Dimitri's announcement that he'd decided to forgo his stubbornness and let David attempt to cure him came as a surprise to Dixie. In fact, she asked Dimitri to repeat himself just to make sure that she wasn't hearing things. Dixie smiled when Dimitri asked her to fetch David. She opened the door and started to walk into the hallway. Suddenly, she froze. Dixie heard Tad's voice approaching and quickly ducked back into the hospital room. Dixie took a deep breath and contemplated her next step. Outside, Tad and Liza were discussing meeting up with Frank, the architect overseeing the ColMar project, when Dixie stumbling back out of the room. Dixie pretended to be surprised to see her husband and asked him when he got back in town. Tad briefly mentioned that work on the new building was ahead of schedule and invited Dixie to join him and Liza for a celebration at SOS. Dixie scratched her head and said that she needed to stick around and help David with a patient. Tad cocked his head to the side and reminded Dixie that, last he knew, she was just David's administrative assistant. Dixie nodded, but said that she wanted to make sure that she was there just in case David needed anything. Dixie promised to catch up to Tad later and continued on her way. After Tad and Liza left, Dixie returned to Dimitri's room and informed him that David wasn't in his office. She offered to call David's cell phone for him, but Dimitri told her that he wanted to be the one to make the call.
"You always think the worst of me," David replied with a wry smile. Partially under her breath, Alex muttered that her opinions of David are usually on the money. David explained that he hadn't left with Erica because he needed to establish some boundaries. The world, said David with a slight snarl, does not revolved around Erica and he wants to make her see that. "I don't think you'll live long enough [to do that]," Alex snickered. From there, Alex asked that David not use her as a way to break up with Erica. In a roundabout way, David assured Alex that wasn't trying to use her as a weapon against Erica. To prove his point, David informed Alex that he had proposed to Erica, though he never told her of the outcome of the proposal. The unusual chill in the night air caused David some concern. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around Alex. He then excused himself to get a drink from a nearby water fountain. While he was away, David's cell phone started ringing inside on of his pockets. Alex, who was still wearing the jacket, called out to David, but David was too far away to hear her calls. So, Alex opted to answer the phone herself. "Hello... David Hayward's jacket," Alex said with a surprisingly straight face. On the other end of the phone, Dimitri sat paralyzed, unsure what to say or do. Finally, Dimitri handed the phone over to Dixie. Dixie took the phone and asked Alex if she could speak to David. By that time, David had returned and Alex promptly handed over the phone. David played the call smoothly. Dixie told him that Dimitri was ready to agree to treatment. David thanked Dixie for calling and hung up the phone. He then told Alex that Dixie had called to tell him that she was heading home. Alex wanted to stick around a while longer. David nodded understandingly and said that he was going to try to track down Erica and talk to her. Alone, Alex reflected on the first time she'd ever told Dimitri that she loved him. During her daydream, Edmund phoned her on her cellular phone. Alex forced a smiled and told Edmund that she'd just been thinking about him.
At SOS, Hayley soured Mateo's good mood slightly by telling him that Arlene was going to stop by. He rolled his eyes and noted that Arlene had a bar of her own to enjoy. Greenlee took the cell phone in her hand and grumbled that Ryan must have been lying to her. She walked over to Becca and Leo and asked if either of them had seen Gillian. Becca thought for a moment or two and said that she'd last seen Gillian headed for the ladies' room. Greenlee nodded her head and took off for the restroom. Inside the restroom, Gillian was in the process of questioning whether or not Ryan could get rid of Greenlee by roping her further into his Internet company. Ryan lamely replied that he had no choice; one of his investors demanded that Greenlee be brought back on board. Greenlee struggled to open the locked door, but obviously had no success. She rapped on the door several times and called out to Gillian. Ryan hid in one of the stalls and closed the door behind him. He stood on the toilet so that he'd be virtually invisible to anyone on the outside. Gillian opened the door and allowed Greenlee access to the bathroom. She lied about the locked door, saying that the door stuck and that she, too, had had to get help to get inside. With that out of the way, Greenlee asked Gillian if she'd seen Ryan. Gillian through her hands into the air and remarked that she was no longer in charge of keeping tabs on Ryan. Greenlee paused momentarily and asked if there'd been any word on Jake. Gillian became agitated and told Greenlee that Jake's condition was none of her business. Greenlee quickly changed the subject to her new partnership in Incredible Dreams. Greenlee claimed that she was now "a principle stockholder" in the company. She flashed a contented look and said that she and Ryan were growing closer and closer because of their mutual love for their "baby."
Hayley and Mateo briefly chatted with Bianca and told her how grown up she looked. In the background, Bianca couldn't take her eyes off of Leo and Becca dancing festively. Arlene, smiling from ear to ear, breezed into the bar and immediately greeted her daughter and son-in-law. Arlene was fascinated by Bianca, saying that she must take after her father because she looked nothing like Erica. Bianca, in turn, was surprised that Arlene had married Adam. Arlene fired off two backhanded remarks. First, she implied that being married to Adam couldn't be so bad because Erica had been down that road --- twice. Then, Arlene noted that only one person had been married more times than Adam --- Erica, of course.
Tad and Liza entered the club and sat down at a table with Frank. Liza took their drink orders and headed to the bar to place the order. Arlene spotted Liza and saw an opportunity to rub Liza the wrong way. Arlene took a piece of paper from her purse and pretended that the paper was a love letter from Adam. She looked down at the paper and "accidentally" bumped into Liza. Arlene apologized profusely, saying that she'd been so engrossed in the letter that she hadn't realized where she was walking. Arlene also fired off a few remarks about the X-rated nature of the letter. Liza was furious and stormed back to her table.
Back in the restroom, Bianca entered and headed for one of the stalls. Gillian quickly called out that the toilet was broken and she and Greenlee filed out of the room. Bianca, meanwhile, had already spotted Ryan inside the stall, but she remained cool and composed. Ryan thanked the young woman for keeping quiet. He then scrawled a note on a piece of paper and asked Bianca to deliver it to Gillian. Bianca smiled warmly and agreed to help out. Ryan bid Bianca farewell and left the bathroom the same way he'd entered: through the window.
Back outside on the floor of the nightclub, Hayley and Mateo tried to convince Becca and Leo to appear on a "reality television" portion of Wave. Both Becca and Leo refused to be a part of the production. Becca meekly explained that she'd had enough exposure for one lifetime thanks to the Virgin Victor web site.
Bianca exited the ladies' room and handed Ryan's note to Gillian. Gillian thanked Bianca for her help and headed on her way.
Hayley later found Liza in the restroom angrily reapplying her makeup. Hayley sensed that Arlene had gotten to her and urged her to remain. Hayley said that she was confident that Adam would ditch Arlene soon enough. In a matter of time, Hayley said with a laugh, Arlene would slip up and have an affair and she'd be out on her ear.
Ryan returned to the club and Greenlee immediately demanded to know where he'd gone. Ryan said that he'd been trying to find a pay phone because he'd somehow lost his cell phone. Greenlee smiled and handed over Ryan's phone.
Liza, meanwhile, caught Frank eyeing Arlene up and down. Frank felt badly for letting his eyes roam especially since he was supposed to be there on business. Liza urged Frank to enjoy himself and told him to feel free to approach the object of his desire. Arlene greeted Frank with a smile. The two chatted it up and Arlene accepted Frank's invitation to dance. Arlene opened her compact to check her makeup. In the mirror, however, she spotted Liza's reflection. Arlene pursed her lips together and informed Frank that she was a married woman and couldn't take any chances of being spotted with another man in public.
Ryan and Gillian met up in the park. Ryan was troubled by the way Gillian had reacted to Greenlee's questions about Jake and feared that the princess may have gotten some bad news. Gillian shook her head and said that she knew nothing more about Jake's disappearance. Gillian confessed that she'd come close to telling Joe about their affair. She looked longingly at Ryan and asked him if it was time for her to come clean. Ryan shook his head and told Gillian that the last thing they should do is go public with their relationship.
Back at the hospital, David returned and was shocked to see how Dimitri had made an about face on his stance on getting medical treatment. David flashed Dixie a look as if to ask her what she'd done to put Dimitri in line. Dimitri said several times that he had not been bullied into accepting medical treatment; this was his own decision and he wanted to fight for his life. David told Dixie that she could go home, but Dixie asked if she could stick around and help as needed. Dimitri smiled warmly and told her that he'd appreciate it if she'd stayed with him. Dixie nodded and headed off to place a call to Seaview Hospital. Dimitri, David explained, would go to the nearby hospital to receive the next phases of his medical treatment. Dixie again asked Dimitri if he was going to tell Alex that he was still alive. Dimitri replied that he didn't have the energy yet to deal with talking to Alex. That, though, brought up yet another question. Dixie wanted to know what Dimitri would do when he is strong enough.
Due to ABC News coverage of Vice President Al Gore's selection of Joe Lieberman as his running mate, All My Children was pre-empted. Today's installment will be broadcast tomorrow in its entirety.
Today's episode is a rebroadcast of the show originally to be shown yesterday, August 8th.
Whether she wanted to hear it or not, Phoebe felt the need to point out to Brooke that she's been spending a great deal of time with Eliot. The elder woman asked why her niece had given up on her days of recklessness and bad boys. Brooke snapped that Eliot had his own dark side; he'd served time in jail. Phoebe was astounded by the statement and threatened to call off her outing with Juanita Ramsey. Phoebe demanded to know why the pastor had been in prison, but Brooke explained that she didn't know the details of Eliot's incarceration. Eliot arrived before Juanita, so some uneasy banter ensued between Phoebe and Eliot. Phoebe remarked that Eliot looked remarkably different without his collar and implied that he must have dozens of women swooning over him. Finally, Juanita pulled into the driveway and sounded her horn. Brooke wheeled her aunt to the door. Before Phoebe was gone for good, she snapped that she wanted Brooke to find out why Eliot was in jail. Brooke returned to the parlor and found Eliot ready to talk business. Brooke asked that he put down his paperwork and relax; she hadn't invited him to talk shop. Brooke again thanked Eliot for saving her life and driving her to see Jamie. She followed that up with a bulletin that Jamie was back to normal and enjoying his time at camp. As a thank you, Brooke invited Eliot to join her for an indoor picnic. Brooke tried to learn more about her savior, which she mused was a minister and superhero all-in-one body. Wanting to learn a little more about Eliot, Brooke asked him about his family life and whether or not his parents were religious. Eliot said that only his mother practiced her religion on a regular basis. As for the rest of his family, Eliot said that they never really got along. Finally, Brooke broke through her curiosity and asked Eliot if he wanted to tell her why he'd been in jail.
Dixie reported for work with a tin full of muffins for David. When Dixie reported to her desk, she was greeted by Edmund, who had stopped by the hospital to see Alex. Dixie informed Edmund that Alex hadn't yet reported for work and offered to pass along a message for him. Beaming broadly from ear to ear, Edmund proudly displayed a wedding ring. Dixie's jaw nearly hit the floor when Edmund announced that he was going to ask Alex to marry him. For reasons unknown to Edmund, Dixie was greatly opposed to the marriage proposal. Edmund sensed that Dixie was concerned for one reason or another and asked her if there was something she needed to tell him. Dixie blinked her eyes several times and lamely offered that proposing in a hospital wasn't very romantic. Edmund agreed and decided that he'd phone Alex so that he could find out where she was. Alex had decided to stay at Wildwind and look after Maddie because the young girl was suffering from a slight cold. Edmund asked that Alex stay put because he had something very important to tell her. Dixie cried out for Edmund not to go through with his proposal, though again she gave no reason why she was opposed to Edmund's plans. David wandered upon the two and Dixie immediately pulled him aside and told him that Edmund was about to do something that would greatly affect everything. Instead of backing Dixie, David congratulated Edmund on his decision to propose to Alex. With a chuckle, David told Edmund that Dixie was only opposed to the nuptials because she was fearful that she'd have extra work during Alex's honeymoon. Edmund laughed and headed on his way home. David dragged Dixie into his office, where he laid into her for nearly spilling the beans to Edmund. Dixie argued that Edmund had to know the truth because he could not marry a woman who was already married. David explicitly ordered Dixie to remain quiet and told her that she could not go to see Edmund as she wanted. Dixie looked crossly at her boss and said that she wasn't about to take orders from him. She turned her back towards David and stormed out of the office.
Hayley hosted a beach party for her Wave co-workers to thank them for their hard work. Leo slathered suntan lotion on his body, but he was sure that he'd missed some crucial places. As he slapped on the lotion, Becca looked on nervously. Mateo and Hayley, meanwhile, watched Adrian and Tina snuggle up on a beach blanket. They waited a few moments before joining the couple to find out how things were going for them. Adrian and Mateo headed off to grab some sodas when the ladies stuck together for some girl talk. It didn't take long for Tina to reveal that she and Adrian had been intimate. Elsewhere on the beach, Adrian refused to tell Mateo any of the details of his dinner date with Tina. Hayley and Mateo both briefed the couple individually about Wave's plans for a reality-based couples segment. Greenlee strolled across the beach and plopped in front of Leo. She poked fun at Becca, who was still casting furtive glances at Leo's glistening chest. "Out your eyes back in your head," Greenlee chirped. "He's just a man." Greenlee instructed Leo to help her apply some suntan lotion. As he did, Becca couldn't help but imagine herself in Greenlee's place. Becca's fantasy went much further than that; she told Leo that he was free to do "anything" that he wanted to her. By the time Becca drifted back into reality, Greenlee was long gone. Leo sat down in front of Becca and asked her to help reapply suntan lotion to his shoulders and back. Becca blushed, but ultimately agreed to help him out. When he asked her to go a little lower, though, Becca became uncomfortable and raced off. She bumped into Tina and was pressed to confront her feelings for Leo. Tina told Becca that she and Adrian had gotten very close and said that she knew she was in love with Adrian because he'd shown her a side of him that he showed few other people. Becca's face grew serious as she realized that Leo has repeatedly opened up and shown his vulnerability to her. Tina smiled slightly and told Becca that Leo could be "the one." Hayley and Mateo, meanwhile, continued their attempts to get Leo to agree to be part of the reality-based show. Leo refused --- until he heard that he'd make $10,000 for the appearance. Leo refused, but Greenlee pulled him aside and told him that he'd be foolish to turn down so much money. She also took it upon herself to tell Leo that he and Becca stood no chance at being together past Labor Day. Leo turned back to Hayley and told he that he was in on the show, but that getting Becca to agree was her job. Hayley nodded. When Becca returned, Hayley immediately hit her up with another request. She mentioned that appearing on the show would give Becca a chance to show the Virgin Victor folks that she was a survivor and half of a $10,000 appearance fee wasn't such a pad incentive either. Becca agreed and she and Leo hugged. In the background, Greenlee muttered that she was going to make the experience something that neither one of them would ever forget.
Edmund returned to Wildwind and found Alex and Maddie sitting on the sofa playing with a stethoscope. He sat down beside the two ladies in his life. Dixie suddenly appeared in the doorway sporting a serious glance. Alex looked up and greeted her. Edmund turned and looked over his shoulder and asked Dixie why she'd stopped by the house.
"Nothing will ever be the same again," Eliot said softly. The minister claimed that while Brooke deserved an answer to her question, the truth would alter their lives forever. Brooke could tell that a confession would be hard for Eliot. To make things easier, she shared one of her darkest moments with Eliot. She told Eliot of her encounter with Jim Thomasen. While glossing over the details of the situation, Brooke did admit to killing him. Brooke still seemed troubled by the court's decision to deem the killing "justifiable homicide." Unless Eliot had taken someone's life, she said, he could not even begin to understand how she felt. Repeatedly, Brooke told Eliot that she would not stand in judgment of him. Eliot took a deep breath and again said that it was time for Brooke to know the truth. Eliot referred to his pre-ordained life as a "destructive time." Now, though, he said that he was a "completely different person." Brooke gently pressed for Eliot to continue talking. "I robbed an innocent family of their most precious gift," said Eliot forlornly. "I betrayed a community." Brooke was understanding and compassionate. "You made a mistake," she said sort of matter-of-factly. In making that mistake, Brooke proudly noted that Eliot had found his calling. God had forgiven Eliot and Brooke thought it was time for the minister to forgive himself. Eliot bowed his head and shook it slightly from side to side. He quickly jumped to his feet and announced that he'd forgotten an appointment. Brooke was left in the dust as Eliot raced out of the house. She called out to Eliot to ask him if she'd done something to upset him, but Eliot never once looked back.
Leo and Becca engaged in some horseplay on the beach. By now, everyone had left the Wave party. Becca started to second-guess her decision to appear on the reality-based program. Leo quickly reminded Becca that she did not have to do anything that she didn't want to do. Becca questioned whether or not she really wanted to hear a studio audience offer their thoughts on the viability of her relationship with Leo. Leo referred to the audience as "pseudo-know-it-alls." Becca told Leo that she likes him a lot and mentioned the honesty discussion she'd had with Tina. Without hearing the full transcript of the conversation, Leo assured Becca that he has always been honest with her. In the vein of honesty, Leo told Becca that he likes her too and claimed that he didn't want to date any other women. The couple shared a deep, passionate kiss. One thing led to another and somehow they ended up on their backs in the sand. Becca suddenly pulled away from Leo. Leo assured Becca that he knew about her decision to remain sexually inactive until she was in love. "But I think I am in love," Becca said with a look of astonishment on her face.
Dixie's face twisted and turned as she hovered in the doorway. Edmund sensed that Dixie wanted to speak to him about his planned marriage proposal. He asked her to meet him in the study so that they could talk in private. Dixie nodded her head, but before she could take more than a few steps she tumbled to the ground. Alex and Edmund raced to her side. Edmund was sent off to fetch Alex's medical bag. As Alex checked Dixie's vital signs, David arrived at the house. He immediately took over the case. Dixie remained semi-conscious, though her condition greatly worried David. Some time passed and Dixie eventually regained full consciousness. She blinked her eyes several times and asked David why and how he'd gotten to Wildwind. David urged Dixie to remain still; he said that he was going to take her to the hospital for some tests. Dixie insisted that she felt fine, but Alex concurred with David's professional opinion. Fussing the whole way, David walked Dixie to the door and the pair headed off to the hospital. After they'd left, Alex asked Edmund if he knew why Dixie had dropped by. Edmund nodded his head. Before he could be pressured into an answer, the doorbell rang. Mateo wandered into the parlor and asked his brother-in-law why he'd summoned him to the castle. Alex knew that that was her cue to make herself scarce. She mused that she was going to find Maddie and ask her if she knew what was going on. Edmund sat Mateo down on the sofa and told him that he wanted to ask Alex to marry him. Mateo smiled broadly and told Edmund that he didn't need to ask his permission to do anything; he also reminded Edmund that both he and Isabella had previously given their blessing to his relationship with Alex. Edmund was relieved, but he was also put in a bit of a bind --- he had no idea how or where to propose to Alex. Mateo took to the phone and called in a favor to a friend. Later, when Alex returned to the room, Mateo made up a bogus claim about having been there to talk about going to a baseball game. Once Mateo left, Alex again asked Edmund what secret he was keeping from her. Edmund flashed a broad smile and continued to play his cat-and-mouse game. Finally, though, Edmund told Alex that he'd come clean. Edmund explained that he wanted to take Alex out for dinner at a classy restaurant. The restaurant was book solid, so Edmund asked Mateo, who was supposedly friends with the restaurant's owner, call in a favor to get a reservation. Dixie, on the other hand, had dropped by to help Edmund go shopping for a present for Alex. Or at least that was Edmund's assertion. Alex smiled happily and teased Edmund about wearing clean socks to their dinner date.
David carried Dixie through the door to her home. Dixie, of course, was furious with David for treating her like she was dying. David had already bowed to Dixie's "stubborn" ways; he had backed down from taking her to the hospital for tests. David instructed Dixie to take a few days to rest, but Dixie wasn't about to do that. She chalked up her fainting spell to a skipped breakfast. When Dixie announced that she wanted to show up for work in the morning, David responded quite surprisingly --- he fired her. Dixie protested the firing, saying that she would show up every day for work regardless of her employment status. David feared that the stress at work --- or at least the stress for the Dimitri saga --- would cause Dixie to suffer a relapse. "There is not going to be a happy ending" to the Alex, Dimitri and Edmund situation, David explained. "Someone will get hurt." Dixie sighed softly. David told Dixie to get some rest. No sooner had he said the words and Dixie was curled up on the sofa. She fell asleep quickly, but in the process her arm fell over the edge of the sofa. David gently picked up her arm and checked her pulse. Then, he gave her hand a kiss and continued to watch over her.
Phoebe returned from her outing with Juanita earlier than expected. Brooke was still noticeably upset about her abbreviated luncheon with Eliot. Phoebe thought that Brooke might have learned something troubling about the minister, but Brooke assured her that that was not the case. She muttered that Eliot had served time for stealing, though she let it be known that she had no idea what he'd stolen. She questioned why Eliot was still so troubled about his crime. Phoebe was not at all impressed by Brooke's gesture of confessing to killing Jim Thomasen. In short, she just didn't see the necessity of doing such a thing. Brooke angrily snapped that her aunt would never be satisfied with anything she does; she complains when she's alone and she grumbles about her relationships with men. Phoebe puckered her lips and apologized for seeming judgmental. Brooke, in turn, apologized for snapping at her aunt. It became clear to Phoebe that Brooke had developed feelings for Eliot. Brooke nodded her head and confirmed her aunt's beliefs. Brooke, however, was almost certain that any future with Eliot had been shattered.
Eliot rode his bicycle to the park where he met with Reverend Taylor, the church's senior pastor. Eliot told Reverend Taylor that he had finally had the opportunity to come clean with Brooke. The senior reverend smiled proudly and told Eliot that he knew how hard it must have been for him. Eliot dropped his head in shame and said that while he had the opportunity to make the confession, he was unable to go through with it. Like Phoebe had done with Brooke, Reverend Taylor sensed that Eliot had developed feelings for Brooke. Eliot questioned why he'd allowed himself to get involved with Brooke. His feelings, he sighed, would make his need to tell Brooke the truth all that much harder. Reverend Taylor warned Eliot that sooner or later the truth would come out. It always does. Eliot worriedly said that Brooke could not learn the truth from anyone but him.
"You think you love me?" Leo asked in astonishment. Becca nodded, but told Leo that she did not expect him to him to say it back. Leo told Becca that he loves "being with" her. Becca confessed that she always thinks about Leo and that she's miserable when she's not around him. Leo reached down and gently caressed Becca's thighs. He immediately noticed that the young woman was trembling. He asked her if she was cold or afraid, but Becca claimed that she was fine. A little more kissing ensued, but it came to an abrupt end. Becca asked Leo if they could go somewhere "a little more private." Leo, however, felt that that would be a bad idea. He looked tenderly at Becca and told her that she wasn't ready to make love just yet. Surprisingly, Becca insisted that she wanted to be with Leo. Leo kindly asked Becca to gather her things so that he could take her home. Becca pursed her lips together angrily and noisily gathered her belongings.
Brooke dropped by the hospital to tell Joe that she was going to have some of Tempo's sources dig up any information they could find about Jake. Tad thanked Brooke on his family's behalf. Gillian, who was also there, said that she had a "good feeling" about everything and was sure that Jake would be home soon. Her remark that "it's going to be all over," however, drew a curious glance from Tad. An out of breath Adrian raced into the sunroom with a surprising announcement: Jake had been found. What was even more surprising was the fact that while Jake was in an area that remained under attack, he had no intention of returning home to Pine Valley. Brooke took the information that Adrian had given her and said that she'd relay it to her sources in Moscow.
In the corridor, Eliot spotted Brooke. He approached her and asked her if she was okay; he'd mistakenly thought that Brooke might have gone to the hospital because she was ill. Brooke briefed the reverend on the latest news about Jake. Brooke told Eliot that she felt badly about what had happened between them. She now felt that they could not carry on a normal conversation. "You don't owe me any explanation about your past," she stated. Eliot noted that part of getting to know someone is getting to know that person's past. Brooke wondered if Eliot had been right when he said that the truth is never as bad as one imagines it to be. Eliot swallowed hard and said nothing. A second or two passed before Eliot asked Brooke if she'd like to join him for a cup of coffee. Brooke shook her head and said that she had some work to finish.
Adrian received a phone call from him informant and headed off to continue trying to get more information about Jake. Tad and Joe discussed the latest findings, unaware that Gillian had disappeared. Joe figured that it must be a very trying time for Gillian and commented that she'd been holding up remarkably well. Tad nodded his head and said that he was going to try to find Gillian.
Dixie awoke and found David kneeling beside her. The doctor smiled tenderly at his patient and told her that he wanted to check her pulse. Though she must have been relieved to hear that her pulse was normal, Dixie remained insistent that she was fine --- that she'd fainted only because she'd skipped breakfast. David figured that Dixie had gone to Wildwind to tell Edmund and Alex about Dimitri. Dixie dipped her head slightly and nodded. Dixie explained that she hates having to lie to everyone. David, however, argued that they had to do what was in everyone's best interest. "Nobody wants to know the truth, Dixie, about themselves or anybody else," David said softly. Dixie questioned David about his future and his desire to start a family. David laughed nervously and claimed that talk of settling and starting a family was premature, especially since he and Erica are once again on the outs. "[Relationships are] a real pain in the butt," Dixie replied. "But it's very much worth it." David turned and started to walk towards the door. He told Dixie that he was going to try to find Erica and work out their difference. Before leaving, he flashed Dixie a smile and told her that she wasn't really fired.
In her office at Enchantment, Erica proudly showed off the company's newest shade of lipstick. Bianca sort of crinkled her brow and questioned why it took over two months to make a tube of lipstick. Nevertheless, Bianca accepted her mother's offer to send a tube of lipstick to every one of her friends. An awkward silence fell over the office when Erica announced that she'd get twenty to thirty tubes ready; Bianca said that she'd really only need about four tubes of lipstick. A look of horror swept over Bianca's face when her mother announced that she wanted to give her a makeover. "Can't you get used to me the way I am before you start changing me?" Bianca asked painfully. Erica swore that she loved the perfect, beautiful, young woman her daughter had grown into. However, Erica grinned toothily as she reminded Bianca that she's made a fortune helping people perfect upon perfection. Erica hinted that one day the entire Enchantment empire would belong to her daughter --- if she wanted it. Erica followed up her offer with a statement about wanting her daughter to do whatever makes her happy. Bianca pointedly turned the question on her mother, asking her if she was truly happy. Erica attempted to profess that she was very happy, but Bianca reminded Erica that she'd heard her argument with her boyfriend. "Dr. Hayward is not my boyfriend," Erica clarified. "He's asked me to marry him." Seemingly from out of nowhere, Bianca asked her mother if she'd loved her father, Travis. Erica's neck snapped back and she asked if someone had been filling her head with lies. Bianca quickly replied that she's old enough to make her own observations and hadn't been brainwashed by anyone. "Did you marry him because you were in love with him or because you were afraid of being alone?" Bianca snapped. Erica stated that she had loved Travis and said that she and Travis still loved Bianca very much. Bianca rolled her eyes and snapped that she didn't need to be told that her parents' divorce was not her fault. Again, Erica's eyes bulged. The door to the office opened suddenly and Ryan strolled inside. He asked Erica if she was ready to discuss business with him. Erica took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure. Bianca started to turn and said that she'd leave them alone to talk business. Erica asked her daughter to stick around and listen to what Ryan had to say. She then turned to Ryan and warned him that it was her daughter, not herself, that asked the "tough questions." Ryan made his pitch for Incredible Dreams and won over both Kane women. Bianca chirped merrily about the concept of having any dream fulfilled. Erica smiled and told Ryan that she'd contact her attorneys to work out the legal details as soon as possible. Gillian phoned Ryan's cellular phone and asked that he meet her in the park as soon as possible. Ryan filed out of the office and Erica quickly rejoined the conversation that she'd been having with he daughter prior to Ryan's arrival. Bianca tried to brush off her line of questioning, but Erica felt that her daughter had a very valid point. Why, Erica asked, couldn't she make any of her relationships last? "The answer is I don't know," Erica replied bluntly. "Every time I fall in love, honey, I am so sure that it's going to last forever. And when it doesn't, it hurts me very, very much." Erica swore that she was not going to give up until she finds a love that lasts. Almost on cue, David walked into the office. Bianca took one glance at David and said that she was going to take a tour of the makeup lab.
Becca returned to Tad and Dixie's house and told Dixie of her encounter with Leo on the beach. Dixie was amazed that Becca had almost given into her desires. She was not, however, surprised when Becca admitted that she would have felt horribly afterward.
Leo, meanwhile, returned to Erica's house and found Bianca sitting on the porch, music blaring from a portable radio. Bianca said that her loud music was an attempt to make her forget about the horrible morning she'd had. Leo grumbled that he hadn't had such a great day either. Aloud, he asked why he had passed on the opportunity to have sex. Leo told Bianca about Becca's desire to remain a virgin until she was in love. Bianca smiled slightly and said that the idea was "kind of cool." Leo candidly asked Bianca if she was still a virgin. Bianca blushed and confessed that she was only 16 and had other things on her mind. Bianca turned the tables on Leo by asking a difficult question of her own. She asked if Leo wanted to make love to Becca because he was in love with her or because he just wanted to have sex. Leo rose to his feet and nervously chattered that he needed to take a shower.
Brooke ended up on the beach. Though she'd tried to lose Eliot along the way, the bike-riding minister had somehow managed to keep pace. Eliot told Brooke that he wanted to talk to her about what she'd said at the hospital --- that they could not carry on a normal conversation any more. Brooke explained that she couldn't live her life as a normal person any more. She noted that her life was divided into two different parts --- life before Laura's death and life after it. Eliot praised Brooke for her many accomplishments since Laura's death, but Brooke felt "something is missing" from her life... something that has made her incomplete. Eliot reminded Brooke that she was blessed with a son, family and wonderful friends. Brooke, however, felt that she was slighting those she held dear because she wasn't totally happy in her own life "I want joy in my life again. I want to feel whole," Brooke sniffled. Brooke went on to say that she's gotten "accustomed" to her loneliness and has worn it as a badge of honor. Eliot apologized for bringing this pain back into Brooke's life. He told her that he wished he could go back in time and change what had happened to her. "I'm no looking for a miracle," she replied quietly. Brooke reached up and gently brushed Eliot's cheek. Slowly and hesitantly, Eliot bent downward and he and Brooke kissed.
In the park, Gillian told Ryan that Jake had been found and that he didn't want to return to Pine Valley. "It's time that I got involved in this," Ryan said confidently. He announced that he planned to go to Chechnya and bring Jake home himself. Gillian pleaded with Ryan to reconsider because she said that she could not risk losing him. Ryan promptly responded that he was not doing this for her; he was doing if for both of them.
David walked towards Erica and informed her that he'd asked her secretary to hold her calls. Erica snidely remarked that she didn't think that they had anything more to say. David responded that whether or not they had anything more to say was entirely dependent upon Erica. It took little more than a second or two for Erica to bring up the fact that she believed that David and Alex were having an affair. David finally corrected her; he stated that he had been comforting Alex. Erica suspiciously, but perhaps justifiably, asked David why he'd been with Alex. After all, they pretty much loathed one another. "Tell me that you love me," David demanded. Erica bowed her head to avoid eye contact with her lover. She softly stated that she's told Tad how she feels many, many times. Erica accused David of having a wall around his heart. David didn't argue the point, but asked Erica to remember his upbringing. Near the verge of tears, Erica looked sorrowfully at David. "I know what I need from the man I love, just like you do," she said. "And the fact is I don't love you the way you need me to. And I don't think that you love me the way I need to be loved." With tears forming in his eyes, David told Erica that he's loved her more than any other person. Erica, her voice cracking, told David that he's given her some of the happiest moments in her life. David gently stroked Erica's chin and told her goodbye. Though it looked liked David was going to give her a farewell kiss, David pulled away and walked slowly towards the door. He stopped once and turned back towards Erica... but he continued on his way out the door. Erica put her hand to her face and struggled to contain the sorrow that was raging inside her. She took several deep breaths to regain her composure before returning to her desk. There, she picked up the phone and prepared to take her mind off of her troubles by planning a party for Bianca.
