The Diary, The Letter And That Poor Dead Horse

Belle is on the phone trying to make a person-to-person call to Marlena. Shawn nukes and tells her she will get them caught.

The brat packs. Billie wants to know if they can discuss it. She asks her to sty. The brat sees Billie's injured head and gasps. Billie tells her about Steve's escape and the hot pursuit. She claims she had no other choice but to help him. Billie staggers. Chelsea rushes toward her, but She claims she is OK.

Patch sits tied up, slumped over in a chair. Kayla paces. Roman walks in. He says the EMT's are on their way. Roman asks if Kayla is going to be OK. She says yes, "Look at him. When he is sleeping I can pretend he is the same Steve. He could have gotten killed tonight. I don't know what to do anymore." She stops and looks at Roman, "What's that look on your face?"

"There is no easy way to say this," says Roman, "I talked to the DA. The judge wants Steve behind bars tonight."

Kayla says this is crazy. Roman says first they will take him to the hospital and check him out. Kayla thinks this is insane, "He needs help not jail." Roman says Steve has had all kinds of chances to make it right but has blown it every time. Kayla argues. Roman claims he is on her side. He offers to make another appeal to the judge. Kayla thinks maybe they should talk to Dr. Kraft. The boys walk in to take Steve. Kayla insists they take him to the state hospital.

Belle and Shawn argue about the call. Shawn lectures. "Don't talk to me like a child," says Belle.

"Then stop acting like one," says Shawn.

Gabby rushes up and says this is all her fault. Shawn says Gabby didn't know better but Belle did. Gabby offers to take Claire for ice cream while Shawn and Belle "talk things out." Somehow this time it's no big deal for Belle to let Gabby have Claire. They leave. Shawn wants to know why Belle went behind his back. "I miss my mother and I knew you wouldn't understand that."

The brat says Billie could have called. She wouldn't have answered but Billie could have tried. Chelsea goes for aspirin. She wonders what meds Billie had at the hospital. Billie doesn't remember. The brat asks who her doctor was and makes a call.

Billie rummages around and finds Chelsea's diary and reads. "I feel like I've lost the only person who ever cared about me. I want so much to forgive her but I can't. I hate my mom for what she did to me." Billie stares.

Kayla and Roman argue about where to take Steve. Kayla begs for a chance to convince Dr. Kraft. Roman resists, and then caves in. Hugs.

Billie hides the diary as Chelsea comes back and tells her, "They put me on hold. You should hear the music they are playing. It's straight from the eighties. It sounds like it's been put through a blender." Must be the only place on earth not playing "Gravity" over and over these days. She gets a bag of frozen food out of the freezer and gives it to Billie to use for an ice pack. She goes into the next room to take the call.

Billie reads on. I haven't been this scared since the whole Zack thing. I know my dad doesn't believe me, so I'll get blamed for the fire, too. I'm really scared I'm gonna flunk out of school, not that anybody ever thought I would make it anyway, except for maybe Nick. Is he gonna be the only guy that ever says he loves me. Maybe not. Maybe there is a blind guy out there somewhere. I never saw any of this coming. I wish I could talk to my mom about this stuff, but I can't. I don't trust her."

The brat returns and tells Billie the doctor said aspirin is best. She starts to leave. Billie suggests she stay and talk, "I want to fix this. Please don't go."

Shawn says he misses his parents, too. But he wonders if Belle would be happier back home with Phillip hot on the trail of their little girl. Belle is only happy when she's unhappy, "Shawn, you don't understand. We beat Phillip. He probably thinks we're dead right now."

Shawn asks, "Because we shredded up a life raft to throw him off our path? This is Phillip we're talking about. He is never gonna give up." Belle goes off the Richter Scale. She can't live like this. It isn't fair to Claire or their families. Shawn tries to wade through the torrent of tears, "You have to forget about them. This is our life now. You'd better get used to it."

Belle doesn't want to fight any more. Neither does Shawn. They declare a truce. Webster's definition of truce: a cessation of hostilities between two warring parties, usually temporary, in which the blonde gets to keep hammering away at the other person and the other person in question keeps his mouth shut and better damn well like it.

"You have to stop ordering me around," says the blonde. The other person in question will work on it. "And," says Belle, "I don't care how we do it, but we have to get in touch with my Mom."

"Fine," says Shawn, "But no one has gotten through to her in years."

Billie asks the brat to stay. Chelsea resists. Billie offers to make hot chocolate. Chelsea don' wan' no stinkin' hot chocolate. Billie offers to lace it with a little Ecstasy and that does the trick. Chelsea tells Billie she's done some really crummy things to her, and it's more than just her one night stand with Nick, "Do you know what it's like? It's like waking up and finding out your not an adult, but you're a stupid clueless kid." The truth hurts. The brat says she has to go.

Billie begs her to stay and talk things through. She says she'll talk about anything... Nick... her situation with Bo... school.

"School," says the brat, "How did you know about that? I haven't even told Abby."

"Moms just know about these things. Well-read moms, that is.," says Billie, "I’m just asking for a second chance. So what do you say? Will you give me a shot?"

"I'm sorry," says the brat, "I can't. The poor horse here in the living room may still have some life in it. We have to keep beating it until the viewers all run out screaming for mercy."

Dr. Kraft says, "I'm sorry. We couldn't possibly check Mr. Johnson back in here. We've run through our beer budget for the entire year." Kayla can't believe it. She thinks they are punishing a sick man for acting sick. "It's not the acting that's sick," says Dr. Kraft, "It's the writing. You're a physician, so you tell me... How do you help a patient who refuses to be helped?"

The brat says this whole thing would be easier if Billie hated her, "It's like you are two totally different people – the drunken whore and the sober whore. I don't want Billie. I want Mom. If Billie is part of the picture, then I can't do it. She gets up, grabs her things and starts to leave.

Not so fast. She swings the door open and there stands Roman, "Uhh... Chelsea..."

William Shakespeare buries his face in his hands, "Why couldn't I have written dialogue like that?"

Roman asks, "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

The dead horse looks up and says, "It's a good time for me, Roman. I can't take much more."

Roman asks the brat to hang around for a while, "We got some new information about the fire and your dad's house and he asked me to talk to you about it."

Belle continues to rework the definition of "truce." She wants to call her mom. Shawn thinks it's a bad idea. Belle suggests calling Roman. Shawn doesn't want to put the police commissioner in the middle of this. "Can't we at least try," asks Belle.

"I have never given up on a patient," says Kayla, "They usually die first." She and Dr. Kraft go round and round about admitting Steve.

The dead horse lifts its head, "How the hell did I get to this hospital?"

Kayla suggests giving Steve more meds. "Who the hell do you think he is," asks Dr. Kraft, "John Black? " She drags Kayla into Steve's old room and shows her a baggie full of pills. She says after Steve left they found them in the air vent.

Dr. Kraft waves the bag-o-pills around. John wakes up and sniffs, "I guess there is something to live for after all."

They wheel Patch up as the two argue. He pops an eye open and listens. Kayla pulls out all the stops... being in isolation with Steve... his mysterious death all those years ago... his miraculous return... the new fridge she had to buy to hold the beer... the torture of listening to Clay Aiken... all the tragedy and time apart...

Dr. Kraft says, "I didn't realize things were that bad. I mean, having to listen to Clay Aiken... you poor child. I had no idea."

Kayla is on a roll. She begs and pleads. We relive every excruciating moment. The dead horse runs out screaming, "I'm going back to Billie's apartment where things weren't so bad."

Shawn suggests sending confidential letters to the Salem PD. He and Belle walk to the bar and find a pad of paper. Belle begins writing.

Roman questions the brat about the fire. She admits she was at Bo and Hope's house last night. She gives him details. "I wrote Dad a note, slipped it under the door and left. End of story."

"Don't we wish," says the dead horse.

Roman claims they never found a note. Billie cuts him off and suggests he go back and look for the note again. Roman tells her the Salem PD has been all over that house. That's why Billie thinks the note is probably laying there in plain sight. Roman says he knows the brat told Abby she was looking to pick up some quick cash.

"For bus fare," says Chelsea. Roman tells them some of Hope's jewelry is missing.

"I've seen Hope's jewelry," says Billie, "hat stuff wouldn't buy a ticket to East Salem." Billie stops the questioning. The brat claims she's being set up. Billie tells her not to say another word until they get a lawyer and kicks Roman out. Roman says he will arrange for Chelsea to come down and make a formal statement. He tells Billie he wishes they could have kept this in the family. "We could have," she says, "If you and your brother would have had a little more faith in Chelsea." Billie goes over, hugs the brat and tells her they will get through this.

Belle finishes her letter. It didn't take long. Belle doesn't use big words. Shawn thinks it will be a couple weeks before they hear back. Gabby brings Claire back in. They tell her they wrote the letter and ask her to mail it. Gabby is soooooo happy to be able to help.

Belle heads upstairs with Claire. Shawn asks Gabby if she needs anything else. "You are officially off the clock, not to mention your rocker," says Gabby. She thanks Shawn for trusting her with Claire and offers to watch her any time. Shawn follows Belle and Claire upstairs. Gabby contemplates the letter.

Roman comes in and Kayla introduces him to Dr. Kraft. Roman says Marlena is willing to go to bat for Steve. Kayla turns and continues to torture Dr. Kraft right up to the limits that Homeland Security will allow. Finally, Dr. Kraft can't take it any more. She says there better not be any funny business this time. She has to clear it with the administrator. Kayla swears it will be OK this time.

She sits by Steve and tells him they have passed the first hurdle but he has to cooperate, "You have a second chance now. Please don't blow it." Kayla walks over to the door and calls the orderly.

Patch looks over at her, "Sweetness, You're a real pain in the ass. You know that?" Kayla turns and gives him a little smile. The rest of us know it. That's for sure.

The brat says she has to go. Billie asks her to stay. Chelsea refuses. Billie tells her she will always have a home there. The brat goes for her MP3 player. Billie sticks the diary into Chelsea's book bag. The brat comes back and Billie tells her they will get her the best lawyers money can buy. Having the money to buy them with is another issue. Billie says she will go to the station when Chelsea makes her statement. Chelsea tells her to take care of the bump on her head and leaves.

Inside, Billie leans against her door and says, "Oh thank you God for the chance to get my daughter back."

Shawn and Belle come back into their room. Shawn sees the twin beds and asks what that's all about. He blows his stack, "You went behind my back again. You made a promise and broke it just to spite me!"

Gabby picks up the letter, tears it up and tosses it in the wastebasket. FF.


Previews
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Belle says, "It isn't making love. I would just be another Willow to you."

Lucas says, "I was thinking about EJ and there's something I gotta ask you." Sami asks, "You don't wanna spoil the mood but you're bringing up EJ?"

Patch says, "I'm warning you. You stay away from EJ Wells." Kayla asks, "And would you listen to me if I said the same thing to you?

EJ tells Willow, "If I wanted you dead..." He imitates the sound of the guillotine doing its job... "I'd have killed you already."