No One is Alone

"No One is Alone" is the 45th episode of Desperate Housewives.

Susan
After the fire at Susan's home, her friends try to help her to the best of their ability by clearing the remains of her home. Most of the neighborhood helps clear debris including Susan's new dentist friend Orson. The wives then recommend Susan stay with Bree since she has more than enough room for Julie and Susan. As this occurs, Edie Britt stands across the street watching as she eats a popsicle. When the insurance agent drops by to alert Susan that she will not be receiving her check, Susan asks the reason why. The broker then proceeds to tell her that the fire department ruled the fire arson and asks if she has any enemies. Susan declares she has none but then looks across the street and sees Edie with her popsicle. Hours later, Susan quietly visits Edie and asks if she was the culprit. Edie admits that she did and gloats that Susan cannot tell anyone since she has no witnesses. Susan then pays Mike a visit and asks if he can find her a wire so that Edie can confess. Mike does so and asks if she would like to move in with him as friends. Susan considers the offer but declines since it would be odd. Another reason for declining is that Susan remembers Edie's words about Susan being weak, that being the reason people help her, not because they love her. Susan then visits Edie the next day and receives the confession she had desired. Edie quickly catches on and chases Susan down the block. Edie is halted when she is stung by a nest of yellowjackets. Susan later visits Edie in the hospital where Susan offers Edie a deal to keep her out of jail. Edie declines and swears ongoing revenge against Susan.

Lynette
Lynette places the children in Mrs. McCluskey's care and follows Tom to Atlantic City. While surveilling his hotel from her rental car, she receives a phone call from Tom who is standing only a few feet away. Lynette is almost exposed when a car alarm in Tom's vicinity is also picked up by Lynette's cell phone. Later, Lynette follows Tom to a woman's home where he enters, is served wine, and follows her up the stairs. Lynette is devastated, believing Tom is having an affair. Lynette then returns to Fairview to gather the children and leave. Tom returns to an empty home and asks Mrs. McCluskey where his family is. Mrs. McCluskey explains that Lynette followed him to Atlantic City and knows about his woman.

Bree
Meanwhile, Bree becomes excited when Susan and Julie move in and attempts to make Danielle feel the same. Danielle is concerned since Andrew left and that Bree is acting quirky. When Danielle tells Bree that she forgot her birthday, Bree wants to throw her a 17th birthday and invite her friends. Danielle reluctantly gives in but wants Andrew's room in return. The following morning, Bree over decorates the house with balloons with the number "17". Danielle asks that Bree take them down since she wants a simple party. Bree then begins to pop balloons which Susan becomes concerned at. At Danielle's birthday party, Bree comes to a melting point when one of Danielle's friends runs her finger through the birthday cake's frosting. Bree causes a scene and embarrasses everybody, including herself. Danielle runs out of the party in tears. Danielle later finds out where Matthew is when she enters the Applewhites' basement through a cellar door. They then plan an escape when Betty returns to feed him. As Betty comes down the stairs, Danielle comes behind and hits her with a crowbar and steals the key, thus helping Matthew escape. Danielle then writes a letter to Bree informing her that she has run away with Matthew and is unlikely to return. Bree then checks herself into a mental institution when she begins to feel on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Gabrielle
Gabrielle and Carlos successfully inseminate Xiao-Mei, who begins developing morning sickness from Gabrielle's perfume. Gabrielle quickly discovers that Carlos begins treating Xiao-Mei better than herself and demands an explanation. Carlos explains that because Xiao-Mei is carrying their baby that she should be in comfort thus giving up their bed and Gabrielle having to throw out her fragrances. Gabrielle objects to this and shoos Xiao-Mei out of their bedroom after spraying her perfume and hairsprays all over the bedroom. Xiao-Mei immediately becomes sickened when she next enters the room and throws up in the bathroom. Carlos learns what Gabrielle did and is angered. Carlos then goes to the couch to sleep. Xiao-Mei shortly finds him on the couch and makes him a roast beef sandwich. The two then begin to chat about Gabrielle and the pregnancy.

Felicia Tilman plans her final act of revenge on Paul Young after sneaking into his home to "borrow flour" when in reality she takes his house keys. Then we're shown Felicia calling police and saying that her neighbour Paul Young threatens her while she's pumping her blood. She's answered that nothing can be done with threatens and Felicia says that in that case she'll do everything herself. The following evening, Paul walks into his kitchen to slip and discover blood on the floor and on the kitchen walls. Paul then follows a trail to the garage where the door is ajar. The police quickly come upon the scene and place Paul in handcuffs then discover two of Felicia's fingers in the trunk of his car. While Paul is escorted to prison, Felicia escapes to the mountains and retreats to a log cabin where she takes the alias of "Mrs. Huber" and covers a bandage over her two missing fingers.

Trivia

 * Although credited, Karl Mayer (Richard Burgi), Andrew Van de Kamp (Shawn Pyfrom), and Caleb Applewhite (NaShawn Kearse) do not appear in this episode.
 * This episode showed viewers a glimpse of Tom's one night stand, Nora, played by Kiersten Warren.
 * Due to time constraints, the opening credits were cut.
 * In the scene in which Carlos is trying to clean their room from Gaby's beauty product smell we can see Gaby reading a Maxim magazine.
 * This is not the first character played by Marcia Cross to spend time in a psychiatric institution. Her character Kimberley Shaw from Melrose Place was also institutionalised for a time. This may be an in-joke or homage to Melrose Place on the part of the writers Kevin Murphy and Chris Black.
 * The episode title is that of the song "No One Is Alone" which appeared in the Stephen Sondheim musical, Into the Woods.
 * French Title: Seul au monde (Alone in the World)
 * German Title: Allein auf der Welt (Alone in the World)
 * Italian Title: Solitudine (Loneliness)
 * Hungarian Title: Nem vagy egyedül! (You're not Alone)
 * Polish Title: Nikt nie jest sam (No One Is Alone)

Quotes

 * Mary Alice [narrating]: Susan Mayer had always believed the one thing about hard times is that you get to find out who your friends really are. When her grandmother died, it was Bree who brought homemade cookies. When the critics panned her third book, it was Gabrielle who hired the handsome masseur. When her divorce became final it was Lynette who poured the scotch. Sadly, Susan’s life had been shattered once again. But as always, her friends had come to help pick up the pieces. Yes, hard times were what Susan used to distinguish who was a friend and who wasn’t.


 * Bree: This cake is a symbol of my love!


 * Xiao-Mei: She smell.
 * Carlos: Who smells? Gaby?
 * Gabrielle: Excuse me, what?
 * Xiao-Mei: Her perfume make me sick.
 * Gabrielle: Honey, it’s a $100 bucks an ounce. That tends to make everyone a little nauseous.


 * Carlos [to Gabrielle]: Do you have to be so high-maintenance?
 * Gabrielle: You married a model, Carlos. Maintenance is my only skill!


 * Gabrielle: Fine, I’ll learn to live without product. But when my hair starts smelling like hair, I don’t want to hear a word.


 * Matthew: Mom. Look, I know you’re out there. Please, just talk to me. Mom, I need something to drink. Just some water, some juice, something, anything, please. (bangs on the door) Mom! You want me to say I set Caleb up. Yeah, I did it. I started thinking about all those years, years that we had to take care of him and I just thought maybe once he was gone, we could have a normal life. And I’m sorry. But Mom, you have got to let me out of here, now!
 * Betty [gets up and uses the crowbar to bang the door]: You! You were willing to stand by and let me murder your brother without reason. It's an unforgivable betrayal! I am so consumed with rage, it's best you stay in there because if I let you out, I don't know what I might do to you!


 * Bree: Hello. My name is Bree Van de Kamp and I’d like to admit myself for psychiatric observation.
 * Receptionist: All right, what seems to be the problem?
 * Bree: I think I’m about to have a nervous breakdown.


 * Mary Alice (narrating): Not everyone enjoys being a small part of a large community. Indeed, some yearn to leave the stress and noise of constant companionship behind them. So they strike out on their own, hoping their solitude will bring a little peace and quiet. It’s only then they discover how dangerous it is to be alone in the world.


 * Danielle: [to Bree]: It’s just you kind of forgot my birthday.
 * Bree: What?
 * Danielle: Yeah, it was 6 weeks ago.
 * Bree: Oh, my God, Danielle. I am so sorry.
 * Danielle: It’s okay. You had a lot going on. I mean, Andrew was suing you and you were pretty wasted that month.


 * Edie [to Susan]: What do you want?
 * Susan: Uh, this is a little awkward and I apologize in advance for how this is gonna sound, but um...by any chance, did you burn down my house?
 * Edie: Yes.
 * Susan: What?
 * Edie: Yes, I burnt down your house, you sleazy little whore.
 * Susan: Edie! Why would you do that?
 * Edie: Can you blame me after sending me that acid letter?
 * Susan: Letter? What letter?
 * Edie: The one where you admitted to stabbing me in the back by sleeping with Karl.
 * Susan: You weren't supposed to get that! I stole that back from the mailman.
 * Edie: So, you were trying to hide the truth from me?
 * Susan: This is not what we should focus on right now. The point is you maliciously set fire to my house!
 * Edie: Look, I admit I might have overreacted a tad.
 * Susan: A tad? Edie, I have no roof! You can't just go around burning down people's homes!
 * Edie: Why not? You burnt down my home! You stole Mike from me! You slept with my fiance! That's the trifecta! You're lucky I didn't torch your car!
 * Susan: That's it! I'm going to the police and I'm telling them what you did!
 * Edie: Did what? I didn't do anything.
 * Susan: Wha…? You just confessed!
 * Edie: No, I didn't. Did anyone else hear me confess? Hello? Hello? No witnesses. No evidence. No confession. I guess we're done here. You can go home now. Oh, wait, that's right, you don't have one.


 * Susan [turns on the recorder underneath her shirt and knocks on Edie’s door. Edie answers it as she’s eating a bag of popcorn. She tries to slam the door, but Susan holds it open]: No, Edie, wait! Um, I don't want to fight. I know that we've had our differences, but you know we had a friendship going on there and I just think we owe it to ourselves to talk about what happened.
 * Edie: What's there to talk about? It happened. (she chews the popcorn as she talks) I walked down to your house. I had this watering can.
 * Susan: What?
 * Edie (muffled): I filled it with gasoline and boom! Laughed my ass off.
 * Susan: Okay, wait, could you just swallow? 'Cause I couldn't really hear what you were saying.
 * Edie: Well, that was basically it. One of the best days of my life.
 * Susan: Well, see you were chewing and so I didn't really hear what you said. Could you just say it again?
 * Edie: I burnt you house down and it was great. What do you want?
 * Susan: So, uh, you then admit burning down my house. On purpose.
 * Edie [moves closer to Susan]: You're wearing a wire, aren't you?
 * Susan: Huh?
 * Edie: Open that blouse!
 * Susan: What? No!
 * Edie: Open that blouse! (She rips open Susan's blouse and sees the microphone; Susan runs off and Edie chases her.) Ahhhhh! You can't outrun me, Mayer. I'm in the best shape of my life!
 * Susan: Oh good. Then you'll be prime meat picking when you go to jail!
 * Edie: You bitch!
 * Susan: Bite me!


 * Susan [to Edie when she's in the hospital after being stung by bees]: Okay, first let me say I’m really sorry about the yellowjackets. And also, no matter how mad I am about what I did, I don’t want to see you go to prison. So, I came up with the solution. Why don’t you just come forward and tell the police that you saw some vagrant lurking by my garage with a can of gasoline. And if you do that then I’ll destroy the tape. And then the insurance company will pay the claim. Nobody gets hurt. Does that sound good?
 * Edie: Come closer.
 * Susan: Oh, ah. [comes close to Edie]
 * Edie: Take your stinking deal and shove it!
 * Susan: Edie!
 * Edie: Every time something bad happens to me, you're standing nearby. Well, I've had it! No more pretending to be friends. When I get out of here, I'm gonna destroy you!
 * Susan: Okay, I'm just gonna think that this is the meds talking and I'll come back tomorrow.
 * Edie: Don't bother!
 * Susan: Okay, Edie. I'm in trouble here.
 * Edie: Oh, I'm sure you'll turn on the waterworks and the whole neighborhood'll come running. They always do.
 * Susan: That's not true!
 * Edie: Sure it is! You never miss an opportunity to play the victim! And you think just because everybody always comes to your rescue, it means that you're loved. Well, it doesn't. It means that you're helpless. Now get out. Just get out.


 * Tom: Hey. Mrs. McCluskey, excuse me. You haven’t seen Lynette around, have you? She’s not a home, she’s not answering her cell phone.
 * Mrs. McCluskey: She packed up the kids and the puppy and left.
 * Tom: Packed them up? Why?
 * Mrs. McCluskey: She followed you to Atlantic City. She knows about your other woman. Boy, you’re just lucky you’re not my husband.


 * Danielle’s note to Bree: “Mother, Matthew and I are running away together and we’re never coming back. If you want me to be happy, you won’t try to find us. Living in that house with you was like a prison. You drove me to do this, so I hope you blame yourself. Have a nice life, Danielle.”


 * Mary Alice [narrating]: It’s a shocking moment for each of us. That moment we realize we are all alone in this world. The family we take for granted could one day abandon us. The husband we trust so implicitly might betray us. The daughter we love so deeply perhaps won’t return to us. And then we could end up all by ourselves. Of course, some see great value in going it alone.