Zander: Hi.
Emily: Oh, hi. I -- I’m doing a food run for the volunteers. We're decorating the Versailles room for the Halloween charity ball.
Zander: Right. I -- I know it's kind of last minute and I'm not big on costume Halloween type things, but would you want to go with me?
Emily: Oh, I'd love to, but I'm going with Lucky.
Zander: Okay.
Emily: Yeah.
Zander: I guess that's what I get for waiting till the last minute.
Emily: Hey, you know, it's a worthy cause, and if you show up, will you promise to save me a dance?
Zander: Yeah. Hopefully, I’ll see you there.
Emily: Okay. Yeah. See you there. Bye.
Skye: Who invented this stuff?
Emily: Hey, pass me those leaves, Skye.
Skye: Oh, all right. Well, hold on. It's a little unwieldy. Oh.
Emily: Thank you.
Nikolas: The place is shaping up.
Emily: Hi.
Skye: It's all for charity.
Monica: Oh, Nikolas, you got ladder duty.
Nikolas: I'll do my best.
Emily: Hi.
Nikolas: Hi.
Emily: I didn't picture you as the volunteer to decorate type.
Nikolas: Well, see, that's the problem with being a prince. No one ever bothers to ask if you'll pitch in because they'll just assume you'll say no anyway.
Emily: Well, so, decorating isn't princely, but almost drowning while saving a lady and her kid from a flooded car is in the job description. You jumped right into that. How are you feeling today?
Nikolas: Uh -- oh, I'm okay. It was nothing, no big deal.
Emily: Mm-hmm?
Nikolas: Definitely well enough to dance, so -- I -- I realize it's late, and I apologize, but you coming to the ball with me?
Emily: I'd love to, but I already told Lucky I’d go with him.
Nikolas: I should have asked you sooner.
Emily: Well, then, save me a dance. If that's all right.
Nikolas: Oh, you know it is.
Emily: Yeah.
Nikolas: See you.
Emily: Yeah. I'm looking forward to it.
Nikolas: Bye.
Emily: Goodbye.
Skye: Wow. Looks like you got your wish with no help from me.
Emily: What wish?
Skye: Are you kidding me? Nikolas was looking at you like you're the only woman on the planet.
Emily: Yeah. He was, wasn't he?
Skye: So what? You and Zander broke up?
Emily: Yeah, for the moment. It's complicated.
Skye: You know, Emily, I'm probably the last person in the world who should be giving you this advice, but just be honest, okay, with yourself first and then with Nikolas and Zander. You know, "used to be in love with" or "cares for deeply" -- it isn't exactly quite the same thing as soulmate. So just do it. Just tell the truth. As much as it's going to hurt, it's really the only solution.
Lots of mingling begins at the Masquerade Ball. We pick this up as...
Monica: Oh, we haven't seen Emily, either.
Zander: She'll be here. She said she was coming with Lucky.
Nikolas: Dr. Quartermaine, Dr. Quartermaine. You look wonderful.
Monica: Thank you.
Nikolas: Your family have any trouble with the storm?
Alan: Well, some minor flooding, and, unfortunately, Jason’s wife was in a car accident.
Nikolas: Oh, that's right. Emily told me.
Monica: And Emily told me that you saved a woman and a child from drowning.
Nikolas: Oh, yeah. Yeah, her car was trapped in the floodwaters. Any one here would have done the same thing.
Monica: Yeah.
Alan: Well, your search is over. Emily just walked in.
Emily: Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.
Alan: You look beautiful.
Emily: Oh, you can be just a little bit biased.
Monica: No, not a chance. You are gorgeous, both inside and out.
Emily: Aw.
Monica: Good to see you.
Emily: Good to see you.
Zander: So, did you ask Em to this, or did she ask you?
Lucky: You know, she's trying to keep the peace. I'm a neutral party and one of her closest friends, which means I'm asking the both of you to back off. Em needs some room. So why don't you try and give it to her?
More mingling with other characters.