Hope went to see Rafe at Edge of the Square, which had not yet opened for the day. Hope told Rafe about how she had spotted Clyde's file sitting on Aiden's desk after Aiden had dropped Clyde as a client. Rafe thought Hope was reaching, but she theorized that Clyde might have committed a crime using information Aiden had innocently provided him with. Hope noted that if that had happened, attorney-client privilege would no longer apply, which could explain why Aiden had not yet destroyed the file.
Fearing that Aiden was in over his head with Clyde, Hope begged Rafe to tell her what he had overheard when he had visited Aiden's office a few days earlier, but Rafe once again refused to get involved. Hope asked Rafe to at least make a call to his FBI contact for her. "No, Hope! Listen to me! For God's sake, what do I have to do to get it through your head? I can't do this. I can't talk to you like this, and go over... No. I'm done, okay? We're done. You got it? We're done!" Rafe snapped before walking away, leaving Hope looking confused.
Aiden met with a man in the town square, unaware that Clyde was monitoring him from a nearby bench, just out of earshot. The man assured Aiden that he would be discreet, but he added that it would help to know more about what Aiden was looking for, since he was having trouble seeing the connection between the two cases Aiden had asked him to look into. Aiden stressed that it wasn't the man's job to see the connection; it was his job to simply get the requested information. "I'm just doing a little cleanup, that's all, and I hate to have loose ends," Aiden added. After the man left, Clyde gave a subtle nod to a nearby minion, who started following the man.
Later, Aiden and Hope met in a more secluded area, unaware that someone was watching them. Aiden had rented a room at the Salem Inn, but Hope received a phone call before they could head over there. After a quick conversation, Hope ended the call and told Aiden she would have to meet him at the Salem Inn after taking care of something. Hope dashed off, and when she rejoined Aiden at the Salem Inn a short time later, she had a recording of Chase's most recent baseball game, which she had just picked up from the videographer. Hope started to undress Aiden as she said she was looking forward to watching it but wanted to do something else first.
In the park, Ben happily informed Chad that he and Abigail were planning to move to California together in the near future -- possibly even before the end of summer. Chad noted that Abigail and Jennifer wouldn't have much time to plan a big wedding in that case, but Ben dismissed the concern, explaining that he and Abigail were actually thinking of eloping, anyway. "Well, I guess you've really thought this through. Good for you," Chad said, trying to sound as neutral as possible. "It is, isn't it?" Ben replied, smiling as he walked away.
At the hospital, Stefano explained that he had decided to pay Abigail a visit because he wanted to talk to her about Chad. Abigail insisted there was nothing to talk about because she and Chad were no longer together, but Stefano countered that Chad still loved Abigail -- and she still loved him, too. "How could you possibly think that I... Oh, my God. You know, don't you? You know about what happened between Chad and me?" Abigail guessed. Stefano stressed that Chad hadn't said a word to him about what had happened. "But I have ways of knowing things, especially when they happen under my own roof," Stefano added.
Stefano promised he would never tell anyone about what had happened. Abigail insisted it had been a mistake, but Stefano disagreed. "The mistake was what Chad said to you later -- those horrible, hurtful things. My son was only trying to protect you from me," Stefano explained. Abigail reminded Stefano that she was engaged to Ben and was in love with him -- facts she suspected Stefano already knew, since he seemed to know everything else about her love life. Stefano expressed doubts about Abigail's true feelings for Ben but added that, in any case, he simply didn't want to see her make such an error in judgment.
Abigail wondered if that was a threat. "It's anything but. It's a plea for sanity," Stefano clarified. Stefano added that there was nothing he cared about more than the happiness of his one remaining son. "And if the reason you can't be with Chad has anything to do with me and my reputation -- well, I would be crushed," Stefano stressed. "The reason I can't be with Chad has nothing to do with you. I...had a choice to make, and I made it, and...that's it. There's nothing else to discuss," Abigail replied before excusing herself so she could get back to work. Stefano smiled thoughtfully after Abigail left her office.
Chad fantasized about returning to the DiMera mansion and finding Abigail waiting for him in the study, hoping he would give her a reason to stay in Salem, but when he entered the room, it was empty. Chad approached the bar and started to pour himself a drink before changing his mind and hurling an empty tumbler across the room instead. Chad removed his suit jacket and flung it onto the couch as he took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. Stefano soon entered the room and, after taking note of the broken glass and the crumpled clothing, wondered what was going on. "The Malaysia deal fell through," Chad claimed before exiting the room.
Ben called Clyde over to his apartment so he could share that he and Abigail were thinking of moving to California together. "Well, then stop thinking about it. You're not going anywhere. No son of mine runs away from a DiMera," Clyde insisted. Ben denied the accusation and started trying to explain why moving to California was a good idea, but Clyde wasn't particularly interested in hearing the reasons, so he had no problem interrupting Ben to answer a phone call. "Tell me what the hell Aiden Jennings is sniffing around for," Clyde impatiently ordered the caller.
At the Horton house, Paige maintained that J.J. was either back on drugs or back to dealing them -- or both. "Listen, if anyone is in danger, it's you! You're the one who's dating a dealer!" J.J. countered. Paige shook her head and observed that J.J. was as addicted to lying as he was to selling drugs. "You're worse than ever, J.J. You lie more than ever. [And] you can lie to me all you want; I've grown to accept it. But them? Your mom and your sister? What you've put them through? What you're going to put them through? J.J., it's cruel!" Paige added.
"All right, what the hell is this? You think I haven't paid enough for hurting you, so you come to my house, and you trash me to my mom and my sister?" J.J. asked incredulously. Paige said she, like Jennifer and Abigail, had once believed every word that escaped J.J.'s lips, because he had a way of making them all seem completely sincere. "But you're a time bomb, ready to go off, ready to blow up everything and everyone in your life, and I just hope that your mother and your sister take cover before it's too late. I wish I had," Paige added.
"Leave," J.J. demanded, and after Paige complied, he asked Jennifer to tell him exactly what Paige had said to her before he had arrived. Jennifer cautioned that, while J.J. was probably trying to convince himself that Paige had said the things she had said because she still cared about him, she had shot down that theory when Jennifer had suggested it earlier. "It is over with Paige. Nothing that you can do is gonna change that," Jennifer stressed. Jennifer understood J.J.'s concern for Paige but warned that if he kept trying to help her, she might end up getting closer to Kyle just to spite J.J., knowing that was the exact opposite of what he wanted her to do.
Kyle ran into Eve outside Club TBD and took the opportunity to say that he hoped he hadn't seemed too forward during their last conversation. Kyle explained that he had just been trying to make it clear to Eve that Paige needed some space. Eve assured Kyle that she understood. Kyle added that, while it was none of his business, he hoped Eve and Paige would work things out eventually, since family was everything. Kyle excused himself after receiving a text message, stating that he had to get to work. Eve wondered what Kyle did for a living. "We'll keep that for the next time, yeah?" Kyle suggested before walking away.
"Gosh, if only you had met a nice boy like him instead of that rotten J.J. I miss you so much, sweetheart," Eve muttered after Kyle left. Later, Eve spotted Paige working at the yogurt shop in the town square. Eve approached Paige and revealed that she had just run into Kyle at Club TBD. Eve said Kyle was charming, and she started to tell Paige what else she thought about him, but Paige interrupted her. "Whatever you think, you're wrong, and, you know, I don't care, anyway," Paige said before getting back to work.
Eve sadly turned and started to walk away, but she soon ran into Julie, who tried to enlist Eve's help in the battle to save the Horton Center. Julie guessed Eve didn't want to get involved because Jennifer was spearheading the cause, but she argued that Eve's help would be invaluable. "This isn't about Jennifer; it's about the Horton Center. It was created to help teens in trouble, and once upon a time, you were one of those teens, tragically manipulated by every pimp in Salem," Julie pointed out.
"Okay, that subject is off-limits, okay?" Eve insisted. Julie promised that she wouldn't go into the sordid details if the subject made Eve feel uneasy. "[But] you did live through that horrible experience. It's part of your DNA. You had it rough -- very rough. Dear God, it must have been a nightmare. But now you have this opportunity to make it a little less of a nightmare for some poor kid who's in the same situation now that you once were," Julie stressed. "Well, if you put it that way --" Eve hesitantly started to reply, and Julie didn't even bother to let Eve finish before thanking her and walking away.
Eve began to head off in the opposite direction but paused when she spotted a flier for an impending City Hall meeting about the planned demolition of the Horton Center. "Hmm. You may not know it, Julie, but I think you just solved a big problem for me," Eve muttered. Eve went to the Horton house and offered Jennifer a check for two hundred dollars, explaining that Julie had basically just insisted that Eve's less-than-pristine past gave her a moral obligation to help save the Horton Center. Eve conjured up some tears as she spoke, and when Jennifer asked if Eve was okay, she admitted that she could use a glass of water.
Jennifer invited Eve in and headed off to the kitchen. Once the coast was clear, Eve rushed into the living room and planted a listening device in an opening at the base of a clock that was sitting on the mantel. Eve made it back to the foyer just before Jennifer returned with a glass of water. After taking one small sip, Eve excused herself, and Jennifer thanked her for the check, assuring her that it would really help.
J.J. spotted Paige in the town square and confronted her about the stunt she had pulled earlier. "You may think that you know what I'm doing, but you have no clue, and showing up at my mom's house and trying to make trouble for me is not gonna get you anywhere, so you need to stop it," J.J. insisted.
Paige offered a flippant response as Kyle approached and observed that, for two people who supposedly didn't like each other, she and J.J. seemed to spend a lot of time together. "J.J. was just leaving. He was under the mistaken impression that I actually cared what he had to say," Paige explained. J.J. countered that Kyle was the one who needed to leave. "Drop her now, or I promise you you'll end up in prison," J.J. warned Kyle.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will reluctantly admitted that he had decided to tell Sonny about what he had done for Derrick because he hadn't wanted Sonny to hear about it from Paul, who had recently found out about it. "So this was a preemptive strike. You wanted to put your spin on it before I heard it from Paul, so you could make what you did for Derrick sound noble. But it is anything but noble," Sonny insisted. Will agreed but swore that he had done it for the right reasons.
Will added that Sonny had needed more time to realize that what Sonny had once had with Paul was really over. Sonny agreed that what he'd once had with Paul was over, but he insisted that Will was the one who had been having trouble seeing that. "You know why, Sonny? Because you were always defending him; you were always taking his side over me, looking for the littlest reason to walk out on me and go back to him!" Will replied.
"A little reason? Are you insane?! You have done nothing but give me reason -- endless reason," Sonny countered, citing Will's two instances of infidelity, Will's attempt to hide the fact that John was Paul's father, and Will's attempt to bribe a therapist as prime examples. "Reason upon reason upon reason! How many more do I need? I keep telling myself over and over that I need to do what I can to hold on to this marriage, and then you go on and do something like this, and it makes me look like a fool! You make me feel like a fool!" Sonny snapped. Will begged Sonny not to say that.
"I'm not even judging you for what you've done, because I'm beginning to realize you can't help yourself. You can't help but do these destructive things, because you don't know what you want," Sonny theorized. Will insisted he did know what he wanted -- Sonny, and the family they had built together. "And, Sonny, even if you hate these things that I've done, doesn't this at least prove that to you? I -- I just -- I can't compete with Paul," Will added. Sonny tiredly complained that Will still didn't understand that it wasn't a competition.
Will agreed that he was wrong to think of it like that. Will promised to talk to his therapist about that during their next session, but Sonny refused to let Will make more promises he couldn't keep. Will tried to apologize, but Sonny disgustedly told him to stop. "I cannot do this right now, or I'm gonna say something I'll regret, and it won't be good for either one of us," Sonny added. Will begged Sonny not to walk away. "I cannot be here. You do not want me here. Trust me when I say that," Sonny stressed before leaving the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
Will went to the Brady Pub, where he ran into Abigail, who quickly realized something was wrong. "Um...I -- I did something stupid. Again. Sonny's really mad at me. He just probably needs some time to cool off. We'll work it out," Will muttered. Abigail observed that Will didn't seem particularly sure about that, but he insisted that he was. Changing the subject, Abigail told Will that the paternity test had gone exactly the way she had wanted it to go. "So Chad is the father?" Will guessed. Taken aback, Abigail insisted that would have been a disaster, and she clarified that Ben was the father -- and they were engaged.
Will halfheartedly congratulated Abigail, prompting her to once again wonder what was wrong with him. "I guess this argument with Sonny just kind of threw me a little," Will admitted. Will added that he had been under the impression that Abigail had been torn about having to choose between Ben and Chad -- which would have been understandable. Abigail clarified that she had simply been upset about the paternity predicament, and she insisted that she didn't want to continue talking about the matter.
Abigail warned that only a few people knew she was pregnant, and after she listed them, Will wondered what she was going to do when Chad found out. "Abigail, Chad can do the math," Will pointed out. Abigail tearfully countered that she didn't want to talk about Chad and would have preferred some support from Will instead. Abigail concluded that talking to Will had been a really big mistake as well as a waste of her time. Abigail stormed off after insisting that what Will had said about Chad had been dead wrong -- and mean, too. When Abigail returned to the hospital, she found Chad waiting in her office. "Tell me you are not leaving Salem," Chad begged Abigail.
In a secluded section of the town square, Sonny contacted Victor and wondered if his offer was still on the table. Victor confirmed that it was, but Sonny was surprised to learn just how soon things would happen if he accepted the offer. Sonny's voice wavered a bit as he asked for an hour to think about the matter. After Sonny ended the call, Paul arrived and wondered why Sonny had asked to see him. Sonny explained that he had wanted to apologize for what Will had done. Paul was surprised that Will had told Sonny, but Sonny clarified that Will had wanted to beat Paul to the punch. "Shows how little he knows you," Sonny added.
"He knows me better than I'd like to admit," Paul replied. Paul explained that, during their earlier confrontation, Will had accused him of still being in love with Sonny. Paul admitted that was true, and he apologetically added that he couldn't change the way he felt about Sonny. "Don't be sorry. Before, with Will, he insisted that I still have feelings for you and that I'm not admitting them. He's said it before. I think he knows me better than I think," Sonny conceded. Paul wondered what Sonny meant. "I don't know what I mean. I wish I did. I just -- I don't -- I cannot describe how I feel right now," Sonny replied, as Paul inched closer to him.
Will returned home and considered calling Sonny. "No. Let him cool off. He'll call you," Will assured himself as he set his cell phone aside.
In her office at the hospital, Abigail was surprised to find Chad waiting for her. Chad demanded to know whether she was leaving Salem. When Abigail said she was not leaving town, Chad said that Ben had told him otherwise. Abigail explained that Ben had asked her to think about moving. Shaking her head, Abigail said she would not leave Salem because it was home. When Abigail noted that Ben would change his mind because his life and father were in Salem, an anxious Chad noted Clyde would not like to have Ben out from "under his dirty little thumb."
Off Abigail's raised eyebrow, Chad apologized and noted he was the last person to judge someone's father. Abigail informed Chad that Stefano had visited her. Chad barely concealed his surprise at the news. Abigail said that Stefano had bluntly told her that she had chosen poorly when she had chosen Ben. Worried, Chad asked Abigail if Stefano had threatened her. Abigail said that Stefano had been blunt but not aggressive.
"He said that you are still in love with me and that you were just pushing me away to try to protect me from him," Abigail said. Chad paced the room. When Abigail noted that it appeared that Stefano had wanted to help Chad, Chad disagreed. "More like himself," Chad muttered. Chad apologized for bothering Abigail, and he started to leave. Upset and frustrated, Chad stopped at the door.
"Why didn't you tell me you were marrying Ben?" Chad asked. As Abigail stammered a response, Chad interrupted and barked, "You told me you were committed. It's not the same thing! You could have told me earlier when you saw me." Abigail said she could not have told him because she had not yet said yes to Ben's proposal at that time.
"But you knew you were going to!" Chad countered. With a sigh, Chad said he wished Abigail had told him before Ben had said anything. Fighting tears and with a cracking voice, Chad said that watching Ben place the ring on Abigail's finger felt like a knife was piercing his heart. Chad gently took Abigail's hand and caressed the engagement ring.
Abigail turned away, and she apologized and said that she had not meant to hurt him. Chad said he understood, but he was still hurt. Abigail commented that she appreciated that Chad had been kind in Club TBD when he had wished Ben and Abigail a happy life. Nodding, Chad said that he had meant what he'd said.
"Ben sure isn't my favorite person, but I do want you to be happy," Chad said. Chad turned to leave, and he told Abigail that he was glad she was not moving. "Maybe it would have been easier. For you," Abigail whispered. "I'll still get to see that smile. I'll manage," Chad said with a sad smile. After Chad left, Abigail broke down in tears.
In the town square, J.J. warned Kyle that he should stop seeing Paige because she had been telling people that they were dealing drugs. Upset, Paige remained silent but guiltily shifted her eyes away. On J.J.'s urging, Paige admitted that she had told J.J.'s mother about the drug dealing. J.J. asked Kyle to talk privately.
While Paige waited in the corner of the square, J.J. and Kyle walked to the other side of the square. J.J. informed Kyle that Paige had told his mother about the dealing but that his mother had not believed Paige. J.J. advised Kyle to cut Paige loose because she would tell other people, and word would get back to the police.
After J.J. left, Kyle asked Paige to talk. Reluctantly, Paige accompanied Kyle into the park. Paige said that she was not going to tell anyone else because it was not her business. Kyle was angry. Paige warned Kyle that J.J. would ruin Kyle's life if Kyle let him. With a smirk, Kyle thanked Paige for looking out for him. Paige promised she would not tell anyone else about the drugs. With a sigh, Paige complained that she did not want J.J. to hang around them anymore.
"Dump him!" Paige said. "What are you saying? It's either him or you?" Kyle asked with a chuckle. Paige advised Kyle that it would make her happy if J.J. was gone. With a grin, Kyle said he wanted to make Paige happy, and J.J. was not worth the trouble. Kyle asked Paige to accompany him back to his apartment. Paige reluctantly agreed.
At Kyle's apartment, J.J. crept through the window to snoop around while Kyle was talking to Paige. J.J. opened one drawer and found a gun. J.J. hurriedly closed the drawer, and he continued to rifle through Kyle's belongings. As J.J. felt under the desk, he found an old lottery ticket taped to the bottom of the desk. Noting that some of the numbers were circled, J.J. decided to punch the numbers into the safe's keypad.
Outside the apartment, Kyle and Paige walked up the hallway. Kyle's phone rang, and he handed Paige his key so she could head inside the apartment while he took his phone call in the hallway. Paige entered the apartment and found J.J. in the dark living room. Worried, J.J. shook his head at Paige in a silent warning to not say anything.
In his apartment, Will paced nervously, waiting for Sonny to return home. Will swore to fix his predicament. Will scooped up Arianna and told her that they were going to find Sonny.
In the park, Sonny told Paul that he did not know how to say how he felt. Paul and Sonny leaned in for a kiss, but Sonny pulled away. The two men agreed that kissing would have been a mistake. Paul suggested that Sonny take time and space to think. Nodding, Sonny said he did not want to use Paul. Hurt, Paul asked Sonny if that was what he was doing. Sonny said he was just confused.
"I want you to understand the feelings I had for you didn't disappear years ago. I still care for you," Sonny said. Paul agreed that the situation was confusing. Sonny reasoned that he needed time to think about his life. With a sigh, Sonny said that he intended to leave Salem and go to Paris. Sonny explained that he would be managing a club for Victor. Surprised, Paul asked if Sonny had told Will the news.
Shaking his head, Sonny said he had not told anyone yet. Sonny added that he had not even told Victor the news, and he was headed over to the mansion to tell Victor that he wanted to take the job in Paris. When Paul asked how long Sonny would be gone, Sonny promised that he would only leave Salem on a temporary basis.
Sonny guessed he would return in a few months. Paul wished Sonny luck, and he hugged him goodbye. "You'll be seeing me again. I promise," Sonny said. With tears in his eyes, Sonny said goodbye.
In bed at the hotel, Aiden asked Hope what was on her mind. Hope hesitantly told Aiden that she was worried about his safety. After noting that she had not been snooping, Hope explained that she had seen Clyde's file on Aiden's desk. When Hope asked Aiden if he had any information, he said that he could not talk about Clyde's case. Aiden promised to talk to Hope if circumstances called for it and if he had any new information.
"I love you. And you don't have to worry," Aiden said. As Hope and Aiden kissed, Hope's phone rang. Seeing that Caroline was calling, Hope answered. Caroline asked Hope to deliver her reading glasses to the hospital. Hope told Aiden that she needed to deliver the glasses and would return quickly.
In Ben's apartment, Clyde talked to someone on the phone about Aiden's investigation into Clyde's business. Ben listened as his father argued that Aiden was not smart enough to figure "the connection out." When Clyde was through with his call, a confused Ben asked why Clyde was so upset about Aiden. Clyde said the call was "nonsense." Clyde told Ben to worry about Abigail and forget about the phone call.
With the mention of Abigail, Ben worried aloud that the baby might be Chad's. Frustrated, Clyde told Ben that he had researched the situation and was almost certain that the baby was Ben's. Clyde told Ben that Abigail had been eight weeks along when she had told Ben the news, which was the same amount of time required to wait before taking a paternity test. Clyde reminded Ben that Abigail's aunt worked at the hospital.
"I bet you anything she had that test done and proved the baby was yours," Clyde said. Ben nodded. With a sigh, Ben said, "Now it's hitting me. Wow. Abigail and I are getting married. I'm gonna be a dad. It's amazing." As Ben and Clyde toasted to Ben's sense of relief, Clyde's phone rang. Clyde answered the phone, and he groaned.
"He got it? That son of a bitch! No, I'll take care of it," Clyde growled. When he hung up the phone, Ben asked what was wrong. Shaking his head, Clyde said he had business issues that he needed to take care of. Clyde left, but Ben looked concerned.
In the Kiriakis living room, Adrienne expressed her concern to Justin about Paul's continued residency in Salem. Justin advised Adrienne to stay out of their son's life. Victor entered the living room and scowled at Adrienne. Justin reminded Victor that Adrienne still lived in the mansion. Victor warned Adrienne not to let Lucas into the house while she was living there. As Adrienne started to leave, Victor told Adrienne to stay because Sonny was on his way to talk to them. When Justin asked for details, Victor said he had no information.
Sonny entered the living room and told Victor that he was ready to leave for Paris. When Justin asked what Sonny meant, Sonny explained that he would be traveling to Paris to clean up some of Victor's nightclubs in France. Sonny said that he needed time to think and be alone. When Justin asked about Will, Sonny said he was going to talk to Will next. Adrienne was concerned about Sonny's leave of absence, but Sonny assured his mother that leaving town was the best decision.
When Victor informed Sonny that the jet would be ready to leave in thirty minutes, both Adrienne and Justin gasped. Sonny asked Adrienne and Justin to drive him to the airport. Sonny thanked Victor for the opportunity, and he promised to make his grandfather proud. With a grin, Victor asked Sonny not to stay away for too long.
As Will walked with Arianna through the park, he spotted Paul sitting on a bench, crying. When Sonny asked if Paul was okay, Paul shrugged. Wiping his eyes, Paul said he was fine. Will said he had told Sonny about what he had done. Paul responded that he had talked to Sonny. When Will asked for details, Paul advised Will to go home and talk to his husband. Will apologized for what he had done.
"Will, do you know how many things you've apologized for over the last six months? 'I'm sorry' doesn't cut it," Paul said before walking away.
After texting Will, Sonny returned home with his parents to pack for his trip. Adrienne was concerned that Victor had pressured Sonny, but Sonny stressed that he was fine. Sonny told his parents that he would miss them. Justin cautioned Sonny not to take too much time to think, because Sonny's decision might be taken out of his hands. As Sonny looked at Justin and Adrienne, he nodded and hugged them.
Will returned home, and his face fell when he saw Sonny. Adrienne took Arianna in her arms, and she and Justin stepped outside so Sonny and Will could talk. "I'm leaving, Will," Sonny said. Panicked, Will cried and begged Sonny not to leave. Sonny explained that he would be traveling in Europe, working for Victor.
When Will asked about their marriage and child, Sonny explained that he needed time alone to think. Sonny added that every time they seemed to worth things out, Will would scheme and set their recovery back. Will swore that he would not do anything else.
"You've promised a lot of things, Will. I need my space," Sonny said firmly. Will argued that Sonny could not leave Arianna, angering Sonny. Sonny warned Will not to use their daughter as a bargaining chip. Sonny said that in order for their marriage to work, he needed to get away from Salem and think about things. Worried, Will wondered aloud if Sonny would ever return. Sonny stressed that he would make a decision as soon as he could.
"I'm not doing this to punish you. I'm doing this for me," Sonny said. Will asked Sonny not to forget how much Will loved him. Sonny hugged Will goodbye. Adrienne returned with Arianna and informed Sonny that the jet was ready to leave. Sonny picked up Arianna and said goodbye to her. Smiling, Sonny promised to send photos to Arianna.
"I will never forget you. You're my girl. I love you so much," Sonny said. After handing Arianna back to Will, Will asked if he would hear from Sonny while he was gone. Sonny said that he would not be in touch for a while because he needed space. Will and Sonny cried as they stared at one another from across the room. With a deep breath, Sonny walked out of the apartment. Will promised Arianna that everything would be fine.
At the hospital, Hope ran into Victor after she dropped off Caroline's reading glasses. Victor noted that Hope appeared to have a smile permanently fixed to her face. With a grin, Hope said she was very happy with Aiden. Victor chuckled and commented that Hope had hated Aiden when she had first met him. "He's one of the best," Hope said.
While Aiden waited for Hope to return to the hotel room, Aiden's investigator called him with information on Clyde. Aiden asked the investigator to send the information to his office. As Aiden hung up the phone, he said, "Big mistake, Clyde." Aiden texted Hope and told her that he had the information he needed so that they could talk about Clyde. As Aiden placed his phone on the desk, there was a knock at the door. When Aiden opened the door, a masked man punched him, knocking him to the floor.
Just as J.J. managed to unlock and open the safe in Kyle's apartment, Paige walked in the front door, and J.J. could hear Kyle on the phone in the hallway. Panicked, a wide-eyed J.J. put his fingers to his lips to implore Paige to keep quiet. J.J. dove behind the kitchen island seconds before Kyle entered the apartment. Seeing the cabinet and safe doors standing wide open with huge piles of cash in plain sight, Kyle demanded, "What the hell's going on?" Kyle wanted to know if Paige had seen anyone, but she stammered that the safe had been open when she'd walked in.
While J.J. tried to keep out of sight and an anxious Paige stole glances in his direction, Kyle ranted, "It better all still be here, Paige, 'cause if not, somebody's gonna end up dead!" When Kyle confirmed that no cash had been taken, he concluded that, if the front door had been locked, whoever had broken in and figured out the combination had to have been a professional. He wondered why someone had broken in if they hadn't intended to take anything. Paige suggested that Kyle had accidentally left the safe open.
An incredulous Kyle insisted that couldn't have happened because he would never have left the safe open with that much money visible, since it wasn't even his money. Kyle thought perhaps they had interrupted whoever had broken in, and he or she could still be in the apartment. Paige offered to help Kyle check the place out -- but she didn't understand why Kyle had to keep all that money in the apartment, especially since he'd said he wanted out of the life. Kyle emphasized that he had to keep it there.
Paige was curious about whose money it actually was. Kyle wouldn't divulge anything except to say that if it had been stolen, his body would have ended up in the Salem River. Kyle was touched that someone as sweet as Paige wanted to help him turn his life around. Adding that he really wanted to get to know Paige better, Kyle began kissing her. After a moment, Paige pulled away and told Kyle that she wanted to take things slowly. She explained that she wanted to see him demonstrate that he was at least making an effort to get out of the business.
Kyle said he wasn't really in the mood to play games, so perhaps Paige should leave. When she realized her departure would mean leaving J.J. alone in the apartment with Kyle, Paige pulled Kyle into a passionate kiss to distract him. She maneuvered him onto the couch, and J.J. seized the opportunity to sneak out the door, which Kyle had left ajar. As soon as Paige realized J.J. was gone, she pulled away from Kyle again and made an excuse to leave. She hurried out before Kyle could protest.
When J.J. reached the park near Horton Square, he was on the phone with Agent Watts: "I want Southern gone now! What the hell's with you? I am thinking straight. Once you grab Southern, he'll flip on his boss in a heartbeat! You know, well, get this straight, Agent Watts: if the DEA wants my help, they need to make this happen. Kyle Southern goes down." J.J. hung up and turned around -- and Paige was standing a few feet away.
Paige questioned J.J. about what was going on. He brushed off her question and thanked her for helping him at Kyle's apartment. J.J. maintained that he'd needed cash and had seen a chance to take some -- but he'd been lucky to get out of there alive, so he owed Paige one. Paige informed J.J. that she'd heard every word of his phone conversation.
Paige quickly deduced that J.J.'s mom also knew about it, and that was why Jennifer hadn't gotten upset when Paige had told her that J.J. was dealing drugs again. J.J. tried to protest that Paige was mistaken, but she reminded him that she could tell when he was lying. J.J. pleaded with Paige to keep quiet about it, but she warned him that what he was doing was very dangerous. "What you're doing -- going after Kyle, putting your life on the line -- are you doing that because of me?" Paige asked.
John ran into Rafe outside Club TBD. As the men greeted each other amiably, Marlena called John from the hospital to let him know she was running late and to ask him to meet her in the park in forty-five minutes. When John hung up, Rafe noted that John looked very happy. John confided that he and Marlena were working toward getting back together. Rafe was thrilled for his friends, but John was concerned about making sure he did everything just right so he didn't ruin things.
Inside, Rafe admitted that running a club wasn't always easy, but Victor was a fair boss. John asked if Rafe missed being a detective. Rafe pointed out that he could act as a "concerned citizen," alerting the police -- or not -- if he saw something suspicious. Rafe noted that the number of drug dealers had been increasing. John acknowledged that the drug trade had skyrocketed, and Hope had been focused on that almost exclusively. Rafe cautioned John that Hope was really trying to trace the drug traffic or anything she could back to Clyde Weston -- and Rafe believed that was a huge mistake.
Rafe pointed out he and Roman had both looked into Clyde, but Weston appeared squeaky clean. John and Rafe agreed that Hope was a good cop with great instincts who wasn't likely to see things that weren't there, yet she was still investigating Clyde. "I'm telling you: Weston is bad news, real bad news. And listen, I just don't want someone that I care about that close to a damn rattlesnake." He urged John to get Hope to back off before it was too late. "Why don't you just put your badge back on and rejoin the Salem P.D.?" John asked.
As Hope was about to exit Horton Square, carrying two smoothies, she ran into Julie. The women embraced warmly and laughed as they discussed Ciara's plans to teach Doug how to use Instagram. Correctly guessing that the smoothies were for Hope and Aiden, Julie admitted she'd nearly given up hope of ever seeing Hope happy and in love again -- unless it were with Bo. Hope's smile faded as she reminded Julie that she'd already explained that she'd had to end her marriage so she could move on with her life.
Julie apologized and assured Hope that she understood how difficult the decision had been for Hope, but what Julie didn't understand was how Bo could have abandoned Hope and Ciara. Hope admitted that it had been extremely difficult to accept that Bo had chosen his job over his family. Julie changed the subject and asked about Ciara and Aiden's relationship. Smiling, Hope said Ciara was "more than okay" with Aiden -- but Bo would always have a huge place in Hope and Ciara's hearts.
Hope declared that Aiden had been like a breath of fresh air in her life, and he made her and Ciara both very happy. Hope recounted how Bo had kept in contact with her and Ciara at first, but then the phone calls had begun to dwindle, and he would make plans to return home but cancel at the last minute. Julie asked about the secrets that Hope had feared Aiden had been keeping from her. Hope assured Julie that there were no more secrets because she and Aiden were committed to keeping everything out in the open.
Julie was skeptical. Hope asserted that she truly trusted Aiden, and she assured Julie that she wasn't being naïve -- and everything with Aiden was better than Hope could ever have imagined. "Julie, look at me. I mean really look at me. I didn't think I could love again, and my heart feels full again," Hope emphasized, her voice an earnest whisper. Julie's eyes filled with happy tears as she declared softly, "Then all my wishes for you have just come true. All I ever wanted for you is peace of mind and love."
Julie added that life was too short to look back or forward, so all a person had was the moment -- and she was thrilled that Hope was spending her moment with a wonderful guy. After the women shared another affectionate hug and said goodbye, Julie headed out of the square. Hope was about to leave in the opposite direction when she ran into Rafe. She sensed that something was going on with him, and he admitted that he'd just seen John, who had encouraged Rafe to apply for reinstatement on the police force.
Rafe repeated what John had said -- since Rafe hadn't known about Gabi's crimes until much later, even though he'd kept quiet about it, it no longer held much weight, plus Rafe had "manned up" when Roman had asked him about it. John had seemed confident that Rafe would get his badge back, but Rafe wanted to know if Hope were all right with the idea. Taken aback, Hope demanded, "What kind of question is that? I'd be thrilled to death to have you back at the force!"
Hope threw her arms around Rafe and declared that it was the best news she'd heard in a while. Rafe admitted he hadn't been sure how Hope would feel about it because of their disagreements about Clyde Weston. Hope assured Rafe that having her old partner back would be the best thing that could happen for her and the department because he was a great cop. Beaming, she urged Rafe to reapply right away. Hope hurried off before her smoothies melted any more.
As Julie walked through the park, she spotted Marlena waiting on a bench and said hello. From the grin on Marlena's face, Julie correctly guessed that Marlena was waiting for John and asked how things were going with the two of them. Marlena said she and John had agreed to put each other first and focus on their relationship. That news pleased Julie.
Marlena declared that Doug and Julie were role models because of the joy they still gave each other after so many years together, and the real caring they showed each other and the people around them. "Marlena, what a beautiful compliment!" Julie exclaimed. She asserted that it was obvious John and Marlena meant the world to one another, so they should enjoy the moment and let the present take care of itself. "Have faith in love," Julie advised.
After Julie had gone, Marlena got a call from Roman. "I'll talk to him as soon as I see him," she promised before hanging up. John arrived with a bouquet of flowers for Marlena, but she didn't look very happy as she accepted them. John began rhapsodizing about the wonderful times he and Marlena had shared, as well as the tough times they'd weathered, and how he was looking forward to trying again. When John remarked that Marlena seemed quiet, she said, "Roman just called. He wanted me to ask you about your last day on the police force, when you're joining the ISA... Were you going to tell me that?"
While Aiden was waiting for Hope to return to their room at the Salem Inn, there was a knock at the door. Assuming it was Hope, Aiden eagerly answered the door -- but instead of Hope, a man clad all in black, including leather gloves and a ski mask, punched Aiden in the face. Aiden fell to the floor, momentarily stunned, his nose bloodied and lip split, but he quickly regained his wits and fought back, kicking the intruder in the back of the knee to knock him down. The man jumped back up and attacked Aiden again, but Aiden punched the man in the gut.
"What the hell is this? Why are you in here? What do you want? Who are you?" Aiden asked, panting. The man yanked off his ski mask, revealing his identity: it was Clyde Weston. Clyde belittled Aiden for a moment then he angrily warned Aiden to stay out of Clyde's business and not to mess with Clyde's family. Aiden protested that there had to have been some sort of misunderstanding, but Clyde responded by pummeling Aiden some more. Clyde shoved Aiden up against the door, his gloved hands wrapped around Aiden's throat while Aiden tried weakly to fight back or just take a breath.
Aiden finally kneed Clyde in the crotch and broke free. Aiden declared that he had dumped Clyde as a client because, despite a lack of proof, Aiden had just had a bad feeling about Clyde -- but Aiden had since acquired some very solid proof about who Clyde really was. Clyde pointed out that Aiden could lose his license if he blabbed anything about Clyde's business. Aiden countered that there was something called "exception to privilege" -- and he would take his chances if it meant putting Clyde away.
"You're gonna take your chances with your boy, Chase, huh, or that pretty-lookin' lady friend of yours?" Clyde asked, picking up Aiden's phone from the dresser. He warned Aiden to keep his mouth shut or else Aiden or someone he loved would wind up dead. Seemingly unconcerned, Aiden vowed, "If -- or when -- I turn in what I know about you, you will be in a hole so deep, you're going to forget what sunshine looks like." Clyde surprised Aiden by hurling the phone at him and attempting to assault him again, but Aiden quickly turned the tables and got Clyde in a chokehold.
After a moment, Aiden released Clyde, who fell to the floor. Clyde faked Aiden out by pretending that they could call it off then he kicked Aiden in the knee and smashed a large vase over his head. Clyde warned Aiden to think twice about reporting the night's incident to the cops because Clyde had an alibi. After ordering Aiden to forget whatever he thought he knew, Clyde departed, leaving Aiden facedown, bleeding, and nearly unconscious on the floor.
A little later, Clyde headed into the Edge of the Square and ordered a strong drink from Rafe, who was working behind the bar. Without turning around, Rafe remarked with a smirk, "Sounds like someone is having a bad night." Clyde replied, "Wrong as usual, Rafe. Matter of fact, the evening has been very productive. Things are really going my way again."
When Aiden's phone rang, he painfully pushed himself to his knees and crawled over to answer it. The conversation was very brief and consisted mostly of Aiden saying, "I understand." After he hung up, Aiden winced as he struggled to pull himself up and sit on the edge of the bed. He drank from the water bottle on the nightstand then suddenly looked around as if he'd just remembered that Hope would be returning at any moment.
Tossing the water aside, Aiden hurried around the room, knocking over lamps, pulling drawers open to make it look as if someone had rifled through them, and dumping items on the floor. He found his wallet and took out some cash and stuffed it in his jeans pocket. Just then, Hope knocked on the door, asking Aiden to open the door for her, since her hands were full.
Aiden hurriedly took off his watch, limped over to the window, slid it open, and tossed out the watch and some of the credit cards from his wallet then collapsed into a semi-seated position at the foot of the bed, just as Hope managed to open the door with her keycard. When she saw Aiden and his bruised and bloodied face, she dropped the smoothies and ran to his side to check on him.
J.J. confirmed Paige's suspicion that he was only working for the DEA because he was concerned about her association with Kyle. "Maybe you're just with him 'cause you know that it drives me insane, or maybe you actually do like him, and you think that you can save him, but the DEA doesn't go after low-level dealers, Paige. He couldn't quit the life, even if he wanted to. The only way he leaves is in handcuffs or a coffin, and if you're with him... I don't even want to think about that. He's going to hurt you so much worse than I ever did," J.J. insisted.
"Like that's even possible," Paige countered. Paige added that if J.J. was really worried that Kyle might hurt her, he probably shouldn't have told Kyle that she had been blabbing about what Kyle did for a living. J.J. explained that he had simply been trying to get Kyle to leave Paige alone, but she countered that she wanted J.J. to leave her alone. Paige added that J.J. had no right to keep butting into her life. "I'm not butting into your life, but when I see you with that guy, I know what I have to do. And that's what happens when you love someone. And I do love you, Paige. I never, ever stopped," J.J. replied.
Paige wondered if J.J. honestly believed she could ever forget what he had done to her. J.J. admitted that he didn't, and he added that he was simply trying to get her to understand what she was getting herself into. "If you could only see the stuff that the DEA has shown me about Kyle," J.J. began, but when his voice trailed off, Paige guessed he wasn't going to give her specific details. J.J. advised Paige to search online for a story about a guy who had ended up in the ICU after trying to rip Kyle off. J.J. also warned that Kyle owned a gun.
"I'm not saying that he'd ever try to hurt you, but what if you're with him sometime when he decides that he needs to use it, and what if you get caught in the crossfire?" J.J. added. J.J. begged Paige to promise him that she would stay away from Kyle, but she insisted that she could take care of herself. "I don't need you; I don't need my mother. I learned the hardest way possible that the only person that I can count on is me. I am finally running my own life, and I'm getting better at it every day. Do you know how that feels? It feels great. And now, all I need is for you to just get out of my way," Paige added.
J.J. countered that Paige couldn't just turn off her feelings simply because he had broken her heart. J.J. argued that when Paige had helped him sneak out of Kyle's apartment earlier, she had proven that she still had feelings for him. Paige insisted that she had only helped J.J. because that was just the kind of person she was, but he maintained that she never would have taken such a risk to help a guy she hated. Ignoring the point, Paige told J.J. that if he really loved her, he wouldn't be pressuring her; he would be respecting that she would never get over what he had done to her. Paige walked away after once again ordering J.J. to leave her alone.
J.J. soon received a phone call from Kyle, who demanded to see him right away. When J.J. entered Kyle's apartment, he noticed that the lottery ticket that contained the password to Kyle's safe had fallen under the couch. Kyle removed his gun from his desk drawer and pointed it at J.J. while ordering him to take a seat on the couch.
When J.J. wondered what was going on, Kyle just laughed and explained that he had been meaning to clean the weapon. J.J. nervously flopped down on the couch as Kyle warned him to watch his back, adding that they didn't just have to worry about the competition but also the cops and the DEA. J.J. jumped up and rushed to the window when he heard sirens approaching, but Kyle calmly assured him that they were just ambulance sirens. J.J. returned to the couch and grabbed the lottery ticket while Kyle's back was turned.
Daphne met with Paige at the Brady Pub and quickly deduced that something was bothering her, but Paige was reluctant to talk about the matter. Daphne offered to treat Paige to some frozen yogurt and a few tales about her own pathetic, nonexistent love life, but Paige turned down the offer and advised Daphne to be grateful for that nonexistent love life of hers. "Falling in love was the biggest mistake I ever made," Paige added with a sigh.
At the Salem Inn, Aiden told Hope that someone had mugged him after she had left their hotel room earlier. Aiden tried to stop Hope from reporting the incident, but she insisted, assuring him that she was going to catch the bad guy. When a police officer arrived a short time later, Aiden provided some vague information about what had happened but claimed that he had never seen his attacker's face and couldn't offer any details that might help the police identify the guy.
In the park, John assured Marlena that he had always planned to tell her about his return to the ISA -- he had just been waiting for the right time and place to do so. When Marlena asked, John explained that he had decided to return to the ISA because he had to. "Everything I know about who I am starts from the day that I met you. The first half of my life might be a blank slate, but I know that I am Brady and Belle's father, and I know that I am the spy who loves you. The ISA is more than a job, Doc; it is part of my identity. It's my calling, like you were called to be a doctor," John added.
John acknowledged that Marlena believed working for the ISA was dangerous, but he argued that her job was dangerous, too. "Does the name Stella Lombard ring a bell?" John asked when Marlena tried to object. "Being kidnapped by one sociopath does not a job risk make," Marlena countered. John continued that he had tried to be happy running Basic Black but had ultimately realized that he needed more than that; he needed to feel like he was one of the good guys and was making a difference. Marlena pointed out that John was already making a difference as a member of the Salem Police Department, but he said that wasn't enough.
Grasping Marlena's hand, John added that, because he loved her, a part of him was saying to put her first and do what she wanted him to do. Marlena objected that in a relationship, both people had to get what they wanted. John nodded and stressed that he wanted his relationship with Marlena to work out, and she agreed that she wanted the same thing. "But if I pass on this opportunity... What if this feeling doesn't go away? What if, over time, I start to resent you for what I passed up? I'm not saying [that will happen]; I just don't know if I'd be able to stop it," John added.
Before Marlena could respond, John received a phone call from someone at the police station. After a quick conversation, John ended the call and informed Marlena that Aiden had just been mugged. John and Marlena rushed over to the Salem Inn to help out. Marlena didn't think Aiden had a concussion, but she wanted him to get a more thorough examination done at the hospital. John started talking to Hope about checking surveillance footage and interviewing the other guests to see if anyone had noticed anything suspicious, but Aiden impatiently interrupted and shouted that he wanted everyone to just leave.
Aiden quickly apologized for his outburst, explaining that he was just embarrassed about the whole thing, and he didn't want it to look like he was receiving special treatment. John and Marlena agreed to leave, and once Hope was alone with Aiden again, she asked about the earlier text message she had received from Aiden. Aiden explained that he had dropped Clyde as a client because he had learned some potentially unsettling information about Clyde. Aiden added that he had hired a private investigator to look into the matter, and the file Hope had recently seen on his desk had been from that investigator.
Hope pointed out that Aiden could be disbarred if Clyde ever found out about the investigation. Aiden understood but insisted it had been worth the risk because he loved Hope and wanted to protect her. "You're the sweetest. But once you've been up against Stefano DiMera, Clyde Weston is nothing," Hope assured Aiden. Aiden said he knew that because, shockingly, his investigator had determined that Clyde was clean. Aiden explained that the rumors about Clyde had all traced back to an old business competitor who had a grudge against Clyde and had been badmouthing him for years to anyone who would listen.
Aiden assured Hope that he wasn't going to start representing Clyde again, since it would be too difficult to explain why he had dropped Clyde in the first place, and he didn't really like Clyde, anyway. Hope was glad that she and Aiden would no longer have to worry about clashing over Clyde. Noting that it wasn't always easy being on opposite sides of the law with Aiden, Hope added that the important thing was that they trusted each other. "I really can't even express how important that is to me. It's the kind of thing you take for granted, and then...one day, it's gone. That's what happened with Bo and me," Hope mused.
"I never, in my wildest dreams, ever thought that he would just walk out of our lives, that his family wasn't the most important thing to him. After having my trust shattered like that, I never, ever thought that I could love someone again. Then you came along. I have to tell you that what was scarier than loving again was trusting someone again. But I do; I trust you," Hope added. As Hope started to clean some of the blood off Aiden's face, she pointed out that they were going to have to find another place to spend the night. Aiden offered to book another hotel room, but Hope shook her head. "I don't want to hide out in a hotel room anymore. I want to be with you...in my own bed," Hope said. Aiden hugged Hope and told her that was exactly where he wanted to be, too.
At Edge of the Square, Clyde complained about Rafe's refusal to serve him, wondering how Victor would feel about it. Rafe said he was no longer concerned about pleasing Victor because he was planning to quit his dead-end job at the club and go back to doing what he did best -- police work. "Well, if that's what you do best, then we're all in trouble," Clyde mused. Rafe countered that Clyde was the only one who was going to be in trouble. Clyde suggested that Rafe's suspicions about him stemmed from jealousy, since, unlike Rafe, he had a great life -- one he was sharing with Rafe's ex.
Rafe vowed to one day put Clyde in jail, but the threat didn't faze Clyde. "Even the great Victor Kiriakis has got nothing on me, so if you and your friend Hope want to go get me, have at it, man. Waste your time; you've got plenty of it. But there's no evidence out there, so you're not gonna find it," Clyde confidently assured Rafe. Clyde reached behind the bar, grabbed a bottle, and poured himself a drink, daring Rafe to arrest him for doing so. "Oh, I will arrest you, but when I do, it won't be for a misdemeanor," Rafe promised Clyde.
Clyde pointed out that Rafe didn't even know what kind of crime to declare him guilty of committing. Clyde suggested that Rafe simply had something against Southerners, but Rafe clarified that he actually just had something against criminals. "And, yeah, you're right; I may not have the smoking gun yet, but you know what Shakespeare says about pride. Oh, wait, I'm sorry -- of course you don't. 'He that is proud eats up himself,'" Rafe added. "Yeah, well, if you've got the hubris -- you can look that word up, Rafe -- to think that you can make anything stick against me, you get ready to eat your heart out," Clyde coolly countered before walking away.
While passing through the town square, John and Marlena talked about what had happened to Aiden. John had learned that the Salem Inn's security cameras had all malfunctioned right around the time of the mugging, and he suspected that they had been tampered with because the timing seemed pretty convenient. Marlena guessed John would be up half the night, worrying about the case. Marlena casually added that Roman had recently mentioned that everyone was thrilled to have John back on the police force. Marlena wondered why that wasn't enough for John. John shrugged and said he wished he knew the answer to that question.
"Look, I would never ask you to make a compromise that you weren't prepared to make, but after all we've been through, I don't want to go through losing you again," Marlena stressed. Marlena added that being in the ISA was more dangerous than being on the police force -- and would require John to keep lots of secrets from her, too. "So, that's what this is all about? Doc, honesty has never been an issue with us. When we said our vows together, we rode it out through sickness and health, better and worse. Even death and the DiMeras couldn't keep us apart. So we can do this. I don't have any doubt in my mind," John assured Marlena.
Before Marlena could respond, John received a phone call. Marlena urged John to answer the call, but he sent it to voicemail and turned off his phone. "The ISA can wait," John said before leaning in to give Marlena a tender kiss. John took Marlena to Edge of the Square, and Clyde eavesdropped as they told Rafe about Aiden's mugging. Rafe expressed concern when he learned that Hope had been involved, but Marlena assured him that Hope had been gone at the time of the mugging and had not been hurt. John seemed to find Rafe's concern for Hope particularly interesting.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie got out of bed and went downstairs to look for Victor, but he wasn't in the living room where she'd left him.
Caroline awakened in her hospital bed and found Victor at her bedside, holding her hand. Caroline admitted that when it had felt as if someone were watching her, she'd expected to see one of her children, but not her "old love." Victor confessed that he'd been worried about Caroline and had needed to see her with his own eyes. Caroline recalled how, when she'd left for the memory clinic, Victor had promised to always take care of her.
Quoting Yeats, Victor assured Caroline that he'd meant every word of his promise. Her voice breaking, Caroline admitted, "That promise that you made me, I know it's the one thing I can count on." Victor asked, "Good God, woman, don't you know by now that I care about you?" Caroline acknowledged that Victor's showing up at the memory clinic in California had proven that.
Caroline confessed that she was still scared about the future, but Victor was confident that the advances that medical science was making every day would lead to a cure soon. As he prepared to leave, Victor assured Caroline that he'd told the staff to make sure she got whatever she wanted. Caroline accused Victor of being a "great big softie." Victor kissed her on the hand and left so she could rest.
Maggie was waiting by the nurses' station when Victor exited Caroline's room. Maggie admitted that she'd guessed Victor might be there when she'd awakened and he'd been gone. Victor confessed that he hadn't been able to sleep and had wanted to check on Caroline. Maggie acknowledged that Victor was her rock, as well as Caroline's. "So you don't mind my spending extra time with her?" Victor asked. Reassuring him that she didn't mind, Maggie reminded Victor that Caroline was the mother of his son and a dear friend. Victor declared that although he would always care about Caroline, no one on earth meant more to him than Maggie.
Caroline heard Maggie's voice outside and called out to her, so Maggie offered to meet Victor at home. Maggie entered Caroline's room and apologized if she and Victor had kept Caroline awake. Chuckling, Caroline declared that she was sick of that place and would take all the visitors she could get. Caroline seemed a bit worried that Maggie might resent the time Victor had spent with her. "Caroline, your friendship with Victor will never be a problem," Maggie assured her.
Caroline confessed that she and Victor both worried about Bo a great deal. Maggie understood that, and she knew that was why Caroline and Victor were so important to one another. Caroline declared that Victor was as dear to her as anyone in her family -- and she was relieved that he was finished "going around with tramps and lunatics" and had married Maggie. Touched, Maggie embraced Caroline.
Back at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor sent an email to a Dr. Salinas that read, "I was expecting to hear news of your progress by now. Do not keep me waiting." Victor had just gotten up from the computer and was pouring himself a drink when Maggie walked in. Victor greeted his wife and casually closed his laptop. Maggie guessed that something was bothering him, but she headed upstairs to bed without pursuing it further. Victor opened the computer again and found a reply from Dr. Salinas. "I've hit some roadblocks. I'm going to need more time and money," the email read. Disappointed, Victor glowered.
Alone in her hospital room, Caroline recalled a conversation with Victor when he'd visited her in California. "I had to make sure you know you're not alone with this. I swear to you, I'll move heaven and earth to make you well again," Victor had vowed.
At the Brady Pub, Paige confessed to Daphne that she'd made a mistake: she'd been nice to J.J., and he had interpreted it to mean Paige still loved him. Dismayed, Daphne hoped that wasn't true. Paige explained that J.J. had reached that conclusion after she'd helped him get away from Kyle -- and J.J. had claimed he'd been snooping around on Kyle because of Paige. Daphne asserted that J.J. was just playing Paige, who would have to be crazy to trust him again. Paige vowed that she would never fall for J.J. again, although she didn't think he was lying anymore.
Daphne was dubious. Lowering her voice, Paige explained that J.J. had said he'd been trying to protect her from Kyle -- who owned a gun. Daphne flipped out, though Paige tried to downplay the gun as being "just for protection." Paige admitted she'd only dated Kyle to teach J.J. a lesson, but she'd realized that it had probably been a bad idea. Daphne was really worried for Paige and suggested that Paige dump Kyle. Paige confessed that when she thought about how Kyle would take that, it scared her.
When a hungry J.J. returned to the Horton house, his mom offered to make a sandwich for him. He declined and started to head into the kitchen to make something for himself, but Jennifer observed that something seemed different about him. Grinning, J.J. confided, "The most amazing thing happened tonight... I think Paige still loves me." He added that he was confident that he would get Paige back as soon as he got Kyle out of the picture.
After J.J. returned with a sandwich, he related the story of how he'd broken into Kyle's apartment and how Paige had covered for J.J. until he could get out without Kyle seeing him. "She wouldn't have done it unless she still cared, even if she won't admit it. Mom, she still loves me, and I got a feeling that pretty soon, she's going to tell me that herself," J.J. asserted.
At Club TBD, Eve listened in through a Bluetooth headset on her phone, using the bug she'd planted in the Horton living room. She scowled and slammed her drink on the bar when she heard J.J.'s words.
Jennifer cautioned her son that Paige's covering for him didn't necessarily mean she still loved him. J.J. informed his mom that after he'd gotten out of Kyle's, Paige had overheard J.J. on the phone and had learned that he was working undercover for the DEA. In Club TBD, Eve looked shocked. J.J. continued that he'd told Paige the only reason he was working undercover was to get Kyle off the streets and away from her.
Jennifer worried that J.J. had put Paige in danger, but he maintained that Paige would be much safer knowing what was really going on. J.J. said he was glad Paige knew, because then maybe knowing that the Feds were after Kyle, Paige would wake up and realize that Kyle would never follow through on his promises to leave the life. J.J. asserted that he intended to protect Paige even if she didn't dump Kyle -- but J.J. really only wanted to make up for the way he'd hurt Paige and ensure that no one ever hurt her like that again.
J.J. declared that everything he was going through would be worth it if he could take down Kyle -- and maybe Kyle's boss. Afterwards, and once Paige was safe, J.J. promised he would be done with the DEA. "Once Kyle is in witness protection and Paige doesn't have to worry about him, all I want to think about is getting her back," J.J. asserted. At Club TBD, Eve ripped the headset out of her ear, muttering angrily, "You just try, you little creep. You just try."
At the Edge of the Square, Clyde eavesdropped on the conversation as John and Marlena told Rafe about Aiden's mugging at the Salem Inn. Rafe was concerned that Hope might have been hurt, as well, but John said Hope hadn't been there when the assailant had knocked on the door. Rafe thought the details of the robbery sounded unusual. He started to call Hope, but Marlena encouraged him to wait until the next morning, since Hope and Aiden had been trying to enjoy a romantic evening.
When Marlena stepped away to take a phone call, John asked Rafe, "How long have you had this thing for Hope?" Rafe maintained that he cared about Hope as a friend and his former partner, but he insisted that it did not go beyond friendship. John was skeptical. Rafe wondered if Ciara had said something, since he had been teaching her about baseball and had taken her ice-skating a few times because the kid missed her dad.
John remarked, "[Hope has] been through hell. She deserves a little happiness, doesn't she?" Rafe concurred. When Rafe saw Marlena returning, he mentioned that it was almost time to close the club. John asked if he and Marlena could stay for a little while longer to talk -- and if Rafe could put on some romantic music. Amused, Rafe agreed and left to clear the place out.
Rafe passed Marlena and informed her that John wanted to be alone with her. Rafe noted that what John and Marlena had was special, and not everyone got a second chance. Marlena acknowledged that she and John had been down a pretty rocky road. "Well, better to go down a rocky road with someone you love than a four-lane highway all alone," Rafe noted philosophically.
Marlena joined John, who declared that he knew it would take a lot more than words if he wanted her back -- and he wanted her back. He continued that, starting that very night, he intended to put Marlena's needs first. Marlena wanted to know if that meant John intended to turn down the job with the ISA. "If I have to choose between them and you, I choose you," John asserted. Marlena said she knew how important the work John had done at the ISA had been to him, so she couldn't ask him not to do it. "But what about us?" John asked imploringly.
"A wise man once said to me that going down a rocky road with somebody you love is so much better than cruising down a four-lane highway all by yourself. I think he was right," Marlena declared with a sly grin. A mid-tempo romantic song began playing, and Marlena suddenly noticed that there had been no music on before and they had the place all to themselves. John rose and invited Marlena to dance, and she happily consented.
After the song ended, Rafe apologetically interrupted the dancing couple and informed them that he had to close up. John thanked Rafe but told Marlena that he wasn't ready for the night to end yet. John suggested a stroll through the park on the way to Marlena's house, where he hinted that he also hoped to spend the night.
After John and Marlena left, Rafe found a pocket calendar on the table under John's drink and flipped it open to the bookmarked page. The entry for the following Friday read: "Last day at Salem P.D.?" Rafe turned to the front of the book, where John's contact information was written. After a moment, Rafe called and left Roman a message: "I'm not even going to be mysterious about this... I'm just not cut out to run a nightclub, and I'm just wondering if there's any chance in hell that I can get back on the police force."
John and Marlena reached the park and sat on a bench to enjoy the beautiful evening -- although John admitted that he had really only noticed how beautiful Marlena was. When John referenced his earlier hint about spending the night with Marlena, she gave him a lingering kiss. John rose and offered his hand to Marlena, but she did not take it. He offered to go back to his place after he walked her home.
John acknowledged that even though Marlena had tried to reach out to him many times, he had refused to even meet her halfway, and he knew he had a lot to make up for. Marlena assured him that she wasn't trying to punish him, but John understood that she simply wasn't ready yet. "When it does happen for us, I want it to be perfect. I want you to be a hundred percent confident in my love for you, in our future together -- because, Doc, I am going to make you believe in us again," John promised. After he kissed Marlena, John held out his arm, which she took, and the two strolled out of the park together.
At the Salem Inn, Hope gently cleaned the blood off Aiden's face and bandaged his wounds. He was touched that she had invited him back to her house, to share the same bed with him that she'd once shared with Bo. Hope assured Aiden that she hadn't done so because he'd gotten beaten up; she just didn't want to stay at the hotel any longer and knew she wouldn't sleep unless he were right beside her. "I'm just so sorry that it took something...like this to make me realize just how much I want us to be together, Aiden, really," Hope said softly. Hope headed downstairs to move her car around front and let the front desk know what had happened.
Back at the Brady house, Hope joined Aiden in the bedroom after she'd made sure all the doors and windows were locked and the security system was armed. Aiden admitted that he'd never thought he would find happiness again, until he'd met Hope. "Is that one of the reasons you were so grouchy when we first met?" Hope wisecracked before agreeing that she, too, had never thought she would find love again. The professed their love for one another then Hope tenderly helped Aiden undress, a look of concern crossing her face when she saw how black and blue his torso was.
After Hope had gone to sleep, Aiden crept out the front door and, as he'd expected, found Clyde outside. "I've had enough. You win," Aiden conceded. Stating that he'd covered for Clyde, Aiden related the story he'd told the cops -- and the lie he'd told Hope about how his investigation into Clyde had turned up nothing.
Aiden vowed to get amnesia about everything he'd learned about Clyde and not to tell the police a word about it. Despite Aiden's sincerity, Clyde revealed that he knew exactly where Chase and Ciara were at that moment. Aiden urged Clyde to drop the threats. "I'm not afraid of you. I just don't have time. I've got more important things to deal with," Aiden declared. Clyde suggested that every time Aiden felt the pain from his beating, it should remind him never to cross Clyde again.
Since it seemed to Clyde as if Aiden were finally getting the message, Clyde guessed that would be their last meeting. "I sure as hell hope so," Aiden said. "But Aiden, how come I'm still getting the feeling there's more to you than you're letting on?" Clyde mused before walking away with a malevolent chuckle.
When Aiden returned to bed, Hope stirred. Aiden lied that he'd just gotten up to look for some aspirin. Hope sleepily snuggled against him and put her head on his chest. Although he held Hope and stroked her hair, Aiden lay awake, his eyes wide open.
