This work of fan fiction by Rochelle Theresa Brown is heavily based on events which took place on AS THE WORLD TURNS, and is written for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit. All characters are the sole property of Procter and Gamble Productions.

This was originally part of BAY CITY FOREVER. When I wrote ACT 0NE, Jake was still alive, and I planned to have him visit Bay City once in awhile, without contradicting his ATWT story.

A FAREWELL TO JAKE




ACT ONE: December, 2001

(The scene is CARLINO'S. Jake and Molly McKinnon walk in with Bridget and Michelle.)

JAKE: I've got some hungry girls here! (Joe walks over to them.)

JOE: Let me see those little angels.

MOLLY: Don't they look just like Vicky?

(Marley comes in while Molly is speaking.)

JOE: Yes, they do, God rest her soul.

MARLEY: I think they are much luckier than Vicky and I were, because they were never separated. (sighs) Vicky and I missed so much time together, and now we'll never get it back.

JOE: That's why we have to treasure every moment we have with the people we love.

MARLEY: I keep thinking about that terrible time three years ago when I (hesitates) did what I did to Vicky. (Turns to Jake.) I didn't think either of you would ever forgive me.

JAKE: Come on, Marley. You know Vicky and I both forgave you.

JOE: Sometimes it's harder to forgive those who hurt the ones we love than it is to forgive those who hurt us.

MOLLY: Tell me about it. There's a guy from my past, Nick Scudder, who is causing trouble between me and Abigail, and I hate him so much more the way he is hurting her than I do for what he did to me so many years ago.

JAKE: And I hate him for hurting both of you.

MARLEY: Of course, there's another Nick in our lives... my half-brother, Nick Hudson.

JAKE: And my ex-brother-in-law. He had some problems when he was younger, but he outgrew them.

JOE: Yeah, he's a good guy. He and Remy are engaged, you know.

MOLLY: Maybe my cousin, Carly Tenney, could design the wedding gown. She's starting to make a name for herself in the fashion industry.

JAKE: She designed Molly's wedding gown.

JOE: I really wanted to come to your wedding.

JAKE: I know you did, and we would have loved having you there.

JOE: But three of my officers were sick at the same time, another one was on maternity leave, and another one lost his father and had to go home for the funeral, and then stay and settle the estate.

MOLLY: Well, when you get the chance, why don't you come to Oakdale and visit us?

(Bridget and Michelle start clamoring for food.)
JOE: Let's get these hungry little girls fed, and then I want to hear all about your wedding.

FREEZE FRAME


ACT TWO: January, 2002
SCENE ONE (The scene is Donna's dining room. Donna and Marley are at the table, drinking coffee and talking.)
DONNA: Well, we finally got Bridget and Michelle settled down for their naps.

MARLEY: And we only had to read three books.

DONNA: I love having them here. It almost makes up for the time when I didn't even know I had two beautiful daughters.

MARLEY: And you had to pretend to be my sister. (Sighs) Vicky and I missed out on so much by not being together when we were little.

(Phone rings; Donna gets up to answer. Brief dissolve, and then Donna walks back into the room, looking shaken.)

MARLEY: (frightened) Donna, what's wrong?

DONNA: That was Jake. Nick Scudder's been murdered, and the police think Molly did it.

MARLEY: Oh, my God!

(Bridget and Michelle are heard from upstairs.)
FADE OUT


SCENE TWO (The scene shifts to Bridget and Michelle's bedroom. Both little girls are sitting up in their beds. Donna and Marley walk into the room. Bridget and Michelle look up and smile.)
MICHELLE: Go play now?

BRIDGET: Play in snow?

DONNA: (brightly) Yes, as soon as we get you dressed nice and warm, we'll all go out and play in the snow.

MARLEY: And I'll show you how to build a snow castle. Won't that be fun?
FREEZE FRAME


ACT THREE: May, 2002

(The scene is the front porch of the Carlino home. Remy, Paulina and Sofia are sitting together and talking.)
REMY: It's funny how things can change in just a week.

PAULINA: I know. We all expected you and Nick to be married by now.

REMY: Married, and on our honeymoon. But then, Jake was shot and killed, and Nick thought of him as family, so

PAULINA:(Quietly) We all thought of Jake as family.

SOFIA: God rest his soul. (brief silence from all three.)

REMY: Anyway, we agreed that the respectful thing to do was to postpone the wedding.

SOFIA: It's a strange coincidence, isn't it?

REMY: What is?

SOFIA: Well, you know that Nick and I were engaged once.

REMY: I know.

SOFIA: And right before the wedding day, Nick's father, Michael, was killed in a car crash.

PAULINA: I remember. Joe was the one who found him.

SOFIA: Jake didn't want a funeral, but Joe is having a Mass said for him.

PAULINA: (softly) I will never forget Jake. Rest in peace, dear friend.

(Scene dissolves, and we see Jake riding off on his motorcycle. "Born To Run" plays in the background.)