Sweet Cherry D

[The scene opens up at the home of Jaxan and Jenna Donimari located in Orange County, California. The newly married couple isn't there alone as Jax's younger brother Hunter is there as well as his younger sister Charity, the owner of TEW. Charity two small children are also there as well but they are asleep. Due to recent events, the family has opted to meet there and decide a new course of action. Jax, his wife, and Hunter are all downstairs in the kitchen while Charity is upstairs getting some sleep, thanks to tranquilizers. Jaxan and Hunter are ready to go and slit some throats and would have if it hadn't been for Jenna, the only one with a clear head in the group right now. Jax is sittting in a chair smoking a cigarette as Hunter is sitting on top of a counter also smoking a cigarette. Finally Jax breaks the silence.]

Jaxan Donimari: If that mother fucker thinks I'm going to be taking orders from him, he's got another thing coming.

Hunter Donimari: You're not the only one. It's going to take all of the self-control I have to not beat the piss out of him first chance I get.

Jenna Donimari: You boys need to calm it down okay? I know you're wanting to kill him and trust me I am right there with you; but I know Askari and he is one smart bastard. You guys get too involved and he will figure some way to get you both out of the picture. If that happens, who's going to help her then? ~She looks at them both and crosses her arms against her chest.~ Think about your mother and father- they're gone, you two are all Charity has left. She needs you two to keep a level head.

Jaxan Donimari: Jenna I know you're right but how can we not want to kill the mother fucker? He violated her and married her against her will. Now she has to stay with him or she loses everything....

[The three of them are interrupted by the sound of a doorbell. Jenna looks at both boys and sighs.]

Jenna Donimari: I'll get it.

[She walks through the house to the door and opens it up. Upon seeing the visitor, her eyes go wide as she glares.]

Jenna Donimari: If I were you, I would leave Drake. There are two half-Irish, half-Italian men in there who are ready to kill you. ~She takes a step forward.~ And that doesn't even include what I intend to do to you, you scum-sucking low-life.

Drake Askari: Oh yes, I'm quite aware of how you socially injure the men of your life into schizophrenia, Jenna. I'm actually quite glad Lindsay wasn't your child in the first place; I might have had an easier time proving unfit parenting if that were indeed the case. [takes a deep breath] But as far as your intents are, don't worry--your contract is safe from my meddling since it was signed prior to my arrival. [looks at the two men standing in front of him] And a good morning to you boys as well. My my, are those guns in your pockets or are you excited to see me?

Hunter Donimari: You Mother Fuck......

[He starts charging toward him but Jax places his hands on his brother's chest and stops him. It's no surprise that Hunter is the one to try to lunge at Drake first. He and Charity are fraternal twins and it is killing him what's happened to his sister. It's also doing a number on Jax as since their parents died he has taken on the role of father so to speak. Jax continues to hold Hunter back as he turns his own head and looks at his now brother-in-law.]

Jaxan Donimari: Get off of my property or I will have you arrested for trespassing.

Drake Askari: [a little too calmly] I have no problems with that...just as soon as I get Charity so she can come home with me. [flips his replacement Blackberry in the air] Or am I going to have to get the authorities involved? Because I'm pretty sure wrongful imprisonment and unauthorized medicating of an individual are felonies in this state...and it wouldn't be the first time I've used the law to my advantage.

Jaxan Donimari: For your information, she's had those tranqs since everything that happened with Sane. Go ahead, try to get us arrested.

Drake Askari: Bro...do ya mind if I call you bro? [ignoring Jaxan's attempt to respond] Let me put this simply. Your sister signed a prenuptual agreement before our marriage that states certain conditions in the marriage that have to be done. And one of those is staying in my house and doing what I ask her to do. Now, seeing as how you're preventing her from legally fulfilling her obligations...[smirks] do you really want to push this?

[Jenna can see how now Jax is ready to lunge at Drake himself. She takes a step in front of the two boys and is now toe to toe with Drake.]

Jenna Donimari: You're all ready married to her; you have some control over the company, can't you just let her stay here?

Drake Askari: Oh, isn't this precious...the Mindbreaker wants me to let Charity go. You know, for someone who has a habit of playing mind games with the men of her life, you've got a lot of nerve trying to stop this. The prenup conditions were quite clear--if she doesn't stay in my home, that is grounds for nullification of the marriage on her part and she loses everything. And if you need to see it, I'm sure the Nevada website has a copy of it that you can see for free. Now, unless you plan to argue me that JMC's daughter doesn't know how to work it right....

[Jenna actually smacks Drake hard for that comment, and Drake's eyes widen up at this.]

Drake Askari: Oooh, this is almost too good...now not only do I have a potential lawsuit on my hands, but I'm starting to wonder if maybe I wasn't right to begin with...[stops the half-giggles he'd gotten and gets a serious look on his face] Alright, enough joking around. I'll let her slide for tonight. But my wife needs to be back at my place by five o'clock tomorrow evening...I'm entertaining company and would love for her to meet them, as they are potential investors for syndicating TEW broadcasts on HBO or Showtime...

[Jenna shakes her head as Jax who has finally calmed down, takes a step forward.]

Jaxan Donimari: No, she's not coming back to you. She will not be joining you in your house.

[Drake takes a deep breath and puts his chin in his left hand, obviously getting annoyed about this.]

Drake Askari: Look, I'm beginning to lose my patience about this. If she's not at my place by five o'clock tomorrow, I'll consider it a violation of the prenup and she will forfeit everything...

Hunter Donimari: You hurt her in any way Mother Fucker and you're dead!

[Jenna looks at him and narrows her eyes.]

Jenna Donimari: Hunter keep your mouth shut! ~She looks back at Drake~ I would leave if I were you.

Drake Askari: Like I said...five o'clock...oh, and one more thing...she doesn't show up, all three of you might as well consider yourselves looking for new jobs.

[He turns around and gets ready to walk down the stairs when he stops at the top of them.]

Drake Askari: Have fun with her.

[Jaxan this time tries to lunge at him but both Jenna and Hunter stop him. Finally after Drake's gone, Hunter rubs his forehead and looks from his brother to his sister-in-law. He doesn't say anything, instead walks away and up the stairs to where we see an awake Charity sprawled out on a bed. She looks like hell, in fact she looks very much like she did back when JSane had tormented her. Seeing his sister like that rips at Hunter's heart and soul. He swallows back whatever rage he is feeling and walks toward her. He gently rubs her arm and takes a seat on the bed.]

Hunter Donimari: Hey Char...

Charity Donimari: I have to go back to him, don't I?

[She asks him as she wipes some tears away from her eyes. She isn't sobbing but she is crying and the tears are freely falling from her face. Hunter hesitates answering, but finally does as he rubs his mouth.]

Hunter Donimari:...Yeah. He showed up here and started spouting off a bunch of legal crap and if you don't, he is going to consider it a violation of the pre-nup. He says you'll have to forfeit everything.

[She nods and manages to sit up. Her eyes roll up and look at the ceiling as there is a sad smile on her face.]

Charity Donimari: I had a feeling he was going to throw that bullshit my way. Nothing left to do now I guess....

[She says as she is subtly trembling, Hunter reaches over and starts rubbing her back.]

Charity Donimari: He's got me so tied up in legalities that I don't have any chance of getting out of this. I may as well just accept what's being done and find a way to live with it.

Hunter Donimari: You shouldn't have to though. There is no part of this whole situation that you should have to endure.

[She shrugs her shoulders and exhales.]

Charity Donimari: Not a whole lot I can do about it now. What I need to do though is get the kids situated. ~She looks at Hunter~ Jaxy needs to go and stay with Brandon and Haylie needs to stay with Michael.

[Hunter nods, knowing is sister is right and the scene fades out with the two of them figuring out how to get things squared away before she is set to go and stay with Drake.]

[The scene opens up the following day at five-thirty pm. Charity Donimari has been at Drake's for the past half an hour and upstairs in his bedroom which one could assume is hers as well. He has given her clothing to wear and because of the prenup she must wear it. The clothing consists of an almost see-through halter-top that is very low-cut revealing almost all of her breasts; she is also wearing a black leather skirt, one so short that it reaches up to the highest part of her thigh. To top the outfit off she also has on black fish-net stockings and red platform heels. She cannot even look herself in the mirror because when she does, she feels like a prostitute. Exhaling while trying to get herself together, she flips on the television. Drake's guests are set to arrive at six pm and it will be her job to entertain them. Some footage startes playing on television, it is that of the latest video taken of her ex-husband Brandon Kraus and her cousin Misty Donimari. Seeing those two brings a sad smile to her face. She bites down on her lower lip as she continues to watch and soon sees Michael appear. Her eyes light up as she knows her feelings for him haven't changed one bit and probably never would. Her smile becomes a somewhat happy one as she sees how much he still cares for her. All of this is witnessed by Drake Askari, who is both amused and repulsed by Michael's sudden growth of a conscience. Where was this five years ago? Drake decides to stop watching and speak up.]

Drake Askari: So let me get this straight...[his talk scares her a bit]...he blamed you for the whole JSane episode, disappears from your life for years at a time, and now suddenly displays a conscience when it's too late for him to do anything?

[Hearing Drake's voice brings her out of whatever thoughts she has. She turns and looks at him. Standing up she stares him down and shakes her head.]

Charity Donimari: Don't talk about Michael.

Drake Askari: Fine, I'm just stating the same thing that Brandon did, but whatever...our guests will be here shortly, and our syndication on the paid network stations rely on this. If we can get these deals, that'll be major resources to get more cities for live events than we already have. So...just try to relax and be courteous to them. No rude stuff like you've given me all night so far.

[She glances down at her attire and then back up at him, obviously unhappy with what she's wearing.]

Charity Donimari: Yes and I'm sure they will take me very seriously in this.

Drake Askari: Okay, look, these guys have come to expect certain things out of their meetings, and they requested this, not me. Trust me, if I really thought we could get by without their contracts, you wouldn't be put into this position. But unfortunately, if we're to get any advertising money off of this, we have no other choice but to play along.

[This is one of the few times Drake's tone of voice has actually been sincere, and it is; while he wanted her to dress like this for him, he'd been tipped off that if Charity didn't deliver something, the deal wouldn't go through. At hearing that the clients were expecting certain things, the color drains from her face. Immediately, she starts shaking her head and is flat out refusing.]

Charity Donimari: There is no fucking way that I am doing certain things for a bunch of [b]your[/b] clients. Let the company sink now for all I care. I will not be a damn prostitute.

Drake Askari: You're willing to let our people go without a job, losing their houses and livelihoods for your own selfish needs? You at least have rich people in your family who can bail you out. What about people like Christian Drake, or Minako Sasake? TEW is all they have, and you're going to tell them that you want their jobs to go away? What about Jenna, and Al? You didn't go through the trouble of getting them just to put them back on homeless boulevard, did you?

Charity Donimari: Do you even get what you're making me do?

[Her breathing starts to become more rapid as she keeps shaking her head.]

Charity Donimari: You're making me become a whore.

Drake Askari: Everyone whores themselves in some way. I did it by being the lawyer for an idiot that didn't even suspect the details of his own sister's death, and I toiled away for years. You, on the other hand, have barely had to work for what you have. You've always had Daddy or Uncle Alistair give it to you. Well, the time for hand-me-overs are done.

Charity Donimari: You don't know a Goddamn thing about my life growing up Fuck Tard.

[She clenches her teeth and continues to glare at him. FInally she stops looking like she might kill him and decides to appeal to his humane nature, that is if he has one.]

Charity Donimari: Drake, I am begging you; as your wife, please don't make me do this. Don't make me degrade myself for the business.

[Seeing her act like this, a far cry from the headstrong attitude he's seen from the rest of the family, does give Drake a moment of pause.]

Drake Askari: You know what...you're right. As my wife, I should not expect you to do this. And I will give you this...you are being a lot more respectful to me than the rest of your family at this point.

[Drake takes his phone out of his suit's coat pocket and dials a number up. After a few rings, someone answers.]

Drake Askari: Tom, this is Drake...listen, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel our meeting tonight. [after pulling the phone away from his ear from the loud "What the hell?"] Look, I've been thinking, what you're asking me to do, I can't do it. My wife's not someone that needs to be exploited for a company's gain. Besides, now that I think about it, we have other ways to broadcast our show, like the internet for starters. [some more jabbering from the phone] You know what? You obviously don't want us for sheer entertainment quality, so you can bugger off!

[He hangs up the phone and holds it up for her to see "HBO Executive Tom Shearer, Call Time 1:45" displayed on the phone.]

Drake Askari: Let it never be said that I cannot be reasoned with. I'll still expect you to dress like this around the house, but as far as TEW goes...I will not exploit you like that, so long as you respect me like you just did.

[She thinks for a moment and continues to look at him. Finally she responds.]

Charity Donimari: I apprieciate what you've just done but there is a slight problem. This attire is not comfortable at all and I still feel exploited.

[Drake looks her over and taps his teeth.]

Drake Askari: You know, you have a point. This might be good for going out to a club or some bedroom action, but as far as general wise...not good for business. Tell you what...why don't you and I go shopping tomorrow as an official date? I mean, if we're going to be married, we at least need to get to know each other a little better beyond what has been shown to each other all this time. All I'm going to ask is that if I ask you to dress like that in the bedroom, you don't put up a fight about it. That sound like a reasonable agreement?

[She freezes and continues to look at him. Finally she responds to him- yes he was being nice but she wasn't going to be won over. He had ruined her life and she was going to let him know it, every chance she got.]

Charity Donimari: First off, I don't need to go shopping. My own clothes are just fine. Secondly, I am not sleeping in the same room as you. The thought of you touching me again, makes my skin crawl.

[Drake starts to frown in agitation.]

Drake Askari: Fair enough...I went too far in getting things arranged, and I want to apologize about that. But seeing as how we are married, I at least want to get to know my wife. You said it yourself, I don't know much about you. What I'd like to do is rectify that with you. I'm not asking for sex...what I'm asking for is an agreememnt that goes beyond TEW. Either way, we both lose something if this goes south...we should at least try to make this work.

[While his logic seems a bit iffy, he still seems to be making an effort to be reasonable...Charity isn't buying it though. She walks into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She changes and washes the make-up off of her face. In less than five minutes she comes back out and looks at him with a risen eyebrow.]

Charity Donimari: Yes Drake, we are married and only because you drugged and tricked me. If I had it my way, I would never see you again. Do you understand?

Drake Askari: You know what, I'm really starting to get tired of this. I'm trying to be reasonable with you, and I just cancelled what could have been our biggest deal ever because I wanted to make you happy...but that's never going to happen, is it? You Donimaris are all alike--unless things go your way, you're never satisfied. Well ya know what? I'm getting sick of that attitude. I've done things that you cannot even fathom a guy like me doing to keep that damn Cornett from going completely sane, and don't think for two seconds I wouldn't do it just to keep you in line.

[Charity became frightened at this. Just what had Drake done to James in the past? It suddenly occured to Charity that a lot of JMC's behaviors over the time everyone had known him was because of Drake...how far would he go just to keep her? Part of her almost doesn't want to find out. However there was that challenging and confrontational part of her that was starting to come through as she just took a few steps toward him. To be honest, seeing the footage of Michael and how much he still cared about her had lit a fire inside of her.]

Charity Donimari: Go ahead Fucker, do whatever you have to do. I double-dare you.

[Drake walks right up to her and stares her blank in the face.]

Drake Askari: Just remember this one thing...how Karyn ended up...could very easily be duplicated.

[Drake storms off in a huff. Well, there was one thing confirmed at least...she hadn't yet pissed him off to strike her...but why the comparison to JMC's sister? There was obviously a lot more going on here than she realized. Charity would have to ask Jenna what Drake had meant by that. She raises an eyebrow as she follows him. If he thought for one moment his little threats were going to scare her, he had another thing coming. She follows him through the hallway.]

Charity Donimari: You think you scare me Drake? In my opinion, you're just a little shit who had to drug a woman to get her to marry him. How fucking pathetic.

[All of a sudden, Drake stops and spins around, grabbing Charity by the throat and slamming her up against the wall.]

Drake Askari: You must not know, then...what I meant about Karyn. Otherwise, you'd have shut the fuck up by now.

[She continues to look at him challengingly. Maybe it's a mistake but she can't help herself. This man has ruined her life. She tries to speak but his grip around her throat is almost too tight.]

Drake Askari: Let me paint a picture for you, sweetheart. It's JMC's biggest match in HBAW, the Electrified Chamber of Steel match, where he's pitted against four other guys in a steel cage that, every two minutes has electricity jolting through it. Minutes before he goes out there, he steps foot into his locker room that he shared with Liquid-X and Nikki Starr at the time to find his little sister Karyn, the woman known throughout all of HBAW as Destiny, cold and dead in the middle of the locker room, blood spilling from just about every hole possible, including the four new ones in her back, on her birthday of all days. James loses it, just like he lost it when Jenna betrayed him against Gemini Technal and caused his hand to be shattered by that [expletive deleted], and just like before, Shadow Chaos takes over, causing him to win that match and become HBAW World Heavyweight Champion. He never knew who exactly did it...always thought it was his older brother. Well baby, this dragon's still got a few jewels in his cave.

[Drake jerks her hair a little bit to make sure she's paying attention and gets the story's indication.]

Drake Askari: Do you see now what I've had to do to keep that boy in line?! Every time I thought he was going downhill, something had to happen to reset him back to that mentality that drew so many to him in the first place. A sister killed, a marriage ruined, your cousin's seduction...all of those I personally executed to sheer perfection. And that was just to further a career. Imagine the lengths that I would go...to keep...you.

[Drake takes a deep breath and grabs her hair, staring her in the eyes.]

Drake Askari: Last time was a freebie. You tell ANYONE, including your kids, what I've told you tonight...and you're going to be imitating Karyn quite a bit...

[She stares deep into his eyes, her eyebrows narrowing. She wasn't going to show fear, she couldn't. She can feel him loosening his grip a bit which lets her speak.]

Charity Donimari: Go suck a fuck...

Drake Askari: WRONG ANSWER!

[Drake backhands her in the middle of the hallway pulls her away from the wall. He releases her mid-pull, causing her head to contact the other side of the hallway. He sneered and kneeled onto her back, smirking as he looked down on her. Her eyes rolls around in her head for a moment before she is able to focus on him. She looks up at him, feeling as if she could attack him, but in too much pain.]

Charity Donimari: You're going to rot in Hell and I hope to God I'm the one who sends you there.

Drake Askari: Yeah? Well I got news for ya--unless you're in that Three Stages of FinalHazard match in Highwater, Ohio that you had the nerve to sign me up for in a month, I doubt you're going to get the chance...You know...maybe that's what you should call that card...Hell in Highwater!

[Drake laughs as he stands up and turns away from her.]

Drake Askari: Mark my words...if your attitude doesn't start changing, you're going to find yourself mimicing either Caladbolg or Karyn...which one I still haven't decided yet...meantime...I'm going to watch television. I hear there's a new Thousand Ways to Die episode on tonight.

[Drake walks away from her and into the living room, leaving Charity lying on the ground in pain. She manages to turn her head and watch him walk away, all the while she is making a mental note of what he has just told her. She then turns her head back and lays it down on the floor. Her head is throbbing but she manages to get herself up. Leaning against the wall, she slowly walks toward an empty bedroom. She walks inside of it, shuts the door behind her, locking it. The scene fades out.]