"Oh, Pookey, there you are!" Rebecca cried, entering Julian's hospital room early the next morning. He smiled rather nervously as she threw herself on him, showering him with kisses.

"Be careful, Becks...arggggh!" Julian cried out in pain.

"Oh, Pookey, I'm sorry!" Rebecca said. "I didn't know you were hurt."

"Well, I am in the hospital, you know," Julian said.

"Oh, Julian, what's wrong?" she asked. "I just heard on the news this morning that you were found. I guess I was sleeping too soundly when the police called last night."

"I was shot," he revealed.

"Shot! Oh, Pookey, where were you hit?" she inquired. Her face suddenly paled. "Not...little Julian?" she asked anxiously.

"No, not little Julian," he replied, rolling his eyes. "I was shot in the arm, Becky."

"Oh, Julian, how terrible!" Rebecca cried. "When I see those horrible men who did this to you..."

"Well, actually, they were women, Rebecca."

"Women! Some women got the best of my Pookey?" Rebecca couldn't believe her ears.

"Well, they had weapons," he said. "I even broke my ribs again."

"Oh no, Pookey! Last time you broke your ribs, we weren't allowed to have any fun for a very long time!" she cried, disappointment showing on her face.

"Yes, well..." Julian stammered, remembering the fun he had had in the pit. "I'm sure the doctors were just being cautious."

"It's just the worst news a girl could hear!" Rebecca whined.

"Well, Becks, hopefully you could think of worse things - like me being dead, for instance," Julian said, frowning.

"Well, I guess that would be worse because it would be permanent," she agreed.

Julian shook his head in disbelief. At least she was honest, he thought.

"Rebecca, there is something serious I want to talk to you about," Julian said.

"Serious? My Pookey? This doesn't sound too good," she said.

"Well, it could be," Julian declared. "Just let me finish, OK?"

"Sure, go ahead," Rebecca motioned.

"Becks, we have had some good times - really, really fun times," Julian began. "I have enjoyed your company. It's just...I don't really love you, Rebecca...and I don't think you love me."

"What does love have to do with anything, Pookey? You said yourself: we have fun together."

"I know, Becky, it's just that I want more out of life... I want love," Julian admitted.

"I can't believe my Pookey is talking about love! Who is she, Julian? What woman has turned your head?"

"It doesn't matter, Rebecca. The point is - I am not in love with you."

"Oh, yes, it does matter," Rebecca said. She thought for a moment. "You were in the pit for over a week! How could you...? Oh my gosh, I knew it! Dr. Russell!" she exclaimed.

"Dr. Russell what?" Julian asked, surprised that Rebecca had figured it out.

"I knew that hack of a doctor was looking elsewhere from that strong, virile husband of hers. A woman just knows these things. If only I had realized that she would make a move on my Pookey."

"Rebecca, she didn't make a move on me," Julian insisted. "She and I...were in love years ago, and we've since found our way back to each other."

"I had no idea..." Rebecca revealed sadly.

"I can't continue with you, Becky, when I am in love with somebody else."

Rebecca started to cry. Then her emotions changed from sadness to anger. "You can't just dump me, Julian," she said. "Remember, I will use the information I have on you to send you away to prison."

"Go ahead," Julian said quietly.

"What? You can't mean that?" she cried. "Prison?"

"You could tell the police, and I'm sure they would bring up charges, but I really doubt if they would stick," Julian revealed.

"Well, why not, if I am the star witness?" Rebecca asked in disbelief.

"Because they will look on you as a woman scorned," Julian said. "And not only that, but it is your word against mine. You don't have any proof."

"Well, don't they listen to people anymore?" Rebecca asked.

"The courts listen to people like my father," Julian said. "Do you really want Alistair to get involved in this? You know what would happen, don't you?"

"I have the goods on Alistair too," Rebecca declared. "I can send him up the river right along with my Pookey."

"Becks, Alistair owns just about every judge in this state. Not only that, but you'll be lucky to remain alive if you turn on him like that. Use your head, dear."

"Well..." Rebecca started to cry again.

"Becks, listen, I don't want you to have to go away empty-handed. I am planning to give you a sizeable going away gift...for what we had together."

"You're serious?" she asked, brightening a little. "How much are we talking about, Julian?"

"Oh, quite a few zeroes," he explained. "I don't think you'll be disappointed."

"Oh, Pookey!" she cried. "That is wonderful!" She leaned in and gave him a big kiss on the lips.

Julian wiped his mouth and gave her a fake smile. "Yes, well, you deserve it, Becky. We have some great memories that will last a lifetime."

"We do, don't we?" Rebecca agreed, thinking of their time together. She smiled. "I can't wait to get my hands on that check!" she said. "I will shop till I drop! Thanks, Pookey!" She leaned in for one more kiss and then floated out the door.

Julian shook his head and then grinned in satisfaction. One obstacle down, two to go.

Eve walked into Sheridan's room. She was alone and had just finished feeding the baby. "How is little Julia Eve doing?" she asked, a big smile on her face.

"Your namesake is doing just fine," Sheridan replied, smiling. "She ate like a little pig, same as always."

Eve laughed. "I want to thank you again, Sheridan, for naming this little gal after Julian and me," she said.

"That's the least I could have done," she responded. "Even Luis was more open to the idea than I had expected. He's just truly grateful to have us back. You and Julian had a big part in that happening."

Eve smiled. "I know it was all worth it when I look at this beautiful child."

"I know," said Sheridan, patting her baby's dark hair. "To me she looks so much like Luis...but to him she's the picture of me."

"That's love talking there," Eve said. "You both see the person you love in your child."

Just then a nurse entered the room. "It's time to take the baby back to the nursery," she said, smiling.

She carefully took Julia Eve from Sheridan and grinned at her. "She's just so adorable," she said.

"Your accent is adorable too," Sheridan told the burgundy-haired nurse. "Where are you from? Germany?"

"Kathy is from Canada," Eve replied. "She just moved here and joined the staff a few weeks ago."

"The accent is actually Austrian though," Kathy explained, "with a little Canadian thrown in for good measure."

"Well, it's lovely," Sheridan said. "What brings you to Harmony?"

"Oh, I got a calling to go into nursing, you might say," she explained. "So I left the family farm and went to school. This is my first nursing job."

"Well, we're glad to have you here," Eve said. "You get along so well with the staff."

"I try," Kathy remarked, heading for the door with the infant. She turned around slowly. "Sometimes it's the patients who I enjoy the most, however. Like that brother of yours, Miss Crane. What a handsome guy!"

Eve and Sheridan laughed.

"It's too bad he's taken, or I would ask him out in a heartbeat."

"How do you know he's taken?" Sheridan asked.

"Oh, I heard he had a fiancée. I think she's in there right now," the nurse revealed. "But I didn't need to know those details. You just have to look into his eyes to know he's deeply in love. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be the object of his affections," she swooned.

"Kathy, I think it's probably time to get the baby back to the nursery, don't you think?" Eve suggested.

"You're right, Dr. Russell," she said, blushing. "I guess I just got carried away. Perfection in a man does that to a woman..." She headed out the door, her face one big smile.

Sheridan and Eve looked at each other and giggled. "I think you may have some competition for your man there, Eve," Sheridan said.

Eve smiled. "Kathy or Rebecca?"

"Both," Sheridan laughed. "I'm only joking of course, Eve. My brother loves you with all of his heart. I can't see him looking at another woman ever again."

"He definitely has changed," Eve admitted.

"So what do you think is going on in there with Rebecca?" Sheridan asked curiously. "I say he's dumping her as we speak."

"You think so?" Eve asked, her hopes rising.

"Oh, yes, that was only a matter of time," Sheridan said. She thought for a moment. "So, Eve, have you given any thought as to what you're going to tell TC?"

"Not really," Eve said. "I guess I have been staying busy here to try to avoid thinking about that. But it's something I can't put off forever."

"Are you going to tell him everything? Or just about the past?" Sheridan inquired.

"I will definitely tell him about the past," Eve said. "I'm not pretending to be anyone I'm not, ever again."

"And if he accepts your past...what then?" Sheridan asked carefully, watching for Eve's reaction.

"I don't know, Sheridan," Eve admitted. "TC and I have been married a long time - more than twenty years. We have a family together. It's hard to just give that up." She looked off into space, a sad expression on her face.

"And it's hard to give up love too, isn't it?" Sheridan asked. "I know. I tried to give up Luis when I married Antonio. It was just too difficult."

"I can't see myself giving up Julian either," Eve revealed. "Not with what we have together. I guess I am in quite a spot."

"Even worse than where I was at," Sheridan said. "Your marriage to TC lasted so much longer than mine to Antonio...and there were children."

"Exactly," Eve said. "But I do have a child with Julian too - if we can just find him." She shook her head. "Either way I am going to hurt someone I love."

Sheridan nodded. "I loved Antonio too," she said, "just not the same as I love Luis. He and I are soul mates. I see that same kind of love with you and Julian."

Eve smiled sadly. "So do I, Sheridan. I just wish so many people didn't have to get hurt because of it..."

She started heading for the door. "I'm going to let you get some rest now. Thanks for listening."

Sheridan nodded, watching as Eve closed the door behind her. "Oh, Julian, I hope things work out for the two of you," she declared. "I want you to find the happiness that I have found."