By Allison and Marcie
The Lady Grey Society
http://www.geocities.com/ladygrey_society/index.html
Chapter One
Brooke and Edmund's First Meeting - Love at First Sight
Brooke and Edmund's first meeting was a McKay's. Edmund was eavesdropping on Brooke and Adam's conversation. Brooke was telling Adam that he had to give up on his quest to keep Erica as his wife. Adam told Brooke that she was right as usual, but it was funny that they both ended up alone. Edmund's looks tells us that he thinks the comment was a little callous. Adam exits and Edmund walks up to the booth just as Brooke stands up and trips on her purse strap. The contents come spilling out and Edmund leans down to help Brooke pick up her belongings. They looked into each other's eyes and its love at first sight.
They find their voices. Brooke is a little flustered when Edmund knows who she is, but impressed when she learns he is Edmund Grey Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. They sit down. Edmund quizzes Brooke about the piece she wrote on Dimitri Marick and his dead wife coming back from the dead. When Edmund seems too intense about the matter, Brooke's reporter antenna goes up and she asks if he has a personal stake in this somehow. Edmund says he;s just fascinated by gothic romance. Edmund tells her to call him old-fashioned, she says she'lll call him enlightened for wanting a woman, such as Angelique, to be treated fairly by her husband.
Brooke asks why Edmund has come to Pine Valley. To do a story on the Will Cortlandt murder case he replies. Brooke agrees to play source for him and she invites him back to her house because she has to relieve a babysitter. For a moment, Edmund is disappointed until Brooke reveals that she doesn't have a husband. She gives him a raincheck and bids farewell. Edmund goes over to Wildwind to do some snooping.
At this point, Brooke and Edmund keep having flashes of their first meeting. Neither can get the other off their mind. Brooke tells a newly engaged Livia that she met someone, who seemed age appropriate, had a deep resonate voice and smelled vaguely like lime. Brooke is absolutely smitten.
The next day she dresses in a power suit hoping that Edmund will pop by, he does. It's the first time Edmund and Aunt Phoebe meet, and she instantly adores Edmund who is very smooth with the old dame. Brooke and Edmund later go to dinner at The Goal Post. They get to know each other, but Brooke cuts things short because she has to check on some friends. That evening Edmund stops by with a bottle of wine and an old movie, I think, "His Girl Friday" which is a story about reporters. Things turn a little solemn when Brooke gets word that Gloria tried to kill herself by swallowing a bottle of pills. Edmund comforts Brooke as she explains her connection to Gloria and to Dixie and the scandalous tape of Craig and Gloria having sex. Edmund meets Jamie and immediately sees the joy that the little boy brings Brooke.
As the evening closes, Brooke pulls Edmund into a liplock and later we see that they made love as Edmund tenderly strokes Brooke awake. Brooke is a little embarrassed about going to bed with someone on what was not even technically a date, but Edmund says it was equal to a date or something of equal or greater significance. Edmund knows he should leave, but he really doesn?t want to, he likes the smell of Brooke's hair and the way it feels when she breathes on him, and he could savor just those two things alone. Brooke reminds Edmund that he said they weren't strangers, that it's like they've always known each other and tells him to stay. They melt into a beautiful kiss.
Chapter Two
Courtship
The courtship begins and from this point on the two are pretty inseparable, but Brooke is disconcerted when she finds tons of old clippings about Dimitri in Edmund's hotel room. She is even more alarmed when she finds out that Edmund's real last name is Gresham, not Grey. The two argue and Edmund kicks Brooke out. Once home, Brooke is steaming mad that she ever got involved in the first place. Dimitri calls and Brooke rats out Edmund's whereabouts. Aunt Phoebe convinces Brooke she?s acting like a spoiled brat. She heads over to the Valley Inn to warn Edmund but it's too late, Edmund and Dimitri are going at it when Brooke and Erica arrive. What a great foursome. Anyhow, Brooke learns that Edmund stole money from Dimitri's father because Hugo reneged on his promise to pay for Edmund's college. Edmund learns for the first time that Angelique took the wrap. Edmund writes Dimitri a check and then orders him out of the room. Brooke stays, but Edmund tells her they are going to have to have some rules. He's willing to listen to her problems, but he doesn't like being grilled about his feelings. Brooke agrees, but is a little sad that he won't share part of himself with her. She tells Edmund she's crazy about him. Edmund says she stole his line. They melt into a kiss and then Edmund starts working his way down Brooke's body.
Chapter Three
The Rainstorm-I love you Brooke English
Brooke has a wonderful meal planned and she wants to show off her domestic skills. Edmund is impressed; they start to kiss but are interrupted by Aunt Phoebe who has collected boxes and boxes of material for Edmund's book that he forgot to tell her he isn't writing anymore. Edmund feels guilty and says he's going to do the book. Aunt Phoebe stays for dinner and Jamie wakes up because of the storm. Brooke's romantic evening turns into a family gathering which Edmund just loves. While Aunt Phoebe is napping in Brooke's bed, Edmund admits to Brooke while her head is turned and the lights flicker that he loves her family and he loves her. Brooke questions what he said, but he'll only say it wasn't anything nearly as earth shattering as that thunder. Edmund nuzzles on Brooke's neck and they chat about having some naughty sex, but Brooke tells him it's no use because her Aunt isn't leaving her bed. Edmund can't believe Brooke doubts his prowess. He manages to get Phoebe back up to the estate, and Brooke dries Edmund off as she takes off his shirt. They go into the bedroom and Edmund tilts Brooke onto the bed. Later, Edmund wakes up from another nightmare. Only this time, Brooke guesses it was Edmund?s father chasing him and he admits that his father used to hit him. Edmund wonders if Brooke finds it significant that she the first person he ever shared that secret with. Brooke thinks it is because Edmund trusts her. Edmund wonders that if Brooke is so smart does she know if he loves her. She says she doesn't know. Edmund says that's what he was trying to tell her earlier, he loves Brooke English. They fall into a tender kiss.
Chapter Four
Marry Me
There are heated confrontations with Dimitri here and there, but Brooke and Edmund's relationship seems to be going well. But Brooke can't accept Edmund's stance to keep a part of him hidden from her, so she decides to tell him about Laura. Brooke is tearful as she recalls how her little girl was killed, but instead of opening up, Edmund runs off. Brooke has had it with his irrational behavior despite Angelique's plea to cut Edmund a break.
That night Edmund rushes into Brooke's cottage and takes her hand gets down on his knee and proposes marriage. Brooke tells Edmund to stop. She can't open up a vein to him one moment and have him walk away from her and then the next minute have him proposing marriage. Life doesn't work that way says Brooke. Edmund has to deal with his past he can't just put a bandage on the wounds and expect them to go away. Edmund is sorry that he walks away from Brooke, but he realized when she told him about Laura how much she loved him. He promises to get help, but Brooke's not even sure she wants to see him anymore. Edmund says they can go round and round about this but he got his answer, he came to ask the woman he loves to marry him and she said no. Edmund flies out of the room, knocking a chair off its legs as he leaves and slams the door.
Edmund arrives at Aunt Phoebe's and says he's been such a jerk for concentrating on his troubles and not even realizing the kind of agony Brooke deals with on a daily basis. Aunt Phoebe absolves Edmund saying that there is no way he could have known because Brooke functions very well, on the outside, she seems to be handling it, but inside the pain still lives deeply. Aunt Phoebe says when you love a parent you lose your past, but when you lose a child, you lose you future. Aunt Phoebe says Brooke said no to Edmund's proposal because she's afraid of living, she's afraid of life itself. Brooke arrives and says that Aunt Phoebe is right. Aunt Phoebe takes Jamie from Brooke's arms and exits. Brooke says she doesn't know what to do about being afraid but she once promised herself that she wasn't going to walk away from happiness again and she asks Edmund to propose again. Edmund takes Brooke's hand and tells her that he loves her with all his heart, will she marry him. Brooke says yes and Aunt Phoebe watches as the couple smooches.
Chapter Five
The Engagement Party and Discovering Hugo's Will
They agree to keep their engagement a secret for a little while because they've only known each other a short time. They go to a fundraiser that night at Wildwind and Edmund takes Brooke to the hunting lodge and describes what it used to be like. Meanwhile, Helga assumes that Dimitri is going to leave Angelique for Erica and that Erica will be the mistress of Wildwind. Not knowing that Brooke and Edmund are engaged, Helga mistakenly assumes that Edmund would still go for Angelique if she were free, so Helga gets all friendly with Edmund and says she has some of Edmund's mother's things if he wants them. Edmund does, Helga says she'll drop them off tomorrow. Helga puts Hugo's last will in a book of Shakespeare - the story in which Edmund is the name of the character who is the bastard son - and leaves it in Edmund's apartment. Edmund and Brooke are getting ready for their engagement party. Edmund has to run a couple of errands, but assures Brooke he'll be back on time. The party starts and Edmund is nowhere to be found because he's discovered the will that says that he is really Hugo Marick's son and that Wildwind belongs to him. Edmund finally arrives very late at the engagement party, the family congratulates him and Brooke puts on a happy face for her guests. They exit and Brooke explodes at Edmund wanting to know what happened to him and what's really going on. He gets angry when she questions him and knocks over the coffee table and some glasses. He apologizes to Brooke telling her that he's acting like a crazy man and why. Brooke is shocked and Edmund runs off.
Brooke finally locates Edmund at the office. He is seemingly calm about discovering he's a Marick, but she knows he's in denial. Ironically, it's Brooke who initially pushes Edmund to go after his birthright and then insists that he show her the document. At his apartment, Edmund gets increasingly edgy as he realizes both his fathers hated him. Edmund says the will was his father's last joke on him while Brooke believes Hugo might have been trying to make amends. Avoiding the truth, Edmund convinces Brooke to go with him to the concert in town and she never sees the will. The concert is sold out and Angelique invites them to join her and Dimitri in their box. Edmund keeps dropping hints about his newfound relationship to Dimitri that only he and Brooke understand. Brooke is extremely uneasy since she's certain Edmund is about to explode. As Brooke lie sleeping, Edmund confronts Dimitri with the truth at the hunting lodge. Dimitri thinks Edmund is nuts and the two men fight. The next morning, Edmund calmly tells Brooke about what transpired, although he doesn't want anything to do with the money or the estate, he does want Dimitri to face the truth - his father was a monster. Brooke is worried about the effect this is going to have on both men. Brooke says Edmund can force Dimitri to face the truth if he shows him the will. When they arrive at Edmund's apartment, Dimitri is already there so when the will is missing, Edmund naturally assumes it was Dimitri who destroyed it. But since it was actually Helga who burned it, Dimitri thinks Edmund is making everything up. Brooke stops Edmund from strangling Dimitri. Despite having no proof, Brooke believes Edmund is telling the truth. Edmund says that he would lay down his life for Brooke and in turn Brooke says they can get through anything as long as they are together.
Chapter Six - The Legal Battle
Since the will is gone, they decide to track down the witnesses, Wilfred and Bertha Lawrence, the butler and his wife, who were present when the document was signed. It's a dead end because the two have passed on. By going through Flora's papers Brooke and Edmund discover that Helga, Hugo and Flora were over in Budapest at the time Edmund was conceived. Alfred didn't make the trip. This information combined with the fact that Hugo died in testate gives Jack the legal backing to file subpoenas for Hugo's records. Brooke and Edmund spend a quite evening at home. She wants to get away for a couple days to Willow Lake and let Jack handle the legal problems. Edmund puts his arms around Brooke and lifts her into the air, saying when she's right and they kiss. Meanwhile, Dimitri is dousing the records with lighter fluid. Angelique convinces Dimitri that burning the papers won't stop anything. When Dimitri arrives at Brooke's house with Hugo's documents Edmund notices the smell of gasoline. He decides against the trip that they have planned because he has to keep an eye on Dimitri.
Brooke goes to see Dimitri. She reminds Dimitri that he and Edmund shared a boyhood friendship that in many cases lasts a lifetime. Brooke says Dimitri was pampered while Edmund was denied the basic birthrights of any child, which is to be protected and love. It gives Dimitri food for thought. Brooke exits unaware that Jackson is about to tell Dimitri Edmund's plan to exhume Hugo and Alfred's bodies. A livid Dimitri seeks out Edmund at the Valley Inn and starts pummeling him. They get arrested. A fed up Brooke lets Edmund stew in jail. Her resolve to stay angry breaks when a tearful Edmund tells Brooke that he can't get through this without her. Brooke says she isn't leaving Edmund, but as they hug it's evident that Brooke is beginning to worry that his obsession will destroy them.
Edmund loses the trial. He is allowed to exhume Alfred's body to prove that their DNA doesn't match, but he can't touch Hugo. Edmund is seemingly calm when he tells Brooke that he's not going to appeal the court's decision. She's relieved, but when they turn in for bed Edmund has another nightmare in which his mother is deeply disappointed in him for giving up. The next morning Edmund has contacted Jackson about taking the next step. Brooke and Edmund continue going through Hugo's ledgers. Brooke wants to have a William Powell - Myrna Loy fight. The kind of fight where they are both on the same side, but he's driving her nuts kind of fight. She wants to go out and have some fun instead of being buried knee deep in Hugo Marick's files. They go to Hal's and set a wedding date for the first week in November. They return home and as they clink champagne flutes, Edmund has a flash memory of another servant at Wildwind. Angelique doesn't remember the person, but will call if she thinks of anything. Brooke and Edmund return home and get busy in bed. After making love, Brooke offers to help finish going through the ledgers. Edmund coyly agrees and pretends he's getting out of bed, but instead flips Brooke over and lays a wet one on her. While they are going at it again, Angelique calls and tells him the name of the servant was Peggy. The call doesn't interrupt the mood as Edmund tells Brooke that once this is settled she's going to be the focus of all his drive and energy, does she think she can handle that. She does. Edmund tells her here comes a preview and they go into a long kiss.
Brooke thinks Edmund is too stressed out and arranges for him to go to Denmark to interview his favorite film director. He comes back from the trip in time to catch Tom and Livia's wedding reception. Brooke is overjoyed to see Edmund and clings to her man all night long. Edmund wants to go home so he can make love to his fianc�e. Brooke says they have to wait until the groom and bride leave. Mimi tells Brooke it's time for the bouquet tossing. Brooke doesn't want to participate. Edmund thinks she's worried she won't catch it. Brooke says she can be very athletic when she wants. Edmund responds with a smile that he knows.
They return home. Brooke and Edmund talk about how much they missed each other. Edmund blames it on his tyrant of a boss. Brooke says she?ll have to have a talk with her. He starts to unzip Brooke dress and he kisses her neck. Brooke wants to get better acquainted and they fall into the bed. After they make love, Edmund still can't sleep. Brooke picks out a movie while Edmund goes to make popcorn. Edmund lies sleeping on Brooke's lap while she watches the movie. She tenderly strokes his hair as Edmund's dreams again about disappointing his mother. He wakes up with a start and starts going on about breaking into Hugo Marick's tomb. Brooke tells Edmund that he's scaring her - she's afraid that his obsession is going to destroy them. Edmund takes Brooke in his arms and gently rocks her, assuring her that everything will be okay.
Things are far from fine because Edmund does break into the tomb and gets arrested. Edmund makes bail but Brooke doesn't want much to do with him when she realizes he needs to be in court the week they are supposed to get married. Edmund pleads with Brooke to tell him what he has to do to make this up to her. Brooke says it's not something she can force him to do, he has to want to do it himself. Edmund agrees that seeing a psychiatrist is a good idea. His first session with Dr. Toland is good, but during the second visit she attacks Edmund's mother and that doesn't at all sit well with Edmund who considers his mother a saint. Edmund doesn't tell Brooke that he stopped seeing the doctor.
Dimitri comes across a letter that was written by Flora, which almost acknowledges that Edmund was the illegitimate son of Hugo Marick. This discovery rattles Dimi's staunch belief that Edmund's lying. Then Brooke decides to have a heart to heart conversation with Dimitri against Edmund's wishes. She goes to the mausoleum and the two argue. She demands to know what the meaning is behind the Marick family motto "What is Left When Honor is Lost." Brooke tells Dimitri that he's not responsible for what Hugo did to Edmund when he was a child because he was only a child himself, but she says he's a coward now if he can't face the possibility that his father was a monster. Brooke returns home. Edmund wants to get the wedding back on track but Brooke isn't so sure that she can just jump back into their previous plans. Edmund is starting to tell Phoebe that he overreacted with his news, and that they are going to hold off on the ceremony for a little while. Brooke pipes in and tells her Aunt that she wants a small wedding. Edmund asks if Brooke's sure, she is and the two embrace. Dimitri decides to let Edmund exhume Hugo's body but he doesn't want to be there when it's done. He's going to Budapest. When Edmund and Jackson go to retrieve the body from the tomb it's missing because it was moved unbeknownst to everyone by the evil Helga.