Troy's Loft
Lindsay asks Nora if she wonders how she found out the news of her impending marriage already. Nora bluntly states she already knows as Troy tells her everything. Lindsay questions if Troy really tells Nora everything. An annoyed Nora would like Lindsay to leave so she and Troy can get on with their celebration. A gleeful Lindsay insists they open her gift before she leaves. Against Troy's wishes Nora opens the gift. Nora, dumbfounded, cannot believe Lindsay would get them a tie for a wedding gift. As Troy recognizes the tie as the one he wore at Lindsay's, so does Nora. When Troy confirms he does have a tie exactly like the one Lindsay gave them, Nora rips into Lindsay. She accuses Lindsay of having a copy of the tie made, just like the ammulet. Lindsay denies this as Troy squirms. Troy and Nora finally get Lindsay to leave and head out for their celebration of their engagement.
Todd's Penthouse
Sam answers the door to a frantic Viki. Seeing Sam, Viki assumes Todd is there. Sam explains that he is at Todd's to drop off some paperwork and Todd is not home. Viki is very afraid Todd went to see Mitch. A concerned Blair listens in as Viki explains to Sam who Mitch is. Sam wonders why Todd would go after Mitch. Viki explains about Mitch being Jessica's father and the rape. Viki is afraid if Todd provokes Mitch, he will kill Todd. A frantic Blair comes out of hiding and demands someone helps Todd. Viki is stunned to see Blair. Blair explains why she is staying at Todd's. Sam thinks Todd will be able to hold his own. Viki is more afraid Todd will do something to Mitch. Sam decides to go to Mitch's to check on Todd. Blair asks Sam to be careful. Viki and Blair worry together until Blair finally convinces Viki to go home and wait for Jessica. Blair agrees to have Sam call her as soon as he gets back.
Mitch's
Mitch demands Todd leaves as Todd continues to wordlessly approach him. Todd grabs Mitch by the throat and begins to strangle him. Jessica begs Todd not to kill her father. Todd lets go and Mitch looks at Jessica in surprise. Mitch thanks Jessica and plays victim to the hilt. He apologizes for grabbing her arm and tells her he would have never hurt his daughter. Todd has enough of this and puts Mitch in a headlock. After Jessica pleads for him to stop, Todd reminds Mitch how lucky he is that Jessica is there to save him. Todd also adamently tells Mitch that this is not over, he does not forgive him for raping his sister as Viki is the best person he knows.
Mitch accuses of Todd of being one to talk after what he did to Marty. Mitch starts to taunt Todd over Marty's rape. Jessica interupts and tells Mitch she never wants to see him again and that he is right, there is someone in the room she does love and trust. Jessica then asks Todd to walk her out. Mitch begs Jessica not to leave. After Jessica and Todd get outside, Todd wants to know if Jessica is okay. Jessica admits she is not. Jessica thinks her mother will only see Mitch everytime she looks at her. Todd reminds Jess that everytime her mother sees him, she does not see Victor Lord. Todd then convinces Jessica to go home. After Jessica leaves, Sam arrives.
Troy's Loft
Troy arrives home to find Lindsay in his bed wearing his shirt and the tie. Troy demands to know what Lindsay thinks she is doing.
Mitch's
Mitch answers the door to find Nora. Nora serves him with the annulment papers. Mitch refuses to give Natalie an annulment.
Todd's Penthouse
The door opens and a relieved Blair rushes into Todd's arms as Sam looks on.
Nora has delivered annulment papers to Mitch. She denies that Natalie and Cristian are seeing each other. Because Jessica has spurned him, he resolves to maintain his marriage to Natalie. Nora tells him it's "not [his] call" and calmly walks out the door. Mitch flashes back on his plotting with Jennifer.
Cristian calls Natalie from Break Bar. Natalie can't believe that he'd go to work when Mitch has threatened his life. But he assures her that he'll be fine. He hangs up just as Jennifer arrives at the bar to see him. She lies to Cristian, saying she hasn't seen Mitch. With unauthentic compassion, she tells him she "wants [him] to be happy."
Viki arrives home and is comforted to find Jessica there. Natalie enters the library and also expresses relief that her sister has been found. As Viki leaves to call Bo, Natalie asks, "Are you really home, Jessica?" They rehash their separate upbringings. Natalie tries to hold and comfort her, but Jessica's posture is stone. Natalie leaves. Viki returns and Jess tells her mom that she went to see Mitch to give him his walking papers. They are both grateful to Todd for his surprising efforts in defense of his sister and niece. They promise to work hard to put Mitch's evil deeds behind them. But a phone call from Clint reveals that Viki has not yet told him that Jessica is not his daughter. Jess interprets it to mean that her mother wishes she were "never born." Viki tearfully denies it. But Jess is unsure and confused. She decides to leave Llanview forever.
Natalie arrives at Break Bar as Jen gets a private phone call from Mitch. Cristian warns her that they can't see each other until after the annulment. Rex asks Natalie about Jess and is glad to learn she's OK. As both he and Cristian return to work, Mitch sashays in with a huge grin. "No wife should fear her husband," he slithers. He pulls out the annulment papers and promises Natalie he'll never agree to their terms. He suggests they consummate their marriage instead and opt for a divorce, an option that is not well received by his wife. Jennifer jumps back into the mix insisting that Cristian go over and "help Natalie."
Blair gratefully throws her arms around Todd, who has returned from Mitch Laurence's with Sam. When she sees Sam, she breaks her embrace with Todd to hug him and thank him. Todd is perplexed, so Blair gives him the background on his sister's earlier visit. Todd is indignant that Blair and Viki would send Sam after him and rudely decides to "take a bath." Sam and Blair share a kiss that Starr happily interrupts. Sam takes it as his cue to leave. Starr expresses concern for her father who is in bad sorts. Todd interrupts them and Starr goes back upstairs. Blair kindly contends with the rape issue, which Todd evades. He calls Briggs and orders him to put Mitch Laurence on the cover of The Sun in any way possible. Continuing to elude any serious discussion, he jokes about ordering Chinese food. Finally he confesses to Blair that he almost killed Mitch. She implores him to believe that he is no longer the man that raped Marty and, taking his hand, that he "deserves to be loved." Starr walks down the stairs beaming that her parents are close.
Nora goes to Sam's house in order to tell their son that she's engaged. They explain together that Nora is getting married to Troy, to which he exclaims, "No, you can't!" His reason is that Jennifer had two failed weddings and he doesn't want his mom to be sad. But his parents reassure him that all will be well, so he runs upstairs to play. Sam asks about Lindsay's reaction to the engagement and is equally surprised about the odd gift of a necktie. Sam recounts Todd's heroics, which Nora applauds. After Nora leaves, Sam calls a friend about a remote country house.
Lindsay is in Troy's bed pleading for an encore. They continue to play the "Joanna" cat-and-mouse game. But Troy feels he is the winner now that he can withhold passion if she continues her threats. He'll decide when he sees her. There's a knock at the door. Lindsay speculates that it could be Nora. But Troy confidently answers the door to his sister, Emily, who is under the impression that Troy's disheveled look is the result of intimacy with Nora. She asks how Lindsay took the news of their engagement. Troy's reply is vague as Lindsay inches closer to the door to overhear. When Troy closes the door, he finds a very naked Lindsay now sprawled out on his leather couch. Edgily telling her "it's not a game," he drapes the necktie around her shoulders. Then walking away, he abruptly barks, "Now put on your clothes and get out of here!" Nora is walking down the hall on her way to his door.
Troy tosses Lindsay out of his apartment but not before reminding her to keep quiet as they're playing by his rules. She accuses him of getting something out of their relationship, obviously something that he's not getting elsewhere. As he leaves, warning her to be gone by the time he's back, he runs into Nora who is on her way in. He's shaken up but Nora reveals that Matthew was excited about the news of their upcoming nuptials. Troy only wants to get away and suggests they go out to celebrate, though Nora only wants to go inside to do the same. As he tries to reason with her, Emily reaches them, plant in hand. She apologizes for interrupting them earlier, which confuses Nora until an uneasy Troy manages to cover up. The plant is for the engaged couple, straight from the very same plant that her parents received as a wedding gift. It's a symbol for them to have a long life together. Nora graciously accepts the gift and Em reassures Troy as she gives him a hug. Troy wants to leave with the plant but when his phone starts ringing Nora insists that he answer it. It's Lindsay, calling from elsewhere, letting him know she's gone. When Nora walks in, she's informed it was a telemarketer. This time she manages to convince Troy to stay in and celebrate. He promises to make her happy.
As Todd and Blair have a close moment, Starr lingers nearby, eager to hear her parents getting along. The conversation starts out well enough with Blair admitting to caring about Todd, as she knows he cares for her. When they discuss a possible comparison between Todd and Mitch, the conversation begins to deteriorate. Blair insists he's different; his rape of Marty was caused by rage while Mitch had planned everything he'd done. She wants him to forgive himself but Todd thinks Blair is relating everything back to his taking Jack as well. Though he agrees he's not evil like Mitch, he still knows he's not very nice. She informs him that everyone loathes him because he loathes himself. She stalks off without relaying anything else. Later, Starr is again eavesdropping with her fingers crossed when she hears her parents together once more. Blair is having difficulty inflating her mattress. When Todd refuses to allow her to sleep on the sofa in case someone should see her, she's pleased that he's offered his bed to her. No such luck, sleep on the chair, he proposes. Starr is let down a second time.
Hank and Bo lament the fact that they have nothing to arrest Mitch on. Bo admits that Cris threatened Mitch but he knows Cris won't do anything; he also has no plans to get the restraining order against him that Mitch requested. Switching subjects, Bo then mentions the engagement of Troy and Nora. Hank doesn't seem too thrilled but is happy they worked things out.
At Break Bar, Cris tries to come to Natalie's aid as Mitch has words with her but is held back by Rex. Mitch refuses to give up on their marriage. A nearby Jen gloats as she tells a newly arrived Marcie to pay attention; they will be identified as witnesses later on. When Mitch touches Nat, a crazed Cris orders hands off so he turns his efforts towards Cris, taunting him. Nat manages to calm Cris down, agreeing to leave with Rex when he's able to drive her and refusing to speak to her husband any further. Cris steps in to keep Mitch from going near her again. The preacher begins to spout from Scripture and taunts Cris on how "hot" Natalie is, how she's been around. He'll find out himself how hot she is very soon, he smirks. He'll have Natalie just like he had Viki. Roughly, Cris pushes him up against the wall, threatening him to shut his mouth. Mitch refuses to stop but keeps taunting, mentioning how much stronger he is than Natalie. No one can stop him. Cris reaches his limits, threatens again to kill Mitch and slugs him.
Jess is adamant about leaving Llanview as a distraught Viki tries to convince her otherwise. She even suggests that she go with Jess as soon as Natalie's marriage is over. A dismayed Jess informs her that she wants to be alone, as Viki begins to sob even more. Besides, she admits to her mother, she wants to be away from her, not Mitch. Jess takes it back immediately when Viki reacts as though she was slapped in the face. Nothing will ever be the same, she continues. Natalie, who is really only a half-sister, was born from love, while she was born from a nightmare. Viki only sees the same person she's always seen, she tries to persuade her, and loves her the same. Jess assumes that she only sees Mitch and she hates everything associated with him, though not Viki. She just can't be there any longer.
During a musical montage there are several scenes: Lindsay stands outside on the fire escape as Troy and Nora make love. Todd lies awake as Blair tosses and turns on her chair. Once he turns over, Blair makes her way to the bed and lies down, hugging her side of it. Outside the bedroom is an ecstatic Starr. Viki cries as she looks at an old Mitch pamphlet and slowly rips it into little pieces, a framed picture of Jess looking on. Upstairs Jess packs her suitcases and leaves her bedroom with finality. Cris continues to punch Mitch repeatedly until he is pulled away by cops.
Mitch denies provoking Cris but Bo gets only silence when asking if anyone has seen anything. He point-blank asks Marcie who stammers and says she couldn't hear anything. Next is Jen who refuses to speak at first but then denies having seen Mitch do anything at all. She couldn't hear what was said though. Bo places Cris under arrest, reading him his rights. Mitch and Jen look at each other with the faintest traces of smiles.
After spending the night with Nora, Troy is stunned to learn that Lindsay spent the entire night perched on his fire escape in order to avoid detection. Troy treats Lindsay for hypothermia -- Lindsay misreads Troy's medical overtures as romantic interest and reveals more to Troy than she intended.... giving him a little too much information about her prison break from Statesville.
Deep in REM sleep, Blair snuggles up to Todd, who does not object. Meanwhile the scheming Starr directs Sam to walk into the bedroom. Sam finds Blair and Todd in bed together and Blair is relieved that Sam believes that it was purely innocent. Blair is delighted when Sam informs her that he has found a private place for them to spend the night together. Sam sees the slashed air mattress, forcing Starr to confess that she was the vandal. Starr later proudly confesses to Blair her plan for puncturing the mattress.
Jessica tells Al that she's leaving town for good and prepares to leave Llanview. Roxy tries to turn over a new leaf.
Nora and Hank agree to a plea bargain for Cristian, who pleads guilty. Although there is a phenomenal amount of evidence against him, it appears that Judge Fitzwater will be relatively lenient with Cristian. As the hearing begins, Carlotta vents on Natalie, blaming her for ruining Cristian's life. Mitch shows up at the courthouse sporting a neck brace and a wounded attitude, testifying to the judge that Cristian not only beat him up but also repeated his death threat. During a break in the hearing, Jen plants herself in a spot in the ladies' room where the judge can hear her make a phony phone call, during which Jen says she's afraid of Cristian's temper and what he might do to Mitch. The alarmed Judge Fitzwater gives Cristian a chance to "cool off" with a sentence of thirty days in jail. Unbeknownst to Jen, not only were she and the Judge in the washroom, but Shawna overheard the whole phony phone call. Shawna goes running to Todd with her tidbit of information, hoping to ingratiate herself with him.
While Nora and Bo question Judge Fitzwater's decision, Natalie shows up at the jail determined to pay Mitch off. Nora reminds Natalie that in order to get an annulment, there can be no settlement. When Jennifer walks in, once again apologizing for her part in Cristian's arrest, the couple assures her that they know she did what she had to.
Putting the next phase of his plan in motion, Mitch visits Allison at St. Ann's. Expressing his need for her assistance, Mitch convinces his follower to demand and pass a new psychiatric evaluation so she can be transported to Llanview jail.
After Shawna told Todd about overhearing Jen's fake phone call, Todd agrees to let her write the article for The Sun. When Starr spies the two working together, she informs her mother who insists that she doesn't care. When Starr storms off, Blair rushes to the top of the stairs to make sure there isn't anything going on downstairs. After Shawna leaves, Blair denies her jealously while Starr fantasizes about sentencing her parents to a life together.
When Keri announces that she submitted Liz's resume to Llanview University, her mother refuses the offer. After asking Keri to leave, R.J. tells Liz that she has to deal with her feelings for him. The argument ends with a passionate kiss that is witnessed by their daughter.
At the hospital, Hank wants to know what Antonio is going to do with the information he gets regarding the paternity of Liz's baby. Tonio replies that he doesn't want to hurt Keri, but has to be honest with her. Later, Antonio is shocked when he is told that his DNA is a perfect match to the baby.
Troy and Nora set Valentine's Day as their wedding date.
