ANNIE’S STORY

Annie Douglas was a very beautiful and a very insecure young woman. She felt totally unloved by her father, Del Douglas. He paid a visit to her at the beach house she has leased with his money and knowing that she had dropped out of Law School, he told her that she had to find her own way in life, he wasn't going to support her any longer. Annie had to bring her Aunt Bette in to help her pay the rent on her very expensive beach house. Aunt Bette was the only real person that cared about Annie. Her own mother had left her when she was just a child. Through all the turmoil of growing up with a father that didn't have time for her, she was one that could find trouble wherever she went. In college she fell in love with Ben Evans but Maria, her closest friend in the world, ended up with him, so she loved Ben from afar. But Maria died in a boat accident and Annie saw it as her chance to get him back. She wasn't going to let some corn girl like Meg Cummings, a new girl in town from Kansas, steal him from her, or anyone else for that matter. Annie went to pay a visit to the hotel where her father was to ask him to help her for just a little longer, but when she got there her father was dead. Annie was scared and left his room immediately. She knew that she would be the first person they thought of when they were trying to find out who the killer was. That's exactly what happened. Annie was arrested for the murder of her father. She was so scared and claiming to be innocent, tried to escape a few times. But she got caught every time. On the way to county jail she was almost raped, but managed to get away. Annie found all kinds of weird places to hide in. She knew that her uncle Al Kennedy, one of Bette's seven ex-hubbies) had passed away and she decided the way to get out of town was to hide in his coffin which was supposed to go to New Orleans. But instead it was really headed to the crematorium as no one had the money or inclination to send his body back to the South. Annie was caught in the fire of her life. With Annie's luck she was saved by the bell. She was thought to be dead and therefore she was able to see what everyone was saying about her at the memorial service Ben and Bette had organized. She actually cried because she didn't think anyone really cared about her. Annie chose to stow away at Ben's house. She didn't last too long though cause Ben caught her. He was so happy to see her that he promised her that he wouldn't tell anyone that she was alive, but she was told to stay out of sight. But the Annie we all know couldn't handle that simple statement. She was so jealous of Meg that she was determined to make life hell for her. Annie dressed in clothes that looked like Meg (who knew she was alive and went along with it, more for Ben than for Annie) and went all over Sunset Beach. One day her Aunt Bette caught her and she thought for sure that she was seeing a ghost. Annie was so happy to have her aunt know she was alive; she needed her so very much. Bette knew that there was no way that Annie could have killed Del and she and Ben were going to prove it. Annie wouldn't go to jail for something that she didn't do. Things were happening so fast on the outside that Annie didn't know that Elaine Stevens had admitted that she was the one that killed Del Douglas. That day the detective, Ricardo Torres, came to Ben's and saw Annie through the window and tried to get in the house. She thought he was there to take her back to jail so Annie took off. She saw a few cops and thought they were all after her, so she threw herself off the lifeguard tower. Casey Mitchum, the lifeguard and Ben jumped in to save her. She was fighting them so hard and tried to get away. It was only when she was brought to the shore that she found out that she was cleared of her father's murder. Annie was ecstatic, that is, until she was told who really killed her father. Once she knew, Annie was clearly very upset. She felt that Annie had cheated her of having a father. She felt that she could have had him come around once she had talked to him. But that was never to be. As eccentric as Del was, he did not leave a written will, but instead taped himself and laughed, knowing that he's be dead when they watched it. The showing of the tape was held at the Richards' house, and Annie's own father had been so cruel as to leave her nothing. He left everything to Olivia Richards, his latest mistress and also the wife of his best friend and attorney Gregory Richards. Annie once again felt cheated and neglected by her own dead father. She tried to sue Olivia claiming she had tricked Del, but nothing came of that. Gregory knew there was something that Del had left his daughter, some stocks in the Liberty Corporation in which Ben, Annie and Gregory himself all had an equal share. But Gregory kept this secret to himself.
    Annie, feeling defeated, decided that she was going to get rid of Meg and take Ben for herself. After all, she was the one that had waited until Ben was free. That is to say, four years ago Ben's wife, Maria, had died and he could not get over her, no matter what Annie said or did. And then this country girl, Meg Cummings, shows up from nowhere stealing Ben right from under Annie's nose. Annie decided she wasn't going to let that happen. Besides, she was broke; she needed a rich hubby. And that's exactly what Ben was, and he lived right next door. Anyway, Annie tried everything to get Ben and Meg apart, even getting Tim Truman, Meg's high school sweetheart and ex-fiancÈ, to help her in her evil deeds. They almost succeeded once when Annie gave Ben a post-hypnotic suggestion, whenever Meg would call Ben by his name, he's answer by calling her back Maria. It was perfect. It would convince Meg that Ben wasn't over his dead wife, no matter how many times he claimed to be. Meg did not want to be a substitute and live in Maria's shadow for the rest of her life, so she went back to Ludlow, Kansas with Tim, who offered her a shoulder to cry on. But little did Annie know that Ben would find out about the subliminal idea she had given him, and go running straight to Meg. She still thought all was not lost, yet anyway. So Annie went flying to Kansas to try to fix things for her own benefit. It didn't really work. Annie then, had a short fling with Tim, but they never got anything serious going, or even slept together. She had to face reality: she wasn't going to be the next Mrs. Evans after all. And she was all alone, again.

Annie found out from her attorney, Charles, another one of Bette's ex-hubbies, that there was a codicil to her father's will. She had to marry Gregory Richards by June 30th, 1998 in order to get her shares of the Liberty Corporation. Annie set her mind on doing just that. It was a way of getting a little part of her inheritance that was taken away from her and she would become the wife of Gregory Richards, the richest and most influential man in Sunset Beach. At the time Olivia was pregnant, expecting a son that was to be named Gregory Richards, Jr. Annie knew that if Olivia had the baby she would never be able to steal Gregory from her. Annie started getting more acquainted with Gregory. She convinced him that Olivia had started to drink again and bit by bit seduced him into the bed, too. At the same time Caitlin Richards, Gregory's daughter, had been pregnant with Cole's baby and Gregory had it all planned so that she would be taken to a clinic and told the baby was dead. Caitlin found out about that and as she was running to Cole, upset out of her wits, arguing with her mother, there was an accident and she lost the baby. Annie began becoming Caitlin's friend and when she found out Cait had lost the baby but still kept pretending she was pregnant cuz she couldn't tell Cole, Annie promised she'd help. It was only a way to get closer to Gregory. Caitlin understood Annie's promise that Annie would get the baby for her. Annie was in trouble. She couldn't let Caitlin down, cuz of Gregory, and then she got a great but cruel idea. Gregory inspired her himself. Annie had it all planned out. She'd take Olivia's baby; give it to Caitlin, Olivia's own daughter, and Olivia would be told the child had died. Caitlin knew what she was doing was illegal, but she didn't know the baby she was getting was actually her own brother. She only knew what Annie had told her, that the baby's mother just couldn't raise the child and wanted to make sure that he could be with someone who could give him whatever he needed. All was set, except Annie wasn't sure when the baby would be born. She sought the help of a Dr. Brock by blackmailing him and thus she actually put her plan in action. Annie bribed Olivia to come to the cabin where she was waiting, by blackmailing her (something Annie does best), saying the awful secret would come out ñ Gregory would find out Cole and her affair. Olivia, not knowing who was on the other end of the phone, knew she had to go cuz she didn't want Gregory to find that she had slept with Cole. Olivia found the cabin and as she walked in Annie injected her with a labor-inducing drug and soon Olivia was in labor. Annie was as scared as the drugged Olivia was. Dr. Brock was supposed to deliver the baby, but he didn't make it, and Annie delivered the baby herself. She allowed Olivia to hold him one last time, before she took the baby boy. It was then that you actually saw Annie with a heart. She was feeling guilty that she had stooped to this level, but she had to have Gregory at all costs She was good at getting what she wanted, when she wanted it bad enough. Annie took the baby and gave it to Caitlin, who then, with Sean and Annie's help, got to the hospital and evaded all the medical checks. Cole showed up and they were at last a happy family. In the meanwhile, Dr. Brock took care of the rest. He took Olivia to the nearby hospital telling her, her baby had died in childbirth, but she knew she had heard her baby cry. Gregory was mad. Olivia had gone to the very doctor he had planned to use to take away Caitlin's baby, and then she lost the baby and on top of that Dr. Brock told him Olivia had signed the papers to have the baby cremated. It seemed very suspicious to him especially that Olivia couldn't remember anything and didn't actually know why she had gone to Dr. Brock and the rest of the story. And then Annie convinces him that Olivia had been drunk at the time and that's why she can't remember anything. Gregory had no trouble believing her and started treating Olivia badly. She moved out, to Annie's beach house, which actually belonged to her. Olivia filed for divorce. She and Gregory, after a lot of fights, arguments and discussions (he was hesitating about signing the final papers), finally got a divorce and it was Annie's chance to step in. she started by showing Gregory what a real woman wanted. She had to work fast as June 30th was approaching quickly, exactly on that date she got Gregory to propose. They quickly flew to Las Vegas and she almost missed the time limit cuz he wanted her to sign a prenuptial agreement. At first Annie was against it, but as she saw the clock ticking away she quickly signed it without reading it. Poor Annie had signed over all of her rights to the Liberty Corporation stocks to Gregory. He had known all along why she had wanted to marry him and went along with it, tricking her in the process. But over time Annie really fell in love with Gregory, which did her more harm than good.

Soon enough Annie found out that she had signed over her stocks in the pre nuptial agreement and she was furious. She couldn't believe Gregory had done that to her. At around that time Tim was still trying to get Meg up. He just couldn't give up. He had an accident and was left nearly paralyzed, but needed therapy every day. That's how he met a patient at the hospital, her name was Dana and she had amnesia. She even knew it wasn't her real name, but that's the name of the convent near which she was found. Tim and Dana became friends, but one day he found Annie's scrapbook with a picture of his friend Dana and Annie. On the back it said Annie and Maria. That's when he got a great plan, he'd use Ben's (presumed) dead wife to get Meg back. She was bound to stir up Ben's feelings and that would drive Meg away. But in the meanwhile Meg had become Dana's friend too. She was trying to help her in getting her memory back, and Dana had no one else in the world, Meg felt sorry for her. One day when Annie came to visit her ex-partner in crime she saw her dead best friend and fainted. Tim tried to convince her she had dreamt it, but she knew she hadn't. Annie was thrilled to find out that her best friend was alive. She was so excited cuz she never found another friend and certainly not a best friend. She wanted to tell Maria and help her, but Tim bought her silence by giving her some Liberty Corporation stocks Gregory had given him cuz of his accident, it had happened on the company's property. The other bonus was that they were going to show Maria only on Ben and Meg's wedding day at the church. Annie still wanted her best friend back, but her will for revenge (on both Gregory and Meg) was greater. Though at the end Gregory somehow got her hands on the stocks. That time there wasn't as much result of her scheming as she had hoped.

Time passed and Olivia was starting to put the pieces back together about her baby. Annie was growing nervous, try as she might she wasn't going to be able to stop what was going to happen. Dr. Brock had told her the drug he'd given Olivia to forget could wear off if she had little things to remind her and trigger her memory. For that reason Annie had broken the music box which Gregory had given Olivia the day she got that phone call from Annie. But when Olivia cornered Annie in the bathroom at Trey's christening Annie spilled the beans. She told Olivia everything, how she stole her baby with the help of Dr. Brock, and that it was the same thing she and Gregory were going to do to Caitlin. She told her how, cuz of Olivia, Caitlin had lost her baby and that's why Annie had given Olivia's baby to Caitlin. Annie asked her if she could take that sweet baby away from her own daughter and risk sending Caitlin over the edge with Cole finding out and Caitlin not being able to give him any more children. Annie blamed the Caitlin's tragedy all on Olivia. Olivia knew she had been partly responsible and knowing it were possible that Caitlin could go over the edge she kept the fact that Trey was her son to herself. Annie had won that round, thank goodness, or was it?! Olivia had Annie under control now; she threatened to tell everyone what she had done. Annie knew that if that happened she would lose everything including Gregory.

More time passed, Trey celebrated his first b'day and then Francesca was killed. Cole was arrested for her murder and that is when the truth came out. Caitlin found out not only that her adopted son was her brother, but also that Cole slept with Olivia (Annie of course told them the latter.) She was totally devastated. Caitlin wanted nothing to do with her husband or her mother, she told Cole their marriage was over. As he heard the news, Gregory was livid, he found himself hating with a passion. He told Annie their marriage was over for good. Annie couldn't accept that and tried in every way to keep him. She found out he was arranging a paternity test to find out if he was Trey's father. Annie once again decided she was going to make sure that he wasn't found out to be the father so Olivia would pay. Little did Annie know that Gregory wasn't the father. Anyway, she brought in Russ, a high school geek, whom she pretended to like in order for him to help her. He agreed, in exchange for a date cuz he was infatuated with her. When it came time for her to pay up, our Annie just made sure that he wouldn't want to be around her. She set up a situation where she made it quite clear that he was trying to rape her. Boy, she could really call things close. When Gregory found out Cole was Trey's father he was determined to destroy both him and Olivia. But he kept it to himself needing Trey to continue his legacy.

Annie finally understood she couldn't get Gregory back and she hated him for humiliating her and making her love him. She hated him so much that she teamed up with Cole to catch Francesca's real killer; her believing it was Olivia cuz Francesca had tried to steal AJ from Olivia (she was hired by Gregory to do that). She got a wig and used a special device to disguise her voice, as Francesca's to play a special part, pretend that Francesca was still alive. She started tormenting Olivia, pretending to be Francesca, only to discover it was Gregory all along. In the power plant he came back to kill her again, and to make sure she stayed dead. That's when Annie blew her cover begging Gregory not to kill her. Finding out Francesca was still dead and that Annie knew his secret made him even more resolute in killing Annie. But then Cole showed up, they fought and struggled and as the police were approaching Gregory fled. He got Caitlin and Trey to come hide in the grotto with him, but Caitlin called Cole. She carefully dropped hints and later Annie helped Cole realize where they were hiding. Both of them went to the grotto, Gregory realizing Caitlin had betrayed him, once Cole and Annie got there, with a gun got out of the grotto and ran. Caitlin tried to stop Cole, but it was useless. He ran after Gregory who went to the peer and went up one of the lifeguard towers with Cole right behind him. Annie and Caitlin along with the passers by as Sean, Olivia and co. arrived watched the brutal encounter between the two sworn enemies. They fought on the top and then both fell off the tower. The lifeguards dived in and managed to save Cole and bring him to shore, but Gregory was nowhere to be found. The coast guard kept looking, but eventually he was assumed dead.

    Annie was shocked when she found out that her husband was presumed dead, she was scared he'd left her nothing in his will. She still did have hope so she was devastated when his will was read and all she was left with was a library of self help books, she was really taken aback. All her stocks were gone cuz she had signed away her right to them in the pre nuptial agreement. But she wasn't the only one left penniless. Sean was all together cut out of the will; Olivia only got alcohol, while Caitlin's inheritance was decided upon her actions. She could get a big part of the estate; all she had to do was get a divorce from Cole. Trey was named sole beneficiary, he was left with everything (and was only one year old!!!), but Olivia was named executrix of the will and that made Annie furious. She was desperate cuz she knew Olivia would kick her out of the house and ever since her Aunt Bette had found out she stole Olivia's baby and gave it to Caitlin she wanted nothing to do with her.  So Annie was once again all alone. But what nobody knew was that Gregory was still alive. He had made the will before having found out that Olivia had slept with Cole, so he had no intention of letting her deal with the money. He hid a newer will in his safe in the office. It was eventually found and his Uncle Tobias was named to be executor of the estate. Annie saw that as a ray of light in the horizon. She went off to London determined to be named executrix of Gregory's estate by Tobias and live happily ever after. But that was Olivia's thought exactly. She went to London too, with Cole and Trey. So the game began. Neither could convince Tobias to sign the estate over, not yet, they thought, so Tobias flew off with them from rainy London to sunny California. Annie tried everything in her power to get Tobias to think she really would take care of Trey and the estate, she even tried seducing him. But when she saw that Olivia was actually scoring more points with Tobias than herself she decided she had to do something, no matter the cost.

    Just in time, she found out that Amy Nielsen had given Sean a potion she got from Mrs. Moreau to get him to sleep with her. With that she blackmailed Amy and got her to take her to the voodoo woman, Mrs. Moreau. She paid the woman a big sum of money to make her a potion to make Olivia drink again. When Annie first gave Olivia the potion it didn't take so she was told to give it to her again. Annie did as she was told (one of the few times in her life) and as she was astonished to discover, it actually worked. Olivia had turned into a total drunk, and on her own birthday. It was so fun for Annie to watch Olivia's world come crashing down without her being able to do anything about it. Annie thought for sure that she had won. Caitlin and Sean had taken Trey to Europe to search for the lost Cole and AJ had given Olivia an ultimatum, him or the booze. Olivia, under the influence of the potion, chose the booze. Olivia was devastated, she couldn't figure out why she had such a strong craving for alcohol and why she couldn't stop. She realized she was all alone, without her children and the man she loved she had nothing else to live for. So she drank even more. Suddenly Annie couldn't take it any more, she didn't even get any satisfaction in screaming in Olivia's face that she was a total drunk and drove everyone around her away. She actually started feeling sorry for Olivia. Seeing her in such a pathetic state made her realize what she had done. Annie knew she had to fix what she had done, so she quickly went off to Mrs. Moreau's. But what she didn't know was that Tobias was following her, for he was sure Annie was somehow connected to Olivia's sudden relapse. Mrs. Moreau told Annie that if she had only given her the potion twice the effects would slowly fade away and Olivia would be back to her own self. Mrs. Moreau told her that if she gave Olivia even one more dose of the potion there'd be no turning back. She also said that she was proud of Annie and that if she can change there's hope for other people too. But Tobias stayed; he had a little chat with Mrs. Moreau, threatening her. The woman had to tell him about Annie's scheme.

    As soon as she got home, Annie threw the potion away knowing that she had lost and there was no turning back, but feeling proud of herself just the same. For the first time in her life she discovered she actually had a conscience. Annie didn't want Olivia to be an alcoholic anymore. But there was another reason too. Annie had inadvertently fallen in love, except she didn't know it just yet. She had met Jude Cavanaugh who she thought was going to take Gregory's place at the Liberty Corporation. She tried to get him to release her stocks, but Jude had other plans for her. Instead, he decided that Annie needed to work. Jude desperately tried to find a job for her, but none of the sections wanted her, so he arranged for her to be his personal assistant. Annie of course had no intention of working, she considered herself too good to do menial work like secretaries, that's what they were for there, weren't they?! (She hadn't forgotten she had once offered herself to be Ben's personal assistant, but she realized Jude would really expect work from her.) She didn't show up on her class on computers. She ignored all of his calls making him go mad cuz he was actually trying to help her. She didn't know why someone wanted to help her that much; besides, she was too busy trying to get named executrix of Gregory's will. Little did she know that she was finding herself attracted to Jude, even the first time they met when he literally saved her from being raped and possibly being killed. But he had acted like a total jerk then and she thought he was really like that. He pretended he was some tough guy from the street but once they sat down he became more civil. He even got her to order champagne, and when she turned around he was gone. Annie found herself once again in trouble cuz she didn't even have enough money to pay for the expensive champagne and the waiter wouldn't let her go. So she called Maria (who had in the meanwhile gotten her memory back and they were best friends again. But cuz they didn't hang out with the same people anymore, they didn't even hang out together much so neither knew much of what was going on in the other's life) and her best friend bailed her out. But neither had time to catch up so they again went their separate ways. Anyway, one evening he called her to his office. She only went to get him off her back and there he asked her why she didn't want him to help her. She broke down telling him that she was unlovable but Jude told her she was wrong. Annie of course didn't believe him cuz no man had ever truly loved her or even liked her for that matter. To show her that she's wrong Jude kissed her. Well, one think led to another and they found themselves making love on the office sofa at the Liberty Corporation. Jude asked her to spend the night with him. She was so surprised to hear that cuz no man had ever asked her that, she was going to say yes, but she remembered Olivia and that she still had work to do. She told Jude it wasn't his fault, but hers, said she had a date to keep and left. Jude was quite baffled by her sudden departure for he had really hoped he had gotten through to her. After that encounter Jude tried to be indifferent towards Annie, but he realized he couldn't quite. Later that night Annie found herself not being able to sleep thinking of him.

    On the other hand Jude had finally shown himself to Gregory. For Gregory had hired Jude to help him in his plan to get back at Annie and Olivia. Jude was supposedly the son that AJ never wanted to claim his own, though he was a father figure to the boy and helped Jude through his childhood and in his education. AJ was to Jude everything he was supposed to be to Cole except being named as the father. Gregory put Jude in charge of Annie asking him to work her. Jude said yes.

    After Gregory got back from Mrs. Moreau's he, as Tobias, told Annie that he had a change of heart and that he had reconsidered some facts. Tobias made her believe that he was going to tell her that he was making her the executrix of Gregory's will. Annie, not suspecting a thing but believing God had finally taken pity on her sad destiny and was giving her what she deserved, followed Tobias to some place more quiet for their little talk (only Olivia was in the house and not anywhere near. If Annie had thought a bit she would have discovered there was something fishy.). Anyway, they ended up at the power plant, Annie thought it very strange that he should bring her here and told him that that's exactly where she had fought GregoryÖ Tobias then turned on Annie that he knew all about the potion and Mrs. Moreau. She was appalled that he knew that she was responsible for Olivia's sudden relapse. She tried to get away, but Tobias caught her and lifted her up as a bag of potatoes, she struggled and that's when the wig came off. She had pulled it off accidentally and was now a meter away from him, shocked, realizing that Tobias was actually Gregory. She had at last unveiled Gregory's identity and a lot of mysteries had become clear for Annie now. But she was horrified to realize he was going to kill her now. As Annie was trying to run for the door, to her astonishment Jude showed up. She thought he was there to help he and leaned on him telling him what had happened and begging him to do something. As Jude just stood still Gregory started smiling. Annie panicked yelling at Jude to do something, but instead Jude and Gregory both started laughing out loud. Annie knew she was in real trouble now, even in her fantasies she could never have predicted something like this. From Gregory maybe, but not from Jude, she was distraught to find out it had all been a set up and now she'd be killed. One last time she tried to convince Gregory not to kill her, that he could lock her up for good and she'd never do anything to anyone again, ever. He told her he was intending to do that, but now she knew too much. Annie, desperate to stay alive (no matter how bad her life on Earth was, she had no intention of ending up like her daddy, shoveling coal in Hell, not yet, anyway), told Gregory she could help him back at Olivia and Cole, that she'd do whateverÖ But Gregory was firm, he asked Jude if he could do away with her, Jude confirmed, but then hesitated, saying he couldn't do it. That made Annie hope again, but it was only a false alarm. Jude first wanted his money first. As they got that done and over with, Gregory even giving Jude a generous bonus, Jude was ready to kill Annie. He kept looking at her, but did nothing. Gregory was starting to get impatient but then suddenly Jude turned and hit and kicked Gregory until he fell down, unconscious. Annie still thought Jude was going to kill her, it was his revenge. But then he told her he was actually Special Agent Jude Cavanaugh FBI. Annie was astounded. Jude then told her the whole story how he was working undercover being sent from Europe. The bureau had suspected for a long time that Gregory had been laundering money, but they could never prove it without having his bank account number. And Gregory had just given it up to them by calling the bank to have a large sum of money transferred to Jude's account.  Jude had it all on tape. It had all been a set up. He was actually very satisfied until all of a sudden Annie punched him real hard in the face. She felt totally used and was mad that he had lied to her. She thought he was only playing with her after all. Getting her that job and telling her she was worth something and then sleeping with her under false pretences... It was just too much for Annie. But Jude then told her he wasn't lying to her when they made love and that he really did care for her. In return she just yelled at him, saying that they only had sex and that he just used her to get information. Jude yelled at her not to tell him what they had, that he knew perfectly well what they had and to show her he cared about her, he kissed her. As they were kissing Gregory came to and hit Jude with a plank. Annie was once again afraid she was going to be killed and done over with for good but Gregory told her no matter how much he wanted to kill her he had no time. He had to get away before the police showed up. Annie had no intention of stopping him, apart from not being strong enough, she wasn't going to risk her life now that she had barely gotten out of the whole thing alive. But it wasn't over, not yet, anyway. Gregory opened the door and found Olivia standing there. Amy had told her it was Annie who gave her the potion so she would start drinking again. Rose told Olivia she saw Tobias and Annie drive to the Industrial site and Olivia knew the only place they could go was the power plant (she had quite a few meetings there with Annie herself) so she went there. Of course, Olivia recognized Gregory at once and was as shocked as Annie was the first time she saw that he was alive. While Annie was attending to the unconscious Jude, Olivia was trying to persuade Gregory into staying and surrendering. At first Gregory thought she was mad and he started leaving. Olivia went after him begging him not to do this to Caitlin, that he should surrender if he ever really loved her. That made Gregory hesitate and they kissed. Gregory did still love Olivia in spite of all the things he had done to her. The police sirens could be heard and Jude was coming to and Gregory finally decided to give himself up. Jude took Gregory away as the police arrived.

    Then Olivia turned to Annie. Annie just wanted to get out of there, but Olivia stopped her. She was furious with Annie that had been behind her drinking problem all along. She wanted to see Annie in jail for what she had done. Annie answered that she had gotten a conscience these past few days and that she didn't give her the last dose of the potion in order for her to stop drinking. But Olivia didn't want to let Annie go just like that – she realized they had come to an impasse.

    Annie was still feeling guilty about all the pain she had caused Olivia and she really wanted to make it up to her. She got another one of her ideas, but this one was really brilliant in every sense of the word. She decided she'd give Olivia back the thing she loved the most – he children. Jude knew exactly where to find them, but in order to convince them to come back Annie had to tell them it was her who made Olivia drink. That of course made them catch the next plane heading for California. In the morning AJ and Bette dropped by at Jude's and were surprised to see Annie there. But both were happy for her. Annie told her aunt that she had finally found what she wanted all her life – love – and she wasn't even looking when the guy was right in front of her. Annie tells Bette she has a surprise for Olivia, but a good one once Bette gets alarmed. In the meanwhile someone rings at the Richards' door and Olivia opens it seeing Caitlin and Trey. She is ecstatic; saying it's the best Christmas present she could've ever gotten. Sean shows up with Emily soon – they made up cuz she had found out what Amy did. Jude comes to make sure everything is all right and Olivia thanks him, but he doesn't take the credit. After all it had been Annie's idea and without her they wouldn't have come back. He tells her that and takes her to Vanessa and Michael's wedding. In the church Ben asks Meg to marry him since his divorce papers just got through. He even bought her the wedding dress. Vanessa and Michael are both thrilled it will be a double wedding.

    Annie is totally devastated to hear that Maria and Ben are divorced and that he'll marry Meg. Maria tells her it's OK, she had met a guy with a little daughter called Ross English just a few minutes before her mother, Madame Carmen predicted that she'll be spending her life with someone named English. As Meg's ready to go and get married, Annie, not telling Maria, shows up in the dressing room. Meg wants her to get out and for once in her life leave her alone. Annie, swallowing her pride congratulates Meg, saying she appreciates a fighter when she sees one, and after all, the best woman won. Meg can't believe what she's hearing. Annie tells her she knows they can never be friends, but that she's learned a couple of things in the past few days and if Maria can let things go, so can she. She wishes Meg luck and just as she's leaving she has one more thing to tell her. Meg knew there had to be a catch. Annie answers that if she gives Ben any trouble she'll be back in no time and it won't be pretty. Annie finally admits that Meg looks really lovely. Jokingly, and still skeptic about Annie's sudden change of heart, Meg asks, "Not too Kansas?" Annie smiles and answers, "Not too!"  Meg then decides that people really do change and that miracles do really happen.

    On the way to the wedding Olivia and Jude show up. Annie just wishes she could disappear. Jude leaves them alone and Olivia tells her she knows that she has to thank her for bringing her children home. She continues, "And I know that in order for them to come back you had to admit to them what you had done to me." Annie, still cold towards Olivia, not daring to look her in the eye, says "So that Caitlin and Sean can hate me as much as you do?!" Olivia answers, in a voice mixed with pity and modesty, "I don't hate you." There's still no reaction from Annie. Olivia, to brighten up the situation adds, "Not at the moment, anyway. Well, as long as I'm here I might as well attend this double wedding." Annie turns to her, surprised, "Do you think you can manage spending twenty minutes in there with me?" Smiling, Olivia answers, "Oh, I think I can!" "You know, people will talk when they see us walking in together," Annie says, not sure of what Olivia's trying to do. "Well, let's give them something to talk about, shall we?!" Both women laugh realizing that they have more in common than they thought, their sense of fun and humor being one of them. They walk into the chapel as the people watch them and sit one next to another. Seeing them, AJ comments that it shows that everything is possible in life.

    I think our Annie has finally grown up and that is thanks to Jude and the unconditional love he's provided and she so desperately wanted all her life and at last has found. As Ben & Meg and Michael & Vanessa exchange vows Jude and Annie get close together holding each other’s hand leaving the viewers sure that they, as well as everyone else in Sunset Beach, was in for a happy ending.

Written by IZZY, based on an original work by Sharon Shev and reproduced with kind permission of SARAH  BUXTON ONLINE. 

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