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LESLIE: Happy birthday, Vincent!

AKILAH: Yeah. What she said.

VINCE: Thanks, sis. Both of you can head on into the ballroom. I'll be there in a few.

LESLIE: Where is Michael?

VINCE: Around. Why?

LESLIE: I wanted to speak to him, is all.

VINCE: Mom.

LESLIE: What? I can't speak to the man who's acting like he's my son's father these days?

VINCE: Just don't cause a scene.

AKILAH: Don't talk to her that way.

VINCE: Why don't you go chase after Alec?

AKILAH: Why don't you go chase after Jessica?

LESLIE: Both of you, stop it.

AKILAH: Whatever.

Akilah exits toward the ballroom.

LESLIE: Happy birthday, Vince.

VINCE: Thanks, mom.

Leslie exits toward the ballroom. Vince starts to follow, when Riley Schaefer approaches him, holding Mark Zane by his shirt collar.

RILEY: Vince. I found him lurking around the mansion, says he's a friend of yours.

VINCE: Mark. What the hell are you doing here?

MARK: You invited me.

VINCE: I may have invited a lot of people I hate, but I certainly didn't invite you. You're not even fit to clean the bathrooms here.

MARK: Vince! Come on!

VINCE: You know, when I blackmailed you into making me editor of the school paper, I thought you'd learned your lesson. But you just keep pissing me off for no other reason than you must be really stupid. [To Riley] Throw him out.

MARK: Vince!

VINCE: [Mocking] Mark!

Riley drags Mark to the door, opening it throwing him outside onto the pavement.

VINCE: Get a life, loser.

Vince slams the door shut.


Ballroom. Akilah pours a drink from the punchbowl, as Joel Kincaid approaches the table with Anna Mitchell.

ANNA: Hello Akilah.

JULIA: Hi, Ms. Mitchell. Mr. Kincaid.

JOEL: Akilah, have you seen our daughter around?

AKILAH: Yeah, she came with me and my mom, but I don't know where she is now. Why, what's up?

JOEL: I just haven't seen her in a while, that's all.

ANNA: Well, you could come and visit sometime.

Matt Holden approaches the table, reaching for the punchbowl.

JOEL: As if you really want me hanging around the house, now that you've accused me of trying to destroy our family by ruining my brother's life. The brother who killed my first wife, by the way.

ANNA: I wish he'd have killed me so I wouldn't have to hear you complain all the time.

Akilah grabs Matt's arm, pulling him away from the table.

MATT: What was that about?

AKILAH: I've found that when adults start arguing, particularly those who've gone through an ugly divorce, it's best to get out of the line of fire.

MATT: Oh. Well, thanks.

AKILAH: So...how have you been?

MATT: Um. Fine. You know, doing fine. My mom sent me to rehab.

AKILAH: I remember, I was there.

MATT: Again.

AKILAH: Oh. Well, at least it helped?

MATT: Well, I'm sort of high right now. But not on heroin, like before, so...that's a good thing, right? [Beat]

AKILAH: You know...I think I'm gonna go find Julia.

Akilah exits.

MATT: [Softly] I'm sorry, Akilah.


Michael's Study. Leslie enters.

LESLIE: Michael, are you in here?

Not seeing Michael, Leslie walks towards his desk and sits down in his chair.

LESLIE: Oh, Michael...what secrets are you hiding from everyone this time?

MICHAEL: I'm not hiding anything, Leslie. Honest.

Leslie turns, finding Michael standing next to her.

LESLIE: Michael! Where did you come from?

MICHAEL: The ballroom.

LESLIE: No, I meant, how did you get in here?

MICHAEL: The door, obviously.

LESLIE: But...I would have seen you.

MICHAEL: No, you were too busy looking at my personal items.

LESLIE: I'm...I'm sorry. I was looking for you, to talk to you about Vince.

MICHAEL: I can see I'm going to need a drink for that conversation. Care to join me for one?

LESLIE: Oh. Of...of course.

Leslie stands.

MICHAEL: After you.

Leslie exits. Before he exits, Michael glances at the bookcase in the study. He presses his hand against it, making sure it's firmly locked against the wall.

MICHAEL: Let's hope curiosity doesn't kill the cat this time, Leslie.

He exits.


Foyer. Chris Server enters. He sees Blake Thomas on his cell phone. Once he ends the call, Chris reaches out and grabs his hand.

CHRIS: Blake.

BLAKE: Let go of me.

Blake pulls his arm away.

BLAKE: What the hell are you doing here?

CHRIS: I was invited.

BLAKE: Vince...can be an asshole sometimes, I see.

CHRIS: I thought you two were friends now.

BLAKE: He's still an asshole. No one wants you here, Chris.

CHRIS: No one at all? That's being a little presumptuous.

BLAKE: You're the reason Kelli was shot. She almost died, Chris. How do you expect people to forgive that?

CHRIS: People? Or just you?

BLAKE: I don't have time for this.

CHRIS: You know, you can hate me all you want, Blake. And if that's what you want, I'll accept that our relationship is over, and can never be mended. But what I'm not going to do? I'm not going to hide in a corner every time you or Kelli enter a room.

BLAKE: It is over.

CHRIS: You know, not that it was ever started to begin with. You never could admit to anyone that we were in a relationship.

BLAKE: Yes, I could. That was always your problem.

CHRIS: Was it?

BLAKE: Go to hell, Chris.

Blake exits.


Ballroom. Jessica Reyes pours herself a drink, as Alec Bale approaches her.

ALEC: Jessica.

JESSICA: Alec...what do you want?

ALEC: To make sure you haven't been spiking your punch.

JESSICA: And so what if I have?

ALEC: Don't cause a scene, okay?

JESSICA: And if I do...will you come running to help me?

ALEC: No.

Jessica leans forward and whispers in Alec's ear.

JESSICA: You sure about that?

Blake enters.

BLAKE: Have you seen Darren?

ALEC: No, I haven't, sorry. What's up?

BLAKE: Don't worry about it.

Blake exits. On the other side of the room, Robert Bale stands with his fiancˇ, Melissa Maddock.

ROBERT: Have you seen Felicia? She's making a fool of herself.

MELISSA Can we spend one evening not talking about your wife, Robert?

ROBERT: I'm sorry.

MELISSA It's fine. It's just...try and enjoy yourself. As hard as that may be.

A Man with a video camera enters, catching the guests on film. Robert notices him.

ROBERT: I wonder if he's catching Felicia on film.

MELISSA [Angrily] I'm going to get another drink.

Melissa exits. Sara Reynolds enters with her brother, Darren Reynolds. They approach the punchbowl.

ALEC: Blake was looking for you, Darren.

DARREN: I was too. Looking for him, I mean. I don't know where he went. Man, I haven't been in this place forever. Not since I was dating Ariel.

SARA: Speaking of, when are you going to start going out on the town? Find yourself a good girl?

ALEC: I'd almost prefer you were with one instead of that lousy son of a -

Jessica covers Alec's mouth with her hand.

JESSICA: Excuse him.

Blake enters, taking Darren by the hand.

DARREN: Hey, there you are.

BLAKE: Darren, I'm about to do something that I hope you don't get mad about. Because I'm hoping you feel the same way I do.

DARREN: About what?

Chris enters, catching Blake's eye. Blake frowns at him, and then returns to Darren, pulling him into a kiss.

SARA: What?!

JESSICA: Oh my.

CHRIS: Dammit.

Everyone else in the room notices Blake and Darren kissing, voicing their own mild surprise.


Garden. Vince enters. He can hear the sound of someone giggling, and another person moaning loudly in the garden.

VINCE: Is there someone out here? Show me your faces!

As Vince walks, he doesn't notice Mark Zane watching him from the distance. Mark reaches into his jacket pocket, removing his gun.

MARK: [Softly] Party's over, Vince.