TIME: THE NEXT MORNING, AROUND TEN AM

CORY MANSION/MORNING

AMANDA stands by the phone. She is still in the same clothes she was in the night before, and she looks as though she hasn't slept a bit. RACHEL walks down the stairs into the living room. She stops briefly and casts a sympathetic glance in Amanda's direction, then walks up behind her daughter.

RACHEL
Honey, you should get some sleep.

AMANDA
Sleep? How am I supposed to sleep when my daughter is missing, Mom? I don't know where she is, I don't know who might have her.

RACHEL
If she's with Sean, then she'll be okay. Sean's a streetwise kid. He'll keep her safe.

AMANDA
That worries me even more, Mom...

The doorbell rings. Rachel gives a last look to Amanda then walks to the door. She opens it to find Jake and Vicky.

RACHEL
We haven't heard anything new. Have you heard from them?

Jake walks in without waiting for Rachel to usher him in. Vicky follows.

JAKE
Nothing, nada, zilch. I don't know where they are. The only thing we came up with was a girl who said she THOUGHT she saw someone who looked like Alli getting aboard a train last night. But she couldn't tell us what train, when, or if the girl was with anyone else.

AMANDA
Do you have any idea where Sean might have gone? Does he have any family besides you guys?

JAKE
(shaking his head)
Not that we know of...the only place he might have gone is to the prison to see Kevin.

AMANDA
Then call the prison and make sure they know he might be coming---

VICKY
Already done, Amanda. They're keeping an eye out.

AMANDA
If it weren't for your nephew, my daughter might still be here.

JAKE
Oh, don't try to blame this on us, Amanda! Maybe if you'd paid more attention to your daughter, she wouldn't feel the need to run off---

AMANDA
---maybe if you'd bothered to treat your nephew like family instead of a stray dog, he wouldn't have run off and taken my daughter with him.

VICKY
Stop it, you two! Look, arguing about who's more at fault here isn't going to bring either of the kids back.

RACHEL
Vicky's right. Sniping back and forth won't do any good.

Amanda and Jake still glare at each other.

CUT TO:

BC POLICE STATION/MORNING

JOE is running around the station with files, stopping at various officers' desks. He stops in the middle of the precinct to make an announcement.

JOE
All right, look people! I know we're a little short today, due to this flu epidemic going around, and the fact that several officers are on family leave, but that doesn't mean we can slack off on any of our cases! We've got the robbery at the pier, we've got runaways, and we have a man who's returned from the dead and decided to celebrate by holding people at gunpoint. Remember, all of these cases get the same amount of energy---and hopefully, we'll have at least two of them solved before tonight! So people, let's get to work! (As people begin to drift off in different directions, he starts to yell again) Wait a second, everyone! I forgot the good news! I just got a call from Detective Sinclair. It seems that she and her husband are bringing home a brand-new baby boy today. So if any of you want to send cards or gifts to the Sinclairs, I suggest you do so before they're too tired to enjoy seeing them. (Everyone laughs). Okay, everyone, back to work!

The squad room begins to hum with activity again. As Joe turns back around, DONNA comes flying into the squad room.

DONNA
Joe! Joe, is it true?

JOE
Whoa, Donna! What's wrong?

DONNA
Is it true? Is he alive?

JOE
Is who alive?

DONNA
My father! Reginald!

JOE
The guy we picked up at Cass and Lila's last night? He's your father?

DONNA
If his name is Reginald Love, then yes, he's my father...in name only.

JOE
That's the name we were given by Carl. He spent last night in the ER thanks to a lovely head wound inflicted by Lila, but he's in lock-up this morning.

DONNA
But...how...I mean...

JOE
I have no idea, Donna. In fact, there are a LOT of things I'm confused about when it comes to this particular case.

DONNA
All you need to know is that if you let him on the street, someone's going to get hurt.

JOE
I'm not planning on letting him out anytime soon---

LILA and CASS walk up behind them.

LILA
Good. After he broke into our home last night, he should be locked up for good.

DONNA
(whirling around to face Lila)
Why was he in YOUR house?

LILA
(with even more of an exaggerated southern accent)
Why, Donna, honey, don't you know? According to YOUR father, I'm your long lost baby sister!

Donna stares at her in amazement.

CUT TO:

BCUH-HAYLEY'S ROOM/MORNING

HAYLEY is awake and being examined by MORGAN. He checks her pulse, then looks at her chart.

MORGAN
You're a resilient girl, Hayley. You'll be out of here in no time.

HAYLEY
Good. I hate being in here. No offense, hospitals just suck.

Morgan laughs.

MORGAN
No offense taken. We'll have you out of here soon.

Hayley eyes him suspiciously. He notices and grins at her.

MORGAN (cont'd)
What? You're looking at me like Sipowicz eyeing a suspect.

HAYLEY
So...you're my sister's best friend, right?

MORGAN
So she's said. And yes...she's been a good friend to me. We've been there for each other.

HAYLEY
No romantic aspirations, no jealousies when one of you is with another person...just platonic friendship?

MORGAN
We tried dating. We decided we were better off as friends.

Hayley settles back on her pillow with a self-satisfied smile.

HAYLEY
Okay. Just checking.

MORGAN
(laughing)
You're a piece of work, Hayley Shepard.

HAYLEY
So I've been told.

The door opens and FELICIA walks in, followed by LORNA.

FELICIA
Cass is on his way, honey. He'll have the papers.

HAYLEY
(nodding)
So the time's almost here, isn't it?

LORNA
Just about...is there anything you want us to do before...

HAYLEY
I want some time with the baby.

MORGAN
Tell you what. I'll go have him brought in for you.

HAYLEY
Thanks, Morgan.

Morgan leaves.

HAYLEY (cont'd)
And Tito..he has to be here to sign the papers, right? I should get ahold of him--

LORNA
He's here, Hale. I don't think he ever left last night.

HAYLEY
Did KC stay?

LORNA
No. I haven't seen her.

There is a knock on the door, and it opens. TITO walks in, slowly.

FELICIA
Speak of the devil.

TITO
I thought I'd come see how you were.

HAYLEY
(almost shyly)
I'm better. Um...Mr. Winthrop's coming with the adoption papers. We both have to sign...

Tito nods but doesn't answer her. A moment later, a nurse walks in, the baby a tiny bundle in her arms.

NURSE
Someone requested a visit to his parents.

She places the baby in Hayley's arms. Hayley stares down at him, her eyes wide.

HAYLEY
He's so small...I didn't expect him to be so tiny.

Felicia puts a hand on Lorna's shoulder.

FELICIA
I think you and Tito need some time with him, Hayley. We'll be outside if you need us.

She guides Lorna from the room, the nurse following, shutting the door behind her. Tito and Hayley look at each other.

CUT TO:

OUTSIDE HAYLEY'S ROOM

LORNA glances worriedly at the closed door.

LORNA
She's taking this too well, Mom. It's almost like she's emotionless.

FELICIA
Maybe on the outside. But that little girl is going to need both of us soon. And we have to be there for her.

As they stand silently, we:

FADE OUT