Stephanie meets Kayla in her office to figure out what to do about the hospital causing the blackout. Then EJ saunters into the room and

they put him on the spot to find out how to respond. EJ’s already on top of it, so Stephanie goes to get the statement out.

But he’s not interested in talking about the blackout anymore with Kayla. He’s just annoyed to learn that Kayla was holding a Q&A for

 

 

“Anastasia” in her office instead of running the hospital. Kayla’s aghast — she’s not a romance writer! But she’s also annoyed he’s monitoring her computer.

Being a smut writer is bad for the hospital’s reputation, he insists. While they’re fighting over it, Stephanie comes back in to come clean. “My mother is not Anastasia Sands. I am.” Whaaat? Shocked expressions all around.

 

 

That solved, Kayla has to get to work, but not before telling her daughter how proud she is. (But let’s see how long before she realizes she was reading intimate details pulled from Stephanie’s actual life.)

EJ loosens up as Steph realizes, despite his protests, he did read her book. She just wants to know he’ll keep his mouth shut — which he will. Adding a mild threat to stay on his good side.

 

Sophia leaves the dorms, thanking Ari for letting her sleep on the floor. Holly, meanwhile, goes full sleepwalking arsonist when she rolls over and knocks her candle into the trash. Which is why dorms typically ban candles.

At the same time, a panicked Brady reaches Tate in the dorm, having waited until the blackout was over to get to his son, despite insisting he was freaking out over not hearing from him. (Seriously, is not traveling while the power’s out really a thing? The parking garage may have been stuck, but if Brady was that worried, he could have taken a rideshare!) A groggy Tate insists he’s fine, then the fire alarm goes off.

 

 

They smell smoke, which makes sense since Holly’s room is so full of it, you can’t see anything! Tate finds Ari heading back from the bathrooms, while Brady gets to Holly’s room and sees smoke billowing out. Guess they decided to divide and conquer?

The teens race to Holly, but Brady’s already putting out the trashcan fire with an extinguisher. They all convene as Brady picks Holly up and rushes her to the hospital. While they wait for news, Brady realizes Tate’s hungover and rakes him across the coals since he’s the kid of two addicts.

Kayla comes out and tells the guys that Holly will be fine, then she and Brady talk about the whole DNA test thing once Tate’s gone to try talking to his ex.

Is This the End of Johnny and Chanel’s Adoption?
Johnny and Chanel, meanwhile, are finishing up preparations for the social worker, only for her to arrive almost an hour early. Surprise! Just like with a baby, gotta keep on your toes. It all starts out swimmingly, but then she breaks out the letter Sophia dropped off and reads it — while Sophia sits in the park and reads it to herself, too!

Then she sends off the photo of a passed out Holly’s cleavage. Again, Sophia’s just become horrible. As the social worker gets to the student relationship part of the letter, Holly’s photo pops up on Johnny’s phone on the table. (Does that thing not lock?)

Johnny hides it, but the social worker wants to see the phone, and Johnny hands it over. “Oh. Oh!” It’s all over. Chanel snatches the phone and freaks out, at which point the social worker decides it’s time to leave.

In the Show’s Final Moments
Stephanie and EJ agree that they both need each other just as Kayla gets back to her office. EJ will keep her secret and Steph will be a “steadfast ally.” At Holly’s bedside, Tate tries apologizing for everything, but she’s not in a forgiving mood. There’s no going back, near death or not.

Ari’s still in the hallway, just sitting on the floor in her robe, no one else around, when Sophia comes back to learn about the fire. She then goes right back to deer in the headlights when she hears Holly’s in the hospital. She breaths again when Ari tells her Holly will be fine. But there’s more bad news. This happened around nine — you know, when Holly supposedly sent the photo.

Chanel, meanwhile, has no desire to listen to anything Johnny says, blaming him for ruining everything — again! And at the hospital, Kayla tells Brady Tesoro is not a match. Tate’s not his father! (So who is? We’re pretty sure we know here!)