At Lucinda's cottage, Noah packed his belongings and prepared to move back to the dorms. With Ameera in custody, Noah felt there was no reason for him to continue to live at the cottage. Luke arrived and offered to help Noah, but Noah did not want Luke's assistance. He told Luke he wanted time alone and needed a break from their relationship. Luke finally began to see what Noah really wanted was to break up. Noah refused to say that he was ending their relationship. As Noah got back to work, Luke begged Noah to let him help him deal with Colonel Mayer's death. Noah did not want Luke to help with anything and continued to push him away. Luke tried to remind Noah that they had happy memories at the farm and the cottage and had once been in love. With nothing resolved, Luke went out to get more boxes to help Noah finish packing.
Luke went to Java and ran into Reg, a friend from school. Luke asked how Reg's boyfriend was doing and learned that Reg and Tony had broken up. Reg had heard about Noah's "marriage" to Ameera and asked if Luke and Noah were still a couple. Luke explained that he and Noah were trying to work things out. Reg took that piece of news as a sign that Luke was single, and asked if Luke was allowed to date other guys. Luke was not sure how to answer and told Reg he had not considered dating anyone else. Reg respected Luke's decision, but admitted he was attracted to Luke and would like to spend time with him if Luke changed his mind.
Luke returned to the cottage and told Noah about his run-in with Reg. Noah was obviously jealous, but told Luke that another guy's interest in him did not change the fact that he still wanted to take a break. Luke said that if Noah did not want to see Luke walking around campus holding hands with Reg then he needed to change his attitude and fight for their happiness together. Luke told Noah he wanted to be with him forever, but was confused since Noah had not even taken off his wedding ring and seemingly did not want to give up his life with Ameera. Noah asked why Luke had said to marry Ameera if he was not able to support it. Luke said there was no way he could have stopped Noah from marrying Ameera to stop her from being deported. Noah explained he just needed time alone to work through everything that had happened and Luke had heard enough and stormed out of the house. Luke returned to Java and sat down to talk to Reg. Luke could not get Noah out of his thoughts and quickly excused himself.
Lucinda arrived to see Noah off to the dorms, and Noah thanked her for letting him stay there with Ameera. Lucinda told Noah that he had the right to grieve for his father, but he should be happy his disastrous trip to New York to save Ameera did not end worse for everyone involved. She described for Noah how worried Luke was for Noah's safety in New York. With his things packed, Noah left the cottage and, in the darkness, viewers see his ring had been left behind, to indicate that his marriage to Ameera was over.
At Fairwinds, Paul woke on the couch with just a blanket covering him and looked around the room for Meg. He found Meg at the window deep in thought. Paul told Meg to come and sit with him and he asked her what was wrong. Meg said she was worried that since Paul gave Sofie a check, it would appear as if he had paid her off to drop the rape charges she had brought against him. Paul told Meg he did not want to talk about Sofie and wanted to focus on his future with Meg. Moments later, Paul got a call from the police and learned that Sofie had decided not to move forward with the rape charges. Paul and Meg were happy to learn that Sofie had withdrawn her complaint and Paul got dressed so he could go to the station and sign paperwork. Before he left, Meg explained she was worried that Sofie would not let them be happy, but Paul guaranteed Meg that everything would be fine.
Sofie arrived back at her room at the Lakeview and informed Cole that she had talked to Paul. Sofie lied and told Cole that Paul had refused to pay her to drop the charges against him. She went on to tell Cole that she had gone to the police and had the charges against Paul dismissed because it was the right thing to do. Cole was angry and shocked at what Sofie had done. He told her Paul would never like her and she had blown any chance they had of getting money out of Paul. Sofie realized that Cole was only on her side because he wanted a big payoff and pushed him out of her room.
Alone at Fairwinds, Meg heard the front door and assumed Paul had returned. When she went to the hall she found Sofie had let herself in and was looking for Paul. Meg explained Paul was not there, but Sofie told Meg to let Paul know she stopped by. Meg explained that Sofie was no longer welcome at Fairwinds and she needed to get out. Sofie said Paul had no trouble with her being in his home and she had only come by to thank him. Meg asked if she was there to show her appreciation for the check he gave her and Sofie was stunned that Paul had told Meg about the money. Meg told Sofie that the check was a payment to get her out of Paul's life and then Meg suggested that Sofie should use the money to get professional help over her fixation on Paul. Sofie told Meg to mind her own business and stormed out.
In the Lakeview dining room, Lily met Lucinda for lunch to discuss business, and Lucinda immediately noticed that Lily's attitude was back to her old spirited self. Lily admitted she was happy to have her focus back on work and off of her marriage troubles with Holden. She told her mom that Holden was once again committed to their marriage and she was ready to let her relationship work itself out on its own. Lily left to do some shopping.
On a county road, Holden and Carly shared a kiss. As soon as it happened, Carly started to say something, but then burned her hand on the engine. Holden iced her hand and the two stared at one another and each seemed confused about what the kiss had meant to the other. The two got back on the road and exchanged small talk, but their discussion was awkward and the kiss lingered in the air between them. After a short while, Carly decided it was time to talk about the kiss. She told Holden to pull over so they could talk, but he was unwilling to discuss it and said they needed to get home.
Back at the Lakeview, Lucinda saw Barbara sitting in the dining room and went to sit with her. Lucinda told Barbara she knew about Barbara's cancer diagnosis and, since Lucinda had recently battled and survived breast cancer, she tried to comfort Barbara and told her she needed to depend on her family for support. Barbara detailed her struggle to ask her family for help because she had lived so independently for so long. Lucinda said asking for her children's assistance was the best thing she could do to help her survive cancer.
After Lucinda left, Paul and Meg arrived to share the news that Sofie had dropped the rape charges, but they found Barbara looking exhausted. Barbara asked Meg to take her to her room and sent Paul to cancel her lunch order. As Paul finished talking to the waiter, Sofie arrived and asked to speak with Paul. Sofie wanted to know if he would have considered dating her if Meg had been out of the picture. Paul said it was not that simple and walked away.
Paul went up to check on Meg and Barbara, and Meg told him that Barbara needed to be looked after for a while and Meg was going to take a leave of absence from her job at Memorial to help his mom get well.
After Meg went to Memorial to ask for a leave, she met Paul in the lobby of the Lakeview and told him that Bob had granted her request. She talked about how lucky she was that Bob understood, since she was still on probation for accidentally killing a patient. Unknown to Meg and Paul, Sofie was listening in on everything they were talking about. Meg went on to say that she was still worried that Sofie was not over Paul, but Paul told her that Sofie had told him she was ready to move away from Oakdale. They celebrated their mutual good news with a kiss. Sofie went to the hospital and decided to research what mistakes Meg had made in the past.
Carly and Holden returned to the Snyder farm and Carly followed Holden in to get some books for JJ. The pair was surprised when Lily appeared and welcomed them both home. As Lily greeted Holden with a hug, he stared at Carly and the two exchanged an uncomfortable glance; both were obviously thinking about their kiss. Lily asked the two to tell her about the camp, but Holden said he had work to take care of. Carly and Lily headed into the kitchen as Holden watched Carly momentarily from outside.
Carly and Lily shared a few laughs about Carly and Holden's misadventures on their journey to drop the girls off at camp. Lily asked if Carly and Holden had been able to resolve their differences. Carly thought back on the kiss she shared with Holden, and confidently told Lily that she thought her friendship with Holden would be fine. Carly got a call and headed home to take care of JJ, who was still not feeling well.
With Carly gone, Lily began kissing Holden as a proper welcome home. Holden finished empting out the car by bringing the cooler in and when he saw the ice, he thought back on his kiss with Carly. In the meantime, Carly had returned home and hooked up her camera and viewed her day with Holden. In the pictures she noticed that she and Holden were clinging to one another and she became uncomfortable and closed the computer.
At the Lakeview, Sofie convinced a maid to let her into Barbara's suite. Paul and Meg came into the room a minute later and demanded to know how Sofie had gotten in. Barbara came out from the bedroom and told Sofie she didn't want to see her. Sofie apologized and told Barbara she just wanted to be forgiven for the mistakes she'd made. Barbara told Sofie to leave, but then Barbara began to faint, and Paul and Meg had to catch her.
Paul took Sofie out of Barbara's suite. He told Sofie she needed to stay away, not just from his mother and from Meg, but from him, too. Sofie left and called Cole, telling him to meet her in her room at the hotel. Cole arrived, and Sofie said she needed his help. Sofie explained that Meg Snyder was standing in the way of her desire to reunite with Paul. Cole pointed out that perhaps it was Sofie's accusation of rape that was keeping Paul from wanting to be with her. Sofie told Cole that Paul had forgiven her for that, but Meg wouldn't let Paul forget about it.
Cole told Sofie he had always known she was "a little off, but not this much." Cole started to leave, but Sofie stopped him, saying she needed him to do a favor for her and that she would pay him for it. When he asked what she wanted, Sofie said, "I need you to steal something from the hospital for me." Sofie then told Cole she needed morphine in a particular concentration, but Cole told her to forget it. Sofie again said she would pay him. Cole asked her where she would get the money; Sofie promised she could get it. Cole agreed to help her, saying he must be as crazy as she was.
Paul found Lisa and told her what had been going on with Sofie and how much it was upsetting his mother. Lisa said she would do anything to help Barbara, and Paul asked her to evict Sofie from the hotel. Paul went back to his mother's suite, where he told Meg that Lisa had agreed to find Sofie another place to live. Meg was thrilled. Meg told Paul she had to go to the hospital to pick up a paycheck and some medical supplies for Barbara, and she left.
At the hospital, Meg told one of the nurses what supplies she needed, and the nurse told Meg she had just done an inventory and that everything Meg needed was in a nearby room. Cole was in that same room, stealing the morphine. He hid behind the bed when Meg entered the room, and she got her supplies and left without seeing him.
Sofie found Paul in the lounge at the Lakeview. He insisted he had nothing more to discuss with her, but Sofie said she wanted to show him pictures of Hallie she had just gotten in the mail. Paul said he didn't know what Sofie was trying to do, but it had to stop. Sofie then tried to explain that after Will and Gwen left town with Hallie, she had become dependent on Paul and his mom. She said that when everyone said they loved her jewelry designs, she had thought that meant they loved her, too. Paul said he had given Sofie what he could. Paul told Sofie he really wanted her to be happy, and Sofie said, "This is something I should have done a long time ago. Maybe we'd all be better off." She left, and Paul found Lisa and asked her to hold off on evicting Sofie from the hotel.
Chris had lunch with his mother and father at Al's Diner. They were discussing the pending lawsuit when Susan walked up to their table and laid into Chris for having cornered Alison at the hospital and locked her in a room to try to bully her into dropping the suit. Kim defended Chris like a mother bear would defend her cub, but Susan fought just as strongly for Alison and accused Kim of letting Susan's one-night stand with Bob years and years before influence her perception of "the Stewart women." Susan told Kim that no amount of pressure from her, Bob, or Chris would make Alison drop the lawsuit. After telling them to enjoy their lunch, Susan left.
Bob asked Chris if any of what Susan had just said was true. Chris admitted he had locked the door when he and Alison were in the on-call room, but he said he had just wanted to talk to Alison. Bob pointed out that Chris had been told by him and by Tom not to talk to Alison at all, but obviously, Chris had ignored their advice. Chris said he had felt that he had to say something to Alison when he found out she had tried to get Bob to fire him. Kim was shocked to hear that, and Bob said he hadn't mentioned it to Kim because he had had no intention of firing Chris.
Alison helped Aaron work on his motorcycle, but he could tell she was distracted about something. Alison admitted she was thinking about something that had happened with Chris at work, and she told Aaron about Chris cornering her in the on-call room. Aaron became very angry. He told Alison he knew that while she was working in Las Vegas in the porn industry, men had pushed her around and treated her badly, and he hated that Chris was doing the same thing to her. Alison said it wasn't the same, because Chris had failed, and Alison was okay. Alison then asked Aaron to promise he wouldn't do anything to Chris.
Alison got a phone call from Susan and went to meet her at Java. Susan told Alison about her confrontation with the Hughes family, saying, "In a nutshell, I think I threatened Chris in public, I called him a liar and a bully, and I think I also might have mentioned the affair I had with Bob." Alison said she could see where her own impulse control problems came from. She told her mom that it meant a lot to know she was on her side, but it was Alison's battle, not Susan's. Susan agreed but said it had felt great to let Chris have it.
Aaron found Chris at the hospital in the on-call room and went in, locking the door behind him. When Chris told Aaron to unlock the door, Aaron asked if that was what Alison had said when Chris had locked her in. Aaron asked Chris if he had hoped to scare Alison into dropping the lawsuit or if he had been trying to strong-arm her into bed. Chris told Aaron he was tired of having Aaron in his face and that if Aaron wanted a fight, he'd get one. Meanwhile, Kim and Bob arrived at the hospital, still discussing the situation with Chris. Kim said she knew Chris was ambitious, and Bob said Chris was also reckless and perhaps should be suspended until the whole lawsuit business was over. Suddenly, they heard a commotion in the on-call room. Bob tried to open the door, but it was locked; he took out his key and unlocked it, and Chris and Aaron came out, fighting. Bob tried to break them up, as did Kim. Meg came out and saw that Aaron was involved. The hospital's security staff quickly grabbed Chris and Aaron and told Bob and Kim that according to hospital policy, they had to take both of the young men downtown. Meg called Alison to let her know what had happened.
Susan and Alison went to the police station, where Alison asked Aaron what had happened. Chris responded that Alison's boyfriend had assaulted him, but Bob told Chris to keep his mouth shut. Alison asked Aaron why he had gone after Chris after she'd asked him not to, and she told Aaron he'd made things worse. Dallas Griffin came to take a statement from Chris, but Bob asked if he could have a minute alone with Chris first. Bob then told Chris the last thing they were going to do was press charges against Aaron. Bob angrily told Chris that as his father, he wanted Chris to listen to him in order to salvage his career.
When Dallas returned, Bob told him that Chris wasn't going to press charges. Dallas gave Aaron, Alison, and Susan the news. Dallas said Chris had been told to keep his distance from Aaron, and he suggested Aaron do the same. Meanwhile, Bob told Chris he'd like to see a little maturity from Chris to convince him he hadn't been wrong to stand by him. Later, Chris apologized to Kim for having gotten her involved in the situation. Kim told Chris he would have to rise above it and start acting like a Hughes.
Alison went back to the farm with Aaron. He apologized for his actions but said he wanted Alison to know that he couldn't help feeling strongly about her, and he would do anything to protect her from anyone who wanted to hurt her.
Meg returned to the Lakeview and told Paul that their families were at war, explaining what had happened between Chris and Aaron. Paul asked if he could be on "Team Snyder," but Meg said she'd rather they just stay at the Lakeview with him and his mom. Meg said she felt better knowing she wouldn't be running into Sofie, so Paul told her he had asked Lisa not to evict Sofie after all. Meg was very upset and told Paul he could keep telling himself Sofie wasn't going to be a problem anymore, but neither she nor Barbara would believe him. Meg said that if Paul wasn't going to get Sofie to leave, she would leave instead. Paul followed Meg down to the lobby and told her he had acted out of his love for her. Paul explained that if he had had Sofie thrown out of the hotel, it would have been out of spite or fear, and he didn't want to be that kind of person anymore, because he wanted to be the type of person Meg would love forever. Meg said she understood about trying to make up for past mistakes and not knowing where to start. Paul said you started by letting go. Meg responded that she would let go when Sofie let go.
Cole met Sofie in Old Town and gave her the drug he had stolen from the hospital. He asked what Sofie was going to do with the morphine. Sofie explained to Cole that Meg had once killed a patient at the hospital by giving her too much of the wrong medicine. Sofie returned to the Lakeview, where she saw Paul and Meg talking in the lobby. She went upstairs, took a passkey from a maid's cart, let herself into Barbara's suite, and put the morphine bottle next to the one that was already on the medicine tray. The bottle Sofie put down was in a concentration of 50 mg per milliliter, whereas the one Meg had been using was for 4 mg per milliliter.
In the kitchen at the Snyder home, Holden thought back on the kiss he shared with Carly. Holden was jolted back to reality when Carly arrived with JJ. Carly explained that Emma had agreed to watch JJ for her because she had to work at Metro. When JJ went upstairs, Carly said she knew Holden did not want to see her and rushed out of the farmhouse. Holden started to chase after her, but stopped when he got a phone call from Lily. Holden invited Lily to have dinner with him and she happily accepted.
Holden arrived at Lily's house and surprised her with beautiful flowers before their night out. Lily was taken aback at how loving Holden was being, but was happy to enjoy a romantic night out with her husband. The two headed off to the Lakeview for a quiet dinner. Once there, Lily asked if Carly was the reason Holden was being so attentive to her. Holden insisted his attention to Lily had nothing to do with Carly, but Lily thought Carly had inspired Holden to work on their relationship. After dinner, Lily asked Holden if he wanted to go dancing and when he agreed, she decided they should head over to Metro.
At Metro, Henry was tending bar when Bonnie came in and gave him some good news. Bonnie explained that Grey Gerald's estate had decided to settle with Henry, and Bonnie delivered Henry a huge monetary settlement. Henry was overjoyed with the news and told Bonnie he wanted to call Vienna to get her down to Metro to celebrate. Bonnie was not sure that Vienna would like the idea of the money coming from Grey, but Henry reassured Bonnie that Vienna would be just as happy as he was about their windfall.
When Carly returned to Metro, she thanked Henry for his help and told him she would have to pay him later. Henry told her not to worry about the money because he was "filthy rich" and to prove it he bought drinks for the entire bar. Carly was happy for her friend and toasted his good fortune. When Henry drank the cocktail Carly had mixed for him, he was shocked at how horrible it was. Carly apologized, but Henry explained what Carly needed was a business partner and someone who really knew how to make a drink. Henry proposed that he use his money to become Carly's equal partner in Metro. Henry listed all the reasons Carly should consider his business proposal, but Carly was not persuaded. As Henry and Bonnie discussed his future, Vienna arrived and was not happy to find Henry hanging out with Bonnie. As Vienna began to berate Bonnie, Henry jumped in and told her about their new wealth. Vienna saw the check as "dirty money" and was not at all pleased. Bonnie wished Henry luck with persuading Vienna to accept the settlement.
Once Holden and Lily were at Metro, Carly greeted the two, and Lily told her friend about Holden taking her out to dinner. When Lily stepped away for a moment, Holden apologized to Carly for coming to Metro, but Carly explained he had no reason to be sorry and she was happy for his reconciliation with Lily. Carly watched as Holden and Lily danced. Holden went out to take a call and Lily happily told Carly that she was so pleased with the changes in Holden. She admitted she thought it was the night that she and Holden would get back their marriage back on track and she would get Holden back in her bed.
Alone with Vienna, Henry told her that he wanted to use the money to become a part owner of Metro. Vienna said she did not want anything but Henry and the diner, and was not interested in Grey's money or Metro. Henry could not be dissuaded and again told Carly he was meant to be her partner. Carly still was not sure, but she asked Henry if he would be willing to watch the bar for her. Henry saw it as a sign that Carly would soon want him to be her partner.
Back at the farm, Lily checked on Ethan and discovered he was fast asleep. Since the baby was out for the night, Holden invited Lily to stay with him and the two went upstairs together to make love. A short time later, Carly arrived at the farm to pick up JJ, and was greeted by a shirtless Holden who had come downstairs to get a drink. Carly was stunned into silence and was a little more shocked when Lily came downstairs and told Carly that she and Holden were back together. Carly said she was happy for them and when JJ came down, she rushed out with her son. As Holden locked up the house, he could think of nothing but Carly, and across town at her home Carly was thinking of him.
Down in the Lakeview bar, Meg and Paul decided to let Sofie stay at the Lakeview until she was able to find a new place to live. Paul felt that Sofie was harmless and just needed time to get back on her feet. Little did Paul know that Sofie was up in his mother's suite, exchanging a bottle of mild morphine for a more potent and potentially lethal vial of the same medication. When Meg went upstairs to check on Barbara, Cole, who was keeping an eye on Meg and Paul for Sofie, called Sofie to warn her that Meg was on her way up. Sofie got the warning, but Barbara heard Sofie's phone ring and called out to see who was in her room. Sofie hid in the bathroom just as Meg arrived in the room. Barbara walked out of her bedroom in pain and Meg decided to give her an injection of morphine to help Barbara sleep. As Meg tended to Barbara, Sofie snuck out of the suite and met Cole in the hallway.
Back in her room, Cole asked Sofie if she had switched the vials of medicine. Cole said he had found out that the vial he stole from the hospital for Sofie was enough to kill a person with just one shot. He told Sofie he was not ready to kill someone and asked her if she was willing to hurt Barbara like that. Cole said he wanted to get out of town right away if Sofie was going to use the medicine to kill Barbara. Sofie told Cole she would have money for him later that day and then he could leave Oakdale for good, but she needed time to get the money. Cole left and Sofie hid the low dose morphine she had lifted from Barbara's room in her lockbox. She grabbed the $100,000 check Paul had given her and went to the bank to get Cole's money.
Paul arrived in Barbara's suite as Meg gave Barbara the shot. Meg and Paul decided to stay with Barbara for the evening. As Meg left the room to make some tea for Barbara, Paul noticed that his mother had already passed out. When Meg returned she noticed that Barbara's pulse was weak and told Paul to call 9-1-1 and get an ambulance there right away.
Sofie arrived back in her room after cashing the check and pulled out $10,000 for Cole before putting the rest away for safekeeping. She told herself that she was doing what Paul wanted. She went into the hall and learned from a hotel maid that Barbara had been taken to the hospital. Sofie took Cole his money and told him that she was sure Paul would dump Meg now that Meg had overdosed Barbara. Cole thanked Sofie for the money and then convinced her to sleep with him one more time for old time's sake.
At Memorial, Paul and Meg waited as Barbara was admitted and given Narcan to counteract the morphine. The doctor informed Meg and Paul that Barbara was not responding and they needed to know how much Morphine she had been given. Meg agreed to fill in the doctors while Paul went into Barbara's room to see how she was doing. Paul pleaded with his mother to wake up.
Meg told the doctor in charge of Barbara's case that she had given Barbara 4mg of Morphine for pain and everyone was baffled at how such a low dose could cause a horrible reaction. Meg checked the bottle of morphine she had brought to the hospital and was horrified when she saw it was not 4mg, but 50mg. Meg tearfully told Paul about her mistake and explained that she was sure she had only picked up 4mg bottles when she had retrieved Barbara's supplies earlier from the hospital. Paul reassured Meg that Barbara would be fine, but Meg said she would never forgive herself if anything happened to Barbara. Moments later, a nurse called for help from Barbara's room and Paul and Meg watched as doctors and nurses rushed to Barbara's bedside.
Barbara's doctor came out and told Paul and Meg that Barbara had a close call, but was doing better and the shot they gave her had finally worked. Meg told him about her mistake and he said he would have to report her to the medical board and the police. Meg felt horrible about her slip-up, but Paul reassured her it was not her fault. Meg went to a nurse on duty and found the medical log where she had signed out a lower dose of morphine. She asked if she could have been given the more potent morphine and the nurse said she did not think it was possible. Then the nurse told Meg that a 50mg vial of morphine had gone missing that afternoon. When Paul returned, Meg told him that she thought Sofie was behind the drug switch.
Luke was getting some dinner at Al's Diner when Noah phoned to tell Luke he was at the police station with Ameera. Luke told Noah he was coming down to talk to him and Ameera. When he arrived at the station, Luke learned that Ameera was being let out of police custody and was moving to Los Angeles to stay with a family who was willing to sponsor her stay in the United States. Ameera told Luke that she had filed for an annulment from Noah and wished Luke and Noah a happy life together. Noah and Luke wished Ameera good luck and sent her on her way.
Once Ameera was gone, Luke persuaded Noah to go and get a coffee so they could talk. At Java, the two discussed their future and whether or not Luke planned on dating Reg. Noah was obviously jealous, but was unable to renew his commitment to Luke. Noah's behavior convinced Luke that Noah wanted to be single, and Luke became angry that once again he wanted to be with someone who obviously did not want to be with him.
Lily found Holden in the kitchen at the farm after their night of lovemaking. He proposed that the two of them get away for a break to a place of Lily's choosing. Lily had a sudden brainstorm and suggested Carly's cabin in Montana, and she picked up the phone to call to ask Carly's permission. Holden stopped the call and was reluctant to involve Carly in their plans. He finally agreed, so Lily left for a financial meeting with Lucinda and reminded Holden to call Carly to make the arrangements for the cabin.
Carly dreamed of kissing Holden and when she awoke, her thoughts continued as a daydream. When the phone rang and she saw on the caller ID that the call was from Holden, she did not pick up.
At home, Tom scolded Emily on the phone for her supposedly career-damaging article in the Intruder about Chris and Memorial Hospital. Emily then ordered extra copies to be delivered to the hospital. Tom also complained to Casey about Emily's behavior, but Casey was not concerned. Chris arrived for a conference about the trial with Tom, and Tom had him read the article. Tom also warned Chris not to underestimate the lawyer skills of Bonnie McKechnie. The men ran through a series of questions that Tom thought likely to come up at the trial, and Chris bridled at being asked about his previous relationship with Alison and also that with her sister, Emily.
At Memorial, Alison saw other staff members whispering about her. Aaron appeared to remind her that she was off duty and to tell her that he had a present for her if she would come with him. He took her for a run around the pond and then they rested and talked. Aaron admitted he was not a bit sorry he had beaten up Chris for his actions with Alison, and the two of them shared a brief kiss initiated by Alison.
Casey went to the Intruder offices and delivered a message to Emily from his dad. The message was that Emily should caution Alison to pull out of the lawsuit before she really got hurt. Emily asked Casey to spy on his father for her, but Casey was reluctant to do so. He vowed to prove that his dad was a good guy, and he and Emily shared some kisses.
Alison confided to Aaron that she was not afraid that Chris would be nasty in court, but Aaron was not convinced. The two of them cuddled a bit by the pond and rekindled some of their former feelings for one another.
When Carly did not answer his phone call, Holden drove over to her house. He found her home and asked to borrow her cabin in Montana, and Carly agreed. Carly offered coffee, but Holden seemed ill at ease and wanted to leave. He told Carly that he could no longer be around her, but he did finally accept a cup of coffee. Carly rehashed their relationship, but Holden was not interested in having the discussion and told her that he was happy with Lily and thanked her for the use of the cabin. Holden left, and Carly began to fold laundry when she suddenly grabbed her purse and car keys and bolted for the door.
Lily and Lucinda finished their meeting at the Lakeview, and Lily asked to borrow the Worldwide jet. Her mother misinterpreted her motives and scolded her for running off from her husband again. Lily explained that the jet was to take them to a weekend hideaway in Montana, and Lucinda then readily agreed. Lily said she thought Carly was behind Holden's sudden change of thought, but Lucinda was reluctant to think that highly of Carly's motives.
Tom, still working with Chris, produced the porn video that Alison had made, and Chris was horrified. Tom said he would keep it as a last resort in case the lawsuit required it. Chris reconsidered and told Tom to go ahead and use the video. Chris left, and Casey walked in and spotted the video in Tom's briefcase. He pulled it out as his father walked back in, and they argued about the ethics of the situation. Casey got angry and stormed out then made a quick phone call.
The call summoned Alison and Aaron to Emily's office where they learned from Casey that Tom had a copy of the video and was prepared to use it. Aaron said he had something important to do, and departed. Casey also left, leaving the Stewart sisters lamenting that their pasts were always catching up with them.
Aaron went to Memorial Hospital and found Chris in the on-call room again. Chris was leery that Aaron was going to punch him again, but instead Aaron said he was asking a favor: Would Chris allow Tom to play the video of Alison at the trial and trash what was left of her reputation and dignity?
Tom called Alison and warned her that he would use all his ammunition against her if it came to that in the trial. He asked her once more to drop the charges against his brother and client. Alison said she appreciated the heads-up, but that she was continuing the suit.
Carly went to the Snyder horse barn where Holden saw her. She said she had decided to take Holden up on his offer to ride anytime, and Holden asked to accompany her. They rode out to a beautiful stream where they dismounted to talk. Back at the barn, Lily came looking for Holden.
Holden and Carly went for a horseback ride and wound up discussing their attraction for one another, despite Carly's reluctance to talk about it. Carly said she could see that Holden and Lily were closer than they'd been in months, and she didn't want to do anything to come between them. Holden said he didn't know what he wanted anymore, except that he wanted his family to feel safe and happy. Carly said Holden had always loved Lily and that he and Lily were obviously still in love. Holden said he did love Lily, but being "in love" was something else.
Carly told Holden if he wanted to save his marriage, he would have to fight for it. Holden said he was trying, but Carly was all he could think about. When pressed, Carly admitted that all she could think about was Holden, but she warned Holden not to throw away his marriage for a momentary fantasy, saying she'd done that before, and it was never worth it. Carly said their attraction was "basic stuff," just pheromones, and that it would wash off in the shower. Holden said he'd tried that, and it didn't work. Carly then explained that they had both been hurt by someone they loved and had grown closer to each other while venting about that; Holden asked if she was trying to say they were attracted to each other because they were losers. Carly said sort of, and Holden told her she wasn't a loser. Holden leaned towards Carly to kiss her.
Lily tried to reach Holden on his cell phone but realized he'd left it in his jacket at the stables. Lily asked Eddie, the stable hand Holden was supposed to be meeting, if he had seen Holden. Eddie hadn't seen him yet but thought maybe Holden had gone for a ride. Lily went looking for Holden. Just as Holden was about to kiss Carly, they heard Lily calling Holden's name. Carly told Holden to stall Lily to give Carly time to get back to the barn. Holden said they had nothing to hide, but Carly disagreed and said she couldn't face Lily at that moment. Carly left, and Lily approached Holden, asking what he was doing out there. Holden said he had wanted to clear his mind before his meeting with Eddie.
When Holden and Lily got back to the stables, Lily noticed the horse Carly had been riding and wondered aloud where it had come from. Holden suggested that perhaps Eddie had been riding it. Lily told Holden that wasn't the case, because Eddie had been mucking out the stalls when she got there. Holden told her she must be remembering it wrong. When they got back to the house, Lily started talking about their plans to go to Montana together. Holden told Lily he'd been thinking and had decided they should wait a couple of weeks before going, because Eddie was still rather new and not completely familiar with the horses. Lily was disappointed but did her best to cover her feelings, agreeing with Holden that it might be better to wait so they could do a better job of planning the trip.
Carly came to the door with information about Montana to give to Lily. Lily told Carly that Holden had decided to postpone their trip. Carly was surprised. Lily's phone rang, so Carly told her goodbye. Holden said he would walk Carly out. Carly asked him why he wasn't going to Montana, and Holden said it was because of the horses. Holden went back inside, and he told Lily he was sorry to disappoint her. Lily said it was okay, because Holden had promised they would go in a few weeks, "and more than anybody else in the whole world, Holden, I trust you to keep your promises." Lily kissed Holden, and he kissed her back, as Carly watched from the porch through the kitchen window.
Janet tried to get Liberty to go out with her for the evening, but Brad told Liberty she had to study for her summer school course. Janet ended up at Yo's. Dallas and some of the other police officers invited Jack to go to Yo's with them, and after they got there, they saw Janet come in. Jack told them that Janet was a family friend. He then went to speak to Janet and said he would buy her a drink since she had helped JJ get better by making chicken soup.
Brad told Katie they should go out for the evening and leave Liberty to get her homework done. He said they were having a 1980s night at Yo's, and he thought they should go. Katie said she would, provided Brad dressed the part. They went to Yo's, with Katie dressed like Madonna. Brad spotted Janet and Jack together and told Katie he thought they should leave. Katie didn't want to leave yet, so Brad approached Janet and Jack and chatted with them. He got Janet alone and asked if she was there with Jack; Janet asked if that was a problem, and Brad said no. However, Brad told Katie he thought Janet and Jack made a very weird couple.
Later, Janet heard a Bryan Adams' song, "Heaven," playing, and she went to Brad and asked him if he remembered that it was the first song they had danced to at their high school prom (the night they conceived Liberty). Janet then asked Katie if she could borrow Brad for one dance, for old times' sake. Katie told Brad to go ahead. Holding Brad very close to her, Janet told him she thought it was fate that had brought the four of them (Janet, Brad, Jack, and Katie) to Yo's that evening. Brad asked if it was fate that had brought Janet and Jack together or if they had come on a date. Janet said she had run into Jack, and Brad said he thought it was strange for Janet to be hanging out with his brother. He told Janet that Jack was "extremely damaged," and Janet said she would take Brad's warning under advisement.
Jack asked Katie if she was concerned that Janet seemed to be reliving her prom night with Brad. Katie said no, because she had no reason to feel threatened by Janet. Janet and Brad finished their dance, and Janet returned to Jack. However, the next song was "Don't You Forget About Me," which Janet told Jack had been the theme song of her prom. She started to go get Brad again, but Jack reminded her that they had been talking about not living in the past, so Janet stayed with Jack. "Freeze Frame" then began playing, and Janet became excited again, so Jack asked her to dance. As Jack and Janet danced, Katie watched and pointed them out to Brad. Brad groaned and told Katie that Jack was awful. Katie seemed to disagree, but Brad wanted to leave, so they left together.
Jack told Janet they could stop showing off because Brad and Katie had gone. Jack then asked if he could get Janet another drink or take her home, and Janet said yes to both things. Jack took Janet back to the Lakeview, and Janet asked Jack what it was like to live on a farm. Jack answered her questions and joked with her about farm life. Janet invited him in for a drink, but he declined because he had to drive home. They bid each other goodnight, and Jack left.
Liberty sent Parker a text message that said, "Rescue me." When Parker arrived, Liberty told him she needed help with her math homework. Parker noticed that Liberty smelled great, and she told him she had used some of Katie's incredibly expensive perfume. While Parker did Liberty's geometry homework, Liberty fell asleep. Parker woke her up when he was finished, and she thanked him for doing such a great job for her. Liberty gave Parker a kiss on the cheek, and Parker left the house with a slight smile on his face.
When Katie and Brad got home, Liberty told them she had done all of her homework. Brad looked it over and told her he was proud of her. Liberty went to her room, and Katie asked Brad if he'd ever fantasized about undressing Madonna. Brad told Katie she was better than Madonna. However, he asked her if seeing Jack and Janet together had bothered her. Katie said no, but Brad said it seemed a bit "incestuous" to him. Katie said no more so than the fact that she used to be married to Brad's brother. Brad told Katie he was going to get a drink, but instead, he called Janet and asked her if she'd gotten home okay. Janet said she had and that Jack had been a perfect gentleman. Brad asked if Jack was still there, and Janet simply said, "Goodnight, Brad." After she hung up, she told herself that Brad appeared to be jealous.
Today's show was dedicated to Robert Calhoun. Calhoun served as executive producer of As the World Turns in the late-1980s. He recently passed away.
