The story really started with the verdict in Holden's trial (for setting the church fire and/or beating up Molly -- both of which bad cop Teague was responsible for). Tom, who had been defending Holden, was disillusioned by Holden's conviction and began seriously questioning his commitment to the law. It was the start of his midlife crisis and he just wanted to have fun.

Margo, meanwhile, was doing just the opposite. Having recently been reinstated on the force following her bout with Post Traumatic Stress, she was throwing herself into work more than ever, putting in long hours and taking dangerous assignments and overnight stakeouts in order to rebuild her career and her co-workers trust. Naturally, she and Tom clashed over this as they were on conflicting wavelengths and Tom even ended up taking a vacation to the Caribbean with the boys but without Margo.

At the same time, Emily, who had never been so much as Margo's friend, miraculously became her best friend even though the two didn't start suddenly acting like friends or anything. Margo had helped Emily through her rape ordeal and so there was some kind of bond because of that, but it went no further.

Anyway, Emily was dealing with her own breakup with David and as luck would have it, footloose Tom and heartbroken Emily kept ending up in the same places at the same time and, though Tom was definitely annoyed about it at first, became friendly themselves. Margo was the completely trusting wife, though at the time, Emily was still focused on her mixed feelings for David. Tom helped her through this period and encouraged her to make a clean break from David. It was at this point that Tom first came to Emily's rescue (from a drunk at Yo's) and Margo, of course, was the cop called to the scene when Tom decked the guy.

Realizing how truly restless and fed up with the law her husband was, Margo agreed to back down on her workload and spend more time with the family (although she refused to follow Tom's lead and take a leave of absence from her job). They made plans for the entire family to attend a carnival at the local high school.

But Tom and Margo and the boys were not the only ones in attendance that night. Eddie was there with Deena (we didn't know she was his mom yet) who had just gotten out of prison. Margo had already had one close encounter with Eddie when he had stolen money from Fashions while Margo was there shopping for a sexy negligee (she didn't see him, just had to investigate the theft).

Anyway, unfortunately for the Hughes men, Margo spotted Chuckie Wells, a well-known drug dealer wanted by the OPD at the carnival. She grabbed Jack and the two of them went out to investigate. Chuckie, of course, was meeting with Deena and when Margo and Jack tried to stop them, Deena got her hands on a gun and started shooting at them (Eddie had tried to stop her unsuccessfully). She hit Jack (not seriously) and Margo was forced to shoot and kill her. At the hospital, Eddie attacked Margo and was arrested.

Margo was shaken up by the shooting, but even more so when she discovered that Deena was Eddie's mother (meaning she had shot and killed the boy's mother in front of him). She felt guilty about it and her guilt only grew when she realized Eddie was going to go to jail for attacking her. She began to investigate his background and found out that he had spent most of his life in foster homes and in minor run-ins with the law. Jack and Tom both tried to talk her out of it, but she grew convinced that Eddie wasn't such a bad guy and became determined to save him from the same fate as his mother (Eddie's rap sheet looked amazingly like Deena's in her early years).

When Eddie was sentenced to six months in jail for attacking her, Margo somehow arranged it so that he could serve probation instead -- as long as he lived with her and Tom. Eddie was still very angry at Margo at this point, at times verging on violence, so Tom was not thrilled about the plan. Margo, herself, began to back down and agreed to rescind the offer, but it was too late and they wound up taking Eddie in to Tom's dismay.

Despite his doubts about Eddie, Tom tried to be fairly supportive to Margo during this time period. Since he couldn't help his wife much, he focused his knight-in-shining-armor act on Emily, rescuing her from David on at least one occasion and continuing to encourage her to make the break from him. He was just being nice (and possibly going somewhere where he felt more needed), but this was when Emily began to switch her feelings from David to Tom and to feel that Margo was unworthy of Tom's love and devotion. Just as a time frame, Deena's shooting occurred at the beginning of April. By the beginning of June, Emily was in full obsession mode (more on that in a moment).

It was at about this time that Tom first became a journalist and went to work for Emily at the Argus (Tom had helped Emily get the job as editor there). In fact, his first piece was an op-ed about Margo and everything she was trying to do for Eddie. When he signed on full-time, he and Emily wound up out of town covering the devastation caused by some tornadoes. This is actually the first time we saw Emily's feelings for Tom, though, he was pretty oblivious about it.

Margo, meanwhile, was dealing with Eddie and the discovery that he was a sleepwalker. He had come up to her bedroom (remember Tom was out of town) and she thought he was awake at first, but then he got violent and destroyed some furniture and ripped the phone out of the wall. Eventually, he passed out in Tom and Margo's bed and Margo let him sleep there. Tom, of course, grew concerned when he couldn't reach Margo, so he returned home to find the damage Eddie had caused and Eddie asleep in his bed. He was not happy and he and Margo began fighting, big time.

By now it is early June, Tom and Margo's 15th wedding anniversary, and the family plans a big surprise party for the couple. Tom and Margo, however, are in the middle of a big fight about Eddie -- over Tom's insistence that Eddie be tested for drugs and Margo's insistence that he was only sleepwalking. Anyway, the family begins to arrive for the party, but all plans are canceled when Tom & Margo inform everyone that they don't feel like celebrating, that they are in the middle of a huge fight, and they aren't feeling very positive about the future of their marriage at that moment.

Fortunately, Adam saves the day and stops the fighting when he arrives with his anniversary gift for his parents -- a photo album of their years together. He leaves -- with his parents' promise that they will work things out -- and Tom & Margo begin to reminisce. By the end they are dancing together and they eventually make love in front of the fireplace (a favorite spot of theirs).

Emily, however, had other plans for the evening. Lisa is already beginning to suspect Emily's feelings for Tom and she is right. Emily assumes Tom would want to spend the evening with her and even has a present and a bottle of champagne prepared for him. She is disappointed when Tom refuses to come back to work and hangs up on her (he's dancing with Margo at the time), so she heads to Tom and Margo's house where she watches the couple make love. Later, back at her office, she imagines herself in Margo's place and vows to make a future with Tom.

Although Ben confirms Eddie's sleepwalking (Night Terrors actually), Tom remains rigidly opposed to Eddie's presence in his house. When Eddie kisses Margo during another episode, she lies about it to both Tom and Eddie. This is when Tom started really looking like an idiot and truly began acting completely out of character. It was one thing for him to be opposed to Eddie when he was angry and violent toward Margo (what husband wouldn't be), but the fact that he never showed any sympathy for Eddie once a problem was diagnosed just wasn't like Tom. Add to that the fact that Emily's manipulations were beginning and Tom was falling for every one of them and the character began looking like a total idiot -- something he had never been before.

Margo fared slightly better, but her lack of honesty with Tom was also out of character for her, even to protect Eddie. Honesty was one of the foundations of Tom and Margo's marriage and Margo's actions didn't make a whole lot more sense than Tom's. At least she didn't look like a total idiot yet (though that time would come for her, too) and at least she was actively trying to help someone deserving of her time and effort (Eddie) while Tom was just being led around by the nose by Emily. Anyway, end of editorial and back to the story...

Eddie was probably the brightest guy in this whole mess as he quickly spotted Emily's true feelings for Tom and her intentions to act on them. Of course, he never told Margo what he suspected, something that didn't ring true as he had genuine feelings for her by this point and had no desire to see her hurt.

To cause problems between Tom and Margo, Emily began causing problems for Eddie, knowing the two would take opposite sides. She got Eddie fired from two jobs, told Tom that Margo and Eddie had a secret (the kiss, though even when confronted Margo doesn't tell Tom about it), and even accused Eddie of mugging her (she smashed up her knees and otherwise faked the whole thing).

Margo protected Eddie as much as she could during all of this, even risking her career by hiding Eddie rather than turning him in as she should. This is when Eddie began to fall in love with her. Tom meanwhile comforted "victim" Emily, who spent the night sleeping in his arms on the sofa in Tom and Margo's house. Margo still wasn't suspicious when she walked in on Emily in her robe.

Tom realized that Margo was hiding Eddie, but while he tried to talk his wife out of it (telling her everything she was risking for this kid), he didn't turn her in. Emily's not thrilled, especially when Tom, out of love for Margo, questioned Emily's story...

Scared that her story may be crashing down around her (Susan already figured it out), Emily turned Margo in for hiding Eddie. Eddie lied to cover for Margo and Emily, who was told by Susan under no uncertain terms to tell the truth about the mugging or Susan would, arrived to "save the day" by claiming she made a mistake when she said Eddie was her mugger. Brain dead Tom was grateful as he thought Emily lied to protect Margo and that Eddie did indeed mug Emily. (It's around this time, BTW, that Andy learns from Susan's AA confession that the entire mugging was faked, but he doesn't tell Margo.)

After this incident, Tom finally convinces Margo to let Eddie go and get him out of their lives for the sake of their marriage and family. Margo does -- mostly, but she does continue to help Eddie by giving him money to pay for a roof over his head and, while Tom and Emily are in NY accepting a journalism award, by helping him paint his new place.

Meanwhile, Emily is moving full steam ahead with her plans to win Tom. When she realizes Andy knows the truth, she has him sent to Alaska on a photo shoot, then she arranges it so that she and Tom will have to share a room when they are in NY (Margo had been unable to come along for some reason). She, of course, acts surprised and miffed at the "mix-up."

Tom, who should have learned from his experiences with Babs in NY years ago, gets drunk and falls into bed. Emily disrobes and joins him. Unlike with Babs, this time Tom isn't so drunk and he actually responds to Emily's presence and, thinking she is Margo, begins to make love to her. They are interrupted by a call from Margo and by the time Emily hangs up, Tom is sound asleep and unwakable, to Emily's great displeasure.

When Tom wakes up the next morning he is extremely upset at first, until he notices he is still wearing his pants -- they didn't make love. His discomfort at the whole situation (he takes all the blame onto himself) is heightened when Margo arrives to surprise the two and spend some romantic time with her husband. Totally trusting in Tom and their marriage and love, Margo does not suspect a thing.

Back in Oakdale, Eddie prepares to tell Margo that he is in love with her. He is disappointed, however, when he finds out she went to NY to be with Tom and again when he sees the couple (back in town) having a romantic picnic in the park. He goes home where he is accosted by Chuckie (yep, him again) and another drug dealer who want him to take over for Deena and sell drugs. Eddie refuses and is beaten up.

Georgia races to get help for Eddie and finds Margo. Margo uses the situation (without Eddie's knowledge) to set up a sting to catch Chuckie. The bust goes down without a hitch at first, but Chuckie uses Margo's emotionalism over having killed Deena to his advantage and is able to knock Margo out and get her gun before she can handcuff him. Eddie arrives and stops Chuckie from killing her. Margo regains consciousness and she and Eddie wind up getting control of the situation again and Chuckie is arrested.

Lisa, meanwhile, recognizes exactly what Emily is up to (she claims to have written the book Emily is using) and fires her from the Argus. Tom is angry when he hears this and claims that his mother doesn't trust him. He winds up quitting as well. When Emily arranges to buy David's shares of WOAK (that very same night!), she offers the now jobless Tom a chance to join her there. He jumps at the offer.

Although Eddie sees Tom and Margo's devotion to each other in the aftermath of the Chuckie incident (Tom was grateful and gracious to Eddie) and swears to stay away from them, he overhears Lisa expressing her concerns about the Tom/Emily situation to Bob and confronts Tom about carrying on an affair behind Margo's back. Tom accuses Eddie of having a crush on Margo and this once again exacerbates the tensions between Tom and Margo.

BTW, we can now add Bob to the list of people (Lisa, Eddie, Andy, Susan) who could step in and warn Tom and Margo about what was happening but who refuse to do so -- in Bob's case because he claims he can't stop Tom from making a mistake if Tom is determined to do so! Sorry, but this is another gripe of mine with this whole story. Someone should have and could have said something (and if in character at least one of them would have), but no one did a thing because they didn't seem to care.

Anyway, that now brings us up to the Valetta. The Hughes clan has gathered for Nancy's 80th birthday and Eddie is currently working at the Falcon Club. When Margo offers to teach Eddie how to dance so he can dance with Georgia, Emily arranges it so everyone sees them together.

Later, when the boat starts to sink (David's doing), Margo goes into cop mode. After making sure that her own family is safely away on the lifeboats, she goes in search of any last passengers still on board. She is knocked unconscious, however, and would have died except that Eddie finds her and rescues her just as the boat sinks. With no lifeboats left, he swims with her in tow to a nearby island.

Fearing she has a concussion, Eddie tries to keep a disoriented Margo awake, but when she finally begs to rest a few moments, their closeness causes him to lean in for a kiss. Margo, who is still kind of out of it, responds and that encourages Eddie to tell Margo that he loves her. He prods her to admit that she loves him, too.

Tom, meanwhile, is frantic and increasingly resigned and worried as lifeboat after lifeboat comes ashore without Margo in it. The scenes are very reminiscent of his fears of losing Margo after her plane crash. Emily tries to console him, but to no avail. Finally, when Tom hears reports that survivors may have been found on one of the islands, he goes in search of them himself and arrives in time to see Margo and Eddie's closeness and to prevent Margo from responding to Eddie's question about her feelings. At the hospital, Margo and Eddie arrange to meet at a later time. Knowing Tom's feelings about Eddie, Margo does not tell him everything that happened on the island.

By the time Margo and Eddie finally meet, Emily has arranged it so a cameraman will be there to film their conversation (the footage that has been running in the background on WOAK recently). Margo tries to let Eddie down easily telling him that while she does feel more for him than for a son, she is not in love with him. She also explains how something had been missing in her life and that the passionate way in which he lived his life had reawakened such passion in her as well, but that she had to find that passion again in her marriage and family, that was where it truly was for her. Eddie was very hurt, but accepted what Margo told him.

Margo then went home and admitted to Tom that she had gone to see Eddie, but little more. She told him she wanted to work harder on their marriage and Tom, of course, was ecstatic. She and Tom and the boys planned a happy family dinner together.

Emily, of course, had other plans. Even though the tape showed that Margo was not in love with Eddie and that the two had shared little more than a kiss, she realized it could be edited together to make Margo look very bad. But she knew she couldn't do it openly, especially as, I believe, Kim was aware of the tape's existence and that it had been filmed by a WOAK reporter. Emily manipulates it so that the reporter (Brent) takes the tape to a competing station (WDLW?) where it is aired repeatedly.

Tom and Adam see the tape while they are preparing dinner (a reporter called for a comment, alerting Tom to the fact that something was going on). Though Tom backs Margo up in front of Adam, as soon as Adam leaves, he tears into her, furious at her for lying to him. He does seem to buy that it was only a kiss, but is very hurt by Margo's comments about the passion being missing from her life and the things she hadn't been able to find with him, but had found with Eddie.

Eddie finds out about the tape and races over to Margo's where he is attacked by a distraught Adam. Bob guides Eddie out the back and away from the massed reporters. But Emily's plan is only partly successful. The Hughes man she succeeds in chasing out of Margo's home is Adam, who moves in with Hal for the first time. While she comforts a distraught Tom over this, she is not thrilled when Tom publicly stands up for his wife, saying he loves her and knows she did nothing wrong. Everyone but Emily applauds.

But Margo's problems aren't over. She faces losing her job so she decides to go visit her mom while things blow over. Emily manipulates Eddie to believe that Margo has to leave Oakdale and her family because of him. He, of course, rushes to Margo's where Emily conveniently has a reporter standing by to make it look like Margo and Eddie planned to run off together.

Eddie is arrested when he slugs a reporter, but not before finally giving Margo a heads up that Emily set him up. Emily covers by chastising the reporter and both Tom and Margo thank her. Tom, however, has had it with Margo and sleeps on the couch...

In the aftermath of the "Detective Love" incident (the tape of Margo with Eddie), Tom throws himself into work with Emily and draws even closer to her. When Tom and Emily catch an underage and upset Adam trying to buy alcohol, Emily is the one to get through to him by recounting her experiences with an alcoholic mother. Tom is grateful.

Margo, meanwhile, is having a very hard time of it. Footloose now that she has been suspended, she tries to reach out to Adam at his football game, but around her everyone is whispering and gossiping about her. It doesn't make matters any better when Adam publicly repudiates his mother in front of everyone or when Barbara tries to reach out and be supportive of Margo by telling her about her own affair with a younger man (Evan).

Tom and Emily head off together to cover the story of Julia and Lily's kidnapping by David in Indiana. While there, Tom walks into Emily's hotel room and sees her in the shower. He starts to leave, but Emily walks into the room and he takes her into his arms and starts kissing her. Soon, they are on the bed starting to make love when the ringing of the phone knocks some sense into Tom. He rushes out of the room and back home to Margo.

Margo, meanwhile, joined by her newly arrived sister, Katie, realizes she might be pregnant. Margo isn't thrilled at first given the state of her marriage, so she doesn't tell Tom her suspicions. Susan later confirms Margo's pregnancy and in what has to be one of the dumbest scenes ever Margo confides her fears about being too old to have a baby. Why is it dumb? One, because Margo wasn't even forty yet. Two, because her stepmother-in-law (Kim) had had a baby at a much older age. Three, because her own mother had a baby (Katie) at a much older age. And four, because she was talking to Susan who had a baby (Allison) at an even older age than all the others. Since all the babies were healthy, Margo would be the last person on earth to worry about having a baby at age 38 or 39.

Anyway, Lisa's concerns for her son's marriage and his susceptibility to Emily's wiles continue as she confronts Tom again and he reassures her -- again -- that she has nothing to worry about.

By Friday, September 18th, Tom and Margo's world seems to be coming back together. Adam has forgiven his mother and returned home. A penitent Tom is throwing himself back into his marriage and Margo, growing happy about the baby, is preparing to tell Tom about her pregnancy.

Of course, you know that doesn't sit well with Emily, who has discovered Margo's pregnancy and decides to reveal it in the most hurtful way possible. She plants a story in the tabloid press that Margo is pregnant with Eddie's baby. At the same time, she intercepts some brochures her mom is sending to Margo about the pregnancy and slips a pamphlet and appointment card for an abortion in with them. Then she calls and makes an appointment for Margo at a local abortion clinic, making sure that Margo will get a confirmation phone call back. Then Emily goes over to Tom and Margo's house hoping to be there when everything hits the fan, so to speak. She eventually has to leave, disappointed. At home, she is confronted by Susan who is onto her daughter's scheme. Susan throws Emily out of the house.

Tom, meanwhile, has realized on his own that Margo is pregnant, while Eddie learns the news through a tabloid reporter who came to question him about it. Eddie once again rushes over to Margo's where she confirms that she is pregnant -- by Tom, of course -- and that she is thrilled about it. Eddie is very emotional about it and Tom arrives home to see them together. When Margo finally sits Tom down to tell him the news, he tells her he knows and wonders if it could be Eddie's. She's appalled that he doesn't believe her when she tells him it could only be Tom's, but he reminds her of all the other lies she told him about Eddie.

Tom and Margo's argument grows worse when he finds the abortion info that Emily planted. Although Margo denies it is hers, she is forced to admit that she had briefly considered aborting Tom's baby because of the state of their marriage and her age. Tom rushes out, devastated, and runs right into Emily's waiting arms. She takes him home, to her new apartment.

Andy, meanwhile, has finally decided that he better warn his sister about Emily's attempts to win Tom away from her. Before he can tell her anything, she keels over in pain and he rushes her to the hospital where she loses the baby.

At one point, Andy does try to contact Tom, but Tom smashes his ringing cell phone on the ground and has sex with Emily instead. Afterward, he is regretful and confused, but it is too late. This was September 25th.

Guilt-ridden, Tom returns home to learn about the miscarriage, but not before being seen leaving Emily's apartment by Molly and Brad. He re-devotes himself to Margo and his marriage, tending to her lovingly. Tom even tries to quit his job, but Emily convinces him to stay (she says it would look suspicious if he quit). Emily meanwhile must deal with both Molly's blackmail (for a job at WOAK) and the fact that Tom is right back with Margo and has no intention of telling her about his night with Emily (advice that Bob may have given him as Tom does confide in his father). Emily tries to seduce Tom again, but he resists. Later, determined to have Margo find out about the affair, she arranges it so Margo overhears Emily and Molly talking about it over the WOAK PA system.

Margo confronts Tom, who had been waiting on their rooftop hideaway to have a romantic rendezvous with his wife. He is forced to admit the truth and Margo runs to Eddie, who she kisses passionately. He stops it from going any further and tells her how Emily arranged it so Margo would find out. She heads home.

There, of course, Emily refuses to leave a worried Tom alone. When Margo arrives, Emily is still there. They manage to get rid of her and Tom and Margo painfully hash out what has happened. Tom probably sleeps on the couch again that night, but he does stay at home and they do stay together. The tension between them is thick, however, and it is affecting the boys.

Not one to give up easily, Emily plans to fake being pregnant. Again, she enlists Molly's aid. When Emily faints in front of Margo (when she, Babs, and Emily had gathered together to warn Lucinda away from James), Molly wonders if she might be pregnant. This is when Margo goes home and starts to pack -- Tom's things.

Andy, however, has found out about the faked pregnancy test and tells both Tom and Margo. They insist that Emily have a real blood test. Emily begs her mom to fake it, but Susan refuses. Tom and Margo, meanwhile, manage to find a moment or two of closeness, even at this point. When the test results come back, no one is more surprised than Emily to find out she is indeed pregnant.

Tom tries to reassure Margo that Emily's baby doesn't change anything, that his first priority is his marriage, Margo is not convinced and rightfully so: As far as Emily is concerned, everything has changed and she plans to use the baby to snare Tom. Margo, meanwhile, in another very out of character moment, decides to get an immediate divorce.

Margo's plans to get a quick divorce are thwarted by Tom who refuses to agree to it or to sign the power of attorney papers Margo needs to make it happen. She is frustrated, but after talking to Hal (who is trying to get a quickie divorce from Carly), she rethinks her decision. Even as Tom tells Adam the truth about Emily and the baby (Emily had been trying to use the boys to get to Tom) and even as he promises his son that he will not divorce Margo, Emily has gotten her hands on the power of attorney papers and forged Tom's signature (copied from Tom's letter of resignation from the station).

Unfortunately for Emily, she gloats a little too soon. Thinking that Margo is already on her way to the Dominican Republic, she shows up on Tom and Margo's doorstep, probably to "console" Tom or something. But Jessica had convinced Margo to at least talk to her kids before getting a divorce, so Margo had postponed her flight and it's Margo that Emily runs into. As a result of their confrontation, Margo rips up the power of attorney papers. She may not be happy with Tom right then, but she has no intentions of handing him over to Emily on a silver platter either!

Unfortunately for Tom, he blows this opening big time by accusing Margo of being the one to forge his signature on the power of attorney papers. This is what finally convinces Margo to throw Tom out on his ear.

Plan A having failed, Emily moves on to Plan B. This is when she starts pretending to be in danger, first from James, then from David, in order to get Tom to run to her rescue. As always, he falls for it hook, line, and sinker. This further alienates Margo, even as she's forced to admit to Katie that she still loves Tom.

The holiday season begins to heal the wounds. Tom shows up for Thanksgiving dinner and Adam makes sure his parents end up sitting next to each other. Later, he and Casey get Margo to agree to let Tom come home for Xmas.

Their path to a reconciliation is further facilitated by Andy. When Eddie's mugging of Emily comes up again, Andy finally admits to his sister that it was totally faked. (Margo reams Andy for keeping this from her and that's part of what leads him back to drinking.) Susan confirms the story to Margo. Meanwhile, realizing the jig is up, Emily comes clean to Tom herself. He has the good sense to be totally repulsed by her admission and he runs straight to Margo. The two grow closer again as they realize just how much Emily did to try to keep them apart.

Indeed, Tom and Margo grow quite close again over the holidays. Tom refuses to believe any more of Emily's stalking claims and he stops running to her aid every three seconds. A reconciliation seems right around the corner and indeed Margo is having second thoughts about kicking Tom out after the New Year. So for all those who say that Margo was unforgiving of Tom given her own affair and child with Hal, the truth is, she wasn't. She was ready to take Tom back within three months of his mistake -- and despite Emily's pregnancy -- which is pretty fast, especially given all of Emily's machinations.

Unfortunately for Tom and Margo's reconciliation plans, Emily had by now acquired a real stalker, putting her -- and the baby -- in real danger...

After more than a month of ignoring Emily's pleas for help -- or at least handing them off to the OPD -- Tom begins to respond again. Margo's not too thrilled, but for the time being lets him continue to stay at home even though the holidays are over -- especially when Adam starts acting out again.

Tom, Margo, and Susan have all become convinced that Emily needs psychiatric help, but Emily insists that she is really being stalked by David. Susan and Tom find her at Fairwinds, but she runs away, afraid they will commit her. While a clearly concerned Tom stays behind to search for her, Margo (who has joined them) goes home and makes a painful decision. When Tom returns home, she asks him to move back out, as originally planned. The reconciliation attempt is over -- for now.

In the following weeks, with only a single frantic phone call from Emily (who has really been abducted by David), Tom grows increasingly concerned about her safety and steps up his search for her. Margo is unsympathetic to Tom's quest and he doesn't win any points when he compares the situation between him and Emily to the one between her and Eddie and even accuses Margo of wishing she had slept with Eddie. Margo's only solace is that after months of inactivity, she is finally reinstated back on the force. She immediately throws herself back into her work.

Tom and Margo occasionally manage a close moment during this period (mostly they weren't on), but it is always ruined when Emily's name and situation come back up. When he and Susan press Hal to open an official investigation into Emily's disappearance, Margo decides it is time for a legal separation. Tom and Adam convince her to try counseling instead. But when Tom blows off their first appointment (with Reid, so maybe it's a good thing) when he gets news of Emily, Margo is upset.

Things only get worse when Margo arrives at the scene of a warehouse shooting to discover Tom comforting the prime suspect: Emily. Worse yet, former lawyer Tom agrees to come out of retirement to defend Emily, who he is convinced is innocent. When Emily escapes, Tom rushes after her to Margo's dismay.

Once again, someone (this time Hal who is newly re-engaged to Barbara) convinces Margo that what she had with Tom is worth trying to save. And once again, Margo reaches out to Tom, hoping to save her marriage, only to be burned again. This time, she calls Tom in NY only to have him think it is Emily calling and having to hear his concern for her. When Emily arrives at Tom's location, he hangs up on Margo. Margo regretfully tells Hal where Tom and Emily are and they are arrested.

Tom doesn't believe Margo's claims that she was only doing her job as a cop and accuses her of trying to get back at him for Emily. She tries to reach out to him in his cell, but he says she had no faith in him and that he wants to be alone. Even when Hal releases him, he refuses to leave jail without Emily. He bails her out and agrees to let her stay with him in his hotel room. Margo, who had earlier turned down a date with the newly arrived Alec Wallace, calls Alec back and accepts.

Then, of course, comes the infamous grilling on the stand. Margo finds some very incriminating evidence against Emily and is forced to testify about it during Emily's trial. Tom's only hope is to discredit the witness, so he goes after Margo, painting her as having an axe to grind against Emily because of what Emily had done to Margo last year. Unbeknownst to Tom, Adam is in the courtroom to hear some of this. Margo stops is when she sees Adam, but it is too late. The boy is devastated. Tom starts to go after Adam, but Emily goes into labor and he ends up at the hospital with her where she gives birth to their son. Margo meanwhile is comforted by Alec. She takes him to her and Tom's rooftop where she says goodbye to her marriage. Then she goes back to his room with him. He tries to kiss her, but she's not ready yet. Later, Emily is convicted and Tom is left to raise his new son alone.

In the aftermath of Emily's trial, Tom loses everything. Margo insists that he sign the separation papers, which he does, though he vows that they are not through yet. To Margo's surprise, he also agrees to help Adam legally change his name to Munson (Adam having completely repudiated Tom as his father at this point). He basically says that he plans to show Adam that the boy has his support -- no matter what. Tom obviously subscribes to the theory that if you love someone let them go free, if they love you, they will come back.

Over the next few months (again, they aren't on much), Tom works to prove Emily's innocence while Margo begins to tentatively date Alec Wallace. The couple cross path from time to time, in part because Tom is concerned about Alec's plans for Oakdale, a concern Margo shares. It's clear the feelings between the two are still there, but the Emily issue continues to cause problems. When Margo tries to fantasize about Alec, for example, her dream man quickly morphs into Tom.

When Margo brings Alec home to meet the kids in mid-June, Adam doesn't respond well. Tom is there, too, which only makes matters worse. Adam shocks his parents by deciding to move in with Hal again. Tom and Margo bond over concern for their son, but another call about Emily sends Tom away again.

Following, the discovery of Nurse Fletcher and the room where Emily was held, Margo comes to her rival's defense and testifies on her behalf. The judge has no mercy and Emily winds up back in prison until Tom finally finds the evidence he needs to clear her in late July. A rejection by Adam and a fight with Margo on Emily's first day of freedom send Tom right back into Emily's waiting arms and he winds up staying at her house that night to help with Daniel. Another snub by Adam sends Tom right back to Emily the next day.

Fortunately, the next time Tom appears he tells Emily in no uncertain terms that he plans to win his wife back. Facing losing Tom to Margo once again, Emily drops her sweet victim act and returns to her manipulative ways. Meanwhile, Margo who has both turned down Alec's job offer and broken off her relationship with him is enlisted by Hal to work undercover.