The Melaswen Paradox (Read 319,146 times)

[André DiMera]

Monday - 8/26

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
PHILIP: Chloe…
CHLOE: Philip, hi.
PHILIP: Hi.
Slowly, Philip and Chloe walked towards each other and embraced.
CHLOE: I am so sorry to hear about Melanie. Is she…
PHILIP: She’ll be okay. It’ll take time, but she’ll pull through.
CHLOE: That’s good.
PHILIP: So…not that I’m not glad to see you, but I can’t imagine you came up from Chicago just to ask about Melanie.
CHLOE: Uh, no. Daniel called last night and told Parker and I what happened, so Parker begged me to drive him up here to see Melanie. I was going to be driving him up here this week, anyway, so we just left a few days earlier than planned.
PHILIP: Parker’s here?
CHLOE: He is. He’ll be going to Salem High this year, so he’s staying with Daniel and Nicole. From what Carly just told me, Daniel’s taken him to see Melanie.
PHILIP: Right.
Philip turned to Carly.
PHILIP: She’s not awake yet, is she?
CARLY: Not yet, no.
Philip nodded, then turned back to Chloe.
PHILIP: It’s, uh, it’s nice to see you. You look well.
CHLOE: I am. And thank you, so do you.
PHILIP: Wish I could say that I was doing as well as you say I look. These last few weeks have been trying, to say the least.
Chloe nodded and patted Philip’s hand.
PHILIP: So, Parker’s going to go to Salem High this year?
CHLOE: That’s right.
PHILIP: Wow. I can’t believe that. I still think of him as being a little kid sometimes, even though I know he’s gotta be, what, 13?
CHLOE: 14, actually.
PHILIP: Right, right. Sorry, my head is all over the place.
CHLOE: That’s totally understandable. How’s your daughter?
PHILIP: She’s amazing. I dropped her off at daycare on my way over. She’s gotten so big.
CHLOE: I can imagine!
Daniel and Parker walked back into the waiting room. Philip did a double-take at seeing him.
PHILIP: Parker? Hey, buddy. Your mom told me you were here, but…wow, you’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you!
PARKER: Yeah. Hey, Philip.
Philip and Parker hugged.

STREET - ENGLAND
E.J. blinked furiously.
E.J.: I beg your pardon?
LYONS: I believe you heard me correctly, sir. You are under arrest for fleeing a country where you have an outstanding crime against you and were told to remain.
Inspector Lyons showed E.J. his badge.
LYONS: Inspector Mark Lyons, London Metropolitan Police Service. I am to accompany you back to the United States of America. Turn around, please, hands where I can see them.
E.J. rolled his eyes but did as he was told. Lyons cuffed him.
LYONS: As I was saying, you are under arrest for fleeing a country where you are wanted for an outstanding crime. You do not have to say anything, however it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
E.J.’s eyes blazed, but he said nothing, as Inspector Lyons led him into the back of his police van.

[tghca]

EJ getting arrested was bound to happen and now that he is being extradited back to the US specifically to Salem, there is going to be a lot of people waiting for him to confront him. Like his son Johnny for instance.

But the moment EJ is in that cell at Statesville back in Salem, will Andre and Megan let their little brother rot in a cell leaving him there to fend for himself? That would be pretty cold 🥶 but I can easily see them doing it because their brother has become a liability. Considering their father Stefano did the same thing decades ago with their brother Peter...just left him to rot in a cell.


So Parker is younger than Sydney and company? I expected him to at least be the same age as Sydney, Tate, etc but since Parker is going to Salem High, I wonder how is he going to fit in?


Chloe & Philip...can you say awkward? Because at one time they used to be in love and Parker was considered Philip's son but turns out to be Daniel's

[Kpatch]

I was hoping Philip and Parker would have a moment. Thank you for that.

[mae00]

I'm so glad Philip got to see Parker. I can't believe he's 14 now!

[heroicmuse]

EJ really shouldn't be surprised at this. He knew he was a fugitive.

I'm glad Philip and Chloe were civil to each other.

Great chapte4 André DiMera

[André DiMera]

Tuesday - 8/27

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
PHILIP: Sorry to keep staring, it’s just so good to see you!
PARKER: Yeah, you too.
PHILIP: You look good, how are you?
PARKER: Good.
PHILIP: Good. Your Mom tells me you’re gonna be staying here for the school year.
PARKER: Yeah, that’s what she tells me, too.
PHILIP: Well, that’ll be great. You’ll love Salem High. Plus, since you’re in town, it’ll give us a chance to catch up more.
PARKER: Sure, that makes sense.
PHILIP: Right. Well, I should go check on Melanie. How was she when you saw her?
Parker shrugged.
PARKER: She was asleep, so kinda hard to tell.
PHILIP: Got it. Well, I’ll be seeing you soon.
Philip patted Parker on the shoulder.
PHILIP: Chloe.
CHLOE: I’ll be in town for a few days to help Parker get settled, so I’m sure we’ll run into each other.
PHILIP: Great.
Philip turned and walked down the hall. Daniel put a hand on Parker’s shoulder.
DANIEL: So, are you ready to go get your stuff set up?
PARKER: Sure, let’s go.
Daniel nodded at Chloe, and they and Parker left.

CAR
Will had gone to pick up Ari from summer camp, as there was now only a week until school started. The drive from Walden back to Salem was long, and much of the beginning of it was quiet. At last, Will broke the silence.
WILL: So, how was the rest of camp?
ARI: Good.
Ari looked out the window.
ARI (thinking): Though it would have been better if Liv and I hadn’t been split up for half of it.
She didn’t say this, of course, because she understood that it was part of her punishment for sneaking away from camp.
WILL: Did you make any new friends?
ARI: Yeah, a few. The girls in my new cabin were pretty nice.
WILL: That’s good, I’m glad. That maze you made for marbles looks nice.
ARI: Thanks.
Will tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and let out a deep breath.
WILL: So…I did a bit of digging into that house you and Liv were so interested in.
Ari turned to look at Will.
ARI: Really? What’d you find out?
WILL: The people who used to own the house, the Merritts, they had four kids. Fannie, the one whose locket you showed me, was one of them. Eventually, her parents got old and died. There was a disagreement among Fannie and her siblings, so rather than one of them moving in or doing anything with the house, they decided to leave it as is.
Ari blinked.
ARI: That’s it?
WILL: That’s it.
ARI: Wow. I was expecting something way bigger. Like, Liv and I both thought something really bad must have happened. So it was just that their parents died and they couldn’t agree on what to do?
WILL: There’s a bit more to it than that. From what I’ve been told, there had been a lot of fights over the years, and their parents' death tore the family apart. It wasn’t just because their parents died, but that was the final straw.
ARI: Still…wow. Do you know if any of them are still alive?
WILL: As far as I know, only one of them, Fannie’s younger sister, Esther. She’d be quite old by now, though. From what I’ve been told, and what I’ve been able to look up, she has kids and at least one grandkid.
ARI: Wow. I wonder if one of them went to the same camp as me.
WILL: It’s possible.
ARI: What made you look all this up?
WILL: To tell you the truth, kiddo, I was intrigued by what you and Liv told me about that old house. So, I went to investigate for myself, but didn’t go into the house, because breaking into houses is wrong.
Ari rolled her eyes.
WILL: Anyway, I asked around town and found a couple people who know the family, and they told me all about it.
ARI: That’s really cool, actually. Thanks, Dad.
Will patted Ari’s hand.
ARI (thinking): Whoever the kids and grandkids of the Merritts are, I hope they’re doing well. I wonder if I know any of them.

SALEM P.D.
Bo sat at his desk, looking through his computer. He looked up when there was a knock at the door.
BO: Come in.
Johnny, Meadow and Sami walked in.
BO: Good, you’re all here. Shut the door, please.
Johnny shut the door.
SAMI: Uncle Bo, what’s going on?
BO: I’ve got good news - we found E.J.

[Kpatch]

Very excited that Parker is going to Salem High, just like his parents mother.

I doubt Sami will think it's great news that the police found EJ.

[tghca]

Sami will probably think it is bad news that they found EJ. I wonder if EJ knows that it was Sami who set him up to get beaten by Philip's guys? Or if it will take EJ putting two and two together and realizing Sami's role in all this?

I wonder if EJ's siblings will visit him now that he's in a cell? Like Andre or Megan or Kristen or Tony or Chad? Or if his nephew Rudolfo will visit to basically pass along a message from Andre & Megan?

Johnny is bound to confront his father now that he got his full memory back there's no other way around this

I think Ari has met a Merritt already and she just doesn't know it yet

[mae00]

Not sure that finding EJ was good news for Sami and Johnny - unless Johnny wants to confront EJ.

I'm glad Will told Ari the "dull" story about the house but I hope that she doesn't go looking for the kids and grandkids.

[heroicmuse]

I wonder who the Merritts' grandchild is. This should be interesting!

Can't wait for the rest of Bo's conversation with Johnny and Meadow.

Great chapter André DiMera

[André DiMera]

Wednesday - 8/28

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Maggie sat at Melanie’s bedside, holding her hand.
MAGGIE: My dear girl, I so hope you wake up soon. You’ve no idea how missed you are, by me, Philip, your mother and father, and of course your gorgeous daughter Danielle. She needs you, sweetheart. But, I have faith that you’ll come back to us soon. You’re a fighter, just like your grandma.
Maggie squeezed Melanie’s hand.

Philip poured himself a cup of coffee, then handed the pot over to Nicholas.
NICHOLAS: So, any word on who did this to Melanie?
PHILIP: Nope. Shawn’s supposed to be stopping by in a bit, hopefully with some news. If things keep quiet like this for much longer, I may have to investigate using other avenues.
Nicholas nodded.
NICHOLAS: I know what you mean.
PHILIP: I’m surprised you haven’t had Ivan look into it yet.
NICHOLAS: Ivan isn’t immediately available to me, at the moment.
PHILIP: Meaning you and Vivian are still on the outs, and Ivan is refusing the work for you because it would be seen as potentially going against his precious “Madame”.
NICHOLAS: You’ve got it.
Nicholas sighed.
NICHOLAS: I understand why Aunt Viv did what she did, and I see now that Cassie and I weren’t right for each other, no offense.
Philip said nothing, he just took a drink of his coffee.
NICHOLAS: I’m just…not quite there yet.
PHILIP: Hey, I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t be in a rush to talk to Vivian if I don’t have to, either.

SALEM P.D.
SAMI: You got him? You actually got him?
BO: Yep, we actually got it. Like you said, Sami, he was hiding out in England at his mother’s house.
Sami looked somewhat smug.
JOHNNY: Wait, I’m sorry, Grandma Susan and Grandpa Edmund were helping my Father hide?
BO: Well, we don’t know the extent of their involvement with his situation over there, but we’ll find out. Since that part of the crime occurred over there, the London Metropolitan Police Service will be questioning them. Meanwhile, the head investigator on the case, a guy by the name of Lyons, is escorting E.J. back here to face charges.
SAMI: Thank god! This is great news!
MEADOW: Is it? I’d have thought you two would want E.J. as far away as possible.
SAMI: Well yeah, of course I don’t want E.J. anywhere near us, but I’d rather it be because he’s behind bars. He needs to face up to what he did to Johnny!
JOHNNY: And I’d like to have a word with him when he gets back to town.
SAMI: What?! Johnny, I don’t want you anywhere near him!
JOHNNY: He’s not gonna be able to get to me, Mom. I’m sure Uncle Bo will have it so he’s guarded and can’t actually get close to me. Right, Uncle Bo?
BO: Oh, he’ll be guarded, alright. As for a visit, I’m sure we can arrange that once he’s back here tonight.
JOHNNY: Good.
SAMI: I don’t think this is a good idea, Johnny.
JOHNNY: Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but I do. I know you want revenge on him for what he did to me, Mom, and I don’t want him to get away with it, either, which it sounds like he won’t. What I do want is to talk to him, at least to see his reaction when he finds out that all of my memories have come back.
Meadow put a hand on Johnny’s shoulder.
BO: Well, like I said, he should be back by this evening. I’ll let you all know once he’s back in our custody.

[Kpatch]

If EJ's coming back, Philip may get a chance to confront him in person.

And no one wants to deal with Vivian if they don't have to. LOL.

[heroicmuse]

Sami, don't get overprotective! Johnny needs to have it out with his father.

Hopefully the other Dimeras won't do anything to try to break him out of jail to do their bidding, though.

I thinknPhilip should ask to borrow Ivan. Vivian considers him a son, so use that to his advantage.

I hope Melanie wakes up soon.

Great chapter André DiMera

[tghca]

If EJ is back, it gives Philip the chance to confront him too. Knowing EJ, he will deny everything on having anything to do with Melanie's attack as he should because he couldn't even arrange for her attack even if he wanted to. He was in another country on the run as a fugitive. So why would he do it @kpatch? Now Andre, Megan or even Rudolfo arranging for Melanie to be attacked and left for dead for the Johnsons to find her is more up their alley.

But EJ will be able to confront Philip too because it was his guys who attacked EJ to begin with and sent him off to London.


The war between the DiMeras and Kiriakises is just beginning and even with EJ locked up right now, I still see the war escalating even with Melanie in a hospital bed hooked up to machines. There are other innocent Kiriakis family members the DiMeras could target. Or there are other innocent DiMera family members Philip could target as well.


Johnny confronting his father like he is, is that really wise given what happened?

[André DiMera]

Thursday - 8/29

SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Nicholas sipped his coffee thoughtfully.
NICHOLAS: The thing is, maybe you could get Aunt Viv to have Ivan look into what happened to Melanie.
Philip snorted.
PHILIP: Are you forgetting that Vivian and Melanie hate each other?
NICHOLAS: I am well aware that there’s no love lost between them. But think about it, Aunt Viv thinks of you as a son, still after all this time. Plus, you were able to get her to call off the dogs when you and Melanie got married. However much Aunt Viv hates Melanie, she loves you more. Surely she would lend Ivan out to you, and you could have him track down which DiMera it is that did this to Melanie.
PHILIP: Did I not just say that I would rather not involve Vivian if I don’t have to?
NICHOLAS: The thing is, you may have to. I don’t like it either, Philip, but the time may come when that’s our best option.
PHILIP: Heh. If involving Vivian’s our best option, why don’t you just put aside your issues with her and talk to her yourself? You're more of a son to her than I ever was.
NICHOLAS: Aunt Viv and I still haven’t patched up our relationship.
PHILIP: She and I never had one, at least not one that I was an active participant in! So you’re totally cool with me talking to someone I can’t stand to be around and begging her to find out who tried to kill my wife, who she also hates, but you’re not willing to put aside your issues with her and do it yourself?
NICHOLAS: I’d have thought you’d understand, seeing as it’s your sister she almost killed.
PHILIP: All the more reason for me to not want to have anything to do with her. Cassie and I might not be close, but like you just said, Vivian did try to kill her.
NICHOLAS: Fine, we won’t involve her, then.
PHILIP: Good. Nico is more than capable. He’s the one who…
He looked around to make sure nobody was listening.
PHILIP (quietly): He’s the one who assisted me with our first DiMera problem.
Nicholas nodded.
NICHOLAS: I hope this Nico is as good as you say.
PHILIP: He is. Actually, I’m underselling it. He’s been in my father’s employ since I was a child. He’s the best.
NICHOLAS: Good.
PHILIP: Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on my wife.

SALEM AIRFIELD
Bo, Shawn-D, Hope, Rafe and several other officers watched as a small plane landed on the private area of Salem Airfield which was reserved for law enforcement and the ISA. After several minutes, Inspector Lyons walked out, followed by E.J., who was handcuffed and being led by another member of the London Metropolitan Police Service. The three stopped in front of the group.
LYONS: Detective Bo Brady.
BO: Inspector Mark Lyons.
Bo gestured to Hope.
BO: This is Commissioner Hope Brady-Jennings.
LYONS: Pleasure to meet you, Madam Commissioner.
HOPE: You too.
Lyons gestured to the officer holding E.J.
LYONS: Detective Llwelyn Stewart.
Hope and Bo nodded at Detective Stewart, who nodded back.
LYONS: Madam Commissioner, Detective Brady, I bring you your prisoner, unharmed. I leave him in your capable hands.
HOPE: It’s much appreciated. Officer Brady, Officer Hernandez.
Shawn-D and Rafe took E.J. from Detective Stewart, keeping him handcuffed.
E.J.: You’re making a big mistake!
BO: Yeah, yeah. We’ll get to you later.
Rafe and Shawn-D, with several of the other officers in toe, took E.J. away.
HOPE: From what my partner, Detective Brady here, tells me, you’ve done very good work. We appreciate all of your help in this matter.
LYONS: Happy to be of service, ma’am. Just so you know, we may need Mr. DiMera back again at a later date, as there might be charges against him in England. We’ll know more as my team’s investigation continues and keep you up to speed.
HOPE: And we’ll keep you up to speed on the situation with E.J. over here. Personally, I’m just glad to see that international cooperation still exists.
LYONS: As am I.
Lyons and Stewart shook hands with Bo and Hope.

BRADY PUB
Johnny, Meadow and Sami had met Lucas and Sydney for dinner. They updated Lucas and Sydney on the situation with E.J.
SYDNEY: I don’t wanna see him.
Lucas gently rubbed Sydney’s back.
JOHNNY: You don’t have to, Syd. It’s totally understandable if you don’t want to.
SAMI: You don’t have to see him, either, Johnny.
JOHNNY: Yes, Mom, I do. I know you disagree, but it’s something that I need to do. Now that I remember everything, I need to confront him. I need some kind of closure, even if I don’t like the result.
SAMI: But he attacked you!
JOHNNY: I know! But it’s not like he’s gonna be able to do that again. He’ll be behind either bars or glass, and I’m sure Uncle Bo will have a guard on his door. He’s not gonna touch me, or be able to get near me. We’re just gonna talk.
Sami didn’t look too sure.

DANIEL & NICOLE’S APARTMENT
Nicole hugged Parker.
NICOLE: It is so good to see you, kid!
PARKER: Thanks, you too.
NICOLE: How are you? How was the drive up?
PARKER: It was fine. And I’m good.
NICOLE: Good! Are you ready to start school in a day or two?
Parker shrugged.
PARKER: I guess.
Daniel walked out from the kitchen and put a hand on Parker’s shoulder.
DANIEL: It’ll be great, buddy.
There was a knock at the door.
NICOLE: I got it.
PARKER: Didn’t know you guys were expecting company already.
DANIEL: Well, there’s a lotta people who want to see you now that you’re back in town.
Jade and Emmy walked in.
JADE: Hi. I hope it’s okay that we stopped by.
NICOLE: Of course it is.
Emmy let go of Jade’s hand and ran over to Parker
EMMY: Parker!
PARKER: Hey.
He looked up at Jade.
PARKER: Hi, Jade.