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A London Extra; A Hannah/James Sequel to A French Connection
Topic Started: January 9, 2012, 12:42 am (25,129 Views)
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fiometal
January 26, 2012, 4:29 am
Poor Ray :(

...and James talking about all the things that he made when he was alcoholic and how he combated his demons in there, and how he is still doing after rehab, that was so emotional... :heart: :heart: :heart:
Yeah--it takes a lot for James to remember that stuff. He at least gave Hannah a bit of a heads up as to Ray's state of mind, but she still couldn't really prepare herself.

Lets see what his meeting with James will be like, whether it will jogg his memory.
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A nice image of Billie Piper as Hannah:

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Voxx
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Hmm...

I think Hannah is fucked please excuse my French :P

I think its obvious she still loves Ray (she even said it!) And I think she going to have a hard time leaving him and carrying on with James considering the state he is in, and a state that she is, at least in part, responsible for.

In the previous chapter, she said that she was angry with Ray for not calling...well before we knew he was in rehab, my first thought was, but you left him! You took his child away! Without even thinking about it! Now that we know he is in rehab, I hope she rethinks a few things.

The poor guy! Though this development...with him thinking he's married to Fran? Very intriguing. I think he's always had more feelings for her than he has wanted to admit. I think its interesting that both James and Ray fall for Hannah after it appears that they both (obviously James loved Fran and now I think Ray may have been in love with her too) at one point had feelings for Fran. I mean Hannah, in a way, in a younger, sexier, fresher version of Fran. The long blonde hair thing? Yeah. It's interesting!

Such a good plot twist! :heart: :heart:
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Voxx
January 26, 2012, 12:21 pm
Hmm...

I think Hannah is fucked please excuse my French :P

I think its obvious she still loves Ray (she even said it!) And I think she going to have a hard time leaving him and carrying on with James considering the state he is in, and a state that she is, at least in part, responsible for.

In the previous chapter, she said that she was angry with Ray for not calling...well before we knew he was in rehab, my first thought was, but you left him! You took his child away! Without even thinking about it! Now that we know he is in rehab, I hope she rethinks a few things.

The poor guy! Though this development...with him thinking he's married to Fran? Very intriguing. I think he's always had more feelings for her than he has wanted to admit. I think its interesting that both James and Ray fall for Hannah after it appears that they both (obviously James loved Fran and now I think Ray may have been in love with her too) at one point had feelings for Fran. I mean Hannah, in a way, in a younger, sexier, fresher version of Fran. The long blonde hair thing? Yeah. It's interesting!

Such a good plot twist! :heart: :heart:
Yes--Hannah is in a really bad situation now. She surely cannot in good faith divorce Ray in the state he is in.

We will find out very soon while Ray is fixated on Francesca and has seemingly convinced himself she is his wife. He obviously remembers Hannah, he does nothing but draw pictures of her, but there is a deep pain that's masking the truth. I don't want to give you all the answer yet, but the clue is that it has a lot to do with his last interaction with Francesca in Buenos Aires before she kicked him out.

You are completely right about the parallel between Francesca and Hannah. She is of course the younger sexier version of Francesca, complete with the long blonde hair. You may have noticed a few chapters ago, the parallel to the bathroom scene James had with Fran in Argentina. It's the concept he adores: taking care of her, brushing her long hair. James is living in a fantasy where he believes he can replace Francesca with Hannah--and now it seems, he can't even do that!

Stay tuned, folks! :wink
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A recap chapter. Here's the chapter from earlier in the story where Francesca speaks to Ray about the paternity of baby Anthony. A hint as to what has made Ray fantasise about Francesca as his wife...

‘Ray? Can I come in?’ Francesca knocked on the guest room door with a worried hand. She had just got off the phone from James, and she was utterly confused—she had not got any of the answers she had expected. She couldn’t understand what James’ new son had to do with Ray. Ray opened the door in nervous surprise. She looked around anxiously.

‘Ray we need to talk’ she walked into his room without being invited, it was her house after all. He sat nervously on the edge of his bed. He had an uncomfortable flashback of the two of them in here some 12 years earlier. She had come to him, just like this, and kissed him hotly. He was sure it was a reaction for saving their marriage—he had successfully convinced her to leave Carlos. Somehow, she had channelled her energy towards him that day, and they had ended up moments from making love—each in a terrible place in their lives. Ray was thankful it had not happened after all. And now, Francesca’s nervous face looked at him for answers once more.

‘I just spoke to James! He said that…’ she wiped her tears from her eyes. She shook her head as her tears fell fast, she was thinking of her poor youngest daughter’s recent discovery that her father was cheating. She started from the beginning.

‘Ray, do you remember that girl who James was seeing? A call girl, named Hannah?’ her eyes searched his face with worry. Ray gulped, he couldn’t reply. They were working towards a fateful conclusion. He knew she would find out eventually. He nodded, unable to speak.

‘James has fathered a child with her!’ she cried. ‘A baby boy! There’s photos of them together with him, all over the internet! Marcella found them!’ she cried the last of her words with an openly wailing mouth. Ray’s mind whirled. Hannah was with James? She had taken off with him since Ray had left London?!

‘I just called James to ask him about it, and he said that I should ask you! What does he mean?’ she composed herself with remarkable clarity and Ray froze, he didn’t want to tell her. He admired and respected Francesca more than he ever dared express.

‘The baby boy, he’s not James’ son’ Ray began.

‘He’s not?’ Francesca’s face was shocked and confused.

‘No’ Ray took a deep revealing breath.

‘He’s my son’ Ray raised his face to take in Francesca’s expression. Her forehead clenched into a stunned pose.

‘Pardon? Why is James looking after your son?’ Ray couldn’t reply. He’d rather let his guilty silence explain itself. After ten seconds of silence, her face was terrified from guessing.

‘Well? Ray! Tell me!’ she shrieked.

‘Hannah is my wife!’ Ray revealed. Francesca’s face dropped in a knowing angry gasp. Her face turned stern and tense. She was furious once more.

‘You mean to say, that you knew about James sleeping with Hannah, all this time!’ she screamed. ‘YOU KNEW!’ Ray nodded, he cried, he had been forced to keep James’ secret for fear of ruining their marriage.

‘I fell in love with her when James was seeing her’ he explained. ‘Yes, I left you and your family to follow her back to London. I loved her’ he explained honestly, but his words didn’t placate Francesca.

‘I trusted you!’ she sobbed.

‘If it’s any consolation, she isn’t speaking to me and she’s clearly taken off with James’ Ray concluded, thinking of the photos of James with his wife and son. He had had no contact with Hannah at all since leaving London.

‘I don’t care if you ruined your own marriage, but you will NOT ruin mine!’ she cried.

‘GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!’ she screamed. ‘I never want to see you again!’ her hands trembled violently, she couldn’t believe what she was saying. The awful fact was that Ray had once overheard her say the very same thing to James.

‘You brought that whore into our lives!’ she screamed. ’James was clean! We had our life back! You will never truly know the damage you have done to me, to us! James will never love me again. Hannah is young and beautiful, and I’m old and tired. This is all your fault!’ she screamed.

‘GET OUT!’ she yelled again.
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Auluna Raie
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:lol: :lol:

More up very soon!
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I had to tell James about Ray’s state of mind after I returned to the hotel. James fed Anthony formula from a bottle, holding him expertly in his arms. He lifted our baby to stand in his lap, leaning him over his shoulder to pat the air bubbles from his chest. He made a happy gurgle and James smiled while he stroked Anthony’s small back.

‘Look, your mommy’s back’ James cooed. I hugged them both and James kissed me in a worried welcome.

‘How was he?’ he asked finally. He read the shell-shocked look on my face with worry.

‘He’s had a psychotic break—they found him blacked out drunk on the street outside our house’ I explained. I covered my mouth with my hand, knowing I would cry to reveal that painful truth.

‘He didn’t recognise me, James!’ I sobbed. James held me tightly with Anthony still on his left arm.

‘Don’t worry, it’ll be the drugs they’re giving him’ he explained. ‘He knows who you are, believe me’ he said, but I wondered how he could be so sure. I didn’t know how to reveal the most horrible part of Ray’s alternate reality.

‘He’s under the impression that Francesca is his wife. He thought I was her’ I explained. James’ forehead frowned.

‘He thinks Francesca is his wife?’ he asked, clarifying my statement.

‘That’s what he believes at the moment’ I confirmed. James’ face was utterly confused. I remembered James telling me Ray had once gone after his wife, but that she had told James it was her fault, so he had not been fired.

‘Maybe I should call her, find out if something happened when he left’ James thought out loud. I took Anthony from his arms, and James pulled his phone from his pocket. I noticed she was still on his speed dial. He sat on the couch across the room facing me, sitting his phone on the coffee table in front of him, converting the call to speakerphone so I would hear too.

‘Francesca?’ he asked as she picked up. Usually she didn’t answer his calls so quickly these days.

‘James, if you’re calling to tell me Hannah’s pregnant, I don’t want to hear it’ she began. ‘Just tell the kids the truth, please!’ she begged. James breathed impatiently—she was working on rumours from the papers, and he knew in his guilty mind that he has still not called his children to explain the truth of the situation. He had hoped to see them in person instead.

‘No, it’s not that—and no, she isn’t pregnant. David sold more photos to the press’ he explained.

‘Oh, really?’ Francesca came down from her angry tone, she knew the story with James’ older brother.

‘That’s terrible that he’s still doing that to you’ she reflected.

‘Please tell the kids there’s nothing to worry about’ he said simply, knowing he should tell them himself. ‘I will come and visit you and the kids again very soon—I’ve just had an unexpected trip abroad’ he explained. She didn’t reply, but he continued assuming she was listening.

‘I’m in Edinburgh—I have just found out that Ray is in rehab. He’s had a psychotic break, and it turns out he is also an alcoholic’ James revealed. Fran gasped down the line.

‘The Doctor’s are confused about his recent trip to Buenos Aires’ James explained. ‘What happened? He’s saying some odd things about you’ he said worryingly, leaving out the worst of it. Francesca couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

‘We had an enormous row when he left!’ she exclaimed in horror. ‘It was after I spoke to you, after you told me to ask him about the baby boy—Ray told me he wasn’t your son, that he was his, and Hannah was his wife!’ she exclaimed. ‘I kicked him out—said I never wanted to see him again!’ she was upset at herself. ‘I knew I was too harsh on him!’ she revealed sadly. ‘I was still so mad about so many other things’ she explained.

‘Well thanks—that helps a bit’ James reassured her gently. ‘I’m visiting him tomorrow, I’ll say hello from you and tell you how he is, alright?’ James was kind and softly-spoken with his ex-wife.

‘The kids can’t wait to see you!’ she added warmly. He thought from the sound of her sad voice, that neither could she.
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James was led down the same corridor I had been by the same Doctor. This time, the Psychiatrist knew exactly who he was.

‘I have to admit, we didn’t believe him when he said he knew you!’ They stopped outside Ray’s room. James shrugged, he was used to people being surprised in his presence. The door opened and Ray recognised James at once. He stood quickly, he had been drawing at the table and hugged his old friend. The Doctor smiled and left them alone.

‘Ray! Dude, it’s good to see you!’ James hugged his friend strongly, there was hardly anyone in James’ world that had known him better than Ray. James sat at the table with his friend, and Ray offered him a look at his drawings. They were all of Hannah: her angelic face strengthened him.

‘They’re great!’ James smiled, although in truth it was hard for him to see how much Ray still adored her. James caught a steady glance at Ray’s eyes to gauge his state of mind. He thought his eyes seemed clearer than Hannah had described.

‘So I’m clean!’ Ray began, picking up his pencil. He continued to shade in locks of her smooth hair.

‘Alright! It feels good, huh?’ James was putting on his best mood to brighten his friend. Ray nodded, but it was clear that not all his vices were so easily overcome.

‘I miss her’ Ray said, staring at the image he had created.

‘Hannah’ James said, hoping he might realise. Ray nodded, writing her name around the image like had all the others.

‘Hannah came to see you yesterday’ James began carefully.

‘No, it was Francesca!’ Ray said a little aggressively.

‘It was Hannah’ James insisted politely. Ray carefully inspected the image he was drawing again. His tears fell quickly, he had realised.

‘I love her! She left me for you!’ he wailed. James wasn’t sure what to say to that. He could only nod badly.

‘I spoke to Francesca yesterday’ James began. ‘She said that she’s very sorry she argued with you. She’s still your friend, Ray’. James leant his hand on Ray’s shoulder. Ray's eyes turned a watery mess at the news.

'Tell her I want to see her again' Ray asked James. James didn't dare to tell Ray they were no longer together. Instead, James let the topic hang awkwardly in the air unanswered.

‘I want to go back to London soon’ Ray said finally. ‘They said in another month, if my progress is good that I can go home’ he explained. James smiled broadly for his friend, it was great news. ‘I really miss my work, I want to get back to the restaurant’ he admitted. James thought his aspirations to leave were a very positive sign. But even still, the conversation that he needed to have with Ray was not something that he could bring himself to say. Ray was cogent enough to know what had happened to Hannah. James remembered Hannah had said he had not remembered his son. He too, pulled his iphone from his pocket to show Ray the evidence. James showed him a photo of Ray holding baby Anthony when he had visited them the year before.

‘You’re a great dad, Ray’ James said. ‘He is your son, I am looking after him for you until you can be in his life again. You are always welcome to visit us in California. I know for sure, that Hannah wants you to be a part of his life. She misses you a lot, Ray’ James admitted. James believed Ray was clearer now that he looked at the sketch of Hannah with understanding.

‘Please look after her’ Ray said sadly. ‘You can have her James, just don’t ever hurt her’ he said honestly, his eyes never leaving the page.
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Nah Bruno
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OH. MAN. I'M SPEECHLESS. Don't know what to say. :o
Ray's mind is so disturbed! Now Hannah it's in a very bad situation. My opinion : Ray just left like that to Buenos Aires because he found out of Hannah and James... and when he came back, he was expecting to sort things out with her, but she had literally moved on! :o
Hannah was so naive she couldn't figure Ray's alcoholism!
:heart:

(and I know there one more chapter up, I'll read it now :wink )
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Nah Bruno
January 26, 2012, 9:30 pm
OH. MAN. I'M SPEECHLESS. Don't know what to say. :o
Ray's mind is so disturbed! Now Hannah it's in a very bad situation. My opinion : Ray just left like that to Buenos Aires because he found out of Hannah and James... and when he came back, he was expecting to sort things out with her, but she had literally moved on! :o
Hannah was so naive she couldn't figure Ray's alcoholism!
:heart:

(and I know there one more chapter up, I'll read it now :wink )
Sadly, Ray made the mistake of taking his marriage for granted, and was more worried about Francesca than the fact that Hannah had been seing James while the band was in London.
You're right, when he got back, she was gone!

Hannah completely missed Ray's alcholism because she was a young mother, learning to cope herself. It's ironic that James is the one who knows what Ray is going through the most.
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Nah Bruno
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kirks_wife
January 26, 2012, 9:35 pm
Nah Bruno
January 26, 2012, 9:30 pm
OH. MAN. I'M SPEECHLESS. Don't know what to say. :o
Ray's mind is so disturbed! Now Hannah it's in a very bad situation. My opinion : Ray just left like that to Buenos Aires because he found out of Hannah and James... and when he came back, he was expecting to sort things out with her, but she had literally moved on! :o
Hannah was so naive she couldn't figure Ray's alcoholism!
:heart:

(and I know there one more chapter up, I'll read it now :wink )
Sadly, Ray made the mistake of taking his marriage for granted, and was more worried about Francesca than the fact that Hannah had been seing James while the band was in London.
You're right, when he got back, she was gone!

Hannah completely missed Ray's alcholism because she was a young mother, learning to cope herself. It's ironic that James is the one who knows what Ray is going through the most.
Yes! But he looks way better talking to James...more down to Earth. The last sentence just breaks me heart. James should feel really bad, I mean, Hannah and Ray were a very happy family until James showed up again :(
To be honest, I think his loneliness and the sexual chemistry between he and Hannah screwed up things... :ugh:
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Nah Bruno
January 26, 2012, 9:41 pm
kirks_wife
January 26, 2012, 9:35 pm
Nah Bruno
January 26, 2012, 9:30 pm
OH. MAN. I'M SPEECHLESS. Don't know what to say. :o
Ray's mind is so disturbed! Now Hannah it's in a very bad situation. My opinion : Ray just left like that to Buenos Aires because he found out of Hannah and James... and when he came back, he was expecting to sort things out with her, but she had literally moved on! :o
Hannah was so naive she couldn't figure Ray's alcoholism!
:heart:

(and I know there one more chapter up, I'll read it now :wink )
Sadly, Ray made the mistake of taking his marriage for granted, and was more worried about Francesca than the fact that Hannah had been seing James while the band was in London.
You're right, when he got back, she was gone!

Hannah completely missed Ray's alcholism because she was a young mother, learning to cope herself. It's ironic that James is the one who knows what Ray is going through the most.
Yes! But he looks way better talking to James...more down to Earth. The last sentence just breaks me heart. James should feel really bad, I mean, Hannah and Ray were a very happy family until James showed up again :(
To be honest, I think his loneliness and the sexual chemistry between he and Hannah screwed up things... :ugh:
Ray is a lot better talking to James because his history with James is more real to him. Ray has confused himself in a fantasy about Francesca being his wife, to hide the horrible pain he feels about Hannah leaving him. He has also completely blocked out their son.

Hopefully, James' revelation that Francesca is sorry will help him, but still, the damage is done.
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Voxx
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Poor Ray :(

I agree with Nah Bruno, the last line was particularly sad. I feel like it might be foreshadowing something though. The words "just don't ever hurt her". I have this feeling, that James will end up hurting her. I think it's his curse, he somehow ends up hurting the people he loves.

I really hope Ray can get his life together and hopefully he can reconcile with Fran.

And I'm looking forward to James' trip to Argentina! To see the children! ...and Fran! :biggrin

P.S. I did noticed the parallel between the hair brushing scenes between Fran and James. I read it and right away I thought about how James had done the same thing recently with Fran. I don't think Hannah would be pleased to know about that and how James had watched her in the shower or that he probably would have shared a bed with his wife if she had let him.
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Voxx
January 26, 2012, 11:22 pm
Poor Ray :(

I agree with Nah Bruno, the last line was particularly sad. I feel like it might be foreshadowing something though. The words "just don't ever hurt her". I have this feeling, that James will end up hurting her. I think it's his curse, he somehow ends up hurting the people he loves.

I really hope Ray can get his life together and hopefully he can reconcile with Fran.

And I'm looking forward to James' trip to Argentina! To see the children! ...and Fran! :biggrin

P.S. I did noticed the parallel between the hair brushing scenes between Fran and James. I read it and right away I thought about how James had done the same thing recently with Fran. I don't think Hannah would be pleased to know about that and how James had watched her in the shower or that he probably would have shared a bed with his wife if she had let him.
Yes: that is James' prophecy--that he hurts people around him through lack of control. Even Ray said in A French Connection: "Hannah, I knew he'd just end up hurting you, in the end".

There's a lot to go yet--Ray is on his way to recovery, it's helped him that James and Hannah visited.

James' next Argentina trip is up soon! :heart:

I'm glad you noticed the parallel: it highlights James' desires in what he wants from his partner. Hannah would be pissed I imagine if she thought James had tried to sleep with Francesca one last time. The hair-drying thing was harmless in itself, it was a nice thing to do, but we know that it's James being insecure. What it really means is Hannah will do for him what Francesca will not.

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