Friday, February 20th

As Jack and Victor bicker over who’s escaping first, the rest of the roof collapses.

Wrapped in a blanket, Neil moseys through the forest; hellooooo!!! Can anyone hear me???

Lily’s pissed – how did Dad leave without anyone seeing? I anything happens to him… He has no supplies, he could freeze to death, all worry. Hilary calls out to Devon – find Neil, please. OK, Devon agrees (Cane does not)

Avery tells Phyllis, Nick and Dylan to leave the rescue work to the professionals. And as Paul, Ashley and Vikki appear, news of the second collapse spreads. Paul also orders them to leave it to the pros – secondary collapses are often deadly.

Fen reports that Austin’s body is gone; there’s no animal tracks. As Noah heads out to look, two officers arrive – wanting details in the accident Courtney called in.

Kevin explains that he went on the roof to clear snow and fell off. That’s why Courtney called the cops. Austin went for help and hasn’t come back yet. The cops will go find him. He’s mid 20’s, 6 foot, brown hair, Courtney sees them out. The rest of the kids are left to wonder; Austin didn’t walk away by himself – or did he???

Lauren is getting more worried and impatient; Jill and the others must be frozen by now. Naw, she’s probably burning Collin’s money and leading bawdy campfire songs, Mike guesses. Lauren then leaves Jill yet another message – we’ll find you. Hang in there*sniffle*

All agree that Devon should stay – we must stick together. Lily’s all high and mighty – Dad protects those he loved. It’s a bit late to worry about him ‘getting hurt’ – your girlfriend needs you. She then lashes out at Cane; even if we get to see their kids again, our family is broken – because of Collin, Devon, Hilary and YOU.

Jack and Victor are NOT dead, Ashley and Nick insist. Phyllis relays that Jack’s heart stopped. Victor saved him, but he’s weak, Nikki adds. Vikki’s sure Jack and her Dad will beat the odds (as they have before) Nick agrees.

Nikki’s not going home until she hears that Victor’s safe. Shaky hands noticed by Vikki, she won’t be treated like an invalid! Paul’s going back to the station but will keep them posted on the recovery. It’s rescue NOT recovery, Nikki snaps. Vikki then asks Ashley how Billy’s doing. He and Chelsea are at the hospital with Connor. She’s not telling him about Jack until they know more.

With Avery, Phyllis wishes she hadn’t pushed Jack away – he was just trying to help. We’d be together right now. He begged me to forgive him. Why was I so stubborn? This can’t be the end. Listening to them, Ashley stops Kelly at the patio entrance (to update her that Jack didn’t make it out)

Summer suggests Austin woke up confused and went for help. Yeah, he rode off on a unicorn, Mariah sneers – OK – maybe he remembers what happened last night. He hates me, Summer wails. He’s not alive, Courtney’s sure. Someone here moved the body. Courtney and Summer were the only two who didn’t want to make it look like an accident. More bickering – perhaps someone’s been watching us (and killed Austin) On cue, there’s a knock at the door; the cops couldn’t find Austin. The gang is to come to the station for questioning.

Cane had no control over the storm or crash, Jill and Collin defend him. No, but he chose to be loyal to Devon and Hilary – letting my Dad stay with that slut, Lily fumes. You’re as bad as she is. Devon puts a stop to it – HE alone is responsible for hurting Neil.

Weary of trecking through the snow. Neil falls to his knees. It’s nap time.

Devon tried to stay away from ‘Dad’s wife’. Not hard enough, Lily snaps. The heart wants what it wants. What if Cane belonged to someone else? Dad is not someone else – he’s the Father who took you in when you had no home! Devon takes all the blame – it was his decision to wait to tell Neil, to pay off Collin, to keep Cane silent. He’s sorry. I’ll never forgive you, or Cane, Lily leaves her hubby to give Devon the ‘look what you’ve done’ look.

Laying in the snow, Neil flashes back to better times with Hilary (declaring her love, getting married etc.) – then bad times; seeing her in bed with Devon.

The Baldwin’s are surprised when Kevin, Fen and the kids file into the station. Kevin relays his tumble off the roof and Austin being lost. All are shocked to hear about the Underground collapse. Not Jack and Grandpa too! Summer cries. What does that mean? Paul wonders. Just that three people she loves are missing. As the kids part ways, Mike looks suspicious.

Victor and Jack were behind us, Phyllis worries – the chances of them making it … Jack can’t be dead, Kelly’s upset – and has every right to stay at CL’s. No, you don’t, Ashley reminds that Phyllis is Jack’s fiance. He wasn’t acting like an engaged man last night. We made love, Kelly boasts. He must be done with Phyllis. I love him. Phyllis and I have that in common. You and Phyllis aren’t going to comfort one another, Ashley warns, then heads back inside. Phyllis appears to echo that Kelly has no right to be here. Kelly insists she has MORE right. Last night Jack chose me over YOU.

Back at CL’s, Ashley hugs Abby; no word on Dad and Uncle Jack. Meanwhile, Nikki interrupts Nick questioning Noah about the cabin.

Jack doesn’t love you – doesn’t want anything to do with you, Phyllis sneers. Well he did last night – he wanted my lips, my body; he couldn’t get enough, Kelly’s delighted that Jack turned to her for comfort; we made passionate love …. Phyllis slaps Kelly across the face – you lie!

Jill says Lily has every right to be furious – but you’re not thinking clearly; think of your kids. Devon lied to Dad and Cane covered for him, Lily BEGGED him for the truth. Grow up – people have good intentions. That may be Jill’s marriage, but Lily won’t live that way. Aside, Cane doesn’t appreciate Collin’s input – who the hell are you to tell me about love? It’s worth fighting for, Collin says.

As Devon tends to Hilary, Neil’s alone, falling asleep as he flashes back to announcing that he can see. A rescuer runs over – were you on the plane?! Did anyone else survive???

In an interrogation room, Mariah refuses to go down with a bunch of spoiled brats. The plan will work if crybaby (Summer) can pull it together. As Fen goes to check on things, Kevin refuses to go to GCM. He always acts ‘strange’. Fen doesn’t seem ‘cool’ either. He’s worried about Summer – and Austin. Mike again looks suspicious.

Kevin fell off the roof and Austin went to get help? Paul observes that Courtney seems nervous. Just tired, she says. Watching her rejoin Mariah and Summer, Paul’s spidey senses are also tingling.

Back at CL’s, Nikki’s pissed at everyone – why hasn’t her husband been found!? Nick, Vikki and Dylan worry about Mom; she’s losing hope. A rescue guy radios in – there’s a ‘pocket’; someone’s in there. The kids and Nikki have renewed hope. Bring him back to me, Nikki pleads as Nick runs out, determined to get his Father.

Jack made love to me – on Valentine’s Day, Kelly gloats. Phyllis isn’t buying it – he poured his heart out to me. How stupid are you? Kelly scoffs -he thought you were gong to die. Ashley comes to get Phyllis – they just found somebody!

Cane apologizes for the way he handled things; he loves Lily, his kids; he’d be nothing if he lost her. Please, give me a chance to make this right. Lily looks up – helicopter!! All jump up and down waving their arms. Help is here! Devon tells Hilary (who worries about Neil) He saved our lives.

We found them. You’ll be with your family soon, the rescue guy gives Neil a drink.

When a cop comes in to update Paul, Summer flips – Austin’s dead isn’t he!? What makes you think that? Paul asks. All are stunned speechless.

Jack’s alive? Kelly chirps at Ashley (who thought she’d left) No, she’s spewing lies; claims to have had sex with Jack last night, Phyllis rolls her eyes. Ashley? Do you know something about this? Ashley just wants to focus on Jack. Phyllis then goes to Nikki; who confirms, yes, there’s hope.

You shouldn’t be here, the rescue guy sighs when Nick climbs in beside him. Who’d you find? Uncovering a hand, Nick reports; he’s dead.

Next: I can’t take this anymore. We have to tell the truth, Summer panics to Kevin and Mariah … I haven’t been honest with you, Adam surprises Chelsea … Mom! What are you doing!? Nick, Vikki (and Abby) are alarmed to see Nikki pour and guzzle down a glass of vodka.

My Thoughts: Are you happy now writers? After the big climax(es) comes the big letdown. Days of dirty faces and people wrapped in dirty blankets. Can’t anyone fetch Nikki and Phyllis a wet nap? Nikki’s been drinking all night, surely she must have had to pee by now. Couldn’t she slash some water on her face while washing her hands? It’s so cold out yet Phyllis doesn’t feel it in her sleeveless dress? … Everyone has ‘the right’ to be at CL’s – it’s a coffee shop open to the public, and apparently more equipped for triage than GCM’s emergency room ….. Who exactly is running things at the club? Since Kelly’s the only employee not in an emergency, shouldn’t she be covering everyone who’s stuck on a mountain? The hotel is still full of guests who can’t leave for finer dining … Where are those intrepid reporters from GC Buzz and the Chronicle? Or is a building collapsing on Nikki not as newsworthy as her 40 year old diary? … Why on earth would Kevin and Courtney risk their careers to protect Summer (who’s gonna blow it anyway) …. Neil really puts the Winters in Walking in a Winter Wonderland. If a Neil, falls in the forest, does anybody hear? Or care? With all that debris and wood at the crash site, why haven’t the ‘capable survivors’ spelled out a message for would be rescuers? May I suggest ‘We are idiots but we have lots of money’…. Clearly no one but Devon cares if Hilary’s cold. Jill’s blanket is flapping behind her like a cape … Second collapses are often deadly? Really Paul? Aren’t first and third collapses often deadly? In fact ANY collapse? So NOW Phyllis decides to have a violent outburst in public; that’s two in two days; Jack and Avery would be so happy – to bad no one saw it …. How on earth did Nick manage to get back into the collapsed Underground? (which can now be renamed just ‘The Ground’) Doesn’t the rescue team have any yellow tape to cordon off the unsafe area?