At Metro, Henry offered Carly a new drink he had concocted to try to draw more customers, but she was doing her bookkeeping and was in a glum mood. She was concerned how fast the money Craig had loaned her was disappearing. Henry listed all the selling points of his new drink, the "Hopetini," and declared it "full of promise and rosy days to come." Carly picked up the drink to give it a try as Craig walked in. He sat down and said he was there to check on his investment, but Carly reminded him the money he gave her was a loan, not an investment, and she promised to pay him back. Henry introduced Craig to the "Hopetini," and Craig took a swig. They all tasted it and declared it still a work in progress. Henry took offense and walked out. Craig told Carly she was thinking too small if she thought a drink would turn the tide of her business. He said she needed her own brand of product, preferably a designer vodka. He suggested she create a world-class label that would assure her success. Carly admitted she was intrigued, but she wanted to know why Craig kept referring to "we" when he talked about Carly's business.
Brad came home toting comfort food for Katie and saw a parenting magazine on the counter, which he tossed into the trash. He called Katie to come out of the bedroom, which she did, wearing a negligee. She greeted him with a passionate kiss, but Brad stopped the action declaring, "Code blue." Katie was eager to have sex, but Brad reminded her that Dr. Bob had said she needed to take a break and rest. She continued to smooch, however, and finally Brad picked her up to carry her to the bedroom, but when he realized she wanted unprotected sex, he said, "No thingy, no sex." Katie was irritated and put on sweats and ran the dust buster over Brad as he sat on the couch. She was hurt that he didn't want sex with her, but he told her that was not true. He just wanted to do what Bob had recommended. Katie claimed Bob was too conservative, but Brad did not want to put his wife at risk. She tried kissing him again, and this time Brad could hardly resist, so he ran out instead.
In snowy Brooklyn, Dusty caught up with Josie and demanded to know where Paul was. She told him Paul and Eliza were on their way back to Meg in Oakdale, but Dusty did not believe her. She explained how Paul had forced her to drive him and the baby to New York, and said Paul was on his way to a rental agency to begin his journey home. They went to reclaim Josie's car and then visited five rental agencies, none of which had rented a car to Paul. This reinforced Dusty's thinking that Paul had snookered Josie once again.
After being carjacked, Paul screamed for baby Eliza in frustration. He called Meg and broke the news that the baby had disappeared. At first, Meg thought Paul was lying, but then he explained how he had lost the car and their daughter. He swore to God that he would not let her down, and he hung up. A frantic Meg broke down and sobbed.
Paul called the rental agency and asked them to call the police and give them a description of the car. He also talked to Barbara and begged for her help. His mother promised to come, so he waited. Eventually she found him hiding behind a building, but Meg was right behind her. She flew at Paul, screaming for her baby, but Paul swore that he would never intentionally hurt her or their child.
Craig told Carly that they had worked together well in the past and could do so again. He said she would be the product's spokesperson, and he would be the money man. He suggested she take back the controls and start living the life she deserved. She thought about that and then announced Craig was right, because she had nothing to lose. Carly tasted several different types of vodka and agreed with Craig that they all tasted very similar. Craig said the magic was in the container, the shape of the bottle and the label. Carly insisted that they keep things strictly business, so Craig agreed to provide the start-up cash, and Carly would handle the creative end. They would split the profits, 50-50. Carly tried another vodka, and then a few more. Finally, Craig asked her, "Deal or no deal?" Carly answered, "Deal!" and they shook hands. Craig asked her to come up with a name for their designer vodka, and Carly began thinking of the film, "Dr. Zhivago," and that imagery brought her to the name, "Midnight Sun."
Henry was drinking many types of martinis at the Lakeview bar, supposedly checking out the competition. Brad found him there and told him Katie was still in baby mode, but she was not physically ready to be pregnant. Henry was still down on the "baby makes three" scenario after his arguments with Vienna, so he told Brad to put his foot down and rule his own roost.
Katie took some baby clothes from a dresser and vowed she was not giving up. She went to her bedside table and took out her birth control "thingy"-a diaphram-and threw it in the trash. She went to the Lakeview and found Brad, and when no one else was watching, she opened her coat for just Brad. That drove him crazy, and he followed her out. They went home and stumbled into the bedroom, shedding clothes as they went. Brad asked about her "thingy," but Katie assured him it was right where it needed to be. They fell on the bed.
Josie and Dusty were arguing as they ran into Paul, Meg, and Barbara on the street. Dusty went after Paul and demanded to know what had happened to the baby. Everyone started screaming, until finally Meg was able to explain that the baby was in Paul's rental car, which had been carjacked. Dusty checked Paul's story with the correct rental agency, and he was amazed that Paul had told the truth.
Craig proposed a toast to "Midnight Sun," the world's most fashionable new vodka, but Carly had imbibed more than enough alcohol. Craig wanted to drive her home, but Carly called and ordered two cabs instead.
Dusty, Paul, Josie, and Meg walked the streets in the neighborhood where Paul's car had disappeared, until Paul recognized the car parked along the curb. He rushed to it, but the car seat where Eliza had been riding was empty. Meg became hysterical when she realized her baby was still missing, and she threw herself into Dusty's arms.
At the diner, Jack fretted that he was not in New York helping Meg find baby Eliza. Janet reminded him how important it was for him to be upbeat for Sage's school play that afternoon. Carly arrived with tickets for Janet and Jack, and she announced that Sage looked amazing in her Tinkerbell costume. Carly's phone rang, but she did not take the call. Instead, she went outside and found her caller, Craig, brimming with good news. He told her that he had found a distributor for their designer vodka, and the man wanted to meet with them in Chicago right away. Carly was joyful until she realized the time would conflict with the school play. Craig explained that the meeting with the distributor was a one-shot deal and could affect their whole financial future. When Carly hesitated, Craig chided her for not being serious about providing for her family. Reluctant as she was to miss "Peter Pan," Carly figured out if she got someone else to transport her daughter back and forth and help her dress and apply her makeup, she could make it back in time to see Sage perform.
Inside the diner, Jack watched Carly's discussion with Craig, while Janet talked about all the preparation time she needed for her first public appearance as Sage's stepmother. Jack appreciated her concern, and the two of them smooched. Carly returned to ask Jack or Janet to pick up Sage from school, get her into her costume, and do her makeup. Janet assured Carly that she could do subtle makeup, so the two women agreed on that plan.
In New York, Dusty told Josie and Meg that the cops had nothing new to report. Meg agonized that the kidnappers might get scared and bolt if the police got too close. Paul arrived and said Barbara was resting. Josie talked with him and suggested Paul should look inside himself for a vision to give them answers, but Paul said he had been trying that already, to no avail. Dusty thought the idea was nothing but "stupid hocus-pocus," and told Josie to drop it. Meg begged Paul to continue trying, however, so he held Eliza's blanket and concentrated. Suddenly Paul saw red flower petals and then heard the howl of an animal, perhaps a wolf. After thinking longer, he changed the animal to a dog, possibly pulling a sled. Dusty picked up a New York guidebook and began reading.
Back at home, Carly was reluctant to leave with Craig, and she confessed she was fearful of success. Craig talked her through her phobia and urged her to take the leap for her kids. Carly left Sage's costume for her and put a bag of pixie dust on top.
As Dusty was perusing the guidebook, Paul spotted a photo of a Siberian Husky in Central Park. They decided to check it out in person, and went to the park. They located the statue, but they could see no flowers in the snow. Finally Josie spotted a couple who appeared to be waiting for something, and the woman was carrying a bouquet of red roses. Paul went to speak with them and asked if they were there "about the baby." The nervous couple answered yes, so Paul asked them to come with him. First, however, he took the roses from the woman and dropped them in the trash. As soon as they had left, Meg and Dusty scooped up the roses and took the couple's place. Before long, the carjacker walked up the path and approached them, asking if they had the money. Dusty assured him they did and asked about the baby. The kidnapper said he had the "sweetest little baby" they ever saw. Dusty handed over $5000, and the thug told them to wait there. As the kidnapper walked away, Dusty told Meg they had to follow him, but she was so frightened that she talked him out of it. Josie, however, was waiting by some trees, and she began to follow the man.
Paul led the couple through the park until the woman became suspicious and asked where they were going. Paul got angry and yelled that they were disgusting people to attempt to buy a baby. The couple took off running when it became apparent that Paul was out of control.
Jack and Janet picked up Sage at school, and the girl was concerned about who was going to do her hair and makeup. Janet said she would do it, but Sage was worried that Janet could not do it in the special way her mother did. They picked up the costume and headed for the farm.
In Chicago, Carly and Craig finished their meeting with the distributor and waited for the valet to bring their car. Craig was pleased that the distributor had promised to even consider their offer to do business, but Carly was upset that they were not yet on the road headed to Oakdale and Sage's performance. The distributor came outside and gave them his decision to represent them, inviting them back inside to finalize the details. Carly was reluctant to spend more time in Chicago, but Craig persuaded her to go back to work.
Josie followed the kidnapper, who led her back to a car where his accomplice waited. The two men decided to take Dusty's money and leave town. They said they could always sell the baby to someone in another location. When they opened the door to the car, Josie heard Eliza crying, so she ran to the car and yelled for help. One of the thugs struck her hard in the face with his fist, and Josie lost consciousness. He pushed her into the back seat with the baby, and they took off.
At the farm, Janet was ready to begin Sage's transformation into Tinkerbell. Jack was nervous that Janet could not do "subtle," so she quietly threatened him with a sex boycott if he didn't go outside and wait. Sage missed her mother, and Janet admitted that "subtle" was really not in her, but she would do her best. She applied makeup and finished with some glitter on Sage's cheeks, which made her sparkle. Sage was delighted with the result, and she ran upstairs to get her wings. Jack returned and gave Janet a big kiss.
Carly and Craig finally finished the deal, but Carly was so anxious to get on the road that she asked him to fetch the car himself. They took off for Oakdale, way behind schedule.
Back in the park, Meg worried because the man who took their money had not returned with her baby. Dusty realized the crook was not coming back, and he motioned for Paul to return. Meg knew Dusty had been right and they should have followed the money, but Paul suggested they find out if Josie knew anything. They could not find Josie, so they returned to the neighborhood where Paul had lost the car. Paul called Josie's phone, but she did not answer. It began to snow again, but the three of them decided to canvas the neighborhood and offer money for information.
Josie regained consciousness and held Eliza in the car. When the kidnappers stopped, she asked them to let the baby go, but they said they needed the kid more than they needed her. The men forced Josie into a building, but not before she managed to drop a colorful bracelet in the snow. They locked her and Eliza in a storeroom.
Carly and Craig dashed into Sage's school, but the play was finished. Carly cursed at Craig, and they found Janet and Jack waiting for Sage with flowers. Janet said Sage did well and looked beautiful, and the school had videoed the production, so Carly could see it as many times as she wished. Sage arrived and hugged her mother, not knowing Carly had missed the entire performance.
Meg questioned why they were trudging in the snow, so the trio decided to search 15 more minutes and then go notify the police. Dusty spotted Josie's bracelet in the snow, and when they stopped moving and got quiet, Meg could hear Eliza crying from inside the closest building. As they approached the door, the two kidnappers exited, and Paul and Dusty jumped them as Meg ran inside. She located the storeroom and found Josie and Eliza.
Sagre asked to spend the night at the farm and declared she had just spent the best day of her life. She wanted to see Aunt Emma and visit Faith and Natalie while she was still wearing her costume. She also hugged Janet and thanked her for the awesome makeup. Jack and Janet were pleased with how it all went.
Craig took Carly home and was in the mood to celebrate their stellar business deal. Carly was not in party mode, however. She could only think that she had missed Sage's play, so Craig took a special bottle of vodka from his briefcase and poured toasts for the two of them. Carly relaxed and proposed they drink to "the best of everything."
Meg, carrying her baby, and Josie left the building and found the police taking away the kidnappers. They also arrested Paul for taking Eliza from Meg. They looked at Josie, but both Meg and Paul asked that no charges be filed against her, so the police let her go.
Meg thanked Josie for her part in rescuing Eliza, and she left with Dusty. In the squad car, Paul saw a cold and forlorn Josie standing in the snow, watching everyone depart.
Matt went to Memorial and looked for Alison. He found her and said he had been planning to leave town, but had changed his mind and gotten a bartending job at Yo's. He had a shift that evening and asked her to hang out with him. Next, Matt talked to Casey and asked him to come by, too. Casey was all for it until he realized Alison was also going to be there, and he suddenly "remembered" something else he had to do.
Noah talked with Luke at Java and put him in charge of their Valentine's Day festivities. They shared a quick kiss witnessed by Jade, who said jokingly that the two of them made her ill. Luke mentioned that Casey's 21st birthday was approaching, and he was counting on them all to make a party. He also mentioned that they should include Alison, but Jade tried to nix that. She had to leave, so she told the guys to plan the party, and she would make sure that Casey got there. She went to the hospital and invited Casey to go with her to Yo's that night, but Casey turned her down. He said he didn't want to be where Alison was, but Jade was able to persuade him to change his mind.
Katie and Brad joined Henry and Vienna at Metro, and Vienna brought up the fact that the doctor had told Katie to stop trying to get pregnant for a while. Brad said how proud he was of his wife for handling that challenge, but the subject made Henry uncomfortable, and he requested they get off the subject of Katie's ovaries. Katie said she was cool with postponing motherhood, but Vienna promptly sent the men on errands so she could be alone with Katie. She ordered her friend to "spill it," because she could tell Katie was not as devastated with the postponement as she had expected. Katie confessed she was still trying to conceive, but that Brad did not know it. She admitted to throwing away her diaphragm, and then they changed the subject as the men returned. Brad toasted his brave wife.
At Yo's, Luke took a call from Jade saying she and Casey were on their way. Noah and Reg were already there with birthday cards and some gag gifts. Alison was keeping Matt company at the bar, so Luke told them Casey would soon arrive. Alison wanted to leave, but Luke reminded her that Casey was their good friend, and she should at least wish him a happy birthday. The boys began drinking, except for Luke, as Jade arrived with the birthday boy. Casey drank his first shot, and Luke and Noah took to the dance floor. Alison tried to be pleasant to Casey, but he made it difficult for her. Jade brought Casey another drink and told him to have fun, so Casey asked her to dance.
Elwood arrived, released early on parole from prison. Casey spoke to him and gave him grief for framing Casey for stealing the school's manuscripts. Casey offered him a glass of "Turncoat Ale," and Elwood responded with a nasty crack of his own.
Brad and Katie went home and began kissing until Brad held back and reminded Katie about her birth control. Katie went into the bedroom and took out the empty container for her diaphragm and then lay back on the bed. Brad came in, and they began to make love. Afterwards, the two felt closer than ever, and Brad said it was all about trust, and they didn't need a baby to feel complete because they were already there. Katie had been ready to confess what she had done, but after Brad's lovely speech, she couldn't go through with it. Instead, they ate ice cream while Brad continued to tout the joys of remaining childless. They ditched the ice cream soon and went back to lovemaking.
The birthday party warmed up, and Casey downed many shots and beers. Luke and Noah stepped outside into the alley for some air, and surprised Elwood and Reg having some sort of discussion. Elwood took off, and Luke warned Reg that Elwood had recently been in prison. The boys went back inside, where Alison was dancing with Matt. Elwood reappeared and made a remark about Alison's porn star status, which put Casey in defense mode. When Elwood continued with a crack about Emily, Casey punched him. Alison, not realizing that Casey was defending her honor, got disgusted and stormed out, and Matt followed. Elwood shot off his mouth once again about the "porn star," but everyone was distracted when Reg suddenly collapsed on the floor.
Henry and Vienna went to their room, and Vienna asked for more champagne, but she insisted that Henry fetch it himself and not call room service. As soon as Henry left the room, Vienna removed her brooch and poked a hole in a condom she took from the bedside table. Henry returned, and they made love, after which Vienna asked for more champagne, but declared her glass was dirty and needed washing. While Henry was taking care of the dirty glass, Vienna attacked another condom with her brooch. This time Henry came back too soon and discovered what she was doing. He went ballistic when he realized she was sabotaging their birth control. Vienna called it "experimenting," however. She said she could not fight her maternal feelings, but Henry declared she had broken his trust. All Vienna could think of was that she might already be pregnant, and she was ecstatic. Henry denied what was happening and made her jump up and down, hoping to prevent conception.
Reg barely had a pulse, so Luke yelled for someone to call 9-1-1. Jade hustled Casey out of the bar, reminding him he was on parole and could not afford any more trouble. A drunken and compliant Casey went along with her. The paramedics took Reg to the hospital, and Luke and Noah followed. Luke couldn't understand what could have happened to Reg, so the boys were understandably shocked to learn from the doctor that Reg had died. The doctor suspected a drug overdose, and that stunned Luke. Noah gave the doctor Reg's wallet so the authorities could make notification. Noah was also carrying Reg's coat, and, as he shifted it, a packet of pills fell to the floor. Luke flashed back on seeing Reg and Elwood in the alley, and he realized he had probably witnessed a drug transaction. He was sure Elwood had killed their friend.
Matt and Ali went for coffee, and she apologized for allowing Casey to drive her insane. Matt asked why she cared about Casey so much, but Alison had no answer. They went back to Yo's, but found it empty except for the bartender, who explained that one of the guys had collapsed and gone to Memorial. Alison was worried it might be Casey, so she called him, but he did not answer, so she checked with a friend at the hospital. She learned that Casey was not there, but meanwhile the police called the bartender and asked him to give a statement about what had happened at the party. Matt took over behind the bar again, so Alison decided to go check on Casey at home.
Casey and Jade went to his house and put on loud music and began kissing. Casey was very drunk and said he wanted Jade, and she was agreeable. They collapsed on the couch as Ali peeked through the window. Casey removed his shirt and lay on top of Jade, but Alison couldn't watch any more, and she ran away.
Noah attempted to stop Luke from hunting for Elwood, but Luke was convinced that they had witnessed a deadly drug deal. Elwood walked by, and Luke grabbed him and shouted at him that he had sold drugs to Reg. Elwood denied everything and took off, as Luke yelled, "Murderer!"
Vienna asked Henry to please not be angry at her, but he told her what she had done was dishonest and cruel. She apologized, but she could not placate him. Henry said if Vienna were pregnant, it would change everything about their lives.
Alison went back to Yo's and said she had seen Casey, and he had been feeling no pain. She also told Matt that Casey had made it very clear that he was not into her; therefore, she and Casey were officially over.
Tom and Margo returned to town, and Tom dropped her at the police station. An officer handed Margo the most recent file, and she read about the death of Reg at Yo's bar. Margo was relieved that it wasn't Casey, because the victim was the same age as her son. Tom left to check on Casey, as Officer Malone informed Margo that the supposed overdose victim was attending Casey's 21st birthday party when he died. Margo knew nothing about any party for her son.
Casey woke up on the couch next to Jade, and both of them were wearing only blankets. Someone knocked loudly on the door, so Casey scrambled into his pants just as Luke and Noah let themselves in. They were surprised to see Jade there, and it appeared Casey was, too. Noah said they had come to see Margo, but Casey explained his mother was out of town. Jade and Casey took some aspirin to quell their hangovers, as Luke asked if the two of them had done anything besides drink the night before. He said he and Noah had noticed some drug activity outside Yo's, and then they broke the news that Reg had died.
They thought they knew who had supplied Reg with the drugs, and Luke produced the bag of pills they had found in Reg's coat. They said they were there to turn over the evidence to Margo and to ask her to investigate. Luke was positive that Elwood was the culprit, but Noah was more conservative and reluctant to name anyone without proof. Casey said it might be difficult to prove that Elwood gave Reg the drugs, but he volunteered to help. He was still angry with Elwood for setting him up with the stolen manuscripts. Casey phoned Elwood and asked to meet him in the park for an "urgent favor." Casey promised Luke and Noah that he would set everything in motion if his buddies would make sure the cops would arrive.
Margo went to Memorial and approached Alison to ask about Casey's birthday party. Alison told her a group of Casey's friends put a party together at the last minute at Yo's. Alison knew that someone there had gotten sick, but she had no idea that it was Reg and that he had died. She remembered him as a good guy who had worked on Luke's campaign. Margo asked about Reg's drug habits, but Alison said she stayed away from people like that after her experience with crystal meth.
She overreacted and told Margo she and Casey were no longer seeing each other, so Margo did not have to lock her up in order to get rid of her. The two of them sparred until Matt showed up and surprised Margo, who did not know he had been released from prison early. He apologized for not checking in with her when he first returned to Oakdale, but said he was sticking around and had found employment. He said he had been working the night before at Yo's when the incident with Reg happened, and he added that he had already spoken to the police. Margo left, and Alison told Matt she had experienced a rough night. He invited her to go on a power walk with him in the park when she took a break.
Craig visited Carly, and she showed him a design she had created for their new vodka. Craig admitted they had suffered a "minor setback" in their manufacturing plans; in fact, the Greek distributor had backed out completely and would not be investing in their "Midnight Sun" vodka. Carly flipped out and asked how that could have happened, but Craig had no clue. He said it was just business, and Carly should not take it personally. Craig said he had already set up a meeting with another distributor in New York City that very day.
Carly protested that she could not just drop everything and go winging off to New York. She had children to arrange for and could not be away. Craig suggested she make those arrangements fast, because the deal was too big to let it slip away. He claimed they could fly to the meeting and be back before Sage was home from school, demanding her hot chocolate. Carly agreed to go only if he guaranteed they would be back in time and not have another fiasco like the day of Sage's play. Craig gave her the guarantee and also vouched for the new distributor, Harry Siegler, so the two of them left for their whirlwind trip.
After their meeting, Craig told Carly she had been awesome and completely nailed the presentation. He proposed lunch, but Carly reminded him of his promise to get her home in time to greet Sage, but he promised that would be no problem. He said the lunch involved business.
In the park, Casey waited for Elwood, but Matt happened along first. Casey told him he was trying to put Elwood out of the drug business by setting a trap. Matt offered to stay and help, but Casey assured him he had everything covered. Elwood arrived, but he was suspicious that Casey might want to jump him again. Casey said he was having a rough patch since he had left school, and needed something to "take off the edge." Elwood played dumb and asked if Luke and Noah had put Casey up to that, and then he turned to leave. Casey grabbed Elwood's backpack and slipped the bag of pills from Reg's coat inside, Elwood took off, so Matt came back to see if Casey's plan had worked. Alison also appeared, so Casey apologized for giving her a hard time at his party. Alison said she knew that Casey had taken Jade home and had sex with her.
Tom went home and was shocked to find the couch reconfigured and a bright red thong on one of his living room tables. He called Margo, and she offered to come right home. When she got there and saw the "evidence," Margo reminded Tom that he was the one who wanted to leave Casey alone on his big birthday. Tom assumed the underwear came from Alison, but Margo said Casey and Alison were no longer a couple. When Tom learned that Reg had died at Casey's party, however, he was concerned and went to find his son.
Luke and Jade had coffee, and he asked her why she had slept with Casey. He was not pleased with her response of, "Why not?" Luke lectured her about finding the right guy and reminded her that the point of the party was to get Casey and Alison back together. Jade said Casey had made it very clear that he was not interested in Alison any longer. Luke told her to grow up.
Craig and Carly went to a restaurant that specialized in many kinds of vodka, and Craig described their tasting many samples as "critical research." After the sampling, Carly declared the vodka business more fun than she had experienced in a long time, but she still insisted they leave to be able to greet Sage. She was a bit wobbly on her feet, however.
Alison confided to Matt that she had seen Casey with Jade, but she felt she couldn't blame him, because she had been the one to call it quits. They walked back to the hospital, where Matt told her she deserved better than what she had.
Casey went to Java to report to Jade, Luke, and Noah. He said he had slipped the pills into Elwood's backpack, and Noah said what Casey had done was strictly illegal, but Casey didn't care. Luke admitted they had seen no actual drugs in the alley, but the boys agreed to make a police report. They left to go see Margo, and Tom came in. Casey was surprised his parents were back, and Tom got right to the point. He asked his son what the hell he was doing with Jade Taylor, who was worse than Alison and Emily Stewart put together. Tom brought up Reg's death, and Casey said he would do whatever it took to make sure something like that never happened again. Tom handed Jade a bag that contained her bright red personal property.
Luke and Noah found Margo at the police station and explained what they had seen in the alley. Margo asked some questions and then asked Officer Malone to bring in Elwood. Malone found him before Luke and Noah left, so they watched Margo interrogate the boy. She asked to examine his backpack, and Elwood agreed, so Margo went through it while Malone searched Elwood. Luke and Noah were dumbfounded that the police found nothing illegal.
Tom came in and Margo told him that her lead was a dead end. Tom said Casey's mystery woman was Jade, and Margo was not impressed.
Noah and Luke went back to Java and told Casey and Jade that the cops found nothing on Elwood. Casey was disappointed and figured that Elwood had found the drugs and dumped them. Jade wanted to know what was next for the two of them, so Casey offered to pick up where they had left off.
Alison was pleasantly surprised to find that Matt had prepared a picnic, featuring Mabel's red hots, in an empty room in the hospital, just for her. He said it was part of his plan to abolish her winter doldrums, and it seemed to work.
Craig brought Carly home, but she was a bit woozy and allowed him to make the hot chocolate for Sage. Craig's cell phone rang, and he sounded discouraged, but it was a trick to fool Carly into thinking their new distributor had bailed on them, as well. He let her believe that for a moment before he told her Mr. Siegler had promised to back them 100 per cent and had already put a check in the mail. Carly jumped up with joy, so Craig grabbed her excitedly and gave her a big kiss. Carly was speechless, so Craig said that was a "business kiss," as opposed to a handshake. He went back to his cocoa project, leaving a stunned Carly in the living room.
Craig called Carly, who was very hung over from their vodka taste test the previous day. Craig said he was sure the deal with Mr. Siegler was going to work out, but to ensure that things went their way, Craig wanted Carly to do some more drawings of the vodka bottle. When Carly mentioned her hangover, Craig said he had to admit that he liked her better after she'd had a few drinks, because she was friendlier to him then. Carly asked what Craig meant, but then she remembered that they had kissed. Horrified, Carly quickly told Craig goodbye and hung up the phone.
Carly called Lily and said she had a business proposition for Lily that she wanted to discuss in person. When Lily arrived at the Lakeview restaurant, she took one look at Carly and remarked that someone had obviously had a good time the night before. Carly said that it had been business, and that it was the subject of their meeting. She then explained to Lily the idea behind "Midnight Sun," although she was careful not to mention Craig's involvement. In fact, Carly lied when Lily asked if Carly had come up with the idea by herself.
Lily was intrigued by Carly's idea and by the drawings Carly had already made for the bottle's logo. Lily told Carly she thought the idea had great potential, but Lily wanted to go home and run the numbers and think things over before committing to becoming involved as an investor with Carly. Carly understood, but asked Lily to let her know as soon as possible if she was interested.
Lily walked into the lobby and ran into Craig. Craig noticed that Lily had one of Carly's drawings for the vodka logo. Lily told Craig that Carly had explained the business idea to her. Craig asked Lily for her opinion of the venture, and Lily told him she thought it was a great idea. Craig wondered why Carly had been discussing the idea with Lily, and Lily said Carly needed a partner. Craig was surprised, but he didn't tell Lily about his own involvement with Carly and the vodka business.
At home, Carly tried to reach Mr. Siegler. He was unavailable, but Carly left a message saying Craig Montgomery would no longer be involved in their business transaction. As she hung up, Craig rang her doorbell. He told her he had come to check on her progress with the drawings. Craig told Carly he had run into Lily at the Lakeview, and that Lily had one of Carly's drawings. Carly tried to cover, but Craig knew she was lying. He was angry that Carly had tried to take credit for his idea. He reminded her that he had been the one to find a distributor and get their product ready to launch quickly, yet Carly had repaid him by going behind his back and trying to squeeze him out of the deal.
Lily went home and told Holden about Carly's business proposition. Holden was surprised Lily would even consider becoming partners with Carly, given that he and Carly had an affair. Lily agreed, but she was excited about the business idea. After Holden reminded Lily that she hadn't wanted to loan Carly any money because it would have been a way of inviting Carly back into their lives, Lily realized that a business venture with Carly would be an even worse idea.
Craig told Carly he thought Carly's machinations had all been because he had kissed her the night before. Carly denied it, but Craig insisted that Carly was worried about a possible romantic entanglement. He then assured Carly that what she had done behind his back had killed any desire he might have had for her. Craig grabbed Carly's drawings and ripped them in half. He said since the project was his idea, he would replace Carly, not the other way around. At that moment, Lily called Carly to let Carly know that they couldn't be business partners. Carly tried to cover by sounding enthusiastic and saying she couldn't talk because she had company. Craig realized when Carly hung up that it had been Lily on the phone, and he correctly guessed that Lily had turned Carly down. Craig seemed delighted to find that he had Carly right where he wanted her. He told Carly he would have to review his options, and he left.
Barbara went to see Paul at the police station. She told him that her lawyers had looked at the case against Paul, and they thought there were several holes in it, as well as the good possibility of an insanity defense. Paul told his mother that he didn't need lawyers, because he intended to plead guilty. Paul cracked jokes about there being little difference between prison and a mental institution as far as he was concerned, but Barbara tried to get him to focus on being able to be there for his baby daughter.
As Barbara and Paul talked, Josie walked in and announced that she had come to tell the police what really happened. Paul told Josie she should leave, but Josie told Paul his chances were much better if she stayed. Barbara asked what Josie meant, since Josie had been Paul's victim. Josie told her that wasn't entirely true. Paul told Barbara to put Josie on a bus out of town.
When Josie heard that Paul planned to plead guilty, she told him he couldn't do that. Josie said Eliza didn't need to grow up with a father who was in prison. Paul said he was tired of defending himself, but Josie said Paul just enjoyed being the victim, with a mean daddy, a mean wife, and the mean wife's mean friend. Josie suggested that Paul grow up first if he planned on being any kind of father to Eliza, and she walked out.
Paul told Barbara that it wasn't up to Barbara or Josie to get him out of trouble. Paul said no matter how much Barbara or anyone else wanted him to change, he would always be the way he was, and the best thing for everyone to do would be to stay away from him.
Meg took Eliza to the hospital to be examined after the kidnapping. There, Meg ran into Dusty. Dusty offered to follow Meg and the baby home, but Meg pointed out it was only a five-minute drive. Dusty said he didn't want to intrude, but Meg told him that after all he'd done to help her get Eliza back, he was welcome to check up on them any time he wanted to.
Holden arrived at the farm and found Dusty waiting in the kitchen for Meg. Dusty explained that Meg had just returned from having Eliza examined at the hospital, and he told Holden that the baby was fine. Meg came downstairs and said Eliza had gone right to sleep. Holden took the opportunity to apologize to Dusty for the things he'd said to Dusty while Eliza was missing. Holden thanked Dusty for Dusty's role in bringing everyone safely back to Oakdale. Holden offered his hand, and Dusty shook it. Holden then excused himself, saying he had chores to do; Dusty jokingly asked if Holden needed a hand, but Holden declined.
Meg told Dusty she thought Holden had been sincere in his apology, but Dusty said it hadn't been necessary. Meg said she owed Dusty an apology, too. Dusty told Meg she had nothing to apologize for; he admitted that marrying Meg had made things worse with Paul. Dusty said he had made it easy for Paul to get carried away, but Meg said Paul would have done something crazy regardless of what Dusty had done, and she was glad Paul was locked up.
Meg went upstairs to check on Eliza, and while she was out of the room, Josie showed up, looking for Meg. When Meg came back downstairs, she asked Josie what she was doing there. Dusty quickly said Josie was there to thank Meg for not pressing charges against her. Josie agreed but said she had also come to tell Meg that she was going to testify on Paul's behalf. Josie wanted to let Meg know that Paul was in despair and was completely giving up on his own defense, so Josie intended to try to help him.
Josie told Meg that she knew that Meg had once cared about Paul. Josie thought Meg could make an appeal for leniency. Dusty asked why Meg would want Paul back out on the streets. Josie said she knew that Dusty had faked his own death and had let someone be falsely accused of his murder, and that Meg had married a man she didn't love just to help him try to get custody of his child. Josie wasn't sure what made Dusty and Meg think they were so much better than Paul. Josie told Meg that Paul needed Meg, and Eliza needed Paul.
Josie walked out. Meg told Dusty she had to see for herself what kind of shape Paul was in. Despite Dusty's objections, Meg left. Josie again approached Dusty, saying she wanted to make sure Dusty didn't hate her. Dusty said he didn't hate Josie, but he didn't trust her, either. Dusty said what he felt for Josie had been built on a lie, so he thought it would be best if they let it go. He told Josie that one day, she would realize he had been right about them, and Josie replied that Dusty was always right.
Meg arrived at the police station, where Barbara was surprised to see her. Barbara told Meg that Paul needed Meg's help, but Barbara didn't want Meg to visit Paul if all she was going to do was disappoint him again. Meg said she just wanted to talk to Paul.
Meg went into the interrogation room, and Paul told her he was happy to see her. Meg told Paul she still hated him, and she couldn't believe anyone who actually loved her would have made her suffer the way Paul had. Paul said he was sorry. Meg told Paul that Barbara and Josie both wanted her to help him, but Paul said he didn't want that. Paul said he had decided he belonged in jail. Meg said the only problem with that was that it might not be good for Eliza to have a father who was in jail; on the other hand, it might be the best thing. Paul said that was up to Meg, but Meg asked Paul to give her one good reason why she shouldn't want Paul out of her and Eliza's life for good. Paul apologized again for the pain he'd caused Meg, and Meg said she needed to think about whether Eliza needed a father in her life. Meg left and returned to the farm, where she told Dusty she was afraid that Eliza would grow up hating her if she helped put Eliza's father in prison.
When Paul was brought out of the interrogation room, he saw Josie again. Josie said Barbara had indicated that Meg might help Paul. Paul asked if Josie had talked to Meg. Josie admitted it, saying she thought Meg had a right to know what was going on. Paul told Josie that she had done her good deed for the year and could leave. When Josie said she was staying, Paul asked if Josie thought she still had a shot with Dusty. Josie explained that Dusty had made it quite clear she didn't have a chance with him. Paul asked what Josie was staying for, and Josie replied simply, "You."
