Episode 1496

Aired: Monday March 19, 1972

In a repeat of Friday's close, Vicky stands in the lit up west wing room, sometime in the future. She turns to see Harrison, standing before her looking worried. "Harrison!" she says. "How...how did you...." Harrison says "It's difficult to explain quickly. But if you're here, you must have crossed over accidentally during my experiments." Vicky says "Experiments? What sort of experiments?" Harrison answers "Experiments in time. It all began back in your time, in 1972. Somehow, the fabric of time itself was torn, and that rip grew and multiplied, opening up enough rifts through different time bands that Collinwood itself will cease to exist in my time unless I find a way to stop the process in yours." Vicky says "All the different rooms in the west wing... each one opening to a different time and place..." Harrison says "Exactly. And all overlapping. Just the way our two worlds are overlapping now, when I tried simply to reach back into your time and close a rift focused on this room. I didn't think anyone would be in here." Vicky says "You're going to close up the world that exists in this room, in my time?" Harrison says "Yes, I must." Vicky says "No! You can't! At least not yet, not until I get back there, one more time!" Harrison wonders what she means, as we cut to outside the room, where Brian has been listening to everything they have said.

After the titles, Harrison tells Vicky that traveling "between the alternating worlds that have been opened" can be "quite dangerous." Vicky says that she has seen the "same alternate world" more than once, and has already been there. "You make it all sound so random, but there was something, someone that drew me to that particular place." Harrison nods. "There was a theory... somehow the perception of such places has something to do with your own mind. What you want to see, what thoughts in your subconscious might be triggering... this someone that you mention...someone important to you?" Vicky says "Yes, very much. Someone who needs me." Harrison answers "That certainly makes sense. But it doesn't change what I must do, in your own world of 1972, the one I left to return here." Vicky looks around and then studies the portrait of David. "This is so strange....looking at the portrait of a man that I only know as a boy. When is now?" Harrison smiles, and says "To you, a possible future. To me, a world that must be protected in the past. The source of the disturbance is back in your world, somewhere in Collinwood, perhaps in this very room. I must return there with you and close the fissure, or else it might tear Collinwood and all of the realities apart." Outside, Brian has been listening in fascination. "What sort of secrets does this house hold...." Brian thinks as he looks at Quentin's portrait. "Perhaps if my plans fail here, there may be a way to escape into one of these other worlds that fellow mentioned....a possibility to be sure...." Vicky continues "If you can take me back to my world, then you can take me to Burke! You can help me bring him to my world as well!" Harrison thinks a moment and then answers "Yes, Miss Winters. I can do what you ask." Outside the room, there are the sounds of footsteps. Brian hears them and grabs the portrait before ducking down a corridor. "I should make my exit while I can..." he thinks.

At Brian's laboratory, the lights come on. A very satisfied Brian enters with Quentin's portrait and places it against a wall. He smiles and thinks "Step one is now complete....the noose is tightening around your neck, Quentin...all I need for my success are a few other key ingredients...." Brian picks up the portrait and takes in around a corner. Next, we see him unlock the barred cell he had once placed Chris Jennings inside. He puts the portrait upon an easel inside of it and locks the bars with a chuckle. Back at Collinwood, Harrison tells Vicky that he must repair the holes forming through time once they return to 1972 by altering the room with his ring. "I can create the conditions for you to retrieve your Mr. Devlin once we return," he adds. Vicky looks around and regrets not being able to explore Harrison's time when Harrison says he will need to keep the secret of how they will return from her. Vicky is curious, but Harrison smiles calmly at her. "It's better you don't understand how that all happens. All you need to understand is to be with Mr. Devlin." Vicky thinks a moment and says "I never told you his last name...I only called him Burke. How did you...." Harrison shrugs and says "I really shouldn't say. Just trust me." Vicky smiles at him.

Quentin has been listening to Julia tell him about how Brian uses herbs to transform himself. "I've never heard of such a form of supernatural art," he says. Julia says that Angelique thought it was very old form of shamanism, and that they will need to do more research in order to fight him, especially "now that he's been threatening Barnabas." Quentin asks how, and Julia tells Quentin how Brian turned into a bat. Quentin is stunned, adding "And not just any bat, I'm sure..." Julia says that if Brian brought Barnabas' curse back, "there might be no way to save him." David enters the room, and the two of them clam up. David says that he overheard them talking, and they shouldn't keep secrets from him. "I don't see what telling you about dangerous stuff beyond your control can do," Quentin says. David says that he's read some things about Brian's "powers with those herbs" and "even asked Professor Stokes about it." Shocked, Julia said "You talked to Stokes? What did you tell him?" David tells Julia to relax, since he didn't "give away any secrets. But there might be a way to at least figure out how Brian does things. For instance, did you know that specific herbs lead to specific transformations, at least that's what my book said." Julia answers "We had been thinking that from something that happened the other night. What else have you found out?" David says "A few other things. Admit it, you both need my help." Quentin and Julia look at each other.

Harrison asks Vicky if she's ready, and she says she is. A storm suddenly starts to rage outside the window, with lightning flashing. "We'll need to hurry," Harrison says. "The storm may interfere with..." and suddenly Vicky stands in the darkened empty room of 1972. She looks around and calls for Harrison, but there is no answer. "What should I do..." Vicky thinks as an identical storm begins to rage outside the dusty window in her time. In a flash of lightning, she sees the gleam of the jeweled necklace she wore before to find Burke. She picks it up and takes a deep breath.