Written by: Dallas Walsh

The fire in Lucinda Rockwell's living quickly spreads as more and more flames appear. Lucinda has been having renovations completed, and when the contractors had left the mansion, Lucinda noticed some wires sparking. She went over to try to stop them, but the wire shocked her and started a blaze in her beautiful home. Lucinda lays on the living room floor, still unconscious from the jolt of the shock as more and more smoke fills the lavish living room.

In the basement, Lydia Rockwell and Houston Blackmore stop kissing and look at one another, as they realized that Lucinda had mentioned the renovations to them when she was visiting them recently. Since no one has come to save them since Sabine Andrews, Lydia's sister, found them, they are going to try to get some of the contractors attention to help save them from Lucinda's evil clutches.

"We can do this," Houston whispers to her. "We can get out of her. We just have to stay strong and focused and make sure that those contractors hear us, or see us."

Lydia slowly nods her head back to him. "God, I hope you're right. We have to get out of here. We can't live like this forever."

Houston stands up and turns around running his hand through his hair. He suddenly starts using his nose a lot. He turns back around in a panic. "Do you smell that?" he asks her concerned.

Lydia stands up and starts sniffing back to him. She looks at him with worry all over her face. "Is that smoke?"

"It smells like it," he nods back to her. "Why would the fireplace be on at this time of the year?"

"Lucinda is an old, weak woman, Lydia spits back to him. "She probably needs the need to stay alive."

Houston uneasily nods back to him. "Yea, I hope that's all it is."

***

Vivian Blackmore triumphantly walks out of the court room, having just been awarded custody of Ashlee, the girl that she adopted. She still can't believe that Celeste Baldwin and Marat Kafelinkov tried to take her child away from her; of course, she knows that they believe that Ashlee is their biological child; that is one secret she will never reveal to anyone.

She looks over to her left and sees Celeste and Marat comforting one another. She knows that she shouldn't approach them, but she can't help but move towards them.

"Well, aren't you going to congratulate me?" Vivian purses her lips together.

"Ugh, Vivian, go away," Celeste groans back to her. "You may get to keep our child, but I hope you can sleep well knowing that Ashlee is my child. Never forget that, okay?"

Vivian chuckles back to her. "I'll sleep just perfectly fine," she replies to her. "Because, I know that I am coming out on top. And, I know that I will be raising Ashlee to be the young woman I know she can be. She will raise to heights that you never could have brought her to."

"That's enough Vivian," Marat barks at her, fed-up with her snide remarks to Celeste. "We get it, you won. You can leave us alone now."

Vivian is about to say something back to him, when she spots Kent Blackmore outside on his telephone. "Fine, I'm leaving, but just remember the feeling you're feeling right now the next time you think about trying to come for me, because I will always win. Always."

They watch as she storms off, out of their sight. "I hate that woman," Celeste mumbles under her breath.

Vivian walks outside and smiles to Kent. "That smile says it all," he tells her, as they embrace. "I knew that you could do it."

"Thank you," she hugs him back. "I was worried but Cole's testimony really nail in their coffin," she tells him, thinking about Cole Rockwell dragging Celeste through the mud when he was on the stand. "I can't thank him enough."

"I suspect you have the perfect way to thank him," he chuckles back to her, as they start walking down the stairs of the court house. Kent happens to a see a car with tinted windows slowly drive up. He nods to them, which Vivian doesn't see, knowing what is going to happen very shortly.

***

Lex Rockwell moves into the country club desperate for a drink. He and his photographer at Blackmore Ltd, Tanner Young, just had hot, intense sex in his office. He had wanted Tanner from the moment he saw him, and he finally had him. The only thing is, his mind has been in overdrive thinking about Brock Jennings ever since.

"Double scotch, neat," he says as he reaches the bar. He knows that Brock has been assuming that they were going to be a steady couple, but that is the last thing that Lex wants, or needs, right now. After everything that his deceased husband, Jarek Williams, put him through, Lex really does just want time to figure things out for himself. Jumping into another relationship would only complicate things. "I just need to make him understand that."

Brock, meanwhile, arrives at the dining room and immediately spies Lex at the bar. Brock sighs heavily, recalling how he gave Lex's brother, Cole, a blow job earlier in the day. Brock feels bad for it, but he was struggling to know where and Lex stood and when Cole, who is very attractive, revealed his arousal, Brock couldn't resist. Now, he has to face Lex, which could be difficult.

"Hey," Brock says as he comes up and nervously sits next to Lex before he orders a drink. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," Lex takes a sip of his scotch. "I'm glad you're here, I really hate the fighting that has been going on. I like you, Brock, I really do, I'm just…I'm not ready for a relationship."

Brock uneasily nods back to him. "I'm beginning to realize that," he tells him. "I'm sorry if I pressured you, it's just, I really like you, and I like what we have together."

"I get it," Lex nods back to him. "Our sex is amazing, and we get along outside of the bedroom. Just don't expect a commitment, okay?"

Brock grins back to him. "Yea, I get it. Can I ask you a question though?"

"Yea, anything. What's up?"

"What about Tanner?" Brock asks him, knowing that Lex and Tanner have an attraction to one another. "Are you going to sleep with him?"

Lex takes another sip of his scotch. "We already did," he reveals to Brock, who shuts his eyes in disappointment. "I'm sorry if that hurts you, but yea, we did have sex. It was safe, and all that, don't worry. I'm not being stupid."

"No, of course, I wouldn't suggest that you were," Brock tells him back, still reeling from Lex's admission. "It's just tough to know that I'm not enough."

"It's not that you're not enough, Brock," Lex informs him. "It's that I want to have fun and explore."

Brock nods back to him. "I get it, I do. Thanks for the talk. I think we understand one another now."

***

"Are you guys ready to go?" Stacey asks Marat and Celeste as she walks up to them. She wants nothing more than to leave the court house so they can start putting this trial behind them. She knows that her husband is upset that he didn't get custody of Ashlee back, but secretly Stacey is happy because she didn't know how a child being in their lives would impact her new marriage.

"Yes, I think we are," Celeste nods back to her. "I want to leave here and forget today ever happened."

"It will be okay," Marat replies to her. "At least we know where Ashlee is now."

"Let's go, I need a drink," Celeste tells him, not wanting to talk about the trial anymore.

The three of them walk out of the courthouse and slowly start walking down the stairs. "I mean, who knows what will happen," Stacey tells them, trying to be positive about the situation. "Maybe Vivian will get bored of the child and you guys can get her back at a later time?"

Before Celeste or Marat can reply, three gun shots are fired from vehicle with the tinted windows, that drove up when Kent and Vivian were leaving. Marat, Celeste and Stacey all duck as the girls scream out in horror. The car quickly speeds off after the shots are fired. Marat slowly lifts his head and looks over at Stacey and then Celeste.

"Are you two okay?" he asks, his heart racing a million miles per second.

"What the hell just happened?" Stacey asks, wondering why shots were fired at them. "Someone tried to shoot us?"

"I wonder if Vivian had anything to do with this," Celeste dusts herself off. "Are you guys okay?"

"I'm fine," Stacey nods back to her, as Marat also nods back to her. "Just shaken."

"Yea, me too," Celeste agrees with her. "Come on, let's go get that drink now."

***

Kent pours himself a brandy in his office at Blackmore Ltd. and quickly takes a sip of it. He knows that right about now, the hit he arranged to kill Stacey will be taking place. He is still wrestling with if he is doing the right thing; after all, Stacey is Lydia's daughter and was engaged to Houston. But, he also knows that she tried to destroy him, and he can't allow anyone to treat him that way anymore. The Rockwell's have long tried to bring him down and he is tired of being their doormat.

"You made the right decision," he whispers to himself as he takes another sip of his brandy. "I can't go back now. If anything, I have to brace myself for the news of her death."

Outside the office, Lex is about to move inside when he hears Kent's phone ring. He pauses for a moment, not wanting to interrupt Kent's phone call.

"Kent Blackmore speaking," Kent says into his telephone. "Yes, I've been expecting your call. Tell me you have good news?"

He feels the blood drain from his face as he hears the news. "I can't believe you failed," he whispers into his phone. "You will try again. You won't stop until you have executed my plan, do you understand me?"

Outside the office, Lex wonders what plan Kent is talking about. Whatever it is, it is not something that Kent has shared with him, which makes him wonder if Kent is working more at Blackmore Ltd than he thought he was.

***

Mac moves into the living room of the Rockwell mansion and immediately sees his fiancé looking out the French doors into the garden. He pauses and looks at her for a moment; he can't help but admire how beautiful Sabine looks, although he can sense that something is wrong with her. He knows that she was complaining about not sleeping well, but now she has a look of sadness on her face. Since they just got engaged, he wonders why she would be sad.

"Penny for your thoughts," he finally says to Sabine, who turns to face him as a tear falls down her cheek. "Hey, what is it? What's wrong?"

He moves up to her and pulls her into a hug as another tear falls down her cheek. She can't believe everything that has happened in the last couple of days; she and Mac got engaged, only for her to discover that his mother has been holding Lydia and Houston hostage. Lucinda told her that Mac still loves Lydia and if she reveals that Lydia is alive, she will lose Mac to Lydia.

"Please tell me what is wrong," Mac whispers back to her, still holding her.

"I don't know," she finally replies to him. "I feel like I'm about to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me," he says looking into her eyes. "I love you, we are engaged. We are going to be married."

Sabine uneasily nods back to him, thinking about how she found Lydia's ring in his desk drawer, which made her realize that Lucinda is right about Mac being in love with Lydia. "I want to get married," she tells him. "I don' t want to wait, Mac. Let's get married sooner rather than later."

"You don't want to plan a big wedding?"

"No," she shakes her head back to him. "It's not my first wedding and it's not your first wedding," she tells him. "I just want to be with you so no one or nothing can separate us again. What do you say? Marry me?"

"Of course," he smiles back to her as he leans in and kisses her. "I'll marry you whenever you're ready to be married."

"Good, because I can't wait," she tells him. "I can't wait to marry you."

***

In the foyer, Cole moves into the house as he just got home from the court house. He looks around wondering where everyone else is. The only thing he really wants to do is find Dixie Ryan so he can get high again. His high is coming down and he doesn't want it to end.

He turns when he sees Dixie open the front door to the house, fresh from meeting with her dealer.

"There you are," Cole looks at her. "I was trying to find you. Did you get more….?"

"Yea, of course I did," Dixie replies to him quickly. "Look, when I was heading out though, your Dad stopped me and grilled me. I think he suspects something is going on with us."

Cole sighs heavily and runs his hand through his hair. "Damnit," he says in frustration. "You covered, right?"

"Of course I did," she snaps at him. "But, I don't know, I think he could be a problem. I don't want to get into trouble for doing snow with you."

"I'm an adult, I'm not going to get into trouble."

"Tell that to your overbearing father," she tells him. "I just think we should do it somewhere else. Somewhere away from him and anyone else that may see us."

"Okay, you have a point," he acknowledges. "Let's go pack a bag, I'll rent us a room at the country club."

"The country club?" she asks him taken a back. "That place must cost an arm and a leg each night."

"Does it look like we are worried about money?" he asks her as he looks at the lavish surroundings that they are standing in.

Dixie chuckles back to him. "That's part of why I like you so much," she winks at him. "Come on, let's go pack and blow this pop stand."

Cole nods back to her as they turn and rush up the large staircase.

***

"I just can't believe that someone tried to shoot you," Mac tells Stacey, Marat, Celeste and Sabine as he pours a brandy in the living room of the Rockwell mansion. "Something doesn't make sense. Who the hell would try to kill you?"

"I wish I knew," Stacey takes a sip of her drink. "I'm shaken though. It was scary."

"You know that I will not let anything bad happen to you," Marat puts his arm around her and squeezes her a little.

"It would have been difficult to stop if you had been shot," Stacey reminds him that he was there too. "It's just so odd. Who even knew that we were in court all day?"

"I still think that Vivian might have something to do with it," Celeste chimes in. "I mean, that woman will stop at nothing to get what she wants."

"But she won the case?" Mac questions her theory. "Vivian might be a lot of things, but a murderer? I'm just not sure that she would do that."

Before anyone can say anything else, Mac's telephone rings so he walks over to the desk and picks up the phone. "Mackenzie Rockwell," he says into his phone. "What? My God! Yes, please keep me posted, but make sure you save my Mother!"

Mac puts his phone down and looks over at his family. "Mac? What is it? What's happened?" Sabine asks him, wondering about the phone call he just got.

"Lucinda's mansion, it's on fire," he reveals to everyone, as Stacey gasps in horror.

"What? Is Grandmother okay? How did this happen?"

Mac shakes his head in confusion. "They think it was an electrical fire; she's been having some renovations completed; I don't know if the fire is out yet but they will keep me updated."

Sabine rushes up to him and pulls him into a hug. "Oh darling, Lucinda will be fine. She has to be okay. She's a survivor."

"I hope you're right," Mac whispers back to her. "After all the loss this family has gone through, we can't lose Lucinda too. We just can't."

***

"Hey man," Brock announces to Tanner, as he steps off the elevator at Blackmore Ltd looking to see if Lex wants to go for dinner. While Brock told Lex that he understands where he is in his life, he still hates that Lex and Tanner have had sex. In Brock's mind, he and Lex should be together and he won't let Tanner come between them.

"Hey," Tanner replies to him. "It's Brock, right?"

"Yea," Brock slightly rolls his eyes back to him. "I'm glad I ran into you, I think we have to get a couple of things straight."

Tanner arches his eyebrow back to him. "I'm not sure what we have to talk about, to be honest."

"Let's start with Lex," Brock quickly replies to him. "I want you to stay away from him."

Tanner chuckles back to you before he folds his arms over his chest. "I hate to tell you this, Brock, but Lex isn't your possession, he's a guy."

"A really great guy who deserves someone better than you," Brock spits back to him.

"Ah, I see what this is," Tanner smirks, amused by Brock's jealousy. "You're upset because he told you that he and I…."

"Spare me the details," Brock replies to him quickly. "I know you two had sex, but I'm telling you to back off."

"No," Tanner tells him matter of factly. "Lex is a young guy, like you and I, surely you know what having fun is all about. Lex and I had a good time, but we certainly aren't some serious couple right now. So, don't worry your pretty little head."

"Don't tell me what to do," Brock snaps at him. "Consider this your warning. Next time, I won't be so nice about it."

Before Tanner can reply, Brock storms off, hoping that he has gotten through to Tanner about staying away from Lex, even though Brock won't hold his breath.

***

"Darling, I told you that I was going to be celebrating for a bit," Vivian says into her phone as she sits at the bar in the country club with a glass of champagne in front of her. After she was successful in maintaining custody of Ashlee, which she owes a lot to Cole and his testimony against Celeste, she decided to come to the club to have a glass of champagne. No sooner after her drink arrived, she got a call from her nanny telling her that Ashlee wanted to speak to her.

"Now, you be a good little girl and I will be home shortly," Vivian tells her daughter. "Trust me, I will be home in time to tuck you in to bed and then Nanny will read you a bed time story, okay?"

She hangs up the phone and takes a sip of her champagne as she smiles to herself. "You see Celeste, I always get what I want. I have the girl you think is your daughter, even though she's not, and there's not a damn thing you can do about. And, considering how much Cole racked you over the coals on the witness stand, I'm pretty sure I will be able to convince him to come back to me very soon. Because, Cole and I, we belong together."

She takes another sip of her champagne before she giggles a little to herself, thinking about how masterfully her plan has come together.

Outside of the dining room, Cole and Dixie move into the lobby of the country club. Dixie stands away from the front counter as Cole obtains a room for the two of them. She watches him for a moment and can't help but be attracted to him; he's tall, very good looking and an amazing lover. She can't wait to get up to their room so she can have her way with him again.

He comes up to her and holds a key card up. "We are in," he smiles to her. "Are you ready?"

"I'm very ready," she replies to him. "I can't wait to have a line or two and then let you have me."

Cole looks back at her with lust in his eyes. "You know that I get worked up when I'm high."

"And you know I like you using me when you are worked up," she winks back to him.

"Come on, let's get upstairs," he eagerly tells her as he grabs her arm and they move to the elevator.

***

Marat and Stacey walk into the lobby of the country club, looking to grab the take out that they ordered. While they are waiting to hear about the fire at Lucinda's mansion, Marat thought it would be a good idea to get some food to keep the family going; they have no idea when the fire will be put out or if Lucinda will have any injuries, but he knows that they need food to have energy in case it is a long night ahead of them.

"Thank you for doing this," Stacey tells him. "We are all worried sick about my Grandmother."

"I know you are," Marat looks into her eyes. "You know that I will do anything for you, Stacey. I love you so much."

Stacey pulls him into a hug. "I love you too," she tells him. "I just hope Lucinda is okay. After losing Houston and my Mom, I can't imagine losing someone else. It just doesn't seem fair."

"Don't worry," Marat whispers into her ear. "The firefighters will put out the fire and your Grandmother will be just fine. You'll see."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," she says as they exit their embrace.

"You'll never have to find you," he winks back to her.

"Oh shoot," she says. "I left my phone in the car. I want to go grab it in case Dad calls me with an update. I'll be right back."

"I'll be here waiting for the food," he tells her as he watches her move to the door.

Stacey opens the door to the restaurant and moves outside. She turns back and waves to Marat before she turns around and slowly starts walking towards her car. Suddenly, the same black SUV that was parked outside the court house speeds up. The back window rolls down a little and a gun appears; two shots are fired! Stacey's body is shocked when the bullet hits her chest. She screams out in pain as she looks down and sees blood oozing out of her body. The SUV speeds away from the scene. Marat opens the door to the restaurant.

"Stacey! My God! Stacey!" he says rushing over to her as her body lays on the cement in a pool of blood. "I need help! Somebody help me! My wife has been shot!"

***

Marat paces back and forth at the hospital as he waits for an update about Stacey. Thankfully, the restaurant was able to call an ambulance quickly and Stacey was rushed over. Marat is waiting for Dr. Chen to come back and tell him how bad her injury is; he has never seen so much blood before. He just hopes that his wife is okay. And, he hopes that the rest of the Rockwell's arrive quickly, because they all need to support Stacey while she is injured.

"Marat, what the hell happened?" Mac asks as he storms into the waiting room with Sabine and Celeste following him.

"I wish I knew," Marat shakes as he replies. "We got to the country club to get the take out and Stacey," he says as his voice cracks. "She forgot her phone in the car and she wanted to have it in case you got word about the fire but when she went outside, a SUV drove by and shot her."

"Who would do this?" Celeste shakes her head in disgust. "First at the court house and now this…someone wanted Stacey dead."

Before anyone can say anything else, Dr. Chen walks into the waiting room. "Doctor, how is my daughter? Tell me she is going to be okay?" Mac asks him, panicked about Stacey's condition.

"She's getting prepared for surgery now," Dr. Chen tells them. "We have to remove the bullet; the good news is that it missed her heart and her lungs, but she has internal bleeding and the longer the bullet is in her, the more damage it can do."

"Please, do whatever you have to save my wife. I can't lose my wife, I can't," Marat pleads with him.

"I'll be back as soon as the surgery is over with a full update," Dr. Chen replies to them.

***

"My God," Mac whispers to Sabine as they sit side by side while Stacey is in surgery. "How the hell did this day get so bad? First the fire at my Mother's house and now this."

Sabine uneasily sits next to him, hoping that the fire is put out soon. She hasn't been able to stop thinking about Lydia and Houston being in the basement of the mansion; even if the fire fighters are able to get Lucinda out of the house, what about her hostages? She just hopes that the fire is put out because then she doesn't have to worry.

"It has been an awful day, I agree," Sabine tells him. "But you know what? I have faith that this will all work out. I think Lucinda will be fine and Stacey will make it through the surgery. We have to hope for the best."

"I hope to God you're right," Mac replies to her as he squeezes her hand.

Before she can reply, Detective Garrett Owens comes into the room and looks over at Mac. "Mr. Rockwell, I'm glad I found you," he tells him, as Mac and Sabine stand up.

"Detective," Mac replies to him quickly. "Is this about my daughter's shooting? I want whoever did this to her to pay!"

"I'm afraid this is about your Mother," the detective tells him quickly. "She was found in the living room of her house; she had been knocked unconscious."

"My God," Mac gasps in horror. "Where is she now? Can I see her?"

"She's here at the hospital," he replies to him. "You will have ask the doctor about her condition."

"And, what about the fire?" Sabine asks him. "Has it been put out yet?"

"I'm afraid not," the detective replies to them. "The firefighters are still working as quickly as they can, but the fire spread quickly. They are trying to get it under control. It's a good thing your Mother lives alone because they don't have to worry about saving anyone else."

Sabine feels her heart move into her throat as she can hear Mac ask about Lucinda's staff. She shakes her head as a tear falls down her cheek. "No!" she screams back to Owens. "You have to tell the firefighters to go into the basement! You have to send them there now! Before it's too late," Sabine yells to the detective, as Mac looks back and wonders what the hell she is talking about.

***

In the basement of the mansion, smoke fills the room where the cage is located. Inside the cage, Lydia and Houston lay on the floor, both unconscious from all the smoke that they have inhaled. At the top of the stairs, the door that leads into the basement catches on fire, and flames slowly start to make their way down the stairs, slowly creeping closer and closer to Houston and Lydia.

***

Cole dries his naked body off with a white towel in the hotel room washroom. After coming up to the room, doing three lines of cocaine and having hot, drug-induced sex with Dixie, he needed to have a shower. He felt a little dirty but he is clean now and ready to have another of cocaine with his girl.

"Hey Dixie," he calls out from the washroom. "Can you get a line ready for me, babe? I could use another hit."

He continues to dry himself off but is taken a back when he doesn't hear a response from her. "Dixie, did you hear what I said?"

He drops the towel on the towel rack and moves to the door, which he opens. He sees Dixie laying on the bed, appearing to be sleeping.

"Did I wear you out that much?" he chuckles to himself as he moves closer to the bed. "Dixie, come on, get up. Let's do another line."

Still, no movement from Dixie, so Cole puts his hand on her face. "Dixie, can you hear me? Wake up?" Only, she doesn't wake up. Cole starts shaking her a little, hoping to stir her from her sleep. "Dixie, come on, wake up! This isn't funny, wake up!"

But, Dixie just lays on the bed with her eyes closed. "Dixie! Oh my God, Dixie!" Cole shouts as he continues to shake the dead woman on his bed, overdosed from all the cocaine she has snorted with her lover.