At the diner, Simon picked up a fifty-cent tip from a disgruntled patron, as Clarissa walked in and advised her old partner in crime not to "spend it all in one place." Simon said he was still not interested in closing a two-year deal that they had worked together. He suggested that Clarissa get someone else to take his place since the "mark" had never actually met Simon. He said he would not participate because if he did, he would have to leave town for a very long time, and he wasn't willing to do that.
Simon said he wanted to build a life in Oakdale, but Clarissa suggested that he had lost his mind, and she was willing to give him time to reconsider. She dropped a stack of money on a table, and after a brief internal struggle, Simon pocketed it.
Katie and Henry strolled Jacob through Old Town, and she said that Kim had returned from her cruise and was looking forward to watching Katie's video. Henry hugged his best friend, as Katie looked over his shoulder into the diner and saw Simon chatting with Clarissa. She asked Henry who the woman was, and he thought she was "just a customer." Katie suddenly decided it was time to take her sleeping baby home for his nap.
Not long afterward, an impatient Simon rang Katie's doorbell over and over. She ran to answer it and cautioned him not to wake the baby. Simon declared that he wanted to take Katie out, perhaps to Chicago, because he had just gotten "a big tip." Katie asked about the woman she had seen through the window in the diner, and Simon said that he had formerly been in business with her.
Katie acted jealous, so Simon explained that he had been involved with Clarissa a long time before when they had run "some sophisticated cons" together. He vowed he was through with that life and would be whatever Katie wanted him to be. He expressed a desire to stay in Oakdale, no matter where their personal situation led. Simon kissed Katie.
Henry walked in the diner and approached Clarissa, who was mangling a cheeseburger. He introduced himself and asked her how long she had known Simon. When Clarissa pretended not to know any "Simon," Henry said that running the diner was just a sideline for him; his regular profession was gambling. He guessed correctly that Simon had turned Clarissa down for a job, and he stated that he thought he could make her visit to Oakdale worthwhile. Clarissa said her work was "highly specialized," so Henry suggested that they both put their "cards on the table."
Henry went first and said that he was willing to bend the law if Simon had changed his ways. Clarissa picked up her purse and turned Henry down. Then Henry asked hypothetically if there was a "scam," how large the "score" might be. Hypothetically, answered Clarissa, it might be "huge." She said that the mark had only spoken to Simon on the phone, so Henry quickly assumed the speech and accent of "a charming Aussie."
In the hotel in Detroit, Jack and Carly hid in the closet of Hayden Lawson, Sage's biggest competitor in the "Little Miss Snowflake" pageant. Carly got the giggles when Jack mentioned that Craig had told him that Carly had gone to Detroit only to seduce Jack. Carly denied that was true, but she did admit that she had said it to Craig just to get him to leave. Hayden and her mother left the room to "go kick some sequined butt," so Jack and Carly escaped from the closet. Carly found Sage's music CD in the room, and the two of them scrammed.
Jack and Carly found Sage in the staging area, as the pageant director called Hayden to the stage. The girl addressed the "honorable judges" with great poise and promised to do a dance that would knock their socks off. The girl began a flapper dance to "All that Jazz," and Sage was thoroughly intimidated. After all the applause for Hayden, the director called for Sage. Sage didn't move, however, and she told her parents she wanted to go home. When Carly pushed verbally by reminding her daughter that the pageant was her "dream," Sage snapped her CD in two and loudly denied that. She declared that the pageant was "so beyond stupid," and she confessed that she had only begun her routine on the Tuesday before.
Sage said that she had only wanted her parents to get away together, and the pageant was the only thing she had been able to think of. Jack and Carly were angry, but Sage insisted that the two of them knew that they belonged together. Carly urged the girl to go on stage and do her routine anyway, so Sage ran there and grabbed the microphone. She announced that the judges could relax because there was no way she could win the pageant, but she wanted to sing to her mom and dad. She sang to them, and Jack and Carly held hands. Everyone applauded, and Jack sent Sage to find Parker and Liberty, who were on a walk, while he and Carly packed up their belongings.
Jack and Carly agreed that their daughter was "one amazing little girl," and they went to their room to pack. They discussed all the reasons why reconciliation would not work for the two of them and even decided to make a list to show Sage. Neither Jack nor Carly could name a good reason, however. Someone knocked on the door; Jack answered it and found Janet standing in the hall. She asked to speak with him privately, so Carly left the room.
Janet wanted to talk about their marriage, so Jack began by saying that he loved her, but a lot of things had happened since they first got married. Janet said she had decided that their marriage was worth fighting for. Meanwhile, Carly waited in the lobby, and Sage returned from her search. She was not pleased to hear that Janet was in the building, and she told her mom that she had been unable to locate Parker and Liberty.
Parker and Liberty took a walk in some woods near the hotel, and they ran into other teenagers. The other teens seemed young and immature to Liberty and Parker, so they soon walked off by themselves. The temperature began to drop, and the pair got cold, so after a fun leaf fight, they headed back to the hotel. Suddenly Liberty was overcome with tears, and she explained that she was missing her dad very much. As they approached a stream, Parker talked about how different their lives would be the next year when Liberty was studying fashion in New York.
Parker saw no way around the stream, so he suggested they jump it, but Liberty thought it was too far for her to jump. Parker volunteered to go first to show her how to jump properly, but he tripped and fell when he attempted it. He claimed that he was all right, but there was blood showing through a rip in the leg of his jeans. They followed the stream for a while, but Parker was having difficulty walking. He finally got dizzy and collapsed, and Liberty checked his leg. There was a deep wound and lots of blood, so Liberty took off one of her shirts and tied it around Parker's leg.
Liberty helped Parker to his feet and let him lean on her for walking. Parker declared her "the best ex-wife" he'd ever had, as they hobbled to an old shed to get out of the cold. Parker suggested that they huddle together for warmth, so they sat on an old bench. They talked about the first time they had been together and were discussing their memories when Parker suddenly passed out and slid off the bench.
Katie yelled at Simon after he kissed her. She said that she had no time in her life for "just a kiss" from him, and she waved her daily time schedule in front of his face. She claimed that she was overwhelmed by changing diapers, feedings, appointments with doctors, and lonely nights. Katie asked Simon if he was sure he wanted to be a part of all that. Jacob squalled, so she went to tend to him, and when she returned, she found that Simon had taken out the garbage and was folding the baby's laundry. He proudly stated that he had reclaimed about 16 minutes on her timetable.
Katie said that she appreciated Simon's help, but she still wanted him to leave. He said he was falling for her all over again, but he agreed to go. Katie admitted that his kisses scared her because they made her heart beat faster for him, but she knew that he would leave her again. It was always the same. Simon confessed that he liked to think of himself as Katie's hero, but then he always disappointed her. He asked what Katie really wanted, and she blurted out that she just wanted Brad not to be dead.
Simon walked out, but someone else knocked soon afterward. It was Pam, Katie's realtor friend, who asked if Katie still had any interest in selling her house. She said she had the perfect clients for it -- if Katie had solved "the ghost problem." Katie reassured Pam that the ghost was gone and the house spook-free. Katie promised to think about selling.
At the diner, Henry continued to talk with Clarissa in an attempt to weasel his way into her con. He learned that the mark's name was "Mr. Lee," but Clarissa was not happy about having to settle for Henry when she really wanted Simon Frasier. She told Henry that he was no Simon, and she asked Henry some questions to see if he knew what it took to pull off a scam. Henry announced that he'd pulled a scam or two in his day, and he reminded Clarissa that Simon was "on the lam" and under the watchful eyes of the Oakdale police.
Henry, on the other hand, was "above suspicion," available, and capable of pulling off whatever Clarissa wanted. The two adjourned to Henry's hotel room to talk more privately, but Clarissa bore just enough of a resemblance to Vienna that it spooked Henry a bit. Clarissa said she would invite Mr. Lee to lunch, and Henry added that "plenty of drinks" always softened up a mark. Clarissa continued that their mark would probably want to see the land on which they would supposedly be constructing buildings. They talked more strategy until suddenly Simon let himself into the room with his own key.
Simon immediately asked what was going on, and Clarissa asked if he was jealous. Simon replied that he was much more curious than jealous, so his former partner said that she had replaced him with Henry on their caper. Clarissa left to get the blueprints Henry would have to study in order to convince Mr. Lee that he was Simon, and Simon lit into Henry and demanded that he drop out of the scam. He also said that he was "giving Katie some space." Simon warned Henry to watch his back, because if anything happened to Henry, Katie would kill Simon.
Simon went to the Lakeview lobby and saw Clarissa. They went to the bar, and Simon warned her not to "mess with Henry." She tried to tempt Simon back into the scheme, but he declared that the two of them were done as partners. Clarissa could not believe that Simon could just walk away from his wild side, but he got up and said, "Watch me," and he marched out. Clarissa returned to Henry's room, and they began checking his wardrobe for the most suitable clothes to impress Mr. Lee.
Clarissa asked some questions about "the woman Simon was willing to give it all up for," and Henry said that Katie was "amazing, adorable, smart, and funny." Clarissa suggested that Henry felt the same way about Katie as Simon did. Henry said that she was being ridiculous; it was just that he was "very protective" of his best friend, Katie.
Simon returned to Katie's, and she was glad to see him. She explained what the realtor had said, and she said it would be good for her to get away from the memories in that house. Katie was worried that she had let Brad down because she had allowed herself to have feelings for Simon. As soon as she said those words, Katie tried to take them back by admitting that she was confused and exhausted. Simon handed her a copy of her daily schedule, and he had put himself into every time slot with her. Katie was moved to tears, but then she felt disloyal to Brad. Simon said that he was done with his former life, and Katie would always be "home" to him.
Carly and Sage waited in the lobby of the hotel in Detroit as Janet and Jack conferred in the room. Carly was worried about the whereabouts of Liberty and Parker, and she could not reach her son on his cell phone. Sage grumbled about leaving her dad and Janet alone in the hotel room, but Carly reminded the girl that Jack and Janet were married. They talked about marriage and divorce, and Sage was very aware how many times her mother had walked down the aisle. The hotel manager approached Carly and asked if she was Parker Snyder's mother.
In the room upstairs, Jack told Janet that he was confused that she wanted to fight for their marriage. Janet said that she knew what she wanted: Jack and their marriage. Jack then asked about Dusty; he needed to know if Janet's previous desire for an annulment had anything to do with him. Janet answered that it was partly because of Dusty, but mostly it had to do with Jack. Jack praised Janet for her honesty in telling him about the Christmas Eve kiss she had shared with Dusty, and he apologized for leaving her a cryptic note and taking off on a road trip after Brad's death.
Jack went on to further assure his wife that he would never disrespect their marriage by allowing anything improper to happen between Carly and him. Janet looked concerned because she had never told Jack what had happened between her and Dusty on New Year's Eve, but just then, someone knocked on the door. It was Carly, who gave them the news that the hotel manager had told her that some other teens from the hotel had found bloody and torn clothing in the woods and that Parker and Liberty were missing.
Jack went to check out the clothing, and he said it looked like part of Parker's jeans, and there had been quite a bit of blood. He told the women that there was a search party forming, and he asked Sage to get one of Parker's shirts in case they needed scent dogs. Janet was frantic about Liberty, and she turned on Jack and asked what he had been doing that was so important that he had let their children get lost. She stomped out of the room, but Jack turned to Carly and said there was no way he blamed her for what had happened to the kids.
Janet went into the lobby and called Dusty at Metro. She told him that Parker and Liberty were lost in the woods and that Parker was probably injured. Dusty talked Janet through what Liberty would do in such a situation, and then he suggested that she somehow help Liberty get back to her. Carly, Jack, and Sage walked up, and Janet cooled off. Jack left for the search command post, and the women and Sage decided to provide food and hot coffee for the searchers.
In an old shed in the woods, Liberty tried to awaken Parker, who had passed out again. He opened his eyes, and Liberty attempted to get him up, but Parker could not put weight on his injured leg. He urged her to get help and to get it quickly because he was craving French fries. Liberty left reluctantly, but she was back shortly with two large tree limbs. She said she could not just leave Parker there, and she went to work on the limbs and tied them together with another of her shirts. Eventually, she fashioned a crude but serviceable crutch, and the two of them hobbled out of the shed.
Jack returned to the hotel with the news that the searchers had lost the trail, and darkness was approaching. He reassured Carly by telling her that Parker knew enough to search for shelter, and he also knew first aid. Carly was very worried, and she acknowledged her desire for a drink, but she stuck to coffee. They sat with Sage on the couch and waited. Janet passed by the couch and saw the three of them sitting as a family. She did not have time to ponder that, however, because Dusty Donovan walked into the lobby.
Dusty said he had flown up in one of his helicopters, and Janet threw her arms around his neck. He offered his fleet of helicopters and whatever manpower they needed for the search. Jack sat up on the couch and saw Dusty. He went over and began to challenge Dusty until he realized that Dusty had arrived with help for the kids. Then he thanked Dusty and told him whom to contact for the air rescue. Suddenly, Sage spotted Parker and Liberty stumbling through the lobby.
Everyone rushed to the teens and got Parker on the couch. The EMTs checked him out and suggested that they transport him to the local hospital for x-rays immediately. Dusty offered the helicopter for transport back to Memorial if Jack and Carly were more comfortable with that, so that was where they agreed to send Parker. Dusty also offered to drive one of their cars back to Oakdale so there would be room in the chopper for all the families.
Barbara stepped off the elevator in the lobby of the Lakeview, and Mick caught up with her. He noticed that she was carrying some of the red roses he had sent her, and he commented on her "regifting" them. Barbara explained that she was taking some of them to Emily in the hospital. She asked Mick if he had done something to Emily to cause her to be comatose, but after an attempt at lying, he said that Emily had done it to herself. Barbara demanded to know if Emily's condition had anything to do with the treatments he was giving both her and Emily, but Mick assured her that it did not.
Mick finally confessed that Emily had gotten nosy and had wandered too close to the truth, which had forced him to take steps. He said what was most important was to get Paul to trust him. Barbara cautioned Mick that his actions did not much sound like his "better person" campaign, but he grinned and remarked that old habits died hard.
At Memorial, Paul sat with Emily, who was still unresponsive. He asked her to return to him, as Susan Stewart entered her daughter's room, along with Alison. Susan was frustrated that none of the tests had revealed why Emily would not wake up. She and Paul discussed the treatments that Emily had been taking from Mick, and Susan said the only thing left was to get a sample of Mick's serum for testing. Susan told Paul not to take no for an answer. They walked into the hall as Paul explained that Emily had thought the treatments would make her body young again.
Susan said anyone with a brain knew that was scientifically impossible, and she scolded Alison for not telling her what Emily was up to. Paul then let it slip that Barbara was also taking the same treatments, but Susan said that might actually be helpful. She suggested that they compare the medical profiles of the two women to see what was affecting Emily but not Barbara. Paul promised to find Mick and obtain a sample of the serum.
Alison and Susan went back into Emily's room, and they talked about secrets. Susan was hurt that she'd had to find out about Alison's engagement to Casey from Dr. Bob. Alison apologized, but Susan was furious that her daughters had kept her in the dark about important things in their lives. Alison was afraid of longstanding tensions between the Hughes and Stewart families, but Susan was surprisingly supportive.
Barbara and Mick arrived at the hospital, and she threatened to tell Paul that Mick claimed to be James. Mick advised Barbara not to do that yet because he had to get Paul to trust him first. Paul saw Mick, and he ran up and demanded to know "what the hell" Mick had done to his wife. Mick promised that Emily's coma had nothing to do with his treatments. Paul ordered him to deliver a sample of the serum, but Mick refused. Barbara interjected herself and told her son that Mick was telling the truth because she was taking the serum, and she was fine.
Barbara went on to say that she trusted Mick, but Paul swore that unless Mick produced a sample for analysis, he would get no more money from Paul and would, instead, get an unfriendly visit from the cops. Mick said that if Paul trusted Emily's mother not to disclose what the ingredients were for the serum, he would get Paul a sample. Mick left to get the serum, and Paul looked at his mother and asked what was going on between her and Mick.
Barbara assured her son that Emily would be fine, and that made Paul suspicious that his mother knew something he did not. Barbara handed Paul the flowers for Emily and some food for him. Paul sat by Emily's bed and talked with her about the baby that she wanted so badly. Mick returned to the hospital room and told Paul that he was processing a new batch of the serum that would be ready shortly. He promised that he would never hurt the very people who had been so generous to him, and he handed Paul a flask of scotch. He assured Paul that Emily would recover.
Mick looked around the hospital for Alison, and when he found her, he said he would deliver a serum sample for analysis as soon as it was ready. Alison was frustrated that no one could help her sister, and she got a little tearful. Mick put his arms around her, but then a horrible pain in his head struck him. Alison wanted him to see someone, but Mick hurriedly excused himself and left to get the serum.
Alison lay on a couch in the break room and began to dream. She saw herself in her wedding dress, surrounded by Kim, Susan, and Emily. Susan and Kim had put away their differences and were working together. Emily helped Alison with her veil as the organ began to play "The Wedding March." Alison walked into the church, but suddenly she was in the old belfry of All Angels Church, and Mick stepped up to her side. Alison woke up, very disturbed.
Simon went for a job interview at a diamond showroom. The interviewer read through his résumé and reminded him that he had left off some "work experience." She cited three arrests for fraud, one for bribery, and another for extortion, but Simon was quick to point out that he had never been convicted. The woman, however, knew that was because he had jumped bail for all the counts. She told Simon that she would get fired if she hired him, and she closed the interview.
Kim welcomed Katie and baby Jacob to WOAK and gave them a big hug. She was excited about the new show for moms, but she wanted Katie's assurance that adding work to her already frantic schedule was doable. Katie said that she needed to work for several reasons, so Kim left for a moment and suggested that Katie go to the set. She sent Jacob to day care, but as she walked to her set, she met a staff member carrying a huge poster of Brad's face. Katie gathered her composure and continued to the set.
Katie took her place, and Kim called for quiet on the set. She asked for tape to roll, and Katie began her introduction. She spoke from her heart, but she soon lost her way and began to cry. Kim called for a short break, and Katie began again, but she could not keep her composure. Simon walked on the set from his job interview, and Katie threw her arms around him when she saw him. Katie apologized to Kim, who told her to take as much time as she needed.
Katie was upset that she had let Kim down, and she was embarrassed that she'd had a meltdown on-camera. Katie had lost her confidence and was terrified that she would not be able to support her son. Simon gave her a pep talk and advised her to stop feeling sorry for herself. He pushed her back on the set, but she turned back and hugged him again.
Henry approached Clarissa in the Lakeview lounge, and he spoke to her in his newly acquired Aussie accent. Clarissa said he sounded as if he were from Alabama rather than Australia. Henry was concerned that the meeting with Mr. Lee was at the hotel where he lived and everyone knew him, but Clarissa said the "mark" had made the request. Mr. Lee walked up, and Clarissa introduced him to "Simon Frasier," who gave him his best "G'day mate!" They sat at a table, and Clarissa went over the plans for the scam development. She also announced that investors were "lining up" to buy shares.
Mr. Lee was impressed with the plans and was eager to get on board. He said he had a certified check, so Clarissa produced the necessary paperwork and was handing the folder to Mr. Lee when Henry glanced up and saw Barbara and Mick enter the lounge. Henry grabbed the folder and covered his face with it, but Clarissa snatched it back. Next Henry suggested that they take Mr. Lee to see the building site, and he stood up. An amazed Clarissa followed, and Mr. Lee agreed, but as they were leaving the lounge, Barbara spotted Henry and called out his name.
Mr. Lee stopped and asked "Simon" why a woman was calling him "Henry," but Henry claimed that she had said "Honey." He said she was a neighbor of his and called everyone "Honey." Mr. Lee wasn't buying it, and he refused to go anywhere with the two of them. "Who are you people?" he asked. Henry held his phone behind his back and punched the speed dial for Simon's phone.
At WOAK, Simon answered his phone, and he could hear the conversation that Henry was having with Mr. Lee. Lee asked why "Simon" kept changing his name and his accent, and he mentioned the words "scam" and "jail time" in the same sentence. Simon told Katie that Henry was in deep trouble because he had taken Simon's place in Clarissa's scam. Katie was frantic, but suddenly she thought of a plan. She urged Simon to hurry, and as they dashed from the television station, Simon grinned and said she was back to the Katie he knew and loved.
Clarissa attempted to calm Mr. Lee by reminding him that they had been in contact for over a year. Lee turned to Henry and asked to see some identification that he was Simon Frasier. Henry looked like a deer in the headlights, and then suddenly Katie and Simon, both wearing coats and dark glasses, ran into the lobby and flashed badges. "Agent Peretti" asked Lee how well he knew the two people he was with, and he claimed he had just met them. He also made it clear that he had not given them any money. Katie said they had gotten there just in time, and she asked "Agent Coleman" to march the "perps" outside, while she talked with Mr. Lee. She asked for his business card and then followed the others outside.
Katie, Simon, Henry, and Clarissa went back to Katie's house, and everyone was pleased except Clarissa. She complained that she had lost a huge payday and almost two years of work. She insulted Oakdale -- and Katie -- and then walked out with a scowl. Simon tried to soft-pedal Henry's involvement in the scam, and Katie relented. Henry offered to fetch Jacob from WOAK, so he left. Katie told Simon that Oakdale would never satisfy him; it was just too boring. She had seen how jazzed he was playing his role as an agent, and she said she did not want to be the reason that he stayed in Oakdale.
Simon said the only thing he really cared about was Katie, and he told her he loved her. Katie was pleased that he'd said that, but then she said that she still wanted him to go; the only difference was that Katie was going with him.
Katie told Simon that she had made up her mind; she definitely wanted to leave Oakdale. Simon wasn't so sure he felt the same, and he called it "running away." Katie was looking forward to a fresh start in a new place, but Simon wasn't eager to resume his vagabond lifestyle. He said that moving around called attention to them, and that tempted fate. Katie was unhappy with the constant reminders of her life with Brad in Oakdale, so when Simon asked when she was thinking of leaving, she answered, "How 'bout today?"
Simon suggested that they "take a few days to look at all the angles," but Katie was afraid that she would lose her nerve. Simon thought it would be selfish of him to jump on Katie's suggestion, and he asked her to think about the people she would be leaving behind, particularly Henry and Margo.
At that moment, Henry, who had Jacob out for a stroll, ran into Margo in Old Town. She said she wanted to talk to him, and at first, Henry was worried that Mr. Lee might have filed a complaint, but Margo was unaware of Mr. Lee. Henry told her that Katie was doing well, and he gave a great deal of the credit for that to Simon. Henry took the baby home and interrupted Simon and Katie's serious conversation. Katie told Henry that she and Simon were leaving town.
Henry was rendered almost speechless, but Katie begged her best friend to be happy for her. Henry whined that she was breaking his heart and asked Simon for a martini. Katie assured Henry that they would always be friends, and Simon promised to take "incredible care" of her and baby Jacob. Henry began trying to talk Katie out of leaving, but she said that she needed to start over, and she could not do that in Oakdale.
Next, Henry went after Simon, but he soon realized that moving away was Katie's idea. He panicked when Katie said they wanted to leave that very day. Katie asked Henry to be her friend and let her go, and she embraced him. They said their goodbyes, and a heartbroken Henry walked out. Katie was moved, but she stuck to her plan. Simon asked Katie where she wanted to go, and she thought for a bit and then chose New York. She said that she and Simon were partners, and he wasn't to worry about money.
Henry dashed directly to the police station and told Margo that Simon had convinced Katie to leave town with him that day. Margo was shocked, and she grabbed Henry's arm and her keys, and they took off.
Simon and Katie walked to Old Town for supplies, and Katie mentioned that she would really miss Al's Diner. Simon reminded her that she had said the same thing about the gas station and the pharmacy two minutes before. Margo, another officer, and Henry approached, and Margo announced that Simon was under arrest. She directed the cop to cuff Simon as an amazed Katie protested. Katie yelled at Henry, whom she blamed for running to her sister, and she proclaimed that moving away was her idea, not Simon's. She said the very people she loved the most were making her feel as if she was in prison.
Margo argued as Katie said that she had to go out in the world and find out if her instincts were right. She begged Margo and Henry to love her enough to let her live her life. Margo thought a moment and then directed the cop to remove the handcuffs from Simon. Katie thanked her sister, and Margo said that there was one condition on her releasing Simon: she wanted Katie to have a proper sendoff before she left Oakdale. Margo asked Katie to stay a couple of days longer, and Margo would have a "farewell blowout" for her.
Katie and Simon went back home, and Katie was furious at Margo and even more so at Henry. At the police station, Margo expressed to Henry that they would have to "pull out all the stops" at the party so that Katie couldn't actually make herself leave.
At Memorial, Janet tried to tempt Liberty to eat the hospital food, but she was not successful. Liberty did not understand why the doctor had even admitted her, since she was not injured. She just wanted to go home and sleep in her own bed and eat her mother's cooking. Liberty was also concerned about Parker, so she asked Janet to go check on him, and Janet agreed.
A nurse pushed Parker in a wheelchair back to his room after an x-ray that revealed only a hairline fracture of the tibia. The nurse told Jack and Carly that the doctor needed one more x-ray after the leg was cast, and then Parker could go home. The nurse took their son away as Jack and Carly celebrated with a hug, and Janet walked in. Jack asked Carly to give him a minute with Janet, so Carly walked out. Jack told his wife that it was time to refocus on their marriage. He admitted that he had been thrown off-guard when Janet had shown up in Detroit. Janet, however, thought that Jack was just as confused as always.
Carly found Parker after his last x-ray, and she wheeled him into Liberty's room. The teens were delighted to see each other, and Parker's doctor walked in and told Parker and Carly that there was no infection or further damage, so Parker could go home. Parker asked him to please check with Liberty's doctor so that she could also leave, and the doctor agreed. Parker wanted to wait for Liberty's release, but she told him to go home and rest, and she promised to call him as soon as she got back to the farm.
Carly pushed Parker out and parked him in a hall while she interrupted Jack and Janet's conversation. Janet suggested that Jack go with Carly so that he could help Parker in and out of the car. She promised Jack they would talk later, and Jack kissed his wife on the cheek. He and Carly took Parker to the car.
Jack and Carly helped Parker into the house, and the teen plunked himself on the couch. Then he realized that if he slept there until he could manage the stairs, there was nowhere for Jack to sleep. Jack and Carly looked at one another and went into the kitchen. Carly said that they had to tell the kids that Jack was moving out and on with his life. Jack thanked her for helping him through a troubled time, and they joked about one another's peculiarities in their living situation. They decided it was wise to tell Parker right away that Jack would no longer be staying there.
Jack and Carly carried a sandwich to Parker, and he took one look at his parents and said he already knew what they were struggling to tell him. He said he knew that Jack was moving out. Jack said yes, and then Parker asked if his dad and Janet were reconciling. Jack said he didn't know, but he felt it was unfair to the kids to give them false hope by having him continue to stay at Carly's. He said Sage's heart would be broken all over again, and he left the room for a moment.
Carly talked with Parker and soon realized that the Detroit caper had been all Sage's idea, but Parker had gone along with it. Parker was not yet convinced that the scheme had not worked, but when Jack returned, Parker dropped the topic.
Janet went back to Liberty's room, and her daughter jumped out of bed, but she got dizzy. She crawled back into bed and complained that she craved "real food." She even mentioned that she was so hungry that she even imagined that she smelled delicious Italian food. At that moment, Dusty walked in with a large shopping bag and announced, "Room Service!" Teri had prepared several of Liberty's favorite Italian dishes for her niece, but Janet told Dusty that he needn't have done that. Liberty, however, begged to differ, and she told her mother that whatever she was doing with Dusty, she should "keep doing it."
As Liberty ate, Dusty went to find napkins, and when he returned with a roll of paper towels, he asked what he has missed. Janet said "nothing," but Liberty remarked how great a boss Dusty was. Liberty's doctor walked in, and the girl demanded to go home. The doctor said one final exam wouldn't hurt, so Janet and Dusty stepped outside. The doctor began to examine Liberty, and he noticed a large bruise on her forearm. He asked how long Liberty had had it, but she said she had never noticed it before.
Janet began to be concerned about why the doctors had not yet released her daughter. She also expressed her gratitude to Dusty for how wonderfully he had treated her family. The doctor finally exited Liberty's room, and he said that the girl was not ready to go home. He asked questions of Janet about the bruise on her daughter's arm, and then he said he wanted to take another look at the results of Liberty's blood work. He returned in a few minutes and told Janet that the news was not good.
Parker called Liberty and offered to spring her from the hospital. She stated that he couldn't drive with a bad leg, but Parker said it was the least he could do after she'd saved him.
In Carly's kitchen, Jack asked why Carly wanted him to stay at the house. Carly stammered, and Jack joked that she needed him around to open jars. She suggested that Parker needed help getting around the house. Jack said there would always be reasons for him to stick around. "So what does that tell you?" Carly asked. Jack decided that he had to g or else there would be nothing left of his marriage. Carly said that Jack should fix his marriage because he'd been talking about doing it since he'd moved in.
Carly went to the living room and saw that Parker was missing. She and Jack rushed outside in time to see Parker drive off. Carly wondered where Parker could be going, and Jack looked at her knowingly. "You've got to be kidding me," Carly said.
Later, Parker arrived at the hospital to spring Liberty, but he was surprised to see his parents stride up behind him. As Liberty blabbered that it was her fault, Carly and Jack chastised Parker for not resting his leg. Jack expressed concern for Liberty, and Liberty said that it was none of his business. He asked where Janet was, and Liberty quipped that it was easier to ask where Janet was than to be a husband. Carly led Parker out of the room.
Jack told Liberty that he realized that he'd been an absentee stepfather and husband since Brad's death; however, Jack vowed to be there for her because he was her uncle. Jack and Liberty discussed seeing Brad on Christmas Eve, and she admitted that she dealt with the pain better when she could blame someone for it. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to stop blaming Jack. He replied that it was okay, because he liked a challenge.
Jack and Carly took Parker home, and Parker joked that he'd pulled "a Jack" by going to rescue Liberty from Memorial. Parker went to get a sandwich, and Carly remarked that Parker loved having Jack around. Jack stated that he was still leaving so that the kids wouldn't get false hope. Carly figured that he'd go to the farm, but Jack said he had no idea where he'd go.
Jack packed some things and thanked Carly for her couch. She welcomed him to visit anytime. He said that target practice with Carly had convinced him to return to work. Carly hugged Jack, and he kissed her cheek. They lingered close to each other, and Jack kissed her on the lips.
At Memorial, Janet pressed Liberty's doctor to release Liberty. The doctor informed Janet and Dusty that Liberty had leukemia. Janet yelled that it couldn't be happening, and the doctor said that they had every reason to be hopeful. The doctor left, and Janet wondered how she hadn't known that her daughter had a fatal disease. Dusty said that it wasn't necessarily fatal, and Liberty would get the best treatment possible. Unable to face Liberty, Janet rushed off.
In the chapel, Janet prayed that God would not punish Liberty for Janet's infidelity. Dusty entered, and he assured her that Liberty wasn't sick because they'd slept together. He urged her to tell Liberty about the illness, but Janet didn't know where to start. She felt that even though she had her faith, she was alone. Dusty said that she had God, and she had Dusty, too.
Later, Janet somberly entered Liberty's room. Liberty wondered what was wrong. Janet sat at Liberty's bedside and said that Liberty had leukemia. Liberty gulped and asked if she'd die. Janet hugged Liberty and assured her that they'd fight it. Liberty cried, "No!"
At home, Damian showed Lily a website about safari honeymoons. A reluctant Lily wished they could get their lives back on track before they jetted off somewhere. Damian said that he just wanted some alone time, and Lily decided to stop finding reasons to say no. She left to ask Holden if he could take the kids while Damian and she vacationed.
At Deerbrook, Meg put on a show for Dr. Wilson, who said that her evaluation that day might be her ticket home. He gave her a pill and left. Sharkey, the orderly working for Damian, peeked into Meg's room and saw her hiding her medication beneath her pillow.
Meg called Damian to taunt him. She said that after her evaluation that day, she could show him in person what he meant to her, just as they'd discussed.
Damian went to Deerbrook and berated Sharkey for not keeping Meg under control, as Damian had paid Sharkey to do. Damian worried that the hospital would release Meg, but Sharkey responded, "Not if they find meds in her bedding."
Meg looked through her window and saw Damian give Sharkey money. Damian entered her room, and she raged at him for bribing the orderly. Damian said he'd done everything in his power to make sure that she'd never leave that place. He was disgusted with himself for allowing a woman like her into his bed. "If only I had burned it with you in it!" Meg rasped and jerked off her bed sheets. Dr. Wilson entered in time to see her pills fly out of the bedding.
Meg begged Dr. Wilson to understand that she'd stopped taking the medications because she'd realized that she was better. Meg asserted that Damian had bribed Sharkey in the hallway. Dr. Wilson didn't believe her, but she pleaded with him not to let Damian get away with it. Meg lurched at Damian, and Sharkey restrained her as the pitying doctor watched.
Molly attempted to bake a cake at the farm, but Holden distracted her with a make-out session upstairs. Lily entered the kitchen and grimaced at Molly's cake. Molly returned to the kitchen, and Lily said that Molly couldn't compete with Emma in the kitchen. Molly remarked that she was pretty good at satisfying Holden's sweet tooth.
Holden entered, and Lily said she'd stopped by to discuss the kids; however, it could wait until after he'd "finished dessert." Lily stomped out, and Molly recounted what had just happened with her and Lily. Holden didn't care that Lily knew about his sex life, but he wanted to find out if Lily had wanted to discuss a problem with the kids. After Holden pursued Lily out the door, Molly huffed that she needed something stronger than chocolate, and she left the house.
Holden tracked Lily down in Old Town to talk, but Lily wasn't interested in discussing his "sweet tooth." She couldn't believe that Holden had chosen to date Molly, but Holden retorted that Lily had married Damian twice. Lily thought that Holden deserved better than Molly's "domestic goddess" routine. Holden retorted that Damian wasn't a saint. The two wondered why they were bickering, and Holden asked why she'd gone to the farm.
Lily said that she'd wanted to ask Holden to watch the kids while she and Damian vacationed, but the trip was a bad idea. Holden told Lily not to cancel her trip just because he was dating Molly. Lily seemed disingenuous when she claimed that wasn't the reason, and Holden figured that a pregnant Lily wouldn't be satisfied unless Holden was pining away for her.
Lily replied that she wasn't pregnant, and she remarked on her ambivalence about having a baby. Holden urged her to take the trip while he, Molly, and Emma watched the kids. Holden advised Lily to realize that Molly was a part of his life. Lily apologized for her attitude but refused to retract her statements about Molly.
Lily returned home and took a call from Dr. Wilson, who explained what had happened with Meg that day. Damian entered as Lily ended her call, and Lily stated that for someone who wanted Meg out of their lives, Damian certainly spent a lot of time with her. Damian explained that after Meg had threatened him, he'd gone to Deerbrook to see if she'd really be released. He said that Meg had lunged at him and ripped up her bed sheets. Damian felt confident that after Dr. Wilson had seen Meg's pills flying everywhere, Meg's deception was finally under control.
Damian asked if Lily had given more thought to their trip, and she replied that Holden would care for the kids if they still wanted to go away. Damian figured that there was nothing standing in their way. They hugged each other, but Lily looked unconvinced.
Holden returned to the farm and saw that Molly had left. He found her drinking at Metro later. Molly remarked that she was bad at making cakes, and Holden said that it was her only flaw. She asked how things had gone with Lily, and Holden said it could have been worse.
Molly stated that it had taken Holden two seconds to run after Lily, and Holden replied that he'd needed to explain to Lily about "us." Molly seemed flattered that he referred to them as an "us." She was further flattered when he said that Lily had asked if "we" could take care of the kids while she vacationed with Damian. Molly warned him that people would soon know about them, and Holden asked her to move her things into his room at the farm.
Holden and Molly got a table, and Holden noticed Sharkey making out with a woman on a loveseat. Molly and Holden recognized him as a Deerbrook orderly. Sharkey ordered his second $250 bottle of champagne, and Molly remarked that it was a steep price on Sharkey's salary.
