Krystal and Jackson preparing to leave his room, at the Valley Inn, Krystal grabs her car keys as Jack gathers up some papers and closes his briefcase, "Do you have time for breakfast?" Jack asks Krystal as he puts on his jacket, takes a quick look in a mirror near the door and straightens his tie.

Krystal responding, "Oh, I wish I did." As she moves to him and helps him with his tie, giving him one last long kiss, she continues, "I really have to hurry, I promised the girls I would have breakfast with them, at the Martin's, and then take them to school. I then have a meeting with Mr. Kimble, about the house. However, I was hoping we could meet for dinner?" As she turns and begins to open the door to exit their adjoining room, the door swinging partly open as Jack takes hold of her arm, gently spins her around for another last minute kiss and says, "I'll see you then."

Just as they turn to move through the door, they are suddenly shocked by the noise of a hallway full of people all looking at them. As they turn to look at the crowd they are quickly bombarded with multiple questions all at once from several reporters all shouting questions at the same time. Camera crews rolling film, while others' cameras click photos and all shouting at the lovers, "Look here! Mr. Montgomery? Over here!"

Krystal not entirely shocked by the media frenzy takes a step back into the room as Jack stands in stunned silence for a long moment trying to assess what is happening. One reporter yells to him, "What about your engagement to Erica Kane, Mr. Montgomery? Does Erica know who you're spending your nights with?"

Another reporter hollers out, "Miss, can you give us your name?"

While still another shouts, "Aren't you Mr. Montgomery's legal secretary?"

"What kind of special secretary work are you giving him – in his hotel room?" Which causes the entire crowd to burst into laughter, with some making hooting sounds and cat calls.

Jackson, now coming full to his senses, pulls Krystal close to his side and clearing his throat says, "Okay, no! That is enough! I'm sorry fellas, but there is no big story here."

An anxious reporter pushes his microphone into Jack's face and says, "Aren't you suppose to be engaged to Miss Kane? She has been shot, nearly killed and spent several days in a coma at Pine Valley Hospital? What the hell kind of fiancé are you?" The rapid fire of questions and accusations before Jack can answer is causing the crowd to grow wild as more reporters begin screaming out, "While the cat is away the mice will play!"

Just then, Max, the owner and head manager of, The Valley Inn, exits the elevator with several young strong waiters, kitchen helpers and bellboys closely behind him.

Max is a longtime resident of Pine Valley and has been the glue of the Valley Inn for many generations. Max is a short, elderly man and a true gentleman. He is nearly completely bald with only a thin ring of hair that circles his head and stops just above his ears, looking almost like an angel's halo. He speaks in deeply broken English, as his parents immigrated to America when he was only a small child. Max's father worked, for many years, as the head butler for one of Pine Valley's very own, 'Ladies of Fine Lineage', Mrs. Phoebe Wallingford, until her death. Max learned all about; etiquette, good manners and respect from his beloved father. Phoebe provided well for Max in her will - as he was only a boy when she first met him – and her generosity enabled him to purchase the grand and elegant, Valley Inn, for his very own.

Max loves his job and even though, at his old age, he could retire with ease, he much prefers to be involved with the guests and staff members at his hotel. His constant uniform is a black tuxedo with tails, a white heavily-starched shirt and black bow tie with stark white gloves, which never show a hint of dirt, even though he is constantly on the move to make his guests' stay at the Inn perfect in every way. Max is very protective of his guests and their privacy and although he is a man of small stature he is well known for his mighty bite when crossed.

As Max exits the elevator with his crew directly behind him, he is swinging a kitchen broom in his hands while yelling, in his broken English, "You've 'bout one secont to git out fof dis hotel and off me properdy! The pleece has alreedy been called! Dis tis priveet properdy anda di demant you leave righd dhis minude!"

His commanding voice, along with several seriously large waiters – who are quite fond of Jackson's large tips - quickly clear the area. The threat of police causes even the most stubborn parasites to scramble in every direction.

Jack and Krystal are left standing, in shock, at their hotel room doorway with only Max at their sides. "Mr. Mongomery? Miss Cary? I beg for you fogiveness. I have no ideea howd they managed to get past are securidy guarts. I promise you botf, that heads will roll for dhis. I offer you botf, my deepess apologies? Please, whad can I do for you to make this bedder? Please, underdand that we here, at The Walley Inn, pride ourselves on the udmost privicy and dignidy of all our guests, and 'pecially the botf of you, our most favoret guests? Please, underdand that dhis will dever happend adain. I'ma -"

He man's pleading continues, but Jack interrupts him and says, "Please, Max? Stop." Resting his hand on the man's shoulder, "I've spent the last 20 years of my life with Erica, dodging those types. They have ways of infiltrating the most proven security system. It isn't your fault. Really, no harm has been done."

Jack then looks to Krystal with the question in his eye and she responds with, "No. I'm fine. Surprised, but it is okay. Really, Max, it is okay."

To which Max responds, "Oh, you botf are too kinda. I dhank you so muchd, and I promise that thid will never happend againd."

Jackson trying hard to reassure Max says, "Don't worry about it Max. I'm completely use to being hounded by reporters, peppered with questions and my picture snapped 3000 times all before breakfast." He pulls Krystal closer to him with his arm around her waist and his hand on her hip and says, "I'm looking forward to a much quieter life." As gently kisses her on the lips.

Max speaks as Jack pulls the room's door closed and says, "I'ma so sorry, Mr. Mongomery, Miss Cary, but I feared there tis no way thad I can stop dhose reporders from pubishing their picdures though? I feel so batly aboud it!"

The trio heading toward the large staircase now, Jackson stops and looks at Max with a surprised expression and then turning to Krystal he says, "Well, since our story is sure to be the Bulletin's lead story tomorrow morning, I guess we don't have to keep explaining ourselves to everyone around here."

He then turns to Max, as the three make their way down the grand staircase, and says, "Max, Miss Kane and I, broke up a very long time ago. Those parasites have no story. I am thrilled to be with Miss Carey and I don't care who knows about it!"

Max looking up at Jackson, says in his broken English, "So, whad you says, Mr. Mongomery, is thad it tis okay? You not mad?"

"No, Max, I'm not mad." Jack responds, "In fact, I'm delighted." As he steps off the last step he pats Max on the back and says, "Thanks, Max."

Max watching Jack and Krystal begin to exit the Inn's main doors – into a sea of showing reporters - says, "Heads vill roll, Mr. Mongomery! Max promise!"

At the hospital Kendall and Zack exit the elevator and begin to anxiously make their way to Erica's room. Entering the room they find Kit and Monk sitting in the chairs at the foot of her bed and Erica seems to be quite upset as she wipes her eyes with a Kleenex.

"Mom, what is wrong?" Looking to Kit and Monk with suspicious eyes she continues, "Why are you crying?"

Erica reaching for Kendall calls out with renewed tears, "Kendall? You won't believe what has happened."

Zack moving into the room, with no alarm as if Erica's behavior is normal to him, reaches over, kisses Erica on the forehead and says, "Glad you've decided to wake up Erica."

Kendall giving Zack a quick glare pulls herself away to see Erica's face and says, "What? What is it? Are you okay? What happened?"

Erica quickly produces a copy of, The National Intruder, showing it to the entire room's occupants and says with shouts of anger and frustration, "Krystal Carey! That is what has happened!"

Zack pulling the paper from Erica's hand and bringing it closer for examination begins to read the headline. 'While the cat is away the mice will play.' He then stops to look closely at the large picture and says, "Well, Krystal sure is looking nice. She is very photogenic isn't she?"

Kendall quickly snaps the paper from his hands and in a disgusted tone says, "Zack?"

Erica gives a glaring eye at Zack and then turns her attention to her hand-held mirror. Wiping her face, trying to fix her make-up with a Kleenex she says, "She may have gotten to Jack, in a moment of weakness, but she's not going to win this battle. I'll be damned if I allow that woman to steal Jackson from me."

Kendall moves close to sit on the edge of Erica's bed and cautiously speaks, "Mom? Jack and you broke up. Don't you remember? Before the shooting?"

Erica flips her head to look sharply at Kendall and says, "We had a quarrel! That is all. Jack didn't really mean those things he said."

Zack having retrieved the magazine from Kendall and looking at it again, speaks without lowering the paper from his view saying, "I think he did, Erica. He sure looks like he is serious, about Krystal, in these photos." As he continues to flip the pages of the paper and view even more pictures of Jackson and Krystal.

Kendall breathing in a deep breath speaks, "Mom, you might have to just admit that Jack really did mean what he said? He must have meant every word of what he said, that night?"

Erica sitting in her bed with her knees pulled to her chest, sniffles and says, "Well, I cannot worry about that right now. I have a movie to make. Jackson will get his fill of that Carey floozy and then he'll come running back to me. Just you watch and see."

Zack starting to put the paper down, stops for one more look of Krystal in her most sexy evening gown and with his eyes still on the pictures he pulls in a breath and says, "That might take him awhile."

Kendall quickly grabbing the paper and tossing it in the trash can says, "Zack? You're not helping here!"

"Look, I'm sorry." Zack says looking at Erica, "But didn't you say yourself that you absolutely had to follow your dream? You and I, had a long conversation about how you just had to make this movie. Remember, Erica? How I encouraged you to go ahead with your book/movie deal, no matter what anyone thought about it? Whether Jack, or anyone else liked it or not?"

Erica looks at Zack with a hint of surprise in her face, sits up, arches her back and holding her head up says, "Yes. Yes, you did. And you're absolutely right. I have to follow my own dreams, no matter what anyone else says, does or thinks about it. And that is just what I am going to do."

Kendall looks at Zack in complete shock and turning back to her mother says, "Anyone? Does that mean you're not going to fight for Jack?"

"No. No I'm not. Not now. I'm going to write my story and Jack will regret, soon enough, for not following along with me." Erica responds as she grabs a brush and begins to run it through her hair and continuing says, "I'm writing my own story and anyone who doesn't like it, well; they can just excuse themselves from my life."

Kendall stands and stares at her mother for a long moment and then says, "So does this mean that you're going to write my story and Bianca's story – even our most private parts – as well?"

Erica reaching for Kendall's hand and pulling her to herself says, "Oh, Sweetie, you know that I'll always do my very best to protect you and Bianca, right?"