Gillian's altered voice fooled everyone---including Dimitri, her own cousin. Dimitri pretended that he didn't know what the caller was talking about. Gillian teased Dimitri by telling him that she'd tell his wife the truth and that "it's in the blood." Gillian hung up the phone to the sound of Edmund applauding her performance. Tad agreed that Gillian had done a good job, but he wished that she'd not have improvised and included the "it's in the blood" reference. Dimitri, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. He lied to Gloria about the calling, explaining that his stockbroker had given him bad news. Gloria informed Dimitri that she had to start work at the hospital in a matter of a few minutes. Once Gloria had left, Dimitri started the arduous task of figuring out who was trying to blackmail him. His mind flashed back to the first time he learned that Maddie was not his child. A nurse pulled him aside and told him that Maddie's bloodwork had been "red-flagged." That's when Dimitri decided that the nurse was responsible for the phone call.
Adam's stress mounted as a man dressed as an intern entered his room and handed him a folded up paper. Adam, whose nerves were still frazzled from finding an unsigned Christmas card on his bed, looked at the papers and realized he'd been served with divorced papers. His threw a tantrum and the crumpled up divorce papers at the man. He staggered out of bed and began yelling at the top of his lungs. A nurse, Helen, the same nurse who Dimitri believes to be behind his mysterious phone call, entered the room and tried to silence the patient. The patient, however, was Adam Chandler---and there's no silencing him. Ruth overheard the ruckus and raced into the room to assist in handling Adam. It wasn't until Joe entered that Adam got back into bed and quieted himself down. Joe asked to speak to Adam alone and then issued him a stern warning: any additional stress could kill him. Adam felt he had good reasons for getting so worked up; His wife had left him, his family was running away from him, and his sleep is plagued by images of Flight 149. Joe advised Adam to take a temporary vacation from his troubles. Adam felt that he needed to press on or he'd risk losing his loved ones---forever. Joe pointed out that Adam had, by all counts, already lost his loved ones. A few more weeks, he suggested, couldn't do any additional harm.
At Holidays, Hayley asked Liza how she'd been doing since Adam's charade had been revealed. Liza groaned as she recounted her tete-a-tete with Adam at the boathouse. Suddenly, Hayley realized that Liza was unaware that Adam had suffered a legitimate "episode." Liza was crushed by the news. She felt guilty for turning her back on Adam. Hayley assured her that she had no way of knowing that Adam wasn't crying wolf. Things got even worse when Belinda entered the restaurant and told Liza that Adam had been served with divorce papers. Liza worried that Adam's health might be compromised by having the divorce papers served to him. She tried to convince Belinda to unsend them, but Belinda told her it was too late. Hayley stepped in to try to make Liza see that it isn't her fault that Adam is in the hospital. Liza realized that even in the wake of her bad dealings with Adam something good had cropped up---two good friends.
Palmer Cortlandt entered the restaurant to prepare for an awards ceremony. By his side were Brooke, Jim, Miles, and Grace Keefer. A young African-American girl followed behind the crowd. She became noticeably uncomfortable by the sight of Jim Thomasen. Grace stood behind a podium and announced that the shelter had accomplished many goals over the past twelve months, but that there was still more to do ahead. With that she summoned Miles to the podium. Miles read the names of three young adults who were given college scholarships courtesy of Cortlandt Electronics. One of the winners, so to speak, was Keshawna, the same young woman who was so unsettled by Jim. Keshawna stepped out of the spotlight long enough to confront Jim, or as she knew him "J.T." She accused Jim of trying to cover his not-so-innocent past by going legit. Brooke saw the two talking and waltzed over to see what they were talking about. Jim claimed that he was asking the girl for the correct spelling of her name so that he could include it with some photos he'd taken. Brooke was called over to the other side of the restaurant. Jim praised Keshawna for keeping her mouth closed and not telling Brooke about his days as a kiddie porn photographer. He then turned the tables on the girl by telling her that her scholarship would be taken away if it was ever learned that she had dabbled in pornography. After the ceremony was complete, Miles asked Belinda to accompany him to the Crystal Ball. Belinda accepted the offer and said that she'd look forward to their first date.
At the hospital, Dimitri confronted Helen about the phone call he'd received. Dulled by the day to day dealings with dozens of different people, Helen had no recollection of Dimitri. Dimitri told her that she would not succeed in blackmailing him. Helen tried to get away by going on some rounds, but Dimitri blocked her path and told her that she wasn't going anywhere. Tad had followed Dimitri to the hospital and took great joy in observing Dimitri's paranoia. Gloria stumbled across the argument and asked her husband what he was doing. Dimitri, who does quite well at thinking up lies on the fly, claimed that he had been asking Helen to help him find his wife. Then, his story continued, he remembered that Helen was the last nurse to help Maddie before she was taken from them. Dimitri offered an "apology" to Helen and then he and Gloria walked off together. Tad, who was up until that point listening to the events unfold, walked over to Helen and asked her why Dimitri had been yelling at her. Helen had absolutely no clue. All she knew was that Dimitri kept referring to blood of some kind. Then she remembered that she'd been the one to notice that Maddie suffered from anemia. Tad asked the nurse if she had mentioned anything to Dimitri about Maddie's blood type at that time. Helen thought for a few seconds and nodded her head. Tad now had his proof that Dimitri knew that Maddie was not his child before he took the baby to Hungary. To thank Helen for her assistance, Tad told her that she'd won an all-expense-paid vacation to the islands.
Travis accused Erica of trying to hoodwink him; Her early release from jail, he snarled, was another attempt to violate the court's custody arrangement. Erica denied that she was purposely breaking the law. Erica defended her decision to spend time with her daughter as a way to insure Bianca's health. Travis laughed at Erica's explanation and asked her who had deemed her Bianca's savior. Jack stepped between the two feuding parents and warned them that Bianca could overhear them. He suggested splitting Bianca in half so that each of them could have a portion of their daughter. Bianca slowly entered the room and told everyone that she was ready to return home to Seattle. Erica asked Bianca if she wanted to leave Pine Valley, but Bianca only replied that it was best for her to leave. Jack again lent a hand. He told Bianca that she is a bright enough to make her own decision. He told her to go back upstairs and think about where she wanted to live. After she left the room, Travis expressed his horror in Bianca's deteriorated condition. He wanted Erica to understand that he is not out to harm his daughter---he wants to protect her. He asked to have a few moments alone with Bianca before making his decision on whether or not to take Bianca back to the West Coast.
Over and over Travis expressed his love for Bianca. Bianca was surprised when her father told her that he was serious about wanting her to make her own decision on the "where to live" question. Bianca knew that someone would be hurt by any decision she made. She told her father that she wanted to stay in Pine Valley because her mother needs her. Travis, tears forming in his eyes, gave Bianca a big hug and told her that he loves her. Jack returned and walked his brother to the door. Outside, Travis was visibly upset by Bianca's decision. He accused Erica of being a bad parent and claimed that it would be only a matter of time before she screwed up again. Back inside, Erica gave Bianca a big hug and told her that this was the happiest moment of her life.
Edmund explained the real reason why he wants to expose Dimitri---so that he can finally make peace with him. Gillian was confused by the explanation; She wondered why Edmund would want to show that Dimitri was a liar only to forgive him. The answer was simple: He wanted his brother back. Tad returned to Wildwind and told the pair about Dimitri's outburst at the hospital. It was time for part two of Gillian's performance. She placed another call to Dimitri. Dimitri insisted that his accuser meet him face to face. Gillian agreed, but refused to comply with Dimitri's plan to meet at his loft. She told him that she would be waiting for him at the Crystal Ball. "Magic... sleight of hand... illusion," she said before hanging up.
Adam rested comfortably in his hospital bed as the news played on the television. The reporter announced that the FBI had found new evidence in the crash of Flight 149. Traces of chemicals consistent with explosives were found on a suitcase carried aboard the ill-fated airplane. Adam jumped out of bed chanting, "It's not my fault! It's not my fault!"
With an approaching ball, all of Pine Valley found themselves fighting the urge to run out and buy new formal wear. Kelsey wasn't winning her battle. She begged Kevin to accompany her into a dress shop so that she could get a male perspective on potential garments. Kevin listed at least a dozens reasons why he could not help her ranging from his color-blindness to his inability to judge style. Kelsey let him off the hook and set off to spend her allotted two hundred dollars on the gown. Ruth, Kelsey explained, had given her a credit card and told her that she could spend up to two hundred dollars on the gown. While Kelsey shopped, a familiar voice squawked out fashion advice. Kelsey looked over her shoulder and found Gillian giving her thumbs-up to a seven hundred fifty dollar dress. Things took a bad turn when Gillian implied that the dress would allow Kelsey to live out a Cinderella fantasy. By that, she meant that Kelsey could go from gawky teenager to belle of the ball in the matter of a few minutes. The unsolicited theory really ticked off Kelsey. Her claws unfurled and she lashed out at Gillian, asking if she'd brought her wallet along this time. Her snide comment was a direct response to learning that Scott bought Gillian's gown for her. Perhaps, Kelsey sneered, Gillian is used to doing "favors" for men and getting things in return. That, she added, would explain why Gillian was so at ease at Madam Victoria's. Gillian denied that she was interested in Scott's money. In fact, she said that she has no interest in Scott whatsoever. The ball was in her court, so to speak, so she fired off the next insult. She noted that Kelsey was the one with a crush on Scott, but Scott hadn't decided to go to the ball with Kelsey. Gillian ridiculed Kelsey for her plan to go to the event with Kevin. She recalled a time when, as a prepubescent teen, she had to be escorted to a dance by her cousin. Gillian tried to end the feud there by asking Kelsey to be her friend. Kelsey wanted no part of that. Besides, Kelsey stated that Gillian was her own best friend. The final slash in the catfight went to Gillian who told Kelsey to make sure she buys a dress that will cover her pear-shaped figure. Gillian sashayed away leaving Kelsey and her ultra-expensive gown blowing in her breeze. Kelsey took the dress off of the rack and had the checker ring her up. Kevin returned a few minutes later and asked Kelsey if she'd found a dress. Kelsey tried to conceal the price of the gown, but she inadvertently dropped the price tag. Kevin bent over to pick it up and nearly joined it on the ground when he saw the price. Kelsey defended her purchase, saying that she'd work double-duty at Holidays to pay it off. Kevin didn't think that it was like Kelsey to be so into fashion. And that was exactly Kelsey's reasoning---it wasn't anything like her.
Jake performed some quick thinking work in the emergency room and managed to save the life of a man suffering heart problems. David, who was not on the scene when the patient was wheeled into the hospital, praised Jake's action. Jake accepted the praise and returned some---sort of. He stated that Allie often praises David's skill. He added that it must have been hard for Davis to lose a woman like Allie. David was surprised that Jake knew about the relationship he had had with Allie. Jake used the split to rub a little salt into David's broken heart. Allie approached them and asked what they were talking about. Jake explained that they were talking about the "frailties of the heart." David excused himself so that he could speak with the patient's family. Allie waited until David was gone before she scolded Jake for taunting her former beau. Jake explained that he only got involved because it seemed like David was having a hard time accepting the fact that the relationship was kaput. Allie didn't want to feel like a "damsel in distress," but she did appreciate the sentiment. She thanked Jake with a kiss. As they kissed, David returned and lectured them on their public display of affection. "I thought this was a hospital," he groused. David told Jake that the patient's family wants to thank him for his work. Allie tried to slip away too, but David blocked the way. He was pleased that Allie had told Jake about their relationship. In an unbelievable display of arrogance, David asked Allie if she would accompany him to the Crystal Ball. Allie said that she couldn't go with him. David informed her that he'd checked her work schedule and that he knew she had off that night. Allie clarified what she meant; Yes, she was going to the ball, but she was not going with David. Scorned, David asked Allie if she'd also told Jake about her doctored, no pun intended, transcripts. Allie tired of the threats and told David to do what he feels he must. David warned Allie that she was making a big mistake. No so according to Allie---she was getting rid of one.
At Holidays, the post-awards banquet happiness was in full bloom. Brooke smiled devilishly as she talked up Miles to Belinda. Belinda smiled bashfully, but said nothing about her would-be date. Jim wanted to capture the moment and asked everyone to pose for a picture. A second before the flash snapped, all of the smiles suddenly disappeared. Jim turned around and saw the reason for the sudden gloom---Adam. Adam cited the recent developments in the Flight 149 investigation as the impetus for his appearance. Palmer claimed that Adam was blowing hot air and Mateo ordered his father-in-law to get out of the restaurant. Hayley was concerned that her father left the hospital and asked if he needed an escort back to his room. Adam tried to explain that residue from plastic explosives had been found among the plane's wreckage, but no one believed him. Liza flipped on the television and Adam's claims were substantiated. A reported verified everything that Adam had so, so everyone should have believed him, right? Palmer accused Adam of paying someone off to make up the explosives story. Adam begged for someone to believe him, but no one spoke up. Adam walked over to Liza and pointed out that he was no longer the blame for the crash of 149. Surely now she can forgive him. Liza shook her head. She told him that the news clears him of responsibility in the one incident---but not that incident that took their child. Adam begged Liza to give him a second chance, but that second chance would not be granted. Liza started to walk away. Adam chased after her and asked for five minutes of her time. Brooke asked Miles if it was possible that the report was true. Miles confessed that it had been a possibility that the NTSB had been looking into, but that there was never enough proof to back the claims. Miles excused himself, telling them that he'd call in a few favors and see what he could find out. Jim was quite frazzled by the news. He asked Brooke to forget about the new information. He reminded her of her nervous breakdown at the initial press conference, her outburst on the commuter flight from Washington, and her reaction when she saw the crash scene photos. Brooke called herself a "new woman," one helped created by Jim. She told him that this could be the end of a long chapter in her life. Meanwhile, Mateo confessed to Hayley that one of his worst nightmares might be coming true. Julia had worried that the crash was the result of terrorists gunning for her family. She might have been right. Miles returned and told Brooke that he'd managed to locate the warehouse where the plane wreckage was being stored. Brooke motioned to the door and instructed him to lead her there.
Adam told his soon-to-be ex-wife that a great weight had been lifted off of his chest now that the explosives had been found. Liza was somewhat relieved that Adam's name had been cleared, but she could not forgive him for lying to her about TransGlobal's problems. She told him that she tried to halt the divorce papers when she learned that he was in the hospital. Adam understood. She also apologized for turning her back on him at the boathouse. Again, Adam understood. He'd lied to her in the past and he realized why Liza might not have believed him. Liza rose to her feet and asked Adam to take care of himself. A gaggle of reporters burst into the restaurant and asked Adam for a statement. Adam said nothing as he watched Liza walk towards the door. Liza's eyes displayed a yearning to run back to Adam while Adam's face painfully showed that he wanted to chase after his love. Neither surrendered to their desires. Adam announced that he was offering a quarter of a million dollars to anyone who could provide information leading to the conviction of the person responsible for blowing up the plane.
At the branch office of the crash investigation team, Miles demanded that he be allowed to examine the evidence that pointed towards plastic explosives. He spouted off his credentials, but the gentleman manning the counter seemed unimpressed. The man also recognized Brooke as the woman who flipped out in mid-air. He picked up the phone and called his supervisor to get permission to show Miles the evidence. He got the greenlight and the man escorted the trio into a sealed room. Miles asked the man to get him additional information on the piece of suitcase---where it was found, when, who it belonged to, and information such as that. Miles and the man left the room. Brooke took a long hard look at the suitcase. Jim looked too, but only fleetingly. He became very unsettled and asked if he could leave the room. Then it hit Brooke---she'd seen the suitcase before.
The suitcase brought an eerie silence to the evidence room. Jim (The role of Jim Thomasen is now being played by David Forsyth) suggested that they exit the room before any horrible ghosts from the past pop up to scare them. Instinct told Brooke that Jim knew something. She recalled seeing the luggage somewhere before, but she couldn't recall where. When she asked Jim, he provided a canned reply. The suitcase must look like hundreds of other suitcases, he replied. He then implied that the suitcase might not have been on the plane. Brooke pursed her lips before accusing Jim of turning his back on the truth. Jim explained that he wanted to focus on starting a new year with a clean slate---no more living in the past. He motioned towards the door and asked that Brooke return home and get ready for the ball.
Dimitri told Gloria---at the last minute---that they would be attending the ball. Gloria was surprised that Edmund had extended an invitation, but she was relieved that the feud between Dimitri and Edmund might be ending.
Over at Wildwind, last minute preparations were being done to make sure that everything was ready for the big event. Under the watchful eye of a hired magician, Tad tried to make a giant marble "disappear" from under a silk handkerchief. No matter how hard he tried, when Tad yanked back the cover... the marble was still there. Edmund was unimpressed with Tad and hoped that Tad's participation in their scheme would go off better than his magic tricks. In the hallway, Gillian picked up a cellular phone and placed a call to her cousin. Using her "munchkin" voice, Gillian told Dimitri that she had one final demand before facing him at the ball. Dimitri wasn't about to bow to any demands, but he seemed to have no other choice. She told him to bring fifty thousand dollars in small, unmarked bills with him. Dimitri worried that he could not obtain that large a sum of money in such a short time. Gillian warned him to get the cash or risk exposure. She again stated that she wanted cash only---no bank drafts. Gillian hung up the phone and started to walk back to the livingroom area. When she turned around, she saw Tad and Edmund standing in front of her. They'd overheard her conversation---and they were not pleased. Edmund blasted Gillian for trying to get rich off of his plan. He told her that he doesn't care that her family castle was lost. Gillian was stunned by Edmund's statement. He had previously promised to never reveal that Gillian was in financial turmoil. Before storming away, he warned her that she will be out on the streets if their plan falls through. Tad was left to wonder how Gillian squandered her riches. Gillian didn't speak up other than to tell Tad that it wasn't any of his business. Tad didn't take kindly to being told to buttout and he threatened to do an expose on The Cutting Edge about her riches-to-rags story if she loused his plan.
Back at the loft, Dimitri walked over to his desk and picked up his checkbook. He paged through the checks methodically as he repeated "bank draft" over and over. Gloria returned to the room with two gowns. She asked Dimitri for his opinion on which she should wear. He selected his favorite and then told Gloria that he was having a hard time deciding how much money to donate to the charity established in Maria's name. Perhaps, he sighed, he'll make out a bank draft for a tidy lump of cash. Gloria looked at her husband curiously and asked him what he meant by "bank draft." Dimitri explained that the term, used only in Europe, referred to a personal check. Gloria kind of shrugged her shoulders and the returned to the bedroom to finish getting ready. Dimitri stroked his chin and spoke aloud to himself. He referred to Gillian as a "damned fool" for trying to pull the wool over his eyes. He knew that Gillian wasn't devious enough to devise an extortion plan by herself. That meant that Tad and Edmund must also be in on the scheme. He donned his tuxedo and then walked slowly to his desk. He opened a drawer and removed the box. Neatly tucked away under a wooden divider was a single handgun. He tucked the gun into his pants and carried on with his business.
When Brooke walked through the front door of her house, she overheard Laura making plans to secure a room somewhere. Brooke wondered if Laura was leaving home. Laura confirmed her fears. She told her mom that she'd been offered a job working with children. Brooke still didn't understand why Laura needed to move out. So finally Laura confessed that the job was in Boston. Brooke's heart broke, but she knew that her little girl wouldn't always be living under her roof. She just didn't expect her daughter's departure to come so soon. Brooke might have accepted the idea had Laura not commented that Jim helped her come up with the idea. A strange and cold frown took over Brooke's face as she tried to pretend that she was happy with Laura's decision to leave Pine Valley. Something, she thought, just didn't add up.
A while later, Laura returned to the livingroom and praised her mother's silver one-strap gown. Brooke had made a few calls and arranged for an old friend to allow Laura to live with her. Brooke felt more at ease knowing that Laura would be living with someone she knew rather than a perfect stranger.
Janet ripped through her closet and started throwing out many of her old outfits. A knock at the door temporarily interrupted her winter cleaning. Outside, one of the Valley Inn's housekeeping staffers waited to clean Janet's room. The woman didn't want to intrude, but Janet insisted that she come inside and carry on with her work. The housekeeper seemed surprised that "Miss G," as she called Janet, was not going to the "hoopla" at Wildwind. Janet sadly replied that parties weren't her thing. Janet plucked a low-cut black gown from her closet and tossed it into the trash. The housekeeper was appalled that Janet wanted to get rid of such a beautiful dress. Janet offered to donate it to the shelter, but the woman quickly noted that not many homeless people have the opportunity to wear a cocktail dress. Janet smiled and handed the dress over to the young lady. She was overjoyed and said that she'd make sure she cleaned Janet's room well. Janet tried to get the woman to leave and celebrate the holiday, but the woman wouldn't budge. And she certainly wasn't going to go anywhere after a mystery package arrived at Janet's door. A messenger delivered a corsage. Janet insisted that the man must have dropped by the wrong room, but the delivery slip had Janet's named and room number on it. The housekeeper smiled as she noted that someone must be interested in taking Janet to the ball. Janet thought that Amanda might have sent the corsage, but when the deliveryman returned with two more packages, she knew better. The first box contained a gold and black dress. Janet's new buddy oohed and aahed at the dress and told Janet that she'd better get ready to step out on the town. She excused herself so that Janet could get ready. Janet, however, didn't get dressed. When a knock sounded on the door, Janet learned who her secret admirer was---Trevor. Trevor snapped his fingers and told Janet to hurry up and get dressed. Janet firmly stated that she was not going to the ball. Her comments fell on deaf ears as Trevor leaned over and gave her a passionate kiss. Janet pulled away and said that she could not marry Trevor. Marry? Who said anything about marriage? Trevor told her that they were going to go to a party together---nothing more. Janet excused herself and slipped into her gown. It fit her beautifully, but she still felt as though she might be breaking her promise to her sister. One night with Trevor, she whispered, what can it hurt?
The ball was only moments away from its official start and suddenly Edmund appeared to have doubts about exposing his brother. Edmund fondly remembered the days of "the old Dimitri." He only hoped that that man was still living inside of his brother. A few moments later, Dimitri and Gloria arrived. Edmund welcomed Dimitri home to Wildwind. Dimitri smiled and then walked towards Tad and Gillian. With a broad grin on his face, he told them how nice it was to see them again.
In his hotel room, Jim packed up some of his belongings. He then walked over to the closet and hid a suitcase in the back corner of the closet. The suitcase was identical to the one the FBI had found to have traces of plastic explosives on it.
Due to the New Year's holiday, All My Children did not air today.
New Year's Eve brought some much needed tranquility to Linden House. Mother and daughter sat on the sofa preparing to watch a classic movie marathon. Bianca asked her mother to teach her everything she knows about two things: classic movies and men. Erica laughed and said that movies she can tackle in one night. Men? Well, that would take many, many moons. Jack appeared at the house wearing a tuxedo. Erica scratched her head and tried to recall if she'd broken an engagement with her beau. Jack assured her that she hadn't forgot anything. Tonight, he told her, Edmund was throwing a ball. Erica knew what Jack was asking and turned him down. She explained that she wanted to spend some quiet time with her daughter. Jack showed why Erica loves him so much. He told her that he'd wait for his turn while Erica helped nurse Bianca back to health. Erica walked Jack outside, allowing Bianca some time to call Myrtle and please with Myrtle to help her handle an emergency. When Erica returned, Bianca decided that she wanted to look like a celebrity---not just any celebrity, but Erica Kane. The two played dress-up with Erica showing her daughter the proper application methods. Myrtle arrived just in time for the "evening gown" portion of the night. Erica smiled as she ran upstairs to locate the perfect dress to wear. She had no idea that Bianca was setting her up. When Erica returned downstairs, Bianca filled her mother in on the plan. She told her that a limousine was parked outside waiting for her. Erica was stunned by her daughter's generosity. Old movies, Bianca grinned, can wait for another night.
Jim hid his suitcase behind several boxes in his closet. As he dressed, Brooke arrived at his room. Jim was supposed to have picked Brooke up at her house, but Brooke opted to alter the plans. Brooke commented that she'd been unable to forget the luggage fragment she'd seen. They looked so familiar to her. Jim tried to take her mind off of the item with a kiss, but Brooke pulled away and wouldn't let Jim kiss her. Jim explained that he wants answers too, but he knows that he's going to have to wait. Jim excused himself and headed to the bathroom to shave. Brooke got antsy waiting for Jim, so she walked around the room. For some reason she looked downwards and noticed that she'd scuffed one of her shoes. She called out to Jim to ask him if he had a rag with which she could try to rub out the mark, but the noise of the razor prevented Jim from hearing her. So Brooke took it upon herself to hunt for a rag. She opened the closet and rummaged around inside. On her tiptoes to see what was on the top shelf, she lost her balance and knocked over the boxes. Brooke bent over to put everything back in order... until she saw the suitcase hidden in the back of the closet. Her mind flashed back to the luggage fragment. Suddenly, a feeling of nausea swept over Brooke. The razor sounds muted and Brooke knew that Jim would be returning shortly. She closed the closet door and ran back to the bed. Jim wanted to pick up where he'd left off and try to give Brooke another kiss. Before he could pucker his lips, Brooke told him that she needed to use the bathroom.
Edmund introduced the ball-goers to Eugenia, all of whom seemed dazzled by the Duchess. Eugenia was pleased to see Dimitri and Gloria and gave them a prompt scolding for not dropping by to visit her. Gillian smiled deviously and explained that Dimitri had been unwelcome at the castle. Edmund quickly noted that his problems with Dimitri were behind him now. Tad the Terrific wandered over to the crowd and readied to amuse them with a magic trick. He asked Dimitri to tie two handkerchiefs together. Dimitri humored him and did as requested. Tad tucked the handkerchiefs into Dimitri's beltloop and asked the crowd to watch carefully. With one tug, Tad yanked the handkerchiefs out of Dimitri's belt loop. They were still knotted, but not together. Now there was a pair of white-with-red-hearts pair of underwear tied between them. Dimitri got a chuckle out of the display, but he warned Tad to stick to hosting a talk show for a living. Tad promptly walked over to Edmund and told him that a problem had arisen----Dimitri was packing a gun! Edmund was silent. The sting, he said nervously, had to be stopped. Tad convinced Edmund that their sting could go on---just a little more carefully than before. Hayley and Mateo literally waltzed over to Edmund and thanked him for throwing the ball. Mateo noted that Edmund had done Maria proud. Edmund told the couple that he'd heard the latest findings on the plane crash. Mateo bowed his head and said nothing.
Janet and Trevor were the next to arrive. Janet wondered why Trevor was being so nice to her even though she'd turned down his proposal. Yeah, Janet had turned down his proposal, but that was today, Trevor noted. He told her that he would re-re-propose to her at midnight---and he told her that she would say yes. He grabbed her by the waist and the two tangoed off into the crowd.
Miles escorted Belinda into the ball and both were wowed by what they saw. Belinda was also surprised that Miles knew so much about her. For example, he knew that she liked Ella Fitzgerald (he played an Ella CD in the car ride over), that she liked gardenias (he presented her with a gardenia corsage), that her favorite cologne was called Tuxedo (Miles wore only few spritzes), and that she liked waffles for breakfast (he planned on going out to eat after the ball). Miles confessed that some of Belinda's friends helped him learn more about her.
Joe, Ruth, Kelsey, and Kevin arrived at the party all dressed to the nines. While Joe and Kevin dashed off to get their ladies something to drink, Ruth noticed that Kelsey had forgotten to take the price tag off of her dress. She tried to remove the tag, but Kelsey refused to let her near the dress. Ruth saw why---the dress cost over three times her allotted budget. Kelsey defended her decision to buy the dress. She said that she is going to leave the tag on the dress so that she could return it in the morning. Ruth told her that she'd do no such thing. Returning the dress would be dishonest and just one step above stealing. Kelsey claimed that she had reasons for going over her budget, but that her grandmother wouldn't understand. Gillian strolled by and told Kelsey that she liked her dress. The dress, Gillian sneered, was plain and uneventful---just like Kelsey. She then teased Kelsey that it might be proper to wear one's heart on their sleeve, but that it's quite gauche to wear a price tag. Scott, on Gillian's arm, said that he liked the dress sending Gillian into a fit of jealousy. Gillian strolled off with Scott following behind her. Ruth knew why Kelsey had gone over budget. She told Kelsey that she did not have to return the dress---she could keep it. She agreed to pay for the dress, but Kelsey would have to pay her back eventually. Ruth took pleasure in seeing Gillian turn green when Scott complimented Kelsey. Joe said that he'd enjoyed it too---and that he'd contribute one hundred dollars to the cost just because he liked seeing Gillian get some of her own medicine.
Allie and Jake made small talk with Tad about life and work. They were enjoying Tad's magical talents, but Allie had a trick that Tad couldn't possibly do---making David disappear. Tad knew that things were icy between the three doctors, so he bid them farewell and headed back to the party. Allie excused herself and headed to the veranda to fix her make-up. In her compact, she could see David's beady eyes staring at her. David complimented Allie on the way she looked and told her that he's always thought of her as one of the most beautiful women he knows. He leaned over and gave her a kiss. Allie tried to pull away, but he grabbed on to her and wouldn't let go. She demanded that he stop, but he didn't. Luckily, Jake over the commotion and appeared before them.
Dimitri and Gloria danced happily together until a man appeared by their side and asked if he could cut in. Dimitri told the man that it was up to Gloria. Gloria smiled and nodded her head. The man then grabbed on to Dimitri and waltzed him across the dance floor. The crowd loved every minute of it and applauded wildly. Once they finished their dance, the man asked Dimitri if he knew what time it was. When Dimitri went to look at his wristwatch, he noticed it was missing. The man revealed his true identity as he returned Dimitri's watch. No, he wasn't a pickpocket! He was a magician! To reward the magician for his performance, Dimitri allowed him to dance with Gloria. Dimitri motioned to one of the waiters and whispered something in his ear before disappearing into the crowd. Tad, who was supposed to be watching Dimitri, asked Brooke if she'd seen Dimitri. She shook her head. That was not what Tad wanted to hear.
Across the room, a waiter told Gillian that Scott had requested a "private audience with her majesty" at the mausoleum. Gillian blushed slightly before making her way to the front door.
The crowd was suddenly hushed. Everyone turned and looked towards the main entrance. Standing at the top of the staircase was the unwitting belle of the ball---Erica Kane.
Outside, Gillian walked around the mausoleum searching for Scott. She thought the area made a rather odd "trysting place," as she called it, but she figured it was the only quiet place on the grounds. She stepped into the crypt unaware that Dimitri was hiding inside. In a high squeaky voice---not much unlike the one Gillian had used to con Dimitri---he called out to her "I know what you did." He closed the door to the crypt and walked towards her.
