EPISODE 4997 FRIDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2003
Written by Andrew J. Davidson

Previously on "Crossroads":
Cleo went snooping for evidence on Ethan Black.
Helen and Vince both found they were attracted to Phil Berry.
Adam met a chambermaid who reminded him of Jill.
Wanda was electronically tagged and confined to Crossroads.
Virginia learned that Kelly had spent the night with Billy.
Tracey and Penelope caught Scott and Chloe having sex.
Cleo found out too much, placing her life in serious jeopardy.

Starring:
JANE ASHER as Angel Samson
STUART MILLIGAN as Max Samson
JANE GURNETT as Kate Russell
CINDY MARSHALL-DAY as Tracey Booth
SHERRIE HEWSON as Virginia Raven
ROGER SLOMAN as Rocky Wesson
LUCY PARGETER as Helen Raven
LUKE ROBERTS as Ryan Samson
CLARE WILKIE as Cleo Samson
RICHARD BURKE as Joe Winter
MATTHEW MAUDE as Scott Booth
NEIL GRAINGER as Phil Berry
JULIA BURCHELL as Nicola Berry
GEORGINA WALKER as Rio Brooke

Special Guest Appearance by LIZA MINNELLI as Penelope Forbes-Hughes

Special Guest Stars (in alphabetical order):
JOHN BOWLER as Ethan Black
NIGEL HAVERS as Jonathan Price
ANTHONY STEWART HEAD as Edward Price
KATE O'MARA as Lady Alice Fox
LINDA ROBSON as Wanda Wise
LIZ SMITH as Patty Maynard
COLIN WELLS as Jake Booth

Guest Stars:
JOY BROOK as DS Sally Jenson
NICK SCHOFIELD as DS Michael Richardson
DAWN MCDANIEL as Kelly Stanton
LIBBY RAWTON as Gloria

Special Appearance by GRAHAM MCGRATH as Jimmy's Ghost

Co-Starring:
Brutus - Ethan's bodyguard
Nurse Amy - a nurse
Michael - the chauffeur
Benito - Crossroads' barman


Silence filled the air as Ethan and Patty stood dumb-founded on the
steps of the Flowerhill View. Patty broke the silence with her sobs,
repeating over and over again.
"No," she was muttering, "she can't be gone, she can't be."
Ethan said nothing, just stood waiting, nerves jangling. After what
seemed like an eternity, there was movement in the trees, and Brutus
came thundering through, storming across the grass, Cleo in his
arms. She wasn't moving, but Ethan couldn't see any blood. Surely,
if she'd been shot?
"Man with her," Brutus grunted, "got in the way." Ethan nodded and
indicated the open door.
"Put her in the drawing room," he ordered, "I'll be through in a
minute."
Brutus nodded and lumbered away with Cleo. Eventually, Patty got to
her feet, tears rolling down her face.
"She's alive?" she whispered, and Ethan nodded back.
"Luckily for her, she had a friend with her who got in Brutus' way."
He helped Patty into the house. "Now," he urged, "we have to move
fast. I won't hurt her, but there's things I have to do to protect
myself... to protect us. You have to be strong, understand?"
Patty said nothing, but he could see the understanding in her eyes.
He steered her inside the hallway, and closed the front door behind
them.

Scott sat shamefaced on the sofa, with Tracey facing him on the
chair opposite. She was grim-faced, and had a disapproving look.
Chloe had fled almost as soon as they had been caught together, and
Penelope had been packed off to the bar to get her out of the way.
And now Scott was about to face the music.
"Would you mind explaining yourself, young man?" she asked.
Scott looked up at her. "I don't know if I can," he said. "It
just... happened."
"Just happened?" Tracey raised a quizzical eyebrow. "You'll have to
explain that one to me, Scott, cos I'm not sure I understand. I
thought you were gay... what's changed now?"
"I didn't say I was gay," he protested, "I just wanted to explore my
options. This was another one."
Tracy scoffed at him. "Chloe? She was the best you could do? Did she
seduce you, darling, is that what it was, because I know what power
an older woman can have over a young man."
"She's only a few years older, Mum," Scott pointed out, "it's not
like she's Gran's age or anything. And for your information, I
seduced her. I wanted it to happen."
Tracey leaned forward across the coffee table. "Were you trying to
prove something, was that it?"
Scott rolled his eyes. "I've had enough, I'm going out." He got to
his feet, and Tracey jumped up as well.
"I'm not finished with you!" she yelled.
"Well, I'm finished with you," he replied. "Mum, I've done nothing
wrong."
Without another word, he grabbed his jacket from the chair and left
the apartment.

"Mother," said Kate, approaching Penelope in her seat in the
Crossroads bar area. Behind her, Jonathan was trailing rather
uncomfortably. "Sorry we're so late back, we got caught up with
shopping. All these new outfits to buy for the honeymoon, you know?"
She bent to kiss her mother on the cheek, but Penelope was less than
responsive. She nodded her head in Jonathan's direction. "This'll be
him, then," she sniffed.
Kate detected the disapproving tone in her voice, but tried to
ignore it. "Yes," she answered, "Mother, this is Jonathan; Jonathan,
this is my mother, Penelope."
Jonathan bobbed forward and shook her hand. "Pleasure to meet you,
Mrs Forbes-Hughes."
"Charmed, I'm sure," drawled Penelope. "It's only taken a week," she
added acidly.
Kate and Jonathan exchanged an exasperated look. "Yes," Kate
said, "Jonathan's been so busy with work, he's been in Paris and
Milan over the last few weeks you know."
Penelope sized him up, taking in his clothes and appearance, and
nodded grudgingly. "Well," she said finally, "you look decent.
Better than that chef she was messing around with. I suppose you'll
have to do."
Kate bit her lip. "Mother..." she began, but Jonathan stopped her.
"It's okay, Kate," he said quietly, "I should go and let you two
have a good old chinwag. Let you catch up, I have a few things to be
doing anyway." He kissed her, and then bowed to Penelope. "A
pleasure again, Mrs Forbes-Hughes. See you later."
As he disappeared across the foyer towards the elevators, Kate
dropped into the chair next to her mother and sighed. "Did you have
to be so rude?" she asked. "He's a very nice man."
"I'm sure he is," Penelope said, "but you've never exactly been
choosy darling, have you? That slimy Barnes man, dull old Patrick,
the scruffy chef... Max Samson. Need I go on. Still, he seems an
improvement."
"He is..."
"And he looks like he has a few bob stashed away somewhere too." She
sipped her glass of wine and stretched back in her chair. "Just
don't mess this up like you mess everything else up."
Kate gritted her teeth, smiled falsely, and marched off towards the
Duty Office, leaving a smug Penelope revelling in her bitchiness.

Patty sat on the sofa next to Cleo's unconscious form, while a few
feet away Brutus stood watch with his gun still slung over his
shoulder. Behind them, she became aware that Ethan had returned with
someone, and turned around to see a petite blonde girl dressed in a
nurse's uniform entering the room with a medical bag.
"Patty," Ethan said, "this is Nurse Amy, she's going to take care of
Cleo."
Patty suddenly grew fearful and started panicking. "What's she going
to do?" she whimpered. "You promised you wouldn't hurt her."
"And I won't," he replied. "Trust me, Patty." He nodded to Nurse
Amy, who moved alongside Cleo and opened up the bag. At the same
time, Brutus ambled forward and steered Patty across the room, away
from them.
"What's going on?" she cried.
"Just relax, please," Nurse Amy said to Patty, "she won't feel a
thing. She's unconscious, remember?"
She pulled from the bag a small case, and from the case she took out
a large syringe. As Patty watched, she filled the syringe with a
clear liquid and tapped it to remove any air bubbles. She pulled
back Cleo's sleeve and moved the syringe towards her arm.
Patty gasped. "What is that, what's she doing?"
"It's just a little injection," Ethan explained, "something some
scientist friends of mine have been developing."
"So what will it do to her?"
Ethan smiled. "All it will do is make her forget. She'll wake up in
a while, and she won't remember a thing about any of this. She'll
have a sore head, and she'll think she's had some very vivid bad
dreams. But she won't remember what she's seen or heard." He looked
at Patty's shocked expression. "It's this... or she dies. What would
you rather?"
She didn't answer, and they watched as Nurse Amy finished giving
Cleo the injection. "All done," she said at last. Ethan stared at
them. Yes, he thought, all done.

Sally Jenson got up from the table and thanked Max and Lady
Alice. "This has all been very useful," she told them, "I'm very
appreciative of you coming in."
"Alice didn't want to report any of it," Max told her, "but I
insisted. These scumbags have put her through hell recently, and
they couldn't get away with it."
Lady Alice looked thoughtful at Jenson. "Do you think Ethan Black is
behind it all?" she asked her, "I mean, do you agree with us?"
"Absolutely," Jenson replied, "no doubt in my mind."
Max sighed at her. "Are you any closer to catching him?"
Jenson considered the question for a moment. "We have... leads," she
told them honestly, "but it's going to take some time. You need to
bear with us."
They looked ruefully at each other, and then got to their feet,
following her out of the interview room through the busy station. As
the three made their way to the reception, Richardson appeared and
grabbed Jenson's arm.
"What's wrong?"
"We've just had a report of gunshots," Richardson told her, "out in
the woods somewhere. Now, it's not neccessarily anything related to
our case, but I just thought you should know."
As Max and Alice watched in interest, Jenson followed him to the
board on the wall. "Where in the woods?" she asked him, and he
pointed at a spot on the map.
"Somewhere around here," he told her, "but it's the middle of
nowhere, there's nothing for miles."
"That's not strictly true," came Max's voice from behind. "There's a
house out there, an old abandoned one. It's not on the maps."
Jenson and Richardson stared blankly at him. "Then how do you know
it's there?"
"I've been in it," Max told them.
Beside him, Alice nodded at them. "We both have. It's there,
alright."
Jenson seemed to make a decision and motioned to Richardson. "We're
going out there, it's too much of a coincidence." Then, to Max and
Alice, "would you two come with us, I assume you could direct us to
this mystery house."
Max agreed, and so did Alice. "Why not," she smiled, "I do love an
adventure."

Gloria marched into the room, and clapped her hands loudly to
attract attention. They were all assembled in the Executive Suite,
and she was attempting to take charge before things got out of hand.
They had a schedule to keep to, remember?
Dotted around the room were Kate, Tracey, Phil and Nicola, Virginia,
Helen, Jake, Rocky and Rio. Behind, scowling from her vantage
point, was Kelly. But there was someone missing...
"Where's Mr Price?" Gloria barked, "he should be here! How can we
have a meeting and fittings if the groom isn't here?"
Rocky coughed quietly, and Gloria rolled her eyes. "Alright, ONE of
the grooms..."
"He's gone to pick his brother up from the airport," Kate told
Gloria, "he's flying in from LA today for the wedding."
"Marvellous," hissed Gloria, "throwing everything into disarray! And
where's your son?" she said, poking a finger in the direction of
Jake and Tracey. "He's got a suit to fit into too, remember?"
"Probably too embarrassed to show his face after that display of
his..." Virginia sneered, to a sharp glare from Tracey. Helen digged
her mother in the ribs to shut her up.
"Not here, Mum... Not the time, not the place."
"No," said Jake, "Helen's right. Let's keep this civil, eh Virginia?"
Rio shrugged. "Would you like me to go and look for Scott?" she
asked, "I've probably got more idea where to find him..."
Before anyone could answer, Gloria jumped in. "Yes," she rasped, "go
on, and hurry up, we've got deadlines to keep! Move, chop-chop!" She
ushered Rio out of the door as quick as she could, then yelled at
the top of her lungs. "Right!" she screamed, "men into the room on
the left, women on the right. Outfits are waiting there for you.
Twenty minutes, and we'll regroup. Go!"
As if it was an episode of Gladiators, the assorted company
scattered at top speed to their respective rooms, leaving only
Gloria and Kelly alone in the room. Gloria sighed and waved an arm
at Kelly. "Give me a fag," she groaned, "this is hard work."

Angel threw open the door to Wanda's room and marched in, where she
found Wanda in a dressing gown, sprawled across the bed watching
some creaky old science fiction show on TV. She was laughing
raucously and stuffing her face with ice cream. Beside the bed was a
big trolley overflowing with room service food, most of it already
consumed.
Angel marched angrily in front of the TV and hit the off switch, to
cries from Wanda.
"Ere!" she shouted, "I were watchin' that! I wanted to see if
Captain Shazam got away from the Mutant Carrot Monster! It's a
classic is this!"
"Shut up," raged Angel, throwing a four-page stapled document at
her. "And take a look at that."
"What is it?" Wanda asked, flicking through it. "Looks like a
shopping bill or somefink."
"It's your room service bill, you stupid woman," Angel
hissed, "which you've run up in one day! Most normal people wouldn't
get through that in a month."
"Cor!" cackled Wanda, "I've put away a fair amount, ain't I? Who'd
have fought it?"
Angel folded her arms across her chest defiantly. "This is no
laughing matter, Delilah. How are you going to pay for it?"
Wanda looked at her in bemusement. "Ooh, I hadn't really thought
about that."
"No, you do surprise me," sneered Angel. "Well, I have a solution.
You can work for me."
"Get out of it! Whaddya fink I am?"
Angel said nothing, just glared at her. "Your choice. You either
make yourself useful while you're here, and pay off that ridiculous
bill, or I report you to the police and get you put right back in
jail. Your choice."
She turned and swept out of the room, leaving Wanda staring in
disbelief at the bottom figure on the bill, and laughing again.

The unmarked police car containing Jenson, Richardson, Max and Lady
Alice raced along the country lane, followed closely by another car
of uniformed constables. Ahead of them, there was a jeep going at
similar speeds, but Richardson hit the gas, and the car moved to
overtake the jeep. As they went, Max glanced out at the jeep and
spotted familiar faces inside.
"That's my son in that jeep, and my daughter's boyfriend. What are
Ryan and Joe doing here?"
He rolled down the window of the car and waved at Ryan and Joe, who
looked in disbelief when they saw he was there. The jeep and both
police cars slowed to a halt, and Max got out.
"Dad," Ryan said, "what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question," Max answered. "I'm here on
police business." He indicated the two police cars: Ryan spotted
Lady Alice in one of them, along with the detectives in charge of
the Ethan Black case.
"We're looking for Cleo," Joe told Max, "we think she's come out
this way."
Max's face was filled with terror. "Has she gone after Ethan, Ryan?"
When Ryan didn't answer, he shook his son. "Ryan, answer me!"
Joe pulled him off. "Yes," he answered. "We think so. Some house
that's not on the map."
"Oh god." breathed Max. When Ryan asked again what was going on,
Lady Alice had approached them and supplied the answer.
"The police had reports of gunshots out this way," she told them.
Both Ryan and Joe started panicking, and clambered back inside the
jeep, closely followed by Max. The jeep roared off, with the police
and Lady Alice in hot pursuit.

"Oh Mum," breathed Helen, "you look amazing." Virginia had just
emerged from the dressing room in her wedding dress, and all eyes in
the room were on her. "Rocky's going to be knocked out," she smiled.
Virgina looked down at her dress and then sized herself up in the
mirror. "Are you sure it's okay?" she asked the girls, "it's not too
much for a. more mature lady?"
"You're only as old as you feel," Tracey told her, "isn't that
right?"
She was wearing a smart suit, while both Helen and Nicola were
wearing bridesmaids dresses. Nicola's was more intricate and
impressive. Helen, predictably, had a shorter skirt and lower cut
top than Nicola.
Virginia gave a small twirl, and the girls all clapped. As she
revelled in her moment of glory, however, she was halted by a
collective gasp from the others. She turned around, and saw that
Kate had also emerged from her dressing room, to everyone's obvious
delight.
Kate looked radiant in her simple, but nonetheless gorgeous wedding
outfit. She looked truly beautiful, which Virginia was pleased
about, but not so pleased that her thunder had been well and truly
stolen.
"Wow," was all Nicola could say. "Look at you. Is that really my
mother standing there, or some Hollywood film star?" She crossed the
room and hugged her.
Kate blushed slightly. "You look great," she said to Nicola, then
spotted Virginia standing rather put-out across the
room. "Virginia," she said, walking over to her. "Rocky is going to
be blown away."
Virginia clasped her hand to her chest. "Do you really think so?"
Kate nodded. "I know so," she told her tenderly.
And as the rest of the wedding party watched, the two brides started
crying happily and embraced.

Further down the corridor, the men were engaged in a similar, yet
totally different, scenario. Rocky, Jake and Phil were busy
straightening their ties and fixing their jackets.
"So Rocky," Jake grinned, "you and Virginia, eh? You're going to
have your work cut out with that one."
Rocky shook his head. "She's a wonderful woman," he insisted. "A
bit. misunderstood, yes, but wonderful just the same. I can't wait
to make her my wife."
Jake patted him on the back. "Good for you, old man. I hope you have
better luck with married life than I did."
"Me too," Phil supplied. Rocky and Jake stared at him.
"Things not going so well?" Jake asked, and Phil shook his head.
"Not really. It's been difficult, with us both being out of work."
He sighed. "Kate offered us jobs back here, and I'm really keen.
Fresh start again."
"But Nicola isn't keen?" Rocky asked.
"No," Phil said, "she feels it'd be a step back. We've been arguing
a lot over it all."
Jake fiddled with his knot. "That's my baby sister," he
said, "selfish to the last. You want to just tell her, son. Sort her
out."
"Oh, I'll never do that with Virginia," Rocky told them, "I
couldn't."
Jake and Phil shared an amused glance. No, he couldn't - Virginia
wouldn't let him! She'd kill him!

Rio found Scott, as she had thought she would, sitting outside by
the lake. He was skimming pebbles across the surface of the water,
and seemed lost in his thoughts.
"Hi," she said quietly, but he hardly looked up. "You not talking to
me?"
Scott shifted uncomfortably. "Haven't you heard what happened?"
Rio grinned. "You and Chloe? Yeah, I heard. Gotta say, I was
shocked. I didn't think she was your type. Thought you liked them
more muscly and hairy."
"Stop it," he told her. "I'm not in the mood."
Rio stopped teasing, and just sat down next to him. "I have to say,
though, I'm a bit confused. I mean, what were you doing?"
He looked off into the distance as he spoke. "I just wanted to. I
don't know, try it. With a girl, I mean. See what it was like, if it
felt right. Before I say, oh I'm gay or I'm not, I wanted to see how
it went."
"And?"
Scott shook his head. "It was awkward and horrible. I didn't even
really fancy her."
"So why her?" Rio asked him. "I mean, you know how I feel about you.
Why didn't you come to me? It makes me feel so bad that you'd go to
a complete stranger you weren't even attracted to, than want to be
with me."
"You don't get it," he told her, "that's why I didn't choose you."
He clutched her hand. "I love you, Rio, you're like my best friend.
And I couldn't ruin that. I couldn't lose you just over some
meaningless sexual encounter. You're too important."
Rio smiled. "I understand. And I suppose I'm glad you felt like
that. I wouldn't want to lose you either. I'm here for you, whatever
you decide."
"Thanks," he said gratefully. "Only problem is, I'm still not sure."
"Maybe you should try it with a guy too before you decide," Rio
suggested. He nodded.
"Maybe," he said. "Problem is, in King's Oak, where do I find one?"

Jonathan and his brother, Edward, stepped through the automatic
doors into the Crossroads foyer, and grinned. "Well," he said, "it's
certainly unusual. And your Kate runs it does she?"
"Well, she's the manager," corrected Jonathan, "but she used to own
it with her first husband, Patrick. By all accounts it's completely
transformed since then, though."
"I would hope so," smiled Edward, "otherwise I may have to question
your sanity in marrying her."
"Trust me," said Jonathan, "you'll love her. She's incredible."
Edward Price was delighted to see his brother so happy. They had
always been close, even though he'd been based in LA for years, and
Jon had been busy jetting around the globe. He'd never seemed like
the marrying kind, which made this all the more surprising and
wonderful. And, of course, he wouldn't have missed Jonny boy's
wedding for the world.
They were at the reception desk, where Virginia was back manning the
fort now that the wedding dresses had been tried on. She smiled at
them as they approached her.
"Mr Price. Jonathan," she said smoothly, "you will be gobsmacked by
your new wife on your big day, I can promise."
"Well, that's good to hear, Virginia," he said, "Virginia, this is
my brother, Edward Price. Edward, this is the other bride of the
wedding, Miss Virginia Raven."
"Enchante," breathed Edward, kissing Virginia's hand.
She melted. "Oh, heavens." she murmured. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Yes, indeed!" came Tracey's voice from behind them, as she spotted
Edward and moved in on her prey. "Tracey Booth," she introduced
herself, "Kate's daughter-in-law."
He kissed Tracey's hand too. "Ah, this hotel is full of beautiful
women," he said. "But all taken: you married, Miss Raven here almost
married."
"Oh no, Edward," Tracey smiled seductively, "I'm not taken. Jake and
I are divorced. I'm free, free as a bird."
Edward gulped nervously, as Jonathan mischievously left him to fend
for himself, spotting Kelly at the bar. He sidled up beside her.
"Whiskey," he ordered from Benito, and then turned to his PA. "A
little dicky bird tells me you and Billy have been getting rather
close," he said to her.
Kelly nodded. "I spent the night with him, if that's what you're
asking."
"Excellent." Jonathan took his drink from Benito, and swigged
it. "That's good news. Keeps him out of Kate's way."
"Yes," admitted Kelly, "they've barely spoken for days." She
finished her drink, put down her glass, and then got to her
feet. "Just remember, Jonathan, you owe me. And I always pay me
debts."
As she sashayed away from the bar, she passed Edward, who bowed
slightly at her. "Boy," he said to Jonathan as he joined him at the
bar, "that one looks like trouble in a mini-skirt."
"Yes," said Jonathan quietly. "Yes, I rather fear she might be."

Ethan and Patty sat in a car just outside King's Oak village. They
were sitting in silence, staring out of the car windscreen. Finally,
Patty spoke.
"I hope she's okay when she wakes up," Patty said, and Ethan waved a
dismissive hand.
"She will be. She wasn't hurt at all, Patty, remember. She'll have a
bump on the head and she'll be groggy, but she'll be fine."
"Will the amnesia drug work?" Patty asked.
"Let's hope so. If it wears off at some point." Ethan's voice
trailed off, he didn't even want to think about that. He turned to
face her. "What about you?"
"What about me?" she asked.
"Will you be fine? Can you cope with all this on your conscience?"
Patty took a deep breath. "I'll have to, won't I?"
Without another word, she got out of the car and wandered off
towards the village to start the long walk back to the hotel.
Ethan waited til she was out of sight, then started up the car, and
drove off to rendezvous with Brutus, who was moving Honey and Nicky
to another location.

Angel looked up from her desk when she heard the knock, and saw
Wanda standing in the doorway of her office. "How did you get down
here?" she demanded, "there's a security code on the admin wing
corridor."
"Come on love," Wanda grinned, "I'm a professional crook, remember?
I can crack any poxy code."
Angel rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"
"I'll take the job," she said, perching herself on the edge of
Angel's desk. "I'm a bit bored sitting around all day, and this'll
give me something to do. Besides, I don't want to go back to the
pokey, do I?"
"Very wise, Wise," Angel nodded. "You can start first thing Monday
morning."
Wanda chortled. "What will I be doing? I fancy meself working with
that Virginia on the reception, what do you reckon?"
"Don't be absurd!" Angel sneered, "I wouldn't have you anywhere near
my guests. You'll be working in the laundry room."
"You what?" Wanda bawled, "cleaning mucky old sheets and fings?
You're having a larf!" She looked at Angel's stony face, and saw she
was doing nothing of the kind. She groaned. "Don't suppose I have a
choice, do I?"
"No," smirked Angel, "I don't suppose you do."

There was smoke rising from the trees in front of them as Ryan
roared the jeep down the dirt track, and Max spotted it. "Look,
there!" he pointed.
"Can you get through there?" Joe asked. Ryan started swinging the
steering wheel like a madman, and they realised that he would make
sure he got through it.
The jeep roared into a clearing, and shuddered to a halt. As the
police cars drove in behind, Ryan, Max and Joe got out of the jeep
and gasped in horror at the sight in front of them.
"Cleo!" roared Max, running towards the wreckage before them.

"Good evening everyone, and welcome to the karaoke night at the Cat
in the Moon!" The assembled crowds all clapped and whooped as Helen
curtsied happily on the stage. She waved her arms for silence, and
once the noise had died down, she started talking again. "Now, Dave
and Oona aren't here tonight, they're off for the weekend with
Holly, so you've got me running the show this week!"
"Were you the best they could do?" Phil shouted cheekily, and Nicola
silenced him with a nudge. Helen grinned shyly at him.
"Anyway," she said, "without futher ado, let's get this show on the
road. Singing first tonight, will you please give it up for Kate
Russell and Jonathan Price."
Everyone cheered and roared as Kate and Jonathan picked up the mike
and clambered onto the stage, Jonathan looking mightily embarrassed.
The music started up, and they launched into their number.

"I need love, love
Ooh to ease my mind,
I need to find time, someone to call mine,
My mama said
You can't hurry love, no you just have to wait."

Around them, assorted couples took in the song: Rocky and Virginia,
for whom love had taken so long in finding them, hugged happily and
shared a tender peck;
Phil and Nicola, who were finding it harder every day to keep it
together.

"She said love don't come easy,
But it's a game of give and take."

Helen, staring at Phil Berry longingly.
Scott, who had loved and lost, and Rio who had loved and never got.
Tracey and Jake, together so long, and now friends, truly, for the
first time.

"You can't hurry love,
No, you'll just have to wait."

Then there was Kelly, watching the singing couple with utter
disgust. That should be me up there with him, she thought to
herself. Bitch.
And, alone in the corner, watching all the freaks in her family with
distaste, Penelope rolled her eyes and sought refuge in the bottom
of her martini glass.

"Just trust in the good times,
No matter how long it takes."

The smoke was rising from the front of the car, which was smashed
soundly into the front of a tree. Lying half in the car, half out
through the windscreen, was Michael the chauffeur, eyes wide open,
quite clearly dead.
And in the back seat, lying slumped like a broken rag doll, was
Cleo, blood trickling from a cut on her forehead.
Max raced towards the wreckage, hotly followed by Ryan and Joe, and
he hauled open the back door, and cradled his daughter in his arms.
Tears trickled down Max's face. "Not my baby," he sobbed, "please,
not my baby."
The smoke kept rising.

"How long must I wait
How much more must I take."

In her sitting room, Angel suddenly leapt up from the settee and
whirled around, to see Jimmy standing behind her. She let out a
strangled cry. He wasn't speaking, just pointing at Cleo's photo
dementedly and screaming silently. Angel knew something had
happened, instantly. He didn't need to speak.
She let out a bloodcurdling scream, as Jimmy laughed maniacally
beside her.

"Before loneliness,
Will cause my heart, heart to break?

Alone in his car, for the first time in years, Ethan Black closed
his eyes. And prayed.

TO BE CONTINUED.

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This is a page from the Crossroads 2003 & Beyond group, a fan fiction site that has written a continuation of the series since its television finale in May 2003. Click the link to visit the group where you can join in with plot discussion and write episodes!