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"Hey Bo," Nora said as her friend and colleague passed by her on his way to the office. He grunted in return. Curious, Nora followed him into the office. "Something wrong?"

"What?" Bo asked looking up. Nora was staring at him, leaning against the doorframe. "Uh, yeah actually. Something is wrong. Is John in yet?"

"I'm right here," John answered, rushing past Nora. "I talked to my contacts in the FBI about an hour ago. They said they'd look into finding the birth mother. A name would help though. I figured I'd go and talk to Kelly this afternoon."

"No, John, you know what. Let me," Bo told him. "There's a lot of history there- she was married to two of my nephews, I was married to her cousin, she's basically family. It really would be better if I talked to her."

"You sure?" John asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Bo replied.

"Hold it!" Nora yelled. "Would someone please like to tell me just what is going on?" Bo and John looked at each other.

"You didn't tell her?" John asked, astonished.

"I didn't get a chance," Bo said truthfully.

"Well here's your chance," Nora snapped. "Tell me what?"

Bo sighed. "Turns out, Kevin was the father of Kelly's child. But it died. And according to Kevin, Kelly forced Paul to get her another baby. And that baby was Ace. He was kidnapped by his birthmother, and Kelly no longer wants to search for him."

"Oh my God," Nora burst out. "Does she realize how much trouble she's in? All the broken laws?"

"Maybe," Bo said. "But remember- this is Kevin's version of what happened. It might just turn out that it was all Paul's doing, and Kelly had no idea he was kidnapped until his mother took him back. Let's hope that's what happened anyway."

"How is Kevin?" Nora asked softly. Bo looked down.

"I don't know."

"What I don't get," John interrupted, "is what kind of woman does that? I mean, you said Kevin said that Kelly said she was doing it out of love for Kevin. What kind of woman tries to pass a child off as her husbands, when its not really his?"

Bo and Nora looked at each other silently, looking into each other's eyes. They were both thinking the same thing.

"A desperate woman," Nora said quietly. "You might not understand it John. But sometimes love makes you do something so terrible, something so despicable, but you just know that its for the right reason. Or at least, that's what you think at the time. Even if you regret it later."

Bo looked down. John looked between his two friends.

"Excuse me," Nora said, making a quick exit.

"You okay?" John asked, staring intently at Bo.

"Yeah," Bo sighed. "I'm going to head over to Dorian's, see if Kelly's there. I'll talk to you later." He walked out. John raked his hand through his hair- this was one hell of a day.

"Hey Natalie," Jess called out, walking into the living room. Natalie was sitting on the couch, staring out the window. "Hot cocoa?" she asked, offering her sister a cup.

"Thanks," Nat replied, taking it, as Jess sat down next to her. "How was Kevin?"

"He'll be okay," Jess said. "He's not fine, but he's got us. Nobody could ask for better family."

Nat smiled. "Yeah, when I found out I was a Buchanan, I mean, it was the best thing ever."

"You sure had a way of showing it," Jess smiled teasingly.

"Yeah I know," Nat said, looking down. "It's just- I missed so much."

"I know," Jess smiled sadly. "Sometimes I forget you weren't here. Because I couldn't imagine not having you for my sister."

"Thanks."

"How was seeing Kelly last night?" Jessica asked.

"You don't hate her, do you?" Nat stated, even though it was a question. Jessica paused for a moment.

"I don't hate her," she finally said. "I think she's done some very wrong things, but I just can't hate her. I've known her for so long, and I know that this isn't the type of thing she'd normally do. So I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, give her a second chance. She's already started by returning Ace."

"She didn't return Ace. She just quit fighting for him because she knew she would lose," Natalie snapped.

"Why can't you just-"

"Because I can't Jessica!" Natalie exploded. "I can't like Kelly. You just said yourself that you can't hate her because you've known her for so long. You know what she was like before. Guess what? I don't. All I see is this sniveling weasel who lied to my brother. I mean god, this is just like with Todd. I never saw him as this uncle who protected me. Maybe if I had your life, I could like him. But I can't. I just can't. And I wish you could just accept it!" Jessica looked down.

"You're right," she said simply. "You don't know Todd and Kelly the way I do. And I shouldn't force you to think like me. Your independence, that's one of the things I admire most about you Natalie."

"You too," Natalie said back, hugging her sister.

"But if I can agree that you shouldn't have to like them just because I do, can you at least concede that maybe they aren't horrible people? That maybe there's some good in them, and you just have to look for it? Can you at least agree not to condemn them right away?" Jess pleaded.

"Yeah," Natalie said slowly. "I guess I can do that." They sat together in silence for a moment.

"Where's Cris?" Jessica asked.

"At the gym," Natalie replied. Jessica thought she saw the briefest look of pain cross her sister's eyes as she said that.

"Is everything okay?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah," Natalie smiled brightly. Jessica looked at her dubiously. "Okay, maybe not. I don't know. You would think I'd be ecstatic to have Cris back, but I'm just- I'm not."

"Because of John?" Jess asked.

"Truthfully? He's part of it," Natalie explained. "John and I have this connection. And I don't really know what it is. I couldn't begin to tell you. But, more than that, it's Cris."

"What do you mean?" Jessica asked.

"He's like a stranger. I look in his eyes, and the person I fell in love with just isn't there," Natalie elaborated. "It's like, Cris' body, but someone else is in there. And I don't know what's happened."

"He's been through a lot," Jess rationalized.

"Yeah, I know," Natalie agreed. "Something's just wrong." They were quiet for a moment. "What about Antonio?"

"Ugh," Jess said. "Him, I do not want to discuss."

"Why not?"

"Did you see him yesterday?" Jess exploded. "He thinks we can go back to how things were. He thinks we can be like we used to be. But I've changed. He's changed. And honestly, sometimes, he suffocates me. And I don't know, I feel like for the longest time, I've been living under this huge cloud. I've been tied down for so long, and I just, I just…"

"Want a little time to be you?" Natalie asked.

'Yes," Jess said, emphatically. "I have my whole life to be married, to have kids, to have responsibilities. And for the past couple of years, I've been brainwashed and drugged and all these depressing things have happened to me. I just want to be able to live for a bit. Get my life back."

"You know what?" Nat asked. "We will. Tonight. You and me. I may be an old married lady, but tonight? It's just us girls. We're gonna dress up, and go out, and have the time of our lives."

"Natalie, I don't know," Jess started to say, but her sister cut her off.

"Well I do know," Nat told her cheerfully, standing up. "Right now, you have to get to the paper, and I have to get to work, but tonight- it's all us."

"Okay," Jess said, standing up. "Okay. We will. I really don't know what I'd do without you Natalie." They hugged.

"Me neither, Jess," Nat agreed.