Dorothy remembers how much of a fool she has made of herself over Joey's birthday and her whole relationship with Joey. As she wallows in self-pity, Joey stops by to tell her about her Dad's run-in with the law after a drinking binge and how his Mom, Viki, had to bail him out of jail. Dorothy is disappointed.
In the meantime, Mel stops by to see Nora about representing him on the charges and to find out what his chances are. Nora explains that he has been charged with auto theft, reckless endangerment, driving under the influence, driving without a license etc. She says that Mel should just throw himself at the mercy of the court. He should hope that Hank prosecutes the case himself and decides to be kind because of the admiration he has for Mel and his work. Nora further analyzes that being with Dorian can do this to someone because of Dorian's lethal nature. Dorian can always bounce back because she has not seen a challenge that Dorian cannot face and win - she should know as she represented her. Mel is now really worried. He leaves to go see his daughter.
Georgie arrives at the office all upset about a variety of things, Nora calms her down and also puts her at ease that she hasn't done anything to hurt her (Nora's) relationship with Bo. Georgie then goes to see Bo complete with Gershwin's donuts and creme. Bo could not resist. He also told Georgie that she hasn't done anything to hurt the couple, they can manage that on their own.
As SUN executives (including Briggs) prepare for a meeting with Todd and Téa, Todd tells Briggs to call the other department heads as well to attend the meeting. This catches Briggs off-guard. He becomes extremely uncomfortable to say the least. When all the department heads show up, Todd in his cold way informs them that he'd like to offer them additional benefits to ensure their loyalty. These benefits would be an immediate 12.5% increase in salary across the board, an extra week's vacation per year, on-site 24hr day-care, as well as profit sharing. They are all astounded. One of the managers asks what Todd wants in return - their loyalty for the next 2 years. As Todd talks to the employees with total lack of people skills, Téa jumps in and explains what Todd really means is ... He then asks them to sign the already prepared contracts (that locks them into the company for the next 2 years) if they agree. Everyone of the managers sign on except Briggs. He waits until they all leave and then Todd mocks him about not signing. He finally gives up and signs along with the others. Todd then gloatingly tells/warns him that if he ever finds out that he knew anything about the take-over bid, he will be sorry. He'll be mopping floors in the press room.
Back at Dorothy's, Joey finally goes off on Dorothy that she was the one who wanted be friends and maintain a platonic relationship and he handled the relationship exactly like that and didn't ask for more - respecting her wishes. He also reminded her how she was always pushing him to go after Kelly and was also helping him plot to get her back. Dorothy said she never meant any of it and she really wanted Joey. Joey is flabbergasted and asks how he is supposed to guess that. Dorothy then says she is going to tell him the truth - if he can take it. She'd like him to leave her apartment - now! Joey leaves.
Mel then shows up and does not know how to explain things to Dorothy about his arrest and all. Dorothy also goes off on him that he is always looking for a way to shift the blame and make her feel sorry for him.
As Téa and Todd discuss their next move in anticipation of what Blair's next move will be, Blair is at Rodi's with Max and celebrates prematurely. Max asks her what he's going to get in return after she gets the SUN for Ian and Ian becomes Mr. Daimler and they buy up all the TV stations. Blair asks him to name his price. All he wants for now is WVLE TV that he once owned and lost. They plot how to get it away from Ian. Blair will supposedly receive it as a wedding gift and she will in turn give it away to Max. As they gleefully discuss all these, Blair's phone rings. It's Briggs with the bad news about how Todd just ensured his company's future and that their deal has gone sour. Blair is outraged, shocked and upset. As she updates Max, Ian phones from London to get an update on their SUNSET plan to take control of the SUN. Blair lies and tells him things are going according to plan. As soon as she hangs up, she panics and asks Max what to do.
Rodi's:
Blair and Max commiserate over the fact that Todd beat them out of their chance to get The Sun. Max suggests that they just give up, but Blair refuses, saying she won't be satisfied until Todd feels as lonely and broken as she has. Max mentions trying to find something else to give to Ian, but Blair wants to get Ian and hurt Todd at the same time. The two settle down and try to think of another way to get the newspaper for Ian. Max finally comes up with the idea that somebody should sue Todd so that he will spend all of his money and time fighting the lawsuit. Now, he wonders, who will do the suing and for what?
Club Indigo:
Georgie meets up with Rachel and tells her all her apartment hunting woes and then starts saying how sorry she is that Nora's signing on with Blue Jay music is causing friction with Bo. Rachel feels badly because she knows that Nora is only working with for Blue Jay because Rachel asked her to. Rachel tells Georgie that she realizes how disappointed her mother was when she didn't make it through law school and now she feels like she has finally won Nora's approval. Georgie suggests that Rachel explain that to Bo. As Rachel heads off to speak with Bo, Kevin arrives and Georgie gets his attention. It takes a while before he recognizes her, finally remembering that he met her at Viki's party. Then Georgie shocks him by saying that they met long before that and that Kevin once broke her heart. Kevin is dumbfounded saying that he doesn't ever remember dating her. After a few minutes of his stammering, Georgie finally lets him off the hook by telling him that they didn't date, but they did have a couple of classes together and she did have a crush on him. She then proceeds to pump Kevin for info about Bo and Nora and he tells her all about their courtship and surprise wedding. Georgie leaves when Cassie arrives to meet Kevin at Indigo and tells him how worried she is that Dorian has been gone since last night.
Hank and Carlotta show up and Claude Charbonneau appears shortly behind them. R.J. is livid that Claude showed his face in a public place. Claude says that he figures that this will throw the police off the scent if he acts like nothing is wrong, besides, he wanted to tell R.J. that he hasn't found any sign of Max's kids. R.J. directs Claude's attention to the undercover policeman behind him and they proceed to stage a fight for the benefit of Hank, Jacara and the policeman. The scene ends with Claude punching R.J. in the face and running out of the club. While Jacara lovingly applies ice to R.J. bruised eye, Hank demands to know what Claude Charbonneau was doing at Indigo. R.J. says that the club is a public place and there's no way to stop Claude from showing up. He then turns to Jacara and suggests that they go somewhere and find something else to do.
Bo's office:
Hank and Bo discuss Mel's sentence: probation, counseling and community service. Bo expresses frustration at the fact that he and Hank have let Bo's investigation of R.J. come between them. Hank says that this case is different than the past. Hank says that in the past, they agreed that R.J. was guilty, but this time it is different. Hank says that he is glad to hear that Nora will be working with R.J. and Jacara because he thinks it's a good sign. After Hank leaves, Rachel shows up and tries to explain to Bo why it means so much to her to have a chance to work with Nora. Bo is sympathetic but, he tells Rachel, he still thinks that R.J. is dirty. Prove it, says Rachel. Bo show her the case file, but Rachel isn't impressed or convinced and finally storms out of Bo's office.
Carlotta's home:
Carlotta dresses to go out while Eli works on his science project. Eli mentions that today would have been his mother's birthday and Carlotta has second thoughts about going out. But Eli tells her to go out and have a good time, he doesn't want her sticking around on his account.
Bo and Nora's House- Bo and Nora
Bo is weary when he returns from a hard day of listening to Rachel and Georgie defend his wife. Nora denies calling in the heavy artillery. Bo says if she had, it did no good. Nora proposes an alternative. Why not pretend everything is OK? Just pretend and some will stick. Not that all their troubles will disappear, but a night of watching "To Have and Have Not" and eating chilli dogs would not be a waste.
Club Indigo-R.J., Jacara, Wendi, Téa, Rachel
R.J. invites Jacara to his place. They decide that in order to not arouse suspicion, R.J. will leave first and Jacara will follow 5 minutes later. Wendi, being the all knowing bar tender she/he is, is not fooled by the ruse. She goes on a fishing expedition with Jacara, but it is interrupted by Rachel, who has a pounding headache caused by defending her mother to Bo. She mentions how R.J. rushed by her. "He wants... sleep", Wendi says with no conviction. Meanwhile Jacara yawns and Rachel also is suspicious. When Jacara leaves, Wendi confides the obvious. Jacara is going upstairs to be with R.J. Rachel agrees it is about time. Téa arrives and hugs Rachel. She is looking for Todd. He went out and didn't say where. Wendi confirms that Téa's husband has not dropped in. Rachel asks her ex room-mate if Todd and she had a fight. Téa tells her it is the opposite. Things are going well. She and Todd uncovered a plot to steal the Sun and it was a bonding experience, so Todd split. That is his method of operation. Things go well, Todd leaves. Rachel says she could never figure out Todd Manning. Téa replies that she should not even try. Those who do, live to regret it.
Dorian's House-Ming the housekeeper, Blair, Todd, Max
Blair arrives home to find out from the housekeeper that Cassie has called four times. But she scarcely has time to digest that fact, when she is informed that an old friend is waiting for her in the living room and he has brought a gift. The living room is dimly light. Blair calls out hello and get no response. She opens up the beautifully wrapped present. There is a beautiful pair of spiked heels inside. She turns around and sees Todd. She orders him out of the house. Todd replies that some people say that he has bad manners. Here Blair hasn't even thanked him. Blair feigns ignorance and asks why he bought her shoes. He was sure she needed them for her late night janitoring. He hopes he got the right size. Blair says that he should save the kinky stuff for his wife and ask his sister for the name of a good shrink because he is definitely a paranoid schizophrenic. Todd reveals he knows what she did, peppering the conversation with enough detail that Blair visibly becomes nervous. Todd notes she is beginning to tick. He is curious. He knows what Ian gets and what Blair wants to get but where does Max fit in? Is she just using him like she does everyone?
Blair asks what drugs he is on and threatens to report him to the police and endanger his custody of Starr. Todd informs her that her plot did not work and she better not try that on him again. He is holding a pocket knife in his hands. He casually scoops up an apple with the knife. Blair asks if convicted felon should be handling a knife. Todd says it is just a pocket knife. He was thinking of buying one as a thank you present for each of his employees. Blair warns him that one of them might wind up in his back. Todd says he wants to make it perfectly clear that Blair owes him. She has no idea what his counter offer cost him. She doesn't deny anything, but she doesn't confirm it either. Instead, she calls him delusional. Todd lists his concessions- big raises, profit sharing, day care and worse yet, his workers may just think he is a nice guy. He wants Blair to pay all this back. He wants to know what is happening with Ian. She wants to become Mrs. Brit? She is dying to know where he got his information, but Todd just warns her that her enemies don't have her best interests at heart. And as for her, she worked so hard to get her daughter, their daughter back and now this slimy move of hers is jeopardizing what she wanted most. She talks to him about the knife again but Todd calls her paranoid. He tells her that the next time she tries something like this, he will be ready. As he puts away the knife, Blair replies that the next time he won't even see it coming. Todd chillingly reminds her that he sees everything.
The Palace-Kevin, Cassie, Mel, Mary, Renee and Asa
While Kevin and Cassie discuss Dorian's disappearance at one table, Mary and Mel discuss his drunken relapse and the subsequent article in the paper. He admits that he showed up at Dorothy's and misbehaved. Mary calls him on it and says he was snookered. Mel bemoans being wedged between two generations of therapists. As for Dorian, that chapter in their lives happened in Viki's bedroom. And Dorian was even more hurt than Dorothy, although he did not mean to hurt her. At this time, Mel could use a martini. Dorian needs to deal with her troubles without his help. Mary says his admitting that is a big step. Yeah, Mel answers, and it only took a pint of gin for him to tell her that, but Dorian didn't understand that he can't be her crusader any more. Asa comes over to the table with Renee and sarcastically comments to Mel that he wants a Western omelet. Mel replies that that is an egg-cellent idea. Of course, Asa can understand how Dorian could drive a fella to drink. Asa reminds Mary that he won a date with her at the auction. Mary replies that her schedule has been busy, but agrees to have her secretary coordinate the date with him. Asa walks away and Kevin and Cassie arrive. They tell Mel that no one has seen Dorian for 24 hours. She did not sleep in her bed last night. Of course, she could be at the office or the ski lodge.
Asa calls Kevin over to his table and offers him a drink, which Kevin declines. Asa says there was a time when Grandpa was the most important thing in Kevin's life. His grandson reminds him that he is grown up now. Asa warns him that hanging out with Dorian's daughter is a mistake. None of the Cramer gals are playing with a full deck. He should know- he married one. Renee tries to silence Asa to no avail. She tells Kevin his grandpa means well but...Kevin replies he knows that, but the old man is dead wrong and it is none of his business.
Back at Mel's table, Mary excuses herself and Cassie continues to berate herself over her last conversation with her mother. Kevin tells her that Dorian will have to help herself like Viki had to. Cassie cannot shake the feeling that something is very wrong. The three of them agree that since it is 24 hours since anyone heard from her, Dorian is now officially a missing person and they can inform Bo.
Bo and Nora's House- Bo, Nora, Mel, Kevin and Cassie
The evening isn't turning out quite as good as Nora planned. They can't finish the movie because the tape is defective. Nora comments that they are working so hard at being the happy Bo and Nora they used to be without trying at all. Bo says that at least they are willing to try. They take turns playing Bogey and Bacall. Nora parrots Bacall's line "You know how to whistle, put your lips together and blow". They kiss and Bo whistles. Nora says wistfully, she loves him so much, they will work this out, won't they? The bell rings and Kevin, Cassie and Mel come in and say they need Bo's help in getting an all points bulletin issued on Dorian's disappearance. Both Cassie and Mel agree that Dorian may be in danger. Bo reluctantly agrees to the APB when the two tell him they have never seen Dorian quite so vulnerable.
R.J.'s apartment- R.J. and Jacara
Jacara admires R.J.'s minimalist style in decorating. It is well balanced, neat and under control, like him. R.J. toasts to the first and not the last visit. Jacara wants to know what he does when he is not at Indigo. Any secret passion? He shows her his bonsai tree. He jokes that it beats a pet, but it requires patience and commitment. Jacara touches his bruise from his fight with Claude and asks if it still hurts. She tries to understand what would make the man so desperate to react that way when R.J. refused to lend him cash. After all, he is under suspicion for kidnapping. R.J. says that Claude is just a loser and they shouldn't spoil their evening with talk about him. They begin to dance and their heads are close enough to kiss. R.J. asks where this beautiful lady has taken him. Jacara says they are still in the apartment getting to know one another. R.J. is anxious to improve the situation and leads her toward the bedroom door, but Jacara puts the brakes on it. She knows that once they go down that road, there is no going back. To her casual and sex don't go together. R.J. agrees, but there is nothing casual about his applying patience and commitment to the relationship. Jacara quotes her grandmother,"Love is like cooking greens. The trick is to let both simmer a long time". After some more kissing, she tells him that the simmer is at the boiling point. R.J. vows he will turn down the flame because she is worth it. He has the will power.
Dorian's House- Blair and Max
Blair tells Max about Todd, his threats and the knife. She is certain that Todd knows too much. He has a pact with the devil. Max says there is a leak, they must find it and plug it and they will have what they want. Blair replies that he did not see Todd or hear his tone of voice. Max says it is all show. Blair remarks that Max does not know Todd when he is bent on revenge and she must get Starr out of his sick clutches.
Penthouse- Todd and Téa
Téa has been worried about Todd. He had turned off his cell phone. Todd replies that they will not have to worry about a hard time from Blair any time soon. As he pours himself a drink, Téa asks what he means, did he threaten Blair? "She scares so good", Todd gloats. Téa says as his lawyer she is warning him to "stay away from that woman". Todd accuses her of being jealous of Blair. Téa says he crossed a big line with that comment. Todd replies what he crossed was a nerve. Téa tells him to avoid his ex at all costs. Contact means trouble. Todd is unconcerned. Blair can't accuse him of anything without implicating herself in the office break-in. Besides he did not really threaten her. Téa reminds him even the most docile house pet will attack when provoked. He needs to be vigilant. Todd says that Blair knows that The Sun is the most important thing to him, outside of Starr and that is why she went after it. Blair needs to know there are consequences to her actions. Téa replies has he thought about consequences to her and Starr?. Did he really do after Blair because of the Sun or does he just get off on intimidating women?
Todd wanted to know why Téa was pacing. She didn't sleep last night because of Todd's "rattling his saber" at Blair. It wasn't a saber, it was a Swiss army knife, he quipped. Téa told Todd he doesn't know when to stop and he should have been satisfied by just stopping Blair in her tracks. He is asking for trouble by giving her ammunition she can use against them. The doorbell rang. It was Kelly. Kelly told them she thought she made a mistake.
Jacara bought groceries for breakfast with R.J. She was proud of his self-control. He said he had had sweet dreams about her. Wait till you sample my grits, she told him.
Mel stopped at Bo and Nora's for a "Dorian update" before he goes to see the "Cramer cousins". Bo hadn't heard anything. Mel was worried because he felt no news was bad news. Bo called Benny just to be sure, but explained to Mel they had even checked bus and train stations. No one had spotted her car either. Mel was scared of her being in a car because of her state of mind. Nora felt that even though Dorian appeared out of control, she was in control in her own way. Bo agreed. He advised Mel to sit tight and let him do the looking. Bo and Nora were surprised they agreed on something.
R.J. couldn't believe how much Jacara had bought for breakfast. She didn't want dried toast and grapefruit. Jacara and R.J. joked about the weather. R.J. explained the El Niño while massaging her feet, and then made a bunch of bad jokes. Jacara laughed. R.J. suggested she get out of her wet clothes into something dry. She would find something to wear in the back bedroom. Hank came to the door with a "problem".
Téa wanted to know why Kelly was so upset. Kelly explained that telling them about Blair's plans had been impulsive and now she was having second thoughts. Todd didn't care. Téa explained to Kelly that she didn't blurt anything out and that she had acted on her instincts and done the right thing. Todd said it didn't matter because it was done. Téa explained that Todd had made a counter offer, but in Todd's eyes he had had to pay off his employees in order to give Blair the shaft. He didn't think Ian would be mad at Kelly. Téa said this should be the end of it because they weren't interested in revenge. Kelly asked that they not say anything to Ian and Blair.
Kelly paced nervously at home. Mel came in and told her there was no news of Dorian. He could tell something else was upsetting Kelly. She felt bad about worrying about her own problems. Mel got her to sit and talk. She explained about Blair and Ian's plan to take over the Sun and she had done something and not thought about the repercussions for Ian and Starr.
R.J. couldn't believe Hank came to him with a problem. Hank explained his problem was Rachel's birthday. He wanted to have it at Club Indigo. They made plans for the party. R.J. offered to pay for it. One thing, warned Hank, he didn't want any "uninvited" guests dropping in, especially because Bo would probably be there. Jacara walked into the room wearing only one of R.J.'s shirts. Hank looked shocked.
Téa was concerned about Kelly. She felt it would be hard to be Blair's cousin. Todd thought that Kelly was lucky to have a family. Why was she so sympathetic towards the Cramers anyway? Téa felt he should consider himself lucky that Kelly even came to him in the first place. He could have handled it himself. Then he got mad at Téa for taking credit for saving the Sun and for telling people what he thinks and feels. He had been doing just fine before Téa came along. The point was she was being a noodge and noodging in everywhere. Didn't she ever hear of boundaries? Téa accused him of putting up brick walls, not boundaries, and the walls had arbitrary lines. She spent half her life fighting artificial boundaries. Todd asked her why couldn't she be more like him and mind her own business. Téa made fun of him and he stomped off upstairs.
Jacara asked Hank about Carlotta. R.J. explained that he and Hank were discussing Rachel's birthday and filled her in on the plans. Hank left. Jacara was kinda ticked at R.J. for not telling Hank she was there. Didn't come up, he said. She forgave him and they went to make breakfast.
Kelly told Mel how upset she was listening to Blair's smug attitude toward Ian. When Blair had described Ian's reaction to her kissing him and how Blair had been gloating about she had Ian wrapped around her little finger, that had been the last straw and that she had went and told Todd. Kelly was upset that she had hurt Ian because she knew how bad he wanted The Sun. Mel told her she knew what she had to do. He asked if she was going to tell Ian and Blair. Tell Ian what asked Blair? Kelly played it off that her mother was doing so well and Ian had been had been so good to her mother and she didn't want to bother him because he was tied up with business. Blair asked about Dorian. Mel was afraid she had taken off in her car. Kelly was worried because the weather was so bad. Blair said she wasn't worried because if she was too emotional to drive, she had the sense to get off the road, she quipped sarcastically at Kelly.
Dorian laid roses at the graves of Sonya and Louis Cramer and slowly walked from the burial plot.
Hank stopped at Bo and Nora's to let them know about Rachel's birthday celebration. Hank explained it was going to be at Club Indigo and had wanted to let Bo know in advance. Hank hoped they would both come. Bo felt they could have it at his house. Hank explained he just wanted what Rachel would want. Bo said he would give it some thought and left for work. Nora invited Hank to stay for coffee. Hank hoped he hadn't made things worse for Bo and Nora. Nora was just mad she couldn't work for Rachel, Jacara and R.J. without her having to dodge some kind of fallout. Hank warned her that where R.J. was, there always seemed to be some kind of fallout. He explained he had just come from R.J.'s and that Jacara had walked into the room wearing nothing but R.J.'s shirt. He thought they had slept together. Nora teased him for being jealous. What about Carlotta she asked? He said he was frustrated. He felt left out of her life because of Eli and was mad at himself for feeling that way. Nora understood how he felt.
R.J. and Jacara had breakfast in front of the fire. They discussed "cooking" food. R.J. felt because they had such good rhythm in the kitchen, their partnership would be good. They kissed.
Cassie came into Dorian's house asking about Dorian. Blair kept making snippy remarks to everyone. The girls then started worrying it was foul play because it wasn't like her to sneak off. They replayed all their conversations with her and Mel suddenly figured out where she was.
Dorian slowly went up the steps and knocked on Ms. Stonecliff's door. I've been waiting to hear from you, said Ms. Stonecliff.
Mel, Cassie, Kelly and Blair
Mel figures out where Dorian has gone, she went to Canton to see Miss Stonecliff. Cassie immediately agrees with him, but Kelly and Blair are confused. Didn't Dorian refuse to go to Canton? She did, but now Cassie and Mel have given her a reason to go and Dorian went on her own terms. Mel is very worried that Dorian is in danger, "real danger".
Mel and Cassie decide to go to Canton. Blair suggests calling Miss Stonecliff first to see if Dorian is even there, but Mel doesn't want to tip her off. She'd only lie to them anyway, Cassie adds. Blair thinks that they are all overreacting, but Mel doesn't agree. There are two unresolved deaths in the family's past, he is fearful for Dorian's physical safety. As Mel and Cassie rush out, Kelly stops Mel and asks him to call as soon as he knows anything. Mel comes back and gives Kelly a hug, causing Blair to roll her eyes in disgust. After Mel and Cassie have gone, Kelly admits to Blair that she's scared to death. "You know what, you're not the only one", Blair rudely tells Kelly. Kelly heads upstairs to take a shower. The phone rings, and Blair rushes to it thinking that it's Dorian, but it's Ian instead. Blair quickly checks to be sure Kelly is upstairs and closes the doors to the living room. Ian just got back into town, he called to talk to Kelly, but he'd like to hear how things are going with The Sun. Blair desperately tries to stall and says she'll come to the yacht to tell him about it in person.
Viki, Clint, Kevin, Mel and Cassie
Clint comes into Viki's office grumbling about the rain and how much he hates winter in general. He wishes he were back at the ranch with sunshine and warmer weather. Viki virtually ignores him and continues editing an article until he asks her to go to the ranch with him. That finally gets her attention. Before Viki has a chance to answer, Kevin arrives with an article for Viki to look at. It's an exclusive that's hot and sexy and guaranteed to sell a lot of copies. The bad news is that Viki's going to hate it and not want to run it.
Kevin fills Viki in on the story. Elena Graves, who's in charge of the Llanview University foundation, has been embezzling from the fund for at least the past year. Viki is shocked, but not as shocked as when Kevin tells her that Elena has been having an affair with the married president of the University, Dr. Dougherty. Viki finds it hard to believe, but Kevin shows her all the proof he has accumulated, including financial records and a picture of Dr. Dougherty and Elena Graves leaving the Waterside Inn together. Viki doesn't want to run the story, she thinks it belongs in The Sun, but Clint asks Viki to put her personal feelings aside and Kevin asks Viki to at least look over his research before she makes a decision.
After reading through the information Kevin has collected, Viki reluctantly agrees to go ahead with the story. Kevin is excited and asks if Cassie can help him by interviewing Dr. Dougherty. Clint says it is fine. Kevin apologizes to Viki and leaves. Clint once again asks Viki if she'd like to go to the ranch with him. Clint certainly doesn't give up, does he, Viki comments. She refuses again to go to the ranch, claiming that they can't leave town with this big story breaking, they have to be around for the fallout. Clint, not believing Viki's excuse, points out that they can easily keep in touch with what's going on in Llanview by phone, fax and modem. Viki still refuses to go. After "all these years", Clint still can't figure her out, he comments, annoying Viki further.
Clint swears he's not trying to pressure her, he's just trying to figure out her intentions. She's in the process of trying to heal herself and where's she's going to end up is very unclear to her, Viki explains. Clint can wait, he didn't have any expectations or jump to any conclusions about their visit to the ranch, he tells her, he just wanted them to have a nice relaxing time and be together. Clint knows that she has to deal with her problems on her own, but if she keeps backing away from ever being alone with him it means one of two things; either she doesn't really want to face up to her problems, or she really doesn't want to face up to them with him. Either way, he'd just like to know the score. Viki is saved from answering by a knock on the door. Viki calls for the person to come in and it's Mel. He can immediately see he's interrupted something and apologizes, "I'm sorry". "So am I", Clint says,"I'm sorry as hell", and walks out. Viki assures Mel he wasn't interrupting anything and Mel asks her for a favor, it's critical that she says yes, he says.
Viki agrees to let Mel and Cassie have the time off, but she thinks that Mel should think about this before he goes. He had decided to let Dorian make her own choices and suffer the consequences, Viki reminds him. That's true, Mel says, but he's afraid that she's in danger, not just emotional danger, but physical as well. Viki agrees that he has to go, but wonders if Dorian realizes how lucky she if to have Mel looking after her. Mel should look after himself half as well, wishes Viki.
Kevin and Cassie go to Viki's office. Viki gives Cassie a hug and tells her she knows how hard this must be for her. Cassie tells Mel there's a problem with their flight, because of the snow in Ohio, no planes are landing. Mel decides to drive and Cassie will go with him. Kevin offers to go with them, but he is turned down. Mel doesn't think another person will help the situation and Viki tells him he's got to stay there while his big story breaks, she can't have all three of them gone at once. Cassie promises to call Kevin and keep him posted. Kevin tells her he loves her and urges them to be careful. Mel and Cassie leave.
Kevin and Cassie
Mel and Cassie arrive at the Banner cityroom. Mel goes to get approval from Viki while Cassie calls to charter them a plane. Kevin comes in and excitedly tells her he got approval for the story and approval for Cassie to interview Dr. Dougherty. Cassie would love to do it, but she has to go to Canton to help her mother, she explain. Kevin is disappointed and annoyed. He feels that for once Dorian should stand on her own two feet and deal with this herself, without dragging everyone else into it. Cassie explains that because of the two unexplained murders, she feels she has to go help her mother. Kevin would want to protect his mother in the same situation, wouldn't he, Cassie asks? Yes, Kevin reluctantly admits, but he's still not happy about it.
Blair and Ian
Blair goes to see Ian on his yacht. She asks Ian how his trip went. It went very well, Ian tells her, he got rid of some of Guy's holdings and met with the people in charge of the rest of them. Ian informed them that he planned to base himself in Llanview, but they were to continue running things with very little interference from him, which made them all happy. Ian then wants to hear about how things are going with The Sun. Blair is forced to tell Ian that Todd somehow found out about their plans for The Sun and made a successful counter-offer. Ian is very angry. "How did he find out?", he asks Blair.
Blair has no idea how Todd found out, maybe through one of his employees, but Blair's sure it wasn't Briggs. When Ian finds out who told Todd, he wants to slit their tongue. Blair tells him to calm down, she has a new plan. She doesn't want to tell him about it right now, she needs a few days to work out all the details, but she promises this time her plan will work. Blair want nothing more than to pay Todd back by causing him to lose The Sun. Ian's still upset about whoever leaked the news to Todd before, Blair makes him promise to tell her who it is if he finds out. Ian plans to make them regret it deeply for the rest of their lives. Blair leaves.
Kelly and Ian
Ian comes to see Kelly at Dorian's house and gives her a long kiss. He missed her and wished that she was with him. She missed him too. Ian suggests maybe they could take a trip there soon, but first he has some business to attend to here. He's furious at a deal that's gone wrong. Here or in London, Kelly tries to ask casually. Here, he tells her, and he's absolutely furious about it. "There's something you need to know, Ian", Kelly says.
Dorian and Miss Stonecliff
Miss Stonecliff invites Dorian to come in, but Dorian refuses and turns away and heads down the porch steps. "Dorian!", Miss Stonecliff calls after her. Dorian pauses.
"Dorian, come here!", Miss Stonecliff orders, then asks more gently for her to come into the house. "I can't, I don't want to", Dorian replies, sitting down on the steps. But you've come all this way, Miss Stonecliff says, slowly lowering herself beside Dorian. Dorian tells her that she's afraid, it's just too much. What's there to be afraid of, it's your house, Miss Stonecliff reminds her. Are you angry with me, Dorian asks. Miss Stonecliff replies that of course she isn't, after all, Dorian came all this way to see her. Dorian slowly gets to her feet and reluctantly heads toward the door. Dorian finally goes inside, Miss Stonecliff follows her inside with a sort of smile on her face and firmly closes the door behind them.
As Dorian looks around the house, she notices that nothing has changed. Nothing except the fact that her mother's piano is missing. Miss Stonecliff explains that when she closed up one of the wings of the house, she locked it up in there, it was the most painful reminder of happier times. Dorian recalls sitting with her sister and listening to her mother play. Dorian sees a picture of her mother and hears her mother's voice saying, "Why must you do this to me? How can I work? How can I practice? Dorian, I am speaking to you, you will answer me". Dorian says out loud to Miss Stonecliff that it's all still here. She agrees, she lives with the memories every day, she enjoys it. She asks Dorian if she has a bag and Dorian tells her it's in the car. Does anyone know Dorian is here, Miss Stonecliff asks. Dorian shakes her head "no".
Miss Stonecliff brings Dorian in a mug of something warm to drink and Dorian sits down on a couch. Miss Stonecliff asks if Dorian knew that Cassie and Mel had paid her a visit and Dorian says that she did. Miss Stonecliff says she left a message for Dorian on her answering machine and later called and left a message with a young lady, but Dorian didn't get either of those messages. It must have been one of her former maids, or maybe Kelly deciding not to tell her, Dorian replies. Miss Stonecliff comments on how much Cassie looks like Dorian did when she was younger. Miss Stonecliff doesn't understand why people wouldn't have been giving Dorian her messages. "They've been asking questions", Dorian tells her. "Who are 'they'?" Mel, Cassie, Kelly, even Blair, says Dorian, they want to know about the way Dorian's parents died, and about Melinda's accident, and about Miss Stonecliff. "What have you told them?", Miss Stonecliff wants to know.
She told them about Melinda's accident, about how her mother forced her to challenge Melinda to a race and then cut the girth on Melinda's saddle. Miss Stonecliff denies that it is true. Dorian insists that it is, she saw her mother do it. "I'm sure you needed to remember it that way. But you know as well as I that every bad thing that happened in this family happened because you went to your father with that story." Dorian remembers how furious her mother was at her and how her father tried to protect her. Did you tell that to them too, Miss Stonecliff asks. Yes, Dorian admits. And what else did you tell them?
Nothing, that's all that she could remember clearly. It was a terrible night, Miss Stonecliff says, no wonder you can't make yourself recall it all. Miss Stonecliff has tried so long and hard to protect Dorian from the ramifications of that night. Dorian quickly turns as if she doesn't want to face whatever it is. She does admit to remembering something, something that she hasn't told anyone. (We see again the flashback of Dorian kneeling over a man lying on the floor and Miss Stonecliff telling her he's dead). Dorian doesn't know if it's real or if it's a dream, but papa's right there, lying on the floor, and you say to me that he's dead, but you say it to me accusingly. "Did I hurt papa? Did I? Miss Stonecliff, did I kill my father?"
