Alec Bale sat on the couch in the living room, next to his cousin, Sara Reynolds. His mother was in the kitchen, making sure the food was ready for their New Year's dinner. Not that Felicia had cooked it herself, since she was still using crutches to walk, but she had ordered Thai food, which required no moving around in the kitchen.

"How boring are we?" Alec groaned.

"I'm not bored," Sara said.

"Well, I am," Alec said. "I should be out partying or something. But everyone is either spending time with their family or…spending time in jail."

"Maybe you should think positively," Sara said.

"My parents are getting a divorce, what's so positive about that?" Alec demanded.

"Well, not much…but still."

"I'll tell you one thing, I'm not living with my dad and his whore," Alec muttered.

"Don't call Melissa that," Sara snapped.

"What else am I supposed to call her?"

"How about anything but a whore, Alec?" Sara demanded. "It's demeaning and offensive."

Sara rose to her feet and headed to the kitchen to help her aunt with the food. As she left, Alec rolled his eyes and leaned back on the couch as the doorbell rang. He waited a few moments for Sara to return from the kitchen and get the door, but she didn't, so he reluctantly stood up and headed toward the door.

Once Alec reached the door, he unlocked it and pulled it open to find a familiar face standing outside.

"Oh my God, Darren?"

"Hey cousin," Darren Reynolds said, stepping inside. "Happy New Year."


KIMBERLY BLACK & DUNCAN KINCAID'S APARTMENT

"I'm coming!" Duncan Kincaid called out, emerging from the bathroom and wrapping a towel around his waist. He rubbed his feet on the living room carpet quickly, in order to keep from getting any other area in the apartment drenched from his dripping wet body.

Once he reached the door, Duncan opened it to find Gregory Black, his roommate's brother, standing outside in the hallway.

"Hey Greg," Duncan said.

"Mind if I come in?" Greg asked. "Or are you entertaining guests?"

"That's cute," Duncan said. "You can come in, but Kimberly isn't here."

"Do you know where she is?" Greg asked, walking inside and closing the door. "She's supposed to be downstairs doing the New Year's thing with me and Tim."

"Sorry," Duncan replied. "She's probably at work still. Late shift or something…New Year's Eve brings out the nuts. You'd never guess how many people in my cell block committed crimes on New Year's."

"I don't think I want to know," Greg muttered. "Tell Kimberly I stopped by."

"No problem," Duncan said.

Greg started toward the door, but paused before he reached it. He turned back to Duncan and frowned.

"And you know, if you want to come downstairs or whatever…you can," Greg said.

"Why, thank you, Gregory," Duncan said. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Just make sure you change clothes," Greg said. "Or, you know, put some on."

"Oh, so this won't work out, then?" Duncan asked, removing his towel.

"You're a dick, Kincaid," Greg said, resisting the urge to laugh as he left the apartment.


MOORE HOME

Akilah Moore walked into the dining room and took a seat across from her brother, Vincent Moore, who was currently scribbling something in a notebook. Akilah looked at Vince and noticed what he was doing, rolling her eyes.

"I thought you came to eat dinner with us," Akilah said. "Not write articles for the stupid newspaper."

"I'm not writing an article," Vince snapped. "I'm just writing for…writing's sake. Besides, this New Year's Eve has been going on for far too long as it is, and I've got to do something while I'm waiting to eat."

"Then maybe you can come into the kitchen and grab a plate," Leslie Moore said, emerging from the kitchen. "Dinner is ready."

Akilah smirked. "Sorry Vince, no fancy maids to bring you dinner."

"Define a fancy maid."

"Shut up," Akilah snapped, rising to her feet and walking into the kitchen. As Akilah left, Vince closed his notebook and followed suit, leaving Leslie alone in the living room.

Leslie sighed and walked toward the dining room table, leaning against a chair for a moment. She was grateful that she would be ending the year and starting a new one with all of her family, despite the fact that Akilah and Vince would probably be arguing for the entirety of the evening.

"Quite the family affair, isn't it?"

Leslie raised her head and gasped, finding her husband, Sean Moore, seated at the table across from them.

"Oh my God," Leslie gasped. "Sean…how are you…this isn't possible."

"Of course it is," Sean replied. "What better way to spend the New Year than with my family? I mean, it shouldn't really matter whether I'm dead or not…don't you think?"


BALE HOME

"Did Alec get the door?" Felicia Bale asked, handing a plate to Sara so she could set the dinner table.

"I'd assume so," Sara said. "I can go check."

Sara exited the kitchen holding the plate, and moments later Felicia heard her cry out, which was followed by the sound of the plate breaking. Felicia gasped and hurried into the living room as fast as she could, using her crutches. Once she was in the living room, she saw Sara and Alec near the door huddled around someone.

"Alec…Sara…is everything okay in here?"

"Sorry about the plate, Aunt Felicia," Sara said.

"It was all my fault," Darren admitted, stepping into view. "I may have startled everyone."

"Oh my God, Darren," Felicia gasped. "When did you get back?"

"Hmm…yesterday?" Darren offered. "I checked into the Emerald Heart and figured I'd stop by to see my favorite uncle and aunt."

"You were in town and didn't stop by to see me? Or call?" Sara demanded, hitting her brother in the arm. "Mr. Law School Grad."

"I'm sorry," Darren apologized. "I just never…Felicia, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Felicia asked.

"You're on crutches! What happened?" Darren demanded.

"It's a long story," Alec muttered.

"Hit by a car and fell down a flight of stairs," Felicia said.

"And yet, still longer," Alec interjected.

"Alec, shut up," Sara snapped, taking her brother's arm. "Couch. Now. We're getting caught up before the ball drops tonight."

Sara led Darren to the couch, while Alec walked over to his mom and frowned at her.

"So who's going to break the news to Darren that his uncle's not living here anymore?" Alec asked.

"Certainly not you, Alec," Felicia said. "Not a word about this tonight, do you hear me?"

Alec rolled his eyes. "Whatever."


MOORE HOME

"Leave me alone!" Leslie cried. "Leave us alone and stop bothering us!"

"Mom, is something wrong?"

Leslie turned around to find Akilah staring at her, carrying a plate of food. Leslie took a deep breath and returned her gaze to the end of the table, where she could no longer see Sean. Leslie rose to her feet.

"I'm sorry," Leslie said. "I was just…I need a moment. Tell your brother I'll be right back."

Leslie hurried into the bathroom and closed the door. She turned the lock and went toward the cabinet in the bathroom, pulling towels from it. On the back of the shelf, she found a bottle of pills. She picked up the bottle and turned toward the sink.

Leslie opened the bottle and removed a painkiller. She tried sticking the pill into her mouth, but her hand was shaking too hard for her too much to do so. Leslie dropped the pill into the sink and angrily threw the rest off them onto the floor.

She screamed and slammed her fist against the mirror above the sink, but not strong enough to cause it to shatter.

"What's happening to me?" Leslie gasped. "Why can't I leave my old life alone?"


BALE HOME

Robert Bale unlocked the door to his former house and stepped inside, hoping to get by unnoticed so he could pick up a few things he had left in the closet upstairs. As he opened the door, he found Felicia sitting in the living room chair, with Alec and Sara on the couch. Next to them was…Darren Reynolds, his nephew.

"Darren?"

"Uncle Robert!" Darren cried, standing up. "What are you doing here?"

"I came by to —"

"Pick up some papers, I'm sure," Felicia said, cutting him off. "For the case you've been working on tonight at the office."

"Well, that's great," Darren said. "Because I thought you wouldn't be joining in our New Year's Eve Spectacular Spectacular."

"Well, I suppose I can stay for a while," Robert said. "If you're just passing through."

"No, I'm not just passing through," Darren insisted. "I've graduated law school and everything, so I figure I'd stay home for a while. I'm at the Emerald Heart right now, but I'll be back home by the weekend."

"That's great," Robert said. "There's a lot we have to catch up on."

Darren laughed. "Everyone keeps saying that."

Robert, Felicia, Sara, and Alec each exchanged awkward looks that Darren didn't notice. Neither of them were looking forward to informing him that the family he'd come to visit in Marquette Cove no longer existed as he once knew it.