Although Ben stressed that he didn't -- and wouldn't -- trust Chad, he couldn't really understand why Chad had lied to the Florida Bureau of Investigation to protect him. Clyde said it always boiled down to one of two things for guys like Chad -- money or a woman. Guessing Chad was trying to impress Abigail, Clyde warned that when a person did something nice for someone out of the blue, it was time to start looking out for the knives.
"So what about all the nice things you've done for me?" Ben asked. Clyde conceded that it would be foolish for Ben to trust him, especially since he did have selfish reasons for helping Ben. Clyde said seeing Ben do well felt good -- and made him look good, too, as the person who might have played some small part in Ben's success. Clyde promised to help Ben once again, and he reiterated that Ben needed to be wary of Chad.
Someone from the police station contacted Hope and told her an anonymous source had asked to meet her in a secluded section of the town square. While Hope was waiting there, someone approached her from behind and extended a hand to cover her eyes, but she reacted quickly, grabbing the person's arm and twisting it. "Surprise," Aiden said with a groan when Hope spun around.
Hope apologized profusely as Aiden rubbed his arm and jokingly complained that it would probably never be the same again. After Hope gave him a kiss, Aiden explained that he had gotten back into town a day early and had wanted to surprise her, so he had enlisted the help of someone at the police station who had owed him a favor. Aiden had wanted to meet Hope at the Salem Inn instead, but all the rooms had already been booked.
Aiden took Hope to Edge of the Square for dinner, and while they were there, Clyde interrupted to ask for Aiden's help with a legal matter. Aiden arranged to meet with Clyde the following morning, and Clyde walked away after apologizing for the intrusion. Aiden noted that Hope didn't seem to like Clyde much at all. Hope clarified that she couldn't really say whether she liked Clyde yet, but she definitely didn't trust him.
Aiden started to ask Hope to explain why she was suspicious of Clyde, but he stopped himself before finishing the question. Hope admitted she shouldn't have said anything, while Aiden acknowledged that he shouldn't have raised the topic in the first place. Hope and Aiden agreed there were certain things they would be better off not discussing with each other, given their respective careers -- and that talking was overrated, anyway.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail warned Chad his ploy to get to her wasn't going to work. Abigail reminded Chad that she was with Ben, and she insisted there was nothing Chad could do to change that. Abigail accused Chad of thinking he could just get whatever he wanted, and she said it was clear that what he wanted was her.
As Abigail stuffed more sushi in her mouth, Harold entered the study to announce Zoe's arrival. Zoe apologized for her tardiness, and as Chad stood to greet her, Abigail slowly realized she was eating a dinner that had been meant for someone else. Embarrassed, Abigail apologized and quickly excused herself, explaining that she had simply been really hungry.
Chad had his chef make another plate of sushi for Zoe, and after some small talk, he revealed that DiMera Enterprises had obtained Sonix. Zoe laughed and admitted she had just assumed Chad had been wining and dining her because of her good looks and scintillating personality. Chad assured Zoe those assets hadn't gone unnoticed, and she somewhat flirtatiously wondered what she could do to make her new boss happy.
Chad said he thought Zoe was terrific and he would never want to get in her way. Chad promised Zoe more responsibility, more freedom, and more compensation, and he assured her she would generally just be free to use her own judgment. Zoe anticipated a catch, so Chad admitted he might sometimes offer suggestions for future stories. Zoe said she was open to all suggestions, and Chad predicted they would get along well together.
Ben was just entering his apartment when Abigail arrived with ice cream and toppings so they could make sundaes. Abigail hesitantly revealed that she had gone to see Chad earlier, and she explained that she had done that because she had wanted to know what his ulterior motive for helping Ben had been. "Like maybe to get you to come see him?" Ben suggested. After conceding the point, Abigail told Ben about how she had eaten food Chad had intended for someone else. Abigail was still embarrassed that she had jumped to the wrong conclusion about the dinner, but Ben was proud of her for reading Chad the riot act.
Later, while Ben and Abigail were lying in bed after making love, they talked about the alias he had used in Florida. Abigail couldn't really see Ben as a Kevin Reynolds, so he explained that, while he wasn't sure where he had gotten the first name, a box of aluminum foil had inspired the surname. Ben admitted he had actually been considering changing his name again -- to Ben Weston.
Clyde passed through the town square while on the phone with Jeremiah, talking about someone in Poplar Bluff. Clyde instructed Jeremiah to send the person a message about how unhappy Clyde was. Clyde said he would do it himself if it weren't for the fact that he had bigger fish to fry at the moment in Salem.
At Club TBD, Paul caught Tori when she fainted after lashing out at Marlena and Will. Paul helped Tori to a chair and shouted for someone to call 9-1-1, but she assured him she was fine and just needed some water. When Paul asked, Tori admitted she hadn't eaten anything since the previous day. Tori wanted to talk to Paul privately, so Sonny agreed to let them use his office.
Will confronted Sonny, guessing Sonny had set the whole thing up and had known exactly what Will would be walking into when he had asked Will to meet him at the club. Sonny thought Paul deserved to know the truth, but Will acted like he didn't know what Sonny was talking about. "Will you stop it? I know that article you wrote wasn't about some school budget. It was about Paul and how you thought he was a DiMera. Are you ever gonna stop lying to me?" Sonny asked before walking away.
When Sonny entered his office with a glass of water and a plate of food, Tori was admonishing Paul for dishonoring her in front of strangers and refusing to listen every time she had tried to tell him they needed to leave Salem. Tori quickly turned her anger on Sonny, wishing he had never entered Paul's life. Paul insisted Tori couldn't be upset with Sonny just because the truth was finally being revealed.
Tori admitted she wasn't really angry with Sonny, she just knew things would have been different if he had never entered Paul's life. "[Yeah], I might never have really known what it felt like to love someone," Paul countered. Tori asked if what had just happened had been Sonny's idea. Paul stressed that he had planned the whole thing because he had wanted the lies to finally stop, and he had ignored Sonny's attempt to talk him out of it.
John asked Marlena to tell him what she knew about what had just happened. Marlena admitted she thought there was a very good chance that Paul was John's son, although she hadn't wanted to say anything until she was certain, and Tori had firmly denied the suspicion. John wondered why Tori had never said anything to him about Paul. John started to rant about what he was going to do if it turned out that Stefano was somehow responsible, but Marlena advised that there was no sense in getting worked up before talking to Tori and Paul and finding out the truth.
John suspected Paul already hated him, but Marlena insisted Paul didn't even know him yet. John countered that it didn't take much to make a bad first impression, and he explained that he had caught Paul making a move on Sonny the previous day and had really laid into Paul about it afterward. John started complaining about how Paul had moved to Salem with one goal -- to get Sonny back -- and had seduced Will in an effort to achieve that goal, but Marlena interrupted and stressed that Paul hadn't known about Will's connection to Sonny until after Sonny's stabbing. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that's what Paul tried to tell Will," John dismissively replied.
Sonny unapologetically confirmed Will's suspicion that he had found the article about Paul while going through the deleted files on Will's tablet computer. "After what you did with Paul, do I really need to explain myself? Because sure enough, you were lying to me again," Sonny added. Will insisted he hadn't been trying to hide things from Sonny, prompting Sonny to sarcastically wonder if Will had just accidentally lied to him.
Will explained that the article had been based on a lot of speculation, and he had trashed it as soon as he had realized it wasn't true. Sonny suspected Will had known Paul was John's son, but Will stressed that he hadn't known anything at all because Tori had denied everything. "That's funny, 'cause you said you never met Tori. It couldn't be another lie, could it?" Sonny countered.
"You know what, Sonny? You're right -- I lied. And you know why I did it? Because I was willing to do whatever it took to get Paul Narita out of our lives!" Will replied. Sonny countered that Will had not only been unfaithful but had obviously also lost faith in their marriage if he believed getting rid of Paul was the only way to make it work. Will argued that Paul still wanted Sonny and could be quite persuasive. Will pointed out that the thing that had ended Sonny's relationship with Paul years earlier was no longer an obstacle, and he guessed Sonny probably admired Paul even more than before because of Paul's new image as a gay icon and a courageous trailblazer.
Before Sonny could respond, Tori and Paul returned and excused themselves. John started to object that he had a right to know the truth first, but Paul insisted John had no rights at all. Paul pointed out that he and John had already made their feelings about each other quite clear earlier, and he concluded that there was nothing left for them to talk about. John continued to object, so Paul finally confirmed that he was indeed John's son.
When Paul tried to exit the club with Tori, Sonny urged him not to leave things unresolved, prompting Will to object that it might be best to just let Tori and Paul go. Marlena gently suggested that Tori owed John an explanation, but Paul insisted Tori didn't owe John anything. Paul argued that John was the one who needed to explain himself, since he had gotten Tori pregnant and had then thrown her away like trash.
John said he was just trying to understand why Tori had led their son to believe he was dead. "Because you were dead to me," Tori replied. Tori explained that when she had learned she was pregnant, she had been worried about her family's reaction at first, but she had ultimately decided that everything would be okay if she just told the truth. Tori hadn't wanted to tell John about her pregnancy in a letter or a phone call, though, so she had returned to Salem to break the news to him in person, hoping they might be able to build a life together because he had struck her as a man of integrity. "But when I saw you...everything changed," Tori added.
Tori said she had found John praying in a church and had decided not to talk to him after realizing he had devoted his life to the priesthood. "I was not going to be the reason you abandoned your vocation," Tori explained. John thought Tori still should have told him the truth, but Paul warned him not to criticize her for the sacrifice she had made, arguing that she couldn't have possibly known that the priesthood was going to be just another casual commitment -- a phase -- for John.
Paul led Tori out of the club, ignoring John's attempt to stop him. Sonny followed Paul outside and said he was really sorry about how everything had played out. Sonny knew Paul and John hadn't exactly hit it off with each other, but he stressed that their conflict had stemmed from the fact that John was protective of Will and Sonny. Sonny added that if Paul gave John a chance, he would realize John was one of the good guys and was someone Paul was very lucky to have as a father. Paul ignored the advice and left with Tori. John soon emerged from the club, and Sonny apologetically admitted he had been unable to stop Paul from leaving.
Marlena admonished Will for negatively influencing John's opinion of Paul. Will objected that he hadn't said anything that wasn't true, but Marlena argued that Will had shaded the truth, and she wondered why he had done that. Will reminded Marlena he had previously told her he would do anything to protect his marriage. "Mm. I guess that includes destroying a father's relationship with a son he never even knew he had," Marlena replied.
Before Will could respond, Sonny and John returned, and Will received a text message from the babysitter, who couldn't watch Arianna much longer. John asked Will and Sonny to keep the news about Paul to themselves for a while because he wanted to be the one to tell Brady and Belle. John and Marlena left the club and went to a secluded section of the town square.
John recalled how, as a baseball fanatic, he had always known Paul was something special, and he had even gone to a game once just to watch Paul pitch. John wondered if he had always known, deep down, that Paul was his son. John asked Marlena if she would have kept the truth from him forever if he hadn't been at Club TBD earlier. Marlena said she had wanted to share her suspicion but had felt like it wasn't her place to do so. Marlena added that Tori had denied everything, but John suspected Marlena had always known in her heart that her suspicion was correct. Marlena knew John had a lot to think about, so she left after telling him she loved him.
Paul returned to his hotel room with Tori, who apologized for hiding the truth about his father for such a long time. Paul understood that Tori had done what she had believed would be best for him, just as she always had. Paul received a phone call from his grandfather, who was eager to see him because they had been apart for such a long time. Paul promised he would be home soon, but after he ended the call, Tori suggested he might want to stay in Salem in light of everything that had just happened.
Sonny told Will to head back to the apartment without him, explaining that he was going to clean up a bit before leaving the club. Will offered to wait, but Sonny firmly stated that he didn't want that. Will insisted Sonny couldn't blame him for the fact that Tori had kept Paul's paternity a secret or the fact that everything had played out the way it had, since Sonny was the one who had set the whole thing up in the first place. Will also argued that Sonny couldn't be angry with him for finding the photograph of Tori, since John never would have learned the truth if Will hadn't made that discovery.
"So we're supposed to give you credit for your good deed?" Sonny asked incredulously. "Who's 'we'? You and Paul?" Will replied, his voice wavering slightly. Will started to acknowledge that he had made a mistake, but Sonny countered that Will had made a lot of mistakes, and he was trying to understand why Will kept making excuses for them. Will insisted that wasn't what he was trying to do, but Sonny didn't listen.
Sonny said Will had left him and moved to Hollywood because Will had been that desperate to advance his writing career, and when that hadn't worked out, he had lied about why he had returned to Salem early. Will tried to object to Sonny's version of events, but Sonny forged ahead, stating that Will had then set his sights on a big article and had slept with Paul to get it. Will once again objected that things hadn't happened like that.
"That's right -- it's because you just wanted him in the moment, even though you made a lifetime commitment to me! Do you remember that? But you got your article, and you got all the attention that you wanted. And then you decided that you wanted me after all of that. Do you know how much that hurts? Do you honestly think you can just do whatever you want, and hurt whoever you want in the process? Do you think that's okay with me? Am I supposed to be okay with that?" Sonny demanded to know.
Will objected that Sonny wasn't being fair, and he reached out for Sonny as he tried to say something else, but Sonny pushed him away. "Just leave, please! Just go home! Go home. Just get away from me and go home. I cannot hear another word out of your mouth tonight," Sonny insisted as he turned away from Will. Will reluctantly walked away, and when Sonny turned back around, Will was already gone.
"I will not lose you, Sonny," Will vowed outside the club.
When Sonny met John at the Brady Pub, John was just finishing up a text message to Brady. John explained that he'd wanted to meet there because he wouldn't have felt comfortable having the conversation in front of Will. Sonny confessed that he'd slept in his office the night before. John and Sonny both agreed that finding out Paul was John's son had been a huge surprise. John admitted that he'd learned about it right after tearing into Paul about Sonny.
John continued that he'd spoken to Will, who had suggested that Paul hadn't been completely honest with either Will or Sonny. Sonny asserted, "I know Paul better than Will does. Paul's never been anything but totally honest about his feelings -- before and after I found out about him and Will." John wanted to know how Sonny felt about Paul. Sonny admitted that he still cared about Paul -- a lot. "That's what makes this whole situation so difficult," Sonny noted.
John explained that when he left the pub, he was heading over to Paul's hotel. "The reason that I wanted to see you was -- seems to me, you know Paul better than anybody. So before I try to talk to him again, I was kind of hoping that you could tell me about my son," John said.
Marlena stopped by Will and Sonny's to see Will, and Will informed her that Sonny had never returned home the previous night. Marlena admitted that she and John were no longer on speaking terms because he thought she should have gone to him immediately when she'd found out he might have been Paul's father. Marlena asked why, in his conversation with John, Will had intimated that Paul had known Will and Sonny were married before Paul had slept with Will.
Will explained that he'd begun to suspect that the only reason Paul had gone to Salem in the first place was to break up Sonny and Will's marriage. Marlena snapped, "Don't make me sit here and watch you turn into your mother!" Will was aghast to hear Marlena talking about her daughter that way. Marlena maintained that Sami would be the first person to point out the similarities between her own past behavior and the games Will was playing.
Will argued that his mom had always gone after what she'd wanted -- and he didn't see anything wrong with that. Marlena countered, "What's wrong with that is she never cared who she hurt, as long as she got what she wanted." Will declared, "I don't care what you think, Grandma. I don't care what anybody else thinks. "I am not -- not -- going to let some washed-up baseball player ruin our lives."
Marlena admitted softly, "Sometimes I don't know who you are anymore." She assured Will that she would always love him, and she wanted to see him save his marriage. "You can only do that if you realize it's not about what Paul did. All that's important right now is what you do next," Marlena said. With a stern look at her grandson, Marlena left.
Later, Marlena ran into John asked if he'd gotten her message. John said he had, but he was on his way somewhere. As John pushed past her, Marlena acknowledged that he was angry, but she maintained that the situation with Paul and Tori was complicated. John accused Marlena of keeping the truth from him because she'd been protecting Will.
Marlena said when she'd learned that Will had reached the conclusion that Paul was Stefano's son, she'd begged Will not to discuss it with anyone because it had been Tori's decision. John pointed out that Marlena had used the same rationale to keep the truth from him when she'd learned that he was Paul's father. "You're still protecting Will," John concluded. Before he left, he instructed Marlena to let him be the one to tell Belle and Brady -- and to show the same commitment to keeping his secret that she'd demonstrated with Tori's secret.
Sonny was unpleasantly surprised when he returned to the apartment and found Will at home. Will explained that he'd had to stay with Arianna because the sitter hadn't shown up. Will guessed that Sonny had hoped Will wouldn't be home, and Sonny admitted that was true. Will seemed relieved when Sonny said he'd spent the night in his office. Sonny pointed out that it had been a better option than having a shouting match in front of their daughter, because he had never been angrier in his entire life than he was at that moment at Will, the man he'd married.
Sonny added that he was only keeping a lid on his anger because Arianna was sleeping in the next room. Although the depth of his husband's rage clearly surprised him, Will caressed Sonny and insisted that they had to talk if they were ever going to fix things. Pulling away, Sonny declared firmly, "We're going to talk; we're just not going to do it right now." He refused to give Will a timeline other than "not now."
John arrived outside Paul's hotel room door and was preparing to knock when a woman from housekeeping arrived. "Are you looking for Mister Narita? He and his mother checked out first thing this morning," the woman informed John.
Xander met Serena in the park outside Horton Square at her behest, and she demanded to know if he were really staying in Salem, as she'd heard. Serena clarified firmly that she thought the two of them should go their separate ways as soon as they were finished doing business, because she wanted Xander as far away from Eric as possible. "You can really see yourself settling down with Eric Brady?" Xander remarked derisively.
"What's keeping you here? It's not Nicole Walker, is it?" Serena asked, her disapproval apparent. Xander wondered why Serena didn't like Nicole. Serena explained that Nicole, an alleged journalist, had been investigating Serena since Serena had first arrived in Salem because of Serena's relationship with Eric. Reminding Xander that there was a lot Nicole could dig up about him that he wouldn't want exposed, Serena urged him to leave town.
Xander explained that he was staying in Salem because he had family there -- although he didn't especially feel like sharing their identities with Serena. He sternly admonished Serena that he had paid her well, so he expected her to deliver what she'd promised. "I'll try to get the diamonds by the end of the day," Serena offered, her demeanor a bit meeker under Xander's implied threat. Serena left, and Xander contemplated calling Nicole. He smiled as he gazed at her picture next to her contact information on his phone.
Daniel, still in scrubs from performing an all-night surgery, met Maggie in Horton Square and presented her with a picture that Parker had drawn for her. As Maggie and Daniel got a table, Nicole strolled into the square. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted Daniel and his mom across the way, but Daniel surprised her by asking her to join them.
Eric and Theresa arrived in the square just then. Eric realized he'd forgotten his wallet in the car and left to retrieve it. A mischievous Theresa made her way over to Daniel's table to torment Nicole and Daniel about Nicole's date with a "hot guy." Maggie was taken aback. Daniel reminded Theresa that she'd already tried that story on him, and it hadn't worked, but Theresa insisted it wasn't a story. Daniel reluctantly asked Nicole if it were true, and Nicole admitted that she'd gone out for coffee with the man she'd met.
When Daniel escorted Theresa away from the table so they could talk privately, Maggie questioned Nicole about her relationship with Daniel, who Maggie knew cared about Nicole. Maggie admitted that she'd found it appalling her to hear that Nicole had been seeing someone else. Nicole insisted she hadn't been seeing someone else. Interrupting Nicole's explanation, Maggie encouraged Nicole to explain it to Daniel. Maggie took Parker's drawing and left.
Eric returned and ducked behind the tree to eavesdrop when he saw Theresa and Daniel talking. Daniel accused Theresa of trying to cause trouble for him and Nicole, not to mention for Melanie, Brady, Jennifer, and J.J. Daniel asserted that making other people miserable seemed to be the only thing that gave Theresa's life meaning. Eric emerged from behind the tree, said a quick hello to Daniel, and led Theresa out of the square.
Once Nicole and Daniel were alone, she assured him that she had only met the mystery guy for one cup of coffee. Daniel asked if the guy had known it had been just coffee. Nicole admitted that the guy might have thought it had been more than coffee, but she didn't see why that mattered. Daniel countered that it mattered to him. "You made it clear that I wasn't making enough of a commitment to you. The last time we talked, you said that you were done. Now I know you meant it," Daniel said as he grabbed his bag and left for the hospital.
Nicole followed Daniel to his office and admitted she'd been wrong. She explained that she'd gone to coffee with the other guy because she'd been fed up with Daniel controlling everything and ignoring what she wanted -- but she didn't want to give up on the two of them. Nicole asked if they could start over. Daniel had to leave to check on his post-operative patient, but he indicated that Nicole should wait there for him.
After Daniel left, Nicole sat in his desk chair and tried to convince herself that things would work out between them. As she was fantasizing about her apology, concluding with her assuring Daniel that her heart would always belong to him and him forgiving her, Xander entered Daniel's office. Startled, Nicole jumped up and accused Xander of following her. Just then, Daniel returned. "Daniel! Man, it is so good to see you again," Xander greeted his old friend, shocking Nicole.
Brady and Melanie were still in bed at the Kiriakis mansion when Brady got his dad's text message, a request to meet later so John could explain something. Admitting that he'd spent a lot of the previous year yelling at his dad, Brady said, "I hope, when I have kids, they're easier on me than I was on him." Melanie grew quiet, which made Brady assume that his talk of kids had freaked her out a little, so he reassured her that he wasn't quite ready to be a dad yet. Melanie said she thought any kid would be lucky to have Brady for a dad.
After Melanie and Brady got dressed, he said he still intended to take her on the getaway he'd promised. He added that he would pick her up at Daniel's a little later, and Brady would stop off to see John on the way to the airport. Once Brady left to make some phone calls, Melanie called Greg to ask for the results from the plasma she'd given to him.
Eric took Theresa to Club TBD for coffee and demanded to know what had been going on back at the square. Theresa explained that she'd seen Nicole on a date with another guy, but Eric suggested that it could have been completely innocent. Laughing, Theresa insisted that wasn't the case. As she described the man to Eric, Eric realized that the description sounded familiar.
Eric suggested that if Theresa didn't like it when people treated her badly, she should change the situation. Theresa refused to grovel to get people to like her. Eric quickly regretted saying anything. Theresa barked that she'd be more than happy to add her cousin to the list of people she didn't give a damn about. "Fine," Eric retorted and left without another word.
Brady walked over to Theresa's table just as Eric was walking out the door. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Brady demanded. Urging Theresa to think about the way she'd lived her life, Brady recounted her crimes and bad behavior. "You think you're so much better than me?" Theresa retorted. Brady insisted that he didn't, but he was trying to turn his life around. "You seem very content just being a bitch," Brady pronounced.
Brady continued that all he'd ever seen Theresa do was try to hurt people, including people who tried to care about her. With incredulous laughter belied by the tears in her eyes, Theresa demanded, "Name one person in this town who has ever cared if I lived or died." Brady replied simply, "Me." A dubious Theresa didn't believe Brady had ever cared about her. Brady contended that, despite the stupid things the two of them had done together, at that time, he had felt that they'd known each other better than anyone else had.
Brady maintained that the realization that Theresa, instead of having a refreshing outlook on relationships, was really just "angry and cynical and took a hell of a lot of pleasure in making people hurt" had killed any feelings he'd had for her other than disgust. Theresa countered that she had only cared about Brady's money and his body. "So, why don't you go to hell, Brady? Or, worse, go back to Melanie, because I don't care what you do or say or think about anything," Theresa said unconvincingly. Brady told Theresa goodbye and left.
Upset, Theresa headed for the park, fighting back tears. She sank onto a bench, clutching her purse to her chest, and collapsed into miserable sobs.
Melanie was waiting at Daniel's apartment when a courier dropped off the test results. As she closed the door, Melanie stared at the envelope and remarked nervously, "Once I open this, there's no turning back. This could change Brady's life, and Theresa's. And mine." Melanie procrastinated opening the envelope until she couldn't stand it any longer. At last, she slid the test results out and let out a dismayed sigh as she perused them. "Okay, so it was true. Theresa was pregnant, and she didn't have an abortion or a miscarriage. So where's the baby?" Melanie asked herself, voice shaking.
While Melanie was trying to figure out what Dr. Mandrake had done with the baby, there was a knock at the door. Melanie shoved the test results and all her other research in a drawer and opened the door to find Serena in the hallway. Serena reminded a surprised Melanie that they had planned to hang out and watch movies. Melanie apologetically said she had to cancel because her life had suddenly gotten complicated. Eager to retrieve the diamonds, Serena suggested, "Then let me in, and we'll talk about it, okay?"
While Melanie and Serena were still standing in the doorway, Maggie showed up, looking for Daniel. Melanie said he hadn't gotten home yet. Maggie started to leave, but Melanie stopped her. "Do you maybe have time for me?" Melanie asked. As Maggie went inside, Melanie promised to call Serena the next day. After Melanie closed the door, Serena worried about not being able to keep her promise to Xander.
Serena headed to Eric's and greeted him with an embrace. She explained that Melanie had backed out of their plans, after which Serena had tried unsuccessfully to get some work done. "I missed you so much, and I would really love it right now if you could just take my mind off of everything but you," Serena implored Eric. She kissed him passionately but pulled away a moment later and apologized for not asking how Eric's day had gone so far. Eric admitted that coffee with his cousin had been "a disaster." He gave Serena the highlights of what had happened when he'd arrived in the square, adding that when Theresa had described the guy with whom Nicole had gone on a coffee date, the description had sounded a lot like Xander.
Melanie explained to Maggie, "I kind of have a situation, and I need your help." Melanie said she couldn't believe that she'd finally found the right guy, who had been right in front of her all along. Maggie noted that the timing simply hadn't been right before. She asked Melanie what the problem was. Melanie said she didn't want to do anything to mess things up with Brady. "Sweetheart, have you already done something like that?" Maggie asked.
"I haven't yet," Melanie said with a chuckle. Maggie asserted that she didn't believe Melanie would ruin things with Brady because she had grown up so much since they had first met. "I'm sure that whatever you choose to do from here on in, it will be for the best," Maggie predicted.
Maggie had gone when Brady arrived to pick Melanie up for their getaway. Brady asked if Melanie were ready to go, but she shook her head. "I have to tell you something about Theresa -- and Kristen DiMera," Melanie said.
At an undisclosed location, a blonde woman in a leopard-print dress fondled a newborn in his crib. Dr. Mandrake told the woman, "My office is faxing over the information that we need. I'll have the answers to all your questions very soon... I want you to know I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that this child continues to be your child, that he'll be healthy, happy, for the rest of his life." The woman bent over the crib to pick up the baby. As she cradled the infant, the woman turned, revealing her identity: it was Kristen DiMera.
Paige stopped by the Horton house with freshly baked cookies for J.J., but Maggie answered the door instead. J.J. was supposed to be studying at home, but Maggie said he wasn't there. Paige asked how the clothing drive had gone. Maggie pronounced it "a resounding success," and Eve and Theresa had even shown up to help. That news surprised Paige. Maggie complained that even though the sale had been for charity and everything had been priced very low, someone had shoplifted something. After Paige wrote a note for J.J., the two women walked out together.
An angry J.J. showed up on Eve's doorstep and demanded to know why she had either the coat he'd been wearing the first time they'd had sex or an identical one. J.J. harangued Eve about Paige finding it until Eve finally interrupted him. She somewhat shrilly informed him that she'd told Paige that she'd forgotten the jacket was there but intended to get rid of it. That wasn't enough for J.J., who still wanted to know why Eve had the coat.
Eve maintained that she didn't have to explain herself to him. J.J. believed Eve intended to use the jacket somehow to set him up and ruin things for him and Paige. Wearily, Eve pointed out, "J.J., your mother has slammed home the point ad nauseam that if you go down, I go down." J.J. didn't believe that Eve wouldn't resort to doing something to break up him and Paige. "You need to get the hell out of my house!" Eve ordered, flinging the door open -- and revealing Paige in the hallway.
"Well, this is a surprise. I thought you were studying," Paige remarked wryly. J.J. explained that he'd wanted to get some things straight with Eve, but Paige seemed dubious. Eve maintained that she and J.J. were trying to get past everything and get along for Paige's sake. Although Paige was still skeptical, she reminded her mom about a meeting at her school then headed for her room to get some class notes.
Once Eve and J.J. were alone again, J.J. told Eve in a whisper that they weren't finished. "Oh, the hell we're not! I don't ever want to be alone with you again, all right? Here or anywhere. Never!" Eve hissed, storming out and slamming the door.
When Paige returned, she admitted she'd overheard what Eve had said to J.J. Paige asked what the two of them had been fighting about. After reassuring Paige that he loved her, J.J. said, "Your mother's lying to you -- and so am I."
At Eric's, Serena admitted that she was worried about Eric, since Xander had returned to town and had met Nicole. Eric reminded Serena that whatever was going on with Xander, Nicole, and Daniel had nothing to do with the two of them. Eric could tell that something else was bothering Serena. She confided that something was obviously going on with Melanie, and Serena wished she could help. Eric understood because he was worried the situation with Xander and Nicole would upset Daniel.
Serena suggested that since Daniel and Nicole were going through a rough patch and Eric wanted to help, Eric and Serena could go to Daniel's and surprise them with a meal, and that way, Serena could help Melanie, as well. Eric pointed out that it would be easier to simply invite them all to his place, and he wouldn't feel right if they invited themselves to Daniel's.
Serena admitted Eric had a point, and she would just invite everyone over the next time she talked to Melanie. Serena made an excuse about suddenly remembering something she had to take care of. She kissed Eric goodbye and hurried out. As he closed the door after Serena, Eric wondered aloud, "What was all that about?" In the hallway, Serena sent a text message to Xander that read simply, "I need to see you."
In Daniel's office at the hospital, Nicole was taken aback when Xander greeted Daniel by name and the two men embraced. Daniel explained that Xander -- whom Daniel had known by his Greek name, Alexandros -- was Victor's nephew, and Daniel, Brady, and Xander had spent a summer together at one of Victor's Greek island estates. Xander explained that he was in Salem on business and had hoped to run into Daniel.
When Nicole excused herself to let the men catch up, Xander said it had been nice bumping into her -- as always. Daniel quickly realized that Xander was the man on whom Nicole had spilled coffee, and Xander deduced that Daniel was the man with whom Nicole was involved. Xander apologized to Daniel, and to Nicole if he'd been too aggressive after she'd told him she was seeing someone. Xander assured Daniel that it had just been coffee. Xander headed out after taking one of Daniel's business cards and promising to try to get the whole family together before he left town.
With a wry chuckle, Nicole made a remark about what a small world it was that Daniel and Xander knew one another. Daniel admitted that he'd only spent that one summer with Xander and pointedly asked Nicole to fill him in about what Xander was like. Nicole irritably maintained that she knew very little about Xander except how he liked his coffee. She reminded Daniel that she'd been mad at him, and they hadn't been getting along well. Daniel accepted some of the responsibility for that, but he'd felt as if Nicole had been trying to get back at him by going out with someone else.
Nicole pointed out that even though Daniel had clearly been upset, he'd refused to talk about it with her. "There's a reason for that. It's because I don't trust you -- and it's not because you went and had coffee with another man," Daniel said. Furious and incredulous, Nicole shouted that she was over Eric. Daniel contended that Nicole moved so quickly from one man to the next that it seemed as if she were afraid to not have a man in her life. "It makes me think everything that I worry about with you is right on the money," Daniel added.
Before a stung Nicole could respond, Maggie arrived to see Daniel. "Your timing, Maggie, as usual, is perfect," Nicole stated quietly as she picked up her purse and left. Maggie asked Daniel about the scene that Theresa had made earlier. Daniel changed the subject and asked, "Did Victor tell you that his nephew's in town?" Taken aback, Maggie admitted that Victor hadn't told her.
Daniel filled Maggie in about the summer the three boys had spent on Victor's island. Daniel added that Xander had seemed very intuitive about the situation between Daniel and Nicole, and Daniel had found that surprising. He explained that when they'd been kids, Xander had been a bit "rough around the edges," to the point of seeming lost and even a little dangerous.
Xander was on a bench under the tree in Horton Square, gazing at Nicole's picture and recalling their goodbye after their coffee date. "So, Daniel. Looks like I'm poaching on your territory," Xander remarked to himself. Just then, Serena's text message intruded. "Finally!" Xander said.
Serena met Xander in a corner booth at the Brady Pub a little later, but he wanted to go somewhere more private before she handed over the diamonds. Serena reluctantly admitted that she didn't have the diamonds yet. Xander grabbed her wrist under the table and savagely twisted her arm. "I keep telling you you're out of time, but it doesn't seem to sink in. I may have to drive home the point," Xander growled, adding as Serena whimpered in pain, "I will see you later today, at your place -- privately. You will have the diamonds, or you and Eric will face the consequences."
At her hideaway, Kristen was reassuring the baby that everything would be fine when Dr. Mandrake entered the room and announced that he had the results. "Everything's going to work out fine for your son. One of his biological parents is a match," Mandrake informed Kristen. Kristen grabbed the piece of paper from Mandrake's hand and read that Theresa, not Brady, was a match, and Kristen knew exactly how to proceed.
"Christopher's doing very well. There's no immediate crisis," Mandrake pointed out, but Kristen was determined to move forward with her plan. Clint strolled in just then, and after Kristen praised him for doing a great job in Salem, she informed him it was time to go back and finish the job. "I know it sounds very scary -- severe combined immunodeficiency -- but it's curable. Theresa Donovan is a perfect match, so, once Christopher has his bone marrow transplant, he's going to be just as healthy as any other baby boy," Kristen explained.
Kristen added that the baby couldn't travel, so the transplant would have to be done there. Mandrake warned her that returning to Salem was too dangerous, and they had time to find a more compatible donor. A single-minded Kristen didn't want to hear it. She asked Clint if Theresa were still in Salem. "There's one way to find out," Clint said, dialing Theresa's number.
Theresa was sobbing on a park bench when Anne passed by and spotted her. Although Anne admonished Theresa for not being at work, Theresa hurled herself into Anne's arms and wept even harder. Thrown, Anne stiffly patted Theresa on the back and asked what was wrong. "Everyone hates me!" Theresa cried. Anne pointed out that wasn't news, and besides, Theresa had never cared about that before.
Theresa explained about her earlier run-in with Brady when he'd said she disgusted him because she was a liar. Anne noted that Theresa did have a habit of lying. Theresa admitted that she'd lied about a lot of things, but she hadn't lied about the baby. "I really, really thought that I was pregnant," Theresa added miserably.
Theresa was ranting to Anne about Daniel, Melanie, and Brady when Theresa's phone rang. Convinced it was Brady, Theresa rushed to grab her purse and began digging through it, frantically trying to locate her phone. An amused but impatient Anne watched until Theresa finally found the phone. Anne snatched the device from Theresa's hand and pointed out that it couldn't be Brady because the caller ID said "unknown caller." Theresa grabbed the phone back and answered -- just as it stopped ringing.
Anne tried to get Theresa to face reality, but Theresa grew annoyed. Anne pointed out that she was Theresa's only friend in town. Frustrated, Theresa screeched, "Screw Salem and everybody in it!" She threatened to leave town, but Anne reminded her that the judge had ordered Theresa to stay in Salem -- plus Theresa had no money. Anne ordered Theresa to get back to work. "Don't tell me what to do! You know what, and don't be surprised if I don't show up in that stupid hospital ever again, Anne!" Theresa yelled as she stormed off.
A dejected Theresa wandered into Horton Square and promptly ran into Nicole. "You! What is wrong with you? Don't you have anything better to do than run around Salem, ruining other people's lives?" Nicole demanded. Too tired to argue, Theresa tried to walk away, but Nicole taunted her. Theresa whirled around and accused Nicole of two-timing Daniel. Before the women's argument could turn physical, Eric appeared and broke it up.
After Nicole stalked off, Eric demanded to know why Theresa did the things she did. Theresa insisted, "I haven't done anything, Eric. No one believes me, but it's the truth. I haven't done anything." Theresa complained that Nicole was a "total psycho." Fed up with his cousin, Eric walked away, suggesting, "Think about meditation. Electric shock therapy." Just then, Nicole reappeared. She taunted Theresa, "I heard that. And I am not a psycho; you are. In fact, you're worse than I ever was, or Sami ever was, and I hope you get everything you deserve."
Back at Kristen's, Clint said he had installed a phone-locating tracker application on Theresa's phone. He accessed it from his phone and informed Kristen that Theresa was in the town square. "Probably pulling the wings off of flies," a grinning Kristen quipped, pleased with Clint's work. She instructed him to perform the next task: fetching Theresa.
Mandrake warned Kristen that they the police in Salem still hadn't closed the Kiriakis case. Clint maintained that because he'd emptied Brady's wallet, the cops believed it had merely been a mugging. "And I know just how to handle Theresa. Trust me. No one's going to miss her," Clint added. "No one ever has. No one ever will," Kristen concurred.
Mandrake asserted that they needed to let him find another donor because Theresa Donovan was a "loose cannon." Kristen firmly declared that she'd made her decision: she wanted her son cured as soon as possible, and Theresa was the perfect donor, plus Clint was very good at what he did. "Besides, it'll be so much fun to see Theresa again," Kristen added with a mischievous smirk.
Brady went to Daniel's apartment to pick Melanie up for a romantic getaway, but Melanie said she had something to tell Brady about Theresa and Kristen. Brady refused to listen, but Melanie was persistent. Over his objections, Melanie warned Brady firmly, "They're not done with you yet." After a bit of preamble from Melanie, Brady urged her to get to the point. "I think you have a child out there with Theresa," Melanie said.
Brady pointed out the insanity of that theory, but Melanie pleaded with him to hear her out. After reminding Brady about Theresa's pregnancy scare, Melanie produced the lab results from Theresa's plasma that showed Theresa really had been pregnant. Brady was incredulous that Melanie had stolen the plasma from the blood bank and accused her of being obsessive. Melanie reminded Brady that Theresa had been genuinely shocked when she'd learned that she hadn't been pregnant, and later, Theresa had experienced mood swings, such as flipping out upon finding a baby rattle.
Brady conceded, "Maybe she was pregnant. All that means is she didn't realize that she had a miscarriage before Kayla tested her." He asserted that Theresa could not possibly have carried and given birth to a baby in secret. Melanie reminded Brady that someone had knocked him out and had taken his blood -- and that person had done the same thing to Theresa. Melanie asserted that Brady's mugging had been staged in order to hide the attacker's true objective: obtaining Brady's blood.
Melanie continued that after Brady had gotten home from the hospital, she'd gone over to Theresa's and had literally run into Theresa's boyfriend, Clint, and he'd spilled a bunch of blood vials when he'd dropped his backpack. After Clint had gone, Melanie had discovered a puncture wound on Theresa, identical to the one on Brady's arm. Melanie told Brady about Dr. Mandrake, a world-renowned fertility specialist with a "sketchy" reputation, and showed him a picture of Mandrake with Clint. Brady didn't understand why anyone would want his or Theresa's blood.
Melanie quietly theorized, "I think that Theresa thought she was pregnant because she really was pregnant, and it's like somebody came and took her baby without her even knowing." Brady scoffed, asserting that wasn't possible. Melanie reminded him that it had also, supposedly, been impossible for Brady's dad to wake up from his coma. "Who made that happen?" Melanie asked. "Kristen," Brady recalled.
Melanie presented even more evidence to support her case: Mandrake had been getting paid for work as a consultant by an "illegal-looking" company -- exactly the kind of phony company the DiMeras would use. Stammering, Brady started to insist that even though Kristen was crazy, she wouldn't do something like that. His voice trailed off mid-sentence as he recalled his last phone conversation with Kristen, when she'd told him, "When I go, I'm going to be carrying a part of you inside of me -- the very best part."
The realization dawning in his eyes, Brady told Theresa, "I think you're right about Kristen, about Theresa -- and the baby."
Eve ran into Ben at Salem University and recognized him as Kevin, the guy who had worked at the diner she and Paige had frequented in Miami. Ben explained that he had since changed his name, and Eve recalled that Paige had mentioned something about that after an encounter with him months earlier. Ben said he had hated lying to Paige back then but had been dealing with some family issues that had necessitated the deception.
Ben said he was glad Paige and J.J. had managed to work things out. Eve was surprised to learn that Ben knew J.J., and she assumed they had to be close, since Ben knew about J.J.'s relationship with Paige. Before Ben could respond, Abigail arrived and wondered what was going on. Eve explained that, while it was none of Abigail's business, she had just been chatting with an old acquaintance. "Wrong, Eve -- it is my business, 'cause you're talking to my boyfriend about my brother," Abigail replied. Eve realized that was how Ben knew J.J. -- he was dating J.J.'s uptight sister.
Ben excused himself to take a phone call after explaining how he and Eve knew each other. While Ben was gone, Abigail wondered if Eve had recently told someone about Ben's whereabouts. Eve had no idea what Abigail was talking about. When Ben returned, Eve said goodbye to him and excused herself, preferring to wait for her appointment with the tuition office somewhere far away from Abigail.
"Don't you think it's a little weird that the authorities in Florida are suddenly looking for you when the only people in Salem who knew you came from Miami were Paige, who I totally trust, and Eve, who I totally don't?" Abigail asked Ben. Ben thought Eve was innocent, even after finding out she was the woman who had sued Jennifer, and Abigail conceded that Eve had seemed genuinely confused when Abigail had mentioned that people were looking for Ben. Changing the subject, Ben said Aiden was going to contact the Florida Bureau of Investigation later that day to find out what was going on.
J.J. didn't want to stay in Eve's apartment any longer, so he asked Paige to accompany him back to the Horton house, explaining that he wanted total privacy to say what he had to say to her, and no one else was going to be at his place until later that day. When they got there, J.J. admitted that, despite what he and Eve had each told Paige about trying to get along for her sake, the truth was that they hated each other, and that was never going to change. Paige preferred to remain optimistic, hoping J.J. and Eve might be able to work things out if they spent more time alone together, but he insisted that would never happen.
J.J. said he had realized while talking to Eve earlier that there was no way he would ever be able to trust her. "She always gives you this lying smile and pretends that she's being so reasonable, but I am telling you, she will do anything to break us up," J.J. insisted. While Paige didn't want to believe it, J.J. was certain Eve was already trying to find some way to break them up again. J.J. promised there was nothing Eve could do to change the way he felt about Paige. Paige admitted she knew, deep down, that J.J. was probably right about Eve, and she assured him she would never let Eve tear them apart.
Paige said she felt like she and J.J. were meant to be, and she didn't want to wait any longer to be with him. Paige kissed J.J., and he led her to his bedroom, where he stopped to make sure she really wanted to go through with what she had started, since he knew it would be her first time. Paige insisted she was sure, so J.J. started undressing her, and they proceeded to have sex.
Daniel went to the Kiriakis mansion to find out if Victor had summoned Xander to Salem as a way of screwing up Daniel's relationship with Nicole. Victor admitted that did sound like something he would do, but he insisted Xander's visit had been a complete surprise. Victor promised to warn Xander that Nicole was off-limits, but Daniel said there was no need to do that because things with Nicole were good.
"Really? You sure? 'Cause I get the impression that you wouldn't be quite so bothered about this whole thing if Nicole had told Alexandros that she was off-limits. Am I right?" Victor wondered. Conceding that he was the one who had raised the topic in the first place, Daniel nevertheless decided it would probably be best for him to refrain from talking to Victor about Nicole.
Daniel wondered why Xander was in town. Victor explained that the visit was about some business related to a small pharmaceutical company Xander had started. Daniel recalled that Victor had bailed Xander out of legal jams more than a few times and had even paid for Xander's education. "I did what I could. He's my brother's son. Not that Titus and I got along all that well, but when Titus passed, Alexandros was left on his own," Victor replied. Daniel observed that it seemed like Victor's efforts had paid off, since Xander had obviously turned his life around.
Nicole and Theresa's exchange of insults quickly escalated, and when Xander entered the town square, the women were literally at each other's throats. Xander intervened and dragged Nicole away as Theresa continued shouting vicious remarks at her. Xander took Nicole to Club TBD, where she thanked him for trying to take the blame for their coffee date during his earlier conversation with Daniel.
Nicole decided Xander was truly a nice guy. "Victor tends to pop a few buttons when it comes to family, but...well, unless I wasn't paying attention, I don't remember Victor ever mentioning your name," Nicole said. Xander laughed off the oversight, claiming he had gone off to do his own thing and had apparently stayed away too long. Xander apologized for causing trouble between Daniel and Nicole and hoped they would work things out.
After leaving the club, Xander contacted Victor to brag that the deal he was working on would be quite profitable, but Victor wasn't interested in hearing the details. Xander wondered if Victor had heard about Xander's misunderstanding with Daniel. Victor confirmed that he had, and he warned Xander to stay away from Nicole, explaining that she was nothing but trouble. "Yeah, but I like trouble," Xander muttered after ending the call.
Brady told Melanie about what Kristen had said before disappearing months earlier. Brady wondered if it was really possible for an embryo to be transferred from one womb to another. Melanie confirmed that the procedure was happening more and more often in infertility cases. "Even if the transplant worked, it's complicated, and the woman usually delivers early, which -- which means Kristen could have given birth by now," Melanie realized.
Brady was grateful for Melanie's persistence, assuming he never would have learned the truth if she had listened when he had told her to stop sticking her nose in Theresa's business. Melanie pointed out that there could still be some other explanation for the things she had uncovered, so Brady decided they needed to track Kristen down and figure out the truth. Brady knew Stefano had probably helped Kristen go into hiding in a place where people wouldn't ask many questions. Melanie thought it would look too suspicious if she tried to get information out of Chad, and Brady knew it would be too risky to go to the police because Stefano had spies there.
Brady didn't want to tell anyone else about the matter yet -- not even Theresa -- because he didn't want to risk Kristen somehow finding out about his and Melanie's suspicions and disappearing farther down a rabbit hole. Melanie insisted Brady wasn't going to handle the matter on his own, but he didn't want to put her in danger, so he made it clear that she wasn't allowed to get involved. Brady quickly excused himself, guessing he knew someone who could tell him where Kristen was. "You don't actually think I'm gonna let you go alone, do you?" Melanie muttered with a laugh after Brady left.
When Daniel returned home later, Melanie told him she was going to visit her mother in London for a few days because Carly had been missing her lately and would be celebrating a birthday the following week. Melanie said she had already obtained permission to take some time off from work, and Brady was also going out of town for a few days to take care of some business, so the timing was perfect. Daniel was somewhat suspicious, especially when Melanie started talking about how it was important to fight for parents to be able to raise their biological child if they wished to do so, but he wished her well and promised he wouldn't spoil Carly's surprise.
Shortly after showering, Daniel received a visit from Nicole. Despite wearing only a towel, Daniel invited Nicole in, and she apologized for the way things had ended with him earlier. Nicole stressed that she wasn't interested in Xander, Eric, or anyone else -- just Daniel. Daniel confirmed that he would like for things to work out with Nicole, although he added that he was having a hard time trusting her. Nicole understood and promised she could handle taking things slowly if that was what it took to prove herself. Nicole added, however, that she first needed to know Daniel was really ready to give their relationship a shot.
Brady went to the Kiriakis mansion to find out if Victor knew where Kristen was hiding. Brady explained that he needed to see Kristen in person for reasons he didn't want to get into yet. Victor was concerned, but Brady made it clear that he still hated Kristen -- probably more than ever before. Brady insisted Kristen couldn't hurt him, and he begged Victor to trust him to be his own man and handle the matter his own way.
"She's in Italy. And yes, I have the address. It's a typical DiMera compound -- an old castle just east of Rome," Victor reluctantly revealed, scribbling some information on a piece of paper. Brady wondered if Victor knew what Kristen was doing there. Victor said it seemed like Kristen was in total seclusion and wasn't doing much at all. Victor wanted to send some hired help with Brady for backup, but Brady insisted no one could know what he was doing -- including John, who would definitely want to get involved. Victor promised to cover for Brady if John asked any questions.
At the DiMera compound in Italy, Kristen rocked Christopher in her arms as Mandrake once again tried to talk her out of kidnapping Theresa. Kristen remained convinced she was making the right move, insisting her only concern was whether Theresa had been abusing drugs or alcohol lately, since Theresa needed to be in excellent condition for the bone marrow transplant.
Mandrake continued to object, but Kristen told him to shut up, refusing to waste time by looking for another suitable donor when they already had one within reach. Mandrake feared someone might notice Theresa's disappearance -- Brady, for instance -- but Kristen insisted everyone, including Brady, wished Theresa would just disappear, anyway. Kristen also noted that if Clint did his job properly, no one would ever suspect a thing.
Realizing he might not have made himself clear before, Mandrake informed Kristen that there was no way to reliably erase extended periods of time from a person's memory. "When [Theresa] gets home, there is simply no way to be sure that she will not regain her memory and reveal what happened to her," Mandrake warned Kristen. "And who said anything about her going home?" Kristen countered.
Kristen said letting Theresa return to Salem would be too risky. Mandrake objected that Theresa was Christopher's mother. "I am his mother in every way that matters. And once we get Theresa's bone marrow and Christopher is safe and healthy and happy again, Theresa will be useless. Do you hear me? I am the only mother that boy has ever known and ever will know!" Kristen insisted.
Melanie boarded the Kiriakis jet and told the pilot she was looking for Brady. When the pilot explained that Brady had not yet arrived, Melanie asked if she could leave him a note. The pilot gave Melanie his notepad and pen before returning to the cockpit. When Brady arrived later, he found a note from Melanie, letting him know she loved him and wanted him to be careful. Impressed, Brady muttered that Melanie was always full of surprises.
"Ready or not, Kristen, here we come," Melanie muttered, squirming to get comfortable in the closet she had stuffed herself in.
At Edge of the Square, Kate held her phone in front of her in camera mode so she could watch Rafe and Victor talk behind her across the room. When Kate saw Victor approach her at the bar, Kate pretended that she was berating a journalist on the phone for attempting to print a slanderous story about Adrienne and Lucas. Concerned, Victor asked what was going on. Kate pretended to be surprised that Victor was behind her.
Victor asked about the reporter that had called Kate. Kate assured Victor that she had told the reporter that the story was not true. When Victor asked for details, Kate said the reporter had called to say the paper intended to print a rumor about Lucas and Adrienne. When Victor asked about the rumor, Kate said that if there was any truth to the rumor, she would know about it. Rafe appeared behind Victor, and Kate told Victor not to worry.
Rafe and Victor walked over to the far side of the room to discuss Clyde. Rafe informed Victor that Hope had been asking questions about Clyde's trucking business. When Rafe expressed concern for Hope, Victor agreed. Victor looked across the room at Kate.
Rafe approached the bar and offered to buy a drink for Kate. When Kate wondered aloud if Rafe intended to poison her for causing Jordan to leave town, Rafe grinned. Rafe asked Kate why she was dating Clyde. With a shrug, Kate asked Rafe why he did not like Clyde. Kate reminded Rafe that she would not date someone who did not have substance. Rafe added dangerous to Clyde's list of attributes. With a raised eyebrow, Kate suggested that she might be interested in Clyde because he was dangerous.
In the Kiriakis mansion, Lucas stopped by to see Adrienne. Adrienne was worried about being seen together, but Lucas said Henderson had confirmed that they were alone in the house. With a confident stride, Lucas walked over to Adrienne, gathered her into his arms, and kissed her passionately. With a chuckle, Lucas pulled away and said he could not stay away. Adrienne agreed that Lucas had been on her mind too.
When Lucas reiterated that they were alone, Adrienne said she had seen Kate at Club TBD, and Adrienne had felt like Kate knew about Adrienne's affair with Lucas. Lucas stared silently. With a gasp, Adrienne asked Lucas if Kate knew about the affair. Lucas said that Kate knew and was happy. When Adrienne had asked Lucas why he had admitted to the affair, Lucas said he was a terrible liar. Lucas assured Adrienne that Kate would not say anything.
"She's happy for me. Hell, I'm happy for me. Now all I got to do now is try to convince this beautiful woman that I've fallen for that it's all okay," Lucas said. With a smile, Adrienne kissed Lucas. The two lovers headed upstairs and had sex. Afterward, the breathless couple grinned. Lucas asked Adrienne if she minded that he had stopped by the mansion. Adrienne kissed Lucas. Lucas said he understood that they needed to keep the affair quiet until she had talked to Justin.
Victor knocked on Adrienne's bedroom door. Panicked, Lucas looked around the room wildly, unsure where to go. Adrienne coolly called out to Victor and told him that she would meet Victor in the study. Victor agreed, and he said he had one more thing to add. "Lucas, you're fired," Victor yelled through the door.
At the hospital, Jennifer overheard a nurse mention that Daniel was off-duty. Jennifer thought about her last conversation with Daniel about J.J. and Eve. Worried, Jennifer mumbled that she needed to make sure that J.J. backed off of Paige until they could be sure that Paige would not learn the truth about J.J. and Eve.
In his bedroom at the Horton house, J.J. and Paige made love for the first time. On the bedside table, J.J.'s phone rang with a call from his mother. Oblivious, J.J. did not answer the phone. After making love, Paige and J.J. talked about how much they loved one another. As J.J. stroked Paige's hair, they heard the front door open. From downstairs, Jennifer called out to J.J. Paige told J.J. that she was not sorry about what they had done. After a quick kiss, J.J. rushed downstairs to talk to Jennifer.
In the living room, Jennifer asked what was going on. When J.J. explained that he and Paige had been studying, Jennifer countered that J.J. needed books in order to study. Paige entered the living room, and Jennifer raised an eyebrow. J.J. stuttered a lie about the calculus final they had studied for, and Paige said she needed to head home. When J.J. offered to walk Paige home, Jennifer asked J.J. to stay and talk to her instead. Nodding, J.J. walked Paige to the front porch.
On the porch, J.J. apologized for Jennifer's surprise return home. Paige laughed and said it was fine. Paige said that no matter how J.J. felt about Eve, she would always love J.J. With a shy smile, Paige said their evening together had been perfect. After telling J.J. that she loved him, Paige left.
J.J. returned to the living room and found a stern-faced Jennifer. J.J. apologized and said that he and Paige had been carried away. When Jennifer asked J.J. if they had been "safe," J.J. said they had been. J.J. told Jennifer he was in love with Paige. Jennifer urged J.J. to take things slowly, since Daniel knew the truth. With a nod, J.J. said he trusted Daniel, but he was worried about Eve.
J.J. explained to Jennifer about his argument with Eve about the coat and how Paige had walked in on it. J.J. worried aloud that Eve wanted to use the coat to break up his relationship with Paige.
In her hotel, Serena waited anxiously. Serena's phone beeped with a text from Melanie, explaining that she had left for Europe. Serena was upset then furious when she realized the text had been sent hours before but had only just been sent to her phone. Upset, Serena wondered aloud how she would get into Daniel's apartment so she could retrieve the diamonds. When there was a knock at the door, Serena answered it to find a livid Xander.
Xander grabbed Serena by the neck and asked if she had his diamonds. When a terrified Serena shook her head no, Xander yelled, "Do you think this is a game?" Xander shook Serena then threw her on the bed. Serena slid off the bed to the ground and spotted a business card for Daniel. "You bastard. You're playing me," Serena growled.
Xander was confused. Serena asked why Xander had Daniel's business card, and Xander admitted that he knew Daniel. With a raised eyebrow, Serena asked Xander if Daniel was the family in Salem that Xander had mentioned. Xander avoided the question and asked Serena how she was connected to Daniel. When Serena stared blankly, Xander admitted that he had known Daniel since they'd been kids. With a nod, Serena admitted that the diamonds were at Daniel's apartment.
Serena explained that she was friends with Daniel's daughter, and she had hidden the diamonds at Daniel's apartment as added insurance against Xander. When Xander asked why Serena had not retrieved the diamonds, Serena explained that Melanie was out of town. Xander suggested that Serena work with him, like old times.
In Daniel's apartment, Daniel admitted to Nicole that he believed he could have a great relationship with her if they could move past their problems. Daniel added that he was having difficulty trusting Nicole. Nodding, Nicole said she was willing to take things slowly if Daniel confirmed that he was committed to making things work with her. Daniel kissed Nicole. When Nicole asked if they should stop, Daniel responded, "I didn't say that."
Daniel said he loved Nicole and hoped she felt the same way. Nicole eagerly said she loved Daniel. With a nod, Daniel informed Nicole that they were alone in the apartment for the night because Parker and Melanie were both out of town. When Nicole asked Daniel what he had in mind, Daniel suggested that they go out. Daniel added that he and Nicole would only talk about themselves on their date.
When Daniel asked Nicole if she was interested, Nicole grinned broadly. Daniel suggested they go bowling. Laughing, Nicole asked Daniel if he was ready to lose. Daniel ran into the bedroom to change out of his towel, and Nicole pumped her fist in excitement. While Nicole waited impatiently in the living room, Daniel called out that he had called the bowling alley to reserve a lane.
When the doorbell rang, Nicole opened the door and found Xander and Serena in the hallway as a freshly dressed Daniel returned to the living room. Xander explained that he and Serena had discovered that they both knew Daniel, and they had decided to stop by for a visit. When Xander asked if Melanie was around, Daniel explained that Melanie was out. Xander handed a gift bag to Daniel. Xander added that he wanted to apologize for earlier. Confused, Serena asked if she was missing something.
Daniel noted that they were headed out. When Xander offered to leave, Daniel shook his head and invited Xander and Serena into the apartment. Serena stared nervously at the fireplace, while Daniel opened the gift bag and saw a Hawaiian shirt. With a chuckle, Xander said he had bought a shirt for everyone in the family. Daniel thanked Xander for the gift. Xander explained that because he had been absent from the family, he wanted to show that he still respected them.
Xander asked for a tour of the apartment. With a grin, Xander promised to drop off gifts for Parker and Melanie on their beds. Daniel offered to show everyone the grand tour, but Serena begged off, citing the need to check her emails. Nicole said she would stay behind with Serena. Serena pulled out her phone and asked Nicole if she was okay to spend time alone with her. Nicole said she was fine.
Serena asked Nicole if she felt awkward around Xander. Nicole said that if Daniel was unhappy about what had happened with Xander, then he would not have asked Nicole to go on a date with him. As Nicole's phone beeped with a text message from her producer, Xander and Daniel returned to the living room. Nicole apologized and said she needed to follow up on a story. Hopping to her feet from the couch, Serena suggested that Daniel and Xander spend some time catching up.
Nicole asked to talk to Daniel first. With a grin, Xander said they would leave. In the hallway outside, Xander whispered into Serena's ear that they would return another time. Serena sighed, and she followed Xander to the elevator.
In Daniel's apartment, Nicole asked Daniel if he was disappointed with her for canceling their date. Daniel assured Nicole that he was fine. Daniel reminded Nicole that he had canceled on her on numerous occasions to go into work. With a groan, Nicole said that she had been looking forward to beating Daniel at bowling. Nicole hugged Daniel goodbye then left.
In Serena's hotel, Xander swore that he would figure out how to retrieve the diamonds from Daniel's apartment. When Serena suggested that they would have had the diamonds if not for Nicole, Xander asked Serena to let him handle Nicole. With a grin, Serena said she got the feeling that Daniel and Nicole were back together. "I guess we'll see," Xander said as he left.
In her apartment, Eve wondered aloud what cover story J.J. had invented to explain the fight that Paige had overheard between J.J. and Eve. Eve growled that she would not allow J.J. to take her daughter. Cole stopped by the apartment to update Eve. When Cole explained that Paige had not shown up to class, Eve groaned. Eve argued that Cole should have stayed in class and taken notes for Paige so he would have an excuse to talk to her. Cole apologized for leaving class, and Eve countered that she could not do all the work for Cole to help him win over Paige.
With a deep sigh, Eve apologized for losing her temper. Cole promised to work harder. With a smile, Eve reminded Cole that he needed to be Paige's friend. Eve added that Cole needed to push J.J.'s buttons when Paige was not around. Cole said he had been needling J.J., but J.J. had not lost his temper in front of Paige. Eve assured Cole that J.J. would eventually snap, and Paige would see that Cole was the calm and reasonable option. "The one thing I know for sure is J.J. Deveraux has no impulse control. None," Eve said.
When Paige stopped by to pick up some items, Eve mentioned that she had just missed Cole. Eve explained that Cole had been worried when Paige had not shown up for class. When Eve asked Paige if she was sick, Paige said no and explained that she had been upset about the fight she had walked in on. Eve assured Paige that the fight had been over nothing. Concerned, Eve asked Paige how she had spent her time with J.J. Paige smiled nervously. Eve's face fell.
Sensing trouble, Paige turned and said she needed to get home. When Eve reminded Paige that she had stopped by the apartment to pick something up, Paige said she would pick the item up later. After Paige left, Eve broke down and trashed the living room. Falling to the floor, Eve called out, "That son of a bitch! No, no, no!"
