juniorz1

I may have to delay until tomorrow you guys- I'm exhausted! If I get a 2nd wind, I'll post it later, but I'm so tired right now, I can't even think straight.

Thanks! I think it especially helps with the younger characters as well as the new characters that I've created. I'm going to continue to do it for each episode, until Wendy & Sherri have my opening credits ready. I think I'm going to have them do 2 or 3 sets of openings, so that each character can be pictured and labeled with the actor and character's names. By the way, Episode 99 will be posted later tonight- I've had a really busy day, but it's coming!

Not to beg, but I need some comments you guys! I'm always interested to see what my readers' opinions are and it motivates me to write. Plus, on several occasions, my readers' thoughts have inspired directions that I've taken in storylines.

FYI- since I already have the outline done and I'm completely in the groove of writing now, I'm going to go ahead and post Episode 98 TONIGHT!!!!! Thanks everyone so much for your support. I'm hoping to see Wendy, Melissa, Sherri, Shannon, Teri, Tracy, Tishy, Bianca, and Roman back here soon, among others that are MIA. I hope they're not mad at me for making them wait 4 years for the continuation of RTSB LOL.

Heather Lindell as Samantha Capwell, Justin Hartley as Brandon Capwell, Jared Leto as Steve Hall, Jessica Dunphy as Adriana Castillo Alisa Reyes as Marta Ramirez (EXT- Cruz & Eden's Beach House) -Eden explains to Rafael, Carm, and Adriana that Marta's kidnappers have been let out on bail and haven't given any information to help them find Cruz's killer. Adriana doesn't understand how such a thing could have happened and Eden tells her that they've cut a deal in exchange for their testimony against Carlos Esteban. "But that doesn't make any sense! Those guys were after me, not Marta. Her kidnapping had nothing to do with the Esteban case and everything to do with dad." "Believe me sweetie, I know that. I don't know where their information is coming from, but it's solid enough that Vic is buying it, so it must be somewhat legitimate. Whoever they're working for has done a damn good job of covering their bases." Adriana says that it just isn't fair, that now there's no way they're ever going to get justice for Cruz. Eden turns her around and tells her that she won't let that happen. She will stop at nothing to bring Cruz's killer to justice and if they want to play dirty, then she will get just as dirty. Rafael warns her not to do anything dangerous, saying that the last thing Cruz would want is for her to put her own life in jeopardy. Eden responds that if the situation were reversed, they all know that Cruz would stop at nothing until the person or persons responsible were punished. The doorbell rings and Adriana answers at, seeing Steve at the other side of it. "Are you ready to go?" "I was, but I'm sorry, I don't think I should leave my mom right now..." "No you go ahead and go honey. There's nothing you can do here. Besides, I have Rafael and Carm here if I need anything. You go to the beach and have a good time with your friends.....Hello Steve. Nice to see you again." "Mrs. Castillo. You ready A?" She grabs her beach bag and the two of them head out the door. Carm asks Eden for the truth, saying she knows that she was trying to be optimistic for Adriana. "Honestly Carm, I don't know what I'm going to do. I was hoping once they got the kidnappers, we could work out some kind of deal, but now that they're using their own angle, I just don't know where to go from here..." "You'll figure it out, Eden. You're a strong woman and between you and the police force that my son was so dedicated to them, I have faith that whoever is responsible for my Cruz's death will be brought to justice," Carm offers. Just then, Eden's cell phone starts ringing. She looks at it and doesn't recognize the number but picks it up. She doesn't recognize the voice on the other end. "This Eden Castillo?" "Yes, it is, who am I speaking with?" "This is Bobby Santino." Eden's face turns a pale shade of white when she realizes it's one of the kidnappers on the phone. She asks him what he wants and he asks if she's still interested in getting information on her husband's killer. She tells him of course she is and he instructs her to meet him at a diner just outside of town, but to come alone, without the cops. She tells him that she's not stupid, that she's not going to meet a known criminal without the police, let alone by herself. He tells her that she won't be alone, that he'll be calling Kirk Cranston as well. "That doesn't exactly make me feel more comfortable." "Look lady, you want to know who set your husband up or not? If you do, those are my terms. We're meeting in a public place so you'll be plenty safe. Be there at 5 o'clock and I'm tellin ya, no cops. I even get the slightest hint that you called the cops, the deal's off. And trust me, I'll know." He hangs up the phone. Rafael asks her who it was and she tells him it's someone with information on Cruz's death and that she's going to meet him later today. Rafael tells her to call the SBPD, but she insists they not do that, or he won't talk. He then offers to go with her, but she lies that Julia is actually going to go and that they're meeting in a public place, so there's nothing to worry about. Rafael isn't so sure. "I have to do this for Cruz, Rafael. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. Trust me, I'm going to be extremely careful- I'm not dumb and I won't let anything happen. But if this guy can help me find Cruz's killer, I have to do it. And I'm begging you, do NOT call the police. These people obviously have connections everywhere and won't say a word if they're involved." "I just don't want you to walk into another trap, like my son did." "I promise you, Rafael, that's not what I'm doing. I'll be careful- it's all in public and I'll have my phone with me. But you have to promise me that you won't breathe a word of this to anyone." Rafael agrees, though he obviously doesn't like it. (EXT: Mason & Julia's Beach House) -Mason arrives at the door and quietly knocks, obviously quite nervous. Julia answers and invites him in. Samantha comes walking from the kitchen, asking who it is. When she sees Mason, she runs to him and gives him a big hug. He smiles, obviously thrilled to see his daughter. "So, did you two have any luck tracking down my maybe brother?" "Unfortunately, no. We hit a dead end- we went to Sacramento and were given all kinds of records. He literally went through more than 10 foster homes, and he'd change his name with the wind." "Why?" Julia interjects, "That doesn't really make sense..." "I guess it's not all that uncommon among kids in the foster care system- with each adoption, they try and reinvent themselves, I guess in hopes that they'll be accepted in each new identity. Unfortunately, they lost track of him when he left the system at age 16. The last known name that he had was David Hill, but there's no record of anyone of his age with that name in the state of California." Julia wonders if perhaps he's no longer in California at all, a possibility that Mason says he and Mary have considered, though they're hoping it's not the case. Because if it were, it's unlikely they'll ever find him. Mason tells them that they were given copies of his file. In it, it says that he was told that his mother died while giving birth and that his father was ill-equipped to raise him. Samantha asks Mason if he's home for good and he claims that he is, if Julia will have him. He says that Mary is going back to work at the clinic in San Remos. "But what about when you get the next lead? Or find his last set of foster parents? Will you be jetting off with her again to interview them? And then the next set and the next set?" "I guess I would, yes. You have to understand, Julia, I could have a son out there. A son that doesn't even know that his parents exist. I can't give up on him...." "I do understand, Mason, believe me, but where does that leave me? I'm not going to be a pit stop between trips during your investigation, Mason. I'm your wife and I think I deserve better than that." "Of course you do, but doesn't our son deserve to know that he has two parents that love him?" "First of all, you don't even know for sure that he's your son at all. The only information that you have is what's been given to you by Mark and Sherri, two known liars. Damn it, Mason, I can't live like this. It isn't fair to me..." "What would you have me do then Julia? What do you want from me?" "I want this all to be over with! I want Mary to go back where she came from, God help me, and I want my husband back.....But that's not going to happen yet, is it? Not while Mary's son is out there, your priority is her. I didn't sign on to play second fiddle to her Mason and I don't know how much more of this I can take..." Samantha suddenly asks Mason about how old his son would be. He tells her 23 and she has him repeat the information he gave before- that he changed his name many times, left the foster system at 16, was told his mother was dead, and has been in multiple homes. Samantha flashes back to Steve talking about his childhood, giving a similar scenario. It dawns on her that Mary's son could be right under her nose and she makes a beeline for the door. "Where are you going young lady?" "Out for a little while....to find A. Besides, you two could use the time alone. I love you dad and I'm so glad you're home," she says, kissing him on the cheek. Outside the door, she calls Brandon, asking him if Steve's home. He tells her he was going to the beach with Adriana and she asks if he can meet her there. He says he will but before he can ask what this is all about, she hangs up the phone. (EXT: Santa Barbara Beach) -Steve spreads out a blanket for he and Adriana to lay on and takes out a cooler. He offers her a beer, which she declines, asking just for a bottle of water. Steve comments that the sun is blazing that day. "I'd hate to see that pretty, fair skin of yours turn beat red. How about you let me put some sunblock on you?" "I can do it just fine by myself, thank you very much." She takes out the sunblock and applies it to her legs, arms, and chest. Steve watches her, smiling and taking in her beauty. She starts to apply it to her shoulders, but has trouble reaching her back. "Looks like you're having a little trouble there. May I?" "I don't know, will you be able to control yourself?" "Not sure, but I think you're gonna have to risk it. Unless, of course, you want blisters all over your back...." Adriana hands him the bottle and he gently begins massaging it into her back. She giggles when he squirts it on there, saying that it's cold. "I'm sorry, princess, I'll be a little more careful for ya..." She smiles as he finishes up. He asks her if there's been any word on the kidnappers and she fills him in on everything Eden told her. He tells her he's sorry and asks if there's anything he can do. She says that taking her to the beach and getting her mind off her troubles is quite enough. She thanks him again for being such a good friend to her, to which he responds that he'd like to be more. He leans in and tenderly kisses her. When things start to get a little more passionate, she slows him down. "I suggest you quit while you're ahead, Mr. Hall. Besides, we're not alone," she says, motioning to Marta walking up. Adriana introduces Steve to Marta, who's charmed by the young man. Marta thanks her for inviting her, saying a day at the beach is just what she needed. Adriana tells her she's sorry about everything that's happening with her kidnappers and Steve concurs. Marta says that it's ironic how the justice system never seems to work in her favor- they took her father away for most of her life and now, it seems, they're letting the men who kidnapped her go free. Steve tells her that his father is in prison as well and has been his whole life. Before she can ask him about his mother, Samantha and Brandon come walking up. "Got room for a couple more?" Samantha asks them. Adriana says of course, and kisses she and Brandon hello. Marta asks Adriana who they are and she introduces her to Samantha and Brandon. Samantha asks if they've interrupted anything and Marta tells her that she was about to ask Steve about his mom. "My mom died giving birth to me. I never got to know her." "I can relate to that," Adriana says, "For a period of time when I was young, my mom was presumed dead. We eventually found out she was alive, but she didn't come back for years. I felt so alone, like she abandoned me, or didn't want me..." "I'm so sorry," Marta says, "Who raised you then? If your dad was in prison and your mom died, who took care of you?" "I pretty much raised myself. I was put in foster care, but over and over, it didn't work out. The first set of parents seemed great- they had me til I was 5. Turned out, though, that they were only takin in foster kids for the money and ended up getting in trouble for drugs. They lost all of us at that point- they had 6 of us. Imagine all the money they were getting. After that, it was kinda hard for me to open up to anyone. I didn't trust em, really, and there weren't exactly a long line of people looking to adopt a 6 year old kid. When they did, I ended up causin em more trouble than I guess I was worth and they'd put me back in the system. I went into home after home after home, but never felt loved. When I turned 16, I got the hell out of dodge and never looked back." The girls are all sympathetic, though Samantha is quiet, listening intently and noting the parallels between his story and what Mason's learned about Mary's son. Samantha asks the girls if they'd like to take a walk and they do. As soon as they're out of earshot, Marta asks Adriana what Brandon's story is. She says he's single. "Really? Lookin like that? Dayum, hook a sista up!" Meanwhile, Brandon tells Steve how much it must have sucked growing up like that and says he admires him for going out on his own. Brandon says that his life was the polar opposite of that- in fact, he was constantly being fought over by his adopted parents and biological mom. He tells him that his dad died before he was born, though it's a complicated story that he doesn't want to get into. Steve asks if the Capwells were his adopted family or his biological family. Brandon tells him that it's actually more complicated than that. "My biological father was Channing Capwell III, who was thought to be the son of CC & Sophia. Turns out he wasn't- he was actually switched at birth with another boy. So biologically, I'm not a Capwell. My dad was killed by- get this- the woman who thought she was his mother, Sophia. She's also the wife of CC Capwell, who adopted me. So yeah, just because people have money, doesn't mean they're any less messed up than the rest of us..." Steve asks how he's been taken care of and Brandon tells him that CC set up a trust in Channing's honor for him that he got on his 25th birthday. He smiles and tells him that he's been loaded ever since, and he really bought the Lair just to have a hobby. Steve asks what he spends his money on and Brandon looks around. He says he makes some extra money on the side and has some fun at the same time, pulling out a baggie of coke. He asks Steve if he wants to partake and Steve says sure. They each do a couple of bumps, before the girls come walking up. Steve lights up a cigarette. "That's a dirty habit, you know. And unhealthy too!" Adriana admonishes. "Yeah, well, I have a couple dirty habits, princess. Maybe if I had a beautiful girl like you in my life, I'd be able to kick a couple of em." Adriana blushes and smiles at him. She puts her arms around him as though she's going to kiss him on the cheek, but instead takes the cigarette from his mouth and puts it out in the sand. She instead hands him a piece of gum. When nobody is looking, Samantha takes a ziploc baggie out of her purse, picks up the cigarette with a kleenex, and places it in the bag. (EXT: Kirk's car) -Kirk recevies a phone call- he's shocked to hear it's his "boss" on the other end. He tells him that he's surprised to be hearing from him. "The boss" tells him he has some instructions for him. He is to meet Bobby along with Eden and listen to what he has to say. After that, he's to follow clues that have been set up for him that will lead Eden to his location. "Why would you want her to find you? You know she's going to have you arrested or worse if she does." "What do you take me for, an idiot Kirk? I'm not you, my plans have been laid out meticulously in advance, I know exactly what I'm doing." "And what about Eden? You promised me that you were going to help me get her, how are you going to do that if you're behind bars? I doubt she's going to see me as that much of a hero for leading her to you, it's only going to make her more suspicious..." "You really are foolish, aren't you? Do you honestly think I've gone to all this trouble just to get myself arrested to make you look like a hero? Oh, Kirk, no wonder you've failed to get revenge on Cruz and have Eden to yourself on many occasions. Which is probably why you've latched on to me. I know exactly what I'm doing, but the timing of it is crucial. Something unexpected just landed in my lap and I want to use it to my advantage. Now if you'd stop asking me questions and just do as I tell you, you'll have exactly what you want. Clear?" "I'll do whatever it takes to be with Eden. Just tell me what you want me to do...." Kirk listens as it's explained to him. Around the corner, Joann listens in to his side of the conversation. "How could Kirk possibly think he'll end up with Eden? I wonder what he's up to.......and who he's working for....." THE END...............FOR TODAY

As a Cruz & Eden fan, you definitely won't want to miss the next 2 episodes, I can tell ya that!!

It's not as fun to pen episodes like this without the CC/Sophia contingent showing up to berate me.

I'm tickled that so many of you are here waiting for the next installment! I'm working on it now and it should be posted within the hour! Can't wait to see what you all think of this one!!!!

Jared Leto has been in many movies, including "Fight Club" and "Requiem for a Dream." He's best known for the tv show "My So-Called Life." He plays Steve Hall on RTSB. Heather Lindell played Jan Spears on "Days of our Lives." She plays Samantha Capwell on RTSB. Justin Hartley was Fox on "Passions" and currently stars on the tv show "Smallville." He plays Brandon Capwell on RTSB. Jessica Dunphy played Allison Stewart on "As The World Turns." She plays Adrianna Castillon on RTSB. There is an upcoming episode that features the entire younger generation of characters- I will post their pictures at the top of that episode so you can visualize them.

Deborah Adair as Elizabeth Wayne, Jed Allan as CC Capwell, Robin Mattson as Gina Blake, Paula Irvine as Lily Blake (EXT- Gina's Apartment) -Lily walks up to the breakfast table with a huge smile on her face, remarking what a beautiful day it is outside. Gina snickers, wondering what it is that has her so chipper as she pours them each a cup of coffee. "Blackmail can be a powerful and beautiful thing," Lily muses. "Don't I know it....so, what exactly do you have on our good friend Angela?" Lily laughs, wondering how she can be so sure that it's Angela that she's blackmailing. Gina says she wasn't born yesterday, obviously she's seeking revenge on the woman who stole her husband. Lily remarks that payback is a bitch, especially after Anglea stole Ted on their wedding day. Gina pleads to get it out of her, but she won't budge, until Gina says she'll tell if Lily will. Lily says fine, but she has to go first. "It's really simple- our Miss Elizabeth screwed up, and I was there to catch her..." "Elizabeth? What could you possibly have on her? Though I can completely understand why you hate her, after she married Keith..." "I hate her because she's an icy bitch, but that's beside the point. Our frigid Eliza-bitch got trapped with her Prince CC in the Capwell elevator and decided it was a good time to seduce him. Little did she know that Keith and I had set up a tiny little camera to watch them...." Lily bursts into laughter. "Great minds...." "What's so funny? Great minds?!?" Lily pulls out her cell phone and pulls up the video of Angela and Warren making love. Gina's eyes bug out when she sees them tearing each other's clothes off and going at it. "I'll say one thing- those two have A LOT more chemistry than CC & Lizzie did. Man, who knew Warren was hiding that body underneath those power suits?" Gina asks Lily what she's going to do with the information and she claims she's not quite sure yet- for now, she's going to have some fun with Angela, who she's already showed it to. Lily wonders the same about Gina, who says she isn't even going to tell Elizabeth she has it yet, not until the time is right. But when it is, she's going to use it as leverage to take over Capwell Enterprises. With any luck, she and Keith will be running the company before the summer is over. "I'll drink to that," Lily says, as the clink their coffee cups. (EXT: London, England) -Pamela pulls up toward the castle, but parks far enough away that she won't be seen. She creeps up to the door, but stops at one of the windows. She is shocked to see Kelly and Ashton sitting in the living room with Edmund. "Damn it, she could ruin everything! I should have finished her off years ago when I had the chance." Edmund spots Pamela through the window and walks up to the drapes. He motions with his eyes for her to leave before closing them. "I hope you know what you're doing Edmund. I could strangle that Augusta for what she's done." Pamela heads back to her car and pulls down the long winding driveway. -Inside the castle, Kelly sips on her tea and notices a bit of tension between Ashton and Edmund. She tries to break the ice. "So, when are we going to meet Mrs. Lavery?" "Mrs. Lavery? My wife has been dead for many years." "I realize that, but Christine said-" "Oh right, the "Mrs. L" that Christine was referring to, I could see where that would be confusing. She was actually referring to a patient of mine, Mrs. Lockhead. She's been a patient for many years and Christine and she have grown quite chummy." "Yes, well, why would she be telling you that her bags were packed? Why would you be vacationing with one of your patients," Ashton interrupts. Edmund explains that she's to be doing an extended treatment and is actually staying overnight at the hospital. He tells them that ever since Loretta died, he hasn't been able to even consider marriage or even falling in love. He explains that when she died, a part of him went with her. Kelly sympathizes, saying that her first husband died as well and she wasn't sure if she'd ever get over it. She wraps her arms around Ashton. "But when I laid eyes on this son of yours, that truly all changed. I haven't been very lucky in love, Dr. Lavery, but Ashton....Ashton changed all that." She kisses him on the cheek. Ashton asks her if she wouldn't mind excusing them, as he would like a few minutes alone with his father. Kelly obliges, and gives them their privacy. "Alright father, she's gone now. You mind telling me what's actually going on here?" "Why Ashton, I have no idea what you're-" "Save it, dad. This is me you're talking to, I can tell when something is not right with you. Now are you going to fill me in on what you're up to? Or am I going to have to figure it out for myself?" Edmund smiles his devious smile at his son, raising his eyebrow, but not opening his mouth. (EXT: The Capwell Mansion) -The doorbell rings and CC calls from upstairs for Rosa to answer it. Rosa opens the door and is caught off guard to see Elizabeth standing on the other side of it. "Hello, Rosa is it? I'm here to see CC." "Is he expecting you?" "He is actually, may I come in? Oh I'm sorry, where are my manners, let me introduce myself, I'm Elizabeth Wayne," she says, extending her hand. "Aye, I know who you are," Rosa replies, not returning the gesture. "Well may I come in please?" Rosa allows her inside, eyeing her as she walks past. "My, what a lovely home, though I guess I shouldn't be surprised, given CC's taste." "Actually, Sophia is the one who did most of the decorating." "Yes, well, it's lovely nonetheless. Rosa asks just what she's doing there and Elizabeth informs her that she doesn't think that CC would be too pleased with her telling the help about the reasons for their meeting. CC comes down the stairs and enters the living room. "I see you two have met." "Aye. Breakfast is working and should be ready in a couple minutes, so I best be getting to the kitchen, if there's nothing else." "It was lovely meeting you, Rosa. I've heard so much about you." Rosa ignores her and heads back into the kitchen. Elizabeth comments on how cold she was, and CC tells her that she's very protective of Sophia. She inquires about why he's asked her there exactly, as Rosa returns with breakfast, setting it on the table. CC tells her that he thought they should talk, especially after what happened the other day. Elizabeth tells him they where just caught up in the moment and that she's happily married to Keith. CC tries to say that it's more than that, but Elizabeth looks away. "I know I hurt you all those years ago, hell, I know we both hurt you. Obviously, I had no idea that you were pregnant nor the abuse you were suffering from your father." "Yes, well, how could you have known CC? He made sure that what went on in that house was kept secret from the rest of the world." "But I should have picked up on it. And I'm sure it didn't help matters that I rejected you, that I toyed with your emotions. You know, I was facing pressure from my own father too- image, image was what was important to him, moreso than love. He was already displeased about the scandal my affair with Sophia caused, and with her being pregnant, he would have been livid if I didn't raise his grandson with her, let alone allow her to have it out of wedlock. But that doesn't make what I did to you right." "I survived CC, I always do. Who knows if I would have got up the gumption to leave that house if you didn't marry her." CC reiterates that it doesn't make what he did to her any more fair. He tells her that he was young and foolish and didn't realize how deeply he was effecting her. He also says that he continued carrying a torch for her, even after he married Sophia. He knew that she probably left because of him and he felt guilty. "And when I saw you, in my office, all these years later, it all came rushing back. And now, Elizabeth, we have a second chance. A chance at happiness, to be together." "We have no such thing. CC, while I admit it was wonderful to feel your touch again, to make love to you again, we're both very different people now. I'm not that naive young girl that you loved back then and you're not my fantastical knight in shining armor." "No, we're both real people. Adults, who are imperfect, and have made mistakes. But when I look at you, when I look in your eyes..." "But CC, would you even be saying any of this if my sister were still alive?" CC is silent. "That's what I thought." She gets up to leave, but he stands up and takes her hand. He tells her that no, maybe none of this would be happening if Sophia were alive, but the fact is she isn't. She's gone and she isn't coming back. He tells her that Sophia would want him to move on, to be happy, and that no woman could ever take her place in his heart. But he has something that's different with Elizabeth, something special and worth fighting for. She again says she's married to Keith. He turns her around and tells him to look into his eyes, to look into his heart. He asks her if Keith has even once made her feel the way she did when they made love in that elevator. Her eyes well up with tears and she softly tells him no, he hasn't. He says that they could be so good together, if she just gave it half a chance. She tells him that they can't go back in time. "Don't you see Elizabeth? I don't want to go back in time, I don't want to try and capture some old feeling that we once had. I want YOU, here and now, the woman that stands before me- beautiful, regal, smart, sophisticated. I want someone to share my life with, to share this beautiful home with. And no, I don't want a substitute for Sophia- I want something new and exciting. I want YOU, Elizabeth. Damn it, I want you!" One of the tears in her eyes is released down her face. "I want you too, CC. God help me, I want you too." CC takes her face in his hand, wiping her tears away. He grabs her and passionately kisses her. She pulls back for a moment, looking into his eyes. She takes his face in hers and passionately kisses him back, as Rosa unnhapily looks on from the kitchen, turning and walking back in there. Rosa looks up toward the ceiling. "He's making a mistake Sophia, a huge mistake. I wish you were here, my friend, to stop him...." (EXT- LONDON, ENGLAND: Edmund's creepy castle) -Sophia hurries Marcello into her room, asking if it's possible that anyone saw him. Marcello responds that he was very careful, and that Edmund is tied up with guests downstairs. "Guests? Who could be down there? Was it an older woman, blonde hair, mixed accent?" "No," Marcello responds, realizing she's talking about Pamela, "It's actually a young blonde woman and young man. They were here yesterday when I came by as well...." "Yesterday? My GOD! Marcello, that's why he has me on this side of the mansion! He's afraid that they'll see me- what is he doing to me? Why does he want to keep me shut off from the rest of the world?" "I'm not sure So...I mean, Loretta. But that's what we're going to find out. Are you ready to begin our session?" Sophia nods affirmatively, telling him that she's anxious to get to the bottom of what exactly her husband is doing to her. Marcello sits her down and tells her to relax and clear her mind. He coaches her on her breathing, telling her that he's going to count down from 25, saying that when he gets to 1, her mind will be completely relaxed and she will be focused on nothing else but the sound of his voice. He begins counting as she breathes deeply. He gets to 1, snaps his fingers, and puts her in a completely tranquil state. He begins by asking her to go back to Christmas Eve, asking her what she sees. She describes Eden's house and being around people she doesn't recognize. Suddenly, she sees CC and is confused and angry about his being there. She becomes agitated at the site of him, speaking of all the pain that he's caused her. Edmund then stops her, asking her to go to after the holidays. She remembers meeting with Edmund, but he's not calling her Loretta, he's calling her something else. She says that they're discussing some kind of treatment that she's going to keep hidden from her family. She then remembers New Year's Eve and seeing Pamela. She begins remembering their confrontation in the ladies room and losing her balance. Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. "Mrs. L? Mrs. L? Are you decent?" Marcello quickly runs and hides in the bathroom shower, unable to bring Sophia out of her hypnotic state before Christine enters. Christine sees Sophia sitting in her chair, with a serene, blank look on her face. "Mrs. L, are you ok? I just came up to bring you your lunch..." "I'm fine darling," Sophia says, almost robot-like "Well where shall I set it? Here on the table? You know Dr. L is real sorry that he hasn't taken you to Greece yet like he promised to. He had me make your favorite- pasta primavera!" "How could you do this to me? What have you done? I feel....so weak....why are you..." "What the heck are you talkin about? You love pasta primavera and it's cooked perfectly..." "He's MY husband! He loves ME! You can do whatever you like, say whatever you want, but nothing is going to change that...." "What? I don't have designs on Dr. L! He'd never have me anyway! He loves you!" "Get the hell out of here! Get out and leave me and my family alone, you BITCH!" "Well I NEVER! I was just trying to bring you lunch- I'm not interested in stealing your man....I mean, I like bigger, burly guys. No offense, Mrs. L, but Dr. L's kind of a wimp..." "Get the hell out of here and LEAVE ME ALONE!" "Ok, ok, I'm goin, geesh! You don't gotta yell..." Christine exits the room and is caught off guard when she bumps into Ashton in the hallway. "Oh, Mr. Lavery, what are you doing here?" "I was just checking out my old bedroom, Christine, I was curious to see what father had done with it." "Oh, well isn't that nice? Well, come along, we best be getting downstairs...." "In a minute, Christine. There's something else I wanted to see up here...." She stands there staring at him, not moving. "You can run along, Christine. I lived here all my life you know, I know my way around...." "But- I" "Please, just go. My wife is probably starving right now and father is not pleased that his lunch hasn't been delivered at its usual time. You know how he gets...." Christine obliges and heads downstairs. Once the coast is clear, Ashton goes to the door and creeks it open just a bit. He's shocked to see Sophia sitting in her chair, looking almost hypnotized. "Sophia?" he says to himself, "Just what the hell is he up to now?" THE END.....for today

You can ask me Viktoria, I don't mind answering your questions. I'm happy to- it's been 4 years and I realize that not everyone is going to re-read the whole blog again. But I just did so I can explain anything you like.

There was stuff in the flash forward episodes that I deleted which featured a gay storyline. Those episodes are best left forgotten, so I cannot tell you who it was. But there may be a gay (or bi) storyline coming up, though I wll not give it away. You'll just have to keep reading, as I know you will.

I have to tell you guys, to help me get back in the swing of writing, I've been doing outlines of each episode before I post them. And it has helped me tremendously! As I said in my comment on the last episode, I've done outlines for all of this week's episodes and I think we're all in for a real treat. There is movement in every storyline, even my "B" stories. I am about to do the outline for the 100th episode, which I plan to make very special for you guys. But believe me when I say that no matter what story or characters you're a fan of, this week is not to be missed. Much like my first week when I started this almost 5 years ago now, the idea is to capture the readers' attention and to hook them. I'm positive after outlining the episodes for the week, ALL of you that have come back or even just started reading will be hooked on 'RTSB' (all over again!). I promise you I'm hooked on writing it again, which is definitely a good sign. So be sure to follow my instructions in this News & Previews column- do NOT miss an episode of "Return to Santa Barbara" this week!!!

I got to say, I just finished outlining this week's episodes and RTSB is gonna be on fire. I have a very special episode 100 planned for you guys, with a special treat for the fans of each particular storyline/couple. I'm SO excited about all of it!

I'm thrilled to announce that "Return to Santa Barbara" is back- OFFICIALLY! And no, it's not going to be another tease like last summer and fall- this is the real deal! I'm so sorry that it's taken me 4 years to go back to writing, but I just couldn't get back into the RTSB frame of mind. That, my fans and friends, is no longer a problem. I diligently re-read the ENTIRE blog this weekend and all of the storylines and characters are once again fresh in my mind. I know EXACTLY what I want to do with each story, much like I did before. And I gotta say, I'm on a roll now and I'm not stopping. In fact, you're gonna see anywhere between 5-8 episodes this week alone! I have some time on my hands this week and am going to work hard on this, continuing all the stories that you all grew to love so much. I think it would help many of you to re-read the blog from the beginning, as I have, to refresh your memories as to everything that's transpired from the get-go. I know it's A LOT to ask, but it will only enhance your enjoyment of the blog I think. I've Private Messaged all of my old readers to try and alert them, but if any of you keep in contact with them via email or otherwise, please let them know that RTSB is back......FOR REAL! I really want our little community to come back together, commenting on the episodes, and perhaps even do a radio show or 2. Wendy and Sherri are supposed to be working on my brand new opening credits, so if any of you know how to get in touch with them, please do so! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Now, for a little bit of casting news: As you may have noticed, Jon Lindstrom (Mark), Renee Jones (Sherri), and Victoria Wyndham (Maureen) have been removed from the cast crawl. They will likely be returning in the near future, as the search for Mary's long-lost son FINALLY comes to a head! In other news, I've decided to bring back a character I dumped late into RTSB's previous run: MATT CEDENO IS BACK AS RAFE CASTILLO!!! I've decided to bring back the character of Rafe, since he left abruptly. At the time, I didn't feel I had room to devote to his character or his budding romance with Samantha, but I've changed my mind on that. Samantha is a staple character in this blog and it seems foolish to take away her love interest. Besides, I'm really liking the Samantha/Lily rivalry and this will only add to it. Yes, Lily seems to be tied up with Ted & Angela right now, but I'm writing that as more about her getting revenge on Angela than her still being in love with Ted. We'll find out that her heart still very much lies with Rafe, but is he interested in the person she's become? Does she still have his heart, or will Samantha be able to finally win him over? Tune in to find out.... Also, the younger set is going to be spicing up. I have A LOT of storylines going on, so it's going to be a slow roll, but the Steve/Adriana coupling will be shown more and more, and Brandon is going to add a surprise wrinkle to their budding romance. The Steve character will be explored much more- is this a man who is led by his heart or his wallet? We'll see just how far Steve is willing to go to get what he wants and just what is most important to him. As for Brandon, we're going to see that the resentments he harbors against some of the Capwells are going to consume him more & more. What exactly is he up to? Time will tell, but I will say that his storyline is going to draw very much on Santa Barbara's initial plot- the murder of Channing Capwell III. This is a very different Brandon from the little boy that we once knew and expect his storyline to slowly build into something huge. I'm very excited to be using him to draw on SB's original bible and I think it's a story that the Dobsons would be quite proud of. As for my ongoing storylines, I refuse to give anything away but you CAN'T MISS AN EPISODE!! Two storylines are going to collide in a major way and I can't WAIT for the fallout of all that. But, for it to have the proper impact, you really can't miss an episode and truly, going back and re-reading the old episodes will help A LOT. Miss a day. Miss a lot. RETURN TO SANTA BARBARA is BACK!!!! Only on SONBC.

Gina Gallego as Santana Andrade, A Martinez as Cruz Castillo, Carmen Duncan as Pamela Conrad, Nicolas Coster as Lionel Lockridge (EXT: A Small Mexican Hospital) -Santana stands outside Cruz's room, conferring with the doctor about his condition. The doctor tells her that he's showing signs of improvement, though he still hasn't been able to communicate at all. He questions her about why she's so personally involved in the patient, to which she replies that she's known him all of his life. She makes her way into the room, looking at the tray of untouched food. She sees that Cruz is awake and sits down beside the bed. "Cruz......it's me, Santana.......you're in the hospital right now, you were in a terrible explosion......the doctors and I are going to take good care of you, but we need your help in that........I need you to drink this Ensure......it will help you get your strength back so that you can recover.......can you do that for me?" Cruz just stares at her, looking back at the food, and then at her. "I'm going to help you. Here," she says, bringing the straw up to his mouth, "Drink this. It has multiple vitamins in it that are going to help you regain your strength." He turns his head the other way. "Please Cruz....you need your strength.....would you just try.....for me?" Cruz continues to just stare at her as she brings the straw up to his mouth once again. Finally, he begins to take a sip. He swallows it, and begins drinking some more, eventually finishing the whole thing. Santana smiles and tells him that she's proud of him. She begins to get up to leave, but he puts his hand out for hers. He tries to speak, but is unable to get anything out but a muffled sound. He begins to get very frustrated, but Santana sits down to calm him. "Shhhhh, shhhhhh.....it's okay, Cruz. It's going to take time. And I'll be here with you, every step of the way. I promise you, you're going to get better, you're going to be 100% in no time, just trust me." She smiles at him, as his face calms down and he lays back, drifting off to sleep. (EXT: London, England) -Augusta and Marcello lurk outside of the castle, trying to get a peek inside the window without being seen. They are stunned when they see Kelly and Ashton sitting inside with Edmund. Augusta turns to Marcello and tells him this is his chance to be alone with Sophia and try to get her out of there. He agrees, though he wonders how he's going to get inside and find Sophia without being detected. "Oh please, Marcello, the way you used to slink around Santa Barbara undetected? I'm sure this will be child's play to you." "I was a lot younger then Augusta." "I'm sure you'll figure something out. Especially if it's for your precious Sophia." Meanwhile, upstairs, Sophia questions Christine about why she's been moved to the East Wing of the house. Christine insists that it's only because they're painting the main area of the castle and Edmund didn't want her exposed to the fumes, especially so soon after coming out of her coma. "Ok, I'll buy that. But why then are we not leaving for Greece like he discussed with me last night? Since he's having this work done on the house and booked these tickets, it would seem as though he'd be anxious to go, as he was last night. What's changed between then and now?" "Dr. L had an emergency with one of his patients- it was a matter of life and death. Believe me, Mrs. L, he'd like nothing more than to be in Greece with you right now, but he didn't have a choice in the matter." "It just seems odd to me, that's all. Especially since this is all happening after Mr. Armonti came by and told me of there being no records of me in England. And now, all of a sudden, he's got me sequestered by myself on the opposite side of the castle? Does he not trust me, Christine? Does he not trust that I love him with all my heart and never would do anything to hurt him?" "Of course he does, Mrs. L, I think you're just overreacting is all. Now if there's nothing else, I have some things to tend to downstairs. But don't worry, Mrs. L, Dr. L loves you more than anything in this world and there's really nothing for you to be concerned about." Christine exits, leaving Sophia alone in the room. "I'm beginning to wonder just what kind of man my husband is...." As she's about to turn around to go back into her room, she sees Marcello coming down the hallway. She begins to say something but he quickly motions for her to keep quiet, as she leads him into her room. (EXT: Santa Barbara Courthouse) -Eden and Julia are shown exiting the courtroom, completely stunned by what's just transpired. Marta, Carla, and Angel walk up behind them, with disappointed looks on their faces. "What does this mean Julia? Please tell me these bastards aren't going to get away with what they did to my little girl..." "I understand you're upset, Angel, believe me, I am too. But it was just a bail hearing. Quite frankly, I honestly didn't expect that they'd be granted bond, but their lawyer pulled it off somehow. It seems they've promised something to the FBI, what that is, I'm not exactly sure. But I'm betting money that it has to do with the case against Carlos Esteban." "But Julia, really, we know that this kidnapping probably had nothing to do with Carlos and everything to do with Cruz. What information could they possibly have?" Eden inquires. Julia insists she's not sure what they're up to. Just then, Vic comes out of the courtroom and the five of them swarm him. Julia asks just what exactly is going on, how is it that these guys are getting out on bail. Vic confirms their suspicions that they've agreed to cooperate and testify against Carlos, thereby cementing the state's case against him. "They didn't know a damn thing about Carlos, except for what I filled them in on. I'm telling you detective, those idiots knew nothing about Esteban, I could tell by the way they reacted when I mentioned his name..." Marta insists. "And you guys have my testimony against Esteban, isn't that enough? What the hell did I do all of this undercover work for, if you were just going to end up needing more testimony? I don't see why they're needed at all!" Angel interjects Vic explains that the more testimony they have against Esteban, the stronger their case becomes. Marta insists that those guys don't know a thing and are taking the FBI and the state for a ride, but Vic tells her without concrete proof of that, they have to do whatever they can to nail Carlos. Eden grows frustrated, saying she's not going to let them get away with what they're doing. Just then, the group turns to see Bobby & Cisco being walked out of the courtroom. Before Vic & Angel can restrain them, Eden and Marta walk right up to them. "Don't you think for a second this is over! You two will not get away with this and so help me, I'll do whatever I have to do to find out what happened to my husband. You know who my father is? CC Capwell- he's a very powerful man in this town, with plenty of connections. And believe me, when someone hurts his eldest daughter, he's not afraid to play dirty. If I were you two, I'd watch my back." "Ma'am, I'm sorry, but all we've done is tell the truth..." Cisco responds "Oh you may have fooled the police but you ain't foolin me," Marta interrupts, "I was there and the three of us all know what really happened and what you two did and did not know. Trust me when I say, I ain't afraid of either one of you morons. My dad may not be worth millions, but we know plenty of people on the street. I know plenty of people that would slice your throats without thinkin twice about it. So you may be free, but don't think for a second that you're safe. At least, not from me." Bobby and Cisco smile their dirty smiles at them, as their lawyer leads them out of the courtroom to fill out paperwork. Marta can barely contain her anger and fights back tears, as Carla hugs and comforts her. Eden and Julia assure them that they're not going to let those thugs get away with what they've done. (EXT: Lionel & Augusta's London flat) -Augusta knocks at her own door, as she's going through her purse trying to find her keys. She finally gets them out and opens the door. "Lionel, I'm home, and there's some things we need to-" She's stopped in her tracks as she sees Pamela standing in front of her, with Lionel directly behind her. Augusta is so stunned that she's rendered speechless for a moment. "Pamela, what in God's name are you doing here?" "Actually, she was just about to fill me in on that," Lionel responds, "Isn't that right Pamela?" "Correct you are Lionel. Why don't you have a seat Augusta? I'm sure this is something you'll want to hear as well" FLASH TO -Marcello and Sophia, seated in her room. Sophia tells him how she told Edmund of his suspicions, but he had a logical explanation for why there are no records of her existence in England. Marcello asks if she believed him, and she responds that she did at first, but his behavior since then has made her question him. "Why is that? What has he done since you told him of the information I gave you?" "Well first, he tried to get me to go away to Greece with him- we were to leave this morning. I was weary about the trip, and even feigned a headache to try to get out of it, but he was insistent. Then, all of a sudden, not only are we not going on the trip, but he moved me out of our room and has me staying in the opposite wing of the house. He claims that he's having the other side of the house painted and doesn't want me exposed to the fumes, and Christine told me he has an emergency with his patient, which is why the trip has been postponed, but..." "You don't believe them." Sophia shakes her head. "You're absolutely right not to trust them Loretta. Something clearly isn't right here. I want to help you figure things out, to get to the truth, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that Loretta? Can you trust me?" Sophia nods that she does. Marcello insists to her that Edmund must not know of their meetings, that if he finds out, both of them could be in danger. "I really don't think it's that serious, Marcello. Lying or not, Edmund loves me, I can tell by the way he looks at me, and would never harm me..." "I'm telling you, Loretta, he would. He claims you've been in a coma for over 30 years....think about that, Loretta. Have you ever heard of anyone besides Rumpelstiltskin that has ever been in a coma for so long?" "No, but..." "Exactly, because it's unheard of. Did you ever think there could be another explanation? Maybe Dr. Lavery was purposely keeping you in this coma? Or perhaps everything he's told you since you woke up has been an outright lie." A look of shock comes over Sophia's face, as it dawns on her that Marcello could very well be right. He tells her that he used to be a psychiatrist and would like to use hypnosis to help her remember what actually happened to her. Sophia agrees, and they begin planning how they're going to hide their sessions from Edmund. FLASH TO -Santana, on the phone with Angel. He tells her what's going on with the kidnapping case and warns her that Cruz could be in even worse danger than he was before. Santana insists to him that's why he needs to keep quiet about Cruz being alive and probably shouldn't be contacting her. Angel says he's going to continue to keep tabs on she and Cruz, but is going to be very careful about when he does. Just then, a nurse comes running to Santana, saying that the patient is speaking and asking for his wife. Santana hangs up on Angel. "Oh no..." She hurriedly goes toward Cruz's room and walks in on him berating the doctor, asking to speak with his wife. The doctor says he has no idea who Cruz is talking about as Santana walks up to the bed, asking what's going on. "Nevermind, doc," Cruz says, "there she is right there..." FLASH TO -Bobby receiving a call from his boss on his cell phone. Bobby asks how they're going to pull off testifying against Carlos when they don't know much on the case. The muffled voice tells him that all the information they need will be sent to them. "But what about the cop's wife, that Eden bitch? She ain't gonna stop boss til she tracks you down..." "Well then we're just going to have to give her what she wants, aren't we?" "I don't understand what you mean..." "It's quite simple- you're going to meet with her. Tell her you want no cops involved, just she and Cranston. And you're going to sit her down and explain everything to her, finally once and for all giving her the name of the man who took her precious Cruz away." "I don't understand- who's name am I going to be giving her? She ain't gonna believe a thing I say..." "Oh she'll believe this- because you're going to tell her the truth. You're going to tell her that it was ME that set up Cruz and ME that murdered him. When she hears my name, she'll know damn well that you're being honest with her." The man hangs up the phone and the camera zooms in on his left hand, and his ring. THE END...........FOR TODAY

Brandon is, of course, Brandon Capwell. As for Steve, he's sort of a drifter at this point- he drove Adriana to Mexico when the boat exploded with Cruz on it. They've been sort of seeing each other and flirting at this point. Nothing has yet been revealed about his sexuality, though there is some interesting stuff coming up. Samantha is Samantha Capwell, Mason & Julia's daughter. She hasn't had much to do since the blog was started, except for get in an accident on Rafe's motorcycle, leaving her injured. Rafe helped her around the house and with physical therapy for a month or so, before she recovered. They had a flirtarious relationship, before he left town. I'm toying with the idea of bringing him back, since he and Lily were once in love and I'm building up a Lily/Samantha rivalry.

Wolf Muser as Marcello Armonti, Louise Sorel as Augusta Lockridge, Lane Davies as Mason Capwell, Harley Jane Kozak as Dr. Mary Duvall (EXT: A black Lexus driving down the California coast) -Mary stares out the window looking somber, spotting a sign that says SANTA BARBARA 30 MILES. On the radio, they hear the report that Marta's kidnappers have been arrested and extradited back to Santa Barbara for a hearing in the morning. "Eden must be relieved that they caught the men who were trying to kidnap Adriana," Mary says quietly. "Unfortunately, it's not so simple- they haven't said a word about who put them up to it, nor have they given any information that would help the SBPD or the FBI figure out who murdered Cruz." "Poor Eden. I guess we're all hitting dead ends this week." "We're going to find him Mary. I promise you that." Mary goes on about how she can't believe Mark did this to her- first, he rapes her. Then he lets Mason and all her loved ones go on thinking she's dead for 4 years, all the while trying to get her out of the coma that he's in. "But for him to deliver my child and put him into the foster system......My God, he let me think my son was dead! And he didn't give a damn when I woke up, he didn't care about the pain and the grief that he caused me. And here we are, 20 years later, piecing it all together, and he sends us on this wild goose chase, filled with misinformation. He had us thinking it was a girl, when in reality, it was a baby boy. He claimed to have loved me for all those years- you'd think he'd want me raising OUR SON, if he cared about me so much. He's out there somewhere, Mason. He's out there and God only knows what he thinks. He doesn't even know how much I love him, how much I miss him, and all those years that were robbed of us..." Mason tells her he truly believes, in his heart, that the baby she was carrying was his all along. He reminds her that she was 2 months further along than she was led to believe. Plus, it seems much more likely that he wouldn't want Mary to have anything to do with her son with Mason. He reminds her that Mark didn't want to give up his rights to the baby when she was pregnant years ago and the only reason he can think of that Mark would give them up now is if the child wasn't his at all. "I hate him Mason, God, I hate him for what he's done to me, what he's done to us, all that he's robbed us of." "He's gonna pay Mary. Mark my words, if it's the last thing I do, I'm going to make him pay." (EXT: London, England- The DiMonde Estate) -Augusta peels up the driveway to the DiMonde mansion, screeching her tires as she slams on her breaks. She hurriedly jumps out of the car and hands her keys over to the valet, running up to the front door. She begins furiously ringing the doorbell, until the butler answers the door. "Augusta Lockridge, I need to see Marcello Armonti immediately!" Before the butler can breathe a word, Marcello emerges from the living room and Augusta runs toward him. "Augusta, what's the matter? You're running as though your life depends on it." "It very well may, Marcello, is there somewhere that we can speak privately?" Marcello nods and walks her to the study. He pours her a glass of water and asks her what's got her so frantic. "It's Edmund- Marcello, Sophia is in grave danger, worse than I thought." "I realize that and I'm working on it- I was there earlier today, speaking with her. I think she actually listened to me- I told her there are no records of a Loretta Lavery and that Lady DiMonde is quite concerned." "We have to do much more than that and quickly. He came to my flat today and he threatened me. He knows that I set the whole thing up, that I sent the invitations to the castle, knowing that you were the guest of honor and that you'd recognize Sophia. Don't you see? We have to act fast, or he's going to take off with her and we may never find her." "But how? How could he have known that you set it up? How does he already realize that I know Sophia?" "Two words for you- Pamela Conrad." Marcello asks what Pamela has to do with anything and Augusta explains that she's in cahoots with Edmund and basically handed him Sophia on a silver platter. She tells him that they both are getting some kind of sick revenge- she on Sophia, and Edmund on CC. She explains to him Edmund's history with CC, how CC had an affair with his wife, Loretta, and ended up giving her the cold shoulder the first time Sophia "died", causing Loretta to commit suicide. Edmund never recovered from his wife's death, as she gave birth to his only son, and that's why he's become fixated on Sophia, who he's turned into Loretta. Augusta worries that if Sophia even begins to get her actual memory back and realize that she's not actually Loretta, that Edmund will snap and kill her. "My God! We have no choice then, we have to go to CC and tell him, immediately. It's the only way we're going to get her out of there." "We can't do that. We have to do this on our own." "But why? I may not like CC, but I'm willing to put our differences aside for the sake of-" "WE CAN'T! I'm sorry, but we just can't, otherwise Pamela will tell Edmund everything, everything that I've kept hidden all these years." "Hidden? What are you talking about?" "Pamela KNOWS! She knows that........she knows that....." "What? Augusta, spit it out, please!" "That Edmund is Warren's real father!" (EXT: The Capwell Hotel) -The camera zooms in on Angela's phone, showing a text message from Lily that says "I know everything- meet me at The Lair at 10 O'Clock and if you don't show up, Ted will know everything as well" Angela's face is clearly panic-sticken, as she wonders to herself why Warren hasn't shown up yet. Finally, she sees Warren approaching the desk and she hurriedly motions for him to come into her back office. "Alright Angela, what was so urgent that I had to drop everything and-" She cuts him off by holding the phone up to his face. "That's what's so urgent, Warren. She knows. Lily knows everything." Warren reads the message and tells her to calm down, saying there's no way that Lily could know anything that's going on. He says that the only people that were in the room when they made love were he & her and he hasn't opened his mouth to anyone, let alone Lily. "Then what the hell could she possibly be talking about Warren? She MUST know..." "It could be anything- she could just be playing games with you. We both know how she's lived to taunt you ever since you pulling that switcheroo on what was supposed to be her wedding day." "I don't know Warren, what if somehow, she figured it out?" "How could she have figured anything out? I haven't said anything to her, you haven't said anything to her. I'm telling you, she's bluffing. She's just trying to see if you show up, if you do have something to hide, and then she's just going to try and figure out what that is. I'm telling you Angela, she's just trying to get a reaction out of you. Don't give it to her." Angela calms down, realizing that he's probably right. However, she says that she's going to show up, if only to be sure. Otherwise, she'll drive herself crazy. Warren assures her that Lily doesn't have a clue and as long as they both keep their mouths shut, she never will. "Frankly, I don't see why you're trying so desperately to hold on to Ted Capwell anyway. The guy's a jerk, especially the way he'd been treating you." "I love him Warren. And things have been much better between us lately- he was just going through a rough time because of Sophia's death and didn't know how to deal with it. But he's back to his old self and our marriage has never been stronger." Warren tells her that he hopes Ted realizes how lucky he is to have someone like her in his life, putting up with all of this crap. He says most women wouldn't dream of it. She thanks him, telling him he has a way of always making her feel good about herself. She looks up at the clock and realizes she better be going, if she's going to meet Lily's deadline. (EXT- The LAIR) -The camera is zoomed in on Lily's cell phone, showing the same time that Angela just saw on her clock. Lily flashes back to witnessing Warren and Angela making love, and recording it on her phone. A smile comes across her face as she daydreams. "Oh Lord," Samantha says, approaching, "Had Steve or Brandon mentioned YOU were here, I never would have come out." "Not to worry, Samantha, I'm meeting someone, so I'll be out of your way in just a couple of minutes." "Friend or foe?" Samantha inquires. "Not that it's any of your business, but foe, if you must know." "What a silly question for me to have asked. As if you have any friends in this town!" Samantha cackles. Before Lily can come back with a bitchy remark, Brandon walks up to them from behind the bar, asking if they're behaving themselves. They give each other a look, clearly indicating that they're not. Steve walks up to Lily with her drink and kisses Samantha hello, asking her what she'd like. She orders, and he goes down the bar to mix her drink. "Wow, what's the story with the gorgeous new bartender, Brandon?" "Hands off, Lily," Samantha interrupts, "Adriana's claimed her stake on that one." "Well I don't see her anywhere around here," Lily says, ignoring her, "So what's his story Brand-O?" Brandon tells her that he's sort of a mystery. She inquires about his family and Samantha jumps in, saying he doesn't have one. "It's a just a question, Samantha, relax. I'm not trying to steal him from Princess Adriana or anything- I'm just curious." Brandon explains that Samantha is telling the truth, that he has no family to speak of. He elaborates, saying that his father is in prison and his mom died giving birth. Steve has been bounced from foster home to foster home his entire life, until he left the system and went on his own. She remarks how sad it is, though she can relate, considering she went off on her own at a young age, leaving Gina to become an evangelist. "Yes, and then conning my father soon after, we know your lame history, Lily, and it doesn't compare. Steve here is actually trying to do something decent with his life, not convince suckers that God speaks through him so long as they cut him a check." "Though you can cut the check anyway, if you like," Steve says, setting Samantha's drink in front of her. Samantha apologizes for talking about his private life to Lily, but Steve insists that it's fine. It's the truth, after all, and he has nothing to hide. Steve's eyes twinkle as he looks up at Brandon after saying it. Suddenly, Lily feels a tap on her shoulder. Samantha turns around and sees Angela. "I take it this is your foe?" Samantha laughs "Alright, Lily, I'm here. Can we get this over with please? I have far more important things to do than waste my time listening to your nonsense." "Oh, I doubt you'll find it to be a waste of time, once you hear what I have to say. Come, let's sit." Angela asks Steve to bring a martini over to her table, saying she's going to need a stiff drink for this. The two ladies walk over to their table and take a seat. "Ok Lily, just come out with it. I've had a long day, and Ted is waiting for me at home. In our bed." "I'd think twice before taunting me today, if I were you Angela. I think you're going to be very interested in what I have to say.....or show you...." "Show me? What on Earth could you have to show me Lily? Perhaps a white flag? Since, you know, I stole Ted from you months ago, not that you ever had him." "And I highly doubt that you'll have him much longer, not that it matters to you." "Would you just come out with it? Ted and I have made a lifelong commitment to one another, one that you cannot break- and of course that matters to me. I love my husband, and take our marriage, and my vows, quite seriously." Lily bursts out into laughter. "What's so funny?" "Oh, Angela, you are my dear. God, you're hilariously. You take your vows seriously? That's got to be the funniest thing I've heard all day." "If you brought me here just to poke and prod and hope to get something out of me so you can go running to Ted again, then I'm so sorry to disappoint you. Haven't you humiliated yourself enough? You've already tried this before, when you had me investigated and proved to him that I planned on sabotaging your wedding all along. Yet, not only did he not care, but he was thrilled! Thrilled that I saved him from you!" "And I hope he'll be just as thrilled when I save him from you...." "Are we going to do this dance all night? This little routine of yours has grown quite tiresome over the past few months and frankly, I'm not going to indulge it any longer. Now if you'll excuse me..." Angela gets up and begins to walk away when Steve hands her the martini. "Sit down, Angela," Lily scolds. Angela refuses and continues walking, until Lily grabs her arm and twirls her around, causing her to spill some of her drink on her dress. Before Angela can say anything, Lily pulls out her cell phone and pulls up the video menu. When she gets to the video she wants, she orders Angela to hit the play button. "Oh, Lily, really, I mean what on Earth could you possibly have on there that I'd be even remotely interested in?" "I think you'll find this very interesting," Lily says, as she pushes the play button herself. Angela gives an annoyed look as the video starts playing, not realizing what it is. All of a sudden, the video zooms in on her face, and then Warren's, and her face begins to go from annoyed to horrified. When she sees them tearing each other's clothes off, kissing, and Warren throwing her on the bed, Angela drops her glass on the floor and covers her mouth. "I see I got your attention," Lily smiles. THE END..................for TODAY