At the police station, Lucas stood in his orange prison gear shackled at the hands and feet. Roman questioned Lucas to make certain that he understood the full extent of a prison term at a maximum-security facility. Lucas assured Roman that he understood the deal and that he could handle the assignment. Roman relieved the officer on duty and personally escorted Lucas to the transport location
Chloe arrived at the police station and apologized to Lucas. She felt guilty and responsible for his arrest and return to jail. Lucas assured Chloe that he did not blame her and that he could never forget how she was there for him when he needed a friend. Lucas told Chloe that he was sorry that he had to leave her to deal with all the fallout from Philip and Sami.
Later in the day, Marlena arrived at the police station and asked Roman how the judge justified sentencing Lucas to a maximum-security prison. Roman covered his tracks and explained to Marlena that the matter was out of his jurisdiction, but that Lucas would work things out and be safe.
Marlena changed the subject and asked Roman if he would help her to repair the disk that contained John's dormant memory waves. Roman questioned Marlena about the disk, who had tampered with it, and how she acquired it. Marlena explained to Roman that John broke the disk in half because he decided not to pursue his past life, but she refused to tell Roman who gave her the disk. Roman became impatient and told Marlena that he could not help her if he did not have all the facts. Marlena begged Roman to be her friend, and to help her uncover the contents on the disk. Marlena explained her plan to Roman and asked him to speak to the DA to request immunity for Dr. Rolfe, who could repair the disk and reveal the contents. Roman reminded Marlena that Stefano ordered Dr. Rolfe to remove John's memories and that perhaps the disk might kill John instead of restoring his memories.
Roman told Marlena that he would send the disk to the ISA to make sure the contents would not harm John before they moved forward.
Roman showed concern for Marlena and asked how she was holding up under all the pressure. Roman forced Marlena to consider that John might be a different man and maybe it was too late to reclaim their past life together. Marlena told Roman that she would never give up on John and that she needed to take the chance to try to restore his memory.
At Steve and Kayla's apartment, Caroline, Maggie, and a nurse from the hospital prepared for baby Joe's homecoming. Kayla and Steve arrived with baby Joe and could not believe that their family was together at last.
The nurse explained to Steve and Kayla the importance of the heart monitor and then demonstrated how to place it on baby Joe. Steve noticed that Kayla seemed worried that their new baby boy required a monitor when asleep.
Caroline tried to comfort Kayla who thought something might happen to the baby. Caroline assured Kayla that there was no need to worry because the hospital would never have allowed Joe to come home if he was not ready.
Kayla and Steve thanked Caroline and Maggie for the food, decorations, and support to welcome home their family. Caroline and Maggie left so that Steve and Kayla could spend time alone with Joe. Kayla asked Steve to get some rest so that he could be ready to take the first shift to watch Joe. Steve tried to assure Kayla that Joe would be fine and not to worry, but Kayla remained uneasy over the baby's health.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami arrived to talk to Marlena. Sami told Marlena that she was worried about Lucas because the judge ordered him to serve his term at a maximum-security facility. Sami explained that matters were more complicated because her tenant left without notice and that she had a vacant apartment, no income, and nowhere to go. Marlena asked Sami to move back into the penthouse with her. As Sami attempted to explain why she could not move in with Marlena, John walked into the room and informed Marlena that Sami would lose custody of Johnny if she moved out of the mansion, courtesy of E.J.'s court order. Marlena asked John if he knew anything about the matter and John refused to get involved in E.J. and Sami's family intrigue. Sami told Marlena that E.J. wanted to keep his family together and this was his solution to the problem. However, John accused Sami of being unreasonable and claimed that E.J. simply wanted to be part of Johnny's life, and the injunction was the only means to an end.
Previously, at the Brady Pub, Pete asked Ava if she had any luck finding an apartment, but Ava seemed agitated. She told Pete that one rejection followed another as soon as realtors learned that her last name was Vitali. Apparently, the pending murder charge against Ava and her upcoming trial seemed to be scaring off all Salem's realtors.
Sami told Marlena that she needed someone to sublet her apartment, and John mentioned that Ava needed an apartment. Sami emphatically told John that she did not want Ava living there because Ava was accused of murdering Sami's grandfather and that it would hurt her mother based on John's romantic interest in Ava. John tried to convince Sami not to get false hopes of a reunion with him and Marlena. John told Sami to forget about renting to Ava because he would ask Ava to move into the mansion. Sami quickly reconsidered and told John that she would let Ava see her apartment.
Later in the day, Sami arranged for Ava to view her apartment. Ava thanked Sami for giving her the chance to view the apartment, but Sami told her to thank John. Ava agreed to take the apartment and Sami made an excuse and told Ava she had to meet with her landlord. Instead, Sami realized that Steve and Kayla were living across the hall and wanted to tell them in person why she was forced to rent the apartment to Ava.
Meanwhile, Ava called John to tell him that she agreed to rent Sami's apartment and thanked him for persuading Sami to consider her. Ava promised John that she would cook for him to thank him for getting her the apartment. Ava seemed happy and asked John to meet her at the apartment building.
Sami knocked on Steve and Kayla's door and did not realize that baby Joe arrived home that day. Before Sami could explain to them who rented her apartment, Ava turned the corner to find Sami to complete the details of the rental. Steve and Kayla were shocked and outraged to see Ava and learn that she would be living across the hall from them. Kayla screamed at Ava and told her to find another apartment. Ava told Kayla that she had no idea that they lived there and tried to apologize, but Kayla was out of control and Ava ran off to avoid a scene. Kayla could not believe that Sami would consider renting her apartment to Ava. Kayla was so angry with Sami that she never allowed her to explain the situation and slammed the door in her face.
Steve tried to keep Kayla calm, but she was too upset to talk.
Kayla, absorbed in her thoughts, recalled the time when she found Steve in bed with Ava, and the thought of Steve with Ava overwhelmed her. Steve tried get Kayla to open up and asked her why she thought Sami would rent her apartment to Ava. Steve thought that Ava planned the entire situation, but Kayla was still too upset to comment. Kayla told Steve that Ava caused everything bad that happened to them, and that she would not allow Steve's crazy ex-girlfriend to live across the hall from them.
Steve reminded Kayla that they must get beyond the past and not let Ava dictate their lives. Kayla kept remembering the day that she found Steve naked and in bed with Ava. Kayla told Steve that she did not believe that he did not want to be with Ava. Steve did everything he could to convince Kayla that Ava drugged him and that he did not know where he was and who was in danger-Kayla, their unborn baby, Bo, Hope, and others. Steve told Kayla that he was desperate to protect her and told Ava that he would do anything to keep his loved ones safe, especially Kayla, the only woman he ever loved. Kayla still did not seem to believe Steve because he betrayed her, regardless of the reason. Steve told Kayla that at first, he did not remember Ava, and that when he saw Ava at the airport, he did not want to worry Kayla and cause stress to the baby. Kayla screamed at Steve and told him that he should have trusted her and told her about his relationship with Ava as soon as he remembered his past with her.
Steve seemed shattered and devastated at Kayla's accusations and could see the hurt in her eyes. Steve told Kayla that he would not ask her to forgive him, but to try to understand that he did what he had to do because he thought that he would never see his "sweetness" again. Steve told Kayla that without her and his family that his life was not worth living. Kayla sobbed as Steve wrapped her in his arms and apologized to her repeatedly.
John arrived at the apartment building to find Ava on the roof upset and confused about the confrontation with Steve and Kayla. John apologized to Ava for the misunderstanding and told her that Sami called him and explained what happened and that he did not know that Steve and Kayla lived in the building. Ava seemed disappointed and depressed over the incident. She told John that Salem had not been a happy place since she arrived and this situation made matters worse. Ava asked John if she could move in with him. John told Ava that he really did not want her to move into the mansion and that he preferred that she get her own place so that they could have their own special place to get to know each other better. John asked Ava if it bothered her that he was still married. She told him no, as long as it did not bother him. He smiled and kissed her passionately.
Ava told John that she could not understand why everyone wanted to change him because she liked the man she had come to know. Ava asked John again if she could move in, but he refused. Ava walked away from him because she did not believe that he wanted to be with her. John assured Ava that he wanted to be with her and pulled her into a deep, loving embrace and kissed her with great desire and passion.
Later, Sami saw Chloe at the Brady Pub and hinted that Chloe was responsible for taking Lucas away from her and Ali. Sami warned Chloe to stay away from Lucas. Chloe responded sarcastically that she doubted she would see Lucas for a very long time. Chloe and Sami blamed each for why Lucas broke his house arrest that landed him back in jail. Chloe had the last word because she accused Sami of pitting E.J. and Lucas against each other. Chloe lashed out at Sami and told her that Lucas went over the edge when he heard Sami tell E.J. that she still had feelings for him. Lucas could not bear to spend one more minute in the mansion and needed a friend. Chloe told Sami that she was there for Lucas because he felt rejected and hurt. Sami left Chloe sitting at the table and did not say another word.
On a train in France, Max carefully slipped out of bed, leaving Stephanie alone. When Stephanie woke up, she felt someone next to her. Opening her eyes, Stephanie was surprised to find a mysterious Frenchman sitting in bed next to her, staring. Scared, Stephanie repeatedly asked him to leave, nervously remembering the night of her rape. The man backed over to the dresser and slipped his hand into Stephanie's purse as he chatted away. Not fooled, Stephanie jumped up, grabbed her purse, and pulled out a can of mace. Sufficiently warned, the man left. When Max returned with breakfast, Stephanie filled him in on the pickpocket and assured him that she had informed the conductor and that the incident was actually a normal occurrence on the train.
At the Brady Pub, Daniel bumped into Chelsea and asked, "How's my favorite assistant to the pediatric occupational therapist?" Grinning, Chelsea thanked him for asking and they talked about her busy first week at the new job. Chelsea explained that she always knew that she wanted to work with kids, and knowing that she could not have any children made her appreciate her job even more. With the subject of Chelsea's infertility broached, Daniel cautiously asked how Chelsea was doing. Chelsea said that she was okay with the situation and knew she had options. As there was a guilty look on Daniel's face, Chelsea told him not to feel responsible since an infection had made her infertile and not his abilities as a doctor. Smiling, Chelsea told Daniel that he was a great doctor and a great boyfriend. Chelsea then switched the subject to Victor. When Daniel said Victor was okay, Chelsea did not believe him and pushed for an explanation. Daniel mentioned that because of Victor's prior stroke that he was worried about complications. Daniel added that visits from Philip and Bo only seemed to make Victor's health worse. Satisfied with Daniel's answer, Chelsea invited him over to Bo and Hope's house for dinner.
In Bo and Hope's kitchen, Caroline cleaned up the dinner plates while Bo played with Ciara. Noticing that Bo seemed distant, Caroline sent Ciara into the living room and asked Bo what was bothering him. Bo explained that he was preoccupied with Victor's health. Caroline seemed confused since Victor's health was improving, but Bo told her that he was worried about the prospect of burying his biological father so soon after burying Shawn, Sr. Caroline cautioned Bo not to bottle up his feelings.
When Daniel and Chelsea arrived, Caroline scurried off to fix up a couple of dinner plates for them. Bo asked Daniel about Victor, and Daniel answered that Victor was stable. Bo became very quiet and then excused himself to go make a call. Daniel quickly followed and joined Bo in the living room. As Bo hung up on his phone call, Daniel asked Bo to let go of whatever it was that was affecting his and Victor's health adversely. Defensive, Bo responded that he was fine, but Daniel urged him to take it easy.
While Daniel took a phone call, Chelsea joined her father in the living room. Bo told Chelsea that Daniel was being overly concerned but she should not worry about him. Daniel rejoined them and explained that the phone call he received was from the hospital. Apparently the hospital analysis showed that every visit from Philip or Bo corresponded to Victor's spikes in blood pressure. As his sons seemed to be adversely affecting his health, Daniel informed Bo and Chelsea that Victor would no longer be allowed visitors.
After Daniel and Chelsea ate dinner in the living room, Chelsea regaled Bo, Caroline, and Daniel with stories from her new job. Daniel excused himself to go look at an apartment and asked Chelsea to join him and give her opinion. Chelsea eagerly agreed to meet up with him after she finished cleaning up the dishes for Caroline. With Daniel gone, Bo went upstairs to check on Ciara, leaving Caroline and Chelsea alone in the living room. Chelsea took the opportunity to ask Caroline what was wrong with Bo, but Caroline theorized that it was just the situation with Victor that was causing Bo's quietness. Caroline then turned the conversation to Daniel and asked Chelsea whether he was staying in town for her. Giggling, Chelsea thought that was part of the reason, but that she thought that he felt an obligation to stay for Victor as well. Chelsea wondered aloud whether there would ever be less awkwardness between her, Daniel, and Bo, but Caroline smiled and told her that it would just take time.
At the police station, Abe talked to an officer about the Hollingsworth package. Abe explained that Paul had said there was an insurance policy in the package, but that since the package only contained money and a note, that something seemed to be suspiciously absent.
After the officer left, Lexie stopped by the police station to show Abe a list of the various therapies for Theo. Abe agreed to do whatever it would take to get Theo what he needed but that he was worried that the therapies would leave Theo no time to play and be a kid. Smiling at her husband, Lexie explained that these therapies were needed so that Theo could be a kid, and that the therapies would teach Theo how to play. Abe and Lexie then discussed the expense of the therapies and both agreed that they would do whatever they had to in order to get Theo the help he needed. The phone rang, interrupting their conversation, and Lexie left to go check on Theo. Abe answered the phone and learned that there was a break in the Hollingsworth case.
In Bo's living room, his phone rang. Bo picked up and learned from Abe that there was a break in the Hollingsworth case. "They found something," Bo said with a concerned expression on his face.
In the Kiriakis mansion dining room, Kate brought Philip a scotch to drink over dinner and advised him not to "fret." On edge, Philip snapped that he was wracked with guilt because Bo had risked his career and reputation for him. Kate tried to reassure her son, explaining that Bo knew what he was doing and that he was doing it to help his family. When Kate went on to talk about what a good person Philip was, Philip looked into her eyes and said, "You have no idea what I'm capable of." Not swayed, Kate continued to tell him how proud she was of him and that she did not believe he was capable of murder. Still upset, Philip explained to Kate that Bo's actions went against everything that Bo stood for and because of that, Philip was miserable and guilt-ridden. "No one's going to find out what Bo did," Philip said, just as Morgan entered the dining room.
Totally oblivious to Kate and Philip's conversation about Bo, Morgan said hello to Kate and Philip. Kate left to give them some privacy, and Philip pulled Morgan close to him to comfort her. Morgan confided in Philip that she was worried by her father's last letter, but before she could say more, her phone rang. The call was from Abe, asking her to come down to the station to hear about some new information in the investigation. Scared, Morgan asked Philip to join her, and he agreed.
On the rooftop of Kate's apartment building, Daniel took in the view of the city and was surprised to see Kate wander onto the rooftop. The two cryptically discussed whether Daniel liked the building, and Daniel said that the apartment was "Perfect. Perfectly twisted." Smiling wistfully, Kate told Daniel "You're a good man. You're going to make the right decision." Daniel disagreed saying that if he were a good man then they would not be in the position they were in. Daniel and Kate stared silently at one another until Kate asked him to promise not to hurt Chelsea. "She can never know what happened," Daniel said. "My lips are sealed," Kate assured him.
At the police station, Morgan arrived with Philip in tow. Abe prefaced his update by advising Morgan not to jump to conclusions. When Morgan nodded, Abe informed her that her father's jacket, with his photo I.D., had been found floating in the river.
On the couch in the DiMera living room, Ava was enjoying a foot massage from John when E.J. interrupted them. E.J. informed Ava he'd just come from a meeting at the D.A.'s office. John excused himself so Ava and E.J. could talk in private. Once John had gone, E.J. told Ava that the D.A. believed the state had a very strong case-and E.J. concurred. E.J. also pointed out that Ava still could face additional charges, such as for the kidnappings and for Hope's shooting, as well as the ones she would face in Ireland for sabotaging the plane. A remorseful Ava knew that the D.A. would try to portray her actions as intentional rather than because of the drugs she had unwittingly taken.
E.J. then informed her that although there was no evidence linking her to the sabotage, one of Ava's cousins had agreed to testify against her in exchange for immunity. He added that the Irish government wanted the case to be tried there, and that fact, plus Interpol's potential involvement, worried Ava greatly. E.J. reassured her that they might be able to use the complexity of the situation to her advantage, by playing all the sides against the others, and stressed that they must focus on preventing her extradition to Ireland. Ava was stunned when E.J. suggested that she consider cutting a deal. He advised her that she would most likely do prison time, and the sooner they began negotiating, the better deal she'd get. He proposed they contact any powerful people they knew, bad or good, who could use their influence to help Ava's situation. Ava then asked for some time alone to digest everything, and when E.J. was gone, she tried, but failed, to keep from breaking down in tears.
Tony and Kate were at the Brady Pub, toasting the success of her company's Hearth and Home line, when Roman arrived and greeted them. Tony proclaimed that Kate would soon be the next Martha Stewart, which Roman found very amusing. Roman's cell phone rang, and when he hung up, Kate noticed his grim expression and asked what was wrong. Roman told her the police had new information that suggested Paul Hollingsworth had met with foul play. Kate nonchalantly asked if Roman thought Paul had been killed, but Roman reminded her that he couldn't divulge details of an ongoing case. After Roman had left, Tony said he could tell Kate was upset and asked why. Kate claimed she was just worried about Paul's daughter, Morgan, as she'd grown fond of the girl since she and Philip had gotten involved. Kate left to call Philip so he could break the news to Morgan, and Tony recalled a conversation when John Black had asked him to spin some bad publicity about Paul. Tony mused, "I wonder if dear Uncle John had anything to do with this."
On the phone, Philip informed Kate that he was already at the station with Morgan. When Kate hung up, Tony told her that he had another meeting but asked her to give Morgan a hug for him. She thanked him for his help with her company's success and bid him goodbye.
A bit later, Anna arrived at the pub asked Kate where Tony was. Kate replied that he'd had to leave, and reluctantly agreed to let Anna join her for a cocktail while she waited for Tony to return. The two women strained to be civil while they made awkward small talk. Anna mentioned that her daughter, Carrie, and Kate's son, Austin, were considering starting a family, and said she wasn't quite ready to become a grandmother. The talk eventually turned to what types of mothers Anna and Kate had been. Kate surprised Anna by acknowledging that she thought Anna had been a good mother, which they then laughed off as Kate's having had too much to drink. Anna tried to return the compliment, but when she saw how down Kate was about Lucas' return to prison, she attempted to cheer Kate up. "Well, look on the bright side: only one of your kids is in prison," Anna offered.
As the two women left the pub, Kate wondered about all the sirens and helicopters they could hear. Anna said she'd heard that the police were dragging the river for a body.
Tony dropped in on John and asked why John had been so eager to help Paul Hollingsworth a while back. John replied that he'd felt sorry for Paul back then, but vowed, "If that double-crossing scum ever darkens my door again, I will rip his heart out and feed it to my dogs." Tony declared that would be a good trick, since Paul was probably already dead.
As Hope rushed in their front door, Bo informed her that the police had found Paul's jacket in the Salem River. She observed his upset mood and asked somewhat suspiciously if he knew something more about Paul's disappearance. Bo claimed that he was frustrated because the case involved people they cared about, and because it had just become a possible homicide. When he mentioned that he'd been thinking about how things might have played out, Hope asked to hear his theories. Bo declared he didn't want to discuss it with her and that he'd prefer to work on the case alone. Hope was stunned-and furious. She reminded him that they were partners, but no matter how she argued, Bo refused to tell her anything further. He insisted that he was trying to protect her, and asked her to trust him. He then kissed her goodbye and said he had to run an errand and, although she pleaded, he wouldn't tell her where he was going.
In Abe's office at the police station, Morgan asked Abe if finding the jacket meant they thought her father was in the river as well. Abe asked Philip to wait outside, and Philip obliged after Morgan assured him that she'd be all right. Abe then informed Morgan that they'd found Paul's jacket snagged on some wires not far downstream from the docks. Though Abe tried to reassure her that they hadn't come to any conclusions yet, Morgan assumed that the police believed that Paul had drowned or been killed, and broke down in sobs.
Morgan filled Philip in on what Abe had told her, and said she just wished she knew whether her father was alive or dead. Philip tried to comfort her, and to dissuade her from imagining the worst. Morgan reflected on how close she and her father had always been and how supportive he'd been of her when she was younger. She told Philip a story about how her dad had helped her build a model volcano so she could get extra credit in physics class. Philip gently told her that Paul sounded like a great father.
Philip and Morgan then returned to Abe's office. They accidentally overheard Abe and Roman discussing dragging the river for Paul's body, which upset Morgan terribly. The two cops pointed out that the river was the next logical place to look for Paul, and that it was the only way to find the truth, which, they reminded her, she wanted as much as they did. Bo came in and asked for an update. After Morgan excused herself to call her mother, Roman informed Bo that they were dragging the river and declared that he thought they would find Paul's body there.
When Roman and Abe left to check on the dive team's progress, Bo pulled Philip into the commissioner's office and lit into him for lying about killing Hollingsworth. Philip swore that he hadn't killed Paul, only threatened him, but a furious Bo wasn't convinced. Philip acknowledged the sacrifice Bo had made in hiding the evidence and expressed his deep gratitude, but Bo scoffed. Philip pointed out that their father would do anything to protect his family. Bo argued that the things Victor did in the name of family were often morally objectionable, because Victor had always behaved as if he thought the laws didn't apply to him. He added that Philip was just like their father. Bo then vowed that if it turned out that Philip had killed Paul, he would confess to obstructing justice and then turn himself and Philip in. Bo flung the door open to throw his brother out and found Morgan standing there.
On the train ride through Paris, Max wondered to Stephanie how he would tell his sister, Melanie, that they were related. Max asked the train conductor when they would be arriving in Marseilles and the conductor said there was a slight delay. Stephanie found out that they were 30 miles from their destination, but they were delayed because there was something on the tracks. Stephanie and Max tried to figure out how to find Melanie, but Max said it would be difficult. Stephanie was able to get information on Melanie from the District Attorney, who was a good friend. She said the D.A. said there was an exclusive girls' boarding school just outside of town, which meant Melanie could have been a student there. Max tried to call the school to get information on his sister, but the school said it could not give out any information about her, or tell him if she went there. Stephanie decided to try her hand instead. She called, pretending to be Melanie's friend who had lost Melanie's phone number. When Stephanie asked if Melanie was in, the school confirmed it and asked if she'd like to leave a message.
Daniel surprised Chelsea by bringing her to the rooftop of his apartment building, where they could see all of Salem. Chelsea and Daniel kissed, and he wondered if the superintendent would let him sleep on the rooftop sometimes. Daniel told Chelsea he signed the sublet lease agreement. Chelsea asked Daniel if that meant he was staying in Salem for a while, and he said he was staying for one reason-Chelsea. Chelsea said she thought that Bo was starting to accept their relationship. Daniel was more worried about Victor and what happened during Bo's visit that made Victor so agitated. Chelsea vowed to get to the bottom of it, but Daniel said Bo and Victor would sort it out, and Victor didn't need any more drama that would slow his recovery. Daniel said he was convinced to take the apartment once he saw the deck, and he wasn't going anywhere. He played some music for Chelsea, and they danced in the moonlight.
Steve told Kayla he was sorry about the whole ordeal with Ava, which led to the death of Kayla's father, Shawn. Kayla said the sooner Ava was behind bars, the better. Steve wished Stephanie hadn't gone with Max to find his sister in France. Kayla said Stephanie and Max weren't in any danger, and Stephanie would provide Max with emotional support.
At the DiMera mansion, Ava was worried about her case, and John told her that he was still facing charges, too. Ava suggested they skip bail and leave the country. John said Ava's offer sounded tempting, but he was not running because he didn't need to-he was innocent. Ava said she overheard John's conversation with Tony when Tony said that Paul Hollingsworth was murdered. Ava said it was just a matter of time before the police came knocking on John's door. Ava showed John a picture of her family's villa in Tuscany, and John said that while the estate was beautiful, he was not going to run. Ava assumed he didn't want to skip town because of Marlena. John said he hated that Ava had already given up on her case, and Ava said she didn't give up easily. John went to make a phone call and asked Ava to stay.
At the police station, Morgan asked Bo and Philip what was going on between them, and Bo said it was private. Morgan assumed they were talking about Victor, so she asked how he was, and Philip said his father was stable. Morgan worried that the police would never find her father. She was frustrated that the police weren't telling her anything. She said she told the police everything she knew. When Morgan said she didn't want to be alone, Philip suggested she move into the mansion with him.
Roman told Marlena he had not heard from the ISA yet about the broken disk and he would call her as soon as he knew something. Marlena gave Roman the notes that she had on her session with Ava. The note said that she was not ethically allowed to reveal the details of their discussion, because Ava came to her on her own volition-not through the courts. Roman said he was planning to speak to Steve and Kayla about testifying at Ava's trial. Marlena needed to talk to Steve and Kayla, also, about Sami's plans to sublet her apartment to Ava.
Bo slammed some papers down on his desk, which Marlena noticed when she left Roman's office, and she asked him if he was all right. Bo said he was fine. He was just stressed out over the case he was working on. Marlena said if he wanted to talk to her about it, she was available, since she was the police psychiatrist, and everything he said would be in strict confidence. Bo said if he needed to talk, it would have to be with someone else. Bo told Philip it was stupid of Philip to hang out with Morgan since the police were considering Philip a prime suspect in Paul's disappearance.
Roman and Marlena showed up at Steve and Kayla's door. Roman told them that Ava's lawyer was going to try to use Ava's drug dependency as a defense. Marlena asked Kayla if she was okay, and Kayla said she and Steve had a fight when she found out that Ava was trying to sublet Sami's apartment. Roman told Steve that it was not his fault that Ava went nuts and targeted him and his family. Kayla said she couldn't wait until Ava was behind bars, and Marlena thought it was only a matter of time before Ava hurt someone else. Marlena asked if Bo had stopped by to see the baby, and Kayla said Bo was too busy with work. Marlena mentioned that Bo seemed stressed, and Kayla said she would find out why.
Steve told Kayla that if the D.A. could convince the judge that Ava's actions were intentional and deliberate, Ava could go to jail for a long time. They got a call from Stephanie, who asked about Joe. She told them that they found the school that Max's sister was enrolled in and planned to visit it once they got to town. Steve felt better after talking to Stephanie.
Bo told Philip it would look like Philip was spending time with Morgan because he felt guilty about what he did to Morgan's father. Philip said he didn't care how it looked, because he cared about Morgan. Philip added that he had nothing to do with Paul's disappearance. Philip asked Morgan if there was anything he could do, and she asked for a hug.
Marlena stopped by the DiMera mansion to tell Ava that she was prohibited from testifying against Ava. Marlena asked Ava how her search was going for a place to live, and Ava asked if Marlena had any suggestions. Marlena said she thought Ava had a house outside of Brookville, but Ava said it was filled with search warrants and bad memories. John said Ava would be staying with him for the time being. Marlena asked to speak to John privately. John assumed she was going to ask him if he had something to do with Paul's disappearance, and she asked John if he killed Paul.
Bo asked his colleague for everything they had on the Hollingsworth case. Bo pored through the evidence in the case, looking for something he hadn't seen before that could tell him who killed Paul. Steve called Bo to meet for drinks, and while they were at the Brady Pub, Steve tried to convince Bo to confide in him. Bo decided to tell Steve that he covered up evidence in an ongoing investigation to protect Philip.
Steve visited Bo, who was home alone with Ciara, to tell him he thought Bo had done the right thing by protecting Philip. Bo wasn't so sure, especially since it had begun to look like Philip might have killed Paul, but Steve didn't think Philip was a murderer. Steve encouraged Bo to talk to Hope, emphasizing that as both Bo's wife and a good cop, she'd figure it out on her own soon enough. He added that secrets between spouses always caused problems. Bo admitted that Hope was already upset because she knew he was keeping something from her, but he couldn't let her get involved. Steve offered to see what he could dig up about Hollingsworth, to try to prove Philip's innocence and ease Bo's mind. Bo grimly replied that he'd still never feel good about any of it, especially about lying to Hope. He then announced that he was calling off the surprise he'd planned for her.
Caroline dropped in on Kayla, ostensibly to bring over a new outfit for baby Joe, but she really wanted to talk about what was going on with Bo. Kayla admitted that she was worried about Bo, too. Caroline told Kayla that Daniel had barred Victor from having any more visitors, because Victor's heart rate had increased dramatically during Bo and Philip's visits. Caroline added that she sensed more tension than normal between Victor and Bo, and she suspected it had something to do with the Paul Hollingsworth case. Kayla was surprised when her mom told her that Bo wasn't sharing his theories about the case with Hope. Both women wondered what kind of trouble Bo was in. Kayla said that Steve had taken Bo out for a beer the night before, but that they hadn't yet had a chance to talk what had happened.
Steve returned home and greeted his mother-in-law with a kiss. Caroline then asked if Bo had confided in him the night before. Caroline and Kayla were surprised when Steve said he'd just returned from Bo's, but he tried to reassure them that Bo hadn't told him anything they needed to be concerned about. Caroline announced that she was going over to talk to Bo, so Kayla, frustrated by Steve's stonewalling, left with her.
When Kayla and Caroline arrived at the Bradys', Caroline went upstairs to see Ciara. Kayla told her Bo that she wasn't going to pry, but she knew something was going on with him. He swore there was nothing to worry about, but added that he was canceling Hope's surprise. Kayla urged him to reconsider, and to tell Hope what was going on, pointing out how harmful it was for a couple to keep secrets from each other.
Kayla left for home, and Caroline returned downstairs. She echoed Kayla's words about keeping secrets, which she'd overheard. When Bo asked about Victor, she reminded him that Victor couldn't have visitors because Philip and Bo's visits had upset him. She told Bo that the whole family was worried about him, but he still claimed there was nothing to worry about, and rebuffed her advice that he at least confide in Hope. With a sigh, Caroline asked about Hope's surprise, and Bo told her that he'd decided not to cancel it after all.
Over breakfast in the Kiriakis dining room, Kate tried to convince Philip that Bo had been protecting his family when he'd covered up the evidence against Philip. Philip reminded his mother that Bo had done it when he believed Philip had been wrongly accused, but since then Bo had started to suspect Philip might have actually killed Paul. Philip was worried that Kate seemed to believe that as well, but he was even more worried that Bo would go down for protecting him. Kate tried to reassure him that, since she'd destroyed the tape, there was no longer any evidence against him.
Henderson delivered an envelope to Philip, which he said he'd found on the front door step. Philip opened it and showed Kate the note inside, which read, "I know your secret." Kate wondered who could have sent it. Philip angrily replied that it had to be John Black, and declared that he was going to put a stop to it right away. He then stalked out.
Alone in the dining room, Kate set the note on fire and impassively watched it burn. "If John or anyone else threatens my son," she vowed, "it's going to be the last thing they do."
John and Ava, still in their nightclothes, sat cozily on the couch drinking coffee. John read in the paper that the police were dragging the river to look for Paul Hollingsworth's body. Over Rolf's protests, Marlena strode in just as John was stating that the police were wasting their time, and wanted to know how he knew that. John ignored her question, and the two of them began bickering about their marriage. Ava offered to leave to give them some privacy, but E.J. arrived and wanted to discuss her upcoming trial. Ava replied that she was about to go speak with someone who could help her, but wouldn't divulge more because Marlena was there. Ava then kissed John and went upstairs to get dressed.
E.J. busied himself at the desk, and Marlena and John resumed their discussion. When Marlena pointed out that what John was doing with Ava was infidelity, John replied that it gave her grounds for a divorce. Marlena asked if that were what he wanted. John suggested it was the best solution for everyone, since he couldn't give her what she wanted.
Exasperated, Marlena walked out. She grabbed Rolf in the foyer to ask again for his help with the disk. Worried that immunity from prosecution wouldn't protect him from John, Rolf refused. Marlena assured Rolf that she'd protect him, and then confided that she couldn't get through to John anymore because he was falling in love with someone else.
At the Brady Pub a while later, Ava approached Marlena to apologize. Marlena interrupted and told Ava that she wasn't going to stop fighting until she got her husband – the real John, not the robot with whom Ava had slept – back. Ava tried to argue that the man Marlena had married no longer existed. Marlena confidently retorted that Ava should enjoy being with John while she could, because when the real John returned, he would be through with Ava.
Later, Steve opened his door to find Ava there. She told him she'd hoped to talk to him and Kayla together. Steve replied that Kayla wasn't home, and reluctantly let Ava come in when she asked. Ava reassured Steve that although she'd loved him in the past, she was moving on with her life. She then asked if he would consider testifying on her behalf at her trial. A perturbed Steve declared that he would not lie for her, but Ava promised that he wouldn't have to. She only wanted him to tell the truth: that before her father had drugged her, she hadn't been the kind of person who could ever have done the things she was accused of. Steve reminded her angrily that Shawn Brady had died because of what she'd done, but grudgingly agreed he would testify as to what kind of person she'd been when he knew her. Ava thanked him quietly and left, almost bumping into Kayla on the way out.
Kayla asked why Ava had been there, and Steve told her that he'd agreed to testify on Ava's behalf. He began to explain, but she stopped him and assured him that she trusted him. They acknowledged that they'd both made mistakes, and Kayla said that she just hoped they'd learned from them. Steve pulled his wife to him and held her close.
When E.J. mentioned that John would soon need a divorce lawyer, John replied that Marlena needed to get on with her life. He added that he couldn't be the man she'd married. E.J. asserted that he'd learned from experience not to try to be someone you weren't, and vowed to John that he could trust in E.J.'s loyalty. Judge Karen Fitzpatrick arrived to thank John for his generous donation, and E.J. asked for her help with Ava's case. He told her that he was trying to prevent Ava's extradition, and petitioning to move the trial to the United States. Karen agreed that it sounded like a reasonable request, and assured E.J. that he and John could count on her friendship.
After Karen had left the DiMera mansion, John wanted to know how the judge could help Ava. E.J. replied that having Judge Fitzpatrick in their pocket couldn't hurt Ava's case – or John's. E.J. reminded John that his defense hinged on the claim that Paul Hollingsworth had planted the drugs on John's ship and set fire to John's warehouse, but Paul had since gone missing. Rolf tried to announce Morgan Hollingsworth's arrival, but she stormed past him and demanded to know what John had done to her father. E.J. stepped between them as Morgan launched into an angry tirade about how she knew John had killed her father in cold blood, ending with, "Admit it before I kill you myself!"
Just then, Rolf announced the arrival of Edward Vitali, who said he was there to meet with Ava and her attorney. Morgan demanded to know if Edward were the thug John had hired to kill her father. John asked Morgan to leave, but she vehemently declared that she wasn't leaving until she got some answers. John calmly told Morgan that he understood why she was upset, but swore that he hadn't hurt Paul. Morgan didn't believe him and started excoriating him again, her voice growing louder and more strident. Philip arrived in the midst of the commotion and tried to get Morgan to leave with him. Instead Morgan reached into her purse and fumbled for something. Edward witnessed this and grabbed his gun and aimed it at her. Philip spotted the gun and dove in front of Morgan as the gun went off. "Philip!" Morgan screamed.
