Zander and Emily are approaching the waiting room of General Hospital. Zander is anxious about the support group.
Zander: So you ready for your support group?
Emily: Oh, I'm looking forward to it. You know, chemo gets a little bit tougher each time, but the women in that room, they've been through it themselves. They know what it feels like.
Zander: So you can talk about your chemo?
Emily: I don't know. The first meeting, I mostly sat in the sidelines, and I know I'm going to get more out of it if I actually tell them what i'm going through, but I don't know if I'm ready.
Zander: Well, do not pressure yourself, okay? If it feels right, then do it. If not, just --
Zander caresses her hair.
Emily: Wait until next time.
Zander: Whatever happens, I will be right here waiting for you when you get done.
Emily: How'd you get to be so wonderful?
Zander: I had an amazing inspiration.
Emily: I mean it, Zander. You have been so understanding through all of this, even when you found out that I'd been hiding the truth from you for weeks.
Zander: No, none of that stuff matters. Stop beating yourself up about it. All that matters now is our future.
Emily: Yeah. And I want it to be a very long and very happy one.
They have a long kiss as Gia comes off the elevator and waits around the corner.
Emily: I'll see you later.
Zander: Okay.
Emily: Okay.
Zander: Bye.
Emily: Bye.
Gia comes out and goes to where Zander is standing.
Gia: Do you have a minute? This is important.
Zander and Gia go and sit down on the couch in the waiting room.
Gia: I came by to offer Emily my support.
Zander: Oh, she just went into her support group.
Gia: Oh, well, maybe I can catch her when she gets out.
Zander: Yeah, she'd appreciate that.
Gia: Oh, you know, it's the least I can do. Zander, I still feel sort of weird about this whole thing.
Zander: Why?
Gia: Because you and Emily were in love, and there I was stuck in the middle, knowing that she was sick weeks before you did, and I even kept that secret when I saw it was tearing you apart.
Zander: Gia, you didn't do anything wrong.
Gia: That's debatable. All I know is I wouldn't want you to do something like that to me.
Zander: Well, I'm just -- I'm just glad I know the truth, you know?
Gia: She needed you. I told her. I guess it just took her a while to realize it. Anyhow, I'm just really glad she's determined to get well, so -- I'll go.
Gia and Zander stand up.
Zander: Gia, how are you doing?
Gia: Good. Relieved that this whole thing's out in the open, you know? It really took a toll on Emily to hide her feelings.
Zander: Yeah, well, it couldn't have been too easy on you, either.
Gia: Yeah. Well, it's hard to be with someone and pretend that everything's the way you want it to be when you know it's not.
The camera pans to the support group. It focuses on each of the woman in turn and then back on Emily. Emily looks nervous as we see her gather the composure to tell her story.
Woman: Everyone in this room has had to struggle with breast cancer. This is a safe place for us to express our feelings about our treatment, our hair loss, pain, relationships with the men in our lives, anything and everything you want to discuss. There's a healing power in expressing those thoughts. So let's get started. Who would like to speak first today? Emily?
Emily: I'd like to tell my story.
In the support group, Emily starts to tell her story. There are many pauses, ums and ahs, in her speech.
Emily: After my mother died of breast cancer, I started doing monthly self-examinations. When I discovered the lump, I remember feeling a sense of inevitability, almost like I knew it was going to happen. The fear didn't come until later.
The camera pans around to each woman as Emily speaks. She is talking fast while telling her story.
Emily:I was convinced that I was going to go through everything my mother did no matter what treatment I chose. I should have gone to an oncologist right away and studied all of my options, but instead I decided to try an experimental therapy that had absolutely no track record. I was thinking that it doesn't really matter. I'm going to die anyway. At least this way I won't lose my hair.
The women all have a laugh.
Emily: Finally, my -- my adoptive mother convinced me to -- to go to an oncologist and follow the protocol. But even then, I didn't -- I didn't think I was going to survive. I shut out my friends, most of my family, and even the man I love because -- because I didn't want to burden them.
At this time, the camera zooms out and we see Nikolas peeking in the doorway. He pulls back and listens to what Emily has to say.
Emily:I was -- I was so sure that the cancer would keep spreading, that the doctors would keep cutting out parts of my body, that I'd get sicker and sicker until I looked 90 years old and finally I died.
As Emily talks about how Nikolas helped her, the camera pans back to Nikolas and stays there. He has a slight smile as he listens to Emily talk about how he helped her.
Emily:But -- someone -- someone got through to me. He wouldn't let me give up. He is the one who forced me to come to this group and literally saved my life.
Back in the support group, Emily is getting hugs from all the women. As the women leave, Emily stays slightly longer in the room to compose herself.
Woman: Thanks for telling your story, Emily.
Emily: Oh. Thank you.
Woman: Yeah, that guy that helped you out sounds wonderful. You're lucky to have someone like him in your life.
Emily: Oh, thank you.
Woman: Yeah, bye.
Emily: Thanks.
Emily walks out of the room and pauses on the threshold. She sees Nikolas standing at the sidetable, flipping through some papers on the table. Emily goes over and joins him.
Emily: Hey.
Nikolas: Hi.
Emily: How long have you been standing here?
Nikolas: Just a few minutes. How did the meeting go?
Emily: Oh, it was good. I got up and told my story. It was a little scary at first, but -- oh -- it felt so good to get it all out.
Nikolas: I guess so. You did great.
Nikolas does something with his hand and scratches his collar.
Emily: Thanks. I told them all about the guy who dragged me kicking and screaming to the support group, how pushy he was.
Nikolas: Well, I'll take that as a compliment.
Emily: And how much I owe him.
Nikolas: You don't owe me anything. You're the one that found the courage to fight, Emily.
Emily: Uh-uh. I'd given up, Nikolas, until you made me remember all the reasons I had to keep going. We'd have conversations that would last forever, huh?
Nikolas: Yeah.
Emily: One minute I'd be crying with you, and the next minute you'd be making me laugh. I asked you to be my best friend through all of this, and, you -- you went so far beyond that.
Nikolas: Loved every minute of it.
Emily: I guess what I'm trying to say is that "thank you" doesn't even begin to cover it.
Nikolas: No, it doesn't.
They look at each other longingly and they start to lean in towards each other. Around the corner and through the doorway comes Gia and Zander. Nikolas ducks his head and shies away. Nikolas spins to stand beside Emily and clears his throat.
Gia: Hey, there you are. How you feeling?
Emily: Oh, good, good. Thanks.
Gia: Well, it looks like you have a little support team here, so --
Nikolas: Actually, I'm here for a board meeting and I'm running late, so --
Gia: Well, I'll walk with you. Do you need a ride home or anything?
Zander: No, I got it covered.
Gia: Okay.
Nikolas: All right. Bye.
Emily: Bye.
Gia and Nikolas leave. Zander approaches Emily and places his hands on her shoulders.
Emily: Oh.
Zander: How was the meeting?
Emily: Hey. I did it. And I got up and I told my story, everything that I've been through, all the people that have helped me. You told me to get up and speak, right, if it felt right, and it did.
Zander: Good. Good, baby.
Emily: Hmm.
They kiss.
Zander: Good for you.
Zander pulls Emily into a hug but she looks longingly towards the door where Nikolas left.
Zander and Emily coming into the Quartermaine foyer. Emily is animated and happy.
Emily: Thanks.
Emily: Oh. The first time I went to that support group, Zander, I decided in my head that I was going to survive, but there was -- there was something about getting up and telling all of those women --
Zander: Made you believe it.
Emily loops her arms around Zander's neck and they just stand there all happy.
Emily: Exactly. It was like for the first time, my future seemed real, you know? It was like I could just reach out and touch it. I know it's going to happen, Zander. We're going to have a life together. We're going to get married and have children and travel to all those places we want.
Zander: Well, it doesn't have to be exactly in that order, but, yes.
Emily: Travel first, kids later?
Zander: Book it. Go put on a dress.
Emily: Hmm?
Zander: I'm going to go get changed.
Emily: Okay.
Zander: And I'm going to take you out and we're going to celebrate, if you feel well enough.
Emily: Yeah. I think I can manage.
They have a kiss.
Zander: All right. I'll be back.
Emily: Okay.
Zander: See you.
Emily: Bye.
Zander leaves.
Nikolas is walking through the hospital as Gia comes out and grabs him.
Gia: Nikolas, how was your board meeting?
Nikolas: Oh, it got canceled.
Gia: Why don't you just admit you came here to see Emily?
Nikolas: What? I knew she had her support group today, and I was the one who encouraged her to go, so, yes, I wanted to see how she was doing.
Gia: Because you care about her.
Nikolas: She's one of my closest friends.
Gia: The last time we talked, it was obvious that your feelings go a lot deeper than that.
Nikolas: She's in love with Zander, Gia.
Gia: Yeah, and vice versa. So leave it alone, because if you don't, it's completely unfair to Zander.
In the Quartermaine foyer, Emily is adjusting her wrap for her dress. The doorbell rings and Emily goes to answer it. It's Zander.
Zander: Hi. Wow.
Emily: I look okay?
Zander: You look -- oh, wow.
Emily: Oh, Zander.
Zander: You look amazing.
Emily: Well, wait until I'm done with the chemo and I've got my energy back. Then we can go out and really celebrate.
Zander wraps Emily in a hug and kisses her forehead.
Zander: It is marked on my calendar.
Emily: Thanks.
Zander: My gosh.
The door opens and Monica comes in.
Monica: Hi.
Emily: Hi.
Monica: Hi, Zander.
Zander: Hey.
Emily: Are you all right?
Monica: Well, I just got the latest results from your blood work.
Emily: Is something wrong?
Monica: Well, they're going to take you off chemo.
Emily: Okay. That's good, right?
Emily and Zander have a laugh, they are excited.
Zander: She getting better?
Monica: Not exactly. It's having a bad effect on you, Emily. It's actually breaking down your immune system. But if you do go off chemo, then --
The camera zooms on Emily's face as the realization dawns on her. She's looking really upset.
Emily: The cancer could spread.