Kate warns Lucas that E.J. has the package. Lucas confronts him and grabs the box, but Bo arrives and intercepts. Sami is floored when she learns the package contains a gun. Bo sends it to ballistics to see if it matches the bullet in E.J.'s spine. Lucas tries to assure Sami he had nothing to do with the shooting, but admits he went to the church that night. A doubtful Sami senses he's not telling her everything. In private, Lucas makes a cryptic call asking for help.
Nick surprises Chelsea with a romantic evening at Chez Rouge, but she's distracted by the drama with Ford. Meanwhile, Stephanie and the other sisters comfort Cordy, who is a wreck over Ford's death. Billie shows up to report that Ford is missing. Cordy tells the girls she wants to confess, but they insist they all keep quiet. Morgan calls Chelsea, who cuts her date short and rushes back to get their story straight. When Billie asks the girls what they know about Ford, Chelsea and Stephanie provide the cover story that Ford showed up drunk to apologize, passed out in the living room and then left the next morning. Buying their story, Billie leaves. Later, Stephanie discovers Cordy is missing.
Max gives Nick "dude" advice, telling him not to put his feelings on display all the time. Nick dares Max to tell Stephanie how he feels about her. The two guys decide to try each other's advice and head to the sorority house.
A negligee clad Kayla greeted Steve at the door and enticed him to stay home for the evening. As the two kissed, Steve pulled away and reminded her that they could always adopt a child. When Steve couldn't drop the subject of adoption, Kayla pressed him to tell her why. Steve admitted that he was concerned about the risks of the pregnancy. Kayla promised him that she would never leave him, and then she showed him all the research she had done into the risks of a pregnancy at her age. Once Kayla promised to get a doctor's approval for the pregnancy, Steve relaxed and the two made love. Later as the two were lying in bed, Steve wondered how Stephanie would take the news of the pregnancy. The two agreed not to tell Stephanie they were trying to get pregnant in light of how uncomfortable that might make her. With that settled and Stephanie still on his mind, Steve asked Kayla whether she noticed that something seemed to be bothering Stephanie lately. Kayla was confident that if Stephanie needed them that she would come to them. However, Steve wanted to be more proactive and planned to take Stephanie out to lunch to get her to open up.
Nick went to the sorority house to see Chelsea while Max followed behind him with dating advice. A surprised Chelsea took Nick into the bedroom to talk. Max stayed behind to talk to Morgan, who gave him an autographed photo of a racecar driver.
In the bedroom, Nick pressed Chelsea to tell him about what was going on. Chelsea told him that Ford was missing but would only give him the same story she told Billie; a drunken Ford had shown up at the house a few days ago but had left the next morning. Suddenly a scream from upstairs caused the two to return to the living room and investigate. The scare came courtesy of Carmen who informed them that there was no hot water in the shower. Nick offered to check on the water heater in the basement, but Chelsea cut him off by volunteering Max for the job. When Nick began to insist on going downstairs, Max stopped him cold by telling him his Christmas gift from Chelsea was down there. Though a little suspicious, Nick soon forgot about the water heater when Chelsea pulled him into the bedroom to make love.
After Max went downstairs to fix the pilot light on the water heater and double check that the body had not been dug up, he returned upstairs to find Morgan in her lingerie, ready to give him part two of her Christmas gift. As Morgan cuddled up to him telling him about the bubble bath for two that she had planned, a reluctant Max pulled away. Though he did not come right out and tell her it was over, telling her that she was "amazing" made his point loud and clear. Max apologized and left a bitter Morgan to drink wine alone in the living room. On his way out, Carmen told Max that she had received a voicemail from Stephanie telling her that she had found Cordy at Chez Rouge.
Stephanie tracked Cordy down to the bathroom at Chez Rouge and found her huddled in a bathroom stall with a bottle of pills in her hand. Panic stricken, Stephanie begged her to hold on. Fearful that she was too late and unable to stop Cordy from repeating that no one understood how she felt, Stephanie blurted out that she had also been raped by Ford. After Cordy calmed down and said that she had not had a chance to take any pills the two talked. Stephanie explained that she felt like the rape had been her fault because she had used Ford to make Max jealous. Stephanie recounted the rape for Cordy who seemed to grow calmer and relaxed knowing that Stephanie truly knew how she was feeling. As Stephanie cried out about how scared and weak she had been by not coming forward, Cordy grabbed her hand. Cordy gently told her that she no longer felt desperate because she had a friend who understood how she felt and that she forgave Stephanie for staying quiet. She then concluded by asking Stephanie to forgive herself and asked her to attend therapy with her. Defensive, Stephanie explained that she could not go to therapy and could not talk to her parents. In particular, she did not want her mother to be pained with the thought of knowing that her daughter had been raped just as she had so many years ago. Cordy backed off a bit but told Stephanie that if she did not talk to someone, her emotions could spin out of control. "You saved my life tonight. Let me save yours," Cordy told her. As they left the bathroom, Cordy suggested that Stephanie tell someone she trusts about what happened. Right at that moment, Max walked into the restaurant and overheard Cordy's comment.
In Sami's apartment, Marlena stopped by for a visit as a nervous Sami tried to soothe a crying Johnny. Marlena suggested that it was Colic but Sami was worried that Johnny was picking up on her stress over Lucas' lying. Concerned, Marlena pushed for details and Sami filled her in on Lucas' lie and that he had been at the church the night of the shooting. When asked by Marlena if she thought Lucas shot E.J., Sami could only respond, "I can't think of anyone who hates E.J. more than Lucas. Can you?" Sami further explained that she blamed herself for the situation by betraying Lucas by telling E.J. she had feelings for him. Upon hearing this revelation, a startled Marlena firmly told Sami that she had to stop playing games and have her marriage annulled immediately. Sami was reluctant, but Marlena told her that she had to take care of her children and family and that "we will take care of the rest."
Stephanie and Cordy ran into Max, who had come to Chez Rouge to make sure Cordy was OK after she'd fled the Theta house. After assuring them both that she would be fine now, Cordy thanked Stephanie and left to go back to the sorority house. Max invited Stephanie to have a beer and discuss what she and Cordy talked about, because he overheard Cordy telling Stephanie to tell someone what happened. Stephanie explained that Cordy had been about to tell Billie what happened to Ford, and said she had just helped Cordy not feel so alone, but Max became angry that Stephanie wouldn't be more forthcoming and trust him with the truth. She stopped him as he tried to leave and they sat down at the bar, where she told him she'd found Cordy with a bottle of pills. But when Max sincerely praised her for handling the situation so well and pulling Cordy through, Stephanie turned bitter, accusing Max of just trying to get laid, and of being just like Jeremy. They bickered; Stephanie said that he didn't know how to be just friends with a girl, and complained that even though she thought the two of them had a connection, Max fell for Morgan. Max tried to defend himself, reminding her he had committed a crime for her. Stephanie lamented helping Cordy get dressed up for her date with Ford, as if it were her fault Ford raped Cordy (and, no doubt, herself); Max gently assured her it was none of their faults. He told her they could just be friends if that's what she wanted – but admitted he came to Chez Rouge to look for Stephanie, not Cordy, so he could tell her that he broke up with Morgan. He said the women he'd been involved with had always left town before they could get serious, and wondered if he should just start out by asking the women he's interested in if they're planning to stick around – then asked Stephanie that very question. They started to kiss, but then Stephanie exclaimed, "I can't do this," and ran out of the restaurant.
At Philip's office, he and Kate met with the Assistant D.A., Jen, who offered Kate a take-it-or-leave-it plea bargain: They would drop the attempted murder charge if Kate would plead guilty to making terrorist threats. Kate flatly refused the possible 18 months in prison, but Jen told her the seriousness of the crime made community service impossible. If she didn't take the plea, Kate could be convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to seven years. Philip pointedly inquired about Marlena's plea bargain. He showed Jen emails between the D.A. and Roman in which Roman was attempting to get the charges against Marlena dropped, even though Marlena and Kate had committed the same crime. He threatened to make them public unless the D.A.'s office reexamined Kate's plea bargain. Jen grudgingly offered Kate a maximum of five years probation if Kate pled guilty to felony gun possession. Philip requested the charges be dropped altogether in exchange for Kate's help getting evidence against Stefano DiMera – though Kate said she'd rather go to prison than testify against the DiMeras. At Philip's urging, Kate finally took the deal, then later made Philip promise to also help Lucas if he needed it.
Hope helped Marlena go through John's clothes to donate them to charity. Since Marlena was clearly emotional, Hope wanted to make sure Marlena was ready to get rid of his things, but Marlena said she must move forward. She told a shocked Hope that she had gone to Stefano on Belle's wedding day and threatened to kill him. She said she was comforted by Hope's presence, since Hope loved John too. They came across a bag containing the clothes John was wearing the night he was killed, and as Hope took it from an upset Marlena to dispose of it, an air-mail envelope addressed to John fell out. They inspected it; Marlena noted that there was no return address, the postmark was smudged, and the stamps looked Spanish. Inside was an old, black-and-white photograph of a young child sitting next to a woman, though the part of the picture showing the woman's face was torn off. On the back was written, "This is a picture of you and me. Mama." Hope wondered if the picture could be John with his mother Daphne DiMera, but Marlena said it didn't look like Daphne, though the boy did look like John. She thought it might be John's real mother. They both wondered who she was, where she'd been all these years, and how much she knew about John's life before he came to Salem. Hope warned that it wouldn't be easy, but Marlena insisted she wanted to find the woman, because it would help her feel closer to John.
Stefano met with Alessandro, a man with a Spanish-sounding accent, who is the president of an unnamed country. Stefano invited him to Salem to demand a favor in return for the DiMeras' helping Alessandro's family become wealthy and powerful 40 years ago. Stefano wanted Alessandro's help exacting vengeance on an old enemy who had recently resurfaced. He believed the female assassin was hiding in Alessandro's country, and demanded Alessandro use every means at his country's disposal to find her and compile a complete dossier on her. When Alessandro refused his order, Stefano became enraged, threatening to ruin him. Alessandro relented, then departed with his bodyguards.
Stefano confided to Rolf that this enemy still had the power to ruin him, and requested to see "our patient." In Rolf's laboratory, they saw someone lying under a sheet and hooked up to mysterious machinery. Stefano asked, "Is it done?" and Rolf assured him, "Ja, ja, it is done." Alone with the patient, Stefano talked of how his father, Santo, had restored the DiMera name to its former glory after a fall from grace, and he would not let anyone destroy it again – especially not a woman. He said the patient would help him destroy his female nemesis and save the DiMera Empire.
E.J. tells Sami he stood up in physical therapy. Sami says she never bought his invalid story. She confronts him about eavesdropping on her and Lucas via the baby monitor. E.J. says he knows Lucas shot him and looks forward to the police proving it. He suggests he'll help Lucas if she becomes a real wife to him, which includes sharing a bed. Seeing the parallels to when he raped her, Sami tells E.J. she wants out of their sham marriage!
Lucas confesses to Kate that he shot E.J. and is planning to plead guilty. Kate, scared of Stefano seeking retribution, begs Lucas to leave the country. He reveals he can't; Bo confiscated his passport. Kate says she'll get him out of the country illegally. Lucas agrees to go, but only if the police match the bullet in E.J. to his gun.
Hope questions Belle about what upset Shawn at the reunion. Belle denies that anything happened. Meanwhile, Shawn has Bo meet him at Philip's office, where he tells him that Philip planted Kate's gun for Shawn to find. Philip denies it. Bo guesses that Belle was involved and Shawn reluctantly confirms. Shawn asks his father not to tell Hope that Belle was involved in the gun incident. Bo can't make that promise, and later informs his wife. Shawn reports to Belle that Bo knows about her involvement because of Philip. Philip calls Belle and tells her Shawn was the one who ratted her out.
Marlena shows Roman the photo of the young boy sitting on his mother's lap and says she thinks it's John. She asks Roman to track down the woman. He thinks it will be close to impossible, but Marlena points out the unusual necklace around the woman's neck. Roman agrees to help.
Shawn stopped by Chez Rouge so he and Maggie could discuss giving Bo and Hope a surprise anniversary party. As Maggie left, Chloe joined Shawn, who was angry that she chose their reunion to tell him about catching Belle and Philip at the hotel. She apologized for jumping to the wrong conclusion, and he admitted he'd be upset if someone knew Belle was cheating on him and didn't tell him. Then Chloe told him she had a date with Philip. Shawn cautioned her that Philip had changed, that he was now ruthless and manipulative like Victor. Chloe assured Shawn she could protect herself, but warned him that Philip was still in love with Belle. Shawn advised her again to be careful with Philip, and left.
Alone at the Brady Pub, Belle was studying when Philip dropped by. She demanded that he leave because Shawn was about to arrive. Philip claimed it was Shawn, not him, who betrayed her to the police. Belle defended Shawn and demanded Philip stop causing problems where there weren't any, because Shawn had forgiven her. She explained she had told Shawn about the gun so he wouldn't think she and Philip were at the hotel to have an affair. Philip said she should tell Shawn that they slept together, because Hope or Bo might tell him anyway. She asked him again to leave, and he told her he'd asked Chloe out. Surprised, she cautioned him that Chloe was just using him, but he declared, "You and Shawn have been telling me for months to get my own life. I've decided to take your advice," as he left.
Shawn arrived at the Pub a few minutes later. Belle confessed that Philip had been there; she didn't want Shawn to think she was keeping things from him. He said he was still angry about what she and Philip had done, and that she had deceived him so easily. Belle asserted that she hadn't planned to go along with Philip's plan until Shawn's mistake at the crime scene endangered his admission to the academy Shawn believed Philip planed it not to help him, but to get close to Belle. He declared that things needed to change; if their marriage was going to work, they must be honest with each other. They declared their love, and agreed: "No more secrets." He asked if there were anything else she wanted to tell him, and she tearfully admitted there was. Shawn assured her he could handle it, unless there were something else about her and Philip she hadn't told him. Belle guiltily covered, saying that she wasn't sure she wanted to have any more kids. Shawn was relieved, saying it was fine to wait until she is sure. He assured her there was nothing she could do that would change how he feels about her. They kissed and said, "I love you." He left to change to go to Chez Rouge as Belle stayed behind and wept.
Philip took Chloe to the Titan building to show her his office. She was suitably impressed, but concerned that work had become his life and that he didn't do anything for fun. He said he enjoyed sitting on various boards, having an influence on the world, and being respected for his power, although he admitted he did get called ruthless. Chloe, surprised, conceded that he had changed. He said having been to war twice had resulted in his no longer being the same fun, romantic guy she knew in high school. She said she'd changed, too; her divorce from Brady made her Ghoul Girl days seem like a party. "I'm tired of being alone," Chloe declared. "Aren't you?" They began to kiss, and sank onto the sofa.
Billie arrived at Lucas's, where he asked her to be Allie's godmother. He told her he wants his daughter to be strong like Billie; if anything ever happened to him, he knew Allie would be in good hands. After expressing her surprise and concern that Lucas should choose someone with more experience raising kids, Billie realized he was serious, and promised to always keep Allie safe. She wondered why he was in such a hurry to make her Allie's godmother, and asked if he was about to be arrested. He denied it, then asked if she would take Allie to Alice's for Christmas, because, as Sami's ex-husband, he didn't want to be around the Bradys. She assured him they understood, but agreed to take Allie for him. They shared a hug, and Billie departed.
Across the hall, Sami told E.J. she wanted out of their marriage any way possible. She was furious because he'd been faking his paralysis, spying on her and Lucas, and because he'd forged Lucas's signature on the package containing the gun. E.J.'s promise not to press attempted murder charges against Lucas in exchange for her sleeping with him reminded Sami of the night E.J. raped her. E.J. suggested she wait until she was calmer before making decisions that could affect her entire family. Sami accused him of threatening her, saying her family wouldn't want her to be raped by him again. He demanded she leave, claiming she'd be back because she needs and wants him. Sami said he's just like she used to be: sneaky and selfish; she outgrew it, but he never will. She said he should tell Stefano to "dust off the vendetta," because she was getting her kids and leaving. He promised her if she left, people she loved would die. She said his threats didn't work on her anymore. He accused her of not having left already because she still had feelings for him. She smirked, "You know why I'm still here, E.J.? Because I've been dying to do this," and dumped him out of his wheelchair. He demanded she help him up, but she believed he could get up on his own; he was only lying there pathetically to keep up his charade. Just then, Lucas came in, and Sami informed him it was all over, she was divorcing E.J., taking the kids, and leaving. She rushed off to get the twins as E.J.'s pleas for help went ignored. E.J. taunted Lucas that Sami would be back in his bed soon, and Lucas would be convicted of E.J.'s attempted murder. Lucas shrugged it off. Sami came back with the twins, and they left with E.J. still lying on the floor. Lucas asked if Sami was sure she wanted to leave; she apologized for taking so long to realize her family was right: she needs Lucas, and loves him and their family. As Lucas recalled his conversation with Kate about fleeing to Europe, Sami said she finally felt free and happy, and they kissed.
At Chez Rouge, Billie confessed to Maggie that she was worried about Lucas, not because he asked her to be Allie's godmother, but because he made it seem so urgent – like knew he wouldn't be there to raise her. Maggie worried he was drinking again, but Billie assured her he wouldn't be if he were worried about not being around for Allie. Billie admitted she didn't know what the problem was, but vowed that they won't let anything happen to him.
