Margo Hughes fantasizes about Doc Reese as she pours her morning coffee. Her son, Casey, bursts in with the City Times, excited about the headlines telling about their "Six Keys to the Kingdom" contest. The contest will pay the first two-person team which finds six keys $300,000. Margo encourages Casey and Tom to leave immediately to sign up as a pair of contestants, but she is dismayed when Tom tells her that, because he and Casey must leave immediately to enroll, he will need Margo to deliver some legal papers to Kim Hughes at WOAK, where Margo knows that Doc will be preparing for his broadcast. So that Tom and Casey can meet their deadline, Margo finally agrees to deliver the documents. When she arrives at WOAK, Margo walks right past Doc, ignoring him, delivers the papers to Kim, and rushes off. Doc hurries after Margo and tells her that he feels that they must give in to their feelings. They kiss, and as she turns away, she trips and Doc falls on top of her.
Outside Susan's home, Susan and Emily decide to team up for the contest, and when they come inside to get their things so that they can sign up, they find that Chris has persuaded Alison to join him in the contest, so that perhaps they can win enough money to pay their debts and buy a house. At metro, Aaron and his friend who works with him decide to join the treasure hunt as well. Henry asks Katie to be his partner for the contest, but Katie insists that she must spend her time rebuilding her marriage to Simon, although she still loves Mike. Henry looks everywhere for another partner, but can't find anyone who will agree.
While Katie and Henry are talking, Simon is meeting Pilar and Russ to pay them for their help in breaking up Mike and Katie. Pilar pushes for more money, but Simon pushes a package at her, snarling, "We're done!" Although she appears pleased at the amount of money in the package, instead of leaving town, Pilar goes back to Mike's house. Mike is angry to see that Pilar is still around, and she blurts out, "I didn't do it alone." When Mike presses her for further information, she backs down and rambles about how it was all Katie's fault. Mike has as much as he can take and demands, "Take your stuff and get out!"
Katie goes home and is there when Simon comes back from his meeting with Russ and Pilar. In a warm moment, Katie admits to Simon that she loved Mike, but that she felt that Mike didn't believe in her, so now she will devote herself to Simon. Katie goes upstairs to prepare a bubble bath for the two of them, and Pilar arrives at the door, taunting Simon, "I'm back!"
At the Lakeview, the contestants gather and the City Times spokesman gives the first clue, a poem:
Oakdale's founding timber fell with a great moan,
And it's there we hear of a world far from home.
The virgin you can see,
But beware of the bees.
340, 6 back, 2 down
The first key is sown.
Some contestants rush to the zoo, where some trees had been cut down, but Chris tells Alison that the clue refers to the founder of Oakdale, Mason Wood, who lived in a log cabin and died on Oakdale's first Fourth of July. Today, the television station, WOAK, is built on the site of the original cabin. Chris is summoned to the hospital, so he asks Alison to go to WOAK to investigate. Instead of leaving right away, Alison eavesdrops on various other pairs, and finally Aaron's partner sends her on a wild goose chase, so that she trails behind the other searchers. Everyone in the contest converges on WOAK, sending the station into disarray. Tom and Casey lead a stampede to the roof, where there is a beehive and a view of the Virgin Mary atop the church across the street. They turn, pace off the numbers, and dig in a planter to find the first key to the puzzle.
Arriving outside WOAK while everyone else is on the roof, a shocked Alison nearly trips over the prone bodies of Doc and Margo. Back at the hospital, Dr. Bob Hughes admonishes Chris not to waste his time on the contest, because "money isn't everything," then the whole cast joins an imaginary dance in which Chris and Alison get the keys and win the money. Bob looks and Chris and shrugs, saying, "Maybe I'm wrong."
Craig and Lily are chatting. Alan (Sierra's new husband) blames Craig for the kidnapping of Lucy. Lily admits that she and Craig knew that Dusty was in some shady dealings, but, basically think he is a good guy. Alan says, "if Dusty isn't some demented person and isn't going to harm her, why did he kidnap her?" Dusty makes a phone call to Craig. He wants to meet with him alone. He tells Craig that Lucy is safe for now. Craig informs Dusty that he must bring along Alan in order to keep him from going to the police. Dusty agrees but no one else. Alan and Craig leave to go and meet Dusty. After meeting Dusty at the place intended, Dusty tells Craig that even though Lucy is safe now, she won't be for long if he doesn't do what Dusty says.
Dusty in talking with Lucy, admits that he saved her. She wants to know if the danger is over. Dusty wants to find out. He makes a phone call to Craig. He tells her he has to leave. She begs him not to leave her alone. Lucy is still tied up as Dusty leaves. She looks for something to help her escape. She breaks a bottle and uses a piece of glass to slowly cut herself loose.
Alison runs into Doc and Margo. She tells them she knows what they are doing and aren't they ashamed of themselves. Alison thinks they are working together on the contest. It is announced back at the contest headquarters that Tom and his son Casey have won the first key. Everyone is excited and wants to know when the next clue will be announced. They are told in a couple of hours. Susan calls Alison and tells her to stop looking for the key, it was found.
Henry turns up at Mike's place. Henry tries to talk him into being his partner, and Mike flat out rejects him. He does ask about Katie. While sharing a couple of beers, Henry admits to Mike that Katie is much better off with Pilar, far, far away. At Simon and Katie's place, Katie is up preparing a bath for her and Simon, when Simon answers his door, to a ruffled Pilar. She tells Simon she wants his help. She wants to stay in Oakdale, and, she wants Simon's help in getting Mike back. If she doesn't get his help, she will go to Katie. Katie keeps hearing voices downstairs and asks Mike what is going on. He makes excuses to her, and tells her he will be up shortly. After a long while, Katie comes downstairs. While fumbling to give Katie an excuse, she calls him a liar. She tells him she heard a woman's voice. He tells her first, the noise was the party planner he was thinking of hiring to throw a party. Then he tells her it was the radio. Meanwhile, Pilar is still inside the house and listening to all that is going on. Katie tells Simon that he need not do anything more for her. After all, he saved her, and who knows what would have happened to her, if he hadn't showed up. She will love him forever. Katie leaves the room and Simon shuffles Pilar out the door. When Katie comes back, Simon tells her that he wants to take her on a little trip, just the two (2) of them, to Australia!!
After Alison leaves the park area, she found Margo and Doc, the two of them talk. Margo finally admits that she doesn't want it over for the two of them. She is sure she wants to be with him. Margo, at home looks at a picture of her family. Meanwhile, Doc inside the building where Tom and Chris are talking, overhears Tom telling Chris that something is going on with Margo -- something that she has not yet talked about. Chris is asking what he is going to do and how do you deal with it. Tom responds with, "I'm a married man, who is in love with his wife, and that's just what you do.
Alison has told Chris that they need to win the contest. She is upset because she can't count on him to be there. She turns around to him and tells him, he's fired. She has someone who will be there to help her. Nancy Hughes is sitting and waiting for the rest of her people to show up for a meeting. Alison approaches her with some small talk. Nancy tells Alison to get to the point. She knows she followed her there, now what does she want? Alison finally tells her she wants her to be her partner in the contest. Nancy agrees.
Inside the house where Lucy is being kept, she has freed herself but cannot get out of the house, because Dusty has locked her in from the outside. She uses a chair to break a window to escape, but cuts her hand badly. She climbs back in and goes to the bathroom to dress her cut. As she comes out, two men dressed in state trooper outfits bust in the door and when Lucy has a gut feeling about who they really might be, she turns and runs into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. The men try to break down the door but to no avail, and decide to try another method. One of the men goes outside to get a crowbar and when the man remaining, cannot get through the bathroom door, he hears something and starts outside. One of the men lies unconscious. Lucy crawls out the bathroom window to end up in the clutches of a man who turns out to be Dusty. Dusty tells Lucy to shut up as he has his hands over her mouth. Lucy says the men who came after her were the same men who tried to kidnap her. Was Dusty asking for ransom money? He tells Lucy that he just sent her Dad and step-dad to get her, and why would he do that if he came back to get her. He tells her that he has to keep her now until he figures this whole thing out.
Jennifer and Jordan are together in the suite talking when a message is slipped under the door. It turns out to be a letter from James. He will be in contact later that day. Jennifer wonders how he knew that Jordan was there. Jennifer tells Jordan that James is watching him. Jennifer is visually shaken. She understands why Jordan turned to James. He needed help finding Cabot. Jordan tells her that he would understand if she walked away. He tells her that after he finds Cabot, he won't need him for anything.
Barbara and Walker have breakfast after spending the night together. Barbara is trying to be discreet while Walker tells the waiter, that he is crazy about this woman. He wants to become the person that makes Barbara Ryan happy. He tells her that she does need to stay out of Jennifer's life. Barbara tells Walker, he cannot tell her how to Mother her children. She tells him he doesn't know the kind of man James Stenbeck is and she will always be concerned where James and her children are concerned. Walker says, "You've all ready raised your children. Let them make their own mistakes." Barbara and Walker arrive back at the suite. Jennifer and Jordan are coming into the living area. Barbara has something to tell them. She tells them both that she will not interfere with their relationship, but wants Jordan's word, that he will not be in contact with James. As she is preparing to say her goodbyes to Walker, Jennifer tells Jordan that Barbara must never know they are in touch with James. After saying she did her best, to Walker, she says goodbye and comes back inside. Jennifer and Barbara talk about their men and decide that maybe both men are good guys. A package is delivered at the door. It is for Jordan, and as Jennifer reaches for it, it is intercepted by Barbara, who sees something familiar. Cigars, and they are James' favorite private brand. Barbara wants to see the note that came with it. Jennifer tells her it is none of her business but Jordan tells Barbara about contacting James. Barbara tells Jennifer, James may have your boyfriend in his grasp but he'll never have you.
Pilar sits on a bar stool. She calls Mike using any excuse to see him. He hangs up on her. She calls Simon and tells him, she has figured out how to get Mike back. Simon wants Katie to go to Australia, and, he tells her so. He wants to leave right now. Katie tells him "no" and why right now? Katie says, " You were going to throw a party and now let's leave for Australia. Their home is here and now he wants to take her across the world. Katie doesn't feel comfortable with anything Simon is saying at the moment. He says there are too many memories there. Katie reassures him that nothing will ever come between them again. Simon looks at Pilar standing outside the window. Later, Katie comes down and tells Simon that she will go with him. Pilar, in the meantime, has told Simon he better get Mike to think Katie has changed her mind. Simon thinks Katie will leave now for Australia. Katie says, she didn't mean that night. She would have to say goodbye to all her friends and family. She suggests the party he was going to have should be a bon voyage party. She has to do something with the cottage and with Snickers.
When Dusty is meeting with Craig, he tells him that the people who took Lucy, won't give up just because he thwarted their first attempt. He has to keep her safe and tells Alan and Craig where Lucy can be found. Craig insists on waiting to take a backup along. The backup is Hal. Dusty has said that Lucy will need protection when she's found. Craig tells Hal, Dusty handed him a key. Hal wants to know why Dusty would show up and tell Craig. They go to where Lucy is supposed to be. They enter and call out Lucy's name. Craig and Alan enter. Hal says she is not there. Craig believes that it was a set-up. Dusty was just buying time. Alan blames Craig and Hal for taking their own sweet time and Craig is ready to kill Dusty. Hal finds a cloth with blood on it and tells Craig he might want to take a look, it's fresh.
Katie and Simon were at the hospital. Katie was going to quit but was having second thoughts. Simon reassured her telling her that they have hospitals in Australia. Simon gave her a big kiss and she went to speak to her supervisor. Simon started thinking about his conversation with Pilar and asked an attendant if he knew where Mike was. Mike arrived just as Katie was saying goodbye to her supervisor. Pilar called Simon and told him that he better convince Mike that Katie was wrong about Pilar. Later, Simon and Mike were having a beer. Simon gave Mike a story about how they should put everything behind them and drink to the future. Mike didn't buy any of it and left. Pilar came in and threatened Simon that she would tell Mike everything. Katie arrived after Mike left and asked Simon why he left without her. Simon told her about wanting to see Mike to tell him about their decision to leave town. Meanwhile, Pilar picked the lock and entered Katie's house.
Hal was barking orders while he was searching for Lucy. Alan and Craig were standing by. Hal asked Craig how he was doing. Craig said he came thinking that Lucy would be found and now she is missing again. Meanwhile, Dusty was trying to convince Lucy to leave with him. She resisted at first but then got into the car. Dusty took her to a storage warehouse. Once inside, Lucy and Dusty argued about everything from mice to sharing a candy bar. Dusty noticed that Lucy's hand was bandaged and asked her what happened. Dusty seemed genuinely concerned about her but Lucy kept insisting that Dusty had something to do with the thugs. Dusty called Hal and told him that Lucy was okay. Dusty tried to convince Hal that he was telling the truth but Hal remained skeptical. Hal later told Craig that he thought Lucy was in grave danger. Alan came back in telling Craig and Hal that no one had contacted Sierra.
Barbara was scolding Jordan and Jennifer for their involvement with James. She was adamant that Jordan would pay for getting James involved in the search for Rosanna and Cabot. Barbara said that Rosanna was the only smart one because she knows what James is capable of. After Jordan left, Jennifer told her mother that if she didn't accept Jordan and her as a couple then Jen wouldn't have anything to do with Barbara. Paul came in and Barbara told him what Jen said. Paul told Barb that this is exactly what James wanted; to have them at each other's throat. When Jennifer came in they all agreed that they would fight James at all costs!
Paul went to see James to find out what treachery James was up to. Paul said that James waited a long time to spring Jordan on them and wanted to know what James was up to. James accused Paul of only wanting to look good in Rosanna's eyes and didn't give a damn about Cabot. Paul told him that he wouldn't get away with what he was planning and that he would do everything he could to stop James. James told Paul it took long enough for Paul to toughen up. After Paul left, James says it was good to have enemies; it kept him focused.
Jordan went to visit James to find out what he knew about Cabot. James was willing to cooperate until Jordan told him that he would do anything to protect his son even if it meant keeping him away from James. He also told James that he was having his marriage to Rosanna annulled. James promptly rescinded his offer to help him find Cabot. James told him that annulling his marriage would be the biggest mistake because it would probably take years. Jordan told James, "You have a better idea?" James told him that by morning he would know where Rosanna was and by noon, Jordan could be holding Cabot. Jordan thanked him and asked him what he wanted in return. James said he wanted his trust and he and Jordan shook hands!
Katie and Simon come downstairs after sleeping late. Katie is telling Simon what she has to do that day. She must tell Tom and Margo they are leaving and Henry also. Katie starts upstairs to shower, and, at the precise time that Simon is stepping into some blood downstairs, Katie lets out a bellowing scream from upstairs. Faux is gone. She is frantic. Katie is searching everywhere for Faux and Simon sees patterns of Pilar's work. He wonders how she could have done this. Simon calls Pilar. He finds out where she is. She is serious, and gives him no other options. She even suggests that someone else that he cares about might get hurt. He goes to meet Pilar. She offers only smart comments to him. Perhaps they should even have a picnic with "rabbit stew" as the main course. Pilar threatens to expose Simon to Katie. He tells her that if she comes to his house or near his wife she will regret it. Pilar tells Simon that she and Mike also have this history and she needs his help in getting Mike to remember it. She tells Simon that some things never end. She says she will tell Katie everything. Simon tells her to go ahead. Go ahead and talk to his wife. If she learns the truth, Mike will also. Do you think that will make Mike love you? Simon tells Pilar that she will be the only one who suffers, and she will suffer!! She is saying that she wants Simon to make Mike love her. He tells her, it's over and if she keeps chasing him, she will wish she was dead.
Katie calls Tom looking for Margo. She wants to see them both to tell them something. Tom says he will get in touch with Margo. He runs into Jessica who pretends she has not talked with Margo all day. She tells Tom she will relay the message if she sees or hears from her. Jessica knowing what Margo had planned is rushing over to find her. She says to herself that she will remind Margo what a good friend she is and then she is going to kill her!!
Katie later is telling Henry that she and Simon are planning to leave. She says she needs to live in Simon's world for awhile. She tells Henry where they are moving. Henry doesn't want to let her go. She wants Henry to have the cottage, take care of "Snickers" and look for "Faux" in case he comes back. She tells Henry that sometimes a door opens and you have to see what's on the other side. Katie tells Henry that she doesn't know what is ahead for her and Simon, but Simon won't ever let her down again.
Margo is sitting at a table when Doc approaches her. She tells him she can't take anymore. He wants to know if she's having second thoughts. If she doesn't want him, he will walk away. He will do anything that she wants, but, she has to tell him, what she wants. She wants him and she will meet him at the hotel. She says he must leave because she is expecting her son for lunch. Casey arrives for lunch, but also with Tom. Tom asks her if she is preoccupied? He wonders if, because Jessica is in the hospital, Doc isn't putting all his problems on her. She says she can handle Doc. When Tom and Casey leave to follow clues for the contest, Margo makes a call to Jessica, asking to meet her.
Jessica wanders in and finds Ben. She is all aflutter. She has news for him. He is surprised to see her up and around. She should be home in bed resting. She pursues the conversation further. She tells Ben, she has found a new Doctor, a Doctor that has had great success in helping couples have a baby. She has an appointment. He tells her he went along with the fertility process, but not this. She needs to stop the medication, and they need to just start making love again. If it doesn't work out, maybe it was not meant to be. She tells him she will keep the appointment. Jessica has received a call from Margo asking to meet her. Margo and Jessica meet. Margo tells her she is going to meet Doc in a hotel. She says Doc makes her feel alive again. She wants the feelings she has to go away, but they won't. She likes feeling the passion, the intrigue, the heat. She has a slow burn for Doc that just won't quit. The only way to get over it is to give in to temptation. Then she can walk away. Jessica tells her that it could be the beginning of the end of her marriage. She had experienced the same feelings and temptations with Marshall Travers, and it almost cost her everything. Jessica tells Margo that approval isn't the point. She couldn't stop after one time. It was like a drug, and she needs to walk away before it is too late. You want me to bare witness to a bad decision. Jessica is afraid Margo will never be able to forgive herself.
Rosanna is feeling somewhat safe where she is. She tells Cabot after breakfast they will look at the ocean. She says to Cabot that you are safe as a bug in a rug. Rosanna is given a message from her office in Detroit. She needs to call immediately. After the phone call is made, Rosanna tells her companion that they must leave immediately. He makes arrangements and they get ready to leave.
Paul moves up to Jordan's seat on the airplane. He tells Paul that he is going to get Cabot back and nothing he can do will stop him. Jordan tells Paul that when he gets Cabot back there will be no more association with James. The stewardess comes to escort Paul back to his seat. Paul says the only way out is past him. You want to get to Rosanna, you have to go through him. They had discussed Cabot and Rosanna before. You can't feel that attached, says Paul, you just found out about him. It's not really about Cabot, is it? It's about Rosanna. Jordan wonders if Paul is obsessed with keeping Cabot from the boogey man or making it up to Rosanna for her almost losing Cabot in the first place. Or perhaps, he is jealous because she is married to him and the Mother of his child. The fixation Paul has, is with James. That is not his problem. He is focused on Cabot. Paul tells him, he almost killed James at age 16. He would hurt anyone who hurt someone he loves. Jordan asks the stewardess for help, to help his brother. It will be for his own good. Paul is detained on the plane for trying to smuggle narcotics. Jordan waves bye to him as he leaves the plane. As Rosanna and Cabot open the door to leave, they are met by Jordan.
Katie, Tom and Margo are at Katie's place. They are saying their goodbyes.
Jessica pounds on Doc's door. He has waited with flowers and wine for the moment of Margo's arrival. Doc opens the door to find a raging Jessica bursting in looking for Margo. Doc says that she got a phone call from Tom to meet over at Katie's before she could get to Doc's. Jessica starts to fall apart. Both have had their share of disappointments lately. Doc offers her a drink which she downs instantly. She's rambling she is pushing Ben away. Doc comforts her and tells her all will be well with Ben. Out of frustration they end up embracing, and get carried away.
