The End

Chapter 34: It Was My Turn

Ellen flipped through her sides for the day. Since she'd rekindled her relationship with Patrick, the show felt less bitter. It only stung a little but now in a way that felt like longing. Like part of her still expected him to appear around every corner. She'd already approached the network about reducing her role to a few episodes a season. but Ellen wouldn't begin the transition for at least another year.

Burning the show that made her career wasn't an option for her.  Even if that very show was ready to burn her years ago. She would see it through. Live with Meredith until her story came to an end. But the hope of a little freedom in the near future made days like this one more bearable, even a little nostalgic.

"Ellen," the voice of a PA interrupted her thoughts and light script reading. She looked up, "We're pushing your scene an hour. You can head back to your trailer. I'll grab you when we're ready."

"Ok," Ellen nodded.

"Do you need anything?"

"No, thanks," she answered kindly. With a quiet sigh she walked back to her trailer. The sun streaking through the sound stages. A gentle breeze whistling through the backlot. She glanced to her phone, 12:00 PM. She might be able to catch Patrick on his way back to the cottage. With the press of a couple buttons she found herself waiting for him to pick up. It rang without luck. She hung up before his voicemail had a chance to answer her.

She turned the corner to her trailer to find him sitting on the metal stairs. "What," she nearly shrieked. "What are you doing here?"

"It was my turn," he smiled. Quickly standing to pull her into his arms. She buried her face in his neck. He stroked the back of her hair. She often wished there was a word to describe the way he made her feel. Her nerves both tingling with excitement and exhaling into perfect peace.

She pulled away and kissed his face. He kissed her back and laughed when they parted. "I don't care today." There was a sense of sass that made him happy he'd flown across the world to see her. Ellen let her eyes fade into his. "What are you doing here? Didn't you have to shoot?"

"I did," he nodded, "They pushed my scenes a few days." Patrick gestured toward her trailer, "I brought coffee."

"Oh sure," Ellen smiled, "You can break into my trailer with coffee any time you want." She laughed, "I can't believe they let you on the lot."

"Please," he huffed a response and opened the trailer door for her. She saw coffee and flowers sitting on the counter.

"Wow," she laughed, "You'd think you were trying to get laid."

He smirked at her comment, "I mean, I wouldn't say no." Patrick paused, she sensed the mood change.

"What?" a tinge of nervousness crossed her chest

"I met with Goldwyn Associates yesterday," his voice a little serious, "I know that we may need to navigate this carefully. I'm not pressuring you into anything. But, I need to tell her." Patrick looked into Ellen's eyes. "I've needed to tell her for twenty years." he paused again, "and with your permission I'd like to tell her the truth."

Ellen was speechless for a long moment. Her breath escaped her lips heavy with a lifetime of emotion. She nodded without speaking. There was an excitement in coming clean, but also a heaviness. Memories swirling through her mind. They'd almost done this for years, but this time was different. She knew that. She extended her hand to him, He took it, stroking the top of her hand with his thumb.

They didn't speak. They just stood there. Hand in hand. Inhaling the quiet intimacy that'd spent most of their adult life building. His eyes wavered over hers. He watched the emotion fill them. The complexity of this wasn't lost on him. "Patrick," she broke the silence. "Don't tell her the whole truth," there was a guilt and empathy in Ellen's tone. "She doesn't need to know all of it."

The whole truth was that it was love at first sight. He'd fallen for her the second her eyes met his and he spent the next 20 years thinking of her, dreaming of her, finding excuses to be with her, to touch her. Most of his marriage to Jill was laced with both emotional and physical intimacy with Ellen. She'd been so deeply intwined in his life that most of his memories included her. They'd built a parallel life.

Jillian didn't deserve that. He would spare her feelings in whatever way he could.

"Ok," he nodded, "I think I'll tell her the truth about me leaving the show and everything after."

"I think that's good enough." Ellen agreed, "I'll tell him the same." Her mind was a roller coaster of thoughts, "I'm sure Goldwyn already advised this but you... we should contact our lawyers." She shook her head, "this isn't going to come easy."

"Nothing worth having is," He smiled at her.

She softly returned his smile and squeezed his hand. "When are you going to do it."

Patrick explained to Ellen the plan that he and Charlotte had crafted. It started with him finishing his time working over seas so he could manage the situation from the states but never returning to living with Jill again, keeping the distance. "She said the best case scenario is 6 months,"

"Wow," Ellen said firmly, "6 Months is long."

"I agree," Patrick answered honestly, "That's why I gave her 6 weeks."

"Ha," Ellen laughed at him and then observed his eyes, "Oh," she paused letting that set in, "you're serious."

"I told you," Patrick said firmly yet sweetly, "I'm not wasting any more time."  Her eyes danced over his. The chemical reaction seemed to pull them closer together. He stroked a piece of hair away from her face. She swallowed the lump of desire building in her throat.

His eyes quickly stoking the fire burning inside of her.  She exhaled, "Ok, focus Dempsey."

He cleared his throat and stepped back from her, "Right, we distance ourselves from home and leave one at a time. Charlotte is already taking care of any potential leaks. I'll leave Jillian, I'll tell her the truth as carefully and as kindly as possible. I'll tell her working with you again sparked old feelings and she deserves better than that." The statement took the air out of his lungs. "I'll have to give her a lot of money but I think she'll sign whatever we need her to."

"It's in everyone's best interest," Ellen's voice was soft.

"The public story will be that we reconnected during a hard time." Patrick shrugged. "And that's it."

"Sounds so simple." Ellen sighed, knowing it was anything but simple. He reached to hold her hand again.

Their soft intimate moment extinguished by the ringing of Patrick's cell phone and seconds later Ellen's cell phone. They shared a strange concerned look. He looked to his caller ID, "It's my agent."

Ellen had peered over to check hers, "Mine too."

Patrick cleared his throat and gestured to the door. "Hello," he said smoothly answering his phone and stepping outside.

"Hi," Ellen answered her phone.