Season 1 1997 - 1998

TV-14

On her wedding day, Meg Cummings finds out that her fiancée Tim Truman had an affair with her best friend. She takes the car and runs away from her wedding, leaving Ludlow, Kansas. Her new destination is Sunset Beach, a town on the coast. Now she wants to find a man with who she has been e-mailing. Her first stop is at Elaine's Waffle Shop. There Elaine tells her the legend of Sunset Beach. If you meet someone on a beach exactly at time when the sun goes down and the moon shines bright. Meg goes to the beach, and at the same time there was Ben. A young homeless girl Tiffany spent the nights on the beach. A young man named Mark showed Tiffany an abandoned house, where she can stay hidden from hooligans and police. Meg tries to catch Tiffany, who decided to steal Meg's bag. She haunts her to the pier and falls down from the pier into the ocean.

After falling down into the ocean, Meg has been rescued by a young lifeguard Casey. He drives her to the hospital where he meets a young and pretty female doctor Rae Chang. They have a quarrel, but there was nothing but sympathy between them. After stealing Meg's backpack, Tiffany looks into it. There she finds all e-mails that Meg received from SB and sent to him. Meg encounters Ben at his internet cafe, where she tries to find SB. She receives a message from SB, he asks her not to come to Sunset Beach. Ricardo gets promoted into a detective. Paula is not too much happy about Ricardo's promotion. Ricardo and Paula have a hard talk about her pregnancy. But there were no reasons to worry about. Ben keeps on having flashbacks about his dead wife Maria. Annie needs to find the money to buy a boat. Meg calls her mother. She says that she is still looking for SB. Meg notices something about Casey that makes her think he's SB. Annie's father Del suddenly appears at her apartment. He finds out that she gave up college and spent all his money. A few unknown men attack Annie in her car.

Tim leaves Kansas and arrives to Sunset Beach where he finds Meg. He tries to catch up with her telling her that his revelationship with Connie is over.
Michael saves Vanessa Hart, a young newspaper reporter from a car who almost runed over her. Annie comes back to her apartment where she finds Eddie in her jacuzzi. Ben looks through the window and sees them making love.

Gregory and Olivia realize that Annie has a gun, and they inform Del about it. Del asks his mistress, Olivia, to runaway with him, but she doesn't know what to tell him. He threatens to reveal their affair to Gregory. Casey and Rae accidentally buy a house together. Bette helps Annie get some money from her bank account. Meg and Tiffany share a talk in the boutique. Michael saves Vanessa Hart, a young newspaper reporter from a car that almost ran over her. Vanessa thinks it's not just coincidence. Meg comes to party. She wants to spend time with Casey. Casey and Rae try to discuss what to do with their house. Ben meets Meg on the party and offers her a job. She accepts it. Tiffany comes to party to seduce Ben, but Annie ruins her plan by a little drunken brawl. Tim leaves Kansas and arrives to Sunset Beach.

Olivia promises to run away with Del. Ricardo suggests Paula should move in with him. Vanessa wants Ricardo to investigate the apartment break-in, but there isn't enough case to begin with. Meg, Michael and Mark want to rent a room at Casey and Rae's house. Casey and Rae kiss. Meg meets Ben on the beach. Ben is still having flashbacks about his dead wife. Tim tries to convince Meg that his relationship with Connie is over, but Meg refuses to listen to his excuses. Annie and Del fight, and Annie comments on wanting to kill him. Tiffany tries to seduce Ben and when he refuses, she suffers a small accident. A strange woman arrives at Del's hotel room, opens the door and shoots him. Sean hears the gunshot and opens the door, seeing a woman in a black robe leaving Del's room.

Annie arrives at the hospital very upset. Del dies. Bette finds Del's wallet in Annie's purse. Paula moves into Ricardo's apartment. After he comes home, he tells her that he was just joking. Bette calls Annie's mother Madeleine, but she does not answers. She leaves a message on her answer machine telling her that Del died, so Annie in now very lonely. Mark warns Tiffany to stay away from Ben, but she won't listen. After Ben finds Tiffany, she baches him in the head with a vase.

Eddie tells Ricardo that he thinks Annie murdered Del. On the tape, Annie tells Del that she wants to kill him. Eddie thinks it's enough proof, but Ricardo doesn't agree. Gregory finds Olivia drunk and asks her if she had an affair with Del. Paula wants to break up with Ricardo. Annie goes to Ben's and begs him for an alibi. Reluctantly, he agrees. Ben wants Gregory to help Annie, but Ricardo shows up and takes Annie to the police station for questioning. Ricardo tells Gregory that they found Olivia's hair on Del's pillow. Olivia pulls a gun out of her drawer.

After a strange man attacks Vanessa again, she moves in with Michel in Surf Central. Gregory questions Olivia about the hair found on Del's bed. She confesses being with him on the night that he was murdered. Casey leaves a white rose at the table for Rae. Meg accidentally finds it and thinks that the rose is for her, because SB knows that she loves white roses. Ricardo questions Bette about Annie's alibi. Bette covers for her telling him that she and Annie were watching a video the entire night. Later, she takes Del's wallet and burns it in the fireplace. Tiffany buys a miniature boat and leaves it in Ben's house. Olivia goes to the pier and takes up a gun. Eddie sees her and takes some pictures of her. Now he has a new suspect.

Meg decides to bake some strawberry muffins for Casey because she knows that SB likes them. At the hospital, Rae discovers that Casey had an allergic reaction to strawberries. Meg is confused about it, and then later questions Casey about it. Del leaves all his inheritance to Olivia. Annie accuses Olivia for murdering her father. Annie takes the urn with her fathers ashes and flushes it down the toilet. Ricardo tells Sean that he knows that he is lying about the identity of the woman that he saw leaving Del's hotel room on the night that he was killed.

Ricardo finds Del's driving license in Annie's fireplace. Annie escapes from the bathroom window. Meg is disappointed to realize that Casey isn't SB. She thinks about leaving Sunset Beach and going back to Kansas, but Casey begs her to stay. Gregory finds out that Sean is expelled from school. Ben is on the pier when Annie shows up. She tells him that she needs some help. She takes a gun and threatens to shoot him unless he listens to her.

Ricardo and Paula beg Annie to give them the gun, but Annie doesn't follow their orders. She tells them that she wants a helicopter to fly away with Ben. LAPD team shows up and tries to take the gun away from Annie. She accidentally shoots Ben, but doesn't hurt him. Meg waits for SB at the pier. Over there, she sees a man with dark hair, so she asks him if he is SB. Annie goes to jail. Rae's parents show up in Surf Central. Rae lies to her parents by telling them that Casey is her husband. Meg leaves the pier after realizing that SB won't show up. Eddie has been removed from the case after Ricardo finds out that he sent the LAPD team.

Rae explains to Casey why she told her parents that he is her husband. Her parents always thought that the perfect man for her is Wei-Lee, but Rae doesn't want to marry him. Tiffany writes an e-mail to Meg pretending that she is SB and telling her that they will never meet. Later, Ben sends an e-mail to Dorothy (Meg), but his e-mail returns back. Rae's father begins questioning Casey. A man comes to Elaine's Waffle Shop asking for Vanessa.

Sean talks with Olivia and tells her that he saw her with the black coat the night Del was killed. She tells him to not tell anyone about it. Eddie calls Olivia and tells her that he has her pictures when she was at pier dropping a gun into the water. He tells her that he wants money, or he will give the pictures to Ricardo. Paula and Ricardo take Sean to the station to ID the suspect from a line-up. Two thugs threaten to kill Vanessa, but Michael rescues her in time. At the station, Paula sees Ricardo hugging his old girlfriend Amy. She gets jealous and tells Ricardo that she is going out to dinner with Eddie.

Olivia tells Sean to incriminate Annie. Sean tells Ricardo that Annie murdered Del. Later, Annie takes a polygraph test so she would prove her innocence. But as the test passes, it all looks like Annie will fail on it. Ricardo gives Paula a ring, but she gets angry after she finds out that his ex-girlfriend picked it. A strange man bursts into Michael's room. Jaleen runs to him and calls him Uncle Clyde. He tries to kidnap her by setting a gun on Casey's head. Michael breaks a bottle over Clyde's head. They take Clyde to Michael's garage and tie him up with a tape.

Casey and Michel lock Clyde in the bathroom. Rae gives Clyde a drug which one gives Clyde a temporary amnesia. Bette comes to the police station and gives Annie a disguise, so Annie looks like Bette. Annie tries to get out with Bette's help, but she's taken back to jail after they discover her. Eddie visits Annie in her cell and she tries to seduce him. Meg talks about SB with Ben, but she does not know that he is already sleeping.

Eddie wakes up in Annie's cell hand-cuffed to the cot. Annie sets him free and tells him that they could be a mutual benefit to each other in the future days. Later, Eddie keeps on pressuring Olivia with new demands. Al Kennedy, one of Bette's ex-husbands, shows up at Sunset Beach and tells to his clients that the case is pretty weak. Olivia goes on questioning with Ricardo. She tells him that he and Gregory were dining with Congressman Belarus on the night Del was murdered. Cole shows Caitlin the secret cavern on the beach. Olivia finds out that Gregory hired Eddie to follow her everywhere. Meg uncovers strong evidence that could help Annie get out of prison.

Meg and Ben do their best to help Annie get out of prison by going to a travel agency. Ben discovers that Del and Olivia were supposed to leave Sunset Beach on the day when Del was murdered. Eddie does his best to ensure that Annie doesn't leave alive. On the way to country jail, a driver doesn't listen to Ricardo's demands through the radio, and tries to rape Annie. Later, after being rescued, Annie is returned back to the old cell. Casey tells to Rae's father that he is studying law over the Internet. Ben thinks that Gregory killed Del.

Gregory gives Sean a sports car. Although Gregory is convinced that this could bring their bond back, Sean doesn't want to have anything to do with his father. Ben gives Sean a job at Java Web. Bette and Al Kennedy have too much fun in the hot tub, which results with Al's accidental death. Vanessa starts investigating Michael's past. Michael meets an old friend, but doesn't know that he's connected to Clyde. Ricardo and Ben almost get into a fight, but in order to stay on the Douglas case, Ricardo decides not to pursue the fight. However, Chief Harris pulls him off the case.

Gregory is becoming jealous over Caitlin's relationship with Cole St. John. Elaine meets Cole and is shocked to realize the similarity between Cole and Armando Deschanel. Ben hits Eddie just so that he would end in the same prison cell with Annie. Annie pursues a plan of her own--they find her unconscious when she tries to hang herself.

Annie is still alive, much to Eddie's surprise. He informs Paula and Ricardo that Annie tried to kill herself, and interrupts them in the middle of a serious relationship-talk. When Rae starts talking about some hospital work she needs to do on Annie, Annie awakes and it turns out she was just faking it. Sean thinks his mother is Del Douglas's killer and he confronts her, but Gregory sends him away and has a little talk with his wife. They end up making love, which leaves Olivia convinced that Gregory no longer suspects her as Del's murderer. Annie tries to escape again. She overhears Ben and Meg talking about their relationship. Eddie attacks Annie with a knife.

Ben and Meg help Annie escape while Eddie rushes out to investigate the alarm that Ben set to make a diversion. Eddie goes to Ricardo and tells him they've been tricked and now Annie has escaped. Casey and Rae are too shy to tell anything to each other after Michael & Vanessa try to put them together. Mark wants to get closer to Tiffany but he is interrupted by Sean. After few drinks, Mark and Sean start fighting and Mark pushes Sean, who hits his head on Ben's fireplace. Annie is crawling through the ventilations, while Ricardo arrests Meg & Ben for helping Annie escape. Annie goes out through the window and is afraid because she needs to watch out to not fall down from the top of the hospital. Her nightgown gets caught on a pipe and while trying to free herself, Annie loses control and falls off screaming.

Meg and Ben are arrested for helping Annie escape, but Ricardo has to let them go because he has no proof. When Sean is taken to the hospital for his head injury, Gregory accuses him of trying to embarrass him. Michael calls a buddy, JoJo, to help him find a safe place for Jaleen and LaShawnda to hide, not knowing that JoJo is Jamahl Muhammad, the very man that LaShawnda wants to hide from. Annie is nearly caught by Eddie, but she gasses him and escapes. Ben mentions Maria to Meg for the first time when Annie leaves a coded message that she'll meet him in the weight room at the gym where she and Maria used to work out. Ben and Meg send Casey as a decoy to lure the police away. After the police are gone, Ben leaves for the gym to meet Annie. Annie gets out of the hospital by hiding in Al's coffin.

Annie tries to escape. Ricardo questions Olivia about the night of Del's murder and she finds herself confused by all the questions. Meg tells Ben she wants to help Annie. Gregory gives Tim a job -- as Olivia's chauffeur, after Olivia loses her driving license by being caught drinking. Jaleen recognizes Michael's friend Jo-Jo as her daddy. Annie, who is still in the coffin, believes to be transferred to New Orleans, but she doesn't know that the coffin has instead been shipped to the crematorium.

Ben and Meg help Annie by distracting Ricardo to a wrong clue. Bette is on the memorial service for Al, and she has no idea that Annie is trapped inside Al's coffin. At home, Meg comforts Bette. Bette tells her that Al's widow wouldn't pay for the funeral, so the coffin is going to the crematorium. Gregory catches Caitlin and Cole at Elaine's Waffle Shop, and Caitlin tells him that she wants him to leave them alone. Bette tells Olivia that they have a big problem coming. Ben returns to the center and finds Al's body sitting in the memorial service, so he finally realizes that Annie must be in the coffin. Ben realizes that the coffin isn't on the way to New Orleans, but to the crematorium. Meanwhile, Annie believes that her coffin is being sent to New Orleans. Little does she know that the coffin is being inserted into the crematorium place.

Olivia and Bette are shocked to find out that their secret from years behind might be revealed, but they both vow not to say anything to Elaine. Meg tells Ben that Al's coffin is in the crematorium. After seeing Ricardo, Meg decides to tell him the truth. Gregory lies to Caitlin about trying to cope with the fact that she has a boyfriend. He continues trying to manipulate her life. Elaine shares her beliefs with Olivia and Bette - she is convinced that Armando Deschanel's son is in the town. Ben, Ricardo, Paula and Meg are shocked to find out that Annie's coffin is no longer in one piece. Ben hears Annie's screams in his head.

Meg finds out that Ben is a widower. Vanessa begs Rae to help her hide from Michael over the latest development with JoJo. Ricardo feels guilt over Annie's death, so he decides to resign his job as a detective. Paula arrives to console him. Ben tries to drown himself into the ocean because of Annie's death and everything that's been bothering him, but Meg stops him before it's too late. JoJo is revealed to be working for Gregory. Bette has a breakdown after learning about Annie's death. The police closes the investigation of Del's murder assuming that Annie is the killer.

Casey's curiosity, and jealousy, is piqued when Rae questions him about Michael's past. Rae advises Vanessa to continue to trust Michael. Vanessa accuses Michael of colluding with JoJo to set her up, because JoJo is actually Jamahl Muhammad. Casey accuses Rae of having an interest in Michael. Rae tells him that there never was anything between her and Casey, and there never will be. Michael insists that JoJo isn't the man who has been trying to kill Vanessa and says that it will be a pleasure proving her wrong. Sean, overcome by guilt at reports of Annie's death, picks a fight with Mark. Later, he goes to the police to make a new statement. In Ricardo's absence, Sean tells Eddie that he didn't see Annie at all, but that he doesn't know the woman he did see, who calls Gregory about it. Gregory tells Eddie to "lose" Sean's statement, but Eddie says that he's in charge of the investigation now and cannot afford to lose the statement. Sean tells Tiffany that he saw Olivia leave Del's room the night he was murdered. Ben begins talk to Meg about his wife.

Annie watches her own memorial service, and is touched by Ben's speech. Gregory finds out that Cole is a jewel thief and he forbids Caitlin to see him again. Olivia, who believes that Annie stole the Deschanel jewels from Del, tells Bette to return them to Olivia. Bette and Olivia search Annie's house for the jewels, to no avail.

Annie comes to Ben's house in disguise and reveals herself as alive. Annie explains that a worker at the crematorium rescued her and she bribed the worker to keep quiet. Ben wants to use her "death" as a way to catch Del's real murderer. Mark reveals to Meg that Ben is actually "SB," and she goes to Ben's place to reveal her true identity, but she comes upon a woman in his shower. Ricardo proposes to Paula. Caitlin is overjoyed when Cole takes her to a cave that is prepared for a romantic dinner. Cole won't allow himself to get romantically entangled and instead tries to focus on the reason why he came to town.

Gregory explains to Tim that his duties as a chauffeur will be expanded, as he'll use him for more jobs. Annie intentionally misleads Meg before she can confront Ben about being her Internet chatter SB. Ricardo finally proposes Paula, and she says "yes", much to Eddie's surprise.

Mark emcees the Valentine's Day costume dance at the Deep, where several near-couples can't seem to connect. Ben makes a decision about helping Annie: he will help her to get out of the country before anyone discovers that she is still alive and get her to prison. Cole tells Caitlin that he doesn't want to be her first lover.

For the Richard's family lunch, Caitlin and Sean bring their own guests; but, Cole doesn't seem to appear. Sean brings Tiffany who is in improper clothes and smeary make-up. Gregory intentionally insults her by telling that she looks like a slut. She runs away home and goes back to the abandoned daycare center. Sean follows her. Jaleen disappears mysteriously.

Meg sends an e-mail to SB revealing her identity as Dorothy. At Ben's place, Annie opens Ben's laptop when the modem wires. Paula notices that Ricardo is spending a lot of time on the Douglas murder case, so he is not paying too much attention to her. They divide their duties: Paula will go for a window-shopping for wedding rings and Ricardo goes to Java Web to look over possible wedding sites. In the meantime, Eddie goes through Del Douglas's briefcase and takes a diamond brooch heading to get the diamond appraised.

Caitlin decides to separate from Cole after she finds out that some Contessa made a suicide because of some "gigolo". Gregory announces to Olivia that his only intention is to protect his daughter. Cole informs Caitlin that he is in love with a sophisticated woman in London. Caitlin is disappointed and after she runs out of her house, Tim persuades Caitlin to let him take her home. Later, at the same cave, a drunk Olivia turns up and wishes for "some of that Deschanel magic" as Cole enters the cave behind her. Ricardo still wants to elope with Paula, so he keeps on pressing her. Eddie does his best to make his new plan even more better. He goes to Ricardo's house when he's not there and kidnaps Paula. Meg talks to confused Ben about his deception. Ben realizes that Annie lied to Meg about the nature of their relationship. Meg tells Annie that Ben probably does not wants to be more than friend with Annie because he cannot trust her. Ben agrees with her. Ben tells Annie that he and Meg will do their best to prove her innocence. Annie has some disturbing flashback of a woman's hands, covered with blood... panicked, Annie envisions more... the woman in her vision was wearing a black cape-like coat... and the woman wiped off the blood off her hands onto the front of the coat.

Cole and a drunk Olivia talk in the cave, and he suggests she should stop drinking as a way to deal with her life problems. They leave to a seedy motel, where they continue talking about life. Cole spots Olivia's necklace and then proceeds to have sex with her. Caitlin tries to have sex with Tim, but he refuses to do so, and then later changes his mind, but then Caitlin refuses. Meg explains to Mark about Ben actually being SB, and she says she'll keep it a secret. Meg and Ben pretend to be lovers, to cover for Annie, whom Gregory almost spotted at Ben's place. Eddie kidnaps Paula and she struggles to let herself free, but she can't. She doesn't know who kidnapped her. Ricardo is tempted to sleep with Gabi and she starts to undress him, but he eventually changes his mind and goes to find Paula. Eddie takes a gun, points it at Paula, and shoots.

Ricardo fights with Elaine. Tim informs Gregory about Olivia's disappearance. Caitlin apologizes to Tim about her behavior in the limo. Cole steals the necklace from Olivia. Annie dreams about bloody hands again. Ben tells her that her nightmares will probably stop when the real murderer is revealed. Meg realizes that Annie thinks about Meg as her competition. Ben and Meg continue faking a relationship to fool Gregory. Cole wants to know more about the Deschanel legend. Caitlin and Olivia discuss about Cole's other woman. Caitlin runs into Cole and refuses to talk to him. Paula demands the kidnapper to release her. Eddie kisses her roughly. He then wonders if Paula might have recognized him. Ricardo almost catches Eddie in his apartment. He finds Paula's necklace on the floor, and then hears a train whistle on the tape he received. Paula panics when Eddie starts to rip her shit apart.

Rae and Casey are excited to do the finishing touches on renewing their house. Vanessa is finally ready to publish her story, but she shares her fears about it with Michael. Michael warns Casey to fight for Rae. Later, Michael is about to leave town when he runs into Jo-Jo, with a gun. Ricardo realizes that the tape from the kidnapper was fixed. He then goes to the SBPD and asks Chief Harris for his job back, and she accepts his request. She immediately jumps to the task of finding Paula's kidnapper. Eddie fakes being concerned, and then concentrates on finding someone that could pose as Paula's kidnapper. He sends a videotape of Paula to Ricardo. Ricardo informs Elaine about Paula getting kidnapped.

A mysterious man approaches Paula and takes off her blindfold. Eddie and Ricardo continue working on the kidnapping case. Eddie returns to his warehouse, where he greets Ralph Myers. Vanessa enters a trap prepared by Jo-Jo, but Michael and Gregory's agent are able to save the day. Meg and Ben pretend to be together to blow off Gregory's alibi. Olivia catches Cole snooping around her jewelry. Paula tries to escape, but is captured by Ralph. Ricardo realizes that Ralph could be Paula's kidnapper. Annie continues having mysterious flashbacks.

Ricardo checks Ralph's list of crimes, while Eddie prepares to ambush Ralph, who is, at the time, preparing to tattoo and rape Paula. Cole covers his intrusion by pretending to want to continue his affair with Olivia. She realizes that Cole wants to steal her jewels. Caitlin knocks on the bedroom door as they're making love. A bloody coat is delivered to Meg, who then talks about it with Annie and Ben. Annie tells them that she was at her father's room on the night he was killed, but she doesn't remember what happened exactly.

Ricardo and Eddie are disappointed to find the warehouse empty, and Ricardo is suspicious to realize that the kidnapper used police handcuffs to capture Paula. Ralph finishes his crime on Paula. Cole exits as Caitlin realizes that Olivia must be having an affair with someone. Gregory confronts Olivia about having an affair. Ben is convinced that Annie didn't kill Del, although Annie believes she must have. Bette is shocked to learn that Annie is alive.

Eddie receives a call from Myers, who claims that Paula knows that Eddie kidnapped her. Eddie wants to know where Ralph took Paula, but he refuses to say. Ricardo is accused by FBI agents for kidnapping Paula, and Ricardo angrily kicks them out. Tiffany learns that her old daycare center is being teared down, and she's disappointed to learn that she'll have to live in the maid's room at the Richards' mansion. Ralph prepares to marry Paula. Tiffany and her dog Spike run into Ralph, but they don't realize that he kidnapped Paula. Tiffany then picks up a ring that Paula had thrown away recently.

Ralph continues performing the marriage ceremony as he fills the van with carbon monoxide and then makes her repeat wedding vows while listening to a tape of the wedding march. Meanwhile, Ricardo and Eddie fight while trying to track down Paula and Ralph. Tiffany shows the ring she found to Mark and Meg realizes "P.S.," as in-scripted in the ring, actually means "Paula Stevens" and they rush to the SBPD to inform the police about it. Paula knocks out Ralph and then proceeds to finally escape.

Ricardo and Eddie finally catch Myers, and Eddie kills Ralph before he can connect him to Paula's abduction. Ben and Annie realize that Annie didn't kill her father, but she only found his dead body on the same night he was killed. Tim lurks around Ben's house as Ben and Meg talk to Annie. Bette and Annie discuss about Deschanel jewels. Ricardo questions Tiffany about Paula. Meanwhile, Paula, unable to continue trying to escape, succumbs to the gas inside the van.

Rae receives a package from her family containing a few family heirlooms. Casey suggests Rae should reveal that they are "getting a divorce." Annie tries to pursue Bette to talk about the Deschanel jewels, but Bette continues trying to avoid the subject. Ricardo and Eddie save Paula from near death. Meg and Ben are still pretending to be together, and it seems like Ben isn't uncomfortable playing at all. Olivia surprises Cole at the hotel wearing nothing but jewels on her body. Paula is rushed to the hospital.

Gregory realizes that Tim has valuable info and he offers to help Tim gain Meg's affection in exchange for the info. Annie listens as Meg and Ben discuss about Annie and love life in general. Paula awakens in the hospital. Eddie fears she might realize he was the one who kidnapped her. Bette catches Cole and Olivia kissing. Mark tries to entertain Caitlin, but their fun is interrupted when Cole arrives at The Deep.

Tim reveals that Annie is alive and kicking, so Gregory hires a specialist to take shots of Ben's house from inside, to catch Annie on camera. The tape turns out to be low quality, so Gregory pursues the man to continue taping. Gregory visits Ben. Bette warns Olivia that their secret is about to be revealed, and then she talks about Olivia's affair with Elaine's long lost son. Caitlin dances with Mark to make Cole jealous, but he leaves, and later she catches up with him. Eddie tries to convince Paula that Myers was working alone. Ricardo feels guilt over spending time with Gabi.

Ricardo feels better when Rae tells him that there is no evidence about Ralph raping Paula. In the meantime, Paula visions some bad memories. Rae and Casey dance at the Deep. Caitlin heads off to leave the Deep unaware that her mother arrived. Cole rushes after her and abandons Olivia when she tries to stop him. Back at the Richards mansion, Caitlin gets in the bad mood. Annie suspects that Gregory murdered her father. Gregory arrives hom, finding Olivia drunk again. But, soon he leaves the house. He's happy when he sees Annie on the video camera. Annie and Meg get into another fight. In the meantime, Gregory reveals to Eddie that Annie is alive.

Annie disguises herself as Meg. Ben catches her and tries to get her to change back, but Gregory interrupts them and they are forced to act like a couple. Annie rushes away as soon as possible. Eddie tries to locate Annie. An unknown woman is putting up a scrapbook on Paula. Rae suggests Paula should take Ricardo to see a therapist. Casey learns that Paula's condition isn't as bad as everyone thinks. Ricardo tries to tell Paula about Gabi, but doesn't. Gregory hires a different person to handle his dirty work. Rae, Casey, Vanessa, Michael and others prepare for the barbecue.

A scared Paula feels like there's someone watching her. Ricardo and Paula try to make love, but it's too much painful for Paula to continue. Elaine introduces Gabi to Ricardo, and he pretends that he never met Gabi before. Ben drags Annie back to the house, as Eddie watches them. They discuss about Gregory being the murderer and Annie remembers that Del had a boat named "Liberty." Annie's disguise is blown. Back at the beach, Casey suggests Meg should tell Ben that she is "Dorothy." The Surf Central gang celebrates Vanessa's published article on the beach, but when Mark brings some copies of the newspaper to the beach, Vanessa realizes that her article has been pulled. Gregory celebrates pulling away Vanessa's article. Meg and Ben are stunned seeing Eddie in the house with a gun in his hands.

Casey refuses to talk about his family and leaves Rae suspicious about his past. Vanessa is worried about Michael when she catches him seeing a mysterious woman in a bad part of the town. Gabi learns from Elaine that Ricardo is a "ladies' man." Paula is having hard time dealing with a fantasy of Ralph, and she almost shoots Ricardo. Gabi turns out to be Paula's stalker, and later she shows up at Ricardo and Paula's place. Eddie makes up a lie as to why he's in Ben's apartment. Bette orders Annie to continue hiding. Olivia mentions Del's briefcase while talking about fortune with Gregory. Ben, Meg and Bette are exasperated to find that Annie has run off again. Annie breaks into Eddie's apartment and steals the briefcase. Ben decides to stop helping Annie. Gregory is furious to learn Olivia suspects him as Del's murderer.

Ricardo fears Gabi might reveal where he was on the night Paula was kidnapped. Eddie and Gregory retell the story of the night Del was murdered. The both confess that they didn't kill the man, and Eddie explains how he found Del mortally wounded, and how he did everything that Gregory wanted him to do, starting with taking a briefcase and planting a gun in Annie's apartment. Rae's ex-fiancée Wei-Lee Young arrives. Casey avoids talking about his mother. Annie listens as Ben and Meg talk about Annie's irresponsible behavior. Ben refuses to give any info on Annie to Gregory. Eddie realizes his briefcase is missing. Meanwhile, Mark gives the briefcase to Meg, who takes it to Ben's office.

Rae wants to get back with Casey as she remembers what happened between them the night before. Paula warns Casey to watch out for Wei-Lee, because he may do something to make Rae go away. Vanessa wants to know the truth from Michael, but he can't confess who is the woman she saw him with. Finally, Michael takes her to the secret woman and introduces Virginia and James, her son. Eddie and Gregory are fighting over a videotape. Gregory wants Eddie to find the briefcase. Olivia warns Tiffany to stop looking for money and she whispers about Del. Olivia later tells her that she didn't kill Del. Bette wants Annie to return home, but she refuses. Gregory shows up at her house.

Rae and Casey argue when she thinks of having dinner with Wei-Lee. Wei-Lee questions Mark about Casey and Rae's wedding, and when Mark pauses for awhile, Wei-Lee realizes that his suspicions are true. After seeing Rae dancing with Wei-Lee, Casey wants her to choose between them. Michael tells Vanessa how he met Virginia, but he doesn't discover anything about Jimmy's dad. Michael confesses to Vanessa that he murdered Virginia's husband in a gang war, and then she comforts him. Gregory tells Bette that the beach house now belongs to Olivia. Mark takes the briefcase and puts it into Ben's office, while Gregory orders Eddie to find Annie and the briefcase. Annie is frightened to see Eddie in her home.

Ricardo and Paula want to go back at planning their wedding, but Paula is still haunted by flashes of her raping. Gabi wants to talk to Paula about something important. Annie tells Ben everything she knows about the briefcase. After they open the briefcase, Annie tells Ben that Eddie killed her father. In the meantime, Eddie finds Mark's lost-and-found note and a briefcase is on the list, so he runs to get it. Elaine questions Cole about his mother and he tells her that she abandoned him in the hospital on the day he was born. Olivia and Bette remember what they did... 20 years ago Del kidnapped Elaine's son and Olivia & Bette told Elaine that her baby is dead. Cole makes a very mysterious call to an unknown person and he says a name of the key... "Olivia."

After drinking too much, Olivia is worried that Gregory will send her away to a clinic. Caitlin asks Gregory to not send her anywhere and he promises her that he won't. Gregory tells Olivia he can't forgive her after she slept with Del. Olivia is convinced that what she did years ago is way worse, and she can't forgive herself for it. Caitlin and Cole meet on the beach. Ricardo asks Elaine to give him her blessing to marry Paula which she does. Gabi apologizes to Ricardo, and reveals to Paula that they're half sisters. Eddie holds Meg at his gunpoint.

Caitlin is afraid that Cole is having an affair with another woman. Olivia wants to know about Cole's origin, but he doesn't say anything. Cole is frightened to see Caitlin's picture in the cabinet. Later, Caitlin cries on Olivia's shoulder about her love life. Paula wants Gabi to move in with her and Ricardo. Ben gives Eddie the briefcase and runs away, but Annie stops him, steals the briefcase and then he tries to catch her. Eddie holds Ben on gunpoint, so Annie has to hand the briefcase to him. Eddie runs away. Annie later reveals that she replaced the jewels with sand.

Caitlin and Olivia bond as the talk about their love lives. Cole tells Tim that he isn't having an affair. Gabi and Ricardo agree to forget about what happened in the past. While Gabi undresses herself, Ricardo comes to help her because she accidentally gets caught to a camper bed, and Paula catches them. Paula jokes about Gabi making a move on Ricardo. Meg and Ben connect and share a few good moments together, but Annie comes bursting in their room and tells that she wants to be Meg's company for the night. Annie dreams of Ben being in love with her. Eddie arrives in Switzerland in a new wardrobe and starts celebrating his success.

Casey offers himself to show Wei-Lee how to surf, but Wei-Lee soon shows that he already knows it. Later on, Wei-Lee suggests to make a party for Casey & Rae's wedding and they agree, reluctantly. Paula wants to introduce Gabi to Elaine as her sister. Gabi tells Paula that she feels guilty for her kidnapping. Ben hints to Ricardo that Annie may be alive to see his reaction. When Ben returns back home he tells Annie to leave Sunset Beach and she won't go unless he comes with her. Annie confesses to him that she loves him, but he loves her only as a friend. Ricardo discovers that Eddie is in Switzerland. Meanwhile, Eddie finds out that the briefcase is full of sand and crashes it. There he finds a birth certificate for Elaine's baby. He wonders what does Del has to do with Elaine's baby.

Vanessa interrupts Michael as he's getting ready to tell Virginia and Jimmy the truth about killing James Harrison. Caitlin tries to talk to Cole about his other woman, but he convinces her that he only has eyes for Caitlin. Bette and Olivia both agree that it's the right time to tell Elaine the truth about her son. When they meet near Elaine's Waffle Shop, Cole tells Olivia that they can't be together anymore. Vanessa wants to show Michael hoe much she likes him, but he tells her to go away, because he needs to pay for his sins. Gabi tells Ricardo that she applied for a job at the SBPD. When she finds out she got the job, she decides to move out from Paula and Ricardo's apartment to give them their privacy.

Meg and Ben decide to attend Casey and Rae's party together. Ben describes Annie as a selfish person, and then warns her to stay away from Meg. Wei-Lee watches suspiciously as Casey asks Rae to finally reveal the truth. Annie catches Eddie in Ben's apartment, in a wig and a dress. Tiffany and Olivia have a face-off. Gregory realizes that there is a dog in the house and calls the animal control.

Sean convinces Gregory to let Tiffany stay at their place. He passes out, but Gregory believes he's faking it. Tiffany is troubled by flashes of being abused. Eddie convinces Annie that he didn't kill Del. Gabi watches Ricardo talking to an ex-girlfriend. Paula finds Elaine's name on the list of 0.38 caliber gun owners. She goes to the hotel where Del was murdered and questions a service man about the woman who left Del's room on the same night he was killed. Annie watches as Meg and Ben kiss passionately. Wei-Lee tells Rae that he already knew that her marriage to Casey was only a scam. A troubled Michael leaves the party early.

Gregory realizes that Sean is not faking his fall and he Sean is quickly transported to the hospital. Gregory blames Tiffany for everything that happened to Sean. Meanwhile, Ben is troubled by memories of his ex-wife Maria, so he keeps on pushing Meg away. Eddie comes to Ben's apartment by Annie's call and starts looking for the missing jewels. Ricardo is still troubled by the fact that he was with Gabi on the night Paula was kidnapped. Elaine lies to Paula that she never saw Del the night he was murdered. Gregory wants to transfer Sean to another hospital and threatens to a malpractice when Rae tells him that's not the best idea.

Ben tells Meg that he doesn't want to hurt her. Tim finds out that Ben still doesn't know that Meg is actually Dorothy. While Rae is fighting for Sean's life, Gregory is occupied by threatening the hospital, so Olivia has to sign the papers instead of him. The equipment from another resource is brought in. Wei-Lee tells Rae that he is leaving to San Francisco, and then he promises that Rae won't stick around in Sunset Beach for much longer. Elaine receives an anonymous call from a person that knows what she's done. She goes to the graveyard and Eddie follows her. There, she confesses that she murdered Del.

Casey saves Michael's life when he tries surfing in a riptide. Vanessa blames herself for destroying Michael's life again by bringing Jo-Jo in their lives. Michael is reluctant, and tells her that he doesn't want to tell Jimmy & Virginia that he murdered Jimmy's father. However, Virginia & Jimmy walk into the room and find out the truth after which Jimmy, obviously, runs away terrified. Virginia confesses that she already knew that Michael killed her husband years ago, but she forgave Michael. Olivia is crushed to find out what could Sean's surgery do to him. Tiffany shows Sean his charts and he decides to not go through with the operation.

Gregory and Olivia are in panic after they find out that Sean ran away, who is on the beach with Tiffany. Jimmy has been caught shoplifting and Michael talks to him, but Jimmy seems to not care about what Michael has to say at all. Bette believes that the person who stole the briefcase is probably Del's killer. Paula finds out that Elaine is selling the Waffle Shop. She takes a sample of Elaine's hair from her hairbrush and wants to compare it from the hair found in Del's hotel room.

Paula finds out that the hair sample matches the hair found in Del's room. Ricardo is terrified to be left alone with Gabi. Eddie searches for evidence that Elaine is Del's murderer. Elaine finds out Cole's birthday is on the same day as her son's. Tiffany convinces Sean to go through with the operation. Gregory repeats that Tiffany is guilty for everything that Sean had done. Rae is surprised when her ex-teacher, Dr. Moulton, is surprised that she is wasting her medical talent on nothing. After Meg leaves, Annie Annie sips a pill into Ben's vine.

Meg is shocked when she finds Annie and Ben together in the bed. Annie just tells him that he shouldn't mix sleeping pills with wine. Sean's operation seems to be going well, until an obstacle appears and Rae has to inform Gregory and Olivia. Eddie finds the test sample proving that Elaine is Del's murderer. Ricardo realizes that Eddie was in the office. Elaine digs up her son's grave and is shocked to find out that her son is still alive. Paula follows her and confronts her.

Elaine explains to Paula that Cole is her son, because of the birthday on the same day. She explains how Del used to brag about killing her son and that she didn't have time to think about it, but just took the gun and shot him. Paula promises to protect her, as Ricardo walks into the room. Ben wants to know what Meg saw in his apartment. Eddie leaves a message for Ricardo telling him that he knows who is the murderer. Mark almost confesses that he is guilty for Sean's illness. When Cole asks her to run away with him, Caitlin tells him it would be better to build a new life together in Sunset Beach.

Ricardo meets up with Eddie who wants immunity in exchange for the news he has. Eddie then finally tells him that Olivia is Del's murderer. Elaine, Olivia and Bette meet at the graveyard, where Elaine tells them that she knows the truth and that she would kill Del if he wouldn't be dead already. A police officer realizes that the hair sample is missing. Elaine wonders if she should tell Cole the truth. Rae wonders why Casey can't understand how hard it's for her to decide between him and Wei-Lee. Casey and Rae kiss, and Wei-Lee sees them.

Wei-Lee is interrupted while trying to tell Rae about his surprise. When he reveals that it's an amazing job opportunity in San Francisco, she is reluctant to either take or reject it. Meg tries to reassure Casey that Rae isn't going anywhere. Virginia asks Michael to stay in her life because Jimmy needs him. Vanessa witnesses a close moment between the two. Gregory offers money to Tiffany to leave Sean, but she tears it up. Caitlin is shocked to hear what her father did when he tells her that he removed Cole from Sunset Beach. Elaine decides not to tell Cole that she is his mother. Cole decides to tell the truth to Caitlin.

After making up, Caitlin decides to make love to Cole in the cave. Ricardo questions Ben about everything he knows regarding the Deschanel jewels. Tim informs Ben that he knows that Annie is alive, and then warns him not to hurt Meg, or he'll have to deal with him. Meg confronts Annie with sleeping pills she saw at Ben's place, but Annie makes up a silly story about Ben going mad if Meg brings them up. Vanessa and Michael go out on a date.

Gregory apologizes to Olivia and they make up. Olivia is surprised to realize Cole is in Sunset Beach. Caitlin confronts her father. Paula is worried that someone might realize her mother killed Del. Ricardo and Elaine discuss about her son. Ben and Meg end up locked in the vine cellar, where Ben finally realizes that Meg is actually Dorothy.

Ricardo decides to give Eddie full immunity for all the information he can provide. Then Eddie gives him the hair samples and the birth certificate that was in Del's briefcase. Meg finally confesses that she is Dorothy and that she knew about Ben being SB for a while. Caitlin wants Gregory to accept Tiffany as a part of the family, which he reluctantly agrees to. Sean fells weird seeing Gregory trying to make nice in front of Tiffany. Gregory even suggests a family vacation, but Sean refuses the offer. While waiting for Olivia at the grotto, Cole meets Caitlin and they kiss when Olivia arrives. Olivia is shocked to find out that her she was having an affair with her daughter's boyfriend. In the meantime, after he can't read a note, Tiffany realizes that Sean has sight problems.

Ricardo isn't being himself while trying to solve the murder mystery. Paula believes Ricardo is acting strange because he feels guilt over Annie's death, but he's actually being down about himself because he feels like a bad police detective. Sean wants Tiffany to keep quit about his health problem. Meg and Ben continue sharing experiences while being locked in the vine cellar. A surprised Olivia talks to Caitlin about her boyfriend. Meg and Ben fall asleep in the cellar. Suddenly, Ben starts talking about Maria and strangling Meg. Ricardo arrives at Elaine's Waffle Shop, where she's waiting for him.

Elaine confesses to murdering Del Douglas because she was still under the impression of what Del did to her baby years ago, and Paula interrupts her conversation with Ricardo. Ricardo is then surprised to realize that Paula already knew about her mother's crime. Eddie tells Annie that Del's murderer will be revealed tommorow. Meg awakens Ben and he apologizes for trying to strangle her. Ben tells Meg all about his ex-wife and how he couldn't save her from her drowning. Meg convinces him that he is not a murderer and they fall asleep on each others arms. Gregory finds an unhappy Olivia on the beach. They return home and have a heart-to-heart. Annie finds Meg and Ben together in the cellar.

Tim arrives at the Deep and is surprised to see Annie looking at Ben and Meg sleeping in each other's arms. When they awake, Ben asks Annie and Meg to go to his house, while Ben has a talk with Tim. He wants him to take Meg back to Kansas. Sean's vision gets worse and Tiffany tries to make him talk to others about his health problem. They talk Rae into visiting Sean. Caitlin finds out about Sean's problem and he begs her to not say anything to their parents. Casey and Mark find a strange envelope and hide it when Rae comes in. Rae thinks it has something to do with her San Francisco job offer. Ricardo and Paula fight over Paula's knowledge of Elaine being Del's murderer. Paula tries to convince Elaine not to surrender, but Elaine has decided to do so. Paula watches in tears as Ricardo handcuffs Elaine. Annie worries about what happened between Ben and Meg in the vine cellar.

Wei-Lee wants Casey to let Rae take the job in San Francisco. Rae is reluctant to the idea, and doesn't know what to do. Casey tells her that she should take the job, realizing that this is the opportunity she shouldn't miss. Vanessa is asked to cover the Elaine Stevens' arrest story. Jimmy tells Michael they've been robbed and Michael promises that he'll find a new home for his mother and him. Eddie informs Gregory that Elaine is arrested. Cole tells Olivia that he didn't know that Caitlin was her daughter. She slaps him and then asks him to leave Sunset Beach. They talk on the beach as Caitlin approaches them.

When he learns that Vanessa has to cover Elaine's trial, Michael tries to pursue her not to do it. Paula wants him to prevent Vanessa. Ricardo informs Ben that Elaine was arrested for Del's murder, and therefore, Annie is free at last. However, Annie, believing that police is on to her, runs through the pier and throws a police officer off to enter the restricted area. Bette informs Caitlin and Olivia with news of Elaine and the girls rush to the police station, where both Bette and Olivia confess to murdering Del.

The police officer is saved after falling, but Annie is still missing. Ben realizes that Annie is at the lifeguard tower, but he prevents her from jumping down. When Annie witnesses yet another close moment between Meg and Ben, she tries to distract them, and then jumps off the pier. Rae tells Wei-Lee that she's happy in Sunset Beach. Gregory presumes that Eddie has the Deschanel jewels, but then Eddie tells him that Annie has them. Caitlin wonders why is Cole rushing to leave town. Elaine is surprised when both Bette and Olivia stick up for Elaine in prison. Paula works on bringing Elaine and Cole closer together.

Casey and Michael rescue Annie and bring her to the hospital, where Ricardo apologizes for his behavior, and then tells Annie that Elaine murdered her father. Michael tries to prevent Vanessa from interviewing Annie. Paula, Elaine and Ben are shocked to hear that Eddie got immunity for keeping a secret about Elaine, and then Ricardo punches Eddie. Annie is confused to find Bette and Olivia at the police station. Paula and Elaine are stunned when Ricardo arrests both Bette and Olivia after they confessed too. Cole learns Ben has hidden the Deschanel jewels somewhere, so he goes on a search mission. Ben and Meg discuss about their recent adventure. Rae informs Casey that she decided to stay in Sunset Beach. Meanwhile, Wei-Lee decides to find another way to force Rae to leave town... family.

Ricardo interrogates Bette and Olivia about their unusual confession, thinking that the women have a bigger reason for confessing. Gregory arrives at the stations after learning about the confession from Annie. In Ben's apartment, Cole listens in as Annie and Bette discuss about the Deschanel jewels. Michael, Vanessa and Gregory are fighting over publishing an article on Elaine. Vanessa eventually decides to publish it, and Michael confesses that Paula asked him not to do it. Elaine tells the story of the night she murdered Del.

Paula moves out of Ricardo's place, claiming that she can't be with a man that would arrest her mother. He tries to stop her in the name of love, but she claims that the same love doesn't allow her to continue being with him. Gabi suggests Ricardo should give Paula some time to heal. Sean's health is getting worse, and Tiffany confesses her fears to Mark. Olivia confesses to Gregory about helping Del kidnap Elaine's baby in the past, and then describes how she used the money. Gregory promises to help Elaine in court, and they are about to make love when Caitlin interrupts them by informing them that she'll stay with Cole. Virginia finds drugs in Jimmy's backpacks, but then Michael learns that a drug dealer is pushing drugs on kids and then he offers to keep Virginia and Jimmy safe by letting them stay at his place. Cole prepares to break into The Deep.

Casey and Rae discuss about confessing the truth about their fake marriage, but Rae can't get through with it until she listens to a story told by her father. Annie wants Ben to give her the Deschanel jewels, but he isn't ready to give them up yet. Ricardo warns Meg to keep away from Ben and then shares a story of his sister's bad experience with Ben. Ben almost catches Cole breaking into his office, and Cole is forced to jump through glass to escape. Ricardo and Ruiz arrive at the scene of crime, where Ricardo believes that Ben has something to do with the jewel theft.

Mr. and Mrs. Chang are disappointed when Rae tells them the truth about her fake marriage with Casey. Mr. Chang wants Rae to come back to San Francisco, or to forget that she has parents. Wei-Lee tells Rae that he believes she will never choose Casey over her parents. Caitlin is surprised when Cole arrives at the grotto bleeding, and he tells her that he was looking for the Deschanel jewels. She wants him to go to the doctor but he tells her he can't go because cops are probably searching for him. Annie finds Eddie with Bette in Ben's apartment and knows that he was trying to steal the jewels. Ricardo arrests Eddie after Ben gives him the trace. Ben can't believe that Annie has been working with Eddie. Meg confronts Ben about his talk with Tim. She assures Ben that his luck is about to change. As they share a close moment, Annie watches them.

Vanessa finds out that Gregory is the new owner of The Sentinel, a newspaper firm she's working for, and that her story about Elaine was dropped before the newspaper went out. Bette gives Eddie an alibi. Everyone prepares for the trial and Paula assures Ricardo nothing will be the same after today. Caitlin realizes there's something troubling Cole. Olivia sees traces of blood on Caitlin and instantly knows what happened. She leaves to the grotto, where she has a conversation with a wounded Cole. He tells her about his plans to leave Sunset Beach with Caitlin. Olivia hides as Caitlin enters the grotto. Once she leaves, Olivia and Cole make a pact – he won't leave Sunset Beach with Caitlin in exchange for Olivia keeping quiet about their affair.

Olivia tells Bette about confessing the truth about kidnapping Elaine's baby to Gregory. The trial begins and Elaine pleads guilty. Gregory tries to change the situation, but after Ricardo's testimony, Elaine is taken back to her cell. Paula is devastated, and she refuses to forgive Ricardo for what he had done. Wei-Lee sets up a dinner for Rae and her parents at the Grenadines. Mr. Chang is not too happy to see Casey there. Once again, the Changs want Rae to return to San Francisco, but she refuses once again. Mark leaves Meg wondering about Ben's actions on the anniversary of Maria's death. Meg wants to have dinner with Ben but gets no reply. Meg wonders what is located behind the mysterious doors upstairs in Ben's apartment. Annie tells her it's Maria's studio. Ben goes upstairs and finds Meg standing by the door.

Meg tells Ben that she isn't curious what's behind the mysterious door, but he doesn't treat her nice. Ben curses the Maria portrait and tells her she's not going to ruin his life. He arrives at The Deep and apologizes to Meg about his behavior. They dance. Annie and Tim plot against them. They want to find a perfect plan to break them up. Gregory reveals his perfect plan to get Elaine out of jail - her son. He needs to find him in order to save Elaine. Olivia is worried that Gregory might find out about her affair with Cole. Caitlin and Cole talk about the Deschanel jewels and Cole reveals his plan to steal them. Cole then arrives to the police station and breaks into the evidence room. At the same time, Gregory arrives to get Elaine's case files.

Casey misreads Rae's words and blames Wei-Lee for all the bad stuff that has happened in Rae's life recently, and the mix up reminds Rae just how much she needs her parents, and she realizes that going away with Wei-Lee would be the best thing to do. Gregory is about to catch Cole snooping around the police station when suddenly he's interrupted by Paula, who wants to thank him for taking her mother's case. Meanwhile, Cole continues to search through the evidence room. Olivia doesn't want to give Caitlin the Deschanel jewels because she knows that Cole will leave Sunset Beach with Caitlin. Gabi tries to convince Paula to stay at Ricardo's. Bette confesses to Cole that he is Elaine's son.

When she is about to leave his apartment, Ricardo surprises Paula with an engagement ring. She is deeply touched by the sudden move and decides to take things slowly. Gabi sees the improvement in their relationship, and then barges into the apartment. Paula offers her to stay with them. Gregory offers Vanessa a job trip to Hong Kong and gives her 48 hours to decide about it. Elaine and Cole have a mother-and-son talk. Cole is wondering about why Elaine left him as a child and she tells him she thought he was dead. When Elaine finishes the story, she wonders if Cole can forgive her, but gets no response.

Ben has another nightmare and this time it's Maria leading him to her studio. Frightened, Ben wakes up and is about to unlock the door of the studio when Meg arrives. She's frustrated because he is always pushing her away. Ben loses it and goes upstairs. The doorbell rings again... and it's Meg's mother Joan, in Tim's company. Meg is surprised by their visit and Ben wants to know who they are. The doorbell rings again and it's Annie, who kisses Ben, much to Meg and Joan's surprise. Later on, Joan is questioning Meg about the painting of Maria, and it makes Ben lose it again. Rae is having hard time dealing with the fact that her parents won't talk to her. Vanessa confides in Rae about a job offer in Hong Kong.

Joan learns more about the death of Maria, and Tim explains further how things are going in Sunset Beach. Meg doesn't know how to react with her mother being in town. Annie pretends like she cares about what's going on. As soon as Paula exits, Gabi starts seducing Ricardo. Paula visits her mother. Gregory is shocked to learn that Cole St. John is actually Cole Deschanel, Elaine's son. Cole and Caitlin are keen on leaving town. Olivia tries to bribe Cole to stay, but he refuses the offer. Caitlin is about to leave when Gregory catches her.

Meg introduces Eddie to her mother. Ben sees Annie and Tim talking and realizes there might be something behind this. Tim accuses Ben of murdering Maria and Ben loses it again. Their fight is interrupted by Joan. Ben offers to give her a tour around the city. Gregory is surprised to find Caitlin's letter on her bed. He instantly believes that Cole kidnapped her. Olivia whispers something about the meeting at the grotto. Gregory wants to know if she knows anything about it. Olivia tells him she knew that Caitlin was back with Cole. While escaping, Caitlin and Cole are on the beach surrounded by the cops. They go back at the grotto and Gregory enters. Gabi is causing more trouble for Ricardo and Paula. Eddie tells Gabi that he knows about how she wants Ricardo.

Vanessa tries to make Michael realize that she wants him to prevent her from leaving to Hong Kong. She declines the job offer, but Michael buys her the ticket to Hong Kong at the same time. Virginia watches them from afar. Paula and Ricardo have a romantic lunch together. Gabi dreams of being with Ricardo. Eddie warns Gabi not to hurt Paula. Olivia and Bette visit Elaine in jail. Sean and Tiffany discuss about life. Gregory tries to convince Caitlin to return home with him, but after knocking him down, Cole and Caitlin leave the grotto on a white horse.

Michael is waiting at the airport for Vanessa, while she appears at Surf Central. She tries to persuade a flight attendant to contact the plane that left few minutes earlier and tells her all about Michael, but then Michael surprises her with a rose. Chief Harris is curious about Gregory's war against Cole St. John. Ricardo reads Caitlin's letter and confirms that Cole didn't kidnap her. Gregory confronts Olivia about giving Ricardo the letter. Olivia wants Gregory to trust her. Cole wants Caitlin to return back home, thinking that it's too dangerous to her. Paula and Cole have a talk about Elaine's trial. She wants him to stay, but he leaves.

Cole is angry to realize that Caitlin had hidden and came with him during the entire trip. He wants to return her back to Sunset Beach, but an officer stops them and wants to see Cole's identifications. Cole tells Caitlin that Gregory will probably find them soon. He speeds off with his car. Ben and Joan return home after the tour and Annie gives Joan a tour upstairs, making her interested in the locked room. Joan mistakes Rae and Casey for a couple when she comes with Meg to Surf Central. Jimmy is disgusted when Joan mistakes him, Michael and Virginia for a family. Vanessa appears and tells Michael she is going to leave to Hong Kong, much to his surprise. Jimmy is shocked and blames Michael for he fact that Vanessa is leaving Sunset Beach. Joan wants to know about Ben's intentions with Meg. After Meg assures her about loving Ben, she goes away with Ben and asks him about his intentions with Meg. When she asks him about his wife, Ben confesses to her that he might never be over her. Annie and Tim find the key to Maria's studio and Annie sees it as a perfect chance for their next plot.

Michael has a talk with Jimmy about his real intentions with his mother. Virginia tells Michael that he should go away to Hong Kong with Vanessa. Michael is ready to do so, but she convinces him to stay in Sunset Beach. He is wondering if Vanessa thinks he has something to do with Virginia. Paula finds out that Cole is wanted by the Interpol. Eddie plays with Paula's mind when he warns her to keep an eye on Ricardo, especially now when Gabi is around. Gabi misreads Eddie's intentions and accidentally tells him the truth about the night she was with Ricardo. While being with Cole, Caitlin realizes she misses her home. She calls her father, but doesn't say anything. Gregory immediately wants to trace down the signal. When Caitlin calls Sean, Cole hangs up and tells her they need to move fast because Gregory probably has every mobile net tracking them down.

Michael and Vanessa try to spend some romantic time together before she leaves, but they are once again interrupted by Virginia and Jimmy, after which Vanessa leaves to Hong Kong. Casey receives a phone call from his mother and senses something is wrong with her. Rae is surprised to hear that Casey's mother exists. Casey and Rae are about to make love, but she stops, claiming that she isn't ready yet. Casey wants her to decide. Bette talks to Joan about Big Al, while Tim and Annie try to convince Joan that Ben is a murderer. Joan wants Meg to come back with her to Kansas, but she is determined to stay in Sunset Beach. Meg realizes that Annie is trying to make Joan believe things that aren't true. Meg finds the key to Maria's studio and goes upstairs. She unlocks the doors and finds a room full of paintings, red stains on the floor and splatters on the walls.

Wei-Lee returns to Surf Central and interrupts an intimate moment between Rae and Casey. He tells her that the Changs have forbidden any mention of Rae's name in their family. Meg is horrified of what she's seen in Maria's studio, and she comes downstairs where she bumps into Ben. Joan and Tim are worried when they hear a scream in Ben's apartment. Meg remembers leaving the key in the lock, so she goes upstairs and takes it out. Ben asks her if she found what she was looking for. Cole and Caitlin arrive at a hotel, and they must pretend being on their honeymoon so they could explain why they have no luggage. Cole has a nightmare about Olivia. Gregory vows to Olivia that he'll find their daughter.

Ricardo feels ready to tell Paula about the night she was abducted but Gabi interrupts them again, and Ricardo asks her to leave. Paula tells Gabi that she will accept Ricardo's proposal tonight. Gabi promises to herself that will not happen. Olivia tells Sean not to tell Gregory about Caitlin's call. Elaine is beating herself up with the fact that she wasn't a good mother. She then wants to talk to Olivia, to learn more about Cole's kidnapping. Gregory realizes that Olivia had a small fling with A.J. Deschanel in the past. Cole and Caitlin arrive at the house of his grandmas, Madame Julianna Deschanel. Julianna then tells him that she sent him to Sunset Beach to meet his real mother. He feels like she betrayed him, and Caitlin suggests they should return to Sunset Beach as soon as possible to save Elaine before the trial ends.

Meg returns to Ben's apartment to return the key from Maria's studio but she faces yet another chilling encounter with Ben. She accidentally cuts herself and the blood makes her think back to finding Maria's studio full of blood. Later, Meg is reluctant to grab some coffee with Ben and her mother. Caitlin, Julianna and Cole try to make a plan for Cole to return to Sunset Beach without getting arrested. Paula catches Gabi wearing her ring and Gabi makes up a lie to cover her actions. Annie advises Ricardo to tell Paula about the night she was kidnapped before Paula hears it from someone else. Gabi tells Paula that Ricardo was with someone else on the night she was kidnapped. Ricardo enters the room as they're talking.

Rae is shocked to find out that her parents disowned her. Ricardo confesses to Paula about being with another woman on the night she was kidnapped. Gabi wonders why Ricardo didn't tell Paula that Gabi was the woman who he was with. Casey and Paula have a friendly talk. Paula is not sure if Ricardo is being sincere to her. Casey tells Rae that she should go to San Francisco. Paula tells Ricardo she still needs some time to think. They both agree that Gabi should leave their apartment, and Gabi eavesdrops.

Ricardo wonders where did Gabi find the pictures of Paula and him. Trying to hide her real reasons, Gabi gives Paula the album of the pictures and makes up a silly excuse. A torn picture of Paula and Ricardo falls out and Paula wonders what happened. Gabi makes up another lie. Casey tells Michael he thinks Rae should go to her parents and be with Wei-Lee. Michael misses Vanessa. Gregory finally finds a trace on Cole, but Olivia wants him to stop the search. She tells him she doesn't want her family destroyed. Cole reads Elaine's old letter to A.J. Deschanel and decides to help her, without telling Caitlin.

Virginia organizes a picnic with Michael and Jimmy, but when Jimmy isn't okay with it, Michael invites Mark too. When Virginia asks him to go get ketchup, Jimmy meets Officer Ruiz and asks him if he should report a crime if he knows one. Virginia tells Michael that she doesn't want to leave his apartment. Meg has a nightmare about Ben wanting to show Meg the inside of Maria's studio. She wakes up and Ben does the same thing. Meg informs him that Joan will be returning back to Kansas. Joan wants Ben to promise her not to hurt her daughter. Meg enters the studio not realizing that Ben returned from his trip.

Julianna tells Caitlin a story about Armando Deschanel. Cole arrives in Sunset Beach and visits Elaine, keen on helping her in court. She wants him to leave town for his safety. Meg is in Maria's studio, wondering what really happened to her. The doors suddenly get locked and Meg thinks that Annie is playing with her. Meanwhile, Annie arrives at Ben's apartment and sees him staring at Maria's portrait. Ben drinks and breaks a glass on Maria's picture, while Meg finds Maria's diary in the studio.

Gregory arrests Cole. Caitlin comes back to Sunset Beach and tells Olivia that Gregory caught Cole. Gregory tells Caitlin to say goodbye to Cole, as he is about to be deported to Europe. Cole tells them that he slept with both Caitlin and Olivia, after which Gregory calls Olivia a tramp and Caitlin's heart is broken. However, Olivia wakes up and realizes it has all been a dream. Annie and Tim continue working on their plan, while Meg is reading Maria's diary. Someone unlocks the studio doors and Meg escapes. Meg blames Annie for locking her up, but Bette gives Annie an alibi for the whole night. Meg wonders if maybe Ben locked her, because he was the only one in the house the whole night.

Vanessa learns over the phone that Michael and Virginia are spending more time together when Jimmy answers her call. Michael wants to know what Jimmy told her, and then he, once again, tries to assure Jimmy that he doesn't have anything to do with his mother other than friendship. Rae tells Casey that she wishes she had married Wei-Lee and made her family happy. Paula wants Gregory to drop the charges against Cole. After talking to Caitlin, Gregory decides to drop the charges, but he gets angry when Caitlin decides to go away with Cole.

Meg talks to Mark about her fears concerning Ben. Gregory tries to convince Cole and Caitlin to stay home, but Cole refuses to accept the plea. He believes Gregory has a secret agenda. Gregory makes up a new solution for Cole when he receives a phone call from the judge's office. Meg returns to Ben's home and reads another section of Maria's diary. Annie and Tim watch her as she puts the key back. On the trial, Elaine wants to know where Cole is, but Gregory just makes a weird face move. Meanwhile, Caitlin waits for Cole under the pier, while he is handcuffed to a jet, unconscious.

Casey's heart is broken when Rae finally decides to leave Sunset Beach and have a new life in San Francisco. He begs her to stay with him, but Wei-Lee comes to pick her up, and after a tearful goodbye, she leaves. Gregory tries to convince Elaine to testify herself because Cole is nowhere to be found. Cole manages to free himself. Caitlin informs Julianna that Cole disappeared, so Julianna arrives at the trial to tell her story to the judge. Caitlin worries that Gregory might have done something to Cole, but Cole surprised everyone by entering the courtroom. Casey learns that his mother Alex arrived in town.

Meg wants to know the reason why Ben never talks about Maria. He explains that he doesn't want to hurt her. Meg tells Mark that she fears the possibility that Ben might have killed his wife. When Mark wants to see Maria's studio himself, Tim follows. The trial continues, and everyone is in shock when Gregory pronounces Elaine a coldblooded killer. However, he then tells the story about Del's crimes. Cole testifies and makes an impression. The judge returns with the verdict... Elaine has 3 months of probation and 200 hours of community service. Meg stares in shock when she and Mark enter Maria's studio. The Interpol arrests Cole.

Following Cole's orders, Caitlin calls Paula and informs her about Cole being taken by the Interpol. She asks her to not say anything to Elaine. When Paula asks him to help, Ricardo tries to find some mistake in the papers, but it all seems right. Meg & Mark find Maria's studio clean, so Meg tries to assure Mark that she isn't going crazy. Meanwhile, Ben washes the blood off his hands at The Deep. Once again, Meg is sure that Annie is just playing a game with her, but Annie assures her that it wasn't her. Ben arrives home and Meg wonders how he got a cut on the hand. He answers with a simple answer -- from the robbery that happened recently. Meg finds out that be has been alone at The Deep. When Ben feels tired of the questions, he sends her home. Annie tells Meg she better make sure she isn't near Ben on the day of Maria's death. On the airport, Cole tells Caitlin that he has a plan.

Vanessa returns from Hong Kong and she's not pleased to see Michael massaging Virginia. Michael tells her that Virginia will move out as soon as her leg gets better. Gregory stops the Interpol from taking Cole and Caitlin is surprised by his move. Cole wonders what he wants instead. In a happy reunion, Elaine is pleased to finally be with her son. Julianna makes a special arrival at the reunion, but Elaine isn't pleased to see her. Paula's tattoo, once again, gets in the way of Paula and Ricardo's happiness. Olivia faints when she finds out that Cole is free thanks to Gregory.

Mark warns Meg to stay away from Ben on the anniversary of Maria's death, but she has something else in her mind. Ricardo and Paula aren't able to make love when old pain comes haunting Paula. Ricardo and Ben fight over the fact that Ricardo still believes that Ben is responsible for Maria's death. Meg tries to comfort Ben and tells him he should forget the past and move on, and then she reminds him that tomorrow is also the anniversary of the beginning of their Internet chatting. They start dancing, but when Ben remembers Maria, he tells Meg she should get as far away from him as she can.

On the beach, Annie and Meg watch Ben pushing Maria's swing. Annie feels bad on her best friend's death anniversary, so she cries on Tim's shoulders. Ricardo sees Ben on the pier, standing with Maria's favorite flower. Ricardo asks Ben to tell him what happened the night Maria died, but Ben says nothing. Tim warns Meg to stay away from Ben. Ben returns to the studio and remembers what happened the night Maria died. He later goes to The Deep and continues thinking about Maria. He sees a woman standing on the stairs and wonders if it's her.