The Sherwoods and the Grimes are still at Alexandria Memorial Hospital, but not together. Lance is in the cafeteria trying to reassure Rosamond Tucker he isn't getting back together with Eliza Braxton. Eliza and her daughter Deanna Thorpe are outside in the courtyard. Eliza is telling Deanna she's sure Lance still loves her. Marcus, Ingrid, and Roark are visting Kane Garrett. Paul Harper and Tess are back in he chapel. He is comforting her after her chilling confrontation with Quentin Michaels.
Paul: You should have never talked to him Tess.
Tess: I had to. You should have seen him Paul. He looked so pathetic. He sounded pathetic. Trying to reason to me why he did those awful things to us. To that poor girl Lora. Then he went completely crazy.
Paul: I don't think jail is the answer to the answer for him honey. He needs to be in a mental hospital---not Wakefield, but a real criminal hospital. He needs treatment. If he was sent to jail, he would just sit there and get crazier and crazier.
Tess: Maybe you're right. Paul, there's something else. (Pause) Joanna escaped from jail early this morning.
Paul: Oh no---Oh God!
Meanwhile, the paramedics are bringing Joanna Harper into the emergency room. She has been restrained, and she is crying out for her sons and her husband, and keeps saying she's sorry. A doctor and nurse rush over. It takes the doctor and the nurse and the two paramedics to calm her down while they transfer her to a waiting bed. Finally, she falls asleep. The doctor and nurse examine her. Luckily, she has no major injuries. They gingerly patch her up.
Russell Gault is back in the intensive care wing. Tess and Paul are there, suprised to see him. The rest of the Sherwoods and Grimes arrive.
Paul: Russell? What are you still doing here?
Russell: I left, but came back because---well, Joanna escaped from jail this morning. (Gasps from the Grimes and Rosamond Tucker)
Paul: Yes. Tess just told me.
Russell: Well, she's here at the hospital. She crashed the police car she stole on a road not far from here. She only has cuts and bruises. She's in the E.R. After she's patched up, she's going back to jail.
Paul: It just keeps getting worse and worse. (Ingrid stand next to Paul and squeezes his shoulder)
Russell: She's now going to have to face charges of attempted murder, resisting arrest, and grand theft auto.
Paul: She's insane Russell. Truly insane.
Back at the Grimes mansion, Cordelia and Everett Burnham are in the kitchen having breakfast. They decided to stay behind so they could answer phone calls and take care of their daughter Jadyn, who is still sleeping.
Cordelia: What a mess down at that hospital! How can one person cause such madness---wait, I should know. (She shudders)
Everett: Your ex-boyfriend.
Cordelia: I don't want to think about him, but I can't help it. He was posessive and violent, just like this Quentin Michaels....at least Kane is okay.
Everett: Yeah, I was worried. Especially since he's just found Paul after all these years. It's still pretty amazing.
Cordelia: Well, I'm glad they have Quentin Michaels out of commission for now. He can't go anywhere with his injury. (Pause) Everett, after all this nuttiness is over and we finally get settled in our home, I was thinking about going back to college part time and taking some night classes.
Everett: Night?
Cordelia: So I can be home with Jadyn during the day. You know how much I want to get my teaching degree.
Everett: I know baby, it's been a dream of yours for a long time. You'd make a cool teacher.
Cordelia: Thanks sweetie. So what do you think? I could register at the University of Maryland.
Everett: Go for it. Once things are squared away.
Cordelia: Thank you baby for being so supportive. Once everything quiets down, it's going to be wonderful.
Everett (getting up and walking over to his wife, a sly grin on his face): Why don't we go back upstairs?
Cordelia: You rascal! What if Jadyn wakes up?
Everett: Then we'll stop. Come on Cordy, it's just us. (He grabs her behind and kisses her)
Cordelia: Mmmm.....you talked me into it. (He picks her up and heads for the staircase).
Back the hospital E.R., Joanna wakes up. She tries to move, but the restraints are holding her pretty good. She thrashes, but it's no use. She yells for help. A young nurse comes over.
Joanna: Help me!
Nurse: What's wrong? Are you in pain?
Joanna. Yes. These straps are hurting me. Please remove them....please.
Nurse: Alright. Then I'll get you some Tylenol. (She quickly loosens the straps. Joanna sits up and smiles. Then she suddenly grabs the nurse and pushes her to the ground).
(Joanna begins running around the E.R, knocking down people, overturning medicine carts, and screaming for Paul. Two orderlies run over from their station and grab her. She is kicking and screaming and trying to break free, but they are able to hold their grasp and put on her another bed. One orderly holds her down while another goes to find a restraint. Another doctor quickly approaches Joanna and the orderly.
Orderly: Did you see this? She was attacking people and destroying property.
Doctor: We'd better send her to the psychiatric ward. Now....
End of Episode 24
Next on come nightfall....
Joanna and Quentin are reunited---in the psych ward.
We finally learn the cause behind Joanna's mental instability.
Russell asks Dorothy out on a date.
We get our first glimpse of Valerie Pratt Talbot---Paul's natural mother.