Isaac called Carly to tell her that her dress was still missing from the model auditions. Carly interrupted Rose and Paul at the Lakeview to give him an update about the missing dress. Paul was forced to leave Rose, who grew concerned that their jobs wouldn't leave very much time for the two of them to be together.
Jen arrived at Java and told Bonnie that she was accepting the job to be the new face of BRO. The girls talked about going to New York for the show, and Jen promised to try to get Bonnie a spot in the show as well. Paul agreed to hire Bonnie. He discussed the missing dress with Isaac and discovered that James had been at Java on the night of the auditions.
Billy asked Jen for another chance for them to be together. Jen was still hurt that he had broken up with her because Craig had told him to, and she refused his offer. Bonnie prepared for her modeling gig, but Jessica told her that it was irresponsible to take time off from work to go model in New York.
At Fairwinds, Barbara wondered why the dress had been sent to her. When Paul arrived, Barbara was furious with him for keeping her in the dark about BRO and the model auditions. Paul calmed Barbara down and promised not to keep any more secrets from her. She showed Paul the dress and informed him that she would be accompanying him to New York for the fashion show.
Meanwhile, Lucinda pumped Rose for information about her relationship with Paul. Rose admitted that she thought he was keeping something from her. Lucinda assured Rose that she was an important part of Paul's life.
Craig told Carly that he was going with her to New York to protect her from Paul and Barbara. Carly asserted that she didn't need his help and warned him that he would ruin any chance of them getting together if he followed her. Craig was excited that Carly had mentioned the possibility of them sharing a future.
Jen bubbled with excitement as she told Hal and Emily about being the featured model in the BRO fashion show. Hal was surprised that Barbara had changed her mind about allowing Jen to model. Jen confessed that Paul had arranged it and also admitted about Bryant leaving her his trust fund. After Jen left, Tom arrived, angry that Emily hadn't taken Daniel to his house yet.
When Emily went to get the boy ready, Tom warned Hal that she was trouble and reminded him of how she'd tried to destroy his marriage. Hal defended Emily and told Tom that as a cop raising five kids, he considered Emily the "catch" in their relationship. Emily overheard the conversation, and after Tom left, she told Hal that everything Tom had said was true. She told him how much it meant to her to hear him defend her and wished she could be the woman he thought she was.
Billy arrived at Craig's hotel suite to tell his uncle that he and Jen would continue to see each other. Craig warned that no matter what Bryant had done, Jen had never been satisfied and had cheated on him with the first guy to happen along, and she'd do the same to him. Billy lied to Craig that Bryant had told him that he'd needed Craig's advice on the night he'd died and insisted that Bryant would never say the horrible things about his father that Barbara had insinuated that he had.
Jessica refused to let Bonnie go to New York and threatened to cut her off if she went. When Jen arrived, Bonnie complained that she could no longer play her parents against each other. She vowed that she would model in the BRO show. Isaac convinced Jessica that Bonnie should make her own decisions. Bonnie was surprised that he'd stood up for her, and impulsively kissed him. Billy met up with Jen, telling her he'd lied to Craig about Bryant and had told him that he wanted to be with her. He asked her if they could pick up where they'd left off, and they decided to go out on a date when she returned from New York.
Katie and Simon shared a piece of their wedding cake. Simon apologized, saying it was a mistake to not give Katie a chance to be his wife before then. After she told him about the wedding she'd dreamed of when she'd been young, Simon went next door to Craig's to ask for his help to make her dream wedding happen. Craig refused to foot the bill, and Katie arrived as they started to argue. She surprised them by asking Craig what she and Simon could do to help him get over losing Bryant. Katie deduced that Craig's bad mood was about Carly and told him he should follow her to New York.
Barbara ripped into Paul for hiring Jen behind her back and insisted on participating in the fashion show. Paul warned that the press would attack her and convinced her not to go by giving her a sample of the cruel questions she could expect to hear. Paul took the dress that had been sent to Barbara and went out to the gazebo, shouting for his father to show himself. Inside, Barbara, thinking that Craig had sent the dress, vowed to take him down.
At Java Underground Ben and Isaac put up a banner announcing their new "College Night" as Bonnie counted down in French in anticipation of her trip to New York. Isaac told Bonnie to have a good time, and Ben was surprised by Isaac's civility to Bonnie. Isaac explained that she'd kissed him. Bonnie had "the hots for" him. Ben wondered if Isaac felt the same.
Jennifer went to meet Bonnie at Java Underground, where a car was picking them up for their trip. Adam arrived and wished Jennifer good luck. Abigail and some college girls entered and announced that Abigail had won the award for best documentary, a true accomplishment, since she was only a freshman. Adam and Abigail saw each other across the room. Adam told Jennifer that he and Abigail had handed in separate versions of the project they were supposed to have been working on together. He explained that Nick Scutter had helped Abigail with hers.
Jen went over to Abigail and congratulated her. Jen said she was very happy about New York and didn't know if she'd return. Abigail told Jen to return for her and Billy. Jen said Billy wanted to start dating, but it was hard and confusing. Abigail told Jen that running away to New York was not a solution because when people ran away from problems, the problems caught up with them. She stopped in mid sentence when she talked about the abandoned warehouse where she'd first met Bryant. They hugged and said goodbye.
Adam started to leave, but Abigail called out to him. They talked, and she told Adam that he was jealous of Nick and was tired of defending him. Adam felt that Nick "got in the middle of a good thing we had." Abigail left, holding her award. One of the college girls that had entered with Abigail walked over to Adam. She was a senior, but they were in the same class. They talked about Abigail and the girl's ex-boyfriend. She gave Adam her phone number and invited him to a party. He said he had to go, and as he left, he looked at the number, smiled, and mouthed, "Wow!"
Bonnie and Jessica said goodbye. Jessica couldn't believe that her daughter was all grown up and told her that when she saw her daughter in a magazine, she would be very proud of her. They hugged, and Bonnie and Jen were off. Jessica sighed from having to deal with her difficult daughter. Jessica and Ben talked about Bonnie. She admitted that Bonnie "gets to you -- she pushes like crazy."
Ben started asking questions about Bonnie, and Jessica figured that Isaac wanted to know. She said she couldn't picture Bonnie and Isaac together, and the reservations were about her daughter, not Isaac. She worried that her daughter had lived such a fantasy life and that Bonnie would never think anyone was good enough for her. Jessica felt horrible for feeling that way, but Ben reassured her that she was honest and perceptive, not a horrible mother. Ben said people didn't know how to share their lives.
Jessica's beeper went off, and she left. Isaac walked over, and Ben said Isaac should forget about Bonnie. She was too high maintenance, and she made him nervous. Isaac disagreed with Ben and insisted he was not nervous, even though he'd dried the same glass three times.
As Carly packed for New York, Molly talked about Nick and told Carly there was no need for him to be friends with Abigail. Molly trusted her daughter, but she remembered what it had been like to be eighteen. Molly said Jake knew about her past relationship with Nick and how he'd set her up to go to prison, but she couldn't tell Abigail. As Carly finished packing, Molly told her cousin that the next stop was "Carly Tenney Originals."
Molly could see that Carly was nervous. Carly explained that it was because Jack had a feeling that something really bad was going to happen to her. It was "a gut thing," and it involved James Stenbeck. Carly wondered, "What if Jack's right? " She couldn't help thinking about it. Molly got upset and started unpacking Carly's suitcase. She told her not to do the fashion show.
Carly said she had to do the show because she finally had enough money for food and for a normal life with Parker. She was doing the New York show not only to make a name for herself but also because it was her only chance to make a good life for Parker. Carly told Molly that she wouldn't run away from a bright future, especially if it was for her daughter, so Molly agreed that Carly should go to New York but made her promise to call twice a day. Molly said she was very proud of Carly.
Paul said goodbye to Barbara and told her that once again, BRO would be back on top. Barbara said she was angry that he'd hired Jen without talking to her, but she apologized for her reaction. She asked him if there was anything else she needed to know. Paul told his mother that everything he had done since he had been back in town had been for her. Barbara said, "A lie told with the best intentions is still a lie." Paul agreed and said they'd both learned that from his father.
Paul and Jack talked about the missing dress and how James had been at the auditions. Paul told Jack he'd made it seem like Craig had been responsible as a way to throw his mother off. Jack said Paul should protect his family and cancel the show. Paul said it was not an option because he and Carly had worked too hard for it, and it was the last chance to keep BRO afloat and return a successful company to his mother.
Paul hired Jack to watch Barbara when Paul left town. He said it was to protect his mother from his father. Jack said Carly could be walking into a setup, but Paul said he already had a security firm at the hotel in New York. Paul needed Jack to stay with Barbara because he had become a part of it ever since the night at the boathouse. Jack flashed to the time at the gazebo when he'd told Barbara that James was back in town.
Jack agreed with Paul, "Maybe I am the only man for the job." Of course, Barbara wasn't to know about it. Jack agreed and said Paul had better make sure nothing happened to Carly in New York or he would give Paul something to be afraid of.
Jack went to Carly's apartment. They discussed the missing dress and how James had been at the auditions, stolen the dress, and sent it to Barbara. Luckily, Paul had covered, and Barbara didn't know it was Carly's design. Jack said he had stopped over to wish Carly luck, and Carly told Jack how excited she was that her designs would be in the New York show. She said it meant a lot to her that Jack believed in her.
Jack told Carly that Paul had arranged security for her in New York and that Jack would be watching Barbara there. That way, they would know where she stood. Jack said he didn't mean to frighten Carly, but if it made her cautious, then he would do it again. Carly said she knew him well and understood that he wanted to stay behind and secure her apartment. As Carly left, Jack said, "Watch your back." "I always do," said Carly.
Barbara was alone in the house when James showed up. He told Barbara that she didn't see the deception. He said her instincts had also been damaged. James said he'd thought the dress would have given her the message and that the only person she thought she could trust had deceived her. Barbara told him to leave or else she would call the police.
James continued antagonizing Barbara and told her that her designs had never made it into production. She said she'd call Paul because he was her support, and he understood. James said that someone else had taken over the designs. When he asked Barbara who she thought that would be, Barbara guessed Carly.
At the TV station, Nick talked on the phone with "the stranger." He said, "Molly's kid will play right into my hands...she'll come to me." At that moment, Abigail walked in, and Nick said he had been thinking about her. She showed him her award, and he said he was proud of her, but she still shouldn't be there. Abigail thought Molly had talked to him but then realized Jake was the one who had put pressure on Nick to protect Abigail. She felt no one trusted her -- not Molly, Jake, or Adam -- and she asked Nick what the big secret was that everyone knew but her.
Nick said he cared for Abigail more than he should, and that was probably what everyone was worried about. He said he was an ex-con and too old for her, but Abigail said she felt inspired and important because of him. She said he was more than a friend, and she wouldn't let him walk out without a fight. She couldn't walk away from him. Nick dramatically told Abigail to go away, that "this can't be happening." Then, they kissed. Nick said they couldn't kiss again. He walked out of the room, closed the door, and said, "Like taking candy from a baby."
In New York, Carly and Paul were at the hotel. Carly asked, "What if something goes wrong?" Paul told her to relax. He had taken care of the dress, and Barbara had believed him. Paul felt everything would work out, and everyone would be winners. Bonnie and Jen arrived at BRO in New York. They were excited and commented how nice it was to be in the city and nowhere near Billy. Bonnie left to look for a stylist. Jen looked at a picture of her mother on the wall. Then, she turned around and saw Billy.
Barbara did not believe James when he told her that Paul had betrayed her by using Carly's designs. Jack arrived, and Barbara, pretending that it was the first she had seen of James, accused him of assault. As soon as Jack left to take James to the police station, Barbara headed straight to Craig's. He confirmed Stenbeck's information and urged her to go to New York to see for herself exactly what had been going on. Using the situation to his advantage, Craig asked Katie to report to Jack what had happened with Barbara and then headed off to New York himself. Jack found out that Barbara had already left for New York and headed off after her.
Meanwhile, Carly was forced to deny rumors that she was BRO's true designer. As the show had its final practice run, Carly returned to her hotel room and found the surprise of her life, Barbara, waiting for her.
Jennifer was shocked to see Billy backstage at the fashion show. When he learned the truth about the designs, he questioned Jennifer's involvement. Bonnie's behavior became too much to handle.
Simon, finding out that Rose was the new vice president for WorldWide, asked her to find a job for him. Simon then returned home, surprising Katie with a marriage proposal.
Rose and Isaac decided to go to New York together to surprise both Paul and Bonnie, respectively.
Simon asked Katie to marry him again in a more conventional manner, telling her he wanted to make all her wildest dreams happen. She accepted, providing the astrological conditions were right. Simon got exasperated with her and insisted that she allow him to handle all the wedding arrangements on his own. He promised her she would have the wedding she'd always wanted.
Katie told Simon that arranging the wedding was the most romantic thing she had ever heard, but she wanted one little hint about it. He countered by telling her he was getting Lucinda to give him a job. Katie was pleased but told Simon she was scared. Simon tried to reassure her and told her that sometimes people just had to let go and take a chance.
Ben gave Isaac a hard time about Bonnie after Isaac asked him to serve as a substitute bartender for him. Rose walked in and asked Isaac if he was ready to go to New York. Ben reluctantly agreed to play bartender for a while, but he was not very sure of himself. Jessica arrived looking for information about Bonnie. She rescued Ben when she realized he had no idea how to make mixed drinks.
Ben was impressed with Jessica's bartender savvy until he discovered she had been using a bartender guidebook to mix drinks. Lisa arrived and told both of them they needed to be more spontaneous and live a little. She encouraged them to go to New York to see the BRO fashion show, and they decided to go.
In New York, Paul gave the models some last-minute encouragement. Jen thanked him and told him how much she needed the modeling job. They talked about what would happen when Barbara found out they had deceived her. Paul told Jen he took full responsibility for the deception. Jen told Paul she saw how hard he had been working to keep BRO together and apologized to him for giving him such a hard time since he had gotten back to Oakdale.
Carly found Barbara in her hotel room. She tried to call Paul, but Barbara wouldn't let her. Barbara then asked Carly why she was in New York. Carly replied that she was there because she was trying to establish a career in fashion. Barbara asked Carly how she had managed to get a suite in the middle of the BRO contingent. Carly replied that Paul had been kind enough to let her stay there.
Barbara picked up the press releases to look at them, but Carly stopped her. She suggested that Barbara might not want to be at the fashion show and at the mercy of the press because it might be too stressful for her. She again started to call Paul, but Barbara grabbed the phone out of her hands. She tried to force Carly to go downstairs and backstage with her, but just as they approached the hotel door, Craig arrived and demanded that Barbara let go of Carly.
Craig told Carly that Barbara was aware of what was going on, and Barbara sarcastically asked Carly if Carly thought Barbara wasn't smart enough to figure out that her son and the town "whore" were conspiring behind her back. She then told Carly in a gloating way that she had the money from Bryant's trust fund. Carly was aghast and asked Barbara how she could be so cruel. She got angry and told Barbara that everyone had been bending over backwards to be kind to her because they'd felt sorry for her after all she had been through.
Billy found Jen and told her he wanted to take her out after the show, and Jen said she was ready. Jack arrived and asked Paul where Carly was. He told Paul that James Stenbeck had been arrested but not before he had gotten to Barbara. Paul asked an assistant where his mother was and found out that she was in Carly's hotel room.
Rose and Isaac talked on the plane, and she tried to get him to admit that he was developing feelings for Bonnie. Isaac mentioned that Carly had been at the modeling audition and had been very upset when one of the design dresses had disappeared. Rose wondered what Carly would have been doing at Java, consulting with Paul, and began to put two and two together. She realized that Paul had hired Carly to create the designs for the BRO spring fashion show and got really angry when she realized what Paul had done.
In Carly's hotel room, Barbara threatened to stop the fashion show and expose Carly as a fraud. Paul and Jack arrived, and Barbara confronted Paul about what he had done. Carly asked to speak to Jack alone to find out how Barbara had gotten away from him. He told her about Stenbeck, and she told him what Barbara was trying to do. Paul tried to explain to his mother that he had been trying to help her, and she caustically rejected the idea that Carly would ever try to help her. She was furious with Paul for lying to her.
Paul was honest with Barbara when she asked him whether he thought her designs were no good. He assured her that nothing had changed, and no one would know the designs being shown were not hers. Barbara suddenly seemed to give up, and Jack assured Paul he would see that she got back to Oakdale safely. Carly asked Paul why Barbara would still get credit for the designs even though she had learned the truth, and Paul vowed that he was not going to hurt Barbara any more than he already had.
Bonnie and Jennifer were reveling in their good luck when a reporter showed up and asked Jen how it felt to be the BRO Original. The reporter told Jen she had no idea what was about to happen to her. Billy showed up to wish Jen good luck, and one of the handlers told him to leave the models alone. Billy left and encountered the reporter who had interviewed Jen earlier. He told the reporter he and Jen were "close friends," but she told him he might as well forget about it because Jennifer was about to become the modeling world's hottest newcomer.
Jack took Barbara to the New York airport. He watched until she went through the ticketed passenger gate. He wanted to get back to the hotel and Carly, so he asked one of the ticket clerks to be sure they kept Barbara in sight at all times. Craig showed up at Carly's hotel room, dressed in a tuxedo. She thanked him for helping keep Barbara under control then asked him to leave while she dressed.
Back at the show, Paul asked Jack if Barbara had left on the flight for Oakdale. He thanked Jack for helping him, and Jack asked Paul to do the right thing and let everyone know the fashion show dresses were actually Carly's designs. He told Jack he didn't have time just then and started to walk off when Rose arrived. She overheard Jack confirming that the dresses were Carly's designs and slapped Paul in anger for deceiving her before she walked off.
Craig arrived back at Carly's room with a jewelry box in hand. She refused to accept it, but he opened it to reveal an "I Love New York" key chain. She laughed and was then surprised when Craig opened another box with an expensive diamond necklace in it. She told Craig she could not accept it but allowed him to put in around her neck anyway. Carly told Craig she was really glad he was with her and thought it might turn out to be her greatest night after all.
At the airport, one of the clerks alerted the flight attendant about not letting Barbara Ryan out of her sight. The attendant said Barbara had told her she had to return to the terminal because she'd left some medication behind. They looked for her, but could not find her. When they left, Barbara appeared from behind a door where she had been hiding.
