At the boathouse, Mateo and Tad wrestled with Chris and held him down. He insisted he was an officer. Dixie took his wallet from his pocket and looked inside. She held up the wallet for Tad and Mateo to see and told them Chris was not a cop, but a federal agent. Hearing that, they released Chris.
After looking at the I.D., Tad handed Chris his wallet. They tried to explain to Chris that they'd felt he had killed Sweeney and set Tad up. Suddenly, they heard sirens approaching. Dixie took Tad's hand, and they started to run. Chris grabbed Tad and pinned him to the ground. He wanted to know where Tad was running. Tad shouted that he was innocent.
Still holding Tad down, Chris said he wasn't there to arrest Tad. They listened as the sirens faded. Chris said he'd let Tad up if Tad promised not to run. He asked Mateo to get the car keys. Mateo wanted to know why Chris didn't call for backup. Chris explained that he didn't think Tad had killed Sweeney. Dixie was excited to hear that and wanted Chris to use his influence to get Derek to let Tad go. Chris told her he couldn't do that.
Tad was trying to put everything he heard from Chris into perspective. Chris thought it would be better if everyone thought Tad was guilty. That might cause the real killer to get sloppy and overconfident. They'd eventually catch him. In the meantime, Chris volunteered some of his men to watch over Tad's family if that would make Tad feel better. He would also put Tad up in a safe house.
Chris felt they were close to catching the murderer. He needed their help -- to keep quiet and not blow his cover. They agreed. With that, Chris said he had to get back to work. He gave Tad a phone and told him it was a secure line. When he got things set up, he'd call Tad. Tad asked if he could have room service when they got set up. As Chris walked away, he said, "Is he serious?" Mateo slapped Tad on the shoulder and wished him luck.
Once alone, Tad scolded Dixie for going there and getting involved when he'd asked her not to. She wanted to know if she was in trouble. He told her "big trouble" then hugged her. Dixie was really hoping Tad would be home with the family again, eating pizza. He promised it would be soon. They had been through bad luck before, but he'd gotten her back. She agreed and said she also got presents. She looked at the necklace he'd given her. Tad told Dixie he was the luckiest man on the planet and kissed her.
Rosa and Isabella entered BJ's and ordered ice cream -- one chocolate, one peach, and lots of plastic spoons. Isabella chided Rosa for trying to be so thin and asked if she was trying to look good for her young man. She wanted to invite Marcus' family over for dinner. As Rosa protested, Marcus walked up and said he thought it was a great idea. He told them he was there to pick up dinner for his mother so she wouldn't have to cook.
Isabella asked Marcus if his family liked Mexican food, and he said they loved it. She continued bragging about Rosa's cooking. When Marcus got his order, he said goodbye and left. Isabella told Rosa that Marcus seemed like a nice boy. Just then, Edmund and Anna approached them. Edmund peeked into the bag Isabella was holding and teased her that she had chocolate ice cream for Sam and peach for Maddie. He introduced Anna to Isabella and Rosa. Suddenly, Isabella looked into her bag and said they had to leave before the ice cream melted.
Once alone, Anna told Edmund she felt Isabella had been chilly toward her. Edmund explained that Isabella would always think of him as Maria's husband -- no matter how much time had passed. They walked over to a table and were about to sit down when Brooke approached them. She apologized for interrupting, but because of an impending labor dispute at Tempo, they needed to get their magazine to press early. Edmund had not finished an edit on a story, so Brooke had taken the liberty of doing it for him. She had it there for his approval.
Edmund took the envelope and said it was too noisy inside. He went outside to look it over. Brooke sat down at the table with Anna while she waited for Edmund to return. She apologized for interrupting their dinner date. Anna denied it was a date. She said she and Edmund were just friends.
Anna asked Brooke if she had asked Edmund out yet. Surprised, Brooke said no. Anna replied, "Don't play coy with me. He's free -- you're unattached. What the hell are you waiting for?" Brooke said she'd had her chance with Edmund a long time before. She could have chosen Edmund, but had chosen Tad so her son could be with his father. Anna asked if Brooke ever wondered what it would have been like if she had stayed with Edmund.
Brooke replied that she had given up that chance. There was too much history between them. Anna disagreed. She had been presumed dead for years. However, she had her daughter back, and there was a slight chance her husband might be alive -- so "to hell with the past." She wanted to put her life back together. She wanted to know if Brooke would do the same.
Anna apologized for being pushy. Brooke wanted to ask an equally blunt question. She wanted to know if Anna felt guilty for pulling away from Edmund and putting distance between the two of them. Anna sighed and said Edmund was amazing and supportive, but she didn't feel it was a good idea, since she might not be single. Brooke felt Anna still had feelings for Edmund. Anna wished Edmund happiness and also saw Brooke as part of that world.
Edmund returned with the package and told Brooke she was still the best editor. He wanted to know what was up. Anna told him they had been discussing a new film that everyone was talking about and excused herself. After she had gone, Edmund sat down across from Brooke. Brooke looked at Edmund and asked him if he wanted to go to the movie -- go on a date with her. Edmund was surprised by Brooke's request. Brooke repeated her question.
Edmund wanted to know if he should pick her up. She said she could pick him up. Edmund replied, "I think you already have." Finally, he agreed to the date, and they decided to talk about the details the next day at the office. Brooke left, and a puzzled Edmund scratched his head. When Anna returned, Edmund guessed that she had set them up. Anna said she'd wanted to let Brooke know that she wasn't a threat. Edmund said, "Are you sure about that?"
Anna explained she was no competition as far as Edmund and Brooke were concerned. If there were a possibility that her husband could be alive, she had to pursue it in all fairness to Edmund. Edmund asked if she had contacted her brother-in-law in Port Charles. When she told him she had not, he told her it was time to face her fear and make the call.
Chris and Mateo arrived at BJ's. Mateo wanted to know who was smuggling drugs. Chris wouldn't tell him. Chris said the less Mateo knew, the safer he'd be. Then he told Mateo the drugs were arriving through a legitimate business. Suddenly, he told Mateo to go make a phone call. At first Mateo resisted, but when he saw Erica approaching, he left.
Erica walked up and ordered a club soda with lime. She asked Chris if he intended on being a bartender while in her employ. He replied that it depended on whether or not she wanted his services at night. Erica rather doubted that. Chris left to get the soup for her. Mateo watched it all from around the corner.
Chris delivered Myrtle's soup to Erica. She handed him a list of errands she wanted him to do and told him not to be late in the morning. He hoped he didn't have to wear a uniform. After Erica had gone, Mateo returned to the bar. He said, "Federal agent by night -- Erica Kane's errand boy by day!"
Mateo wanted to know if Chris was with Erica because he suspected her. If he did, Chris was way off. With her stand on drugs, Mateo felt she'd never do that. Chris replied that either way, if she was involved or not, she was in grave danger. It was a lose-lose situation for Erica.
Bianca pulled away from Gabriel's kiss. Gabriel wanted to know what was wrong. She was only the second girl he had kissed and hoped it wasn't that bad. Bianca tried to explain that she was gay and wasn't interested in him that way. Besides, she felt the drinking had affected him, and she was the closest warm body. Bianca asked him about Rosa, and Gabriel replied that Rosa thought he was dirt.
Bianca didn't stop there. She wanted to know if anyone besides his mother ever held him and made him feel safe. When Gabriel didn't answer, Bianca put her arms around him and held him. Bianca and Gabriel stepped apart. Bianca apologized for hugging him because she knew he didn't like to be touched. He told her he was starting to get used to it. They sat down on the sofa and continued their conversation.
Bianca told Gabriel that when no one had known she was gay, she had felt like she was living in a cage, too. Gabriel didn't feel it was the same because she could leave that cage whenever she wanted. He wasn't able to do the same. Bianca stated that he could be whoever he wanted and could love whoever he wanted. He replied, "But not you?" He wanted to know how she could not like guys if she'd never been with one.
Bianca told Gabriel about the time a year before when she'd been really confused about herself. She had gotten drunk and hit on a guy. Gabriel smiled and asked who it had been. Bianca hesitated and asked him not to be mad at her. Then she told him it had been Marcus. The smile faded from Gabriel's face when he heard that. Gabriel was upset that Bianca had messed around with Marcus. Bianca explained that it had just been kissing.
Bianca got a case of the giggles and laughed in Gabriel's face. That was a real blow to his ego. Gabriel asked if Marcus had hurt her. Bianca said no and wanted to know if he believed Shannon's story that her dad beat her. Gabriel said he didn't believe it, but Shannon thought Marcus was a god. Gabriel didn't feel he deserved to love anyone. Bianca knew it hurt to love someone who didn't return the love
Bianca and Gabriel started to talk about Rosa, when suddenly Rosa entered the house, shouting for Sam and Maddie. Bianca told Rosa that Gabriel hadn't accused Marcus of hitting Shannon to cause trouble. He had done it because he cared and hadn't wanted to see her get hurt. She excused herself to go check her messages. After Bianca left, Rosa told Gabriel it was no secret to her that he cared. She had known it at the boathouse when he'd kissed her and at SOS when he'd covered for her.
Rosa assured Gabriel that Marcus treated her with respect. Gabriel told Rosa there was no one like her, and she deserved the best. She asked how he knew. He put his hands on his heart and told her he felt it right there. When Bianca returned, Rosa said she should go back with her family. Bianca suggested they go to the beach. It was a hot night, and the moon was full; it would be fun to take a walk on the beach. Knowing what Bianca was up to, Gabriel smiled.
Marcus wadded up the paper bag his food had been in and tossed it in the garbage. As he walked onto the beach, he heard Shannon tell him he was late. He turned and saw her stretched out on a blanket. He wanted to know why she'd called him. She told him he owed her, and she intended to collect. Taking her hands, he dropped onto the blanket with her. They began kissing.
Shannon told Marcus she knew he cared. She could tell by the way he kissed her. She asked if Rosa knew what he liked and how he liked it Hearing someone approach, Shannon and Marcus ran to hide. When Rosa, Bianca, and Gabriel found the site, they joked about interrupting someone. They noticed the blanket and clothes. Rosa picked up a shirt and realized it was the shirt Marcus had been wearing earlier.
On the Fidelity, Ryan followed Opal/Gillian into the stateroom. Opal/Gillian sat on the bed and gushed about how great it was to be home again. She recalled getting ready for the honeymoon, and as Ryan listened, he realized she was telling it exactly as it had happened. Ryan became convinced it was Gillian and couldn't believe she had returned to him. She told him to touch her and feel that she was there. Then she turned and walked over to the table.
Picking up a silver tray, she stared at her reflection. Upon seeing Opal's face, Gillian said, "It isn't me!" Gillian really thought she'd be able to return as herself and wanted to know where her body was. Ryan told her he had given her heart away, and her body was interred at Wildwind. He explained that he hadn't wanted to accept her death, but others had convinced him he had to. Finally, he had given her heart to Laura. Gillian told him that was okay because he'd saved Laura's life.
Ryan didn't care about Laura. He had wanted to save Gillian and couldn't. Gillian told him the Gillian he'd known didn't exist anymore. Ryan said that wasn't true because he could feel her presence, and it was her spirit and her soul he had fallen in love with. Gillian wanted to know if he still loved her. Ryan went to her and took her in his arms. He told her he still loved her and would continue to love her until the day he died.
Opal/Gillian asked Ryan to make love to her. She wanted to feel him and make love with him before it was too late. Just then, Jesse appeared and ordered her to step back and keep her hands where he could see them. She stepped back and looked past Ryan. Ryan wanted to know what was happening. Glaring at Jesse, Gillian replied, "I just got the feeling we aren't alone!"
Jesse wanted to know what Gillian was doing in Opal's body. Every time Gillian answered Jesse, Ryan thought she was talking to him. She told Ryan she wasn't talking to him then turned to Jesse and said, "You see! Now he thinks you're a poltergeist!" Jesse ordered her to get out of Opal's body right away. Reluctantly, she agreed but first turned to Ryan and told him that no matter what, she would always love him. She kissed him and stepped back. Then she stepped out of Opal's body.
Opal appeared to be in a trance. As she started to awaken, Gillian thanked her. Exasperated, Jesse told her she could not ever take someone's body without their permission. Ryan was still calling Opal "Gillian." As she became aware of where she was, Opal said, "How the Sam Hill did I end up here?" Ryan still seemed to think Gillian was in possession of Opal's body. Opal was slightly disoriented and told Ryan she had a headache.
As Opal got up to leave, Ryan grabbed her shoulders and told his "princess" not to leave him again. Opal told Ryan she was not Gillian and that she was going home. Ryan didn't want to let her go. Opal tried to convince him Gillian was gone, and no matter how painful it was, he had to let her go. Ryan appeared very sad. He apologized to Opal. Opal apologized, too, and told him she didn't know how it had happened. When she was young, her mother had said, "Past is history, future is a mystery, and the present is a gift."
Opal then kissed Ryan and left. Ryan lay back on the bed and cried. Jesse took Gillian back to show her the mess she'd made -- she'd made a wreck out of Ryan. Gillian said she'd just wanted Ryan to know she'd never left him. Jesse replied she had left him -- and she had forced Ryan to mourn losing her twice. Gillian stared at Ryan as he mourned his loss again.
At the Pine Valley Mall, renowned psychic Frederick checked over some final details for a special "Psychic Fair." As he talked, he observed a despondent -- and tamely dressed -- Opal wandering around somewhat aimlessly. Opal approached the psychic and told him that she was "scared to death" of the contact she'd had with a spirit. When asked if she wanted to try to make contact with someone, Opal frantically replied, "No, no, no! It has to stop!" Opal explained how she had been in contact with Gillian and offered some of the details surrounding Gillian's death.
Frederick nodded understandingly and explained that the violent nature of Gillian's death might have made it hard for her to accept her death. Opal also told her friend and advisor how Gillian had somehow taken control of Opal's body. Suddenly, Ryan rushed over to the table where they were seated and begged Opal to help him regain contact with Gillian. Opal refused to go somewhere private with Ryan and, after introducing him to Frederick, suggested that he join them at the table to talk. Ryan refused and continued to press Opal to go somewhere else with him.
Opal was too upset to talk to Ryan and scurried off to the restroom. Ryan tried to chase after her, but Frederick held him back. Ryan then turned to Frederick and flashed him a wad of $20 bills. Ryan demanded that the psychic help him reach out to Gillian. Frederick was greatly insulted by the implication that he could be bought. He admitted that he did accept payment from some of his clients but that he only did so to pay the bills. Frederick ultimately agreed to help Ryan reach out to his late wife but instructed him to keep his money. The pair sat down, and Frederick tried to reach out to Gillian.
In the hallway outside of Heaven's "waiting area," Gillian and Jesse collided over Gillian's possession of Opal's body. While the "possession" was not something that the deceased were forbidden to do, Jesse explained that Gillian had gone too far by not asking for Opal's permission before jumping into her body. "You will destroy anybody as long as you get what you want," Jesse scolded. Gillian softly noted that she wanted to be with Ryan. Jesse assured Gillian that, in time, she and Ryan would again be together. He did not confirm her belief that they would be together upon the completion of her "task."
Suddenly, Gillian stopped speaking. She heard a voice calling her name, a voice that was not familiar to her, but one that claimed to belong to "a friend." Jesse, too, heard the voice calling out to Gillian and quickly determined that it belonged to a psychic. Jesse rolled his eyes and muttered that psychics were "like cockroaches." Gillian wanted to go to the voice, but Jesse told her that her earthly visits had been put on an indefinite hold as punishment for taking over Opal's body.
Back down in the food court of the mall, Ryan asked Frederick about his progress in reaching Gillian. Frederick's brow crinkled as he informed Ryan that it appeared that someone was "trying to interfere deliberately" with his conversation with Gillian. Seconds later, Jesse appeared behind Frederick and warned him to stop trying to make contact with Gillian. If he persisted, Jesse vowed to be Frederick's "worst nightmare." Jesse went on to say that Gillian had "overstepped her bounds" and growled that Ryan would have to "let go" of Gillian.
With that, an unsettled Frederick rose from the table and told Ryan that contacting Gillian was not going to be possible. Ryan grabbed the psychic by the lapels and shook him violently. Opal returned from the restroom just in time to prevent Ryan from roughing up the man. For whatever reason, Opal finally agreed to go to the yacht to talk to Ryan in private.
Aboard Fidelity, Ryan led Opal to his stateroom. Opal didn't want to go inside, saying that she felt uncomfortable in there. Ryan insisted that she do as he asked and demanded that she contact Gillian for him.
Up above, a concerned Jesse clued Gillian in to the latest mess she had caused: Ryan was going to hold Opal captive until she somehow managed to summon Gillian again.
Back down on terra firma, the Martin family gathered outside a courtroom at the courthouse to await the start of David's trial. Their collective chattering ended abruptly upon the arrival of the defendant. Down a side corridor, David approached Adam and asked if Adam had been able to arrange for his acquittal. Adam warned David that they should not be seen together in public, but David didn't seem to mind -- and said that Adam could pretend to insult him if he felt it necessary. "I won't need to pretend," Adam replied wryly.
David again threatened to tell the police about JR's drug theft if he was not cleared of all charges pending against him. David walked away with a smirk on his face. Soon after he left, Mia appeared and told Adam that she was there to put the next phase of their plan together -- a plan that presumably involved Mia's getting close to David. Adam warned Mia not to blow her cover.
Elsewhere, Joe told his family that he could not wait to take the stand and testify against Dr. Hayward. Ruth looked to Dixie and asked her if she was ready to take the stand and relive the actions that had nearly cost her her marriage. Dixie nodded and said that she had to do her part and admitted again to having let down her husband and son with her actions. Leo, Vanessa, and Palmer were the next to arrive. They observed David talking with his new attorney. Palmer stepped aside to speak to Dixie.
Meanwhile, David finished up with his lawyer and joined his mother and brother. Leo teased David about the possibility of having to serve time "at a white collar prison" with tennis courts and swimming pools. He and David both chuckled, but Vanessa scolded them for being so carefree about the situation. David continued on his way, leaving Vanessa and Leo to question why David was not sweating bullets. Both agreed that he had to be up to something.
Adam, meanwhile, dropped by Judge Campobello's chambers on a surprise visit. Kaye, however, claimed to not be surprised; she'd been expecting the billionaire. Back outside, JR surprised everyone by showing up to observe the trial. The Martins were called into a private room to go over their testimony, leaving JR alone and free to approach David. David likened himself to a gladiator and asked JR if he had shown up to "cheer for the lions." JR admitted that he hoped David was "ripped to pieces" in court. David smiled smugly and warned JR that he'd better hope that David wasn't found guilty.
Without saying anything more, David walked away. JR reflected back to the conversation he'd had with his father about David's secret videotape of JR confessing to stealing drugs and realized why David had made his snide remark. JR decided that he had to track down his father immediately. Back in Kaye's private chambers, she unbuttoned her robe and revealed that she wasn't wearing any clothing under her robe. She asked Adam to make love to her, but Adam was nervous about it being too close to the start of David's trial.
As Adam and Kaye kissed, JR opened the door to the room and stood in horror. He called out his father's name and raced away. Adam took off after his son and tried to explain what was going on. JR, however, didn't want to hear his father's explanation. Adam continued his explanation anyway, saying that he was trying to make sure that JR didn't end up in jail. JR claimed not to be concerned about his own welfare and demanded that David be sentenced to a lengthy jail term. JR then asked his father if Liza knew about his latest scheme. Adam explained that Liza didn't have to know what was going on. With that, JR bolted.
JR ended up at the airport. He flashed a wad of cash to a ticketing agent and asked how far it would get him. The agent was taken aback by the amount of cash and said that JR could get just about anywhere he wanted to go. As JR was deciding where he wanted to go, Liza approached from behind and asked JR what he was doing.
Back at the courthouse, Mia surprised David with a visit. David asked Mia if she was following him, but Mia said only that she was "a fan." She also promised to remain in the back of the courtroom throughout the trial with her fingers crossed. David seemed troubled by Mia's presence -- or at the very least perplexed. Mia headed into the courtroom, and Leo scurried over to David to ask him if Mia was one of his lawyers. David said only that Mia was "a fan" but added that only time would tell if she was telling the truth.
Court was called to order a short time later, and David's lawyer, Mr. Alvarez, stood to make a motion that the charges against David be dropped due to lack of evidence. The gallery erupted into laughter, and Judge Campobello quickly gaveled them into order. The courtroom gasped collectively when Kaye announced that she was inclined to agree with Mr. Alvarez. Constitutionally, she stated, she did not see enough evidence to in any way tie David to the crimes he was accused of committing. Therefore, she said, she had no choice but to "vacate" the charges against David and make him a free man.
Dixie's mouth fell open as the Martins looked on in shock. David, meanwhile, smiled happily. In the back of the courtroom, Adam muttered, "I can't understand it." The smirk on his face showed that he was more than just a little pleased with what had happened.
On the Fidelity, Opal and Ryan argued about contacting Gillian again. Opal tried to leave, but Ryan begged her to try to talk to Gillian's spirit. Opal said she couldn't initiate the contact, and Gillian had done everything the last time. She told Ryan she felt like she was drowning in something she didn't understand and pleaded for him to let her go back to her own life. Ryan said he couldn't do that; she was all he had left. He said Gillian had touched him through Opal, and Opal had to help him again.
Opal told Ryan that he and Gillian would be together again one day, but not right then. Ryan couldn't accept that and asked Opal, "What if it were Jenny? What if you had one more day to say goodbye?" Ryan wore Opal down, and she agreed to one more visit from Gillian. They sat down, and Opal tried to contact Gillian, saying Ryan wanted to talk to her. Opal said it was okay for Gillian to use her body as a vessel again, and Ryan asked Gillian to return to him.
Opal got no response from Gillian's spirit and told Ryan it was no use. Ryan told her not to give up, but Opal said she just didn't have the power to get Gillian back. Ryan had an idea and got a box that contained his and Gillian's wedding vows. He wanted Opal to read Gillian's vows while he read his own. Opal was reluctant because they were sacred words between Ryan and Gillian, but Ryan insisted.
Opal and Ryan held hands, and Ryan began reading his vows. When he was done, Opal began reading Gillian's vows with great emotion. When she finished, Ryan had tears running down his face and asked what was wrong when he saw Opal's face. She told him she couldn't believe she was witness to that overpowering love. She told Ryan she wished she could be Gillian, but it just wasn't meant to be. Opal told him to let Gillian go because the life he'd had with her had run its course. Ryan said he could never accept that and left the room. Opal blew out the candle with great sadness.
Chris Stamp took Tad to a nice hotel room and read him the rules: no outside phone calls on the hotel phone, no leaving the room, and such. Tad was thankful but felt trapped. He said he was useless inside, but on the outside, he could be bait to get the guys who had set him up. Chris reminded Tad there was a warrant out for him, and if he stepped foot outside the room, he'd be back in jail, where Officer Sweeney would kill him.
Chris told Tad to let the pros do their job, and he promised to keep Tad's family safe as long as Tad behaved. Chris said he needed to get back to his job as driver for Erica, and Tad asked him to get word to Dixie that he was okay. Chris said he'd do better than that and left Tad alone. Tad wandered around the room then turned on the television set just in time to hear the breaking news about David's trial.
Liza ran into JR at the airport and wondered if his mother knew where he was. JR lied and said Dixie knew and it was okay with her. Liza asked what he was running away from, but JR denied that anything was wrong. Liza told him she was the original teenager from hell and that he should tell her the truth. However, JR couldn't tell Liza that he'd seen Adam kissing Judge Campobello.
Liza started to lecture JR but they both turned to the television when they heard a report about David's hearing. They were both horrified to learn that the judge had thrown out the charges. Liza recognized the judge's face and flashed back to meeting her at the Sleepy Hollow Inn when she had been looking for Adam. Liza asked JR if he'd known about the judge's decision, but he didn't answer her. She said out loud to herself, "No wonder Adam wanted me out of town!" She grabbed JR and said they were going to look for his father.
At the courtroom, the lawyers for both sides began arguing with the judge. She had them approach the bench, and while they talked, Dixie spoke with Palmer. She thought someone had paid the judge and wondered if it was Palmer. He flatly denied it, saying he wouldn't help David after what David had done to Dixie's marriage. In the same room, Jake and Joe discussed the events, and Jake got very agitated. He went over to David and threatened him with his crutch.
The judge broke up the fight, and Palmer strolled over, saying to Jake, "Well done, my boy! My sentiments exactly." The judge reprimanded Jake, and he told her she'd let the courtroom become a free-for-all. Joe asked for her reasons, and Judge Campobello told everyone that the video from the yacht party was inadmissible because David hadn't known he was being taped. The prosecutor said it was outrageous and vowed to appeal.
Joe asked the judge how justice was being served, and she said there just wasn't enough evidence to convict David. She did say the victims could sue for punitive damages. Dixie went over to Adam and yelled at him for not objecting. She told him to go talk to the judge and convince her to reverse her ruling "How's your son going to feel that David is set free?" she asked.
Adam says he couldn't do anything, so Dixie left him. She ran into Chris Stamp, who handed her a key and told her it was for "Mr. Sabatini's room" and that he was waiting for her. She realized it was for Tad and ran to join her husband.
Adam congratulated Leo on his brother's freedom. Leo asked how Adam felt about it, and Adam, not very convincingly, said it was a miscarriage of justice. Leo didn't buy it and said it was almost like Adam had expected it, which made Adam think he needed to make a scene. Leo walked away, and Adam yelled at the judge, denouncing her ruling. Judge Kaye had him arrested for contempt and taken to her chambers in handcuffs. She adjourned the court and left the room.
David thanked his attorney and told him to send the bill to his hotel room. His attorney told him Mr. Chandler had taken care of the fees. Erica walked over and told David he was a lucky man and wondered how he had managed it. He denied doing anything, and Erica told him she was glad he wasn't going to jail. She just hoped he learned from his mistakes and said, "Don't waste your second chance."
Joe and Jake walked up to David, and Joe reminded him that he didn't have privileges at the hospital anymore. Leo approached and told Jake to "suck it up and take it like a man," which prompted a fight between the two men. After they were pulled apart, Jake told Leo he was the real loser and was too stupid to see it. Jake and Joe left, and Greenlee walked up to Leo and told him he was pathetic. She left to attend to Jake, and Vanessa walked over. She asked Leo if he was defending David or if it had been two young bucks butting heads over a woman.
Erica found Chris and asked where he'd been. He claimed to have been in the cafeteria and said he'd heard that justice hadn't been carried out there that day. Liza joined them and asked Erica if she'd seen Adam. Erica broke the news to Liza that Adam had been taken to the judge's chambers in handcuffs. Liza went to find Adam.
In Judge Kaye's chambers, she told the cop to take Adam's handcuffs off. She told Adam his performance had been stunning and that he should've been an actor. She wanted Adam to make love to her and began clearing a space on her desk. Adam refused and said he'd never been more disgusted with himself than he'd been the night they had been together at the Sleepy Hollow Inn. The judge told Adam she could be useful, "a powerful judge and a powerful man." But Adam was disgusted and said, "I slept with you once; it will never happen again!" Liza was at the door and heard Adam's statement.
Dixie headed to Tad's hotel room, and they discussed the hearing. Tad was appalled, and Dixie told him everyone in the courtroom had been upset. Tad thought David had paid the judge off. Dixie said the judge had found a legal technicality. Tad said he wasn't going to hide in that room while Dr. Death was walking free. Dixie grabbed him and said, "You're not going anywhere, Mr. Sabatini!" and planted a big kiss on him. She told Tad that it was time they put themselves first. She said they kept trying to fix other people's problems, but it was time to think of themselves.
Tad had a hard time letting go of David and his past deeds, but Dixie said David would mess up again and would get what he deserved. She then told Tad they had a big bed there and were all alone in a hotel room. After they made love, Tad told Dixie she had a way of convincing him she was always right. She told him they had to make time for them and that she knew nothing could ever get between them. Tad grabbed her and dragged her back under the sheets.
Mia joined David in the courthouse and congratulated him on his victory. She wondered if he could foresee the future, since the previous day at the beach, he'd thought the trial would turn out that way. He said he wasn't a psychic, just optimistic. He asked her to join him for a drink, and they walked out together.
Alone, Ryan climbed the steps to the turret and arrived at the room that he and Gillian had once shared. He pulled down the crime scene tape that blocked his way and began lighting the many candles that decorated the room. Once he was done, he knelt in front of the bed and asked Gillian to be with him. He continued to call out to her, but there was no reply. Upset, he reasoned aloud that they had been close to being together and promised that he wouldn't give up on her. He sadly remembered the many happy moments they had spent together over the years and wondered why she wasn't returning to him.
Suddenly, Ryan remembered finding her lifeless body on the bed and pulling his blood-stained hand out from under her head. Ryan climbed up on the bed, curled up, and began to cry. He jumped up as he hugged the pillow and begged Gillian to make contact with him. When nothing happened, he became frustrated and threw the pillow across the room. As he threw the sheets and pillows around, one of the candles fell over and set the bed sheets on fire.
On the phone at SOS, Mateo stood looking at a jar full of ballots as he told Hayley that their baby-naming contest had been a success. He hung up as Rosa walked behind the bar with a tray of glasses. She began unloading the glasses and loudly banging them on the counter. When Mateo asked what was wrong, she gave a curt and rude reply. "I just adore your moods," Mateo stated and walked away.
Gabriel approached Rosa and suggested that she ask Marcus about his shirt that she'd found at the beach the night before. Rosa told him to drop it, and Gabriel wondered if she was in fear of being lied to. "Here's your chance," he stated as Marcus walked through the doors. Marcus approached Rosa and told her he wanted to kiss her, but Rosa didn't even respond. He asked her what was wrong, and she coldly asked how his mother had liked her hamburger the day before.
Confused, Marcus again asked what was wrong, and Rosa quickly pulled out his shirt from behind the counter. Marcus was shocked as Rosa asked him if he had been on the beach the night before, making out with Shannon. As Gabriel looked on, Marcus admitted that he had been on the beach with Shannon and explained that he had been comforting her after her father had hit her again. Rosa wondered why he had lied, and Marcus replied that Shannon was embarrassed that people knew about her father hitting her.
Marcus asked Rosa to step outside with him so they could talk in private, but Gabriel quickly jumped in and loudly reminded him that she wasn't going anywhere because she was working. Marcus angrily challenged Gabriel to step outside with him, but Rosa interrupted and echoed that she couldn't leave. Irate, Marcus stormed out. Alone, Gabriel asked Rosa if she believed what Marcus had said, but Rosa only told him to drop it and walked away.
Mia and David arrived at SOS, and Mia confided her worries about going inside. She explained that it would be uncomfortable, since everyone wanted him in jail. Perplexed, David asked Mia what her "story" was, but Mia replied that she was only "curious" about him. David warned her that "all the prettiness in the world" wouldn't keep him interested past the first drink if she wasn't able to handle pressure. Mia assured him that he would still be interested "long after the dessert [had] been devoured," and the pair went in.
David and Mia walked up to a table, but before David could sit down, Mateo approached them. He stated that the "system failed" Pine Valley by letting David go free, but David only suggested that Mateo let it go. Mateo scoffed and reminded David that he'd drugged Mateo's wife and threatened her sobriety. The waiter served the pair two glasses of water, and Mateo warned David to be careful of what he ate and drank at SOS because Mateo had full access to everything. David replied that it was foolish to threaten him in front of a witness, but Mateo asked him to consider it a warning and left. Alone, Mia laughed, told David to "live on the edge," and took a few sips of her water. Instantly, she grabbed her throat and made choking sounds before bursting into laughter, but David was not amused.
The waiter served David and Mia their burgers, and as Mia bit into hers, she marveled that she could "hardly taste the arsenic." David wondered what was so fascinating about him, and Mia replied that if they were under different circumstances, he would be "fighting the women off." Unbelieving, David asked her what tabloid she worked for, but Mia only asked him why it was so hard for him to believe that he was the most interesting person in Pine Valley. She motioned to his burger and invited him to "live dangerously" by taking a bite. Smiling, David took a large bite into it.
Rosa carried over another tray of glasses and once again began slamming them down on the bar counter. Mateo sent her out to take a walk to cool off. Gabriel went to follow her, but Mateo stopped him and ordered him to cover for her "break." Gabriel began unpacking the glasses. Shannon suddenly rushed in and demanded to know where Marcus was. Gabriel investigated her face and was happy that she looked "okay." She asked again where Marcus was, and Gabriel suggested she check their "makeout" spot at the beach.
At the courthouse, Liza listened intently outside Kaye's door. Kaye reminded Adam that they'd had a deal, but Adam replied that he had slept with her once, and that was it. Shaken, Liza thought back to the night she had found Kaye in what she had believed was Adam's hotel room, and she quickly hurried away. Stuart suddenly walked around the corner, spotted Liza, and called out her name, but Liza kept going. Adam exited the office and was surprised to see Stuart. Stuart explained that the pilot had sent him to report that everything was ready for their fishing trip to Idaho.
When Adam mentioned that he would meet up later on with Liza, who was already in Maui, Stuart stated that he had just seen her run down the hall. Confused, Adam replied that wasn't possible. He told his brother that he had to call Barry about "some legal matters." When Stuart asked if those matters were about David, Adam shrugged his question off and left to find a phone. Alone, Stuart bent down to the water fountain, and Kaye suddenly exited her office. "You changed for me!" she exclaimed, as she passionately kissed Stuart.
Adam returned to Kaye's office and found a perplexed Stuart inside. He asked Adam why he had slept with the judge to let David off, but Adam nervously replied that he didn't know what Stuart was talking about. Stuart informed Adam that Kaye had just kissed him, thinking he was his brother, and Adam quickly confessed. He explained that David was blackmailing him, but Stuart wondered what he was going to do about Liza. Adam replied that she was in Hawaii and would never need to know anything because they were both going to take the information to their graves.
Liza drove along a dark road and thought about what she had just overheard her husband say. Angrily, she began to accelerate.
After he devoured his dinner, David asked Mia again who she was working for. Mia repeated that she wasn't working for anyone, but David informed her that he might have been "called a lot of things, but dumb [wasn't] one of them." He asked her again who her "boss" was, but before she could answer, her phone rang. Adam was on the other end and demanded that she stay at SOS and wait for him.
Stuart walked in as Adam hung up the phone and stated that he didn't want to go fishing anymore. Adam reminded him that it was an annual event and that they had missed it the previous year. Dazed, Stuart wondered how sleeping with the judge and setting David free would help JR, but Adam only assured Stuart that he knew what he was doing. He told Stuart that he loved Liza with all his heart and that, in his "own clumsy way," he was just trying to protect his family. Cheerily, Adam asked Stuart to keep the pilot company while he left to take care of a few errands.
Liza parked in the bushes of a park and cried as she remembered the night she and Adam had spent together only hours after he had made love to Kaye. She recalled telling Adam that she wanted to know his secrets, and Adam replying that he deeply loved her.
Rosa sat down on a log at the beach as Marcus approached her from behind. Shannon ran up and eavesdropped in the bushes as Rosa told Marcus she didn't believe his story. Quietly, Marcus admitted that he had lied and that Shannon had tricked him into going to the beach. He explained that she had lied about her father hitting her in order to lure him down so she could throw herself at him. Shocked, Shannon fought the urge to say something.
Marcus continued and admitted that he hadn't done anything with Shannon because he had told her that he was in love with Rosa. Shocked, Rosa asked him to repeat what he'd said, and he did. The pair passionately kissed as Shannon looked on in disgust. Rosa pulled back, and Marcus assured her that he had never felt that way about someone before. He repeated that he loved her and wanted her, and the pair resumed kissing. Shannon ran off as Marcus began unbuttoning Rosa's shirt.
Mia went to freshen up and left David alone. Mateo approached and asked if he was feeling all right, and David replied that Mateo's scare tactics wouldn't work on him. Mateo persisted and was surprised that David didn't feel nauseous or short of breath. He advised David not to bother the other patrons if he felt the symptoms because "everyone, much like [his] date, [wasn't] interested."
Mia met Adam in front of SOS and complained that his timing "really suck[ed]." Adam quickly explained that he was going away and stated that he had to give her instructions about what to do to David. Adam leaned over and whispered in Mia's ear as a confused look crossed her face. As he pulled back, a shocked Mia told Adam that she couldn't "get that to happen." Adam assured her that if she could lose $100,000 that she didn't have in a poker game, she could certainly do that. Mia remained dubious but agreed to his demands and went back inside the bar. Alone, Adam called Barry and requested his help for that night.
Adam left a message on Liza's cell phone, promising to see her in a few short days. He told her he loved her and that they would have an incredible time together.
Mia returned as the waiter was cleaning the table. He explained that David had stuck her with the check. "Be nice to me. I deserve it for waiting on that creep," he stated and walked away.
The fire in the turret began to rage out of control, and Ryan struggled to pull down curtains to stomp it out. As the curtains fell, the rod heavily hit his head, and he fell down, unconscious. The fire raged out of control as Ryan finally awoke. He called out for Gillian, and she suddenly appeared. She asked him to go with her, and he raised his head, but it quickly fell back down again.
Tad was sound asleep in his hotel room when he was roused awake by the sounds of David's voice on his television. Tad looked disgusted as David pledged to the gaggle of reporters around him that he was going back to "healing people," something he was good at. "Heal this!" Tad hollered and threw a book at the television, smashing it. The agents ran inside, and Tad apologized for the incident. "Too much sex and violence," he explained and got up to look for Dixie. When he couldn't find her, he asked the agents where she had gone, but they didn't know.
Tad admitted that it was odd that Dixie would leave without waking him and admitted that he was scared something had happened to her. A knock at the door interrupted Tad, and Dixie entered. Tad held her in a tight embrace, and Dixie apologized for leaving so quickly. "I have a surprise for you," she stated and opened the door to reveal JR. JR stepped inside and asked Tad how he was doing. "Better now that you're here," Tad sighed as he hugged his stepson.
At SOS, Mateo was disheartened to learn that Rick, his best bartender, was quitting to accept a better job offer in Los Angeles. Chris asked Mateo if he would consider Chris for the job, and Mateo shook his head as he realized that the agency had gotten Rick his job on the West Coast. Mateo insisted that he didn't want his bar being used as a stakeout area, but Chris assured him that Mateo would want him there as much as they needed to be there.
Mateo admitted that he had been informed that a major transaction was scheduled to take place at SOS, but Mateo replied that he didn't want his newly renovated club trashed during an operation. Chris challenged him to help make his community a better place and jumped behind the bar. Edmund entered, and Mateo went to greet him. They headed to the bar, and Chris gave him a beer. After he took a sip, Edmund admitted he had to get home, and Mateo walked him out.
While Gabriel was working, Shannon ran up to him and warned him that Rosa was in trouble. She told him that if he cared for Rosa, he had to get her away from Marcus before it was too late. Gabriel explained that Rosa didn't want him interfering in her life, but Shannon was unrelenting. She insisted that Rosa would be hurt, and Gabriel wondered if it would be in the same way he had hurt her by hitting her. Ken approached the pair and asked Shannon if she'd seen Marcus. Shannon quickly replied that she hadn't and left.
On the beach, Rosa and Marcus were in a tight and passionate embrace. Rosa hesitated as Marcus undid her shirt buttons, but Marcus only repeated that he loved her and pulled her back into his arms. Rosa stopped and stated that things were going too fast and that she wasn't ready. Marcus replied that it would be their "special night" and that he was ready and couldn't stop. He pulled her into a kiss, but Rosa leaned back, grabbed her belongings, and ran off.
Mateo approached Chris and reasoned that since his child was on the way and he wanted him or her to live in the safest town possible, he would help Chris in any way he could. A girl named Brianna entered the bar and was upset that Rick was gone. Chris gave her a drink and suggested that she give his ear a try by sharing her problems with him.
While Brianna and Chris chatted, Philomena approached Mateo and asked if he had seen Rosa. Mateo told her that his sister was on a break and invited Philomena to take part in the baby-naming contest. She jotted her "favorite masculine name" down and left. "Christopher," Mateo stated as he held it up. "What? You need me boss?" Chris asked, as he spun around.
Philomena met a disheveled Rosa at the door of SOS, and the pair went to the back to talk. As Rosa passed Gabriel, she gave him a long stare but remained silent. Marcus and Ken walked in behind her, and Gabriel listened as Marcus pledged to "bag" Rosa the next time he was with her. They made their way to the bar and tried to make small talk with Mateo, but Marcus only asked where Mateo's sister was. Marcus replied she wasn't feeling well, and he had sent her to the back to take an aspirin and lie down.
In Mateo's office, Philomena assured Rosa that if she were really ready to have sex with Marcus, then she wouldn't be with Philomena right then. Gabriel listened as Rosa admitted that she was scared she had lost Marcus for good then barged in and asked to speak to her alone. Rosa slowly nodded in agreement, and Philomena went outside. Alone, Gabriel asked Rosa what had happened and grabbed her arm when she turned away from him. She screamed at him to leave her alone just as Mateo walked in and shoved Gabriel out of the way. He demanded that Gabriel leave, and he did so, but not before telling Mateo that he was only trying to help.
Alone, Rosa confessed that Gabriel was her problem because it felt as though he was always around her. Their conversation was interrupted by a loud bang as Mateo stepped into the alleyway and found Gabriel throwing garbage cans. He walked toward Mateo, but Mateo quickly grabbed him by the collar and pinned him against the wall. Rosa went outside to see what was going on, but Mateo yelled at her to go back in, and she obeyed.
Mateo ordered Gabriel to stay away from his sister and announced that Gabriel was fired. Mateo sent Gabriel home and said that he would send Gabriel his stuff later. As Gabriel slunk down against the wall, Mateo made his way back into the office and informed Rosa that Gabriel had been fired. Upset, Rosa insisted that wasn't what she'd wanted, but Mateo paid no attention and sent her home to rest up. As Rosa entered the hallway, she placed her hand on the door leading to the alley but changed her mind and quickly walked away.
Mateo returned to Chris and said he was hired. Smiling, Chris asked who Edmund was and reminded him that they had to keep their plan under wraps. Rosa sat with Philomena and took a rain check on the movie they had planned on seeing. She rose to leave as Marcus went to her side and confessed that he wished she would stay. Mateo approached them and offered to call Rosa a cab, but she assured him she was fine. Once Mateo walked away, Marcus kissed her on the cheek and slipped a note into her hand. Rosa walked to the door, opened it, and sighed.
Rosa went outside and met Marcus in the same alleyway that Gabriel was still sulking in. Gabriel watched the pair as Marcus apologized for the way he had acted and suggested they start over. Rosa smiled and agreed, and they walked off arm in arm.
Liza cried in her car as she recalled what she had just heard Adam state to the judge. "I'm never going to let you hurt me like this again," she vowed as she stepped out of her car. She looked up and saw smoke coming from Wildwind, and as she went to investigate, she tripped and fell.
Gillian urged an ailing Ryan to get up and save himself because he couldn't go with her yet. Ryan called her name and reached out to her, but he quickly lost his strength and passed out.
"How could you do this to me, Adam?" Liza repeated through her tears. She pledged to hurt him as much as he had hurt her, but she was jolted by loud noises that she heard in the bushes. She called out to the dark figure lumbering toward her and was surprised to see Ryan stumble out as he called Gillian's name. He approached Liza, hugged her, and promptly fainted again. Scared, Liza called out his name and jostled him awake.
Believing her to be Gillian, Ryan took Liza's head in his hands and tried to kiss her, but Liza told him that she wasn't his wife. She asked what had happened, and Ryan only replied that the turret was on fire. He confided that he had been waiting for Gillian, but she hadn't appeared to him and that he'd finally realized she was never returning to him. Crying, the pair hugged.
Tad, Dixie, and JR tried to eat a meal in the hotel room, but Dixie noticed the broken television and asked what had happened. Tad admitted that he had been angry to hear that David had been released, and the pair began to theorize that the judge had been put up to it. JR quietly remembered seeing his father and Kaye in a passionate embrace, and a sullen look crossed his face. Sensing JR's uneasiness with the situation, Tad changed the subject by asking JR about his music. JR confessed that he was barely in the band anymore and was considering quitting altogether.
Tad begged JR to attempt to go back to living a normal life and assured him that they would be all right. "It's my fault all of this is happening," JR replied, but Tad only assured him that it wasn't his fault and that they all needed to move on from the past. JR quickly remembered the conversation he'd had with Adam after he had caught Adam with Kaye. Tad told him everything would be fine, but JR stated that he didn't believe him. Tad assured JR that they were doing their part to make sure Ecstasy was being taken out of Pine Valley, and it was a good thing.
Dixie fingered the star necklace as she explained that they would be a family again in due time. She informed Tad that she had spoken to Brooke, and Brooke was going to let Jamie know that he was fine and safe. Their conversation was interrupted by JR's ringing cell phone. When he saw that it was Adam, he quickly turned it off and angrily told his parents that he didn't feel like talking to Adam. JR confessed that he couldn't trust his father, and a puzzled Dixie asked him to share what was on his mind. Slowly, JR reasoned that if he wanted them to be a family again, then he had to be honest with them. "It's my fault the judge set [David] free," JR began.
Liza returned with a blanket and told Ryan she had just called the fire department. He told her it didn't matter anymore and began to cry. Liza asked him what had happened, and he explained that when he'd called out to Gillian, there had been no reply. He admitted that he finally realized she wasn't returning to him and didn't know what he was going to do. "I don't know, either," she stated and embraced him.
Ryan pulled back and asked Liza why she was crying. Liza reasoned that her problems didn't compare to his but admitted that Adam had once again lied to her and betrayed her. Ryan urged her to not be mad at herself for Adam's actions and wished that he could take her pain away. He held her face in his hands as he gazed into her wet eyes, and he began to kiss her. Before she knew what was happening, Liza kissed back, and the pair slowly fell to the ground.
