Loves Labours (Read 11,318 times)

[André DiMera]

This story is a sequel to Fighting for Love. It picks up a few months after the events of that story. It will start on Monday, and continue weekdays. Enjoy!

---

Coming Soon...

A few months ago, Bo Brady died.
BO: I love you, Fancy Face.

And Hope went on a quest.
HOPE: I'll be back, I promise.

Now, things are changing in Salem.
CIARA: Who's she?
CLAIRE: Some new girl.

In a lot of ways.
MAN: Do you have any idea who you're talking to?
AIDEN: We shall see.

Don't miss LOVES LABOURS, starting Monday, May 23rd.

[heroicmuse]

This sounds great! Can't wait André DiMera!

[fluffysmom]

Thanks for the previews André DiMera. I'm already wondering about the mystery man.

[André DiMera]

Chapter 1

Darkness. Total darkness. And then...

Beep.

What was that? It was a noise. Was it...? Yes, it was. It was a machine.

A machine beeped. It beeped several times. Voices in the background. Then, more darkness.

A light. A small light pierced the darkness. To go towards the light? What would that mean? What was on the other side of that light? Was it the machine that was still beeping? Was it the voices that were faint in the background? Was it both?

More darkness.

There was always darkness. That was the one thing that could be counted on. There was always darkness.

There was that light again. A voice said to go towards the light. It wasn't the voices in the background, it was a voice in her head. “Go towards the light,” it said. That machine continued in its beeping. The voices, which had been faint, were becoming clearer now. Two of them belonged to men, one to a woman. There was something in her throat. It felt like something was caught in her throat. The sensation lasted seconds only, and then was replaced by a dry feeling. The light grew brighter and brighter. The voices grew louder. And then...

A ceiling. A sterile, white ceiling. Fluorescent lights were part of the ceiling. Her throat was dry, as though she hadn't had a drink in a long time. She coughed several times. Then, at her one side, a machine beeped, showing her vitals and her heart rate. At the other stood a man. He was old, and had a kind smile.

“Welcome back,” he said.

---

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
VOICE (over P.A.): Dr. Thomas Horton, please report to Room 171. Dr. Thomas Horton, Room 171.
It had been several months since Tommy had returned to Salem with his daughter, Addie. Several months since he had rejoined the staff at University Hospital. He walked into a room, where one of the long term patients was staying. The person lay in bed, in a coma. Addie and Daniel were also in the room. Addie was taking the patient's vitals while Daniel stood at the foot of the patient's bed, trying to gauge the situation.
TOMMY: What have we got?
DANIEL: Patient is showing increased brain activity.
ADDIE: What's strange is that her vitals are returning to that of a normal, healthy person. You say she's been in a coma for how long, Dr. Jonas?
Daniel picked up the patient's chart and flipped through it.
DANIEL: According to the chart, eleven years.
TOMMY: Hm. Eleven years in a coma. It will be quite a shock to her when she wakes up.
DANIEL: I was wondering if we should start to bring her out of it?
TOMMY: Well, if we don't, she'll wake up by herself. Either way, we should be here to monitor her progress.
Daniel, Addie and Tommy set to work bringing the patient out of a coma. When, at last, they felt it was safe, Tommy took the tube out of her mouth. Moments later, the patient's eyes slowly opened. She coughed several times, then started looking around. She looked confused. Tommy gave her a reassuring smile.
TOMMY: Welcome back. I'm Dr. Thomas Horton.
The patient coughed several times. Daniel brought her a cup of water, with a straw. He held the cup and put the straw up to her mouth.
DANIEL: Take small sips.
The patient did so. Then, she spoke, her voice slightly rough.
PATIENT: Where am I?
TOMMY: You're in Salem University Hospital. Do you recall your name?
The patient nodded.
TOMMY: What is your name?
PATIENT: Jan Spears.

[heroicmuse]

Oooh yes! This should be good! I wonder how crazy Jan will be now.

Great start André DiMera!

[mae00]

Oh wow! I wasn't expecting Jan!! Great start Andre!

[gapeach]

Yes Jan Spears is back

[fluffysmom]

I'm looking forward to seeing Jan's reactions to missing 11 years.

[André DiMera]

Chapter 2

BRADY PUB
A man walked in. He was a younger man, probably in his late 40s. He walked up to the counter and sat down. Chelsea walked over.
CHELSEA: Hi.
MAN: Hullo.
The man spoke with an Irish accent.
CHELSEA: Welcome to the Brady Pub. What can I get for you?
MAN: Oh, just some chowder, thanks.
Chelsea got a bowl of chowder and brought it out to the man.
CHELSEA: Here you go.
MAN: Cheers. So, you say this is the Brady Pub, then?
Chelsea nodded.
CHELSEA: Yeah. It belongs to my grandma.
MAN: Brady. That sounds like an Irish last name.
CHELSEA: It is, yeah. My grandpa was Irish.
MAN: Was?
CHELSEA: Yeah. He passed away a few years ago.
MAN: Sorry to hear that.
CHELSEA: Thanks. So, it sounds like you're a bit Irish yourself.
MAN: Indeed, lass. Me brother and I have just come over for a bit. Wanted to check the place out.
CHELSEA: Cool.
The man looked around and saw a picture of Shawn, Caroline and their children on the wall.
MAN: I take it that the old man is your grandfather.
Chelsea looked at the picture.
CHELSEA: Yep, that's him. Grandpa Shawn.
MAN: Shawn Brady. An Irish name if ever there was one. Name's Hugh, by the way. Hugh Whelan.
CHELSEA: I'm Chelsea.
Chelsea looked at the clock.
CHELSEA: I'll be back in a bit. I've just gotta go check on something in the back.
HUGH: Right. I'll be here.
Chelsea went in the back. Hugh looked around and got out his phone. He dialed a number. He spoke in Irish Gaelic (translations in English will be in parenthesis)
HUGH: Fuair mé an áit. (I found the place.)
Pause.
HUGH: Nah, an sean-fhear marbh. Chinn mé a ghariníon agus bean chéile, cé. (Nah, the old man's dead. I found his granddaughter and wife, though.)
Pause.
HUGH: Ná bíodh imní ort, Eirnin. Fhios ag aon duine maidir linn ach go fóill. (Don't worry, Ernan. Nobody knows about us just yet.)

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
After checking Jan's vitals again, just to make sure that everything was okay and that she hadn't come out of the coma with any major health concerns, Tommy, Addie and Daniel sat down with her.
JAN: So...what day is it?
TOMMY: Today is Tuesday.
JAN: Tuesday?
Tommy nodded.
JAN: Tuesday! Oh no! I'm gonna be late!
DANIEL: Late for what?
JAN: I have to get out of here! I need to go!
ADDIE: Jan, you can't be released just yet. We're still trying to make sure that you're okay.
JAN: But I have to go! I have this huge test today, and if I'm late, Mr. Woods is gonna flip!
TOMMY: Mr. Woods?
JAN: Yeah, he's my teacher. I've gotta go! He'll kill me if I miss his test again!
DANIEL: Jan...like Dr. Horton said, you can't go anywhere just yet.
JAN: But, I have to! If I miss this test, Mr. Woods said I won't be able to go to prom. And if I don't go to prom, Jason is gonna be so angry with me.
ADDIE: Prom?
JAN: You know, prom. The most exciting dance of the high school year. I mean, I'm a freshmen this year, so I shouldn't technically be able to go, but Jason's gonna sneak me in.
The three doctors exchanged looks.
TOMMY: Um, Jan, do you know what year it is?
JAN: Of course I do. It's 1999.

[heroicmuse]

I kind of feel bad for Jan. It reminds me of The Dead Zone, where the main character lost 11 years of his life to a coma and everything changed.

Is Hugh an original character André DiMera? The name is vaguely familiar for some reason. In any case, I'm curious as to what he's up to. So good to see Chelsea again.

Great chapter!

[Kpatch]

I love this story already. I knew it was Jan immediately. I loved how you set the scene in chapter 1. Great job!

[gapeach]

Can't wait to see what Hugh us up to ( I am sure it is not going to be a good thing!!). Can't wait to see Jab's reaction to it not being 1999.

[fluffysmom]

I'm hooked already André DiMera. I wonder if Jan will find out she locked Shawn in a cage.

[André DiMera]

May 24, 2016 7:18:53 GMT -5 heroicmuse said:

Is Hugh an original character André DiMera?

He is, yeah. He and his brother Ernan, are both new to this story.

I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so much!

[André DiMera]

Chapter 3

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Tommy and Addie watched from a glass window as Daniel spoke to Jan about the incident that had led to her coma and subsequent amnesia.
ADDIE: I'm sure this is a great shock to her.
TOMMY: Finding out that she's in her early 30s and it's 2016? Yes, I'm sure it is, as well. Even moreso when she finally gets her memory back.
ADDIE: We should have a psychiatrist talk to her. Culture shock, and all that.
TOMMY: I agree. Dr. Evans should do. I'll go and speak with her.
Tommy left the room.

SALEM HIGH
Claire and Ciara were standing by their lockers. Ciara was taking books out of her locker and putting them in her bag.
CLAIRE: So, I hear that the end of year dance is coming up in about a month or two.
CIARA: Yeah?
CLAIRE: Yeah.
CIARA: What's the theme this year?
CLAIRE: You'll never guess: the Last Blast.
CIARA: Well, of course it's the Last Blast. It's always the Last Blast. It has been ever since Shawn and Belle were in school.
CLAIRE: True.
CIARA: So, what's the actual theme this time around?
CLAIRE: Oh, this is a good one: “Those Who've Gone Before”.
CIARA: What's that even supposed to mean?
CLAIRE: It's supposed to be themed around all of the major celebrities who've died this year. You know, David Bowie, Prince, Glenn Frey, Paul Kantner, those sort of people.
CIARA: Gotcha. So, you going with anyone?
CLAIRE: I don't know. I kinda thought we could go as a group.
CIARA: With who?
CLAIRE: Well, the two of us, obviously.
CIARA: Yeah.
CLAIRE: Plus Joey, Theo, Chase and Henri.
CIARA: Have you talked to any of the others about this yet?
CLAIRE: Not yet, but I will soon.
CIARA: Well, I think it sounds cool.
CLAIRE: Good. So, you're staying with us this weekend, right?
CIARA: Yep. After Aiden picks me up and I get some of my stuff, I'll be heading over.
CLAIRE: Awesome!
Ciara shut her locker, and the two started walking.
CLAIRE: I'm really excited for the dance! It's gonna be so fun!
CIARA: It so will! If it's anything like Shawn's told me it was when he was a kid, it'll be awesome!
The girls were talking excitedly, and a girl with dark brown hair pushed her way past them, not even making any effort to go around. She simply brushed past Ciara, but actually shoved Claire.
GIRL: Watch where you're going, losers!
They turned around as the girl walked down the hall.
CIARA: Well, that was rude!
CLAIRE: Totally!
CIARA: You okay?
CLAIRE: Yeah, I'm fine.
CIARA: Who is that girl, anyway?
CLAIRE: Oh, that's Jade. She's new this year. Started just after Christmas. She's on my bus.
CIARA: She seems friendly.
Both rolled their eyes. The bell rang which signalled that class was about to start.
CLAIRE: Well, don't worry about her. Come on. Off to Geometry.
The girls walked down the hall.