Ryan learns that David brewed up a truth serum and slipped some to Greenlee. Meanwhile, Greenlee and Kendall watch from the wings as Simone gets Jonathan to drink some wine laced with the serum. Ryan storms out when he overhears Greenlee asking Jonathan if he poisoned her.
The truth serum causes Jonathan to admit to Ryan that their father mentally abused him when Ryan ran away from home and that their mother was always in a drunken stooper. Jonathan says that their brother poisoned Greenlee.
Simone accidentally takes a sip of the serum and surprises Tad with the truth. Thanks to JR, Tad's p.i. license is revoked and David's cabin is set to be torn down. JR warns Babe and Jamie that he's out to destroy them. Certain that Lily witnessed the events that lead up to Edmund's murder, Erica tells Jack that he has to let Lily try to express those memories.
Opal, Myrtle, Anita and Brooke are gathered at Wildwind to offer support and comfort Maria who is still reeling from Edmund's death. Brooke let's Maria know that the limo was ready to take her to the airport where Sammy is soon due to arrive. Before she can leave for the airport though Erica arrives. Maria is less than happy to see her, convinced that Erica's reason for being at Wildwind have little to do with offering her condolences. Maria's patience quickly reaches it's limits as Erica gives Myrtle a hug and starts talking about Edmund. She demands to know why Erica is really there, calling her of being a phony and suspecting her of having an agenda. Maria asks her if it's to gloat over Maria's misery and asks her if she feels Maria had it coming to her. She goes on, accusing Erica of loving the fact that she had caught Maria and Zach in the cemetery that long ago night and running to Edmund with the news of what she perceived as Maria's betrayal. Erica counters, pointing out that Maria did betray Edmund with Zach and suggesting that Maria lead Zach on which ultimately lead to him killing Edmund. Maria is shocked beyond words and leaves the room.
Brooke meanwhile ushers Erica away and confronts her about her own past. Erica in turn expresses her disgust how everyone is standing by an undeserving Maria whom she feels used Zach and Edmund and pitted them against each other. Disgusted with Erica's attitude, Brooke orders her to leave but Erica ignores her, instead bringing up Jamie's current state of affairs. Brooke's anger mounts and lets Erica know, in no uncertain terms, to leave her son alone or suffer the consequences before once again insisting on Erica leaving Wildwind. Erica responding by expressing mock sympathy for Brooke's own grief over losing the man she loved but could never hold on to. At that point Anita approaches the two and warns Erica to back off. She doesn't. She turns her wrath on Anita, blaming both her and Aidan for Lily's current traumatized state. Erica then shocks both women when she tells them that Lily had witnessed Edmund's murder.
As the judge brings the court proceedings to a close, Ethan thanks Livia for expediting things and getting his charges dropped. Kendall then asks Ethan how he would like to celebrate before making several romantic suggestions. Ethan tells that he would love to do everything that she suggested but first he would like to watch Zach be arraigned for Edmund's murder. Kendall is a little taken aback, worried that Ethan's obsession with seeing Zach punished will hurt him in the end. She tries to get through to him by sharing her own painful history with her father but it doesn't seem to have much impact on Ethan.
Aidan pays a visit to Zach in jail. He wastes no time pointing out that while Zach admitted to killing Edmund and had it in him to carry it out he doubts Zach would have deceived Maria like that. His suspicions are further piqued by the fact that for months Zach had denied the accusations that he shot Ryan so it doesn't make sense he'd suddenly confess. Zach has little to say to that and is saved from being questioned by Aidan further when his attorney arrives to discuss the case before their appearance in court.
As Zach is brought before the judge, Maria takes a seat next to Aidan to watch the proceedings. Zach makes quick work of the proceedings when he tells the judge to make things easy on all involved he should just lock him up and throw away the key. The judge isn't impressed. He warns Zach's attorney to get a handle on his client and then denies granting Zach bail until the trial. After Zach is brought back to his cell, Maria pays him a visit. She demands that he assure her that he did not kill Edmund because of her.
After being paged in court, Aidan arrives at Wildwind. Anita and Brooke are frantic because they can't find Maria. He tells Anita that he had just left Maria behind at the courthouse. Anita is puzzled as to why she would be there but Brooke isn't. She understands Maria's need to see her husband's murderer face a judge. Anita then tells Aidan that the reason she paged him was because of Lily, then proceeds to tell him what Erica had revealed earlier.
Later, at Jack's apartment, Erica remembers the events that lead to her suspecting that Lily had witnessed Edmund's murder. A knock at the door reveals Aidan who is there to question Lily about the murder.
A furious Greenlee goes to confront David about telling Ryan about the truth serum he had given her. He tries to explain that he told Ryan because he thought she was planning on using it on him. He goes on to tell her that he was worried about her. Greenlee scoffs at the mere suggestion that David gave her more than a passing thought. She reminds him that months before she had come to him, worried about her mental state and he had promised to check her out only he didn't. He was too concerned about Babe to follow up on his promise and as a result she ended up nearly taking a flying leap off of a building and then wound up in the psych ward. David is shocked, having no idea that Greenlee had been committed. She goes on to share with him her suspicions about Jonathan being behind the drugging and then further shocks him with the revelation that Jonathan abused Maggie who subsequently has left town. David, having no idea that Maggie had been hurt much less left town, is livid. He reaches for a vial, intending to confront Jonathan but Greenlee stops him. She tells him that killing him won't solve a thing. David assures her that he had no intention of killing him, just deaden his violent tendencies. After Greenlee leaves, David calls Ryan and leaves him a message warning him to take care of Jonathan or he will.
Jonathan wakes up to be informed by an angry Ryan that he had confessed to poisoning Greenlee. Jonathan is confused and denies the accusation. He tells Ryan that he didn't do it but Ryan is adamant that Jonathan confessed and is guilty. Furious, he reminds Jonathan about how much he risked for his brother. He then demands to know the details about Jonathan's actions. Jonathan continues to deny poisoning Greenlee but Ryan is relentless in his pursuit of the truth. Backed into a corner, Jonathan makes a startling revelation. He admits that Ryan's brother did poison Greenlee but it wasn't Jonathan, it was Braden. Ryan is stunned then immediately rejects the mere suggestion that Braden was behind the poisoning, pointing out that, given his history 5 years ago, if he showed his face in town everyone would know. Desperate to convince Ryan that he's telling the truth, Jonathan confesses that approximately a year ago, before Jonathan came to town, he was awoken one night to find Braden, drunk and unstable, sitting on the side of his bed watching him much as their father Patrick used to. Braden, it seems, had broken into Jonathan's apartment and told him a story about having been hospitalized in Canada and receiving anti psychotic medication that he didn't like so he had stopped taking the medication. According to Jonathan, it was the same drug that was used to poison Greenlee. Ryan still refuses to believe Jonathan. He asks him why Braden would want to hurt Ryan. Jonathan tells him that Braden felt Ryan wasn't entitled to the Cambias fortune after what he did to him. Seeing a hole in the story, Ryan points out that he did nothing but protect him but Jonathan counters, claiming Braden felt abandoned by Ryan in the end and was intent on punishing Ryan for that. Jonathan then confesses that the real reason he came to Pine Valley was to protect Ryan from Braden. Ryan still refuses to believe Jonathan but decides to play along for the sake of argument, asking him why Braden would want to hurt Greenlee. Jonathan delivers another shock when he tells him that Braden poisoned Greenlee because Ryan didn't die when Braden shot him. Ryan points out that Zach had confessed to the shooting so obviously Braden couldn't have done it but Jonathan is adamant. He tells Ryan that he knows Braden shot Ryan because he was there and saw it happen. He goes on to give Ryan proof that Braden is behind everything when he hands him a note Braden slipped under the door the other night. Ryan unfolds the note and reads aloud: "Jonathan, quit getting in my way. Ryan is going to die and you're not going to stop me." Just then there is a knock at the door. When Ryan goes to answer it, Jonathan stops him, fearing it could be Braden.
At the Valley Inn, Kendall and Ethan are seated at a table and toasting champagne when they are interrupted by JR. He asks what the special occasion is as he joins them. They reply that they are celebrating the charges against Ethan being dropped and Zach's arrest. JR is impressed, calling Ethan the king, but insists that he is gaining his own ground in the revenge department...having put Babe, Jamie, Tad and David behind the wrecking ball. Kendall notices Babe, Jamie and Tad happily laughing at another table and jokes that they don't look very miserable. JR becomes quiet as he watches them intensely. He is annoyed at their happiness and starts to insult them individually. Kendall tries to change the subject by focusing the attention back to their celebration, but Ethan agrees that Babe and the rest of them don't deserve to be happy after what they did to Bianca. Kendall then teases JR to beware of scorned ex-lovers, because you are more likely to be killed by someone you know than by a stranger. He then excuses himself to walk over to Babe, Jamie and Tad's table and throw a few insults their way before leaving the room. Jamie lunges after him, but Tad stops him. A little while later, Babe is in the bathroom and JR enters and locks the door. They exchange a few insults before JR starts to make innuendos about choices. Catching the drift, Babe asks him if he wants her to make a choice between her son and Jamie. He replies that she said it, not him and leaves the room. Back at the table, Tad warns Jamie that he can't let his temper control him when it comes to JR because he'll just use it against Babe when it comes to visitation with her son. He advises him that he can stick it to JR more easily by letting him see them happy together. Across the room, Kendall admits to Ethan that she is worried about his hatred for his father. He is amused by her concern, considering her past with Erica. Kendall tells him that this is why she is an expert in this situation and that hating a parent is like drinking a slow-acting poison...he'll be the one who dies. Later, JR joins them again and Ethan offers him a job with Chandler Enterprises. He agrees, with the stipulation that if Ethan ever hurts Kendall, he will steal her from him. Ethan assures him that it will never happen. Babe returns to her table and Jamie notices that something is wrong. She tells him that she just misses her son. Tad tells them to be patient and smart and not expect tomorrow to be any better...for now. As they get up to leave, Babe stays behind, saying that she has to take care of something. When they are gone, she looks over at JR, who gets up from the other table and gives her a dirty look before walking away. Kendall again voices her concern about Ethan's spite toward his father. He tells her not to worry and he wants her to always be there to pull him past the dark side of Cambias that Zach keeps warning him about. He goes on to tell her that he wants her in his life for many years to come because he loves her. Kendall is surprised by his words.
Standing in Jack's doorway, Erica refuses to let Aidan in to see Lily and tells him that he broke her heart. Aidan assures her that he isn't there to upset Lily. As he walks past her into the apartment, he tells Erica that she doesn't have a choice after what she pulled. Erica is confused, saying that all she did was try to help Lily. Aidan replies that she put her in the line of fire by telling a room full of people that Lily witnessed Edmund's murder. Erica states that Opal and Myrtle are hardly a threat and when Aidan mentions Brooke being a reporter, she assures him that even Brooke wouldn't exploit Lily for a cover story. She goes on to accuse Aidan and Anita of being the insensitive ones who have gotten Lily into this whole mess in the first place. Aidan voices his concern for Lily's safety, but Erica is convinced that she is safe since Zach has been arrested. Aidan reminds her that the murder isn't solved until all of the facts have been obtained and asks again if he could talk to Lily about what she saw that night. Just then, Lily walks into the room. She notices Aidan is there, but walks past him into the kitchen area to make some popcorn. Aidan tries a few times to start a conversation with her, but she says nothing. Worried that he will make her more upset, Erica tries unsuccessfully to kick Aidan out. When he asks Lily if she can spare some time for him because he really needs her help, she tells him that she is off of the case. Elated that Lily actually answered his question, Erica once again tries to get Aidan to leave before he pushes her too far. He ignores Erica, pulls out his cell phone and calls Lily's cell phone. She walks into the living room and answers it. He tells her that it's Aidan and she says that she recognizes his voice. He asks her to help him with a mystery and she asks if she has read it before. He tells her no and that it's the Mystery of the Burning Stables. She hesitates and tells him that he has sixty seconds and starts to count. He asks for a little more time and she gives him 240 seconds. He first tells her that he knows that she feels bad about what happened with him and Anita. She states that they broke up and he is no longer her boyfriend. He says that he still wants to be friends. She asks him if that is his question and he tells her no, that he needs to know if she saw the man in the wheelchair come into the stables the night of the fire. She hesitates and then says yes. Aidan asks her what she saw. She starts to state the number of objects that she saw while she was in the hayloft. He encourages her to go further and tell him if she remembers seeing who hit the man in the wheelchair. Lily has a flashback of seeing Edmund get out of his chair to fix the overturned heater and being hit in the head. When Aidan asks her if she saw someone hit the man in the wheelchair, she says no. He asks her if she is sure and she says yes and then tells him that his 240 seconds are up. She hangs up the phone and walks out of the room, taking her popcorn with her. Once she is gone, Erica is relieved that she didn't actually witness the murder and graciously thanks Aidan for helping to pull Lily out of her shell. Aidan doesn't look convinced with Lily's answer, but keeps it to himself as Erica escorts him to the door. After he is gone, Erica is touched when Lily comes back into the room and offers to share her popcorn with her.
Zach says nothing as Maria questions him in his cell. She remembers him warning her to keep Edmund away from him or it would get ugly. She asks him if that was a threat or a warning because she also remembers him telling her that he would stay away from her as long as Edmund was alive. Emotionally, she pleads with him to tell her that he didn't try to get to her over her husband's dead body. Zach tells Maria that the answers aren't important now that Edmund is dead. She replies that they are important to her and he tells her that it won't change anything. He goes on to say that it won't bring her husband back or ease her mind to know what was going on in his head when he bashed Edmund's brains out with that shovel. Appalled, Maria asks him if he is even human. He tells her that he knows what this is really about. If he killed Edmund to save himself from being discovered, then it would be more bearable to her than if he killed him to be with her. He then asks her what he should do now and how bad does he have to be for her to forgive herself. Unable to take his words anymore, she screams at him to shut up. He goes on to say he did it because shooting Ryan left him spineless and he is a coward and that she can go home with a clear conscience that it wasn't because of her...since that is what she needs to hear. He asks her if they are finished and she yells at him that they are not. She says that she never expected him to turn on her and treat someone he loves with such cold contempt. She goes on to say that she believed him. He fires back that they are where they are now because she believed Edmund, not him. Upset, she screams that she doesn't know what's worse, his lies or that he believes them. He asks her about the lies that she is telling herself. She interrupts by stating that she loved her husband and asks him what it was that they actually shared in the desert. She thought that he would never harm Edmund because it would hurt her and she was a fool to believe him. He tells her that they should end it at that...he is a coward and she is a fool. She walks away in shock.
As someone knocks on Jonathan's door, he begs Ryan to hide next door because he thinks it could be Braden. Ignoring him, Ryan answers it and it is Greenlee, who has come to confront Ryan with what happened. She tells him that she knows that they are not thrilled with each other right now and starts to suggest that they have it out when he interrupts her with a big embrace. She gives Jonathan a confused look and asks Ryan what happened. Ryan orders Jonathan to tell Greenlee the truth. He admits to her that it is his fault that she was poisoned. She asks Ryan if he confessed, but Jonathan quickly adds that it was actually their brother, Braden, who did it and he should have stopped him. Greenlee immediately dismisses his words as another lie. She goes on to say how convenient it is for Jonathan to put the blame on someone who has been missing for five years and that it smells fishy. Ryan agrees and states that either Jonathan is delusional or a pathological liar. Greenlee believes that he is both. Jonathan pleads for them to hear him out and Ryan gives him the chance, but wants to know the whole truth. Ryan shows Greenlee the letter that is supposedly from Braden. She asks him if it is his handwriting and he says that it is possible, but it could have been forged. Ryan asks Jonathan if he is supposed to believe that Braden would take all this time to stalk him and try to kill him over the jealousy that he inherited the Cambias fortune. Jonathan says yes and that Braden also felt that Ryan turned his back on him before he skipped town. Greenlee quickly interrupts that Ryan put his neck on the line for Braden. He replies that Braden is messed up. They ask him why he didn't warn them, if he knew that Braden was in town and what was going on in his head. Jonathan answers that he knew Braden had problems, but that he didn't know about the rape and thought that he could stop Braden without Ryan getting hurt. Ryan asks about getting shot. Jonathan tells him that he found Braden that night just after he got off the first shot and tackled him before he could fire another one. He goes on to tell them that when Braden's plan to kill Ryan backfired, he found another way to make Ryan pay by poisoning Greenlee, the person who meant the most to him. Ryan wants to know why he would go so far as to frame Ethan and Kendall for the shooting and poisoning, knowing that they were in danger and sending the police in the wrong direction. He doesn't answer. Greenlee asks if the "B" written in his address book referred to Braden. He confirmed that it did. Greenlee then admits to Ryan that she had looked through the stuff that he had left at Maggie's to obtain this information. Jonathan tells them that he handled it all wrong and that he was trying to buy time. He goes on to say that his only defense is that he was trying to stick by Braden and help pull him through this, just like Ryan has been doing with him these past few weeks. Greenlee then asks him how Braden got close enough to slip her the drugs. Jonathan reluctantly admits that he allowed Braden to meet him a few times at Fusion and their loft. Hearing this angers Ryan even further. He asks him why he would let Braden into their home, knowing he had it out for them. Jonathan replies that Braden assured him that he was o.k. with everything and Jonathan wanted to believe it and that he wasn't like their father. Greenlee tells Ryan that the only proof they have of this accusation is Jonathan's word and the note. Jonathan tells them there is something else and pulls out a scrapbook that has newspaper clippings of all the events that have happened to Ryan in the recent past. There are personal captions written above the articles and Ryan admits that the handwriting does look like Braden's. Ryan leaves with Greenlee, taking the scrapbook and ordering Jonathan to stay put. Jonathan sits down with a worried look on his face.
Greenlee and Ryan arrive at the police station and give Derek the scrapbook, asking him to run it for Braden's fingerprints. Confused, Derek asks them if he is back in town and what this is all about. As Maria walks into the room, she hears them tell Derek that Braden might be responsible for the shooting and poisoning. Derek agrees to run the scrapbook for prints and leaves to do so. Maria walks up to them and asks if she heard them right because Zach had just admitted to the same crimes. They confirm that there is a possibility that Zach is innocent. After a while, Derek walks back into the room with the scrapbook in an evidence bag and confirms that Braden's fingerprints are all over it, as well as the note. Ryan, Greenlee and Maria are standing there as Derek escorts Zach into the room. He asks what this is all about. Ryan and Greenlee tell him that he is not responsible for their shooting and poisoning and ask him why he lied. Before he can answer, Maria asks if he lied about killing Edmund.
Kendall and Ethan are sitting at a table at the Valley Inn, and she still can't believe that he said those three magic words: I love you. Ethan yells it out in proof, but that isn't the problem she is having. There are voices in her head and they are all saying something different: believe him, don't believe him, tell him to run for his life...and she doesn't know what to do. He asks what her body is telling her to do. She gives him a look, and he tells her that they are done with the meal and he has paid the bill - they could go. They quickly grab their things and head out the door.
As they leave, Stuart comes into the dining room and spots Babe. She waves him over and they exchange initial pleasantries. He asks how she and Jamie are doing. She tells him that they are okay, but they could be better. She once again admits to missing her little boy, and asks whether Stuart can convince JR to give her more time. Stuart tells her that he doesn't think he can, but she feels that because JR loves him, he has a chance of using that influence. Stuart clarifies and says that he doesn't know if he wants to help her. Babe tells Stuart that she understands if he wants to side with family, but Stuart immediately corrects her and says that she is still part of his family. Confused, she reminds him that he was supportive of them taking the baby, and even helped Liza take off with Colby. Admitting his part, Stuart says that one of the problems he had with how everything went is that she allowed JR to believe his baby was dead. She tells him that she did what she had to do to protect her son from JR and keep him safe, and Stuart reminds her that in the end, JR still has custody and her mother is in jail. They talk more about all of the decisions that she made in the name of "doing the right thing" - like keeping Miranda, telling JR that it was their baby, and effectively choosing JR over Bianca. Babe says that looking back, she feels like garbage for the things that she did. Stuart tells her that he just wants to make things better, but she feels the only way that can happen is if he could go back to the crash and stop Paul Cramer from switching the babies. Stuart tells her that it started way before that - and it started with her, and her inability to tell the truth.
They revisit the days when Babe first came to town and how she was such a breath of fresh air in the Chandler mansion and the lives housed within. She admits that even back then, she made a lot of mistakes - but that she chose to keep them to herself because she was so afraid of hurting JR. The point, Stuart says, is that JR found anyway. She still tries to defend her actions by saying that JR changed when he found out. It was like the bad part of him found some fertilizer and water, grew up out of the ground and took over. Stuart considers this for a moment and then asks if she ever considered that she was the one holding the watering can. Babe tells him that she isn't solely responsible for what JR became - he was half bad when they met. Stuart tells her that if she had made different choices, she could have helped the good side win. He goes on to tell her that even though she did many wrong things for the right reason, the ends don't justify the means. She says that she did everything she could to save her son - and he interrupts and says that there was one exception: she never opted to tell the truth. As she slowly starts to realize that she needs to accept more responsibility for the way things are, Stuart tells her that he knows she and JR both did wrong. He says he feels sorry for both of them, but he just wants her to understand her part in the whole mess. She thanks Stuart for loving her enough to tell her what she needed to hear, and he rewards her with a surprise. He smuggled out a homemade album filled with pictures of her son. While looking at it, Babe realizes that she needs to do whatever it takes to be a better person - a better mother...one that her little boy deserves.
JR shows up on the PVU campus and finds Jamie in the student lounge typing up an econ paper. Jamie thinks his brother has too much free time on his hands - finding him first at lunch at the Valley Inn, and now school. JR smugly apologizes for ruining their lunch, but Jamie says that aside from her crab cakes getting cold, they had a great time. Knowing that Jamie is unaware of what transpired between he and Babe, JR continues to try to goad Jamie into a fight, but he goes largely ignored. Finally, JR starts to get closer to his point of being there. He shows Jamie an honorary MBA that he received from the dean during a meeting in his office that morning. Jamie asks if that is supposed to mean something to him, and JR tells him that it will - once Tad and/or Brooke realize just how much money they are going to have shell out in order for Jamie to get a college education. Realization slowly dawning, an old familiar flare comes back into Jamie's eye. As JR waits for his brother to physically react, Jamie reconsiders because of what his father said about staying in control and not giving JR any ammunition. Instead, he retells a story of when the brothers were in elementary school, and JR really wanted to be captain of the kickball team. He lost to a classmate named Billy, and later that day Billy fell off the monkey bars and hurt himself. JR said that it was an accident, but Jamie notes that JR would be the only one that knew the truth since he was the only one up there at the same time. The outcome was that JR got the coveted position. Irritated, JR asks what the relevance of bringing up that story. Jamie says that JR can push as hard as he'd like, but he refuses to go down.
JR sticks around, still trying to rile up his brother. He asks why Jamie's bothering to write the econ paper, given that it's months late. Jamie tells him that he has a family to think about. JR tells him that he and Babe alone do not a family make, and that they will not throw his son into his fantasy mix. Just as Jamie tells him that it's not a fantasy, the dean shows up at their table. They both stand up to greet him, and he tells Jamie that by taking an unapproved leave of absence from the university and committing capital crimes, he has gone against the honor code that he signed upon entering the university. Jamie tells the dean that the charges were dropped. Nevertheless, Jamie gave PVU a lot of bad press with his actions, and his kind of behavior would not be tolerated. Therefore, the university officials decided that they would not be readmitting him to classes there - now, or in the future. The dean leaves, and Jamie is left in disbelief. He asks how JR could pay off the school in such a way that his brother is now denied an education. He doesn't believe that simply writing a check would do it, as it would be embarrassing to the school. JR then tells him that he is celebrating the return of his son by underwriting the funding for a new music wing. Taking that into consideration, Jamie feels that JR proved that he and Babe control his life. JR scoffs, but Jamie reminds him that he did just drop a bunch of money to make Jamie switch schools. JR ignores him and simply says that he should dump Babe because it's only going to cause him heartache and pain. Jamie informs his brother that the only thing he will do to Babe is make her his wife, and thanks him for the divorce.
Derek, Ryan, Greenlee and Maria are still trying to figure out if Zach's confession is false or if there is any weight to it. Derek informs Zach that Ryan and Greenlee don't think he is guilty of the poisoning or shooting. Maria interrupts and asks Zach if he told the truth about killing Edmund. Zach remains silent, and Derek further informs him that false confession and obstruction of justice carry hefty penalties of their own. Greenlee tries to reach Zach's emotional side by offering to tell him what they are going through, and reminding him that if he isn't guilty, they are still targets. Maria interjects and reminds the room that Zach doesn't really care about anyone else's pain. Finally speaking up, Zach says that as their one and only suspect, there shouldn't be a problem. Taking in the looks on the faces in the room, he realizes that there is now reasonable doubt. He asks if it's Ryan's brother and then which one - the one that hit Maggie or the one that raped Jackson's sister? Derek notes that Zach knows a lot more about what's going on in Pine Valley than he let on, but the comment is ignored. Zach states that they have his confession and then some: they have his son as an eyewitness. He notes that everyone thinks Ethan is pure, noble and incorruptible - and his word is as good as gold. All things considered, Zach wants to know what other problems Maria has. The question goes unanswered, and Derek reminds Zach that if indeed Braden is guilty of the poisoning and the shooting, he would be cleared. Zach takes his turn in refreshing memories and says that he would still have the murder charge to deal with. Then, he turns to Ryan and asks for information about Braden. Ryan, giving as good as he gets, refuses to say anything. He simply wants to know exactly what Zach did and did not do. Zach feigns sadness and asks Ryan not to shut him out. He says it's their turn to bond - one rapist's brother to another. He admits that while he never went to jail for his brother, he did defend him against all of the accusations - just as Ryan did. Ryan repeats his request for the desired information but Zach just says that they all need him to be guilty. Ryan repeats himself again, and Zach tells them that it's amazing how someone that you loved, who you thought loved you, could cause such an incredible amount of pain in your life. This gets to Maria, who drops her head into her hands. Greenlee is absolutely livid that Zach is giving them a verbal runaround and is refusing to help. Frustration boiling over, they start to leave. Ryan advises Maria to cut Zach loose, as he isn't worth the time, and they storm out. Derek starts to take Zach away again, but Maria asks for more time. She looks at Zach and pleads with him - for what they had in the casita, for what she thought was love - surrender the truth. Zach asks why she wants to go through the pain again, and she says that Edmund deserves that much. Finally giving in, he asks Derek for some privacy and time alone with Maria. Derek agrees, and as he starts to walk out, Zach rips a hidden microphone from under the desk and hands it over.
Zach tells Maria that what they had in the desert - making love every day and showing how much they loved each other - that is the truth. It's not what Maria wants to hear, so Zach asks why she's there. She tells him that it's because her children will never get to see or hear their father again, and she won't be able to kiss the man she loves more than life anymore. Zach tries to remind her that Edmund wasn't a saint by repeating that Edmund could walk. She cuts him off and says that she asked his physical therapist, and that claim was denied. She goes on to tell him that nothing he can say or do now can change that Edmund was an incredible man. She simply asks for the truth: is Zach the reason that her husband is no longer alive? Zach acquiesces and says that he will tell her exactly how Edmund died. He tells her that he went to Wildwind that night to see her, but that he met up with Ethan at the front door. Ethan indicated that he wanted to talk to his father in private, so they went to the tack room. When his back was turned, Ethan hit him over the head with a shovel. When he came to, Ethan was gone and Edmund was there. He goes on to tell her that Edmund told him he was saving Maria, and repeatedly taunted him with that knowledge. Finally, it became too much, and he cracked Edmund over the head with the shovel to get some peace. He punctuates his story by slamming his hand on the table, and says he hit Edmund so hard, he flew out of his chair. Continuing, Zach says that he then decided he needed to cover his tracks, so he tipped the space heater over into the hay. Just then, he felt eyes on him and he turned to see Ethan standing in the doorway. Unsure of how much he heard or saw, Zach says that he thought it best to act as if he was helping. The combination of the gory details and Zach's nonchalance has Maria in tears once again. Once she regains some of her composure, she asks if she had a hand in her husband's death. Did she unwittingly fuel his desire to get rid of Edmund by constantly coming to him and failing to resist his advances? Callously, Zach tells her that they are done and that she should go bury her husband.
A short time later, Kendall and Ethan arrive home and have some small talk before they make love. Afterwards, he quips that when he pulled her from the ocean, he didn't know how great the catch was. She thanks him for giving her back her life, but he insists she had one before. Kendall tells him that it wasn't anything like what she is feeling with him now. Just then, Ryan and Greenlee burst into the room and Ryan goes to yank Ethan from under the covers. Successful, Ryan then asks a very irate Ethan if he really did see Zach kill Edmund, or if it was something he was throwing around because he hates his father. Ethan says that he gave his statement and that Zach is guilty. He wants Ryan and Greenlee out, but Kendall grabs Ryan's jacket and asks why he needed to know again. He looks at her briefly and then wrenches out of her grip and walks out. Greenlee starts to follow but Kendall stops her and demands to know what's really going on. Greenlee fills Kendall in on Jonathan's story that Braden is back in town, and his plans for Ryan. Kendall acknowledges that the prospect of that is terrifying. She turns to Ethan and starts to think aloud about the ramifications, if it is indeed true. Ethan says that Zach freely admitted that he was the one that poisoned Greenlee and shot Ryan. All he knows (and can testify to) is that he saw Zach kill Edmund. Greenlee looks at them in disbelief, and Kendall snaps her out of her trance by telling her that Ethan shouldn't need to repeat himself anymore. Disgusted, she walks out, leaving the couple alone again. Kendall again expresses her fear over the oldest Lavery brother being in town, but Ethan promises to keep her safe. They kiss, and as they break away, Kendall asks if Ethan was lying to her before. Smirking, and believing he knows what she's talking about, he asks if she means when he told her he loved her. She shakes her head, and says that she was referring to what he said about Zach killing Edmund.
Simone shows up at Jonathan's door at the Valley Inn, determined to get more information out of him. She knocks once and waits a minute. When he doesn't answer right away, she thinks he isn't in. Just then, she hears Jonathan in an argument of some kind, followed quickly by a loud crash. She knocks again, more urgently, and Jonathan finally comes to the door. He steps out into the hallway, refusing to let her inside. She asks what is going on, but he tells her that he's alone and he's fine. He tells her to leave him alone and goes back into the room. After knocking again, Jonathan comes back out into the hallway and asks what Simone wants. She tries to pull one over on him and says that she didn't know that Greenlee and Kendall were spying, or that they had spiked the wine. She tells him that since their evening was a total bust, she wants another shot. He looks at her for a moment, and then tries to ferret out her true intentions. He thinks that she is there to find out if he really is responsible for drugging Greenlee. He tells her that the truth serum thing worked and that he told Ryan everything - closely guarded secrets about his whole life. Feeling backed in a corner, Jonathan starts to verbally lash out and demands that she leave, because they are done. He goes back into the room and slams the door. Not about to be tossed aside so carelessly, Simone takes out her mace and barges into the room. Jonathan tells her that she needs to get out, but armed with mace, she isn't afraid of anything. She says that she won't leave until she figures out what is going on. She sees his furtive glances toward the back room, and she asks who he has stashed away. She starts to head back there, but Jonathan leaps over the bed to try to stop her. She aims the mace at him and he stops in his tracks and looks at her fearfully from the bed. She goes into the back room and demands that whoever is back there get on the floor. A few moments pass, and then she reemerges and announces that there was no one to be found in the other room. Seemingly relieved, Jonathan asks her once again to leave. Reluctant, Simone says that she knows there is something he isn't telling her. He starts to get belligerent again, but she makes him back down by re-aiming the mace. He immediately switches to a more childlike tone of voice, and asks why, if he's never done anything to her, she's bothering him. Clearly spooked by the change, she agrees to leave. She says that she will be back - armed and dangerous - because she needs to know if he is the one that hurt her friends.
Ryan shows up at the boathouse and looks around briefly. He calls out Braden's name a few times, and then, under his breath, invites his older sibling to bring it on. A short time later, Greenlee catches up with him, and she tries to hug him. Ryan rejects her embrace and tells her to go away - and stay away.
Babe and Jamie arrive home and he asks her if she is ready for a surprise. She asks if she will like it, but Jamie gives no clues away. He tells her to close her eyes, and when she does, he leads her to the back patio. Once outside, he tells her to open her eyes. She does, and sees an impressive array of flowers and candlelight. Jamie officially welcomes her to their wedding.
Babe asks Jamie what is going on, just as Tad walks outside and Brooke and David walk inside the Tad's house. Tad, Jamie and Babe go in the living room and Jamie says that he and Babe are getting married. Brooke and David object. Brooke says that Jamie is not ready to get married, but Jamie says that the justice of the peace is on his way. Brooke says that Babe just got divorced and if she marries Jamie now, it will only make JR angry and fuel his revenge plans. Jamie says that maybe she and David should go, but the justice of the peace shows up. David starts opposing saying that Jamie is still in school, but Jamie tells them thanks to JR, he got kicked out of school. Babe yells for everyone to shut up and she and Jamie go talk alone outside. Brooke and David start to follow, but Tad tells them to let the kids work out their problems on their own. Babe tells Jamie that she can not marry him right now because she had a talk with Stuart that made her realize some things. She says that she wants to examine herself and become a better person before marrying Jamie. She just wants to make sure that she does not make bad choices again, like she did with Miranda. Jamie says that she is trying to push him away and whatever she needs help in, they can do it together. Jamie realizes that her choice is about JR and that she is letting him win. Babe denies it, but in the end, Jamie walks off and Babe tells everyone the wedding is off.
Kendall asks Ethan if he really saw Zach kill Edmund because she understands if he lied. She recalls how she thought everything would be happily-ever-after when she came to town looking for her mother. Instead, she lied about Dimitri, her mother stabbed him and went on trial for murder. Ethan says that perhaps Erica deserved it, but now, things are great between her and Kendall. Kendall says that she needs to know he can lie to everyone else, but not her. Ethan admits that he has been lying, but only about some of his angry feelings he has been keeping inside so it would not burden her. Ethan says that he feels responsible for Edmund's death because he did not go with him to the barn. Kendall tells him it is not his fault and Ethan says he hates Zach more than ever now. He says he is scared those feelings with turn into something evil, but Kendall assures him she won't let him change for the worst. He asks her if she believes him and she says yes, then tells him that she loves him. Ethan begins to say that Zach had proof Edmund deceived Maria, then tells Kendall he has to go.
Maria is at the church where Edmund is lying in a closed casket. She lights a candle for him then hugs the casket tearfully. As she tells Edmund that it is their anniversary, Maddie comes inside and says that she killed him. Maddie says that she saw the way her and Zach looked at each other and accuses them of being lovers. She tells Maria that while they all thought she was dead, she was having sex with another man, Zach. Maria tries to hug her, but Maddie steps away. Maria says that she loves her and Sam and they need to stick together because it is what Edmund would want. Maddie disagrees and says he would want her to not cheat on him. She says that her and Zach should have died in the fire, not Edmund, then runs back home. Maria asks Edmund's casket how she can help Maddie, when she probably is a murderer. She continues blaming herself for Edmund's death, citing that she chose to believe Zach over Edmund, and asks for his forgiveness. Myrtle comes in and admits that she overheard some of what Maria said.
Myrtle says that she misjudged Zach too and tells Maria not to blame herself. Maria begins sobbing as Myrtle comforts her.
Ryan tells Greenlee that he is toxic and that she should run away from him. Greenlee says that he is not like Braden or Jonathan, but Ryan argues that he just wants her safe. Greenlee admits that when he ditched her after the poisoning to watch over Jonathan after he hit Maggie, she figured either he thought that she would be OK by herself or he knew Jonathan drugged her and felt that she would just be safer alone. Ryan says that he believed Jonathan poisoned her, he just could not accept it, but thought she would be safe is he just watched over Jonathan. He says that he hates that he choose to believe him over Greenlee. She thanks him for his words, but says that she is still furious with him for not believing her. She and Ryan embrace for a moment. Ryan says that he understands how Jonathan would want to protect him, but Greenlee gets upset. She does not understand how Ryan can not blame Jonathan for what has happened. Ryan says that he did not say he did not blame his brother, he just understands. Ryan tells Greenlee what Jonathan said about how his father would torture him. Greenlee seems sympathetic and says that if their father tried to blame Ryan for everything, maybe Jonathan secretly hates him. Ryan admits it could be true and when Greenlee suggests their next steps, Ryan says she should go stay with Jackson and he is going to find Braden.
Jonathan looks a photo of him, his brothers and parents until Jackson knocks on the door, interrupting his thoughts. When Jonathan answers, he tells Jackson to go away, but Jackson ignore him and walks in. Jackson says that he knows Braden is in town and Jonathan apologizes for Braden's actions. He says that he is trying to protect people from Braden. Jackson says Jonathan is doing anything but that, and today, his law license officially stops being suspended, meaning he can practice law. Jackson asks him where Braden is and Jonathan says he does not know. Jackson does not believe him and says when he finds Braden, they will both go down, then leaves. Kendall is his next visitor and she immediately starts saying negative things, which only ticks him off.
Ethan goes to see Maria and Maddie answers the door. She tells him her mother is not there and does not care if she ever returns then goes upstairs. Ethan walks in and gets the disc from the box. He plays it on a DVD player in Maria's home and sees Edmund walking freely from the building Maria and Zach were trapped in. Ethan calls Edmund a "son of a bitch" and removes the disc right before Maria walks in. She asks him why he is there and what he has in his hand.
