Kelly is nervous about confronting Blair with the truth. Dorian talks to her as she prepares a basket of toiletries for Blair. She hopes Blair will forgive her. Dorian offers to go with her, but Kelly wants to go alone.
Drew shows up at Dorian's with yet another offer for the warehouse in Angel Square. Dorian takes great pleasure in telling him she sold it to Maggie. Drew then switches his charms to Kelly, as she walks out into the foyer. Kelly tells him she wants to forget the times they spent together and gives him the old heave ho!! Dorian is so proud of her and assures her that Blair will be alright with her news. Kelly then leaves for Philadelphia.
Drew meets Asa at the Palace Hotel dining room. He lies to Asa and says he's getting close to closing a deal with Dorian. Then Dorian saunters up to their table and gleefully tells Asa she sold the warehouse to Maggie. He fires Drew on the spot. Drew says Asa can't do this to him, because he is family. Asa tells him, " It's because you are family that I'm just firing you, if you weren't, I'd shoot you like a dog! "
Meanwhile, Nora hires an expert to go over the ATM security tape. ( It was only showing snow when they viewed it at the bank.) The bank president, Marty, Patrick and Nora wait as he starts to see an image on the tape. Then it goes blank again. He says there seems to be a technical glitch. Patrick says there was a bad storm that night. The expert says the storm could have done something to cause a malfunction. Patrick and Nora have to rush to the court hearing, while Marty stays with him to see if he can find anything else on the tape. They are 15 minutes late and arrive just as Judge Fitzwater is about to order that Patrick be arrested for jumping bail. She allows the hearing to go on at Nora's pleading and apologizing. Hank tries to get Patrick indicted on the bombing and Nora stalls, hoping Marty will bring the tape in time. Judge Fitzy is getting wise to Nora and orders her to get on with it. At the last minute, in runs Marty waving the tape in her hand. Nora gets permission to show it.
Andy takes it upon herself to spy on R.J. She sees him meeting Jackie McNaughten- a crime boss at a secluded parking lot. She takes pictures of them (she can't hear what they are saying from her hiding a place). R.J. tells Jackie he wants to lay low for awhile until the cops get off his case. He understands and tells R.J. to just call when he is ready. He has plenty of business to send his way. Andy goes to Bo and tells him. He wonders why R.J. is meeting with the man who has his finger in every racket along the boardwalk at Atlantic City? He tells Andy to keep an eye on R.J., but not to say anything to Hank for now. While this is happening, Rachel is telling Cassie all about the music business R.J. is getting into. Also, how he is trying to go legitimate. Cassie is skeptical, but will talk to Clint about printing a fair story about it in the Banner.
Asa goes straight to Maggie with his offer to buy the warehouse (even though Dorian told him about the 15 year clause that Maggie can't sell to anyone but her). He also offers to give her a building anywhere in the city in exchange. She refuses and tells him why she wants it - for a creative school, which includes circus performing. Asa laughs and says, " Isn't your life already a 3 ring circus? " When she tells him her interest in circus performing is because Ian told her it's in their ancestry; Asa calls Ian, Bozo the Billionaire. Maggie gets aggravated at Asa and tells him the best thing about the deal from Dorian is, it keeps him out of Angel Square.
Rachel spots Drew at a table in the corner in the restaurant, after Cassie leaves. She goes to him. He is miserable and spills his guts to her about what has happened. She offers to help. He's ready to blow this town. She says he can't keep running everytime he has problems. He should go to Bo.
Blair is happy to see Kelly. They make small talk and Blair shows Kelly her progress in her walking. They embrace and Blair wants to sit and dig in to the cheese steak sandwich and fries Kelly brought her. She can tell Kelly is bothered about something, so she tells her to come out with it. Kelly does and Blair is stunned by the news that Kelly was the driver that killed her Brendon and put her in the hospital.
Tuesday, July 1st,
1997
Written by Mona Frymire
COURTHOUSE
As the Harzardville bank manager sits on the stand, Nora shows the videotape that Marty rushed in. It shows that Patrick was at the ATM machine precisely at 8:52pm. This proves that since Hazardville is well over an hour away, even in the best of driving conditions, and the bomb had a sixty second timer, Patrick could not have set the bomb. She asks that the case be dismissed. Hank says that if the tape shows no sign of tampering, the prosecution will drop the case. Outside the courtroom Todd learns that his plot against Patrick had failed. Kevin wastes no time making Todd feel very uncomfortable. Kevin tells him that he knows about the trip to Dunleavey. Todd looks very unhappy as he realizes that all his plans are being destroyed. Hank announces to the press that all charges against Patrick have been dropped.
DORIAN'S HOUSE
Cassie shows up and tells Dorian that she and Andrew have signed the final divorce papers. Dorian's reaction is one of elation. According to Dorian, now all she has to do is drop Kevin and everything will be perfect. Cassie is very disappointed at Dorian's lack of support and reminds her that Kevin is the only person in the world makes her feel needed and appreciated
PHILADELPHIA
A shocked Blair soaks in the news that Kelly was the person driving the other car the night Brendan was killed. Kelly apologizes and begs forgiveness but Blair cannot comply. She will never be able to forgive her for killing her son. Kelly is dumbfounded that Blair is reacting so harshly. She tries to hug Blair but Blair pushes her away and tells her never ever to touch her again. She doesn't even want to see Kelly and tells her to leave. Heartbroken, Kelly leaves.
BANNER
Mel warns Viki that the evidence against Todd for the Armitage murder is piling up. She knows that Todd can be awful but she can't believe that he is a cold-hearted killer. He loves his family and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his relationship with Starr. She tells Mel that he better be extra sure of his facts before Kevin and him print any of it.
BO'S OFFICE
Drew tells Bo that he quit working with Asa and that he is leaving town. Bo sees right through Drew and knows that Asa must have fired him. Drew says that he didn't come to Llanview looking for a job, he came to Llanview looking for a father. Bo was just too involved with his job to be a father. After Drew leaves, Bo blames himself for the situation with Drew.
DORIAN'S HOUSE LATER
Kelly comes in and says that she told Blair the truth about the accident.
But Blair is very upset and wouldn't forgive her. She doesn't understand
it because Patrick and Todd have both forgiven her. Why can't Blair?
Cassie and Dorian try to console her to no avail. Cassie leaves and Mel
comes in. He talks to Kelly and Kelly responds. Mel certainly has a way
with words. He gets Kelly to lean into a very touching hug.
Wednesday, July 2nd,
1997
Written by Laura Simurda
Carlotta's Diner- Hank, Bo, Carlotta, Antonio and Andy
Hank and Bo discuss Drew's leaving town. Bo says that it was his hope that Pa's strange, warped ways would make his son stronger as it did with him and his brother, Clint. Instead Drew left with his tail between his legs. He should have spent more time with the boy, but he was busy with the Men of 21 investigation and then Rachel's disappearance. Drew must have felt that he took a backseat to Nora's daughter. Hank sympathizes. He was in the same place with Rachel a year ago and look how well she is doing now. Carlotta agrees. Her sons hung out with the wrong crowds and they are just fine today.
At the counter, Andy informs Antonio that she has been trailing R.J. He does not like that she was spying on R.J. and McNaughton without backup, but she reassures him that she spoke to Bo and now she has the green light. A registered letter is delivered by the post offfice. It is thin and Antonio worries that it is a rejection. As he slowly opens the envleop, his faces lights up like Times Square on New Year's Eve and Andy knows his world is right. Carlotta does the honors of reading its contents. Antonio has received a three year scholarhip to the law school of his choice. Everyone goes wild with enthusiasm and crowds around Antonio. Carlotta and Hank hug a little too close and both look briefly into each other's eyes with a sense of discovery until a nearby Bo reaches his hand out to Antonio in congratulations and gets in the way of their embrace.
Bo gives Hank the money to pay the check. Antonio thanks Hank for writing the letter of recommendation. Bo again congratulates Antonio and Andy asks to speak to him. She tells Bo she wants to go to Atlantic City and see what information she can pick up at McNaughton's base of operations. Bo tells her to watch her back and keep him posted. Meanwhile, Carlotta returns Bo's change to Hank and he slides his hand back and forth over hers and tells "Nobody does it better." After he leaves, Antonio notices the look on her face and asks her if she is doing OK. Nobody does it better, she replies with a dreamy look.
Rectory- Andrew, Maggie and Kelly
Maggie is visiting her cousin. They talk about River and Andrew's divorce from Cassie. At least the boy doesn't ask when Mommy is coming home any more. This saddens Maggie, but Andrew stays upbeat and says he will walk Maggie down the aisle and spoil all 6 of his children. Kelly interrupts. She nearly collapses into Andrew's consoling arms. Maggie gets her water and Kelly asks for her to stay while she speaks about Blair's reaction to the news that she was the driver who caused her unborn baby's death. Now all Kelly wants to do is die. Blair hates her. Andrew tells her that Blair can't share Kelly's pain because she has too much of her own to bear. He says that Anger is like the heat that cauterizes a wound and stops it from bleeding. Kelly wants to know how come Patrick can understand and Blair doesn't even want to hear her say she is sorry. Blair will blame Kelly until the days she dies. Kelly sees no point in living. God will not forgive her for being a baby killer. Andrew quotes the Bible-"To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heavean- a time to be born, a time to ...", he breaks off before he says "die." Instead he suggest that he hear her confession in the church. Penance is a sacrament for special occasions like this. Maggie tells Kelly once she get absolution from God, Kelly's next step is to forgive herself.
Patrick's Apartment-Patrick and Maggie
Maggie visits Patrick to ask him for a favor. She is happy to hear that Patrick plans to marry as soon as Marty can get all the preparations finished up. Maggie thanks him for restoring her shaky faith in marriage. He asks her what is the good deed she is seeking from him. She tells him she is not the only one who needs courage. Kelly is despondent and Patrick is the only one who can understand Blair's reaction because he has been there, too. She asks Patrick to talk to Kelly about the dark places Blair is going through now. Patrick hugs Maggie and says Max is a lucky man to have her.
Rodi's- Andy, Max, and Maggie
Andy need advice from her compulsive gambler brother. She is not looking to mess him up, but she does need to take advantage of his expertise. She wants to get next to a casino owner. What is the best way? Max suggests that she pose as a high roller, but Andy explains that is impossible on a police budget. Max proceeds to Plan B, which is to ride the pipeline from the pit boss to the casino owner. She can ingratiate herself to a pit boss by catching a player card counting. This is frowned on by the casino and any pit boss will throw the player out and perhaps lead the whistle blower to the owner. Max shows her how black jack is played. The card counter usually exerts only the slightest amount of pressure on his fingers while counting. Maggie comes in and they fill her in on the scheme. Max admits this is risky. There is no guarantee she will spot the card counter. Some use a partner who signals. Andy asks what they are doing tonight. Max says they have plans. Maggie agrees they have plans- plans to go to Atlantic City with Andy.
The Banner- Viki, Clint, Mel and Dorian
Clint comes in to see Viki about an editorial, but her mind is still on her conversation with their son and she is noticably irritable. Clint wants to know what is wrong. She replies that Kevin thinks she is condescending. Clint believes their son is just sore because they don't agree with him on his relationship with Cassie. No, Viki says adamantly, he is angry because "I said that Cassie had unresoved emotional issues." Clint replies that his ex-wife knows the consequences of those issues better than most. Viki calls it a pointed remark and this opens the issue of their divorce and why Kevin doesn't respect her opinion. Because she left Clint for Sloan just as Cassie left Andrew for Kevin. She thought they put this all to rest when Sloan died. Clint arches his eyebrows and says facetiously, "Oh, did you, really?" When Viki starts to probe him on the comment, Clint attempts to change the subject. She tells him he can't just walk out on this. When she pushes, he tells her that Sloan's death did not change things for the rest of the family. She was already gone to them. Viki says she tried to keep the lines of communication open, but Clint gave her the silent treatment. They got through the crises. They are parenting together. They are friends. Clint would like to leave it like that. He is not prepared to hash it out with her. She pushes him some more and he reminds her that after Sloan died, she closed herself off and splintered into all those personalities. The family decided to put a lid on it. Viki wants to know what he really thinks of her. After all, he never had the option Andrew has to be angry with Cassie. Clint insists for the last time that he will not get into this and that is that. He walks out leaving Viki shaken and frustrated.
Mel enters his boss's office a few moments later. Viki is sobbing and can't find her tissues. A gallant Mel hands her his hankerchief and sits down prepared to listen. Viki says hasn't she made it clear she wants to be alone? He replies that when the Rock of Gibralter starts to fall into the sea, you call in the Army Corp of Engineers. They might botch the job, but at least you have someone to blame. Viki tells him that shoring up his boss is not part of his job description. Mel says that he needs her and so does Clint, she is his life line. He discloses that journalists are hardest on the ones they love the most. Viki says Mel is nothing like Cllnt. Her ex stonewalls. Mel fights with the best ot them even with a dead fish in his hands. She likes that type of honesty and she is sick of being maddening polite. Mel reminds her that she is not polite with him. She wants to know if Mel would enact a scene like his argument with Dorian with her. She knows that Clint wouldn't. He RESPECTS her. Mel replies that that is not a dirty word. She deserves respect because she is as tough as they come. Viki explains that she learned that from her father, among other things.
Viki is curious to know just how much Mel knows about Mental Illness and her? Mel knows about the Dissociate Identity Disorder. She helped to dis-stygmatize mental illness. Viki replies that he is enlightened. His mother Mary (the shrink) would be happy to hear that. Viki questions whether Dorain told him she was responsible for Victor's death. Mel says she never told him. Shortly after meeting her he posed the provacative quesiton of whether Dorian killed Victor Lord. She said to eat his scrambled eggs. The only time he and Dorian discussed Viki was after he witnessed a scathing argument between the two women. He asked Dorian the source of their antipathy and she said it was Oedipidal and he dropped the subject. Viki is amazed that is all her arch enemy told him. She explains that one of her alters, Tori, smothered her father to death. Viki had no memory of this or she would not have let Dorian sit on Death Row, no matter how badly they got along. After Sloan died, she was institutionalized and it has been a hard climb back up, but she is proud that he is looking at an integrated personality. Mel replies she has a right to be proud, but he senses a reservation. Viki pours him coffee and tells him of the affect her illness had on her family. A lot of things were swept under the rug. She and Clint tripped over one of those lumps today. He would like to ignore it and she wants to beat the hell out of that rug. Mel is amused at the idea of Viki with her hair in a bun beating the dust out of the rug. He tells her that when the women in his family house clean, the men folk head for the hills. Spring cleaning and intimacy do not do together. She laughs weakly.
Dorian arrives and senses a conversational intimacy between Viki and Mel. She tells Mel she is worried about Kelly. She was not in her bed this morning. Now she is at the rectory with Andrew. She feels that Mel can do her niece more good than Andrew. Kelly should be home soon. Could he speak to her? Can Viki spare him? Viki states that she does not make Mel's schedule. Mel prepares to leave and Dorian tells him she will be along in a moment. Viki says she is sorry to hear about her family trouble. Dorian replies that they will come out on top. Mel is a supportive man. Does Viki remember what that is like. It has been some time. Viki reminds her that it has been a long drought for Dorian, too, if she is speaking of MEN. Dorian says that the Buchanan boys have a hard time growing up. Joey was the most mature, but he had the benefit of Dorian. Viki remarks that she is happy she has no more underage boys at home to benefit from Dorian. Dorian says that the Buchanan boys have a way of sidetracking the Cramer girls until they find real men. Viki should tell Kevin that.
Dorian's House- Kelly, Patrick, Mel and Dorian
Patrick sits on the staircase and tells Kelly that his youth was marred by an incident, but he still feels he can make a difference. Neither of them are perfect. Her act was a mistake, his was a conscious act. He was not forgiven because no one knew of his responsibility. She is further along in the process than he ever was. He wishes he had known Mel in his youth. Absolution is a help. She did the right thing with Blair. Now she has to let her fight it like he had to. Kelly asks how she can make it easier on Blair. She is willing to do anything. Then, Patrick says, she must be willing to do nothing, to keep her distance. Kelly replies that is too hard. Patrick says that the hardest thing is to forgive herself. Kelly says she can't, despite the absolution Andrew gave her from God. Patrick poses the question of wheter she thinks she is more important than God. If God can forgive her, how dare she not do the same.
Patrick leaves as Mel and Dorian come in. Kelly tells them it is a lot more OK than it was before, but she can't take more right now. She goes upstairs. Mel says that Kelly is stronger than she thinks. And Dorian vows the her family is not going to fall apart. She will go to Philadelphia and speak to Blair. But for now, How about Brunch in BED!
Carlotta's Fantasy
While Carlotta is slaving over a pot of boiling water, she is thinking
of Hank's words. Nobody does it better. She hears the music of "whatever Lola wants, Lola gets" as the steam hits her face and gets lost
in a steamy fantasy of Hank and her. Hank is seated on a chair, the
back rest in front of him and his legs straddling each side. Carlotta
dances provacatively around him and strips him to the waist. They
embrace and Carlotta awakes from her fantasy in a sweet summer sweat.
Andrew is at the counter. He speaks to her and she says with a smile,
forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.
Thursday, July 3rd,
1997
Written by Kathy Esch
DORIAN'S-Mel and Dorian
Dorian and Mel are in Dorian's house, and Dorian decides to go see Blair in Philadelphia. Mel tells Dorian that Blair may not be ready to accept Kelly's apology. He tells her that grief is grief and that Blair has suffered such a loss that her anger at Kelly may be an outlet for it. He asks if Blair knows about the Armitage murder investigation, and Dorian tells him that Blair hasn't been reading the papers so she hasn't heard. Mel tells her that the whole story may be worse than she knows. He tells her that Todd may have set Patrick up. Mel tells Dorian all about how Todd "could have" set Patrick up. He won't tell her definitely, just in a hypothetical way. He tells her about the Lord Whiting case similarities to the Armitage case. He tells her not to tell Blair about this. He thinks Blair is too fragile, and Dorian agrees.
PHILADELPHIA -Blair, Todd, Starr, Dorian
Todd arrives at the hospital to see Blair. They chat with each other about how they are. Blair asks about Starr and Todd says that she can ask her herself, he brings Starr into the room. Blair says it is a miracle, and Todd says yes. Blair tells Todd that Kelly came by, He tells her that he was in shock when he heard. Todd says the important thing is that shorty is all better. Blair thanks him for bringing Starr in. The nurse comes in and tells Todd that she and Todd have to leave now. Todd gives her a gift as they leave. He tells her it is from Starr. It is a beautiful bracelet. Dorian arrives to visit. Dorian tells Blair she should put the past and her feelings of anger behind her. She tells her she can't forgive Kelly ever. She tells Dorian that Todd and Starr visited, and that Todd gave her a bracelet. Dorian says that Todd is a monster, but Blair doesn't want to hear it. Dorian tells her about Mel's theory that Todd was involved in Guy's death, and setting up Patrick. Blair doesn't believe it. She thinks Todd wouldn't do that. She thinks Dorian is making it up because she hates Todd so much. Dorian leaves. As she does, She suggests that Blair call Patrick and ask him herself. She does, and he says yes. He thinks Todd is a murderer.
TODD'S PLACE-Todd, Alex and Téa
Alex, Todd and Téa discuss the Armitage case. Téa asks if Blair will be coming home soon. He says yes. The phone rings. It is Bo, asking Todd to come down to the station for questioning. Todd agrees to go there. He takes Téa with him. Bo says he has questions about the Guy Armitage case. He asks basic questions like if he knew Mr. Keneally. He asks where Todd was the night of the explosion. Todd has an alibi. As he is leaving he suggests to Bo that Patrick paid someone to kill Armitage for him. Téa and Todd go back to Todd's place. Téa doesn't think the police have anything on him at all. While they are talking the phone rings. It is Blair. She tells him to come see her without Starr. She wants to talk to him.
POLICE STATION-Bo, Asa, Patrick
Asa goes to Bo's office to ask him why Drew left. Bo says it was Asa's fault, and Asa thinks it is Bo's fault. They fight about whose fault it is. Bo says he knew this would happen. He says no Buchanan man has ever been good enough for Asa's ego. Asa says he never asked anyone to anything they never wanted to. Bo says Asa was asking them to live up to his expectations of himself. Asa denies it, of course. Bo says Drew failed because he grew up without a father. Asa says it is Bo's fault. Bo tells Asa that he tried to find him. He says Drew needed a chance, and Asa was wrong to fire him. Asa says Bo never acted like a father to Drew. He leaves a note with him that Drew left for him. Patrick comes in and tells Bo the theory about Todd killing Guy Armitage. He tells him all about Todd's dealings with Mr. Keneally. Bo thinks it sounds interesting, but he needs proof. Patrick asks Bo to question Todd, as a favor to him. He does.
ATLANTIC CITY CASINO- Max, Maggie, Andy
Max, Maggie and Andy are in Atlantic City to set up the mob boss Jackie McNaughton. Maggie and Max hit the blackjack
table so they can pose as card counters. The plan is that Andy will "catch" them at cheating and tell the casino boss. She will
then be in a good place to talk to Jackie. They play for a while, Maggie is winning a lot of money, and people are beginning
to take notice in her game. Andy leaves the table, acting like a disgruntled player. She tells one of the managers she thinks
Max and Maggie are cheating. He thinks so, too. He throws them out. As Andy is leaving, Jackie tells her he would like a
word with her. She asks what the problem is. He tells her who he is (as if she didn't know) he says he has an interest in the
casino and he'd like to repay her for. He offers to buy her a drink. She tells him that if he were really grateful he'd buy her
dinner. He says ok, and gives her his private phone number in case she needs anything.
Friday, July 4th,
1997
Written by Susan Richmond
Todd, Starr and Blair
Todd enters his penthouse and goes over to talk to Starr, who's sitting in her playpen. Todd hopes Starr isn't too tired out from her trip to Philadelphia yesterday. Maybe that's why Blair doesn't want him to bring Starr when he goes to visit her again, Todd says, but Blair didn't sound happy when she called and asked him to come again. Everything is going to be just fine, Todd promises Starr. Blair will be home soon and "the sun is finally going to come up on the Mannings."
Todd arrives at Blair's hospital room in Philadephia to find Blair very upset. How could he do that to Patrick, she asks Todd. Todd, thinking she means the newspaper articles, say he does it to sell newspapers, but it's all true, what Patrick did to Lord Whiting. Todd doesn't understand how Blair can take Patrick's side against Todd, after all that Patrick has done. What about the accident?, he asks. Blair reminds him Kelly admitted to driving the car. But that doesn't mean that Patrick didn't drive off the road on purpose, Todd persists. Does Todd realize how stupid that sounds, Blair asks, Todd has made Patrick the focus of everything that goes wrong in his life. Patrick's not the problem, Blair says, it's me. Ever since Todd caught her making love on the floor with Patrick, that's what everything has been about, although Todd won't admit it. And no matter how many times Blair tells him Patrick means nothing to her, Todd never really believes it. Giving Todd one last chance, Blair asks him who killed Guy Armitage. "Patrick", Todd still insists. "Really?", Blair asks. Todd refuses to change his answer and Blair, knowing he's lying, tells him to forget the whole thing. "Our marriage is over", Blair declares.
Todd instantly blames Dorian, Dorian must have put the idea in Blair's head when she was visiting earlier that day. Blair insists that it's her own idea. But Starr is home and Blair will be coming home soon and everything will back to the way they were in the beginning. "Beginning", when was that, Blair asks. When she married Todd she didn't think she deserved any better and flaunted him in everyone's face. She was a fool to think things would change, she was a fool to believe in him. Now it's too late for them, Blair doesn't trust him anymore, and she doesn't trust him with Starr. "I love Starr", Todd tells her. But eventually you will hurt her, Blair says, you can't help it. Blair gives him back the bracelet he gave her earlier. Blair's already talked to her lawyer and she is going through with the divorce. When she comes back to town, she'll be moving in with Dorian and Starr is coming with her.
Todd arrives back at his penthouse and tries to give the bracelet to Starr. She doesn't reach for it and he drops it in her playpen. Starr picks it up and holds it while drinking her bottle with the same hand. Todd tells Starr her mom has taken some bad advice. Starr's great aunt, "the she-devil" (a.k.a Dorian) has gotten to Blair. Dorian wants Blair to take Starr away from Todd. "Nobody's going to split you and me up", Todd tells Starr, "not now, not ever."
At Dorian's house, Mel and Dorian are in bed when the phone rings, it's Blair. Blair told Todd she wanted a divorce. She's talked to her lawyer and wants to get this over with as soon as possible. Blair, seeming to have a hard time concentrating on what she's saying, asks Dorian to keep an eye on Todd, she doesn't trust him. I want him out of our lives, she says haltingly, she doesn't care if she ever sees him again. Dorian offers to get extra lawyers to help, but Blair doesn't reply. Blair's hand falls to the side of the bed and the phone drops to the floor. On the other end, Dorian is very worried, something must be wrong. Blair!, she yells, but gets no reply.
Clint, Viki, Andrew, Kevin, Cassie and Mel
In the city room, Clint hold up a copy of Todd's latest attempt at journalism to show Mel, "Why He Wasted Whiting." The worst part is that The Sun has gained another 1 percent on the Banner. Look at the bright side, Mel jokes, maybe Todd will blow himself up for the extra sales. Andrew enters the city room, he's here to see Viki. He briefly thanks Clint for running a follow-up piece on the Angel Square Credit Union and heads off to find Viki. Mel mentions that Andrew's a good man, he was very impressed by how Andrew handled the hostage situation at the diner. Clint agrees, he wishes he could have maintained the same composure Andrew has during his divorce. Kevin and Cassie arrive at the city room, wondering if there's any new on Alex's trial. Not yet, Clint tells them and they head for their respective desks. Mel comments they seem to be handling themselves professionally. All he asks is that there is no trouble in the city room, Clint replies. (A sure sign that there's about to be trouble)
In Viki's office, Andrew has come to thank Viki for alerting him to the growing trouble in the vestry. He and Cassie have signed the papers and taken off their rings and he plans to make an announcement to the vestry soon. Andrew mentions that when he walked into the city room, he looked for Kevin and Cassie. He's not sure if it was to avoid them or if it was like seeing a car accident, you just have to look. It will get easier with time, Viki assures him. Viki senses that something else is bothering Andrew. He's not sure if he can stay at St. James, Andrew tells her.
After Viki promises to keep whatever Andrew says private, he tells her that he's experiencing an absence of God. He doesn't think it's a loss of faith, if he didn't believe in God, he wouldn't be feeling an absence, he reasons. It started when Cassie left him, he felt very empty and drained and he tried to rely on prayer, but nothing came. He's tried to pray again and again since then, but still feels nothing. He's had a feeling of the presence of God in and around him since he was very young and now it's just gone. It sort of faded away and now he's left with people to counsel and sacrements to dispense and what's in the middle of all of that, God, it's not there. Viki suggests that when Cassie left him for Kevin he was very angry, full of rage which he suppressed. Andrew just shut down, doesn't it make sense that everything got shut down in his attempt to surpress his anger, including the presence of God he feels. Viki thinks that what Andrew should do is to let out his anger at Kevin and Cassie, to express it instead of bottling it up.
Leaving, Andrew walks through the city room past Cassie without saying anything to her. Cassie stops him, wanting to spend some time with River that night. Andrew refuses, thinking it would be best for River if they stick to the schedule they've already set up. Cassie starts to get upset and Kevin comes over to her defense. "Why do you have to be such a condescending jerk?", Kevin asks him. In reply, Andrew grabs Kevin by the jacket and shoves him across the room. Before Kevin can get back to hit Andrew, Mel grabs him and Clint grabs Andrew. Viki comes in, is upset by the disturbance and orders Kevin and Cassie to her office. Andrew apologizes and leaves.
In Viki's office, Viki demands that Kevin and Cassie keep their personal life out of the city room. Kevin tries to defend himself by saying that Andrew attacked him, but Viki doesn't want to hear it. Cassie then tries to take the responsibility, saying she was the one that started a converstation with Andrew about River that was inappropriate for the city room. Viki, in no uncertain terms, tells them that she will tolerate no further disruptions. Kevin and Cassie both apologize and leave. Clint leaves too, mentioning that he would like to come back later and talk to Viki about some unfinished business.
Later, Clint brings Viki some asprin and a glass of water for the headache he guesses she has. He thinks they should just back off Kevin and Cassie right now and let them figure this out by themselves, just like he and Viki did when they started to work together. Clint apologizes for walking out on the discussion they were having the other day about their relationship. Viki wishes that if he has anything to say about her or Kevin or Sloan he would just come right out and say it. He doesn't monitor what he says for her sake, he tells her, but for his own. Sometimes if you don't keep those old feelings in check, they can come up and bite you in the heart.
Alex, Téa, Hank
At the courthouse, Alex is on the witness stand being questioned by Téa about what happened in the abandoned beauty shop with Andy. (It's a closed court with no jury, the judge makes the final ruling). Téa skillfully starts weaving a defense story for Alex. Alex was being followed by some unknown person in a taxi. She thought it could be Carlo's murderer coming to get her and she was terrified. She had the taxi drop her off at an abandoned beauty shop and went in and hid. (Of course, Hank doesn't bring up how illogical it is that if she felt threatened, why go into an abandoned building instead of the police station). Andy came in waving her gun around like a maniac, Alex claims, and she feared for her life. Andy never did or said anything that would indicate she was there on police business. Therefore, Alex got the gun away from Andy and held her hostage because she thought the swat team which had quickly arrived would shoot her. Everything she did, was in self-defense and because she was emotionally upset over Carlo's murder. Hank cross-examines, to little effect, Alex just keeps claiming she did everything in self defense.
In summation, Hank tells the judge it's a very simple case. Alex lured Andy to an abandoned building, menaced her with scissors and tied her up at gunpoint. Alex held the LPD and the swat team at bay using Andy as a hostage. Hank has many witnesses, including police commissioner Bo Buchanan, to these events. Hank urges the judge to teach Alex the meaning of law and order. Téa gives her summation. Andy Harrison, desperate to clear Antonio's name, followed Alex with no shred of evidence against her and pulled a gun on her. Alex acted out of a reasonable belief that her life was being threatened, Téa argues. The judge recesses the court until he comes to a decision.
Back in the courtroom, the judge has come to a decision. On the charge of kidnapping, he finds her not guilty. He does find her guilty of false imprisionment and sentences her to two years probation, a $5000 fine and 200 hours of community service. Alex is pleased and promises to have Todd give Téa an extra bonus. Alex goes over to Hank to rub it in. She promises to continue supporting him as DA when she is re-elected mayor. Out in the hallway Alex thanks the judge, whom she had blackmailed earlier to rule in her favor.
Carlotta and Hank
Carlotta notices someone outside and opens her door to find Hank lurking on her doorstep. She invites him in and wonders what he's doing there. Hank's depressed about Alex's trial. He tried to go see Bo and Nora, but they weren't home and Rachel is probably at Club Indigo with Téa. He just starting walking around and found himself on her doorstep. "Well, you're here, now what?", Carlotta asks.
Hank offers to leave if she has something else to do, but Carlotta asks him to stay. There's really no one else he can confide in. Sheila used to be there for him, but he hasn't found anyone who can fill that void. Hank grabs Carlotta's hand and caresses it. He stands and Carlotta stands up with him. They begin to kiss. They break apart and Carlotta asks, "am I really going to do this?." Only if it feels right to her, Hank replies, it feels right to him. "It feels wonderful to me", Carlotta replies and starts kissing him again. They head for the stairs. Carlotta stops briefly, worrying about the banana bread she put in the oven. Hank assures her they'll get to that later and the two of them head up the stairs, kissing.
