Cris discusses the boxing match with Antonio while Evangeline turns to Todd for help proving that Cris was set up by someone who wanted to make a lot of money on Cris' loss. Cris sets the record straight by telling Antonio that he did not take a dive. Antonio believes Cris but wonders who could have set him up. Cris believes that it was a gambler who bet against him and wanted to make good on the odds in favor of him. Carlotta hopes that Cris will return to painting which is where his true talent lies. Antonio is determined to help Cris and then shares with his little brother and Carlotta his news that he and Jessica are engaged. Carlotta is thrilled and asks him if they have set a date which they haven't but Antonio is relieved that he and Jessica can put the Tess episode behind them.
When Evangeline turns to Todd for help with her situation with Cris, Todd tells her that maybe Cris isn't the hero she wants him to be. Evangeline questions how Todd could expect her to have blind faith in him but not the man she loves. Todd lets her know that as her friend she will have to deal with his feelings regarding the decisions she makes in her life. Evangeline feels that it was a mistake going to Todd until he apologizes for his words and asks Evangeline what she would like him to do. Evangeline wants Todd to find out who stood to gain the most by Cris going down in the ring.
Adriana and Jessica have dinner and discuss Adriana's recent ordeal. Jessica shares the news of her engagement to Antonio and shows off her ring. Adriana is relieved that Jessica and Antonio are going to be together despite all that has happened with Tess. Adriana confides in Jessica how she feared for her life while with the sadistic, Bruce. Jessica reveals her history with Bruce including the time he drugged her so that he could rape her. Jessica wonders if Bruce did the same thing with Adriana but Adriana reveals that although he threatened to do it at the end, Bruce did not touch her. Jessica reveals that if it weren't for Nash, she might have wound up seriously harmed by Bruce. Jessica tells Adriana there is something she has to do and she takes off. After Jessica leaves, Adriana catches up with Layla and the two decide to become roommates.
Claudia pulls Nash aside at the site of his future vineyard and questions his decision to go into business with Vince who obviously is shady since he has a bodyguard. Nash reminds Claudia that he needs investors and that it is his decision to make as to whom he borrows money from. When Claudia offers to loan Nash the money again, he sends her on her way and then begins his pitch as to why Vince should invest in his vineyard. After going over the prospectus points, Vince seems interested and Nash is pleased until Vince tells him that in order to invest in his vineyard he wants 100% investment. Nash balks at that telling Vince how the vineyard is his childhood dream which was made all the more sweet when it became the dream of his and the woman he loved. He tells Vince that the vineyard is his only legacy to his daughter and he will not let him take that away. Jessica walks in and Vince takes his leave but not before telling Nash that he will loan him the money with interest of course so that he can start his vineyard. Jessica thanks Nash for taking care of her when she was Tess and preventing harm from coming to her when he realized that Bruce had drugged her. Nash accepts Jessica's thanks but ends it there when she tries to warn him about his new investment partner.
Bo warns Rex about going after Dorian on his own especially since he is still recovering from his gunshot wound. Their discussion is put on hold when a worried Natalie calls inquiring about John. Natalie tells Bo that John went to the cemetery alone to visit his father. Bo thinks that it is about time that John put what happened to his father behind him and hopes that he and Natalie will have a real shot at a relationship now that the killer has been found. Natalie is hopeful that she and John have a shot but she can't shake the bad feeling that she has that John is in trouble. Bo asks Natalie if she tried to contact John by his cell. Natalie informs Bo that John isn't answering his phone which strikes them both as odd.
Meanwhile at the crash site as the body count goes up, it is revealed that one of Llanview's finest is presumed dead as his badge was found by a body.
Antonio is not pleased to find Jessica sharing a drink with Nash. His frustration grows even more when Jessica begins to act like Tess wanting to have a good time and dance seductively on the dance floor. Antonio persuades Jessica to leave so that they can pick up the kids and go home. After putting Jaime and Brennan down for the night, Jessica gets frisky with Antonio who decides that he is ready for bed. When Jessica questions his mood, Antonio reveals that he didn't like seeing her with Nash at the bar and even less thrilled by her seductive dance later. Jessica reminds him that she is not Tess but she is beginning to feel things that Tess felt including gratitude towards Nash who saved her from being raped and possibly killed by Bruce. Antonio tries to bring up Nash and his feelings but Jessica tells him that she isn't in the mood for talking as she pushes him down on the bed.
Claudia tries to cheer up Nash who is drowning his sorrows in alcoholic beverages. He tells Claudia that he had hoped that Jessica would have a lot of Tess in here after the integration but he realizes now that having her with Tess' characteristics only makes things worse since it's like watching Tess with Antonio. Claudia becomes concerned with Nash's safety when he is cut off at the bar and heads out with car keys in hand to find another bar. Claudia offers to drive Nash home rather than have him risk his life by driving or walking home. She gets him home safely and begins undressing him so that she can tuck him in but a drunken Nash has other ideas and begins kissing Claudia as they fall into bed.
At Starr's high school orientation, Blair gets heckled by another parent who can't believe that Todd would be out in public with the woman who betrayed him. They ignore the man's rant at first but when he calls Blair a whore and brings up her time with Spencer, Todd grabs the man's head and pounds it on the desk. In front of a protesting Starr and the other parents and students, Todd demands that the man apologize to Blair because if it weren't for her Spencer would still be free to terrorize others. Blair thanks Todd for defending her while Starr comments that hopefully everyone will forget what happened so that she won't have a horrible time in high school like she did in middle school. Unfortunately for Starr, the daughter of the man Todd assaulted promises to make her life a living hell as payback for Todd's behavior.
Paige goes to the station looking for Bo but instead finds Nora staring at a picture of Bo and John in Bo's office. Nora tells her that Bo is out on police business and probably won't be back for a while. Paige wonders what's wrong but Nora doesn't reveal the real reason Bo is gone. When Paige starts lamenting on the part she played in the death of Tom McBain, Nora reminds her that she is paying for what happened and she is also testifying against Spencer which will help Nora's case against him. Nora tells a confused Paige that Hugh has recused himself from the case so she will be prosecuting Spencer. Paige shares with Nora the connection she and Spencer share with DA Hughes. Nora is stunned by Paige's revelation. She also becomes curious when Paige informs her that Spencer insisted she operate on McBain even though he knew that she had been drinking.
Bo escorts Michael to the crash site so that they can ID John's body. The officer in charge shows them the badge he found and the car the badge was found outside of. Michael questions their ID of John's car but the officer tells him that they ran the plates and know that the car belonged to John McBain of Llanview, PA. He reluctantly takes them to the body so that Michael can make an ID. After looking at the badly burned body, Michael is unable to make a positive ID until he finds the good luck charm that Natalie gave John. He breaks down after realizing that his brother is indeed dead. Bo maintains his composure for Michael's sake but is visibly shaken at losing his friend and best detective. Michael decides to help out with the injured while Bo makes the dreaded call to Natalie.
Adriana admits that she still wants to get back at Dorian, give her a taste of her own medicine. Rex isn't too thrilled but agrees to help out. It has to involve something that she cares about, Adriana decides. Money? Men? Her Girls? She also relates that she's quit her job at Craze and is not sure what she wants to do now.
Renee tries to toss David out of the Palace for allegedly propositioning the mayor's wife, but Dorian comes to his defense. Everyone should get a second chance, she advises Renee. They console each other for being on the outs with everyone and Dorian thanks him for coming to her rescue. He's decided to leave town and wants Dorian to come with him. She declines, citing her desire to win back Clint and Adriana. The timing is quite coincidental when a casting agent hands David a card. He's a natural and ought to try to make it in show business. David decides he'll head for Hollywood. Dorian is skeptical but they part with a kiss.
Before making love, Claudia asks Nash if he realizes who she is; that she's not Tess. He's perfectly aware and knows that Tess isn't coming back, he says, as he turns down her picture on the nightstand.
The news of John's death begins to make its way through Llanview. A devastated Michael stumbles home and falls into Marcie's arms. She doesn't notice at first, wrapped up in her own news. The judge has decided to award Tommy to them; they will become his parents. Michael breaks down and shares his own news. He makes Marcie promise that they'll never leave each other. He in turn promises Tommy that they'll always protect him. He realizes that he has to tell his mother (who was coming to give John her ring for Natalie) of her son's death. Jess and Antonio are interrupted by a phone call about John; Jess frantically decides that she needs to locate and be with Natalie right away. Bo breaks the news to Nat who refuses to believe her uncle at first and demands to see the body. Not accepting that the body had tattoos, or was of the same weight or that his ID was found, she finally cracks when Bo mentions the medallion found, the one that she gave him. She breaks down as Bo tries to comfort her. She wants to stay behind in John's place, wants to be alone. He agrees to honor her request but wants to hear from her; he wants her to call her family. As he leaves, Jess arrives to be with her sister but Bo convinces her to allow Nat her privacy for the time being. Jess returns to Antonio. She can feel Nat's pain but agrees it best that she be alone.
Eve McBain showed up at Marcie and Michael's. Michael broke the news to her about John's death. She sobbed and asked if Natalie knew John was going to marry her, and when Michael said no, Eve said maybe she should. Michael said telling Natalie might make it harder for her to cope. Marcie said that if it were her she'd want to know everything about him before he died and that Natalie deserves to know how John felt. "We have to tell her or she'll always go on wondering," Eve said.
Jessica visited Natalie. A barrage of media calls came through, but Jessica blew them off and unplugged the phone. Natalie thanked Jessica for coming, but said she wanted to be alone. Jessica Told Natalie she'd run out and get a soothing fruit shake that would make her feel better. When she came back, Natalie wasn't in the apartment.
Bo asked Antonio to replace John as chief of detectives. Seeing as he'd returned to police work at least a full month ago, Bo felt that there was no one better suited for the job. Antonio asked about John's caseload, but Bo said it was more important that they plan John's funeral.
Jessica called Antonio to tell him Natalie was missing, and he informed her that Natalie had just showed up at the police station. Natalie demanded that Bo let her see John's body, no matter how bad it was. Bo said okay. Natalie heard Spencer talking about how it was too bad John didn't live long enough to find out that he's really innocent. She ran up to Spencer and told him, "You caused this! You killed John!"
Nash fantasized that he was in bed with Tess and was disappointed when he realized it was Claudia. He got up and made himself a hangover shake that he said Tess used to make for him. He told Claudia he didn't remember how much he drank the previous night, but admitted that he remembered having sex with her. Claudia said it was no big deal, but Nash said he felt like he cheated on Tess. Claudia pointed out that you can't cheat on someone who doesn't exist and asked if maybe he feels like he cheated on Jessica. Nash said that's ridiculous. He told Claudia he wishes her the best and that's why they can never have sex again. Claudia agreed and said she doesn't want to jeopardize their friendship. Nash gave her a peck on the cheek and said good-bye. Jessica was walking up the hall and saw it.
A man completely covered in bandages was shown lying in a hospital bed. A cop told the nurse watching over the patient that the person's name was Hugh Hughes.
Nora told Spencer that they were going to request that he be held without bail. She also questioned him about why he insisted Paige operate on Thomas McBain when he knew she came from a Christmas party where she was likely to have been drinking. Spencer said it doesn't make a difference, but Nora said she thinks the answer could help clear Paige of malpractice. Later, Nora told Paige that she'd done research and believes Spencer knew she was drunk when he insisted she operate. Paige said she'd blocked out that night for so many years and lived by Spencer's version that she doesn't really even remember what happened. She asked Nora why she was helping her. Nora admitted she wasn't fond of Paige's relationship with Matthew at first, but that now she sees how great she is with him and wants to help her out and assure that justice prevails. Nora took a call from the cop at the hospital. He said he needed to speak to Hugh Hughes's next of kin, so Nora passed the phone to Paige. The cop said that Hugh's been in an accident and is at the hospital. Nora offered to drive her. Paige visited the mummy that the doctors said was Hugh and said she hoped he knew she was there.
Claudia asked Jessica if she was jealous seeing her leaving Nash's place. Jessica blew up at Claudia and said of course she isn't jealous. Claudia asked what her problem was and why she was butting into their business. Jessica called Claudia Nash's "co-dependent, dry-drunk ex-girlfriend" and said because Nash is the father of her child she is concerned. Nash said he got drunk and just needed to feel close to someone, "Even if that person meant nothing to me." (Ouch.) Claudia asked Nash to leave her alone for a moment with Jessica. She asked Jessica why she was so interested in Nash's life, and Jessica repeated her answer about his being the father of her daughter. When Claudia made a comment about Natalie, Jessica smacked her in the face.
With Natalie screeching at him, Spencer denied having anything to do with John's accident, pointing out that he had been locked up in the Llanview police station for the past couple of days. Natalie tried to attack Spencer. Antonio grabbed her and told her there's no way Spencer could possibly have arranged for John to be in that accident. Michael showed up with Marcie and tried to calm Natalie. They took her off to the side and told her that John was going to ask her to marry him. Natalie ran off sobbing.
The nurses told Paige they recognized her as a former doctor at the hospital and said that they knew that she lost her medical license. Paige recognized one of the nurses from when she worked at the hospital. She left to call Hugh's adoptive parents and let them know that he's in the hospital. Nora asked the nurse about Paige and Thomas McBain. The nurse said that there had to be some mistake because Paige was a great doctor and could have performed the surgery she allegedly botched drunk or sober. Nora left and Paige went into Hugh's room and begged him to live.
Nora showed up at the police station to tell Spencer that Hugh was in an accident. Spencer demanded to see Hugh, but Nora said forget it.
Layla broke the news about John to Evangeline. She was incredulous, but Cristian helped her accept it. Evangeline wanted to rush off to support Natalie, but Cristian told her to stay put and relax while he went to support Natalie. When alone with Layla, Evangeline talked to her sister about her special moments with John. Layla said it sounds like she's still in love with him. Evangeline said that she now loves Cristian as much as she ever loved John and that she is happier with him because he can talk about his feelings. She asked Layla if she could be alone for a while.
On his way to find Natalie, Cristian ran into Vincent and told him John died. Vincent said Natalie is going to need someone to help see her through this. Cristian told Vincent to stay clear of Natalie. Vincent said he isn't interested in Natalie. Later, Cristian ran into Natalie on the street.
