Abigail asks to leave Shady Hills
Belle arrived at the police station just in time to overhear Nicole telling Dario that they needed to figure out what their next move against Kate would be. Belle insisted that Nicole and Dario couldn't afford to make another move; instead, they needed to stand down and let her prove that Kate was lying. "Sooner or later --" Belle started to add. Nicole interrupted and stressed, "Sooner, because I want that witch to pay!"
While Deimos was resting on Chloe's couch, dreaming about Kate and Nicole, he muttered their names. Puzzled, Chloe contacted Nicole and left her a voicemail message, asking her to return the call as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Parker returned home from camp with one of the counselors, who explained that he was dropping Parker off early so they wouldn't get stuck traveling in the heavy storm that was expected later that day.
After the counselor left, Parker pointed at Deimos and asked, "Who's that guy?" Deimos awoke and introduced himself to Parker, who wondered what had happened to him. Deimos explained that he had fallen in some water, and he assured Parker that his injuries weren't as bad as they looked, adding that Chloe had been kind enough to let him rest on her couch for a while. "So, you're having a sick day?" Parker concluded.
Chuckling, Deimos confirmed that it would be accurate to say that. "Except now he's better, so --" Chloe started to say, but Parker interrupted and asked if Deimos would like to play a game with him. Chloe tried to gently protest, pointing out that Parker's video game console wasn't set up at that time, but Parker didn't let that deter him, suggesting the card game War instead. "I've been playing [that] my whole life," Deimos said.
Later, after losing a match to Parker, Deimos wondered if Parker's dad always lost to him, too. "He's dead," Parker sadly replied. Stunned, Deimos tried to think of a response, but Parker saved him the trouble, rushing off to get another game to show him. Deimos apologized to Chloe, who explained that Parker's dad had passed away recently.
Chloe reminded Deimos that she had wanted him to be gone before Parker's return from camp. Nodding, Deimos assured Chloe that he would leave right away if that was what she wanted, but he added that Parker seemed to like him well enough. "I'm pretty sure he'd like anyone who was Dad-age," Chloe replied, but she admitted that she was grateful to Deimos for managing to make Parker smile again.
"That's one void that I can never fill. I can never give him that guy time," Chloe added with a sigh. Deimos suggested that he could stick around for a few more days to offer Chloe some help in that area, since it would take a bit longer for him to fully regain his strength, anyway. Chloe received a phone call from Nicole while considering Deimos' offer, but she let it go to voicemail.
Without committing to anything, Chloe offered to make Deimos something to eat, and he gratefully accepted, admitting that he was quite hungry. After putting a frozen pizza in the oven, Chloe rejoined Deimos in the living room and apologized for not having more appetizing options available. Dismissing the concern, Deimos guessed that it had to be hard for Chloe to raise Parker on her own. "I think I'm luckier than most single moms," Chloe replied, explaining that Parker's dad had made arrangements to ensure that they would be taken care of in the event of his death.
"Look, I know that what Parker lost is a lot bigger than money, but if money could help --" Deimos started to offer, but Chloe cut him off, assuming that he was trying to buy his way back into her life. Deimos tried to clarify his intentions, but Chloe insisted that she would never accept money from him, especially since it was money he had stolen from Victor, and she didn't want to get involved in their war. "The war is over. I won. And, frankly, I don't think either one of us has the appetite to fight any longer," Deimos assured Chloe, explaining that his near-death experience had helped him realize what was truly important.
While Nicole and Dario were waiting for Belle to return with news about their release, they discussed their earlier kiss. Nicole admitted that it had been kind of hot, but she insisted that it couldn't happen again because her life was a mess at that time. Dario refused to let that scare him, assuring Nicole that he liked having a challenge to face.
Before Nicole could respond, Belle returned and announced that Roman, knowing Kate's history, had agreed to release Nicole and Dario, chalking up the incident at the Kiriakis mansion as nothing more than a catfight. "Well, that's insulting," Nicole grumbled. "Not if it gets you sprung," Dario reasoned, and Belle agreed. After asking Dario for a minute alone with Nicole, Belle warned that Nicole would have to find a different lawyer if she ever took matters into her own hands again. "I promise I will be a good girl from here on out," Nicole assured Belle.
At Shady Hills, Chad filled Jennifer in on what had happened to Abigail. As Jennifer struggled to understand why Abigail had intentionally started the fire, Abigail dreamed about the incident, recalling that she had snatched a lighter from the hallway after an orderly had dropped it while heading outside for a smoke break, and she had then combined it with an aerosol spray that had been stored in the top drawer of her dresser, creating a makeshift flamethrower she had used in an effort to make Ben go away. Instead, she had ended up burning herself, and Jack had soon arrived to stop her from causing more harm.
When Abigail awoke, she demanded to know where Jack was, insisting that he had helped her get out of the fire. Jennifer gently reminded Abigail that Jack was dead, but she added that she could confirm, based on personal experience, that he seemed to have an ability to show up when his family needed him. Abigail wanted Jennifer and Chad to check her out of Shady Hills, reasoning that the fire had proven that it wasn't a safe place, but Chad explained that they would have to wait for the police to conclude their investigation of the incident. "Why? Do they think I did this? Did I do this?" Abigail tearfully asked.
Chad evasively replied that nothing was official yet. Meanwhile, Dr. Robinson arrived to check on Abigail. Chad asked to talk to Robinson privately, and when they stepped into the hallway, he explained that he was interested in checking Abigail out of Shady Hills as soon as possible. Robinson told Chad that wouldn't be possible, given the circumstances; in fact, depending on the results of the investigation, Abigail might have to be transferred to a more secure facility for her own safety. Chad angrily complained that Shady Hills was making Abigail worse, but Robinson protested that Chad wasn't being fair.
"No, what's unfair is what is happening to my wife in there! Have you seen her?" Chad countered. Jennifer rushed out of Abigail's room to warn Chad that he could be heard in there, but he insisted that he didn't care. Shawn soon intervened and told Chad to calm down, and Robinson seized the opportunity to excuse herself so she could answer a phone call.
After learning that Abigail was awake, Shawn excused himself so he could question her about the fire. Chad and Jennifer wanted to be present during the interview, but Shawn insisted on talking to Abigail privately because that was the standard procedure. Frustrated, Chad went to call Marlena, hoping she could do something to help the situation, but he soon returned and reported to Jennifer that Marlena had confirmed Robinson's claim that Abigail couldn't be released from Shady Hills while the investigation was ongoing. Jennifer conceded that Shady Hills might be the best place for Abigail, but Chad disagreed.
"My wife [is] getting out of here, whether I have to break her out or not," Chad vowed.
At the prison, Aiden visited Andre. Aiden demanded that Andre stop calling him. Barely holding back his nervousness, Aiden said that Hope would not believe whatever Andre planned to tell her about him. With a grin, Andre reminded Aiden that Hope did not fully trust Aiden. Andre added that the only person that Hope trusted 100% was Rafe. Andre ordered Aiden to get him out of jail by the next day. Andre added that in return for Aiden's help, Andre would keep Rafe out of Hope's life forever.
At the Brady Pub, Shawn and Belle met up with Claire for a meal together. When Claire asked her parents if they were back together, they both frowned. Claire assured her parents that she could accept it if things had not worked out. Shawn and Belle broke out into grins. With a groan of relief, Claire said she was thrilled to hear that they were back together. Shawn told Claire that they were moving slowly, so they were not moving in together yet. Inspired by the good news, Claire said she wanted to go home and finish a song she had been working on. Once alone, Shawn stared lovingly at Belle and told her that she was beautiful.
At the DiMera mansion, Ciara sat in front of the chessboard and reviewed the rules that Chad had taught her. Theo walked in and sat in the chair across from Ciara. Theo bluntly stated that he wanted Ciara and not games. Annoyed, Theo asked Ciara why she had been avoiding him. Theo told Ciara that he loved her and needed her in his life. Ciara stressed that she could not be more than friends with Theo. Theo asked if Ciara had fallen for Chad. Seeing the look of guilt on Ciara's face, Theo told her that Chad would break her heart. As Theo walked out, he noted that he might not be there for Ciara if Chad hurt her.
At the penthouse, Claire worked on her new song. As the final chords died out on her guitar, Theo knocked on the door. Claire was pleased to see her friend, and she blushed uncontrollably when Theo told her how great she had sounded from the hallway. When Claire asked Theo why he was visiting, Theo said he was worried that Ciara was making bad choices.
To cheer up her friend, Claire played another song. Smiling, Theo told Claire that she sounded better and better. Bursting with joy, Claire told Theo the good news about her parents' reconciliation. Theo hugged Claire. "True love won out," Claire said. Theo's smile fell away.
At the police station, Rafe and Hope worked in the interrogation room on the Deimos Kiriakis murder case. Roman walked in with a giant vase of flowers and placed them on the table in the space between Rafe and Hope. Roman said that although he did not mind that Rafe and Hope were dating, he preferred that they leave their romantic displays outside the precinct. Hope pulled the card out of the flowers and announced that the gift was from Aiden. Realizing his mistake, Roman stammered out an apology and backed out of the room.
After a few awkward comments about the flowers, Rafe suggested that he and Hope go outside for some air. The two walked to the town square and bought frozen yogurt. As Rafe and Hope sat at a café table, Aiden walked around the corner and saw the ex lovers together. Aiden watched and listened from nearby as Rafe told Hope that he had no regrets about their time together. Rafe told Hope that he would always have her back, and the two agreed that their friendship was important to each of them.
"Not all triangles have to end in a murder," Rafe said as talk turned back to the murder case. Aiden stewed nearby as he watched Rafe and Hope discuss their investigation. When Ciara walked over to the table, Rafe excused himself and left. Ciara asked Hope if she realized that Rafe was not ready to give up on her. As Hope nodded, Ciara added that Rafe looked sad. Hope explained that she and Rafe were friends and that they respected one another. "Why is love so complicated?" Ciara asked.
In the park, Aiden called Andre's phone and left a message that he accepted Andre's offer. Aiden promised to help Andre if Andre removed Aiden's rival for Hope's love. When Aiden returned to the square, he saw Ciara talking to Hope. Ciara told Hope that her therapy with Marlena was going well, and it had inspired her to look into becoming a therapist. With a smile, Hope told Ciara that she would be a good therapist because she was empathetic.
Aiden interrupted to say hello. Ciara started to leave, but Aiden asked to talk to her alone. With a nod, Hope left to make a couple phone calls so that Ciara and Aiden could talk privately. Ciara told Aiden that she was unsure about him, but she wanted her mother to be happy. Aiden apologized to Ciara for being in denial about what Chase had done to her. When Ciara noted that Chase was Aiden's son, Aiden responded that he loved Ciara as much as his son. Ciara thanked Aiden. As Ciara started to leave, she paused and warned Aiden that she would be watching him.
While Ciara walked away, Andre called Aiden's phone. Aiden promised Andre that he would do whatever Andre wanted in exchange for help in securing Hope's love.
At the Hernandez house, Rafe returned home to find that the air conditioner was still broken. A scantily clad and sweaty Blanca walked into the kitchen and found Rafe leaning against the counter. Blanca smiled shyly at Rafe. After small talk about the heat, Blanca offered to make lemonade. As Rafe helped Blanca, Eduardo called Rafe's phone and asked to meet. With a smile, Rafe said goodbye to Blanca and left.
At Club TBD, Lucas met up with Adrienne, newly returned from Paris. Adrienne told Lucas that Sonny had instructed her to sell the club, and she had. After talking about Sonny, a moony-eyed Adrienne told Lucas that she had missed him while she had been in France. Adrienne gave Lucas gifts, including a case of non-alcoholic champagne. The discussion turned to marriage, and Lucas and Adrienne agreed that they felt the same way about one another. Lucas got on one knee and presented a ring to Adrienne.
"Will you be brave with me and give this marriage thing one more try?" Lucas asked. "If I'm going to be a fool, I want to be a fool in love. And I do love you. So, yes. Let's give this our best shot," Adrienne said, fighting tears of joy. Lucas placed the ring on Adrienne's finger, and they celebrated with a glass of French non-alcoholic champagne.
Outside the club, Eduardo told Dario that he had purchased Club TBD. Eduardo asked Dario to help him run the club, since Dario had experience. Dario was angry and accused Eduardo of attempting to purchase his love. Dario added that the purchase meant that Eduardo would never leave Salem. Eduardo said he regretted the mistakes he had made, but he wanted to prove that he had changed. Eduardo argued that the club would be a good investment for the family.
When Rafe arrived, Eduardo updated him about the club. Rafe agreed with Eduardo, and he asked Dario what the downside was to the investment. With a groan, Dario said that Rafe was as delusional as Eduardo. Dario stomped off. Rafe told Eduardo that he thought the investment in the club was a good idea. With a sigh, Eduardo said he did not want to run the club without Dario. Switching subjects, Eduardo told Rafe that he was sorry to hear about Rafe's breakup with Hope. Rafe confided that he did not trust Aiden.
At the Hernandez house, Dario walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer. As Dario leaned against the refrigerator door, Blanca walked into the kitchen to get a glass of lemonade. Blanca reached across Dario to remove the pitcher from the fridge. While Blanca poured a glass, Dario stared at her body. With a small smile, Blanca told Dario, "It's not polite to stare." "I'm only human," Dario responded with a chuckle.
As Ciara was passing through the town square with Marlena, she revealed that she was thinking about pursuing a career in psychotherapy. Marlena offered to try to get Ciara a volunteer position at Shady Hills so she could get some first-hand experience and figure out if the career path was right for her. Ciara thought that was a great idea, especially since it would allow her to spend time with Abigail and give her updates about Thomas.
At Shady Hills, J.J. visited with Abigail, who wondered if he was in uniform because he had been assigned to keep an eye on her. J.J. assured Abigail that he was there as her brother, not as a cop, and he was only in uniform because he had just left work. J.J. stressed that he believed Abigail's claim that she hadn't started the fire, but she admitted that she might have been wrong about that.
"I thought Dad saved me from the fire, J.J. Dad's been dead for three years. I can't tell what's real and what's not anymore," Abigail explained, her voice wavering as she spoke. Abigail wanted to know what would happen to her if the police concluded that she had indeed caused the fire, so J.J. reluctantly revealed that she could be transferred to a more secure facility. "Like a place with, like, padded walls and stuff?" Abigail fearfully guessed. As a tear rolled down her cheek, Abigail asked J.J., "Am I really that dangerous?"
Before J.J. could respond, Abigail received a visit from Marlena, who advised her not to worry about things that hadn't happened yet. "He's ruined everything. He's never gonna let me have my life back," Abigail sadly muttered, recalling everything Ben had done to her. Marlena offered to take Abigail out to the garden for some fresh air, and J.J. agreed that it would be good for Abigail to be outside for a while, but Abigail insisted that the only place she wanted to go was home.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad received a visit from Jennifer, who warned that she wasn't going to let him break Abigail out of Shady Hills because Abigail needed treatment, and Shady Hills was the best local place for her to receive that treatment. Chad claimed that he had just been blowing off steam when he had implied that he might resort to breaking Abigail out of Shady Hills if necessary, and he assured Jennifer that he had no intention of actually doing that. However, after Jennifer left, Chad placed a phone call to someone and asked to have an unmarked cargo van ready to go at a moment's notice.
After interviewing with one of the administrators of Shady Hills, Ciara was offered a volunteer position there. Thrilled, Ciara thanked the man then started gathering her things so she could leave. Meanwhile, an orderly pushed a wheelchair-bound Chase through the hallway, giving him a tour of the place where he would be receiving treatment for at least the next six months. Ciara froze and stared at Chase in disbelief.
At the Hernandez house, Blanca wondered if Rafe would prefer for her to move out and find her own place to live. Before Rafe could respond, Adriana entered the kitchen and wondered if she was interrupting something. Rafe shook his head and rushed off to work, hinting that while he was gone, Blanca could talk to Adriana about how it wasn't nice to lie to people.
Adriana scoffed and tried to change the subject, but Blanca pointed out that Rafe was right. Blanca insisted that Adriana had no right to interfere in Rafe's personal life, but Adriana again tried to change the subject, wondering how Blanca felt about Rafe. Blanca said that didn't matter because Rafe was in love with Hope. "You're just trying to avoid my question, but I already know the answer. I can see it in your eyes when you look at him," Adriana replied. Unapologetically revealing that she had eavesdropped on Rafe and Blanca's earlier conversation, Adriana optimistically noted that Rafe hadn't taken Blanca up on her offer to move out.
Hope awoke with a start after a nightmare in which Andre had officiated her wedding to Aiden, Chase had once again set his sights on Ciara, and Rafe had passionately kissed Blanca. Later, at the police station, Hope told Roman that she wanted to talk to him about something, but before she could continue, Aiden arrived to see her, having received a text message from her earlier that day. Rafe entered the building just in time to see Hope leaving with Aiden. Roman stressed that he hated the situation just as much as Rafe did, but Rafe insisted that he had always just wanted Hope to be happy. "Far as I can tell, she is," Rafe added with a sigh.
Hope led Aiden to a secluded section of the town square, where he informed her that he had just finished dropping Chase off at a psychiatric facility. Aiden added, in response to Hope's inquiry, that he was free for the next few days because he hadn't drummed up any new clients yet and wasn't supposed to visit Chase right away. Nodding, Hope suggested that she and Aiden could go out of town for a while, reasoning that it would be good for them to spend some time alone together. Thrilled, Aiden suggested Hawaii or Paris, but Hope clarified that the trip was meant to be an escape, not a honeymoon. "I was thinking the Green Mountain Lodge," Hope added.
Later, Hope returned to the police station and shared her plans with Roman, who reluctantly agreed to grant her request for vacation time. After Roman left, Hope filled Rafe in, and he claimed that he was glad she had decided to go away with Aiden for a few days. "Maybe you'll realize you're making a huge mistake," Rafe reasoned.
Later, while Aiden was waiting for Hope to finish packing, he received a phone call from Andre. "I'm so tired of waiting around. Waiting makes me unhappy, and when I'm unhappy, I want to make other people unhappy," Andre warned Aiden, who assured him that a plan was already in motion. "Your wait is almost over," Aiden promised.
Meanwhile, a man walked into the police station and greeted Roman. "I hear you're the commissioner now," the man mused. "And I hear you are the same lowlife you've always been. What the hell do you want, Monahan?" Roman countered. Monahan said he wanted to make a confession. "I'm the guy who wasted Stefano DiMera," Monahan continued, stunning Roman and Rafe.
As Victor was exiting a women's clothing store in the town square, he ran into Brady, who wondered if there was something they needed to talk about. Unamused, Victor explained that he had just bought something for Maggie. "She's that pissed off at you, huh?" Brady guessed.
Victor insisted that his wife didn't have to use anger to convince him to buy her a gift. "But maybe that's true of Theresa, someone who's all about what you can do for her," Victor added. Smiling at Tate, Victor mused that it was a good thing that the boy took after Brady instead of Theresa. Brady admitted that he was surprised that Victor was even bothering to acknowledge the half-Donovan child.
"By nature, yes. But properly nurtured, he'll be all Kiriakis," Victor promised. Annoyed, Brady insisted that he wasn't going to let Tate grow up to be a carbon copy of Victor. "So you'd rather he grew up in the shadow of that shrew that you're shacked up with? A sloth would be a better mother," Victor countered. Victor started to add that Tate represented the future of the proud Kiriakis dynasty, prompting Brady to sarcastically recall that he was descended from the gods of Mount Olympus.
Unamused, Victor insisted that losing Bo the previous year had made him realize that family was precious. "This coming from the man who disinherited Justin and me...what was it, yesterday?" Brady mused. Victor dismissively clarified that he hadn't been serious about that. Victor added that his point was that Tate needed to be raised in an environment where he could thrive, and Theresa's influence would only serve as a deterrent to that goal. "You know, Granddad, if family is that precious to you, you will let me live the way I want to live my life; otherwise, you're gonna lose both of us," Brady warned before storming off with Tate.
Paul went to see John, who excitedly revealed that Marlena had agreed to marry him. John joked that his strategy had involved leaving town for a while to work on a difficult case, giving Marlena plenty of time to worry about him and realize that she didn't want to lose what she had with him. While on the subject, Paul wondered how Joey was doing. John reported that Joey's prognosis was good but added that he would still have to face criminal charges once he returned to Salem. "I'm telling you, that kid is just like his old man. Guess you never really escape where you come from, do you?" John mused.
Paul admitted that he would like to think he took after John. "You do. Except I'm better looking," John jokingly replied. John found it interesting that Paul shared many of his traits, despite the fact that they hadn't known each other for most of Paul's life. John mused, however, that there was one notable difference: he wasn't exactly the kind of guy who could tolerate a career in modeling.
"Yeah, well, neither am I," Paul revealed, admitting that he ultimately wanted to pursue a more meaningful career path. John wondered what Paul thought he was best at, outside of throwing fastballs, and when Paul replied that he was good at analytics, problem-solving, karate, and reading people, John pointed out that Paul had just described the skills of a private investigator. John offered to train Paul, who eagerly accepted, guessing that Brady and Theresa wouldn't have any trouble finding a replacement model.
As if on cue, Brady arrived with Tate. With John's encouragement, Paul announced that he planned to leave D.J. Wear to join Black Patch Investigations, prompting Brady to snap, "The hell you are!" Outraged that Paul was planning to bail on D.J. Wear right before the company's big launch, Brady complained that he was living in a world in which people couldn't even count on their own family members anymore. "I might as well take Tate and Theresa and leave you guys behind!" Brady added. John suggested that Brady was overreacting, and Brady disagreed at first but eventually conceded that John was right.
Brady apologized to Paul, explaining that he was really just angry with Victor for constantly criticizing Theresa. Brady wanted to vent to John about the matter, but John admitted that he might not be the best person for Brady to turn to, since he still had concerns about Theresa, too. After saying goodbye to Paul, John added that although he had seen signs of change in Theresa lately, appearances were often deceiving. "Some people are just incapable of changing. Once trouble, always trouble," John warned.
At Shady Hills, Ciara tearfully informed Marlena that she wouldn't be able to accept an internship at the facility because Chase was its newest patient. "I can't be in the same room with him without wanting to just... I can't give in to these feelings. I want to be a better person than this," Ciara fretted. Marlena understood, musing that Ciara had clearly been blindsided. Marlena offered to get Ciara an internship at a different location, but Ciara declined, realizing that if she let Chase scare her off, he would win again.
Ciara tracked Chase down and informed him that she had just accepted a summer job at Shady Hills. As Marlena watched nearby, Ciara added that she wasn't going to let Chase force her to change her plans. Stressing that he had no desire to make Ciara's life any harder than it had to be, Chase offered to get his father to transfer him to another facility, but Ciara told him not to bother because her sessions with Marlena had helped her get strong enough to handle being in the same room with him. "I'm gonna [continue to] get better, and you know what, Chase? I'm gonna pray that you do, too -- for everybody's sake, but especially yours," Ciara concluded.
At the police station, Monahan followed Roman and Rafe into one of the conference rooms and started to tell his story, ignoring Roman's attempt to read him his rights. Monahan claimed that one of his employees had burglarized Hope Brady's house a few months earlier, stealing a service revolver in the process. "Word on the street was the DiMeras wanted Hope Brady out of the way, so I took the weapon to Stefano and gave him a brilliant suggestion, if I do say so myself," Monahan added, explaining that he had advised Stefano to use Hope's weapon to murder another DiMera enemy, killing two birds with one stone.
"The old man didn't appreciate my creative solution. He insulted my intellect, my daughter, even my car, for God's sake," Monahan continued, recalling what had driven him to pump three bullets into Stefano's chest with Hope's gun. Monahan admitted that he had been shocked to later learn that Andre had been arrested for the crime instead of Hope. When Rafe wondered what Monahan had done with Stefano's body, Monahan gave an exact description of the site where it had been dumped, and he also mentioned that it had been wrapped in a tarp. "That info sure as hell wasn't on the noon news," Monahan reminded Roman and Rafe.
Rafe guessed that Andre had paid Monahan to confess to the crime, but Monahan insisted that wasn't true, claiming that he had simply decided to take responsibility for his actions because he had realized that the DiMeras might eventually go after his children if he didn't; in fact, the brakes on his daughter's brand-new convertible had mysteriously gone out recently, and while he couldn't be certain that the DiMeras were to blame, he didn't want to take chances any longer. Monahan's lawyer arrived and put a stop to the interview before Roman and Rafe could ask Monahan anything else.
Rafe tried to contact Hope to warn her about what was happening, but she couldn't find her cell phone because Aiden had hidden it while she had been changing her clothes so they could go for a walk around Green Mountain Lodge. As Justin arrived, Roman admitted with a sigh that it would probably be best to release Andre, reasoning that the police department didn't need the negative publicity it would surely receive if the case went to trial and made public the fact that Stefano had been shot with Bo's service revolver.
Rafe insisted that Monahan couldn't be allowed to confess to a crime he hadn't committed, prompting Justin to wonder how Rafe could be certain of that. "The three of us have more motive to kill the son of a bitch than Monahan did," Rafe reasoned. Justin conceded that Monahan's story was flimsy but added that it wouldn't exactly be easy to poke holes in it, especially since Monahan's construction company owned the demolition site where Stefano's body had been dumped. Refusing to try a case he couldn't win, Justin left after ordering Roman and Rafe to arrest Monahan and release Andre.
Frustrated, Rafe demanded to know why Roman was letting Justin give orders. Roman admitted that he didn't really have room to argue with Justin, given the circumstances. Rafe sighed and reluctantly went to see Andre, who had been escorted from the prison to the police station earlier. "Did you bring my walking papers?" Andre asked with a wide grin.
Rafe warned that he knew what Andre had done, prompting Andre to counter that he knew what Rafe and Hope had done. "But I'm in a magnanimous mood, so no hard feelings. I've had nothing but time on my hands these last few months for prayer and reflection, and I got to understand that, well, anger and vengeance is never gonna bring my dear father back," Andre added with a sigh. Andre continued that he simply wanted to move forward. "I understand that's what Hope is doing, as well -- with Aiden Jennings," Andre mused.
Ignoring the taunt, Rafe warned that he planned to keep his eyes on Andre, who conceded that he could use the protection, since there were plenty of people in Salem who wished to harm him. Andre added, however, that Rafe's promise wasn't particularly comforting, given his track record as a cop. "'Shine out, fair sun, till I have bought a glass, that I may see my shadow as I pass.' Shakespeare. Look it up," Andre told Rafe before walking out of the conference room as a free man.
At the Brady Pub, Nicole and Dario chatted in a booth about her predicament. When Nicole mentioned she was anxious to get to work, Kate popped up by the table to inform Nicole that she was fired. Nicole argued that Deimos was the CEO and that Kate had no authority to fire her. With a shrug, Kate reminded Nicole that she was co-CEO and could fire Nicole if she wanted. Nicole asked Dario for some privacy, and Kate sat down with Nicole to talk.
After noting that she did not have any recording device, Nicole asked Kate to tell her the truth. Nicole asked if Kate hated her so much that she was willing to see Nicole imprisoned for something Nicole had not done. Kate admitted that she had been angry when she had seen Nicole at the river but that she did not think it was fair to be mad at Nicole for looking like Deimos' lost love. Kate told Nicole what had really happened at the river.
Nicole pleaded with Kate to tell the police the truth. With a sigh, Kate countered that it was too late. Kate explained that the police would never believe that Deimos' death had been an accident because she had lied about Nicole already. Furious, Nicole said it was not fair to ask her to serve time in prison. Kate assured Nicole that there was no body and that she would likely not be convicted. Kate exclaimed that she was a survivor, and she reminded Nicole that she was a survivor as well.
After Kate left, Nicole told Dario about her conversation with Kate. To take her mind off her situation, Dario escorted Nicole to Club TBD. Dario told Nicole that Eduardo had purchased the club for him to manage. Dario asked Nicole to help him with the club. Nicole smiled, unsure.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad walked into the living room and found Andre taking money out of the wall safe. Andre explained that he had been set free after someone else had claimed the credit for murdering Stefano. Chad ordered Andre to drop the money and leave. Andre asked Chad about the fire at Shady Hills. Unnerved, Chad again ordered Andre to leave. When Andre asked Chad if Abigail was getting worse, Chad narrowed his eyes. Andre asked Chad to reconcile with him, since they were brothers.
Chad said he did not trust Andre. With a nod, Andre wished Chad the best and started to leave. Chad stopped Andre then retrieved a stack of cash from the safe. After Chad handed the money to Andre, Andre told Chad that if he wanted to get Abigail out of Shady Hills, then her mask would be the key.
At Chloe's house, she asked Deimos who had attempted to murder him. Deimos explained that Kate had attacked him. With a smirk, Chloe said that Kate had attempted to kill her and had framed Parker's father for the attempt. Deimos admitted that he had been romantically involved with Kate but that he had not loved her. Deimos said he was in no rush to return to Salem because he hoped that Kate was suffering through a police investigation into his disappearance. With a shrug, Deimos said he was going to go off the grid.
Deimos asked Chloe to join him with Parker and make a fresh start. With a sad smile, Chloe said she could not trust him. Deimos told Chloe that he wanted to be the man that he was when he was with her. Deimos kissed Chloe passionately. After the two pulled away from one another, Chloe searched Deimos' face. Chloe asked Deimos if he had been lost as a child and an outcast from his family. Deimos nodded. Chloe told Deimos the short version of her history as an orphan before she had found her real parents. Chloe said she had felt lost as a teenager.
Deimos said that if Chloe was afraid he would hurt her, then he would leave. With a nod, Deimos thanked Chloe for her help. As Chloe followed Deimos to the front door, he turned and kissed her. The kiss grew more passionate, and Deimos and Chloe stumbled to the couch to have sex. After their wild romp, Deimos renewed his invitation for her to run away with him.
Shaking her head no, Chloe said she was afraid that Deimos' past would stay with him. Chloe asked about the scar on Deimos' chest. Deimos said that Victor had made the scar, but Deimos did not want to talk about it. When Chloe asked if Deimos had lost a woman, Deimos said yes, but he did not want to talk about that either. Worried, Chloe asked Deimos if he was using her to get over the woman he had loved. Deimos promised he was not doing that. Deimos stressed that he wanted to start his life over.
Changing the subject, Deimos asked about Parker's father. Chloe explained that Parker's father had been a doctor in Salem. When Deimos asked about the man's death, Chloe explained that Parker's father had died in a car accident on New Year's Eve after proposing to her good friend Nicole. Stunned, Deimos asked, "Nicole Walker?"
Chloe started to asked Deimos how he had known Nicole when horror dawned across her face. Chloe asked Demos if Nicole was the woman that he had loved. Deimos said it did not matter who the woman had been. Chloe disagreed, explaining that she had fought with Nicole before over a man and that she and Nicole had struggled to save their friendship. Sighing sadly, Chloe asked Deimos to leave. With a nod, he did. Chloe called Nicole on the phone.
In the park, Andre walked around the corner and found Kate sitting on a bench. "Even in love, I am fortune's fool," Kate said. "Are you?" Andre asked as he waggled his eye at her.
At Shady Hills, an agitated Abigail talked to Dr. Robinson about wanting to leave the psychiatric facility. Dr. Robinson was needed at Salem Hospital, so she asked Abigail to rest then she left. Ben appeared at the foot of Abigail's bed and taunted her. Ben told Abigail that she would never get better and that she would be sent to a padded cell once they determined that Abigail had set the fire. Upset, Abigail yelled at Ben. The guard posted outside rushed into the room. Abigail lied and said that she had been having a nightmare. With a nod, the guard returned to his post outside the room.
Abigail managed to sleep, but she dreamed of returning home to her husband and son. When Abigail awoke, she groaned in longing for home. Abigail looked through the blinds of her window and saw a man set his Bible down on the table then walk away. In a polite voice, Abigail asked the guard if she could grab a magazine from the table. The guard nodded yes. Abigail grabbed the Bible and hid it between two magazines. After Abigail returned to her room, the man returned and panicked when he realized that his Bible was gone.
As the man screamed out, both the guard and staff members rushed to calm down the agitated patient. With the distraction set in motion, Abigail crept out of her room. Abigail went to Dr. Robinson's office. Before Abigail could open the window, Dr. Robinson returned to retrieve a file. Abigail hid under the desk until Dr. Robinson left again. With the coast clear, Abigail ran to the window and made her escape.
