The Things We Do For Love (90210)

The Things We Do For Love is the 9th episode of Season 5 on CW teen soap 90210.

Synopsis
MUSICAL GUESTS TEGAN & SARA PERFORM AT THE FRIENDS’ HOLIDAY PARTY — When Alec (guest-star Trai Byers) approaches Max (Josh Zuckerman) about forming a new company with him, Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) intervenes by attempting to persuade Bryce (guest-star Amber Stevens) to rehire Max at his company. Naomi convinces Navid (Michael Steger) to take Bryce out for drinks, and after a few cocktails Navid uncovers the truth about Max’s termination, which leaves Naomi pondering the fate of her marriage. Then, Liam (Matt Lanter) receives a blackmail letter about Vanessa’s (guest-star Arielle Kebbel) accident, and Annie (Shenae Grimes) agrees to lend him the money to help trap his blackmailer. But when Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes) tells Ashley (guest-star Natalie Morales) that she spotted Vanessa at the beauty salon, Ashley wrongly suspects that Liam was headed for a secret rendezvous with Vanessa. Meanwhile, Silver (Jessica Stroup) is distraught when Teddy (Trevor Donovan) refuses to sign over his parental rights and tries to convince her to let him co-parent the baby.

Recap
The episode begins and Naomi, Silver and Annie are out holiday shopping. Nomi tells the girls how Max has been depressed ever since Bryce got him fired from the board of his company. Annie and Naomi are both confused as to what they should get for their partners for Christmas. Annie also reveals to the girls how she wants to attend a writing program in Scotland and if she chooses to go she will have to be there for 2 years, although she hasn’t made her decision yet. Silver says she has to get a “release” signed from Teddy, so she can have the complete custody of her unborn child. Dixon tells Riley he is planning to give Megan the girl from his group therapy class a gift. Riley concludes Dixon is interested in Megan, despite Dixon denying it. Navid and Adrianna are decorating Liam’s bar for Christmas. Adrianna tells him how Dixon hates her and she is feeling worse as it’s the holidays. Navid too is missing Silver. Liam receives a photo with a gift basket. In the photo Vanessa is shown lying senseless on the beach right after she fell from his balcony. Behind the photo is a demand for $500,000. Also mentioned is the time and the venue, where the money has to be delivered. Naomi returns home and is shocked to see Max sitting with Alec. “You’re not welcome here Alec” she says.

Alec says he only came over only because Max is in trouble. “Let me apologize for all that I have done wrong. I am here to make it right” he says. Max says Alec wants to start a new company with him. Naomi isn’t crazy about the idea and Max tells Alec he will have to talk to Naomi about it, before he can make any decision. The two have a talk in private and Max urges Naomi to let him deal with the present situation on his own. Silver is shocked when Teddy tells her he wants to be their child’s father and therefore doesn’t want to sign the release. Basically Teddy doesn’t want to be “the bad dad” his father was and therefore wants to raise the child with Silver. Silver doesn’t seem too crazy about the idea but Teddy asks her to “think about it”. Annie tells Riley about the writing program in Scotland and how if she is selected she might be away for 2 years. Riley isn’t happy to hear this and makes it known to Annie. Naomi meets Navid and tells him get Max’s job back, by going on a date with Bryce who has recently broken up with her fiancé. Naomi suggests Navid meet Bryce on the pretense of business. Basically Naomi was told by Bryce that, someone was out to get Max which is the reason why the board fired him. She wants Navid to find out from Bryce who this person is, as Bryce won’t tell her. In return Naomi offers to help him with his Christmas party. Liam shows Annie the ransom demand behind the photograph. Annie offers to give Liam the money. Liam initially resists but Annie says “take the money and use it to find out who it is”.

Liam then reluctantly agrees. “Liam make the drop, I will videotape the whole thing. It’s the only way to find out who it is” she says. Adrianna catches a glimpse of Vanessa in a beauty salon and is visibly shocked. Silver and Naomi discuss the thing with Teddy. Both the girls agree that Shane and Teddy being involved in the child’s upbringing when they wouldn’t be in the same place Silver would be in could be a problem. Basically, to the child it would feel like the parents are separated. Silver doesn’t want to put her child through it and decides to tell Teddy that he can’t be involved. Adrianna comes looking for Liam but is told by Ashley that he is out. She tells Ashley to pass on the message to him that she saw Vanessa. Ashley is visibly shocked to hear this and asks Adrianna to keep this news to herself. “I wanna keep tabs on Vanessa and I don’t want her tipped off” Ashley says. “Yeah for sure” Adrianna says. Bryce and Navid are out having a drink. Max is angry when he finds out; Naomi is trying to fix things with Bryce, when he had specifically told her not to get involved. He taunts Naomi about how he is left with no one but her, thanks to her urge of fixing things. Liam is on his way to pay the ransom when he is apprehended by Ashley.

Ashley tells him she is there to protect him, but Liam asks her to relax and go to Navid’s party. But instead, she handcuffs Liam and says he is under arrest. Navid finds out that Bryce was dating Alec for two years, until they recently broke up. She also reveals that it was Alec who her, her job. Alec told her exactly the things she needed to say in order to impress Max. Alec got her to promise that she would fire Max once she got the job. Navid is shocked to hear all of this. At Navid’s Christmas party, Annie and Riley apologize to each other and make up. Dixon surprises Annie and Riley by throwing away his crutches and informing them that according to his doctor, he is nearly healed. Silver tells Teddy that she was touched by his offer, but adds “I really want to do this alone”. Teddy isn’t happy to hear this and questions Silver as to why Shane and he can’t be involved in the child’s upbringing. Silver argues that she doesn’t want to complicate her life or the child’s, but Teddy isn’t down with this argument. In the end Silver reminds Teddy they made a deal and he simply can’t take it away, she then storms off in anger. Navid tells Naomi about all that he has found out from Bryce. Naomi is shocked to hear all of it. Annie in the meantime is waiting in her car at the designated spot; where Liam is suppose to make the drop off.

She is tired of waiting and is about to drive off when she nearly cashes into another vehicle. Annie gets out and sees that the driver of the other vehicle is Vanessa. Annie is shocked to see that Vanessa is alive. “Where’s my money?” Vanessa asks her. Ashley brings Liam to an empty garage and tells him he can’t go back to Vanessa. Liam is shocked at what Ashley is suggesting, but Ashley makes things clear for him by telling him what Adrianna saw. Liam also figures out that it is Vanessa who is blackmailing him. Liam asks Ashley to un-cuff him so he can go talk to Vanessa, but Ashley says “I can’t let you do that”. She then injects him with some sedative. Shane threatens to take Silver to court, if she doesn’t give in to Teddy’s demand. Dixon on the other hand tells Megan that it was her dad’s truck that hit his car. “I was there when you dad died” he tells her. Dixon assumes Megan would be mad, but much to his surprise she kisses him. Naomi confronts Alec about his wrongdoings and while she is ranting away in anger she realizes Alec is in love with Max. “Please don’t tell him” Alec says. “I know what I did was wrong but I didn’t want to lose him” Alec says. Naomi realizes she is doing the same thing Alec tried to do and promises Alec she won’t tell Max a thing. Riley decides to go through with a risky spinal surgery, just so he can see Annie happy. Naomi returns home and finds a note from Max mentioning that he has taken up a job in Iceland. Liam finds himself chained and gagged in the basement of his own bar.

Starring

 * Shenae Grimes as Annie Wilson
 * Tristan Wilds as Dixon Wilson
 * AnnaLynne McCord as Naomi Clark
 * Jessica Stroup as Erin Silver
 * Michael Steger as Navid Shirazi
 * Jessica Lowndes as Adrianna Tate-Duncan
 * Matt Lanter as Liam Court

Special Guest Stars
 * Tegan and Sara as Themselves

Recurring cast
 * Trevor Donovan as Teddy Montgomery
 * Josh Zuckerman as Max Miller
 * Riley Smith as Riley Wallace
 * Arielle Kebbel as Vanessa Shaw
 * Trai Byers as Alec Martin
 * Jessica Parker Kennedy as Megan Rose

Guest starring
 * Ryan Rottman as Shane
 * Amber Stevens as Bryce Woodbridge
 * Natalie Morales as Ashley Howard
 * Lauren Lee Denham as Clara

Quotes

 * Naomi – I'm not gonna tell Max something's that's gonna hurt him, Alec, I've done enough


 * Teddy – [to Silver] This isn't something you can just thank me for and walk away


 * Riley – I had a fight with your sister
 * Dixon – So? Everyone fights with my sister. Join the club


 * Silver – I can't believe Naomi sent a private plane to bring you back to high school
 * Teddy – Well, when you use the words Naomi and high school in the same sentence, it pretty much makes anything believable


 * Naomi: Teddy would make a great dad! Shane too! Oh my God I wish I had two gay dads who loved me to pieces and then could tell me when my dress and my bag were too matchy matchy.

Trivia

 * This episode shares its name with a Season 7 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210.

Music

 * What child is this by Denny Jiaosa
 * So Strange by Pacific Air
 * O Holy Night by Josh Ricchio
 * Now I'm All Message Up by Tegan & Sara
 * Closer by Tegan & Sara
 * Heavy Is As Heavy Does by Menomena
 * Heartbeat by Kopecky Family Band
 * Happy Hoildays To You by Roz Bell
 * Gold by Billy Pace
 * Christmastime by James Combs