"SEABISCUIT" (2003) Photo Gallery

Here is a gallery featuring photos from the 2003 Academy Award nominated film about the famous race horse from the late 1930s, "SEABISCUIT". Directed by Gary Ross, the movie stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Banks and William H. Macy:


"SEABISCUIT" (2003) Photo Gallery

"Return With a Vengeance" [PG-13] - 7/18

"RETURN WITH A VENGEANCE"

CHAPTER 7

Inside the Halliwells' Solarium, Leo withered under Piper's glare. "Don't . . . you . . . ever ask me to interfere in your job like that, again!" she coldly demanded. "Ever! Unless it's an emergency."

"Emer . . . what happened with Mrs. McNeill?" Leo asked.

Piper cried out, "What happened? I'll tell you what happened! Both Paige and I nearly ended up feeling like complete idiots! We tried to warn Mrs. McNeill - old Mrs. McNeill - and Mr. McNeill about Cole. But they simply dismissed us like . . . like a bunch of simpletons! They even had the nerve to question our actions when we vanquished that son-of-a-bitch, last spring!"

Noting his wife's agitated state, Leo tried to calm her. "Take it easy, Piper! You don't want to get upset, what with the baby and everything."

I'm already upset, Leo! I've been upset ever since we left the McNeills!"

At that moment, Phoebe and Paige entered the Solarium. "Paige told me what happened with the McNeills," Phoebe grimly commented. "So much for warning them."

"I'm sorry, honey," Piper cooed, suddenly looking contrite. Ever since her pregnancy began, her mood shifts have never failed to amaze Leo. And keep him off guard. "I guess they weren't willing to listen."

Phoebe shook her head. "You know, it seems as if Cole may have brainwashed them all with that mind manipulating power of his."

"He's never used that power on us," Paige quietly added. "Even when he had the opportunity to do so."

The other two Halliwells stared at their sister with disbelief. Leo frowned. "What do you mean by that?" Phoebe coolly asked.

Paige's usually pale skin turned pink. "Nothing. I . . . I don't know. I guess I have this feeling that the McNeills genuinely like him. They don't exactly strike me as the conventional types, anyway. And after all, Olivia was once engaged to a warlock."

"That only means they have bad taste in friends," Piper caustically replied. Her eyes grew uneasy. "You're not buying that nonsense that the McNeills were telling us about the Source, are you?"

"Of course not!" Paige's response came a little too quick to suit Leo. He had the oddest feeling that the youngest Charmed One was beginning to doubt the family's opinion on Cole. Both Phoebe and Piper continued to stare at Paige. "Why are you two staring at me, like that?"

Piper cleared her throat and glanced away. "It's nothing, Paige. Right Pheebs?"

To Leo's dismay, the middle Halliwell turned her back on the others and left the room. Leo did not say it out loud, but the oath rang in his mind, loud and clear. Damn Cole Turner!

* * * *

Darryl Morris heaved a sigh, as he stretched across the living room sofa. His wife, a beautiful woman with light-brown skin and sharp cheekbones, regarded him with a concerned expression. "Baby, why don't you go to bed? You look pretty tired."

"I'm fine," Darryl replied, stifling a yawn. "Besides, it's only ten after ten."

Sheila Morris walked over to a nearby closet. She returned seconds later, holding a blanket. "The way you look, right now, it might as well be midnight. Go to bed, Darryl. You're not going to last very long."

Darryl sighed. In this age of feminine enlightenment and two-income marriages, it amazed him that he managed to end up married to a bona fide mother hen. Sheila had her own career as a computer software consultant. Yet, she possessed a maternal instinct that Piper Halliwell would envy. And Darryl could not have been any happier.

"Look Sheila, I want go over this police report before I turn in. It shouldn't take long." He reached for the brown accordion file, situated on the coffee table.

A frown creased Sheila's brow. "Is that about the man found in the alley, this morning?"

"Yeah."

Sheila continued, "Do you and Olivia have any idea who had killed him?"

What could Darryl say? That a warlock, who had once been a pebble, was responsible for the man's death? Sheila would immediately suspect him of losing his mind. Even after three years, Darryl had yet to reveal the Halliwells' secret. Or Olivia's secret in the past three weeks. Then again, Sheila did believe in aspects of New Age religion like past lives, horoscopes and psychic abilities. Maybe he should tell her . . . one day.

"We don't know yet," Darryl finally lied. "We think this killing might be linked to those from last month." Darryl stifled another yawn.

Sheila handed him the blanket. "Here. Even if you don't fall asleep, it's going to be a cold night. And it's supposed to rain. Here's something to keep you warm." She leaned down and planted a light kiss on Darryl's lips. "I'm going to bed early, myself. Good-night, baby." Darryl murmured a quick goodnight and returned his attention to the police file.

Within five minutes, Darryl found himself becoming groggy. He struggled to keep his eyes opened, but in the end, he slipped into a deep sleep.

* * * *

Suzanne Crozat glanced at the rosewood clock resting on the fireplace mantle, inside Cole Turner's penthouse. It read ten twenty-five. She and the half-demon had just finished a late supper - a delicious meal that consisted of Rock Cornish Hen with Raisin Sauce, herbed rice and Peas Amandine. Who knew that the infamous Belthazor also happened to be a first-class cook? Or so good-looking? She only recalled how he looked in daemonic form.

Fearful that she might become too comfortable, thanks to the delectable meal and the attractive company, Suzanne focused her mind on the task at hand. Namely slipping the potion to Belthazor. It galled Suzanne that she had not remembered to do so, during the meal. Belthazor - or should she say Cole - returned to the living room, carrying two snifters filled with brandy. The perfect nightcap to a perfect evening. Suzanne frowned. Perfect? What the hell was the matter with her?

"Is there something wrong?" Cole asked. He placed the brandy on the coffee table, in front of Suzanne.

She stared at her host. "Huh?"

"You're frowning. I was wondering if . . ."

A brief smile struggled to form on Suzanne's lips. "It's . . . business," she finally said. "I'm, uh, I'm having trouble finding the right real estate agent. For the venture I had told you about."

"Oh yes. Look, why don't you leave it to me to find an agent?" Cole smiled.

Suzanne returned his smile. At the same time, she felt a jolt of desire throughout her body. An idea popped into her head. One that would appall her cousins. She found herself playing with the idea of enjoying a night of sex with Bel . . . Cole Turner. The idea swam in her mind for a minute or two. Suzanne reminded herself that Turner was a half-daemon who had betrayed the Source's Realm, more than once over the past two years. One who had consorted with witches and whitelighters. The only thing he deserved was death . . . after the Crozats take his powers, of course.

Suddenly clutching her stomach, Suzanne let out a fake gasp. "Oh! Oh God! Do you have any antacid?" she asked.

Concern etched across Cole's face. "Are you ill?"

"Huh? Uh, no. No, I'm fine. It's just . . ." Suzanne paused dramatically. "I guess the meal turned out to be a little too rich for me. An antacid pill would help. Do you have one?"

Cole shot her a quick smile and stood up. "I'll be right back." He strode out of the living room. The moment he disappeared, Suzanne rummaged through her purse, until she came across a vial of green-colored liquid. The potion. She uncorked the vial and poured the contents into Cole's brandy snifter. And not a moment too soon. Cole returned with two white tablets, the moment she slipped the empty vial back inside her purse.

"Here you go." He handed Suzanne the two tablets. "They're chewable."

With a smile, Suzanne thanked Cole, took the tablets, and popped them into her mouth. Cole returned to his seat, next to her. "Now, about that list of agents . . ." Apparently, he still had business on the brain.

"Don't you think it's a bit late to be discussing business?" Suzanne leaned forward, making sure that Cole had a clear view of her best attributes - her eyes and full lips.

Cole's blue eyes grew wide. "Well," he said in his usual soft voice, "what exactly do you want to discuss?" He did not bother to draw away. Interesting.

"For starters, how about this brandy?" Suzanne picked up her brandy snifter. "I'm something of a wine connoisseur."

Cole stared at her. For a brief moment, his eyes expressed confusion. Then he smiled and reached for his snifter. "Well, if you must know . . ."

The doorbell rang, cutting him off. Suzanne bit back a frustrated growl. Dammit! She had been so close. Cole stood up and headed for the door. From her view of the front door, Suzanne saw a shock of red hair. "Olivia?" She heard Cole say.

Olivia McNeill. Suzanne felt a flash of anxiety. Cole's neighbor and one of the McNeill witches. What was she doing here?

"I wondered if you had any parsley," the McNeill witch said, answering Suzanne's question. She followed Cole into the penthouse. Her green eyes fell upon Suzanne, and she paused. "Oh. I forgot that you had a guest, this evening."

Forgot, my ass! Suzanne suspected that this red-haired bitch had purposely interrupted Cole's date. Why, she had no idea. But the witch's presence made Suzanne feel anxious.

Cole nervously cleared his throat and introduced the two women. "Suzanne, this is my neighbor, Olivia McNeill. Olivia, this is Suzanne Maxwell, one of my new clients."

"How do you do?" Olivia greeted with a smile.

Suzanne tried to be just as friendly, but it took a great deal of effort on her part. While Cole headed to the kitchen to retrieve the requested herb, Olivia McNeill continued to make conversation. "So, you're a new client of Cole's. What exactly do you do for a living?"

"I, uh . . . I'm managing my late husband's holdings. You know, investments, real estate . . . that sort of thing," Suzanne replied politely. "Since I'm new to San Francisco, Cole is helping me manage everything."

Auburn brows shot upward. "This is your first time in San Francisco? Where are you from?"

Nosy little bitch! Suzanne struggled to keep her irritation in check. "Canada. I'm from Canada. Vancouver."

Green eyes developed an intensity that disturbed Suzanne. "Really?" the McNeill witch said in a reflective voice. "You don't sound Canadian."

Panic gripped Suzanne. How in the hell did this woman know the difference between an American and a Canadian accent? Suzanne took a quick breath and added that she was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. "But my husband was a Canadian. I've been living there for the past seven years."

"Hmmm." The McNeill woman's green eyes remained glued to the warlock's face. Then she smiled. "Sorry about the twenty questions. I'm a cop and sometimes my conversation tends to turn into an interrogation."

Suzanne feebly returned the smile. "It's okay." Now, she thought, if only Cole would return with that bottle of parsley. Just as she began to relax, the McNeill witch bumped into the coffee table. And knocked Cole's brandy snifter onto the table. To Suzanne's horror, the snifter's contents spilled out onto the carpet-covered floor.

"Ooops!" A mild grimace stretched the witch's mouth. She turned to the approaching Cole. "Oh God! I think I just spilled brandy on your carpet."

Cole glanced at the spot on the carpet and shrugged. "No problem. I have something that will clean that spot out. Here's your parsley." He handed a bottle of the green herb to the McNeill witch.

Suzanne was barely paying attention. Instead, she was doing her level best not to give in to anger and kill the red-haired witch. She glanced into the latter's eyes . . . saw the calculated gleam and simmered down. Now was not the time to fly into a state of rage.

"Suzanne?" Cole's voice broke into her thoughts. "Are you okay? Or is your stomach still bothering you?"

Was she okay? That damn McNeill bitch had just ruined her coven's chance to steal Belthazor's powers, tonight! Only the gods knew when they would get such a chance, again. The warlock took a deep breath. "I'm fine. Somewhat. I . . . my stomach is still a little heavy from that meal." Suzanne feigned a wan smile. "I guess the antacid didn't work. Maybe I should go home and get some rest."

"Well, there's no need to leave on my account," Olivia protested.

Suzanne quickly shook her head. "It's not that. Really! My stomach has been doing flip-flops during the past twenty minutes."

Frowning, Cole retrieved Suzanne's coat from the closet. He helped her put it on. "I hope my cooking didn't make you sick."

"Oh no! Dinner was great! I think I may have eaten just a little too much. And it was a bit rich." Suzanne gave the pair another wan smile. Then she said to Cole, "Give me a call when you find what I'm looking for."

Cole nodded. "Of course."

Suzanne flashed her host one last smile, and left just as fast as she could.

* * * *

The dark figure materialized into the middle of the Morris living room. Holding a reddish-brown urn, Edward Crozat quietly sat the urn down on the coffee table, and stared at the slumbering figure on the sofa. He smiled. The perfect opportunity.

Edward quickly stepped away from the table. He moved to an empty spot behind the staircase. Using his telekinesis, the warlock removed the urn's top. Seconds later, a cold chill permeated the room, followed by a dark cloud that rose ominously from the urn. Edward watched the cloud drift toward Darryl Morris, hover briefly and finally invade the latter's body.

Another minute passed. The police inspector's eyes flew open. The man on the sofa sat up, gazed around the room, and spotted Edward behind the staircase. "Who are you?" Morris' deep voice resonated with a West African accent.

"Edward Crozat at your service, your eminence." The warlock stepped forward and bowed deeply. "I'm a warlock."

Morris rose from the sofa and stared imperiously at Edward. "'Your eminence'? You know who I am?"

"Why yes, the great Dahomey sorcerer, Dako." Edward fell upon his knees. "Welcome to the 21st century."


END OF CHAPTER 7

Top Ten Favorite Buffyverse Fan Fiction

Below is a list of my favorite fan fiction stories based upon both series, "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" and "ANGEL":


TOP TEN FAVORITE BUFFYVERSE FAN FICTION

1. "Things Present – Things Past" by Estepheia and Marcee - Due to a spell, Buffy switches bodies with a Slayer in late 19th century London. Set during early Season 6 "BUFFY".

2. "Another Peaceful War" by Marina Frants - During a summer trip to his family in Iowa, Riley Finn suffers emotional and physical consequences from the events of "BUFFY" Season Four.

3. "Zombies Are a Girl’s Best Friend" by Jennifer-Oskanna - Crossover story featuring Lilah Morgan's dealings with the Bluth family from "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT".

4. "Mind If I Join You?" by AmatrixClavus - A different version of how Wesley Wyndham-Price and Lilah Morgan first started their affair in the Season Three finale of "ANGEL".

5. "Demons and Dharma" by Sangga55 - Set in early Season 5 of "BUFFY", Spike joins Buffy in her yoga/aerobics class, much to her annoyance.

6. "The Sixth Day" by Jennifer-Oskanna - Another deliciously perverse story about Wesley Wyndham-Price's affair with Lilah Morgan between Seasons 3 and 4 of "ANGEL".

7. "The Quality of Mercy" by Yahtzee - As Angel tries to pull his life together in Season Two of "ANGEL", Riley Finn shows up in L.A. as his life is falling apart.

8. "Queer Eye For the Spike Guy" by Michael Weaver - The Fab 5 from "QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUYS" have a challenge on their hands with a certain bleached blond vampire in Sunnydale. An alternate Season 6 "BUFFY" story.


9. "Who’s Afraid of Red, White, Green" by LadyCat and Estepheia - Angel, Spike and the members of the Fang Gang spend their first Christmas at Wolfram and Hart. With disasterous results.

10. "This Isn't How It's Supposed To Be" by Robyn the Snowshoe Hare - A very funny reunion between Buffy and Angel.

"LOST" - The Aaron Littleton Lie

"LOST" - The Aaron Littleton Lie

Last night, ”LOST” aired an episode called (5.04) ”The Little Prince”. In this episode, former fugitive Kate Austen discovered that that someone knows the secret of Aaron Littleton’s true parental lineage. When I first learned about this episode, I found myself wondering if the series would finally address the moral consequences of the Oceanic Six’s lie about Aaron. It did . . . on a very limited scale.

As everyone knows, Australian survivor, Claire Littleton had given birth to an infant son named Aaron on the castaways’ 41st day on the island. While on the run from the murderous Martin Keamy and his thugs; Claire, James “Sawyer” Ford and Miles Straume make camp for an overnight rest some fifty-seven days later. That night, a vision of her late father, Christian Shephard, led her to abandon Aaron and follow her father into the jungle. Sawyer and Miles spent nearly a day searching for her, before giving up and heading for the castaways’ beach camp. To make a long matter short, Aaron ended up with Kate Austen, a fugitive accused of murder, bank robbery and a few other crimes. Kate, Aaron, Desmond Hume, pilot Frank Lapidus and the other members of the Oceanic Six – Jack Shephard, Sun Kwon, Sayid Jarrah and Hugo Reyes – were rescued by Desmond’s lady love, Penelope Widmore, in her yacht. There, they made the decision to create a series of lies about their experiences on the island. One of those lies centered around Aaron’s parentage. In the Season Four episode, (4.12) ”There’s No Place Like Home, Part I”, Oceanic Airlines representative Karen Decker repeated the Oceanic Six’s lie to the press:

”Based on the location of the wreckage, our best estimate of the crash site is... (click) here. From there, the survivors were carried by the ocean's current to... (click) here--an uninhabited island in the Lesser Sunda Islands known as Membata. As you've all read in your briefing books, on day 103... (click) a typhoon washed up the remnants of an Indonesian fishing boat, including basic supplies and a survival raft. On day 108, the remaining six survivors, including Ms. Austen's baby which she gave birth to on the island of Membata, used this raft to journey here-- (click) an island called Sumba. They then came ashore near a village called Manukangga. This photo was taken by the local fisherman who found them. Once it was discovered who they were, they were transported to Honolulu by the U.S. Coast Guard. As you can imagine, this has been an extraordinarily trying experience. They have, however, agreed to answer a few questions. So, ladies and gentlemen, the survivors of Oceanic 8-1-5.”

Now, according to the Oceanic Six, Kate was six months pregnant when she was arrested by U.S. Marshal Edward Mars in Australia and later boarded Oceanic Flight 815 on September 22, 2004. Sometime between the crash and their arrival at an island called Sumba, Kate gave birth to Aaron. Six months following their return, the Shephard family – Jack and his mother, Marge – held a funeral for Christian Shephard, who had died in Australia before the crash. Kate (with Aaron), Sayid and his wife Nadia, and Hurley attended the funeral. Following the service, a blond woman approached Jack and informed him that she was Carole Littleton, Claire’s mother. While Kate stood nearby, holding Aaron, Carole also revealed that she had an affair with Christian and that Claire was Jack’s half-sister. This meant that Aaron was Jack’s nephew. Naturally, Jack was upset over the news. Even more important, both he and Kate failed to inform Ms. Littleton that she was standing just a few feet away from her grandson. The episode, (4.04) “Eggtown” revealed that Kate eventually stood trial for her crimes. Because her mother Diane Jensen – the prosecution’s star witness for the murder charge – refused to testify against her, Kate got away with the cold blooded murder of her father, Wayne Jensen. For some reason that still defies me, the prosecution decided to offer probation to Kate for her other crimes – which included bank robbery, assault of a Federal officer, grand larceny and grand theft auto. Kate agreed to ten (10) years of probation. In other words, she was not allowed to leave the state of California for a decade. I doubt that this verdict actually bothered Kate. It kept her out of prison and she was able to go home and continue her charade as Aaron’s mother.

In a recent episode of ”LOST” called (5.01) “Because You Left”, Kate had received a visit from two attorneys who claimed to have a court order demanding paternity tests be conducted to conclude if Kate is Aaron's biological mother. Kate used their visit as another opportunity to do what she does best – namely flee. This time, she did so with Aaron. In the following episode, (5.02) “The Lie”, Kate met up with her fellow Oceanic Six survivor, Sun Kwon, somewhere in Los Angeles and told the latter about the attorneys’ visit. Sun advised her to meet the attorneys again and kill them. According to Sun, the Oceanic Six had to maintain their lies in order to protect the island and those who had been left behind.

In the end, this excuse that Sun gave Kate is the same excuse that Jack first stated on Penny’s yacht some few years ago – namely their lies were necessary to protect those who had been left behind and the island itself from the authorities and especially Charles Widmore. In fact, many of the show’s fans have expressed their acceptance of this excuse on many ”LOST” forums, message boards and blogs. I must admit that I never understood the need for these lies, except for one reason – the media and the authorities would have found the truth ludicrous and committed the Oceanic Six to various mental institutions. Even if the authorities had believed their story, I doubt that anyone would have been able to find the island, considering that Ben Linus managed to move it using some ‘Donkey Wheel’ in the Season Four finale, (4.13) ”There’s No Place Like Home, Part III”. But what really annoys me to no end was the lie about Aaron and Kate.

Kate Austen must be a very popular character with the fans of ”LOST”. Of all the characters, she is the only one who has received more excuses for her crimes and mistakes than any of the others. Sawyer is probably a close second, but that is another matter. Many fans have spent more time on her ludicrous love triangle with Jack and Sawyer than on the fact that she is an unrepentant murderess and now, kidnapper. With Aaron, Kate has now committed the act of kidnapping via a lie. Mind you, she is not solely guilty of this latest crime. Jack, Sayid, Sun and Hurley are also guilty. Before ”The Little Prince” aired, everyone – including myself – believed that Jack had been the creator behind the lie surrounding Aaron. The episode eventually revealed that Kate was the one who had suggested the lie to Jack. He eventually accepted it and used it as part of his repertoire of other lies surrounding the island. Sayid, Sun and Hurley remained silent on the matter, while Kate carried out the lie. Along with the excuse mentioned in a previous paragraph, I have come across many excuses surrounding the lie about Aaron’s parentage. I have yet to come across an excuse or justification that made any sense to me. And God knows I have come across a good number of them. Here are just a few:

*Kate is a good mother.
*No one had any knowledge of whether Claire had any relations in Australia.
*Claire had originally been on her way to Los Angeles to give Aaron up for adoption.
*Sun’s Korean heritage prevented her from claiming to be Aaron’s mother.
*Claire had allowed Kate to leave the island with Aaron (this one was hard to swallow).
*In Kate’s dream, Claire told her not to bring Aaron back to the island.
*Carole Littleton’s affair with a much married Christian Shephard made her morally unacceptable as Aaron’s guardian (I swear, I actually came across this one)
*The psychic Richard Malkin had lied to Claire, when he told her that only she should raise Aaron. A “nice couple from L.A.” – namely Jack and Kate – were destined to raise him.
*Due to ”LOST” being a fictional story, there was nothing wrong with Kate pretending to be Aaron’s mother.
*By lying, the Oceanic Six did the best thing they could to protect Aaron.
*Claire left Aaron in the jungle to follow her father in (4.09) “The Shape of Things to Come”.

And so on. One of the forums that really demonstrated the need for fans to see nothing wrong in Kate’s custody of Aaron is The Fuselage. Other forums such as Lost-Forums, Souless Spike, Television Without Pity more or less skirted the issue. Although the Lost-TV Forum posted a thread in which someone had criticized Kate for creating the lie about Aaron, most of the members who have responded are defending Kate’s actions . . . and bashing Jack for agreeing to the lie. Amazing. This murderous bitch has gotten away with the kidnapping of a child and she is getting a free pass by certain fans. Fortunately, not all of the show’s fans on this forum are defending her. There are some of them on other threads who have criticized Kate for her actions in regard to Aaron.

There are many aspects to the lie surrounding Aaron Littleton that I find questionable. First all, I have doubts about the Oceanic Six’s decision to lie about the island. In one of the flashbacks for “The Lie”, Jack claimed that the lies would protect those left behind on the island:

JACK: Hurley, what about you?

HURLEY: I don't think we should lie, dude.

JACK: We need to protect the people that we left behind, Hurley.

HURLEY: How does lying protect them?

JACK: It protects them from Charles Widmore. The guy hired a boatload of people to kill all of us. He faked a plane crash. I mean, you think telling him the truth, he's just gonna--he's gonna leave them alone?

Hurley was right. How would this lie protect those left behind from Charles Widmore? The Oceanic Six had witnessed the island’s disappearance. How could Widmore learn about the island’s whereabouts if the Oceanic Six had no idea where it had disappeared to? Should it not have been more important for them to tell the authorities that others had been left behind, so that they could be rescued? Of all of the survivors from Flight 815, only two people had formed any attachment to the island – John Locke and Rose Nadler. Rose’s husband, Bernard, was only willing to remain due to his wife’s belief that the island kept her healthy and alive. I suspect that the Oceanic Six’s real motivation behind their lies was due to their guilt over leaving the others behind. None of them ever bothered to stop at the beach camp to see if all of the Losties had made it to the freighter. Instead, they had Frank Lapidus fly them straight to the freighter in their bid to escape from the island. I suspect that guilt was the main motivator behind their lies.

But what was the main motivation behind the lie surrounding Aaron Littleton? In this scene from ”The Little Prince”, Kate Austen gave her reasons to Jack Shephard – one of two men she has managed to wrap around her finger during her three month stay on the island:

JACK: (Chuckles) At least one of us can sleep. It's gonna take more than two nights for me to get used to sleeping in a normal bed. What are we gonna do about him? About Aaron.

JACK: I don't know.

KATE: I've been thinking a lot about him. Did you know that Claire was flying to L.A. to give him up for adoption?

JACK: No. No, I didn't.

KATE: I think we should say he's mine.

JACK: What?

KATE: We could say that I was six months pregnant when I was arrested and that I gave birth to him on the Island. No one would ever know.

JACK: Kate, no. You don't have to... (sighs) There's other ways too this.

KATE: After everyone we've lost--Michael, Jin, Sawyer... I can't lose him, too.

JACK: Sawyer's not dead.

KATE: No. But he's gone. Good night, Jack.

JACK: Kate... If we're gonna be safe, if we're gonna protect the people that we left behind, tomorrow morning, I'm gonna have to convince everyone to lie. If it's just me, they're never gonna go for it. So I'm gonna turn to you first. Are you with me?

KATE: I have always been with you.

That was probably one of the most flimsy excuses I have ever came across for keeping a child, based upon a lie. It made Kate look like an over-emotional nanny who had resorted to kidnapping to keep a favored child by her side. She had grown attached to Aaron and could not deal with another loss after Sawyer’s departure from Frank’s helicopter? On one level, I can understand this. It is possible that she had grown emotionally attached to Aaron, considering what they had experienced before Penny’s rescue. On another level, I find this excuse questionable. There is something niggling in the back of my mind that Kate may have been using Aaron as an excuse to avoid time in prison. It is possible that she realized that she could not flee from the authorities following their return to the States . . . and decided to use Aaron as some kind of character reference without allowing him to show up at the trial. She did not need Aaron at the trial. She had Jack. Looking back on the trial featured in ”Eggtown”, Kate did not put up much of a fight against Jack testifying for her. But like I had said . . . it is merely a possibility. But surely she must have realized that Aaron would come into the picture some way or the other by claiming to be his mother. What did she expect?

There are those who claimed that Kate and the rest of the Oceanic Six had done nothing wrong by supporting the lie about Aaron’s parentage. Here, I beg to differ. Frankly, I found the lie to be appalling. Kate used Claire’s revelation that the latter was planning to give Aaron up for adoption as an excuse to claim the baby as her child. What she, Jack and the rest of the Oceanic Six failed to realize was that none of them knew the circumstances surrounding Claire’s original intent. They decided to accept the possibility that Claire lacked a family . . . and hand over an innocent child to a woman who was facing charges of murder and other crimes in the U.S. No one had known whether Kate would be able to avoid prison and decided to allow her to claim Aaron as her son. I found that despicable.

There is also the argument that Kate really had no choice but to raise Aaron. Sun could not claim the baby as her own, due to her Korean heritage. Many fans claimed that someone had to raise Aaron. Why? To protect him? What on earth made them think that Kate could protect Aaron? This is the same woman who ended up getting jumped by a mortally wounded Naomi Dorrit in the Season 4 premiere, (4.01) “The Beginning of the End”. How on earth was Kate supposed to protect Aaron? Very people did not even bother to consider that the Oceanic Six could have told the truth about Aaron’s parentage . . . and maintain their lies about the island. All they had to do was reveal at the press conference hosted by Oceanic Airlines in ”There’s No Place Like Home” that Claire had survived the plane crash, given birth to Aaron and died before the five adult survivors could be rescued. Chances are that Aaron would have ended up with his grandmother, Carole Littleton. The ironic thing is that when Carole made her second appearance in ”The Little Prince”, both Kate and Jack viewed the woman as some kind of villain or threat to their existence. Especially Kate:

KATE: Oh, my God.

JACK: (Exhales deeply) It's Claire's mother.

Act 5
JACK: Wait.

KATE: What am I waiting for, Jack?

JACK: Wait. I just... let's just think about this for a minute.

KATE: She knows.

JACK: Maybe she doesn't know.

KATE: No, but she knows about Aaron, and that's all that matters!

JACK: (Sighs) Let me go talk to her.

KATE: What?

JACK: If I can just explain to her why we did it--maybe if I can get her to understand why... she'll listen to me. I can fix this, Kate. I can fix it. Hey. Aaron is my family, too.

(Knock on door)

(sighs)

CAROLE: Dr. Shephard?

JACK: Hello, Ms. Littleton. Um... may I come in?

CAROLE: Of course.

(Door closes)

CAROLE: You look drenched.

JACK: No, no. No, I'm fine.

CAROLE: God, I haven't seen you since your father's funeral. How did you even know I was here?

JACK: Um... I knew you were here, Ms. Littleton, because I followed your lawyer.

CAROLE: Why would you do that?

JACK: I'm--I did it because, um... I understand that you feel the need to do this. But I need you to know that everything that Kate and I have done--it was for Aaron.

CAROLE: Who's... Aaron? I--I'm afraid I'm not following you.

JACK: Ms. Littleton, um... what are you doing here in Los Angeles?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Thunder rumbles)

JACK: Let's go. Drive. Then call Sun and tell her to bring Aaron to the Long Beach Marina. We'll meet her there.

KATE: What--wh-what are you talking about? What happened?

JACK: Kate, we have to go now.

KATE: I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what just happened!

JACK: She doesn't know anything.

KATE: What?

JACK: She doesn't know. She still thinks that Claire is dead. (Pants) She doesn't even know that Aaron exists.

KATE: But the lawyer--

JACK: She sued Oceanic, and she's in town to pick up her settlement.

KATE: What, and it's just a coincidence that her lawyer happens to be the same one that's trying to take my son?

JACK: I don't know. But whoever's trying to take Aaron... it's not her.

KATE: Then who is it?

Amazing. Kate, Jack and the rest of the Oceanic Six were the ones guilty of kidnapping and both Jack and Kate end up viewing Carole Littleton as some potential kidnapper. It was enough to make me sick to my stomach.

Many fans have condoned the Oceanic Six’s actions by claiming that Kate turned out to be a wonderful mother for Aaron. Frankly, who gives a shit? I really DO NOT CARE what type of mother Kate turned out to be. What she and the rest of the Oceanic Six had done about Aaron was despicable. They had dragged an innocent child into an unnecessary deception with hardly any qualms, for their own selfish reasons. They really have no excuse for the lie about Aaron. And since the Oceanic Six have less than three (3) days to return to the island, they have ensured that the grieving Carole Littleton will never learn about the only link to her missing daughter – her grandson, Aaron. Of all the crimes that have been featured on ”LOST”, I found the lie about Aaron to be the most appalling I have ever witnessed on that show. The Oceanic Six disgusted me. Especially one Kate Austen.

"Blinded By the Heart" [PG] - 1/1

Here is a VOYAGER story set around early Season 2:


"BLINDED BY THE HEART"

St. Valentine's Day. Tonight, Voyager's crew celebrated that particular holiday for the first time, since their arrival in the Delta Quadrant, nearly a year ago. Despite its Terran origins, Valentine's Day had become popular throughout the Alpha Quadrant and not only did the Human crewmembers gather inside Sandrine's to celebrate, so did many of the ship's small percentage of non-Terran occupants. In celebration of the holiday, red streamers and pictures of hearts and Cupid decorated the tavern. A buffet table set against the far wall, groaned under the weight of delectable dishes and drinks.

Since many of the celebrants had arrived as couples, it came as a surprise to many when three members of the Senior Staff arrived at the same time. Dubbed the 'Three Musketeers' because of their close friendship, Tom Paris, Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres were usually seen together during their off-duty hours. Voyager's journey through the Delta Quadrant had begun with a friendship between Paris and Kim, and another friendship between Kim and Torres. Ever since Paris and Torres' incarceration by the Vidiians four months ago, Kim had finally succeeded in forging his friendships with the pair into one shared by all three. They did everything together - eat their meals inside the Mess Hall, relax inside the holodecks or simply enjoy each other's company inside private quarters. However, tonight was Valentine's Day, a holiday for romance. It seemed incongruous for a get together between three friends.

"God, we must really look out of place, tonight," Tom Paris commented. After B'Elanna eased into one of the booths, he sat in the seat opposite her. By sitting near the edge, he forced Harry to occupy the seat next to the half-Klingon engineer. "I bet we must be the only ones without a date." He glanced at the pair opposite him. "I stand corrected. I must be the only one."

Tom's last words drew a glare from B'Elanna. Harry's face turned red with embarrassment. "B'Elanna and I aren't . . ." the latter began. His flush deepened. "I meant . . ."

"What Harry is trying to say, Hotshot, is that we're not on a date," B'Elanna retorted. "We're only here . . . as friends."

"Right." Tom nodded.

B'Elanna continued, "Besides, weren't you suppose to have a date, tonight?"

Tom shrugged his shoulders. "Megan couldn't make it. She learned that she had duty during Beta shift, and I couldn't find anyone else to replace her." He referred to Ensign Megan Delaney, one half of a pair of twin sisters assigned to Stellar Cartography. Tom and Megan had been dating on and off for over six months. Neither really considered the other as a serious love interest. Merely convenient companionship for a lonely night.

"Too bad," B'Elanna replied with an insincere expression stamped on her face. "I was really looking forward to her company."

Tom bit back a sigh. For some unexplainable reason, B'Elanna seemed to regard Megan and Jenny Delaney as a pair of nymphomaniacs, cutting a wide swath throughout the ship's male occupants. "B'Elanna, Megan is not the type of person you seem to think she is. She's a very nice person." B'Elanna snorted. "And rather quiet, I may add. Right Harry?"

The Operations Chief nodded. "Tom's right, B'Elanna. You've got Megan all wrong. She is nice. And sweet." A soft expression crept into his face. Tom stared.

"And the other sister?" B'Elanna added sarcastically. "Is she also . . . nice?"

Tom quickly came to Jenny Delaney's defense. "Hey! Jenny's all right. Maybe a bit too outgoing for your tastes, Torres. But she's certainly is no slut, if that's what you think."

"I never said she was a . . ." B'Elanna paused under Tom's hard stare. "Okay, maybe I had misjudged Jenny. And Megan."

Harry smiled and nodded at Tom. "It wouldn't be the first time." B'Elanna scowled, much to Tom's delight.

An attractive, middle-aged blond woman appeared before the trio. It was Sandrine, the holographic proprietress of the tavern. She jovially greeted the friends. "Ah! Mes amies! Bonsoir and welcome to our St. Valentine's celebration!" Her blue eyes swept over the three friends and her smile transformed into a frown. "What's this? Only three of you? Today is Valentine's Day! A day of romance and passion! You're supposed to be with a loved one. A mate. Not with friends!"

B'Elanna rolled her eyes. Tom explained about his aborted date with Megan Delaney. Sandrine's eyes focused on the two engineers. "And you two? Are you here as a couple?"

Before Tom could answer, B'Elanna sharply replied, "No!" And in a softer tone, continued, "No, Harry and I are here simply as friends. I don't have a . . . loved one here on the ship."

"Neither do I," Harry said.

Tom gave Sandrine one of those "See what I'm up against?" looks. Then he ordered the drinks. "Saurian brandy for all three of us." B'Elanna opened her mouth to protest and he added, "It's Valentine's Day. I don't think Scotch whiskey neat is an appropriate drink for this holiday."

"Ah Thomas! Good taste as usual," the Frenchwoman said with a smile. "Pardon. I'll be back." And she walked away to fetch their drinks.

B'Elanna leaned forward, a slight scowl fixed on her face. "I happen to like Scotch whiskey neat, Paris. A lot. And I don't like others selecting my drinks without my permission."

Tom dismissed her protests with a wave of his hand. "C'mon B'Elanna! It's Valentine's Day. There's just something unromantic about drinking Scotch whiskey on an evening like this."

"Romantic?" B'Elanna turned to Harry. "Can you believe this guy, Starfleet?"

Harry shook his head. "Don't look at me, Maquis. After nearly a year, I still don't understand how the man's mind works."

Sandrine returned with their drinks. After she served them, she spotted a couple entering the tavern and excused herself. Tom glanced at the newcomers. "I can't believe it!" he exclaimed. "Isn't that Jenkins and Hamilton together?"

Both Harry and B'Elanna looked, while the couple was being escorted by Sandrine to an empty booth. "What about them?" the latter asked.

"Look at them! They're together! On Valentine's Day! I can't believe they've been seeing each other all this time and I never even noticed. After all, they're both in my division. And I can usually tell when two people are interested in one another."

Again, B'Elanna rolled her eyes. "Tom, has it ever occurred to you that Jenkins and Hamilton are together for one date? And since when did you develop empathic powers when it came to romance?"

Slowly, Tom returned his gaze to the engineer. A cynical expression masked her exotic looks. "And since when did you become such a cynic, Torres? What's the matter? Don't you believe in romance?"

The doors to the tavern swung open, heralding the arrival of Voyager's command team. All eyes fell upon the ship's auburn-haired captain and her swarthy First Officer. Tom noticed how B'Elanna's eyes lit up at the sight of Chakotay. And how her olive skin flushed with a tinge of pink.

Good God! Tom thought with a slight shake of his head. Is that infatuation still going on? He had never known B'Elanna during his brief stint with the Maquis. Either she had joined Chakotay's cell sometime after his capture by Starfleet. Or Chakotay simply kept the pair apart. Yet, the moment he saw the former Maquis captain and the Klingon/Human hybrid together, Tom quickly became aware of the latter's feelings toward the former. Surprisingly, Tom had disapproved. He never considered unrequited love and hero-worship a healthy mix. Something he now knew from personally experience. Tom believed that B'Elanna could do a lot better for herself. Someone who would suit her - like a certain Operations chief.

"Not the romantic type, huh Torres?" The knowing tone in Tom's voice drew a glare from B'Elanna. He turned to his other friend. "What about you, Harry? Is there a true love in your life?" The moment the question left his lips, Tom knew the younger man's answer. "Wait! Let me guess. Libby."

A deep flush colored Harry's cheeks. "What's wrong with Libby?" he demanded.

"Nothing," Tom answered, his blue eyes wide with innocence. "Except that she is 70,000 light years away."

Harry protested. "There's still a chance we might return home in less than 70 years! Right B'Elanna?"

"Huh?" The half-Klingon tore her eyes away from Janeway and Chakotay. Tom rolled his eyes in exasperation. "What did you say, Harry?"

Tom spoke up. "He thinks we might get back to the Alpha Quadrant in less than seven decades. Tell me Harry, how long are you willing to count on that?" A retort seemed to hover on the Ops chief's lips, but not a sound came out. "Thought so."

Her attention no longer focused on the First Officer, B'Elanna returned her gaze to Tom. "What about you, Paris? Do you have a true love?"

Years of emotional turmoil had taught the pilot to keep his feelings and secrets to himself. The Paris mask usually came to the fore whenever asked a too personal question. Or got too close. But this was Harry and B'Elanna. The first two people Tom could truly call his friends. And they did not deserve the Paris mask. "Susie Crabtree."

Both B'Elanna and Harry cried, "Who?"

Tom continued, "You asked about my true love. Her name was Susie Crabtree."

Confusion appeared on Harry's face. "That's funny. I thought you were in love with . . ." A swift kick in the shin by Tom closed his mouth. The pilot knew exactly whom Harry was about to mention. He did not want anyone else to know about his current feelings for the ship's assistant nurse.

The half-Klingon's brows formed a frown. "Who are you two talking about? Certainly not this Susie Crabtree. Sounds like a name for a Starfleet admiral's daughter. Or one of those social butterflies in the diplomatic circles. Which one was she?"

"Neither," Tom replied, annoyed by B'Elanna's condescension. "Susie was . . ." Memories of a beautiful young woman from his youth popped into his head. "Well, actually, she was a fellow cadet I had dated during my first year at the Academy." He sighed from sheer pleasure, producing a smile from Harry and a grimace from B'Elanna.

Harry asked, "What happened?"

"Huh? Oh, uh we broke up." Tom paused. The not-so-happy memories replaced the happy ones. "Actually, she dumped me."

"Why?"

A smirk appeared on B'Elanna's lips. "She got to know the real you, huh Paris?"

Tom did not bother to acknowledge the engineer's smirk. Or the slightly insulting tone in her voice. "Nope. Just the opposite," he said quietly. "Susie claimed I wouldn't let her."

Silence fell between the trio. Harry took a swallow of brandy. B'Elanna's gaze slowly shifted back to Chakotay. And Tom quietly observed his two friends. Starfleet and Maquis.

"God, what a pathetic bunch we make when it comes to romance!" he said with a slight laugh. "Here I am reminiscing over a failed romance. Harry is still pining for a girl he probably won't see in a long time. And you, B'Elanna . . . apparently you don't have a romantic bone in your body."

B'Elanna shrugged her slight shoulders. "So sue me. What can I say? It's the Klingon in me."

"Don't shit me, Torres. I may not know much about Klingons, but I do know they happen to be among the most passionate species in the Alpha Quadrant. Maybe they're not the types to express themselves in poems or romance novels," Tom failed to notice the slight quirk of B'Elanna's lips, "but I do know they are very romantic. So give me another excuse."

B'Elanna heaved an exasperated sigh. "How about this one? I haven't found the right man and I probably . . . never . . . will."

Tom detected the longing in her words, but decided not to comment upon it. Instead, he gave the engineer an understanding smile. "You never know, Torres. The right man may be closer than you think."

Someone at the piano began to play, "La Vie En Rose". Several couples headed for the dance floor, including Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. Aware of the intense scrutiny toward the pair, Tom commented, "I must say. Those two really look good together. Don't you agree?"

B'Elanna's sharp gaze fell upon the pilot. Harry's eyes remained glued to the dance floor. "I don't know," he said in a wary tone. "I guess. I mean they do make a pretty good command team."

Tom chuckled. "I wasn't talking about work, Harry." His words produced a startled glance from the young ensign. B'Elanna looked away. Tom decided it was time to make a suggestion. "That sounds like a nice tune," he continued. "Say Harry, why don't you give B'Elanna a spin on the dance floor?"

Two pairs of dark eyes stared at the pilot as if he had made a far out suggestion. Then they stared at each other. A red flush crept up Harry's cheeks. To Tom's satisfaction, he proved to be a brave soul and stood up. "Uh, would you . . . um, would you like to dance, B'Elanna?"

The engineer hesitated momentarily. After sparing another glance at Janeway and Chakotay, she nodded. "Sure Harry. Why not?" She stood up and allowed Harry to lead her to the dance floor. Soon, they were in each other's arms, gliding around the room. Tom sat back into his chair and smiled.

"What are you smiling about, cherie?" Sandrine slid into the booth, opposite Tom.

Tom nodded at his two friends. "Them. Don't they look great together?"

"Hmm." The proprietress barely acknowledged the pair with a glance. "I suppose so."

"You suppose?" Tom almost felt outraged. "Of course they do! Look at them. Starfleet and Maquis. They've practically been joined at the hip since we first entered the Delta Quadrant. Now if Harry can only put Whatshername behind him and B'Elanna end her crush over Chakotay, they can take their relationship to the next level." Tom smiled. "With a little help from me, of course."

Sandrine glanced at the two friends once more and responded with another lackluster, "Hmmm." She surreptiously studied the table's wooden surface.

"What?" Tom demanded.

"Nothing cherie, except . . ."

"Yeah?"

A sigh left Sandrine's mouth. "I'm sorry, Thomas, but I suspect you might be making a big mistake. I just don't . . . I really cannot see your two friends as lovers. Friends perhaps, or siblings. Definitately not lovers."

"Wha . . ." Tom glanced at Harry and B'Elanna. Despite the prudent amount of space between them and B'Elanna's occasional glances at the First Officer, he saw a couple with a great potential for romance. All they need to do is overcome a few roadblocks. Tom had always prided himself on being able to spot a potential romance. A trait that made him a matchmaker at heart. "Are you trying to say that you don't feel any chemistry between B'Elanna and Harry?"

The Frenchwoman shrugged. "Well . . . perhaps there is some chemistry between them."

"Aha!"

"But not of the romantic kind," Sandrine continued. Tom's face fell. "I'm sorry, cherie, but I think you're wasting your time. I cannot see your friends as lovers. Besides, I believe your B'Elanna may have just a little too much bite for young Harry."

Tom struggled to hide his disappointment. He was sure that Sandrine, a matchmaker herself, would agree with him about Harry and B'Elanna. Apparently not.

The music stopped. Harry, B'Elanna and other couples disengaged. B'Elanna headed back to the booth, while Harry surged toward the buffet table. "Cherie!" Sandrine greeted the half-Klingon. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

B'Elanna gave the holographic woman a polite smile. Although she had grown used to the tavern's odd characters, she still regarded them with little enthusiasm. The pianist began playing another song. "La Mer." It was one of Tom's favorite 20th century songs.

"Thomas, why don't you dance with B'Elanna?" Sandrine said to the pilot. "That sounds like a lovely song."

A doubtful B'Elanna opened her mouth to protest. "I don't know. I just finished dan . . ."

Realization hit Tom Paris like a wet glove. Sandrine did not know it, but she had just given him the opportunity for a private talk with B'Elanna. Without any interruptions from her or Harry. "That sounds like a great idea," he replied, gently grabbing the Chief Engineer's hand. "C'mon B'Elanna. A little dance won't hurt."

"But . . ." Before the half-Klingon could further protest, Tom steered her toward the dance floor. He glanced past B'Elanna's shoulder toward Sandrine and winked. The 'Great Kim/Torres Matchmaking Scheme' was about to commence.

* * * *

Sandrine caught Tom's wink and smiled. Ah Thomas, she thought to herself. Such a big heart behind that cynical mask. The dear boy possessed a heart so big that it blinded him from the obvious - that his matchmaking scheme for his friends will fail. Or end in some kind of disaster. Young Harry Kim and that B'Elanna were not made for each other - at least not romantically.

On the other hand, Sandrine already had a candidate in mind for Lieutenant Torres' heart. And she was dancing in his arms at the moment. Sandrine admired the way Thomas lead the engineer across the floor. Such a graceful dancer. And unlike young Harry, he held B'Elanna close in his arms with an intimate and easy manner that expressed his personality. Not only that, the half-Klingon had failed to spare Commander Chakotay one glance since joining Thomas on the dance floor.

Sandrine looked at the young couple once more. Then Thomas made a comment that produced a mixture of amusement, exasperation and fascination on Lieutenant Torres' face that the hologram found beguiling. Ah yes! Sandrine nodded. They certainly do look well together.


THE END


"Thomas likes his women with a little bite." - Sandrine to Ricki ("The Cloud")

Bill Withers - "Use Me"

Here is a video clip featuring the song, "Use Me", performed by Bill Withers in the early 1970s:


"USE ME"

"TAKEN" (2009) Photo Gallery

Below are photos from a new thriller directed by Pierre Morel called "TAKEN". It stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Jenssen:


"TAKEN" (2009) Photo Gallery