TUESDAY'S EARLY EDITION WILL BE POSTED LATE ON MONDAY...PROBABLY EARLY AFTERNOON EST.

Episode # 10362, Tape Date: 6/22/06; Air Date: 7/24/06; Director: Phil Sogard

Summary: Forget the story of the tortoise & the hare…this show has slowed down to a snail’s pace. If you miss this one…you haven’t missed a thing! Chelsea is still trying to make Max jealous…EJ is still trying to convince Sami to level with Austin…Jack is still convinced Frankie and Jen belong together. The only revelation here is that Carrie learns she isn’t pregnant…and the chances of her becoming so are about the same as the chances of a snowball fight in hell.

At the Garage…Max and Stephanie are working on his car…she is sure that they can fix it, saying she loves a challenge. She knows how much this car means to him, saying that for racers, their cars are their babies…and are just like relationships. She says they can even be more trouble than they are worth sometimes…as he looks at a picture of him and Chelsea. He gets her drift and they talk about Chelsea being jealous of them. Max, of course, defends Chelsea but also admits that she isn’t the first to question him about what he sees in Chelsea. Stephanie says there must be more than meets the eye…she is clearly not impressed with her. Max defends her, saying she isn’t a bad person, but is child-like and has had a rough life…but he loves her. He goes so far as to say he wants to marry her some day. He changes the subject and asks Stephanie what about her…does she have someone special? She tells him yes, she DID.

Meanwhile, Chelsea is at the hospital with Abby. Abby is worried about her dad but Chelsea is pre-occupied with a magazine article pondering how to make Max forget about “Ms. Goodwrench”. Abby goes in to see her dad and tries to get Jen to go home and rest. But Jen refuses to leave Jack’s side, urging Abby to go and have some fun. Abby goes back to Chelsea, who has an idea. Later, they end up at Dune and Abby asks her what her plan is. She points to this guy (Dax) and tells her that she is going to hook up with him. Abby can’t believe her and gives her the “what for” about her plan. Chelsea says she has to do something drastic to keep Max’s interest. Abby tries to reassure her that there is nothing going on between Max and Stephanie but Chelsea can’t stand it, noting that they have so much in common. She swears she does care about Max, but Abby warns her she could lose him for good. Abby looks at the article and points out the “fine print” saying that if this plan isn’t done correctly, it could backfire on her. But she says she knows what she is doing. She text messages Max, asking him to meet her there. Max gets the message and Stephanie suggests he go, they should knock off for the night anyway. But he wants her to go along and let him buy her a drink for helping him. She resists, but he talks her into it. He sends Chelsea a message back, telling her he is on his way. Chelsea makes her move on Dax as Abby just shakes her head. Abby interrupts them, saying she isn’t going to let her do this and tries to talk some sense into her, but Chelsea is hell-bent and continues on. She is coming on strong…just as Max and Stephanie walk in and see her.

Back at the Hospital…Jen is by Jack’s side…has been for days. After Abby leaves, Lexie and Frankie talk about how she hasn’t been eating or sleeping. Lexie has an idea and asks Frankie to go with her. Jen begs Jack to get better. Later Frankie returns, telling her she needs a break. She doesn’t want to leave, but he convinces her, saying that Maggie is coming to sit with Jack and will let her know if he needs her. As they leave, Jack opens his eyes and smiles. Maggie comes in and finds him awake and tells him that Jen will be thrilled. She wants to go get her, but Jack stops her, saying she needs to be with Frankie. Jen and Frankie go to Lexie’s office (I think) or somewhere alone. She thanks him for taking care of her and he says there is nothing he wouldn’t do for her…he loves her. She thanks him for his understanding and patience…fearing she has behaved selfish. She asks what is going to happen to them. He tells her to just stop it…everything is going to be okay and kisses her. Meanwhile, Maggie has a photo album, showing Jack pictures of Jack Jr. (she calls him Jack’s “mini-me”) and telling him stories of things he missed. She flips the page and then abruptly stops. Jack realizes it must be a picture of Frankie and Jen and assures her it is ok. She shows him the picture and he smiles, saying they look so happy…and in love…that was what he wanted. Meanwhile, Jen and Frankie are kissing and he pulls away. But Jen kisses him…wanting to continue.

Elsewhere at the Hospital…Carrie and Lucas meet with Lexie as Carrie asks if there is a problem with her baby. Lexie gets this forlorn look and says “I’m so sorry...there IS no baby”. Carrie and Lucas are in shock, thinking she has miscarried. But Lexie tells them there never was a baby at all. She must have gotten a false positive with the home pregnancy test. Carrie doesn’t understand, explaining she hadn’t had her period, but Lexie thinks it was a hysterical pregnancy. Carrie is devastated and in tears as Lexie has even more bad news…there may be complications from scar tissue, resulting from the ovarian cist and the appendectomy that Carrie had. Carrie and Lucas are both upset and question the test results, but Lexie tells them that tests don’t lie…Carrie’s chances of conceiving are slime to none. Lexie tries to comfort her as Lucas gets a call. It’s from the contractor and Carrie urges him to go take the call. When he is gone, Carrie cries to Lexie. She assures her that Lucas will still love her, but THAT isn’t what Carrie is upset about. She admits that she does love Lucas, but wouldn’t have agreed to marry him had she not been pregnant. She says she made choices for everyone involved based on a baby that didn’t exist…oh GOD, what have I done?...

Up on the roof of the apartment building…Maggie is helping Austin set everything up for his big surprise for Sami. She says that if Sami doesn’t like this…there is something wrong with her. Realizing what she just said…she says let’s not go there and drops that line of thought (ROFL). Carrie calls Austin and tells him that she and Lucas are at the hospital and can’t make it, but agrees to maybe stop by for desert. Downstairs, Sami is dressed in a gorgeous blue gown (WOW, blue is her color). EJ is there and still working on her to level with Austin. She is convinced that he will never forgive what she has done. EJ tells her that if Austin can’t forgive her, then he doesn’t deserve her at all. Everyone makes mistakes. Sami agrees…but says hers are BAD. EJ talks about making mistakes himself and losing the woman that he loved, so that she could pursue her career, and how he regrets that. Austin walks in and gasps, saying that Sami took his breath away (I agree). He asks if she is ready, as she says she needs to talk to him first…about Carrie. Austin says he knows…Carrie called and she and Lucas can’t make it, so it looks like it will just be the 3 of them. EJ feels uncomfortable and tries to bow out, but Austin won’t hear of it. Sami tries in vain to talk to Austin, but he is not listening and drags her to the roof. She is impressed with everything and he admits that Maggie helped out. He wants to make this a night she won’t forget. They are kissing when EJ comes up with champagne. He almost leaves when Austin stops him. Austin says he needs to run downstairs for something and while he is gone, EJ encourages Sami. He says he has figured out that her secret is that somehow she kept Austin and Carrie apart, but the truth is that Austin & Carrie are over…she has moved on and married Lucas and they are expecting a child. She made her own choice, regardless of what Sami did. Downstairs, Austin digs through is briefcase and pulls out a ring box. As he leaves the apartment, he looks at a picture of Carrie then heads out the door. EJ tells Sami that Austin loves her and will forgive her. She says he is right and is determined to tell him as soon as he gets back. EJ says he is leaving but Sami wants him to stay…for moral support. Austin comes charging onto the roof, pulls out the box and drops to one knee. He flips open the box and asks Sami to marry him. She stares at him and says NO…I would love to…but I can’t. Freeze frame on Austin’s bewildered face…as the previews show…

Hope (to Bo): Prove to me that you didn’t tamper with the evidence that kept Chelsea out of jail…and maybe we can work on rebuilding our marriage…

Mimi (to Patrick): Shawn is Claire’s biological father…

Billie (to Austin): You may be cooking dinner for Sami…but you are thinking of Carrie aren’t you?...

EJ (to Sami): You’ve been thru this with Austin before…you can go through it again…and if it doesn’t work out…you know there’s going to be a whole line of men wanting to take you out…

As the credits roll…
Laney