Sarah Michelle Gellar

Perplexed, Dixie stands back and watches as Tad sets their only shelter ablaze. He admits that it is his hope that he will get them out of there. She tells him that she thinks he may have lost the last of his marbles, and he urges her to relax - as the fire is a controlled burn. The ground is wet, there is no wind, and the shacks are in a well-cleared area. His hope is that the ranger is in the station noted on the map, and that they will see the smoke and send rescue people straight for them. After pondering his plan for a moment, Dixie apologetically notes that she almost forgot how clever Tad can be. She stares into the fire for a few moments, and then admits her fear that they will get back to Pine Valley and find that Greg has disappeared. She then laments that she dragged Tad into the hell that she made for herself because of the choices she made. She tells him that every time she thought that she had found their daughter, she wanted to come home, put their daughter in his arms, and beg forgiveness. Tad tells her that her mistakes are in the past, and that no number of lies or tricks on Greg’s behalf will keep them from finding Kate, and bringing her home.

A short time later, the fire having burned itself out, Tad suggests that they get a move on - as the ranger station is about ten miles from where they stand. Dixie agrees, but before they can take a step, they hear a helicopter flying overhead. A ranger shows up, much to their delight, and they plead with him to hurry and take them back to civilization so they can find their lost daughter. The ranger slows them down, wanting to deal with things one at a time. He asks how the cabins caught on fire and they freely admit that Tad lit them to get his attention. The tide turns, and the ranger handcuffs Tad, saying that they are under arrest on suspicion of arson. Tad tries to tell the ranger that he will pay any fine necessary as long as they can get back to Pine Valley right away. The ranger thinks it’s meant to be a bribe, but Dixie intervenes and diffuses the situation by begging him to help them find their daughter.

Josh asks his father why he is leaving town and Greg tells him that he simply needs new opportunities. He invites his son to go with him, citing the same needs, but Josh is unmoved. He notes aloud that Erica must have something big on Greg to make him run, and asks his father exactly what he did. Greg continues to insist that he has done no wrong, even in the face of every possibility that Josh can come up with. Josh thinks there has to be more to his story because if he was just going off to do more research as he claimed, Greg could wait for Josh to join him at any time. Greg tells his son that there is an opportunity to work with a limitless budget and the finest technology - he just wants to share it. Josh tells him that he will take his chances because he likes working at PVH as well as working for Joe Martin. Touching on a nerve, Greg rages about how Joe Martin has never done anything for Josh. He starts to give the speech about how he is single-handedly responsible for Josh being alive, and this in turn infuriates Josh. Josh retorts that his father will never use that as a bargaining chip again. He tells Greg that he has no plans to go with him, and further notes that if Greg won’t tell him the truth about what he is hiding, he will leave the room without a care of what happens to Greg when he is gone. Greg hesitates, and Josh starts to take his leave. He starts to open the door before Greg announces that he will tell the truth. Josh relents, and lets the door fall shut again. Having his son’s full attention, Greg tells Josh that his mother never wanted him to be born.

Di listens in to the conversation from the other side of Greg’s office door, but it’s only a moment before her brother catches her. She grabs his hand and drags him to a nearby location so that they can talk freely. While still keeping an eye on the door, she tells a bewildered Del that she is keeping tabs on Greg and that he can’t leave the hospital without passing through the hallway they are in. Del tells her that he thought Dixie was going to handle Madden on her own, but Di informs him that Dixie needs their help right now. She fills him in on what she knows about their sister and Tad attempts at tracking down their niece. Del accepts that, but is chomping at the bit, wanting to beat the information that they need out of Madden. Di tries to calm him down, reminding him that the decisions about what to do and how to do it are only to be made by Dixie and Tad. As they wait for movement from Madden, Del asks Di how she feels about Tad and Dixie being alone up in Maine. She tells him that nothing else matters, now that she knows that Dixie stayed away searching for Kate, and that Tad just found out that his daughter is alive. Del notes that having alone time could lead to them not only finding their daughter, but finding each other again. Di admits that she has thought of the possibility, but notes that because she loves him, she can’t stop rooting for Tad and wishing the best for him. She reminds Del that Dixie once told her that she had no right to live her life. Del thinks that there was no real harm done since Dixie chose to throw it away, but Di tells him that if she wants any kind of a future - with Tad or without him - she needs to earn it. She then tells him that perhaps, by helping Tad and Dixie do the most important thing - finding Kate - she can earn a little bit of her future back.

Bianca asks her mother to reveal what the big secret is between her and Greg Madden. Erica admits that there have been enough secrets in their family, but that she is unsure of where to start. Before she can even make an attempt, JR and Babe enter the room. Met with an icy glare from Bianca, JR asks after Kendall and her son. Bianca makes it clear that he has no right but Erica, always soft on JR, tries to calm her youngest child by citing JR’s friendship with Kendall - but to no avail. Bianca can’t see how Erica can look past JR’s latest screw up, and says that the only thing that she wants to hear from JR is if he is responsible for Kendall being in a coma. JR informs them that he talked to the DA and pled guilty. Erica seems taken aback and tries to deny it, but JR won’t let her hide from the truth. He tells both Kane women that he was drunk, out of control and purposefully tipped the construction materials over, thus causing Kendall to fall into a coma. JR tries to apologize, but Erica wants none of it, and she begs her daughter to get them out of her sight. Bianca does just that, and in the hall, JR sorrowfully tells Bianca that he is trying to make amends. Bianca doesn’t bend, and can’t think of what JR could possibly want to hear from her that would make things better. JR notes that what he did was wrong, and Babe chimes in - agreeing with him. She then asks Bianca to please listen to what JR has to say. Bianca, floored that Babe is still standing by him, reminds the couple that she knows well from past experiences how sick JR is - like when he tried to keep her child from her. Now, with the possibility of her sister dying at his hands, it is all Bianca can do to keep her rage contained. Babe asks JR if he can leave them alone for a few minutes, which he gladly does. When he’s gone, Babe tries to explain that even though she knows where Bianca’s disbelief is coming from, she can’t get past the vows that she took with JR during their second go round, the love that she still has for her husband, and the feeling that she owes it to her son to keep trying to make her marriage work. She admits that there is a very real possibility that her marriage is over, but knowing that she would never stand by a man who chose to do wrong - she tells Bianca that she has no choice but to support JR when he is finally trying to do the right thing.

JR ambles down the hallway with coffee cup in hand, and is surprised when David ambushes him and slams him up against a wall. David makes it clear that while he doesn’t know why JR is out of jail after attempting to kill Babe, he will most certainly make sure that JR pays for what he did. JR demands that David let go of him, but David is determined to find out how the middle Chandler got off scot-free again. He makes a point of telling JR that the only reason he is still standing is because he promised Dixie that he wouldn’t hurt her son. He finally lets go, and JR tells him that he needn’t worry - he and anyone else that wants to see him pay for his crimes will be satisfied soon enough. David is appeased for the moment, noting that Babe would be better off with him in jail, as she deserves better. JR takes this moment to ask if the situation with his mother is at all similar - doesn’t she deserve better than David? David laughs that thought off, promising that Dixie will love him again, and that he will give her the life that she had stolen from her by the family that ran her out of town. Tearing up, JR asks if David knew that Kate was alive.

In the operating room, while the medical team works feverishly to make Spike breathe on his own, Ryan attempts wills air into his son and Kendall mentally begs someone to tell her what’s going on with him. After a few tense moments, Spike lets out his first tentative cries. A palpable relief floods through the room as one of the attendants places the tot in an incubator and prepares him for a trip to the neonatal unit. With all well on that side of the OR, Kendall is then placed in Dr. Mayer’s hands, and he immediately starts to administer the drug that will bring down the pressure in her brain. Ryan leans in close to her and thanks her for their son. He then tells her that even though he is small, he knows Spike will fight to make it - and now it’s her turn. Unknowingly, Kendall mentally notes that now that she knows her son is all right, she is at peace with whatever happens next.

Ryan arrives at Kendall’s hospital room and tells Erica that he and Kendall have a son, and that after a few scary moments in the OR, he’s hanging on. She asks after her daughter, and Ryan tells her that she is holding on as well. She thanks him for keeping her updated, and he tells her that additionally, they have started giving Kendall the drug she needs. Erica asks if there has been any change, but Ryan tells her that it’s too early to know for sure. Erica bluntly tells him that the reason may actually be because they waited too long. She then glumly notes that she might lose her daughter, and Ryan tells her that he can imagine how she feels. Erica doesn’t think he really knows, and he tells her that he knows she is upset that he changed his mind and sided with Zach. He asks her if she can understand why he made that decision, and after a moment, Erica admits that she is numb and doesn’t know what or how to feel. Ryan tries to go to her and comfort her while insisting that they will get through whatever happens, but she rejects his offer, saying she no longer wants to talk and storms out of the room.

She goes into the hallway and sees Bianca still talking with Babe. Completely ignoring Babe, she updates her daughter with the information she just got from Ryan and, after assuring Bianca that she is doing okay, takes off again. Picking up where they left off, Babe tells her that just as she was willing to pay whatever price necessary for keeping Miranda, JR is now doing the same thing with his crimes. Bianca posits that perhaps being with JR is part of Babe’s punishment. Babe agrees to that possibility, and then says that if she doesn’t stand by him now, no one will. She then walks away without saying goodbye, just as Julia arrives on the scene. She tells Bianca that Kendall is out of recovery and back in her room, and the two run to see her. Bianca joins Erica and Zach just as Zach congratulates his wife on safely delivering her son. Julia leaves the clan alone, and Bianca moves to the forefront to talk to her sister. She praises her for taking the risk to have her son safely, and notes that Kendall made a bold move by bringing a boy into the Kane clan. She continues to talk about all of the happy things they can look forward to once she is awake and feeling better, but when there is no response, she looks to her mother for reassurance. Erica, mired in her own doubt and worry, simply looks at Zach and asks if he is happy now. Bianca begs her mother to have a more positive outlook, insisting that Kendall will be fine. Erica, unable to hang on to hope for long stretches of time, runs out of the room. Bianca turns back to her sister and begs her to wake up. Within the coma, Kendall recognizes her sister’s voice but notes how far away it is. She asks about her son, whether she will wake up and why things are starting to feel strange.

David admits that he had to find out about Kate on his own, and further offers up that he will use whatever information he uncovers to find Kate. He believes that when he does, Dixie will be eternally grateful. JR demands that David share what information he has so that he can assist in the search, but David tells him that he is keeping everything that he knows to himself. Babe shows up at that moment and says that if David won’t tell JR what he knows, he sure as hell will tell her.

Julia emerges from behind the nurses’ station and asks Ryan to accompany her. They don gowns and gloves, and she introduces him to his son in the NICU. She encourages him to touch and talk to his son - and he does, welcoming him to the world and telling him about Kendall. He asks his son to fight as hard as Kendall is. At the same time, Kendall continues to note how everything is slipping away, and how she might be dying. She sends out a plea that her son be taken care of, just before Derek enters the room. He asks Zach if he can talk to him outside, and Zach goes peaceably. He is promptly arrested for all he did to keep Spike from being taken too early.

Contrary to the reaction he thought he would get, Josh flips out at his father, thinking that his mother was nothing more than an experiment to him. Greg tries to explain, but Josh is too furious to let him. As Erica listens from the other side of the door, Josh blasts his father for thinking that relinquishing his hold on this secret would make things better. Visibly pained, Josh chastises his father for trashing the memory of his mother, a woman who loved both of them deeply. Not caring about the truth anymore, he tells his father to go to hell and exits the room. Erica manages to hide just in time, and goes undetected by the younger Madden. When the coast is clear, she barges into Greg’s office. She reminds him of the warning that she gave - that Josh wouldn’t take the truth well if Greg tried to give it to him. She mocks his pain and says that all that is important now is that he fall as hard and as slowly as possible, so that he may have a taste of the pain he has caused. Greg rejects that notion, saying that he always has a backup plan. Erica doesn’t buy it and starts to storm out as quickly as she came in, but Greg grabs her arms and sticks her with a needle.

JR marches away from David with Babe following immediately behind. They go right past Di and Del, and forgetting the purpose of their station, the siblings immediately dash after their nephew. They stop him outside of Madden’s office, and as Greg lays an unconscious Erica down on the couch within, JR loudly notes that he intends to have a conversation with the man that stole his sister.