Laura's knees buckled as the horror hit home; Her pornographic photos were on the Internet and there was little she could do to stop millions of people from viewing her naked body. Tim took a carefree attitude as he assumed that Laura knew her photos were in circulation. Laura begged Tim to get on the ‘net and delete the photos, but he informed her that it was impossible for him to do that. He did offer to make some phone calls and see what he could do, but by the time his offer rolled off his lips Laura was out the front door.
At the correctional facility, Gillian carefully laid out her escape plans to Erica. She coolly stated that'd create a diversion while Erica donned a trench coat and sunglasses and sneaked out the front door. Erica snapped at Gillian's nonchalance. This was not some boarding school prank, Erica yapped. This was a real prison with real guards. If Gillian's plan failed, she risked being deported or even a possible incarceration. Erica insisted, however, that she needed to be with Bianca. So she would lay out the plan and Gillian would have to abide by the rules.
Brooke arranged a surprise party to fete Laura's coronation as Person of the Week. Hayley and Mateo catered the party and Esther and Stuart helped decorate the house. Rafe, the Youth Center coordinator, and Scott attended to the music requirements, and Jamie and Brooke helped tie up the loose ends. When Laura returned home early, she ended up surprising everyone else. Each party-goer took a turn toasting Laura's success. Rafe read a letter from one of the parents of a child who attends the youth center. The woman thanked Laura for helping turn her son around and returning him to his family. Stuart compared Laura to a "blossoming rose" with a "few thorns." But thorns, Stuart chuckled, were okay because they made things interesting. Matt and Hayley praised Laura's work ethic. When it came to Jim's turn, his comments proved too much for Laura. Jim claimed that he doesn't know Laura well, but is pleased that he was the first person to photograph Laura before she became Person of the Week. The inference of the infamous photos sent Laura scurrying from the room. Esther understood that the excess of attention had overwhelmed Laura. So as Brooke tried to comfort Laura, everyone else continued with the festivities. Brooke apologized for not devoting her attention to Laura, but explained that the plane crash had sent her for a loop. Laura insisted that she didn't deserve the praise and attention, but Brooke vehemently disagreed. Brooke left the room to help serve the food and Jim walked over to Laura. Laura lashed out at Jim for lying to her. She accused him of breaking his promise to forget about the pictures. He seemed legitimately surprised when Laura told him that the photographs had turned up on the Internet. Jim professed that he is barely able to log on to the ‘net let alone create a web site. Calls were coming into the house, Laura sobbed, from people who have downloaded the photos. Jim told Laura that her best bet is to tell Brooke and Scott about the photos while the story is still bubbling under. Then she needs to lay low until a new "pin-up girl" emerges.
One by one the guests began to leave for home. Everyone set their sites to cleaning up. It wasn't until several minutes later that Brooke realized Laura had disappeared. Laura had left a note saying that she received a phone call from one of the kids at the youth center asking for her help. Scott was miffed that Laura ran out because they were supposed to spend some time together.
It had been a long time since Gillian went to "powder her nose," and Tad was beginning to think that he was dumped. He took the rejection rather well, telling Jake that he had to pay Erica a visit in prison to setup for a televised interview in the morning. Soon after Tad left, Allie and Jake argued over the proper bill paying etiquette. Jake suggested that they split the bill down the middle since they are on a "non-date." Allie gobbled down spoonful after spoonful of decadent desserts, leaving Jake to wonder where Allie "puts it all." From her slender figure, Jake commented, no one would ever suspect that Allie has a sweet tooth. Belinda entered the restaurant and passed by the couple's table. They extended an Belinda and invite, but she opted to sit at her own table so she could look over some legal papers. Only a few minutes after Belinda sat down, she had a gentleman suitor---Miles. Miles asked Belinda if he could join her, but Belinda worried that her workload might get in the way. Miles took the comment as a rejection and told Belinda that he wouldn't bother him again. Belinda looked up from her work and apologized for her brevity. She asked Miles to join her and the two made plans for an early morning breakfast date. Hayley and Mateo entered the restaurant just in time to see Miles leaving Belinda's table. They rushed the table and asked Belinda how she could cavort with the enemy. Belinda stared blankly at the couple as they told her that Miles was in charge of TransGlobal.
Janet returned to the Dillon house . She was immediately enlisted for brownie detail by Amanda. Janet could see that her presence was further aggravating Tim, so she suggested that Tim help Amanda bake the brownies. Amanda informed Janet that Tim doesn't like to bake and pleaded with her mother to aid her. Janet obliged, but said she could only stay for a short time. After the brownies were in the oven, Amanda wandered into the livingroom. She found her brother staring at a picture of Natalie. Tim asked Amanda if she remembered "mom." Amanda remained silent for several minutes before saying that Natalie was Tim's mom and that Janet was her mother. Tim paged through a family photo album and recalled all the fun times he'd had with his mother. Janet stood in the doorway listening to Tim's account of his childhood. She knew how much he missed his mother and couldn't help but think of her sister.
Bianca rested in her hospital bed as a phone call came through to her room. Barbara answered the phone and was irritated to find out that Erica was on the other end of the line. Erica demanded to speak to her daughter, blaming Barbara and Travis' "seclusion approach" for Bianca's health problems. Barbara demanded that Erica stop harassing her and hung up the phone. Barbara phoned the switchboard and asked that they put a halt to all incoming calls. Barbara had to head downstairs to sign a waiver in order for her instructions to be carried out. When she left, Bianca sat up in her bed and bad-mouthed her step-mom. She began to tug at her line and say that she was going to leave when her uncle Jack entered the room. Jack put a stop to Bianca's great escape. Bianca pleaded with Jack to help her. She told him that Barbara was blocking all of her phone calls. Jack managed to soothe Bianca's rage by delivering a message from Erica and promising to tell Erica that Bianca sends her love.
Back at the prison, Gillian seduced the prison's media relations director into some special favors for Erica's interview. Tad and the crew of The Cutting Edge arrived to run a "dry tech" for the next day's interview. As they measured light and sound levels, Erica dropped a bombshell on Tad: The interview was going to be broadcast live in only a few minutes. Tad was flabbergasted and accused Erica of setting him up. Erica begged Tad to help her. She told him that Bianca has been starving herself to death because of her incarceration. The news hit Tad hard and he agreed to do whatever Erica needed him to do to help get Bianca back on track.
Back at the hospital, Gillian entered Bianca's room with a broad smile. Bianca worried that Gillian was a "shrink," an accusation that sent shivers up Gillian's spine. She proclaimed herself a messenger with a special surprise for Bianca. Gillian flipped on the television set and watched in awe as her mother hit the airwaves. During the interview, Erica stood up as a champion for women's rights. She stated that 75% of all women in prison are mothers and that the children of these women suffer during the incarceration period. Erica implied that she would use her celebrity status to fight for system reform. She then offered a special message to her daughter. She begged Bianca not to worry about her, saying that she was doing well. Someday, she smiled, we'll be back together. "I promise."
Haunted by the reality of her nefarious photos suddenly re-emerging, Laura prepared to place a call to her family from a payphone somewhere in a dark alley. She was so distracted by her worries that she didn't hear someone approaching from behind. The dark figure grabbed Laura, covered her mouth, and pulled her away from the phone.
Kelsey's ability to talk Kevin out of leaving Pine Valley drew high praise from Joe and Ruth. After convincing Kevin to stick around, Kevin didn't really want to return to his lonely dorm room. The Martins were kind enough to allow Kevin to spend the night at their house. Joe told Kelsey that her friend was now speaking to a legitimate therapist who would help Kevin work out his feelings. The news was well received by Kelsey, but she feared that all therapists might resort to "aversion" or "conversion" therapy. Joe assured his granddaughter that the therapist's methods were respectable and that Kevin's new therapist was a personal friend. Kevin caught up with Kelsey and told her that his first session went well. Ruth invited Kevin to join them for dinner, but Kevin said that he had something he needed to do; Kevin was going to have one final discussion with his mother before she headed to Istanbul. Kelsey offered to accompany Kevin so that he would not have to confront his mother alone. Kevin thanked Kelsey for her continued support and the two teens headed for The Valley Inn. Ruth worried that she should have stopped Kevin, fearing that visiting his mother would be like rubbing salt into an open wound. Ruth blasted Judith for cutting her son off. She told Joe that she'd been over and over the scenario in her mind. She said that she would have been shocked if one of her children told her they were gay, but indicated that she could never stop loving the child. Joe assured Ruth that Kevin's visit to his mother would be therapeutic. He stated that he doesn't think the visit will be about begging his mother to forgive him. If this was the last time that Kevin would ever see his mother, Joe smiled wryly, Kevin will have a lot of things to say. Opal stuck her head in the room and asked if she was intruding. Ruth waved Opal into the room. Opal informed them that Kelsey had called her and told her that she had dissuaded Kevin's desire to run away. Opal apologized for trying to fix Kelsey and Kevin up. She explained that she's never known someone who was gay before (except for one of her aunts lived with another woman for many years and was the topic of many rumors). "Being gay," Opal said softly, "is not an east row to hoe." Ruth offered Opal some consolation, saying that she knows that Opal would never intentionally hurt Kevin.
Laura's note caused some concern for both Brooke and Scott, but more so Scott. Scott decided to check out the Youth Center and see if Rafe might know where Laura went. While alone, Jim and Brooke's conversation changed dramatically. Jim told Brooke that she has a "very sexy brain" with "curves in all the right spots." When Brooke dies, Jim said that the epitaph on her tombstone will read "I wanted to save the world and my friends will realize how hard I tried." Jim fumbled behind his back for a few seconds before presenting Brooke with a framed photograph, one of the images that he'd snapped of her in the park. Brooke asked Jim how he chooses his subjects, saying that he can make anyone look good. Sometimes, Jim replied, the subjects choose me. A great deal of philosophical chit chat was exchanged, with Jim telling Brooke that some cultures believe that a camera can "steal" the soul of the subject. If it;'s true, Jim called himself a thief. Brooke told Jim that she wished she had gotten to know him a lot soon. Jim echoed the sentiment, but assured Brooke that he was there for her now; Who else could know the value of seeing the sun rise on a new day? They are both survivors and share a special bond.
At the Valley Inn, Janet dropped by Belinda's table and warned her that she was working too hard. Belinda cleared a spot at the table for Janet and the two quickly started up a conversation. Belinda asked Janet if she and Trevor had been chipping into their "beauty sleep." The implication was, of course, that Janet and Trevor have been intimate. Janet was uncomfortable talking about the issue and things got even more complicated when Trevor showed up at the table. Belinda allowed the tow fledgling lovers some privacy. Trevor laid out plans for a second date with Janet, but Janet said that she was not sure if she could fit a date into her busy schedule. Trevor knew that something was fishy and asked Janet to lay her cards on the table. Janet told Trevor that she does not feel comfortable dating Trevor in the presence of Tim's strong opposition. Trevor pushawed his son's attitude and said that they cannot let a teenager dictate their lives. Janet added that she's been working two jobs and needs some time to herself to relax and wind. Trevor didn't accept Janet's decision well and walked off in a huff. When Belinda returned, she couldn't believe that Janet gave Trevor the brush off. Janet explained to her friend that she was being forced to cut Trevor off. If she didn't stop seeing Trevor, she said that Tim would tell Amanda about her diabolical past. Belinda saw nothing wrong with that, saying that Amanda already knew about Janet and Natalie's sordid past. That's true, Janet nodded. But Amanda does not know about the crowbar incident. Belinda told Janet that the legal term for Tim's actions is "blackmail." Janet knew that Tim was wrong to take the action against her, but vowed to prove to the boy that she has changed.
Trevor returned home and found Tim sprawled out on the sofa playing a video game. Trevor felt that he needed to hash things out with Tim once and for all. Trevor saw that Tim had been looking through the family photo album. Tim yelled at is father for storing the photo album in the back of a closet and accused Trevor of forgetting about Natalie. Trevor explained that he will never Natalie, but said that he needs to move on with his life. Wearing black for the rest of his life and mourning for Natalie will never help him to move forward. Tim accepted his father's way of "dealing" with the matter, but warned him that he had his own way of moving forward.
Kelsey doubled-checked with Kevin before letting him knock on his mother's door. Kevin was still sure that he wanted to face his mom and knocked on the door. Judith looked startled to see her son standing in the hallway. She invited the two teens into her room and immediately jumped into how wonderful it was to see them back together. Kevin snapped at his mother's comment and told her that she was only concerned with herself. She had subjected him to being "a lab rat" for Dr. Chapman. Judith defended her decision, saying that she only wanted to reunite her family. If that's what Judith wanted, Kevin wondered why she never called him on Christmas or his birthday. Judith insisted that she couldn't tell her son why she never called and left it at that. Kelsey stepped in to defend Kevin. She asked Judith if she knows what it's like to be "sold out by a loved one." The ruckus roused Sid Sheffield from the other room. The first words out of his mouth blasted his son for quitting therapy. Kevin corrected his dad. He hadn't quit therapy, he'd gotten a new therapist. "One that will help you be a queer?" Sid said caustically. "Your mother doesn't want you here. She's disgusted by the sight of you." Kelsey tried to push Kevin out of the line of fire by telling him that they should leave, but Kevin didn't budge. Sid apologized to Kelsey for what Kevin had done to her and urged her to "get a real man instead of a fag loser." Finally, the dam burst. Judith turned and gave her husband a piercing glance. "Oh shut up, Sid," she yelled. "Shut the hell up." Judith told her husband that she cannot live a lie anymore. Tearfully, she announced that she cannot remember that last time she and Sid made love---or even the last time her touched her. Sid demanded that his wife "take a pill." But this was no figurative expression. He actually wanted her to go into the medicine cabinet and take a physical pill! Judith mourned for the life she could have had. It would have been possible to raise her children, bake brownies, and go to PTA meetings. That was not the life that Sid wanted to lead. "I will not stop loving my child," Judith growled. Sid ordered Judith to pack her bags and get ready to go to the airport. Sid left the room, demanding that Kevin be gone by the time he returns. Judith., now with tears in her eyes, begged Kevin for his forgiveness. She explained that she's only ever wanted to best for Kevin. Kevin embraced his mother and suggested that they try to start a new, happy life together.
Scott learned that Laura had not been by the shelter. Rafe made a few phone calls but couldn't locate Laura. He told Scott to relax and assured him that Laura was probably en route to her home. Scott called Brooke and told her to be on the lookout for her daughter. In his mind, however, Scott thought that Laura concocted her need to get out of the house so that she wouldn't have to be alone with him.
Brooke hung up the phone and told Jim that Laura still was missing. Suddenly the phone rang. On the other end of the line, a young male asked if e could speak to the "succulent Laura." The call disturbed Brooke and she asked how the boy had gotten the number. He told her that he was from Teen Nymph Net. Brooke hung up the phone and raced to her laptop. She logged onto the Internet and pulled up the web site. Before her eyes, the photos that Laura tried so hard to keep secret slowly began downloading onto the computer's screen.
While tidying up his dorm room and getting ready to head out for the day, Scott came across an envelope that had been slipped underneath his door. He bent over and picked up the envelope. Inside the envelope was a letter from Laura telling Scott that she has to break off their relationship.
In spite of what she'd learned about him, Belinda still showed up at The Valley Inn for her breakfast date with Miles. Miles arrived a few minutes later with a broad smile on his face. He had hoped to draw a smiled from the attorney, but Belinda's face was emotionless. She asked Miles how he always seems to find time in his schedule to bump into her---especially with his problems with TransGlobal. This led Belinda to wonder if she had been invited to breakfast as a date or as a potential attorney to defend the beleaguered airline. Miles insisted that his intentions were sincere and informed Belinda that he already has more lawyers working on the case than he could ever need. Belinda still felt obligated to Maria---a relative. She told Miles that she believes that he is "innocent until proven guilty," but her conscience will not allow her to see him.
Liza woke up earlier than usual and made herself a cup of coffee. When Adam and Marian caught up the Liza, they both urged her to return to bed. Marian went as far as to have Lucretia prepare a big breakfast for Liza. Liza ordered her mother to stop treating her like a child and reiterated that Marian was not responsible for her miscarriage. Joe dropped by Chandler Mansion and Adam immediately confronted the doctor with a barrage of questions. Adam asked Joe if the airplane's hard landing was the sole cause of Liza's miscarriage. Joe didn't want to answer the question. He told Adam that an answer will not ease the pain of the loss. When Adam forced Joe for an answer, Joe admitted that the incident on the plane seemed to be the only factor in the loss of the baby. Joe extended an offer to Liza to attend one of the hospital's support groups for couples who had lost a child. Liza smiled and thanked Joe for his concern, but told him that "work is [her] therapy." Joe returned to the hospital and Marian exited the room to allow Adam and Liza some privacy. Adam grieved for the lost of his child, but he'd lost more than the life of a child. He told Liza that he wished they could go back and reclaim all the time they'd lost with each other. Petty fights cost them precious moments together. Adam told Liza that he wants to wants to whisk her off her feet and head off on a getaway or the honeymoon they never had. Liza wanted terribly to go, but told Adam that the time wasn't quite right. She told her husband that other than her father, he's the only person that she can be "less than perfect" around and still be loved. Adam took Liza in his arms and told her that he would make those responsible for the death of their child pay for what they'd done.
Dimitri hovered over Maddie's crib and recalled finding Edmund's button a few days earlier. He'd made plans to take Gloria out for brunch and since Gillian had classes, he'd arranged for Mateo to babysit for Maddie. Gloria was as surprised as anyone to learn that Dimitri had actually called Mateo. When Mateo arrived, Dimitri seemed carefree about the arrangement. Gloria, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Mateo urged the couple to take their time and enjoy their day. As soon as Dimitri and Gloria were gone, Mateo got on the phone and called Edmund. Edmund wasted no time and getting over to the loft to spend some time with his daughter. About fifteen minutes into the visit, Dimitri returned home because he'd "forgotten" something. When he opened the door, he found Edmund and Mateo sitting on the sofa with Maddie. Dimitri demanded to know why Edmund was in his house. The answer was quite easy, Edmund explained. He was playing with his daughter. Dimitri lashed out at Mateo, saying that he had trusted him. Gillian returned home and walked right into the brothers' battle. Dimitri claimed that he had wanted Maria's family involved in Maddie's life, but that Mateo's unscrupulous behavior blew that plan to smithereens. Gillian offered her take on the situation: Edmund was Maddie's father. She stated that the majority of her friends have several "parents" through divorces and re-marriages, but that the child only recognize one "real" parent. Gillian's input was rewarded by a quick order to shut up from Dimitri. Edmund warned Dimitri that his decision to cut Maddie of from her relative will leave her an unhappy child. Dimitri ordered Mateo and Edmund out of his house and warned them that he'd have them arrested if they returned. Soon after the feud, Scott showed up at the lost to "do something" with Gillian. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do, he just wanted to get his mind off of Laura. He told Gillian that Laura had run off. Feelings of guilt crept over Gillian as she walked to her purse. She removed the crumpled up photo of Laura that she'd procured at Holiday's and showed it to Scott. Scott asked Gillian how she'd come in contact with the photo. Gillian told him the story of the kids getting the photo off of the Internet. Scott turned and ran off.
Dimitri got on the phone and asked his lawyer to get a court order to keep Edmund away from his child. If necessary, he wanted criminal trespass charges leveled against his half-brother. Gillian warned Dimitri that his decision was irrational and unjust, but Dimitri told her that she'd have to honor his decision as long as she lives under his roof.
Edmund thanked Mateo for allowing him a few minutes with his daughter and apologized for getting him "cut off" from Maddie. He then called Trevor and asked him to put a rush on their appeal of the court ruling.
Brooke and Jim searched all over town for Laura, but she was nowhere to be found. Jim assured Brooke that Laura would be fine. Brooke was in tears; She asked Jim what kind of "sick monster" takes pornographic photos of child. She wanted to call the police, but Jim advised her not to. She then realized that the press could learn about the predicament if a police report was filed. When the doorbell rang, Brooke's hopes were raised. Thinking that Laura had forgotten her key, Brooke raced to the door. On the other side was the mother of one of the children at the Youth Center. Brooke asked the woman if she'd seen Laura. The woman laughed sarcastically and told Brooke that she'd seen Laura---a whole lot of her! She presented Brooke with one of Laura's photos. Presumably her son had gotten it from a friend with Internet access. What kind of mother, she asked, lets her daughter pose for those type of pictures? Brooke insisted that Laura did not pose willingly for the photos, but the woman didn't believe her. The woman vowed to ban Laura from ever returning to the center.
Scott arrived and told Brooke that he knew why Laura ran away. He felt horribly for taking Laura to New York a few months back. No wonder, he said, Laura "freaked out." Scott vowed to find the man that subjected Laura to the pornography sessions and "nail him to the wall."
In an unknown location, Laura screamed at the top of her lungs for help. Her eyes were blindfolded and she was tied to some old machinery. A man entered the room and told Laura to keep quiet. His face was never revealed and since Laura was blindfolded, she could not identify the man. But something about his voice rang familiar. Laura asked the man if she knew who he was. He chuckled and said that she probably would---but that the blindfold would prevent that. Laura asked him why she was being kept prisoner. He told her to "figure it out" and walked away.
The Valley Inn saw a boom in business as nearly every seat in the restaurant area was filled. Gloria and Dimitri were forced to wait in the bar area until a table became available. While they waited, Gloria told her husband that she worries that Edmund will be crushed when he learns that a court order was issued to keep him away from Maddie.
Sure enough, at a table inside the restaurant, Edmund was served with a restraining order while he dined with Skye. Edmund was furious that his brother would go to such lengths to keep him away from Madeline. Skye tried to keep Edmund calm, but it was an impossible task. She assured him that his appeal would soon make it to court. Once a new judge heard the case, Skye explained that Edmund would be given custody of Maddie. The peace grew even more tenuous when Dimitri and Gloria were shown to their seats. Skye requested that Edmund remain at their table so that he didn't make a scene. Any outbursts, she explained, could be used against him. Edmund insisted that he'd remain calm. He rose to his feet, took Skye by the hand, and escorted her to Dimitri's table.
Across the room, Gillian and Tad also took time out to eat. Tad thanked Gillian for helping Erica to arrange her spur of the moment interview. Gillian accepted Tad's praise, but said that she would do anything to help Erica. Gillian explained that Erica had been very nice to her when they met in Budapest during her "gawky teenager" years. Tad found it hard to believe that Gillian was ever "gawky." As they talked, a tall, stout gentleman with a graying beard burst into the restaurant and called out Gillian's name. Without any prior warning, he leaned over and gave her a big kiss. Tad watched the show with a huge smile on his face. The kissing bandit turned out to be Ambassador John Rollefson, a man with whom Gillian had had an affair. Gillian played the situation calmly, telling Tad that she and the man were friends. John corrected her, saying that he and Gillian were passionate lovers. Gillian escorted the man to a far corner of the room. Tad continued to watch the spectacle as though it were a pay-per-view event. John told Gillian that he'd left his wife for her. "It was fun while it lasted," Gillian responded, as she told the gentleman that she was no longer interested in him. John claimed that he's never forget Gillian and tried to persuade her to return to him room. Gillian bid him adieu and returned to her table. Tad called Gillian's dismissal of the ambassador a "world class kiss-off." Tad would know these things, she smiled, reminding him that he was once called Tad the Cad. Tad offered Gillian some friendly advice: Be careful how you treat others because what goes around comes around. When it does, he added, it can really hurt. Gillian looked over her shoulder and saw that Edmund and Skye had joined Dimitri's table. She didn't want to miss out on any fireworks and asked Tad of she'd escort him to her cousin's table.
An unpleasant surprise might be the way Dimitri would have described Edmund's appearance at his table. In every response and statement that Dimitri uttered, he was noticeably frazzled. Edmund asked Dimitri if he knew anything about his "melt down" in the courtroom. He claimed that he's had no symptoms since the trial. Dimitri said he knew nothing about Edmund's condition and denied purposely hitting Edmund's hand in the courtroom. The waiter arrived with Dimitri and Gloria's appetizers. Dimitri blew up at the waiter, accusing him of bringing the wrong order. The waiter insisted that he brought what Dimitri had ordered. Gloria switched her plate with Dimitri's all peace was restored. Edmund again pointed out that Dimitri seems to be the only person who's off kilter. He told Gloria that he hopes Dimitri does not act so irresponsibly around Maddie. If he does, however, he urged Gloria to contact him immediately. Tad and Gillian arrived at the table and added the growing rift. Gloria was uneasy by Tad's arrival and told Dimitri that they had to get going. Dimitri scolded Gillian for dating Tad, commenting that he thought she'd "have his number" by now. Gillian smiled, possibly unaware of the American slang, and said that she does have Tad's number---both his home and work numbers. Dimitri reissued his advisory to Gillian that she'd better heed his instructions or she'll end up "rowing back to Budapest." Dimitri left the table and headed to the bar. He ordered a vodka tonic and gulped it down as Gloria caught up with him and told him that the valet had brought the car around. Dimitri lied to Gloria about what he was drinking. He said that he was only drinking tonic water to quench his thirst and that Edmund could never drive him to drink.
Back at the table, Edmund told Gillian and Tad that he'd been served with a restraining order. Gillian admitted knowing that the order was coming and felt somewhat responsible because she and her cousin had gotten into an argument over Maddie. Edmund asked Gillian if she'd be willing to be his "eyes and ears" and keep tabs on Dimitri. Gillian agreed to keep a log of all of Dimitri's "less than stellar" attributes and actions.
At the hospital, Maddie had just finished getting her check-up. While walking by the nurses' station, Gloria overheard two nurses talking about an oddity in Maddie's blood work.
Trevor reorganized some pictures on his desk and added a photo of Natalie. He hoped that it would appease Tim---he was wrong. Tim claimed that his father had only brought out the photo to keep the peace, not because he really wanted a picture of Natalie in the house. Trevor begged Tim to meet him half-way, but Tim refused to change his attitude until after Trevor dumped Janet. Janet chose that exact moment to arrive. She had planned to take Amanda out for dinner. Brooke called Trevor and asked him for his help on locating Laura. The details of Laura's pornographic photos were revealed, but Trevor wasn't completely sure why the photos would make Laura run away from home. Brooke explained that she'd gotten a call from someone who told he that the images were on the Internet. Both Janet and Tim overheard the conversation and both had totally different reactions. Janet was worried for her friend and Tim was feeling a little bit of guilt. Mildred Harmon, the woman who had previously dropped by Brooke's home to voice her opposition to Laura's photos, arrived at Trevor's house to enlist his legal services. She told Trevor that she wants him to help her sue the Youth Center for hiring Laura. She handed Trevor a manila envelope containing several of Laura's photos. Trevor told her to contact his office and make an appointment before slamming the door in the woman's face. From the other side of the door, the woman yelled that she would find someone else to represent her if Trevor refused. Janet ripped the photos from Trevor's hands and shredded them into hundreds of tiny pieces. Janet raced upstairs to make sure that Amanda had not overheard anything. After she left, Tim told his father that he thinks he's responsible for Laura's disappearance. He explained that he and Laura had gotten into an argument. Tim claimed that Laura had stuck her nose into his business and he brought up the fact that she was a "tart." Tim explained that he and other members of the football team had been passing around the pictures. Trevor was furious that his son had gone against his orders and been accessing pornography on the ‘net. Tim said that after he told Laura about the photos, she ran off. Trevor was outraged that Tim didn't chase after the girl. He grabbed his son by the collar and began shaking him violently. He said that if anything happens to Laura it'll rest on Tim's head. Janet returned downstairs and told Trevor to let go of Tim---it wasn't Tim's fault. Trevor shouted "Dammit" as he scolded his son. Amanda overheard the naughty word and told her father that he shouldn't be talking like that. Trevor took Amanda back upstairs and readied her for her dinner date with Janet. Tim told Janet that her scheme will not work. Janet looked at Tim was a dazed expression in her face as he told her that he knew what she was trying to do. Tim said that Janet was only sticking up for him so that he'd be nice to her. Janet claimed that that was not the case and when Amanda came back downstairs, she took Amanda by the hand and stormed off.
Scott told Brooke that he was going to go to WRCW and convince Liza not to go public with the news of Laura's disappearance. Brooke saw something sticking under her front door. She picked up an envelope and the color rushed out of her face. She told the two men that the envelope contained some work from Tempo---but most work would not have Brooke's name on the front spelled out in clippings from magazines and newspapers. After Scott left, Jim asked Brooke to tell him the truth about the envelope. Brooke handed the envelope to Jim. He ripped open the envelope and read the letter contained inside. The letter demanded that Brooke drop off $100,000 in unmarked bills in an alley on the other side of town. If she didn't, Laura would "pay." Brooke lost her composure and nearly collapsed to the ground. She regained her sense and said that the letter could be a fake. Jim reached back inside the envelope and pulled out Laura's locket. Now there was no denying that Laura had been kidnapped.
Laura asked her abductor why he was keeping her against her will. He told her to "figure it out'" She'd just been adopted by a rich woman... Laura realized that she was being held for ransom. Her mind began to flashback to her encounter with Tim and the realization that her photos were on the web. Something jogged Laura's memory and she was able to distinguish the kidnapper's voice. It was Ricky, the boy who had posed with her in the infamous photos. Ricky stepped closer to his captive and grabbed her by the neck. "Now you really blew it," he snarled.
Did Mata Hari get side-tracked by designer labels? Gillian promised to be Edmund's "ears and eyes" and issue him daily reports on Dimitri, but she forgot all about her duties when she found a fancy coast waiting for her when she returned to the lost. As she pranced around in her new outfit, she had no way of knowing that she was being watched. Apparently Skye knows a little bit about spying as she somehow gained access to the loft and poked around for anything that she could use against Dimitri. Gillian informed Skye that she had taken some time off of trailing her cousin because he and Gloria had gone to the hospital. Skye was a woman on a mission---and Gillian would eventually question Skye's devotion to Edmund. Gillian and Skye snooped around the house for anything that would incriminate Dimitri. Gillian thought she found it. In what could be the social gaffe of the century, Gillian learned that her cousin has been using domestic champagne in their mimosas. Skye was peeved by Gillian's carefree attitude and ordered her to stop goofing around. Gillian figured out that Skye, although interested in reuniting Edmund and Maddie, has an ulterior motive. Gillian implied that Skye was in love with Edmund---a claim that Skye vehemently denied. "In America," Skye said as she rationalized her devotion to Edmund "we put ourselves out for our friends." Gillian sorta nodded her head and replied simple, "Sure." The two women went back to their search. The two communicated back and forth, but Skye stopped chatting as she opened one of Dimitri's drawers. She flashed back to Edmund's question about his sudden meltdown in the courtroom. Gillian asked Skye if she'd found something, but Skye simply shook her head. She plucked a small bottle from the drawer and shoved it into her purse. Skye then told Gillian that she'd better get a move on before Dimitri returned home.
At the hospital, Edmund enlisted Jake's help to determine why he "lost it" on the witness stand. Edmund told the young doctor that he had had no problems---until he popped a pain killer before taking the stand. Jake pulled out one of his medical books and did some research on Post Concussion Syndrome. The book explained that a patient with the disorder can have spontaneous mood swings and dizziness, among other problems. Jake decided to follow up on his research by asking the pharmacy about the possible side effects Edmund could experience from his medication. Jake learned that the pain killer---a very mild pain killer---had no known side effects. He was simply at a loss for an explanation. So Jake decided to work in reverse. He was going to take the symptoms that Edmund had been experiencing and match them up to medications that could produce those adverse reactions. Edmund felt that the plan was fruitless. Besides he hasn't had any other medication in recent memory. Jake ruled out a pharmacy mix-up, saying that the odds of the pharmacy making a mistake were a "zillion-to-one." The only explanation left, Jake sighed, was that someone must have tampered with Edmund's pills after the prescription was filled.
The nursing staff told Gloria that Dr. Wyman would give them more information about Maddie's health. Dimitri arrived on the scene and asked Gloria what was going on. When he learned that something was being kept from him, he threw a tantrum. Allie overheard the commotion and decided to investigate. She gave Maddie's chart a quick glance and told the Maricks that Maddie suffered from a low hemoglobin count. Dimitri feared that the condition might be fatal. Allie explained that their personal pediatrician would give them more information. She also informed him that, by law, the nurses were unable to issue a diagnosis because, as nurses, they were not in the position to diagnose patients. Some possible causes of the condition, Allie stated, was a lack of iron in Maddie's diet... or there could be a more serious problem. They'd have to wait until after the blood work was totally analyzed. So the wait began. Gloria was fearful that they were going to receive bad news. Dimitri was also worried, but fought to keep his composure.
Liza finalized plans for WRCW's six o'clock news to report on Laura's pornographic photos. Scott overheard Liza's conversation with her assistant and ordered her to halt her plans. Liza was livid with the young man and accused him of trying to tell her how to do her job. Scott begged Liza not to "exploit the victim," the victim being Laura. Liza explained that she had no intention of causing further pain to Laura. She wants to present the viewing audience with information on child pornography. Hopefully, Liza said with conviction, they'll be able to catch the "perverts" responsible for the filth. Liza praised Scott for sticking by his friend and promised that she would not do anything to cause further pain to him or Laura.
Brooke made arrangements with the bank to withdrawal the ransom money. She bickered with Jim over her plan to drop off the ransom money by herself. Jim felt it as too dangerous for her to go alone, but Brooke insisted that she had to follow the kidnapper's demands. As Brooke was about to walk out the front door, Derek showed up on what he called "official police business." Brooke panicked that Derek had either been clued into Laura's kidnapping or that he would delay her from getting to the drop off point. Derek told Brooke that he'd been contacted by the FBI. The bureau wants to nab everyone responsible for the kiddie porn photos. Jim's eyes widened and he swallowed hard as Derek repeatedly mentioned the impending jail time that the person responsible for taking the photos would receive. Phoebe had also heard about the photos and dropped by the house to talk to Brooke. But Brooke did not want to talk. She feared that she'd arrive at the drop off point too late and that something horrible would happen to her daughter. There was no way, however, that Brooke could tell them about the kidnapping. Phoebe knew that her niece was acting irrationally and called her on it. Brooke explained that she was worried to death about Laura. She told Phoebe and Derek that Laura had run away and that she needs to find her before something happens to her. Derek and Phoebe decided to leave so that Brooke could head out on her search. Brooke broke down in tears, crying on Jim's shoulder once again. Brooke pulled herself together and decided that she had to get moving and pick up her money from the bank. After Brooke had left, Jim checked all the windows to make sure that no one was around...
Ricky was furious with Laura for identifying him. He told her that her "stupid move" would prevent her from ever being released. Laura pleaded with her captor to reconsider. Laura's pleas only further aggravated Ricky. He placed some duct tape over her mouth and walked out on her.
Brooke arrived in the dark alley specified as the drop off point. She clutched a brown paper bag under her arm and waited... and waited. From around a corner, Ricky donned some dark clothing and fiddled with a handgun. He doused an old rag with chloroform, took a deep breath, and then rushed towards Brooke. He covered her mouth with the rag. Brooke struggled to get away, but Ricky was too strong for her.
Back at the hospital, Dr. Wyman told Dimitri that Maddie was anemic. With a change in diet, the condition, caused by a lack of iron in the diet, should pose no problems. She told Dimitri that she had worried that the condition would be complicated by Thalissemia, the rare genetic disorder that both he and Maria were affected by. Fortunately, the doctor said, no transfusions were needed---a good thing because the hospital was low on type O-negative blood. Dimitri's face whitened and his mind wandered. The doctor noticed that Dimitri was nervous and again assured him that Maddie would be fine. Dimitri turned and walked away. He sat down on a chair in the lounge area. The color had still not returned to his face. He pulled his Blood Donor card from his wallet and told himself that he was type AB-positive. He knew now that based upon the blood types, there was no way that he could be Maddie's father.
