Alison saw Emily in the Lakeview lounge and admitted that she did have feelings for Casey, but they were not reciprocated. Alison felt like a fool and wished she had listened to her older sister in the first place. She apologized to Emily for lying to her. Emily told Alison there was no better way for Casey to get back at her for dumping him than to break her little sister's heart. A discouraged Alison left for work.
Casey was drinking coffee in the diner when Luke approached and wanted to know what had happened with his friend and Alison. Casey said that Alison had shut him out. When Luke asked about the rooftop meeting between the two of them, Casey had no idea what he was talking about. Luke explained how he had set up a meeting for them, and Casey was amazed. Luke said he had asked Jade to invite Casey, and she had promised to do it. The boys were stumped over why Jade had not followed through, so Luke, who had spotted Jade outside the diner, told Casey to wait while he dashed out. Jade was headed to the diner, so Luke intercepted her and began asking questions.
Meg woke Dusty, who was sleeping on the couch in his room at the Lakeview. Meg and the baby had spent the night to avoid "unwanted visitors" at the farm and to escape Emma's sharp tongue. Dusty was grateful for the company, since he was desperately missing Johnny. Meg told him she was going to see Paul, but Dusty forbade it. Meg laughingly told him he could not order her around, since they weren't really married, but then she got serious and said she was determined to impress on Paul that their relationship was over. Dusty suggested she leave Eliza with him, and Meg decided to do just that. Dusty wished her luck before she left.
At Fairwinds, Barbara railed at Paul for taking part in getting Craig Montgomery named as Johnny's custodial parent. She swore she would not lose another grandchild because of Paul's hatred. Paul explained that technically Meg was still his wife, and that was the key to their finding their way back to one another.
Luke brought Jade into the diner, and Casey asked her about not passing on Luke's message to meet Alison. Jade said she just decided not to do it, but when the boys pushed her, she admitted it was because of Casey's previous relationship with Emily. She neglected to mention that Emily was paying her to keep Alison and Casey apart. Her excuse was that she thought it was warped that Casey was interested in Alison after he had been married to her sister. She said she was only trying to help, but Casey was furious. He dashed out to find Alison and make things right. Luke reminded Jade how well he knew her and asked what the real reason was behind her not giving Casey the message. He said he knew she did not go around doing random acts of goodness, so there had to be something in it for her. She denied that she had any romantic interest in Casey herself, but Luke was upset that she had lied to him. Jade said she was willing to fix it if Luke would forgive her.
Dusty walked through the Lakeview lobby pushing Eliza in her stroller. Emily called to him and remarked about his quick step into the role of step-daddy. Dusty told her about Paul's crashing the custody hearing for Johnny, and that because of a glitch in Meg's divorce, she and Dusty were never legally married. Emily seemed truly sorry that Dusty had lost Johnny to Craig, and she tried to get him to admit that he wished he had accepted her offer of marriage. Dusty disagreed, so Emily asked if there was anything she could do for him, but again he declined. As he fed a bottle to Eliza, Emily told him to enjoy his new family, and she left.
Paul and Barbara went shopping for Eliza, and Paul kept declaring that Meg loved only him and would come back soon. His mother warned him to back off or Meg could retaliate by denying him access to the baby. Paul said he was convinced they would be a family again, just as Meg walked in. Paul took her appearance as proof that his theory was correct, but he was disappointed she had not brought their daughter. Meg asked to speak with Paul, so Barbara went to make tea. Meg lit into Paul for his interference in the courtroom, and the two of them argued loudly. Paul claimed he had done what he did for Meg's own good. Meg was upset with those words because they were the same as what Paul had said to Jennifer when he had kept Johnny from her. Meg questioned Paul's motives, and told him she was cutting him out of her life and letting him have only limited visitation rights with Eliza.
Paul asked why she was being so cruel. Meg tried to explain that they were no longer a family, but Paul took that to mean that Meg had betrayed him with Dusty. In desperation, Meg got sarcastic and screamed that she did love Dusty and had done so all along. Paul believed her words, so a frustrated Meg attempted to reason with him. Barbara arrived in response to the raised voices and heard Meg say she would make sure Paul would never come near her or the baby again.
At Memorial, Matt Connor, Casey's friend from his prison days, showed up, and failed to recognize Alison from the back. He asked if she knew where Casey Hughes was, and then Alison realized who he was. He had been released from jail and was glad to see Alison. He assumed Alison and Casey were still fast friends, but Alison said the two of them didn't hang out together that much any more. She took her break early, and suggested Matt walk with her to get some air in the park. They had just left when Casey arrived from the diner, looking for Alison. A hospital worker told him where Alison had gone.
Alison and Matt walked in the park while she told him that Casey and Emily had struggled through a short-lived marriage. She also explained she had married Aaron and then realized it was a mistake. She was gloomy about her chances of connecting with Casey again, when suddenly she spotted Casey watching them from behind a tree. She asked Matt to kiss her, so he did. Casey saw it all, and then turned and left. Matt asked Alison what was up, so Alison told the truth and said Casey had seen them. She apologized for using Matt, who said it was obvious she had not moved on from her feelings about Casey. Alison returned to work, feeling even worse.
Barbara attempted to comfort Paul, but he told his mother that Meg had admitted she was in love with Dusty. Barbara thought that was anger speaking, and she offered to help by contacting a good lawyer so Paul could take legal action to get visitation rights. Paul wanted immediate relief, however, and that reminded Barbara of James, and it frightened her. Then Paul asked his mother for a favor; he wanted her to pay Meg a visit and make sure that Eliza was all right. Barbara reluctantly agreed to call Meg.
Meg went back to the Lakeview and told Dusty what had happened with Paul. She admitted she had told Paul that she wanted to be with Dusty, but Dusty was not upset. Barbara called Meg and asked to see the baby. Meg was hesitant until Barbara agreed to come to the hotel and meet Meg in the public lobby or lounge. She also promised that Paul would not show up, so Meg agreed to meet her mother-in-law in the lounge. Dusty thought that was a mistake and offered to go with her, but Meg was comfortable with the arrangement.
Casey tried to avoid Jade in Old Town, but she caught up with him. He told her he had found Alison, but she was not in a "talking mood." Jade offered to help, but Casey said any chance he and Alison had was gone.
At the hospital, Luke asked Alison if Casey had found her, and she replied that he had. She really didn't want to talk about it, but Luke persisted with his questions. He said Casey had never gotten the message to meet her on the roof, and Alison was horrified that she had set up the kiss with Matt. She told Luke that she and Casey were never meant to be.
In the Lakeview lounge, Meg brought Eliza to see Barbara. Barbara said Paul was in pain, and she begged for another chance for him. Suddenly, the lights in the hotel went out. In a few moments, the manager apologized for the inconvenience and assured the guests that the generator would kick in shortly.
Matt found Casey in the diner, and the two boys talked. Casey had recognized his friend in the park and said he had no interest in Alison. He said Matt could do whatever he wanted with her.
Jade reported to Emily and collected her paycheck. She asked her boss if Emily had loved Casey, and Emily said she had cared very deeply for him. She said she loved her sister, too, but she did not want them to be together. Jade didn't understand, but she left without further comment.
The lights came on at the hotel as Dusty arrived. Meg checked on the baby, who had been sleeping peacefully in her stroller. Meg was horrified to find the stroller empty. Meanwhile, Paul walked swiftly through the park with his daughter in his arms.
Meg was frantic when she discovered Eliza missing from her stroller. Dusty immediately blamed Paul, and both he and Meg looked to a stunned Barbara for answers. She was at a loss as to what happened, as well, and told them she had been at Fairwinds with Paul when he asked her to meet with Meg and see the baby for herself. As Dusty comforted her, Meg accused Barbara of helping Paul with the abduction.
Josie went to the front desk of the Lakeview to leave a letter for Dusty. In it, she said it was time for her to move on, since it was apparent he had no room in his life for her, and she wished him well. She handed the note to the clerk, and left. In her car on the road, she was stunned to find Paul and Eliza hiding in the back seat. When Josie questioned Paul, he told her to shut up and drive.
Carly began fixing dinner for Parker when the boy told her he was going to a friend's house to work on a science project and would spend the night. Carly was perturbed that her son had announced his plans rather than asking for permission. When Parker remedied that, Carly gave him permission. She had no idea Parker was really headed for a Metallica concert in Chicago. When she realized she would be by herself, Carly put the uncooked meal back into the freezer and headed to Old Town. She ran into Craig and Johnny, and the boy asked to go to Carly's house. She remembered the food she hadn't cooked for Parker, and offered Johnny French fries, and he was delighted. The three of them went to Carly's.
Liberty took a call from Parker, who was waiting for her in Old Town. She asked for a minute to make her "escape," and then asked Janet if she could spend the night at her friend Sasha's house. Janet agreed, so Liberty said goodbye and left. She met Parker, who told her they were getting to Chicago in a limo rented by an older friend. They took off for the Windy City.
Josie tried to tell Paul that he could not just take the baby without Meg's permission, and declared that she was turning the car around and heading back to Oakdale. Paul put a gun to her head and told her to keep driving. Josie told him she didn't think he was crazy, only hurting, and Paul said sarcastically that she thought she had a chance with Dusty, too, and she was wrong.
Jack and some other cops arrived at the Lakeview, and Meg collapsed in his arms. He began asking questions, and then he instructed Barbara to call Paul at Fairwinds. Paul did not answer, so Jack put the usual police procedures in motion, including a search of Fairwinds. He reassured Meg they would find her daughter. No one could imagine where Paul would have taken the baby, since all his cars were at home. Jack told Meg to keep her phone on and to get some rest.
At the diner, a woman came in to pick up an order, and Janet recognized her as the mother of Liberty's friend, Sasha, with whom Liberty was spending the night. The woman mentioned that her daughter was in Indiana visiting a sick grandmother, so Janet clued in that Liberty had pulled another fast one on her. She drove to Carly's and asked if Liberty or Parker was there, and then she and Carly compared notes and tried not to panic. Craig was still there, as Johnny had fallen asleep after dinner, and he spoke up and said there was a good probability that the two teens were together. Carly asked how he would know, so Craig admitted he had given Parker some money as a reward for doing toy shopping for Johnny. He said Parker had mentioned something about concert tickets. Janet blurted out, "Metallica!" and they realized their kids had gone to Chicago. Each mother vowed to kill Craig, who didn't see that he had done anything wrong. Craig offered to go to Chicago to bring back the teens and asked if Carly wanted to go with him. Carly had to remind him that he had a small boy sleeping upstairs. Janet thought Craig was crazy, but she agreed to stay with Johnny until they returned.
Janet called Jack, who told her he was having a rough night. Janet said it wasn't about to get much better. She told him what stunt the kids had pulled. Jack was furious, both with the teens and with Craig for handing out money to Parker, and said he wanted to be there when the kids got home. He left work and went to Carly's.
Meg agonized over her missing baby and blamed herself. Dusty said Paul had set everything in motion, and Dusty asked what he could do. Meg simply asked him to keep her from falling apart. She paced the floor until Dusty made her lie down, and he lay next to her. He comforted her by telling her Paul was always gentle with Eliza and would never hurt her. Meg just prayed that Eliza was all right.
When Jack got to Carly's, Janet sensed that something was troubling her husband other than the dustup with the children. Before she could ask about it, Johnny appeared, asking for his dad. Janet put him back to sleep on the couch.
In Josie's car, Paul's phone kept ringing, but it was always from Barbara, and he refused to answer. Josie suggested that his mother might not be so worried if he answered and said he and the baby were okay, so Paul took a call. Barbara was shocked when Paul answered and told him Eliza was fine. Barbara asked him to come back and explained that he could not just take the baby away. Paul shouted that Eliza was his little girl, and she belonged to him. He suggested Meg go have other babies with Dusty. Barbara told her son that he was not thinking clearly, but Paul told her to quit calling. He said if she went to the police, she would never see either him or Eliza again. He reminded her he was James Stenbeck's son and hung up.
Craig and Carly brought the teens back and found Jack and Janet waiting. Jack warned Craig that if he crossed the line with Parker one more time, Jack would slap him with a restraining order. Craig promised never to interfere again. Jack mentioned that he had to continue looking for Eliza, and everyone was shocked that the baby was missing. Jack left, followed closely by Janet and Liberty. Carly sent Parker to his room and offered to let the sleeping Johnny stay. Craig asked if he could stay, too, and Carly agreed, but told him to go tuck himself in.
A room service waiter brought coffee for Meg and handed Dusty the note Josie had left for him at the desk. Dusty saw that it was from Josie, but he did not take the time to read it. Meg wanted to go to the police station to see if there was any news, so they left.
Josie stopped the car in the morning and said she was exhausted. They were in Brooklyn, New York, and it was snowing. Paul threatened again to shoot her if she got out of the car, but Josie was desperate and got out anyway. Paul followed her and admitted his "gun" was nothing but a baby bottle covered with a blanket. Josie was furious, but Paul asked her to listen to his story before she called the police.
At the Oakdale police station, Jack was discouraged that there had been no leads on Paul and the baby. Meg and Dusty arrived and were also disappointed. Dusty asked if the police had searched underground at Fairwinds, and Meg remembered the extensive tunnel system under the estate. Jack had forgotten that, so they left to continue the search. They came up with nothing, and Meg had a meltdown. Dusty took her back to the hotel and tried to get her to sleep. He finally read Josie's note and then tried to call her. He got no answer, so he left a voice mail.
Josie and Paul went to a clinic where they knew they could get some milk for the baby. A television crew was there filming a reality show, and the nurse assumed they were part of the cast. Josie sat down and fed Eliza, and both fell asleep. Paul wandered around looking for snacks, but he returned when he heard Josie's phone. He listened to the message from Dusty and then deleted it and turned off the phone.
Back in Oakdale, Parker apologized to his mother, but she lit into him, and when Craig tried to help, she warned him not to tell her how to raise her child. Carly sent Parker back upstairs, and when he passed Craig, Craig asked how the concert was. That was the last straw for Carly, and she ordered Craig out. She was tired of how he kept egging on and enabling the teens, and she was ready to agree with Jack, who thought Craig should be nowhere near their children. Craig picked up Johnny and went out.
In New York, Paul woke Josie from the couch and took her and Eliza into a dressing room, where they had some privacy. Josie fell right back to sleep, so Paul took the baby and sat down to hold his sleeping Eliza.
Brad and Katie awakened just as a film crew barged in, ready to begin filming the new baby-making series for WOAK. Brad told Katie the interruption to their life had to stop. He explained to the crew that they had to knock before they used their key, and they had to wait in the living room until Brad and Katie made an appearance. Katie said she wasn't sure she could take all the intrusion into their privacy, but Brad announced he had a plan. He and Katie went into the living room in their bathrobes and suggested the crew set up in the bedroom. When the crew left the living room, Brad and Katie shed the robes, and, fully dressed, they made their escape.
Vienna and Henry had breakfast at the Lakeview and discussed how their puppy, Pepper, had gotten way too fond of "people food" and how he had also failed obedience school. They argued about whether the dog should be allowed to eat table scraps, and then the conversation rapidly turned to children. Henry was afraid any children he and Vienna might have would spend the majority of their lives in therapy. That comment, however, offended Vienna. Henry took a call about Metro business, as Vienna packed up the extra breakfast food and stashed it in her purse.
Meg dreamed she heard Eliza crying and awoke in a panic. Dusty comforted her until his phone rang. The call was from a hostile Holden, who insisted his sister come home to be with family. He would not listen to Dusty and said he was on his way to get Meg. Holden spoke with Lily as he was leaving, and he did not disguise his disgust for Dusty.
Josie awoke and saw Paul still sleeping. She checked her phone, but it was not operational. Then she noticed that Paul was holding up the battery. The two of them argued about his treatment of Meg, and Josie said she was no longer going to be a part of the abduction. Paul grabbed her and asked what made her think she had any choice in the matter. Josie asked if he was going to hold another baby bottle to her head. He was bitter about Dusty's marriage to Meg, and told Josie she was in for the duration. He explained that if she sold him out to the cops, he would tell them everything was her idea. Josie pleaded with him to do the right thing for the baby's sake, otherwise, she was leaving. She gave him an ultimatum: he had one hour to call the police or she would tell them herself. Their raised voices woke Eliza, who began to cry.
Holden arrived at Dusty's room, and Dusty opened the door. Before he let Holden in, however, Dusty cautioned him that Meg really wanted to stay with Dusty. The two men argued until Meg called a halt and decided to leave with her brother.
Brad and Katie went to the Lakeview and saw Henry and Vienna at breakfast. Brad told Vienna they were being stalked, but Katie admitted it was of their own doing. They explained the concept of the new television show Kim had envisioned and said they were trying to conceive a baby. Vienna was excited, but Henry appeared less than enthusiastic. Brad went to get a room, while Vienna gushed to Katie about how wonderful babies were. When Henry made some negative comments, his beloved "pepparkakor" accused him of being a "miserable old grouch." Brad returned, discouraged; there was a convention in town and not a room at the hotel to be had.
Suddenly, the film crew came through the lobby, so Vienna grabbed Brad and Katie, and the four of them scooted for the elevator. They went to Henry's room and discussed ways of stalling the crew. Katie said they really had to honor their promise to Kim to cooperate, but then Henry mentioned that if the crew was filming Vienna and him, they would have some spectacular shots, perhaps some only suitable for cable. He suggested he and Vienna dress like Brad and Katie and try to buy Brad and Katie some really private time. Vienna got one of her blonde wigs from their role-playing escapades, and Henry put on Brad's clothes.
Lily knocked on Dusty's door, and Dusty explained that Holden and Meg were long gone. Dusty blamed himself for pushing Paul over the edge, but Lily tried to make him feel better. They rode down in the elevator, and Dusty was gloomy and disconsolate. He was missing Johnny and felt Meg no longer needed him. He said goodbye to Lily and went back to his room.
In New York, Josie could find no one else around the studio. Paul approached and asked her to listen to him. He wanted her to give him one week with his daughter, and then he promised to return the baby to her mother. No one needed to know that Josie was involved. He pleaded for a chance with Eliza, and Josie could see that he loved the little girl, and it was unlikely he would ever harm her. She made him promise again that he would give back the baby in one week, and they made a deal. They went into an empty control room, and while Paul danced with the baby, Josie spotted a telephone under some file folders. They put Eliza in her stroller and talked about Josie's plans. She said she needed a break from the human race, and Paul said he sometimes felt that way, also.
Henry and Vienna came into the hotel lobby dressed like Katie and Brad, and as soon as the film crew spotted them, they ran out. They went to Brad's house and enjoyed their new roles so much they decided to add them to their play list. Vienna suggested she play Katie as "bubbly," and she assigned Henry the role of "dumb Brad." He complained that he was too smart to play dumb well, but Vienna reminded him of some of his dumber moves in the past. He resented that, but said he would give the role a try. As they were doing a humorous parody of Brad and Katie, the doorbell rang. Henry and Vienna dashed for the bedroom, knowing the crew would use their key and enter. The couple faked lovemaking while the cameras rolled. The crew broke for lunch, while Henry, wearing only his boxers, checked out the house.
Vienna got solemn when the conversation turned to getting pregnant, and she asked Henry, again, why he was opposed to having babies with her. He said it was because of the diner, and Metro, and their puppy. He especially did not want to give up their role-playing fantasies, but Vienna suggested a new game: mommy and daddy. Vienna whipped off her Katie wig and declared she was serious; she wanted to get pregnant. Henry asked her how long she had been thinking about marriage, but Vienna said marriage was not in the equation. Either they loved each other, or they did not. Henry was trying to be a realist, but his experiences raising his siblings had broken his heart. Vienna was willing to take a chance, but Henry was not. He flatly refused to give her a baby, so Vienna said she would find someone who would.
In Henry's room at the Lakeview, Brad and Katie took full advantage of the big empty bed and made love. They pondered whether they had already made a baby. Brad talked to his "kid," and the two had some tender moments.
Paul left Eliza with Josie while he went to make a bottle, so Josie took the stroller and went back to the control room. She quickly called Dusty and told him the baby was all right and that Meg would get her back, but she had to be patient. Dusty demanded to know where Josie was, but she would not say, and hung up. She looked up and saw Paul standing and watching her, and Josie realized he had set her up to see if she would use the phone. Paul said he needed to see if he could trust her.
At the farm, Lily and Holden talked with Meg. Meg was worried that the baby would not eat properly, but Holden had the same concerns about his sister. Dusty knocked on the door and told Meg that he had heard from Josie, and she was most likely with Paul. He reported that Eliza was safe, and Meg would get her back soon. Holden offered to call Jack, while Lily questioned why Josie was with Paul.
Craig stopped at the diner, but he was gloomy. He told Janet he had just dropped off Johnny for his first day of kindergarten. Janet remembered Liberty's first day of school, and she told Craig she, not Liberty, had cried all morning. Janet tried to cheer him up and told him there was nothing sexier than a doting dad, so Craig had better watch out for hovering women. Craig appreciated her words and left her a huge tip, suggesting she and Jack splurge on a nice lunch.
Henry and Brad met in Java, and Brad thanked him for playing decoy for the camera crew from WOAK. Henry was hesitant about how things had gone with Vienna in their role-playing. He confided that the two had gone ten rounds arguing about parenthood, and Vienna was back to wanting a baby. Brad encouraged Henry to give being a father a try, but Henry said bearing fruit and multiplying was not for him. He was concerned that the baby issue could be a deal breaker with Vienna. Brad left with a cup of tea for Katie, who was taping an exercise segment at the television station.
Vienna came to the diner and told Janet she had some very important decisions to make. She sat at a table and looked through a large catalog of photos of gorgeous men. Janet asked if Vienna was trying to make Henry jealous, but her boss asked, "Henry who?" Henry himself appeared and asked who the hunks were, but Vienna was barely civil to him. She explained they were all sperm donors, and one would be the father of her child.
Brad got to WOAK as Katie was wrapping up her yoga session. She stood up from her mat and promptly collapsed. Brad ran to her, but Katie was not responsive. When she finally awakened, Brad said he was taking her to Memorial to have Bob Hughes check her. The yoga instructor asked if Katie might be pregnant, so the camera crew went into action. Katie got excited at the prospect of being with child, so Brad hustled her off to the hospital.
Janet saw Jack approaching the diner, so she waved him off and went outside with a couple of cups of coffee. She explained that she did not want him caught in the crossfire between Vienna and Henry, who were arguing about having a child. Jack said it had been a rough couple of days for many people, and cited Eliza's kidnapping and Parker's accepting Craig's money and taking off for Chicago with Liberty. He said Parker needed to be punished for that, but Janet defended Craig, whom she called "harmless." Jack strongly disagreed and warned his wife never to let her guard down when it came to Craig. Janet remembered her giant tip and suggested they have a romantic lunch at the Lakeview, and Jack agreed. He promised he would not even think about Carly and Craig, but only concentrate on Janet.
Carly went to Sage's school to deliver ballet shoes, and she spotted Craig sitting in his car. He explained that Johnny was there for his first day of kindergarten, and Carly teased him about overprotecting his son. Carly suggested he drive away, but Craig was not leaving. Carly declared that the sensitive, unhappy boy was not Johnny, but Craig! Carly sat in the car with him because, she announced, Craig needed adult supervision. He was prepared to stay until class was over, so Carly told him that kids adjusted easily to new circumstances, and Johnny would adapt to his new situation well. Craig had never considered that his son was happy in school, and he was so concerned, he leapt from the car and dashed for the building. Carly stopped him and tried to talk some sense into him.
Vienna asked Henry how he liked the looks of Donor #7869, who had a Harvard law degree; Henry said he wanted to squash him. They continued to argue about Henry's reluctance to embrace parenthood, and Vienna told him she had already been to a consultant at "Lifestream," an upscale donor bank. Henry declared that was sick. Janet intervened, but Vienna had made up her mind. She suggested if Henry did not like her catalog choices, they could recruit a potential donor from among their friends. Her first choice was Jack Snyder, which threw Janet into a downward spiral. Henry said he did not want them to be parents because their whole lives would change. Vienna wanted more in her life, so Henry bluntly told her that she knew all along how he felt about having a baby. If she felt she had to go on alone, then what they had was over. Henry looked disturbed and stormed out.
Katie was in a bed in Memorial surrounded by her loving husband and the eager television crew. Dr. Bob came in and said Katie was not pregnant, and she had fainted because her blood sugar was too low, probably from skipping breakfast. Katie said they would just keep trying for a baby, but Bob surprised them by saying that was not a good idea. Brad questioned him further, and Bob said he needed more tests, but he suspected Katie either had a reaction to medication from the recent bone marrow transplant or an infection that impacted her fertility. He said that was a rare complication, but they would do everything they could to help her get pregnant. Brad asked to be checked, as well, to make sure he was "firing on all cylinders."
Jack called Janet and pushed back the time of their lunch date because he had to check out a complaint at the elementary school that someone was sneaking around the grounds. Janet spoke with Vienna and gave her advice that she should back off the baby business in order to hold on to her man, especially since she had originally agreed with Henry that they would not have children. She suggested Vienna honor her promise for a few years and then see if she felt the same about motherhood.
Jack checked out the school and noticed movement behind a large evergreen tree. He announced his presence as the police and asked whoever was there to come out with hands up. A reluctant Craig and a sheepish Carly emerged from the shrubs. Carly explained their situation, but Jack reminded them that criminal trespassing was a serious offense. Carly pleaded with her ex-husband to let them go, and Jack acquiesced. Jack left for his lunch date with Janet, while Craig and Carly continued their harangue about overprotection. Craig agreed to leave if Carly would have lunch with him, and they agreed to go to the Lakeview.
Jack and Janet walked into the hotel as Jack was telling her about his trespassing call to the school. Jack could not understand why a child starting kindergarten would turn a parent into a stalker. They sat down and reassured one another that they were only going to talk about each other and enjoy an intimate lunch. As they shared a kiss, Carly and Craig walked up, and Jack moaned, "Please make it stop!" He suggested Carly and "Mr. Peeping Craig" have lunch elsewhere, but Janet took on the peacemaker role, and graciously invited them to share their table.
Henry was behind the bar at Metro, drinking martinis. He flashed back to a vow he had made to Vienna never to leave her. Vienna, in turn, fantasized about giving birth to Donor #7869's child. It was a tough delivery, not made easier by sarcastic comments by Dr. Bob. She kept crying for Henry, but Bob said if she thought the delivery was rough, she should wait until she was a single parent.
Brad came back from his sperm test and happily reported that "his boys" had passed with flying colors. The cameras were still rolling as Katie worried about her test results. Bob came back and said he had consulted with the head of the OB-GYN department and then asked how long Katie and Brad had been trying to get pregnant. Katie said not long for the recent attempt, but earlier tries had not been successful, either. Bob suggested helping Katie have a baby might require some intervention, but first they had to get rid of the infection she harbored.
Katie began to worry that Bob was saying she could never get pregnant, but he said it was definitely not possible while she had the infection. He agreed to sign her release papers so she could go home. Katie broke down and cried, as Brad threw out the camera crew. He told Katie they needed to abandon the reality show concept, but Katie worried about their commitment to Kim. She suggested she see a specialist, but Brad hesitated because he felt she should not push herself. Their first priority was to get Katie well again, and his loving concern brought more tears from her.
At lunch, Jack tried to enjoy his food as Craig entertained them with horror stories of children traumatized by school events. When he began describing projectile vomiting, Jack lost his appetite and declared lunch over. He and Janet hastily left, as Carly told Craig she knew he had engineered the whole scene. Craig said he was good, but not that good.
Vienna came into Metro, and Henry told her they were closed, but there was a sperm bank around the corner. Vienna said she loved him more than any baby she had never met. Henry was touched, and both declared their love for the other and kissed.
Alison and Casey sparred while at work, until Matt stepped in to put an end to it. Matt told Casey the kiss Casey had witnessed in the park had been a setup by Alison to try to make Casey hurt the way she was hurting. Despite Alison's reluctance to discuss the situation, Matt continued to encourage her and Casey to get things out in the open, and ultimately, he got them to agree to go up to the hospital roof to talk.
On the roof, Alison explained that she had kissed Matt when she saw Casey at the park because she was angry that Casey had stood her up the day that Luke had told her to meet Casey on the roof. Casey explained again that Jade had never given him the message to meet Alison that day. Casey asked if Alison was still mad at him, and she said no; she wanted to know if Casey was mad at her. He said he wasn't anymore, but he had been upset by the kiss. Alison pointed out that Casey should have known the kiss was a setup, because she didn't know Matt very well. Casey said thinking things through wasn't one of his strong points.
Casey wanted to know why Alison had agreed to Luke's request to meet Casey on the roof in the first place. Casey got Alison to admit she liked him. Alison still thought that although their friendship was easy, the attempt to change their relationship was too hard, which she interpreted as a sign that they weren't meant to be anything more than friends. Casey disagreed, but in trying to convince Alison, he kept putting his foot in his mouth.
When Alison asked Casey what he wanted, he said that truthfully, he wanted to have sex with her. Alison walked away in a huff, exclaiming that they obviously weren't meant to be together. Casey followed and apologized but said he couldn't help it if he was attracted to her. Alison said the whole discussion they were having was proof to her that they shouldn't be more than friends. Casey said as long as they were being honest, he wanted Alison to know that he didn't need any more friends. Casey left the roof, without Alison.
Jade went to the hospital to see Casey, but Matt stopped her and told her Casey was busy on personal business. Jade wanted to know who Matt was and why he knew about Casey's personal business. Matt introduced himself as a friend of Casey's, and Jade introduced herself the same way. When Jade guessed that Casey was on the roof, Matt insisted that Jade couldn't go up there. Jade said Matt couldn't stop her, but Matt said he thought maybe he should tell Jade the story of his friendship with Casey, over coffee, someplace else. He took Jade by the arm and walked her out of the hospital, with Jade protesting the entire time.
Matt took Jade to Java for coffee, and Jade continued to wonder why Matt was so concerned about Casey and Alison. Matt thought Jade might be interested in Casey, but he knew that Casey was into Alison, and he wanted to be sure Casey and Alison got a chance to work things out. When Matt said again that he owed Casey, Jade realized Matt and Casey had been in prison together. She got up to leave, and when Matt tried to stop her, she told him if he put his hands on her again, she would scream, and he would be back in jail very quickly.
Before Jade could leave, Casey walked into Java. He was surprised to see Jade with Matt; they explained they had just met. Matt asked what had happened with Alison, and Casey said nothing, which was what was always going to happen with Alison. He told them that Alison kept throwing up walls and making it clear that she did not want Casey to knock them down. Matt thought Alison didn't really mean that, but Jade said it sounded like Alison was dumping Casey. Casey said he was going to go home; Matt offered to go with him, but Casey said he wanted to be alone to lick his wounds.
Jade went to see Casey at home. After she apologized for having interfered the first time Casey was supposed to meet Alison on the roof, Jade said she could tell a relationship between Casey and Alison would have been a train wreck, because Alison had her stuff together, and Casey didn't. Jade then spotted Casey's Rock Star video game, and a challenge was soon issued for the two to determine who was the better player.
Matt went to the hospital roof to check on Alison. Matt asked her what the problem was, and she said Matt was right earlier when he said Alison and Casey both needed to grow up. Matt told Alison he had been thinking about going back to school, and Alison told him he should do that. When Matt asked what Alison was going to do about Casey, she said, "Nothing. It's over." Matt asked if that was what Alison wanted; she replied, "That's just how it is." She began to cry, and Matt hugged her.
Dusty and Meg went to the police station to try to find out more about Josie and Paul's whereabouts, but the police didn't have any new information. Holden walked in and told Dusty that Jack was following up a lead. Dusty demanded to know why Jack hadn't informed him of the new lead, and Holden angrily reminded Dusty that Dusty wasn't family and had no business being involved in the investigation.
Meg said she wanted anyone and everyone's help in finding Eliza, but Holden said Dusty had a bad track record of hurting the people he got close to and having things blow up in his face. Holden warned Dusty to stay out of it, but Dusty warned Holden that he would not be stopped. When Dusty stormed out of the police station, Meg asked Holden why he had been so opposed to Dusty's help. Holden told Meg that every time Dusty did anything that involved Paul, it only served to provoke Paul even more. Holden told Meg that she owed it to her baby to keep Dusty out of it. He believed that Meg had built a powder keg by marrying Dusty after having Paul's baby, and when Meg had sent Dusty to tell Paul about the marriage, it had been like lighting the fuse.
Noah walked into Holden and Lily's house and found Luke looking something up on his laptop computer. Noah pestered Luke to let him know what he might be getting for Valentine's Day. Luke finally revealed that he had been looking at a listing for a one-bedroom apartment, which Luke thought they could rent together. Noah wasn't pleased by this news and told Luke that neither of them was ready for that.
Luke couldn't believe Noah's reaction, because they had talked about what kind of place they would like to have one day. Noah pointed out that it had always been a "some day" conversation, and he had expected they would talk about it more after Noah finished college. Luke didn't see any point in waiting, but Noah said he was trying to be logical about the whole thing. As they fought, Holden walked in and asked if Lily was home. Luke explained that his mom had gone grocery shopping. Holden said he had argued with Meg and blamed her for aggravating Paul, and he needed to straighten things out. Since Lily wasn't there, Holden said he'd have to go try to set things right by himself. After Holden left, Luke told Noah that if Holden was strong enough to admit he was wrong, Luke was, too.
Noah told Luke he understood his excitement about the apartment, but Noah wanted to be sure that when they got a place of their own, it was truly theirs. That meant they would have to be able to be equal contributors on the finances, which wasn't possible at that time. Luke told Noah he was glad to hear that Noah thought it would happen one day, and Noah promised it would. They kissed.
Paul continued to hide out at the TV studio in New York with Eliza and Josie, but a security guard found them and figured out they were lying about why they were there. Paul told Josie he thought they should leave town. He suggested they drive to Florida, where it would be warm. Josie wasn't sure that was a good idea, but she agreed that as long as Paul would return to Oakdale with Eliza in one week, it didn't matter where they spent the next few days. However, they got to the place where Paul had parked the car and found that the car was gone.
Josie noticed a sign about parking, and she told Paul the car had probably been towed. Paul said he was open to suggestions as to what they should do next, and Josie said Paul should turn himself in. After Josie pointed out that they couldn't use any other form of transportation without alerting the authorities to their presence, Paul agreed that she was right. Josie was surprised. Paul thanked Josie for letting him have a couple of days with his daughter. Josie told Paul to call Meg, and he said he would, but after that, he wanted Josie to say goodbye.
Meg went to see Dusty at the Lakeview. He told her his private investigator had learned that Josie's car had been impounded in Brooklyn. Dusty thought Paul would try to get the car back, because it was his only transportation, and he assured Meg the police would be waiting to arrest Paul when that happened. Meg asked if Dusty had given this information to Jack. Dusty said Meg could tell Jack, but he was going to the airport.
Meg told Dusty she didn't want him to go to New York. She said that Paul might surrender if the police found him, but he would run if he saw Dusty. Dusty said that was Holden talking, but Meg said Holden was right. Dusty told Meg not to let Holden put himself ahead of her daughter; Meg replied that she would never do that, but neither would she let Dusty put himself ahead of Eliza. Meg told Dusty she knew he was only trying to help, but she thought it was better if he didn't. She said she would let Dusty know what happened next, and she thanked him before leaving his room. As soon as Meg left the room, Dusty made a call and asked that his jet be made ready to take him to New York.
Josie told Paul she needed to go back to Oakdale with him to help him explain things to the police. Paul said he would tell the police that he had forced Josie at gunpoint to drive him to New York and then had held her hostage until she was finally able to escape. Josie said that wasn't true, and there was no reason for Paul to have a weapons charge added to the charges against him. Paul said it didn't matter, and that it wasn't Josie's problem anymore.
Paul called Meg, who was back at the farm, and told her he would bring Eliza back to her the next day. Meg asked if Paul was just trying to buy some time, but Paul assured her he wouldn't lie to her about something like that. Paul said he was really sorry, and that everything had gotten out of control. Meg asked Paul to call her again to let her know they were on their way back, and he said he would call every few hours. He apologized again; Meg thanked him, crying in relief. Holden arrived at the farm, and Meg told him what Paul had said.
Paul handed Josie some cash and told her to get her car out of the impound and then leave and find someplace where she could start her life over. He suggested she get a studio and start painting again. Josie asked how she would afford that, and Paul said she should set up an offshore bank account and send him the account number; he would then put money into it so that Josie could be comfortable while waiting for her career to take off. Josie asked why he was willing to do that, and he said he owed Josie more than money. Josie hugged him, said goodbye to Eliza, and left. Paul walked away, carrying Eliza. Soon afterward, Dusty approached Josie at the impound lot and grabbed her, demanding to know where Paul and the baby were.
Paul managed to get another car. As he went to get cash from an ATM machine, a man watched him from the sidewalk. When Paul returned to the car, the man hit Paul with a bat and drove off in the car, with Eliza still inside. Paul got up from the ground and yelled after them, but the car didn't stop.
