Bachelor Pad eliminated Erica Rose and Blake Julian during Monday night's fifth episode of the second season of The Bachelor reality franchise spinoff in which former bachelor and bachelorettes compete for a $250,000 cash prize.

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Erica, a former The Bachelor: Rome bachelorette, and Blake, a former seventh-season The Bachelorette bachelor, were eliminated based on votes cast by Bachelor Pad's five remaining couples after host Chris Harrison had announced the former The Bachelor bachelorettes and The Bachelorette bachelors had to pair up and compete as couples for the duration of the season.

"Tonight was a great injustice because a large part of me leaving was because of [Holly Durst] and because of all the negative attention that she cause on Blake. It's just disappointing to me that there was just too big of a mess for me to clean up no matter how hard I tried," Erica said during the departure limo ride which followed her elimination.

"I know I should be sad about leaving the house and losing my chance at $250,000, but honestly the thing that gets me the most, is having to leave Holly. Holly handed me a note and it says, 'Blake, my heart is breaking right now. I'm crying as I write this because I don't want you to go home. This isn't the end for us. I miss you so much, Holly,'" Blake said following his ouster.

"I'm going to hold onto this for awhile. I'm going to miss Holly. I don't have any hope at winning any money, but it gives me hope of winning something better. I think there's definitely a future between Holly and I -- possibly love. That's important to me."

Bachelor Pad's fifth second-season episode began with Chris telling the 10 remaining contestants they must select a permanent partner for all the upcoming competitions. He suggested they should partner up with someone who could not only help them win roses but ultimately the entire game, and then the pairs should attempt to get to know each other very well.

It became apparent that Blake wanted to become a couple with former The Bachelor: London Calling bachelorette Holly, while she was also interested in the opportunity. However, Holly admitted she had promised former fifth-season bachelor Michael Stagliano she would stay with him and couldn't stray from their agreement because she still had feelings for him.

As a result, Blake and Erica were the only single individuals left standing and were forced to pair up together much to Erica's satisfaction and Blake's disappointment.

The next day, the contestants competed in a "nearly-wed" game challenge in which the couples would be asked tough questions about themselves and their relationships. When a pair's answers matched, they would receive one point. The couple to have the most points at the end of the competition would win immunity from the next elimination vote and the right to go on a one-on-one date together.

In addition, Chris announced the couple to come in second place would also be able to enjoy a date away from the house.

Chris asked the five couples a variety of questions including: How many dates would you need before becoming intimate?; Who is more invested in your relationship?; Who would you want to sleep with in the house besides your partner?; Who would be most likely to cheat in a relationship?; and how old was your partner when he or she lost his or her virginity?

Former fifteenth-season The Bachelor bachelorette Michelle Money and her partner and former fourth-season The Bachelorette bachelor Graham Bunn surprisingly answered most of the questions correctly despite how little time they have spent together. However, everyone eventually discovered they had come up with a scheme to win in which they had memorized specific names and numerical responses to match certain questions.

Graham and Michelle's plan worked out nearly perfectly, as they came in first place after edging out Blake and Erica by only one point. Both couples would receive special one-on-one dates but Blake and Erica did not receive roses.

Afterward, Blake and Holly -- who had shared a kiss on their one-on-one date during last week's episode, upsetting Michael -- continued to flirt in the mansion. Michael told Erica that Blake wasn't a "good dude," but Erica offered him some advice and suggested he should be more concerned with his relationship with Holly rather than another man who might get in his way.

Erica felt she had to try to keep Blake around because if he got eliminated, her chances to be voted out would also be higher.

Michelle and Graham then took off on their date and enjoyed a helicopter ride that took them to a pool where they watched a private screening of an upcoming film, What's Your Number?

Meanwhile, mostly all the contestants back at the mansion labeled Michelle and Graham the schemers of the house and a threat, while there was a lot of drama between former sixth-season The Bachelorette bachelor Kasey Kahl and former The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love bachelorette Vienna Girardi over some sexual tension.

According to Vienna, Kasey allegedly took off the promise ring he had given her earlier in the season when she denied him sex.

During Michelle and Graham's date, they went swimming together and then watched the romantic comedy from within the pool. The couple kissed often and both realized they were beginning to grow extremely close.

"I love how affectionate he's become towards me and how he held me and touched me. We are connecting in a way that we have never connected before. That was huge for me," Michelle said.

"From the first day until now is like night and day with she and I. I don't know how much better you could do than Michelle. You can't. I couldn't be happier, couldn't be more pleased. It's been the best day. I would love to have Michelle as a part of my life for a very long time," Graham explained. 

Back at the mansion, Erica expressed how she thought Blake was very attractive, and because her feelings were growing for him, she was becoming equally frustrated over how Holly was always flirting with him. Erica then told Blake that Michael wanted to get rid of him because the situation was a personal matter since Holly's heart was involved.

Erica asked Blake to detach himself from Holly because their next move was to get rid of Michael, but that meant eliminating Holly as well. Erica felt the only way to get Blake's mind off Holly would be to seduce him on their one-on-one potential overnight date.

While Erica and Blake enjoyed their date of exploring the historical Mission Inn and taking a candlelit walk through the catacombs, everyone at the mansion discussed how they all had an issue with Blake and believed he couldn't be trusted. Holly was the only contestant to disagree with the pack because she saw a different side of him.

On Blake and Erica's date, they sat down for a romantic dinner for two and were shocked to find two roses on the table. They learned they would be allowed to save one couple from elimination, excluding themselves. Happy to have been restored a little power amongst the chaos, the couple tried to enjoy their date although Blake's mind was still set on Holly.

Meanwhile, Michael and Holly sat down to talk about their relationship and what was happening between Holly and Blake. Michael told Holly he wanted to kiss her every time he saw her and simply wanted to be with her again, but Holly sadly expressed how he had waited too long to come forward with his feelings and could've fought for her much sooner when she was still invested in their relationship.

"Michael is saying every single thing that I wanted to hear for so long, but it makes me so mad. He waited until there was an opportunity for me to be with another guy," Holly said.

"I'm checked out," she told Michael.

Erica continued to be very persistent in her attempt to win Blake's affection. She pursued him and requested he stay for their overnight date together. However, Blake was uncertain whether that would be the right decision to make because he cared for Holly and also felt he should be back at the house strategizing how to stay in the game.

However, Erica wouldn't stand for Blake's refusal to accept her invitation to sleep with her. She told him if he went running back to the house, it would just heighten his risk of elimination because he would convince everyone he truly was after Holly. She told him it would worsen the targets on their backs, and although Blake knew Erica was smart in the game, he also realized she always got what she wanted and would do anything to attain what she desired.

After Erica tempted Blake with lingerie and blunt sexual comments, Blake declined the overnight portion of the date and upset her. However, once Holly discovered Blake had made the decision she was hoping for, she was thrilled and relieved.

"I'm worried that I have jumped back into the frying pan with someone whose emotions are going to run the game for me. I cannot win. I can't win with women. If I had this game to do over again, I would pair up with Holly, I would secretly love on her and keep my head down the whole time. I'm just left speechless. It's so frustrating," Blake said after he left Erica alone on their date.

The following day, Blake and Erica pushed aside their differences and decided to work together to determine which lucky couple would receive the safety roses. After much deliberation, they selected to give Kasey and Vienna immunity -- who in turn gave Blake and Erica their word that they would not be eliminated.  

Former The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love bachelorette Ella Nolan, who was hopeful she and her partner and former sixth-season The Bachelorette bachelor Kirk DeWindt would receive the roses because they were friends with Blake and Erica and felt deserving, was really disappointed with the couple's choice and cried because she knew they'd be on the chopping block.

"He thinks he just struck a deal, but he struck a deal with the devil," Ella said, adding that she felt she needed and wanted the money more than anyone in the mansion in order to support her nine-year-old son as a single mom.

Prior to the elimination vote, Vienna thought it would be wise to vote off Ella and Kirk because she didn't think she stood a chance at winning against Ella in the end because of her emotional story. Erica and Blake were ready to also vote for Ella and Kirk, but they acknowledges how they also needed Michelle and Graham to follow through with the plan.

Blake and Holly then enjoyed each other's company and kissed, only to have Michael walk by and watch. A heartbroken Michael sought his revenge and convinced Graham and Michelle to change their vote and help him eliminate Blake and Erica despite their loyalty to Kasey and Vienna.

Graham said Blake had violated the man code and agreed it was his time to go based on the circumstances. Graham then openly old Blake he was going to cast his vote for him and Blake was angry that Kasey couldn't deliver on his word. While Kasey and Vienna were ready to vote Ella and Kirk off, they did little to convince anyone else to keep Blake and Erica around. 

The deciding vote came down to Holly and Michael. Holly wanted to keep Blake around, but Michael obviously wished the opposite. Michael put the ball in Holly's court and allowed her to make the decision on behalf of their team.

Holly, careful not to hurt Michael's feelings anymore while remaining loyal to her strong friendship with Ella, opted to vote off Blake and Erica despite how she had truly started to like and get to know Blake.

"My heart hurts. I had to vote for Blake and Erica and it was hard because he knew I voted for him, and that's breaking my heart. It just hurts because I know where his heart is and tomorrow it's going to be really hard," Holly said in tears after she hugged Blake goodbye.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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