The houseguests go out to the patio, and try to process what they've just been told. Nicole can't figure out why the terrorists crashed one of the planes in Pennsylvania, of all places. "The pilot, he just took it down," Will says, looking at his feet. "He's a hero," he finishes. Monica just stares at the backgammon board.

In the Diary Room, Will comments that Monica has been really strong in the face of all this tragedy. Outside, Monica tells Will and Nicole that she's just praying and hoping for the best.

Later, Will sits on a patio chair and reflects that "this makes [the game] seem really small, doesn't it?" The girls nod, sadly.

Monica is called into the Diary Room for another update. Lisa breaks the news that Monica's family hasn't heard from Tamitha yet, but that they're still looking, and still feeling optimistic. Monica sighs.

"I've never seen someone so calm in the face of something this big," Will says, in the Diary Room, of Monica. "I think it says a lot about her character."

In the Diary Room, Monica explains that she knows her family can't come to fetch her, and that it's not important to her right now. They need to focus on what's going on in New York, she says. "I'm with them mind, body, and soul," she continues, and if I didn't feel so sorry for Monica that I can't even make fun of her, I'd point out that she isn't exactly with them "in body." Since, you know, she's thousands of miles away.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Monica, her family, and everyone who has been affected by the events of September 11th," Julie Chen says.

All righty. Back to the game at hand. We get a recap of what happened during the week the show was pre-empted, including, to my joy, a repeat of the last episode's shot of Will reaching into his pants and rearranging his junk. Hey, we've got to enjoy whatever we can, during these troubled times. The untelevised second round of the HoH competition consists of a "seven-point household chore" challenge, which looks like it includes eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cleaning stuff and poor Monica doesn't have a chance to overcome her third place position behind Nicole, Poster Girl for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. So, Nicole and Will move into the final round. For some reason, Will is wearing a Survivor t-shirt throughout the second round, one which I assume was given to him by his Funny, Snarky, Gay Boyfriend, Jeff Varner, or perhaps my Funny, Although At Times Grating, Completely (Dear God!) Platonic Girlfriend, Sue Hawk.