Joe told Kendall, Erica and Ryan that the car accident did not cause Spike's deafness. Spike's deafness was caused by a random chromosomal mutation. Kendall was horrified that she blamed Greenlee for months for something she did not do. Erica urged Kendall not to forget that Greenlee kidnapped Spike. Kendall acknowledged this, but still felt guilty. Then, Kendall left to tell Aidan the news. So, Ryan volunteered to watch the babies because he assumed that Erica wanted to speak with Jack. Erica thanked Ryan and left. Then, Josh came home. Ryan told Josh that they should start preparing Kendall for the worst. Josh was surprised that Ryan was giving up on finding Zach. Ryan wished that Zach would return, but recognized that it was unlikely. Josh realized that Ryan was assessing the situation realistically and wondered how they could help Kendall. Ryan said they just had to be strong for her.
Julia and Cathy went to Jack's house to invite Jack and Lily to a tea party. Julia was throwing the party for Cathy because the little girl lost her parents the previous Christmas. Jack and Lily accepted the invitation. Julia then asked Lily to spend time with Cathy because Lily knew what it was like to lose her parents. Lily agreed and played with Cathy, while Jack and Julia talked. Jack was impressed that Julia recognized a bond that Lily and Cathy shared by losing their biological parents. Julia then asked Jack about Greenlee. As Jack spoke about his concerns, Julia held his hand to console him. Just then, Erica entered and saw their hands intertwined. Everyone looked at each other awkwardly until Jack got up to offer Erica a drink. As Jack got Erica hot chocolate from the kitchen, Julia tried to explain that she and Jack were just friends. Erica played it cool and laughed at the idea of Jack and Julia being more than friends. Then, Julia and Cathy left. Erica proceeded to tell Jack the news about Spike's deafness. Jack was stunned. Erica told Jack that she would not let him be alone in this. Jack stated that he would not be alone because he had his family. As Erica went to leave, she commented that Jack once considered her family.
Aidan and Quentin finished their search of the well. Aidan was relieved to find no bodies. Still, Quentin stated that the odds of finding Greenlee or Zach were not good. Aidan refused to listen and told Quentin he would not give up his search. Aidan then asked Quentin to go into town to get more supplies because a storm was coming. So, Quentin left. Meanwhile, Kendall arrived and asked to speak with Aidan in his cabin. Aidan reluctantly left his search to go inside with Kendall. Then, Kendall relayed the news about Spike's deafness. Aidan was irate that Kendall tortured Greenlee for something she did not do. Kendall profusely apologized, but Aidan did not care and demanded that Kendall leave. However, Aidan and Kendall saw that the weather was too bad for Kendall to drive anywhere, so Kendall had to stay the night. Aidan agreed to sleep on a chair, so Kendall could sleep in the bed.
Zach and Greenlee were alarmed to see water seeping through the bomb shelter's walls. Zach assumed that there was a well nearby and that if he kept digging, the water would fill the shelter. Greenlee, still hurting from the snake bite, realized that there was no way out. So, they sat together and told corny jokes to each other. Greenlee was surprised to see Zach tell a joke and laugh. Greenlee then asked Zach how much time they had left. Zach remarked that they had the rest of their lives.
Adam went to see Tad. Adam announced that he could help Tad find Kate. Tad was very skeptical and wanted to know what kind of a scam Adam was pulling. Adam said that he would find Kate if Tad gave up his custody suit for Jenny. Adam believed that he was helping everyone with this deal, but Tad disagreed. Tad called Adam a "baby seller" and refused to make a deal with him. Adam asserted that Tad would never find Kate without him and stormed out. Then, as Adam exited the house, he saw Julia and Cathy outside. Adam wished Cathy a Merry Christmas and left. Meanwhile, Tad called one of his contacts to inform him that there was new information on Kate that he needed to find. Then, Julia and Cathy entered to give Tad an invitation to Cathy's tea party.
Amanda comes to the Chandler mansion to brag about her newfound riches to JR, but is shocked when she realizes he does not know about the evidence she gave Adam. Amanda tells JR she is sure Adam will rescue JR again. But JR is not interested in any more of his father's help or Amanda's advice so she can remind him of his debt. Angrily, Amanda claims she doesn't care about the money and only ever wanted JR to respect her. JR apologizes for the way he treated Amanda, but she claims it is too late for them to make up. When JR lays a kiss on Amanda, she pushes him away, but in the end, does not resist. JR stops their romantic moment when the words Amanda told JR to get him to spill his sins on the tape come floating back. JR says he doesn't know why, but those words keep racking in his brain. Startled, Amanda rushes off.
As Janet rants about how she practically runs the hospital to Richie, Annie stops by. Annie says she wanted to see if her brother needed anything, but Richie hardly believes her noble actions. Richie tells Annie that not everyone - such as their father and late mother - would not believe he deserves to be in a mental institution. Annie disagrees, saying that mother committed suicide because she was ashamed of the monster Richie turned out to be. Richie says his mother always loved him, even if Annie thinks otherwise. Annie can hardly stand her happiness seeing Richie locked up, touting that Christmas a bit early for her this year. Annie says their fight is finally over, but when she walks off, Richie grabs her wrist tightly and says he will never let go of her. Annie rushes off, giving Richie a chance to tell Janet how badly his sister needs him. He asks Janet to help him break out of the hospital so he can care for Annie. As Annie rounds the corner to the elevator, she envisions Richie attacking her and her stabbing him. Janet makes a scene giving Richie a chance to sneak away in a doctor's uniform.
Jonathan and Ava talk about their wedding plans at The Comeback. As she jokes about how many plans Ava has for their wedding and rings off dates, Jonathan cuts Ava off promptly. He asks her bluntly why she is marrying him. Ava says it is because she loves him. But Jonathan wonders how she feels about JR, especially since her eyes light up when she is around him. Ava claims she does not have any feelings for JR, and if anything, Jonathan still cares deeply for Lily. Jonathan suggests they put the wedding on hold, making Ava think he does not love her. Jonathan says his love is not enough for either one of them and leaves.
Aidan awakens, but does not find Kendall nearby. She is outside the home, praying that Zach will give her a sign of where he is so she can find him. Aidan finds Kendall outside and tells her she should come inside. When he tries to take her inside, she breaks free from his grasp and immediately calls out Zach's name. Aidan reminds Kendall she needs to stay well, and not freeze, for the sake of her two children and Zach. Reluctantly, Kendall agrees to go back to the house until the snow melts. Once inside, Aidan finally snaps, saying Greenlee and Zach are not out there. But Kendall says the evidence of Greenlee's cell phone and Zach's sketch says enough. Aidan tells Kendall that he found a rock with Zach's blood, meaning that something more has happened to them. Kendall says that Aidan does not love Greenlee as much as he claims if he is willing to give up on her so easily. Aidan says they have to accept that Zach and Greenlee are gone.
Greenlee begins to panic when she thinks the snake venom is in her lungs. Zach says her lungs are fine, it is the lack of air supply that has taken a toll on both their bodies. Zach says their air supply has shortened because the ground above is probably covered in snow. As Greenlee reels off the fact they have no food or water, Zach tells her to stop worrying. He talks about his father and brother, mostly how he is glad he did not turn to be like them. In return, Greenlee recalls her childhood, mostly hanging out at parties without much parental guidance. As she gets tired, Zach encourages Greenlee to sleep, but she is worried she won't wake up again. He tells her to close his eyes and hands her "magic roots," which has turned into water. As Greenlee quenches her parched throat, Zach admits he was wrong about her. To keep warm, they huddle together under a blanket.
Greenlee told Zach that she knew they were in trouble when he started being nice to her. Greenlee then asked Zach what it was what like to die because he already died once as Alexander Cambias Jr. Zach said that he felt free when he framed his death. Greenlee asked Zach what it would feel like when she began to die. Zach assumed that "you no longer feel the person that makes you whole." Then, Zach held Greenlee in his arms as he looked up and whispered, "I'm sorry Kendall."
Aidan bluntly told Kendall that Greenlee and Zach were dead. Aidan asserted that they were now looking for "something to bury." Kendall did not want to believe this and began to scream and cry. Aidan grabbed Kendall by the face and looked into her eyes. Kendall was still sobbing as Aidan consoled her. Then, they kissed and embraced. This led to them making love on the floor of the cabin. Afterwards, Kendall turned away from Aidan coldly. Kendall felt that they were bad people for mourning their loved ones this way. Then, Kendall saw under the bed the tube that had the bomb shelter markings on it.
Amanda was on her yacht. Amanda was watching the video of JR confessing all of his sins. Amanda opened champagne and toasted the Chandlers for making her filthy rich. Then, Amanda pulled a diamond encrusted stocking out of a shopping bag. Amanda's gleeful disposition soon turned sad as she lay on her bed alone.
The Miranda Center was hosting a Christmas party. Tad saw Krystal and chastised her for making Adam her legal advisor. Krystal did not know about Adam's visit to Tad, so she was confused. Tad told Krystal to ask Adam about the deal he tried to strike. Meanwhile, Babe got a call from JR. JR thought he was starting to remember the night he supposedly hit Zach. Babe said she was coming over and Krystal joined her. Meanwhile, Annie and Ryan brought Emma to the party. Annie soon admitted to Ryan that she visited Richie. Annie wanted to rub it in that she finally had the upper hand; however, this backfired because Richie was able to "get in her head" again. Ryan assured Annie that Richie could not harm them as long as he was in the psych ward. Then, Ryan got a call informing him that Richie escaped from the hospital. Also, during the party, Jack invited Ryan and his family to spend Christmas at his house. Ryan agreed that despite their problems, everyone needed to be together for the holidays. Meanwhile, Stuart entered the party dressed as Santa. All of the children cheered and lined up to sit on his lap.
Krystal and Babe arrived at the Chandler mansion. Krystal immediately asked Adam about the deal he tried to make with Tad. Adam explained that he offered to help Tad find Kate if Tad dropped the custody suit. Krystal wondered if Adam really knew Kate's location, but Adam lied and said no. Krystal was upset that Adam used Tad's missing daughter as bait. Adam stated that Tad would do anything to keep Jenny. Adam asked if Krystal was willing to do the same. Meanwhile, JR told Babe that he faintly recollected being with Amanda the night of the accident. Still, JR could not recall anything else. Babe affirmed her confidence that JR was innocent. This made JR feel better. JR then told Babe that he loved her and she reciprocated. Then, Babe allowed JR to spend alone time with Little Adam and left the mansion. As Babe arrived at her home, Richie appeared and asked for help.
After breaking out of the mental hospital, Richie goes to Babe's house looking for a place to hide out. But to his surprise, Babe refuses to let him stay because she has Little Adam there with her. When he starts to walk away, Richie staggers to the floor so Babe immediately rushes to his side and lets him come inside. As soon as Babe begins to call the paramedics, Richie is on his feet to object. Babe demands Richie tell her the truth or else she is calling the police. Richie admits he blames Annie for many things and came to Pine Valley to get back at her. Babe suggests he leave town, but Richie doesn't want to walk away from Babe. She offers to make him dinner while he showers. After Richie is cleaned up, he is surprised to find Ryan at the door after getting a call from Babe.
Annie stops Ryan from calling Derek so she can have extra police protection with Richie on the loose. Annie says she wants Richie to find her so she can kill him, just like he wants. But Ryan tries to convince Annie they should let the police handle the situation.
Krystal makes an appointment with a top-dollar attorney. She tells Adam she is confident she will win custody of Jenny. After she leaves, Erica stops to rant about how Krystal nearly ran her over outside. Even more, Erica says she is horrified that Adam is back together with Krystal, simply so he can stick it to Tad. Adam jokes that perhaps Erica is a better match for Tad now that she and Jackson are history. Erica will not acknowledge that she and Jackson are broken up, leading Adam to believe he is right. Adam says he would not be upset if Zach turned up dead. Erica said he wouldn't be so happy if JR was behind bars, but Adam gloats about how he has evidence to clear JR's name. Erica tells Adam that is more concerned about Krystal's custody battle than helping Kendall find Zach. Adam says Erica knows all about being selfish considering she tried to get Greenlee committed to a mental hospital. Erica finally admits she and Jackson are over, but Adam finds it hard to believe she has given up on Jackson so easily. She rushes out, but not before warning him to stay away from Tad and Jenny. Adam tries to get in touch with Krystal but has no luck.
Aidan and Kendall look at a map closely and discover Greenlee and Zach may be hiding in a nearby bomb shelter. They zip on their coats up, hurry outside and dig through the snow to find the entrance for the bomb shelter. Aidan has trouble lifting the lid because it is frozen. Finally, he pulls it off and they call for Greenlee and Zach but get no answer. When Aidan looks down the entrance with a flashlight, he sees a lifeless Greenlee and Zach. Aidan thinks they are dead, but Kendall refuses to believe it. They go back to the cabin to call an ambulance, but the phone is dead. Quinton comes in and offers to help rescue Greenlee and Zach. Aidan lowers himself to the bottom of the bomb shelter with a rope. Immediately, he rushes over to Greenlee and Zach, who both have pulses. Greenlee is pulled up first, but Aidan has to administer CPR when she stops breathing. Impatiently, Kendall insists she go down herself to get Zach. When she makes it to his side, the walls start crumbling inside the shelter.
Tad goes to the chapel and is surprised to find Father Clarence has returned for his annual Christmas visit. He comes inside, after confessing he got a bit lost while driving around with Jenny. He thinks it is strange to find Father Clarence again. Reluctantly, Tad allows Father Clarence to hold Jenny and place her in a manger to rest. Moments later, Krystal rushes into the church after getting a flat tire. She sees Jenny in the manger and immediately they begin to bicker about Tad taking Jenny out for a drive in the cold. Father Clarence breaks up the fighting by asking Tad and Krystal what they feel for Jenny and why. Krystal says the way she loves Jenny is indescribable, and the best feeling in the world. Tad agrees that Jenny has touched him in the same exact way. When Jenny gets fussy, Krystal suggests Tad sing to her. They begin to sing together, stopping at the line "Please don't take my sunshine away." With tears in their eyes, Krystal and Tad admit they are both good parents to Jenny. They agree not to try to take Jenny away from each other just as Father Clarence disappears. Krystal finally agrees that Jenny does not belong near Adam and promises to keep her away from him. When Krystal opens her purse, she finds a mysterious piece of paper.
After rigging a rudimentary pulley system and getting Greenlee out, Aidan prepares to go back into the bomb shelter to get Kendall and Zach out to safety. Quentin volunteers to go in after them, citing Greenlee's need for her man. Aidan agrees and the quickly alters the harness to send him down. Once he reaches the surface, Quentin tells Kendall that she should go up first so that they spend less time adjusting the capacity of the harness. She immediately tells him that since he doesn't know her, she should be honest - he won't win a fight with her, so he needs to prep the harness to send Zach up first. Quentin gives in easily, and does as she asks. As Aidan hoists Zach up the final few feet, the fragile walls crumble a bit more, and Quentin yanks Kendall to the ground before they can be hurt by the falling rock. She thanks him for saving her, and then says that they should go up together when the rope comes back down. Knowing that their contraption wouldn't support the weight of both of them, he plays along with her until he gets her secured and then signals Aidan to lift her out. When she gets to the top, she is frantic, telling Aidan that they need to hurry and save Quentin before the walls completely give. Aidan sends her over to keep a close eye on her husband and former best friend while he sets to work, getting the young man out just before the shelter collapses in on itself completely. Because they can't get their van to that spot in the woods, Aidan agrees to carry Greenlee while Kendall and Quentin drag Zach on a sled. They get to the road and get the injured into the back without much trouble, and head off to the hospital. On the way, Kendall apologizes to an unconscious Greenlee and tells her that she must get better because there are many things that Kendall needs to make up for.
At the Chandler mansion, Adam unthinkingly offers JR a drink when his son joins him in the living room. Irate, JR picks up the decanter of booze and tosses it against the door, smashing the bottle and splashing the contents all over. Adam apologizes for his insensitivity but the damage is already done. His son reminds him that he is not in the house by choice and cannot get his life back to himself while living there. The front door blows open, much to their surprise, but when Adam checks into it, no one is there. He shuts it again and promptly forgets the incident. Then, trying not to take things too personally, Adam asks what else is on his mind. JR confesses that the night he blacked out has been weighing heavily on him because while he has been able to recall a few things, nothing is fitting together. Adam suggests that maybe JR is pushing himself too hard, and that things might come back more readily if he just took his time. Angry at the idea because it seems that Adam is more concerned with keeping his son in the house than clearing his name and the charges of manslaughter, JR insists that he needs to take a walk. Adam warns him against it, but JR doesn't believe that his father will turn him in for violating the terms of his house arrest, and walks out. Adam intends to go with his son, but by the time he gets his coat on and gets to the door, Father Clarence has appeared in his path. Anxious to catch up to JR, Adam tries to dismiss the priest by saying that he had already made several charitable donations. The Father finds this amusing, and invites himself in, intent on talking about two different matters altogether. Adam is irritated at having to entertain the Father's quirky notions but is unwilling to turn him away. He is drawn in when Father Clarence mentions the DVD that could clear JR and the adoption papers he has on Kate, and is stunned when asked why he hasn't gift wrapped and handed out the two best gifts he could give. Adam doesn't feel he owes anyone an explanation, so the Father takes another tack. He reminds Adam of how his father had been long gone when his mother passed away at this time of the year, and says that he has the power to deliver the kind of love and care that his mother would have given to him, as well as Stuart and Charlotte, had she survived. He also tells the mogul that it was a year ago that Kathy lost the only parents she'd known and notes that it would be a wonderful Christmas miracle if he could give both her and Tad that connection. He is rattled by the knowledge the Father has, especially given that it is not commonly known. He plays along with what is suggested until he can escort the clergyman out of his house. After placing the disc and the papers back in his vault, and obscuring its location once again with a painting, he goes back to the drink he'd abandoned, muttering about how no one has the right to tell him what to do or how. He is shaken when he looks over at the couch and sees the adoption papers he had just locked away laying on one of the seat cushions. He looks sharply back at the wall and sees that his vault is open once again.
JR makes his way to the graveyard and visits his mother's plot. He apologizes for all the things he had done to screw up his life since she'd passed away. He confesses that the worst of all was his relapse into drinking, which not only has him facing criminal charges, but is also nothing for his son to look up to. He tells her that he needs to remember what happened the night Zach had been run down so that he can clear his name, but had been unsuccessful so far. He stands up to leave, and then words come flooding back. He hears Amanda's voice in his head asking him to tell her every bad thing he'd ever done. Images flood back after that, and he can finally see clearly in his mind's eye what happened that night. He falls to his knees in gratitude, thanking his mother for helping to save his life.
To Richie's surprise, Ryan shows up at Babe's condo, intent on taking him back to the psych ward. Babe admits that she called Ryan and said that she felt she had no choice. Although she wants what is best for Richie, she has to put her son first, and didn't think it was right to have to explain yet another thing to her already confused three year old. Richie insists that he isn't going anywhere with Ryan, and wants to try to explain things to Babe. She doesn't want to hear it, and asks him simply to go. The police show up, and Babe is immediately angry, thinking that Ryan called them. Richie quickly admits that he placed the call, and said that he'd had a change of heart and didn't want to cause her any further pain. After talking for a few more minutes, Derek and his men haul Richie back to Pine Valley Hospital. Once they are alone, Babe doesn't give Ryan time to talk before assuming that he wants something else from her. He tells her that he simply wishes for her to take care of herself, which amounts to staying away from Richie. He tells her that he finally saw what his wife did - the glimmer of humanity that comes out in Richie when he is around Babe - but feels that his propensity for working an angle around everyone else is still too dangerous. Babe all but mocks him, reminding Ryan that he is no stranger to conning people, and cites his request that she get more information out of Richie at Thanksgiving. Ryan apologizes and admits that it wasn't a smart move on their part, and genuinely expresses concern for her. He reminds her that Richie can get into your head and before you know it, he has whomever he wants on his side. Knowing that she is still very upset, he reiterates that he just wants her to stay safe and then abides by her wish for him to leave.
The van arrives at Pine Valley Hospital, and Aidan, Quentin and Kendall procure help and get Greenlee and Zach inside. Joe takes a cursory look and immediately starts dispensing orders for their care. Zach is alert enough to tell them about Greenlee being bitten by a snake, and about the fact that she stitched him up and saved him from bleeding to death. Derek shows up with Richie shortly thereafter, and the chief of staff quickly updates him on the current condition of Greenlee and Zach. To Richie's horror, Derek tells Joe that as soon as they are well enough, he will want to talk to them to find out what happened to them in the woods. Richie flashes back to hitting Zach and obscuring the bomb shelter from sight, and worries that his misdeeds will be discovered. His panicked train of thought is interrupted when they roughly restart his progression back to the ward. A short time later, with Zach and Greenlee settled into their cubicles, Kendall asks if Zach will be able to go home soon. The technician tells her that some more tests need to be run but that their goal is to get him home as soon as possible. He leaves them, and Zach asks after the boys. Kendall tells him that although they have been missing him, and even Spike with his recent surgery, they are doing fine.
In the other cubicle, Joe delivers the devastating news to Aidan that Greenlee is severely dehydrated and that her kidneys are starting to shut down. Just then, Greenlee flatlines, throwing the entire medical team into action.
JR gets to the yacht and bursts into the sleeping quarters as if he still owns the joint. He rouses a sleeping Amanda, who is angry at having been disturbed. He wastes no time in telling her that he now remembers everything that happened the night Zach was run over.
