Bo guides Viki through her meeting with Mitch. Mitch refuses Viki's offer of money in exchange for him staying away from Jessica and Natalie. Viki stalls for time to keep Mitch from checking on Natalie and mentions Jessica. Meanwhile, Natalie tries to convince Cristian to leave because she is afraid of what Mitch might do to him. Natalie covers her feelings for Cristian. Cristian refuses to leave and begins to carry Natalie out by force. Natalie struggles to get away from Cristian and breaks a lamp in the process. Viki and Mitch are alerted by a sound from upstairs.
Jessica is furious at Seth when he refuses to let her return to Llanview and accuses him of treating her like a child. Jessica locks Seth in the bathroom and prepares to return home.
Max and Asa continue their plan to rid themselves of Roxy and Rae. Roxy fears that Mitch is after her and accidentally clocks Asa over the head. Asa tells Roxy that he has fallen for her. Renee feigns having a nervous breakdown in her attempt to convince Rae to give Asa a divorce.
Jennifer and Marcy try to worm Jessica's location out of the Llanfair maid. While Jen's feigns desperation to find her claiming to be Jessica's "best friend," Al arrives at the door and proclaims she is lying and he will take care of Jen and her "little sidekick." As the maid slams the door, Al deduces Jen is there in her continuing saga to keep Cristian and Natalie apart. Jen surprises Al with the news of Natalie's marriage to "Michael Lazarus." They argue for a while and Al spurns her with his disgust and deceased love for her. He hopes he never sees her again.
Mitch orders Viki, "Call Jessica!" Suddenly a lamp falls and breaks upstairs. Mitch calls out for Natalie. From his remote headset outside, Bo instructs Cristian to flee out the window at once. Natalie calls back to say "everything is fine" and she hops out the second story with Cristian. At Bo's headset instruction, Viki then tries to leave. But Mitch firmly yet vaguely threatens her. Bo arrives at the door. Mitch finds it strangely coincidental that he would arrive at a time when Viki seems to need "the cavalry." Bo explains he is there to discuss the "mysterious" deaths of Dr. Balsam and his medical team. He believes they were murdered. Mitch slips up and says, "they didn't even die in [Bo's] jurisdiction." Bo ponders how he could possibly know that. Mitch covers by saying he saw it in the newspaper. Bo is dryly astounded to hear this as they died in three different states. Mitch snaps back, "Well, you have a lot of spare time when you're dead. You should try it sometime." He agrees to discuss the matter with Bo sometime, but not while his new bride is waiting for him upstairs. Bo and Viki leave. Outside they discuss his depravity and arrogance. They are relieved that Jessica is out of town and Natalie is out of his house. Mitch goes upstairs and is furious to find Natalie gone. Standing at the open window, he calls Bo's cell phone to let him know he's aware of the trick. Bo is confident and condescending.
Driving home, Jessica flashes back to the odd conversations she had with Seth and her mother about why she had to get out of town. Asserting her adulthood, she's determined to find out why it was so imperative that she leave home and hide. Jessica arrives at Llanfair to find Rex bounding down the stairs to greet her. He has no answers as to why Jess had to leave. He chuckles that Jessica locked Seth in a bathroom to get away from him and come home. He's proud that Jess stood up to Seth. Jessica is perplexed that she seems to need more protection than Natalie from Mitch Laurence.
Cristian and Natalie arrive at Viki's lodge. Natalie maintains her pretense that she wants to be with her husband, but Cristian is resolute in prohibiting her from parting. They spar over her feelings. Natalie tries to explain that she only went with Cristian "to clear things up." But as she grabs the phone to call Mitch, Cristian's hand reaches out and touches her. Natalie's eyes give her away. They melt into a tender kiss.
After being clocked on the head for a burglar and presenting a large bouquet of flowers, Asa declares his "love" for Roxy. She tells him she thought they were, "just friends." It takes her a few minutes, as it usually does, but she starts to understand what he's saying. Duh! While admitting that in the beginning she married Max for money, she asserts her increasingly growing love for Max. Asa questions her love for a man who will never love her back. Roxy is convinced Max will "come around." Asa weaves his much greater wealth into their conversation and reveals that "the bank" owns Max's bar. He appeals to her gambling side and asks her "which horse" she would back: Max or Asa.
Asa has left the Millhouse and Roxy has a heart-to-heart with a bottle of gin. She picks up Max's photograph and slobbers into it, "How come you had to be so handsome, huh? And how come Asa had to have a billion bucks." She continues pouring her feelings into Max's 8x10, "Hey, ya know, I got hot pajamas for you!" But after deifying herself, "Foxy Roxy," she drunkenly decides once again to ask the Luna videotape for advice.
At Break Bar, all dolled-up like Miss Kitty doing her best Foster Brooks imitation, Renee slurs and implores Rae to give up Asa. Max watches discreetly from a fair distance. Rae offers her counseling instead, not wanting to give up her "status" as Mrs. Buchanan. Max joins in their conversation and both he and Renee point out that it's really just all about "the money." Rae continues that she can't give up the "power" that comes with the name, either. Max, coyly playing devil's advocate, agrees with her. He gives Renee an eyebrow signal with his back to Rae, and then turns to make comparisons between the "old Rae" and the "new Rae." He lavishly empathizes with Rae's devastating downfall and believes the "old Rae" would make it a priority to help her lovelorn friend. But the "new" Rae...? Rae defends herself by vowing to divorce Asa to keep Renee from having a "breakdown." Renee is noticeably elated! Rae is sweetly apologetic as she suggests a 90/10% divorce split: ninety percent of Asa's fortune for Rae.
Todd looks on as Blair laments her fate at having to stay inside of the penthouse. She again asks Todd the big question-does he care about her? Accusing her of needing any man to want her within a 50-mile radius, he runs a list past her: Sam, Chad, Troy. Blair refuses to discuss this, realizing that Todd has tried, unsuccessfully, to change the subject. A frantic Starr runs into the room to tell them that someone has been asking questions about Blair. It was at the coffee shop and she saw the man pay the girls after they asked Blair's whereabouts. Hedy is unable to confirm it, she answers in response to their question. She didn't see it happen. When Todd looks at her strangely, Starr insists she's not lying. She tells them what little she knows, that the girls probably go to college as they knew Jess and the man was "big and scary." She never saw him before. They're happy that Starr told them about this but perturbed at the same time. Todd appears extremely concerned. Starr is scared but her mom reassures her, as long as people think she's in Switzerland, she'll be alright. Todd sends his daughter off to bed with a promise to check in on her shortly. Blair has gotten the answer to her question-Todd DOES care about her.
Gabrielle comes across a note that Bo has apparently written to himself-Get ring the 17th. When Al arrives to keep her company, she worriedly tells him that Bo is going to propose and everything will be ruined. She might consider it if it was Bo's own idea, she continues, but Roxy planted the seed when she flashed her ring and insinuated that her own married lifestyle was better. Al happens to think it's a good idea and that they go together really well. Gabby just thinks it's too soon but maybe Bo sees things differently. She insists she'll say no, as he probably feels that he's being pushed into it. It's not a rejection, she'll have to reassure him, after Al points out that he may not ask again. Al's attempts at having her see otherwise are refused.
Jen tries unsuccessfully to locate Cris by telephone. She relates to Marcie that she needs to find Jess in order for Michael to help her keep Cris but obviously, she'll have to find someone else to help her.
Rex comforts Jess after she learns about Nat's marriage to Mitch and informs her that the man was asking questions about her. She relates how Mitch was the one behind all of Allison's misdeeds so this marriage is particularly difficult to figure out. Jess is positive that Viki has been lying to her as well as Seth (Rex definitely agrees with the Seth part).
Mitch is irate to learn that Nat has gotten out. He calls Bo and accuses him of trickery. He'll never tell him where Nat is, Bo says almost joyously. In fact, Bo questions whether or not she was a prisoner because of the way that Mitch put it-"gotten out." Threatening, Mitch indicates that he will find Jess and tell her the truth. In turn, Bo promises to question him further on the 3 deaths they spoke of previously and will do his best to connect Mitch to them. Mitch simmers as he hisses-"lover boy is dead."
At Viki's cabin, Cris and Nat kiss but she suddenly slaps him. She again tries to make Cris see that she and Mitch are right for each other but she still refuses to look into his eyes and tell him she doesn't love him. Cris promises that he won't let her get hurt. She finally breaks and warns him that Mitch will kill him if he doesn't stay away. His belief that Nat was trying to protect him is validated. Nat thinks Mitch was probably after her money and the goal of hurting Viki. He simply turned into a monster when she tried to leave before, Nat relates. Answering her phone, she's surprised to find Jess on the other end. Nat orders her to stay away but this is upsetting to Jess since she can't get Nat to tell her anything and she hangs up. Rex manages to locate the card Mitch gave him at the school library; it has a note for Jess asking her to call him. She wants to know what's going on and decides to send Mitch a text message, since no one else will help her. "What do you want?" she types.
Bo returns home and after greetings to all, he asks to speak with Gabby. Al gets the hint to leave after Bo turns to him and stares at him. He fills Gabby in on his "unofficial" business with Viki and Nat and admires the tree she's decorated. She shows him the gifts she bought for his family members for him, since she knows he hates shopping and hasn't done it yet. Finally, he tells her he has a surprise for her. She opens up an envelope to find 2 tickets to The Nutcracker. The seats are located in the first ring. She begins to laugh; she's ecstatic. She knows how Bo dislikes the ballet. They snuggle on the sofa, Gabby continuing to tell Bo how happy she is. Her face, unseen by Bo, tells a slightly different story.
Jen continues to call Cris, leaving him a loving message and informing him that she'll be out shopping. Now he won't be able to talk to her about Nat, Jen gleefully tells Marcie. Grabbing her coat, she heads out, only to run into Mitch standing outside the door. Inviting himself in, he notifies Jen that he's looking for Natalie. He has reason to believe that she's with Cris. Sensing trouble, Marcie makes a hasty getaway. Jen wonders why Cris and Nat would be together so Mitch agrees that he's wondering the very same thing. She can't believe this but Mitch is quick to point out that Cris probably won't be back. He tells her his real name and advises that it's "a name to be reckoned with."
Cris insists that he will not let Mitch come between them. Furthermore, they won't be free to leave the cabin until they get the o.k. from either Bo or Viki. Once they hear, they will be able to run away like Jess and Seth and will be able to return once Mitch is in jail. He secures the door and windows. When they hear a noise they both become jumpy, but upon investigation it turns out to be a falling branch up against the door. Again promising that nothing will happen, Cris kisses Natalie. They fall slowly to the floor in an embrace.
Jen places a call to Marcie, leaving a message about how upset she is. She slowly turns and in a fit of anger, knocks over the tree, destroying the decorating she's done.
Jess decides to cancel the text message, feeling guilty going behind her mother's back. Rex warns her to be careful, that he has a bad feeling about this man. He's dangerous and there appears to be nothing in the spot where his heart should be. She grabs her coat and races to the door. Pulling it open, she is more than surprised to find Mitch standing there.
Viki's arrival at the cabin prevents Cristian and Natalie from acting on their passion. Viki urges Natalie and Cristian to leave town. Viki evades Natalie's questions about Mitch's interest in Jessica.
Seth manages to get free and desperately tries to reach Jessica to prevent her from learning the truth about Mitch. Meanwhile, Jessica and Mitch are face to face. Jessica unleashes her anger at Mitch and tells Rex to call the police. Fearing Jessica will make good on her threat to never see him again, Mitch tells Jessica that he is her father.
Troy discovers Nora trying to track down the jeweler who made Lindsay's amulet. Troy urges Nora to let the matter drop but Nora fears Lindsay could be potentially dangerous. Nora tells Troy she will put the matter behind her but later enlists Keri's help and makes plans to meet the jeweler who made the amulet for Lindsay. Troy tells Emily he is confident he has Lindsay under control. Lindsay informs Troy that she won't tell Nora the truth about Joanna under the condition that he doesn't spend Christmas with Nora.
Marcie inadvertently gives Jen an idea on how to keep Cristian and Natalie apart.
While Keri distracted the jeweler, Nora went in search of information on Lindsay's amulet and found that Troy had visited the jewelry store as well. Meanwhile, Lindsay threatened to show Nora a copy of Troy and Joanna's marriage license if he spends Christmas with Nora. Sam walked in on the confrontation, causing Lindsay to leave, then he offered Troy help keeping Lindsay away if needed.
After Todd questioned Blair about her feelings toward him, she was overwhelmed when she received a tape of Starr's Christmas pageant and thought Todd had filmed it for her. After telling him how much it meant to her, she realized that it was Sam, not Todd, who had sent her the tape.
Upset about Mitch's accusations about her parentage, Jessica ran to the Carriage House to escape him, but he followed her and explained that Viki had a DNA test done and there is proof. As she started to believe him, she questioned why he had her and Natalie switched as babies. Mitch explained that even though Viki gave her to him, he wanted her to have a better life than he could give her.
After Cristian and Natalie escorted Viki home, Cris went in search of Jess while Natalie tried to comfort her mother. It wasn't until Rex came downstairs and told them about Mitch and Jessica's confrontation that they realized that Jessica must still be on the property. Panicked that Mitch would tell Jessie the truth, Viki went in search of her daughter.
