That afternoon Kristen was sitting in the living room reading when she saw her sister finally come downstairs. She had tried to talk to her earlier that morning, but overheard her talking to Owen. She didn't want to interrupt. She hoped Owen might be able to convince her to say something and left them alone. It was becoming clear that Addison had made up her mind and silence was the path she was taking. She knew she shouldn't take Michael up on his deal, but she had texted him and did it anyway. Her head and her heart were at odds because she knew her sister would see this as a betrayal. She only hoped that Addison would see the greater good. That it would help their dad get back to ELQ and maybe solve one family crisis. She'd make it clear she could still come forward. That she didn't need to stay silent forever. At least that's how she justified it to herself. She wasn't so sure Addison would see the gray.

"I need to talk to you." She pulled her sister's arm away from the kitchen.

"What?" Addison jumped at the sudden touch, but relaxed when she saw it was her sister.

"Downstairs."

"Ok?" Addison responded even more confused as she followed her sister downstairs.

"Krissy what's going on?" Addison worried. She didn't need more to worry about. Everytime she closed her eyes she saw what happened. She knew her parents were dangerously close to fighting today and she still worried about divorce. Owen's accident was her fault. She had no idea what to say to Cam and was ignoring him. She didn't need Kristen's drama now, too.

"It was Morgan." Kristen just came out and said it.

She froze. How did she know? How? She started to panic.

"Addie, it's ok." Kristen said as she watched her sister try to breathe.

"How? How could you possibly know?" Addison asked.

"He apparently had some sort of breakdown and then Joss went to Michael. She was at the party."

"I know she was. What's that got to do with anything?" Addison questioned as she walked towards the sofa.

"She saw what happened or at least I think she did. She told Michael she stopped it." Kristen said as she followed.

Joss went to get Owen. A flash. A blur of a memory. "She was the one who turned on the light." Addison realized as she sat on the sofa.

"Must have been…" Kristen sat next to her sister.

"You're going to tell them aren't you? You're going to tell Mom and Dad." Addison voiced her concern. Kristen was about to blow everything up again, she could feel it and she wasn't sure she could handle the fall out.

"Actually…"

"You're not? Really…why? I don't buy it." She knew her sister and she knew there had to be more. Kristen had a history of doing the exact opposite of what she needed and she wasn't sure she fully trusted this sudden change.

"I made a deal with Michael and it requires keeping quiet." She couldn't lie to Addison. Not when it was going to come out. Not when she truly did want her sister to stand up for herself, but the opportunity presented itself and she had to believe it would all work out.

"So you sold me out. I can't believe this, you're my sister!"

"Addie…It's not forever. You don't want to say anything anyway, and I made it clear that I can't control what you do, but just for a week or so. Then you can tell the whole world it was Morgan if you want."

And it was at that moment Owen walked downstairs.

"What are you doing? What are you trying to get Addie to do? Because if it's anything other than going to the police…" He was protective of their little sister. Kristen always had good intentions when it came to Addison, but she didn't need to be fighting with her right now and Addie didn't need anymore pressure. She had enough to deal with.

"Owen..." Kristen said, worrying her plan was shot to hell as she stood up and walked to meet her brother in the middle of the room.

"Please don't say anything. You said you understood. I just want to forget that night ever happened, ok?" Addison pleaded with her brother as she stood and followed Kristen.

"I don't understand why you won't name Morgan. He deserves to pay for what he did to you. But I told you I'd keep your secret and I will, Adds."

She nodded, taking her brother's word. "Krissy, what are you getting out of it that you felt you could use what happened to me as a means to an end?"

"ELQ. Michael's backing out of the race for CEO. I'm going to blindside AJ."

"Holy shit, Krissy. He'll lose his mind if he knows you did this. I mean we've all heard stories about things Dad has done to protect the Quartermaines, but he was protecting family members. You used me. He's not going to like this." Addison now had more to worry about.

"You used what happened to Addie to get a vote for ELQ? Krissy, what were you thinking? It's not just Dad who'll flip out about this."

"It's not like it was my idea. Michael brought this to me. I didn't want to do it initially and if you were planning to say something I would have never agreed…but you aren't. So why not get ELQ back for Dad?"

"For Dad or for yourself, Krissy? You want to run that company just as badly." Owen called her out.

"One day, Owen. Not now. And I know they'll flip out, which is why they won't find out…right?"

"I mean, I guess they won't. You're right, I wasn't planning to say anything anyway. Owen?"

"Addie, it happened to you. I feel like it's your call. I disagree, but it's your call."

"Why are you so adamant about staying silent anyway?" Kristen asked. She genuinely wanted to understand.

"Because of Mom and Dad. Because I don't want them to get divorced and they've already been fighting about her taking Morgan's case."

"But wouldn't telling Mom it was Morgan get her to drop the case and end all that? She'd side with you, no question." Owen said rationally. His sister wasn't thinking clearly.

"He has a point, Addie."

"They weren't just fighting about Morgan's case. They were fighting about ELQ, and Krissy…this will make it worse. Dad will use this as some way to insist she's better off as Chief Counsel, that she somehow betrayed me by taking this case in the first place, or he'll pull an I told you so and mom will dig in even deeper. It's better for everyone if I keep my mouth shut."

"But don't you want justice? You deserve justice, Addie." Owen said.

"I want Mom and Dad to be happy again. I want us to stay a family. Morgan will get what he deserves eventually. At least I hope he will. And anyway part of this was my fault. I went to that stupid party. I chose to stay."

"You don't really believe it's your fault, do you?" Owen asked.

"It's the truth."

"Addie, it's not your fault. You can't blame yourself." Kristen said.

"Krissy is right. You said no. You fought back. It's not your fault and there are witnesses. If you spoke up you'd win. Which is why I can't understand you staying quiet."

"It's better this way, Owen. It just is. So will you still keep this secret for now? Who knows maybe one day I'll want to report it, but for now. Will you?" Addie begged, not because of Kristen, but because she truly didn't want it to come out and Owen nodded, reluctantly.

"Ok, so we're doing this? We're keeping this secret. The three of us?" Krissy looked at her two younger siblings.

"If I change my mind. If I decide I want to come forward…" Addison asked, suddenly second guessing.

"Then you do." Kristen assured her little sister.

"I can't believe this." Owen said in disbelief.

"Owen, this doesn't work if you're not on board." Kristen said.

"I'll do whatever Addie wants. I just can't believe you used her like that. I really can't Krissy."

"Addie? If you have second thoughts…"

"I mean, I'm hurt that you didn't at least think to ask me first. You just assumed because I didn't want to say anything that I'd be ok with it."

"But you are…aren't you?"

"I think so. But next time…please don't do something like this without talking to me. I'm your sister and I'm old enough to have a voice. Just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I constantly need you to protect me."

"I'm sorry…"

"Just promise me you won't betray me like this again. I want to trust you."

"I swear it will never happen again."

"So, we stay silent until the vote. After that I can't make any promises." Addison said to her siblings.

"Thank you. I owe you."

"Yes, you do."

Alexis arrived at the PCPD. walked into the interrogation room, took one look at Morgan and knew he wasn't in his right mind. She noted the cut on his forehead. The scratches on his arms. She wondered how he was injured, she questioned whether they were self-inflicted or worse if there was more going on than leaving the scene of an accident and the underage drunk driving that led to his revoked bail.

"Absolutely not. You are not representing me anymore." Morgan said as he saw Alexis enter the interrogation room.

"Morgan, your parents hired me. I'm your attorney of record."

"No. I want another lawyer." Morgan said to his mother. "I told you last night. I need another lawyer."

"Let Alexis help you. Morgan, you aren't yourself. You aren't thinking clearly," Carly said.

"Why don't you just tell me what happened and we'll take it from there."

"Didn't they tell you the charges?" Morgan questioned.

"They did, but I'd like to hear them from you."

"I screwed up. I got caught. Then, there was an accident. I couldn't make it stop. It wouldn't stop. They were after me."

"What kind of accident? Who was after you?" He sat there silent. "Morgan, I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened. I need to hear it from you."

"A car accident. The police. They said I was involved in a hit and run. I don't even remember it."

"So you were so drunk you blacked out? Is that what you're saying? I know about the party, Morgan."

"I didn't mean it. I didn't. I wouldn't do what they said I did." Morgan explained, trying to stay in control.

"What are they saying you did? Because my son was also in a car accident last night. A hit and run to be exact." Alexis added, taking Carly and Sonny off guard.

"Is Owen alright?" Sonny asked, concerned.

"He has a concussion, but he'll be fine. Thank God. Morgan you violated the terms of your bail. Why?"

"I need another attorney. I want another attorney. I didn't mean it. She can't be objective. Listen to me." He pleaded with his parents.

"Alexis is your attorney. End of discussion." Sonny said.

"Morgan, what do you remember about last night? How did you get that cut, those scratches..." She wanted to hear from him what was going on.

He looked at Alexis. She knew. She had to know. She wouldn't have asked if she didn't know. "I'm such a screw up. I swear I didn't mean to do it. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. Every day gets worse. I try to fix things and I make it worse."

"Was it the car accident, Morgan? Were you injured? Did they get you medical treatment?" Her own son had been brought to GH. If they didn't at least get Morgan checked out, they'd be facing a lawsuit.

"How can you care what happens to me after what I've done? Every time I think it's getting better it gets worse. I make it worse. It's like there's no end in sight."

"You've got to help him, Alexis. He's been like this all night," Carly explained.

"Stay here. I'm going to talk to Mac." Alexis said to the three of them as she left the interrogation room and walked down the hall to Mac's office. Mac would see he wasn't doing himself or the department any favors by keeping him locked up in this shape. He was decent, honorable. He'd see Morgan needed more than to just sober up and be treated for some minor cuts from the accident. When she heard he'd been brought in on hit and run charges she'd almost left right then. It had to have been Owen's accident. But then she saw what Carly was so distraught about. Morgan was definitely in crisis. Her instincts were telling her there was more, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was. She also couldn't just walk away and leave him in that state and so she did what she was hired to do.

A few hours later, Alexis walked back into the house and stood in the doorway to the living room. She dropped her coat on the side table and kicked off her heels as Ned looked up and asked, "So, were you able to get him released again?"

"Not exactly. He's in pretty bad shape, Ned. He's at Shadybrook, getting the help he needs. Carly thinks he's bipolar; Sonny's blaming himself, it's a mess." She explained as she walked over and sat next to him on the sofa.

"That would make sense."

"Where are the kids?" She asked, taking in the quiet.

"They're downstairs."

"All three of them? As in together?" She was surprised. It was rare that they'd spend time together now that they were older.

"Yeah."

"And that's not suspicious to you?" She asked as she adjusted to face him and pulled her legs underneath her.

"Under normal circumstances, maybe. But I think they're just trying to help Addie get her mind off what happened or at least that's what I'm choosing to believe anyway." Ned said as he pushed her hair behind her ear.

"How is she?" Alexis asked, concerned.

"The same. Quiet, and refusing to talk about it. Trying to carry on like it's a normal Saturday afternoon." His daughter definitely took after her mother.

"How are you?" She asked, bringing her hand to his cheek and then gently rubbed his earlobe.

"What?" He was taken off guard. He didn't expect her to check in about his own emotions.

"I know you. How are you in all of this?" She was genuine.

He sighed. "I just wish I could have protected her. I can't believe this happened after everything we did to get that list taken down…she was…"

"She was strong and she did everything right. Yes, she shouldn't have been there, and I wish that she had just been home lost in a book or texting with Cam more than anything. But, she was and she did everything she needed to, to stay safe."

She knew what he needed to hear and he took her hand. "Are you ok?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. Because I get the feeling that this has brought some stuff up for you…" He stated as he ran his thumb over the top of her hand.

"I'm ok." She told him quietly.

"Honey…"

"Ned, please just drop it." She wasn't going to make this about her. She'd moved past what happened to her. Bringing it up now wouldn't solve anything. There was no going back.

"I'm here if you ever…" He could read her and he knew he was right. But he also knew better than to push.

"I know." She whispered as he kissed her hand. She was grateful for him. She was grateful for the life they built. She was grateful that he was there and they were going to find a way to help their daughter heal together.