Wyatt has a talk with Theo about Ciara
At the hospital, Eli apologized to Gabi for the way he had been treating her since her argument with Julie, admitting that an earlier talk with Sonny had made him realize that Julie's account of what had happened to Nick had left out a lot of important details. "I'm starting to realize that my new family is...pretty complicated -- and that I was in no position to take Julie's side against you," Eli acknowledged.
Gabi offered her own apology, explaining to Eli that when she had tried to make peace with Julie earlier, Julie had accused her of using him to get over Chad. Gabi allowed for the possibility that Julie was right, admitting that she liked spending time with Eli because he kept her from thinking about Chad. Eli dismissed Gabi's concern, pointing out that she had been completely honest with him about her unresolved feelings for Chad. "[And] I like that you don't think about [him] when you're with me. It's good for my ego," Eli jokingly added. Changing the subject, Eli asked Gabi out on a post-argument lunch date. She happily accepted the invitation.
At the Horton Town Square, Abigail accused Chad of trying to buy her back with grand gestures, the way that Stefano or E.J. would have tried to save a relationship. "I mean, this isn't my thing. Do you not know me? At all?" she wondered. He argued that she had seemed like a fan of grand gestures when she had put on a sexy dress and arranged for their song to play in public so they could share a dance together, but she clarified that she had only done that to try to get his attention -- a plan that hadn't worked, anyway. "It was too soon then! I wasn't ready. But I -- I'm telling you, I am ready now!" he insisted.
"[But] is that just because I finally said that I'm done?" Abigail asked. Chad admitted that that had gotten his attention. She said she hadn't broken things off with him to get his attention; she had done it because she was sick of living the way they had been living since her return. He bitterly wondered why she had waited until their vow renewal ceremony, of all times, to declare that she was done with him. She reiterated that events had transpired that day that had made her realize that she needed to stop living in denial about his feelings for Gabi. "Chad, I deserve to be loved by my husband with his whole heart," she stressed.
Gabi entered the town square with Eli and saw that Abigail's hand was on Chad's chest. Misinterpreting the scene, Gabi quickly retreated from the town square with Eli, managing to remain unseen in the process. Chad tried to assure Abigail that he would eventually be able to give her his whole heart again, but she insisted that she wanted to be with someone who didn't need time to do such a thing. "I want what they had," she stressed, gesturing toward Alice and Tom's memorial plaque. "You can give me [grand gestures], but you can't give me what I want: [an] undivided heart," she continued.
Chad understood what Abigail was saying but chose to cling to the possibility that she would eventually change her mind. "I've changed my mind enough," she insisted. She admitted that being hopelessly in love with him had been great while it had lasted, and she would always have fond memories of that time in her life. She hoped that he would find that sort of love again one day -- perhaps with Gabi -- because she simply wanted him to be happy, even if that meant losing him to another woman. He tried to protest but wasn't able to stop her from walking away, leaving behind the paper copy of the vows he had recited at the vow renewal ceremony.
At Club TBD, Eli gave Gabi a chance to bail on their lunch date, knowing that seeing Chad with Abigail might have ruined her day. "I admit, it threw me. [But] it's okay; I'll get over it," she assured him, pointing out that she was, after all, the person who had encouraged Chad to fight for Abigail in the first place. "I think that's what's best for everyone," she concluded.
Later, after Eli stepped aside to answer a phone call, Gabi looked up from her menu and saw that Deimos had just entered the club. She stood and began lashing out at him for the many things he had done to her and the rest of her family. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about. Perhaps you're dealing with brain freeze from that meat locker incident," he joked.
Unamused, Gabi started shouting for security while shoving Deimos, angrily ordering him to leave the club immediately. Eli soon intervened, advising Gabi not to waste her energy on Deimos. Deimos calmly finished his drink then left without paying for it, choosing to consider it on the house as compensation for the way he had been treated. "Don't come back!" Gabi spat.
After calming down, Gabi complained to Eli that someone needed to finally hold Deimos accountable for his actions. Eli admitted that he wasn't sure if the FBI was investigating Deimos; he promised, however, that if an investigation wasn't already underway, he would get one started immediately. He then apologetically excused himself, explaining that his earlier call had been about work. "It's okay. I just lost my appetite," she assured him.
Abigail took Thomas to the Kiriakis mansion to see Maggie, who wondered how things were going with Chad. Abigail explained that she had seen Chad earlier and had shot down his attempt to fix their relationship because she was still convinced that it was best for them to end it. Maggie, who had made a big batch of muffins in celebration of the vow renewal ceremony, wondered if Abigail would like to help her distribute them to people at various places throughout Salem. Abigail happily agreed, admitting that it would be nice to be around people again after having been cooped up at the DiMera mansion for so long.
Abigail accompanied Maggie to the police station but decided not to follow her to the next stop on her list, explaining, "I just want to stick around and see if J.J. shows up." After Maggie left, Abigail noticed a flier on one of the desks, advertising an open position within the Salem Police Department for a receptionist. After receiving a squeal from Thomas that she took as his approval, Abigail decided to apply for the job.
Ciara overheard Theo snapping at Wyatt while they were setting up an Earth Day exhibit in the town square. Ciara started to admonish Theo, but Wyatt stopped her, admitting that Theo had been right to call him out for not truly caring about protecting the environment, since he hadn't cared -- until he had gotten involved with her. Ciara reminded Theo that the whole point of Earth Day was to teach people that they needed to start caring more about protecting the environment. "Don't be down on Wyatt because [he was] late to the party. He's here now, and that's what counts," she reasoned.
Later, Claire arrived and realized that something was bothering Theo. "I just don't really feel like hanging out with Wyatt anymore," he explained. She accused him of being jealous, but he insisted that wasn't true. Unconvinced, she revealed that she wasn't the only person who had picked up on his jealousy. "Okay, [Jade] doesn't know anything about me -- and maybe you don't, either," he countered before storming off.
Theo went to the Brady Pub and began studying for a biology test. Chad soon arrived and joined Theo, who admitted that he was worried about failing his biology class. Chad offered to talk to the dean on Theo's behalf, since it was technically too late for Theo to drop the class. "No, it's fine. You know, I probably should [just] stop complaining and get back to studying," Theo conceded.
"That's very wise. Maybe I should be asking you for advice," Chad mused. Theo observed that Chad seemed a bit sad. Chad explained that he had tried earlier to convince Abigail not to leave him, but his plan had failed miserably. "She might not know what she wants, but she's sure it's not me," Chad added with a sigh.
Later, Chad ran into Gabi outside the pub. She tried to rush off, but he stopped her and wondered what was bothering her. She explained that she had seen him reconciling with Abigail earlier. "I'm happy for you," she quickly added. He clarified that she had misinterpreted what she had witnessed. "But it looked like --" she began. "It doesn't matter what it looked like. The message was clear: it's over for us," he stressed.
Gabi insisted that Chad couldn't give up on Abigail. "I'm not giving up, [but] I can't force her into staying with me. I mean, I -- I -- I have feelings for you both, [and even though] I am committed to her, [that's] not enough. She wants all my heart, and -- and -- and she's not gonna wait around for it, so... I get it, but it's just still --" he explained. "Heartbreaking. I know," she concluded.
Chad assured Gabi that he was going to be okay. He hoped that she would be, too -- and that knowing him hadn't completely ruined her life. She conceded that the love triangle they had found themselves in had been a mess from the start; she stressed, however, that she still had things to be grateful for, and she was looking forward to seeing where life was going to take her next. "And I'm meeting new people, so who knows -- maybe I'll fall in love again," she added with a shrug. "I hope you do. You deserve it. [And] whoever it is, [he] better deserve you," Chad replied. They parted ways after wishing the best for each other.
Over lunch in the town square, Claire and Ciara talked about Wyatt. Claire was happy that Ciara had found someone who seemed worthy of her. "I know that I've gotten really mad at you [in the past] --" Claire began to add. "A lot," Ciara stressed. Claire conceded that Ciara was right. "But that's all over now. I'm just really happy to see you happy," Claire added.
Elsewhere, Wyatt wondered why Theo seemed to suddenly have a problem with him. "Look, I just want to remind you that me being with [Ciara] wasn't my idea," Wyatt added. Theo nodded as he recalled how he had suggested, after Wyatt's previous relationship had ended, that Ciara might be a good match for Wyatt. Things had been awkward back then because the tension between Ciara and Claire had not yet been dealt with, so Theo had been reluctant to get directly involved in Ciara's love life; however, he had agreed to secretly help Wyatt meet Ciara online and impress her with knowledge of her favorite things. Theo had made Wyatt promise that he would treat Ciara the way she deserved to be treated. "She's my oldest friend, and I just -- I really want her to be happy, like I am," Theo had explained.
"I don't get you, man. You made sure I knew everything about Ciara, and now we're actually happy. So why does it make you so mad?" Wyatt asked. Theo clarified that he wasn't upset because Wyatt and Ciara were happy together; he was upset because Wyatt's whole relationship with Ciara was built on lies. "I don't like lies, and I don't like secrets," Theo explained. "You better get over that," Wyatt advised. Sighing, Theo admitted that he was constantly worried that he might lose Ciara as a friend if she ever found out the truth. "You can never tell her what I did," Theo insisted.
Maggie returned to the Kiriakis mansion in time to hear Deimos ordering someone to find Nicole. Maggie wondered what the point of searching for Nicole was, since she was never going to take Deimos back, anyway. Deimos pointed out that Nicole was out there somewhere with Maggie's granddaughter. "Are you honestly ready to never see [Holly] again?" he asked incredulously.
"I love [Holly] enough to know that she needs to be with her mother in peace," Maggie replied. She urged Deimos to put Nicole and Holly's needs ahead of his own for once. "If you don't know by now that Nicole loves that baby more than she ever loved you, then you're fooling yourself," she added before walking away.
Brady and Nicole grew concerned when someone started knocking on their front door. Brady knew the visitor couldn't be Scooter or Hillary because he had watched them head off on their trip earlier that day. Nicole wasn't eager to make new friends, and Brady wasn't, either, so they decided to ignore the visitor and hope that he or she would eventually go away.
After the visitor left, Brady received a text message from someone, informing him that a new batch of fake passports had just been left on his doorstep. Nicole was relieved that danger hadn't been lurking on the other side of their front door, but as she inspected the new passports, she admitted that she didn't really want to move again, after all. "I was feeding Holly really early this morning, and we watched the sun come up over the mountains, and it was so beautiful. And I just -- I kept thinking, 'Wow. This is what real happiness feels like,'" she explained.
Brady assured Nicole that they could stay where they were for the time being, admitting that he was happy there, too. They started kissing but were forced to stop when Holly began fussing. After Brady got Holly back to sleep, Nicole told him that she had meant what she had said the previous night about being in love with him. With Tate also asleep, Brady and Nicole quickly retreated to the bedroom to pick up where they had left off earlier.
Meanwhile, back in Salem, someone contacted Deimos and gave him a solid lead on Nicole's whereabouts.
At the Brady Pub, Paul, Sonny, and Hope talked about Deimos. Sonny was hopeful that Deimos would falter due to his obsession with Nicole. With a nod, Hope said she would check in at the station. After Hope left, Sonny grumbled about his job at Basic Black. Paul encouraged Sonny to move out of the mansion. As Sonny shook his head no, Paul added that he was moving into the Martin house Bed and Breakfast. Paul asked Sonny to move in with him.
Sonny flatly said no. As Paul's face fell, Sonny explained that he needed to keep an eye on Deimos. Sonny added that he wanted Deimos to know that he was watching him to keep the pressure on. Agitated, Sonny said he was upset that Paul did not trust him to take care of himself. Paul said that he had not asked Sonny to move in to protect him. "That's what people in love do," Paul said. Hurt, Paul left.
Sonny caught up with Paul at Club TBD. Bearing a gift of dark chocolate truffles, Sonny apologized to Paul. Sonny explained that he had taken his insecurities out on Paul, and he was sorry. Sonny also said that he was not ready to move in with Paul. As Paul nodded, Sonny said that once he removed Deimos, Paul could move into his mansion.
At the police station, Raines assigned a missing persons case to Lani and J.J. Lani and J.J. were ordered to investigate a local criminal and pimp named Snake. Lani wanted to call her informant, Dolly, to get her a meeting with Snake, but J.J. was worried because Snake had a dangerous reputation. J.J. did not want Lani to use herself as bait. Frustrated, Lani asked J.J. not to worry. Lani said that if J.J. attempted to stop her, she would ask for a different partner. J.J. said he would back Lani up.
In the town square, Abigail ran into Dario on her way to her job interview. Dario wished Abigail luck. With a smile, Abigail hurried over to the precinct for her interview. Hope greeted Abigail, and she wished her luck with the receptionist position. Abigail stressed that she wanted to be independent and find a job without help from Jennifer or Chad. Hope encouraged Abigail to makes changes in her life in order to find happiness. J.J. noticed his sister and walked over to say hello. Abigail told J.J. about the receptionist position, and she asked him not to help her with it.
Raines interrupted and scowled at J.J. With a nod at Abigail, he asked to start the interview. After a brief discussion, Raines returned Abigail to the bullpen. Raines told Abigail that it had been lovely to meet her, and he smiled. Taken aback with surprise, Hope's mouth fell open at the sight. Excited, Abigail rushed over to Club TBD to tell Dario about her interview. When Abigail told Dario that she had interviewed for the receptionist job at the police station, Dario nodded with wide eyes but masked his surprise.
Abigail was called back to the police station, so Dario returned to his meeting with Myron. Myron suggested a software heist with a local bank, but Dario dismissed the idea. Dario said that Abigail had a job at the police department, and he wanted to make sure that his company, GDR, was "squeaky clean." At the station, Raines informed Abigail that she was hired. Elated, Abigail promised to be the best receptionist ever. Raines chuckled. Raines instructed Abigail to start work in the morning.
At the Brady Pub, J.J. asked Roman for information about Snake, since Roman had repeatedly dealt with Snake in the past. Roman said that only one person had ever snitched on Snake, and they had been murdered. When J.J. wondered aloud why anyone would get involved with Snake, Roman commented that Snake was both deadly and mesmerizing. Roman offered to review copies of old case files that he had at his house.
After J.J. left, Hope stopped by to check in on Roman and pick up food. Roman asked about Julie, and a relieved Hope said that the doctors were hopeful for a quick recovery. With a sad smile, Hope said she missed seeing Roman down at the station. With a cackle, Hope told Roman that Raines had been nice to Abigail and had even smiled. Roman laughed and said that he hoped that was a sign of progress with Raines.
In an alley, Lani, dressed like a prostitute, met up with Snake, thanks to help from her informant, Dolly. Hidden behind some boxes, J.J. watched like a hawk as Lani spun her story about needing work because of unemployment. With a slimy smile, Snake invited Lani to talk to him over drinks at a hotel. Lani agreed. As Lani and Snake headed for the hotel, J.J. lost track of them. Frantic, J.J. called in the license plate for Snake's car and ordered an A.P.B.
At the hotel, Snake handed Lani a glass of Champagne. Snake said he liked to test his new girls. When Lani asked Snake if he was going to drink, Snake countered that he was not the one being tested. As Snake explained that Lani would make $500 per hour as one of his prostitutes, Lani took small sips of her Champagne. Snake stressed that Lani would work for him and no one else. Lani wavered on her feet. Snake guided Lani to the bed as Lani remarked that she was dizzy.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor asked Deimos about his smile. Deimos confessed that he had talked to Maggie and that he had decided to reject her advice to stay away from Nicole. Victor asked Deimos to leave Brady alone, but Deimos said he still loved Nicole and needed to find her. Deimos reminded Victor that he had once loved Nicole, too, but Victor scoffed that his previous affections for Nicole had been a lapse in judgment. Victor groused that he found Nicole to be repellant.
Deimos went into the foyer to take a call from his investigator. "Manitoba, here I come," Deimos said as he hung up the phone. Deimos ordered a private jet as he walked back into the living room. When Victor asked why Deimos was not using a Kiriakis jet, Deimos explained that he was not sure if all the Titan pilots had been paid off by Brady or not. Victor warned Deimos not to hurt Brady or the kids, or else Deimos would have "hell to pay."
Deimos grabbed his suitcase and headed for the front door as Sonny returned home to meet with Victor. Sonny asked about Deimos' luggage, and Deimos explained that he was meeting Jean Luc in Quebec about business. Deimos pushed past Sonny and left. After updating Victor on the economic status of Basic Black, Sonny grumbled about his position. Victor asked Sonny to watch Deimos in the boardroom and learn from him, since Sonny would be in charge of Titan one day.
When Sonny mentioned Deimos' meeting with Jean Luc, a puzzled Victor noted that Jean Luc was in Mumbai. Suspicious, Sonny called Paul and asked him to check flight plans for Deimos. Sonny explained that Deimos was up to something fishy.
In their cabin in Canada, Nicole told Brady, "You are my best friend. But I don't just love you like a best friend. I love you like I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Brady told Nicole that he loved her too. Brady and Nicole kissed then retired to their bedroom. As Brady eased Nicole onto the bed, Holly started to cry in the other room. While Nicole checked on Tate, Brady scooped up Holly and put her in the crib in the living room. Nicole joined Brady and told him that Tate's fever had broken.
While Brady stared down at the sleeping Holly, Nicole eased onto his lap. Grinning, Nicole told Brady that he was even more attractive to her after she'd watched him coo over Holly. Nicole said to Holly, "You have your daddy wrapped around your little..." Nicole broke off her sentence and choked back tears. Brady stressed that he did not want to replace Daniel. Shaking her head no, Nicole explained that she was crying tears of joy.
Nicole said she had always wanted a family. Nicole kissed Brady, and Holly started to cry again. Laughing at the timing, Nicole tended to Holly while Brady went into the other room. When Brady returned, Holly had returned to sleep after eating. Nicole smiled sheepishly as she turned to Brady to show that Holly's food had found its way onto her shirt. Brady pulled Nicole into his arms and unbuttoned her shirt to remove it. Brady kissed Nicole and guided her back to their bedroom.
When Nicole opened the bedroom door, she was surprised to find candles lit and rose petals sprinkled on the bed. Brady grinned. After Nicole and Brady made love, Nicole asked, "How did I get so lucky?" Brady responded, "Are you kidding me? I'm the lucky one."
While passing through Horton Town Square, Chad recorded a voicemail message for Abigail to remind her about a DiMera Enterprises meeting that was going to take place later that day. "Uh...you know, I mean, I know you've moved out, but I still consider you to be very much a part of the family and the business," he added before ending the call.
When Chad returned home, he was shocked to learn that Abigail had taken Thomas and had given the child's nanny the rest of the day off. Chad tried to contact Abigail again, but Abigail, who was at the Brady Pub with Thomas and Jennifer, ignored his call.
Later, during the DiMera Enterprises meeting, Chad asked Lucas to hire someone to improve the company's firewalls as protection against future security breaches. Lucas left to handle the task after promising to keep Chad updated on how the investigation into the Countess Wilhelmina hack was progressing.
Noting that Chad had seemed distracted during the meeting, Kate wondered if he was upset that Abigail had skipped it. "I am not talking to you about her," Chad insisted, knowing that Kate was happy to have Abigail out of the picture. Kate stressed that she didn't enjoy seeing Chad in pain because she only wanted what was best for him -- and DiMera Enterprises.
"Which is why I want to talk to you about a possible lead," Kate continued, adding that she might have figured out a way to make back all the money that DiMera Enterprises had lost -- and make even more money in the process. Chad wondered what the catch was. "It's not completely legal," Kate admitted.
At the Brady Pub, Abigail admitted to Jennifer that she had taken Thomas for the night without first discussing the move with Chad. "I just -- I didn't feel like having a big conversation about it," Abigail explained, adding that she had at least left Chad a note during her earlier visit to the DiMera mansion.
Jennifer was disappointed to learn that Abigail and Thomas weren't going to be spending the night at the Horton house. Abigail explained that she was renting a room at the Martin mansion, which had been reopened as a bed-and-breakfast under new ownership -- and offered rates that she could afford on the modest salary she would be receiving from her new job. Jennifer was shocked to hear about Abigail's new job but was quick to congratulate her for having landed it. "I am proud of you [for] doing this all on your own. But you have to know that Chad is not gonna give up on you without a fight," Jennifer warned.
Abigail noted that Jennifer had changed her tune since their last conversation. "[I have] evolved my position on your independence," Jennifer explained with a shrug. "Since when?" Abigail wondered. "Since I talked to a friend of mine and --" Jennifer began to answer, but Abigail quickly interrupted with questions about the friend's identity. Jennifer hesitantly revealed that the friend was Eric. "He suggested that I give you space to make your own choices, [and] I value his opinion right now more than anyone [else's]," Jennifer continued, adding that Eric was a really good man who had simply made a terrible mistake.
Abigail guessed that Jennifer and Eric might be more than just friends. "Maybe there are some...feelings there," Jennifer admitted. Abigail wondered if Jennifer believed that Eric, who was also a recovering addict, was a good person to have in her life at that time. "I know he is. I just have to prove that to him," Jennifer replied. Abigail was supportive of Jennifer's plan to pursue a relationship with Eric, but Jennifer suspected that Abigail might have ulterior motives. Abigail conceded with a laugh that she wanted Jennifer to have less free time to meddle in her life; she insisted, however, that she also wanted Jennifer to be happy.
Later, after Abigail left, Jennifer watched in open-mouthed horror as Anne followed Lucas into the pub and began flirting with him. Anne soon managed to convince Lucas, who was missing Adrienne, to have lunch with her so he wouldn't have to be one of those "sad" people who ate alone.
Lucas and Anne shared a plate of fries, and when there was only one left, she encouraged him to take it. "Your girlfriend's out of town, and her kids are fillin' her head with all kinds of stuff, you know, about how she should leave you and go back to her ex, so I think you, uh -- I think you need it," she reasoned, making reference to a fear he had voiced earlier. He shook his head in disbelief and laughed as he informed her that she was terrible at making people feel better. She conceded the point, admitting that her therapist had told her she needed to start working on her filter. "Smart therapist," he muttered.
Lucas excused himself after receiving a text message about a business matter. Anne refused to let him pay for the meal, assuring him that he could take care of the next one they shared together. He agreed to do that then rushed off. Jennifer quickly carted Thomas over to Anne's table and snatched the final fry out of her hand. "What is your problem?" Anne asked. Jennifer pointed the fry at Anne and demanded to know if she was going after Lucas. "What? No! He is with Adrienne!" Anne innocently replied. "That's right -- he is with Adrienne -- so you stay away from him!" Jennifer warned before storming off, taking Thomas -- and the fry -- with her.
Abigail entered the DiMera mansion in time to hear Chad and Kate toasting to their new plan to make money. Chad had expressed reservations when Kate had first suggested that they needed to start stealing artifacts themselves instead of paying a middleman to do the dirty work, but he had eventually conceded that his attempts to turn DiMera Enterprises into a legitimate company hadn't gotten him anywhere. "Deimos kidnaps my family, people steal from me, Abigail leaves me anyway..." he had grumbled before agreeing to her idea. "We'll build DiMera Enterprises so damn big, nobody can come after us," he had concluded.
Although she had missed most of the conversation, Abigail still heard enough to know that Chad and Kate were up to no good. After Kate left the living room, Abigail made her presence known to Chad, who wondered where Thomas was. "He's with my mom," Abigail replied. Chad admitted that he hadn't known what to think when Abigail had taken Thomas without warning and had subsequently begun ignoring his phone calls. Abigail apologized to Chad, stressing that she had never intended to make him think that she was stealing Thomas away from him. "Although you seem to be pretty okay with stealing things lately," she added.
"Eavesdropping?" Chad realized. "Not on purpose," Abigail insisted. He defended the plan to steal artifacts as a business move. When she tried to question his decision, he snapped, "You lost your vote when you skipped the meeting and took my son out of this house." She reminded him that Thomas was her son, too. He countered that he was the only parent who hadn't abandoned Thomas at any point in the child's life.
"That's not fair," Abigail protested, but Chad didn't bother to take back what he had said. He insisted that his new business plan had nothing to do with Thomas, but she disagreed, arguing that it would put the entire family at risk. "Well, maybe I should've left you a note [about it]," he bitterly replied, prompting her to apologize again for the way she had removed Thomas from the mansion.
Chad observed that Abigail obviously hadn't been remorseful enough to return Thomas to his home. Fed up with the way Chad was talking to her, Abigail stormed out of the mansion, ignoring his attempt to stop her.
While Tripp was preparing to move his things out of Joey's apartment, Jade joined the brothers in the living room, carrying a box of her own things in her arms. Joey was shocked to learn that Jade was planning to move into the apartment next door with Tripp.
After Jade went to get another box of things from her old bedroom, Joey asked if Tripp was sure he wanted her as a roommate. Shrugging, Tripp explained that he got along with Jade really well and enjoyed talking to her. "And drinking with her?" Joey guessed. Tripp pointed out that Jade only needed a new place to live because Joey had kicked her out of his place. "You don't get to just decide where she goes [next]," Tripp added.
"I just wish it was somewhere else," Joey admitted. "Yeah, well, it's not," Tripp replied. Tripp added that Jade was the closest thing he had to a friend in Salem. "[And] I still don't know what to believe about my mother and how she died. Jade knows all about that -- and maybe she can...help sort it out," Tripp concluded before carrying a box over to his new apartment.
When Jade emerged from her old bedroom with another box, Joey admitted that he wasn't sure how he felt about the idea of her living alone with Tripp. "You know things," Joey pointed out. Jade assured Joey that she would never tell Tripp the truth about Ava's death. Jade added that unless Joey had changed his mind about wanting her out of his apartment, moving in with Tripp was her only real option. Unable to tell Jade that he had indeed changed his mind, Joey sighed as he watched her carry the box over to her new place.
Later, Joey received a visit from Steve, who expressed similar concerns about the idea of Jade living alone with Tripp. Shortly after Joey stepped into his bedroom to take a call from his lab partner, Jade emerged from her old bedroom with yet another box. Steve spontaneously offered to take Jade shopping for a few of the things she'd need at her new place.
While Jade was out with Steve, she thanked him for his continued support, admitting that she wouldn't have been surprised if he had decided to give up on her after Kayla had caught her trying to manipulate Joey with another overdose. "I know it's hard loving someone who doesn't love you back," Steve assured Jade.
Jade promised Steve that she would never tell Tripp the truth about Ava's death. Steve said he believed Jade; he hoped, however, that she wasn't moving in with Tripp for the wrong reasons. Jade insisted that she simply wanted to help Tripp get settled in Salem and realize what a great family he had ended up with. "I've never felt more support and love than when Joey and I were together," Jade continued. Jade was worried that Kayla hated her for the stunt she had tried to pull, but Steve clarified that Kayla was simply worried about Jade. "We both are. My wife and I don't bail on people," Steve added.
Jade told Steve that having him on her side meant a lot to her. "Especially because we're gonna be family someday. Someday soon," she added with a smile. She gave him a kiss on the cheek then rushed off with the things he had bought for her. He watched with obvious concern as she walked away.
Later, Steve met with Tripp in a secluded section of the town square and wondered why he had invited Jade to move in with him. "She's my friend," Tripp explained with a shrug. Steve pointed out that Jade was still in love with Joey. "That has nothing to do with me," Tripp insisted.
Tripp continued, "And you don't just get to play 'Dad' now. First you tell me to turn down millions of inheritance dollars, and now you're trying to tell me who to live with? Yeah, I know what I'm doing." Steve wondered if that was why Tripp had ended up at the police station after taking a swing at someone. "That guy started with me, all right? I was just trying to celebrate with a few beers," Tripp explained.
Steve wondered if Tripp got into fights often. "I don't look for them, but I don't run from them, either," Tripp replied. Steve knowingly mused that it felt good to hit someone because it was a way to get rid of pent-up anger. "I guess," Tripp agreed with a shrug. Steve wondered if Tripp thought about his adoptive father's abuse during fights. "I don't want to talk about it," Tripp insisted.
Steve forged ahead, admitting that he had often thought about his father's abuse during fights. "Hell, I got into more fights than I could even count by the time I was your age. Some dude even looked at me the wrong way -- boom! It was on. But no matter how many times I threw down with some random stranger, it didn't fix what that son of a bitch did to me; it just made me angrier -- at him, at the world..." Steve continued.
"So, what now? Hmm? You find your inner peace?" Tripp asked mockingly. Steve clarified, "No, not exactly. I found a woman who loves me no matter what, and she gave me a good family. And I promised myself I would be a better man than Duke Johnson, and I would definitely be a better father to my kids. And that includes you now, Tripp, so I'm not giving up on you. I never will." Steve walked away without waiting for a response.
When Tripp returned to Joey's apartment, only one box of Jade's belongings remained. After Tripp picked up the box, Jade followed him to their new apartment, telling him, "Come on, roomie -- let's go unpack." Joey sighed worriedly as he watched them walk away.
Meanwhile, Steve met with Kayla in the town square to tell her about Jade's new living arrangement. Sighing, Steve admitted, "I'm afraid that Tripp is headed down a bad road. I just want to grab him by the shoulders and tell him he's making a lot of mistakes -- he can't take that money from Ava's family; he's gotta stop picking fights; and, no, he shouldn't move in with Jade. But he won't listen to me. He grew up with a father who pushed him around. I can't tell him what to do." Kayla conceded that Steve was probably right about that. "But I can," she added.
Lani awoke on a bench in the park, her clothes tattered and her body covered with dirt and leaves. She groggily dialed J.J.'s number and asked for his help. When he arrived, she admitted that she wasn't sure what had happened. "Why can't I remember?" she worriedly asked as he comforted her with a hug. She wanted him to take her home, but he gently insisted that she needed to go to the hospital first for an examination. She seized another hug from him when she realized the implication.
Later, at the hospital, Kayla reported that although the results of the rape kit were still pending, Lani had likely not been assaulted. "However, the blood work found an unidentified chemical in your system," Kayla added. After Kayla went to see if the lab technician had managed to identify the chemical yet, Lani wondered aloud what Snake had spiked her drink with. J.J. didn't have a guess, but he assumed that Snake had figured out that Lani was a cop. Lani disagreed, believing that if her cover had been blown, she would be in the morgue, not an examination room.
While Lani was resting, J.J. checked in with Kayla, who reported that the results of the rape kit had indeed been negative. Unfortunately, the lab technician still didn't know what kind of chemical had been found in Lani's system. "It didn't match any street drug, so we took our sample, and we sent it to the FBI lab," Kayla explained. J.J. said he would ask Eli to try to put a rush on the test. Kayla guessed that Lani had turned into more than just a work partner for J.J. "A lot more," he confirmed.
Meanwhile, Lani received a phone call from Snake, who wondered how she was feeling. "I've been better," she admitted. She wondered if he could tell her what had happened. "All in good time," he assured her. He told her to sit tight in the meantime and wait for his next set of instructions. As she was agreeing to do that, J.J. rejoined her. She quickly ended the call then told J.J. that she had just been assuring Abe that she was okay.
J.J. informed Lani that Kayla wanted her to stay at the hospital for observation while they waited for more information about the unidentified chemical she had been given. He insisted on talking to Commissioner Raines on her behalf so she could get some time off to recover from her trauma. She thanked him for taking such good care of her. "I'm just glad it's over," he stressed. She forced a smile as she watched him leave her room again.
J.J. met with Steve in the Horton Town Square and filled him in on what had happened to Lani. Steve promised that if he uncovered anything in his private investigations that might be related to Snake, he would let J.J. know right away. J.J. warned Steve to be careful, explaining, "The reason nobody's been able to pin any murders on this guy is because whoever gets close disappears."
At the hospital, Valerie informed Eli and Gabi that Julie was doing well and had, in fact, just been approved for discharge. Eli breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Valerie for treating Julie. Valerie assured Eli that she would always be happy to help him with anything he might need. She seized the opportunity to invite him to have dinner with her later, but he declined, claiming that he was going to be busy then.
Undeterred, Valerie pointed out that even busy people needed to eat from time to time. "Look, I'm grateful that you took care of my grandma -- I really am -- but what I'm not grateful for -- and never will be -- is the fact that you let me grow up without my father," Eli stressed before walking away. Valerie sighed heavily as she watched him enter Julie's room and shut the door.
Valerie began to apologize for any discomfort Gabi might have felt due to being a witness to the conversation, but Gabi cut her off. "Don't apologize. Families are complicated -- mine included," Gabi acknowledged with a shrug. Valerie stressed that her relationship with Eli hadn't been complicated at all until recently. "I miss him so much," she admitted, releasing another heavy sigh.
Changing the subject, Valerie noted that Eli had left before she'd had a chance to tell him about some apps that could help Julie remember when to take her blood pressure medication. "Oh, I don't -- yeah, I don't think she needs to be reminded. She doesn't miss a trick," Gabi said with a laugh. "Sorry?" Valerie replied. Gabi claimed that she had simply meant that Julie wouldn't need more than one health scare to convince her to be more careful about taking her blood pressure medication every day.
"You know, I've known Julie a long time, and I know that she can sometimes be a little...strange," Valerie noted. "And tough," Gabi agreed. Valerie stressed that she was fine with the idea of Eli getting to know the Horton side of his family. "But I'm beginning to think that that woman is trying to alienate him from me," Valerie continued. When Gabi wondered why Julie would want to do that, Valerie guessed that it might be Julie's way of paying her back for having kept Eli's connection to the Hortons a secret for most of his life. Gabi advised Valerie, "Just don't let her get to you, okay? Because if she does, that means she wins."
Valerie assumed that Julie had been giving Gabi a hard time, too, since Gabi was dating Eli. "We're getting to know each other," Gabi confirmed. Valerie wistfully recalled how Eli had always been willing to talk to her in the past about every girl he had been interested in, even during his high school years. Gabi confidently predicted that Valerie's relationship with Eli would be that way again one day. "[He] hasn't forgotten how much he loved you, and I'm sure that one of these days, he's gonna admit that he still does," Gabi continued. "I hope so," Valerie replied.
Elsewhere, Lani tried to downplay what had happened to her, assuring Abe that it wasn't a big deal. Unconvinced, Abe vowed to order Commissioner Raines to find someone else to investigate Snake. Lani insisted that Abe couldn't do that because the Salem Police Department didn't have any other female detectives who were young enough to pass as the kind of prostitute that would interest Snake. Abe argued that someone could be sent over from another department to help with the investigation, but Lani maintained, "No, I'm the one who made contact; I'm the one who can make this happen now."
Eli poked his head in the room at that moment and wondered if he was interrupting anything. "We're finished," Lani replied, eyeing her father. Eli stepped inside and reported that the FBI had identified the chemical that had been found in Lani's system. "It's a synthetic called 'Halo' -- or some variation [of it]. Showed up in Chicago a couple of months ago. No one's sure of the side effects -- just erratic behavior and amnesia," Eli continued.
Lani pointed out to Abe that a drug like that could put a lot of lives at risk. "Look, Lani, I realize that, but --" Abe began. Eli helpfully interjected, "I think what your dad wants to say is: 'Don't try to be a hero.'" Lani dismissively stated that she appreciated Eli's advice. "Which I have a hunch you'll ignore," Eli guessed before taking the hint and excusing himself.
Abe wondered why Lani was so stubborn. "Me? Hmm. I don't know. Where did I get that from?" she pointedly replied. Chuckling, he admitted that he had been known to take a stand from time to time and stubbornly stick to that stand. She insisted that she was going to continue the investigation, with or without his approval; she added, however, that if he chose to support her decision, he would at least have the comfort of receiving regular updates from her about the case. He acknowledged with a sigh that she was a tough negotiator. "I probably inherited that, too," she replied.
Lani stressed that Abe couldn't talk to J.J. about the investigation. "He's too emotionally involved. I'm doing this solo," she explained. "Solo. Great," Abe muttered, releasing another sigh. He begged her not to take too many risks.
Shortly after Eli rejoined Gabi at the nurses' station, J.J. approached and asked to talk to Eli for a minute. Gabi excused herself, revealing that she had some errands to run, anyway. Eli promised to get in touch with Gabi later. After Gabi left, J.J. tried to probe for details about Eli's relationship with her, but Eli declined to discuss it with him.
Changing the subject, Eli filled J.J. in on the details of the chemical that had been found in Lani's system. "So, Snake's not just pimping; he's [also] dealing," J.J. mused. "Probably. Maybe even using the girls as mules," Eli suggested. J.J. wanted to catch Snake in possession of the drug and hand him over to the DEA, but Eli didn't think that would be enough to get Snake off the streets for good.
"Then we need to get him for these missing women," J.J. stressed. "'We'? I thought your partner was working on that," Eli replied. J.J. insisted that was no longer the case, adding that Lani's cover had probably been blown, anyway. "Well, word of warning: if you don't want her meeting up with Snake, you might want to bribe her doctor not to release her. Last time I checked, she was ready to go," Eli revealed.
As Lani was getting dressed, she received a phone call from Snake. She agreed to meet with him the following day. After ending the call, she gathered her belongings and started to leave her room. When she ran into J.J. on the way out, he wondered where she was going. She answered that she was being discharged. "Good news, right?" she added. "I hope so," he replied.
J.J. offered to drive Lani home, but she claimed that she had already promised the job to Abe. "He's been worried," she explained. "He's not alone," J.J. stressed, adding that he wasn't worried because he was an overprotective guy; he was worried because she mattered to him -- a lot. She told him she was going to be okay then sent him to the nurses' station with some paperwork to buy herself a few more minutes of privacy.
Gabi met with Abe in the town square to see if there was anything else she could be doing to help her father. He didn't think there was, since she and her brothers had already hired a lawyer; he guessed, however, that a visit would certainly be appreciated.
Changing the subject, Gabi revealed that she also wanted to know if Abe would like to work with her to figure out a way to help Eli and Valerie reconcile. "That sounds like a very good plan," he agreed with a smile.
Later, Gabi rejoined Eli, who admitted that although he hadn't wanted to like J.J. at first because of J.J.'s past with her, he had realized that J.J. was a good cop -- and a nice guy, too. Gabi agreed, adding that she was glad J.J. and Lani had found each other, even though she had been a bit jealous of Lani in the beginning.
"That went away though, right?" Eli asked with a hint of concern. Gabi playfully confirmed that another guy had since caught her attention -- a guy who loved his work and was smart and funny. "Good-looking, too, I'll bet," Eli guessed with a grin. "So full of himself, it's pathetic," Gabi replied. Eli wanted to know if the guy Gabi was referring to was a good kisser, but she admitted that she hadn't had a chance to find out the answer to that question yet. She suggested that she might someday, though. "No time like the present," he pointed out before giving her a kiss.
Kayla arranged a meeting with Tripp, who wondered, when he joined her at the Brady Pub, if it was really the best place for them to have a conversation. "I know Roman didn't press charges, but...I'm never gonna be welcome here," Tripp guessed as he eyed Roman, who was behind the bar and had not yet noticed his presence. Kayla told Tripp to relax, adding, "You have a pass. You're my stepson."
Tripp assumed that Kayla was about to segue into another lecture about how terrific his new father was, but she clarified that she actually wanted to talk to him about his decision to let Jade have a room in his new apartment. Tripp pointed out that Jade had nowhere else to go, since Joey had kicked her out of his place. "Seems pretty cruel, if you ask me," Tripp added. Kayla insisted that it had been necessary for Joey to kick Jade out because she had been trying to manipulate him for months. "And don't be surprised if she starts in on you [next]," Kayla warned Tripp.
Tripp wasn't concerned about the possibility of Jade taking advantage of his generosity, since he was going to be getting plenty of money from the Vitalis. "What's the big deal if she stays [with me]?" he wondered. Before Kayla could respond, he added with a grin, "Plus, I mean, she's hot."
"She's also in love with your brother. Obsessed with him, in fact," Kayla pointed out. Tripp dismissively replied, "Yeah, well, I've heard that brothers kind of enjoy a little competition. Maybe I can change Jade's mind." Kayla warned Tripp to never take anything Jade said at face value, insisting that she wasn't the least bit trustworthy. Tripp countered that he could say the same thing about a lot of other people -- including Steve, who had tried to sell him a phony story about Ava's death. Kayla insisted that what Steve had told Tripp had been true, but Tripp found it incredibly hard to believe that a government agency had ordered Steve to kill Ava.
Kayla revealed that Steve had been arrested for Ava's murder and had only been released because a high-ranking government official had stepped in to explain that Steve had been ordered to kill Ava due to concerns about national security. "Hmm. 'National security' -- yeah, the catchall phrase," Tripp mused skeptically.
Forging ahead, Tripp asked Kayla, "Why didn't he just arrest her, hmm? Why did he have to murder her? Explain that to me." Before Kayla could respond, Roman stepped out from behind the bar and fell to the floor, gasping for breath. Kayla rushed to Roman's side and asked him to tell her what was wrong. Tripp assumed that Roman was having a heart attack, but when Roman pointed at a plate of muffins on the bar, Kayla deduced that he was having an allergic reaction to something in the baked goods.
Kayla asked Tripp to fetch her medical bag from her car. Tripp rushed off and soon returned with the medical bag, from which Kayla retrieved a dose of epinephrine. As Tripp called for an ambulance, Kayla waited for the drug to take effect. "You've never had a nut allergy before, have you?" she asked Roman, who shook his head to confirm that he hadn't. "Well, you've got one now," she concluded.
When Kayla realized that the epinephrine wasn't working, she asked Tripp to fetch some items from the kitchen so she could perform a tracheotomy. He quickly completed the task then watched in awe as she began the procedure. Steve soon arrived and wondered why an ambulance had just stopped outside the pub. Kayla explained what had happened, adding with a sigh of relief, "Thank God I had Tripp's help."
Later, at the hospital, Kayla assured Roman that he was going to be okay. She doubted that he would even have a scar to show off when all was said and done, but she joked that if he did, he could simply tell everyone he had gotten it during the Battle of Muffin Ridge. "And listen, now that you know you are allergic, the next time you trade vendors with the bakery, you've got to read all the ingredients on the label," she added.
Roman confirmed that he understood. He added that he was glad his sister had been present at the time of his allergic reaction. "It's a good thing that Tripp was [there], too, because, um, he helped me out like crazy," Kayla noted. Roman expressed his gratitude to Tripp, telling him, "Still don't want you getting drunk at my bar again, but I do owe you one."
Later, Tripp joined Kayla at the nurses' station and began raving about how amazing she had been during the earlier medical emergency. She pointed out that he had been pretty cool under pressure himself. He admitted with a shrug that blood and guts had never bothered him, and he added that he had found it fascinating to watch her perform the tracheotomy, especially with improvised tools.
Kayla wondered if Tripp had ever considered pursuing a career in medicine. "Well, biology was always my favorite subject...but I'd be looking at a lot of school," he replied. She argued that it would be worth the cost in the end, and he conceded that she was probably right about that. Admitting that she had been a bit disappointed when neither Stephanie nor Joey had shown an interest in her line of work, Kayla added that she would be happy to do whatever she could to help Tripp if he decided that he really would like to pursue a career in medicine. "I'll think about it," he replied with a smile.
Changing the subject, Kayla invited Tripp to join her, Steve, and Joey for dinner later. Tripp was reluctant to accept the invitation at first, but when Kayla assured him that no one would hassle him about Jade during the dinner, he agreed to tag along.
Later, Tripp returned to Roman's room and told him, "What you said earlier about how you owed me one? You don't. I was a jerk [for] getting drunk in your place and then taking a swing at you. [And] you didn't press charges, so I actually owe you one." Roman assured Tripp that the Brady clan was always willing to save each other from trouble. "[And] nobody's keeping score. So if you're part of this family, one of us will always have your back," Roman added. He conceded, however, that it was up to Tripp to decide whether to be a part of the Brady family or not.
Meanwhile, at the nurses' station, Kayla told Steve that Tripp had agreed to join them for dinner later. Thrilled, Steve wondered how Kayla had managed to pull that off. "I think he's just comfortable with me," Kayla replied with a shrug. Nodding, Steve mused, "And I bet that not too many people took the time to be nice to him when he was growing up." Kayla suspected that Steve was probably right about that -- and that that was one of the main appeals of their family for Tripp. "Listen, let's not pressure him, okay? We'll just -- we'll just let him come to us," Kayla suggested. Steve thought that sounded like a good idea.
Steve raved that Kayla was amazing for being willing to welcome Ava's son into the family despite everything that the woman had put her through. "That's because he's your son, and your son is my son," Kayla assured Steve. Sighing, she worriedly added that even though they were starting to make progress with Tripp, things could change in an instant if Jade ever revealed the truth about Ava's death.
Nicole was relieved when she checked the recent news reports for Salem and realized that she hadn't been mentioned lately. When Brady returned home after running an errand, she filled him in on Eduardo's recent arrest as well as the Salem Police Department's investigation into the disappearance of several of the town's known prostitutes.
Nicole was stunned when Brady revealed that he had bought a hardware store while he had been gone earlier. "Should we really strap ourselves down? I mean, what if we have to go on the run again?" she fretted. Although he didn't think that would ever be an issue, he assured her that he would have no problem getting rid of the business if necessary, since several other people had shown interest in it before he had placed the winning bid.
Nicole wondered if Brady would really be happy working at a hardware store for the rest of his life. "I would much rather put in an honest day's work at a business than help Deimos with one of his shady deals [that] I can't say a damn thing about," he confirmed, adding that he would have more time to spend with her and the kids if he wasn't stuck on calls to Hong Kong all the time. She admitted that she liked the sound of that.
Later, while Brady and Nicole were in bed together, celebrating their new acquisition, someone crept into their house and drew a gun.
In the park, Abigail walked into the clearing by the bench and found Eli kissing Gabi. Startled, Abigail hurriedly attempted to leave, and she ran into a pole. At the loud sound of Abigail's collision, Gabi and Eli pulled apart. Abigail apologized for interrupting them. Eli's phone rang, and he stepped away to take a call. Alone, Abigail told Gabi that she was surprised that Gabi was dating Eli. Confused, Gabi reminded Abigail that she had set Gabi up with him.
Abigail wondered aloud why Gabi was not moving on with Chad. With a groan, Gabi argued that Chad was committed to Abigail, and Gabi wanted Abigail to stop fantasizing. Gabi urged Abigail to work out her issues with her husband. Abigail appeared confused. Gabi explained that Chad's feelings for her would fade, but Chad would always love his wife. In disagreement, Abigail noted that she had seen enough movies to know that love lasted forever, and she did not want to watch her husband struggle with his feelings for another woman.
As Gabi grew more agitated with Abigail, Abigail said Chad had reverted to his criminal ways. With a deep sigh, Gabi noted that Chad could not win with Abigail. Gabi yelled that Chad had worked to legalize his business and help Abigail through her mental breakdown, and he had bent over backwards to accommodate Abigail when she had returned from the dead, but none of it had been enough for Abigail. With a huff, Abigail said that "trying was not good enough anymore."
In a quieter tone, Gabi assured Abigail that Chad needed and loved her. Gabi told Abigail that Chad did not want freedom; he wanted his wife. Abigail explained that she did not think her husband should need to work on his relationship and his feelings for his wife. Abigail argued that Chad should not need to second-guess his devotion to his marriage. Gabi countered that she loved Chad, but she wanted Chad to be with Abigail and Thomas. Gabi urged Abigail to stop playing God, telling everyone how to act and feel.
While a frustrated Gabi stepped away to take a phone call from her babysitter, Eli returned. Eli asked Abigail if everything was okay between her and Gabi. When Abigail started to talk about Gabi, Eli cut her off and said that Gabi had already told him that she was still in love with Chad. Surprised, Abigail asked Eli if he was okay with a rebound relationship. Eli said that he was an adult, and his eyes were wide open. Smiling, Eli asked Abigail if she liked Jane Austen. When Abigail asked why, Eli said that she reminded him of Emma; Abigail liked controlling everyone else's lives and was clueless about her own.
Abigail complained that Gabi had said Abigail had been playing God with people's lives. Eli smiled. With a nod, Abigail asked Eli to say goodbye to Gabi for her. Once Abigail was gone, Gabi sneaked out from the bushes and announced how relieved she was that Abigail had left. Gabi wished aloud that she and Abigail were men so that their discussion about feelings would not have been so exhausting. Gabi jokingly had a mock conversation as two dudes, making Eli laugh.
Eli walked Gabi to the town square. Gabi complained that Abigail had accused her of dating Eli as a rebound relationship. Eli interrupted Gabi to assure her that she had been up-front with him and that he was an adult. Gabi offered Eli an out, but he countered that he was the perfect cure for her heartache. Eli gently kissed Gabi. Smiling, Gabi said she liked Eli's antidote.
Across the square, Jade told Joey that she was almost done moving out of the loft. Jade made repeated disparaging remarks about how relieved Joey must be to be rid of her, but Joey did not take the bait. Joey said that Jade's departure was for the best, then he walked away. "Maybe for you but not for me. Someday you will love me as much as I love you," Jade said to herself.
At the Brady Pub, Steve nervously waited for Tripp to show up for their scheduled family dinner. Kayla calmed Steve down and urged him to keep putting himself out there for his son. As Kayla and Steve kissed at their table, Tripp walked into the pub. Tripp watched his father and stepmother, and he smiled slightly. As Kayla and Steve pulled apart, Tripp said that it was strange for him to see a couple get along so well.
When Joey arrived, he thanked Tripp for helping Kayla save Roman. Kayla interjected to note that Tripp had been a natural and that she hoped he would go to medical school. Joey noted that Tripp would need an undergraduate degree, and Tripp appeared taken aback. Tripp asked Joey why he assumed Tripp had not gone to college. Joey shrugged apologetically. Tripp announced that he had put himself through college and had a degree. Kayla said that she would support Tripp in any way she could if he decided to go to medical school.
Over dinner, Steve told Tripp about his long history with Kayla. Tripp smiled sadly. Tripp said that he was glad to have heard about Steve and Kayla's love story, but it was clear that they saw Ava as a bad guy. With a faraway look in his eyes, Tripp mumbled that he wished he had heard Ava's side of the story about her love affair with Steve. Upset, Tripp said that the fact that Steve had murdered his mother was a deal breaker. Tripp said he wanted to remain friends with the family, but he did not want to be around them.
As Tripp ran out of the pub, Kayla ran after him. Kayla caught up with her stepson outside, and she asked him what Steve could do to make things right. Tripp said he understood that Ava had done unforgivable things to Kayla and her family, but he did not think he could forgive Steve. Kayla said that she had forgiven Ava. Taken aback, Tripp numbly shook his head no. Tripp said that Steve seemed to be a nice guy, but on the DVDs, Ava had also appeared to be a nice person, and he could not shake that.
Inside the pub, a guilty Joey told Steve that he felt terrible. Worried, Steve ordered Joey not to tell Tripp the truth because it would hurt Kayla. Joey was dismayed, but he nodded yes.
When Kayla returned to the pub, she urged Steve to be patient. Kayla said that Tripp was struggling with his feelings, but she believed Tripp would want to be a part of the family eventually. Kayla theorized that in time, Tripp would let go of his anger over Ava's death. Steve said that if he got his son back, it would be because of Kayla.
While walking through the park, Tripp ran into Jade. Tripp confided that he could not forgive his mother's murderer. Jade mistakenly wondered aloud who the murderer was. Seeing the puzzled look on Tripp's face, Jade recovered and noted that she had been confused for a second and knew that Tripp meant Steve. Jade stressed that Steve was a good guy. Smiling faintly, Tripp added that Steve was also a good dad except for murdering Ava.
Shaking his head, Tripp said he did not think he could ever be happy with his family. Jade pointed out that Steve was not a monster and that he had acted to protect someone he loved. Suspicious, Tripp raised an eyebrow questioningly. Jade excused herself to finish packing, and she left. Tripp mumbled to himself about Jade's strange comments, and he furrowed his brow.
In the Kiriakis living room, Paul informed Sonny that Deimos had rented a jet, and Paul believed a bribe to the pilot would get them the information they needed on Deimos. Sonny was eager to carry the cash to the pilot, but Paul urged Sonny to let him do the legwork and not give Deimos any added ammunition against Sonny. Sonny agreed.
When Paul returned from the airport, he grinned as he told Sonny that he had scored the information they needed without paying a cent. Paul said the pilot had been a fan of his, and after Paul had signed an autograph, the pilot had willingly told Paul that Deimos had flown to Manitoba. The pilot had described a man with a scar, tipping Sonny off that the pilot had seen Lyle, an employee at Titan.
Sonny called Lyle's cell phone and yelled that Victor was very angry. When Lyle asked why, Sonny pointed out that when Deimos had chartered a private jet, it had looked suspiciously like Deimos had been plotting against Victor. Lyle swore that he was not disloyal to Victor. Sonny pushed for information until Lyle admitted that he was with Deimos in Manitoba to retrieve Nicole and Brady. After securing the exact location from Lyle, Sonny hung up the phone. Worried that Brady and Nicole were in danger, Paul and Sonny rushed to the airport to take the Titan jet to Manitoba.
Nicole and Brady continued to snuggle up in bed in their Canadian cabin. Nicole confessed that she was excited to start a family with Brady. Out in the living room, a gunman clad all in black and wearing a mask crept around in the dark. The gunman tripped on a toy car, setting it off. In the bedroom, a worried Brady got up to check on whether Tate was playing with his toy in the living room. Brady looked around the darkened living room and examined the toy car. The gunman hid in the shadows.
When Brady returned to the bedroom, Nicole was checking on Holly in the crib. As Nicole pulled on a shirt, she assured Brady that Holly was falling back asleep. Brady said that Tate was still asleep and that the car seemed to have gone off on its own. Wrapping his arms around Nicole, Brady urged her to join him back in bed, but Nicole suggested they make a snack. Brady offered to make frittatas.
After eating their eggs in the living room, a smiling Nicole asked Brady if they could get a dog for the kids. Brady reluctantly agreed. Grinning widely, Brady asked, "What if we were happy?" Nicole nodded in agreement. In the bedroom, Holly started to cry. Nicole went to the bedroom to check while Brady cleaned up the dishes. As Nicole leaned over the crib, she was startled to see that Holly was missing. Nicole turned and saw the masked gunman cradling Holly. Nicole gasped. The gunman herded Nicole out into the living room.
Nicole asked the gunman if he worked for Deimos, but the assailant remained silent. When Brady returned from the kitchen, he stopped in the doorway as the assailant leveled the gun at him. Brady offered money to make the man go away, but the man clutched Holly tighter. Frantic, Nicole begged for her baby, and Brady held her back from the gunman. As the gunman struggled to better grip the baby, Brady rushed him. The assailant fired the gun, shooting Brady in the chest. Nicole screamed as Brady collapsed onto the ground.
Nicole shouted that Deimos would not want to hurt Brady. Desperate, Nicole reached out and snatched the mask off the gunman's face. Underneath was the sneering smile of Xander. Nicole gasped in astonishment at the sight of her old enemy.
