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Imagine me and you, I do…
That song. Flashbacks of a tipsy night hit Kirby as she watched Fallon and Adam put on their hokey performance. The last time she had heard that song was shortly after helping to plan Fallon’s acquisition of NTNR Enterprises. Those were the last tender moments they had shared before everything came crashing down again.
Fallon had called her for a brainstorming session after Adam’s Welcome Party, where she shared her idea to establish a publishing company as revenge for her book deal being undermined. After the plan of attack had been solidified and many more drinks were consumed, they found themselves lost in a playlist of sappy oldies. They took turns serenading each other, getting lost in the words of the songs, giggling as slurred voices attempted to form coherent lyrics. Fallon wasn’t even cringing at Kirby’s lack of tone like she would have critiqued if she was sober. It wasn’t long before they were both twirling around the room, so carefree and lost in the moment. When a certain song was playing over the speakers, Fallon froze in place, slowly turning to face Kirby with a smirk on her face. She softly started singing.
Imagine me and you, I do
I think about you day and night, it’s only right
To think about the girl you love, and hold her tight
So happy together
Kirby knew Fallon could sing, but it wasn’t often that she would let herself perform in this way. It felt like something special, that was reserved just for her. The lyrics of the song did not let the moment feel any less intimate. Fallon took Kirby’s hands in her own as she sang.
If I should call you up, invest a dime
And you’d say you’d belong to me, I’d lose my mind
Imagine how the world could be, so very fine
So happy together
Fallon pulled her along as she continued, bringing them both to stand on her bed.
I can’t see me loving nobody but you for all my life
When you’re with me baby the skies will be blue for all my life
She wasn’t sure who started it, but both Kirby and Fallon were now jumping on the bed, something that they hadn’t done since they were little kids. Fallon continued to try and sing between fits of laughter at their current state. Neither of them was quite sure what the lyrics were at this point and they weren’t trying to figure them out.
As the song ended, they fell back into the mattress, fingers still interlaced, giggling and out of breath from the sudden workout.
Kirby’s head felt fuzzy. She couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol or the way Fallon was looking at her that made her feel this way. Her heart hammered against her chest as she tried to calm her breathing.
Fallon broke the silence that had settled between them, the music playing in the background completely forgotten. “Thank you for being here. I don’t think I could do this without you.”
“I think you could,” Kirby assured. “I just hope it’s a bit easier with a friend by your side.”
Maybe they could be friends like they once were, even if Kirby’s heart longed for something more. Somehow, she had worn Fallon down. The girl who hated her promptly upon her return from Australia had been able to open her heart again. As soon as Kirby’s role in the fire had been cleared, Fallon had started to incorporate Kirby into her daily life, making up for lost time. She was glad they had come so far in such a short amount of time.
“You can sleep here tonight if you want,” Fallon offered as she sat up and moved to turn off the music. “I know it’s not that far to your room, but…” she paused. “As much as I hate to say it, I’ve missed you. This. Whatever we just did,” she chuckled.
Kirby’s heart fluttered at the words. “I’ve missed you too.”
They got ready for bed, Kirby graciously taking a pair of Fallon’s silk pajamas to change into. Once they were settled and starting to sober up, Fallon went over the plan one more time and made sure all the details were in place. The room buzzed with a sense of excitement that was palpable to both women as they drifted off to sleep, although it might have still been the effects of the alcohol.
The next morning, they were awake surprisingly early, probably running on pure adrenaline from what was about to happen. Fallon had insisted they leave the manor two hours early. They did stop at a coffee shop on the way, realizing they needed to hydrate and combat any lingering signs of hangovers. Kirby could sense some anxiety from the other woman and watched as she incessantly tapped her phone, making last minute arrangements. All of that was gone by the time they reached their destination. Fallon Carrington was going to unleash her wrath on the unsuspecting businessmen in the offices above.
“I am sick and tired of being used by miserably ungrateful men,” Fallon had declared to Stewart as she strategically laid out her plans for the new Femperial Publishing. She had surprised Kirby by not only calling her smart and independent, but by giving her an official job title – Millennial Content Consultant – to top it off. It wasn’t common for Fallon to shower her with compliments of any kind, so she graciously accepted all of them.
They were both in the midst of riding the high of a new future together, as business partners and maybe friends, but it wasn’t meant to last. Liam appeared at their office, much to the surprise of both Fallon and Kirby. Kirby could not excuse herself from the room quickly enough, feeling as though her heart would burst from her chest. He was a wrench thrown into an otherwise perfectly executed plan. If their trip to the Ski Resort had proven anything, it was that as much as Fallon claimed she was over Liam, seeing him again in person would probably bring up old feelings. Everyone had to pick up the pieces of her broken heart last time and Kirby was not ready to stick around for a round two.
Luckily, Fallon was focused on having a clean slate with the publishing company, even taking Kirby’s advice on feminist authors they could recruit. She was enjoying being a part of a power duo, running around town to make a successful business deal happen. Maybe if everything had stayed this way, she wouldn’t have felt the need to become someone else. The hurt and betrayal she felt at the hands of Fallon is what had eventually pushed her into running away.
Of course, Kirby wasn’t without her flaws either. She hadn’t necessarily been looking for romance, enjoying her quality time with Fallon, but it found her in the form of Fallon’s ex-fiancé. She initially felt guilty about sneaking around and wanted to come clean for the sake of their friendship.
The day of Fempierial’s first book debut, Kirby walked into Fallon’s room to tell her the news, only to be distracted by reminiscing about their past. Fallon loaned Kirby a gorgeous silver jumpsuit as an outfit for the evening. She held it up against her body in the mirror to admire how it suited her. Fallon would have never loaned out clothes as nice as these to just anyone.
“You know Kirby,” Fallon spoke as she watched the other woman admire herself, “I’m sorry I haven’t always been a perfect friend. I’ll get better. I promise.” Kirby couldn’t handle Fallon being so nice to while she held onto a secret. She tried to spit it out but fumbled over her words instead.
“Is something on your mind?” Fallon asked.
“I’m just thinking about how far we’ve come. I’m glad.”
Unbeknownst to her, the secret would be blasted to the world that very night. Too many drinks and lingering looks led to a make out session which was less than subtle. Fallon had taken the news of Kirby dating her ex-fiancé surprisingly well, considering her tendency to overreact to even the smallest inconveniences. She was relieved to know it was more about having transparency in their relationship than Fallon being jealous about anyone dating her ex. Maybe they really were working out as friends. Kirby did not want to jeopardize it any more than she already had.
Unfortunately, Fallon tended to let her emotions get the best of her while under pressure. She had to control everyone and everything in her life when things around her felt like they were spiraling out of control. She unceremoniously fired Kirby from Femperial for pointing out the mistakes she was making with the company. Even if Fallon would never admit it, Kirby knew they needed each other for their success to continue. If only Fallon had let her help when she offered instead of trying to carry the entire world on her shoulders. Liam had come to speak to her shortly after, offering the apologies that should have come directly from Fallon. Kirby decided to let the tiff be water under the bridge.
Then it was at the lakeside wedding where she was being used yet again as a pawn in Fallon’s rivalry with her father. Fallon believed that Kirby would be willing to sell back Femperial after the side deal they made. Knowing that her blossoming relationship with Culhane was demolished at the hands of the woman left her no choice but to pull a trick of her own.
“You want to talk betrayal? You went behind my back and told Culhane to dump me. Is that what you mean by female empowerment? I’m keeping Femperial and I’m giving it the attention it deserves,” she boldly proclaimed prior to more Carrington chaos.
Fallon tracked her down later in the manor. “Kirby we had a deal. You don’t know anything about business!”
“I’m tired of being used in your games with your family!” Kirby screamed. “You expect me to keep giving more of myself when you won’t even let me exist without your input!”
“I’m trying to help you. I only want what’s best for you! And that relationship was not good for you!”
“How do you know what’s best for me?” Kirby asked “I’m not a child Fallon! I can make my own decisions and mistakes. You barely know me anymore!”
Once again, Kirby was disgraced from the Carrington manor. She found herself at the Femperial office with a small box of her belongings, wondering how everything had turned so sour. The only source of comfort: her stuffed wombat. She cuddled him as she tried not to cry while falling asleep in the office chair.
A few weeks later, Fallon was back trying to offer Kirby money for the rights to the company. Kirby refused to back down. She wasn’t about to come crawling back easily like she had naively done so many times before. Fallon needed to understand that she couldn’t walk all over people and expect them to help her at the drop of a hat. No amount of money would convince her to give up the power she finally had. She really wanted to build this business. The work at Femperial, however menial it seemed to most, gave her a sense of purpose. She was no businesswoman, but she had some ideas that she wanted to put to work.
Her plans to establish herself were once again thwarted by a vengeful Carrington. Fallon feigning a truce while simultaneously drugging her at the party was the last straw. Kirby was determined to carry Femperial Publishing on her own if she had to, now that her plan to gain a CEO had vanished in mere seconds. She knew snagging a book deal would help her get Femperial back on the right track. Meeting Joel was just a stroke of sheer luck. This was the first decision she had made without Fallon there breathing down her neck to make some disparaging remark. Joel had larger plans than just Femperial and was interested in having Kirby help him. It should have concerned her that the FBI had questioned her about the man who was finally helping her get her life back on track, but Joel had done nothing to show her he wasn’t trustworthy. He was someone who needed her, someone who saw a future for her where she wasn’t in the shadow of a Carrington. Maybe that was what had made it so easy for her to enter the group in the first place. She helped build Synergy up from the ground. The community was a family to Kirby, full of broken people all determined to help each other. It was the environment she had been longing for her whole life, she told herself. This was going to be a positive experience.
Kirby was able to sneak one call to her father, a final farewell to the life she once knew. She kept trying to convince herself that they would all be fine without her, even if other doubts filled her head. She called at a time her father would be busy since she did not want to have any reason to change her mind.
“Hi it’s me.” Her voice shook slightly. “I wanted to let you know I’m committing to Joel and Synergy. This is what’s best for me so please respect my decision and don’t contact me. Goodbye dad.” With that final message, she should have felt a sense of relief, but she only felt a heavy weight upon her heart.
It was not even 24 hours later that there was new energy within Synergy’s walls. She should have known her father would be worried, but not worried enough to send two chaotic Carrington’s to “rescue” her. She saw what appeared to be Fallon and Adam enter the compound and quickly moved to conceal herself in the community workshop. She tried to look busy with something that was being assembled on the table as she went to work sanding the rough wood.
“Wow. Woodwork. They really must brainwash you here.” She looked up to see one of the many people she was trying to hide from right in front of her.
“Surprised to see me?” Fallon asked.
“Surprised to see you? Yeah. Surprised the first thing that came out of your mouth was an insult? No,” Kirby scoffed.
“Okay, well, we can talk about my character flaws later,” Fallon commented before continuing. “I am here because your father is worried. You disappeared and sold Femperial and now we’re all worried this guy Joel is using you.”
“I hear your concern.” She saw Fallon roll her eyes as she went on to explain how she was using Synergy to heal from toxic relationships, like the relationship she had with the Carringtons. “I know you don’t care about me.”
“What are you talking about Kirby? I’m here because I do care,” Fallon insisted.
“Well if that’s true, then trust what I’m doing is best for me, and leave.”
It wasn’t long before Joel came to interrupt their conversation and tell them the news that “Mike” and “Sheila” would be staying within the commune as the new doctor and nurse. As they were escorted out of the warehouse, Kirby busied herself with preparing for the ceremony. She would officially be promoted to Gold Member status and flying off with Joel and the other Gold Members to their new island home. This is where she belonged. She didn’t need Fallon or anyone else from her previous life trying to convince her otherwise.
So now here they were. Fallon was making a scene once again to stop Kirby from thinking for herself. The song that represented a better time was also not a coincidence. This was a whole new level of manipulation for Fallon. Kirby moved swiftly to remove the mic from the fake nurse’s hand. “Okay, thank you so much for that…performance,” she bitterly forced out.
As Joel continued with the ceremony, Fallon made one last desperate attempt to stop Kirby. She could see a sense of fear in her eyes. Was it towards losing a financial asset or losing Kirby? Fallon announced herself as a Carrington to an uninterested audience which only led Joel to call for security to remove the siblings from the property.
Kirby spoke up for herself once more. “I’m not being conned Fallon. I chose to give them the money. You say we’re friends, but maybe if you tried to understand why I was here instead of just insulting me, you would see that you’re the con man. You’re the most toxic Carrington of them all.”
She saw the hurt look wash over Fallon’s face, but she had meant what she said. In all the attempts Fallon made to mend their tumultuous relationship, everything ended up being about her own selfish desires. This latest debacle probably had more to do with the publishing firm than Kirby’s well-being, even if she secretly hoped Fallon still cared about her.
After the ceremony, Kirby went back to her room to try and clear her head from the drama Fallon had created. In less than 24 hours, she would be on her way with Joel and the other Gold Members halfway across the world. She could restart her life as a new woman with no attachments to the Atlanta dynasty. It hurt her heart to leave, but she knew it was what she needed to do to move on. As she tidied up the bed, she heard the creak of her door opening. She looked up to see Fallon, who had managed to sneak her way back into the compound.
“Seriously?” Kirby said exasperatedly. “I don’t need an encore and I already told you I’m not leaving.”
“I’m not here to convince you to leave, I promise. I am actually here to apologize.” She could hear Fallon’s voice wavering as she spoke. “I know that I can be a bit…pushy –“
“I think you mean a lot pushy,” Kirby interrupted, “like aggressively so.”
“Okay! Fine, but I swear I really just came here to help. I just forgot to listen to what you wanted. And though everyone else is right for wanting you to come back, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong for wanting to stay.”
Fallon took Kirby’s hands in her own, much like that night that had come to her memory moments earlier. “Kirby, I want you to be able to make your own decisions. And if your next decision is going to Sri Lanka, then at least I was here to say I’m sorry and goodbye.” She leaned in to give Kirby a hug, which was immediately reciprocated. In that moment, Kirby’s mind was made up. Running away wouldn’t solve her problems when she was running away from the one thing she really cared about. She needed to leave Synergy.
First, she had to get a hold of the last piece of technology that was available on the grounds: Joel’s phone. He would probably be away from his office making last minute arrangements for the trip. Kirby snuck in and started looking through the desk drawers for the device. He confided in Kirby that he kept it there for emergencies and this was an emergency in her opinion. After opening three different drawers, she found it, pulling it from beneath papers and powering it on. She rapidly typed in the number, knowing she only had a few minutes to make a call.
“Hello?” a man answered on the other end.
“Dad? It’s Kirby. Do you think you can come pick me up? I’m ready to come home.”
“I’m assuming Fallon and Adam are there with you?” he asked.
She bit her lip in thought before responding. “They left a while ago. I’ll explain it all later.”
“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”
She hung up and cleaned up the mess she had made in her haste before beginning her breakout.
Sneaking out of the compound was a lot easier than she imagined it would be. It made sense seeing as Fallon had basically waltzed right in to say goodbye earlier. She barely saw anyone as she made her way to the front gate and was easily able to slip out unnoticed.
“You guys sure do walk slow,” she called out as she came upon Adam and Fallon.
“Kirby! What are you doing here?” Fallon responded with a genuine tone of surprise.
“You told me to make my own decisions. That means Joel doesn’t get to make them either, so I stole his phone, called my dad and he’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“From the manor? How?” Adam asked.
“Oh, you put a tracker on your phone or something. I dunno. He left the manor a few hours ago.” She could see the small smile that rested on Fallon’s lips.
They stood in an awkward silence before Kirby prompted, “Soooo do you want a ride home?”
Adam and Fallon eagerly agreed, with Fallon making some comment of how her costume was giving her a rash. Kirby could only smile as Adam offered her the blanket he had been carrying.
When her father arrived, he was happy to see they were all okay. Luckily, he didn’t press her for details of her time at Synergy or their emotional day. The movement of the car lulled her to sleep and she didn’t wake up until they were close to the manor. Her head had fallen on Fallon’s shoulder during the ride. She lifted it up to see Fallon quietly staring out the window.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize how tired I was,” Kirby apologized. She moved to stretch her body out of the slightly uncomfortable position.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you got some rest,” Fallon replied giving her a small smile.
It was strange to walk back into the manor again. It would never truly feel like home to her, but it was the only one she had ever known. The tall ceilings with a lavish chandelier, the double staircase, even the marbled flooring was a lot to take in. She tried to acquaint herself with being an honorary Carrington once again, when Fallon walked through the doors.
“Hey. Um, I just wanted to say thanks again for coming today, even though I didn’t really need you to,” she told the other woman.
“Yeah, I know that now. I’m just relieved that you decided on your own to come home,” Fallon responded.
Kirby smiled. “Well you might have majorly embarrassed yourself along the way, but I think you’ve grown a bit too.”
“Yeah I doubt that. Growth isn’t really my thing,” Fallon commented, suddenly seeming lost in thought at Kirby’s words.
“Fallon? Everything okay?” Kirby asked.
“Yeah I’m just worried that you may be right. Maybe growth is my thing.”
That was the last time they had talked before Fallon announced that she was leaving the manor. She understood her reasonings, of course, but it still hurt. Kirby just wanted things to go back to the way they once were, but she was hopeful that this was the start of mending their relationship. If Fallon was willing to give up the comforts of the manor to change her behavior, then maybe they could put the past behind them and begin anew.