Friday, July 20, 2007
Alison was interested in Jesse's candy, but he wanted something first: a live performance of her pornographic prowess. She prickled at that, preferring to pay cash for her fix instead. He sleazily accepted and they made the trade, but Alison spotted a couple making out on her way out the door and got depressed. At home, she was about to get high when Aaron flew in, having reluctantly donned Dusty's hero cape. "I care about you," he told her. "I can't help it. I just do." He denied Dusty sent him, then proceeded to tell her everything that Dusty had warned him about regarding her self-destructive streak. She made a promise to take care of herself and kept it by throwing away the vial of meth after he left. Aaron ran into Holden in Old(e) Town(e) and after apologizing for not being around at the farm much, he hinted that he and Alison might be able to patch up their relationship, so he's sticking around Oakdale. Susan came home and nagged Alison so much that she headed to an NA meeting, but she saw Jesse on the way. This time he had his posse with him, and they taunted her to give them a show. "Alright fellas. Wanna see me in action?" she asked, as Aaron eavesdropped.

Gwen was still feeling under the weather, but reported to work behind the Lakeview desk. Carly spied on Jack gushing to Vienna about how excited he is to propose to Katie, then spotted her green-faced sister and insisted on taking her home. She also filled her in about Jack's proposal plans, but added that she'd win him back anyway. Silly Gwen didn't understand why Jack's decision to marry someone else wouldn't mean "game over" to Carly, but listened to her reasoning like a supportive sibling, then gently suggested that Carly was being delusional. She also reminded her that she came back for her kids, not Jack, but Carly was in no mood to be practical, so Gwen got a little harsh, telling her in no uncertain terms that she should be grateful Jack has been so decent and accommodating to her since her return. She should focus on her children, period. Carly didn't appreciate that at all, but decided not to argue with a sick person. After hilariously mentioning that she forgot to ask how things went in Branson (to which Gwen chuckled "long story"), she left. Gwen then clutched her stomach in discomfort before being struck with a sudden realization; she grabbed her bag and ran out. She was back at home and looking stunned when Will came home. "I'm not sick," she said with a slight smile. "I'm pregnant."

At Al's, Katie had just had her confidence boosted by an old WOAK co-worker who complimented her on how great she looks when Brad arrived to take her down a peg by noting that Jack is overcompensating by proposing. Once rejected by her, Brad then went to (we think sincerely) make the same point to Jack, and was genuinely flabbergasted that his brother didn't agree. Brad's motives seemed truly well-intentioned as he begged him to take a few days to think about it, but Jack was too suspicious of Brad's many attempts to sabotage his relationship with Katie. After all of that, Jack said, "The least you can do is back off and try to be happy for us." So Brad agreed to do just that, then went to Yo's, where he was promptly picked up by some hot chick. Too bad he was distracted by flashbacks of arguments with Katie.

The weirdly wigged lady who approached J.J. introduced herself as Ava and claimed to know his mother from nursing school. Despite being wary enough to subtly quiz the stranger about the location of said school (she passed), J.J. didn't take long to open up about how he might be losing his new mom soon. When she pressed, he got a little nervous until she produced a letter that Julia had written, referencing a music box, which she was hoping he would give her. She made him more skittish when she quickly asked him not to tell Jack about her request, but he eventually agreed to get the music box for her anyway. Jack found him with the box, and J.J. admitted he's been thinking about his mom lately and how he's worried that he's losing Carly too. Jack sat his son down and assured him that Carly's not going anywhere. After father and son parted ways, Ava just walked right into the Snyder kitchen. He was seriously freaked to see her, and pretended not to know where the music box was. She got really scary then, and demanded that he hand it over.

Katie asked Vienna to help her choose between two dresses for her proposal night outfit (one was blue, the other looked like camouflage). Vienna (who has recently developed a cute-sy problem translating colloquialisms) wisely told her that the blue one would make her look "smashed," then soothed Katie's latest insecurities about Jack, who showed up out-of-breath to pick her up. Meanwhile, Carly got home to Milltown, but J.J. wasn't around.

Thursday, July 19, 2007
Dusty spent the day auditioning sidekicks for his role as Oakdale's Caped Crusader, first visiting an unwelcoming Susan to discuss his concern over how Paul's death will impact Emily, (Dusty being the only person who remembers their relationship and lost baby) but she didn't give him much time before tossing him out. Aaron was equally displeased to see Susan's other damsel-in-distress daughter at the Lakeview; Alison brightly congratulated him on his new job and fished about his life, but he curtly cut off her chitchat, pointing out that he can't just forget she had sex with Dusty. He added that he's staying in town for his family, not because of her. She headed to Yo's to start another downward spiral, sharing a drink and some commiseration with Dusty, who turned down her sexual advances and put her in a cab (which she had turn around and bring her right back).

Dusty tried to lend Aaron his hero cape for the day, urging him to help Alison because she's completely unable to keep herself on the straight-and-narrow. The duo ended up at Al's, where Dusty scolded Aaron for making Ali feel worthless by throwing her away. Stubborn Aaron was hesitant to accept his heroic destiny and save defenseless Ali, but he'd better hurry — at Yo's, Alison got cut off by the bartender (on Dusty's orders), then spotted Jesse (his hair looking freshly highlighted), who offered her some "candy." Quick, fire up the bat signal!

Katie, Vienna and Henry, in his brightly striped shirt, had moved up to their Lakeview suite to toast to Katie's likely proposal, which seems like really bad luck. Vienna excitedly planned their spa service engagement gift, which led to discussion of how she's apparently overloaded with appointments (already!) but could really use a spa space. Hey, who took over Rosie's Roller Palace? That might be nice. Henry offered to check out some potential properties and invited Katie to come along. Though she hadn't yet received her official proposal, Katie had the nerve to ask her ex-husband and officiate of her wedding to Mike to walk her down the aisle. (What will Craig think?) Henry agreed.

A shocked Carly reacted to Jack's latest bombshell: He's proposing to Katie, after a couple of months of dating. "You're proposing to Katie because that's less scary than knowing you still have feelings for me," she instantly deduced. Jack, of course, could only respond that he didn't want to turn his announcement into an argument, rather than admit to himself that she's totally right. He did confess that she'll always have a special place in his heart, but stood firm regarding his decision. Carly breathlessly reminded him that no matter what happens between them, "you always come back." He erroneously argued that Katie isn't as manipulative as Carly, who only wants him now because she can't have him. They went around in some more argument circles (finishing each others' sentences about how much they love each other, but have hurt each other and on and on with lots of looks) until finally, after he declared that Katie is his family now, she quietly asked him to go.

J.J. found out about Jack's plan when he overheard his dad on the phone asking Vienna to help him choose a ring and went into a Parker-esque snit, then begged off to go home and do his chores. There, he and Carly had a heart-to-heart about Jack's marital intentions. A calm, mature Carly told her son that "sometimes you can love someone and still not be with them," but urged him not to worry. He went out to ride his bike and clear his head. Once he was gone, she counseled herself not to meddle, then ignored herself and ran out the door.

Meanwhile, diamond expert Vienna took Jack ring shopping, but first asked him what it is that he loves about his intended, so that the jewelry they pick will match his feelings. Jack came up with the fact that Katie's bubbly personality makes him happy and "I don't know; it just makes sense." In "Viennese," those feelings are apparently translated into a ridiculously ginormous honkin' rock (she helped him get a "good deal"), the clarity of which an arriving Carly could see from across the room.

In Old(e) Town(e), Katie and Henry (playing his hesitation really well, under the surface) discussed her imminent happily-ever-after while shopping for a proposal dinner outfit. Nearby, J.J. was pulling a Faith (gobbling up a candy bar with great intensity) when a creepy lady in a bad wig walked up and asked, "Aren't you Julia Larrabee's boy?" Think he'll even remember if he is?

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
When Barbara nearly attacked Meg for daring to show up at the memorial, Craig stood up for his wife and threatened her. That, of course, didn't fly with Will, who awesomely stepped in to protect his mom. He told Meg she could stay, but Craig had to get out. Despite Lily's pleas for decorum, Craig wanted to stand by his wife, so Will ordered them both to leave. Instead, Craig confirmed that Meg was okay and exited. After being briefly excoriated by Lily, Meg looked at photos with Gwen and Will, who noted that his family was very happy — "before Craig came back." Gwen was still feeling ill so she stepped away. Naturally, a concerned Will chased after her, leaving Meg to face Barbara. They were just getting into it when Faith arrived to tell a touched Babs about how Paul became her friend, and how he was "crazy about Aunt Meg. He loved her so much."

At the farm, Parker changed for the memorial while Carly wrote a card for Barbara, and mused about how horrible it would be to be in that position — and whether she and her kids would have the same rocky relationship as Barbara had with her grown children. Jack sweetly assured Carly that they love her very much. They shared another Look while she straightened his tie and talked about regrets: he doesn't have any about his love for her; she's got "scads." Jack was about to confess something when Parker called her away. Later, he was giving her a comforting embrace when J.J. walked in and jumped to conclusions. After his parents clarified that they're just friends, J.J. expressed his sympathy to his brother and asked that Parker tell Faith as well. Parker said he'd try, but Faith isn't really talking to him.

Lily, having deduced that Craig is totally in love with Meg, followed him downstairs to ask him what he's going to do about it. He's going to let Meg keep the company, no strings attached. Lily thought that putting a grieving Meg in the middle of his war with Lucinda was a horrible idea.

At the memorial, Barbara was delighted to see former stepson Parker after so long. Meg, already in tears, kind of lost it when she heard Faith gently assure a devastated Parker that Paul's death wasn't his fault. After one last snarky comment from Babs, Meg fled and was breaking down in the hallway when Lucinda arrived to take her in her arms. La Walsh, of course, was hoping to discuss the company (though she did concede to the insensitivity of bringing up business matters at this time.) Nevertheless, she prodded Meg to sign WorldWide back over to her, or else Paul's death would be in vain. Meg was disgusted that Lucinda was suggesting that she find comfort in the idea "that Paul died for a corporation" and an arriving Emma was also horrified. She sent Lucinda on her way and counseled her daughter to use WorldWide to do some good for people. Craig overheard and was quite pleased. Emma didn't hide her annoyance at seeing her son-in-law, but assured her daughter that she trusts her — and she can always come home. Crushy Craig then told Meg that the company's hers, even with the annulment. Why? The gleam in her eye when she talks about changing the world just melts his heart.

Gwen took Carly aside and the sisters discussed the importance of having someone to lean on in times like these. "You guys should be together," said Carjacker Gwen when Carly told her how supportive her ex has been. Will spotted Gwen looking a little unsteady again and worriedly made her drink some water. She insisted it's just a stomach flu and she'd go to the doctor if it wasn't better in 24 hours. He reminded her of how Jennifer (brilliant!) ignored her flu-like symptoms, but she promised him she won't be leaving him anytime soon. They then said a poignant good-bye with Barbara, in which Will made serious peace with his mom about the way she chooses to show her love.

Lily spilled to Carly that Faith has an enormous crush on Parker. In between comparing the kids' love lives with her own, Carly offered to let Faith come over. Faith was hesitant, until Parker noted that J.J. will be around, too. To that, she agreed.

Back at home, Carly confessed to knowing of Brad's plan and apologized to Jack, promising never to do it again. "Do you have any idea how many times I've heard you say those words?" he chuckled, but didn't give her too hard a time about it. "Anything else?" he asked. She told him that these past few hours have been very special. He couldn't deny that there's a connection between them still, but then broke it to her that he'll be proposing to Katie. A stunned Carly thought that seemed a bit fast.

Meanwhile, Faith apologized to Parker for being so distant, admitting that she was mad because he didn't want to be her boyfriend. He said he was sorry for making her feel bad, and Faith noted that now that Paul is dead, "you're like the only person in the whole world who knows how sad I am." Parker gave her a hug — just as J.J. walked in. (And the adolescent love triangle heats up!)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Jack picked up his rebound romantic moment with Katie right where he left off, suggesting that maybe Brad had sensed a shift that Katie and Jack hadn’t yet noticed: "You and I are good for each other, Katie, so why not?... Let’s go for it," he said. Wow, "Why not?" indeed. She asked him to clarify, so he did: "Marry, me, Katie," he said, adding that he thinks she knows he loves her (though that’s a good sentiment to confirm out loud). Turns out, she loves him too; her answer was a jubilant, "I don’t know." Katie explained her hesitation by getting atypically rational, pointing out that they’ve only been dating for a few months. But Jack, in full-on denial mode, convinced her that they’d be great together. He also thought it would be as good a time as any to confess that Carly has announced that she wants him back. He shared all the details, even revealing that he’d kissed Carly and that for a minute his ego and nostalgia nearly got to him before he realized that he loves Katie.

Parker arrived as Carly saw the front page of the newspaper, announcing Paul’s demise. Skeptical Parker questioned the paper’s journalistic integrity for printing the news of someone’s death when a body hasn’t been found, and became the first (and likely the only) person to point out that Jack died once and he turned up alive, so why not the son of Stenbeck? But Carly talked him out of that nutty notion, soothingly talking to her son about holding on to memories of lost loved ones. But Parker, remembering how she recently left him, wasn’t in the mood for platitudes, and angrily told her that she has no idea what it feels like to lose someone forever, like he lost Hal. She picked up her photo of Jack, thinking that she kind of does. She then called her ex, interrupting his semi-proposal to Katie, to help talk to Parker. He headed there, promising to give Katie an official romantic proposal later. Carly checked her makeup before answering the door to Jack, and preemptively insisted that she wasn’t trying to meddle between him and Katie. A tearful Parker accepted Jack’s comfort and requested that both parents attend the memorial with him, so they could at least pretend to be a family for the day. They agreed to do it for their son.

Off-screen, everyone else in town apparently read the paper and called Barbara, because when she woke up, Will reported that he had manned the phones as best he could. Kim and Lily arrived with a bouquet of flowers, which they were delivering on behalf of the florist they ran into in the hall. Babs read the card and had freak-out because they were from Lucinda. Lily apologized profusely to Barbara, then to Gwen and Will outside. She also gave them the news that Jade left town. (They weren’t surprised.) Meanwhile, Kim gently tried to help Barbara make plans for a memorial.

Meanwhile, the news still hadn’t completely hit a a stunned Will, who responded to this crisis like most: by sticking close to Gwen. They were having a quiet chat about the confusing ways of the universe when she felt ill. He was ready to skip the memorial, but Gwen nixed that idea.

Meg and Craig were awkwardly discussing an annulment when Lily stopped by to invite Meg to the memorial service for Paul, to be attended by all those who loved him, which presumably includes Meg. Lily was dismayed to find Meg still tangled up with Craig, especially when her sister-in-law weakly offered a nonsensical excuse, but Lily didn't feel like arguing. Once she was gone, Craig mockingly compared the Walsh women’s displays of anger before encouraging Meg to go the memorial without worrying about what everyone will think. So at the end of the day, they showed up together at a livid Barbara’s door.

Henry joined Vienna for a champagne toast, but waited until after he poured to ask what they were celebrating: Katie and Jack’s potential happiness, she sunnily reported, adding that those two belong together. "I could think of two or three people who disagree with that," he said cryptically. Vienna assumed he meant Brad and Carly, which brought up the whole nasty fake ring scheme. He didn’t exactly share her enthusiasm, but did suss out that Vienna wants Katie to be happy because she's both a little insecure about losing him and because she kind of wants Katie as her best friend too. Katie showed up later to dish with her best buds about Jack’s proposal. Again, Vienna was happier than Henry to hear it, but once Katie confirmed that this is what she really wants, Henry stood up and gave his ex a bittersweet embrace. He went to get more champagne while Katie resisted Vienna's suggestions to destroy Carly.

Monday, July 16, 2007
Oh, how the Looks were flying at Milltown today, as Carly laid her lovin' cards on the table for Jack, who looked like a deer in the headlights as he asked her to confirm what she just said. She gently did, then caressed his arm and went in for a kiss. A flustered Jack totally let himself kiss her back for a second before pulling away and stuttering through a speech — sounding as much like he was convincing himself as her — about their history and how their lives are intertwined, but that he's moved on. When she insisted that she's changed, he argued that he can't let himself fall back into something with her just because she's feeling nostalgic: "We'd be in for the same rollercoaster ride as always and sooner or later it would end and we'd be even worse off than when we started." He then swore that he's over her, which she didn't believe for a second, even when he told her he loves Katie. Carly pointed out that he simply subconsciously picked the one person to hook up with that would make her the craziest — which, she admitted, is exactly what she'd done with Simon. She then challenged him to look her in the eye and say he loves Katie as much as he loved her. He couldn't, of course, but added that that's not necessarily a bad thing, because there's so much pain associated with Carly. But she kept pushing, until pretty soon he just had to run away, claiming there was nothing more to say.

Meanwhile, Brad jumped up after being doused with ice to meet Vienna and Katie's icy wrath. After throwing a few snarky comments his way and wiping her oily hands on Brad's shirt, Vienna left them alone. Katie, clearly very, very devastated by her co-star's meddling, tearfully demanded an explanation for why he would do such a hurtful thing to her. He sincerely confessed that it was his feelings for her that made him do it, then apologized (and meant it). Katie wanted more, though: namely, to know about Carly's involvement in the scheme. He wouldn't rat out his co-conspirator, and Katie announced that she's canceling taping for today because she can't even hide her feelings of disgust for him. "I'm sad that you're the kind of person that you are," she said, nearly bursting into tears when she left. A contrite Brad took Katie's words to heart, and reported to Carly that not only is she onto them, but Katie appears to not be playing any games: she really cares for Jack. Carly was annoyed, but not deterred by this little setback; after ordering Brad to stop his scheming, she shooed him out, then flashed back to her kiss with Jack, more determined to win him back than ever. Jack was in the suddenly substantially smaller police station later when Vienna showed up to tattle on Brad. He went straight to WOAK, where he found Katie secretly trying not to cry. She confessed that she was mostly upset at herself, because she thought her relationship with Jack would make her grow up, but her reaction to Brad's trick was as childish as ever. He thought it was a good time to reassure her that he's ready to take the next step — he just hasn't "let her in on it yet."

At WOAK, Noah pointed out to Maddie that Luke's acting all squirrelly around them; she felt bad for their co-intern for what he saw between them and told her dejected temporary lover that she'd like to forget their one-night-stand as well. More alarming? Her seeming nonchalance about being late for a meeting with Kim while she discussed her love life. When they met up later, Noah tried to convince Maddie that they could be together romantically and still be friends. "I just don't want you to feel obligated to me. I want you to have a way out," she said. "What if I don't want one?" he asked, insisting that he doesn't feel like he's trapped. She was relieved to hear it, and they shared a kiss — just as Luke arrived.

Jade stopped by Will and Gwen's and in a very mature scene, apologized for all of the havoc she's wreaked in their lives, noting that she realized that she was just like Cleo (letting nothing stop her from what she wanted), but there's just something about their happiness that seems to drive people crazy. Will and Gwen graciously agreed to let bygones be bygones, then went to see Barbara, who opened with some bad news: Paul is dead. A stunned Will apologized to his mother for not being there for her, then sent her off to get some rest. "You have to be very, very careful," she told the only child she has left when she left, in a truly moving moment. Also moving was Will's talk with Gwen about how in this one horrible year, his family has been decimated. Gwen assured him that he still has Barbara and her, and his sadness would have had even more of an impact if he'd also remembered that he's still got another brother in town (Parker!) and a sister off somewhere (Nikki!).

Jade headed to the farm, where she told Luke and Lily that she's leaving to work things out with her foster parents. She then shared a sweet good-bye with her cousin and her aunt. "Rose, she's going to be just fine," said a weepy Lily, looking heavenward after Jade left.

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