At the DiMera mansion, Kate rejoined Lucas in the living room, tearing down the crime scene tape as she passed through the doorway.
"Let me burn that for you -- please," Kate begged Lucas, who was once again studying Chloe's goodbye letter. "I almost burned it myself, but...I couldn't," Lucas admitted with a sigh, adding that it was impossible to believe that Chloe had left Salem willingly. Kate was quick to point out that Lucas had once found it impossible to believe that Chloe could ever be unfaithful, too.
"You weren't there the day [Chloe] took off [with Miguel]! You don't understand how happy we were! We were talking about our future together!" Lucas countered. Kate started to respond, but Lucas quickly interrupted, reasoning that it would be best for her to support him in his quest for answers. "[I mean, you do] want me to give up on [Chloe, right]? I am not gonna do that until she tells me it's over," Lucas insisted with finality. Kate crumpled the crime scene tape in frustration as Lucas rushed out of the mansion.
Meanwhile, at Titan, Sonny greeted Leo, who was in the process of reading an online article about Vivian's death. "You and I have to talk about what happened," Sonny insisted, causing Leo to immediately enter defensive mode. "I'm not mad at you," Sonny quickly assured Leo, adding that they simply needed to talk about why their recent kiss had occurred. "Oh, that's what you meant..." Leo muttered as Sonny continued talking, apologizing for the incident. "You're apologizing to me?" Leo asked incredulously, slowly realizing that Sonny hadn't heard from Kate yet.
"Of course! [I mean], I was the one who said we couldn't be together if you took this job. [But] I had just run into Will and Paul, and I was upset, [so] I let my guard down [and] broke my own rule [about] not mixing personal relationships and work," Sonny explained. Relieved, Leo told Sonny not to worry about it. "I allowed the kiss to happen, too, and I will not do it again," Leo promised. "Well, that's -- that's -- that's...good," Sonny stammered, perhaps having hoped for a different response. Sonny sighed as Leo stepped aside to answer Sonny's desk phone.
"Come over to the house -- immediately," Kate ordered Leo before ending the call. Confused, Leo told Sonny that the call had been about an annual report that was ready to be picked up at the printing office. "I can grab it -- I mean, if we're through here?" Leo added. Sonny nodded and watched as Leo walked away.
At the Martin mansion, Will received a visit from Lucas, who solemnly explained that something bad had happened between Kate and Vivian the previous night. Paul, who had spent the night with Will, wondered if Kate was facing charges for the shooting. "No. No, uh...it was an accident," Lucas replied. Stunned, Paul mused that Vivian had always seemed invincible -- and not necessarily in a good way. Lucas nodded in agreement.
"[Anyway], I wanted to tell you before you went off to work [so you wouldn't hear about it there]," Lucas explained to Will. "Work!" Will worriedly repeated, suddenly realizing just how late it was.
Will thanked Lucas for the heads-up then rushed off after promising that they would talk again soon. Paul, alone with Lucas, revealed that Kate had recently grown suspicious of Vivian. Lucas admitted that it wasn't particularly surprising to hear that Kate had hired Paul to investigate Vivian. "Looks like I'm out of a job," Paul mused with a sigh. "Maybe not..." Lucas cryptically replied before offering to treat Paul to breakfast.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate stared at the living room's bloodstained carpet. She sighed and pressed her hands against her ears, trying to drown out the sound of a gun being discharged -- a sound that only she could hear.
"You wanted me here. I'm here," Leo announced with a shrug, interrupting Kate's recollection of the shooting. "Took you long enough," Kate grumbled. "Is that Vivian's blood?" Leo asked, cringing in horror. "Yes. It looks like you've lost your meal ticket," Kate matter-of-factly replied. Leo dismissively insisted that wasn't a big deal. "I'm sorry Vivian is dead..." Leo began to add. "You're probably the only one," Kate interjected. "But I'm glad I don't have to deal with her anymore," Leo concluded, adding that trying to ruin Sonny's life had never exactly been a fun assignment. "He's a nice guy. I'm happy to just be his assistant," Leo stressed.
Leo was relieved to hear that Kate wasn't planning to tell Sonny the truth, but Kate warned Leo not to get too excited. "The reason I'm not saying anything to Sonny is because I'm taking over the plan," Kate sweetly elaborated. "[See], my whole world has been turned upside down. I don't know how things are gonna shake out between Stefan and Chad now that Vivian is dead. So, I'm not gonna wait around and find out; I need my own power base...[and] I think a sexual harassment [lawsuit] against Titan Industries could suit my purposes very nicely. You know, I really hate to give credit to Vivian, but I must say, it's a pretty good plan," Kate continued.
Leo, no longer desperate for money, tried to turn down Kate's offer, but she warned that she would turn him in to the police if he refused to continue what he had already started. "[So], go back to [Titan] and make nice with Sonny. He's feeling lonely, [so it] shouldn't take too much to, uh, get him [back] in bed," she concluded with a shrug. "You're as cutthroat as Vivian," he observed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Vivian's dead. I'm alive. That makes me more cutthroat than Vivian," she pointedly countered before dismissing him. Scoffing, he showed himself out of the mansion, muttering that she was absolutely unbelievable.
At Titan, Sonny received an unexpected visit from Will, who had just learned, upon arriving at the Spectator office, that Abigail had confessed to Andre's murder. "I don't have all the details yet, but, I mean, the story's verified," Will assured Sonny, adding that the newspaper would never print unsubstantiated rumors about the editor's daughter, of all people.
Will and Sonny were concerned about Abigail but were also relieved to know that Gabi was finally off the hook for Andre's murder. "Have you talked to Ari?" Sonny asked. "Uh, no. I -- I wanted to tell you first...you know, ['cause] that way we could give Ari the good news together," Will replied. Smiling, Sonny agreed that would be nice.
Changing the subject, Will apologized to Sonny for what had happened during their previous encounter. "When Kate hired Paul [to investigate Vivian], you know, neither of us knew that it would lead back to you and make your life more difficult," Will stressed. "Yeah, well, there's nothing [Vivian] can do to me anymore," Sonny replied with a shrug.
Nodding, Will hesitantly admitted, at the risk of sounding heartless, that it was kind of a relief to know that Vivian wasn't going to be able to cause trouble for Sonny anymore. "You've been through a lot, you know...and it's mostly because of me..." Will acknowledged. "Um...anyway, uh...also, you know, if you ever want to, like, have lunch sometime or whatever, uh, you can just, uh...text me," Will added in an awkward attempt to change the subject again. "Uh...I -- I kind of just eat at my desk most of the time, so..." Sonny replied. Will gave Sonny a nod then turned to leave. Sonny sighed as Will walked away.
Leo soon returned with two cups of coffee. "There was a line," Leo claimed as a way of explaining why the trip to the printing office had taken such a long time. "It was probably better that you weren't here, 'cause Will stopped by," Sonny revealed. "And I'm not his favorite person," Leo acknowledged with a sigh. Sonny pointed out that, with Vivian dead, the good news was that no one would be able to accuse Leo of nefarious deeds anymore. Nodding, Leo quickly changed the subject, wondering if Sonny was all right. "I know that seeing Will sometimes shakes you up..." Leo continued, putting a comforting hand on Sonny's arm.
"I'm fine," Sonny claimed, pulling away from Leo. Undeterred, Leo waited until Sonny's back was turned then opened one of the coffee cups and poured its contents on himself. "Damn it! I went to take a sip of coffee, and the lid wasn't on right," Leo complained. Chuckling, Sonny offered to let Leo borrow his spare shirt, which he kept at the office for just such emergencies. Sonny tried not to watch as Leo changed shirts.
At the Horton Town Square, Lucas told Paul about Chloe's sudden and mysterious departure from Salem. "You might not like what I find out [if I start investigating her]," Paul warned. "I can deal with that, okay? I just -- I would rather know for sure," Lucas replied. Nodding, Paul agreed to help Lucas track down Chloe -- and the mystery man who had lured her to Mexico City.
At the hospital, Victor informed Brady and Eve that Vivian was dead. "When's the parade?" Brady wondered. Victor warned Brady that, as always, the death of an enemy of the family could lead to major ramifications. Sighing, Brady asked Eve for some privacy. After Eve left, Brady told Victor to drop the act and reveal the real reason for his visit.
Victor explained that, with Brady and Eve getting closer every day, he was running out of time to stop his grandson from making the mistake of marrying the wrong woman -- again. "[So], you walk away from her, and you can run Titan as you see fit," Victor promised, stunning Brady. Victor rushed off to give Brady some time to think about the offer.
When Eve returned, Brady filled her in on what she had just missed. She encouraged him to take the deal, knowing how much it would mean to him to finally have full control of Titan. "I'm not doing it," he assured her. "Are you nuts?" she asked incredulously. "Eh...maybe. But, see, I made you a promise that I would never let you down again, and I don't plan to," he stressed before proposing to her again.
Victor was sitting in a secluded section of the town square, drinking a cup of coffee, when a text message about Brady's decision -- and subsequent engagement -- arrived. "Bad news?" Kate guessed, approaching Victor. "I'll figure out how to deal with it. I always do," he vaguely replied, adding that, on the bright side, he at least had one less enemy in the world.
"Thanks to me," Kate reminded Victor. "I really do owe you for this one," he conceded. "I'm sure you'll find a way to repay me...one of these days..." she replied.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Brady and Eve celebrated their engagement, believing that nothing else would ever stand in their way again.
In Mexico City, Chloe squirmed as Mateo introduced himself and promised to see to her every need while she was a guest at his compound. "Well, I need to call my son," she insisted. "I'll think about it...after I get what I want from you," he replied. She started to protest, but he quickly clarified that she had jumped to the wrong conclusion. He assured her that he really did want her to simply perform for him as Salome, adding that he was, however, a jealous man who couldn't bear the thought of anyone else being able to enjoy her enchanting beauty and talent. "So, now you perform for an audience of one," he concluded with a shrug.
Meanwhile, Theresa struggled to process the shocking realization that Xander was still alive. "How?" she wondered. "Oh, it would take far too long to explain. You've missed out on a lot. All you really need to know is that, dead or alive, I still hate your guts," he replied. She worriedly warned that he would be in big trouble if he tried to hurt her, since she was a powerful drug lord's beloved girlfriend.
Amused, Xander clarified that Mateo was actually an old friend -- and they were about to close a business deal together. Horrified, Theresa begged Xander not to tell Mateo that she had been snooping in his office.
"I can give you the one thing that you want more than anything -- I can get Victor to accept you back into the family [and] show you the exact same respect that he gives to Sonny and Justin and Brady," Theresa promised, hoping to convince Xander to help her. Xander found it hard to believe that Theresa had that much influence over Victor. "[And] imagining you trapped here, prisoner of a pig like Mateo, while you long to get back to Brady and your son as they move on with their lives without you -- well, that fills me with a satisfaction I haven't felt in a very long time," Xander admitted before starting to walk away.
Theresa stopped Xander, reminding him that if he tried to rat her out, it would be his word against hers -- and she did have a history of being able to convince people to believe the worst about him. "Are you sure what you have on that drive is enough to put Mateo away?" Xander asked Theresa, realizing that she was right. "I heard [Mateo] tell Miguel that it is the key to his entire empire," Theresa confirmed.
"[Then] here are my terms -- give me the drive, [and] I'll find a way to get it to your father [so he can] arrest Mateo and rescue you. [And] I will, of course, look at what's on the drive and use it for my own purposes, [like] leverage over Mateo's associates. Who knows -- maybe I can take over his operation while he's in prison," Xander suggested. "And they say there's no honor among thieves..." Theresa mused, scoffing incredulously.
Theresa hated the idea of trusting Xander but knew that she had no other choice. Sighing, she reluctantly handed over the flash drive.
Meanwhile, Chloe finished performing for Mateo, who still wasn't willing to let her contact her son just yet. "Perhaps when I trust you more," he suggested. She was relieved to know that he wasn't going to try to force himself on her, but he made it clear that he was only unwilling to do that because he was a proud man who wanted his lovers to be with him voluntarily. He warned, however, that he wouldn't wait forever for her to fall for him.
Chloe tried to stall Mateo for a while longer, but he insisted that he was a busy man who needed to get back to work. Sighing, she watched nervously as he exited her room and headed toward his office.
Meanwhile, Theresa insisted that Xander needed to leave right away. "Before Mateo finds out --" Theresa began to add. "Finds out about what? What the hell is going on here?" Mateo asked, entering the office.
In the square, J.J. cautioned his mother to stop worrying about Abigail. "Maybe I can help," Eric said as he walked up behind Jennifer. Eric asked Jennifer to join him for a walk, but Jennifer declined. J.J. encouraged Jennifer to get a bite to eat with Eric. Reluctantly, Jennifer agreed, but she asked J.J. to join them. J.J. begged off, noting that he had to go to work. After J.J. walked away, Jennifer said, "I lost my daughter once. I can't lose her again." Eric promised Jennifer that she would not have to face everything alone.
In the pub, Kayla, Steve, Roman, and Marlena talked about the Kate and Vivian fight. Marlena told the group about Vivian's confession in the tunnels, and the group agreed that Kate had had a good motive to shoot Vivian. Roman added that Vivian had pulled out the gun, but everyone agreed that Kate had done what she had needed to do in the situation. Roman asked Marlena about Abigail.
"Is it possible for Abigail to live a normal life again?" Roman asked. "I'd like to know the same thing," Jennifer said as she walked into the pub. Eric talked to Steve and Roman at the bar while Jennifer talked with Marlena and Kayla. Eric confided his concerns about Jennifer falling apart.
At the table nearby, Marlena told Jennifer that she was not helpless. Kayla and Marlena held Jennifer's hands and promised that they would help her get through it. Eric joined the women, and Marlena hugged him tightly. "Abigail has a whole town behind her," Eric assured Jennifer. Once alone, Jennifer kissed Eric on the cheek. "There's no place I'd rather be than by your side," Eric said.
At the bar, Roman talked to Steve about his blindness. Steve admitted that he was having difficulty adjusting. Roman urged Steve to ask for help if he needed it. With a nod, Steve asked Roman to take over for him at Black Patch. Roman encouraged Steve to stay in his job, but Steve said he did not want to stay at a job if he could not do it at 100%. Roman said he liked working at the pub. "You can't fool me, Roman. You miss the action," Steve said. Roman promised to think about the offer.
In the hospital, Eve cuddled up next to Brady on his hospital bed. Brady lamented the unromantic setting for his proposal, but Eve said she loved it. Eve thanked Brady for fighting for her. "I really didn't have much of a choice because I decided a while ago that I need you and that I had to have you because I think you are going to make an amazing wife and mother to my boy, so thank you," Brady said.
John walked in to check on Brady. Smiling, Brady said he thought the drugs had left his system. Brady told John about his engagement. John's response was less than enthusiastic. When Brady asked why, John said it felt like Brady and Eve were rushing into marriage too quickly. Brady explained that health scares had a way of changing one's outlook on life.
After Eve stepped out of the room, John asked, "You two really gonna have another go at it?" Brady said the first time around with Eve had been full of lies, but he could not imagine his life without her. John asked about Victor. Brady told John that Victor had offered him Titan if he agreed to break things off with Eve. John noted that Isabella would have been proud of her son for choosing love over work.
In the hallway, J.J. saw Eve staring at her ring. Eve explained that Brady had proposed. J.J. asked Eve if she had found it odd the way Theresa had left town after getting her life in order. With a shrug, Eve said she had believed her sister had changed, but she'd been wrong. "I don't think she did," J.J. said. Eve asked J.J. what he meant. J.J. told Eve that he had seen Theresa in church before she had left town.
"No matter what horrible mistakes we made in the past, it doesn't mean that we can't do the right thing now," Theresa had told J.J. the night she had left Salem. J.J. told Eve that it had appeared that Theresa had not wanted to leave Brady. Shaking her head no, Eve said Theresa had still walked out on Brady and Tate. Eve asked J.J. if he wanted to hurt her for their past history, but J.J. said he did not want to hurt Eve.
"I love Brady, and I really want this to work," Eve said. "I want you to be happy. Tate deserves a mother who loves him, and I'm glad you'll have that chance to be a mom again," J.J. said. Eve vowed to be a better mother to Tate than she had been to Paige. J.J. shared his dismay over losing out on parenthood with Lani. Eve told J.J. that he would be a great father someday. Chuckling, Eve told J.J. that it would happen unexpectedly like her romance with Brady.
"I love Brady more than I've ever loved anyone, and I can't wait to be his wife, and I can't wait to be a mom to Tate," Eve said. J.J. responded, "I'm pulling for you!" After congratulating Eve on her engagement, J.J. rushed off to work.
In Brady's hospital room, John asked Brady if he was sure that Eve was the one. Brady admitted that he still thought of Theresa. Brady told John about the dream he'd had of Theresa. "That woman that I loved is gone, and she is never coming back," Brady growled. John asked Brady if he would change his mind about Eve if Theresa returned to town. Brady was adamant that he would not want to reconcile with Theresa. With a nod, John reminded Brady that he would always be connected to Theresa through their son.
Brady asked John why he appeared to be defending Theresa. John said he'd mentioned Theresa because it was clear that Brady still thought about her. "I found someone that cares about my son as much as I do!" Brady said. "I'm lucky to have found her," Brady said as Eve listened from the hallway. Eve announced her return to the room.
"Welcome to the family," John said as he hugged Eve. John told Eve that he hoped she and Brady would be happy together. "I will do everything in my power to be a great wife to your son and a good mother to your grandson," Eve promised John. With hugs all around, John left. Eve laughed with joy. "I think we just got your dad's blessing," Eve said. Eve said she believed it was the first time in her life that the family member of a boyfriend had approved of her.
"He saw the love that we have for each other," Brady said. Eve said she wished Victor were happy for them, but Brady reminded Eve that Victor was his own person. Eve asked about Brady's conversation with John. Brady admitted that he and John had talked about Theresa. Brady said he had stressed that Theresa was no longer a part of his life. "You and I are the only mom and dad that he'll ever need, right?" Brady asked.
John met up with Marlena in the square and told her about Brady's engagement. With a smile, John asked Marlena if they should plan their own wedding.
In Mexico, Mateo walked into his office as Theresa and Xander sniped at each other. "Good timing, mate. I just caught your girlfriend breaking into your safe," Xander said. Theresa blamed Xander for the break-in. "Why were you telling him to get out of here?" Mateo asked with suspicion. Xander handed over the hard drive and said that Theresa had a history of falsely blaming him for crimes. Mateo said it was unlikely that Xander would steal from him when he had an appointment to meet with him.
Theresa argued that Xander hated her and wanted to hurt her. With a shrug, Xander asked Theresa why she was the one holding the keys to the lockbox. Mateo snatched the keys out of Theresa's hand. Through tears, Theresa reminded Mateo that she had given up her life for him. Mateo said he knew that Theresa had been looking for information to give to her father at the ISA. "What should I do with someone who has proven to be so disloyal?" Mateo asked Xander.
Theresa begged for a second chance, but Mateo said he was tired of how ungrateful Theresa had been. Theresa said she had wanted freedom. Mateo told Theresa that he would ask Miguel to set Theresa free permanently. As Theresa begged for her life, Xander interjected with a request for Mateo to give Theresa to him. Theresa begged Mateo not to hand her over to Xander. Grinning, Xander said he was eager to pay Theresa back for what she had done to him in the past. Mateo agreed to let Xander have Theresa as part of their diamond exchange.
"I hope you rot in hell, Mateo!" Theresa yelled. Mateo warned Theresa that he would kill Brady and Tate if she sent anyone after him or Chloe. After Mateo left, Xander smiled at Theresa. Theresa said her offer to help Xander with Victor still stood. Theresa said she would do anything to get back to Salem. "For once in your miserable life, you actually seem to care about someone other than yourself," Xander said. Xander asked Theresa if she seriously believed her relationship with Victor was strong enough to help return him to the family.
"I'll take you back to Salem. But we have to go right now before Mateo changes his mind!" Xander said as he started for the door. Theresa stopped him. "We have to rescue Chloe!" Theresa explained. Xander said Chloe was not his problem. Xander reminded Theresa of Mateo's warning about Chloe. When Xander asked Theresa whether her freedom or Chloe's was more important to her, Theresa relented.
"There is something I have to do first," Theresa said. Theresa said she needed to warn Chloe. When they arrived in Chloe's room, she was gone. Xander told Theresa to leave a note for Chloe so that they could escape. Reluctantly, Theresa wrote, "I'm sorry, your friend Theresa." Xander grabbed Theresa and escorted her out of the house.
Tripp and Ciara were in the kitchen of their apartment, sharing a kiss, when Claire's bedroom door opened. A moment later, Claire appeared, carrying two large suitcases, one large duffel bag, and a purse.
"Ew! Could you guys at least wait until I leave town?" Claire complained, cringing at Tripp and Ciara's display of affection. Tripp and Ciara pulled away from each other as Claire hauled the luggage into the living room and dropped it with a sigh of exhaustion. Confused, Ciara pointed out that Eve had agreed to keep quiet about the fact that Claire had sabotaged the Bella contest and that there was therefore no need for Claire to flee from Salem in disgrace. "You [think I'm] leaving for good?" Claire asked, chuckling. "So sorry to disappoint you, [but I'm just] going to visit Theo," Claire clarified. "For...the whole summer?" Tripp guessed, studying Claire's collection of suitcases and bags. "Just a couple weeks," Claire replied, oblivious. Scoffing, Tripp volunteered to take Claire's luggage out to her car.
While Tripp was gone, Ciara asked Claire to stay in touch. "I hope that when you get back, maybe we can start over [and] try to be friends again," Ciara added. "We'll see," Claire replied. "[But first] I definitely have to fix my relationship with Theo. [He's] still really mad at me for asking him to help me cheat. You know how he is -- he hates that kind of stuff," Claire continued. Claire was optimistic that Theo would soften once they reunited with each other. She admitted that she was looking forward to getting away from Salem for a while because, without the contest, the town really had nothing left to offer her, at least for the time being.
Claire started to rush off as soon as Tripp returned, but Ciara soon remembered that Theo had been complaining about the quality of the headphones at the rehab center. "[So], I bought him some [new ones]," Ciara continued. Claire, perhaps wishing she had thought to do that, forced a smile and somewhat reluctantly confirmed that she could make room for the gift in her luggage.
Ciara went to fetch the headphones, leaving Tripp alone with Claire, who immediately started fidgeting in fear of what his parting words to her might be. Picking up on her discomfort, he acknowledged that he had been pretty hard on her after he had figured out just how far she had been willing to go in order to win the contest. She conceded that he had every right to be upset with her, especially since she had been willing to hurt him in order to accomplish her goal. "Yeah, but...I'm not one who should judge, especially after some of the things I've done," he insisted. He promised to help her recover from the mistakes she had made, just as she had previously helped him recover from his own mistakes. Touched, she thanked him for the support -- and for voting for her. "I know [that] caused a lot of problems [for you, but it] really did mean a lot to me," she stressed.
Tripp assured Claire that she would eventually find another way to achieve stardom. She smiled and gave him a hug -- which Ciara witnessed.
Meanwhile, at the police station, Abe praised Hope for having figured out the real story behind Andre's murder. Hope was quick to acknowledge that Rafe had helped -- and that some pieces of the puzzle had simply fallen into their laps. "Don't sell yourself short, Commissioner," Abe advised. "[You know], despite everything, [you and Rafe] make quite the team..." Abe pointedly added. "If you are hinting that we should get back together..." Hope began. "No, I'm not hinting; I'm...merely observing," Abe innocently clarified as Valerie entered the police station. Although Hope tried to decline, Abe and Valerie insisted on having her join them for lunch.
Tripp, who had started playing a video game with Ciara after Claire had left the apartment, marveled that Ciara was amazing. Ciara assumed that Tripp was admiring her ability to kill zombies, but he clarified that he wasn't talking about what she was doing in the video game. "[It] was very generous of you [to ask Eve to cover up for Claire]; I mean, you didn't have to protect her like that," Tripp continued. "That girl drives me nuts -- [I mean], she is selfish and rude, and she almost cost me the contest -- but...she is my family, so...maybe one day we can be friends again," Ciara replied, shrugging. Tripp hoped that would eventually happen.
"So, you're not gonna, like, miss her while she's gone or anything, right?" Ciara asked, trying to sound casual. "Well, it'll definitely be quiet [without her] around here..." Tripp joked.
"But I'm kind of looking forward to spending some alone time with you -- you know, assuming you can pencil me into your busy supermodel schedule," Tripp added. Ciara teasingly agreed to try. Grinning, Tripp cryptically hinted, "I got an idea -- something that we can finally do now that we have [this whole place] to ourselves..." He offered to cook a romantic dinner for her later that night, complete with candles and music, as a way of celebrating the beginning of her modeling career. "It's time [I] show you how much you mean to me," he concluded before giving her a kiss, oblivious to her sudden apprehension.
At the Horton Town Square, Marlena told John that they couldn't get married yet because they were just about to set the record for the longest engagement in the history of mankind. Nodding, he acknowledged, "Seems like ever since we got engaged, it's just been one thing after another -- Orpheus, Hattie, the ISA..." He wanted to seize the opportunity to get the wedding out of the way before the next big disaster struck, but she expressed reservations about settling down and saying goodbye to life as a single woman. Unamused, he wondered why she was trying to dodge his question. "What was the question again?" she asked teasingly.
"Seriously, Doc! Look, I know that getting hitched is just a formality, but...you know what? It's a formality I really like. I mean, there's something about making it real; [there's] something about standing up there, in front of you and all our friends and family, and just..." John began to explain. Aware that Marlena still wasn't really saying much, John conceded, "But if you think it's -- it's, uh, silly, or too much of a hassle, that's all right; we'll just -- we'll just keep on keepin' on..." Scoffing, Marlena assured John, "A hassle? I would marry you every day for the rest of my life and never tire of it. Now, it might get a little expensive, and our friends would get sick of us, but --" Interrupting, John impatiently wondered if that was Marlena's way of saying yes. She smiled and confirmed that it was. Relieved, he gave her a passionate kiss.
Abe, Valerie, and Hope eventually made their presence known. "How long have you been standing there?" Marlena asked with a hint of embarrassment while pulling away from John. "Oh, uh...forty [to] forty-five minutes [or so]..." Abe teasingly replied. Hope playfully smacked Abe then apologized for the interruption and encouraged John and Marlena to carry on. The happy couple declined, eager to share their good news with their friends.
Abe, Valerie, and Hope were delighted to hear that John and Marlena were finally going to start planning a wedding. "When is the big day?" Abe asked. John and Marlena started stammering in unison, both trying to think of a response. "Summer?" John eventually concluded with a shrug. "Big wedding? Small wedding?" Abe asked. "Small," John replied without hesitation. "Big," Marlena replied at the same time.
"Planning a big wedding...that, uh -- that just takes a lot of work," John pointed out. "I'm not talking about a royal gala; I'm just -- I'm talking about a way to have, like, all of our family and friends with us," Marlena clarified. John looked to Abe, Valerie, and Hope for help, but each person sided with Marlena. "Big wedding it is," John concluded, assuring Marlena that he would do anything to make her happy.
Hope forced a smile as everyone else started chatting excitedly about the wedding. Claire soon joined the celebration. "[This will] be the best wedding! I just know it! You know, especially since the last wedding we had didn't really..." Claire raved before sheepishly glancing at Hope. "Never mind," Claire awkwardly concluded before changing the subject, offering to help Marlena plan the wedding. "Sorry to interrupt, but I -- I better get back to the station. Paperwork's piling up," Hope announced. Abe and Valerie tried to protest, but Hope insisted on taking a rain check on their lunch offer. "Not very hungry [right now]," Hope explained before rushing off.
Groaning, Claire acknowledged that referencing Hope and Rafe's disastrous wedding ceremony had been a major blunder. "No, I'm sure [Hope] really has lots of paperwork to catch up on..." Valerie assured Claire without much conviction. Abe quickly changed the subject, asking Claire to follow him to his car so he could give her a care package to deliver to his son. "I hope it's not too big, 'cause my luggage is kind of overstuffed," Claire admitted as Abe led her to the parking lot. Having sensed that Claire and Theo were having problems, Abe expressed hope that the couple would eventually be able to work things out. Claire thanked Abe for the support.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Chad and Abigail chatted with Thomas while waiting for Justin, who soon joined them in the living room and apologized for having kept them waiting. Abigail knew that Justin was already representing Gabi and therefore couldn't also represent her; however, she still wanted to hear his advice. "I think [an insanity plea] is [your] best shot at beating the murder charge. [With a self-defense plea], a jury will only have [your] testimony to go on, and it doesn't look good that you didn't report [Andre's death] to the police. [With an insanity plea], you'll have much more to support the claim -- documented evidence of the alters, expert testimony, a history of mental illness... Your lawyer could [even] argue that you never fully recovered from your previous breakdown...[which], for all we know, [is] the truth," Justin recommended.
Justin soon rushed off to visit Gabi, leaving Chad and Abigail alone with Thomas in the living room. "Sounded like good advice," Chad mused. "It did...but I'm not gonna take it," Abigail replied, explaining that she didn't want to take the risk of being sent back to a mental institution -- and, more importantly, she didn't want to enter a plea that didn't accurately reflect what had happened. "I was perfectly sane when I -- when it -- when it happened, okay? I can't blame this on Gabby, [and] I can't blame it on [Dr.] Laura, [because] I didn't...split...until after it happened...[so] I'm gonna plead guilty," she continued, stunning her husband.
"You want to go to prison?" Chad asked incredulously. "No, but...I mean, maybe that's where I belong," Abigail replied, shrugging. Chad tried to remind Abigail that she had acted in self-defense, but she argued that she could have done many things differently. "You're sabotaging [our] family!" Chad protested. Ignoring the accusation, Abigail mused, "I couldn't sleep last night; I just kept hearing his voice, and... [You know], the last thing that he said was that he loved me. I mean, why do I keep doing this? Like, why do I keep hurting people that I love? Whether it's you, or Andre, or Gabi... I mean, maybe Justin's right; maybe I really am regressing!"
Chad tried to point out that Justin hadn't exactly said that, but Abigail forged ahead, reasoning, "I don't trust myself, [so] maybe it would be better -- or safer -- if I were actually behind bars. [I mean, alter or not, I] allowed Gabi to go to prison for a crime that I committed, [and] she's been [there] all this time, away from her daughter... I mean, what if she would have gotten hurt? What if something would have happened to her [there]?"
Chad suddenly squirmed, giving Abigail the impression that something had happened to Gabi at Statesville. Sighing, Chad reluctantly revealed that Gabi was in the prison's infirmary at that moment, recovering from a recent attack. Horrified, Abigail insisted on seeing Gabi right away. Chad argued that Abigail needed to get some rest first because Marlena had warned that a lack of sleep could lead to another relapse.
Abigail reluctantly agreed to humor Chad, admitting that she was looking forward to finally sleeping in her own bed again. Abigail expressed confusion when Chad clarified that they were actually going to stay at her mother's place for a while longer. "I don't want [Stefan] anywhere near you -- not after what he did to you," Chad explained. "What did he do to me?" Abigail asked curiously.
Stammering, Chad reiterated that Stefan had been the first to find out about Abigail's dissociative identity disorder and had kept the information to himself. Abigail wondered why Stefan, who usually only did things for selfish reasons, had wanted to keep everyone else in the dark. "I don't try to understand that lunatic's mind," Chad replied with a dismissive shrug, making it clear to Abigail that he wanted her to drop the subject.
Chad begged Abigail to reconsider her decision to enter a guilty plea, but she refused. "I have to be honest, you know? If I don't, I could lose myself forever, and I just can't let that happen," she explained.
At Statesville, Rafe told Gabi about Abigail's confession. Justin soon entered the infirmary, carrying paperwork pertaining to Gabi's imminent release. As Gabi signed the documents, Justin apologetically revealed that Belle was about to file default paperwork in response to Rafe's refusal to grant Hope's annulment request. "There's nothing you can do?" Rafe asked. "Not legally," Justin replied.
Justin advised Rafe to go ahead and sign the annulment papers. "And then fight like hell [to get back] the woman you love," Justin added.
Justin soon rushed off to file Gabi's paperwork. Rafe excitedly told Gabi that she was about to get her life back. Gabi was happy about that but admitted with a sigh that, aside from being a mother, she didn't really have much of a life to go back to anymore. "So, you don't think you'll ever be able to [forgive Eli]?" Rafe asked. "How could I ever trust him [again]?" Gabi reasoned with a shrug.
Nodding, Rafe reminded Gabi that, in any case, she still had other people out there who loved her and couldn't wait to see her walking around as a free woman again. "And then, of course, [there's] Abigail," Gabi grumbled. "[I mean], I know that [she] wasn't herself, [but] I just can't get over the fact that my 'best friend' killed somebody and let me take the fall. I mean, my life [was] almost destroyed -- all because of her," Gabi continued.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate stared at the living room's carpet, which had just been cleaned. Recalling the shooting, Kate turned to Stefano's portrait and protested, "Don't look at me like that. It's not a problem. Nobody cared about Vivian, anyway." Stefan, who had just entered the mansion, clarified, "I did -- [and] I'm gonna make you pay for what you did to my mother."
Kate reiterated that shooting Vivian had been an act of self-defense. "Too bad all we have is your word for it, 'cause your word doesn't mean anything to me," Stefan skeptically countered. Stefan guessed that Kate was probably worried about what the police might determine at the end of the investigation, but she dismissively insisted that he was the one who needed to be worried about the police. "I was granted immunity [for kidnapping you and Marlena], remember? Thanks to Gabby," Stefan reminded Kate, prompting her to start teasing him about the fact that he was in love with someone who was just a part of another person's psyche. "Shut up! Don't talk about her like that!" Stefan demanded. "Fine. Why don't we talk about your other crimes instead?" Kate replied with a shrug. Stefan claimed that he had committed no other crimes.
"Oh, really? See, I think you're [about to] be mired in scandal -- so much that you won't know what to do with yourself," Kate warned Stefan, adding that it would probably be best for him to just preemptively leave his position at DiMera Enterprises. He insisted that she was the only one who was going to be leaving the company -- and the mansion. She protested that he didn't have enough support to force her out of the mansion, which his brother owned, but he reminded her that he owned the bank that held the mansion's mortgage -- a mortgage he wouldn't hesitate to call in if anyone tried to test him.
"If you're not out of my house by tonight, I will toss you out onto the street [myself]," Stefan warned Kate, who assured him that he would pay for his many nefarious deeds sooner or later. Scoffing, Stefan added, "Oh, one more thing -- if it turns out that you intentionally shot my mother, I'll kill you." Kate walked away without bothering to respond to Stefan's threat.
At Statesville, Gabi awoke from a nap as an unexpected visitor entered the infirmary -- Abigail, who had sneaked off to the prison after Chad had gone to get some things from the DiMera mansion.
Stefan, alone at the DiMera mansion, played a tune on the piano while sadly recalling a song Gabby had once sung to him. "Play it again, Sam," Chad tauntingly suggested, joining Stefan in the living room.
At the police station, Rafe informed Hope that he had decided, after a talk with his lawyer, that he was going to stop trying to fight the annulment.
"Rafe --" Hope began as Rafe started to sign the annulment papers. Before Hope could continue, Kate entered the police office. "You wanted to see me?" Kate asked Hope. Nodding, Hope explained to Kate, "I just got back the forensics report on Vivian's death, and I have some questions about the shooting." Confused, Kate pointed out that Rafe had already taken her statement. "The problem is [that] your story doesn't add up," Hope replied.
At the police station, Hope explained to Kate that no gunshot residue had been found on Vivian's hands. Rafe added that the single bullet that had been fired had entered Vivian's body at an angle that seemed to contradict Kate's claim that the shooting had occurred at point-blank range during a struggle. "[Is] there anything in [your] forensic report that talks about the fact that I was fighting for my life?" Kate asked defensively.
Ignoring the question, Hope probed for more details about the argument between Kate and Vivian that had led to the shooting. "If you don't tell us everything that happened, then we're going to have to assume you're covering up a crime," Hope warned Kate. Sighing irritably, Kate explained that the argument had been about Vivian and Stefan's involvement with Andre, who had teamed up with them to take over DiMera Enterprises.
"I told [Vivian] I was going to [report that information] to the DiMera board -- and the two of you," Kate informed Hope and Rafe, adding that Vivian had pulled out a gun in response. "She was certifiably insane...but, you know, you don't care about that! You don't care that Stefan dragged Marlena and I into the tunnels and left us there to die! You don't care that Stefan defrauded the DiMera board! You don't care that Stefan took advantage of Abigail!" Kate snapped at Hope and Rafe. "[You know], Vivian haunted me in life, and now she's haunting me in death," Kate concluded with a shake of the head.
Hope waited expectantly, certain that Kate was still leaving something out. "Am I under arrest?" Kate asked Hope coolly. "Not at this time," Hope admitted. "Good. If you have any more questions for me, talk to my lawyer," Kate replied before leaving the police station. "Kate's lying," Hope told Rafe with absolute confidence. "Any idea why?" Rafe asked. "No, not yet...[but I'm gonna] keep an eye on her," Hope replied.
Changing the subject, Rafe reminded Hope that he had been about to sign the annulment papers earlier. "I mean, I put it off long enough, and, um...honestly, I, uh -- I was kind of just hoping that they would go away, or that you'd change your mind, but...what I'm doing, it's not fair -- it's not fair to you, so...I'm just gonna sign them, and that way, you can move on with your life, all right? And, uh...Hope...I'm sorry," he added.
"Wait," Hope told Rafe as he prepared to sign the annulment papers again. She hesitantly revealed that she had recently started feeling really conflicted about the annulment. She told him about her earlier encounters with some of their mutual friends -- encounters that had left her thinking about their private wedding ceremony at the Horton cabin. He was quick to declare that one of the best moments of his life, and she returned the sentiment with a smile. "[Look, Rafe]...I was so hurt and devastated when I found out about [what you had done] that I just needed to get away -- from it, from you, from... But I can't. I love you," she quietly admitted.
Stunned, Rafe excitedly concluded that Hope had decided not to go through with the annulment. "No, wait, wait, wait -- that's, uh -- I didn't say --" she stammered. Sighing, she hesitantly confirmed that, at the very least, she was saying that there was still a chance that she could eventually forgive him for what had happened. He promised to give her as much time as she needed to make a final decision. Nodding, she took the annulment papers from him and tossed them in a nearby trash can. "No promises. I don't know what the future holds for us. But I'm not ready to say goodbye -- not for good," she told him. He smiled as he watched her walk away.
At Titan, Leo entered Sonny's office and noticed that Sonny's cell phone had been left unattended on the desk. Leo quickly pocketed the device -- just as Sonny returned. "What are you up to?" Sonny asked curiously. "I was just starting to straighten up your desk," Leo claimed. Sonny insisted that wasn't necessary, assuring Leo, "I know it's a mess, but I do know where everything is." Leo nodded skeptically.
Changing the subject, Leo again thanked Sonny for having allowed him to borrow a shirt earlier that day. Sonny insisted that it hadn't been necessary for Leo to get the shirt dry cleaned before returning it. "I wanted to. I mean, you have to have clean shirts, right? Otherwise, you'd have to come to work naked, and...we wouldn't want that, would we?" Leo flirtatiously replied.
"You know, I'm actually getting hungry," Sonny announced, trying to ignore Leo's comment. "Where's my cell phone?" Sonny curiously added. Shrugging, Leo promised to look for it during Sonny's dinner break.
After Sonny left, Leo turned off a camera that was hidden in a potted plant at one end of the office and had been recording all day. Leo accessed the footage on his cell phone and deleted everything that had been recorded after he had taken his shirt off earlier, eliminating the only proof that he had taken his boss's cell phone. Leo then swapped over to his boss's cell phone and began composing a series of text messages. The first: "Leo, being with you drives me crazy." The second: "You should work shirtless all the time." The third: "I have a recurring fantasy of the two of us going at it on my desk." Leo sent the text messages to his own cell phone, where they joined similarly inappropriate text messages he had composed during prior moments of alone time with his boss's cell phone. Finally, Leo cleaned his boss's log of sent text messages to hide what he had done.
Satisfied, Leo contacted Kate to give her an update. "[I've] sent myself a whole assortment of sexy messages [from Sonny's phone] -- very inappropriate for the workplace -- [and] there is some very good footage [on the camera] of some of the hotter moments Sonny and I have shared at the office -- all without sound," Leo reported. Kate wondered when Leo was planning to set the final trap for Sonny. "I don't want to rush it. I'm building a solid case, but Sonny is still resistant to the idea of sleeping with an employee, [and] I haven't worked out how to get him past that [yet]," Leo replied. Kate assured Leo, "No worries. I have an idea..."
Meanwhile, at the Brady Pub, Sonny chatted with Jeff, the bartender who had helped him create a profile on a dating app and find his first match. "Anything ever come of [that]?" Jeff asked curiously. "He's great. Right away, the chemistry...ugh, [it was] intense...[but then] I found out that he works for me, so I had to end things," Sonny explained with a sigh, adding that business had to take precedence.
"Sounds like a pretty lonely life," Jeff observed. Nodding, Sonny admitted that it certainly wasn't easy to resist the urge to be with Leo, especially since they worked closely with each other every day. "And my ex-husband and ex-fiancé have been getting closer lately..." Sonny grumbled. Wincing, Jeff sympathetically concluded that Sonny was clearly in desperate need of some fun.
"You wouldn't be the first person to get involved with someone at work...privately," Jeff pointed out. Sonny considered Jeff's suggestion for a moment then dismissed it as a real option. "I know that we could keep it a secret, okay? But I'd be opening myself up to huge problems and a potential lawsuit," Sonny explained. "What good is being the boss unless you get to make the rules? I mean, I remember how great Leo looked in those photos [on the dating app]. I bet he's even hotter in person," Jeff countered. Chuckling, Sonny told Jeff, "You're not helping."
At Statesville, Abigail studied Gabi's injuries in shock. Gabi dismissed Abigail's concern and impatiently demanded to know the reason for her unexpected visit. "I -- I just -- I heard about your injuries, and so...I, um...I'm sorry," Abigail stressed. "You should be," Gabi countered. Abigail tried to explain what had happened, but Gabi wasn't willing to let Abigail off the hook just because Abigail's alternate personalities had caused most of the damage. "Let's be honest here -- it was your testimony at my trial that put the final nail in my coffin," Gabi pointed out. Confused, Abigail wondered what Gabi was talking about.
As Gabi summarized what had happened, Abigail started remembering certain details. Horrified, Abigail explained that Dr. Laura was the one who had given that testimony. "I guess she thought that she was protecting me," Abigail concluded with a shrug. Nodding skeptically, Gabi pointed out that Abigail had also planted evidence -- in Arianna's overnight bag, of all places. "Wait -- that wasn't me..." Abigail started to clarify, having just remembered something else. "[Dr.] Laura, Gabby -- [whoever] it was..." Gabi began to counter, failing to find comfort in the distinction. "No, no, no, no, no -- I -- it, um...it was Stefan," Abigail recalled.
"That son of a bitch!" Gabi spat. Confused, Abigail wondered why Stefan had been willing to play a part in framing Gabi for Andre's murder. "Isn't it obvious? He did it to protect you! He's in love with you, Abigail -- or Gabby, or...whoever," Gabi explained. "But I hate Stefan, and everybody knows that!" Abigail protested. "Yeah, well, Gabby sure as hell doesn't hate him; I mean, she slept with him!" Gabi revealed.
Stunned, Abigail insisted that Gabi had to be mistaken. "[No], it's true. Rafe told me. [And he knows] because he was at your house after it happened. He was there to arrest Chad for assault. [See], Chad walked in on you and Stefan," Gabi matter-of-factly elaborated. "How could Stefan do that to me?" Abigail wondered, suddenly remembering the incident. "Here's a better question for you, Abigail -- how could you do that to Chad?" Gabi countered. Abigail shrugged and fought back tears while trying to process the revelation. Gabi was surprised that Chad hadn't gotten around to sharing the information with Abigail yet. "[Guess] he was just trying to protect me," Abigail concluded. "Or maybe he just couldn't deal with the fact that his wife slept with his brother," Gabi bluntly suggested.
"I gotta get out of here; I gotta deal with...this..." Abigail muttered, pacing the infirmary in a bit of a daze. "Look, I came here to apologize, and I somehow made it all about me," Abigail acknowledged, turning to face Gabi again. "I just want you to know that I really am sorry, and I'm gonna do everything that I can to fix this. First thing tomorrow morning, I'm gonna go down to the courthouse, and I'm gonna plead guilty to killing Andre [so I can] get you out of here and [back] at home with Ari," Abigail continued. "What I did was unforgivable," Abigail concluded before walking away.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefan wondered why Abigail wasn't with Chad. "[Does she not] want to be around me...[or is it just that] you don't want her to be around me?" Stefan asked tauntingly. Scowling, Chad warned, "If you ever go near my wife again, I swear on everything that I love, Stefan...I will kill you."
Chad started to climb the staircase, but Stefan followed him. "You're not welcome in this house anymore. I already threw Kate out, and I'll happily have it repossessed if you try to come back," Stefan announced. Scoffing, Chad wondered why Stefan wanted to continue living in a town that was filled with people who absolutely despised him.
"Oh, save it. Kate already tried that route. This is my company now, and I'm not leaving!" Stefan insisted. "Then I'll make you leave," Chad countered. Chuckling, Stefan encouraged Chad to go ahead and try. "But if you thought I was ruthless before..." Stefan added. Chad warned Stefan not to hurt Kate. "She's my family," Chad stressed.
"I'm supposed to be your family!" Stefan countered, adding that Chad was instead going to be treated as an enemy from that point forward, not only for siding with Kate but also for taking Gabby away. "Gabby isn't real! She isn't real, you lunatic! That's my wife, [and] you took advantage of [her]!" Chad snapped. Chuckling, Stefan tauntingly pointed out that even if Gabby never returned, Chad would always have to live with the knowledge that his wife had shared one very real night of passion with his brother. Fed up, Chad punched Stefan, who laughed again and noted that the blow hadn't even managed to dislodge a single tooth.
Stefan continued taunting Chad, bragging that Gabby had really known how to use Abigail's body -- in ways that Chad had probably never experienced. Chad struggled to stay calm but eventually gave up, grabbed a nearby letter opener, and pressed it against Stefan's neck, drawing blood in the process. Stefan spewed even more taunts in an effort to push Chad over the edge, but Chad ultimately decided that Stefan wasn't worth killing.
"I'd rather watch you suffer, alone and miserable," Chad explained, putting down the letter opener. Stefan warned that Chad was going to live to regret that decision. Ignoring the threat, Chad headed upstairs to pack. A few minutes later, Chad returned and unceremoniously resigned from DiMera Enterprises. "Aw, you're no fun! You're not gonna fight for the company?" Stefan asked incredulously. "Keep it. [And] the house. [I already] have everything that I could ever want. [But I] promise you this -- I will spend the rest of my life doing everything in my power to destroy you," Chad replied. Stefan scoffed dismissively as Chad exited the mansion.
Later, while Stefan was tending to new wounds, Abigail stormed into the mansion and slammed the door shut.
Meanwhile, at Statesville, Gabi muttered to herself, "[You're] right, Abigail -- what you did is unforgivable." Chad, who had just entered the infirmary, curiously wondered, "What's unforgivable?"
At Titan, Leo told Sonny, who had just returned from the pub, that his cell phone had been buried under a pile of papers. Leo gave the device back to Sonny, and their hands touched during the exchange.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Sonny started rambling about a business call that needed to be made. "I know what you're doing," Leo informed Sonny, who feigned ignorance. "You're pretending you didn't feel anything just now, when our hands were touching," Leo elaborated, refusing to buy Sonny's act. "Doesn't matter," Sonny insisted. "Of course it matters!" Leo countered.
Sonny tried to end the conversation, but Leo forged ahead, guessing, "You're [still] as hot for me as I am for you." Sonny reminded Leo that there were rules that needed to be followed. "I'm tired of the rules," Leo countered. "When I'm with you, all I can think about is you taking me in your arms and kissing me. I can't stop fantasizing about the two of us touching each other. [And] I love this job, but I want to be with you more than I want to work at Titan, so, um...so, I'm -- I'm resigning, effective immediately," Leo continued. "[Which means that] now we can do whatever we want," Leo concluded, locking eyes with Sonny.
Stunned, Sonny wondered if Leo was sure. "I'm sure I can't go on like this. I want to be with you -- here, right now," Leo replied. Still conflicted, Sonny pointed out that Leo really needed the job. "Not as bad as I need to be with you," Leo countered. Sonny tried to protest that Leo wasn't giving the decision the seriousness it deserved, but Leo quickly interrupted, asking, "Need a letter of resignation to make it official? I don't care --"
Sonny shut Leo up with a passionate kiss and pinned him against the desk while ripping his shirt open. As they continued undressing each other, the hidden camera, back on again, caught everything -- except the audio.
In the prison clinic, Gabi muttered to herself, "That's right, Abigail. What you did was unforgivable." "What's unforgivable?" Chad asked as he walked into the clinic. Gabi stared at Chad in silence. Chad told Gabi that Abigail intended to plead guilty, but Gabi said she was already aware because Abigail had visited her. Gabi groaned as she adjusted her body, and Chad rushed to help her. Gabi waved Chad off.
"I'm glad she showed up because she got to see exactly what happened to me. How when she framed me for Andre's murder, she almost got me killed," Gabi said defiantly. Chad apologized to Gabi for all she had endured. Chad added that Abigail had not been in her right mind. With a nod, Gabi said, "I am trying in my heart to forgive Abigail, but I can't. I just can't. I almost lost everything. My life, my daughter, my freedom."
Chad admitted that he was not sure whether he could forgive Abigail either. Chad explained that he could not get over the fact that Abigail had slept with Stefan, even though he understood that Abigail would not intentionally hurt him. Gabi reminded Chad of Abigail's reaction upon learning of their relationship when Abigail had returned from the dead.
"It's a hell of coincidence that Abigail sent me to prison. That she slept with your brother. Makes you wonder, is this some sort of payback or something?" Gabi asked. Chad refused to believe that Abigail had intentionally lashed out at him and Gabi. Gabi gripped her side in pain. Worried, Chad wanted to find a doctor, but Gabi insisted she was fine. Gabi mentioned that Abigail had freaked out about the fact that Abigail had slept with Stefan. Alarmed, Chad said Abigail did not know she had slept with Stefan.
"I'm sorry, Chad. She does now," Gabi said. Gabi told Chad about her conversation with Abigail. Worried, Chad called Abigail's phone, but the call went to voicemail. In a panic, Chad ran out in search of his wife. "Abigail isn't the only person responsible for putting me in here. So was Stefan DiMera, and when I get out of here, I'm going to make him pay," Gabi said.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail told Stefan, "You raped me, you son of a bitch!" Abigail slapped Stefan across the face. When Abigail attempted to slap Stefan again, he stopped her. Abigail demanded to know what had happened between her and Stefan. After Stefan poured a drink, he explained that he had caught Gabby planting evidence in his room. Stefan said he had confronted Gabby, believing it was Abigail. When Abigail asked why Stefan had not told anyone, Stefan explained that Abigail had blackmailed him and Vivian.
"You were gonna frame me for a murder I didn't commit, and yet I was still ready to tell Chad the truth. I was willing to sacrifice everything to help you," Stefan said. Abigail asked what had stopped Stefan. Stefan explained that Gabby had kissed him, and "everything changed." Stefan admitted that he had been attracted to Abigail from the start and that Gabby had used that to secure his loyalty.
"My better angels, what few of them I had left, kept me from giving in at least until I understood what was happening. So I read about DID, and that's when I realized that your personality had fragmented," Stefan said. Stefan said he had not told anyone because he had wanted to be with Gabby. "I wanted you more than anything I've ever wanted in my entire life. I wanted us to be together. And I still do," Stefan said.
"You wanted to be with me, but what about what I wanted?" Abigail asked. Stefan admitted he had been selfish. Abigail told Stefan his actions were unforgivable. Stefan argued that he and Gabby had been in love, and that Gabi had been afraid that she would disappear. "I made sure that she knew that she wasn't just some broken part of you to me, but she was her own woman, capable of making her own choices," Stefan argued. Stefan stressed that Gabi had told him that she wanted to be with him, and it had been her idea to sleep together.
"I never forced myself on Gabi. I never coerced her into doing something she was uncomfortable with. When she made love to me, it was because she wanted to," Stefan said. Abigail remembered kissing Stefan as Gabby. "It was Gabby's idea," Abigail said. Abigail said she remembered that Gabby had wanted to be rid of Abigail and that Stefan had been happy to follow Gabby's plan.
"You had sex with me without my consent! It's rape, Stefan," Abigail yelled. "I'm going to tell the police everything you just said," Abigail screamed as she marched toward the door. Chad intercepted her at the doorway. Abigail assured Chad that she was fine. Regaining her composure, Abigail vowed to send Stefan to prison. "You can send me to prison if you want, but if you do, your husband's coming with me," Stefan countered.
In the Brady Pub, Steve explained to Kayla that he needed to face the fact that he could no longer do his job. Reluctantly, Kayla said she would make an effort to understand Steve's decision. John walked in with Marlena and overheard Steve. "This isn't a decision I made out of the blue," Steve stressed. John refused to accept Steve's resignation. John said he had a line on a bio-robotics prototype that could help Steve.
"I'll believe it when I see it," Steve quipped. Kayla chuckled. Steve added that if the prototype could help him see his wife and children again, he was more than happy to test it. John said he had talked to a friend at Visionary Robotics, and he had not told Steve sooner because he had been waiting for good news. When Kayla asked why John was telling them then, John said there was a good chance that Steve would regain his eyesight in time to see John remarry Marlena. With a delighted cry, Steve and Kayla congratulated the happy couple.
John asked Steve to be his best man. Happily, Steve reached out his hand to shake. John hesitated and asked for Kayla's approval. "I think I can speak for both of us when I say we can't wait to share in your big day," Kayla said. After hugs and goodbyes, Marlena and John left to walk home.
In the town square, Marlena said she could not stop thinking about Tom and Alice. "I think they were so happy they were together, and no matter how long they were together, how many children they had, how many grandchildren they had, they never took each other for granted," Marlena said. "I appreciate you more and more all the time," John whispered. When Marlena said it was too bad that Tom and Alice could not be with them on their wedding day, John tilted his head in thought. John suggested that they get married in the square so that Tom and Alice could be there with them.
At the pub, Kayla looked online for information about Visionary Robotics. With a dismayed groan, Kayla noted that DiMera Enterprises had recently purchased the company. Steve sighed.
At the hospital, Eve stopped Brady from working on the computer, citing the doctor's request for another stress test. Brady pulled Eve onto his lap and joked, "There's more than one way to test a man's stamina." Eve giggled as Brady kissed her. After Brady completed his final test for the doctor, he asked Eve to move back into the mansion. Eve eagerly accepted the offer.
At the DiMera mansion, Victor stared at a welcome home sign that Tate had left for his father on the fireplace mantel. "Nice touch," Xander said as he walked in. Startled, Victor turned around and scowled. Victor growled that the sign was for Brady and that Xander was not welcome in the house. Smiling, Xander said he had an offer for Victor. When Victor asked Xander what he had to offer, Theresa stepped into the room.
"How in the hell did your paths cross?" Victor wondered aloud. Xander said he had found Theresa in Mexico with El Fideo. Xander explained that Theresa had convinced him to rescue her in exchange for helping him return into the familial fold. Victor asked Theresa if she agreed with Xander's version of events. Theresa said yes. Hopeful, Xander asked Victor if Theresa had been telling the truth.
"Welcome home," Victor said as he raised his glass. A relieved Xander smiled. Victor asked Xander if he had taken precautions to ensure that El Fideo had not followed them back to Salem. With a grin, Xander explained that Mateo had a new distraction to keep him occupied. Theresa guiltily shifted her eyes away. Xander asked Victor if he had a position open.
"I'm afraid I already have a gardener," Victor joked. Xander asked about a corporate position. With a nod, Victor said they would talk about the details later. Xander pressed the issue, noting that he had gone above and beyond to help Theresa. Victor warned Xander to "quit while you're ahead." Xander went into the kitchen, leaving Theresa to talk with Victor.
"Victor, I'm so sorry for bringing that man back into your life," Theresa said. Victor asked Theresa if Xander had overstated his heroics. Theresa explained what had happened in Mexico. "[Xander] bartered for me. If he hadn't done that, I'd be dead right now," Theresa said. Victor said he was glad that Theresa was safe. With a gasp, Theresa noticed Tate's drawing on the wall, and she smiled. Victor started to tell Theresa about Brady's engagement, but Xander interrupted, carrying a wiggling Tate.
Theresa ran over and scooped her son out of Xander's arms. Through tears, Theresa told her son how happy she was to see him. "I missed you so much. Do you know who I am?" Theresa asked. Tate shook his head yes. Theresa promised Tate that she would never leave him again. Victor interrupted and said, "Before Brady gets here, there's something you should know. About Eve." Theresa said she already knew about Eve, and she was happy to be home.
Theresa scooped Tate into her arms and headed upstairs to read him a book. As Xander turned to leave, Victor stopped him. Victor asked Xander if he had told Theresa about Brady and Eve. With a shrug, Xander admitted that he had not kept up on the town gossip. Victor left the house. "This could be a disaster," Victor muttered to himself.
While walking through the park, Xander saw Eve admiring her engagement ring, and he commented on it. Eve gasped in surprise. "Between you and me, my return isn't the one that you need to worry about," Xander said with a devilish grin. At the Kiriakis mansion, Theresa stared at Tate's welcome home sign in the living room. Brady walked in and stopped dead in his tracks. "Hi, Brady. I'm home," Theresa said as she fought back tears.
