One Life to Live Update Tuesday 12/18/01

By Beth

Starr is working on her Christmas wish list and wondering why it's shorter than usual. Suddenly she realizes she only asked for one tarantula. Not wanting it to be lonely, she changes her wish to two tarantulas. Then she daydreams about getting a baby brother for Christmas. Todd comes home and Starr rushes to greet him with questions. Was Blair surprised about the baby? Where are they? Todd explains that he had to give the baby back because he reminded Blair of the one that died. Blair and Cassie come in, laughing, and Starr lays into her mother, yelling at her for making Todd get rid of her baby brother. Cassie tries to chastise her and Starr tells her to stay out of it. Cassie leaves and Blair tries to explain to Starr, who runs off, upset.

A girl comes to the door with the baby, pretending to be his birth mother. She insists that Blair has to take the baby back because she can't take care of him. Blair, in turn, says she can't take care of him either. The girl doesn't want to take him back to her apartment, which has no heat or phone and only occasionally has electricity. Blair finally agrees to take the baby, and Starr rushes in, excited. As Starr plays with her little brother, Blair looks for the number for Social Services, saying she is not keeping the baby. This upsets Starr again, especially when the baby starts crying.

Todd sees the girl to the door and gives her some money, saying that her acting classes are really paying off. Cassie returns in time to see the transaction and smugly asks what's going on.

When Jessica doesn't believe Natalie's claim that Seth spent the night with her, Natalie tells her to just ask Viki, who caught them together. Viki accuses Natalie of having no sense of decency.

Ben finds Seth at the door and removes him. Seth insists that he's there to warn them; Ben has to keep Allison away from Viki, because he heard her talking about getting rid of Viki permamently. Allison shows up and taunts them both, and Ben tells Seth he's onto Allison but thanks for the tip. He won't let Allison inside the house, period. The lawyers arrive for a meeting about Natalie's inheritance, and although Allison insists she has a right to be there, Ben refuses and shuts the door in her face. When Allison points her finger at Seth and says he'll be sorry for interfering, Seth tells her to shove her threats. Allison taunts him with the fact that if he had stuck with the plan--and with Natalie--he would be rich by the end of the day, but he doesn't care. He realizes that she's still hung up on "Dave," and he laughs at her.

Inside Llanfair, Sam indicates that all Jessica's assets will be transferred to Natalie. There are some that are contestable, but Jessica doesn't want the money. Sam wants her to take time to think about it, but she doesn't need to. Viki takes her aside and assures her that she'll never want for anything. Jessica signs the papers, and Viki then calls Natalie over to her and tells her to stop and think about what she's doing. Being in the Buchanan family means much more than money, but she can't see that. Furthermore, Allison is not her friend; she's the one who kidnapped her and made her live a terrible life that she hated. Now that she has money, it will be even harder to tell who her real friends are, and she will get hurt if she's not careful.

After the papers are signed, Sam leaves, and Natalie walks her own lawyer out. Allison, who has been hanging around outside, runs up to her chanting, "We're rich!" Natalie stops her and says that she is the one who's rich, not Allison. Inside, Ben tells Viki and Jessica that Bo doesn't have enough evidence to charge Allison, but he and Viki should go talk to him anyway. Jessica is stunned to hear that Seth is the one who warned Ben about Allison. As she considers what she just heard, she notices that Seth is lurking outside.

Having already packed her suitcase, Gabrielle asks Max where his is. He doesn't need one since he's not going anywhere. They argue; he wants to stay behind and keep the police away from her, and she wants him to go with her and start a new life. This is their only chance for true happiness, unless Max doesn't really want her. She needs to know how he feels. Well, he considered murdering Asa for her, which should tell her something. He will be looking for the real murderer, and when he figures it out, Gabrielle can come home. She counters with the opinion that if he really cares about her, he'll go away with her. They agree that they will both go, and as they kiss, Al walks in. Gabrielle hugs her son, who pulls away from her. She's been so worried about him, not knowing where he was. She had no idea she would inherit Asa's estate; Al is the only thing that matters. He points out that she's leaving, which she and Max deny. She then gives him a Christmas present, and since it's too early for the gift, Al figures out that despite what they said, they really are leaving town. They assure him that they are innocent and trying to find out who really killed Asa. They start to leave, but Gabrielle cries and attempts to get Al to go with them, but he refuses. He leaves, saying he doesn't trust either of them and never will. Max informs Gabrielle that they're going to St. Blaze's, which doesn't have an extradition treaty with the United States.

Rae is shocked at the way Keri found out about her father. Hank tells her that now Keri and R.J. both hate him, but Rae says to give them time. Bo enters with a file on Alex, and Rae prepares to leave. Bo is convinced that someone is trying to frame Max and Gabrielle for Asa's murder, and he reminds Hank that Alex has a lot to gain. If Max and Gabrielle are convicted, the earlier Will goes into effect. Alex stands to gain a lot if that happens. Bo wants insight into where Alex might be, and Rae, who has been listening, offers to help by doing an informal profile. Bo hands her the folder, and she formulates some conclusions. Alex would be where there are rich, eligible men, and where she's safe from the law. Bo remembers St. Blaze's, the island his father owned, and it fits Rae's description perfectly.

Alex, Asa, and Nigel are in "Captain Stuart's" room, where Alex has ordered several expensive foods for her enjoyment. She hands Asa a glass of champagne, which he hurls against the wall. He wants to know exactly what she wants. She says he'd better give her everything she asks for; otherwise she'll turn him in for fraud. Of all Asa's wives, she was the most upset over his apparent demise, and yet he chose to humiliate her again and again. Part of her still loves him despite all this. Asa doesn't believe her. He and Nigel both want to know her price, but she doesn't want money, although reimbursement for the two plane tickets to St. Blaze's would be nice. What she wants is to be Mrs. Asa Buchanan again. If Asa marries her, she'll never reveal his secret. Asa is shocked to see her hold out her hand as she waits for him to ask for it in marriage.

THE END