Sharon awoke with a gasp in the ruins of a darkened, dust-filled Clear Springs parking garage, which had just collapsed pancake-style, floor upon floor, trapping the injured in scattered pockets of small spaces littered with twisted metal support beams and tremendous chunks of collapsed concrete. Nick winced as he awoke, shouting out for Sharon and Jack. Nick pulled himself up out of a dusty crater and moved aside a mass of concrete to find Jack sitting upright, with his back leaning against a broken support beam. Jack and Nick assisted Sharon, who'd suffered a leg injury, as they made their way through a narrow shaft, searching for a way out. Jack assured Sharon that help was coming, but Sharon worried that if rescuers detected methane, then they'd be hesitant to enter the doomed structure.
When Nick and Jack detected a breeze through a partially-blocked passageway, they determined that they'd found a way out. However, since one person would have to lift up and temporarily support a collapsed concrete beam in order to allow the others to crawl through, Nick decided that Jack should go in order to get Sharon out. Jack, Sharon and Nick coughed and choked on the dust they stirred up as they attempted to move aside pieces fallen debris. As methane levels increased, Jack and Nick agreed to draw straws in order to fairly determine who'd stay behind in order to assist the others' escape. Nick drew first, and luckily chose the longer of the two chips of "concrete straws." Jack, who'd have to stay behind, assured Sharon that everything would be all right, and he told her that she should always remember how much he loves her. Jack kissed Sharon, and then he lifted up on the end of a long, broken piece of pipe that acted as a lever, so that Nick and Sharon could crawl under the concrete block and make it safely to the other side. When the pipe gave way, and the concrete block again sealed off the opening, Jack winced in pain, but he urged Nick and Sharon to hurry onward. After Nick and Sharon escaped, Jack choked and gasped as he frantically clawed through piles of broken cinder blocks that trapped him in on all sides.
At the prison's day room watching a TV-news broadcast, Phyllis was horrified to learn of the catastrophe unfolding at Clear Springs. Phyllis frantically dialed Nick's cell number and left him a desperate voicemail message begging him to call her. A fretful Phyllis's suggestion that she could perhaps sneak away when the prison's laundry is rolled out prompted Jana to react in panic mode on Phyllis' behalf. When Phyllis phoned Daniel, Jana yelled warnings about Phyllis' perilous escape plans. Daniel was upset to learn about the collapse, but he warned his mom not to do anything crazy. Daniel agreed to go to Clear Springs and report back to his mom. Jana agreed to keep watch over Phyllis. Phyllis later phoned Jack and left a rambling voicemail telling him that she hoped he was okay and begging him to call her before she goes crazy.
At the restaurant in Clear Springs, Nikki flipped through the maitre d's reservations book, trying to determine whether or not Nick, Sharon or Jack had returned there for dinner. However, when the maitre d carefully thumbed through his stack of receipts, he discovered no evidence that Nick, Sharon nor Jack had returned there to dine. David tried to calm Nikki, who was dazed and frantic. However, Nikki became even more distressed when David reported that neither Nick's nor Jack's cars had been found on any of the surface parking lots. Victor called and gave Nikki hope when he told her that the phone company's lines were jammed. Therefore, he theorized, Nick and Victoria would be unable to reach anyone by phone. A calm Victor assured Nikki that he was on his way to Clear Springs. David made Nikki laugh when he told her that her kids were most likely fuming at her because they, too, were unable to reach their mother by phone. Before setting off for Clear Springs, Victor told Neil about the tragedy unfolding there and that he was unable to make contact with Nick and Victoria. Before Neil left for Clear Springs, he told Brad about the collapse. Brad quickly tried to phone Sharon. After leaving a voicemail for Sharon, Brad joined Neil, and the two headed to Clear Springs.
As Brad and Neil hurried to the site of the collapse, they listened to a radio-news broadcast reporting grim but spotty details. The reporter's anxious voice imparted the seriousness of the situation, so Neil opted to turn off the radio. Brad phoned Nikki and learned that she had not heard from Sharon or Nick. Nikki explained that the collapse occurred just after the ground began shaking and rumbling. Nikki recalled people screaming and the shrill sounds of car horns blaring as clouds of thick dust rose up and choked terrified bystanders, who were unable to offer assistance. After Brad's call to Nikki, Neil berated him for phoning an overburdened Nikki about Sharon. Brad lashed out at Neil and told him that he was sick of Neil's air of moral superiority, and he urged Neil to get over the fact that he and Sharon slept together one time.
David summoned Nikki from the restaurant and alerted her that someone had been rescued. Nikki ran into the partially-collapsed garage. She was relieved to hear that Nick and Sharon would soon emerge from a heap of twisted debris. Up from of a huge gaping hole, a team of firefighters lifted an injured Sharon out on a rescue litter. Nick kissed Sharon's head, and then he ran to offer his mother a comforting hug. Nick turned to a firefighter to report that Jack was still trapped below. The firefighter asked if Jack there was alone, or if Nick had seen a boy or anyone else. A dazed Nick and Sharon asked the firefighter for details about the trapped boy. The firefighter reported that they'd received a 9-1-1 call from Paul Williams saying that he was trapped along with two other adults and a ten-year-old boy with a serious injury. When the firefighter told Nikki, Nick and Sharon that the injured boy's name is Noah Newman, Sharon, still strapped to the litter, screamed repeatedly, "No!" Nick leapt forward in a desperate attempt to reenter the gaping hole, from which he had just emerged, beneath the collapsed layers of concrete. Four firefighters quickly grabbed onto Nick and held him back as he cried out for his son. Nikki screamed out for Nick not to go and yelled in utter despair, "Oh, my God!"
Deep in a debris-filled pit, beneath a dripping, severed water pipe, Noah lay motionless, partially buried under massive hunks of broken, jagged-edged concrete.
When Nick hears that Noah is trapped in the parking structure, he tries to force himself back into the building. Victor tries to stop him, and says that the police are doing everything they can. Sharon doesn't want to go anywhere until she knows that Noah is okay. Nick asks Sharon if her medication is working. Sharon says that she doesn't want to take anymore medicine until Noah gets out. When Brad and Neil get to Clear Springs, they ask Nick and Sharon who's missing. Sharon says that Jack and Noah are still down there. Nikki says that she hasn't heard from Victoria.
Daniel shows up at Clear Springs. He calls his mother, and when he finds Nick, he passes the phone to him. Phyllis is thrilled to hear his voice. Nick explains that Noah is still trapped in there, and so is Jack. Daniel hands Sharon a blanket and tries to comfort her. She tells Daniel that Noah loves having her as a brother.
Sharon tells Nick that she doesn't want the last time she sees her husband to be leaving him behind. She says that if she loses her husband and her child she won't make it. She talks to Nick about the last time she talked to Noah. Sharon said that they were talking about socks, and the 'mystery' of the one missing sock. Noah had said that no one would see his socks so it didn't matter if they didn't match. Sharon had said what if Noah got in an accident; wouldn't he be embarrassed if people saw his socks then? Nick holds her hand.
Noah complains that he is hurt. Maggie tells Noah to take deep breaths. Paul tries to get them through the rubble. He says that rescuers will be coming for them soon. Lauren asks Paul if he still has batteries in his phone. Paul says yes, but that he thinks they should keep trying to get out of there. Lauren begs him to let her call her husband.
Michael walks in the house and answers the phone. Lauren tells Michael that she's trapped in the parking garage at Clear Springs. Michael can barely hear her, and is cut off before he can find out what's going on.
Michael calls the police, and gets frustrated because nobody knows what's going on. Gloria and Kevin suggest calling Victor. Victor says that he doesn't know anything, except that Lauren and Noah are trapped in the garage. When Michael, Gloria, and Kevin get to Clear Springs, Michael gets upset when Gloria says everything is going to be fine. He thinks about Nikki's vision of the Clear Springs project, and gets upset that they wanted Lauren involved in it.
Maggie tries to comfort Noah while they try to get out. Paul suggests creating a spark so they will have light, but Lauren says there is the possibility of methane. Paul ends up finding a flashlight. Lauren breaks down crying and apologizes for bringing them there. He says if it makes her feel any better, she can buy him a fishing pole when they get out. Paul tells Lauren to think happy thoughts. She says that she sees her boys, her husband, and Paul. She says that Paul is her knight in shining armor. Maggie watches them. Maggie tells Paul that Noah has a fever. Paul tries breaking into cars to see if he can find anything. Lauren keeps thinking that she hears noises. Lauren tells Maggie that they should move Noah closer to the cars to protect him. Lauren puts a wet washcloth on Noah's forehead. Noah asks her if she's afraid and takes hold of her hand. Suddenly, they hear voices. It's the rescue workers, pulling Noah out of the rubble. Sharon and Nick are filled with relief. They head to the hospital with Noah. Nick asks Victor if they hear anything about Jack and Victoria to let him know.
The rescue workers pull Lauren, Paul and Maggie out next. Michael, Gloria, and Kevin run to Lauren and embrace her. Lauren asks Kevin where Amber is. They are surprised that Amber was also at Clear Springs. Daniel tries to call Amber, but there is no answer.
Paul turns to Maggie and says if he was ever stuck in a parking structure, he'd want to be in it with her. Paul says that he's going to stay behind awhile to see if there's anything he can do to help. Maggie tells Paul that he's her hero.
Phyllis and Jana watch the news on television. Phyllis gets frustrated because she can't do anything about it. The police hear her causing a commotion, and Jana takes the blame for her. Phyllis said at first she was worried about Nick, now she is worried about Jack.
Kevin calls Jana and talks to her about Clear Springs. Phyllis gets extremely worried about Jack. When another inmate tries to change the television channel, Phyllis goes ballistic. Nick calls Phyllis to tell her that Noah got out. She asks about Jack, but he says that he hasn't been rescued yet.
Jack tries to climb through the rubble, but he begins having trouble breathing. The building begins to collapse all around him.
Meanwhile, Katherine awakens to find herself trapped all alone in the Clear Spring parking structure.
Neil, Paul, Victor and Nikki discuss the missing people and talk about how so far there are no fatalities. A fireman comes up and tells Victor that rescue workers reached the location where Jack was last seen but that he was no longer there. The fireman believes that Jack may have tried to find another way out of the collapsed building and has gotten lost in the dark. Jack wakes up and tries to find his way out. Daniel leaves a third voicemail message for Amber asking her to call him so they know that she wasn't in the building collapse. Amber is shown bloodied in her crushed car in the parking garage. Brad phones Nikki and explains that he and David have been checking all over town but have yet to locate Victoria. Nikki says she has a really bad feeling because it's been too long since she's heard from Victoria. Jill makes her way to Nikki and asks where Katherine and Cane are. Nikki says they had left but Jill says that Cane had phoned her and told her that he and Katherine were meeting with J.T. in the parking garage. She says they're not answering their phones and that she phoned the office and no one knows where they are. Paul runs to tell the commander and Nikki hugs Jill. J.T. and Cane fuss over Katherine and she says she's OK. She then tells them that they need to be realistic and that she is holding them back. She tells him to go on ahead, find help and send them back for her. They refuse but she says she's not going to argue about it.
Amber wakes up coughing and starts to cry when she realizes she's the parking garage has collapsed. She struggles to get the doors open but they won't budge. She begins honking her horn and screaming. Nikki gives the fireman one of Victoria's sweaters so the rescue dogs can get her scent. He asks for something of Adrian's but haven't gotten any of his items yet. Jill asks Paul if he's OK. Paul tells Jill that Cane knows the structure and that he has studied the blueprints and he'll be OK. She asks Paul what it's like down there and he tells her that it's dark and dusty, but that there are tons of safe areas. He tells her that the injuries have all been minor. He also tells her that J.T. and Cane are with Katherine and that Katherine is one tough old broad. Jill smiles at him. Katherine pleads with J.T. and Cane to go on without her but they refuse to leave her behind. Some debris falls and blocks the way they were going to head and Katherine tells them that they should have listened to her.
Katherine points out a light and Cane and J.T. go to investigate. J.T. tells her that she found the elevator. Amber screams for help then tells herself not to freak out. She kicked out one of the windows in the car and climbs out. She makes her way through the debris looking for a way out and she talks to herself trying to calm down. Jill tells Nikki that she's not sure Katherine can survive being trapped in the building. Nikki tells her that Katherine is tougher than both of them put together. Jill tells her that she's probably right; that Katherine has been driving her crazy for years and will probably dig herself out of there so she can continue making her miserable for more years. J.T. and Cane pry the elevator doors open and they, along with Katherine, climb in. They think the best way to escape is to climb up the elevator shaft. Katherine insists that they make their way to safety and that she will wait in the elevator for the rescuers. Katherine tells Cane to let Jill know that she loves her. Cane tells her that she will tell Jill herself when she gets out. J.T. and Cane make their way up the elevator shaft, climbing up the pipes on the side of the walls.
J.T. and Cane make their way to the next floor. Jack climbs through a clearing in the rubble but then a beam falls and blocks his way. He finds a piece of paper and as he's coughing he pulls a pen from his pocket and starts to write. Daniel phones someone asking if they've heard anything about Jack. He then is upset because no one has any news on Jack or Amber. Kevin tells him that Amber will find her way out, that she always survives. Amber crawls around the corner and finds the elevator. She and Katherine are excited to see each other. Katherine jokes and says ‘ground floor please' as she pushes the elevator buttons. Katherine explains to Amber that J.T. and Cane climbed up the elevator shaft and tells Amber that she should do the same. Amber tells Katherine that she's not leaving her. Katherine says ‘oh, no, here we go again.'
Daniel is upset that he still hasn't heard from Amber. Kevin says that maybe she lost her phone. Daniel tells Kevin that Amber can go more than five minutes without texting or phone someone. Paul tells Victor, Jill and Nikki that one of the cranes has stalled. Jill asks what else can go wrong when Neil runs in and says the rescuers have reached someone. They all rush off to see who is being rescued. Amber fusses over Katherine and her injuries. Katherine says ‘like you would say, I'm chillin' like a villain''. Amber looks through her purse to see if she has anything to help make Katherine feel better. She finds a candy bar and gives it to Katherine. Amber tells Katherine that she already ate two candy bars trying to calm her nerves. Amber again looks in her purse hoping to find some pain relievers. Katherine tells her that she's fine. They hear lots of noise outside and realize they need to get out of the elevator as they're afraid it's going to fall. J.T. makes his way out of the building with Cane right behind him. Jill is grateful and hugs him. They tell the rescuers that Katherine is still down there and is injured. J.T. asks Nikki and Victor where Victoria is and Nikki tells him that they haven't heard from her. Daniel tells Cain that Amber is probably trapped in the wreckage. A fireman wants to know where Katherine is. J.T. and Cane insist that they should go with them to retrieve Katherine since they know exactly where she is. The fireman tells them they're not going and that they'll be arrested if they attempt to go back into the garage. Cane tells him that he was trained in emergency response in Australia. The fireman allows Cane to go with them but Jill frantically tells him not to. He insists and heads off with the fireman.
Amber tells Katherine that she hopes the guys made it out. Katherine asks Amber if she still has a soft spot for Cane. She says she does and that even though Cane may think that she never loved him, she did. She says she made stupid mistakes out of desperation and ruined everything. Katherine tells her that every dumb mistake she made in her life was due to a stupid man. She tells Amber about the stable boys she used to employ. Amber laughs and says hearing that makes her not feel so crazy. Katherine jokes that she could write a book. Amber tells her that she would buy it. Amber tells her that she regrets a lot of things that she did during her marriage to Cane but that she never was unfaithful to him. She tells Katherine that she doesn't expect forgiveness but wants her to know that she never meant to hurt him. Cane heads back into the wreckage with the fire crews to rescue Katherine. Nikki tells Brad that J.T. and Cane made it out. Jill and Nikki comfort each other as they wait. Amber comes back to Katherine with a blanket she found in a car. Jill tells her to quit wandering off because she might get hurt. Katherine says they should just sit and wait for the rescuers. Katherine tells Amber that if she is like her, she'll continue to mess up. Katherine tells her that she'll make so many mistakes that she'll stop counting. Amber tells Katherine that she's so confident and successful. Katherine tells her that she can be confident, the secret is to accept that you will make mistakes. The rescuers, along with Cane, reach Katherine and Amber. Katherine tells Cane that Amber was good company and took good care of her. Cane gives a mask to Amber for breathing and the rescuers put Katherine in a harness to lift her to safety.
As everyone waits at ground level, the rescuers bring out Amber and Katherine. Jill rushes to Katherine and Katherine cries and tells Jill that she loves her. Nikki tells Katherine it's good to see her. Jill tells Cane to not volunteer for anything ever again as she hugs him. J.T. shakes Cane's hand. Cane then tells Jill and J.T. that he made up the fact that he was trained in emergency response. Jill tells him that isn't funny. Kevin and Daniel are happy to see Amber and tell her not to do something like this again. Kevin tells her that even though she annoys him that she's glad she's OK. Amber then starts to cry and says she was really scared. Daniel comforts her. Katherine asks Victor and Nikki who else is missing and Nikki tells her that Victoria is missing. Jack is making his way through the rubble and stops to rest. He pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket and reads a letter he has written to Sharon. He says he's had many thoughts about his life, the good and the bad, and says that he knows he's disappointed many people. He says he wants Sharon, Noah and his family to know that he couldn't have loved any of them more. He says he's proud and lucky to have been Sharon's husband. He then collapses.
At the hospital a doctor tells Nick and Sharon that Noah cracked some ribs and ruptured his spleen, and is going into surgery now. Noah needs a blood transfusion to replace the lost blood. A rescue worker shows Nikki a purse they found in the rubble. Nikki becomes panic-stricken when she realizes that it's Victoria's. She calls Nick to tell him the horrible news. Adrian digs himself out of some debris and calls out to Victoria. They are both confused as to what just happened, but know they have to find a way out. The rescue crew informs everyone that the methane gas levels are rising so they want everyone to leave the rescue site. They put a camera into the garage and find Victoria and Adrian, alive and well. The rescuers tell them they will be there soon, but all of a sudden there is a second explosion. Adrian is in pain from the piece of rebar lodged in his thigh. He and Victoria see a new opening and decide to try to crawl through it. Victor grabs a hardhat and goes in after Victoria. Brad tells the rescuers that he has something in his eyes and can't see. J.T. rushes in again and sees Adrian and Victoria walking out. Nikki rushes toward Victoria, but suddenly a piece of the building collapses, knocking Victoria over and she hits her head. Victor sees a hand sticking out of the rubble. He pulls back concrete and finds that it's Jack. He digs Jack out and brings him to the surface. The rescue workers take Jack to a hospital. Daniel calls Sharon to tell her the news. Colleen meets Kevin in Clear Springs at the Aurora Café. She asks if anyone has heard from Jack or Adrian. Kevin sadly tells her no. A rescue worker says that they've found a dead man but don't have any further information. Victor takes a look under the sheet and tells everyone that it's a man he's never seen before. J.T. identifies him as Joe, the construction supervisor he works for.
At the explosion site, Colleen is frightened to see Adrian with a huge piece of shrapnel in his leg. He tries to distract her and even makes a joking comment about getting married in the future. The paramedics try to stabilize Victoria, who is unconscious. Daniel then tells Nick that Victoria needs immediate medical attention. The paramedics radio for a helicopter to take her to the hospital. Nikki blames Victor for Victoria's injuries because he took time to pull Jack out of the rubble, instead of looking for Victoria. J.T. is frustrated that he can't visit Victoria since he's not yet a member of her family. J.T. listens to the CD that he brought for Victoria, overcome with sadness and worry. Brad is angry that the doctors won't let him see Victoria, even though her baby may be his. A doctor tells the Newmans that while Victoria's vitals have stabilized, they are curious as to why she hasn't woken up yet, so they need to do more tests. When David arrives at the hospital, Nikki collapses into his arms, crying. Sharon calls Daniel, who tells her that Jack will be okay. When Jack arrives at the hospital, Nick gives him a big hug, thanking him for helping to save his and Sharon's lives. Jack thanks Victor for saving him. Gloria and Michael bring Fen to see Lauren. Fen walks, which Lauren sees for the first time. She starts crying hysterically, venting all of the emotions she felt while she was trapped. In Paul's room, Paul and Maggie recount the events of the day. Feeling lucky they made it out alive, they start to kiss and make love.
