The next morning Alexis and Owen were eating breakfast in the kitchen. Their usual morning routine in full force. Owen looked around, his sister was nowhere in sight and his mother wasn't hounding her to get moving and come downstairs. He also noted that his mother stopped making coffee in the morning. He had no idea how she was surviving, but then as he thought more about it he thought maybe it reminded her of their dad. He could tell she missed him. He wished they'd both admit the divorce was a mistake. Both his parents were miserable without the other.

"Where's Addie? We need to go soon." Owen asked his mother, concerned.

"I'll drop her off on my way to court later, O. I'm letting her sleep. She had a rough night."

"Is she ok?" Kristen asked as she walked back into the kitchen to say goodbye.

"She will be. Are you all set? Do you need anything before you get on the road?"

"I'm good. I'll call you when I get back to Boston, I promise."

"Drive safely, bug. Are you going to stop by the Gatehouse and see your dad before you leave? "

"He's in Manhattan, remember?"

"Right." Alexis said quietly.

"Bye, O."

"Bye, Krissy. See you soon."

"Tell Adds that I love her and I'll call her later, ok?"

"I will. I love you, and we will see you in a few weeks."

"Love you, too, Mom." Kristen said as she hugged her and left. She knew she needed and wanted to be back at school. But she also worried that by leaving, Owen was right, Addison would finally say what happened and she worried what she did would blow up any progress her parents had made in being civil to each other. It couldn't come out. At first she thought it could, but now their family was at stake. She'd remind her sister of the greater goal when she talked to her later that day.

About an hour later Addison walked downstairs in her pajamas and found her mom sitting at the counter reviewing documents for the day. "I swore I turned on my alarm. Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I turned it off last night when you fell asleep."

"What, why? I'm late for school."

"You needed to rest. I'll drop you off on my way to work." Alexis explained sincerely.

"Thank you and thank you for staying up with me last night. I don't know what I'd do without you." Addison said as she walked over to her mother and hugged her.

"Well you will never find out, peanut. I've got you. Always. Now go get ready for school."

"Do we have time for breakfast before you take me?"

"We do. We can go to Kelly's. I need to stop for coffee anyway."

"Dad always made your coffee."

"He did, but we're finding a new normal. Remember? Now, go get ready."

"Right." Addison agreed and went upstairs.

Alexis watched her daughter. She was trying too hard to keep it together. She had to hope that last night was a turning point. She asked for help. She refused to hear it, but she asked. She had to believe it was a baby step in accepting what happened so she would report it. She wanted to file a police report on her daughter's behalf. She could, she was a minor, but she also knew that doing so would alienate Addison; and she had no intention of pushing her daughter away, especially in the midst of a divorce.

Addison walked down the hall as she got to school. Classes were changing and she stood at her locker hanging up her coat and organizing her books. She was closing the door to her locker, about to walk to class when she saw Joss approach her.

"You're here." Joss said, surprised.

"Yeah. Why?" Addison asked, confused.

"I thought maybe you saw the DMs…"

"What DM? Show me. What's going on? Is it about me?" Addison panicked and Joss nodded. She walked towards the girl's bathroom and Addison followed and closed the door.

"Addie, I'm sorry to have to show you this…" Joss said as she took out her cell phone and handed it to her.

"They're saying I called the cops that night because Morgan wouldn't sleep with me? That the freshman freak, is the reason he was arrested again after she was rejected?"

"I'm sorry Addison. I really am."

"Did you start this? Did you start this in some sick attempt to defend your brother?"

"No! I know the truth. I swear I didn't do this. I love my brother, but I wouldn't have started this lie about you. I know you don't want to say anything. I know you're trying to move past it. This is probably what your brother was talking about at Kellys…you believe me right?"

"They're calling me a desperate slut?" She asked horrified as she scrolled.

"I think they want me to keep it going. " Joss said as she took her cell phone back.

"Who? Did you? Did you send these to other people?"

"No. I didn't. I won't give Hope the satisfaction."

"Hope?"

"The party was at her house. She's trying to save face. Her parents are being charged."

"Right…How many people do you think have seen this?"

"I don't know. I just got these last night. Are you ok? What can I do?"

"I–I don't know." Addison stood there and replayed the last week in her head. Owen said people were talking and everytime she entered a room she swore kids were whispering. Were staring and talking about that night. She told herself it was all in her head. She told herself she was paranoid. Maybe some of the time she was, but some of the time they had to be calling her a slut. They were all blaming her for getting them into trouble when the cops came. And maybe it was her fault. She shouldn't have gone. Owen called because of what happened to her.

"Do you want me to try and find Owen?" Joss asked, concerned, taking her phone back out. Addison seemed frozen.

"No. Maybe. I don't know what to do. How can I go out there now? How many people have seen this? If this was what Owen was talking about…how could he not tell me this?"

"Owen has your back. Those of us who know the truth have your back."

"Even you? Because if the truth does come out…"

"I fully understand what that means." Joss replied and then reluctantly added, "But, yes, even me. I won't lie about what happened."

Addison nodded and took a deep breath. She could do this. She could keep it together. She could get through the rest of the day. "We're late for math. We should go."

"You're just going to pretend you never saw that?"

"What choice do I have? I need to survive the day. My mom is in court. My dad is in Manhattan. I can't try to go home."

"You're so brave, Addie. I'd be curled up in a ball at home."

"Let's just go." She wasn't brave. She was doing what she needed to do.

Alexis dropped Addison off at school. She was tired and on edge. She worried about her daughter, but she had to be in court and she knew that being in school was where Addison needed to be. If she let her stay home, if she let her avoid even more her anxiety would worsen. Dr. Winters had warned her after Addison's last session that she feared she wasn't facing things. Alexis knew she wasn't. But what choice did she have? She tried to push her worries about Addison aside as she walked into the courthouse and met Sonny, Carly, and Morgan who were waiting for her.

"You ready, Morgan?" Alexis asked as she sat at the defense table.

"Uh yeah. You're sure they'll let me go home?"

"You've made progress in your treatment. Stay on your meds, stay in therapy and you'll get your life back."

"Why are you doing this for me?"

"What?"

"I really screwed up and it affected your own family." Morgan said.

"Owen's recovered. You can't be held accountable for anything other than drunk driving. You were struggling with a condition you had no idea you had. Just don't get behind the wheel of a car intoxicated again. Understand?"

Morgan doubted that to be true. It was clear she still had no idea about what happened between him and Addison. He had no idea how he was going to make amends for that. He wasn't seeing it clearly then. He saw it clearly now. "Well, thank you."

"You're welcome. Now stay focused, remorseful and you'll be home later today."

Alexis argued her motion successfully and Morgan's bail was reinstated on a conditional release that he go between home and school while he awaited trial. She was even successful in preventing the ankle monitor. Arguing he hadn't tried to skip bail. That he was there and willing to face the charges head on. Dara stopped her on the way out of the courtroom and reminded her she still needed to interview Owen. Alexis knew she couldn't avoid it forever and now that she knew Joss was the one who stopped the assault, she felt now more than ever that her son knew who assaulted Addison. She worried it would come out in a deposition and that Addison would feel betrayed. She walked out of the courtroom and ran into Sonny and Carly who were standing there waiting with Morgan.

"Alexis, I can't thank you enough." Carly said.

"I was doing my job. Just stay out of trouble until the trial."

"I will. I swear I will." Morgan agreed.

"I appreciate you setting aside any past history for my son, Alexis. I'd like to think that maybe we're still friends."

"Sonny, don't push your luck. I did this as a favor because we were once friends. Because I watched your son grow up and I was concerned with the change I saw in him. I'll finish this case and then you need to continue with Diane Miller. She's an excellent attorney and she's kept you out of prison now for years."

"Alexis is right, Dad. Diane is good." Morgan agreed.

"Well thank you."

"I'll talk to you all soon." Alexis said.

"Oh and Alexis?" Sonny stopped her. "I was sorry to hear about you and Ned," he added.

She was caught off guard, "Thanks." She said quietly as she walked away and headed towards her office. She needed to finish up some filings and then she had to force herself to sit down and read her prenup with Ned. She hadn't looked at that document since they signed it. She had a vague recollection about what it said, but she needed the details to start her own divorce paperwork, so she'd know what was left to decide when they met for dinner later that week.

That afternoon, Addison sat in the living room on the phone with her Dad. She was glad he called, even if she couldn't tell him what was actually going on at school. If he knew kids were calling her a slut all bets would be off. He'd tell the school and then they'd figure it out and any hope of moving past this while also maintaining some peace between her parents would be lost.

"Addison, are you sure you're ok? You don't sound ok." Ned said to his daughter

"I'm sure, Daddy. When are you back from your meetings? Will I get to see you before Friday?"

"Tomorrow, sweetheart. I'll talk to your mother, maybe we can have a much needed Daddy/Daughter dinner tomorrow night? How does that sound?" He knew his daughter. He knew she wasn't ok. He knew she was trying to change the subject.

"That doesn't seem fair to Owen. He hasn't seen you either."

"Then it can be the three of us, if he wants to join ok? Whatever you want Adds."

"I'm home." Alexis said as she entered the house, dropped her briefcase and kicked off her heels.

"Mom's home. I've got to go." Addison said as Alexis walked into the living room.

"Can I talk to her for a few minutes, princess? I love you and will see you tomorrow."

"Sure. Love you, too, Dad. Here's Mom."

"Ned, hi. How's everything in New York?"

"Hi. Things went smoothly for a change."

"That's good. So, what's up? Do you need something?"

"I was hoping to talk about Addie for a few minutes. If you have time."

"I'm just walking in the door, but I have time. What's going on?"

"She's not ok. I can hear it in her voice. I asked her about school today and she's trying very hard to hide whatever it is. But I know her, and–"

She cut him off. "Hold on, I can get that. It's in the office." She said as she walked away from her daughter.

"She's still there?"

"Yeah. Give me a minute." She said as she walked into her office and closed the door. "Ok, go ahead…"

"Well I was hoping you'd try and talk to her again. She can't keep pretending. It's not good for her. At some point we're going to have to do something…" Ned explained. He wanted them to take some sort of action.

Alexis sighed, "I tried last night. She's having nightmares. And I tried to tell her that facing it head on would help, but she shut down again. You really think something happened at the school today?"

"I can't be sure. I just heard it in her voice. Talk to her and let me know?"

"Of course. Thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it."

"I told her I'd see her tomorrow when I get back. That ok?"

"It is. We'll see you tomorrow and thanks for letting me know." Ned said goodbye and Alexis hung up the phone. She walked back out to the living room to look for her daughter. Addison was still sitting on the sofa waiting for her and she passed her daughter back her cell phone. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's ok. We ordered pizza. There's some left for you in the kitchen."

"Thanks. I'll eat it later. But first I was hoping we could talk." Alexis said as she sat next to her on the sofa.

"Sure. Is it because Dad was worried about me? I assume that's why you left the room."

"He is. How was school today?"

"I survived." Addison replied, simply.

"Survived what exactly? Your Dad seems to think something happened."

"I mean he's not entirely wrong about that. Kids were just talking. There are some rumors. I'm managing. It's ok." She tried to avoid eye contact with her mother and when their eyes met she almost broke. "I'm ok." She said weakly.

"Rumors about you?"

"Mom, please…"

"Ok, but I do still have a few questions about that night…if you don't mind talking about it?" She hoped getting her daughter talking would lead to the answers she needed about her day.

"What about it?"

"Why did you go to the party, sweetheart?" She started with something she genuinely didn't understand.

"You blame me? You said it was normal."

"No- I want you to hear me when I say that. No, I don't blame you and please stop blaming yourself." She pulled her daughter closer and hugged her. "I just want to understand. You're our rule follower. This is something your sister would have done. In fact you may not remember this, but she did sneak out, more than once…"

"I remember. "

"I even get why Owen would be there. But why did you want to go? Why did you ask Kristen to take you? I can't wrap my mind around why you'd suddenly act so out of character."

Addison sighed. "I know and I told you I felt so out of place there. It wasn't me. You aren't wrong."

"You did. So, can you help me understand it?"

"You'll be so ashamed of me…."

"What? Never."

"Yeah you will. I reacted with my emotions instead of my head. I didn't stop and think things through. I didn't recognize that I wanted to be there because I was upset and not thinking clearly."

"So you went to a party with kids you barely know? Why were you that upset, peanut?" Addison looked at her mother. She wanted to tell her, but she felt so stupid for having reacted yet again to seeing Cam with Joss. "You can tell me anything." Alexis said as she placed her hand on her daughter's cheek.

"That morning, I was supposed to meet Cam at Rice Plaza."

"I know, you made cookies. Did you talk to him about the Christmas Party that afternoon?"

"I didn't really get the chance. When I got there, he was already there with Joss. I walked up when they almost kissed again. He tried to tell me it wasn't anything, but I didn't want to listen and I walked back to Kellys and called Krissy and left."

"That's why you went? You thought Cam and Joss were dating?"

"So now you know what an idiot I am. I freaked out over a boy possibly liking someone else because he's kind of my best friend and if he was going to date Joss I figured I needed to find at least one friend at school."

"Addie, one, you're not an idiot. And he told you what you saw wasn't what you thought."

"Exactly. But I was too upset to hear it and so when Hope invited me to the party I was just relieved someone wanted to hang out with me and I figured I'd try, even if it broke the rules. I just never thought…"

"I know, baby. I know."

"Have you talked about any of this with Dr. Winters?"

"Not yet. There's other stuff going on…"

"Stuff about that night? About what's happening at school?" Addison looked at her mother, she wanted to tell her. "Addison…I love you…you can tell me…"

"I can't talk about it with you Mom. I'm sorry."

"I don't want to pry and I'm really trying hard to respect your privacy, but why can't you? I want to help you anyway I can."

"I know and you are. Just try to understand it's the best thing for all of us. I have good reasons."

"Why are you protecting the person who did this to you?"

"I'm not. This isn't about protecting him. Please drop it."

"What about school? I want you to feel safe there. Do you feel safe?"

"Yeah. I think." She couldn't tell her mother the only reason it was ok was because he wasn't there. Because it was Morgan and he was at Shadybrook. "I avoid the senior hall. I guess if I can say anything good has come from this, it's that Sophie and I are finally talking at school and she lets me eat lunch at her table. And Joss and I are figuring out how to co-exist."

"You amaze me. I love you so much." She kissed her daughter's head.

"I love you, too. I've got to read for English. Can we not talk about this anymore?" Addison replied and Alexis nodded and stood. "Mom?" She stopped her mother at the doorway.

"What is it?"

She had to ask. She had to know. "Joss told me her brother is at Shadybrook. Do you know how long he's there for? She thought he might be released this week."

"Why are you asking?"

"I don't know. Just curious." She lied. "It has to be hard to have grown up around violence and have a brother like that…"

"You're compassionate, peanut. He's getting the help he needs. He's on medication now. The doctors think his mood is regulated, so the court has agreed to reinstate his bail on the condition he only reports to school and home."

"Really? They're letting him back at school?" She took a deep breath and froze.

"Addison, are you sure there isn't more you want to talk about?" Alexis watched her daughter carefully.

"I'm sure. Thanks." She tried to pull herself together and picked up her book. She watched her mother head towards the kitchen and then quietly went downstairs to find Owen. Thankfully he was sitting on the couch doing homework and not in the middle of a game. "Hey."

"Hey. What's up?"

"Mom's home. I asked her when Morgan was getting out of Shadybrook." She blurted out.

"Are you finally going to tell her it was him?"

"No. But she said he's coming back to school, Owen."

"What?"

"Exactly. Mom's a good lawyer. I'm not entirely surprised…"

"Are you ok?"

"I have to be. She and Kristen are finally talking again."

"But Krissy is back at school."

"Either way, it will tear them apart and her and Dad are getting along."

"Because they're divorcing. They aren't around each other enough to fight."

"I don't know. I think they miss each other. I still think they could get back together."

"Addie. You can't force them back together by keeping quiet."

"No, you're right, but I just don't see how telling them now helps either."

"So what do you need? How can I help?"

"I'm not sure what school is going to be like with him there."

"If he tries to go near you, text me. I'll take care of it."

"Phones are supposed to be locked and away. That won't work."

"You and the rules."

"Someone has to care about the rules. You keep your phone on you?"

"Yes. You can, too." Sometimes he really didn't understand his sister.

"Ok, yeah maybe. Thanks, Owen."

"Is there something else?" He watched his sister, just sitting there. He wondered if she saw the messages.

"Umm, yeah, actually."

"What?"

"Joss showed me some messages kids are sending…"

"Who?"

"Hope and I'm assuming other seniors. Is this what you were talking about?"

"I'm sorry, Addie. I didn't want you to worry about it. It's not just seniors anymore…"

"So you know Hope started a rumor that I called the cops that night. That I called after I freaked out when Morgan rejected me and that I was throwing myself at him like some desperate slut all night. How can anyone think that's true?"

"It's absurd. I'm sorry…"

"Don't feel guilty Owen. You did the right thing. I guess I'm just asking that if you hear anything else, you'll–"

"I'll shut it down. I have been. I won't let anyone talk about you that way. You know if you came forward…"

"It will make it worse. There's Mom and Dad and there's this. It will look like I'm lying to get the rumors to stop." If she had a shot of being believed, she'd missed it. No one would believe her now.

"Owen I was hoping we could talk about—" Alexis asked, coming down the stairs and pausing when she saw Addison sitting there. "Addie? I thought you had homework. What's going on?" She looked between her kids. The TV was off, they looked concerned, she worried they were trying to solve things on their own.

"I do. I just needed to ask Owen something. You can talk to him. We're done."

"Addie, I've got your back." He assured her.

"I know you do. Thanks." Addison said and looked at her mother before escaping upstairs and texted Cam. She was freaking out. She needed him. Maybe they could make plans for tomorrow.

"We saved you some pizza, Mom."

"I know. Addison told me. What exactly did I interrupt?"

"Just school stuff. What did you need to talk to me about?" He tried to cover.

Her son knew. She was certain. "I delayed Mac as long as I could, O. You need to give a statement about what happened that night."

"Will you be there?" If he was going to be questioned, he wanted his mother there.

"Either me or your dad will be, yes. But you aren't in trouble here ok? Just tell the truth and it will be fine."

"Hypothetically, if I was in trouble would you have dropped this case?"

"In a second. I wouldn't have even thought twice about it."

"Will I have to testify at his trial?"

"We'll cross that bridge if we need to, ok? You're my first priority, Owen. I know this feels otherwise to you, but you're my son, I love you and I'm going to protect your interests here first; which is why I need you to be honest with me right now. Do you know who attacked your sister?"

Owen looked at his mother, he couldn't lie when she asked him point blank. "Yeah, Mom, I do. But, Addison trusts me…I promised her…"

"Understood. Is that what you were just talking about?" Alexis said.

"Uh yeah. I'm trying to get her to talk to you and Dad. I swear." Owen confirmed and Alexis nodded and went to hug her son. She knew what it meant to have a sibling you could trust with anything. She wouldn't take that away from her daughter. So, they'd have a plan. A strategy for when he was questioned.