One More Time by Lori

(The gatehouse. It's pitch black inside and out and it's storming outside. Ned comes in and is about to turn on the light when a voice stops him.)

B: Don't turn on the light Ned.

N: Bren?

B: Yeah it's me.

N: Where are you?

B: On the couch. (Ned begins to make his way over to couch. He reaches it and sits down.

N: Why are you sitting in my house and in the dark? And are you okay? You sound funny like you've been crying.

B: Do I? Maybe because I have.

N: Bren, you're starting to scare me. Why were you crying?

B: You really want to know?

N: Yes.

B: Then turn on the light. (Ned turns on the lamp behing the couch and looks at Brenda. In the dim light we seen Brenda bruised and bloodied. Her clothes are torn and her hair is messed up. She has scratches on her arms and legs.) Hideous isn't it?

N: How? Who?

B: It was Jax. He saw me at the park the other day and I was with Sonny. He got so angry I was almost scared to go home with him. But I did. Then yesterday the pictures of me and Sonny, on the front page of the paper? Did you see them?

N: Yeah I did.

B: I don't even know how they got there. I know where and when they were taken. I was in the park after I got Sonny out of jail. Ned if you could have seen him. It was like I didn't know him at all. He was a complete and total stranger. I don't know who he was. He was just some guy who looked liked the man I married. I was able to fight him off and then I just wandered around for a while. (She holds up her left hand) I threw my rings in the Port Charles River. I almost jumped in after them. After a while I needed to rest so I came here. I hope you don't mind.

N: You're always welcome here. You know that. But I'm surprised that you didn't go to Sonny's.

B: I didn't think he'd want to see me.

N: Are you kidding? I checked my messages at the office. I must have at least ten messages asking if I'd seen you.

B: Really? (knock at the door)

N: Go upstairs. (Brenda quickly hugs Ned and runs upstairs. Ned make sures she's upstairs before he opens the door to admit Sonny) Hi Sonny.

S: Didn't you get my messages?

N: Every last one of them. But I just got home.

S: I haven't seen or heard from Brenda all day. I must have left her twice as many messages as I left you. Have you seen her?

N: She's upstairs. But before you go up there I should tell you she's pretty banged up.

S: Jax?

N: Yeah.

S: How bad? (Brenda comes in)

B: This bad. (Sonny turns around) Pretty horrible, huh?

N: I'm going to go have some coffee and ice cream. (Leaves)

S: My God, Bren. Are you okay?

B: No. But that's nothing new I haven't been okay for a long time now. (Sits on the couch and Sonny sits next to her)

S: I can't believe he would do something like this.

B: Why not? You never liked him to begin with, remember?

S: But to hurt you like this. He's supposed to love you.

B: Nobody loves me, Sonny. Not my father, not my sister, and not my so-called husband.

S: That's where you're wrong Brenda. I love you.

B: How could you? Nobody else does.

S: I don't know how I couldn't. It seems like I've loved you for my entire life. I don't remember what it's like not to love you. (Brenda is starting to get teary eyed) Please don't cry. I hate it when you cry.

B: I can't help it. I've waited for those words from you for so long and now that I'm finally hearing them I think I'm entitled to get a little emotional, don't you think?

S: You are entitled to do anything you want as far as I'm concerned. C'mere. (He reaches out for her and she crawls into them. They wrap their arms around each other gently and just hold each other until a knock at the door disrupts their peace. Ned enters and heads for the door. Brenda and Sonny stay nestled on the couch until they hear the voice of the person at the door.

TBC

(Gatehouse. A very drunk Jax staggers in.)

J: Hey Ashton. Where's my wife? (Spots Brenda and Sonny)
Oh there she is. The old ball and chain.

B: You're drunk, Jax.

S: The lady's right. So why don't you go sleep it off
somewhere?

J: Lady? Oh you mean Brender. I see you've decided to
forgive the traitorous little slut. How big of you
Sonny. (Sonny's jaw set in a line, Brenda went pale,
and Ned assesses the situation and takes Jax's arm
trying to lead him away. Jax jerked his arm away.) I'm
not finished Ashton. I came to finish what I started
before. I don't think I did a good enough job before.
It wasn't enough to teach the whore a lesson in
loyalty.

B: Oh I should be loyal to you? You know what Jax, you
can say just about anything about Sonny, but the one
thing you can't accuse him of is ever raising a hand
to me. He never did.

S: And I never will. Ned do want some help showing
Candyboy the door?

N: No I can handle him. You stay here.

J: Yes Sonny boy, stay here and console your lover. I
was a real idiot. I couldn't see what was in front of
me the entire time. The Model and The Mobster. I guess
it ain't over yet.

B: It won't be over until the day they put me in a
grave.

J: Don't give me any ideas you little tramp.

S: Ned get him out of here. (Ned nods and taking Jax's
arm and shoving him out the door.

N: I'll be right back. (Sonny nods and Ned leaves.
Sonny looks down at Brenda who pulls away from him,
gets up and goes to the window looking out on the
stormy night. Sonny gets up and walks over to her and
slides his arms around her waist. She puts her hands on
top of his and leans back against him and sighs. They
are silent for a few minutes and then Brenda breaks the
silence. She speaks in a low voice very slowly.)

B: The way he looked at me tonight. The venom in his
voice. It made me think of when you caught me with
Miguel that day. (Sonny tries to speak) No let me
finish. I remember how I felt when you called me a
whore. I think if you had just shot me it would have
felt better than seeing the look in your eyes. I did
what I did for revenge. I wanted to cause you the pain
I felt when you kicked me out and then I found out you
were going away with Lily. I just wanted you to feel
the pain I felt. Now Jax is doing it to me. I guess
what goes around comes around, huh? Sonny there's
something I need to know.

S: What?

B: I need to know that you've forgiven me. For the
wire, for Miguel, and for every crazy, stupid, selfish
thing I've done to you. I need to know that you
forgive me for every word I ever uttered meant to hurt
you. Can you say that you do? (Turns to face him, his
arms are still around her and her hands are in his
behind his back.) Can you honestly say that you forgive
me? I need to know that before we get together one more
time, this time for good.

TBC

(Gatehouse. Sonny and Brenda are still standing at the window in each other's arms.)

S: You want to know if I forgive you?

B: I need to know.

S: Bren, I forgave you a long time ago. You must know
that.

B: Sometimes late at night I think about the last time
we were together. Then I think about the wire and how
it ripped me apart to see the look of hurt in your eyes
and I wonder how you could ever forgive me.

S: But I did. Now I need to know if you forgive me.

B: For what?

S: For the name calling, the backstabbing, and for
marrying Lily.

B: If you hadn't married her, you'd be dead right now.
I'm glad you married her. Even if it did rip my heart
in two to watch it.

S: What?

B: I was in the back of the chapel the day you married
her. I was hoping against hope that one of you would
realize that it was a mistake. I almost got my wish
when Lily said she couldn't make you do this. But then
you...

S: But then I said that she wasn't making me do
anything. That I had chosen to marry her. God Baby, I
had no idea you were back there. I never wanted to hurt
you like that.

B: I know. Do you know that I went as far as to call
Miguel in hopes that he would go to Lily and try to
talk her out of it? He didn't but he did try to talk
some sense into me. It didn't work though. I wish it
had though.

S: I'm glad it didn't. I'm glad you did everything you
did.

B: Even Canada?

S: Especially Canada. Everything you did made me
realize that I loved you and I couldn't live without
you. Now I won't ever have to. I love you Brenda.

B: I love you too. Always.

S: And Forever. You know when you feel this way about
a person. The way we feel about each other, I mean,
there's usually only one thing to be done.

B: (Smiling) What?

S: Get married.

B: Is that a proposal?

S: Not a formal one. First I want to ask permission.

B: From who?

S: You always said that Ned is the closest thing you
have to a brother. So I'll ask him. Think'll he'll say
yes?

B: If he knows what's good for him he will. That is so
romantically old-fashioned. Asking for permission to
marry me. I think I'm gonna cry.

S: Not again. (Pulls her into his arms and hugs her
tight. She winces and he immediatley releases her.) Baby,
I'm sorry. I forgot.

B: It's okay, I'm fine.

S: You sure?

B: Yes I'm sure. (Ned comes back in) Ned. Good you're
back. We need to ask you something.

N: Okay, go ahead.

S: Well Ned, you're the closest thing to family that
Bren has and I want to make a request.

N: What is it?

S: I want to marry her. We'd like your blessing.

B: What do you say Ned?

TBC

N: You're asking for my blessing?

B: Yes. Do we have it?

N: Sonny, it's stopped raining. Why don't you take a
walk while I talk to Brenda?

S: Point taken. See you later, baby. (kisses Brenda,
leaves)

B: So, what's up?

N: Sit down, Bren. (Brenda and Ned sit on the couch)
Now you and Sonny want my blessing to get married, am I
right so far?

B: Yeah.

N: Why do you need my blessing? I'm not family.

B: That Ned, is where you're wrong. You're my brother
and I love you. Now I'd ask Julia but she's never met
Sonny and somehow I can't see her approving of him, ya
know?

N: What makes you think I approve?

B: I know you don't but you've got one up on Julia. You
love me and you want to see me happy.

N: Julia loves you too, you know.

B: Let's not get into that right now, okay? The subject
at hand is whether or not you will give me your
blessing and agree to give me away at the wedding. So
what do you say, Ned?

N: Do you love him?

B: With all my heart and soul. I can't even begin to
describe how I felt tonight when he took me in his arms
and held me. I felt safe for the first time in a long
time, Ned. It was great.

N: I can imagine how it feels.

B: I'm sorry Ned. I know how it must have felt saying
good-bye to Lois today.

N: It's not permenant. That I can promise.

B: Hey, we're getting off topic here. Are you going to
answer my question or not?

N: You have my permission and my blessing to marry
Sonny. You just make sure he takes care of you or he's
going to have to answer to me.

B: I'm sure the threat of you will keep him in line.
(Launches herself into Ned's arms and hugs Ned.) Thank
you. I'm going to go find Sonny and give him the good
news. (gets up and heads out the door. She walks the
grounds looking for Sonny, she finds him at the boathouse.
His back is to her as he looks at the water.) Hey. (He
turns around.)

S: Well judging from the smile on your face, I take he
said yes.

B: No I'm this happy because he refuses to let me marry
you. Of course he said yes! He also said that you better
take good care of me or you're going to have to answer
to him.

S: Anything but that. Let's go home, I want to celebrate.

B: (shakes her head and bites her lip.) That's not home
for me Sonny. That was her home. It can't be mine.

FTB TBC

S: Bren....

B: No. I mean it Sonny. You and Lily shared that place.
I love you and I want to be with you but I can't be
with you there. That's your and Lily's home.

S: I understand Brenda. I may not like it but I
understand it. We'll find someplace else Bren, as soon
as possible. But for right now I think you and me need
to find someplace to celebrate. Think Ned would mind
beating it for awhile?

B: (laughing) Yes I do but we could use the boathouse.
We had a pretty good time there once before, remember?

S: (smiling impishily) Vaguely.

B: Only vaguely? (Sonny moves closer and takes her
in his arms.)

S: Did I say vaguely? I meant vividly. Very vividly.
(Starts to kiss her gently. Her arms wrap around his
neck, he lifts her off the ground and carries her
towards the boathouse. He opens the door and walks in.
In the dim light they spot some cushions. Sonny gently
lays her down and they begin to make love.)

-NEXT MORNING-

(Brenda woke up in the boathouse next to Sonny. An old
blanket covered them and Sonny's arms were wrapped
around her. She smiled fondly and turned slowly to
face him. He was still sleeping. She gently touched
his face and he stirred slighty, moaning. His eyes
opened and when they rested on the sight of Brenda he
smiled. He leaned his head forward and kissed her
deeply.)

B: Mmmm. Good morning to you too.

S: That is the best good morning I've gotten in a long
time.

B: Really? I'm glad. I haven't been this happy to open
my eyes in such a long time.

S: I love you Bren and this makes me so happy.

B: Lying on the floor of a boathouse makes you happy?

S: I'd be happy in a gutter if you were with me.

B: Oh honey. That is without a doubt the nicest thing
anybody's said to me all day.

S: It's still early. Give me time. (Brenda laughs and
Sonny quiets her with a kiss. They pull apart when they
hear voices outside the boathouse. One of them is Jax...