JAKE AND VICKY'S HOUSE/NIGHT

JAKE sits on the sofa, watching the door, Vicky's cell phone in his hands. He hears a car pull up outside, sees the headlights through the window, but doesn't move. A car door slams and a few seconds later, VICKY walks in the door. She stops and stares at Jake, surprised.

VICKY
Hi...did you get my note?

JAKE
I got it. Where'd you go, Vick? You didn't even take your cell phone.

VICKY
You're angry with me.

JAKE
(shrugging)
Not angry...you went to see a friend. Late at night. But you didn't tell me which friend...

VICKY
Jake...I'm going to tell you everything, don't worry. Too much has just happened to keep it to myself.

JAKE
(concerned)
What? What's going on?

VICKY
I'm really glad you're sitting. (She joins him on the sofa.) In the note, I said I was going to meet a friend? Not quite true.

JAKE
Who called? I heard the phone ring.

VICKY
You're not going to believe it when I tell you.

STEVEN walks down the stairs.

STEVEN
Mom, Jake!

Vicky glances up at him, and shakes her head in exasperation.

VICKY
What, Steven? Jake and I are trying to talk. And YOU should be asleep.

STEVEN
I was...but I got up to get a drink of water. And I looked in Sean's room. All of his stuff's gone, Mom. He's gone.

JAKE
What? What do you mean, Sean's gone?

STEVEN
I mean he's GONE, Jake. His laptop's gone, his duffel bag's gone, all of his CDs....it's all gone.

JAKE
(jumping up)
Oh, no...he must've run away after we yelled at him. Damn it, I knew this was going to happen.

VICKY
Calm down, Jake. We'll call Alli. She might know where he is, he seems to tell her everything now.

JAKE
Good idea.

He reaches for the phone and begins to dial.

CUT TO:

CORY MANSION/SAME NIGHT

RACHEL walks into the living room from the study, a book in her hand. As she nears the sofa, the phone rings. She reaches for it.

RACHEL
Hello?

CUT TO:

JAKE AND VICKY'S HOUSE

JAKE
Rachel? It's Jake. Is Alli there?

RACHEL
Jake, isn't it a bit late to be calling? It's almost midnight!

JAKE
I know, but it's important. I need you to see if Alli's there. Sean's run away. Alli might know where he is.

RACHEL
Oh, no, Jake, he's run away? What happened?

JAKE
We had an argument with him tonight, and we think he took off after the argument.

RACHEL
All right. Hold on, I'll go see if Alli knows anything.

She sets the phone down and walks up the stairs, disappearing for a minute. When she returns, she's more frantic, rushing back to the phone.

RACHEL
Jake? I just checked her room. She's taken a few things and her overnight bag is missing. Do you think she and Sean may have run off together?

JAKE
That's what it sounds like. Look, Rachel, Vicky and I are on our way over. Call the police and we'll meet you there.

RACHEL
(panicky)
I will, Jake. Hurry over.

She hits the receiver on the phone and begins redialing.

CUT TO:

LILA AND CASS'/SAME NIGHT

LILA is visibly shaken as REGINALD leads them all inside the apartment, the gun trained on CARL. AMANDA stands next to Lila, who clutches her arm.

LILA
What the hell is going on here? I don't know who you are, but I have two young children sleeping upstairs!

REGINALD
You'll find out who I am very soon, Lila. I know very well who you are.

LILA
(sarcastically)
Peachy keen for you. (She turns to Carl.) Carl, can you please tell me what's going on here?

CARL
(glancing at Reginald)
I wish there were an easy way to explain this, Lila.

REGINALD
(with an evil grin)
I think you SHOULD tell her, Carl. Tell her of your involvement in her mother's death. Tell her that you were the one who ordered the hit on Jessie--

Lila turns to Carl, her eyes disbelieving.

LILA
Carl....

CARL
I won't tell her that, you fool, because it's simply not true. Your source incorrectly informed you, the hit didn't come from me.

REGINALD
Maybe I should let Amanda tell Lila what she's discovered in New Orleans.

AMANDA
All I discovered was that you'd been involved in criminal activities along with Carl. And that painting---

REGINALD
Lovely painting, wasn't it? Looks very much like her mother, doesn't it? (he indicates Lila.) In fact, Lila, you're nearly the picture of your mother. Does your daughter resemble you, as well?

LILA
(angrily)
Stop playing games. I don't care if you DO have a gun, I want to know what the hell is going on here. And I want to know now.

REGINALD
Tell her, Carl.

CARL
Lila...Reginald and I were business partners thirty years ago in New Orleans. We knew your mother.

LILA
You knew her? You've never told me that before, Carl--

CARL
I never had a reason to tell you. I thought that you were better off not knowing the truth.

LILA
What IS the truth? How did you know my mother?

CARL
Your mother and I were friends. Your mother and Reginald...him...they were more than friends. Lovers.

LILA
Was this before or after I was born?

CARL
Before. About nine months before you were born.

LILA
(pausing for a moment)
Please don't be telling me what I think you're telling me, Carl.

CARL
(nodding)
I'm afraid so, my dear. This...man, if you can call him that...is your father.

Lila stares at him in stunned amazement.

CUT TO:

BCUH/MIDNIGHT

LORNA, JOSIE, GARY, and TITO watch as the doctors work on HAYLEY. After a minute, the hoopla ends, and MORGAN walks over and pulls Lorna aside.

MORGAN
False alarm. The machines are extremely sensitive, and sometimes, even a blink can set them off.

LORNA
So she's not...

MORGAN
No...not at all. In fact, the brain activity I'm seeing indicates that she could be coming out of the coma. All we can do is wait, though.

LORNA
Can I stay here with her?

MORGAN
Of course.

As the other people in the room begin to leave, Morgan and Lorna are left alone with Hayley. As Morgan turns to leave, Lorna puts a hand on his arm.

LORNA
Morgan?

MORGAN
(turning back to her)
Yes?

LORNA
You would tell me if you knew anything else, right? You would...

MORGAN
If I knew something, you would know in the next thirty seconds.

LORNA
I know. (She hugs him) Thanks for being here, Morgan.

MORGAN
I wouldn't be anywhere else. Call me if you need me. I'll check back in a little while.

Lorna watches him leave, then sits in the chair next to the bed. She holds Hayley's hand, silently, only looking up when FELICIA and MATT walk in the door.

FELICIA
Honey? Is there any change?

LORNA
(shaking her head)
No...she gave us a good scare, though.

MATT
We heard.

Lorna looks at Matt as though she's just now seeing him.

LORNA
You're still here.

MATT
Of course I'm still here. I'm not leaving until we know that Hayley's all right.

LORNA
Thanks.

As she smiles at Matt, Hayley's eyes begin to open. She blinks a couple of times, then fixes her gaze on Lorna.

HAYLEY
(weakly)
Is this a party?

The three of them stare at her in disbelief as we:

FADE TO OPENIING CREDITS