Seasons & episodes

When she is about to leave his apartment, Ricardo surprises Paula with an engagement ring. She is deeply touched by the sudden move and decides to take things slowly. Gabi sees the improvement in their relationship, and then barges into the apartment. Paula offers her to stay with them. Gregory offers Vanessa a job trip to Hong Kong and gives her 48 hours to decide about it. Elaine and Cole have a mother-and-son talk. Cole is wondering about why Elaine left him as a child and she tells him she thought he was dead. When Elaine finishes the story, she wonders if Cole can forgive her, but gets no response.

Ben has another nightmare and this time it's Maria leading him to her studio. Frightened, Ben wakes up and is about to unlock the door of the studio when Meg arrives. She's frustrated because he is always pushing her away. Ben loses it and goes upstairs. The doorbell rings again... and it's Meg's mother Joan, in Tim's company. Meg is surprised by their visit and Ben wants to know who they are. The doorbell rings again and it's Annie, who kisses Ben, much to Meg and Joan's surprise. Later on, Joan is questioning Meg about the painting of Maria, and it makes Ben lose it again. Rae is having hard time dealing with the fact that her parents won't talk to her. Vanessa confides in Rae about a job offer in Hong Kong.

Joan learns more about the death of Maria, and Tim explains further how things are going in Sunset Beach. Meg doesn't know how to react with her mother being in town. Annie pretends like she cares about what's going on. As soon as Paula exits, Gabi starts seducing Ricardo. Paula visits her mother. Gregory is shocked to learn that Cole St. John is actually Cole Deschanel, Elaine's son. Cole and Caitlin are keen on leaving town. Olivia tries to bribe Cole to stay, but he refuses the offer. Caitlin is about to leave when Gregory catches her.

Meg introduces Eddie to her mother. Ben sees Annie and Tim talking and realizes there might be something behind this. Tim accuses Ben of murdering Maria and Ben loses it again. Their fight is interrupted by Joan. Ben offers to give her a tour around the city. Gregory is surprised to find Caitlin's letter on her bed. He instantly believes that Cole kidnapped her. Olivia whispers something about the meeting at the grotto. Gregory wants to know if she knows anything about it. Olivia tells him she knew that Caitlin was back with Cole. While escaping, Caitlin and Cole are on the beach surrounded by the cops. They go back at the grotto and Gregory enters. Gabi is causing more trouble for Ricardo and Paula. Eddie tells Gabi that he knows about how she wants Ricardo.

Vanessa tries to make Michael realize that she wants him to prevent her from leaving to Hong Kong. She declines the job offer, but Michael buys her the ticket to Hong Kong at the same time. Virginia watches them from afar. Paula and Ricardo have a romantic lunch together. Gabi dreams of being with Ricardo. Eddie warns Gabi not to hurt Paula. Olivia and Bette visit Elaine in jail. Sean and Tiffany discuss about life. Gregory tries to convince Caitlin to return home with him, but after knocking him down, Cole and Caitlin leave the grotto on a white horse.

Michael is waiting at the airport for Vanessa, while she appears at Surf Central. She tries to persuade a flight attendant to contact the plane that left few minutes earlier and tells her all about Michael, but then Michael surprises her with a rose. Chief Harris is curious about Gregory's war against Cole St. John. Ricardo reads Caitlin's letter and confirms that Cole didn't kidnap her. Gregory confronts Olivia about giving Ricardo the letter. Olivia wants Gregory to trust her. Cole wants Caitlin to return back home, thinking that it's too dangerous to her. Paula and Cole have a talk about Elaine's trial. She wants him to stay, but he leaves.

Cole is angry to realize that Caitlin had hidden and came with him during the entire trip. He wants to return her back to Sunset Beach, but an officer stops them and wants to see Cole's identifications. Cole tells Caitlin that Gregory will probably find them soon. He speeds off with his car. Ben and Joan return home after the tour and Annie gives Joan a tour upstairs, making her interested in the locked room. Joan mistakes Rae and Casey for a couple when she comes with Meg to Surf Central. Jimmy is disgusted when Joan mistakes him, Michael and Virginia for a family. Vanessa appears and tells Michael she is going to leave to Hong Kong, much to his surprise. Jimmy is shocked and blames Michael for he fact that Vanessa is leaving Sunset Beach. Joan wants to know about Ben's intentions with Meg. After Meg assures her about loving Ben, she goes away with Ben and asks him about his intentions with Meg. When she asks him about his wife, Ben confesses to her that he might never be over her.

Michael has a talk with Jimmy about his real intentions with his mother. Virginia tells Michael that he should go away to Hong Kong with Vanessa. Michael is ready to do so, but she convinces him to stay in Sunset Beach. He is wondering if Vanessa thinks he has something to do with Virginia. Paula finds out that Cole is wanted by the Interpol. Eddie plays with Paula's mind when he warns her to keep an eye on Ricardo, especially now when Gabi is around. Gabi misreads Eddie's intentions and accidentally tells him the truth about the night she was with Ricardo. While being with Cole, Caitlin realizes she misses her home. She calls her father, but doesn't say anything. Gregory immediately wants to trace down the signal. When Caitlin calls Sean, Cole hangs up and tells her they need to move fast because Gregory probably has every mobile net tracking them down.

Michael and Vanessa try to spend some romantic time together before she leaves, but they are once again interrupted by Virginia and Jimmy, after which Vanessa leaves to Hong Kong. Casey receives a phone call from his mother and senses something is wrong with her. Rae is surprised to hear that Casey's mother exists. Casey and Rae are about to make love, but she stops, claiming that she isn't ready yet. Casey wants her to decide. Bette talks to Joan about Big Al, while Tim and Annie try to convince Joan that Ben is a murderer. Joan wants Meg to come back with her to Kansas, but she is determined to stay in Sunset Beach. Meg realizes that Annie is trying to make Joan believe things that aren't true. Meg finds the key to Maria's studio and goes upstairs. She unlocks the doors and finds a room full of paintings, red stains on the floor and splatters on the walls.

Wei-Lee returns to Surf Central and interrupts an intimate moment between Rae and Casey. He tells her that the Changs have forbidden any mention of Rae's name in their family. Meg is horrified of what she's seen in Maria's studio, and she comes downstairs where she bumps into Ben. Joan and Tim are worried when they hear a scream in Ben's apartment. Meg remembers leaving the key in the lock, so she goes upstairs and takes it out. Ben asks her if she found what she was looking for. Cole and Caitlin arrive at a hotel, and they must pretend being on their honeymoon so they could explain why they have no luggage. Cole has a nightmare about Olivia. Gregory vows to Olivia that he'll find their daughter.

Ricardo feels ready to tell Paula about the night she was abducted but Gabi interrupts them again, and Ricardo asks her to leave. Paula tells Gabi that she will accept Ricardo's proposal tonight. Gabi promises to herself that will not happen. Olivia tells Sean not to tell Gregory about Caitlin's call. Elaine is beating herself up with the fact that she wasn't a good mother. She then wants to talk to Olivia, to learn more about Cole's kidnapping. Gregory realizes that Olivia had a small fling with A.J. Deschanel in the past. Cole and Caitlin arrive at the house of his grandmas, Madame Julianna Deschanel. Julianna then tells him that she sent him to Sunset Beach to meet his real mother. He feels like she betrayed him, and Caitlin suggests they should return to Sunset Beach as soon as possible to save Elaine before the trial ends.

Meg returns to Ben's apartment to return the key from Maria's studio but she faces yet another chilling encounter with Ben. She accidentally cuts herself and the blood makes her think back to finding Maria's studio full of blood. Later, Meg is reluctant to grab some coffee with Ben and her mother. Caitlin, Julianna and Cole try to make a plan for Cole to return to Sunset Beach without getting arrested. Paula catches Gabi wearing her ring and Gabi makes up a lie to cover her actions. Annie advises Ricardo to tell Paula about the night she was kidnapped before Paula hears it from someone else. Gabi tells Paula that Ricardo was with someone else on the night she was kidnapped. Ricardo enters the room as they're talking.

Rae is shocked to find out that her parents disowned her. Ricardo confesses to Paula about being with another woman on the night she was kidnapped. Gabi wonders why Ricardo didn't tell Paula that Gabi was the woman who he was with. Casey and Paula have a friendly talk. Paula is not sure if Ricardo is being sincere to her. Casey tells Rae that she should go to San Francisco. Paula tells Ricardo she still needs some time to think. They both agree that Gabi should leave their apartment, and Gabi eavesdrops.

Ricardo wonders where did Gabi find the pictures of Paula and him. Trying to hide her real reasons, Gabi gives Paula the album of the pictures and makes up a silly excuse. A torn picture of Paula and Ricardo falls out and Paula wonders what happened. Gabi makes up another lie. Casey tells Michael he thinks Rae should go to her parents and be with Wei-Lee. Michael misses Vanessa. Gregory finally finds a trace on Cole, but Olivia wants him to stop the search. She tells him she doesn't want her family destroyed. Cole reads Elaine's old letter to A.J. Deschanel and decides to help her, without telling Caitlin.

Virginia organizes a picnic with Michael and Jimmy, but when Jimmy isn't okay with it, Michael invites Mark too. When Virginia asks him to go get ketchup, Jimmy meets Officer Ruiz and asks him if he should report a crime if he knows one. Virginia tells Michael that she doesn't want to leave his apartment. Meg has a nightmare about Ben wanting to show Meg the inside of Maria's studio. She wakes up and Ben does the same thing. Meg informs him that Joan will be returning back to Kansas. Joan wants Ben to promise her not to hurt her daughter. Meg enters the studio not realizing that Ben returned from his trip.

Julianna tells Caitlin a story about Armando Deschanel. Cole arrives in Sunset Beach and visits Elaine, keen on helping her in court. She wants him to leave town for his safety. Meg is in Maria's studio, wondering what really happened to her. The doors suddenly get locked and Meg thinks that Annie is playing with her. Meanwhile, Annie arrives at Ben's apartment and sees him staring at Maria's portrait. Ben drinks and breaks a glass on Maria's picture, while Meg finds Maria's diary in the studio.

Gregory arrests Cole. Caitlin comes back to Sunset Beach and tells Olivia that Gregory caught Cole. Gregory tells Caitlin to say goodbye to Cole, as he is about to be deported to Europe. Cole tells them that he slept with both Caitlin and Olivia, after which Gregory calls Olivia a tramp and Caitlin's heart is broken. However, Olivia wakes up and realizes it has all been a dream. Annie and Tim continue working on their plan, while Meg is reading Maria's diary. Someone unlocks the studio doors and Meg escapes. Meg blames Annie for locking her up, but Bette gives Annie an alibi for the whole night. Meg wonders if maybe Ben locked her, because he was the only one in the house the whole night.

Vanessa learns over the phone that Michael and Virginia are spending more time together when Jimmy answers her call. Michael wants to know what Jimmy told her, and then he, once again, tries to assure Jimmy that he doesn't have anything to do with his mother other than friendship. Rae tells Casey that she wishes she had married Wei-Lee and made her family happy. Paula wants Gregory to drop the charges against Cole. After talking to Caitlin, Gregory decides to drop the charges, but he gets angry when Caitlin decides to go away with Cole.

Meg talks to Mark about her fears concerning Ben. Gregory tries to convince Cole and Caitlin to stay home, but Cole refuses to accept the plea. He believes Gregory has a secret agenda. Gregory makes up a new solution for Cole when he receives a phone call from the judge's office. Meg returns to Ben's home and reads another section of Maria's diary. Annie and Tim watch her as she puts the key back. On the trial, Elaine wants to know where Cole is, but Gregory just makes a weird face move. Meanwhile, Caitlin waits for Cole under the pier, while he is handcuffed to a jet, unconscious.

Casey's heart is broken when Rae finally decides to leave Sunset Beach and have a new life in San Francisco. He begs her to stay with him, but Wei-Lee comes to pick her up, and after a tearful goodbye, she leaves. Gregory tries to convince Elaine to testify herself because Cole is nowhere to be found. Cole manages to free himself. Caitlin informs Julianna that Cole disappeared, so Julianna arrives at the trial to tell her story to the judge. Caitlin worries that Gregory might have done something to Cole, but Cole surprised everyone by entering the courtroom. Casey learns that his mother Alex arrived in town.

Meg wants to know the reason why Ben never talks about Maria. He explains that he doesn't want to hurt her. Meg tells Mark that she fears the possibility that Ben might have killed his wife. When Mark wants to see Maria's studio himself, Tim follows. The trial continues, and everyone is in shock when Gregory pronounces Elaine a coldblooded killer. However, he then tells the story about Del's crimes. Cole testifies and makes an impression. The judge returns with the verdict... Elaine has 3 months of probation and 200 hours of community service. Meg stares in shock when she and Mark enter Maria's studio. The Interpol arrests Cole.

Following Cole's orders, Caitlin calls Paula and informs her about Cole being taken by the Interpol. She asks her to not say anything to Elaine. When Paula asks him to help, Ricardo tries to find some mistake in the papers, but it all seems right. Meg & Mark find Maria's studio clean, so Meg tries to assure Mark that she isn't going crazy. Meanwhile, Ben washes the blood off his hands at The Deep. Once again, Meg is sure that Annie is just playing a game with her, but Annie assures her that it wasn't her. Ben arrives home and Meg wonders how he got a cut on the hand. He answers with a simple answer -- from the robbery that happened recently. Meg finds out that be has been alone at The Deep. When Ben feels tired of the questions, he sends her home. Annie tells Meg she better make sure she isn't near Ben on the day of Maria's death. On the airport, Cole tells Caitlin that he has a plan.

Vanessa returns from Hong Kong and she's not pleased to see Michael massaging Virginia. Michael tells her that Virginia will move out as soon as her leg gets better. Gregory stops the Interpol from taking Cole and Caitlin is surprised by his move. Cole wonders what he wants instead. In a happy reunion, Elaine is pleased to finally be with her son. Julianna makes a special arrival at the reunion, but Elaine isn't pleased to see her. Paula's tattoo, once again, gets in the way of Paula and Ricardo's happiness. Olivia faints when she finds out that Cole is free thanks to Gregory.

Mark warns Meg to stay away from Ben on the anniversary of Maria's death, but she has something else in her mind. Ricardo and Paula aren't able to make love when old pain comes haunting Paula. Ricardo and Ben fight over the fact that Ricardo still believes that Ben is responsible for Maria's death. Meg tries to comfort Ben and tells him he should forget the past and move on, and then she reminds him that tomorrow is also the anniversary of the beginning of their Internet chatting. They start dancing, but when Ben remembers Maria, he tells Meg she should get as far away from him as she can.