Episode: 10,371
Directed by: Deveney Kelly
Tape Date: 7/21/06
Air Date: 8/4/06 (although it SAYS 8/24/06)

The same evening continues as the apartment dwellers continue exploring their true feelings (with EJ popping back and forth); the loft dwellers do the same at the hospital; the younger crowd are at the pub to celebrate Jack’s recovery. (Guessing this is the first step for the new writers to get some real love back into Salem?)

AT THE PUB
The pub is closed and Max and Chelsea sit at a small candlelit table. He mentions having pull as it’s his parents pub (and she mentions them being her grandparents as well), talking about Stephanie. Chelsea confirms she wants a relationship with him and Stephanie walks in. Chelsea gets snippy, but Stephanie reminds her she’s staying at the pub too and isn’t after Max. She jokes about beating Max at racing and gets him going into a who’s better on the track dialog as Chelsea watches. Chelsea tells Max he’s going to win every race for her as Stephanie stares on. Stephanie steps outside and Abby arrives and tells Stephanie about her dad’s pulling through. Stephanie asks what’s happening with Frankie now and Abby says her parents are married. She tells Abby that Max and Chelsea are inside if she wants to tell them the good news. Abby walks in and does so. Chelsea doesn’t mind the interruption as the news was so good and suggests they celebrate. Abby wants to ask her cousin Stephanie inside to join them and reluctantly Chelsea agrees. Abby convinces Stephanie to join them, saying they’re all family (yeah, all four of them, haha). Max promises Chelsea that they can go out some other night, maybe to Chez Rouge. Stephanie heads to the bar for drinks and Max steps over to help her. He apologizes for what happened at the garage earlier and she says it was a nice tube of lipstick Chelsea ruined. He said he’ll hint about her replacing it. She asks if Chelsea will replace his car too as Chelsea watches suspiciously and tells Abby she still thinks Stephanie is after Max.

THE APARTMENT DWELLERS at the hospital
We see Shawn kissing Belle as Mimi arrives at the nurses station. He feels bad afterward and says she’s pregnant with his baby by accident. Belle tells him she loves him. He says they both moved on. She said she doesn’t want either Philip or Mimi to have a spouse that doesn’t love them with nothing less than a full heart. She cries she gave her marriage a chance, but it isn’t working. Mimi walks in and sees them close and asks what’s going on here. Mimi senses the situation and comments how it reminds her of when she was brought to the hospital. Belle tells Mimi she can leave if she wants and Mimi asks if she’s trying to get rid of her and asks if they’ve called Philip yet. Belle tells her no, Philip should be on his way home from the hospital (isn’t he still recovering from smashing up Max’s car..should he be driving alone?…and where’s Victor, his father during all this?) and there was nothing that he could’ve done. Mimi asks if they’re trying to get rid of her. The doctor arrives and says the baby is fine, the stretching of the uterine wall is normal at this stage and the rest of what she was experiencing was due to stress. Belle admits having that lately. The doctor suggests REST and will prescribe a new prenatal vitamin with extra iron in it as Belle’s iron was low. Mimi suggests Belle can call Philip now with the good news and seconds later a nurse arrives with the vitamins in a paper sack for Belle (wow…that hospital pharmacy is on the ball!!!) She comments how she should recommend being kissed by their husbands to all her patients as it certainly worked for her. Mimi speaks up and the nurse realizes Shawn is not Belle’s husband and exits, stage right as fast as she can. Mimi comments about Belle kissing her husband. Mimi, frustrated and angry, tells them it’s time they were all honest.

THE APARTMENT DWELLERS
On the roof, Austin and Carrie kiss and she asks him to make love to her tonight…he lies his jacket down and she slips her gown off her shoulder as EJ steps out on the roof. He sees Austin and Carrie and steps back inside unseen.

Lucas finds Carrie gone and Sami and he both figure the same and rush to the door. EJ steps out says they’re too late..but later says Austin was at the garbage bin and Carrie on the fire escape, probably getting fresh air. We see Austin and Carrie kissing (he’s still got his pants on and she’s under the tablecloth, (but apparently naked) They tell each other they love each other and he promises to never leave her.

Back in the apartment, Sami and Lucas banter as usual as EJ watches. Lucas goes to look for Carrie on the fire escape and EJ asks if she really doesn’t love Lucas? She denies it, saying she’s in love with Austin. EJ promises to be there for her if she needs it.

Austin and Carrie continue kissing and glowing in their love together on the rooftop. We see the door to the roof open . It’s EJ. He walks out on the roof and at first Carrie and Austin look offended, LOL, but he tells them it’s the roof and how he saw them earlier and sidetracked Sami and Lucas from coming up and finding them. They apologize and thank him. Austin wants to make full disclosure and Carrie agrees, but EJ tells them to rethink that as it would devastate Sami and Lucas. Carrie agrees, but Austin tells her he has no regrets and she waffles back saying she doesn’t either. She figures they have to break this to Lucas and Sami gently. EJ has an idea what they can too and they’ll need to act fast. Later we see Carrie and EJ as he says he doesn’t want anyone hurt. She agrees and excuses herself to climb UP ?? a fire escape.

Back in the apartment Sami and rendevous, neither finding Austin or Carrie. They apologize for their earlier words and looking her in the eyes says he does love her and happy she became the person he thought she’d always be. She knows he means what he’s saying, regretting things didn’t work out for them. She tells him he’s wrong, she’s a total fraud. She always tells everyone she’s changed, but she’s even lying to herself. She’s still a manipulative bitch. He tells her she’s wrong and has loved Austin since she was 15 years old. She knows her happiness won’t last and Austin will leave her on their wedding day again. They don’t see Austin return carrying a bag (ice cream?) and Carrie from the bedroom overhearing. She tells Lucas she doesn’t think Austin wants Carrie, she knows it. Lucas puts his arm around her and hugs her, saying he’s with Carrie for the long haul, just like she is with Austin. Carrie and Austin watch and exchange glances watching…and of course, EJ walks in and sees it too saying to himself, this won’t end well…..as the previews roll…

MIMI to BELLE: You’re really not going to tell me that you’re not in love with my husband.
BELLE: Yes, I am.

KATE TO BONNIE: What if it wasn’t a mix up. What if someone did it to hurt our children?
BONNIE: Why?
KATE: To hurt our children.

STEVE TO KAYLA: I want you.
KAYLA: Ssssh…as she leans forward and kisses him.

SAMI TO EJ: I’m not going to ruin everybody’s happiness by telling Austin the truth about my little secret.

As the credits roll…
Linda