Kish: The Question!

Today was another Kish episode on One Life to Live, or maybe I should say that it was a Fish day, since Kyle wasn't actually on. Still, it was a big day in their storyline.

The show started with Cristian arriving outside of Kyle's motel room, wanting to know more about how Fish was using Layla. Kyle wasn't in, but Cristian spotted an envelope sticking out from under the door. He'd just bent down to pull it out when Brody Lovett happened by and interrupted him.

Ah, Brody, the hottest man in Llanview (and that's really saying something!). I was hoping that he'd show up in the Kish storyline at some point! Like, when it was time for their first love triangle and Brody realized he'd been bi curious for a long time.... Wait, where was I? (Actually, I'm only kidding since as much as I'd love to see Brody's portrayer, Mark Lawson, play a gay character someday, I really like Brody with Jessica Brennan. They've got great chemistry and you can't get a better Meet Cute than two crazy kids- literally!- in an asylum, right?)

Brody and Cristian had this only-on-a-soap conversation where even though they'd just met for the first time in a motel hallway, Cristian was soon confiding the whole Kyle-Fish-Layla thing to Brody, who (like the rest of the ever growing chorus) told Cristian about Kyle's blackmailing ways and noted that it seemed like Layla meant an awful lot to Cristian.

After Brody mentioned that he'd just been accepted to the police academy, Cristian wondered if he could take the opportunity to sneak a look at Fish's... file! Sorry, my mind drifted again, imagining Fish and Brody in the police locker room. Brody has that affect on me, what can I say?

Brody, of course, noted that the files were classified and tactfully didn't mention that as a cadet at the police academy, he's not exactly going to be in a position to stroll into the Llanview police department's record room for some strange guy he just met.

After Brody left, Cristian had a little debate with himself about pulling the envelop out from under Kyle's door, but in the end he went for it and discovered that it was a letter from Fish himself:

Kyle,

I know you talked to Cristian Vega, that you told him I was using Layla, but I'm not! I care about her. She's a great girl and I want to be with her. So please back off. Whatever you think you know about me, it was a long time ago. I'm not that guy anymore. For both our sakes, get on with your life and stop messing with mine.

Oliver.

The best part, I have to say, was hearing Fish's voice over, (presumably in Cristian's head as he was reading) emphasize the 'her' in I want to be with her as if he was saying "her and not you" and the threatening way in which he said 'back off', complete with clenched teeth!

While all of this was going on at the Angel Square Motel, Fish and Layla were arriving back at their place in the midst of an argument. It seems that in spite of his promise to keep their relationship a secret at work, Fish talked and now the whole station knows.

Of course Fish talked! What's the use of having a beard if you can't let anyone know you're dating a woman? Silly Layla.

Layla was pissed that Fish hadn't respected her wishes and didn't care when he protested that he'd only told one cop, who'd told another, who'd told another, etc etc. Fish calmed her down by spouting out a laundry list of all that was hot about her and noting that he just had to brag because he couldn't believe a woman like her was with someone like him.

Layla softened and wondered why he was so down on himself. Fish explained that he was a tech geek in high school and Layla told him those days were over. Oliver told her that the spirit of high school is alive and well in the men's locker room at the police station:

Fish: It's beyond juvenile. You know, who's scoring, who's not.

Layla: But you're not like that.

Fish: Well, I have to be, or--

Layla: Or what?

Fish: Or I won't survive there. ... Look, I've wanted to be a cop for as long as I can remember. I love my job and I'm really good at it, too. But you need more than a string of arrests, you've got to fit in.

I already loved Fish before this episode, but these scenes just completely took it to another level. Getting this glimpse of what Fish's daily life must be like at the station and how it affects him just made Oliver all the more endearing. I kind of wanted to wrap my arms around him and hold him until it's all better. Oh, and to tell him that soon he'll get to see Brody naked in the locker room all the time, and who can be sad when there's naked Brody?

Oh, wow, I'm probably ten steps behind more observant viewers on this but: Fish's partner on the force was killed recently and he doesn't have a new one. Brody will soon enough be a rookie cop in need of a partner! Brody and Fish as partners would make my year!

Sorry, back to today. Layla forgave Fish for spilling the beans and then noted that Cristian was at work. Layla moved in for a kiss and then pulled off her shirt. Fish got even more nervous at the sight of a bra and literally took a step back while telling her how beautiful she was, her face and body, how she was everything a man could want.

Layla said that as long as Fish wanted her, that was all that mattered. She moved forward and directed her hands towards a part of his anatomy that quickly revealed to her that Fish didn't want her all that much after all!

Layla asked if she was coming on too strong and said that they didn't have to do this. Oliver said he wanted to, needed to, making it sound like an obligation rather than a desire. He moved in for another kiss, looking like someone about to finish his chores, not hook up:

Fish: This will work.

Layla: Fish, are you talking about you and me, or the sex?

Fish: Both. I want my girlfriend to be happy, right?

Layla: What about you? Are you happy?

Fish: Why wouldn't I be happy with you? (he tries to move in for another kiss, clearly not really wanting to)

Layla: No. It's okay.

Fish: I'm sorry.

Layla: You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong.

Fish: I just really want it to work with us. It's important to me.

Layla: Yeah, I'm getting that.

Fish: Come on, let's go to your room.

Layla: No. This isn't going to work.

Fish: Sure it is.

Layla: No, actually it's not. And that's okay, because I should have picked up on it sooner.

Fish: All that matters is how we feel about each other.

Layla: Yeah, that's important. But we need to be on the same page, and we aren't.

Fish: What do you mean?

Layla: Are you gay?

Yes! I'm impressed. Usually the women in these story lines are totally clueless until they catch their man with a man of his own or until some third party outs them. Not Layla, though! I love that she picked up on this so early and it's going to be really interesting to see what Fish has to say for himself after that little cliffhanger of an ending.

I can't wait to see what happens next!