\\#6 Your Basic Nightmare;

Jeremy and the Lethargic Father

After his mother intercepted him in the driveway the two went to the hospital [Joshua Fowler Memorial. Nice to see some things stay the same.] to check on his father. When they get in to see him Jeremy sees his father hooked up to a lot of machines and looking very vulnerable. He then reflects on the last year and how he should've seen this coming and vows that he will always be there for his father.

The next day he gets to see his father awake. He tries to talk to him, but his father insists he go to the game. Jeremy's a little frustrated that his father's acting like nothing happened. He says he'll go play, but since he's so tired he goes home to get some rest.

Jeremy makes dinner that night and falls asleep while it's in the oven. His mother rescues it and they talk about his father. She says he needs to get a job and Jeremy can't believe she's saying that after what's happened. They have a little tiff and he goes to the hospital to see his dad. Mr. Aames is asleep when he gets there, and he just starts thinking about all the people he's letting down and Jessica, and vows to fix everything the next day. He spends the night in the hospital.

He and his Mom make up the next day and his dad is feeling a lot better and can go home later that day. After a long discussion Mrs. Aames finally convinces Jeremy to go home and get some rest.

The Liz and Conner Saga

Liz thinks about Conner as he does his daily routine in the bathroom. She broke the neclace Maria gave her for her last birthday and she feels guilty at the thought of Maria because she kissed Conner. She calls up Maria and makes her have brunch with her because she feels guilty.

Conner goes out jogging in the morning to get out of the house and work himself up for facing Liz. [We learn that he was on the track team last year, and that he might be thinking about doing it again.] He meets Liz out front on her way to go with Maria. They flirt. She tries subtly to get rid of him, and then Maria pulls up. Conner mocks himself for his lack of conversation skills.

The ride to breakfast is extremely tense. Maria finally breaks the ice by telling Liz that she saw the poem and asks if Liz likes Conner. Liz blatantly lies and tells a whole story about how when she was trying to write Conner decided to play "Conner the Rock Star" and totally ruined her concentration and that's why she was writing his name in the margins. And her and Maria make up. [but not for long!!! Mwahahahahah]

Well, Liz apparently forgot her wallet in her rush that morning, so her and Maria go back to the Sandborn residence so she can get it. Her and Conner run into each other and she says they shouldn't be together for a bunch of reasons she rambles off. She goes to leave but Conner kisses her passionately and goes upstairs. She goes out to the car.

[On a funny note: In one of Liz's diary entries she talks about how Maria stole her Raggedy Ann doll when they were younger. Gee, Liz, you guys didn't meet until you were twelve. Isn't that a little old to be playing with dolls? At least, to be stealing each other's dolls?]

Tia calls people to make sure they're coming to the Riot. Liz is going. Conner's not sure. Maria's going. Ken's not. Liz asks Maria if she likes Ken [Ooooh. Foreshadowing]. Andy tries to recruit Conner. Liz tells Conner Maria's going so she's not. So he tells Andy he's not going. And Liz goes. [This is going to be a long night.]

They all go and just when everybody's having a good time Conner decides to put in an appearance. Liz immediately tenses up and doesn't know what to do with herself, especially when Conner keeps flirting with her. And she realizes that Andy knows about the triangle. Tia and Angel get up to dance and a slow song comes on. Conner-in front of everyone-asks Liz to dance. Liz gets up to get a drink and Maria goes with her and starts whining about Conner. She also reassures Liz of what a good friend she is (which makes Liz feel really guilty).

Conner gets up to go to the "bathroom" and goes to find Liz, making sure Maria is nowhere in site. He coaxes her into going upstairs with him. And they have happy times.

Liz puts an end to the happy times and insists she has to go downstairs because of Maria. Conner's getting really sick of tip-toeing around Maria and tells Liz to tell her. She says she has to handle it in her own way and Conner tells her that she's not handling it and leaves.

Conner makes his way through five yards to Tia's at two in the morning to talk. They sit on the swings and he confesses to fooling around with Liz. Tia squeals in delight and teases him. She tells him to let Liz handle the Maria thing and he thinks about it on the way home.

Liz steals Conner's car and takes a joy ride to Fowler Crest. She scares the crap out of Lila and Jess and her and Jessica talk about the Conner situation. Jessica tells her to tell Maria. [She brings up Liz's affair with Ken from SVH. Continuity. Don't you love it?] Liz agrees as long as Jess talks to Jeremy. Jess agrees and they have a sister thing.

Liz and Megan talk about how much history papers suck and Maria calls saying she has to do a paper and her modem crashed and invites herself over to use Liz's something. Liz asks Conner to go somewhere else because she's going to tell Maria and he says no. She gets all upset and he says he'll stay in his room or something and she gives him a big hug.

Liz is nervous and gets ready for Maria to come over. Conner doesn't go to his room. He hangs out in the kitchen and then kisses her. And Maria sees. [dun dun DUN!]

Jessica Gets Determined

Jessica wakes up Saturday and feels sorry for herself. She avoids Lila and tip-toes to the kitchen to call Jerm for an explanation of the night before and why he didn't come after her. She gets his machine and hangs up. Her and Lila look at each other and say each other's names and Lila leaves. Feeling lonely she calls Liz and wants to talk to her. But Liz is waiting for Maria to pick her up. Liz tells her she'll sit with her at the game.

At the game Jessica cowers in the bathroom till she decides to help the girls with banners and ribbons and crap. On her way to the gym she runs into Will, who tries to explain things to her. She's sick of running away from him, so she just yells at him to leave her alone and goes off to the gym, feeling much better.

She sits with Liz regretting yelling at Will, since he was trying to apologize to her and all. And they discuss the topic of the date with Jeremy. Jessie explains how Melissa and the Posse showed up and humiliated her and she ran and that Jeremy didn't even come after her. Liz convinces her that there must be some rational explanation and that Jeremy's the nicest guy that either of them have met in a long time.

Jess stays up half the night trying to figure out what to say to Jeremy, and goes to work tired after trying on a hundred different outfits. She's a little miffed to find that he called in sick and decides to see him after work.

She goes over there and tells him off. Then he invite her in to see the empty mansion and the small area they're living in. And continues to tell her his father had a heart attack and that's why he didn't go after her, leaving her feeling about five inches tall. Then he reassures her that what the Posse said didn't matter, that he just liked the Jessica he knew.

After Jess is feeling better she decides to take a ride over to Melissa's to tell her off. As she strolls up to the door Will comes out. He asks her what she's doing there and she says to talk to Melissa. And Will tells her that she tried to kill herself that morning. [I really wish they would've added more to that scene, but I guess they wanted the cliffhanger]

Melissa's Bad Weekend

Melissa has a bad nightmare and wakes up. It's ten in the morning and she's shocked that Will didn't call. Her mom comes in and criticizes her for everything she can think of. She eventually gets dressed in her uniform and goes downstairs for breakfast where Will is waiting for her at the table. To make the long story short, he breaks up with her, with the old "I need space" excuse. You'd think men in this day and age would know better. But not Silly Willy! Melissa takes it surprisingly in stride and asks him to leave. He wants it to end better, but she won't let him. He leaves.

She stays still for a few minutes, letting what just happened seep in. Then gets a coffee mug and it happens to be the one Will gave her for Valentine's Day the year before. Her mother makes a few insensitive remarks and she returns to her room, with a resolve to get through that night's game without letting anybody know what's wrong.

Melissa gets through the game without cracking. Through it's course she realizes that none of the cheerleaders know Will dumped her. So, perhaps he hadn't told anyone, which might mean he wants to get back together. [In Liss's ways of thinking] So she waits for him after the game. She runs into Matt and Josh first and they refer to Will as "her man" and she is elated that he didn't even tell his best friends. Will tells her again that it's over and that he'll wait until she tells her friends before he says anything and walks away. Liss runs to the bathroom trying not to cry.

She goes to the victory party that night at Josh's to keep up appearances. Her, Gina, Cherie, and Renee (who never gets a line, or even a physical description) dance for a silly old El Carro tradition. Cherie-being the helpful little friend she is-drag's Will over and tells them to make up because it's a party! Will's shocked she didn't even tell Cherie and Melissa tells him to dance with her just once and Cherie will leave them alone. Will says he can't, that he can't keep coming back, and Liss realizes he's been planning to break up with her. And she blows up demanding that he tell her how long he's been planning to dump her. Cherie tries to lead her out of there, but Melissa insists on going and driving herself home. Her friends are visibly worried.

Melissa pulls into the driveway like a maniac and her mother yells at her. She tries to get past her mother. Her mother bitches at her and Melissa yells that Will broke up with her and her mother asks "What did you do?" [I hate her mother. Just thought I'd mention that.] Melissa yells at them and tells her mother to shut up and her mother grounds her for a month. They leave and she starts crying.

Melissa gets up early the next morning and steals her moms sleeping pills. She counts them and recounts them and takes them into the bathroom where she slowly tries to take all 27, determined to do it right this time.