Written April 5th - May 6th '08 Part Five

Decisions Made!!

Cane sat alone in the hospital chapel. He sat in the front pew his head was bent, his shoulders slumped. He fingered the charm bracelet he had given Lily. The miniature rattle rolled between his thumb and first finger...

This was how Neil found him. He stood at the back of the chapel and listened as Cane began to speak...

"To say I am not angry would be a lie. To say I am not devastated would be another. Please understand that I am so grateful that Lily is ok. And because of the sacrifice of - of -" Cane shuddered. "I know that the child that has remained with us will be stronger because of it." Cane's shoulders shook with the effort to contain his emotions. It was a battle he was losing...

Neil could not let him suffer alone any longer and approached Cane. He put his hand on his shoulder and could feel the tremble under his palm...

"Cane?"

Cane nodded his head in acknowledgement of Neil's presence. Neil sat down beside him in the front pew.

"You made the right decision, son. There was no other way, we would have lost them both..." Neil's voice trailed off as he looked at Cane and let his words sink in.

"Yeah, I know Neil. It was the only way." Came Cane's whispered response. He finally lifted his head to look at Neil, anguish lined his face. "But how do I tell Lily, Neil? How do I tell her about the decision that I had to make? A decision that she should have been a part of but couldn't be due to her state of unconsciousness."

"Maybe that was for the best. This is hard on all of us Cane."

Cane looked back down at the charm bracelet. "You know I knew that it was twins. As soon as the technician suspected, I knew. I knew with all of my heart. I didn't tell Lily but I had bought a second charm for that baby. When I was listening to their heartbeats, I had decided to put it on the bracelet for Lily so that it would be there when she woke up but then the alarm started going off..."

"We will recover from this, Cane."

"Will we, Neil? Will you? Because I am not sure that I will ever get over having to make such a life altering decision without Lily."

Neil sighed because he knew Cane was going to feel what he was going to feel. But right now Neil had something more pressing to tell Cane. He had to tell Cane about the accident...

"Cane, there is something else I need to tell you. It's about the accident. And I want you to hear me out before jumping to any conclusions."

Cane once again looked at Neil. "I'm listening."

"You and Lily weren't the only ones in this family to be hurt." Neil took a deep breath and just said it. "Cane, Devon was driving the other vehicle. He was the one that hit you and Lily."

"Devon?" Canes eyes glittered.

Neil raised his hand. "Now before you get the wrong idea, no Devon was not drinking that night. Someone - someone cut his brake line and messed with his steering. Cane what I am trying to say is - this was no accident."

"Is - is Devon ok?"

"He will be. The emotional scars are going to take sometime though. He really blames himself for what happened to you and Lily."

"I will go see him later and let him know that I don't blame him."

"I appreciate that and I think he will too."

"Do the police have any leads as to who has done this?"

"No, they're working on it though."

Cane looked at Neil and Neil could see the storm brewing in Cane's eyes. "Well they better find who did this before I do because if I find them first they are dead..."

Meanwhile...

A shadowed figure watched outside of Lily's room as her eyes fluttered then opened...

Someone Has Been Very, Very Bad!!

Hands shook causing the keys that were held to jingle loudly in the quiet hallway. It took three tries before they successfully got the proper key into the lock. Thoughts continued to run through their head like rapid fire...'I didn't kill them, I didn't kill them. It will be ok. No one knows it was me, no one. Is the baby still alive? They could have another... What was I thinking? Stupid, stupid, stupid... Got to have an alibi... No one knows it was me, know one knows it was me, no one knows...' Lips began to quiver as hysteria began to take over. The door finally opened and the shadowy figure stepped in and closed the door behind them...

Meanwhile...

Cane slipped into Lily's room and eased himself back into the chair at her side. He looked at her battered and bruised form. He listened to the single heartbeat, that seemed somehow lonely without the other. Cane took Lily's small hand in his and kissed her fingertips...

"Cane?" Lily whispered.

Cane searched her now open eyes. A smile of utter joy and relief spread across his face. "Lily. Shhh...sweetheart. You're ok. We're ok." Cane said as he gently stroked her hair.

"We - we were in an accident? Wait -" Lily touched her stomach with shaking hands. "The baby - is the baby, ok?"

Cane couldn't tell her. He didn't have the words to tell her that there once were two...

"Lily - Lily listen. Do you hear that?"

The sound of a strong and steady beat slowly penetrated her ears and tears slipped from her eyes...

"I've never heard something more beautiful, more precious."

Cane had, he had heard two but he didn't tell Lily that and the more he thought about it he wasn't sure that he ever would be able too...

Cane stood up a little to quickly and grimaced at the sudden jab of pain. It did not go unnoticed by Lily.

"Cane, you're hurt?"

Cane played down the seriousness for her. "It's nothing, honestly. Just some ummm... bruised ribs. I fine. I am just so glad that you are ok. I 'm going to go get the doctor and let him know that you are awake and there are some very excited people that have been keeping vigil outside that will be anxious to hear it as well."

Cane kissed her once more and said, "I'll be right back, I promise."

As Lily was left momentarily alone she wondered at what Cane was avoiding telling her...

Meanwhile...

The police had been examining the parking lot and surrounding area at Indigo's because they had concluded that, that was where it was most likely that Devon Winters brakes were cut...

"Sir, I found this next to the spot that Mr. Winters was parked in." The officer said as he held up an evidence bag containing a purple handled nail file.

Another officer approached and said, "we found gum and wrappers in the bushes right over there." He said, pointing to some bushes with a clear view of the parking spot.

"Well, it might be something, it might not. We'll see if we can get some DNA off of those items and go from there..."

Meanwhile...

Amber jumped out of her skin as Daniel came down the stairs of the penthouse demanding, "Amber, where the hell have you been? You left the office yesterday saying you had to run some errands and it was like you disappeared. I must have left you like - six messages. Amber, where were you?"

"I - I just lost track of time and drove around and took care of some things." Amber was jumpy and stuttered out a feeble answer.

"Amber, lost track of time? You didn't come home last night. What the hell is going on?"

"Listen, Daniel I - I can explain. I - I didn't mean - just please Daniel you have to promise, if anyone asks I was here with you all night." Amber grabbed Daniel by the shoulders. "Please Daniel, please promise me that you'll say I was with you all night. I - I didn't mean to do anything, I -"

Daniel looked right at Amber when he asked. "Amber, what did you do?"

Amber began to sob. "Daniel if I tell you, you will never forgive me. You will hate me. I don't know what I was thinking - I wasn't thinking. Please Daniel. Please -" With that Amber ran upstairs and left a bewildered Daniel standing there.

He wasn't bewildered for long when he noticed that days paper sitting on the table, the headline caught his eye and as he began to read further it dawned on him...

"My God, Amber. What did you do..."

Truth be Told!!

With the newspaper still in his hand Daniel ran up the stairs after Amber. He opened the door to her room and found her in front of the mirror at her dressing table applying another coat of the reddest lipstick that he had ever seen. There were mascara tracks down her cheeks, that she had yet to repair. Daniel was taken back by her appearance. She looked like some hideous and scary clown. Her eyes seemed blank and empty. Daniel realized that she wasn't right, perhaps she had never been...

"Amber, please tell me that you had nothing to do with this accident."

"What accident? I don't know what you are talking about. I was here with you all night remember?"

Daniel sat down on the bed behind her. "No Amber, no you weren't. I haven't seen you since yesterday. Did you go to Indigo last night? Did you see Lily, Cane and Devon there? Did something happen to Devon's car?"

Amber's lips began to tremble again. Fresh tears once again slide down her face. "Please Daniel, please don't make me say it. Don't make me tell you what happened. You'll hate me I know you will. You just have to promise to say that I was with you all night. That's all."

Daniel's stomach twisted with knots but he managed to say, "I won't hate you Amber but you have to tell me what happened last night."

Amber started nodding her head up and down. "Ok, ok I'll tell you. You see yesterday I overheard Sharon and Jack talking about some big to do at Indigo last night and I thought it might be fun to go but when I asked them about what it was for they just kind of looked at me funny and sort of brushed me off. So I decided when I went to run those errands that after I was done I would just head over there and see what was up. I saw Devon help Lily out of his car and then I heard them talking about how excited he was about becoming an uncle and it just dawned on me you know - Lily was pregnant with Cane's baby."

"Lily is pregnant?" Daniel asked in astonishment.

"Well I don't know if she still is after...after what happened but yes she was. Anyway I was just so shocked and then I started to get angry, really, really angry. So I decided to cut Devon's gas line and mess around with his steering so that when he and Lily left they would get stuck on the side of the road somewhere for a while."

"But it wasn't his gas line that you cut was it? You cut his brake line didn't you?"

"Well you know I am not very mechanically inclined so yeah, yeah I think that is what I did." Amber sobbed, "I swear Daniel I didn't mean to do that. I wasn't thinking. I was just so hurt and angry about their baby that I just - I just lost it. Please Daniel, please say you will help me."

Daniel didn't answer, the doorbell had just rang...

Meanwhile...

Cane knocked on Devon's hospital room door before he entered. Devon watched him silently as he came in...

"Hey Devon. How are you feeling?"

Devon had a hard time looking Cane in the eye but he did. "I've been better but they say I am going to recover. Cane listen, I am so sorry for -"

Cane held up his hand stopping Devon from going further. "Devon, it's ok. I know it wasn't your fault, that someone had messed with your car so there is no need to apologize. Did your Dad tell you that Lily is awake?"

"Yeah, I am really happy to hear that," Devon said while trying to blink back tears. "I am so sorry that one of the twins didn't make it. I am just so glad that the doctors were able to save the other one."

Pain clouded Cane's eyes momentarily. "Yeah, yeah me too," he said quietly. "I haven't told Lily about that yet. I haven't figured out how, so if you wouldn't mind not saying anything to her until I have had the chance to tell her, I'd appreciate it."

"Sure, of course. I understand."

Changing the subject Cane said, "the doctor said that Lily might be able to sit up in a wheel chair in a little while and I would be happy to bring her by to see you. I know she is really anxious to see you."

"That would be great. I really want to see her too."

"Well then it's all set. I will let you get some rest before we come by later." Cane said as he gave

Devon's shoulder a squeeze before he left Devon once again alone...

Meanwhile...

Daniel had gone to open the door to find two police officers standing in the hall...

"Yes? Can I help you, officers?"

"We hope so. We are looking for a Ms. Amber Moore. This is listed as her current address. Is she here? We need to ask her some questions."

Daniel knew that in good conscious he could not protect Amber from this, no matter how much he cared for her. She had gone to far this time. She had nearly killed people that he still cared for very much. So Daniel did the only thing that he could, he nodded his head yes and stepped aside...

"Yes officers she's just upstairs. Just let me go get her..."

Justice Will Be Served!!

Daniel went up stairs to get Amber. The two officers waited in the living room, casually looking around...

"Who was at the door, Daniel?" Amber asked as soon as he reached her room.

Daniel sighed. "It's the police Amber. They want to ask you some questions."

"But you told them I wasn't here right? You told them that I was with you all last night, right?" Amber asked while ringing her hands.

Daniel looked at her for a moment then shook his head no. "No Amber I didn't do either one of those things. You nearly killed three people last night. I can't protect you from this. I can't lie about this, not about this Amber."

"Well then - then just stall them for five minutes ok? I will go down the fire escape and - and just leave town. Please Daniel," Amber pleaded with more tears spilling from her eyes.

"No Amber." Daniel grabbed a tissue and handed it to her. "Lets go see what they have to say. What they have to ask you? You have to accept your responsibility in this. For you, for me and everyone else involved." With that he escorted her down the stairs to the waiting officers...

Meanwhile...

Cane was sitting with Lily and talking softly with her when a nurse came in with a wheel chair...
"Ms. Winters, would you like to get out of that bed for a bit?"

Lily smiled. "Yes I would like that very much. Can I go and see my brother Devon?"

"As long as you promise to only visit for a few minutes, I don't see any harm in it." The nurse helped Lily ease into the chair from the bed.

"If it's ok, I would like to take her there."

"Mr. Ashby, you know as well as I that you should be resting yourself but I can see that it is pointless trying to tear you away from this woman so if you feel up to it then it is fine by me." And with that the nurse left the room.

"What was that all about?" Lily asked.

"Oh, um...well my injuries might have been a touch more serious then what I told you...but I swear I am ok. I'm ok."

Lily looked at him for a moment before saying, "Cane Ashby, if I didn't love you so much I -"

"I know sweetheart, I know." Cane chuckled and kissed Lily softly on her lips. "Now lets go see Devon..."

Meanwhile...

Amber sat down on the couch beside Daniel. She was shredding the tissue Daniel had given her into tiny pieces in her nervousness. The officers continued to stand before them.

"Ms. Amber Moore?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"We have a few questions to ask you."

Amber looked pleadingly at Daniel one more time but when he silently told her no she resigned herself to facing what she had done.

"Maybe I should have a lawyer present."

"Alright," said the officer. "Lets go down to the station and you can have your lawyer meet you there."

"Daniel, will you call Michael for me? Please. And if he won't do it could you ask him to recommend someone and have them meet me at the station. Just as long as someone is there."

"I will. And I will come down to the station too just as soon as I've done that."
Amber looked back at Daniel and said, "for what it's worth Daniel, I really am sorry." Then she walked out the door...

At the station Amber ended up confessing to everything before Michael even got there. The police had it pretty much figured out anyway because they had found her finger prints on the handle of the nail file and brake fluid on the metal end. The security cameras at Indigo had also caught her leaving the parking lot. Amber was being booked when Daniel arrived. There was nothing that Michael could do except try to get her a lighter sentence at her hearing next week. Amber was finger printed, her mug shot taken. She was stripped searched and given an orange jump suit to wear. She was placed in a cell with a woman named Birtha - Big Birtha...

Meanwhile...

Cane, Lily and Neil were all in Devon's room when Neil's cell phone rang. It was the detective informing him that there had been a confession and arrest in their case...

Stunned, Neil said, "yes thank you detective. We'll be in touch." Neil closed his phone and looked at the expectant faces around the room.

"That was the detective. There has been an arrest made." He looked directly at Cane when he said, "it was Amber. Amber Moore is the one who did this. The detective said she confessed."

Cane's hands closed into fists as he absorbed this information. He looked at everyone in the room and took in all the devastation that was caused. All the hurt that was caused. All the pain that was caused...

"Excuse me, everyone. There is something I have to do..."

And before anyone could say anything Cane had left the room...

Strength Comes From Within!!

Cane knew that everyone thought he was headed to the police station but he didn't go there. He knew if he had he would not have been able to resist reaching through those steal bars and wrapping his hands around Amber's throat...

Instead he ended up standing at the railing of the roof top garden of the hospital. He looked out over Genoa City and thought about everything that brought him to this point in his life, trying to calm his inner rage and turmoil...

He blamed himself for this current set of circumstances. If only he had known then what he knew now, he never would have gotten involved with Amber. He, Lily and Devon never would have been hurt and both of his unborn children would still be safe within their Mother's womb...
All of these thoughts were running through his head when his Mum approached...

"Sweetheart?" Jill gently touched Cane's arm. "Are you ok?"

"I - no Mum, no I'm not. How did you find me?"

"I saw you take the stairs in this direction and then Neil had come looking for you thinking that you might do something rash. He seemed relieved when I told him where I thought you were."

Cane looked at his mother and holding his finger and thumb an inch apart he told her, "I was this close, Mum. This close to heading down the stairs and over to the police station. This close to doing something I may or may not have regretted." Cane sighed and dropped his hands once again looking out over the city.

"Neil also told me that it was Amber who did this to our family. You are not the only one who was that close to doing something." Jill said with anger lacing her voice.

This made Cane grunt. "Now Mum..."

"Well thank God for our impeccable restraint. Now why don't you come with me, I believe there is a wonderful young lady who is waiting for you back in her room." Jill held Cane's arm as they began to walk back to the stairs.

Cane stopped for a moment and looked down at his Mum. "How am I going to tell her Mum? How am I going to tell her about the other baby?" Cane asked, pain once again haunting his eyes.

Jill looked up at her son for a moment before she said, "don't under estimate her inner strength and understanding. Don't under estimate her love for you." And they went back downstairs, Jill knew her son needed to rest too...

Later that week...

Devon was still in the hospital but he would be released in a few more days, he was going to stay at his father's place while he continued to recuperate.

Lily and Cane were allowed to go home but under strict instructions to rest and Lily was to keep her feet up as much as possible. They decided, with the insistence of their parents that they would stay at the Chancellor Estate for a while. Even Cane's uncle Langley extended his stay and was invited to join them at the estate as well, since there was plenty of room. Besides it did not go unnoticed by everyone that he and Jill were growing closer everyday...

Amber's sentencing hearing was taking place but they all thought it best not to attend. Cane, Lily and Devon all submitted victim impact statements to be read before the judge. The court room was empty except for Daniel who sat alone in one of the rows...

Daniel lowered his head as he listened to everything. The judge sentenced Amber to twenty years in the state penitentiary with no chance of parole for ten years. Amber cried hysterically in her seat beside Michael. She looked back at Daniel but he would not meet her gaze. Instead he got up and walked out of the court room. Leaving Amber very much alone in the world. Michael said he would appeal...

At the mansion...

The day after the sentencing hearing Lily and Cane were enjoying a quiet breakfast on the terrace. Cane was startled when Lily said...

"I almost feel sorry for Amber. Don't you?"

"No." Came Cane's quick reply.

Lily studied Cane for a moment. "But why? I know what she did was horrible but were all ok. We all survived." Lily said as she placed her hand lovingly on her rounded stomach.

Cane knew he had no choice. The time had come to tell Lily the truth...

"Lily there is something that I have to tell you..."