Chapter 95 � The Nightmare Is Over
March 14, Sunset Beach, California, Surf � Central
Meg and Ben are at Surf � Central doorstep.

Meg: We need to be quiet. They are all probably sleeping.

Ben: Sure.

Slowly they open the door and get inside. Casey, Michael and Mark are in the living room.

Ben (turns to Meg): You said something about sleeping�

Meg smiles weakly.

Casey: Meg, we heard what happened to you. Thank God you�re OK. Both of you.

Mark: We�ve been so worried about you since Oscar called asking if we knew where you were�

Meg: I�m fine�

Ben: Yeah, thank God Meg and baby are OK.

Ben freezes as he realizes what he has just said.

Mark: The baby? What baby?

Meg: That�s a long story� I�ll tell you guys later�

Michael: We would definitely like to hear it.

Meg: You will. I just want to go to sleep right now�

Mark: Sure. Good night.

Meg: Goodnight guys.

Meg smiles weakly and Ben helps her to reach her bedroom. She sits on the bed, exhausted. He sits by her side and wraps his arms around her.

Ben: Hey, it�s over�

Meg: I know� I just can�t understand how your own brother can do something like this to you�

Ben: He is�

Ben is interrupted by a phone ringing. He answers.

Ben: Surf � Central~. Ben Evans speaking.

Ricardo: Ben, it�s Ricardo. I�m just calling to say that Derek was brought to the station without any interruptions.

Ben: Good. Thanks for calling. I appreciate it.

Ricardo: Yeah� Look, take care of yourself and Meg.

Ben: I am.

Ricardo: That�s good... Bye�

Ben: Bye.

Ben hangs up.

Meg: Who was that?

Ben: Ricardo. He told me that Derek is at the station�

Meg: Ben, I�m so sorry�

Ben: You know, I feel sorry for him even after everything he has done�

Meg: Of course you do. He is your brother�

Ben: Sometimes I wonder how it is possible�

Meg: You know, I can�t believe that someone can actually do something like that to the family� I mean I have such a great relationship with my sister� I can�t imagine�

Ben (looking into her eyes): Meg, please don�t think about Derek right now�

Meg: How can I not after everything he did to you�

Ben: Meg, you heard what the doctors said � no stress. And that means no worrying about my brother.

Meg: OK. I think I�m gonna go to bed now�

She stands up and heads towards the bedroom. After a moment she stops.

Meg (looking at Ben with her eyes still wet from tears): Ben�

Ben (reading her mind): I�m not going anywhere� Not tonight�

Meg runs to him and wraps her arms around his neck.

Meg (cries): Thank you... I really need you now�

Ben: I know, sweetheart� Don�t worry, I�m here and I�m not going anywhere� I will never leave you again. I love you and the thought that you�re having my baby� our baby�

Meg: Yes� our baby� I love you, Ben.

Ben: I love you too.

Chapter 96 � The Whole Truth Comes Out
March 15, Sunset Beach, California, Surf � Central
Ben wakes up and sees Meg sleeping peacefully.

Ben (thinks): Thank God he let you sleep the night�

For a while he keeps admiring her beauty and looks at her face. Her eyes are closed but he knows that there is still very much pain inside her. He can tell from the way she breathes.

Ben: I�m sorry, sweetheart� I will never let anyone hurt you again� I promise�

He gently kisses the top of her head and starts stroking her hair. He remembers how Meg was hurting when she thought that she was going to lose the baby. He remembers how hurt HE was when he saw all the pain in her eyes. He can�t believe that Meg almost lost this wonderful little one they had created. He thanks God for letting Meg and the baby be OK.

Meg starts to stir. She smiles weakly when she feels Ben�s gentle touch. She shivers when she feels his hand running through her hair. She turns around letting Ben know that she is awake.

Ben (smiles): Hey sweetheart.

Meg: Good morning, Ben.

Ben (with concern): Are you OK? Does anything hurt you?

Meg: I�m fine� (looks into his eyes) Thank you for staying with me.

Ben: Hey, how could I not stay with you� Honey, I wanna be with you always. Do you understand me? ALWAYS.

Meg: That�s what I want � to be with you.

Ben: Well, that�s what�s gonna happen. I promise. I will never let anyone or anything come between us again. And this time I mean it.

Meg: I know you do.

Ben: I swear to God, Meg, from this moment we are gonna be together forever. And beyond.

Meg: I love you.

Ben: I love you too.

They start to kiss, but are interrupted by a knock on the door.

Mark: Ben, Meg, are you awake?

Meg: Yeah, come in Mark.

Mark opens the door.

Mark: Hi, I just wanted to let you know that Casey and Michael made a breakfast�

Meg (smiles): Casey and Michael made a breakfast?

Mark (laughs): Maybe you shouldn�t eat it�

Meg: I think we�ll take the risk.

Mark: OK, we�re waiting downstairs.

Meg: Sure.

Mark leaves.

Ben: You know, I think I�m not gonna stay for breakfast�

Meg: Why? (smiles) Because Micheal and Casey prepared it?

Ben: No� I have something I need to take care of�

Meg (looking at him): You want to talk to Maria?

Ben: Yeah� I owe her an explanation�

Meg: Of course.

Ben: But if you want me to stay here�

Meg: No, no, no� Go and see Maria. I will be fine, besides I have wonderful friends here.

Ben: Are you sure?

Meg: Yes, I will be OK� I know you need to see her�

Ben: Thank you. I will be back soon.

Meg: Take your time. And remember that I love you.

Ben: I love you too.

Ben kisses her gently and leaves. He heads to Maria�s apartment. She opens the door.

Ben: Maria, we need to talk.

Maria: Damn you, Derek, where have you been?! I have been sick worried about you. Is everything fine with Ben?

Ben looks at Maria and freezes.

Chapter 97 � Looking For Comfort
March 15, Sunset Beach, California, Maria�s place
Ben: What did you just say? Did you just call me Derek?

Maria (surprised): And how was I supposed to call you? That�s your name, isn�t it? Now tell me, is everything fine with Ben? (Maria smiles) Is our revenge on Ben and his little farm girl going well?

Ben looks at Maria shocked. He can�t believe what he has just heard. Could it be true? Could his wife do something like this?

Maria: Derek, what�s wrong?

Ben: Damn you, Maria! Damn you!!!!

He turns around and rushes out of her apartment. She runs after him.

Maria: What�s going on, Derek?

Ben: You knew. I knew that he was not me!!!

Maria: Who? Derek, who?!

Ben: I�m not Derek, damn it!!!!

This time Maria freezes.

Maria: Ben� Oh my God�

Ben: You should be thanking him that I didn�t kill you� How could you do this? How could you do this to her?

Maria: You mean that bitch?!

Ben (trying hard to stop himself from hitting her): Don�t you dare!!!

Maria: He took you away from me!

Ben: That is not true and you know it!!!

Maria: I loved you!!!!

Ben: You did not!!! If you had loved me just a bit you wouldn�t have done that. How could you? You know, I have seen many sick people in my life, but that�s the sickest thing I�ve ever seen. How could you do this to the innocent girl?!

Maria (laughs): Innocent girl?! Does innocent girl sleep with other woman�s husband?

Ben: She didn�t know. God, I can�t believe it. I can�t believe what happened to the woman I fell in love a few years ago. She used to be honest, sympathetic� God, how could I be so blind?!

Maria: Ben, please just listen to me!

Ben: I don�t intend to (Ben thinks for a while) Or on the second thought � tell me one thing�

Maria: What?

Ben: The first time� The first time he was in Sunset Beach� You knew, didn�t you? (Ben looks at Maria) God�

He sends her disdainful look and leaves. He runs to the beach, wanting to be as far away from her as possible. He can�t believe that the woman he fell in love a few years ago turned out to be such a heartless monster. He can�t believe that he let her fool him for all those years.

Ben: Damn it!

Ben looks around trying to find something to sooth his pain. And he does�

Ben: Meg, what are you doing here?

Meg: I couldn�t just sit at home� I needed some fresh air (looks into Ben�s eyes) Ben, sweetie, what�s wrong?

Ben: God, Meg, I�m so sorry.

Meg: What are you talking about? What happened?

Ben: She knew�

Meg: Knew what? And who?

Ben: Maria.

Meg: But WHAT did she know?

Ben (with pain in his eyes): About Derek� She knew�

Meg (shocked): She knew that it wasn�t you?

Ben: Yeah� She was sleeping with him� God, how could I be so blind?

Meg (wrapping her arms around Ben): I�m so sorry, sweetie� I�m so sorry�

Ben: How could I let her do that to you? To us�

Meg (trying to take Ben�s pain away): Don�t even go there, Ben� Don�t, please�

Ben: But�

Meg: No� Don�t do this to yourself�

Ben: Meg, I�

Meg: I know, it hurts... it hurts� But I�m here� and it�s going to be OK. Everything will be fine.

She holds him close, even closer than before and he lets her smell and gentle touch sooth his pain.

To Be Continued