Antonio walked through the hallways of South Bay General, walking with quick long steps. He turned into every room to try and catch a glimpse of Gabi and Ricardo. He was afraid that Ricardo might want to possibly hurt Gabi and he could not allow that to happen. Deep down, Antonio knew Ricardo would never do that, but his nature had become to protect Gabi at any cost and he was bound and determined to continue that path regardless of how Gabi felt about him. He spotted Casey and quickened his steps until he reached him. Casey was just getting off the phone when he saw Antonio approaching him.

"Casey, where is Ricardo? I've looked all over this hospital and I can't find him." Anxiety was striking Antonio and it was apparent to Casey by his body language.

"He's in one of the emergency rooms." Antonio started for the ER and Casey grabbed him immediately and made Antonio face him. "Look, take it easy. I don't know what the hell is going on but you and Rick need to probably take a little R and R from each other. You guys could have killed each other out there. Do you realize that? Whatever has got you two so pissed off is not worth getting killed over. If your gonna go in there, straighten yourself out beforehand and then go see him. I don't want security to have to break you two up." Casey was only half joking. "I called Maria and told her about what happened." Antonio shot Casey a look of disdain.

"What did you do that for?!! Casey, I don't want my sister involved in this.!" Antonio was livid for what Casey had done.

"She is the only one you two knuckleheads seem to really listen to. Yeah, I butted in and I'm not sorry I did." Casey then softened on him. "Listen I gotta head out. Promise me you'll wait before you go see Ricardo."

Casey was genuinely worried about him causing another episode with Ricardo. He smiled lightheartedly at his friend. He would be forever grateful to Casey for having been so understanding of a situation he knew nothing about. "I promise, thanks again. I owe you one." Casey walked off and Antonio headed for the emergency room. He was getting strange looks from just about everyone he encountered. He was still wearing the shirt he had fought Ricardo in. The blood on it was now dry and caked. He had not washed his face and the blood was still caked on. He looked like he had been in a rumble. If the truth be told, he had been. He walked through the ER rooms, poking his head in every one. At the end of the hall, he finally spotted Ricardo and next to him was Gabi. She was close to him trying to hold his face in her hands. Antonio did not need to be there, but he could not move. He needed to hear what was going to be said. He stood by the door so they would not see him and Antonio listened intently on Gabi and Ricardo….

Ricardo and Gabi merely stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Neither was sure of what to say to each other. Looking at Gabi, his anger once again left him. All he wanted to do was sweep her into his arms and pretend that none of this had happened. This couldn't have happened. Gabi was so angelic and pure to him. She would never do this to him. He wanted desperately to believe that. Gabi was just as affected by his presence. She ached for him and wanted to hold him in her arms and tell him everything was going to be ok. But she couldn't do that. She barely managed to ask him how he was feeling.

"Are you ok?" She was trying to keep herself together. She was going to need all her strength in order to deal with all of this.

Ricardo came out of his fog and realized that nothing had changed. It did happen and nothing could change that. "I'm ok. Just a few stitches and a mild concussion. I'm just waiting for the doctor to say I can go." He couldn't look at her. He was beginning to get angry again and if he looked her way he would lose his resolve and he did not want that to happen. He wanted to stay angry. "The hell with the doctor, I feel fine…………………I'm leaving." He began to walk to the door when Gabi stepped in front of him and placed her hands on his chest. Ricardo quickly jumped back, surprised, and shocking her in the process. Their touch electrified throughout both of their entire bodies, both of their hearts were pounding so loudly then each thought the other could hear them pumping.

Gabi tried keep her composure in tact. She would have to if she was going to make it through this. "Ricardo, we need to talk. I need to tell you things, please. You can't leave." Gabi quickly stopped, the lump in her throat was preventing her continuing.

Ricardo stared coldly at her. "You want to talk to me Gabi? What the hell are you gonna say to me? Huh!" His voice was raising slightly. "What can you possibly say to me that's going to change anything? What! There is nothing you can say. YOU SLEPT WITH MY BROTHER! My God! You two slept together. Why! Why Gabi? What did I ever do to you to make you want to this to me? What did I do to either one of you to make both of you stoop to this level! Please tell me. You want to explain, then explain! Was it a game to you? Let's see how we can humiliate Ricardo?! Well, let me be the first in congratulating you personally. You succeeded in doing just that. I -can't---" Ricardo stopped there. He was drained emotionally. He didn't know what else to say. All he could do was look at Gabi, with pain all over his face, hoping she would somehow be able to make some of the torturous feelings he was having go away. He looked down at the ground unable to go on.

Gabi could only look on as she slowly started to fall apart. She was watching Ricardo disintegrate before her and it killed her to have to watch. If she told him the entire truth she would lose him forever. There was no way he could ever possibly forgive her. But Gabi had to tell him. She owed him that much. She had to for once tell him the truth. If only to gain her self dignity and respect back. With all the strength she could muster, she began. Her life was at stake with the man she loved. But it was a chance she had to take.

"From the moment I saw you, you did something to me. You made me feel things that I never knew existed, that I never knew I was capable of feeling. I came to Sunset Beach full of hate and bitterness. I wanted to take your love away from Paula. I wanted to hurt her in the worst way possible way………….by stealing you from her. I managed to break you two up and then the impossible happened. After all I had done to hurt you, after everything I had put you through, you forgave me…and ultimately began to love me. ME! I couldn't believe that anyone could offer so much forgiveness but you did. You gave me your love and I was amazed at how much I grew to need you." Gabi stopped for a moment as she looked away for a brief moment and wiped the spill of tears from her face. "I didn't know what I had done to deserve you. I fell in love with you and I still couldn't understand why you would want me." Gabi stops again as she looks directly at Ricardo. "Then Antonio reentered your life he and came into mine. He and I established a friendship that was so dear to my heart. We also had a connection. We shared one strong common bond…..our love for you. It was what we based our friendship on. Then, without warning, those feelings began to change….for both of us."

Hearing this last comment, Ricardo backed away and sat on the edge of the bed. He shut his eyes tight and placed his face in his hands. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what Gabi had to say next. It would be torture. But he had to. If he was ever going to gain any piece of mind again, he had to hear the entire truth. Gabi walked over to him, her heart overflowing and she placed her hands on his shoulders. Then she continued, "We fought our feelings Ricardo. We both did. We knew it was wrong and tried so hard to set them aside. Antonio was conflicted the entire time. I didn't understand it myself. I knew I loved you but I knew I loved him too." Gabi stops again as she tries desperately to regain her composure. " Then the cave in made us deal with our emotions and we committed the unthinkable." Ricardo clutches the sheets on the bed as he continues to look to the floor. Gabi can see his knuckles turning white. He's squeezing with all his might and still staring directly at the floor. "We were both lost. We had betrayed you and Antonio was lost. He wanted to tell you immediately but I convinced him not to. I couldn't tell you Ricardo. I was so scared to think of what would happen. I became selfish. I didn't want to lose the love you had for me. That frightened me more than anything." Gabi clears her throat again before going into the discovery of the tape. "We thought we could hide our secret but then the tape surfaced…….Francesca had planted a camera in the office and filmed everything." Gabi stopped there when Ricardo looked at her stunned.

"Francesca?" His face clouds over again. " My God!"

Gabi pushes forward still racked in emotion. "We went through hell to get the tape but we managed to find it for it to be destroyed……but then it fell into the wrong hands." Gabi wasn't sure how she was going to tell Ricardo that his mother had gotten hold of it and tried to blackmail her. She didn't have to. Ricardo continued to look at her and said it himself.

"My mother………………..my mother had it, didn't she?" He didn't know what to think anymore. He was about lose his will.

"I found out the day of our wedding that she knew. She made a picture from the tape to show me she had proof. There was nothing I could do. She threatened to show you Ricardo. She threatened to expose Antonio. I didn't know what else to do. So I buckled under pressure and decided it was best that I leave." Gabi was again in tears, hoping Ricardo would catch her eyes. "I didn't want to leave you, but I felt I had no choice. I couldn't allow her to tell you. I was afraid Ricardo. I ran. I ran hoping to keep you safe from the truth by my disappearing. I should have known I wouldn't be able to."

Ricardo was devastated that his own mother could do something like that. He didn't know her anymore. If there was one thing he knew for sure, he knew that he would never be able to look at her in the same way. Antonio and Gabi had lied to him. His mother had contributed to their lies and he could not forgive that. He once again met Gabi's eyes, anguishing over his mother. He had a question of his own and he needed an answer.

"Why did you come back? You and Antonio could have run off and would never have had to deal with me. Why did you come back Gabi?" He was pleading for an answer.

Gabi knew the next words she said would determine her life. She was going to put her heart on the line. Ricardo would choose to accept her reasons or devastate her forever. She took a deep breath and spoke. "I left Sunset Beach leaving everything I had grown to love. My friends, my job, and the people I loved. I never knew how much I really had gained until I lost it. But there was only one thing that I missed more than anything else I had left behind. Your love. " Gabi held his eyes with hers. " From the moment I set foot in that town, I missed you. So much I didn't know how I was going to be able to make it through. Oh Ricardo! I rediscovered the love I had for you, the love that was always there. I was always so afraid to fully take hold of it when I had it. But when I left you, I wanted it back so desperately. I realized just how much you meant to me." Gabi's tears were flowing freely now. She grabbed Ricardo's hand and he watched as she brought it to top of her chest and gently placed it there. Her touch had him on fire. "If there is one thing I pray you believe, it's this…..this heart of mine will forever be yours. No one will ever own it but you . I hope you can believe that. You are and will always be the love of my life. I love you Ricardo. I love you so much---" Gabi couldn't go on. She dropped his hand and turned her back to him, sobbing uncontrollably.

Ricardo stood and watched her cry. He wanted so much to just hold her but something prevented him from doing it. He had to ask her something else and as scared as he was of asking, he needed it answered by her. Gabi sensed him looking at her and turned to face him. She tried to pull herself together and waited. "Gabi…………. do you love him?" Ricardo had to know. He needed to know.

Gabi continued with her truth. No more lies she thought. "Yes…..Yes…I love him. But as my friend. The friendship we have is special to me, and I can't deny that I care for him. Where I love you with a passion, I love Antonio as my friend. That is the truth Ricardo, please believe me that." Gabi hoped she had gotten through. She begged God to at least give her that.

And Ricardo did. He still knew Gabi. He knew she was telling the truth. He could tell this was difficult for her but deep down, he felt her love for him. He always had. The connection they shared was unbreakable and probably always would be. Gabi leaned in towards him and braced herself. She needed to know something too. She held her breath as somehow she got the words out.

"I've hurt you in the worst possible way and I know I have no right to ask you this but I must. You are the most important person in my life. I know that now as well as I know my name……." Gabi took another breath, "I ask if you could possibly ever forgive me? Oh Ricardo, could you ever give me the chance to win back what we had?" She was drained. Gabi had nothing left in her to say. It was up to Ricardo now and he knew it.

Ricardo knew it as well. He leaned up against the wall, placing his forehead gently against it. He loved her and she loved him. He knew that now. It wasn't a matter of her convincing him anymore. They were deeply in love and know one or anything would ever change that. But he could not bring himself to forgive. He wasn't sure he ever would. He closed his eyes as his heart ached more and more. "Gabi, I will always love you. I don't know if I will ever be able to get over that. What I feel for you is more powerful than anything I have ever felt before and I cherish it." He was trying to swallow the huge lump he had in his throat. It was making it difficult to speak. He knew what he was about to say would devastate her. "I can't forgive you. I can't forgive my brother. What you two did has ruined me, can't you see that? I don't know if have the strength to ever forgive what you did. I trusted you and Antonio and you two shattered that trust. I love you Gabi but I can't trust you. I don't think I could ever trust either of you again." Ricardo couldn't take it anymore. He was consumed in a feeling of torture he had never experienced. He had succeeded in destroying Gabi, just as he had imagined he would.

Outside the door, Antonio had his head cocked back and he had tears all over his face. He had heard everything. The emotional confrontation had taken its toll on him as well. His brother's last remarks had done him in. He had lost his brother's trust. Regardless of whether he forgave him or not, he would never have his trust again. He and Gabi had taken that from him and the pain of it shattered Antonio to pieces. He couldn't take it, he bolted from the door, wishing there was someplace he could go to rid himself of all the pain he had caused. But there wasn't. He broke down in the front of the hospital, praying to God to help him.

Gabi stood there stung by Ricardo's words. She had lost him. He would never forgive her but worst yet, he could never trust her. She felt her knees buckling and took one last look at him. She had one more thing to say……." I love you" she said convulsed in tears, "DON'T YOU EVER FORGET THAT". Then Gabi ran. She ran out of the room. Not sure where she was going. Ricardo at hearing her last words lost all control of his strength. He slumped to the floor and stayed there suffering. "I love you Gabi….I always will." Clutching his head, he also sobbed at losing the love of his life……

Gabi ran through the doors of the hospital not knowing where she was going. She was crying uncontrollably. This feeling was worse than anything she had ever felt. The she saw him. Antonio came from out of the corner and was just as destroyed as she was. They stared at each other for a brief second then he ran to her and put his arms around her. Gabi fell into his arms losing all senses in her legs. "He loves me Antonio, he still loves me after all we did to him, OH GOD! What have I done, I've lost him Antonio. I've lost him!" Gabi held Antonio hard, she needed his support now.

"I'm sorry Gabi, I'm so sorry…..i'm sorry!" He had nothing else to say. They were suffering and it was just. They held each other trying to comfort the pain in any way they could……..