The Return of Ellie Black

Dr. Cerise Fischer sits across from Ellie for their first session. Cerise explains that Ellie has been diagnosed with acute anxiety and that she may be dissociating. Ellie asks Cerise about doctor-patient confidentiality, and Cerise promises that everything will stay between them unless Ellie poses a threat to herself or others. Ellie says that she is thinking about forgiveness and whether people can be forgiven for their horrible actions. Cerise wonders what Ellie has done to wonder such a thing, but she tells Ellie that they can talk more about it in their next session.

Chelsey visits Althea. Althea says that she adopted her grandchildren after their mother lost custody because of her alcohol addiction. Althea explains that the detectives at the time thought that Gabrielle ran away because she and Althea fought a lot. Chelsey asks Althea why she waited to call the police, and Althea explains that her husband thought that Gabrielle would come back. She tells Chelsey that they divorced after Gabrielle disappeared. Chelsey understands this, as she remembers how her parents divorced after Lydia’s funeral. Chelsey asks Althea to verify the University of Washington sweatshirt, and Althea confirms that it was the sweatshirt that Gabrielle was wearing the day she went missing. Althea tells Chelsey that she does not want to know if the blood on the shirt belongs to Gabrielle because she does not want to relive that trauma.

In another flashback, Ellie has trouble moving her legs, but the man tells her that she must force herself to move. He tells Ellie that if she runs, his dogs will attack her. He says that she can call him Michael (he is later revealed to be Doug Abbott). After a while, Michael leads Ellie into a clearing surrounded by a compound. Michael forces Ellie into a bunker in the ground.

Chelsey arrives at Ellie’s house to ask her some questions. Chelsey tells Ellie about the sweatshirt and asks about Gabrielle. When Chelsey mentions Gabrielle’s name, Ellie rushes outside and vomits. She tells Chelsey that she no longer wants to participate in the investigation.

Noah tells Chelsey that he is sorry that the case is over, but Chelsey refuses to give up, even without Ellie’s cooperation. Noah tells her that he knows that she struggles to separate her work from her personal life. Chelsey does not know how to explain to him that her job means more to her than anything, given what happened to Lydia.

A flashback explains that Ellie knew Gabrielle by the name Hope. After Michael pushes Ellie into the bunker, she looks up to see another man. He introduces himself as David (later revealed to be West Abbott). Ellie tells him that she wants to go home, but David says that she is home. A woman named Serendipity (later revealed to be Lydia Calhoun) hugs Ellie and says that Ellie’s new name is Destiny. She introduces Ellie to her new “sisters,” who are named Charity (later revealed to be Hannah) and Hope. David dances with Ellie to the song “You Are My Sunshine” and asks about her old life. Afterward, David takes Ellie into a room and rapes her.

The next morning, Hope, Charity, Ellie, Serendipity, and David sit around a fire. Michael arrives, and David and Serendipity go to help him unload his car. Ellie stares at the open gate behind Michael’s car, but Hope tells her not to risk it. She says that there were three girls here before Ellie; all of them ran, and David and Michael killed them. Charity also tells Ellie not to trust Serendipity. Ellie starts crying, and Charity and Hope comfort her. Hope gives Ellie seeds of Queen Anne’s lace, which will prevent her from getting pregnant. She tells Ellie to be careful with the seeds so that David does not find out.

Ellie calls Danny and asks him to come over. Later, Danny sneaks into Ellie’s room to visit her. Ellie says that she does not want to talk, so Danny puts music on Ellie’s record player. At first, he puts on “You Are My Sunshine” by Johhny Cash, and Ellie rips the vinyl off the player. She tells him that she does not like that song, so Danny puts on another record.

Chelsey asks Abbott to call every available unit to be on the lookout for a blue station wagon. Abbott is staring at a newsreel of Governor Pike, his ex-wife, in the other room. Chelsey remembers when Abbott and Governor Pike got a divorce, around the time Lydia disappeared. Abbott drank heavily, which is why his wife left him. Abbott tells Chelsey that her evidence does not justify having every unit look for a blue station wagon. He tells Chelsey to let him know when the blood on Gabrielle’s old sweatshirt is identified.

Chelsey goes to the Blacks’ house. She apologizes to Kat for pushing Ellie too hard but reminds Kat of how difficult it has been for all of them over the years. Chelsey asks Kat to let her know about anything Ellie shares, as Gabrielle’s family is desperate for answers. Kat says that Ellie may have told Danny something.

Chelsey visits Danny at his job and asks him to spy on Ellie for her, but Danny refuses. Chelsey leaves when the lab calls, telling her that the blood on Gabrielle’s sweatshirt is not Gabrielle’s but a mixture of male and female. The lab found a partial match for an inmate named Timothy Salt, who has been in prison for 15 years. However, he may have a relative in the area who could be a full match.

Hope and Ellie start running out of Queen Anne’s lace seeds. Hope tells Ellie that another girl got pregnant but that she and the baby died in childbirth. Ellie suggests that they start growing Queen Anne’s lace. Hope thinks that this is risky, but she finally agrees to try. After a while, Ellie and Hope harvest the plant and bring it back to Charity. Hope also gives Ellie and Charity friendship bracelets that she wove out of rope. The girls proclaim each other sisters and tell each other every detail of their old lives, including their old names. Ellie learns that Charity’s real name is Hannah and Hope’s Gabrielle, or “Gabby.” Ellie feels grateful to have them to rely on.

Chelsey drives with a unit to Lewis Salt’s house. Lewis Salt is the son of Timothy Salt, and Chelsey believes that Lewis is their lead suspect. Chelsey and her team arrest Lewis. Chelsey finds a red bandana in his house, and she immediately remembers Ellie’s description of the man who took her.