From Vengeance To Forgiveness (Revenge)

Compassion

Suffolk County Memorial Hospital

Ava paced nervously back and forth in the hospital waiting room, waiting for news of Julian's condition. She hoped that the doctor would tell her since they were not blood-related. Although she had spoken several times on Emily's voicemail, she had not called back. Fortunately, she had managed to reach Daniel, who had promised to come at once. But it was Jack who arrived first.

"How is he?" He asked anxiously, carefully taking her into his arms.

"I don't know." Ava sank tiredly against him. "They've been with him in the treatment room for half an eternity."

"They'll give him something to make the fever go down," he guessed. "And then they will examine him more closely to find out what caused the fever." He looked at her with a serious face. "Did you reach Emily or Daniel?"

"Only Daniel," Ava nodded. "I don't know where Emily is, even though I've tried several times to call her."

"Let's talk." Jack gently took her arm and led her to a seat. "Sit down," he demanded. "I have to tell you something."

"What's happening?" She looked at him anxiously, then followed his request.

"You took care of Julian all the time and probably had no chance to listen to the radio or watch TV," he began, and continued as she looked at him questioningly, "It was just published..." He took a deep breath. "Conrad Grayson has disappeared! He was last seen at the South Fork Inn. Then they lost track of him." He interrupted his speech and sighed. "They've found bloodstains in the suite that are clearly from Grayson."

"Oh my God!" Ava panted shocked, as she realized what that meant. "I should never have allowed them to take matters into their own hands!"

"What are you talking about?" Jack looked at her confused. "Do you know anything about this?"

Ava knew she could trust Jack, so she told him what Nolan, Charlotte, and Emily had entrusted to her.

"Then it was probably the three of them who were in Conrad's suite and found the bloodstains," Jack mused.

Ava nodded. "Yes, it has to be so, why she switched off her mobile phone so that nobody could track her."

"Does Daniel know... I mean about his father's disappearance?"

"Ask him." Ava gestured down the hall. " There he is."

Jack got up from his chair and walked slowly towards Daniel. He didn't like the young Grayson. And he'd been anything but enthusiastic when he realized Emily had seriously fallen in love with the heir of the Grayson Empire. But he was a father himself and knew how Daniel must feel now. So before he could assail him with questions, he started first.. "He's still in the treatment room," he told the young father. "His condition is stable." It was a lie, since he couldn't know how the baby really was. But he saw Daniel's panicky expression and suddenly felt something like compassion.

"Where is Emily? How could that happen?" Daniel asked nervously.

Ava exchanged a quick glance with Jack. She didn't know what to answer to his questions. She didn't want to betray Emily and her friends. But of course it was quite a legitimate question. Her baby was in the hospital. She should be with him now. She breathed a sigh of relief as Jack took over the conversation.

"He had a febrile seizure," he said quietly. "Emily had asked us to take care of Julian because she wanted to run some errands."

"Where is she now?" Daniel asked, frowning.

Jack was about to answer when he saw the door to the treatment room open, and the doctor emerged.

"Are you the parents?" He turned to Jack and Ava.

"No, I'm the father," Daniel interjected and introduced himself. "Daniel Grayson."

"Grayson?" The doctor looked at him, frowning. "Are you related to Conrad Grayson?"

Ava held her breath as she looked quickly at Daniel, who apparently had no idea what had happened to his father.

"Yes, he's my father," he explained, confused about the question. "Why do you want to know?"

Jack reacted immediately and quickly grabbed Daniel's arm and pulled him aside. "Your father has disappeared," he explained to the bewildered Daniel. "It was published about half an hour ago in the news."

"Disappeared?" He repeated in an evenly voice.

The doctor joined them. "The police was here an hour ago. They probably thought they would find your father here." He cleared his throat and took up a professional stance again. "As for your son, he is doing well so far. He had a febrile seizure, but fortunately it was a mild one. It hasn't caused any permanent damage. But we don't know yet what has induced the high fever. We are going to keep him here for a few days to make further tests." He looked at Daniel with a serious look. "He was born premature, and it's very likely that his present condition is still connected with this."

Daniel nodded as if stunned. His worst nightmare had come true. And now Emily was not available! "Can... I see him?" He asked hesitantly.

The doctor nodded. "Of course, come with me, I'll take you to him."

Daniel had just left the waiting room with the doctor when Jack turned to Ava. "Poor Daniel," he murmured, lost in thought.

Surprised, she looked at him. "I thought you didn't like him."

"That I don't like him has nothing to do with the fact that I know how he feels now," he said, raising his eyebrows. "As a father myself, I can empathize. And then the affair with his own father..." He raised his head and looked at Ava with a serious look. "What do you think happened to Conrad?"

"No idea." She shrugged helplessly. "But that they have found traces of blood in his suite gives little hope."

"I can't say I like Conrad Grayson, but I hope they'll find him," he said, then added, "alive!" He put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go, I think our work is done here."

Ava hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I think we can't do anything for the moment," she agreed. "I would have liked to wait for Emily, but maybe we'll go home first and try to call her again from there." She reached for Jack's hand, and together they left the hospital.