Vincent Moore stands amidst a flurry of people. He feels as if he is frozen along with the ice currently blanketing the rink. It is as if blades on the soles of skates are piercing his skin, tearing away flesh. Vince's mind swirls with what Michael has just said to him — "That's just because you weren't the ones Derek was constantly whining about killing your father to." — words that could only mean one thing.

"Pardon me?"

"You know what you just said," Vince says. "But I want you to repeat it. Just to make sure I heard it correctly."

Michael checks his watch. "We should get going. We don't want to miss that show."

"Stop it!" Vince shouts, starling the surrounding patrons. Vince doesn't care. He can only see Michael right now. "Just stop lying to me, and tell me the truth."

"Vincent, I don't know what you're talking about," Michael insists. He knows he is lying, but he hopes he can convince Vince that his slip of the tongue is nothing earth shattering. "I was simply commiserating with you over —"

"When my uncle first arrived in town, I caught him having secret meetings with you," Vince says. "I thought he was just trying to hit you up for a business deal or something, but now I can see...he wanted hush money, didn't he?"

Michael inhales deeply and searches for exits in his peripheral vision. He can't afford a scene in public. "Don't you think you're being rather —"

"Michael! Shut up!" Vince cries, grabbing at Michael's jacket. Vince grips the collar and pulls him closer. "Did you know that Derek was going to kill my father?! I know you hated him!"

"Vincent, you're —"

Vince slams Michael into a wall, causing his stepfather's skull to make a loud crunching noise as it connects with the concrete. Michael slumps to the floor, barely conscious. Vince ignores the people around him and snatches up a single ice skate from the ground.

He crouches down and hovers over Michael. Vince presses the blade against Michael's neck. Michael tries stunting his breathing so as not to pierce his skin. "Yes...I knew," Michael whispers through gritted teeth. "I knew, but it's not what you think. Everything I did, I did to protect your father."

"Save it for someone who gives a damn." Vince throws the skate onto the ground and punches Michael in the face, which finally knocks him out. Vince stands up to catch his breath.

Vince is crushed. Years of learning to trust Michael...they've all been for nothing. He ignores the onlookers and stares off into the distance. And as he does, he notices someone familiar quickly filing out of the park.

Still weak, he is barely able to speak. Yet, he manages to croak out softly, "...Dad?"

"I can't breathe."

Felicia sits up. "There's enough air in here. You can breathe just fine."

"No, I can't," Robert insists, climbing to his feet. "I can't sleep in here. You know that I'm claustrophobic."

"Robert, this lab is huge!" Felicia says. She's become impatient with Robert, almost as much as she'd grown irritated with him during their marriage amidst his affair with Melissa. Felicia climbs off the table and kicks Robert in the ribs. "Get up off the floor and stop being a baby."

"Felicia! You're being rude." Robert stands up. Having already removed his jacket earlier, he now tugs at his tie in order to loosen it. He moves toward the door and tries opening it again.

"Oh, is it still locked?" Felicia asks. "Because I thought it was one of those timer locks, and in a few minutes we wouldn't be trapped in Michael's basement."

"This is no basement," Robert snaps. "He kept Sean Moore prisoner in here, I know it. Or something. He was operating on his body. And he's going to operate on us! Your brother is a veritable Frankenstein!"

Felicia glares at Robert. "Do I need to slap you again?"

"No," Robert says, frowning. He folds his arms in defiance, but quickly unfolds them to wipe away the sweat dripping down his forehead. "Is it hot in here?"

"Robert, please just lay down and shut up!"

"You know, with an attitude like that, I don't see how you're...ever...going to get married...again..." Robert stumbles and collapses onto the floor.

Felicia rolls her eyes and sits back on the operating table. "Finally, some peace and quiet."


BALE & MADDOCK LAW OFFICES

"No one's coming," Blake insists, removing his belt. "At least, not yet." He smirks and throws his belt onto the floor.

"You're right," Darren says. Besides, how many times had he seen Robert cheating on Melissa in this very same building? Darren knows he should be horrified by the prospect of cheating on Jack. Of being just like his uncle. But he can't stop kissing Blake.

It feels right. Darren still loves him.

"Someone will hear us," Darren whispers, unbuttoning his shirt.

Blake reaches for the radio on Darren's desk and turns it on. An Aerosmith song blares from the speakers and fills the room with a noise that blocks out Darren and Blake's moans.

"I'm gonna be a real fast talker, and have me a love affair..."



Jack Atlas opens the front door of the office building after finding it unlocked. Darren hasn't answered his phone for the past half hour, but Jack assumes that his boyfriend is here filing paperwork after his win in court. Normally, he would leave Darren be, but he couldn't now.

Not after what he'd figured out from talking to Jessica. She was being abused by Alec, Jack knew it. The bruises on her face. The arguments between her and Alec. Jack can finally piece everything together.

He hears loud music coming from Darren's office. He smiles. Darren must be hard at work. Jack hates having to interrupt him with this news, but there's no one else he can tell. Darren is Alec's cousin. He's the one who should deal with all of this.

Jack opens the door to Darren's office, expecting to see him poring over legal files. Instead, he finds his boyfriend in the throes of sex with Blake Thomas.

Horrified, Jack is unable to speak. Somehow, his day has gotten worse.


FARRAH LOUIS' APARTMENT

"Hold on a second," Jessica says. She removes a set of keys from her purse and hurries out of the cab, leaving her purse inside. Her own car, the car she shares with her husband, is parked outside the apartment building. Jessica unlocks the car and searches for change.

This entire affair is humiliating. Jessica has to resort to culling change from her own car in order to pay off a cab fare. All so she can get confirmation that Alec is cheating on her. It would be so much easier to just call and ask her.

She finally procures three dollars and fifty cents in change and rushes back to the cab. "Sorry," Jessica grumbles as she drops the coins into the driver's hands.

As the driver angrily speeds off, Jessica enters the building by catching a young man on the way out. She remembers Farrah's apartment number from the times they hung out together during high school. Farrah had her own apartment their senior year, frequently using it for parties or seducing college seniors.

Now, Jessica can no longer remember the good times. She knocks on the door and waits for the worst moment of her life to occur. It takes only a few moments for Farrah to open the door.

"Jessica, what are you doing here?" Farrah asks. Her nasal voice quakes, out of nervousness, and makes an odd echoing noise.

"I wanted to know if you were fucking my husband," Jessica says. She glances at Farrah's appearance — disheveled hair, a sweat drenched nightgown, and no underwear to speak of. "And if it looks like a whore and talks like a whore —" Jessica pushes the door open completely and reveals a naked Alec lying on the couch.


HANLEY HOME

"Stop being so cruel," Robert says. He sits up and removes his tie. Robert then unbuttons his shirt and tosses it onto his nearby jacket. "I'm going to die in here. Michael's going to leave us in here to die."

"Talk about something else. Get your mind off of...dying."

"What else are we going to talk about?" Robert demands. "Alec's progress at school? That seems a bit trivial right now."

"When did you first sleep with Melissa?"

Robert is taken aback by Felicia's blunt comment. He doesn't want to talk about this.

"Are you going to answer me?"

"No," Robert says. "I don't see how it matters."

"I want to know," Felicia insists. "I want to know when you started sleeping with Melissa."

"Grad school. Before I started dating you, you know that. Which, coincidentally is when you were shacking up with your brother —"

"Michael and I were friends," Felicia snaps. "You know I never slept with him."

"Not even before you two knew you were related? A hand job or two, maybe?"

Felicia glares at Robert. He is so disgusting. "You know what I meant when I asked you about Melissa. When did the affair start."

Robert keeps his lips tightly closed.

"You owe me this! After everything you put me through, you owe me at least this."

"Fine, stop whining." Robert stands, using the operating table to keep his balance. "Do you remember back when we started the practice? And Melissa's house was being fumigated?"

"Yes," Felicia nods. "She and Aaron stayed at the house for the summer. But I was...Robert!" Felicia jumps off the table and slaps Robert across the face. She wishes the slap were hard enough to draw blood. "In our own house? When she was living with us and seeing me every morning?"

"I'm sorry," Robert mutters. "You asked."

"That is not okay!"

"What in the hell were you expecting? Jesus Christ, Felicia!"

Felicia tries to hit Robert again, but he grabs her arm and pulls it down. She tries gathering enough spit in her throat to spit in his face, yet her mouth is inconveniently dry. Before Felicia can speak again, Robert uses the moment to lean forward and kiss her.

Seconds pass, yet it feels like an hour. They haven't kissed at all since they were married. And even then, there were the endless months of fighting and mistrust where Felicia was unable to experience the taste of Robert's lips. Now, however, the memories of every single time they'd kissed instantly flood back to her.

"What are you doing?" Felicia demands, pulling back.

"Trying to shut you up."

Felicia's hand lingers on Robert's bare chest. She can feel her hand move as he inhales and exhales. "Okay," Felicia replies, kissing Robert back. Felicia is unsure as to whether she really wants Robert or if it's merely nostalgia...but she allows him to lay her across the operating table and slowly undress her.


THE PLAZA HOTEL
NEW YORK CITY

She hears no response, so she goes into the bedroom where Leslie is resting. Leslie sits upright in the bed, staring blankly into the distance. She doesn't even react as Akilah turns on the bedroom light and sits on the edge of the bed.

"Mom, are you listening to me?" Akilah snaps her fingers. Leslie comes out of her almost trance-like state. She finally notices Akilah's presence. "Oh, honey. What is it?"

"Lunch is here."

"I'm not hungry," Leslie says. "Is your brother back yet? With Michael?"

"No, they're seeing a show," Akilah says. "And we are enjoying some room service."

"I don't really —"

"I'm not taking no for an answer, mom," Akilah snaps. "Look...we both miss Dad. I know that. But he wouldn't want us to be like this. Never being able to move on."

Leslie forces a smile. "You're absolutely right."

"So...lunch?" Akilah asks.

"Yes. Let's do lunch."


FARRAH LOUIS' APARTMENT

"I came to tell you that I'm done," Jessica says, shrugging her shoulders. "We're getting a divorce. And you'd better believe that I'm gonna keep Phillip."

"This is ridiculous," Alec says. "We can talk about this." He fastens his jeans and approaches Jessica, only to be slapped in the face.

"I'm done, Alec!" Jessica cries. "First you hit me. And then you sleep around with this tramp?"

"Hey!" Farrah tries interjecting, but Jessica continues to ignore her.

"Jess, I love you."

"Well, nice way to show it. But it really doesn't matter, because like I said, we're over. I'm moving out."

Alec is struck with this news. He doesn't know what to say. He'd never actually expected Jessica to find out about his affair, yet now she had. Everything is all too real for him now.

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Jessica demands, fully fired up. "I tried to help you. I asked you to open up to me. And you didn't. You act like you've been so hurt by everything your father did to your mother. But you're just like him. In fact, you're worse. At least he waited until you were all grown up to take a mistress!"

Alec is unable to stop himself. He knows what he is about to do is wrong, and yet, it's the only way he knows how to react. Alec balls his right hand into a fist and flings it forward, punching Jessica in the jaw. She cries out and stumbles, falling onto the ground.

"I am nothing like my father!" Alec shouts. "Do you hear me? I'm nothing like him!"

Farrah stands in complete horror as Alec drops to his knees and continues to attack Jessica. He punches her. He slaps her. He slams her head against the hardwood floor. It seems to only take a few seconds for Jessica to go numb, completely motionless.

"Alec, stop!" Farrah grabs Alec's arms and pulls them back. Enraged, he shoves her onto the floor before standing. As he breathes heavily, glaring at Farrah, Alec's face falls once he catches sight of his own wife's — bruised and beaten.

"Oh my God," Farrah gasps. She hurriedly crawls to Jessica's unconscious body. "Alec, what did you do?!"


42ND STREET - BRYANT PARK STATION
NEW YORK CITY

"Dad!" Vince shouts. He navigates his way through the crowd, all the while trying to slip his MetroCard out of his pocket. If his father gets on a train, Vince is getting on the same one. He can't lose his father.

Vince has no idea how any of this is even possible. His father is dead. Vince witnessed the car explosion that took his father's life over six years ago, and yet, here he is chasing his father through a Manhattan subway station. Of course, crazier things have happened. Having been possessed by a demon and taken part in conversation with Michael Thomas, who by all intents and purposes, should also be as dead as Vince's father, he knew that sometimes the impossible happened.

His mother isn't crazy. Vince almost smiles at the knowledge that he can finally ease the pain his mother has gone through since her husband's death. But he is determined. He has no time to smile.

Vince finally spots his father. He watches as Sean swipes his MetroCard at a turnstyle and heads toward one of the stairwells. Vince's feet pound against pavement as he increases his speed, jumping over a woman slowly pushing a stroller.

"Dad! Stop! It's me, Vince!"

In that instant, Sean freezes. He turns around and makes eye contact with Vince. Vince finally allows himself to smile. He almost mouths Vince's name as he realizes who he's staring at.

"Dad!" Vince cries.

A woman Vince doesn't recognize tugs at Sean's arm. He promptly turns around and follows her down a stairwell to the uptown-bound platform. Vince's smile quickly fades. He screams his father's name again as the sound of an approaching subway car echoes in his ears like the sound of a deadly siren.

Vince is finally able to swipe his own MetroCard. He races down the same stairwell to catch up with his father. As Vince lands at the bottom of the stairs, he sees his father again, facing Vince as the subway car's doors close. Vince runs to the train, hoping the doors will pop open. But they don't.

In tears, Vince cries as the subway car pulls off. A defeated Vince sinks to his knees. He clings to the edge of the platform and prays that an oncoming train will collide with him and end his misery.