BCUH-HAYLEY'S ROOM/NIGHT

HAYLEY is silent and MATT steps forward, giving Hayley a quick kiss on the cheek.

MATT
If you three'll excuse me, I'm going to let you have some time together. (To Lorna) I'm going to head home. If you need me, call me, okay? And get some sleep.

LORNA smiles at him.

LORNA
I will. Thanks for staying with me.

She kisses him softly, and with a squeeze of Felicia's hand, he leaves.

HAYLEY
Cass already has the papers drawn up, doesn't he? All we have to do is sign? Me and Tito, I mean.

FELICIA
They're ready.

HAYLEY
When can they take him?

LORNA
Hey...slow down. You just woke up from a coma.

HAYLEY
I need to know that this is taken care of...I need to know that he's taken care of.

LORNA
Are you sure you don't want some more time to think about it?

HAYLEY
(forcefully)
No. This is what I want, and I'm ready to do this, Lorna! Please don't try to change my mind now!

FELICIA
Honey, we just want to make sure you're positive. Because once you make this decision and sign those papers, it's going to be hard to go back.

HAYLEY
I don't want to go back. I promise you.

FELICIA
Then I'll have Cass bring the papers over in the morning. Morgan and John say the baby's ready to go by then.

The three of them look up as they hear a slight knock on the door. JOSIE and GARY stand in the doorway.

GARY
We passed Matt in the hallway and he told us the good news. Glad to see you're awake, Hayley.

HAYLEY
(smiling)
Thanks, Gary. I think I've slept enough for a week. Have you two seen the baby?

JOSIE
Just through the glass. He's beautiful, Hayley.

HAYLEY
Felicia's calling Cass. So, if you want to be here tomorrow morning to sign the papers, you can take him home.

Josie and Gary stare at her, surprised.

JOSIE
Are...you sure? You don't think it's too soon?

Hayley shakes her head.

HAYLEY
No. I think it's better for him.

Josie hugs Hayley carefully.

JOSIE
You don't know what this means to us, Hayley. Thank you. He's going to be a very cherished child.

HAYLEY
I wouldn't have thought it otherwise. You two better go get some sleep while you can.

With a last hug to Hayley, Josie and Gary leave. Hayley glances at Lorna.

HAYLEY (cont'd)
You look like you could use some sleep, too.

FELICIA
She could. Tell your sister to go home to her daughter, would you?

HAYLEY
(to Lorna)
Go home to your daughter. I can survive without you for a few hours.

FELICIA
Besides, I'm staying.

LORNA
(reproachfully)
You should get some sleep, too, Mom.

FELICIA
I'll sleep here. Besides, I don't have a baby girl missing her mom at home.

LORNA
(smiling)
All right. I can see I'm outnumbered. Call me if you need me, though.

She bends down and hugs Hayley tightly.

HAYLEY
(whispering, almost tearfully)
I love you. Thank you for everything you've done for me.

LORNA
I love you, too, Hale. No matter what.

She leaves and Hayley looks at Felicia.

HAYLEY
So....

FELICIA
So....

They smile at each other.

CUT TO:

LILA AND CASS'/SAME NIGHT

LILA has become silent, unable to speak after the news that Carl has given her. CARL turns to AMANDA.

CARL
The information that you discovered in New Orleans. Do you have the file?

AMANDA
It's at home. I didn't think to bring it here.

CARL
Lila, we'll give you everything you need to understand this. I'll tell you.

LILA
(quietly)
That painting....Amanda....was it in a little gallery on Chartres Street?

AMANDA
You know about it?

LILA
My mother...she used to take me there when I was younger to show me the painting of her. She was so proud of that painting. She said someone very special had done it for her and one day, maybe I'd know him.

REGINALD
(regretfully)
I loved your mother, Lila...when I had that painting commissioned, I truly loved her.

LILA
(snidely)
Yet you're standing here with a gun trained on her daughter. How genteel of you.

REGINALD
I cared for her.

LILA
Fine. Assuming you're my father, let's discuss this. You cared for her so much that you left her pregnant and poor. Do you know what she did to support us when I was growing up?

REGINALD
I found out. And I wasn't told about you. I left New Orleans because I was a target of some old business acquaintances. I didn't want your mother to get caught in that. When I found out about you, it was years later.

LILA
You know what? I don't care about your explanations. I don't care who you are. I just want you out of here.

REGINALD
I'm afraid that's not possible just yet. Carl and I have a score to settle and since it does involve your mother, you should know.

CARL
We're not doing this here, Reginald. There are children around.

REGINALD
(smirking)
We'll make it quick. I promise.

He and Carl glare at one another.

CUT TO:

CORY MANSION/SAME NIGHT

RACHEL paces in the foyer. As the front door opens, she jumps, only to see MATT.

MATT
Mom? What's wrong? You look like I was a ghost invading the house.

RACHEL
I'm sorry, Matthew. There's a slight emergency. Alli's run away. And we think Sean's gone with her.

MATT
What? Run away? Does Amanda know where she is?

RACHEL
That's the other problem...your sister and Carl have gone off on some mission and I can't locate them. Jake and Vicky called and said that Sean had taken all of his stuff. When I checked Alli's room, she'd done the same.

MATT
Oh, no...I know she's been feeling like Amanda hasn't been paying her much attention since Cameron's death, but I didn't expect her to take off---

RACHEL
Amanda's been through a very difficult time lately. I'm afraid none of us have really been paying attention to Alli.

MATT
There's been a lot going on. Alli needs to know that she can't always be the center of attention.

RACHEL
Jake and Vicky are on their way over, as are the police. We'll see if they can track them down.

MATT
I'll call the airport...have them put out a heads-up for them.

Matt grabs the phone and begins to dial. The doorbell rings and Rachel hurries to answer it, finding JAKE and VICKY on the other side.

VICKY
Anything? Do you have any news?

RACHEL
(ushering them in)
Nothing. I don't know where they could have gone. Did Sean say ANYTHING about leaving town?

JAKE
Nothing. I know we've had our problems lately, but we never expected him to up and leave.

RACHEL
The important thing is to find them first. We'll get through the rest of it later.

They all turn to Matt, who's still on the phone.

FADE OUT