Webs Of Deceit

Eric sat back on the couch and let out a deep sigh. He had only been in Salem for two days, and all hell was breaking lose. His father was alive, but dying. John and Marlena were caught up in some sick plot of Kristen's in pretending that Kristen and John were in love and married, and then there was Carrie, Sami and Austin. He loved both his sisters and wanted to see them both happy, but there was only one Austin. Damn it all, I came home to escape from my problems, but it only seems like they've worsened."

Just then, Carrie came back into the living room, "Eric? Who are you talking to?"

"Oh, Carrie, nobody, I was just thinking out loud is all." Carrie comes over and sits next to him, letting him put a comforting arm around her…..

"Eric, I don't know how much longer I can stand all of this. It's like I wake up every morning in some strange nightmare and then I realize that it's real. I mean, how can Sami do this again, Eric, I just know she's faking her amnesia."

"Well, she's definitely hiding something, but I don't what. I'll do my best to figure it out. I want to see you happy."

"Eric, I'm so happy to have you home. For the first time, I feel some hope."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the Airport…..

Over the loud speaker….

Flight 206 arriving from Colorado is now at Gate 20.

The camera gets a shot of the back of the head of a girl with brown hair.

She gets off the plane and you hear her say "Salem……I'm home."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Austin's apartment

"Austin, Austin, where are you?" Sami looks around the apartment and finds a note on the counter….

-Sami, I went to the park with Will to feed the ducks, will be back shortly."

"Well, at least I have some time to myself, with all of the excitement with Dad coming home, I haven't gotten a chance to think about changing the blood types at the University hospital. This is the perfect opportunity."

--Just then a knock at the door.

Sami opens the door to find Eric leaning against the door frame with a smile across his face.

"Eric, what are you doing here?"

"I was at Carrie's but she left to go to Kristen's to see Dad."

"Actually, Eric I was just on my way out the ---

"I just want to talk to you for a little while, are you alone?" As Sami nods her head Eric walks past her into the apartment. "I haven't seen you for so long, we have some catching up to do. So how has Salem life been treating you?"

"Eric, you know I don't remember the last four years but bits and pieces, how am I supposed to answer that?" Sami thinks to herself--what is he up to?

"Oh, I know, that's not what I meant, I just was asking how you were. You seem to have your hands full being a full time mom and wife. Austin is a lucky man."

"I'm the lucky one, to have a wonderful man like Austin for my husband a beautiful son….only I feel sorry for Carrie, because she is all alone." Eric thought he detected a smirk on Sami's face, but she immediately hid it by getting up and walking over to the kitchen.

Eric thinks to himself--'she IS hiding something.'

"Sami, remember when we were little and we used to play at the park on the seesaw. I used to jump off of it and try to make you fall. I wasn't the best of brothers to you"

"Oh, Eric, yes you were, and we've grown closer to each other and I've learned that I can depend on you."

"I just wish Sami that I had been here for more of the things that have happened, like Mom being kidnapped, you having Will and getting married and so on."

Sami goes over and hugs Eric, "You are the best brother in the world."

Eric thinks to himself 'It's now or never," "And especially I wish I had been there for you with Alan."

Sami, lost in the tender moment, didn't really comprehend what Eric was up to and continued to hug him and said, "That's not your fault, he was just a terr---"

Sami looks up, horrified at her blunder. She had been raped by Allen only three years ago, a time when she wasn't suppose to be able to remember!

Eric's eyes narrow as he grabs her by her arms….. "Damn you, Sami!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At University Hospital

The mysterious girl is just getting off the elevator, she goes up to the nurse's station. Just then the nurse looks up and says, "Oh, my God! I can't believe it's you….."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Salem place

---"Carrie, yoooohoooo…Carrie!"

---Carrie turns around to see Susan with her baby Elvis heading towards her.

Carrie can't help but laugh at Susan's outrageous pink sweatsuit with sequence. The outfit is topped off by Susan's baseball cap that reads "In Elvis I trust."

"Susan, how nice to see you, shopping for little Elvis?"

"Oh, we was just exercisin'. Got to stay in tip top shape for when my honney doll Elvis comes back to get me. Me and Little Elvis can hardly wait. Watchha doin' here, Carrie girl?"

"Oh, I was just on my way over to Kristen's to see my Dad and Marlena. I wanted to get my Dad something special."

"Oh, Carrie, you's just like Dr. Marlena Evans. So nice and thoughtful (Susan makes one of her shut eye-bucked teeth grins)--nothing like that mean 'ole Kristen or that mean little sister of yours."

"Susan, what are you talking about?"

"Kristen, she's evil---she's so evil that I usta think she was a vampire--

"No, I mean about my sister, what did you mean by what you said? Do you know something?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Salem Place

Carrie can't believe what Susan just said "that mean little sister of yours" What could she possibly have meant?

"Susan," Carrie began, "Why did you say that Sami was mean, like Kristen?"

"Carrie, I know what's been goin' on with that handsome Austin--he's so big and strong, reminds me of Mr. John Black....hmmmm" Susan gets this dreamy far off look in her eyes.

Carrie, trying to control her voice grabs Susan's hands, "But, Susan, do you know if Sami is up to something--according to her, she still has amnesia."

"I know evil people, Carrie," Susan begins in her whisper voice, " I seen how she squints her eyes at you when your back is turned. I told Lisa Marie that she was no good--no good I tell ya. But, you wanna know a secret? If you want to really see if she's no good, you can spy on her, yep just like Mr. 007, or Miss 007." Susan giggles at this and excitedly jumps up and down. "We could dress you up all in black and put black on your face and I could be your contact."

Carrie utterly confused shakes her head, "For a minute there, I thought you knew something that might help me prove Sami is faking her amnesia." Beginning to leave, Carrie waves goodbye.

"Now just a minute there, Carrie-girl, I do know how to help you--it's the least I can do after Dr. Marlena Evans was so nice to me. You see, I know where there are secret cameras and you can spy on her and see what she says.

Carrie stopped abruptly and turned around to face Susan. "You're saying that I can watch Sami without her knowing it? " Susan nods her head up and down with a big grin and her eyes closed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Austin's Apartment

Eric has Sami by her arms and without realizing it, he begins to squeeze them very tight.

"Sami, I heard all of those terrible things about you, and I didn't want to believe it, I didn't believe--not all of it, and now to find out it's true and what's worse is that you are continuing your horrible ways." Eric couldn't believe that his dear twin little sister could be so evil and so hurtful.

"Eric, you're hurting me. Let go! I can explain."

Just thin Austin's key rattled at the door.

"Eric, " Sami begged, "please don't say anything, not 'til I have a chance to explain it to you."

Austin and Will walk in, and Sami immediately goes to greet them with hugs and kisses.

"And how are my two wonderful men, I missed you guys. Uncle Eric was just hear checking on me, weren't you Eric?" Sami turns to look at Eric, with a please-don't-say anything look.

I can't believe she's doing this, I can't believe it, Eric shook his head. "Yah, I came hear to check on Sami and got much more than I bargained for. Sami why don't YOU tell Austin, or I can."

Austin looks confused. He looks at Will and then at Sami. Something definitely was going on between the two, but what?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

University Hospital

"I can't believe it's you, when did you get back?

Jamie hugs the nurse back, looking around at the familiar settings, nothing had changed. "I just got back today, dropped my stuff at my mom's house and came hear. "

"So you're all done at nursing school? I was so excited when I found out that Colorado accepted you. Wow, two years goes by so quickly. So what are your plans?"

Jamie looked at the nurse with a smile on her face, "I'm not sure, I just know that I've had enough of the outside world, and it's good be home. I wanted to talk to Mike Horton and see if he could help me out with my request for a possible position here."

"Oh, Jamie, you'll have no problems, we just lost two of our nurses, so there are openings. Gosh, it's just so good to see you. You must have just been having the time of your life in Colorado."

Jamie looked up and a brief look of pain crossed her face, "It's just good to be home, I left Colorado and people I loved back there--it's time for a new start, a new beginning."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Austin's Apartment

"Tell me what?" Austin looked at Sami questioningly, "What's so important?"

Sami looked around and forced a smile on her face, "I remembered something, Austin, I remembered Alan." Like a true actress, Sami's face crumpled and she ran into Austin's embrace. Eric couldn't believe what he was seeing--Sami the manipulator. Well, he would let Sami have her fun for now, because he was going to tell Carrie all about it.

"I'll leave you too alone--I'm going to the hospital to talk to Mike and see if he's come up with any new leads on Dad."

Austin, still holding a sobbing Sami, nods his head. She remembered something, he could't believe it, perhaps there was hope. Austin could hardly wait to tell Carrie.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After visiting with her Dad, Carrie decided it was time to act on Susan's advice. She new that Austin, Sami and Will would be there soon, so she needed to be positioned. Where was the cellar door again? Carrie couldn't help but feel a bit frightened, after all, Marlena was trapped in the secret room for weeks, what if the same thing happened to her. No, Carrie chided herself for thinking that way, there was no one to lock her in there, plus, Susan knew where Carrie would be.

"Carrie!"

Carrie whirled around to see Lucas coming towards her. Just what she needed, Lucas to follow after her. It was hard enough being without Austin, but it always seemed like Lucas was waiting for her--just like last time. That's it!!! Lucas and Sami were in it together last time--there's no reason they couldn't be in it together again.

"Hi, Lucas, I'm just leaving--"

"Oh, okay, I just wanted to come and see how you were doing." "I'm fine." Carrie looked around impatiently, just then Austin, Sami and Will arrived. Carrie and Austin exchanged long looks. "I'm just leaving, bye everyone."

"Wait, Carrie, I need to tell you--"

Carrie was already out the door, whatever Austin had to tell her could wait, she needed them to go into the living room so she could sneak into the cellar. Carrie watched as they made their way into the living room. Ever so silently, she opened the door and re entered the house. She opened the cellar door and walked down the stairs.

It was cooler down in the cellar with a musty-wine smile. As Carrie's eyes adjusted to the darkness she counted over the rows of wine.

"Okay, Susan said it was the big champagne bottle in the 6th row--there it is!" With a twist of the knob, Carrie pushed the heavy door open, revealing Marlena's tiny prison. With all of the excitement after Marlena's rescue, nobody had thought about the room or sealing it. Susan had also given her the monitor so she could not only control what rooms she saw, but adjust the monitor to hear. She flipped the monitor on and suddenly the tv monitor in the room came on revealing the living room and Austin, Sami, Lucas and Will.

"It works!" Carrie said breathlessly.

Unfortunately, unbeknowest to Carrie, Stephano was watching her every move.