YORK HOTEL
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Vanessa Phillips awoke on the floor of her hotel room, to find Anita Johanassen holding her baby, Eamon. Vanessa realized that she must have passed out after giving birth, and now Anita was holding the baby until Vanessa awoke.

"My…my baby," Vanessa said.

"It's a boy," Anita said, smiling. "Isn't that marvelous? It's a beautiful baby boy!"

Anita had the child wrapped in one of the towels from the hotel's bathroom, and she was sitting in a chair in front of Vanessa. Over next to the door, Ryan was still unconscious after hitting his head during the earthquake.

Anita slowly handed the baby to Vanessa, letting her hold the child for the first time. As she did, Vanessa's entire face lit up. Despite the situation, this was one of the happiest moments in her life. No, this was the happiest moment of her life.

"I should call the hospital," Anita offered. "Get you and this new baby some proper care."

Vanessa was so excited that she didn't even cringe at Anita's dreadful accent. As Anita walked over to pick up the phone, Ryan began to stir on the floor.

"I reckon your husband's waking up now," Anita said.

"Quite the honeymoon," Vanessa muttered.

"Honey…this is your honeymoon?" Anita demanded.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Vanessa asked.

"Oh my gosh!" Anita shrieked. "You…you're going to hell!"

"Excuse me?"

"You had pre-marital sex," Anita whispered.

"God, woman! Just call the damn hospital!" Vanessa shouted.



BLOOD HOME

Quentin Blood stood on the stairs that led to his private office. Having finished his earlier meeting with Chris Server, Quentin was now ready to meet with another one of his former employees — Ricard Branch. He had Ric waiting in the room, to purposefully keep him on edge.

Most people seemed uncomfortable in Quentin's home, not only because of him, but because it was literally a castle. Quentin had renovated a castle that was in the town and turned it into a mansion. Apparently, no one had ever wondered why there was a huge castle at the edge of Emerald Lake, or why there was a castle period in Wisconsin.

"Ricard," Quentin said, entering the office and closing the door.

"Quentin," Ric said. "What…what did you call me here for?"

"Relax," Quentin told him. "I'm only here to ask you a few questions about how you've been."

"Really?"

Quentin smiled. "Of course. I hear you've been having girl troubles lately."

Ric's face fell. "How did you —"

"I know a lot of things, Ricard," Quentin explained. "Now, tell me…is there anything I can do to help you woo the young Sara Reynolds?"



EMERALD SQUARE

Alec Bale walked through Emerald Square, heading in the opposite direction of Marquette Cove High School. After his argument with Akilah, he just wanted to find Jessica and talk to her about what Akilah had said.

Akilah was obviously just trying to goad Alec into thinking that Jessica had feelings for Vince again. But Alec knew that there was no way that could possibly happen, at least, not after everything that had happened in the past few months.

But as he walked, he became sidetracked when he noticed Vince walking past a row of stores with an angry look on his face.

"Maybe I'll just get my answers now," Alec decided.

Alec called out to Vince and hurried over to him.

"Hey Alec, what do you want?" Vince asked.

"Just wanted to talk," Alec said.

Vince raised an eyebrow dubiously. "About what?"

"About you and Jessica," Alec replied. "Are you still in love with her?"

Gregory Black sat in Janice Kolver's office, waiting for her to finish a phone call. He was hired to be an English teacher at the high school in the fall, but he was also going to teach summer classes starting in late June.

Once she finished the phone call, Janice turned back to face Greg and smiled. "Any other questions, Mr. Black?"

"Well, just a few," Greg said, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward. "Now, we did the whole tour thing…but tell me, what's really up with this school?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I Googled this school and found out the Dean of Students is like, a millionaire," Greg said. "And this school has a really high death rate. Not to mention most people just graduate and head straight to a sanitarium for —"

"Mr. Black, we don't humor those types of rumors here at Marquette Cove," Janice said. "Now, the first comment you made is absolutely true. But those others…I can't believe someone would put comments like that on the Internet."

"Uh huh," Greg said.

Janice's phone rang again. "If you'll excuse me."

"By all means."

As Janice spoke on the phone, a smile formed on Greg's face. He always did love a good mystery, and it seemed he'd be getting a new job and something he loved all rolled into one.



KIMBERLY BLACK'S APARTMENT

"Any other questions?" Kimberly Black asked, looking at Duncan Kincaid. They were both standing in the kitchen in her apartment, and she had just finished interviewing him as a potential roommate.

"None that I can think of at the moment," Duncan said, smiling. "I'm just really hoping I get to stay here…it's a beautiful apartment, and I just moved into town."

"Really? From where?"

"Um…Fordham Bay," Duncan said quickly.

Kimberly grinned. "I love Fordham Bay! Don't you just love that city?"

"Well, I didn't get out much," Duncan responded.

"Yeah, you've got a great body, you've probably been in the gym a lot," Kimberly said.

Duncan raised an eyebrow at Kimberly's forward comment. He wondered if living with her was going to be a daily ordeal, but hopefully once he started his reporter job at the Marquette Cove Messenger, he'd probably be spending less time at the apartment anyway.

All of which he had explained to Kimberly — who was inexplicably a nurse at the hospital in town. How she ever managed that was beyond Duncan, but maybe she was smarter than she appeared to be. Sort of an Elle Woods type.

"Sorry about that," Kimberly said, apologizing. "Well, look…I've tried calling other applicants, but none of them seem to be returning my calls. And my brothers who live in the building too didn't seem to want to move in either…so I guess the apartment is yours if you want it.

Without worrying any more what he was getting himself into, Duncan extended his hand. "I'll take it."

Kimberly shook his hand, sealing the deal.



MARQUETTE COVE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Simon Holden sat across from Aaron Maddock in the hospital cafeteria, discussing the possibility of opening a practice together. Simon was looking for a way to finally make a name for himself that wasn't connected to the Hanleys, the family he had married into.

Aaron, on the other hand, was looking to take his license to practice psychiatry to a private organization where he could properly screen the patients he wanted to help rather than have them appointed to him by the police department.

"I like some of the ideas you've come up with so far," Simon said. "You've come up with a lot of stuff."

"Lots of time to think," Aaron replied. "A lot…well, irritating patients for one."

Simon laughed. "Oh believe, I've had my fair share. And most of mine are unconscious when I operate on them."

Aaron took a bite from his sandwich, then offered another question to Simon. "So, why do you want a start a practice with me anyway? Don't you have enough of money being a Hanley?"

"I could ask you the same thing, being a Maddock," Simon said.

"Touché," Aaron said. "Although, most of that money is just a rumor, unless my uncle hid the money off somewhere before he died. Not likely though, he wasn't really the enigma type."

"I want to do things without using the Hanley name," Simon explained. "As my son would say, that's the Sparknotes version."

"All right," Aaron said, nodding. "I'm up for it if you are."

"Half and half? Our own money?"

"Just to make it fair, we can get a joint account or something," Aaron offered. "Put in the same amount each month. By this time next year, we should have our own practice up and running."

"Maddock and Holden," Simon said. "That ought to drive my father-in-law crazy."

Aaron smirked. "I'm counting on it."



BLOOD HOME

"I should have known that's what you were after," Ric said, standing up. "Chris called me and left me a voicemail after he left…you were trying to strike up some sort of deal with him too, weren't you?"

Quentin didn't respond.

"This is disgusting," Ric continued. "Playing with people's love lives."

"Wow, you've gained quite the spine since you left," Quentin commented. "I wonder who helped you climbed onto that high horse of yours."

Ric nervously folded his arms. "I…I didn't mean to yell."

"Of course you didn't," Quentin said, stifling a laugh.

"It's just that…you bring me here to what?" Ric demanded. "Play Vincent Price with me?"

"To offer you a chance for love," Quentin replied. "But obviously, you're not man enough to take it."

"I didn't —"

"Get out," Quentin snarled. "I don't want to have to look at you."

"I'm sorry," Ric said, turning to leave.

"Maybe you'd be better off with me finding a nice man for you."

Ric paused briefly once he reached the door, but quickly brushed off the comment and headed for the stairs. He knew what Quentin was doing. He was trying to manipulate Ric into accepting his offer by appealing to Ric's sense of always wanting to please others. He always wanted everyone to think highly of him.

But Ric had left his self-esteem issues at the door. Quentin Blood was going to stay out of his life forever.



EMERALD SQUARE

"Wow…nice way to start a conversation," Vince snapped. "I'm busy, Alec."

He tried walking away, but Alec grabbed his arm to stop him. Vince paused, resisting the urge to spin around and clock Alec in the jaw. After his argument with his mother, Vince was ready to let out some much-needed aggression.

"Vince, wait," Alec said. "I didn't mean for that to come out that way…I'm just asking, because Akilah told me you've been spending a lot time with Jessica lately."

"My uncle died, Alec," Vince reminded him. "I mean, heaven forbid that my ex-girlfriend be there for me in my time of need."

"You didn't even like your uncle," Alec insisted. "You accused him of everything under the sun, and you were probably glad he died."

"Go to hell, Alec!" Vince shouted. "Jessica's spending time with me now, so get the hell over — Ariel!"

"Huh? Who's Ariel?"

Vince pushed Alec out of his way as he saw Ariel Hanley, Michael's daughter, approaching them. She was carrying shopping bags and sipping from a Starbucks cup.

"Hey there, housemate," Ariel said.

"How's it going?" Vince asked.

As Ariel and Vince talked, Alec found himself unable to take his eyes off Ariel. He had to admit, she was incredibly attractive. Probably more than Jessica was. He shook the thoughts of his head quickly, however, knowing that Jessica was in love with him — he couldn't pursue a relationship with Ariel.

Even though something inside Alec really made him want to.

"I've…I've got to go," Alec said quickly, hurrying off.

As he left, Ariel kept a close watch on him out of the corner of her eye.



YORK HOTEL
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

While the paramedics rolled Vanessa and Eamon out of the hotel building, Anita trailed behind with Ryan, who was nursing the bruise on his head with an ice pack. Ryan had attempted to dissuade Anita from accompanying them to the hospital, after he awoke and was treated to her irritating voice, but she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Let's hurry up now, we have to get a cab to follow your wife to the hospital," Anita told him.

"How about you take your own damn cab," Ryan groaned.

"Sir, please," Anita said. "You shouldn't be swearing around a child like that! You want to instill him with good, Christian values."

"I'm am Catholic," Ryan snapped.

"Well, color me surprised," Anita said, laughing. "With that mouth of yours, I'd expect you to be a Lutheran."

Ryan rolled his eyes and exited the hotel lobby, with Anita following him close behind.

Just moments after Ryan and Anita left the lobby; Alexis Lopez rushed inside wearing a large pair of sunglasses. She removed the sunglasses and shoved them into the new purse she had bought with the money she stole at the airport terminal in Fordham Bay.

Alexis strode toward the main desk. She was on a mission.

"How may I help you, ma'am?"

"I need to find Ryan Phillips," Alexis said. "It's a matter of life and death."