In the opening of the season Vanessa Harvell was released from her seven year prison sentence after fours years of serving time. On the anniversary of his sister's death Tyler Donovan, began to look into and re-open his sister's case with the help of Vanessa's sister Callie. Austin Alexander and Elizabeth Jones began planning their wedding. Jacob Donovan was unsettled by the release of his once girlfriend and his sister's best friend Vanessa, causing a rift between him and Jessica Robbins.

Brian McAllister decided to stay in West Lake to get closer to Vanessa in the midst of his book being published. Deciding not to tell her about his father's ties to West Lake, he was also shocked when his brother, Ryan showed up unannounced. Ryan, began sending Paige Alexander threatening photos, trying to expose her past ties to his father and eventually forcing her to sleep with him. He also revealed to his brother that Vanessa still had feelings for Jacob Donovan and that he was playing Jessica Robins.

Elizabeth began to use cocaine more seriously, as her wedding day approached and was caught by Kate Porter, her fiance's ex. Kate agreed to keep her secret even thought it nagged on her. Cade Harvell, began to with drawl and pushed Kate further and further way, his lies catching up with him. It was revealed that with Helen Porter's help, he went ahead and committed his father Garrett to a mental institution. Once Garrett returned home he had to face his children and his estranged wife, Sharon. Sharon kept her affair with Richard Weston hidden from her husband.

Alan Donovan and Richard Weston began to get nervous when Tyler began asking more and more questions and uncovering more clues about the accident. Alan went, as far as to warn his son to stop, instead Tyler pushed onward. Lee Sanders and Ethan Leavitt eventually lead him in the right direction and he and Callie filled a warrant to search the lake, Judge Newman signed the warrants with new district attourney Simon Hoffman present. With the warrants issued they discovered the rotting body of Elliot Davison, Brian and Ryan's father.

Karen Donovan began to question the cover up as well, leading her to look through her husband's safe discovering the truth about Hannah and that Paige Alexander was Alan's daughter with Bridgette Alexander. Bridgette and James Alexander agreed to file for a heartbreaking divorce. He knowing that she had married him out of spite and her hiding Paige's paternity. When the truth came out James was crushed.

With growing feelings Vanessa and Jake skirted around each other for most of the year, both unsure as to what to do. Things came to a head and she discovered that Brian had been lying to her leading her to the Donovan cabin. Once there she relieved the truth of what happened the night Hannah died, discovering that Jake and Kate had slept together.

Cade quit taking his medication early in the year leading to his often at times erratic behavior with Kate. When questioned about it however, he blew it off as not needing the medication. He turned to his aunt for advice who told him to hold on to Kate. Things between he and Kate continued to downwards spiral, when he went to fix things he and Kate rushed to the hospital when Liz overdosed.

Kate fought her feelings for Austin for most of the year, remembering that they were over. It didn't help that she was on Liz's wedding party and when Austin went to get his tuxedo they made love. Austin went forward with his wedding to Kate and Kate decided that she had to end things with Cade. Before she could however, the police had discovered Elliot's body and she discovered that she was pregnant hiding the truth from Cade.

Liz's older brother Peter made his way back into town at her wedding, deciding to stay back in West Lake from the Army. When Liz overdosed due to her cocaine use he and Austin were there to call for help. Peter made sure that Austin knew that his sister needed help and not question her after her incident. Telling his new brother in law that his sister needed to go to rehab in order to get better.

After being blackmailed for most of the year Paige came clean to Shane Porter about her part in why Ryan was threatening her and where he got pictures of her with Elliot Davison. With Shane's help she turned herself in to Greg Forrester and the police. She revealed that Elliot had, had numerous affairs with girls at the college herself and Hannah Donovan included. Elliot would video tape them as well as take pictures. The night he died, they had fought and a gun had went off, she had attempted to flee the scene. Stopping at the door when she and Hannah heard a second gunshot and returned to find Jessica with Elliot's body.

Jessica Robbins has has it out for everyone since episode one, going as far as befriending Liz. Making her way into Jacob Donovan's life and well playing the supportive role with as Jake on and off again girlfriend. What no one saw coming was someone who was working with Ryan Davison on a cover up of Hannah's murder and his father's death. Going as far as stealing the gun from her father's office and letting Ryan take the fall for all of her other misdeeds.

Season 2 has more surprises in for store for our cast.

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