Emily has become more maternal than ever since her return, and pushed to finally tell Alison the long-hidden truth, that Alison is really Emily’s biological daughter. Alison did not take kindly to hearing this secret. In her continuing efforts to get close to Alison, Emily asked her to be her maid of honor, but rescinded it as punishment for Alison’s continued lies and deceptions.

In a comedy of errors of proposals, Hal and Emily engaged to marry. They finally did get married, only after the entire rest of the day turned into a fiasco: Alison made a fool of everyone, Craig made a huge scene about Lucy and Aaron, and Barbara came and forcibly removed Will (prior to his serving as best man), having obtained temporary custody of him.

Alison was sent to Wentworth Academy for Girls in Wisconsin (courtesy of Rosanna as revenge for stealing her cell phone and telling Aaron that she was trying to break up Lucy and Aaron). But one the day that she arrived, Alison broke a trophy case and was sent home.

After Will was nearly killed in the Snyder barn fire, Hal was hell bent on putting Aaron behind bars and chased (mostly w/Craig) Aaron, Alison and Lucy down the Eastern seaboard and into the south following them from college to college. Hal finally caught up with Aaron, but Lucy -- who was running to tell Hal who really started the fire -- was hit by a trolley and suffered spinal and head injuries resulting in memory loss. Once back in Oakdale, Will thought he started the fire and confessed. Although not charged, Will was taken to the psych ward at Memorial for a 30-day evaluation. Because of Hal’s extended time away from home during the chase across the South East, Emily became disinherited with Hal and a strain was placed on their relationship. Hal returned to significant criticism for the way he handled the Aaron Snyder case. He accepted the Will started the fire and Will was sent to the psych ward for a 30-day observation. Hal and Emily continue to work on their relationship.