Veronica and Duncan are in sex-ed class, and Ms. Hauser explains to the rest of the class they'll be Egg Sitting, except with baby dolls (which she calls "Baby Think-It-Over"). Veronica gets a note during class to go see, as she says to Duncan, "The Man"...
...and she's at Clemmons' office. Veronica jokingly asks Clemmons what case he wants her to solve next, but Clemmons instead wants her to take out her keys. After she takes out two sets of keys, he removes a key, and it fits into the door of his office. Veronica starts to remind him that she broke into his office for a good purpose, but Clemmons isn't interested in that. He asks about her other keys, and when Veronica admits she likes to be prepared, tells her to "prepare" to be suspended. Veronica brings up the fact the suspension will disqualify her from the Kane Scholarship, and Clemmons, after a beat, admits he'll settle for detention.
Cassidy walks into the journalism class and approaches Mac, asking her to register the domain of his new business on-line, and design a logo and letterhead for it. Mac thinks Cassidy is merely asking her to do his homework for him, and Cassidy, smiling, admits she's right. They smile at each other.
In the administration office, Veronica is sitting in the waiting room while listening to Principal Moorehead announce, among other things, that Trina Echolls will be directing the school production of Hamlet. Veronica muses Trina must have been kicked off the show This Surreal Life. Clemmons shows up, and tells Veronica to follow him...
...to a room with boxes of files and a cabinet. Clemmons tells Veronica to put each of the files into the cabinet and sort them alphabetically, after which her detention will be over. A little later, after Clemmons has left, we see Veronica sorting files until one catches her eye; it's her mother's. Veronica muses that as much as she hates what Lianne did to them, she would have liked Lianne in high school, even though Lianne preferred not to talk about those days. Veronica discovers Lianne was suspended for three days for spreading "a false and malicious rumor", but the record is blacked out so it doesn't give more details, though it does show Ms. Hauser (identified by her maiden name, Deborah Drummond) was called to a disciplinary hearing with Lianne and suspended with her. Clemmons interrupts, telling her to file instead of reading the files, as snooping around was what got her into trouble in the first place. Veronica agrees, but goes back to reading the file when Clemmons leaves.
That night, Weevil is working at his uncle's garage when the power goes out. Yelling at someone for tripping the circuits, Weevil goes to the circuit box and turns it back on, only to be sucker-punched by Logan, who, along with several of his friends, starts beating him.
The next day, Veronica finds Ms. Hauser in the parking lot, and asks about Lianne's suspension. Ms. Hauser says she prefers not to remember it because, thanks to Lianne not being able to keep her mouth shut, a lot of people got hurt. She storms off. Veronica, who is with her baby from class, hears a commotion, and walks over to the flagpole. Weevil has been taped to the flagpole, and his face and body are bruised. There's a crowd of students gathered around, and Veronica gives a knowing smile.
A little later, Veronica goes into Clemmons' office and asks about Lianne's suspension. Clemmons again tells her to concentrate on filing (instead of, at he puts it, "Cold Case-ing"), but admits he was only a science teacher at the time and was out of the loop. Veronica asks who else she can talk to, and after she admits she just wants proof her mother was a good person, Clemmons tells her to talk to Principal Moorehead (who was vice-principal at the time) and a woman named "Mary Mooney"...
...and in the outdoor lunch area, Veronica finds Mary (Terrylene Sacchetti), who's cleaning one of the tables. Veronica tries calling her, but Mary doesn't respond; a nearby classmate tells her she's deaf. Veronica admits Lianne taught her sign language, but that was a while back. She gets Mary's attention and slowly asks if Mary knew Lianne, having to spell out Lianne's name. Mary shakes her head, but when Veronica walks away, catches up to her and starts signing faster than Veronica can comprehend. After Mary slows down, Veronica catches that Lianne was a fiend. This, of course, is not what Veronica wants to hear, and she leaves, with Mary looking on.
Veronica catches up with Principal Moorehead outside his office. As he walks down the hall, Veronica asks about Lianne's suspension. Moorehead admits he saw a lot of Lianne during that time, and while she may have turned out to be a good person (Veronica winces at that), she was a vicious teenager, so Veronica shouldn't be digging that up. They go inside a classroom...
...where Trina is setting up the play. She enthusiastically greets both Principal Moorehead (whom she addresses as "Alan") and Veronica. While Moorehead excuses himself to talk to another student, Trina tells Veronica about the movie she's making about Aaron and Lily's murder (even though Veronica and Keith refuse to sign the release forms to let their names be used), and tells Veronica she should be in the play. Veronica claims she can't act, but Trina says that Veronica has "presence", and they should talk later.
At the Neptune Grand, Duncan is with the "baby" when Kendall drops by. She tries to seduce Duncan, but Duncan isn't having any of it, even when she offers him a ride in Richard Casablancas' Maserati. Just then, Logan and Trina drop in. Trina and Duncan greet each other, and Kendall makes a big show of kissing Logan, who doesn't return the favor. Trina and Kendall snark at each other, and then Trina leaves, and Logan jokes at how she left without taking the video camera she came for.
Meanwhile, at Java the Hut, Veronica meets up with Patty (Julie Pop), an old classmate of Lianne's, who fondly remembers Lianne because of how they'd gossip in physics class together. Patty brings up Lianne's past with Jake Kane, and says Jake broke up with Lianne because Celeste said Jake got her pregnant. Veronica is stunned.
Later that night, at the Mars apartment, Veronica tells Keith about Lianne getting suspended, and says she thinks it's because Lianne spread a rumor that Celeste was pregnant. She asks Keith to check the country records, and Keith tells her not to dwell on the story or on the past couple of years, because he knows Lianne loved Veronica. Veronica looks down.
The next day, Veronica is filming a rehearsal of Hamlet. Trina is playing Ophelia, and things are going as well as expected until Trina trips on a prop skull and falls on her back. Veronica sends for the school nurse.
Later, Cassidy meets with Kendall at Java the Hut. He calls her out for selling a valuable watch of Richard's. Kendall retorts that Richard cheated investors out of millions, and unlike Cassidy, she doesn't have a trust fund, so she has to do what she can. Cassidy has a better idea; he's set up his own real estate business, but he's too young to meet with investors, so he wants Kendall to be the face of his company. After snarking that she didn't think Cassidy liked her (Cassidy responds that he likes her desperation because he can use it), Kendall points out she's spent her life trying to avoid work, and she knows nothing about sales. Cassidy responds that's all she does. Kendall agrees, and naturally asks when she gets her first check.
Later, at Mars Investigations, Keith tells Veronica he didn't find any records of Celeste giving birth back then. He points out Veronica and Duncan have a good thing going, and investigating this won't help. Veronica says she just wants proof Lianne was a good person; Keith concedes that, but points out Veronica also would love to prove Celeste was just as bad as she thinks she was, and that if Celeste didn't split Jake and Lianne up, Veronica would never have been born. He does concede there was a "Jane Doe" baby born in May of 1980, and the baby was found in the girl's bathroom of Neptune High on prom night. Naturally, Veronica immediately assumes it was Celeste's baby.
That night, Veronica drops off the "baby" at Duncan's, but Duncan protests he can't take it, because he's going out to dinner. As the "baby" cries, and Duncan gets a bottle for it (Veronica left hers at home), he mentions how Celeste would have loved for Lily to have one of these, as she was afraid Lily would get pregnant. Veronica says it's ironic that Celeste would feel that way. Duncan tells her not to badmouth his mother, and Veronica sarcastically says his mother is great. Just then, Celeste walks in, and Veronica and Celeste engage in Snark-to-Snark Combat. Veronica tries alluding to the "prom baby", but Celeste says she doesn't know what Veronica's talking about, and calls Lianne a "drunk slut". Before things escalate, Duncan tells Veronica he needs to speak with Celeste alone. Veronica, seething, storms into the bedroom, where Astrid (Christie Fite), Celeste's assistant/maid, is folding Duncan's laundry. She admits to Veronica she's only working for Celeste because Celeste promised to pay for her grad school. Veronica gets a thought and asks Astrid if she's really a blonde and if she's 25; Astrid says no to the first question and yes to the second. Celeste, who has been arguing with Duncan all this time, storms in and tells Astrid they're leaving. Veronica wonders if Astrid is the "prom baby".
The next day, in journalism class, Logan asks if he can be excused to use the bathroom. In the bathroom, as Logan is washing his hands, Weevil storms in and prevents the door from being opened. Weevil says he should kill Logan for what he did, and Logan reminds Weevil of how he was nearly shot, how his house was burned down, and how masked PCHers threatened to shoot his hand. Weevil again denies having anything to do with shooting at Logan, but admits he only did the other things because he thought Logan killed Felix, and admits that Logan didn't do it. Weevil suggests he and Logan team up to find out who really did it, but says they need to fight each other to avoid suspicion. As the bell rings, Weevil throws the first punch, and the two of them fight. A crowd gathers around the bathroom as we hear (and occasionally see) the fight continue. Eventually, Clemmons and some security guards are able to break into the bathroom and stop the fight. As the guards drag Logan and Weevil out, Thumper, who's looking on, excitedly tells Hector about the beating Logan took, but Hector claims he wouldn't have left Logan able to walk if he was in Weevil's shoes. Thumper looks thoughtful.
Later, at Java the Hut, Mac shows Cassidy several designs. Cassidy thinks they all look good - he does pick the sleek version - but does correct her by saying Kendall needs to be listed as CEO. Mac tries flirting with him, and Cassidy does respond.
Meanwhile, at Mars Investigations, Veronica, dressed professionally, pretends to be the head of Mars Investigations and greets Marianna (Kristin Lindquist), the woman who adopted the "prom baby" for a few weeks (Veronica explains how temporary foster parents are the weak link in adoption shield laws). Veronica pretends she's representing clients who think the "prom baby" might be their real baby, but who only want to take care of the child financially. Marianne points out the "prom baby", a girl, ended up in a wealthy home, though she is going through a tough time, what with her adopted mother killing herself and her adopted father going to jail. Veronica is stunned when she realizes the prom baby is Trina.
Veronica visits Trina at the hospital, even though she admits she's only doing this to get even with Celeste. Trina says she's fine, though the doctor wants her to stay another day. Veronica lies that she wants to try out for the play, and Trina enthusiastically agrees to help her tape an audition piece. The audition piece basically consists of Trina pleading that she needs a bone marrow transplant from her birth parents or else she'll die. After she and Veronica finish "the scene", Trina admits she really was adopted. Veronica is about to leave, but comes back and admits to Trina she made the whole thing up, and that Trina was the "prom baby". Trina doesn't believe Veronica at first, but realizes Veronica is telling the truth. She brightens, though, when Veronica tells her she thinks Celeste was the birth mother, and can't wait to send the "audition piece" to all of the tabloids.
The next day, Veronica drops by the play rehearsal, and Trina excitedly shows Veronica all of the publicity she's gotten. Just then, Mary taps Veronica on the shoulder, and tries signing to her. Trina good-naturedly greets Mary, calling her "Lunch lady Doris", and remembers how she always gave Trina extra cake. Veronica realizes Mary wants to help Trina by giving her bone marrow, and both she and Trina realize Mary is really Trina's mother. Mary hugs Trina, and after an awkward pause, Trina hugs her back.
Later, in the lunch area, Veronica sets up her computer so Mary can type on it. Mary explains Lianne was really Mary's "friend"; since Lianne could sign, she'd sit with Mary at lunch and talk to her. A little later, Veronica and Trina are walking in the parking lot, and Veronica explains that Mary got pregnant by a faculty member, and she told Lianne about it; when Lianne asked Ms. Hauser for advice, Ms. Hauser spread the story around the school, and when Lianne was called into the principal's office, she recanted the story because Mary begged her to, as she was scared and alone. Trina wonders why Mary abandoned her in the bathroom, but Veronica says Mary actually left the baby with the father, who was the one who left her in the bathroom. Trina asks if the father was a teacher, and Veronica smiles and says, "Even better"...
...and Principal Moorehead is presiding over a faculty meeting when Trina bursts in, calling him "Pops". Moorehead greets her warily, but Trina brings up Moorehead dumping her in the girl's bathroom. Moorehead looks at Ms. Hauser, who indicates she didn't say anything.
That night, at the Mars apartment, Veronica shows Keith a rat she found in the freezer. Keith tells her it's the rat he found on the bus. Veronica thinks the rat was some kind of message to her. Keith tells her not to jump to conclusions, but he admits he should have taken over the case.
The next day, Veronica goes to Clemmons' office, and congratulates him on his plan to unseat Principal Moorehead. Clemmons says he doesn't know what Veronica is talking about - which Veronica thinks is even more badass - and tells her while her detention is up, she should leave and let him get back to work.
In the hallway, Veronica gets a phone call, reminding her she needs to pick up Abel Koontz's things.
Inside Clemmons' office, he removes his nameplate, replaces it with one that reads, "Principal Clemmons", and smiles.
At the hospital, Veronica carries the box with Koontz's things and heads over to sneak into Meg's room to see her. As she steps inside, she sees not one but two heartbeat detectors attached to her. Confused, she steps closer to the sleeping Meg and pushes her tray aside. To her astonishment, she sees Meg's heavily pregnant belly. Stunned, Veronica storms out of the room, just as Meg opens her eyes and awakens.
This episode provides examples of:
- Batman Gambit: And for once, not done by Veronica.
- Call-Back: Trina's attempt to make a movie about Lily's murder.
- The Chessmaster: Clemmons, who proves, if nothing else, he's not the "useless factotum" Veronica had once called him.Veronica: You read Machiavelli this summer, didn't you?
- Contrived Coincidence: Abel Koontz just happens to die with perfect timing for Veronica to learn Meg is pregnant seconds before she wakes up.
- Everyone Has Standards: Veronica can be pretty ruthless, but even she can't go through with blowing up Trina's life in order to get even with Celeste. Subverted when she confesses to Trina and Trina is 100% on board with the plan (not least because it could reveal her as a Kane, which would make her beyond rich).
- Foreshadowing: Meg's baby, and Astrid, become *very* important later. Also, Thumper and Hector's suspicion of Weevil.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Weevil getting taped to the same flagpole he taped others who crossed him.
- Insistent Terminology:Kendall: Oh my god! Tell me that is not a baby.Duncan: Don't be silly. It's an animatronic parental lifestyle simulator.
- Must Have Caffeine: When Veronica approaches Ms. Hauser in the parking lot, she tells Veronica she hasn't had her coffee yet; "intrude on my personal time at your own risk."
- Nonverbal Miscommunication: If only Veronica hadn't misread Mary's sign for "friend" as "fiend".
- To be fair, Veronica did admit she was rusty at sign language, and while she probably should have had Mary write it out in the first place, her complicated feelings towards Lianne probably clouded her judgment.
- Retcon: Trina being adopted wasn't mentioned or even alluded to in the first season.
- Revised Ending: A deleted scene on the Season 2 DVD set shows an alternate ending that, thanks to
Executive Meddling, was almost made the ending (it was shown online afterwards). In this version, after Veronica discovers Meg is pregnant, hiding when Meg's mother comes into the room, and then, when the mother has left, discovers Meg's mother has killed Meg with a Vorpal Pillow, just when the nurses walk in.... - Right Behind Me: Subverted (well, sort of):Duncan: You're not about to badmouth Celeste, are you?Celeste: (entering the room behind Veronica) Why, thank you, Veronica.
- Shout-Out: In addition to those mentioned above:
- When Clemmons shows Veronica the filing she needs to do, she deadpans, "And I can't use magic, right?"
- Veronica tells her "baby" that she has a "mean girl" gene.
- Principal Moorehead claims that in not keeping Veronica away from him, Clemmons has failed in his "Prime directive".
- Trina excitedly tells Veronica she's found someone to play her in the Aaron Echolls movie: "Three words: Evan Rachel Wood."
- Kendall calls Duncan "Richie Rich".
- Snark-to-Snark Combat: Trina and Kendall.Trina: Wait a minute. Are you, like, sleeping with my little brother? What is he, thirteen?Kendall: Thirteen? He wishes. So, is this your much older sister I've heard nothing about?Logan: Oh yes, where are my manners? Kendall Casablancas, Trina Echolls. Rode hard, meet put away wet.Trina: Hm. I'm guessing she's the wet one. Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got places to be.Kendall: Where? Is there a club where you, Dedee Pfeiffer, Joey Travolta, and Melissa Rivers all meet for drinks?Trina: There is. I don't think you'd like it, it's twenty-one and over. (Kendall pretends to look disappointed) We're hitting an after party at Chuck E. Cheese, though, if you're free.
- Veronica and Celeste engage in a more pointed version of this trope:
Celeste: I told your father something like this would happen. This is exactly why we should have taken you up to Napa.Veronica: (Mock horror) Not in front of the baby!Celeste: This isn't amusing, Veronica.Veronica: It's not. Me, breeding with a Kane? No laughing matter. But look: no one has to know, right? Worst case scenario, things don't work out, I'll just dump her off at the big dance. It worked at your prom, didn't it?Celeste: Does she ever make sense, Duncan?Veronica: Does she ever thaw out, Duncan? - Stylistic Suck: Dear God, Trina's version of Hamlet. Even the "baby" can't handle it.
- Wham Episode: Thanks to the ending.
- Worthy Opponent: Veronica's grudging admiration of Clemmons, for using her as a weapon to bring down Moorehead.
