HANLEY HOME

Leslie Hanley pulls open the oven, gazing at the shiny, shimmering turkey before her. She smiles, taking in its sweet aroma, then goes to the kitchen counter to retrieve the turkey baster.

"Mom, have you seen Michael?"

Akilah Moore hurries into the kitchen, finding her mother still hard at work in the kitchen. She removes a set of iPod headphones from her ears, approaching the table with a grabby hand. Leslie quickly swats her daughter's hand way.

"No, he's gone surprisingly absent," Leslie says, frowning. "Why do you need Michael?"

"I need to ask him a question."

"How about you help me with finishing up dinner?"

Akilah smiles. "You seem to have everything under control!"

Leslie narrows her eyes, her face saying all that needs to be said.

"Fine," Akilah grumbles.



FOYER

Billy enters the Hanley mansion, smiling at Felicia Bale as she hurries to embrace him. He works overtime to keep the fake smile on his face and appear to everyone in the house as Alec Bale, but it's something he's grown accustomed to by now. "Hi, mom."

"Honey, I'm so glad you came," Felicia says, taking his coat. "Let me put this away."

Aaron Maddock enters the foyer, a surprised look on his face. "Hello Alec. How are you?"

"I'm doing a lot better," Billy says. "Thanks for asking."

"You can help Simon finish setting up the dining room table," Felicia says.

"Doesn't this fucking place have servants?" Billy snaps.

Felicia and Aaron remain silent, surprised by the sudden outburst. Billy quickly catches himself and mumbles an apology.

"I'll go and find Simon," Billy says, hurrying out of the foyer.

As he goes into the dining room, Billy finds himself alone. He stares into a mirror hanging on the wall, smiling at Alec's face, a face that has also been his own for years.

He reaches beneath his shirt, grasping the handle of the gun in his waistband. "Say goodnight, Clyde."



KITCHEN

"I wish that Eric had left with his irritating boyfriend," Vince mutters, setting out a tray of macaroni and cheese near the other food items.

"Ditto," Ariel Hanley says, sashaying into the kitchen with a handful of shopping bags and a Perrier in the other hand.

"Vince, stop being rude," Leslie insists, still stirring chocolate on the stove to mix with a pie.

"What? His sister agrees with me!" Vince says.

"How did you go shopping today?" Akilah says, from her own seat at the kitchen table. "All the stores are closed."

Ariel giggles. "Not to me. Besides, I needed a little pick me up, you know? All of this stuff with your dad thinking he's my mother is weird."

"How are you doing with that, sweetie?" Leslie asks.

"Oh, I'm fine," Ariel says. "It's just weird. I mean, what would the foreign press think? Anyway, I'm outtie."

"Aren't you staying for dinner?"

"Please, with everyone in the living room ready to trip like a circus? I'm having dinner at Mata Hari's with some friends of mine."

Before Akilah can open her mouth, Leslie turns toward her daughter. "You're not going, Akilah. Sit down."

"Fine," Akilah says through gritted teeth.



LIVING ROOM

"Thank you for inviting me," Kyle Maddock says, sitting on the edge of the coffee table, across from Simon. "It really means a lot for me to be a part of this family."

"I'm just sorry Matt was so..." Simon's allows himself to trail off as he stumbles for the correct end to his sentence. "...actually, he wasn't much different than his usual self."

"Things I would know if Kevin Hanley hadn't kidnapped me and faked my death," Kyle says softly.

Simon shakes his head in disgust. "You know, nothing that man does surprises me. He was constantly disapproving of me in my relationship with Valerie."

"I'm sorry if my being here makes you uncomfortable," Kyle says. "Knowing that I slept with your wife. And knowing that she is my sister."

"It's a tad...unsettling, yes. But neither of you knew that Kevin was keeping secrets from you," Simon insists. "There's no reason for you to feel you have to apologize for anything."

"It's just, you know...when he faked my death with that suicide, forcing me to write that note..."

Simon raises an eyebrow. "Note? Valerie always told me there never was a note. Although she has been known to spin tall tales."

"It must not have been found," Kyle says quickly.

They are interrupted by Felicia calling out to Simon from the dining room. Simon excuses himself and hurries out the living room, leaving Kyle alone. His smile quickly fades into a sneer and he spits onto the ground as Simon exits.

He goes to the large potted plant near the wall and reaches inside, removing the gun he'd stashed for sake keeping.

"Say goodnight, Simon."



ERIC HANLEY'S BEDROOM

Eric shuts off the DVD of his sexual encounter with Blake and turns to Aaron, smiling. "There you go."

"I need to get back downstairs," Aaron says. "Give me the DVD."

"Give this to you?" Eric laughs. "Not a chance in hell."

Aaron attempts to snatch the DVD out of the player, but Eric shoves him away.

"You're not using the DVD," Eric says. "I am. I already have a plan."

"And you haven't told me what it is!" Aaron shouts. "I'm tired of going along with your fucking games. You told me you were going to help me drive a wedge between Blake and Darren, but all you did was fuck my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend? That's an awfully big label."

"Blake loves me, he just doesn't know it," Aaron says.

"Even I don't think Darren loves me," Eric says. "I know he can learn to love me if he remembers that night we shared together before my father shipped me off to boarding school. But I'm not insane."

Aaron rolls his eyes. "That's still up for discussion."

"Just shut up and fuck me again," Eric says, quickly undoing his belt. "I need to forget about Blake."



KITCHEN

"Thanks for the call, Riley," Michael Hanley says, raising his cell phone to his ear as he stands alone in the kitchen. "Leslie and the kids are setting the table, so we have to be quick."

"The test is done, based on the sample we took from the hair in Sean's shower," Riley says.

"And what have we got?" Michael says, craning his neck to make sure no one enters the kitchen.

"The result is clear," Riley says. "Vince isn't Sean's son."

"I knew it," Michael says, grinning. "Thanks for everything, Riley."

Though he loves Leslie, Michael feels a sense of elation knowing something that he could possibly use as leverage to keep his wife out of the arms of Sean Moore. He hasn't worked so hard to everything blow up in his face.

"But Michael, when I was at the hospital, I found out one other thing —"

"Tell me later," Michael says, hanging up the phone as Leslie strides into the kitchen. "Hello, honey."

Leslie eyes Michael suspiciously. "Hello. What are you up to?"

"Nothing!" Michael insists.

"Then I will ignore that Cheshire grin splattered across your face," Leslie says. "How's the turkey look?"

Michael turns to the stove. "Looking good."

"Great," Leslie says, smiling widely. "You know, despite my earlier misgivings, I think this Thanksgiving is going to turn out really well."

Michael nods, returning her sentiments with a kiss on the forehead. "You know what? I really agree."

SEAN MOORE'S BEDROOM

Sean Moore adjusts the collar on his shirt as he stares at himself in the mirror. It is still odd to him, wearing masculine clothing since he has the memories of Elizabeth Hanley in his mind. But it's something he has grown used to over the past several months.

He is a man. He is not really Elizabeth Hanley. But unfortunately, he knows nothing else.

"I do not want to have dinner with that woman," Denise Price says from her seat, perched on the edge of Sean's bed. "She is just...she's ridiculous! She tried to kill me!"

Sean sighs and turns back to Denise. "Can't you two try to get along, for Michael's sake?"

"No," Denise says. "There will never be a Denise and Leslie. Never."

"Denise —"

"Never!"

"You two are sisters, Leslie," Sean says, sitting next to his wife on the bed. "You two should be together for the holidays. Stop her before she leaves town."

"No," Leslie says, shaking her head emphatically. "There will never be a Leslie and Yolanda. Never."

"Sean! Are you even listening to me?" Denise demands.

"Of...of course I am," Sean says quickly. "Let's go ahead and get downstairs, okay?"



DINING ROOM

"The forks are supposed to go on the other side, you idiot," Akilah says, switching the placement of silverware that her brother set out.

"Stop acting so bougie," Vince mutters, rolling his eyes. "What's he doing here?"

Akilah looks up at the young man they think is Alec as he enters the room. "He probably came with his mother. Don't be a bitch." She smiles and goes to approach Billy, hugging him.

"Hey Akilah," Billy says. "You're looking well."

"Thanks, you are too," Akilah says. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Billy insists. "I'm fine. Really."

"Can everyone stop catching up and finish setting the table?" Vince says loudly, turning his gaze to Akilah and Billy, then to Felicia, Simon, and Aaron in the corner. "It's not going to set itself."

"Your brother is such an asshole," Billy whispers. "How does a beautiful girl like you put up with it?"

Akilah frowns. "Um...I don't know?"

Before Akilah can string together an adequate response, they are interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Everyone stands around silently, not saying a word. The doorbell rings again.

"Is someone gonna get that!?" Leslie screams from the kitchen.

Everyone shouts back various affirmative responses and collectively hurry into the foyer. Billy is the first to open the door, and when he does, he is shocked by who he finds outside.

"Oh my God," Felicia gasps. "What are...what are you doing here?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in jail?" Vince demands.

"It's good to see you all too," Ricard Branch says, gently rubbing the scruffy beard on his face before he enters the mansion. "Happy Thanksgiving."



DARREN REYNOLDS' APARTMENT

Blake Thomas opens the front door for Darren Reynolds, taking the bags of carry-out from him and setting them on the kitchen counter. Darren, in the midst of a conversation on his cell phone, stands in the doorway as Blake sets out the food from Mata Hari's.

"Sorry I didn't tell you, Felicia," Darren says. "Yes, we're going to stay here, I think, so you can go ahead and give my plate to Ric."

Blake's eyes widen as Darren hangs up the phone. "Ric? As in, Ricard Branch? The guy who went to jail for killing Erin Maddock?"

"He didn't kill her," Darren says. "He was...manipulated by Quentin Blood. And at any rate, Sara had forgiven him before she died. So I made arrangements with the District Attorney to get him released for the funeral tomorrow."

"Wow," Blake says. "I had no idea."

"Well no, I'd expect you wouldn't," Darren says, frowning. "You haven't talked to me for months."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, we broke up. It's understandable. But I thought we'd have been able to be friends, at least."

"Things were complicated. Because of Eric."

"Are you gonna tell me what he did to you?"

"It's not important," Blake insists.

"He didn't...he didn't hurt you did he?" Darren demands. "Because if he did, I'll kill him."

"No, he didn't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Blake says. "Why are you so concerned?"

"Look, when Eric and I were in high school together...we were best friends," Darren says. "I wasn't out of the closet yet. He was. And he was attracted to me. Long story short, he got me drunk one night. Had sex with me."

"He raped you?"

"Well, in a sense, yeah," Darren says. "I mean, I was the top and all then, but...it was still weird. He took advantage of me. You know?"

"Yeah," Blake says softly. "I know what that's like."

His mind races to thoughts of his recent sexual encounter with Vince, one he's tried hard to forget in light of the argument they had afterwards. But he hasn't been able to fully eradicate it from his mind. Not completely.

"Let's eat," Darren says.

"You didn't have to go through all of this trouble," Blake says.

Darren places a hand on Blake's shoulder, gripping it gently. "You are never any trouble for me. Never."



HANLEY HOME

"Apparently this is all true," Felicia says, returning to the living room with her cell phone. "I just spoke to Darren. He's staying at his apartment with Blake."

"I thought he was here," Ric says. "I didn't mean to interrupt your Thanksgiving."

He nervously looks toward Aaron.

"Don't worry about it," Aaron says, distracted. "Everything is...it's in the past. Excuse me."

Aaron hurries out the room, leaving everyone but Billy with bewildered looks.

"I take it he's okay with you killing his niece," Vince says.

Akilah elbows her brother in the rib, but he pushes her away instead of shutting up. "What? Somebody had to say it."

Ric sheepishly glances back toward the door.

"I mean, whatever," Vince says. "Nobody's perfect. Can we all eat now?"

Vince wanders toward the kitchen, with Akilah following behind him. Leslie smiles sweetly at Ric before dragging Michael along with her. Soon, everyone has departed the foyer except for Billy.

He stares at Vince, a confused look on his face.

"I'm probably the last person you wanted to see today," Ric says.

Billy shrugs. "I couldn't really care less."

Ric wants to read his face for animosity, but he realizes that there is none. He seems to genuinely not care that Ric is there. Which is a stark contrast from the anger he expressed toward Ric before he was locked up.

"It's so weird being back in town," Ric says softly. "Seeing my old haunts."

"You were a drug dealer," Billy says, matter-of-factly, still figuring out who Ric is to Alec.

"Yeah. At least prison helped me get out of that. And Quentin Blood being dead for good too, I guess. God, there was so much weird stuff going on with him when I worked for him. You couldn't pay me any amount of money to go through that shit again."

"Okay. Let's eat."



DRIVEWAY

As the limousine pulls into the driveway at the Hanley mansion, the occupant in the back gazes through her tinted windows with a slight sense of nostalgia. She has returned to a home where she has countless memories. Some of them good, some of them so awful she wants to forget.

But she is here now, finally back home. And she can face whatever is thrown at her.

She climbs out of the limousine, gliding toward the front door. As she does, she feels someone watching her. Hearing a slight rustle in the bushes, she turns, hands on her hips, jewelry dangling back and forth, ready to pounce.

"Get out here you fucking paparazzi," she snaps.

"I'm not paparazzi," Robert Bale says, rising from the shrubbery. "I'm...Yolanda?!"

"Robert! Robert Bale!" Yolanda Holland cries, moving toward the man she recognizes from her past. "What in the hell are you doing out here?"

"I'm not invited," Robert says.

"Well of course not, you've always hated Michael," Yolanda says. "That much I remember."

"My ex-wife is very much in love with him, however," Robert says. "She's his sister."

Yolanda is floored. "Felicia? She's...she's Michael's sister?"

"There's a lot you've missed out on," Robert says. "Come to think of it though, I never thought I'd see you show your face in Marquette Cove again."

"That's a rude thing to say," Yolanda says.

"Trust me, I know what it's like to be completely shut out of your family's life."

"I wasn't shut out."

Robert rolls his eyes. "We both remember the circumstances of your grand exit from Marquette Cove. I doubt Leslie has even told her kids that you exist."

"She didn't," Yolanda says. "But Akilah is working on The Blackthornes, and —"

"You star in it," Robert says. "I've got a lot of free time to watch soaps these days."

"How unfortunate for you."

"I really wish I could see everyone's faces when you walk in."

"Shame you're not on the guest list," Yolanda says, moving toward the front door. "This return has been a long time coming."



DINING ROOM

"Dr. Maddock, could I speak to you in the living room?" Billy asks, just as everyone is about ready to sit down at the dinner table. "It will only take a moment."

"Sure, Alec," Aaron says. "Just let me finishing helping Felicia bring in the glasses."

Billy nods, walking away from the table and heading toward the living room. As he goes into the living room, he finds Kyle suspiciously standing near a potted plant.

"Can you give me some privacy?" Billy says.

"I was here first," Kyle counters.

"Dude. Get out."

"Have you seen Simon?"

"He's upstairs on the phone."

Kyle's eyes widen. "Perfect."

As Kyle goes to exit the room, clutching his gun to his chest and concealing it with his sweater, he catches a glimpse of Billy's own gun when he glances back. On the stairwell, Kyle's excitement increases.

Whatever that boy has planned again, it can only be as disastrous as the night he killed Melissa Bale. And perhaps, Kyle may have someone to pin this impromptu killing of Simon Holden on.



"I'm going to go in the living room for a moment," Sean says to Denise as they descend the steps. "I just need a moment alone."

"You've had a moment alone all freaking morning," Denise says.

"Denise, please."

She throws her hands up in defeat. "Fine, whatever."

Once Denise is gone, Sean slips into the living room, hoping to clear his thoughts of the odd flashes that have been running through his mind all morning.

But before he has a chance to even take another step, he finds himself staring down the barrel of a gun. Sean cries out, seeing Billy standing before him, aiming a gun directly at him.

"Oh God," Sean gasps.

"You're not Aaron!" Billy cries, lowering the gun. "Why are you...oh God...where am I?"

He drops the gun as there is a loud screaming sound that rattles within his mind. He knows immediately that he is losing his control over Alec, and that the sniveling wimp who let Aaron Maddock take advantage of him as a child is returning.

"Michael...why do you have a gun?" Sean finds himself saying out loud, as he is struck with another flash of memory.

"Where the hell am I?" Sean demands, attempting to break free from the restraints being used to keep him strapped to a gurney. The white room he's in is unlike any room he's ever been in, though it reminds him especially of a cold, sterile operating room.

"Shut up," Michael says, aiming a gun at Sean. "You shut your damn mouth, do you hear me?"

"Michael, what's going on? Why was there an explosion, and a...let me out of here. Now!"

"You're not going anywhere," Michael says, advancing on Sean and quickly shoving a syringe into his rib. "As far as anyone else is concerned, Sean Moore is dead."

Sean struggles to stand, gripping the edge of the nearby couch. As the sound of the doorbell ringing brings him back to his current state of mind, he collapses onto the floor.

Panicked when he climbs to his feet, Alec sees Sean lying on the floor and the gun close to the couch. He immediately grabs the gun and flies out of the room.



FOYER

"I'll get the door!" Akilah calls out, hurrying into the foyer only to find her mother already at the front door. "Mom, don't! You'll ruin the surprise!"

"Surprise?" Leslie says, glancing back at Akilah as the door swings open and Akilah's invited guest steps into the mansion. "What on earth are...you."

"Hello Leslie," Yolanda says, smiling. "Long time no see, sis."

Leslie doesn't bother to open her mouth for a response. Instead, she raises her right hand and firmly brings it across Yolanda's face, slapping her sister and nearly knocking her to the floor.

"I told you never to come back to Marquette Cove!" Leslie shouts, staring her sister down with an intensity Akilah has never witnessed in her mother before. "Turn around and get the hell out of my home!"

"Mom! What the hell are you doing?!" Akilah cries.

Michael bounds into the foyer, followed by Felicia and the other dinner guests. They find Yolanda rubbing her face in pain, glaring at Leslie.

"Yolanda?" Felicia gasps. "What are you doing here?"

Michael is equally as shocked, only he expresses his surprise with his facial expression. Leslie, however, doesn't allow Yolanda to answer. She grabs her sister by the arm and attempts to forcibly remove her from the mansion.

"Leslie, stop it!" Yolanda cries. "You're being ridiculous!"

"Don't you speak to me, you bitch!" Leslie snaps. "Don't you ever speak to me! You stay the hell away from me and my children!"

"Mom, what's going on?!" Vince says, joining his sister in the foyer. "Who is this woman?"

"Leave her alone!"

The shout comes from someone not currently in the foyer, and before anyone has the time to figure out who it is, Sean bounds into the room and leaps onto Michael, punching him in the face.

"Get the hell away from my wife, you sick bastard!" Sean shouts, his voice thundering throughout the entire mansion.

Denise hurries to grab Sean, hoping keep him away from Michael. "Sean, what are you doing?!"

"He tried to...everyone needs to know what he did to..."

Sean struggles to speak, but once again, he finds himself at a loss for words. His eyes roll back in his head and his body convulses slightly before he finally gives out and crumples to the floor, motionless.



DRIVEWAY

Alec opens a trash can and throws the gun inside, hoping to forget that he ever had the disgusting thing in his hands. Not after everything that happened with Melissa. When he lost control before.

How could he have done it again? Been so completely out of his mind that he didn't even know where he was? Why he had a gun in his hands?

"Alec Bale?"

Alec spins around to find two police officers approaching him. Horrified, he steps in front of the trash can, hoping they didn't see him with the gun.

"What's going on, officers?" Alec says, his voice quaking.

"You're under arrest for assault and violating a restraining order," the first officer, a burly mustached man, says.

His partner produces a set of handcuffs as the burly officer reads Alec his Miranda rights.

It takes Alec a few moments to even realize what's happening, that this has to be a result of his argument with Jessica the other day at the funeral home. But by then, he has already been dragged to a police car and carted off.

The moment the car pulls away, Robert emerges from the bushes, eyeing the trash can suspiciously. He goes to the exact one he saw Alec standing at and opens it, taken aback at finding a gun lying atop a plastic garbage bag.

"Oh Alec," Robert says, sighing as he removes the gun from the trash can. "What have you done this time?"