Allie's time in Pine Valley was drawing to a close. She dropped by Chandler Mansion to finalize her travel plans with Adam. On her way towards the door, Allie remarked that she did not care if Pine Valley "fell into a hole," adding that she'd die a happy woman if she never had to hear the words "sperm donor" again. Adam warned Allie that if Liza found out about the switch the fertility clinic, he would know that she was responsible. "You are such a scary man," Allie said, her eyes squinted. Adam seemed pleased by the remark and told Allie that she had no idea how scary he really is. Adam showed Allie to the door. When he opened the door, Liza was waiting on the other side. She found it odd that Allie and Adam had been in each other's company and asked for some answers. Allie told Liza that she'd had just about enough of her and announced that she was leaving. "The residents of Pine Valley," Allie sassed, "deserve each other." After Allie left, Liza mused that she hopes Allie doesn't get a splinter for the broomstick she was riding. Adam invited Liza inside and offered her a glass of cider. Liza almost forgot that she'd been waiting an explanation from her former husband. Almost. Liza smiled as she reminded Adam that she was "the human lie detector" and able to tell instantly if he was lying to her. Adam grinned and Liza's ability a "dandy little talent." Adam told Liza that his feelings for her were the sole reason he'd help get rid of Allie. "Oh my God!" exclaimed Liza. "You're telling me the truth!" Adam couldn't help but grin. While he never told Liza the whole truth about why he was concerned---in fact he misled her on several occasions by saying that he was concerned for her child even if he had no biological ties to it---Adam did admit several truths. He told Liza that he was concerned that Allie's obsession and anger might turn her violent. If that happened, Adam feared that Allie could resort to physical violence, thus putting Liza and Jake's child at risk. A coy expression swept over Liza's face. She smiled slightly and told Adam that he knew that her baby was not Jake's baby. Adam's heart began to race and his eyes widened. "Excuse me?" he chattered nervously. Liza said that the baby she was carrying was her baby and no one else's. Adam breath a sigh of relief as Liza unknowingly let him off the hook. Liza looked at Adam as she swigged another mouthful of cider and told Adam that if she didn't know better she'd swear that he was being truthful.

In her room at the Pine Cone Motel, Raquel met with her cousin, Angela. Raquel was busy getting Max ready for trick-or-treating. Angela, however, was busy thinking up ideas to help get Raquel and Mateo back together. Angela told Raquel that Halloween was the perfect time for Mateo to "meet the son he doesn't know he has." Raquel agreed that Mateo had to meet Max, but Raquel feared that that time was not right for such an encounter. Fearing that rejection from Mateo would scar Max for life, Raquel decided that it might not be wise to have Max and Mateo meet. Angela took Raquel by the hand and reminded her of the type of man that Mateo is---a warm and caring human being. She also stated that men have a special place in their hearts for their children. And since Mateo did not know that he had a child, Angela hoped that meeting Max would help spur a reunion for the estranged couple. Raquel was concerned that Hayley would somehow turn Mateo against Mac. Citing the fact that Hayley did not know her father until recently and that Hayley was conceived out of wedlock, Raquel felt that family meant nothing to Hayley. Angela concurred that Hayley was "a wildcard," but insisted that Mateo must meet his son. Raquel nodded her head and said that she was taking her son trick-or-treating.

Ryan stood motionless in the doorway. David and Gillian carried on for several more minutes before Gillian caught sight of a figure looming just a few feet from the bed. Gillian gasped in horror before pulling away from her lover. David looked up and smiled satisfactorily. Gillian cursed Ryan for barging in on her. Ryan snorted and told Gillian that she should have remembered to lock to door before committing adultery. He also let it be known that the hotel's concierge had spotted her and David heading upstairs. David, who had been quiet up until this point, asked the married couple to remain calm and talk out their problems. Gillian demanded to know why Ryan was there. Her husband grinned and announced that he was there to tell her that he wanted a divorce. Gillian's face whitened and she cried out for Ryan to reconsider. Gillian was still unaware that she'd gotten her green card. Ryan shook his head in wonderment, commenting that Gillian would say or do anything if she believed it would prevent her from being deported. Ryan then told Gillian that Inspector Pinkerton had gotten them removed from the INS's watch list. Gillian still didn't know what that meant. Ryan finally broke it down for his wife, saying that she'd gotten her green card and that she was now free to choose the man of her dreams. Gillian looked at Ryan and asked him why he seemed so happy about his decision to end the marriage. Coldly, Ryan replied that he would not let Gillian play any more head games on him. He turned and walked out on Gillian. David told Gillian that she should be happy that her fall out with Ryan went so quietly. He was sure that there would have been a lot more yelling and a lot more thrown objects. David urged Gillian to get dressed and find Ryan before he the news of their affair leaked out to the tabloids. Gillian didn't care about her reputation being tarnished---she was crushed that Ryan now hated her. David found it odd that Gillian was so worked up over a man who she'd married only to get her green card. Gillian again admitted that she had feelings for Ryan. David smiled sinisterly and he told Gillian that she'd made a huge mistaken by having an affair with him. When a knock sounded on the door, Gillian hoped that Ryan had returned to patch things up. That was not the case. Gillian's face froze when she opened the door and found Allie standing on the other side. Allie laughed out loud at the spectacle before her. She looked back in time and realized that four years ago, she was in Gillian's position, um, so to speak. Allie told Gillian to get lost because she had to talk privately with David. Gillian was still stunned by everything that had taken place and stumbled out into the hallway. Allie asked David why he spilled the beans about her fake pregnancy to Jake. "Do you want to destroy me once and for all?" asked Allie. David nodded his head and said that that was exactly what he was trying to do. He told Allie that he resented her for stashing a secret copy of his videotaped confession. Allie noted that Liza and Jake were the masterminds behind his confession and wondered if David would seek revenge on them too. There was no need to target Jake, David said, because Jake's "milk of human kindness" would be his own undoing. As for Liza, David said that he had no plans on getting back at her just yet. Now that David had answered Allie's questions, he had one question for her: Why was Adam so interested in getting her medical license back? Allie told David that she would not tell him and even turned down David's sexual advances, saying that she was no longer attracted to him. "I hope our paths never cross again until the day I can spit on your grave," Allie growled. Allie left the room leaving David to mull over something she'd said earlier in the day. Allie had mentioned that David and Liza shared a bond that no one could destroy. What was that bond, he wondered.

Kit lamented that she must not by Christine Montgomery because her own brother didn't believe her. Kit told Edmund that she didn't know what to make of him. He was the first man who had treated her like a decent human being. Edmund smiled as Kit tried to make figure out why Edmund was being nice to her. Kit gave up on unraveling the mystery and ordered Edmund to leave before he was sucked further into her web of lies. Edmund refused to leave and Kit's drunken stupor caused her to lash out at him. She accused Edmund of trying to change her into someone she wasn't----someone like "Saint Maria." She ordered Edmund to "go home and mourn [his] dead wife." Edmund took a deep breath and counted to ten. He managed to avoid snapping back at Kit. He took Kit's keys and told her that he'd return them to her when she was sober.

At Wildwind, Mateo, Hayley, Sam, Maddie, and Dimitri all took turns bobbing for apples. Hayley mused that Mateo looked like a roast pig when he caught an apple between his teeth. Eugenia> was somewhat puzzled by the holiday festivities. Hayley and Mateo dashed off to play with the kids. Dimitri was coming down from upstairs when Edmund returned home. From the look on Edmund's face, Dimitri instantly knew that something was troubling him. Dimitri escorted Edmund to his upstairs office where he gave him a crash course in "human nature." Edmund seemed genuinely hurt by Kit's comments---even if they were made while she was intoxicated. Dimitri explained that everyone needs to come up a winner from time to time---and from what he'd heard, Dimitri knew that Kit had been on the losing side more than a few times. Downstairs, Gillian returned home and called out to Ryan. Eugenia waved down her granddaughter and asked her if she'd run into Ryan at The Valley Inn. Gillian nodded and turned a deaf ear to what Eugenia was saying. Eugenia was overjoyed because she knew that Ryan was prepared to tell her granddaughter that he loved her. Gillian, however, assumed that the good news her grandmother spoke of was that she'd gotten her green card. Gillian sat down next to Eugenia and gasped in horror when she learned that Ryan had tracked her down so that he could tell her that he loved her. Gillian said nothing, her face locked in the same stunned expression. Eugenia confessed that she'd been the one that sent Ryan to The Valley Inn. She looked at her granddaughter's expression and knew that something was amiss. "How did he find you?" Eugenia asked. Gillian did not respond. "Oh Lord," Eugenia gasped. "He found you with another man." Gillian buried her head in Eugenia's lap and broke into tears. Eugenia, too, was moved to tears by Gillian's folly. Hayley smiled at the way Mateo was at ease with the children. She told Matt that she knew it would be only a matter of time before they had children of their own scurrying around. Hayley was apparently scheduled to return to the hospital for another test on her liver. If all checked out, she would be given the green light to start planning a family. Mateo asked his wife not to get her hopes up. The doorbell rang sounding the arrival of a brave trick-or-treater. Mateo opened the door and saw a young child dressed as a catcher standing on the doorstep. He bent down and smiled at the young boy, unaware that the child was his own son. Raquel stood in the bushes and smiled admiringly at her son and husband.

Back at the bar, Kit headed to the bar for another round of drinks and became fixated on a tall, buffed man standing an arm's length away. Ryan fidgeted with his wedding ring as he smiled back at Kit. He took off the ring and dropped it into an ashtray. The pair flirted shamelessly for a while before actually speaking to each other. Ryan broke the ice by asking Kit if she was someone famous. Kit pursed her lips together and told Ryan that he could forgo the corny pickup lines. Ryan shook his head and said that he was being serious---he'd recognized her picture from an article that had appeared in the newspaper about her case against Jack. Ryan and Kit found that they had something in common---both were "gorgeous" on the outside, but "rotten" on the inside. Ryan smiled and said that he heard that dancing can help cure "rotten insides." Kit headed back to the bar to get another drink while Ryan headed off to pick a few tunes on the jukebox. As Kit stood at the bar, a man wearing a werewolf mask bumped into her. Kit looked up and screamed in horror at the scary mask. The man slowly pulled off the mask to reveal his face---it was Ryan. Kit laughed and she and Ryan headed back out to the dance floor. The pair engaged in some very, very sexual dancing---and ultimately ended up kissing.

Time marched forward on Halloween evening in Pine Valley. Due to the late hour, Liza decided that she'd better head home. She thanked Adam for "being forthcoming" with her about the reason he'd help Allie get her medical license back. "I knew she was in your hair," Adam smiled, reiterating his claim that he helped Allie for Liza's sake. Liza mused that she had often thought about constructing a trap door in her office so that she could push a button and have Allie fall into a tank full of sharks. Adam grinned and noted that his method didn't require any construction. As Liza put her hand on the doorknob, Adam asked Liza to stick around to see Junior's costume. Liza nodded slightly and agreed that she'd stay until Junior returned from trick-or-treating. The doorbell sounded and Adam waged guesses on what costume the trick-or-treaters would be wearing. When he opened the door and saw Marian and Stuart smiling giddily, he dropped his bowl of candy. Stuart and Marian were dressed up---quite originally it should be noted---as Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Liza told Adam that she would agree to stay around only if she could snap off a few pictures of Stuart and Marian. Adam nodded and Liza, with Stuart following closely behind, headed off to find the camera. Adam and Marian exchanged barbs in the interim. Marian told Adam that he should have dressed up as the Sheriff of Nottingham to complete their theme. Adam commented that in the book robin Hood, Marian became a nun. Marian smiled evilly and told Adam that according to legend, the Sheriff of Nottingham was hanged. Liza and Stuart returned with the camera. As Lisa was preparing to snap off the first picture, she felt her baby kick. Adam was concerned that Liza might be having a medical emergency and offered to call the doctor. The group adjourned to the parlor and sat around making small talk. Junior finally returned home dressed in a costume that I really couldn't figure out what he was supposed to be. Junior asked if they could play a game called "pass the orange." Adam rolled his eyes and quipped that it wouldn't be much fun to pass oranges. Junior explained that in the game, players pass oranges with their chins-and without the use of their hands. Adam watched Stuart and Marian condescendingly as they chuckled merrily while trying to pass the orange. He took on a decidedly different attitude when he found out that he and Liza would be going neck to neck with Liza. The pair dropped the orange and Liza seemed very uncomfortable by being so close to Adam again---but that doesn't imply that she didn't enjoy it. Liza again decided that it was time to go, but Stuart and Adam managed to entice her into staying by mentioning apple cider. Junior and Adam headed to the kitchen and Marian joined them after Stuart asked her to make sure that Adam didn't forget the cinnamon sticks. While everyone was gone, Stuart pulled up next to Liza and told her that he had something to ask her. "I'd like your permission to marry your mother," Stuart said softly. Liza's eyes widened slightly and she looked on as Stuart struggled to explain why he was asking Liza for her permission. Finally, Liza broke into tears and gave Stuart a big hug. Stuart was taken aback by Liza's reaction and asked her if everything was okay. Liza told Stuart that she was very happy for him and told him that she'd be honored to have him marry her mother. Adam, Junior, and Marian returned to the room and worried that Liza was crying because something bad had happened. She flashed a smile and assured them that she was "absolutely wonderful." Junior did not want to go to bed until his mom saw him in his costume. In New York, Dixie remained unconscious on the floor.

Nearly everyone at Wildwind was buzzing around for one reason or another. Mateo instantly took to the little boy on his doorstep. He asked the wannabe baseball player to take off his mask so that he could see his face. In the bushes, Raquel shuddered in fear. Hayley scurried over to the door and scolded Mateo for asking the boy to reveal his true identity. Finding it odd that the trick-or-treater was by himself, Hayley asked the young boy where his mother was. Max put his hands in his hips and proclaimed that he was a "big boy" and was allowed to trick-or-treat on his own. Gillian appeared in the doorway and asked Hayley if she could speak to her. While Hayley was gone, Mateo continued to buddy up to the young boy. He helped him hit imaginary homeruns. Raquel watched from the bushes with a smile on her face. The tender moment was cut short when Trevor and Amanda barreled up the walkway. Amanda, dressed as a Spice Girl, was quickly relegated to muffin-eating duties in the kitchen. Trevor told Mateo that he had important news about his divorce proceedings. Inside, Raquel asked Hayley if she'd seen Ryan. Hayley sighed heavily and told Gillian that she was not in the habit of keeping tabs on Ryan. Whether it was genuine of only to get what she wanted, Gillian suddenly took to apologizing for her past wrongdoings. She told Hayley that she was sorry that she'd told Mateo about Hayley's breaking and entering into Raquel's motel room. Hayley didn't buy into Gillian's repentance. She looked coldly and Gillian and announced that she would not help her find Ryan because she thought Ryan was better off without her. Gillian fumed that she'd find Ryan by herself and stomped off. Mateo and Trevor joined Hayley a short time later. Trevor had good news for the pair. He said that he found a new way to circumvent Raquel's resistance to the divorce. He explained that since Raquel and Mateo were married while they were both underage and did so without parental consent, he could argue that the marriage should not have been legal in the first place. That meant that they would not have to seek a divorce because, technically, Mateo and Raquel would never have been married in the first place. Hayley hugged her uncle and thanked him for all his help. They walked Trevor and Amanda to the door and saw them out. On the doorstep, Hayley told Mateo that she enjoyed watching him interact with the trick-or-treater. That led to an almost eerie conversation where Hayley mentioned that she wanted their first-born child to be a boy just like the mysterious trick-or-treater.

Upstairs, Dimitri reminded Edmund that Kit had just endured one of the "roughest day[s] of her life." Edmund agreed and noted that he'd been there to help Kit deal with her court loss---he'd paid for her attorney, went toe-to-toe with his friends over the matter, and even took her car keys away. "I can't do any more," Edmund groused. Dimitri countered by asking Edmund if it was possible that he'd done too much. Edmund, after all, was the one who'd pressured Kit into holding the press conference, he'd talked her into breaking into Jack's hotel room, and he was the one who'd yelled at her for her trip to South Carolina. Edmund admitted that he might have gotten too wrapped up in the matter and pushed Kit into doing things that she might otherwise not have done. "It's more than a story," Edmund remarked, "we both know it." He never did, however, say what that meant to him. Dimitri quietly explained that Kit had lost two battles within a twenty-four hour period: the one in court and a second with Edmund. Edmund rose from his chair and feebly stated that he had to check on his children. Dimitri later found Edmund pacing around the parlor. Edmund told Dimitri that he'd tried to call Kit but got no answer. He determined that Kit was still at the bar and headed off to find her.

Back at her hotel room, Raquel's heart was aflutter after seeing Mateo and Max together. Max told his mother that he wanted to go back and visit "the nice man" again. Raquel smiled and squatted down next to the boy. She told him that she hoped that he'd get to see the man again soon. Max wandered off to his bedroom allowing Raquel and Angela to celebrate Mateo's reaction to seeing Max. Of course, Mateo still had no idea that Max was his son, but that didn't change the fact that he seemed to like the boy. Angela wanted Raquel to introduce Max and Mateo, but Raquel again argued that the time wasn't right. Soon, she beamed, soon the time would be right.

In the bar, Kit and Ryan's hot and heavy dancing continued. Soon the subject turned from vertical activities to ones that were of a more horizontal nature. Ryan explained that they could not go back to his place. Kit touted her "big room" with a "big bed." She asked Ryan to be patient and the pair went resumed dancing. Kit suddenly heard Edmund's voice telling her that he thought she was "better than this" and that "Christine was better than this." Kit shook it off and headed to the bar for a drink. She claimed that she had worked up a thirst. Ryan rubbed up against his dance partner and said that he'd "worked up something else." The duo took to the dance floor for a third time and again Kit heard Edmund's voice. Finally the voice won out and Kit decided that dancing with Ryan wasn't what she should be doing. Ryan was furious with Kit for getting him aroused and then turning cold. Kit reminded Ryan that it was her "prerogative to change [her] mind." She told Ryan that he was sure he could find sex---even if he had to pay for it. A rage from inside Ryan suddenly poured out of his body. He pushed Kit backwards over the bar and called her a slut "just like Gillian." He told Kit that he was "tired of taking crap from women" like her. Kit wiggled around in obvious discomfort. Ryan finally let up and Kit got back on her feet. She picked up Ryan's werewolf mask from where he'd placed it on the bar and through it at him. Ryan took the mask and stormed towards the door, knocking tables over as passed by. Kit went back to the bar for another glass of scotch, but the bartender was concerned that she'd already had too much to drink. He called a cab for Kit, but Kit wasn't very thankful for his efforts. Kit became frustrated by her inability to get another glass of booze and headed outside to wait for her cab. She slowly walked down the street unaware that a stranger lurked a few steps behind her. The figure, wearing a werewolf mask, followed after Kit. Kit's footsteps tapped faster as she started running down the street. The figure eventually caught up to her and made the cryptic remark, "score one for the kid."

Emotional highs and lows swept through Pine Valley like a crisp autumn breeze. In the backyard of his home, Stuart and Marian enjoying a nighttime gaze into the heavens. Marian sat on a swing with Stuart providing her with an occasion push. Marian commented that she wanted their relationship to "stay like this forever." Stuart lowered his head slightly and asked Marian what would happen if their relationship changed. Marian's mouth gaped slightly. Her mind raced with unpleasant visions of a breakup. Stuart became very nervous and told Marian not to look at him while he said what he had to say. Stuart went back to pushing Marian and seemingly out of nowhere told her that he wanted to marry her. In mid swing, Marian was caught off guard---and went flying off of the swing. The mid-air flight ended abruptly as Marian thudded into a pile of leaves. Stuart raced to her side and asked her if she was okay. Marian shook the cobwebs off and broke into laughter. Marian told Stuart that she must have drifted off because she'd thought he asked he to marry him. Stuart grinned broadly and told his love that she'd heard him correctly. Tears began to stream down Marian's face. No one had ever proposed to Marian---not even her husband, Larry. Marian remarked that Larry was a bit of a "waffler" and had to be told to marry her. Other proposals had popped up from time to time from, but none had been from anyone worthy. Still, there was no response to Stuart's proposal; Marian must have forgotten that she hadn't given a reply. Stuart asked again, this time through clenched teeth. "I will be your wife forever and always," Marian replied softly. Stuart produced an engagement ring with a sizeable diamond and placed it on Marian's finger.

Jake arrived at an abandoned house to meet with his realtor. He knocked on the door, but there was no sign of Mrs. Altwind. Jack looked around for the woman, but after awhile he decided to let himself inside. Jack sat down at a card table and waited for the realtor to show up. While he waited, the pitter-patter of footsteps made their way through the house. Jack groaned slightly when he looked up and saw Erica standing a yard or so away from him. Erica was surprised to see Jack and asked him why he was there. Jack explained that he had an appointment with Mrs. Altwind and pointedly asked Erica why she was there. Erica, somewhat hesitantly, stated that she, too, had an appointment with the realtor. Erica beamed as she spoke of how fateful it was for them both to be at the same place at the same time. Kismet, she smiled, had brought them together. Jack had another one-word explanation for what had brought them together: Erica. Jack accused Erica of bribing the realtor so that she could spend some time alone with him. Erica vehemently denied Jack's charges and actually appeared hurt by the claims. Erica said that she had grown tired of playing games to catch Jack's attention. She explained that she loved Jack and that she wanted to be a part of his life. Why else, she asked, would she have showed up in court earlier in the day? Erica stated that it pained her to see the way Kit was twisting the knife into Jack's heart. Jack asked Erica not to use Kit as a tool to wheedle her way into his life. Jack tried to leave, but Erica grabbed his arms. Jack looked down into Erica's eyes and told her that he wants her to be "deliriously happy" and to focus her life on more important things like her career or ailing daughter. Erica shook her head and announced that the only thing she wanted right now was to get back together with Jack. Erica lifted up her hand and flashed the engagement ring Jack had given her. "All I have to offer [you] is love," Erica said softly. She looked Jack square in the eyes and asked him what she could do to convince him that they should start their relationship anew.

Edmund pulled his car into a parking lot near the bar where he'd last seen Kit. He didn't immediately see any signs of her. Edmund looked around and looked ready to return to the warmth of his car. Something caught his eye and he walked over to a dark corner of the lot for a closer look. There he found Kit sitting in the ground. Kit shook violently, her arms wrapped around her body. Edmund asked Kit if she was okay, perhaps wondering if Kit's inebriated state caused her to fall down. Kit said nothing. Edmund rummaged through Kit's purse and found nothing missing---so her knew she had not been mugged. Kit's mouth opened, but no words came out. A very quiet squeal was the only noise that the woman could produce. Edmund lifted Kit and carried her back to his car.

In New York, Dixie remained motionless on the floor. Her mind was still active as it conjured up a vision if Tad coming to her rescue and taking her to a hospital. In reality, however, Tad was nowhere to be found. Kicked out of Cortlandt Manor, Braden returned to his apartment. He did not see Dixie's lifeless form lying behind his dining room table. He poured himself a drink and went about his business---oblivious to the medical emergency just beyond his reach.

Ryan returned to Wildwind and found Gillian waiting for him in the parlor. The princess breathed a sigh of relief as her husband returned home safely. Ryan rolled his eyes at what he believed was false concern on Gillian's part and ordered her to go back to her lover. "I know the truth," Gillian said softly. Ryan's face crinkled up as he listened to his wife. "Grandmama told me that you're in love with me," she continued. Ryan cracked a smirk and told Gillian to "keep dreaming" because there was no way that he was in love with her. He also implied that Eugenia was "wigged out" and that she misinterpreted the conversation they'd had. Gillian didn't believe Ryan's denial and professed her undying love for her husband. Ryan couldn't understand why Gillian had slept with David if she was supposedly so in love with him. "I hate that I hurt you," Gillian replied. She claimed that she was only using David to make her feel like "a desirable woman." She rationalized her decision to have an affair by explaining that she'd thought that Ryan had had no feelings for her. Gillian wanted to be clear: she did not love David. She begged Ryan to give her a chance to make amends, but Ryan showed no interest in easing Gillian's feeling of guilt. He told her that there were no hard feelings between them because Gillian had not hurt him. In order to be hurt by her, Ryan explained, he would have to care about her---and that wasn't the case. Ryan denied having any feelings whatsoever for Gillian. In fact, he said that he was looking forward to going back to the old days where he could see whoever he wanted. Gillian said that she was sickened by the thought of Ryan having slept with another woman. Ryan grinned as he boasted of his latest sexual conquest, a "hungry blonde" he met at a roadside bar.

At Pine Valley Hospital, Tad showed up with a battered finger he said he'd hurt while trying to hammer a nail into the wall. Jake checked out Tad's finger (and gave his older brother a good ribbing about the injury.) Jake told Tad that he'd have to get his hand x-rayed, but the x-ray was delayed because a group of trick-or-treaters was having their candy x-rayed. As Tad lingered around the emergency room, Edmund rushed inside with Kit in his arms. Tad mused that he was used to seeing Kit in a semi-unconscious and drunken state. Jake asked Edmund to carry Kit into an examining room. Meanwhile, Tad got an urgent phone call from an unknown party. Tad took the call and assured the person on the other end that he'd be at their house shortly. Inside the examining room, Jake tried to check Kit's pupils, but Kit lashed out at him and refused to let him anywhere near her. Jake motioned to Edmund and asked him to step outside for a few minutes. There, Jake told Edmund that he feared that Kit might have been the victim of a sexual assault. As can be expected, Edmund was stunned by the thought of Kit having been raped. He asked Jake if he was certain that Kit was raped or if it was just a suspicion. It turned out to be somewhere in between the two. Jake placed a call to a female colleague and asked that she examine Kit for signs of a sexual assault. Edmund asked Jake if he could talk to Kit before she was forced to endure a stranger's probing examination. Jake nodded and Edmund returned to the examining room. There, Edmund sat on the edge of Kit's bed. Kit swayed back and forth gently, her arms still wrapped around her torso. Edmund told Kit that he was there to help her and assured her that he was still her friend. Kit's head turned slightly in Edmund's direction, although her eyes showed no sign of a "connection" with him. Edmund carefully asked Kit to tell him what had happened to her... and if someone had raped her.

Braden poured himself a drink as he recalled the manner in which Palmer had fired him. The primary reason for his dismissal was his unwillingness to divulge the details of his conversation with Dixie to Palmer. In a fit of rage, Braden turned and around and raised his glass above his head. Before he threw it, luckily, he looked down at the floor. Finally, Dixie appeared to be "rescued." Braden dashed over to Dixie's side and kneeled next to her. For a dangerously long time, Braden sort of talked to the unconscious woman, asking her how she was and how she'd gotten on the floor. A few minutes later, Braden must have figured out that he should call the paramedics. He tried his regular phone, but his service had been cut off. Fortunately, he had a cellular phone to use.

At the hospital, Edmund delicately asked Kit if she'd been raped. Kit slowly nodded her head. Edmund heart shattered. He assured Kit that she was safe and that no one would hurt her before heading out to find Jake. Jake informed Edmund that he'd phoned Doctor Becker, the hospital's resident OB/GYN. The doctor arrived a short time later accompanied by Nurse Appleton. The process in which they had to log and note their examination of Kit was painstakingly detailed and absolutely heartbreaking. A large piece of paper was placed on the floor of the examining room and Kit was asked to stand in the center of the paper. The nursed asked Kit to raise her skirt so that she could photograph any bruises or scrapes that she might have obtained during the assault. Afterwards, Kit was asked to take off her clothing and to place it on the sheet of paper. Presumably, this was to gather any and all physical evidence of the assault and to prevent any tampering. Jake returned to the examining room and performed a test that would collect any foreign matter from underneath Kit's fingernails. If she'd clawed or scratched her attacker, traces of his DNA could be recovered, thus making it easier to find her attacker. Outside, Edmund leaned against a wall and slowly slid down to the ground. He looked up at a payphone with hesitation.

The implication that Ryan "got lucky with a blonde" broke Gillian's heart. She knew that she could not very well lecture Ryan on the sins of marital infidelity. She made a surprising remark about them both being even because they'd each had an affair. Ryan rolled his eyes and puffed hard. He told Gillian that a marriage would not survive on constantly needing to get even. Gillian hoped that they could get past their hurt feelings and start their marriage over---not they they'd ever really started off on the right foot. Ryan laughed at Gillian's suggestion. He felt that since they did not and could not trust each other, there was no way that they could be married. "Love creates trust," Gillian replied quickly. Ryan angrily told Gillian that there was no way that he could make her happy; he did not come from a rich family and could not provide Gillian with the "money and prestige" that she needed. Gillian argued that she didn't need either of those things... she needed Ryan. "I love you," Gillian said, one of the many times she uttered the phrase during the conversation. "You say that," Ryan said in reference to Gillian's declaration of love, "because that's what princesses say in fairytales." Gillian shook her head to deny the assertion. In what could be the most unusual move she's ever made, Gillian dropped to her knees in front of Ryan and told him that he was her "lord and [her] king" and that she's do anything for him. Ryan's face scrunched up as he looked down at his wife. He ordered Gillian to her feet and tried his best to explain to her that their relationship was over. "But I still love you," Gillian said softly, her face echoing her pain. "One day you'll understand," Gillian mumbled as she held back her tears. As Gillian burst from the room, Hayley slowly entered. She apologize for overhearing the tail-end of the private conversation. Just by looking at Ryan, Hayley could see that Ryan's heart was just as broken as Gillian's. She tried to urge her sometimes-friend to go after Gillian, but Ryan wasn't in the mood to hear the usual "love will find a way" or other inspirational quote. He left the room, leaving Hayley to question the appropriateness of her lecture on love. Upstairs, Gillian buried her head in her pillow, tears flowing effortlessly down her cheek. In the shower, the gentle trickle of hot water could not hide the tracks of the tears that meandered down Ryan's face.

"I won't walk way from you," Erica proclaimed. Their past trials and tribulations boosted Erica's claim that she and Jack were meant to be together. Jack informed Erica that they do not want the same things and that it took him years to realize that they never had. "It's over," he said firmly. "Forever." Erica's eyes widened and her head began to shake back and forth. Forever, she said, was a word used when discussing the future, as in "together forever." There was no easy way to make Erica see the light. "We do not have a future---together," Jack said sternly. Jack's cellular phone rang. He was going to let the phone ring, but Erica urged him to take the call because it might be important. Jack took the call, which turned out to be a call from Edmund. Jack sighed as he first heard Edmund's voice. Obviously, he assumed that Edmund was calling to harp on him about the court decision. Edmund told Jack that he needed to go to the hospital because there had been a sexual assault. Jack chuckled slightly, not to belittle the serious crime that had apparently been committed, but because he found it odd that Edmund was taking on the role of a police investigator. Jack informed Edmund that the police would call him in the morning with information on the case. Four words instantly changed Jack's reaction, "It's someone you know." Jack requested that Edmund tell him the victim's name, but Edmund refused to do so over the phone. Erica allowed Jack to leave, but privately hoped that she and Jack could continue their conversation later. That would not be the case. Jack told Erica that he hopes she enjoys her new home if, that is, she was serious about wanting to buy it in the first place. Miffed and hurt, Erica phoned the only person she could think of to help her ease her pain. When Dimitri showed up at the house, he knew that Erica's plan to win back Jack must have failed miserably. He didn't want to be an "I told you so," but he knew all along that Erica's plan wouldn't work. Erica nodded and admitted that she probably knew it wouldn't work too. All she'd accomplished was to put get herself hurt one more time. Erica told Dimitri that as a child she'd always wanted her family to move into the house they were both in. That was shortly after her parents separated. Erica's fantasy kept from realizing the reality of the situation---her father was not coming back. Shortly after Erica gave up on that fantasy, she developed a new one---to one day own the house herself and life in it with the man she loved. Now, that fantasy had withered and died as well. Erica wrapped her arms around Dimitri and sobbed for a few moments. Erica wasn't about to let her failed romance with Jack get the best of her. She pulled away from Dimitri and apologized for crying. Dimitri grinned and told Erica that he had been prepared for the worst. He mused that he'd worn a life preserver under his sport coat just in case Erica cried herself a river. Erica announced that she'd devised a new plan, a plan that allowed her to put herself first. She announced that she was going to buy the house herself---and live in it by herself. Dimitri didn't appear to take Erica at face value, but Erica put on a pretty convincing performance. But when Dimitri left, the curtain came down on Erica's performance---and no one was there to dry the tears of a woman whose heart had been broken a thousand times over.

Tad showed up at Cortlandt Manor in response to an urgent call from Opal. When he got there, however, he soon wondered if he hadn't just been victim to a wild goose chase. Opal told Tad that Dixie was in serious danger. Tad's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He wondered if Dixie had phone or sent a telegram. Opal explained that Dixie hadn't exactly been in communication with her. It was more of a feeling that Opal had had while in bed. Tad rolled his eyes in disbelief. He began to scold his mother for calling him out in the middle of the night because of a "screwed up dream." Tad let it be known that Dixie wanted him out of her life---and that he had to honor her request. Opal recalled a recent conversation in which Dixie had told her that she still had feelings for Tad. Opal urged Tad to track down Dixie before he regretted it. "Regret is a terrible thing to live with," Opal said sadly. Tad sensed that Opal had crossed the line from talking about him to talking about herself. When pressed for an explanation, Opal backed off. Adrian happened to enter the room at the time and scolded Tad for haranguing his mother. That started off a back and forth bickering session between Tad and Adrian---with Opal chirping in occasionally. Palmer burst into the room and announced that he could not tolerate screaming in his house. Opal put her hands on her hips and cast her husband a cold glare. She corrected Palmer by noting that the house was soon to be hers. Before the pair could squabble over their marital woes, the phone rang. Opal picked up the phone and instead of offering the usual "hello," she told the person on the other end that their call "had better be good." Braden told Opal that he needed to speak to Palmer, but Palmer did not want to talk to his dismissed helper. Braden asked Opal to relay a cryptic message telling Palmer that he had "located the merchandise." It was his secret way of telling Palmer that he'd found Dixie. Unfortunately, Palmer didn't have his secret decoder ring and had no idea what Braden was trying to say. Until, that is, Braden stated that he could also talk to Tad.

Jack arrived at he hospital and beelined his way over to Edmund. Edmund pointed towards the examination room and told Jack to look in on the patient. Jack sighed and headed towards the room. He looked inside and instantly recognized the woman in the bed. He went back to Edmund and asked him to explain how he'd found Kit. Jack forced Edmund to answer a lot of unnecessary questions including where he'd found Kit, if she'd told him what had happened, and if there was any physical evidence that she'd been raped. From the line of questioning, it was apparent that Jack doubted the assertion that Kit had been sexually assaulted. For some reason, Jack returned to Kit's room. He loomed over her and icily asked Kit to tell him what had happened. He put his hand on Kit's shoulder, prompting Kit to jump away. "I'm sorry Dak. So so sorry." Jack's face dropped. He flashed back to a time when his sister Christine was but a baby. He recalled her saying the same phrase using identical inflection. Jack raced out of the room passing Edmund in his route. Edmund was about to ask Jack something, but Jack held up his hand in Edmund's face. Jack walked up to Jake and told him that he wanted to undergo a DNA test immediately.

Everyone found it odd that Palmer's former personal assistant would want to speak to Tad. Before Tad could make his way to the phone to talk to Braden, Palmer intercepted the phone. Palmer snapped that he did not want to be bothered by Braden. Braden kept his cool and told Palmer that he'd found Dixie. Palmer was limited in what he could say since he did not want anyone else to know that Dixie had been located. He asked Braden about the "risk factor," a code for him to find out the seriousness of Dixie's condition. Braden said that he was not sure, but guessed that things were not good. Palmer got off the phone and claimed that Braden had called with a "hot stock tip." Palmer had to keep up the charade at all costs. He commented that he was still peeved with Braden, but noted that the supposed stock tip could earn him millions of dollars. Palmer then dashed off, saying that he had to go to his office and work the Tokyo stock market. Palmer had barely gotten out the door when suspicions began rising. Adrian was the first to say that he knew Palmer was lying, with Opal remarking that it didn't take a secret agent to figure out that Palmer was up to something. While Adrian and Opal went back and forth trying to figure out what Palmer was hiding, Tad slipped over to the phone and looked at the "Caller ID" box on the Cortlandts' phone. He made a mental note of the number before announcing that he was headed home to do more important things. Opal thought that Tad was going to resume his search for Dixie. Opal grabbed her tarot card and offered to do a reading for Tad before he left. Tad rolled his eyes in disbelief and told his mother that he didn't have time for her foolishness. He proclaimed that he was "over Dixie" and that he had no desire to chase after her. After Tad headed home, a still hobbled Adrian decided to forgo his crutches and take a trip to Palmer's office to see if he could figure out what the business tycoon was up to. Adrian returned later and told Opal that Palmer wasn't at his office. Opal shook her head in disbelief and sat down to do a tarot card reading. Opal's face dropped as the cards predicted "big trouble."

Max kneeled beside his bed and said his bedtime prayers. In his prayer---in addition to asking God to watch over his mother, grandparents, and Angela---Max asked God to help him find his father. After he finished, Max sadly noted that he was probably too little for God to hear him. Raquel assured her son that God hears everyone, but explained that it sometimes takes longer for prayers to be answered. Raquel tucked Max into bed and then headed back into the main bedroom area. There, she received a lecture from her cousin. Angela informed Raquel that Mateo had left a message on her answering machine back in Texas. If Mateo could find her, he could surely find Raquel's parents. That left open the possibility that Mateo would learn about Max from someone other than Raquel. Angela was beginning to wonder if Raquel wasn't trying to beat a dead horse by pursuing Mateo. She knew that Mateo loved Hayley, but Raquel insisted that if given the chance, Mateo would dump Hayley in a heartbeat. The concern on Angela's mind was that Raquel's persistence might result in Mateo shunning his child.

At Wildwind, Mateo locked the door to his bedroom so that he could spice up the room for Hayley. Hayley knocked on the door and begged Mateo to let her inside, the Mateo wouldn't unlock the door until he was finished. Finally, Mateo let Hayley inside and showed her what he'd been working on. At least a dozen candles illuminated the room. Hayley wondered if she'd forgotten an anniversary---perhaps their first date or first kiss. Mateo shook his head and assured Hayley that she hadn't forgotten anything. Tonight, he said, was meant to celebrate "a lifetime a firsts." Mateo presented Hayley with a ring box and asked her to marry him. Hayley was stunned by Mateo's romanticism, but her reaction to the ring was somewhat surprising. She told Mateo that she still feels as though she and Mateo are married---even if they were not married in the eyes of the law. Hayley didn't want another ring or another wedding ceremony. Mateo apologized for the recent problems in their love life. Hayley responded that there is a "lesson in every hardship." Before the pair could discuss anything else, the phone rang. Thinking that the call was from Trevor, Mateo dashed to the phone. The call was actually from Raquel. Raquel told Matt that she needed to tell him something before she lost her nerve. Mateo cut Raquel off in mid-sentence and told her that unless she wanted to tell him that she had decided to sign the annulment papers he did not want to hear from her. He then ordered her to contact Trevor if she had anything important to say. Mateo abruptly hung up the phone and turned his attention back to Hayley. Hayley again talked about starting a family and stated that she wanted to be pregnant by the time they walked down the aisle again. The pair kissed passionately and then made love.

Back at the Pine Cone, Raquel wondered how she could tell Mateo about Max if she could not even speak to him. She went into Max's room and sat on the edge of her son's bed. She asked God to help her find the courage to finally tell Mateo the truth.

Jake was unprepared for Jack's request, but he agreed to draw blood for the test. Unaware of what Jack was doing, Edmund placed a call to Brooke and asked her to stop by the hospital and talk to Kit. When Jack returned, Edmund approached him with a cold expression planted on his face. He sassed that Jack was no longer needed and that Kit could not possibly harass him in her current condition. Edmund blamed Jack's refusal to undergo a DNA test for the attack on Kit. Had Jack agreed in the first place, Edmund implied that Kit would never have gotten drunk and wandered out by herself. Edmund also accepted part of the blame, saying that he should never have left Kit by herself.

In the examining room, Derek and another officer's attempts to get details on the attack failed. Kit said nothing and gave no indication that she was even listening to the police. Brooke entered and was greeted with a warm smile. In addition to her work at the women's shelter, Brooke also apparently worked at a rape crisis clinic. Brooke was given the green light to sit down and talk to Kit. Kit remained in her catatonic state until Brooke told her that she, too, had been a victim of rape. Kit's head moved slightly and she looked in Brooke's direction. Still, Kit said nothing. Brooke urged Kit not to let her attacker win---and that meant that Kit had to come forward and identify the man who had violated her. Brooke left the examining room somewhat dejected because she'd been unable to make any progress with Kit. Jack offered to try to talk to Kit, but neither Brooke not Edmund thought that was such a good idea. Instead, Edmund went back to Kit's bedside and gently stroked her hair, all the while assuring her that he would never let anyone hurt her again.

At a Manhattan hospital, the attending doctor refused to give Braden any updates on Dixie's condition because he was not immediate family. Palmer arrived at the hospital by helicopter and immediately went about the business of trying to determine what had happened to his niece. Braden tried to soothe Palmer's jangled nerves, but the businessman responded nastily. Braden reminded Palmer that had it not been for him, Palmer would still be fleeing a gang of art thieves. Palmer refused to be "bullied" into giving Braden his job back. Braden's cellular phone rang. He picked up the phone and smiled sinisterly when he heard Tad's voice on the other end. Braden put the phone down for a second and told Palmer that unless he gives him his job back---with a five year no-termination clause---he would tell Tad all about Dixie's condition. Palmer gritted his teeth and agreed to give Braden back his job. Braden resumed his phone call with Tad, saying that he had remembered that he'd forgotten to give him a message from Dixie. The message, he lied, was that Dixie was going to be out of town for a while and that she would probably not be back in Pine Valley for some time. Palmer was not impressed with Braden's lie. A doctor finally emerged from Dixie's room with news on Dixie's condition. Several years ago, Dixie had given one of her kidneys to her half-brother, Del. Now, however, Dixie's remaining kidney had failed. She had been placed on dialysis and been given steroids. Her condition was termed very serious and the doctor informed Palmer that even their best treatment might not be enough to save Dixie's life.