's beautiful blue eyes feeling a twinge of guilt as he lightly brushed the side of her face with his hand. "Tracie, I don't have time to explain right now, but Eve's life is in terrible danger." 
"Because she's with Kevin........or should I say Ryan?" Tracie questioned bringing her own hand up to cover his before bringing it to her lips and kissing it. "Let me come with you." 
"No, you stay here. I don't need you getting any more involved in this than you already are." Chris replied quickly taking her hand in his own and giving it a quick squeeze. "You need to stay here for an update on Kevin. Plus Lucy Coe should probably be notified as soon as possible." 
"All right, I'll get right on it." Tracie nodded as he turned away. Reaching out to him, she drew him into her once more for a quick good-bye kiss. "Be careful Chris." 
"I will." he replied breaking away as guilt ate away at him. Turning away from Tracie he thought for a moment of how he'd betrayed her, but realized that now wasn't the time to lose himself in what he'd done. All that mattered was finding Eve and bringing her home safely. He let out a whisper as he reached the stair case hoping that someone somewhere would sent his message out to Eve. "Hold on." 
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"Lucy, are you sure that you're feeling better?" Victor questioned as the car circled in around the road towards the lighthouse. 
"I'm positive Victor. I just want to see Kevin as soon as possible. I just can't rid myself of this feeling that he's in......." Lucy started as she was interrupted by the sound of her cell phone ringing. Exchanging glances with Victor, she reached into her purse and answered the phone. "Hello." 
"Lucy, it's Kevin." Ryan's voice echoed over the other end of the line. 
"Doc, I was just thinking about you." Lucy replied letting out a breath of relief at the sound of his voice. "Is everything okay?" 
"Actually," Ryan began hesitantly knowing that he was pressed for time, "everything's not okay." 
"Doc, what is it?" Lucy questioned sitting up straighter in her seat. "Did something happen?" 
"Not exactly, but I need to see you right away." Ryan insisted with an urgency in his voice. "Please say you'll meet me somewhere." 
"Victor and I......" Lucy started to explain. 
"You're with Victor?" Ryan questioned in surprise. 
"Well, yes we were just on our way over to the lighthouse." Lucy informed him as she felt her fingers clenching around the phone. "In fact we'll be there in about ten minutes to see you." 
"I'm not at the lighthouse." Ryan reluctantly replied after a moment's hesitation. "Lucy, I need to speak to you alone." 
"Are you in some kind of trouble Doc?" Lucy questioned realizing that something was terribly wrong with him. 
"I'd rather not get into it over the phone." He explained laying the sound of desperation on thick. "Please say you'll meet me." 
"Anywhere." Lucy agreed sensing that it was vital she reached Kevin as soon as possible. 
"How about down by the pier in about twenty minutes?" Ryan suggested quickly. 
"All right." she agreed with a nod. "I'll be there." 
"Excellent." Ryan replied hanging up the phone as a twisted grin took over his features. 
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"Lucy, hey Luce, come out come out from where ever you are." Scott called out stepping into the firehouse with packages in hand. "You should've gone with us this weekend. Serena and I went on a shopping spree back in Canada and you'll never believe all the garbage she picked up for you. Heck, I can't even believe it myself. Lucy?" 
Setting down the numerous packages on the floor, Scott scanned the empty living room taking note of the silence in the room. Stepping into the kitchen, he noticed a half empty cereal bowl sitting on the counter and placed it in the dishwasher before returning to the living room taking a seat on the couch 
After a moment of silence he heard the sound of a car pulling up in the drive. Rushing over to the front door, he popped it open only to discover Lucy pulling away after Victor Collins had stepped out of the car. Moving out into the drive, Scott approached Victor eager to discover why Lucy had taken off in such a hurry. 
"Victor, hey what are you doing here?" Scott called out to him. 
"Scott," Victor greeted him a bit flustered. 
"Hey, where'd Lucy go off to driving like a speed demon?" Scott questioned lightheartedly watching her car speed on down the road. "Don't tell me that the two of you spent the day down at the race tracks and now Lucy wants to change careers on me." 
"No, nothing like that." Victor replied reaching into his pocket and searching for his car keys. "She and I just went on a shopping expedition today......nothing too interesting......just a day at the department stores, but at the last moment she realized that she'd picked up the wrong packages. In fact right now she's trying to exchange them before everything closes." 
"I see. And you didn't want to join her?" Scott nodded glancing back at his half opened front door as mosquitoes swarmed inside. 
"Oh no, I think I've had enough shopping today." Victor insisted forcing a yawn and stretching his arms out. "Nothing like a day at the mall to wear you out." 
"Try taking a little blonde with you who's idea of a good time is stopping at each and every toy store." Scott chuckled remembering Serena's plea for just one more stop. "You know I never did understand the appeal of shopping with women." 
"I suppose it's just one of those mysteries you're yet to understand. Well, I'd better be on my way." Victor responded eager to avoid any more of Scott's questions. 
"Well, hey why don't you stick around for a while?" Scott suggested thinking it over for a moment. "After all, Lucy will need someone to gush with about all of her great deals." 
"Thanks but I'd better get home." Victor answered reaching into his pockets once more. 
"Suit yourself." Scott shrugged turning back to his house. He was about to close the door when he noticed Victor coming up from behind him. "Change your mind?" 
"I think I might have left my keys inside." Victor explained as the phone started to ring. 
"You're more than welcome to look." Scott replied opening the door as he moved across the room to answer the phone. "Hello," 
"Hello, may I please speak to Lucy Coe?" a woman's voice questioned on the other end of the line. 
"She's not around at the moment, but I'd be more than willing to take a message." Scott responded rolling his eyes as he watched Victor searching under the coffee table for his keys. 
"Actually this is rather urgent. Do you know where I could reach her?" the woman insisted after a moment's hesitation. 
"Well, she just ran up to the store. May I ask who's calling?" Scott questioned a bit puzzled. 
"You don't know me, but my name is Tracie Richards," she began to explain. 
"The reporter?" Scott asked recognizing the name. 
"Yes," she responded quickly. 
"Let me guess. This is about that interview Lucy was supposed to do to promote the upcoming fall fashion line." Scott began with a chuckle. "You know this wouldn't be the first time she's missed a press conference she'd set up." 
"No, it's nothing like that." Tracie explained after a moment's hesitation. "This is about Kevin Collins." 
"Kevin Collins? What about Kevin Collins?" Scott questioned feeling his body tense up at the man's name. 
"What about Monk?" Victor inquired moving towards Scott. "What's wrong with Monk?" 
"I don't know." Scott replied trying to quiet Victor down. "Ms. Richards, this is Scott Baldwin. What seems to be the problem with Mr. Collins?" 
"He's here at General Hospital in critical condition." Tracie began to explain. 
"Critical condition?" Scott repeated as Victor snatched the phone from his hand. 
"This is Victor Collins. What's wrong with my son?" Victor questioned in a panic as Tracie gave him a quick run down of what had taken place. 
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Chris frantically drove over the lighthouse realizing that he was speeding, but was willing to risk any chance of a ticket in order to get to Eve as soon as possible. He tried to convince himself that everything was going to be all right, but he remembered his heated encounter with Ryan Chamberlain earlier in the week when they'd ended up attacking one another and he couldn't help but fear for Eve. Noticing Eve's car up ahead in the distance, he pulled into the long winding drive and parked his car. Running up to the front door, he began to pound on the door only to be greeted with silence. 
"Eve? Eve are you in there?" He questioned ringing the bell, but still receiving no answer as he began to pound on the door once again. After a few moment's he took a step back and assessed the situation. Overcome with the need to get to Eve, he picked up a rock next to the front steps and threw it into the window as the security alarm went off. Carefully moving his hand in through the broken glass, he felt for the deadbolt unlocking the door as he pushed his way in. 
"Eve!" He called out in a frenzy stepping into the living room only to be greeted by the remains of broken glass, and various objects that had been tossed around the room in an apparent struggle. Feeling his heart pounding with adrenaline, he rushed throughout the lighthouse screaming out to her. "Eve? Eve, can you hear me?" 
Unsuccessful in his search for Eve, Chris returned to the living room realizing that Ryan must've taken her somewhere as he reached for the phone deciding to call the police. As he began dialing the number, he noticed a shiny object glimmering before him emerged in a pool of red. Setting down the phone, he moved towards it realizing that it was Eve's locket. 
"No!" he cried out picking it up as he identified the dark, red substance as blood. 

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"Well?" Scott inquired seeing the terror in Victor's eyes after he hung up the phone. "Victor, what is it?" 
"Monk's in the hospital." Victor explained as Scott noticed the color draining from his face. "Apparently Chris Ramsey and Ms. Richards brought him over there less than an hour ago." 
"Well, why don't you head on over then and when Lucy comes home, I'll tell her what's going on?" Scott suggested quickly. "Perhaps I should call Eve and tell her what's going on." 
"Eve's missing Scott." Victor responded feeling his hands trembling. 
"What do you mean Eve's missing?" Scott questioned sensing that something was terribly wrong. "Victor what's going on." 
"They think Kevin has her." Victor explained blankly. 
"So she's at the hospital with him?" Scott began in confusion. 
"No, she's not at the hospital.........oh my God......that's what Cooper meant when he said he'd get his revenge........" Victor trailed off in horror. "Lucy's going to be meeting him........... 
"Victor, what are you talking about? I thought that Lucy was just returning clothes. Who is she meeting? Victor?" Scott asked once again realizing that Victor was lost in his thoughts. Reaching out to Victor, he grabbed the old man shaking him slightly. "What the hell is going on?" 
"Kevin's not Kevin." Victor explained as the realization of the situation sunk in. "Oh my God. Lucy's in terrible danger." 
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Driving down the road in the pouring rain, Lucy fumbled with her radio unable to find a good tune to listen to. She thought about Kevin's call to her, along with her strange vision on the way home from her visit with Greg Cooper, and something just felt horribly wrong. 
"Doc, sounded so upset on the phone earlier." she thought to herself remembering the urgency in his voice. Accelerating slightly, she focused on getting to Kevin as soon as possible as she finally found a good song on the radio. Turning up the volume a bit, she began to sing along. 
"Does he love me? I want to know.......how can I tell if he loves me so....." she began to sing over the sound of the pounding rain unaware of the warning sign of her cell phone's faint ringing muffled inside her purse as she dove along. ".......oh it's in his kiss.........that's where it is....oh yeah." 
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The rain had subdued a bit as Lucy stepped out of her car and onto the rain soaked pier. Zipping up her jacket, she moved towards the water scanning the area for Kevin, hoping that she wouldn't have to wait any longer than necessary as she looked at the dark gray storm clouds still lingering above her. 
"Lucy," the familiar voice called out as she turned around to find Ryan standing before her in a tattered white and navy blue running jacket and sweats. 
"Doc, what in the world happened to you?" she questioned rushing over to his side as she assessed his strange appearance. 
"Lucy, I don't have time to talk. We have to get out of here as soon as possible." Ryan insisted tugging on her arm. 
"Kevin, wait a second." Lucy insisted firmly planting her feet in the ground as she sensed his urgency. "Where do you think we're going?" 
"Anywhere but here. We need to get out of Port Charles as soon as possible Lucy. I don't have time to explain, but you have to trust me on this one." Ryan responded urging her to come with him once more. "We have to leave now." 
"Doc, I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what in the world has you so worked up." Lucy taking note of the blood stains upon his sleeve. "Oh my God, Kevin is that blood?" 
"What are you talking about?" Ryan questioned in confusion as she pointed to the dark, red stain. 
"Doc, are you bleeding?" she inquired trying to pull up his sleeve to get a better look. "Did someone hurt you?" 
"It's not my blood Lucy." Ryan confessed dismissing her hand as she reached for him. 
"Then who's blood is it?" Lucy questioned in horror realizing that something was terribly wrong as the rain started coming down lightly once more. 
"It's Eve's." Ryan began shakily reaching out to embrace Lucy. "Oh God, Lucy it was horrible." 
"What happened?" Lucy repeated hearing the winds pick up as their piercing howl grew louder. 
"You were right about her Lucy. She's crazy." Ryan began taking note of the concern in her eyes as she gazed up at him. "She's not the person I thought she was when I foolishly got involved with her." 
"I don't understand." Lucy answered in confusion. 
"I told her about us Lucy. I decided to take the plunge and get things out in the open as soon as I saw her again. So naturally when she showed up at the lighthouse this morning, I had to tell her that it was over between her and I, but she just couldn't accept that answer. She went on and on about how we were meant to be together and how she just couldn't live without me." Ryan began as his hands trembled and his eyes filled with tears. "I explained to her that my heart would always belong to you and no matter how hard I tried to fool myself into believing otherwise, I just couldn't live the lie with her any longer...I had to end it......." 
"Kevin that still doesn't explain why that woman's blood is all over you." Lucy replied taking a step back as she gazed him over. 
"I tried to rationalize with her.....I kept trying to get the point across that it was a mistake that I ever was involved with her in the first place, but she just wouldn't hear of it........she left me no choice Lucy. You have to believe me." Ryan finished with a whimper lowering his head shamefully. "I never meant for things to turn out like they did, but she left me no choice." 
"Kevin........where's Eve?" Lucy questioned noticing the anguish in his face as he moved away from her. 
"She's dead." Ryan blurted out as the tide came in crashing against the shoreline. 
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"Damn it Garcia. I have to get out of here!" Chris Ramsey cursed after the bumbling detective hand cuffed him and continued to question Chris about his uninvited entrance into the Collins home after the security alarm went off. "Don't you understand Eve's life could be hanging by a thread right now and the longer you keep me here with your ridiculous line of questioning, the less of a chance she has with that madman?" 
"You're not going anywhere until you explain what the hell happened in here." Garcia replied sternly assessing the broken glass and tattered furniture. "Who's blood is that on the floor? What went on Chris?" 
"I don't know what happened here Garcia. I told you half a dozen times already that I came here looking for Eve and when no one answered the door, I busted in through the window and when I came inside the place was already like this." Chris insisted feeling his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to get his words to sink into Garcia's head. "Garcia, right now Eve is at Ryan Chamberlain's mercy and I need to find her before it's too late." 
"Ryan Chamberlain?" Garcia repeated blankly. "How do you expect me to believe that Chris when Ryan Chamberlain has been dead for years now?" 
"I don't care what you want to believe Garcia, but I can assure you that he's not dead." Chris blurted out in anger. 
"Look Chris, I watched him die up north the last time he was in Port Charles." Garcia continued bluntly. "He burned to death in a terrible fire." 
"No, he didn't. In fact, he's been posing as Kevin Collins for quite some time now right under all of our noses...." Chris snapped back shaking his head in disgust. "Look, I don't have time to explain everything to you right now, but if you call General Hospital and talk to Tracie Richards, she'll fill you in on all the details. Right now she's there with the real Kevin Collins and I know that once you talk to her, you'll be able to........" 
"What the hell happened in here?" Scott Baldwin questioned walking into the middle of the rubble. 
"Baldwin, what are you doing here?" Garcia questioned as Chris pushed his way past him. "Scott, you have to help me get out of this." Chris called out urgently holding out his hands to reveal the silver cuffs Garcia had slapped on him. "Look, I don't have time to explain in detail, but I have to get out of here.....Eve's life may depend on it. I know that this is going to sound crazy, but Ryan Chamberlain has been posing as Kevin for months now and I believe he has Eve, but Super Cop over here won't let me go look for her. Right now the only thing he wants to do is bust me for breaking and entering." 
"Right now the only thing we have to go on is a break in, Eve's blood stained locket with your finger prints all over it." Garcia pointed out once more in frustration. "For all I know, you could've been the one who's responsible for this mess." 
"I didn't do anything wrong Garcia." Chris insisted turning to Scott pleading with him. "You've got to help me out of this one." 
"Garica, Ramsey's right." Scott began remembering Tracie's phone call. "In fact Lucy's on her way to meet that monster too." 
"He has Lucy too?" Chris questioned a bit surprised. 
"Whoa, hold on a second." Garcia interrupted trying to take in everything that was going on. "Are you two trying to tell me that a dead man is running around town abducting beautiful women? That's impossible." 
"It wouldn't be the first time it happened around here." Scott muttered realizing that they were running out of time. "Uncuff Ramsey." 
"Now just wait a second......." Garcia began as a young patrolman entered the room. 
"Detective Garcia, Commissioner Scorpio just had an APB put out on a Ryan Chamberlain." he announced interrupting the scene taking place. 
"Now do you believe me?" Chris questioned taking note of the color draining from Garcia's face. After a moment's hesitation, Garcia reached for the key to the handcuffs and uncuffed Chris. 
"When's the last time you saw Eve?" Garcia questioned turning to Chris. 
"We were together at my cabin earlier this morning." Chris began thinking back to the last time he'd seen Eve. "I don't know what time she left though, because she left while I was in bed, but she indicated that she was coming over here to talk to Kevin." 
"I see." Garcia nodded jotting down a few notes. "And that's her car outside?" 
"Yes, that's her car." Chris muttered in disgust exchanging glances with Scott. 
"Garcia, are we going to sit here all day playing twenty questions or are you going to get off your butt and do something?" Scott blurted out deciding he'd had enough of the by the book routine from Garcia as he thought of Lucy. "Look Lucy left the firehouse about fifteen minutes ago and she was supposed to be meeting Kevin..........Ryan." 
"Did she say where they were meeting?" Garcia questioned jotting down a few more notes. 
"If she did, do you think I'd be here shooting the breeze with you right now?" Scott replied sarcastically. "Look, all Victor said is that she agreed to meet with Ryan somewhere, and I've tried calling her on her cell phone, but there was no response so I came over here looking for clues." 
"Detective, we just received a tip that Ryan Chamberlain was spotted down by the river." an officer announced rushing into the living room as Scott, Chris and Garcia looked at one another. 
"Okay, let's go." Garcia decided as the three men rushed out of the lighthouse. 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
"What do you mean she's dead?" Lucy questioned in horror. "Kevin, please don't tell me that you murdered her." 
"I had no choice Lucy. She came at me in a rage and I was just trying to protect myself." Ryan explained feeling his hands tremble. "She had a gun and started screaming at me......telling me that if she couldn't have me, no one else could...........then there was a struggle and the gun just went off......." 
"Doc, where is she?" Lucy asked feeling her heart pounding. 
"She's dead. That's all that matters Lucy." Ryan insisted realizing that he was running out of time as he reached out to Lucy once more. "I have to get out of here." 
"But if it was self defense....." Lucy started unable to believe her ears as she took in what he was saying. 
"No! No jury is going to believe that given my previous mental history that it was self defense. Lucy, look I can't stay here and face a jury. I need to get out of Port Charles as soon as possible and you need to help me. I love you Lucy and together I know we can over come this." Ryan explained bringing his large hand upon her shoulder as he continued. "I don't have anyone else to turn to now Lucy. Please come with me." 
"Kevin, I........." Lucy trailed off hearing sirens in the distance. 
"They're coming for me Lucy. We're running out of time." Ryan urged tugging on her arm once again. "We have to go now." 
"Kevin, wait. If we just explain everything to the police, then they're sure to understand." Lucy insisted urging him to stay as he turned to her with a scowl. 
"We don't have time." Ryan snapped at her angered by her reluctance to go with him. "Come on Lucy." 
"No Kevin........this isn't the way to handle things." Lucy replied shaking he head as he glared at her. 
"Look Lucy, don't argue with me. Now let's go." He snapped tightening his grip on her as he began to yank her across the pier. 
"I.......I can't." Lucy answered in a flustered tone trying to pull away as he clasped his fingers tightly around her slender arm digging his nails into her skin through the thin material of her jacket. 
"The hell you can't....." he muttered in a rage forcing her in close to him as he wrapped his other arm around her neck tightly. "You're leaving with me now Lucy." 
"Doc..........you're hurting me........" Lucy spat out as his large hand cupped around her neck applying pressure to it when suddenly the feeling she'd been experiencing on and off for the past couple days suddenly hit her full force as he forced her to look in his burning eyes. "No, it can't be." 
"Can't be what Lucy?" He laughed watching her struggle with him as he touched her soft skin. 
"Oh my God. It is." she gasped in horror remembering seeing into those dark eyes clearly for the first time in a long time. 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
"Where is my son?" Victor questioned bursting through the elevator doors as he was greeted by Tracie. 
"Professor Collins?" Tracie inquired moving up along side of him. "Hello, I'm Tracie Richards. I'm the one who telephoned you earlier." 
"How is he?" Victor questioned with concern turning to face the young blonde woman at his side. 
"They're still with him in there." Tracie nodded towards emergency. "I haven't heard any word yet, but Dr. Burgess is still working on him." 
"How did this happen?" Victor thought out loud searching himself for answers as Tracie spoke up. 
"I encountered your son yesterday afternoon on an assignment I was on." Tracie explained quickly noticing Victor's eyes were glued on the emergency room doors. "Apparently your son was being held against his will up north in an asylum. I'd just happened to be doing a story in the area at the time and somehow he managed to slip into my car." 
"How was he?" Victor questioned turning to face her as he was greeted with a horrible silence. 
"I'm sorry......." Tracie trailed out as Ellen came out of the emergency room noticing Victor. 
"Ellen, my son? How is he?" Victor asked taking note of the grim expression on her face. "How bad is it? Is he......?" 
"He's still alive Victor." Ellen began drawing in a breath before she continued. "In fact, had Chris Ramsey not gotten to Kevin when he did, things would might have been looking much worse at this point." 
"So he's going to be all right?" Victor questioned in relief. 
"Right now we have him stabilized, but we're still waiting for the final toxicology report to come back." Ellen continued with a sigh. "The preliminary report showed signs of a large quantity of an unidentifiable substance in Kevin's system and judging by the bruises and needle marks running throughout his arms and neck, it's safe to say that he's been drugged for some time and unfortunately it's starting a systematic shutdown throughout his body starting with his nervous system." 
"So what are you saying Ellen?" Victor questioned with tears in his eyes. 
"For the time being, we've been able to slow down the process with the treatment we're giving him, but until toxicology comes back with an accurate description of the unknown toxins in Kevin's body, then it's only a matter of time before Kevin's body will become immune to the treatment we're giving him and......." 
"........and my son will die." Victor finished knowing where this was heading. 
"I'm afraid so." Ellen replied poignantly. "I'm so sorry Victor." 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
"What's the matter Lucy?" Ryan questioned in a laugh. "Cat got your tongue?" 
"No! No!" Lucy shouted moving frantically trying to break free from his iron grip. "I'm not going to let you do this. You're not going to get away with this." 
"I already have Lucy." Ryan chuckled in amusement as the sounds of sirens blared in the distance and she continued to fight him. "It's all over for you." 
"No!" she screamed kneeing him in the groin as he buckled over in anguish. Seizing the opportunity she ran off in the opposite direction towards her car as the rain pounded upon her face like ice pellets. Letting out a muffled cry, she peered over her shoulder to discover him at her heels chasing after her once he'd recovered from the blow she'd given him. 
"You're going to pay for that Lucy." He screamed reaching out to her as his finger tips brushed upon her shoulder. 
"I don't think so." she replied abruptly stopping and pushing her fists into his chest catching him off guard and knocking him down to the ground before she took off once more towards her car as the sirens invaded her ears. 
"Lucy," a familiar voice called out as she noticed Scott emerge from one of the squad cars. 
"Scott, thank God." she cried out rushing into his arms as Chris Ramsey popped out of the vehicle. "He tried to get me to go with him........he started squeezing me.......threatening me, but I was able to get away.....then he started chasing me......" 
"It's over Lucy." Scott whispered pulling her close to him trying to soothe her as the thunderclouds roared above them and the rain showered down upon the scene. 
"Lucy, where is he?" Garcia questioned breaking up her reunion with Scott. 
"He was just following me over there before I knocked him down." Lucy explained tearfully pointing in the direction she had come from. 
"Come on. Let's go." Garcia instructed to his men as they took off down the pier. 
"I can't believe I didn't see it sooner." Lucy started still trembling with fear before looking at Scott once more. "I........I thought he was Kevin for a while there, but then it hit me......and I knew......I knew it was him. I could see the evil in his eyes......it was so cold.......so hurtful......" 
"It's all over now." Scott reminded her holding her tighter as Chris approached the two of them. 
"Lucy!" Chris called out forcing her to look at him. "Did you see Eve?" 
"Eve?" she repeated blankly staring back at him. 
"Yes, Eve. Did he have Eve with him?" Chris inquired noticing a flash of lightening overhead followed by a crash of thunder. "Did you see her?" 
"No, she wasn't with him, but......." she replied shaking her head as the image of Ryan flooded her mind. 
"But what Lucy?" Chris questioned taking note of the expression on her face. "What is it?" 
"He had her blood all over her sleeve." She answered tearfully locking gazes with Chris. "He said that she came over to the lighthouse this morning and......." 
"And what?" Scott questioned as a combination of raindrops and tears flooded her face. 
"He said he killed her." Lucy sobbed noticing the color drain from Chris' face. 
 

''Only for a few minutes Victor,'' Ellen explained as her heart went out to him instantly recognizing his need to be with his son under such unsettling circumstances. 
''Thank you.'' Victor replied with a nod and a heavy heart as he pushed open the door to the ICU. Stepping inside the room, he was greeted by the distinct beeping sounds of the heart monitor and various other machines aiding in the effort to keep Kevin alive. 
As Victor moved forward into the room overcome with the chilling sensation that this visit to Kevin's room would only be the beginning of his nightmare, he gasped in shock realizing he'd been unprepared for the sight that lay out before him as he took note of Kevin's feeble condition. Stepping in closer, he noticed the scrapes and fresh bruises upon dark bruises running along Kevin's exposed flesh along with the dark red cuts weaving around his dirt soiled fingers. Noticing the now stitched up gash in the middle of Kevin's dirty forehead, Victor could feel his own stomach tighten repulsed by the scene before him. 
''Monk,'' Victor cried out unable to contain himself any longer as he leaned over his son's bed taking in the sight of Kevin's sunken flesh as a result of being terribly underweight. Reaching out to touch his son's face, hot tears escaped from his eyes and the reality of what Kevin must've gone through over the past year flooded his mind as he looked into Kevin's unresponsive, dark, sullen eyes. 
''Son, can you hear me?'' Victor questioned choking back tears wondering if Kevin was even acutely aware of his presence as he continued to peer upon his son's blank features. Noticing Kevin starting to tremble, Victor reached across the bed bringing the blankets up to cover Kevin--much like he did when Kevin was a small child--as Kevin let out a soft whimper. 
''Oh Monk, what has he done to you?'' Victor sobbed burying his head in his hands unable to censor the pain harboring inside of him as Kevin lapsed into another twitching episode. ''How could this happen?'' 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Tracie remained in the hallway pacing around unable to relax as she watched Victor and Ellen disappear into Kevin's room. Wrapping her arms in around herself, she thought of Chris and hoped that everything was all right with him. Realizing that there were so many questions left unanswered about Ryan Chamberlain and the reappearance of Kevin Collins, Tracie decided to stick around the hospital if only to fulfill her own personal curiosity about the man whom she had been thrown into the situation with less than twenty four hours ago. 
Making her latest round about the hallway as she turned towards the nurse's station once again, Tracie noticed a folded piece of paper lying on the ground. Wondering if perhaps it could be something important that someone may have accidentally discarded, she bent over to pick it up noticing the word Chris scrawled on the outside. With a shrug Tracie looked around the nearly empty hall way before deciding to open it wondering if perhaps Chris had dropped it in his hasty retreat from the hospital. 
''I wonder.....'' she began quickly scanning over it's contents until she found the signature at the bottom of the page to be Eve's. She quickly folded the page back up not wanting to intrude upon Chris' privacy, as the realization dawned on her that perhaps the letter she was holding had something to do with Chris' uneasiness before he'd left the hospital in search of Eve. Feeling a bit guilty, Tracie reopened the paper intending to read a bit of it as a voice interrupted her. 
''Tracie, you're still here?'' Ellen called out approaching her. 
''Yeah, I just didn't feel right leaving with so much uncertainty around here.'' Tracie confessed folding the paper back up and tucking it into her pocket before returning Ellen's stare. ''How is he?'' 
''Kevin?'' Ellen questioned taking note of the dark circles under Tracie's tired eyes. ''He's about the same. I left Victor alone to spend some time with him.'' 
''I think that's probably the best thing for Kevin right now.....other than having Lucy Coe around.'' Tracie added remembering Kevin's cries for Lucy on the way over to the hospital. ''I just hope that Scott Baldwin and the police can get to her before it's too late.'' 
''Yeah, well, right now I just pray that Kevin makes it through the night.'' Ellen commented thinking about Kevin's rapid physical depletion. ''But on another note, how are you? After this latest misadventure you must be exhausted. Chris gave me a brief explanation about how you found Kevin in the backseat of your car.'' 
''I'm fine. Really I am.'' Tracie explained with a shrug. ''It's just part of the job I suppose.'' 
''Does Matt know that you're around?'' Ellen questioned changing the subject once again. ''I know that he's working a shift tonight.'' 
''Why would he care Ellen?'' Tracie questioned a bit hostile at the mention of Matt's name. ''I think he made it perfectly clear where things stood with us the last time we came into contact with one another.'' 
''Tracie, Matt cares about you very much.'' Ellen began deciding to give her input on Matt and Tracie's turbulent relationship. ''He just didn't want to see you get hurt.'' 
''Yeah, well he could have gone about things in a different way Ellen.'' Tracie responded with a sharpness in her voice before taking a step back. She noticed the look of hurt on Ellen's face as she sighed. ''Look Ellen, I really appreciate all you're trying to do here, but you know how it is with Matt and I. He just won't ever understand why I do what I do, and he's so stubborn that there's no way of changing his mind once he has it set on something. You know that.'' 
''All too well.'' Ellen agreed with a nod noticing the sad look in Tracie's eyes. ''Are you sure that you're okay? You should go home and rest.'' 
''Right now I feel as if I should stay here for a while. Chris wanted me to wait around just in case there were any updates on Kevin's condition. I know that this may sound strange, but in a weird sort of way, I feel responsible for Kevin.'' Tracie began remembering all that she'd gone through in her brief time alone with Kevin Collins. ''I wouldn't feel right leaving now.'' 
''I understand.'' Ellen nodded deciding she'd better go back and check on Victor and Kevin. ''I'll keep you updated.'' 
''Thanks.'' Tracie smiled weakly as Ellen walked away leaving her alone once again. Deciding that she could use a cup of coffee, Tracie thought of her talk with Ellen and wished that Chris was there at the hospital with her. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the piece of paper running her fingers along his name for a moment. ''Chris, where are you?'' 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
''No! No, that's impossible.'' Chris blurted out after a moment shaking his head in disbelief as the cold summer rain beat down upon him. ''You're wrong Lucy. Eve's not dead.'' 
''Chris, I'm so sorry.'' Lucy began not knowing what else to say noticing the overwhelming sadness in his eyes as the rain pelted her face. After a moment's hesitation she spoke up again reaching out to comfort him somehow as she placed her hand upon his shoulder. ''Look, that's what Ryan said to me when I questioned him about all that blood on his sleeve. He said that they got into a heated exchange until one thing led to another and....'' 
''No! I refuse to believe that.'' Chris insisted taking a step back assessing both Lucy and Scott for a moment realizing that they had given up all hope on Eve. 
''I'd like to believe otherwise Chris, but there was so much blood.'' Lucy replied feeling her heart go out to him as the memory of Ryan's jacket entered her mind once again. 
''He had to be lying Lucy, because I know in my heart that Eve is not dead.....I refuse to believe that!'' Chris shouted charging off in the direction Garcia and his men had headed off in on their search for Ryan. 
''Ramsey, just hold on.'' Scott spoke up seizing him by the collar. ''I know right now you're overcome with your emotions, but let Garcia and his men take care of this. If your feelings are right about Eve, then the best thing you can do is let the professionals handle this.'' 
''And risk losing Eve?'' Chris questioned breaking free from Scott's grasp. ''Oh I don't think so. Scott, you and I know first hand how incompetent the PCPD are in times like these. I'm sorry, but I just can't sit here twiddling my thumbs doing nothing while she's out there. You may have given up on her Scott, but I haven't and right now she needs me more than ever and I won't let her down.'' 
''Chris, you can't go out there like a renegade. There's no telling what Ryan is capable of.'' Lucy insisted moving towards him. ''Trust me on this one. I've seen first hand what this man can do.'' 
''I'm well aware of what that man is capable of Lucy and that's why I won't stop until I find Eve.'' Chris informed her with a fire in his eyes as Lucy realized that there was nothing she could say that would change his mind about going after Ryan. 
''Chris wait!'' Lucy shouted out to him as he took off in the pouring rain. She turned to Scott in a panic. ''We have to do something.'' 
''Ramsey, wait a second.'' Scott called out hoping to talk some sense into Chris as he disappeared around a few crates and Lucy started going after him. ''Lucy, where do you think you're going?'' 
''Scott, we can't just let him go off like that no matter how badly he wants to help Eve.'' Lucy began remembering her encounter with Ryan only moments earlier. ''There's no telling what could happen if Chris finds Ryan.'' 
''I'm sure Ramsey won't get very far. After all, Garcia and his men are out there.'' Scott explained as Lucy shot him a look of skepticism. ''All right, I know that's not the most comforting news in the world, but I refuse to leave you alone now.'' 
''Scott, please don't argue with me on this one. Look, I don't have time to explain, but Chris just might have saved my life the other night when he intervened on my dinner with.....'' Lucy trailed off hearing the sound of a thunder crashing in the distance as her heart pounded. ''You just.........you have to find him Scott. For me. Please...'' 
''No Lucy. There's no way that I'm leaving you and that's final.'' Scott refused unbending as he guided her towards the squad car he'd arrived in. ''I'm going to stay with you until this whole thing blows over.'' 
''Scott, would you look around us?'' Lucy pointed out looking around at the uniformed officers surrounding them. ''I'll be fine, but Chris on the other hand.....'' 
''Lucy....'' Scott started knowing that it was a lost cause to even continue the discussion. ''All right I'll go after Ramsey, but you stay right here in the car.'' 
''Okay, I'll wait right here.'' Lucy nodded in agreement as Scott opened the door to allow her shelter from the rain. 
''Don't wander off anywhere.'' Scott warned not wanting to leave her. 
''I'll stay right here.'' she replied giving him a quick hug. ''Be careful.'' 
''I will.'' Scott agreed taking a step back. ''Now lock the door.'' 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Ryan stumbled out of the storm into the back entrance of the abandoned building nearly tripping over his own two feet as he listened to the sounds of sirens blaring in the area surrounding him. Silently cursing himself for his inability to persuade Lucy Coe into leaving with him along with his failure to keep up the charade after he'd come so close to getting everything he'd felt he deserved. Now leaning up against the broken plaster wall, he realized that time was running out for him and if he didn't pull himself together, there would be no way of escaping the PCPD this time. He realized that a quick exit was in order, but thanks to his out take with Lucy Coe, leaving undetected was going to be harder than he'd anticipated. No matter what the odds, he realized that he still had to follow through with the plan before everything he'd worked so hard to achieve over the past year was crushed right in front of him. 
''How could she have known?'' Ryan questioned blankly remembering how convinced Lucy had appeared to be the last time they'd been together. Sure, she was reluctant to give in to him physically, but she still had appeared to be so sure of his identity as Kevin. 
For a moment, his mind flashed back to an image of Kevin and the last time they'd encountered one another realizing that in all of the madness, he hadn't been able to get his latest update from Dr. Mediva on Kevin's condition. Knowing just what he stood to lose the longer Kevin was alive, he reached for his cell phone hoping to make quick contact before he left Port Charles. 
''Who am I kidding?'' Ryan questioned in desperation as he let out a forced laugh slipping his cell phone into his pocket. ''They've already figured out who I am, now that Lucy's realized the truth. Right now I don't have time to fret over Kevin. I'll take care of him soon enough, but first I need to focus on disappearing for good.'' 
Moving towards the concealed trap door in the floor as the sounds of footsteps heightened around him. He pulled it open to reveal the thick darkness lying underneath the wooden floor planks. Using his strength to lower himself into the passage way, he moved forward at a steady pace until he reached the end of the long, narrow trail a few seconds later. Reaching above his head, he found the lock and unlatched it as the bright lighting of the room above him flooded his eyes as he hoisted himself into the room noticing the makeshift coffin on the table where he'd left Eve earlier before his meeting with Lucy. 
''Did you miss me?'' he questioned lowering himself to place a soft kiss on her forehead after he'd opened the top of the coffin. He noticed the bluish undertones in her lips before pulling her out of her confinement and wrapping her in a blanket. ''Don't worry baby. I won't let them take you away from me. Not now, not ever and that's why it's time for us to get out of here.'' 
Hearing the sounds of incompehendable clattering coming from above, Ryan gazed up at the ceiling for a moment before directing his attention to Eve. Reaching out to her, he pulled her limp body up off of the table swinging her over his shoulder as he scanned the room once again making sure everything was in order as the wind's noises above them grew louder. 
''It's going to be okay. I promise you as soon as we leave Port Charles, everything is going to be just fine.'' Ryan whispered tightening his grip on her as he moved forward with his escape. 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Lucy sat in the backseat of the squad car unable to deal with the chills that consumed her being as her thoughts circulated around Scott and how long he'd been gone. She noticed the crackling sounds of the police radio before her and prayed that neither Scott nor Chris would end up on the wrong side of a battle with Ryan. Reaching for Scott's leather jacket laying on the seat next to her, she wrapped it around her legs eagerly taking in the warmth when she heard a faint, distinct ringing noise coming from inside the jacket. Reaching into the inner pocket, she pulled out Scott's cell phone realizing someone was trying to call him. 
''Hello,'' Lucy answered doing her best to sound unshaken realizing that perhaps Serena may be the person on the other end of the line and the last thing she wanted to do was upset the innocent child. 
''Lucy?'' Victor questioned on the other end of the line. ''Lucy, is that you?'' 
''Victor, oh thank God. You'll never believe what just happened to me...'' Lucy replied letting out a breath of relief as she draped Scott's jacket around her shoulders still feeling her knees knocking from the coolness in the squad car. ''Where are you?'' 
''I'm at the hospital.'' Victor answered quickly. ''The question is.....where are you? Scott went off searching for you.'' 
''Well, he just found me and I'm down by the pier in a squad car.'' Lucy explained as another thunder cloud crashed around her. 
''I take it that they found Ryan then?'' Victor questioned curiously hoping that she answer was a resounding yes. 
''They're still looking for him.'' Lucy answered pausing for a moment realizing what he had just said. ''Victor, how did you know that he was....??'' 
''Scott, didn't tell you?'' Victor replied growing uncomfortably silent. 
''Tell me what?'' Lucy questioned in a panic taking note of Victor's unusual silence. ''Victor, what's going on? Somehow I get the feeling that there's more to this thing with Ryan.'' 
''They've found Kevin.'' Victor blurted out tearfully as Lucy took note of his sobs. 
''Kevin? Victor, are you trying to tell me that you know where my Doc is?'' Lucy repeated as his words sunk in filling her heart with relief. ''Oh Victor, there are so many things I need to say to him......so many questions left unanswered like where was he all this time. Where is he? Let me talk to him.'' 
''I'm afraid I can't do that Lucy.'' Victor replied with a sniffle. 
''What do you mean you can't do that Victor?'' Lucy questioned raising her voice. ''Let me talk to Kevin!'' 
''I'm sorry Lucy, but it's impossible.......'' Victor trailed off unable to speak another word as he was overcome with grief. 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
''Garcia!'' Scott called out approaching the police detective as the rain began to ease up a bit. 
''Scott, what are you doing out here? I thought I told you and Lucy to stay out by the car until we secured the perimeter.'' Garcia replied in irritation as the manhunt for Ryan continued. 
''Well, we were doing just that, but then Ramsey wandered off........'' Scott explained noticing the various officers moving around the area. 
''What do you mean Ramsey wandered off?'' Garcia questioned in confusion. ''I thought that he was back at the squad car with you and Lucy.'' 
''Well, he was, but then he came to the realization that he couldn't depend on your men, so he decided to continue the search on his own......not that I can blame him.'' Scott shot back sarcastically. 
''Great. That's all we need......another civilian getting in the way of this investigation.'' Garcia muttered pulling out his gun as a call came over the radio indicating that Ryan had been spotted less than half a block away. ''Well, where did he go?'' 
''If I knew that, do you think I'd be having this conversation with you right now?'' Scott muttered walking away. 
''Wait a second Baldwin. Just where do you think you're going?'' Garcia announced stopping Scott in his tracks. ''Look Scott, you just go back to car with Lucy, and let us take care of the police work.'' 
''What about Ramsey?'' Scott questioned realizing that he couldn't leave the scene just yet after he'd promised Lucy he'd look for Chris. 
''I wouldn't worry about a guy like Chris Ramsey.'' Garcia shrugged thinking it over for a moment realizing that his main focus had to be apprehending Ryan Chamberlain. ''He always seems to find a way to come out on top of things, but I'll have my men start a search for him as well. He couldn't have gone too far...'' 
''Yeah well, if I were you I wouldn't put off the search for Ramsey too long.'' Scott insisted as his eyes roamed the area. ''There's no telling what he could do if he meets up with Ryan before you do.'' 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
''Damn it Eve. Where are you?'' Chris questioned turning around the corner of the dock realizing that he'd wound up at the other end of the pier without so much of a hint as to Ryan's whereabouts as his tense leg muscles began to cramp up. 
''Not now. Please not now.'' Chris instructed drawing in a deep breath as he lowered himself to quickly massage his aching calve muscles. Collapsing into a puddle on the ground Chris let out a cry pleading with his body not to betray him at such a vital time as he furiously tried to work away the pain shooting up his left leg. 

Trying to take his mind off of the task at hand for a few seconds, Chris glanced up at the abandoned building before him taking note of the charred skeleton of the once entertaining kareoke bar. He continued to work on his muscles remembering how less than a month ago the building had been once very functional attracting many of Port Charles residents before a mysterious grease fire unleashed it's fury upon the place reducing it to nothing more than a frail broken structure of wood and concrete. As Chris focused on the remains of the building, his mind drifted off to another time not so long ago when he'd gone there with Eve. 
''Come on Ramsey, what are you waiting for?'' Eve questioned tugging on his arm as he refused to budge from the table. ''Please don't tell me that you of all people have developed stage fright.'' 
''I haven't, but I just don't see the point of getting up there now in front of a group of strangers. Besides, we just got here and I haven't even had time to finish my beer yet.'' Chris insisted remaining frozen in his seat as he gazed up at Eve. 
''You can finish it when we're done singing.'' Eve insisted pleading with him as she reached for his other hand still trying to remove him from his chair. ''Now come on....just do it for me. Besides, there's nothing better than showing off in front of a group of strangers you'll never see again.'' 
''Remind me once again why you dragged me here tonight.'' Chris shot back at her with a grin enjoying her attempts to persuade him out of his seat. 
''Because Kevin is out of town for the evening and you are in desperate need of a celebration after finally ridding yourself of Courtney Kanelos.'' Eve urged pulling on his arm once again. 
''Courtney, ugh.......why did you have to go and ruin a perfectly good evening by mentioning that name?'' Chris questioned in a moan disgusted at the mere thought of Courtney. ''You know, now that I think about it, one of the last times I was here, I sang a duet with Courtney and let me just tell you, it wasn't pretty.'' 
''Well, gosh Ramsey if you can get up on stage with someone like Courtney Kanelos, then you can definitely sing a number with me.'' She announced kneeling down beside him for a moment. ''Please? With whipped cream and a big fat cherry on top?'' 
''On top of what?'' Chris questioned perking up in his chair and raising an eyebrow mischievously as a grin spread across his face. 
''Would you get your mind out of the gutter for a few minutes and just sing a duet with me?'' Eve asked rolling her eyes a bit. 
''Can I at least think about the idea while we're up there singing?'' Chris inquired as she shot him a menacing glare. 
''I suppose there's no way to coerce you into thinking otherwise.'' Eve muttered as he let out a chuckle. Reaching for his hand once again she gave it a squeeze before speaking up once more. ''Just do it because you like me.'' 
''Because I like you huh? Gee, how can I resist such a sweet offer?'' Chris sighed giving in as he reluctantly stood up following her over to the stage. 
''Oh goody.'' She cheered with a grin leading the way over to Johnny. ''We'll take number 59.'' 
''Number 59?'' Chris questioned as the mellow tunes of began to play. ''Oh God. Why did I agree to this?'' 
''Just go with it Chris.'' Eve nudged him as she pulled her microphone in front of her face and began to sing. ''Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the morning last; Just kickin' down the cobble- stones, lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy.... Hello lamp-post, what's you knowin', I come to watch the flowers growin'--Ain't you got no rhymes for me, do-it-do-do-do, feelin' groovy.....'' 
''........feelin' groovy.'' Chris finished with a goofy grin slowly melting into the mood of the song as Eve bumped him once more. With a laugh he moved forward on the stage turning to face her ''I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep--I'm dabbled and drowsy and ready to sleep.....'' 
''....let the morning time drop all its pebbles on me.......'' they sang together as Eve dramatically laid her head upon his shoulder. ''Life I love you..........all is groovy.........'' 
''Life I love you..........all is groovy.........'' Chris sang out wrapping an arm around her pulling her to him as the two locked gazes with one another and time seemed to be frozen in that instant where he'd stood before her taking in her beautiful features thinking of how he'd always found himself in a better mood when she was around. Without realizing it, he began ever so slightly inching towards her only to be interrupted by the audience's reaction to their selection as the sounds of clapping filled the air. 

Now sitting on the damp concrete, Chris snapped back to reality as the sound of thunder crackled overhead. Realizing that the pain in his leg eased, he released his grip on it and started to move around. Silently cursing himself for wasting so much time nursing his leg, he returned to a standing position eager to resume his search for Eve when something caught his eye not more than five feet in front of him. He moved in towards the abandoned building realizing that it appeared to be some type of clothing lying on the ground. Bending down to pick it up, he instantly recognized the material as a lined running jacket. Reaching for it he noticed the blood stains up along the sleeve. 
''Look, that's what Ryan said to me when I questioned him about all that blood on his sleeve........'' Lucy's voice rang out as Chris held onto the rain soaked jacket. Tossing it to the ground, he pushed open the crackled steel door causing it to fall off it's hinges as Chris stepped inside more determined than ever to find Eve. 

Coming up from behind, Matt moved in upon Ellen noticing her preoccupied with whatever she was looking at through the window. While she had her back turned to him, he sensed that something was weighing on her mind as he reached out to touch her catching her off guard. 
"A penny for your thoughts?" Matt questioned as Ellen turned around to face him. 
"Just a penny?" She replied with a smile instantly throwing her arms around him. "Did I ever tell you just how much I love you?" 
"Well, not in the last few minutes, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't mind hearing it again in the near future." Matt teased lightly suddenly feeling a bit confused by Ellen's behavior as she continued to hold onto him burying her head in his shoulder. "Why do I get the distinct feeling that there's something more to this? Ellen, what is it? Is something wrong?" 
"It just dawned on me once again just how much you meant to me Matt. You are just the most amazing man and I don't ever want to lose you." Ellen explained gazing into his concerned eyes as she ran her finger along the side of his face. "What you and I have together is so precious and I just want to savor this moment we have together." 
"Now that sounds like an idea." Matt agreed softly kissing her before taking her hand in his own and giving it a squeeze as he urged her to take a seat beside him. "So tell me, what brought this about? Not that I don't appreciate it, but surely there's more to this than you're telling me." 
"You know me so well. Actually this is about a patient." Ellen confided in him trying not to get herself worked up as she continued. 
"Must be some patient to have you this upset." Matt commented noticing the far away look in her eyes as he inched in closer to her. "Honey, what is it?" 
"It's Kevin." Ellen blurted out still unable to believe it herself. 
"Kevin Collins?" Matt questioned blankly. "What's happened to Kevin?" 
"He's been involved in a terrible ordeal." Ellen explained still holding onto Matt's hand tightly. 
"Some kind of accident?" Matt asked as Ellen paused for a moment. 
"Much worse I'm afraid." Ellen confessed thinking it over. "Apparently for quite some Kevin has been imprisoned in some institution while his twin brother Ryan Chamberlain has been posing as Kevin." 
"Oh my God. When did you find this out?" Matt gasped realizing the seriousness behind the situation. 
"When Tracie and Chris brought him into emergency earlier today." Ellen replied watching Matt's face cloud over. 
"Tracie? What in the world was Tracie doing with Kevin?" Matt questioned blankly awaiting an explanation. After a moment he continued on a rant. "Nevermind, you don't have to answer that. It just like her to put herself in the middle of something dangerous. She was working on another big story, right?" 
"Apparently she was following up on a lead when Kevin managed to break into her car and hide himself in the backseat. Of course when she discovered him, he was disoriented and somehow they ended up on Jasmine Island. At the time, she had no idea of who he was until Chris arrived on Jasmine Island and pieced it together." Ellen explained after a pause watching Matt carefully. 
"I knew that she was going to get herself in too deep one day. That's how she works--always jumping into something like this without even considering the consequences." Matt snapped in irritation thinking it over. "She could've been killed in her quest for the ultimate truth considering the kind of man Ryan Chamberlain is." 
"Matt, she had no idea what she was getting herself into when Kevin snuck into her car. He wasn't even a part of the lead she was working on." Ellen started in Tracie's defense. "Besides, if it wasn't for Tracie, Kevin wouldn't be here right now getting the treatment he so desperately needs." 
"Still she shouldn't have been in a position to allow herself to be a part of this. She's just too careless at times--she just doesn't think. If it was someone besides Kevin in her backseat, then there's no telling what could've happened to her......." Matt trailed off not wanting to get into another argument with Ellen about Tracie as he changed the subject. "So how is Kevin?" 
"Matt, he's not doing well at all. It appears that he's been subjected to an unidentifiable series of injections for quite some time and his body is beginning to systematically shut down and with each passing moment, it's just a race against time for him." Ellen confessed sadly remembering the last time she'd checked on Kevin. 
"You haven't been able to identify what the toxins are in his system so that perhaps we could find something to reverse the effects?" Matt questioned in concern considering the situation. 
"That's just it Matt. I've had toxicology run three individual reports hoping to isolate whatever it is causing this systematic shutdown in Kevin, but all I keep coming up with is a big fat nothing." Ellen finished in frustration shaking her head. "Matt, at this point my hands are tied and I'm afraid I don't know what else to do." 
"Ellen, there has to be a way to prevent Kevin from slipping away." Matt insisted shaking his head in disbelief. "Perhaps toxicology is just overlooking something...maybe the answer is right under their noses." 
"Well if that's the case, they'd better find it soon, because Kevin's time is running out." Ellen added with a hint of sadness. 
"What about Lucy? Has anyone called her?" Matt questioned realizing what this news about Kevin could mean to Lucy. 
"Right now Scott's looking for her." Ellen explained thinking back to her brief conversation with Victor. "Apparently she went to meet with Ryan somewhere under the premise that he was Kevin. There's no telling where she could be now if Scott doesn't find her." 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Scott returned to the squad car after his lecture from Garcia about letting the police handle the situation. Noticing the rain had eased up a bit, he moved towards the squad car eager to see Lucy again and explain how Ryan may have been spotted. 
"Lucy," Scott began opening the car door only to discover his leather jacket sitting on the seat with no signs of Lucy. Slamming the door shut, he rushed over to the officers standing around the scene. "Where is she?" 
"Where is who?" the officer questioned in confusion. 
"Lucy...the woman who was in that car over there. Where did she go?" Scott questioned in a panic. 
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about sir." the officer shrugged directing his attention back to the other officer he'd been in conversation with before Scott arrived. 
"Listen, I just left her alone in that squad car for not even five minutes." Scott snapped raising his voice while grabbing the officer and spinning him around. "Surely you numskulls had to see something." 
"Would you please calm down sir?" the officer replied as Scott stared him down. 
"Calm down? There's a psychopath on the loose and you want me to calm down?" Scott answered in disbelief. "What is wrong with you people? How could you just allow her to walk away in the midst of this chaos?" 
"Remove your hands from me this instant." the officer instructed calmly glaring at Scott long enough to let him know that he meant business. 
"Look, someone had to see something. What about you?" Scott questioned releasing the man as he turned to the other officer before him. "Did you see anything?" 
"I'm afraid we've only been on the scene for a few minutes." the officer explained noticing the twisted expression on Scott's face. "Perhaps one of those guys over there could help you find your lady friend." 
"Thank you." Scott replied quickly making his way over to the group of officers standing around the pier. "Excuse me." 
"Yes?" the officer who had been present at the lighthouse replied turning to face Scott instantly recognizing him. "Mr. Baldwin, Garcia left specific instructions that you and Ms. Coe were to wait in the squad car until further notification." 
"I understand that, but when I returned to the squad car, Ms. Coe was no longer inside." Scott explained quickly. 
"That's impossible." the officer nodded in disagreement. "I had Officer Smith go over there not even five minutes ago to check on the two of you." 
"Well, obviously you'd better have a talk with Officer Smith seeing as neither Ms. Coe nor myself are in the squad car." Scott added sarcastically surveying the area. "Which one is Officer Smith?" 
"That one over there. Come on, I'll take you over there to find out what's going on." the young man explained leading Scott over to the female officer. "Officer Smith, excuse me." 
"Yes?" she questioned turning to face the two men. 
"We're looking for Ms. Coe. She was supposed to be waiting in the squad car over there," the officer explained to her, "and Mr. Baldwin here has informed me that she's no longer inside the car." 
"Surely a woman like Lucy just can't disappear without someone noticing." Scott added frantically. "Someone had to see what happened to her." 
"Well, that's easy. She's gone." Officer Smith replied taking note of the confusion on both men's faces. "She left about five minutes ago." 
"What do you mean she's gone?" Scott blurted out in a frenzy. "Are you telling me that you idiots just allowed her to get up and leave with a mad man on the loose? Where did you all learn your police skills for a situation like this through the ACME academy of police work? What would possess you to allow her to do such a thing?" 
"She explained that she wasn't feeling well after the ordeal she'd just been through and one of the other officers drove her over to the hospital Mr. Baldwin." Officer Smith explained in slight irritation. "Now if you'll excuse me some of us have work to do." 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Running out into the corridor before her, Lucy scanned the place looking for a familiar face as she noticed Ellen and Matt in the distance talking to one another. In a panic, she rushed towards Ellen, feeling her heart pounding uncontrollably as she tugged on Ellen's sleeve. 
"Lucy, thank God you're all right." Ellen gasped reaching out to hug her friend. "When Victor had said that you went off to meet with that mad man, I just about....." 
"Where is he? Where is Kevin?" Lucy interrupted in desperation needing to see him as soon as possible. "Tell me where he is." 
"Lucy, he's in ICU." Ellen began hesitantly glancing over at Matt for a moment and with a nod he indicated that he understood the need for privacy as he moved down the hallway in the opposite direction. Taking note of the tears in Lucy's eyes, Ellen decided to put off telling Lucy the news on Kevin's condition for a little while. "I'll take you to him. Follow me." 
As Lucy followed Ellen towards ICU, she thought of how long it had been since she had seen Kevin. Victor had been rather vague about Kevin's condition on the telephone and her heart pounded at the mere thought of seeing him once again....of being able to be close to him....to tell him all that she'd been unable to say all these months away from him. Feeling her hands shake a bit, she silently moved behind Ellen quickening her pace as they approached Kevin's room. 
"Victor's in there with him right now." Ellen explained facing Lucy once again. "If you need anything.....anything at all, I'll be down the hall." 
"Thanks Ellen." Lucy replied turning towards the door and drawing in a breath. 
"Lucy?" Victor questioned moving out into the hallway and embracing her after having heard her voice through the door. "Thank God you're here." 
"Victor, how is he?" Lucy questioned unable to contain her emotions as she moved towards Victor trying to peer over his shoulder to get a better glimpse of Kevin through the small glass window in the door. 
"Lucy, I'm afraid it doesn't look too well." Victor confessed with tears glistening in the corners of his eyes. "Ellen says that it's only a matter of time before......." 
"Before what Victor?" Lucy questioned already knowing the answer as Victor greeted her with a look of despair. "No.......no I refuse to believe that. Doc fought so hard to get back to me. I've been wanting so desperately to tell him how much I've missed him and how much I need him. There's so much time......so many things......." 
"Lucy...." Victor trailed off sadly shaking his head despairingly for a moment before taking her hand in his. "I just don't understand how all of this could've happened right under our noses. What does that say about me as a father if I can't even recognize the signs that were right under my nose?" 
"We all were blindsided by Ryan, but now we need to move forward and help Kevin regain his life starting with his recovery." Lucy insisted passionately as a spark flashed in her eyes. "I'm not letting Kevin go this time. Never again." 
"Perhaps you being here is the best thing for Monk right now. Maybe by just hearing your voice, he will find the strength within himself to fight this......this thing that's tearing him up inside." Victor added with conviction pulling together every ounce of hope from within him. "It's all we have left." 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Ryan let out an exasperated moan as he made his way towards the building's exit. Looking over his shoulder, he realized that the rains had died down a bit clearing out the afternoon on the other side of the building as he began to move once more feeling the weight of Eve pressing upon his shoulders as he continued. Finally realizing that it was too much to carry her after the blows he'd been given by Lucy, he set her down on a large wooden crate. 
"Eve, you're not making this easy for me honey. Not to say that you're a heavy weight, but I need a little help here....." Ryan whispered crouching down beside her as he heard a crash around them. He touched her chilled skin trying to get a reaction out of her only to be greeted with nothingness. 
"No......" he cried out nudging her once more only to discover her unresponsive to his touch. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the vial he'd used to drug her with earlier discovering that it was empty. "No....this can't be! I couldn't have given you this much. Eve...Eve....." 
Taking a step back away from her, it dawned upon Ryan that in his haste, he'd been careless with her....too careless. Looking at the flesh wounds on her hands and arms from attempting to break free from her confinement, Ryan realized he'd waited too long to return to her. Lucy had caused him to be late getting back to her and now........now he couldn't even come to terms with what he'd done to her. Shaking his head in disbelief, he moved forward determined to take her away from Port Charles when a noise outside captured his attention. 
"This way." A voice shouted out in the distance as Ryan kneeled before Eve. He crouched down once again listening to someone pass by. 
"Hold on baby." he whispered reaching into his pocket once more for the keys to the truck waiting for them outside. "Damn it." 
"I must've dropped the keys somewhere back there." Ryan whispered moving around the crate searching for something to conceal her with realizing that time was running out. "I'll be right back." 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Back at the hospital, Tracie slumped down into the chair crumpling Eve's letter in her hands for a moment before reopening it once more. Wishing that she wouldn't allow curiosity to get the best of her, she remained fixed on the white paper before her. Finally after a long pause, she began to open the letter as she heard a knock causing her to look up and discover Matt before her. 
"Hey you," Matt began clearing his throat. "Ellen told me that I might find you in here." 
"Yeah, well, lucky guess on her part I suppose." Tracie replied with a shrug tucking the letter back into her pocket determined not to let Matt see her upset. "So what do you want?" 
"I just wanted to see how you were holding up." Matt explained uneasily as he approached her. "Ellen told me about the ordeal you'd gone through and I wanted to see how you were." 
"Why? So you could tell me once again how I have no business doing what I'm doing?" Tracie snapped back at him in anger. "Haven't we gone over this song and dance enough already?" 
"Tracie, I told you that it was dangerous to put yourself into the fire like that especially after everything that you've endured already in this lifetime." Matt began eyeing her closely as her features tensed up. "I just don't think......" 
"You just don't think that what I'm doing makes a difference. Is that it Eric?" Tracie questioned raising her voice as she moved out of her seat. "It's all right for you to try to save the world after all the horrors you've seen, but it's not okay for me to do the same. After all, being a doctor is a more appropriate way to put an end to injustices than being a sleazy reporter, who in your opinion doesn't make much of a difference." 
"I never said that Tracie." Matt interrupted shaking his head in disapproval. "I just said that you shouldn't be so quick to put your life out on the line like that after all we both went through to escape the madness our lives once were." 
"Well, I'm not like you Eric. I can't just sit behind a cushy little desk job pretending that everything is all right in the world when there are people out there crying for help........for someone to be their voice.......to show the world that the little guy won't be stepped over by families like ours." Tracie insisted with as her inner passion for her work came to the surface. "When you and I were young, we both vowed to escape the Mancusi curse, and we did, but for me it didn't end there. I couldn't let it......not until I made sure that justice was served." 
"Even if it means losing your life in the process?" Matt questioned in concern moving towards her. "Tracie, what if it was Ryan Chamberlain you encountered out there instead of Kevin Collins? Then what would you have done? You might not have been so lucky, you know." 
"But it wasn't Ryan Chamberlain." Tracie insisted shaking her head once more. 
"But it could've been Tracie. Then what?" Matt snapped back at her in irritation. 
"Look, you and I both know this isn't just about my job. It's about every decision I make." Tracie countered in irritation. "Whether it be about my job, the men I choose to date, or any other choice I make in my life....nothing will ever be up to your standards. Nothing is ever good enough." 
"Tracie listen....." Matt started wanting to finish this never-ending battle between the two of them. 
"No you listen." Tracie snapped back at him. "I don't care what you say because I'm going to continue living my life the way I've been living it since I've arrived here in Port Charles and no matter how badly you want me to change it, I'm not going to stop doing what I do best." 
"Are you finished?" Matt questioned folding his arms in front of his chest as he eyed her carefully watching her slump into a chair after her tantrum. 
"Yes." she answered reciprocating his position in her own chair as she awaited his response. 
"Good," he replied wheeling in towards her, "because I've got a few words to say to you now. Look, I know that I've said and done some things in the past that may have been viewed as chastising you and some of the choices you've made, and while I may not have always agreed with you, the fact to the matter is that I care about you Tracie." 
"Well, you have a strange way of showing it." Tracie responded noticing the conviction in his voice as he continued speaking to her. "Yeah, well, call it what you want, but when it comes to my favorite little cousin, I can't help but worry. You're the only real family that I still have left in my life and you're like a sister to me Tracie. When I'd heard about what had happened with you, it just made me so furious.....so angry in fact that poor Ellen got to be subjected to it once again, but after a moment of reflection, I realized that it wasn't anger that had consumed me. In fact, the more I thought about what I was feeling, the more it dawned on me just how frightened I was...." Matt confessed after a pause as he reached out to take her hand in his. "Look Tracie, we've both lost so many people in our lifetimes already and right now the last thing I want to do is lose you as well." 
"You're not going to lose me as long as you don't try to keep pushing me away." Tracie replied softening her tone as she noticed the tears in his eyes. "Would you just trust me for once?" 
"I do trust you Tracie. In fact, if anyone can make a difference in this world, I know it's you." Matt replied pulling her into a hug. "I just don't want to see you get hurt in the process. I love you." 
"I love you too." Tracie responded holding him closer to her feeling hot tears escape her eyes realizing how glad she was to have reconnected with Matt once again after months of fighting. 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
After making his way through the darkened trail he'd discovered in the broken down building, Chris pulled himself into another room overhead and heard the sounds of moving in the distance. Compelled by the feeling that he was very close to something, he noticed a coffin laying in the center of the room on the table before him. Peering inside the coffin, he noticed blood stains and a few dark strands of hair inside along with an empty vial. Reaching into the coffin, he pulled the vial out inspecting it closely for a moment before tucking it into his pocket. 
Looking out into the corridor laid out before him, Chris moved forward feeling as if he was on the right trail as he rushed through the rooms of this new building in the hope of finding Eve. As he listened to the sounds of thunder clouds in the distance Chris found himself in the center of a large blackened room at the end of the hall. 
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Chris noticed a few large crates before him as he scanned the room realizing that the place must've been some type of shipping yard in the past. Casting a glance across the room, he noticed a dark, shadowy figure on top of one of the mildew covered wooden crates. Moving forward, he could make out the familiar contours of the figure before him as he recognized the siluette as Eve. 
"Eve?" Chris called out rushing over to her side as he discovered her sprawled out across the top of the crate with her back to him. Rolling her over, he took note of her stillness as he noticed her expressionless face as he reached out to touch her cheek feeling the clamminess upon his fingers. 
"Eve? Eve, can you hear me? Eve, come on answer me. I know that you can hear me." he called out reaching out to take her arm and releasing it as it plopped down beside her. Pulling her into his arms, he held her close to him feeling the fading warmth in her cheeks. Pressing her body against him as if he'd never be able to let go, he looked at her still unable to believe that he'd found her. 
"Eve, don't you dare leave me again." He whispered choking back tears running his damp fingers through her hair as he held her close to him. "Eve?" 
"No.....no....no!" he shouted realizing that she wasn't breathing as he laid her out on the floor kneeling beside her. "Don't you even think about it Lambert. You're not getting away from me this easily." 
Searching for a pulse, he glanced over her features realizing that he'd never expected to find her in such a state as his hands began to tremble with fear. Doing his best to fight the tears blurring his vision and the lump forming in his throat, he did his best to push his emotional anguish aside as he moved forward in his attempt to revive Eve pressing his mouth to hers in an attempt to bring her back to him by giving his breath to ignite the fire of life once burning inside of her. 
"Please Eve......." he pleaded hearing the faint sounds of sirens in the distance as he moved in for another attempt to bring her back to him. 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Lucy entered the darkened room promising to herself that she'd remain strong for Kevin after Victor's warning about his condition, but as she approached him, she noticed the frail looking man in the bed before her and couldn't help but feel the wind knocked out of her as she laid eyes upon the man before her. 
"Oh no......no Doc." she gasped sinking into the chair beside the bed barely recognizing the shadow of a man before her. "Please tell me this isn't happening. Tell me that you haven't been reduced to this." 
"Oh Kevin," Lucy cried out reaching out to touch his weathered face and feeling him tremble beneath her fingers. Without a word, she moved out of her seat and onto the corner of the bed next to Kevin, cradling him in her arms as she ran her fingers through his hair. Blinking back tears, she continued to stroke the side of his face unclear of what to do or say when she noticed his eyelids pop open and she found the deep brown eyes she'd loved staring back at her with a distance.......a distance she'd never seen before as she continued to caress his face. 
"I'm here Kevin." she whispered in a soothing tone watching his twisted features mold into something that almost resembled some form of a smile as he gasped for air. 
"Lu....Lucy?" He questioned with a hoarseness as his gazed fixed upon her. 
"Doc?" she replied watching him struggle to speak. 
"Is....is it really you?" he asked in disbelief pulling together all his strength to move as his fingers knotted up on him and he let out a frustrated cry. 
"It's me Doc. It's Lucy." She responded sensing his struggle to reach out to her, she took his bruised hand in her own raising it up to her face allowing him to touch her smooth skin. 
"Oh Lucy," he sobbed closing his eyes as he took in the feel of her unable to believe that after months of isolation that he could be in this moment touching her, feeling her so near to him. Trembling with fear, he closed his eyelids tightly unable to fathom the thought of reopening his eyes only to discover himself alone in his darkened imprisonment again with nothing but the memory of her to haunt him. Still feeling the warmth of her touch upon his skin, he forced himself to open his eyes amazed to discover that she was still next to him in this strange new environment with that beautiful look of love in her eyes as he'd always remembered.......that look that had brought him through the pain and misery........the look that had given him the strength to move forward through his darkest moments. 
"You're here." He sobbed unable to hold back any longer as tears flooded down his face. "After all these months.........you're.......you're really here." 
"That's right Kevin, and I'm never going to leave you again." Lucy informed him solemnly. 
"I'm so......so sorry." Kevin whispered as Lucy noticed his lip quivering. 
"Kevin, you're here......there's nothing to be sorry for." Lucy assure him tightening her grip on him as she noticed a change in the noises the heart monitor was making. 
"I.....never.....never should've.....should've left you...." Kevin trailed off in between breaths struggling to make each word come out as he forced himself to continue. "......so wrong...so...so wrong......." 
"Don't say another word Doc." Lucy instructed seeing how much speaking was taking out of him. "All that matters is that we're together again as it should be." 
"Together.......together agai........" Kevin trailed off as the room filled with loud piercing sounds as Kevin collapsed in Lucy's arms.