Timeline/Pre-Escape

2002

 * Claire reveals to Joe that she is pregnant with their child.

2003

 * Ryan Hardy starts investigating the brutal murders of female students. Dr. Claire Matthews recommmends talking to her husband, Dr. Joe Carroll.
 * Ryan approaches Carroll after one of his classes, who then invited him over to his house. The two share a drink while examining photos of the victims, and Carroll gives Ryan a copy of his book, The Gothic Sea, which proves to be a commercial failure.
 * September 8: Emma Hill and her mother attend a reading and a book signing of Carroll's book. While signing her book, Carroll comments on Emma's beautiful eyes, while her mother attempts to flirt with him.
 * Annie and her roommate Sarah Fuller, one of Carroll's students, bump into Ryan Hardy outside their home. Carroll, who was hiding in their house, murders Annie and stabs Sarah repeatedly. Ryan, hearing Fuller's screams, rushes in, and is stabbed by Carroll. He eventually saves Sarah's life after non-fatally shooting Carroll.

2004

 * Claire, now separated from Carroll, and Ryan talk in the kitchen of her newly bought house. Claire states that she never wants to see Carroll again, and Ryan assures her that after his trial, she won't have to.
 * Sarah Fuller testifies against Joe Carroll in federal court, and recounts the night she and Annie were attacked.

2005

 * A recently divorced Claire and Ryan kiss for the first time in her house.

2006

 * July 1: Emma visits Carroll in prison, and shows him her new haircut. He sets her up on a date with Jacob Wells.
 * July 8: While on their first date, Jacob calls Emma "special."
 * August 29: Emma prepares dinner at her house for Jacob and her mother. Sharon states her disbelief at Jacob dating his daughter, who is out of her league, while Jacob calls her daughter the most amazing woman he knows. Emma grabs a kitchen knife and stabs her mother, to Jacob's disbelief.

2009

 * Rick Kester visits Carroll in prison, and confesses his fascination with fire. He reveals to Carroll that he wants to burn Carroll's critics to death, since he is not good with knives.
 * At a meeting with other followers, Rick is told that using fire to kill others is okay, since Carroll wants them to develop their own techniques.
 * Rick practices using a knife by stabbing his wife, though the wound is more fatal than he meant it to be. Emma suggests taking a bleeding Maggie to a hospital.

2010

 * Emma instructs Jacob and Paul to pose as Sarah Fuller's next door gay couple in order to gain her trust. She tells them to kiss each other to make their relationship more believable, and they oblige.

2011

 * At their house, drunk Paul and Jacob jokingly kiss each other, which is followed with a meaningful kiss.