Written by: Dallas Walsh

"Where is my son?" Lydia Rockwell barks at Garrett Owen as Mac Rockwell pushes her wheelchair into the police station. Lydia and Mac got a call from Cole Rockwell, their oldest son, telling them that he was arrested for the murder of Dixie Ryan. Lydia can't believe that her son is responsible for anyone's death, so to her, this is ridiculous and another way for the police to try to stick it to her family. "I can't believe you have the gull to arrest him."

"Let's just try to stay calm," Mac tells her Lydia, as he recalls Cole telling him that Grant Shaw was looking into Dixie's disappearance because he is her brother. He hasn't told anyone, including Lydia, that he helped Cole cover up Dixie's death when she overdosed in his hotel room. Something must have happened to make everyone believe Dixie was killed. "We don't know all the facts."

Garrett stands up to greet the Rockwell's and braces himself for playing this out as a part of Odette Williams' plan. "I've been expecting you," he tells them. "Cole is fine, he's being processed now."

"What evidence do you have as proof that Cole did this?" Lydia asks him. "He shouldn't be in here! He didn't kill anyone."

"We have records that he and Dixie had a room together at the country club," Garrett informs them. "And, we know that when Cole checked out, Dixie was not with him. We have hotel surveillance of two men carrying, what appears, to be a wrapped up body inside a rug out of the back doors. We suspect that this is Dixie. I had a search warrant for your property; I found a gun in Cole's room, and a bullet from his gun in the hotel room at the club. We just have to find her body, but for right now, Cole is our prime suspect in the shooting and death of Dixie Ryan."

"This is outrageous!" Lydia shrieks. "Cole did not kill anyone! And, when did you search the house?"

"Last night," Garrett reveals to them. "I had a search warrant. This was all done by the books."

"How much is bail?" Mac asks Garrett as he puts his hands on Lydia's shoulders, trying to keep her calm. "I won't allow my son to stay here any longer than he has too."

"We just heard back from the Judge," Garrett informs him. "And, bail was set at 1.5 million dollars."

"I'll have the money transferred immediately," Mac tells him. "Release my son at once."

Garrett sighs heavily, secretly hoping that the bail would be high enough that the Rockwell's wouldn't pay it but he realizes that he should have known better. Still, he knows that this will be a blow to their large bank accounts. "As soon as I get the money, Cole will be released."

"You best get better evidence," Lydia tells him. "Because, I will sue this entire police department if you pursue this! Cole did not kill anyone, mark my words on that."

"Mrs. Rockwell…" Garrett begins to tell him.

"No," Lydia cuts him off. "You are messing with the wrong family! Just be warned, detective."

Mac hangs up his phone and turns around to face Garrett. "You should have the money," Mac tells him. "I just got off the phone with bank."

"Now, where is Cole? I want to see my son," Lydia informs Garrett. "I want to take him home."

***

"Baby, can we get you anything at all? Some food or a drink?" Lydia asks Cole, as they move into the living room of the mansion after Cole was released. Lydia still can't believe that her son was arrested for murdering someone; it makes no sense to her.

Cole walks up to the bar and pours himself a scotch. "I'm not hungry, but thank you," he takes his first sip of this. "And, guys, thanks for bailing me out. I know that it was a lot of money."

"Money isn't an object," Mac replies to him coming up to him and hugging Cole. "You know that your mother and I would do anything for you, right?"

"Yea, thanks," Cole tries to put a smile on his face while they exit their embrace. "I don't know what I'd do without you two."

"You'll never have to find out," Lydia tells him. "Now, we are going to have to get you the best lawyer to prove that Garrett Own is crazy. There is no way you killed anyone."

Cole uneasily looks back at Mac and gulps, knowing that they should talk in private. "We will get you out of this, believe me."

"Thanks Dad," Cole tells him. "This is all such a mess."

"Mac, why don't we go into the study and start making some calls? The sooner we get a lawyer, the sooner we can put this mess behind us," Lydia says. "Cole, darling, if you need anything, come find us, okay?"

Cole nods back to them, as Mac pushes Lydia out of the living room. Cole takes another sip of his drink as he hears the front door open and soon, Lex Rockwell is coming into the room. Lex, who just finished having sex with the stable boy, Toby Sinclair, runs his hand through his hair as he looks at his brother, and can tell that Cole is stressed about something before he takes a sip of the tea in his hand.

"Lex, I'm glad you're here," Cole admits to him. "Something has happened and you should hear it from me."

Lex arches his eyebrow. "Whatever it is, it must be bad. You look like hell."

"Gee, thanks."

Lex shrugs his shoulders. "So, what's happened now?"

"I was arrested for the murder of Dixie Ryan," Cole informs him, as Lex's mouth opens in shock. He wanted to be the one to make Cole pay for Dixie's death; he has no idea who beat him to the punch. "I'm out on bail, thanks to Mom and Dad."

Lex moves over the bar and pours himself a drink, wondering who leaked the information the police. Everything he had been hoping for is suddenly not going as he planned, and he doesn't like it. "You're not saying anything," Cole tells him. "I'm surprised you don't have some kind of snide remark."

"I'm just surprised," Lex admits to him. "This was the last thing I was expecting to hear today."

"Yea, I bet," Cole replies to him. "Just know that I didn't kill Dixie. This is all a misunderstanding."

Lex uneasily nods back to him. "I'm sure it is. You're never guilty of anything, are you, Cole?"

"There it is!" Cole rolls his eyes. "The attitude is back."

"I don't have time to listen to this," Lex puts his tea down and walks towards the door. "Good luck beating your murder charge."

***

Stacey Rockwell wakes up in her bedroom in the Rockwell mansion with a pounding headache. She puts her hand to her forehand and lets out a loud groan. She can't remember, exactly, how many drinks she had the night before, but in front of her is another day and another hang over.

"What is happening to me?" she asks as she leans up in the bed. "I have to stop drinking so much. I can't keep doing this."

She has an uneasily feeling in the pit of her stomach suddenly. Like, she should remember something, but can't. "Why do I get the feeling that I did something last night that I shouldn't have?"

She looks around the room and doesn't see a trace of anyone else being with her. "No, I'm just imagining this. I'm fine. Everything is fine."

***

"Oh darling," Vivian Blackmore smiles as she walks up to Houston Blackmore in the country club as she spotted her son sitting at a table alone. She is looking forward to getting an update on his relationship with Stacey Rockwell, as the last time she saw him, Houston revealed that Stacey wasn't ready to forgive him. "I'm glad I ran into you. I was hoping you'd gotten through to Stacey. Has she forgiven you?"

Houston looks up from his beer. "No," he tells her. "She hasn't even wanted to see me. I'm afraid I've lost her."

"Don't say that," Vivian replies to him. "You haven't lost her. Not even close."

"I hope you're right," Houston says back to her. "Because, I just read something that might help me get back into her good graces."

"What is that?"

Houston looks back over at his mom. "You haven't heard? Cole was arrested for murder. I'm going to reach out and see if Stacey needs a shoulder to cry on."

"Wait, what?" Vivian gasps back to him. She hadn't heard that Cole was arrested, but it does make sense to her now that she is thinking about it. "Cole was arrested?"

"Yup," Houston tells her. "I know the two of you have a history, so I'm surprised that you hadn't heard about it."

"No, I hadn't," she admits to him. "I hope he's okay. There is no way he killed anyone."

"I'm sure he will be fine. You know damn well Mac won't let him sit in jail for very long."

"Good point," Vivian nods back to him. "Fathers are like that, always protecting their children."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Have you reached out to Kent?" she asks him, knowing that Houston and his father, Kent Blackmore, have been at odds since it was revealed that Lydia and Houston slept together while Lucinda Rockwell was holding them hostage. "The sooner the two of you make up, the better it will be."

"I have," Houston admits to her. "I was with him when he had a minor stroke."

"What? Is your father okay?"

"Yes, he's fine. The health scare really put it all into perspective for us though. We have turned over a new leaf."

"I'm so glad to hear that," Vivian purses her lips together as she looks over Houston's shoulder and sees Kent walk into the club. "Excuse me for a moment, will you?"

Vivian quickly walks over to Kent and immediately pulls him into a hug. "Hello to you too, Vivian. What has gotten into you?"

"Houston just told me about the stroke," Vivian says as they exit their embrace. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, I didn't want to worry you. I don't want to worry anyone. I'm fine, I promise."

"Thank God for that," Vivian looks back at him. "I don' t know what I would do if something happened to you."

***

Tanner Young walks into the Williams house and closes the door behind himself. He was going to call Odette Williams to give her the update, but he thought he would pay her a visit instead of calling her. He hopes that she is pleased with the progress of their plan, because he thinks that everything is going exactly as they wanted it to.

"Tanner, I wasn't expecting you," Odette moves into the kitchen, having heard the door open. "What brings you by? Everything is okay, isn't it?"

"Yea, everything is fine," Tanner nods back to her. "I wanted to give you an update on Lexington. He is in very good shape right now."

Odette is unable to hide her smile on her face. She puts her hands together. "This is perfect," she tells him. "He has been drinking the medication from Dr. Chen?"

"He has," Tanner replies to her. "He has been drinking it daily. I've made sure of that. I still don't know how you convinced Dr. Chen to help you."

Odette chuckles back to him. "Everyone has secrets," she looks back at him. "The key is finding out what those secrets are and using them to your advantage. I happened to uncover something from the doctor's past and ever since then, he has been more than willing to do whatever I ask of him."

"This plan with Lex is working, thanks to Dr. Chen," Tanner says back to her. "I think it will only be a matter of time before he reveals himself to the Rockwell's and they too will realize what has happened."

Odette gets a sparkle in her eyes. "Oh, to be a fly on the wall when that happens. That's when Mac and Lydia will truly realize what I've done and what I'm capable of."

"They will get what they deserve, Odette. You have to believe that."

"Oh, I do. And, I couldn't be happier about it."

***

Stacey moves into the living room of the Rockwell mansion and realizes that she is alone, which just suits her fine. She recalls the previous day when she had been at the club having something to eat when she encountered Celeste Baldwin, the woman who is pregnant with her husband's, Marat Kafelnikov's, child. Stacey couldn't help but inform Celeste that she had heard from Marat earlier in the day and when Celeste asked her how Marat was, Stacey admitted that she didn't ask him because she is still trying to get over the fact that Marat slept with Celeste. Celeste, in turn, called Stacey selfish and slapped her across the face. Stacey stormed home, needing to be alone for a while. She does, however, find herself pouring herself another drink, despite already having her share today.

"Between Marat, Houston and Celeste, I can't take anymore," she whispers to herself, also recalling how her former fiancé, Houston Blackmore, slept with her mother while they were being held hostage together. In her mind, her personal life is a complete mess right now, and she has no idea how she is going to fix it. She takes another heavy drink of her brandy, even though she knows she shouldn't be drinking

"I just wish things were simpler," she continues to talking to herself. "But, as per usual, everything is upside down. Marat is in Moscow and Houston; well I've made it clear to him that he is to stay away from me."

She takes another sip of her drink as she lets a tear fall down her cheek. "How is anything going to be normal again? How will I figure out what I have to do next?"

She moves back over to the sofa and picks up the newspaper, seeing the headline of Cole's arrest. Immediately she feels her heart move into her throat, wondering why she is feeling so guilty. "What the hell is this? And, why do I feel responsible?"

***

Tanner walks through the door of the country club and stops to look into the dining room, looking to see if Grant Shaw is anywhere to be found. When he doesn't see his lover, he moves to the stairs to head up to Grant's room. After telling Odette the good news about Lex, Tanner could use a good romp in bed with Grant to help blow off some steam. He realizes that he is close to getting everything he wants; he just has to stay course and everything will fall into place perfectly. Before he can take the first step on the stairs, however, he hears someone call his name.

"Tanner Young?"

Tanner stops and turns around and sees Houston approaching him. Tanner immediately recognizes him from Blackmore Ltd. "Houston Blackmore, what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Do you want to join me at the bar for a drink?" Houston asks him as Tanner uneasily nods back to him, still unsure of what this is about. "It'll be my treat."

"Uh, sure," Tanner replies as they walk back to Houston's chair.

"He'll have a double bourbon," Houston tells the bartender, as they take a seat. "I'm sure you're wondering what this is about."

Tanner nods back to him with a sly grin on his face. "I am," he admits to him. "I hope it has nothing to do with my work at Blackmore Ltd. I've been giving it my all."

"No, this has nothing to do with your photography," Houston replies to him. "But, I heard something and I needed to question you about it."

"I'm all ears," Tanner tells him as he takes a sip of his bourbon. "What's up?"

"My mother told me that you informed her about Celeste Baldwin being pregnant with Marat Kafelinkov's child," Houston looks back at him. "And, I need to know how you knew this any why you told my mother."

Tanner gulps as he feels his heart start to race. He had advised Vivian not to tell anyone that he was her source; but, of course, she told her son, who is in love with Stacey. He clearly didn't think this through. But, how is he doing to get out of it? "Are you going to answer me?" Houston asks him causing Tanner to snap out of his train of thoughts.

"I, uh," Tanner stutters back to him. "Look, Houston. I happened to find out, how really doesn't matter. I told your mother because I know that she has had a thing for Cole for a long time. I just thought the truth should come out."

"But you're dating Lex," Houston continues to press him. "Why would you create so much chaos for his siblings? Something doesn't make sense here, Tanner. I'm just trying to figure it all out."

"Look, thanks for the drink," Tanner stands up from his chair. "But, I did what I thought was best and I'm not going to be given the third degree by you because of it. Thanks for the drink, see you at the office. And Houston, drop this. It means nothing."

Houston watches as Tanner storms off and heads up the stairs of the club. Houston turns back around and picks up his bourbon. "He's definitely hiding something," Houston whispers to himself. "And, I have to figure out what it is. If I can expose Tanner and his secrets, maybe Stacey will realize that I'm still trying to protect her and her family and she'll take me back. This could change my entire life."

***

"Your mother is back at the penthouse, but she can come over if you'd like her too," Mac tells Cole as they stand in the living room of the Rockwell mansion, having made some calls following Cole's release on bail. Mac wishes that Sabine Andrews and Kent weren't blackmailing him and Lydia into reuniting with them, because Mac would love to have Lydia with him and Cole right now. It would bring the family together and that's what they need right now.

"No, it's fine," Cole tells him. "She needs her rest, and not to be left worrying about me and this murder charge. Dad," Cole looks at his father. "What the hell are we going to do?"

"Don't worry," Mac replies to him. "I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what we can do, and I think I have the answers. You didn't shoot anyone, we just have to prove that."

Before Cole can reply to him, Sabine strolls into the living room with an upset look on her face. "There you are," she purses her lips together. "Darling, I thought we were going to have dinner together. Wasn't that the arrangement?"

"Wait, what the hell is going on here?" Cole asks his father.

"You haven't heard?" Sabine smiles back to her nephew. "Your father and I, we are back together."

"Since when?"

"Yesterday," Sabine informs him.

"It's a long story," Mac looks back at Cole. "And Sabine, I'm sorry, but something more important came up. Dinner will have to wait."

"More important than us putting our relationship back together?"

"I was arrested," Cole advises her, as Sabine gasps him. "It's all a big misunderstanding."

"But, as you can imagine, I have to help my son right now. Hence why dinner can wait," Mac glares at her, not happy that she is pressing the issue. He only hopes that Lydia can find something, anything, at the penthouse that they can use as leverage against this blackmail because he isn't sure how long he will be able to go on with the charade.

Before Sabine can reply, the doorbell rings. Cole, wanting a break from the drama with Sabine and Mac, puts his hands up. "I'll get it," he tells them before he walks out of the living room and into the foyer. He opens the door, and sees Grant Shaw standing on the other side of the door. "Grant."

"You son of a bitch!" Grant raises his fist and punches Cole in the face. "That's for killing my sister!"

Cole stumbles back and puts his hand up to his bleeding nose as Mac and Sabine come rushing out of the living room. "What the hell have you done?" Mac yells at Grant, as Sabine tends to Cole.

"He killed my sister!"

"You get the hell out of my house before I call the police and have you arrested for assault and battery," Mac grits his teeth back at Grant, who stands tall to him.

"Fine, but I won't let him get away with this. Just because he has the last name Rockwell, doesn't mean my sister's murder will go unpunished. You haven't seen the last of me," Grant spits back to Cole and Mac. "And, I very well may just terminate the contract between the Kelsey Lake mine and Rockwell Mining now; for Dixie!"

"Get out of my house now!" Mac yells at Grant, who turns and quickly leaves before Mac turns back to Cole. "Are you okay son?"

"I'll be fine," Cole replies to him. "I just need to know what we are going to do to beat this. I can't have this hanging over my head."

***

Lex Rockwell opens the door to the main office at the Rockwell Mining building and moves inside, as he thinks about his encounter with Toby Sinclair in the stables earlier in the evening; they had sex for the first time, which has left him feeling very tormented. On one hand, he enjoyed the experience with Toby; they had chemistry since they met but he is in some type of relationship with Tanner.

"Well, whatever happened happened," Lex tries to tell himself. "I can't change it now. I guess this means that I should have a discussion with Tanner about where we stand. With everything else going on, it seems like it will be a difficult conversation to have but I should have it."

He is about to pour himself a drink when he hears the door open so he turns around and sees Toby standing there. "Toby, what are you doing here?"

Toby shrugs as he moves inside and closes the door behind himself. "I had to see you," he admits to Lex. "What happened in the stables earlier, it was really great."

"Yea, for me too," Lex admits to him. "But, I have to talk to Tanner you know. I don't want to be that guy."

"What are you going to talk to him about?" Toby asks him as he licks his lips. "Do you want to be with me?"

"I don't know," Lex tells him. "But, the sex was good. I can't deny that."

"It was better than good," Toby chuckles. "I'd be game for having it again."

Lex blushes. "Me too," he smiles back to Toby, who moves closer to him. "But, maybe we shouldn't do anything until after I've spoken to Tanner?"

"Ugh," Toby chuckles back to him. "You're going to make me wait?"

Lex moves up to him and kisses him on the lips. "I think that would be for the best, don't you?"

Outside the office, Celeste Baldwin walks up to the office door but stops to fix her skirt. She is working late today because she is trying to forget the mess her personal life is in right now; Cole has once again kicked her to the curb because she is pregnant with Marat's child. She has come to realize that she needs to move on from Cole because as soon as they split up, he ran back into Vivian's arms. She can't keep going in this circle, especially since she has a baby to worry about.

"I'll just drop these latest designs off for Mac to review and head back to the club," she whispers to herself. "I don't want to overdo it, I have you to think about," she says as she puts her hand on her belly.

She slowly opens the door but freezes when she hears Lex talking "I think that would be for the best, don't you?". She peers inside and sees Lex in the room all alone. There is no one else there with him. Celeste quickly recalls seeing Lex in a similar situation in the stables on the Rockwell mansion estate recently. She closes the door and leans up against it, arching her eyebrow in the process. "What the hell is going on with you, Lex?"

***

Lydia slowly wheels herself out of the bedroom on the main floor of the penthouse into the living room and looks around. She turns around slightly in her wheelchair so her face looks at the spiral staircase that leads to the second level of the home.

"Kent, darling, are you home?" she calls out, to no answer. She turns back around in her wheelchair and realizes that this is her chance to look around the penthouse for some kind of leverage to help combat Kent and Sabine's insane blackmail scheme to keep her and Mac apart. She slowly stands up from her wheel chair and braces herself on the sofa until she takes a couple of small steps.

"You can do this Lydia," she whispers to herself. "You have to do this. Your entire future is depending on it."

She continues to take a few steps until she tries standing up all on her own. She takes a couple more steps. "Oh my God," she covers her mouth as her eyes swell with water. "I'm walking. I'm really walking!"

She moves over to the desk in the corner and starts opening the drawers, rifling through the papers and documents. "Damn it," she says as she slams the drawer closed. "There's nothing in there that I can use. Where are you hiding your important documents, Kent?"

Suddenly, she hears the front door start to unlock. She moves as quickly as she can back to her wheel chair and sits down, wiping her head once she has. She turns and sees Kent coming into the room. "Oh darling, hi," Lydia tries to keep her breath under control. "I was just going to have a drink. Would you care for one?"

"I would, yes," Kent nods back to her. "Did you have a long day?"

"You have no idea," Lydia replies to him. "I'll tell you all about it over our drink."

***

"How is your nose?" Sabine asks Cole, as he lays back on the sofa with a towel over his bleeding nose, caused by Grant Shaw. "Can I get you more ice?"

"No, thank you Sabine," Cole replies to her. "I think I'll be okay. I'm pretty sure the bleeding has stopped. I'll just have a bruised face tomorrow."

"I can't believe that Grant Shaw just showed up and attacked you like that," Sabine tells him. "Where do you think your father went?"

"I don't know," Cole shrugs his shoulders. "But, I believe him when he told me that he will make sure that these charges are dropped. Maybe he's doing something that will help me?"

"I hope so," Sabine nods back to him. "Anyways, if you're doing okay, I'm going to go up and get ready for bed. It's been a long day."

"Okay, good night, Sabine."

Cole removes the towel from his face and wipes up any remaining blood on face before he stands up and moves over to the bar and pours himself a brandy. He takes a sip and feels the alcohol go down his throat. "I needed that," he whispers to himself.

"Why is this towel all bloody? What's happened?" a voice calls out from behind Cole. He turns around sees Vivian standing in the living room looking at the towel. "Oh my God, Cole, what happened to your face?"

"Your friend, Grant Shaw," Cole spits back to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard about your arrest and wanted to come and lend my support," Vivian replies to him. "If I can help in anyway, I'm here for you Cole."

Cole chuckles back to her, knowing that she used him to get back into his bed despite knowing that Grant knew the that he was with Dixie when she died. She tricked him into having sex with her again. "I think you've done enough, don't you?"

"Cole, come on," Vivian moves closer to him. "You know that you had a good time with me. That could be us, all the time. You just have to let it happen. Besides, I know damn well you didn't kill anyone."

"I don't have to do anything, Vivian," he snaps at her. "If you're serious and you want to help, then you'll walk out that door and never come back. I told you earlier, we are over. And I meant, it."

"Cole…"

"No, Vivian," he cuts her off. "We are over. For good, this time."

***

"You better start explaining yourself or I'm going to ask to speak to the commissionaire," Mac barges into Garrett Owen's office at the police station, interrupting a phone call that the detective is on.

Garrett uneasily looks up at Mac. "Yea, look, I'll have to call you back. Something unexpected just walked into my office," Garrett says before he hangs up his phone and stands up glaring at Mac. "How dare you come into my office unannounced. I was on a very important phone call!"

"With the amount of money my family gives this police department, I don't care what you're doing, you're going to make time for me. Otherwise, I'll go to your boss, the commissionaire."

"What can I do for you, Mr. Rockwell?"

"Why are you doing nothing to help my son? You know damn well that these murder charges are bogus," Mac grits his teeth back to the detective.

"Look, I know you're upset by the charges, I would be too, but I am following all the rules here," Garrett replies. "How do you think it will look if your son started getting special treatment? The press would have field day. If you want my honest opinion, Mr. Rockwell, it would be to lawyer up. If your son is innocent, then he will be able to prove that. But until then, the charges against him will remain. Now, if you don't mind, I do have more important things to be doing."

***

"You should have seen Owen," Mac tells Lydia in the lobby of her building. As soon as his meeting with Garrett was over, Mac raced over to see Lydia to tell her the latest. Lydia, knowing that Kent was upstairs, just told him that she was going out to get some air. She had to see Mac quickly. "He was so smug. I swear, he's hiding something."

"What would he be hiding?" Lydia asks him. "I'm not sure Garrett is the bad guy here. And more importantly, how are we going to help Cole?"

"Leave that to me," Mac reassures her. "I have an idea that will clear Cole of any wrong doings. How are things going with Kent?"

"I was alone earlier," she tells him. "And, Mac. I walked. I took steps all on my own."

"That is fantastic! Does that mean you were able to search for some leverage that we can use against Kent and Sabine?"

"I did search the penthouse, yes," Lydia tells him. "But, I didn't find anything. The next time I'm alone, I'll search in the bedroom. I know that there must be something that I can use against Kent. He has never exactly conducted business in the most traditional of manners."

Mac chuckles back to her. "That's the understatement of the year," he tells her. "I'm glad we are in this together," he says grabbing her hand and leaning down to look at her.

"Me too," she says before she pushes her lips into his. They kiss for a moment before they separate. "Okay, I should get back upstairs before he gets worried. Be in touch tomorrow?"

"Of course."

***

Once Lydia gets back upstairs, she opens the door to the penthouse and wheels herself back into the living room. She gasps at the sight in front of her, however. A table is set up in the middle of the room, with candles and two red roses on it. Soft jazz music is playing in the background, and Kent, who is wearing a tuxedo, is opening a bottle of champagne.

"What is all this?" Lydia asks him.

Kent turns to see his former fiancé and smiles back to her. "I thought we should celebrate your return to the penthouse," he tells her. "We have been through so much together, Lydia, but in the end, love always wins. I think you and I have proven that love concurs all, don't you?"

Lydia gulps back to him as she accepts a glass of champagne. "To us, my beauty," he tells her as their glasses toast one another.

Lydia uneasily takes a sip of the champagne and looks back at Kent. "You've outdone yourself, Kent."

"Nonsense," he waves his hand back to her. "This is just the start. I want to prove to you that we belong together, Lydia. Will you let me do that?"

Lydia nods back to him. "I hope there's dinner under those trays," she giggles back to him. "I'm famished."

"There is," Kent stands up and pushes her wheelchair over to the table. "All of your favorites."

"You certainly are pulling out all the stops," Lydia smiles back to him.

"That's the plan," he winks back to her.

***

"Darling, it's late, how come you're still awake?" Mac asks Stacey as he moves into the living room of the Rockwell mansion and spies his daughter pouring herself a nightcap.

Stacey turns and looks at her father for a moment before she finishes pouring her drink. "I was just having a nightcap. Would you like to join me?"

"Sure, that'd be nice," Mac nods back to her. "We have had one hell of a day."

"I know," she replies to him. "I'm so worried about Cole."

"We all are," Mac tells her. "But, the thing to remember is that Cole is innocent. He didn't kill anyone."

"Of course not."

"I'd still like to know how Garrett got into this house," Mac takes a sip of his brandy. "I asked the staff and no one remembers him coming to the house."

Stacey slowly takes a sip of her brandy as the memory of the previous night comes flooding back to her; she was about to go to sleep when Garrett arrived. She feels the blood drain from her face at the thought; was she so drunk that she didn't remember letting Garrett into the house?

"Stacey, is everything okay?" Mac asks her, seeing that she has gone pale.

"Yes, I'm fine. I think I'll turn in," she tells him as she stands up from the sofa. "I'm going to go to sleep. I think I need some rest."

"Okay sweetheart, see you in the morning," Mac tells her. "And Stacey, don't worry about your brother. He will be fine."

***

Mac opens the door to his master bedroom at the Rockwell mansion and closes the door once he has moved inside. He is looking forward to getting a good night sleep, knowing that tomorrow will be a big day for his plan to get Cole off of these murder charges.

"Maybe I'll have one nightcap before I go to sleep," he says as he takes his shirt off and walks over to the bar in his bedroom. He pours himself a brandy, as he hears a side door open.

"Why don't you pour two of those?" Sabine's voice can be heard fill the room.

"Sabine, I'm tired," Mac doesn't turn around to face her. "If you could excuse yourself."

"Why don't you look at me," she purrs as she moves closer to him, only wearing some red lace lingerie, as Mac turns around to see her. He can't deny that she looks very sexy. "Are you sure you want me to go to sleep all alone in the other room?"

Mac smiles back to her. "I'll give you A for effort," he winks back to her. "But, I told you that things have to go slowly. I can't just rush back into this. I have to learn how to trust you again."

"It's not trust," she purrs back to him. "It's sex."

Mac chuckles. "Good night, Sabine."

"Ugh, fine, but I'm not giving up," she turns and slowly walks out of his room.

Mac sighs and runs his hand through his hair before he turns around and slams his night cap back in one big gulp, trying to get the image of the sexy woman out of his head.

***
Cole opens the door to Mac's office at Rockwell Mining, hoping to get his mind off of everything that is going on with his personal life. He sees Lex sitting behind Mac's desk and immediately rolls his eyes.

"This is not what I wanted or needed to night," Cole groans at his brother.

"Then leave, I was here first," Lex replies to him. "I have a ton of work to do."

"This isn't about the wild preserve, is it? Because, I've actually come with an idea that might work for everyone."

Lex arches his eyebrow back to him. "And what would that be?"

"I spoke to Madison Steward from the preserve; she was on your side about not ruining the land. However, what if we go beneath the preserve," Cole suggests to him. "We could see if there are any of these rare diamonds; if there are, we can look at other alternatives, if there's not, then we haven't upset any of the ground, just beneath it."

"That's not a terrible idea," Lex is surprised by his brother's idea.

"Are you actually agreeing with me on something?"

"It seems that way."

"After these murder charges are dropped, let's look into this eye. It could be a win-win situation," Cole tells his brother.

Suddenly it hits Lex as he looks back at Cole; his brother could actually face serious jail time if he is convicted. He has no idea why he has been so hell bent on finding out what happened to Dixie Ryan, but he realizes in this moment that he was in the wrong, and guilt starts creeping into his mind.

"Sure, Cole. That sounds like a plan," he manages to say with a smile on his face.

***

Downstairs, Stacey pours herself a third night cap in the living room of the Rockwell mansion having not been able to fall asleep. The last thing she wants to do is go to bed because she has been dreaming about both Marat and Houston, so she thought if she had enough to drink, she would pass out and not have any dreams tonight.

"Let's hope this works," she tells herself as she takes a sip of her drink. "A night without tossing and turning would be great, and just what I need."

She pauses when she hears someone knock on the front door of the mansion. She sets her glass down as she arches her eyebrow. "Who could that be at this hour?" she asks herself as she starts to walk, unevenly, to the front door. She opens the door and gasps out. "Houston! No, we aren't doing this tonight," she says as she starts to close the door to him.

"Wait, please," he stops her from closing the door. "I need to talk to you, and it's not about us."

Stacey looks back at him and nods her head back to him. "You have five minutes," she tells him. "And, if you try to get me back once, I'm done."

"It's about Tanner Young."

"Lex's boyfriend? What about him?"

Houston shrugs his shoulders. "I don't have all the answers yet," he admits to her. "But I think something is going on with him. I think he's up to something."

"Okay," Stacey lets him inside the mansion. "You have my attention. What is going on with Tanner and Lex?"

***

"And, you're sure that Cole will not be able to beat these charges?" Odette asks Garrett as they sit next to one another in the living room of her house. She hopes his answer is no because she has worked far too hard to get Cole behind bars; this is all a part of her plan to make sure the Rockwell's pay for Bernie and Jarek's deaths.

"All the evidence is pointing to him being guilty," Garrett grins back to her. "I don't know how the Rockwell's expect to beat this."

"This is too perfect," Odette smiles back to him. "I can't believe how well everything is going!"

"Believe it, Odette," Garrett tells her. "We are going to sink that family, we are on our way. Nothing can stop us now. Nothing."

***

Lucinda sits in her room at Avondale, rocking in her rocking chair. She doesn't move when Dr. Chen comes into the room, carrying a small tray with a small plastic cup that is filled with her medication.

"Good evening Mrs. Rockwell," Dr. Chen smiles. "It's time for your medication."

He puts the green pill into her hand and then into Lucinda's mouth, before he puts a water glass with a straw up to Lucinda's mouth. Lucinda slowly starts to drink some water. Dr. Chen smiles when Lucinda swallows.

"Good job," he tells her. "Now, I'll be back a little later to tuck you in. Enjoy your evening."

Dr. Chen leaves the room as Lucinda continues to sit in her chair rocking, but slowly moves her hand up to her mouth. She slowly spits out the green pill and puts it into her robe pocket.

"Oooooodddeeeettte," she mumbles to herself. "Odettttttteeeeeeeee."

***

"Toby, I'm not going to get anything done if you don't leave me alone," Lex looks over at Toby, who is sitting on the sofa in Mac's office at Rockwell Mining. His lover showed up at the office after Cole left for the night and has been distracting him ever since. "I'd like to get home some time tonight."

"Nah," Toby stands up and takes his shirt off, revealing his muscular chest to Lex. "I want you to stay and come over here before I get cold again."

Lex stands up and looks at him. "I thought we weren't going to do this until I spoke to Tanner?"

"Who cares?" Toby grins back to him. "You're at work at this hour, and I'm horny. Get over here so we can solve this big riddle in my pants together."

"You're terrible," Lex chuckles as he moves out from behind the desk.

Slowly, the office door opens and Tanner peers into the office. He watches Lex move from behind the desk over to the sofa where he sits down and starts to remove his clothes. "Oh Toby," Lex calls out, as Tanner gets a grin on his face, as he doesn't' see anyone else in the office.

Tanner closes the door and smiles to himself, as he pulls out the small vile that is full of white liquid. He recalls all the times he has spiked the tea that he has brought Lex with the drugs inside the vile. The drugs are making Lex believe that Toby is real, but in fact, he is a figment of Lex's imagination.

"That's right Lex," Tanner chuckles to himself. "Odette wanted you to lose your mind completely, and the fact that you believe you're having sex with a hot guy right now when there is no one there proves that we have accomplished everything we wanted to. You are completely off your rocker," he chuckles to himself. "Jarek would be so proud of Odette and me because you are getting exactly what you deserve!"