Lucas is blindsided when he sees Austin and Carrie kissing on the roof. Furious, he laces into his wife. Carrie is stricken. Next, Lucas goes after Austin. After getting a tip from E.J., Sami races up to the roof, and witnesses Lucas fighting with Carrie and Austin. When Sami hears that Carrie has been unfaithful, she lashes out at her sister. How could Carrie do this to Lucas?! We see Carrie is deeply shaken, as Lucas asks for time alone with her. He wants her wedding ring back. Carrie is devastated. Lucas goes down to the apartment and packs up Carrie's things. Austin sees this, and heads up to the roof to comfort a guilt-ridden Carrie. Sami, meantime, tells Lucas not to give up. She's sure he's got a soul mate out there.
At Dune, Lexie joins Billie and Chelsea while she waits for her date with Abe. Meanwhile, at the police station, Abe gets ready to go on his "date," but he's really investigating Lexie. Tek overhears this and goes ballistic. He knew Abe was up to no good. Abe, Roman and Bo defend their strategy. They have to find out if Lexie is part of the plot against the Brady family.
Bo finds out the results of the DNA test: Shawn is indeed Claire's biological father. Bo and Hope have a granddaughter! And Chelsea didn't alter the DNA report after all. Bo goes to tell Chelsea she's innocent, and that he believes in her again. Billie is proud, as Chelsea and Bo share a bonding moment.
In counterpoint, Abe has his date with Lexie. He feels privately guilty about using her and almost blows his cover. Back at the station, Roman gets a call and finds out Patrick's phone records show that he called Sami's apartment around the time she got the threatening call about Will's kidnapping. When Bo gets wind of this, he's on fire, sure that Patrick is the one behind Will's abduction!
Sami and Lucas prepare to go live on television to make a plea to the kidnappers for Will's safe return. Lucas is bitter and angry over Carrie and Austin's deception, but when Kate attempts to interfere he cuts her off. Austin shows up to support Sami, and Lucas is furious he's there. Sami and Lucas make an emotional appeal about how much they love and miss Will, and how they need the opportunity to make up for whatever wrongs they've done him. Later, Will slips into the apartment and wonders what's going on.
Hope visits Patrick to allow him to explain all the evidence against him. He swears he didn't do anything he's been accused of. He's never threatened the Bradys, he knows nothing about Will Roberts' disappearance, and he didn't kill Eve Michaels. Patrick blames Bo for setting him up, but Hope defends Bo; he'd never frame anyone. At the same time, Bo and Roman receive the final forensics report, as well as phone records stating that Patrick called Sami the day Will disappeared. Bo interrupts Hope and Patrick, and shows her the evidence.
Carrie is still reeling from the fact that Lucas caught her and Austin together. Austin, however, is grateful they no longer have to hide their feelings. Austin says that if Carrie feels so badly, maybe she should talk to her dad about the situation. She heads over to see Roman and he comforts her, reminding her that nobody's perfect. Lucas will survive and she'll grow from this. But the most important thing is to protect what she and Austin have and what Roman threw away with Marlena: a once-in-a-lifetime love. They decide to call Marlena in New Jersey, but are stunned to find out she never arrived.
Sami and Lucas, mid-televised plea, see that Will has returned! Everyone rushes to him, happy that he's alive. After the crew leaves, Will explains that he wasn't kidnapped. He ran away to Chicago because he was upset that Sami didn't marry Austin. Lucas says he'll do what he can to make Will feel like part of a family. In fact, Lucas thinks it might be a good idea for him to move in with Sami and Will. We get the feeling that both Sami and Will are pleased by the idea.
At Dune, Kate, E.J. and Austin celebrate Will's return and the positive impact this is sure to have on their new TV station. The televised plea is sure to bring in the ratings. Carrie joins Austin and the two discuss Marlena's disappearance. He does his best to reassure her that Marlena will be fine. Meanwhile, Kate tells E.J. about her fear of Lucas and Sami reuniting.
Back at the police station, Roman learns more about Marlena's disappearance and it doesn't look good. The local cops find a blood stain in Marlena's hotel room. Roman asks John to fly to New Jersey to help with the search. John hops on the next flight, determined to find Marlena.
Abe, Lexie and Theo go to the diner to have lunch before their fun family day out. Tek arrives, which makes for an awkward situation. Later, when Tek has a moment alone with Abe, he warns him to lay off of his investigation on Lexie. She has nothing to do with what's been happening to the Bradys. When the Carver family heads out, Tek gives a Lexie a veiled warning: have fun, but be careful.
Shawn meets with Frankie to discuss his rights as Claire's father. Frankie isn't completely on board with his plan, but it's what Shawn wants. At the same time, Bonnie urges Mimi to take Shawn and move far, far away. Mimi insists everything is fine, that is, until Shawn comes home with news that he's fighting for custody of Claire. Mimi reiterates her fear of losing Shawn, but he assures her that's not going to happen. They make love.
Meanwhile, Belle and Philip greet Victor who has been away on business. He is happy to see his granddaughter, Claire. Philip covers re: the paternity bombshell. Victor says he heard there was a police altercation involving his son. Just then, Philip is served with papers and is livid when he sees Shawn is fighting for custody of Claire. Victor guesses this is why there was an altercation. Philip holds firm and warns his father he better support him in this matter, not Shawn.
Bo and Hope are at the diner. Bo tells Hope that Claire is Shawn's son. Hope is blown away by the news, thrilled to have a grandchild, but her heart also goes out to Philip. She can imagine how tough this is for him. Later, Bo and Hope show up to talk to Belle about Marlena's disappearance.
Chelsea sees Max and Stephanie at the trauma center. Max has injured his foot, but what's disturbing to Chelsea is the closeness between him and Stephanie. Later, Chelsea goes to the garage to make amends but Max isn't there. She hears a hissing noise from the engine and looks inside. Suspicious Frankie catches her doing this, but Chelsea explains it away. Frankie wonders if Chelsea has told Max the truth, that she had nothing to do with the paternity switch. Chelsea says she hasn't had a chance. Meanwhile, Max and Stephanie hit the Titan sauna where the steam rises and the two share a hot, sensual kiss.
Bo, Hope and Philip rush a stressed-out Belle to the hospital. She's having severe cramps and fears for her baby. Bo interrupts Shawn and Mimi's lovemaking to alert his son about Belle. Mimi isn't happy as her husband leaves her at home to babysit Claire while he rushes to the hospital. Once there, Shawn and Philip almost come to blows as they argue about Claire. Philip thinks Shawn's the reason Belle is having problems. Much to everyone's relief, Belle's condition stabilizes. She and Shawn share poignant, tender moments as Philip tells Bo that nothing will break his family apart.
Back at the loft, Bonnie helps Mimi plan a seductive evening for Shawn. Later, Shawn arrives home to reassure his insecure wife that all is well between them. But he gets the shock of his life when he overhears a conversation on the baby monitor, a conversation between Bonnie and Mimi which indicates that Mimi knew all along that Claire was Shawn's child.
Billie, Kate and Chelsea run into Steve, who makes no secret of his attraction to Billie. Kate encourages the connection. She also encourages Chelsea to do what it takes to get what she wants. Billie and Kate are clearly at odds over Chelsea's goals and actions. Steve defends the necessity to go after what you want, and it's obvious that what he wants is Billie. He announces his plan to divorce Kayla. Billie isn't sure that's such a good idea, but she's later drawn to Steve and they share a passionate kiss, one that Chelsea sees.
Things heat up between Stephanie and Max in the Titan sauna and they open up to each other on a much deeper level than before.