Serena dialed 9-1-1 and informed the operator that she was with someone who was showing symptoms of a stroke. After ending the call, Serena contacted Kayla at the hospital to let her know what was going on.
When Caroline arrived at the hospital, a doctor rushed her off for treatment after getting a quick breakdown of her medical history from Kayla. Serena filled Kayla in on what had happened. Kayla went to check on Caroline after gratefully noting that, thanks to Serena's quick thinking, Caroline's chances of making a full recovery were good.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady threatened to ask either Daniel or Kayla to investigate Theresa's injury and determine if she was faking or not. Theresa indignantly protested that doing so would be a violation of her privacy, but Brady reminded her that she had volunteered to get a second opinion to put an end to his suspicions. "You know, you're making this worse for yourself. I heard you and Anne. I know," Brady added.
Theresa hesitantly conceded that she might have exaggerated the truth a bit. "It's called a lie," Brady clarified. Theresa protested that Brady's label was kind of harsh. "It's not harsh; a lie is a lie," Brady countered. Brady added that the only thing that was wrong with Theresa was that she didn't have an honest bone in her body.
Brady handed Theresa a pair of scissors and told her to take the cast off immediately. Theresa reluctantly complied but stressed that, while it might have been wrong for her to lie about her injury, she had done it for the right reasons. Theresa insisted that she simply didn't want Tate to grow up without his mother, nor did she want him to grow up being bounced back and forth like a Ping-Pong ball.
"What kind of mother uses her kid to justify her lying and her scheming? This is not about our son, and we both know it. This isn't about Tate at all; it's about me," Brady guessed. "Ugh, isn't everything?" Theresa countered. Ignoring the comment, Brady summarized that Theresa only wanted to continue staying at the mansion because she was still chasing the idea of getting to live happily ever after with a man who didn't even love her -- and, for that matter, never would love her. "That's just cruel," Theresa protested. Brady replied that it was simply the truth -- something Theresa only had a nodding acquaintance with.
"Get this through your head -- we are not compatible, and it gives me a splitting headache just to be in the same room with you. So, consequently, the less I see of you, the happier I'm gonna be, and the far less headaches I'm gonna have!" Brady loudly added. Eric soon entered the mansion and wondered what was going on, adding that he had been able to hear Brady and Theresa shouting from outside. Brady started to recap Theresa's latest scheme to continue mooching off him, but she interrupted and clarified that she would have been mooching off Victor -- just like Brady had been for years.
Eric cautioned that Brady needed to find a way to get along with Theresa because she was the mother of his child. "If you're taking pity on her, why don't you have her live with you?" Brady suggested. Theresa countered that she would rather live on the streets than continue to be treated horribly. Eric advised Brady and Theresa to take a few deep breaths and calm down.
Eric soon received a phone call, and after a brief conversation, he rushed off, informing Brady and Theresa that Caroline had been taken to the hospital. Brady and Theresa followed Eric there, and Kayla informed them that Caroline was in stable condition and resting. Kayla told Theresa she had spoken to Kimberly but hadn't been able to reach Shane yet. Theresa wanted to see Caroline, and Kayla agreed but stressed that only one visitor would be allowed at a time. Theresa rushed off to Caroline's room, and when Eric tried to get Kayla to tell him more about what had happened, she took him to one of the break rooms, where Serena was waiting.
Theresa sobbed as she held and kissed Caroline's hand. "Grandma, please...please don't leave me. I'm lost. I'm so lost. And you're the only one in my whole life who ever understood me, who knows how I screw everything up and loves me, anyway. I understand why everybody else gave up on me. I'd give up on me, too," Theresa tearfully admitted, unaware that Brady was listening from the doorway.
At Club TBD, Abigail started to tell Ben something, but Chad interrupted and observed that it looked like they were celebrating. Ben confirmed the suspicion as Abigail realized that Chad was drunk. Chad shrugged and explained that he'd had some celebrating of his own to do that day. Chad teasingly wondered if Ben was going to ask for details, prompting Ben to predict that Chad's news couldn't possibly top his and Abigail's news.
"Come on, don't keep me in the dark. I mean, the three of us, we share and share alike, don't we?" Chad pointed out as he took a seat at Ben and Abigail's table. Ben warned Chad to shut up, prompting Chad to clarify that he had just meant that the trio didn't keep secrets from each other. Ben agreed and proceeded to reveal that he and Abigail had just gotten engaged. Chad forced a smile and observed that Abigail wasn't wearing a ring. Ben quickly remedied that problem as Chad watched uncomfortably. Chad stood and loudly offered to break open a bottle of the club's best Champagne so everyone could toast to Ben and Abigail's future.
Chad wondered if Ben planned to take Abigail back to Poplar Bluff so she could be blissfully barefoot and pregnant for the rest of her life. Ben clarified that he and Abigail would be staying in Salem. "Well, maybe you haven't noticed, but marriages in Salem are markedly less successful than the national average. Unless, of course, you're talking about the 'till death do us part' part, in which case --" Chad said before letting his voice trail off. Ben shook his head and acknowledged that he should have known Chad wouldn't be happy for him and Abigail. Chad claimed that he was happy for the couple, and he shrugged as he conceded that they might even beat the odds. "You can count on it," Ben assured Chad.
Changing the subject, Ben pointed out that Chad still hadn't shared his own good news. Abigail eyed Chad nervously as he rambled on about how he had been celebrating a moment of clarity, which could be an incredibly powerful and liberating thing. "You're a lucky man, Mr. Weston. Seriously, from the bottom of my heart...I am so happy for the both of you," Chad added before stumbling back out of the club.
After Chad left, Ben started asking Abigail a bunch of questions about her ideal type of wedding ceremony, excitedly moving from one inquiry to the next without giving her a chance to respond to any of them. Abigail eventually interrupted Ben, and he apologized for getting carried away. Remembering that Abigail had been trying to tell him something before Chad had arrived, Ben urged her to continue, and she proceeded to reveal that she was pregnant. Ben was surprised but ecstatic at first, but as he hugged and kissed Abigail, he started thinking about her recent one-night stand with Chad. "Exactly how far along are you?" Ben casually asked.
Abigail revealed that she was approximately eight weeks pregnant. Abigail assumed Ben was upset, and she started to concede that she probably should have told him about the pregnancy before accepting his proposal, but he interrupted and, after getting her to promise she would answer truthfully, asked if she had only agreed to marry him because she was pregnant. Abigail insisted she hadn't.
Ben wondered how long Abigail had known about the pregnancy. Abigail admitted she had known for a while, and she explained that she hadn't told Ben sooner because she had wanted to be sure first, and she had been worried that he might feel trapped if she told him she was pregnant. Abigail added that Ben's proposal had been particularly meaningful because it hadn't had anything to do with her pregnancy.
Ben asked if Abigail felt trapped into being with him because she was pregnant. Abigail assured Ben that she didn't, adding that she knew just how lucky she was, and she also knew he was going to be an amazing father. Ben wondered if Abigail had told Jennifer and J.J. yet. Abigail said she hadn't because she had wanted to tell Ben first. Abigail excused herself so she could break the news to Jennifer and J.J., and after she left, Ben's smile slowly started to fade.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefano ended a phone call after assuring the person on the other end that the land in Ireland would soon be his because his son had the situation with Abigail Deveraux well in hand. Later, Chad entered the study and found Stefano listening to opera music. Chad turned off the music and slumped down on the couch, complaining that he wasn't in the mood to hear it. Stefano wondered if something had happened with Abigail. "Nothing happened with Abigail. Nothing is ever gonna happen with Abigail, so you can forget about that little plot of land in Ireland that you would sell somebody's soul to own," Chad irritably replied.
Stefano insisted Chad couldn't give up that easily, but Chad reiterated that his relationship with Abigail was over for good. "It is not over! It is never over if she still loves you," Stefano maintained. "Yeah? Then why the hell is she marrying Ben Weston?" Chad countered. Sighing, Stefano complained that Abigail was a foolish girl, and he struggled to comprehend how she could have possibly chosen a "dope" like Ben over a DiMera. Chad guessed Abigail's decision had actually had a lot to do with the fact that he was a DiMera. "She made a choice not to be a part of this family. Unfortunately, that's a choice I never had," Chad added.
Stefano dismissively insisted that Ben was no match for Chad -- and could be taken care of easily enough. "Enough! It's over!" Chad shouted before turning the music back on and exiting the room. Stefano angrily broke his conductor's baton and tossed it across the room. "It cannot be over," Stefano muttered.
At the park, Xander lashed out at Nicole, complaining that she had ruined his life. Nicole nervously wondered if Xander could really be stupid enough to try to hurt her in a public place. Xander considered the idea for a moment before concluding that Nicole wasn't worth the trouble. Xander started to walk away after adding that he had an appointment to keep, but Nicole couldn't resist making a joke about his change of fortune.
"Are you really stupid enough to think this is over?" Xander asked, lunging forward with an intensity that caused Nicole to take a step back. Xander left a few inches of space between himself and Nicole as he started taunting her, predicting she would have a very long and unhappy life ahead of herself -- if fate didn't just put her out of her misery early on instead.
Daniel arrived and warned Xander to stay away from him, Nicole, and Parker. Xander claimed he didn't care about the trio and would have no problem staying away from them. "Well, unless Parker has a play date at his Uncle Victor's," Xander added. Daniel didn't understand the comment, but Xander left without bothering to clarify it. After stopping Daniel from following Xander, Nicole proceeded to share the identity of Victor's newest gardener.
Parker's babysitter soon dropped off the boy, and Nicole and Daniel played with him while trying to enjoy a picnic. Nicole could tell Daniel's mind was on what Victor had done, though, so she eventually offered to watch Parker for a while so Daniel could go talk to Victor about the matter. After Daniel left, Nicole took Parker home, and Roman soon joined them there, at her request.
Roman wasn't surprised to hear about Xander's new job, since the police had been keeping tabs on Xander lately. Roman apologetically informed Nicole that, while the investigation was ongoing, there simply wasn't enough evidence to implicate Xander in the diamond-smuggling operation yet, nor was there enough evidence to tie Victor to Xander's illegal activities. Nicole hoped, for Daniel and Maggie's sakes, that Victor truly was innocent.
Outside the Kiriakis mansion, a groundskeeper informed Victor that Xander seemed somewhat reluctant to get his hands dirty. "Well, that's funny. That was never his problem at all," Victor mused. Later, Victor found Xander in a shed on the property. "You know, I thought I caught a whiff of something unpleasant. Imagine, I thought it was the manure," Victor muttered in lieu of a greeting.
Victor mentioned the groundskeeper's earlier comments and warned that if Xander didn't start doing a better job soon, he would find himself without a place to live. Xander protested that gardening wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Xander quickly added, however, that he was a fast learner and would do whatever he had to do to regain Victor's trust. "Oh, we're a long, long way from even a glimmer of that happening," Victor replied.
Xander told Victor about his earlier encounter with Daniel and Nicole, making it clear that he hadn't intended to run into them. "It is your responsibility to maintain a respectful distance from the people that I care about. If you find yourself in the same public place, you are not welcome there," Victor stressed. Xander tried to repeat his defense, but Victor interrupted and told him to get back to work -- and try to do something right for a change. On his way out of the shed, Victor purposely knocked over a stack of empty clay pots, causing them to shatter. "There's another mess. Clean it up," Victor ordered Xander before walking away.
Later, Victor received a visit from Daniel, and he grudgingly took the opportunity to congratulate Daniel on getting engaged to Nicole. Daniel was more interested in talking about Xander, and Victor understood Daniel's concerns but felt confident that Daniel and Brady would both eventually see the wisdom in Victor's method of handling Xander. Daniel was reluctant to throw around unfounded accusations but nevertheless had a feeling that the situation with Xander was much more complicated than Victor had led everyone to believe it was. Victor maintained his innocence, but Daniel bluntly stated that he didn't believe Victor was telling the truth.
Meanwhile, Xander sulked in a corner of the shed, staring at a photograph of him as a child, sitting on Victor's lap. Scowling, Xander began carving an X over Victor's face with a piece of broken clay.
In the Kiriakis living room, Daniel confronted Victor about Xander. Daniel said he did not like that Victor was "playing God." Victor argued that he wanted to control Xander, but Daniel did not believe him. Daniel questioned whether Victor was lying about his connection to Xander. Victor swore he would make Xander pay. As Daniel sighed, the phone rang. Victor talked to the hospital and learned about Caroline
Maggie went to Daniel's apartment to talk to him about Xander, but only Nicole was home. Nicole admitted that she and Daniel had learned about Xander's new position at the Kiriakis mansion. Nicole confided that she was scared of what Daniel might do if he ran into Xander. With a nod, Maggie said she was relieved that Daniel was talking to Victor.
Maggie changed the subject to the engagement party. Nicole asked if Maggie could "pretend to tolerate" her. With a raised eyebrow, Maggie said she would not pretend to tolerate Nicole. Nicole said she understood that Maggie hated what Nicole had done to Jennifer and Daniel, and she hated herself for what she had done as well. Nicole asked Maggie if the engagement party was Maggie's way of getting past her anger and accepting that Daniel was marrying Nicole.
"You know, for being a journalist and a very smart woman, sometimes you just get your facts so wrong," Maggie said. Maggie asked if Nicole knew about how Maggie had felt about Daniel when she'd first met him. Nicole shook her head. Maggie explained that Daniel had been a dog, but he had changed.
"I actually quite liked him by the time I found out I was his mother," Maggie said. Maggie said she believed that people could change. When Nicole wondered how Maggie could forgive her when Nicole could not forgive herself for what she had done to Jennifer, Maggie said she understood that Nicole had been in pain.
"What are you saying? You want us to be friends?" Nicole said through tears. "No! I want us to be family!" Maggie said. Maggie rushed over to Nicole and hugged her tightly. Unfortunately, the happy moment was interrupted when Maggie received a text message from Daniel about Caroline.
In Kayla's office at the hospital, Eric thanked Kayla for her help with Caroline. Kayla said she was thankful that Serena had been there when Caroline had collapsed and had known how to respond. Kayla credited Serena with saving Caroline's life. With a sincere smile, Kayla thanked Serena as she left to check on her mother. Serena rose to leave, but Eric stopped her. Serena told Eric about the letter she had asked Caroline to give to him. Serena said she was leaving town because she had not done anything right since arriving in Salem.
Eric asked Serena if she wanted to leave town. Serena said that Daniel had shown her there was no reason for her to stay. When Serena commented that Daniel had been nice to her, Eric suggested that other people would warm up to Serena again. Frustrated, Serena said she was not leaving because she was not liked but because she could not stand seeing how much Eric hated her. Serena explained that Eric was grateful for her part in saving Caroline, but it did not change the situation between them.
After Eric finished reading the letter from Serena, she asked Eric if he hated her still. Eric urged Serena not to ruin her career over how she believed he felt. When Serena asked if Eric was asking her to stay, he excused himself to check on Caroline.
In Caroline's hospital room, Roman sat by Caroline's bedside as Hope and Aiden arrived. A tearful Hope hugged Roman. Kayla entered the room and hugged Hope to comfort her as well. A groggy Caroline woke up, and Kayla asked her questions. Caroline knew that she was at the hospital and that Kayla was her daughter. Caroline squeezed Kayla's hand. With a smile, Kayla noted that Caroline had full mobility. Kayla hugged her mother and ordered everyone to leave the room so Caroline could rest. Roman kissed his mother goodbye and left with Kayla.
"You scared the hell out of us. Don't do it again," Hope said. Caroline hugged Hope as Aiden watched from the corner. After saying goodbye to Caroline, Hope and Aiden adjourned to the hall to talk. Aiden commented that Hope acted more like a family member than an in-law. Hope talked about how close she had been with Caroline and the Brady family. When Hope noted that she did not want to take anything for granted, Aiden agreed and embraced her.
At the nurses' station, Daniel talked to Kayla about Caroline's ordeal. Kayla explained that Serena had saved Caroline's life. Victor and Eric joined them at the counter. Eric asked to see Caroline, but Kayla was worried that Caroline was too tired. While Kayla checked on Caroline, Serena walked down the hall. Victor marched over to Serena at the elevator. Daniel intervened to stop Victor, but Victor waved him off. Victor told Serena that he was thankful to her for saving Caroline's life.
Maggie arrived at the hospital, and Victor informed her that he had spoken to Caroline and that she would be fine. As Victor and Maggie walked away, Daniel commented to Serena that he had thought Victor would light into her. With a shrug, Serena agreed. Daniel joked that Victor was great at tearing into people. Daniel thanked Serena for how she'd handled Caroline's care when Caroline had collapsed.
With a nod, Serena told Daniel that she had been on her way out of town when Caroline had collapsed. When Daniel asked if she had changed her mind, Serena said she was considering her options. Serena asked if she could talk to Daniel later. He said he would be available then he left to talk to Victor and Maggie. As Daniel crossed the waiting area, he warned Victor that he wanted to finish their conversation later. Daniel walked away, and Victor commented to Maggie that Daniel refused to see his point of view. With a grin, Maggie said she understood what it was like to deal with that kind of person.
In Caroline's room, Eric sat at her bedside and kissed her hand. "Where the hell have you been?" Caroline said as she fluttered open her eyes. Caroline asked Eric if she could talk to Serena, so Eric retrieved Serena from the waiting room. Caroline thanked Serena for saving her life. Serena said she had reacted as anyone would have.
"Before it happened, I wasn't very nice to you," Caroline said. "Well, why would you be? I've done some terrible things to people you love," Serena countered. Caroline asked Serena about the favor she had wanted. Serena looked at Eric, and she said it was nothing. Serena asked Caroline to pay her back by getting better. Roman and Kayla entered the room, and Serena left. Eric chased after her.
Eric told Serena that he did not think it was an accident that Serena had been there when Caroline had collapsed. Eric added that he believed that God was telling him to look at things with Serena differently. When Serena asked what he meant, Eric said they would talk in the morning, and he returned to Caroline.
After leaving the hospital, Daniel returned home to enjoy the evening with Nicole Nicole commented that after talking to Maggie, she had thought about how wonderful it was that Parker had a large family that loved him. Nicole said she did not want to dwell on the past or be angry. When Daniel said he wanted to keep an eye on Xander, Nicole asked Daniel to see Victor's point of view.
"Victor is trying to take care of his family. Of us," Nicole said. Daniel nodded. Daniel said he would make peace with Victor and concentrate on Nicole. With a sigh, Nicole kissed Daniel. Daniel updated Nicole on Caroline's health, and he told her about Serena's part in saving Caroline's life. While Daniel checked on Parker, Nicole muttered to herself that Serena would use the situation to weasel her way back into Eric's life.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor asked Maggie to promise him that she would "stick around for a very long time." With sigh, Maggie said she was about to say the same thing to Victor. Maggie whispered that she loved Victor, and they hugged one another.
At the Horton house, Abigail stood on the front porch and stared at her engagement ring. As a tear rolled down her face, J.J. called out to her as he approached the house. Seeing Abigail's face, J.J. asked Abigail what was wrong. J.J. took Abigail's hand, and he noticed her engagement ring. J.J. excitedly congratulated his sister. J.J. asked Abigail why she seemed sad, and she explained that she was overwhelmed.
In the Horton living room, Jennifer heard her children on the front porch, and she opened the door to greet them. Seeing the looks on her children's faces, Jennifer asked what was wrong. Abigail ushered Jennifer and J.J. into the living room, and she announced her engagement. Jennifer hugged her daughter and congratulated her.
Excitedly, Jennifer asked Abigail what the date of the wedding was. When Abigail shrugged the question off, Jennifer asked if Abigail was overwhelmed. Jennifer pushed Abigail to talk, and Abigail reluctantly admitted that she was pregnant. Unsure of what to say, Jennifer stammered and asked Abigail if she was happy. Abigail said she was excited to have a baby. Abigail admitted that she had known about the pregnancy for a while.
When Jennifer suggested that the marriage might be rushed, Abigail stressed that she was not marrying Ben because of the baby but for love. Jennifer said that she wanted Jennifer to live her own life, but Jennifer would support her. Worried about her daughter, Jennifer went into the kitchen to fix food for Abigail. Alone with his sister, J.J. asked Abigail if she really wanted the wedding and the baby. Abigail said that she was emotional because she was pregnant.
"I know that I can tell you anything, and I know that you will always been on my side," Abigail said. "Okay, well then tell me this. Would you have said yes to Ben if you were not pregnant?" J.J. asked. Abigail said she would have said yes. When J.J. asked about Ben's reaction to the pregnancy, Abigail said that Ben had been stunned because she had told him after the engagement. Jennifer returned with a sandwich, and she remarked that Abigail and Ben would be wonderful parents. Abigail started to cry. The three hugged, and Jennifer told her children that she loved them.
Outside Club TBD, Ben and Clyde had a beer and talked. Clyde asked why Ben was so glum when Abigail had said yes to Ben's proposal. Ben said that Abigail was pregnant. Clyde pretended to act surprised, and he congratulated Ben. With a pained expression, Ben wondered if the news was good when the baby might be Chad's and not his. Clyde assured Ben that it was not Chad's baby.
"And how the hell do you know that?" Ben asked. Clyde said he did not believe that Abigail would marry Ben if she was not sure that Ben was the father of the baby. Ben disagreed. Ben added that Abigail had slept with Chad eight weeks earlier and that Abigail was eight weeks pregnant. With a scowl, Ben said, "Maybe this isn't about love. Maybe this is about her using me to cover up what she did. She doesn't want a husband. She wants a solution to a big, fat problem."
Clyde reiterated that Abigail would not marry Ben if Abigail was not sure. Shaking his head, Ben argued that because of her family, Abigail could not admit that she had slept with Chad. Clyde asked Ben if he doubted that Abigail loved him. Shaking his head, Ben said he knew that Abigail loved him, but he was worried how Chad would react when he learned that Abigail was pregnant.
Inside Club TBD, Hope and Aiden kissed. Clyde and Ben carried their dishes inside and saw Hope and Aiden at the nearby table. Clyde commented to the happy couple that they could not keep their hands off one another. Hope raised an eyebrow at Clyde, then said hello to Ben. As Hope rose to excuse herself, Clyde informed Hope that Aiden had dropped him and Ben as clients. Aiden said he did not want to talk about it. Clyde said there were no hard feelings. Ben agreed.
With a smirk, Clyde added, "That's the past, and now we got a whole lot of other things to keep us busy and happy, don't we, Ben?" When Hope asked Ben what was going on, Clyde promised they would hear the news soon then he left. Hope asked Aiden if everything was okay with Clyde. Aiden shrugged. Hope asked Aiden why he had not told her about dropping Clyde as a client. Aiden invoked attorney-client privilege.
Outside the club, Clyde remarked to Ben that he believed the baby would be a boy. As Ben frowned, Clyde encouraged Ben to be happy about the baby. Clyde hugged his son and said that Ben was "a real man now."
Hope visited Rafe at the Edge of the Square, which hadn't yet opened for the day. Believing Hope was only there to pursue her suspicions about Clyde Weston, an irked Rafe reiterated that she should drop it -- especially since Clyde was Aiden's client. Hope informed Rafe that Aiden no longer worked for Clyde or Ben. Rafe found that news almost as shocking as Hope had.
Hope believed that Aiden had only dropped Ben and Clyde because he'd found out something huge about Clyde, and she pleaded with Rafe to help her find out what it was. Rafe somewhat angrily said there was nothing he could do to help Hope -- especially since Victor had ordered him to back off of Clyde. Refusing to discuss it any further with Hope, Rafe headed for the back room.
In his office, Aiden started removing papers from Clyde Weston's files and running them through the shredder -- until he ran across something that caught his attention. "That's interesting," he remarked before picking up the phone.
Outside Club TBD, Clyde got a phone call. "What have you got for me on Aiden Jennings?" Clyde demanded, continuing hotly, "Do you think I care? You get yourself back out there and dig deeper, then. Aiden Jennings made contact with people in Florida. I want to know who, and I want to know why, so get on it!"
As Paul and John were having breakfast in Horton Square, Kate wandered over and advised Paul that he should move out of the Salem Inn, especially since he had a "hot new boyfriend." Paul reminded Kate that his personal life was none of her business. John pulled Kate aside and urged her to back away from Paul. Kate insisted that she was glad Paul had an active love life, since it meant that he would stay away from Will and Sonny -- and she assumed John and Marlena felt the same way.
After Kate left, John casually asked Paul about Derrick. "It's nothing special. Never will be," Paul maintained. John started to question Paul about it but changed his mind, noting that he had learned the hard way not to pry; he just wanted Paul to be happy. Paul admitted that it had started to feel strange to call John by his first name, so John proposed that Paul call him "Dad." Paul happily agreed.
Later, John went to Aiden's office. Aiden admitted he needed help with a drug case that John had been working on. John confirmed that the police had noticed an increase in drug trafficking the previous fall, but he promised to check the exact dates and get back to Aiden. After John left, Aiden resumed going through Clyde's files.
As John and Hope walked through Horton Square a little later, discussing one of their current cases, John asked Hope to pass a message on to Aiden, whom John had just seen. John explained that the venue for the Little League game had changed. Hope wanted to know why John had been to see Aiden. John said Aiden had wanted some information on a drug investigation John was working on.
Marlena went to Will and Sonny's to stay with Arianna while the guys visited Caroline in the hospital. Sonny said Will had already left to run an errand. Marlena asked how things were going with Will and Sonny. Sonny assured her that things were good, and Will really liked the therapist Marlena had recommended. Marlena seemed pleasantly surprised when she learned that it had been Will's idea for him, Sonny, Paul, and Derrick to go out together -- and especially Sonny's assertion that Will no longer seemed to feel threatened by Paul. Just then, Arianna called from the bedroom, so Marlena went to check on the tot while Sonny headed out.
A little later, Kate dropped by, but Marlena informed her that Arianna was sleeping, and Will and Sonny had gone to visit Caroline. Kate apologized for what had happened between them regarding Paul, but Marlena noted reassuringly that she understood Kate and empathized with her situation. With a wry roll of the eyes, Kate acknowledged that she was involved with yet another man who would likely break her heart like all the others.
Kate explained that things were "going downhill fast" with Clyde, who was, she admitted, a very dangerous man. Although Marlena couldn't say anything that fell under doctor-patient confidentiality, she was pleased that Kate was analyzing herself and the situation.
Will met Derrick in the park to find out more about how things had gone with Paul and Derrick the night before. Derrick asserted that despite him and Paul spending the night together, Paul was still in love with Sonny. Will didn't want to believe it, but Derrick pointed out that in Will's research, Paul had stated that Sonny had been the love of his life and always would be -- and it was clear to Derrick that Paul regretted not marrying Sonny when he'd had the chance.
Will pointed out that he'd done the research about Paul before Paul had learned Will and Sonny were married, and Paul respected their marriage. Derrick was skeptical, especially since Will was working so hard to get Paul and Derrick together. Derrick reassured Will that he would never reveal that Will had turned over his interview notes because Derrick still wanted a chance with Paul. Will urged Derrick to take that chance but to take things slowly.
A little later, Paul met Derrick at the Brady Pub at Derrick's invitation. After a beaming Derrick declared that he'd had a great time the night before, Paul cautioned Derrick not to read too much into what had happened between them. Although he was disappointed, Derrick asked how Paul's breakfast with John had gone. Paul said it had gone really well -- and he had started calling John "Dad." Derrick remarked, "Wow, that's a dream come true, right? Soon enough, you'll be playing ball with him at Golden Gate Park."
Taken aback, Paul asked how Derrick had known about that dream. Derrick insisted that Paul had told him about a fantasy of playing baseball in Golden Gate Park with the father he'd never known, but Paul knew he'd never mentioned it to Derrick, and it had not been in Will's article about him -- and it wasn't the first time that Derrick had known private things about Paul. Derrick reluctantly admitted that although he'd wanted to find a way to connect with the seemingly unattainable Paul, the snooping hadn't been his idea.
Appalled, Paul realized, "Will Horton. He knew those things... and he told you to bring them up so you could get to me." Derrick admitted that Will had given him the notes from Will's interview sessions with Paul. "Unbelievable!" Paul exclaimed.
Kate met Clyde inside Club TBD, and he admitted that he'd missed her the night before. She apologetically explained that there had been a meeting she'd been unable to get out of. "Just don't make a habit of it... I like a woman who shows up when she says she's gonna," Clyde said evenly. Before Kate could protest, Clyde had to step away to take a phone call.
Rafe walked in a few minutes later while Clyde was apologizing to Kate for having to cut their time together short. As he rose to leave, Clyde promised to see Kate later that night, but Kate retorted, "The hell you will." Rafe eavesdropped as Kate complained that Clyde was always making excuses to be elsewhere when they were supposed to be together -- and she hated feeling as if she were a part of his life that he could take or leave. "I hate seeing you upset like this... Can we just set this aside for now and start over tonight? My place?" Clyde asked. Kate didn't reply as Clyde kissed her goodbye.
Kate was seething when Rafe sauntered over and asked, "Trouble in paradise?" Kate bristled, urging Rafe to go ahead and "dump on" Clyde like everyone else had. Rafe merely wondered when Kate would figure out what kind of guy Clyde Weston was. "At least I'm not pining away over someone who's completely unavailable," Kate noted pointedly.
Aiden entered his office later and stopped short when he noticed that someone was in his chair, his back to the door and his feet on Aiden's desk. "Hello, counselor," Clyde drawled.
When Caroline awakened in her hospital bed, Theresa immediately asked how she was feeling. Caroline said she was feeling "pretty good," but she was worried about Theresa's broken ankle. Theresa claimed that her doctor had overreacted by putting a cast on her leg when it had not needed anything more than ice. When Caroline pushed for more details, Theresa changed the subject to how relieved she was that her grandmother and biggest supporter was going to be fine. Caroline thought Theresa should go home to be with Tate.
Theresa seemed loath to leave her grandmother, but just then, Will and Sonny arrived to visit Caroline. Caroline urged Theresa to go be with her son, so Theresa kissed her grandma on the cheek and reluctantly headed out.
A nurse stuck her head in the door and cautioned Will and Sonny that Mrs. Brady needed to rest. Will gave his great-grandmother a kiss on the forehead and promised to return with Arianna the next time they visited. Sonny kissed Caroline, as well, and stressed that they loved and needed her because she had always been in their corner.
Sonny and Will headed back to the apartment to relieve Marlena, who was playing with Arianna when the guys returned. Sonny declared that Caroline was "an amazing woman" who would probably be stronger than ever when she recovered. As Sonny took Arianna in the other room to change her, Marlena observed that Will looked happy. Will declared that he was happy because things between him and Sonny were "really great."
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady hung up from a phone call from Kayla and reported the news to Maggie that Caroline would be fine. Maggie remarked that Theresa was so devoted to her grandmother that she had spent the previous night at the hospital with Caroline. Brady filled Maggie in on the stunt Theresa had pulled by faking a broken ankle. He continued that he'd overheard Theresa pouring her heart out to Caroline the night before, and it had made him realize just how alone Theresa was. "I'm worried about my son," Brady admitted.
Maggie suggested that even though Brady had set clear ground rules before Theresa had moved in, perhaps he had been too considerate in allowing Theresa to stay there. Brady admitted that all he wanted was for Theresa to leave -- but he realized how lost she was, and it frightened him to think about her raising Tate on her own, even just half the time. When Brady noted that the only people Theresa had to rely on were Anne Milbauer and Eve, Maggie confessed that she, too, was worried about Theresa. Maggie added that she and Victor would support whatever decision Brady made -- but ultimately, it would have to be his decision.
Later, Theresa arrived back at the mansion, hopeful that no one was home. She let herself in the front door and started to tiptoe upstairs, but Brady stopped her. He invited her to join him in the living room and gently asked about Caroline. Brady was glad to hear how well Caroline was recovering. Theresa acknowledged that she should probably start moving out, since her grandmother was doing so well, but Brady interrupted her. "Actually, I want you to stay," Brady said, to Theresa's bewilderment.
Brady explained that Theresa's latest scheme had made him realize that she would do almost anything to get what she wanted, and he'd decided that he didn't trust her with their son. Brady added that he wasn't prepared -- yet -- to change their custody agreement, but he needed someone to keep an eye on Theresa at all times when she was with Tate, and that was why he wanted her to continue living there.
Brady warned Theresa that he would never forgive her for the lies she'd told or things she'd done to him and to Melanie, so she would never be more to him than the mother of his son. "You are Tate's mother, nothing more. Stay away from me. Stay out of my life," Brady commanded firmly before he headed out the front door. Theresa wandered numbly around the living room for a moment then she began to grin. "I'm still here!" she declared with a joyful giggle.
When Daniel returned home after sending Parker off with Chloe, he found Nicole fretting about the fact that Serena, of all people, had helped Caroline get speedy medical attention following her stroke. Nicole feared Serena might try to use the act of kindness as a way of getting back into Eric's good graces, but Daniel assured Nicole that Eric was a big boy and could handle Serena himself.
Daniel suggested that he and Nicole could focus on their own happiness instead, and she agreed. The couple kissed and started undressing each other, but someone soon interrupted them with a knock on the apartment door. Daniel wanted to ignore the visitor, but Nicole pointed out that it could be Chloe -- perhaps returning because she had forgotten something -- so he reluctantly opened the door and found Jennifer standing in the hallway. Jennifer could tell she had interrupted something, but Daniel and Nicole invited her in and assured her it wasn't a problem.
Jennifer handed Nicole an engagement present, explaining that Daniel had called her earlier to tell her the news. Jennifer hoped Daniel and Nicole would be very happy together, and they both told her they appreciated her support. Jennifer shared that Abigail and Ben were also engaged. Nicole wondered if Jennifer was happy about that, and Jennifer confirmed that she was because Ben was a great guy. Daniel asked Jennifer to extend his congratulations to Abigail, but she suggested that he could just tell Abigail himself when he saw her at the hospital that day -- and that he could even go do that right away, since Abigail was already there.
Daniel took the hint and excused himself, realizing that Jennifer wanted some time alone with Nicole. After Daniel left, Nicole acknowledged that the situation was strange because of Jennifer's past with him. Jennifer said she still had strong feelings for Daniel -- as a very dear friend -- and wanted the best for him. Nicole stressed that she also wanted the best for Daniel, and Jennifer said she believed that was true. "Daniel has found the woman that truly makes him happy, and that is you. And you can never doubt that," Jennifer advised Nicole.
"There was never really anyone for me but him, you know?" Nicole mused. Nicole suspected that was why she had done horrible things to Jennifer back when Daniel had chosen Jennifer over her a few years earlier, but Jennifer believed Nicole had only done those things because she had been grieving an unbearable loss at that time. Nicole regretfully pointed out that she had turned on Jennifer again after Jennifer had interfered with Nicole and Eric's relationship. "Which would have been a disaster, by the way," Nicole added with a laugh. Jennifer said she was working on letting that go, and she advised Nicole to do the same.
"By forgiving myself? That is a tall, tall order. You know what? I think I'll just settle with living a different kind of life," Nicole replied. Jennifer thought that was a good idea, and she pointed out that Nicole's love for children could be channeled into Parker. Nicole agreed but stressed that she didn't want to step on Chloe's toes in the process. Nicole added that she and Chloe had recently talked things out and were back to being in a pretty good place in terms of their friendship.
Jennifer was glad to hear that, and she suggested that she and Nicole might one day be able to have a real friendship with each other, too. Nicole noted with disbelief that she suddenly had two potential female friends when, two days earlier, she hadn't had any at all. Nicole added that, best of all, she was about to marry the most wonderful guy in the world. "I don't think I've ever said this before, but I feel so...blessed," Nicole happily declared.
Eric met with Serena at Club TBD to thank her again for helping Caroline get swift medical treatment -- something he knew Serena would have done for anyone, not just his grandmother. Serena suspected there was no still hope of her having a future with Eric, but she wanted him to know that she had never lied about her feelings for him. Eric gently confirmed that his relationship with Serena was over for good, and she guessed that was because he was still in love with Nicole. Eric said he was at peace with the fact that Nicole was happy with Daniel, and he wanted there to be peace between him and Serena, as well. Serena said she could settle for that.
Eric encouraged Serena to stay in Salem until her research project ended. Eric stressed that he and Serena would probably never be friends again, but he added that he wanted them to at least be able to run into each other without things being uncomfortable. Serena hugged Eric and tearfully stated that his words had meant a lot to her. Daniel entered the club in time to witness the embrace.
After Eric left, Daniel approached Serena, who regained her composure as he reported that Caroline was doing well. Serena told Daniel about what had just happened with Eric. Serena pointed out that Daniel could still ruin her chance to have a friendly and cordial relationship with Eric if he chose to tell Eric and Nicole about how she had recorded Eric's confession. Daniel reassured Serena that he wasn't going to do that. Relieved, Serena hugged Daniel and thanked him, unaware that Nicole had just entered the club. Daniel soon left, and Serena followed him outside, leaving Nicole looking quite suspicious about what she had just seen.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Theresa contacted Eve and reported that she no longer needed Eve to help back up her story about breaking her ankle, since Brady had figured out that she had been faking the injury. "Okay. Well, I can't believe I'm actually gonna say this, but if you have to, you can move in with me," Eve reluctantly offered. Theresa happily clarified that she was actually going to be staying put at the mansion. Eve wondered how Theresa had managed to get Brady to forgive her. "I didn't. But I will," Theresa vowed. Eve laughed as she realized that Brady was letting Theresa remain at the mansion so he could keep an eye on her. "You wait and see, Eve, okay? I'll get Brady to come around. It's just gonna take baby steps," Theresa irritably insisted.
Theresa abruptly ended the call when she heard footsteps in the foyer. Brady soon entered the living room, and when Theresa tried to talk to him about Tate's schedule, he quickly stopped her. "I'm gonna explain this to you one more time. The only reason I'm allowing you in this house is because I don't trust you with our son. I want you here so people like Victor, and Maggie, and Emma, and Henderson, and Justin, and Adrienne, and the mommy-cam that I'm going to install will keep an eye on you twenty-four-seven," Brady stressed.
Theresa started to complain that Brady was being insulting, but he ignored her and continued talking. "We will have our court-ordered time with Tate, but as far as the back and forth, someone else is gonna take care of that, because I want no contact with you, you understand? None. Nada. Zero," Brady added. "Yes, I get it! Fine!" Theresa impatiently shouted. Brady left after stating that he hoped Theresa truly did understand what he had just told her, since it was never going to change.
Xander entered the shed and stripped his shirt off as he complained to himself about how he had been forced to wake up early just to water flowers. As he started to open a bottle of water, Xander spotted a note Victor had left hanging from a shelf of clay pots. After reading the note -- "These pots should have stones in the bottom for drainage. Re-pot every one of them, and do it right this time! Your loving Uncle Victor" -- Xander crumpled it in his fist and angrily tossed one of the pots against the wall, shattering it in the process. Xander let out a scream of frustration before quickly regaining his composure. "Get it together, man. What was it you used to say, Uncle Victor? 'Revenge is a dish best served cold'?" Xander muttered before pouring the bottle of water over his body to cool himself off.
When Theresa left the mansion later that day to take Tate for a walk, she ran into Xander, who was still hard at work. Theresa ordered Xander to move something out of her way, and when he observed that she had recovered from her ankle injury pretty quickly, she told him to mind his own business. "And while you're at it, put a shirt on," Theresa added before walking away.
Theresa met Eve in the park, and Eve noticed right away that Theresa had lost all the confidence she'd had earlier. Theresa admitted that Brady hated her, and she added that, to make matters even worse, she had also just had an encounter with Xander. Eve was surprised to hear that Xander was living at the mansion, and she wondered if his presence worried Theresa at all. Theresa shook her head and explained that Brady had made it pretty clear that Xander needed to stay away from her and Tate. "I mean, seriously, I think Brady hates that creep even more than he hates me, and that's saying... Oh, my God, that's it!" Theresa exclaimed.
Noting that Brady was a very protective father, Theresa added that she happened to be the only mother Tate had. "Oh, you poor little thing, you," Eve told Tate. "Oh, yeah? You know what, how's your daughter? Have you talked to her lately, Mother of the Year? Huh? Huh? Oh, I didn't think so," Theresa countered. Theresa mused that Xander was a scary guy who had almost murdered two people, and she guessed there had to be some way she could use that to her advantage.
Jennifer ran into Riley Satterfield in the Horton Town Square, and he made it clear that he wasn't happy about the nasty public relations campaign she and her friends had launched against him. Riley insisted that it was his right to choose not to renew the Horton Center's lease because he had purchased the land it had been built on, but Jennifer countered that it was her right to protest his decision. Eve eavesdropped from behind a nearby vendor's cart as Riley warned Jennifer to expect a fight -- one she would definitely lose. Riley handed Jennifer his business card and urged her to contact him if she ever decided to get reasonable about the matter.
Jennifer insisted she would never need to get in touch with Riley because she had already learned everything she needed to know about him years earlier. Riley complained that the story Jennifer had done on him then had been slanderous. "The truth is not slander, and the truth is, you are sleaze. And why you're not in prison for bribery and corruption is beyond me. And what you want to do to the town center, it is not only wrong, it is just mean, and you're doing it to get back at me. And I'm telling you right now, if I have to mobilize this whole town to stop you, I will do it," Jennifer vowed. "Little girl, nothing's gonna stop me," Riley replied before walking away. Jennifer tossed Riley's business card in a nearby trashcan before storming off, and Eve retrieved it once the coast was clear.
Brady met with Eric at the pub and explained that he had agreed to let Theresa continue living at the Kiriakis mansion because he would never be able to trust her to look after Tate on her own. Eric understood but believed there was still hope for Theresa to eventually learn from her mistakes and change. When Brady wondered if Eric could make eye contact and repeat that statement, Eric hesitated. "Yeah, I didn't think so," Brady concluded.
After Brady left, Jennifer arrived and vented to Eric for a moment about her earlier encounter with Riley. Once that was out of her system, Jennifer asked about Caroline, and Eric confirmed that Serena was the one who had helped her -- and that he would always be grateful to Serena for that. Meanwhile, Brady returned to the Kiriakis mansion and warned that he was watching Xander's every move.
Hope ran into Abe at the hospital and asked for his permission to use the police department's resources to investigate Clyde. "You can continue to keep your ear to the ground and try to come up with some probable cause to justify an investigation, but until then, an official investigation of a man known mainly for donating a lot of money to the hospital? It ain't gonna happen," Abe told Hope.
Clyde demanded to know why Aiden had decided to dump him and Ben as clients. Aiden pointed out that he was under no legal obligation to divulge his reasons for withdrawing his representation. Aiden assured Clyde, however, that attorney-client privilege would remain in place regardless -- as long as Clyde didn't do anything to force him to break it. "Force you? What in the world do you mean?" Clyde innocently asked. "Look it up online," Aiden dismissively replied. Clyde sighed and said it was a real shame that he and Aiden were no longer working together. "I always like to make sure that the people I work with are well taken care of -- very well taken care of," Clyde added before leaving Aiden's office.
Later, Hope arrived -- just as Aiden was about to look at something in Clyde's file. Aiden hid the file under some other documents before standing to greet Hope with a kiss. Hope observed that Aiden seemed preoccupied, but he claimed he was simply a bit behind schedule for the day. Hope started to ask Aiden about his recent conversation with John, but he interrupted and reminded her that he couldn't discuss such things with her. "But you can talk to John about it?" Hope countered before quickly apologizing and telling Aiden to just forget she had ever mentioned the matter in the first place.
When Aiden received a phone call, Hope took advantage of the distraction and peeked at his desk, observing that the file he had tried to hide earlier pertained to Clyde. After Aiden ended the call, Hope excused herself so he could get back to work. Once the coast was clear, Aiden turned his attention back to Clyde's file. After referencing a document, Aiden entered something into his computer and stared at the screen with a look of concern. Later, as Aiden was putting Clyde's file in his briefcase, he received a phone call. "Certainly can't take that now," Aiden muttered with a sigh after checking to see who was calling him.
Rafe followed Kate to a secluded section of the town square and demanded to know what she had meant when she had suggested earlier that he had fallen for a woman he had no chance of ever getting. "Well, I think it's obvious, darling, don't you? I was talking about you and Hope," Kate replied. Rafe laughed off the ridiculous accusation. "Okay, first of all, it's an observation, not an accusation. And second of all, you and I both know it's not ridiculous," Kate countered.
Rafe reminded Kate that Hope was quite happy with Aiden. "Yes, exactly. She's so besotted with that white-bread attorney that she doesn't even see her old partner, her dear friend, the guy that her brat of a daughter is crazy about -- she doesn't see you in the corner, pining away for her," Kate agreed. Kate added that she felt bad for Rafe because it was clear to her that Hope was going to be the latest in a list of women who had broken his heart. Rafe accused Kate of trying to get under his skin as punishment for what he had said earlier about her relationship with Clyde, but she denied the accusation.
Kate explained that she was simply trying to prevent Rafe from getting hurt again. Rafe maintained that he didn't have feelings for Hope, and he wondered if Kate was going to spread her suspicion around town. Kate assured Rafe that she wouldn't say a word to anyone. Rafe suggested that if Kate wanted to see someone who was about to get hurt, she might want to consider looking in the mirror instead. Kate appreciated Rafe's concern but argued that Rafe was biased against Clyde because Jordan had filled his head with lies about Clyde. Rafe clarified that Jordan had never even talked about Clyde around him.
Rafe added that the only thing he knew about Jordan's past with Clyde was that it had terrified her. Gauging Kate's reaction, Rafe started to guess that she was beginning to believe everyone's warnings about Clyde, but she interrupted and began talking about Will, Sonny, and Gabi. Confused, Rafe looked over his shoulder and realized that Clyde had just joined him and Kate. Rafe claimed that Clyde had caught him and Kate in the middle of a little disagreement, and when Clyde asked for more details, Rafe added that it was none of Clyde's business.
After Rafe left, Kate assured Clyde that the conversation hadn't been about him -- it had been about Rafe's belief that she was trying to turn Will against Gabi. As Clyde continued talking to Kate about the matter, he detected an edge to her comments, prompting him to wonder if she was still upset with him. Kate reminded Clyde that he had left her quite abruptly earlier. Clyde explained that he'd had a lot to deal with lately. Kate offered to help, but Clyde said she had her own problems to deal with.
Kate suggested it would be best for her and Clyde to just cancel their plans for the evening because she had a business matter to attend to later. Taken aback, Clyde hoped he hadn't done something to hurt Kate's feelings. Clyde said he had recently started getting the impression that Kate was avoiding him -- except when she was pestering him with questions, of course. "'Pestering' you? Well, I'll make sure to correct that impression," Kate dryly promised. "Good," Clyde replied before walking away.
Paul invited Will to his hotel room on the pretext that Paul had an idea for another story. Instead, when Will arrived, Paul confronted him about sharing his notes about Paul with Derrick. Will defensively insisted that he'd only been trying to help Paul -- and Derrick -- since the two guys obviously liked one another. "So, you -- you what? You compromise your professional ethics and violate my confidence?" Paul concluded incredulously. "Why would you risk your career to help Derrick hook up with me?" Paul demanded.
"Because you're still in love with my husband!" Will retorted angrily. He wondered why Paul had rushed over so quickly after spending the night with Derrick to tell Will and Sonny that it had happened but it hadn't meant anything. Paul didn't have a good answer for that. Will conjectured that Paul had wanted to reassure Sonny that sleeping with Derrick had meant nothing to Paul because Paul still loved Sonny.
Paul implied that Sonny had married the first guy he'd met after they'd broken up. He tried to backpedal, but Will asserted that Paul believed the only reason Sonny and Will had gotten married was the Paul had turned Sonny down. "It's a lot easier to pin everything on me being crazy, isn't it? Seeing things that aren't really there?" Will noted. Paul contended that he'd been dealing with a lot since he'd met Will -- coming out, the end of his career, the public's reaction, how to have a new life.
"You're not getting Sonny back," Will declared firmly. Paul insisted that he understood that, but he refused to apologize for still caring about Sonny, who was the best person Paul or Will would probably ever know. "How do you think he's gonna react to you spilling all my secrets the first chance you got? Because the Sonny I know, he wouldn't want any part of that," Paul predicted, holding the door open to indicate that Will should leave. With one final glare at Paul, Will stalked out.
Alone in his room, Paul reflected on a past conversation with Sonny. Paul grabbed his keys and headed out.
At Sonny and Will's, Adrienne was expressing her frustration and anger about the "creeps" who had tried to start a fight with Sonny and his friends. Adrienne was a bit surprised when Sonny said it had been Will's idea to invite Paul along that night. Sonny tried to avoid Adrienne's questions, so she finally suggested that it might not be a great idea for him to spend so much time with Paul -- especially since it might cause Sonny to question if he'd made the right choice by marrying Will.
Adrienne reminded Sonny that he'd asked Paul to marry him first -- and turning Sonny down had been the biggest regret of Paul's life. Sonny believed that he, Will, and Paul could all be friends, but Adrienne maintained that those situations only worked in sitcoms. Sonny informed his mom that Paul had taken a friend along on their night out, although Paul's friendship with the other guy wasn't anything more. Adrienne asserted that the other guy had been a cover -- because Paul was still in love with Sonny.
Adrienne questioned Sonny's feelings for Paul. Sonny maintained that although he still cared for Paul, he was married to Will. "You say that like it's a shield, or an anchor around your neck... You're allowed to want more," Adrienne asserted. "Yeah? Is that what you told yourself when you cheated?" Sonny demanded hurtfully. Adrienne hung her head sadly, and Sonny quickly apologized. Adrienne noted that every relationship required work -- but it could not all be work, or duty, or emptiness, which is where she and Justin had ended up. Adrienne continued that if Sonny and Will still thought they could make things work, that was what she wanted for them.
Adrienne was gone and Arianna had gone out for the day with the sitter when Will got home. Will admitted that he needed to tell Sonny something. Will downplayed its importance, although he said Paul had overreacted to it. Will stalled a little until Sonny called him out for it. Will finally divulged that, in order to help Derrick make headway with Paul, he had revealed some "little stuff" from his interviews with Paul to Derrick. "Why are you telling me this now?" Sonny asked, puzzled.
Paige was headed into Club TBD when Kyle called. He wanted to get together so he could return her tablet. Paige already had plans but made it sound like she might be able to get out of them. Kyle opened a drawer to get his keys, revealing a handgun in the drawer.
At the police station, J.J. showed Agent Watts photos of the serial numbers on the "burner" cell phones in Kyle's apartment. J.J. claimed that he'd found the phones in a drawer and taken the pictures while Kyle had been in the bathroom. Roman walked in and ordered a halt to J.J.'s participation in the investigation, explaining that Kyle Southern had been hanging out a lot with Paige Larson -- J.J.'s ex-girlfriend. While Watts scowled disapprovingly, Roman asserted that J.J. was only in it for revenge.
J.J. insisted that his involvement wasn't personal; he truly just wanted to get a "scummy" dealer off the streets. Watts and Roman warned J.J. that Kyle's defense could tear down the DA's case against Kyle if they believed J.J. had a personal ax to grind. J.J. reiterated that his only interest was getting a drug dealer off the streets, plus he thought it would be worse if he suddenly pulled out. He pointed out that every cop who ever went undercover only did so because he or she wanted to bust the bad guy -- which made it personal to everyone who did it.
J.J. assured Watts that he would be doubly careful and play everything strictly by the book. Although Watts seemed ready to keep J.J. on, Roman was still very reluctant. Just then, Kyle called J.J., who asked his bosses how he should handle it. Watts urged him to take it, so J.J. answered. Kyle suggested that the two of them go boarding later. Without giving Kyle a definitive answer, J.J. promised to call Kyle after he got off work.
Watts acknowledged that J.J. had been right -- not only had they been trying to get someone on the inside for a long time, but if they pulled J.J. out, it could tip off Kyle and his suppliers. Watts instructed J.J. to meet Kyle if that was what Kyle wanted but to remember the rules they'd gone over about evidence. As J.J. left, Roman worriedly urged him to be careful. Roman strongly urged Watts to put a wire on J.J. and to get as much as they could on Southern then pull J.J. off the investigation. Watts insisted that it was too soon. "What you're doing right now is you are hanging that kid out to dry -- out there all by himself," Roman asserted.
J.J. headed to Kyle's apartment and produced a paper copy of his former buyers for Kyle. J.J. seemed a little too eager to move forward to help with Kyle's sales, but Kyle assured J.J. that they would get there eventually. When Kyle went in another room to answer the phone, J.J. began snooping. He opened a door on a shelving unit in the living room and spotted Kyle's safe then he went over to the window and took a quick look outside before unlocking it.
Kyle returned, and J.J. repeated that he was ready to help Kyle expand the business. "If and when I need you, I'll let you know," Kyle promised. As J.J. headed out, he saw Kyle taking out Paige's tablet and turning it on. "What the hell is he doing with Paige's things?" J.J. muttered to himself in the hallway.
Ben awakened with a horrified gasp from a nightmare in which he'd overheard Abigail confessing to Chad -- in Ben and Abigail's bed -- that she felt trapped in her relationship with Ben, but she truly wanted the baby to be Chad's because all she'd ever wanted was to be with Chad, the man she loved.
Ben was in the shower a few minutes later when Abigail arrived home from a run. Abigail spoke on the phone with her mom while Jennifer was having coffee at Club TBD. Jennifer was eager to start making wedding plans. She started rattling off all the things they needed to think about before Abigail's big day, but Abigail insisted they had plenty of time. Ben got out of the shower and announced, "Let's make it as soon as possible," so Abigail ended the call with her mom.
Paige entered the club in time to overhear Jennifer's side of the conversation. With a concerned frown, Paige eavesdropped for a moment before joining Daphne. Paige could barely focus on what Daphne was saying as Paige stared at Jennifer across the bar. When Jennifer rose to leave, she spotted Paige and said a quick hello before heading for the door. Paige stopped her, admitting that she'd overheard Jennifer mentioning a wedding. Unable to hide her joy, Jennifer informed Paige that Abigail was getting married.
After Jennifer left, Daphne wondered why Paige looked as if J.J.'s sister getting married was tragic news. A distracted Paige mumbled an apologetic excuse about canceling their plans, promised to make it up to Daphne, and hurried out of the club, leaving Daphne steaming.
After she hung up with her mom, Abigail tried to greet her fiancé with a hug, but he did not look especially happy to see her. When Abigail asked Ben about it, he finally managed a smile. As they discussed his proposal, Ben asked if Abigail had only agreed to marry him because she was pregnant. Abigail assured him that wasn't the case -- but he wanted to know why she had accepted. Although taken aback, Abigail reassured Ben that she had said "yes" because of all his wonderful qualities, which she listed.
Abigail wondered why Ben seemed so stressed. He pointed out all the planning they needed to do -- plus they probably needed to find a new place to live, since his studio apartment would get cramped after the baby arrived. Ben suggested that they have a small, quick wedding, then go on their honeymoon -- and not return to Salem. While Abigail freaked out, Ben proposed settling in Santa Monica or Silicon Beach, near where Jordan had moved. Abigail protested that Salem was her home.
Ben kept trying to convince Abigail, outlining all the great things they could do if they moved to California and assuring her that his dad would even help them buy a house. Ben pointed out that Abigail loved to travel and had lived all over, as had he. "No, you haven't! You've been on the run! It's not the same," Abigail argued. She explained that his suggestion of moving had really taken her by surprise. Ben encouraged her not to say "no" without thinking about it first.
"Let yourself dream a little," he urged. "Is that where this is coming from? Is this a dream?" Abigail asked. Ben assured her that if she gave it a chance, she would fall in love with the idea. Ben headed into the bathroom to get ready for work, leaving Abigail feeling overwhelmed.
Paige showed up on Jennifer's doorstep to repeat her warning about J.J. hanging out with Kyle, the drug dealer -- especially in light of Abigail's upcoming wedding. Jennifer tried to allay Paige's concern, but Paige revealed that she'd seen them together a lot, and she'd seen J.J. at Kyle's apartment. "How did you see them? Please tell me you're not hanging around someone like that, because you need to stay away from someone like that, honey," Jennifer said, concerned.
Her voice increasing in intensity, Paige speculated that J.J. would only be hanging around Kyle if J.J. were dealing drugs again -- and then J.J. would get arrested and ruin Abigail's wedding. "I see that you still care about J.J.," Jennifer observed gently. Paige insisted that she didn't; she was only worried that Jennifer and Abigail were in danger. Jennifer said she'd already talked to J.J. about it, and he'd assured her that nothing was going on -- and she'd believed him.
A persistent Paige urged Jennifer to ask around about the dealer, Kyle Southern, if she didn't believe Paige. Trying to remain calm, Jennifer insisted that Paige was wrong about J.J. "Oh, my God, Jennifer, get a clue!" the normally respectful Paige practically shouted. Paige pointed out that J.J. had lied to Jennifer before, so it wasn't too far-fetched to think he would play his mom again. Paige reiterated that Jennifer should check out Kyle Southern before J.J. ended up in jail. "Paige!" J.J.'s angry voice rang out from the doorway.
As Chad entered the study at the DiMera mansion, he was chewing out Mr. Shin on the phone. When Chad hung up, Stefano wondered if he needed to apologize to Shin about Chad's behavior. Chad's surly retort caused Stefano to point out Chad's impertinence, noting, "There is a difference between being firm and being petulant." Stefano blamed Chad's bad mood on the "mess" with Abigail, which he instructed Chad to fix right away.
Chad said Stefano would have to find another way to get his hands on Abigail's inheritance, since she was marrying Ben. Stefano maintained that the money meant nothing to him if his only child were miserable. "Abigail isn't married yet, hmm? So, get to work!" Stefano ordered his son lightly. Chad skeptically demanded to know how he was supposed to stop the wedding.
Stefano pointed out that Chad could do it the old-fashioned way -- as Abigail was preparing to walk down the aisle -- or Stefano could have the "beefcake" taken care of. Livid, Chad proclaimed that he was not that kind of DiMera, and he didn't need Stefano butting in with his so-called help. "Now leave it alone!" Chad ordered as he stormed out. "Petulant," Stefano muttered through gritted teeth.
Chad was sitting alone on a park bench when a couple stopped nearby and started kissing. Chad averted his eyes, grimacing with apparent disgust. The couple was gone a little later when Chad got a call from his father. After Chad sent the call to voicemail, he started to head out of the park but ran into Ben.
When Abigail arrived for work at the hospital, there was a gorgeous flower arrangement waiting for her at the nurses' station. She read the card aloud: "Congratulations to you and Ben. Wishing you a lifetime of love and joy, Daniel." The gesture touched Abigail, and a nurse informed her that the whole staff was excited for her. Abigail carried the flowers into her office -- and found Stefano sitting in the darkened room, waiting for her. "Hello, Abigail," Stefano purred.
