At Aiden's beach house, Hope turned away from the coat closet and was startled to find Aiden standing behind her. Hope claimed that she had been searching for something she could use to warm herself up, joking that she had viewed the locked door as a challenge. Aiden pointed out that he had previously told Hope that nothing warm could be found in the coat closet, but she said that information had gone in one ear and out the other.
Hope nervously backed away when Aiden made a sudden move, but he assured her that he was simply trying to remove his coat so she could wear it. Hope stiffened as Aiden placed the coat around her shoulders and wondered what she had done while he had been gone. Hope turned the question back around on Aiden instead of answering it, suspiciously pointing out that he had simply disappeared earlier.
With a nervous laugh, Aiden dodged the question, retreating to the kitchen for a drink. Hope said she didn't want anything, but Aiden reasoned that there was nothing else to do while the bridge was out, so she asked him to make her something hot, like coffee or tea. "Not quite what I had in mind, but okay," Aiden replied before going to make Hope a cup of hot chocolate that he hoped would calm her down a bit.
As soon as the coast was clear, Hope ditched Aiden's coat and started looking for the tablet computer. "My God, he knows I've seen it," Hope fearfully muttered when she realized the device wasn't where she had left it. Hope tried to grab the letter opener she had used to unlock the coat closet earlier, but Aiden returned with a cup of hot chocolate before she could reach it.
Recalling what Meredith had said about Aiden spiking drinks with antifreeze, Hope sniffed the beverage before setting it aside, claiming that it would probably be best for her to refrain from consuming drinks that contained milk because her stomach was bothering her. Hope asked Aiden to make her a cup of tea instead. Aiden nodded and left the room again, promising that he would be back in a flash.
Hope grabbed her purse and rushed to the front door but was only able to open it a few inches before Aiden returned and slammed it shut again. Hope gasped and backed away from Aiden. "What? I told you I'd be back in a flash. Now, why don't you tell me just where you thought you were going," Aiden demanded. Hope claimed that she had been headed out for a walk, but when Aiden offered to accompany her, she protested that she would prefer to be alone for a few minutes.
Aiden insisted that wasn't a good idea, stressing that he and Hope really needed to talk first. Hope nervously reached behind her back, trying to find the letter opener, but Aiden grabbed her wrist and started dragging her away. Hope freed herself and tried to escape, but Aiden caught her and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground as she struggled in his grip.
Aiden pointed out that he had previously explained that Meredith had been a liar, and he stressed that Hope couldn't believe a word of what Meredith had said in the video. Hope assured Aiden that she understood and was willing to listen, but as soon as he let his guard down, she reached for the letter opener and waved it defensively, warning him not to get any closer. Aiden ignored the warning and advanced toward Hope, who backed away but eventually bumped into a chair. Aiden seized the opportunity to take the letter opener from her. Breathing heavily, Aiden admitted that he had been lying to Hope all along.
Melanie's online search for images of doctors named Mandrake turned up dozens of results, but one in particular caught her attention because it showed an unfamiliar man talking to someone who resembled Clint. However, while the picture gave a full view of the former man's face, only the right side of the latter man's face was visible, so Melanie couldn't be sure it was Clint.
Eric received a visit from Daniel while going through some old artifacts. Daniel admired Eric's elephant statue, and Eric explained that he and Serena had each purchased one while living in Africa. Eric added that some people believed the statue could deliver good luck to its owner. "Was it in storage the last eighteen months?" Daniel jokingly wondered.
After ending a call with someone who was getting increasingly impatient with her, Serena opened her hotel room door and greeted Melanie, who wanted Serena's help but stressed that the matter needed to be kept a secret. Serena assured Melanie that she was very good at keeping secrets. Melanie explained that she had gotten curious about something involving Theresa but couldn't talk to Daniel or Brady about it because they both hated Theresa. Melanie admitted that, while she didn't particularly like Theresa either, she still felt sorry for the woman for some reason.
"Melanie, listen to me -- nothing -- nothing -- is more dangerous than feeling sorry for someone. It clouds your judgment, and it makes you vulnerable," Serena warned. Melanie understood but reasoned that she wasn't trying to be Theresa's best friend or social worker -- she was just trying to figure out what was going on. Serena was reluctant to get in the middle of anything involving Eric's cousin, but Melanie clarified that she simply wanted to utilize Serena's resources to find out more information about a specific doctor.
After sharing what she knew about Clint and Mandrake, Melanie located the picture she had found earlier, and Serena agreed that the men in it looked pretty creepy. Serena took a seat at her computer and started looking for more information about Mandrake. Meanwhile, Serena and Melanie talked about their respective relationships. Melanie cheerfully declared that things with Brady were great, but Serena was only able to commit to things with Eric being mostly great. Serena admitted that, while she would love to blame Nicole, she was starting to think she was the problem. Serena feared that she might have changed since she had last been with Eric.
Changing the subject, Serena announced that she had found the doctor Melanie had been looking for. Serena rattled off Dr. Ignatius Mandrake's list of achievements -- he had graduated from the University of Chicago's medical program at the top of his class and had moved on to establish a practice in New York City and be renowned as the top specialist in his field. "He's a fertility expert," Serena concluded.
Clint ducked into a secluded section of the town square to contact Mandrake and provide an update on Theresa's state of mind. "She's like a real flake -- all over the place, emotional -- but there are times when it seems there's something she wants to remember...and, at the same time, [is] scared of remembering," Clint explained.
Clint assured Mandrake that Theresa hadn't actually remembered anything at all, adding that she had a tendency to get angry when faced with unpleasant things she didn't want to think about -- meaning that she was often very angry. Mandrake said he and Ms. DiMera simply wanted to make sure things stayed that way. Clint confirmed that he knew what to do next. "Then do it," Mandrake instructed Clint.
Elsewhere, Theresa told Brady she was glad he hadn't gotten her pregnant. Theresa reasoned that a pregnancy would have ruined her figure -- and also her bank account, which she would have drained in an effort to do everything in her power to keep Brady away from the child due to her firm belief that he would be a horrible, incompetent parent.
Fed up, Brady started to walk away, but Theresa loudly and angrily warned him not to do that. Brady quietly reminded Theresa that they were in a public place, but she insisted that she didn't care. Brady thought Theresa needed to start caring, since she was just making it easier for him to file a restraining order against her -- which would get her one step closer to being placed in the loony bin he believed she belonged in.
Theresa wondered if Brady's new girlfriend knew he enjoyed threatening women in his spare time. Brady accused Theresa of lashing out simply because she was jealous, but she laughed off the accusation. Brady played along, recalling that Theresa had supposedly moved on with a new boyfriend who was better than him in every possible way. "Where is he, by the way?" Brady curiously wondered.
Theresa explained that she had asked Clint to get her a drink earlier -- another one of the perks of being neither pregnant nor saddled with an addict for a boyfriend. Clint returned with a margarita for Theresa while she was still singing his praises, and Brady left after assuring Clint that, thankfully, she was one in a million. Determined not to let Brady ruin her day, Theresa suggestively invited Clint to follow her to a place where they could be alone together, and she walked off without waiting for a response. "It's like you're reading my mind," Clint muttered before catching up with her.
Clint and Theresa quickly moved to the bedroom after entering her apartment. As soon as they finished having sex, Clint got dressed and told Theresa he was leaving Salem immediately -- and for good. Theresa tried to get an explanation, but Clint dismissively insisted that he didn't owe her anything. Theresa complained that she was going to feel embarrassed when people in her small town found out about Clint's sudden departure, but he just shrugged and headed for the door. Theresa insisted that she was the hot one and was therefore supposed to do the dumping herself. "Then consider me dumped," Clint replied before leaving.
Theresa poured herself a glass of wine but tossed it across the room after taking just one sip. Theresa immediately admonished herself for the outburst, complaining that the cheap wine glass had been worth more than Clint. "I hate him...and Daniel, and J.J., and -- and big-leaguer Paul, and every other lame-ass man I've met in this lame-ass town. But most of all, I hate Brady," Theresa muttered before chugging wine straight from the bottle.
Clint contacted Mandrake from the town square and reported that he was about to leave Salem. Clint hoped Kristen DiMera would be happy with his work. "As long as Theresa doesn't remember what happened, we're all happy," Mandrake replied.
John tracked Daniel down at the hospital to talk to him about something. Daniel assumed that John wanted to talk about Brady and Melanie's relationship, but John had actually just wanted some inside information on Sonny's condition for Marlena's sake. Daniel pointed out that he couldn't discuss that sort of thing with John but added that Marlena already knew just as much about Sonny's stable condition as everyone else did.
John quickly steered the conversation back to Brady and Melanie, but Daniel didn't want to say anything else about the matter, advising John to instead talk to Brady about it. Realizing that Daniel was right, John went to the Kiriakis mansion to see Brady, who was eager for an update on Sonny's condition and the investigation into the stabbing. John answered Brady's questions before moving on to the point of his visit.
Brady stressed that he hadn't been trying to hide his relatively new relationship with Melanie from John. Guessing that Brady was anticipating a lecture, John promised that he wasn't going to give one, since he had been serious about his promise to stop interfering with Brady's life -- and he liked what he knew about Melanie, anyway. Brady admitted that he was happy with Melanie, who was more fun than any other woman he had ever been with -- not that he had set the bar very high in that area with his previous relationships.
Changing the subject, Brady showed John the adoption papers that had been delivered earlier, acknowledging that John was probably the only person who could fully understand how it had felt to receive them. After John read the papers, Brady crumpled them in his fist, happily reminding himself that Kristen was out of his life for good.
Marlena entered her office and greeted Paul, admitting that she had been surprised to hear from him earlier because she had been under the impression that he had never wanted to see her again. "I thought I'd give you the satisfaction, in person, of knowing you were right about me from the beginning," Paul explained.
Paul admitted that Marlena had bugged him -- a lot -- during their previous interactions. Marlena assured Paul that she had picked up on that fact. Paul thought Marlena had sensed that something had been going on with him at that time, so he was surprised when she said she had simply seen a young man who had been going through a very serious surgery that could have potentially cost him his career.
Marlena assured Paul that she hadn't been -- and still wasn't -- fishing for anything bigger than that. Still skeptical about Paul's willingness to give her the benefit of an open mind, Marlena concluded that he was welcome to talk to her if he wished to do so but was otherwise free to leave. Paul thought Marlena was trying to throw him out, and he teased that if she did that, she wouldn't get to hear the big scoop before everyone else did.
Marlena clarified that she hadn't been trying to throw Paul out -- she had simply been stressing that he didn't have to talk to her unless he wanted to. "I think, uh -- I think I do want to," Paul replied. Paul took a seat and revealed that, for starters, his pitching career was over for good because the surgery had been unsuccessful. Marlena said she was sorry to hear that, and Paul admitted that he had been, too.
"But that's not the big news. Uh...the thing everybody's gonna be talking about is that I was living a lie. The truth is...I'm gay," Paul added. Paul waited for a reaction but didn't get one, so he asked if Marlena had heard what he had just said. Marlena confirmed that she had. Confused, Paul wondered why Marlena wasn't saying anything more about the revelation -- like, perhaps, that she had suspected all along.
Marlena wondered if that was what Paul wanted her to say. "Right. You shrinks never say anything -- you just ask questions. It's okay, Dr. Evans -- you can -- you can gloat about it," Paul assured Marlena, who wondered why she would want to do that. Paul complained that Marlena had just responded with another question, likening the tactic to fouling off pitches.
Marlena understood the complaint but had one more question she wanted to ask -- if Paul had told his family he was gay yet. Paul admitted that he had only recently told his family the truth, but he shut down again when Marlena tried to find out if they had been supportive. "I didn't come here to answer your questions," Paul protested.
"Well, why did you come here? See, I don't think you came in here today to -- to play this game. Oh -- Paul, did you notice? I didn't ask you a question," Marlena replied. Paul countered that Marlena apparently hadn't heard him when he had told her that playing games was a part of his life that was over for good. Marlena started to stress that baseball wasn't Paul's life and didn't have to define him, but he ignored her and stormed out, insisting that going to see her had been a mistake.
Will took Arianna to see Sonny, who groaned a bit as she settled in his lap but assured a concerned Will that she was the best medicine in the world. Will was glad to see that Sonny was looking better, but Sonny admitted that, while he was indeed feeling better physically, he was still frustrated about the fact that he couldn't remember where he had been headed in such a rush at the time of the stabbing.
Sonny said one of his baristas had informed him that he had charged out of the club the previous night with only a vague explanation. Sonny complained that he couldn't remember doing that, nor could he remember the fight he had apparently gotten into with Victor afterward. "Fights with him are nothing if not memorable," Sonny pointed out.
Will cautioned Sonny not to get too worked up about the missing memories, advising him to instead take a deep breath and try to focus on the last thing he remembered about the previous night. Sonny recalled visiting Paul but remained silent when Will asked for details about the memory. Meanwhile, Will received a phone call from Zoe, so Sonny encouraged him to answer it.
After ending the call, Will announced that his article would soon be posted online. Sonny couldn't wait to read the article, since he knew Will had worked really hard on it. Will guiltily recalled sleeping with Paul before replying that he was just glad the whole thing was behind him so he could focus on helping Sonny get better. Will leaned in to kiss Sonny, who said he was extremely proud of Will -- and couldn't wait to be back home with him again.
Marlena arrived for a visit just as Will was preparing to take Arianna back home so the child's babysitter could put her down for a nap. Marlena was on a break, and Sonny wanted to be with Will when the article was posted online, so she happily offered to drop Arianna off herself. Will headed to the parking lot with Marlena so he could give her Arianna's car seat. Once he was alone, Sonny sighed with frustration, wondering why he couldn't remember what had happened the previous night.
As Will and Marlena waited for the elevator, he shared his concerns about Sonny's fixation on remembering exactly what had happened in the moments leading up to the stabbing. "Well, he might remember. Then again, it might never come back to him. He's got to be prepared for that -- and I think you should both be prepared for the possibility that if he does remember, it might not make things any easier," Marlena warned.
At the Salem Inn, Derrick saw a newspaper article about Sonny's stabbing. "Man, talk about having a bad night," Derrick muttered as he recalled what he had said to Sonny just before the attack. A short time later, Derrick passed Paul in the hallway and held up the article, stating that there was something Paul needed to know. Paul said he already knew about the stabbing, and he assured Derrick that Sonny was going to be all right.
"But what you don't know is...it's my fault," Derrick admitted. Derrick told Paul about the conversation he'd had with Sonny the previous night -- and about how Sonny had reacted to the news that Paul had been with another man then. Paul assured Derrick that Sonny was an ex and that the relationship had been over for a long time, but Derrick said it wasn't over for Sonny. "I could tell, Paul. He -- he went ballistic. He was really upset -- really, really jealous. Paul, he's -- he's still in love with you," Derrick insisted.
Sonny was asleep when Will returned, so Will just sat next to him for a while -- until a text message alert disturbed the silence. Sonny stirred and greeted Will, who apologized for forgetting to turn his cell phone ringer off. Sonny didn't want to sleep while Will was visiting, anyway, so he curiously wondered what the text message had been about. Will checked and announced that his article had just been posted online.
"Are you gonna let me see it or not?" Sonny impatiently wondered, grinning with anticipation as Will accessed the article on his tablet computer.
In his hotel room, Paul talked to Derrick about Sonny. Derrick apologized for telling Sonny about Will. With a groan, Derrick worried aloud that his comment to Sonny had caused Sonny to run into the park where he had then been stabbed. Paul assured Derrick that he was not to blame for Sonny's stabbing. Derrick said that he believed Sonny was jealous of Paul's affair with Will. Paul was unsure about Derrick's theory.
Derrick apologized for not saying anything about his suspicions sooner. Derrick explained that he had held back because he was interested in Paul for himself. With a shrug, Derrick said he knew that he did not have a chance with Paul, but he wanted Paul to know that Sonny had been upset to learn about Will's affair with Paul. Derrick added that Sonny had stopped by the hotel on multiple occasions and had behaved as if he had been longing for Paul. Nodding, Paul said that he wanted to make it work with Sonny.
At the bench in the park, Victor met with Clyde to talk about the terms of surrender. Victor stressed that he had talked to his men in the trucking business and informed them that they were shutting down. Victor expressed a desire to help his men find work, and he suggested to Clyde that he might want to take on some of the men. Suspicious, Clyde said he did not believe Victor was willing to close up shop.
With a deep sigh, Victor explained that he had thrived on being a dangerous man but those days were over. Victor added that he now preferred to walk in the garden with his wife or watch old movies. Victor stressed that he wanted to keep his family safe. With a nod, Clyde told Victor he had made a wise decision. Victor noted that once they concluded business, he did not want to cross paths with Clyde again.
In Sonny and Will's apartment, Marlena paced nervously, waiting for the babysitter to arrive for Arianna. When Kate knocked on the door, Marlena pleaded with Kate to watch Arianna so she could meet a patient. Kate refused, citing her own busy schedule. Marlena explained that she had offered to take Arianna home to meet the babysitter so Will and Sonny could spend time alone together. When Kate nervously asked about Will and Sonny's relationship, Marlena grew suspicious.
Marlena asked Kate to tell her what was wrong. Kate thought about when Will had confessed to her about his affair with Paul. With a change of the subject, Kate avoided directly answering Marlena's question. Roman stopped by. Roman joked that it was a miracle to find Kate and Marlena alone in a room without any destruction. Not amused, Kate went into the bedroom to check on Arianna. With a grin on his face, Roman said that he had stopped by the apartment to give a present to Will. Roman held out an evidence bag with Sonny's wedding ring inside.
After Kate finished checking on Arianna, she returned to the living room to find that Marlena and Roman had left. Kate grumbled aloud, but a phone call from Clyde interrupted her. Clyde asked Kate to meet him so they could celebrate.
While Marlena was walking past Club TBD, her phone rang. Clyde called to apologize for missing his last appointment. Clyde asked Marlena if she could meet with him. Marlena agreed.
In the hospital lounge, Lucas talked to Adrienne about Justin. Noting that Justin had not sent her his travel information, Adrienne complained that she did not even register in Justin's eyes. Adrienne wondered aloud if the woman Justin was working with had Justin's travel information. Lucas warned Adrienne not to jump to conclusions about Justin.
In Sonny's hospital room, Will pulled up his article on a tablet computer and handed it to Sonny to read. When Sonny took the tablet, a pop-up ad obscured the article. Chuckling, Will took the tablet back and said the ad would disappear in a second. After the ad finished playing, Will started to hand the tablet back to Sonny, but Justin interrupted when he rushed in the door to see his son. As Justin and Sonny hugged, Will closed the cover on the tablet and set it next to Sonny's bed on the table. Will informed Sonny that he was headed home to spend time with Arianna, and he left.
"This is great. Having a dad again. And all I had to do was get stabbed in the back," Sonny quipped bitterly. Justin said that he'd felt terrible when he had not been able to return home for Christmas. As Justin started to talk about his work, Sonny asked about Elsa, the woman Justin had been working closely with in Dubai. Justin asked Sonny not to give him the third degree about work.
Adrienne and Lucas walked into the room and stopped short at the sight of Justin. Justin hugged Adrienne and apologized for not sending his travel information. With a sheepish grin, Justin explained that he had left his phone charger in Dubai. When Lucas asked about Will, Sonny noted that Will had just left for home. Adrienne said she wanted to throw a party for Sonny later in the week after he was released from the hospital.
As Adrienne mentioned that Justin would get to spend time with Arianna at the party, she noticed Justin's eyes shift to the floor. Justin admitted that he was unsure whether he would be able to stay in Salem through the week. Concerned, Adrienne asked Justin to talk down the hallway in the lounge while Sonny talked to Victor on the phone. While Justin and Adrienne talked in the lounge, Lucas listened from the hallway.
Justin promised that he would stay in town as long as he was able. With a troubled sigh, Adrienne wondered aloud if the only reason Justin was in Salem was to see Sonny. Adrienne commented that if not for the stabbing, Justin might never have returned to Salem. Upset, Adrienne ran out of the lounge. Lucas slipped into the room to confront Justin.
When Justin complained that he did not want to deal with Adrienne after a long flight, Lucas warned Justin not to make the situation about Justin. Justin stressed that Adrienne was familiar with the demands of his job. Lucas explained that Adrienne had lived through hell after Sonny had been stabbed because Sonny had almost died due to a blood shortage. When Justin quietly said he had not known that Sonny had almost died, Lucas explained that Adrienne would have told him, but Justin had not returned Adrienne's phone call until after Sonny had finished surgery.
With a furrowed brow, Justin noted that Adrienne had not been alone at the hospital. Lucas shifted nervously then noted that Adrienne had been at the hospital with Will, Maggie, Victor, and other members of the family. Justin pointedly remarked that it was clear that Lucas had been with Adrienne at the hospital. "I was here doing what you should have done," Lucas said.
In the town square, Will saw Paul walking by, and he called out to him. When Will asked about the article, a preoccupied Paul said he had forgotten. Paul explained that he was hoping to correct a mistake if it was not too late. Will guessed that Paul was headed to find the man who had proposed to him all those years before. With a smile, Paul said that someone had given him information that showed he might still have a chance with the man he had loved. Will and Paul said goodbye, and they parted ways.
When Will returned home, Kate informed Will of the situation with the babysitter. Kate confirmed that the babysitter was sending her sister over as a replacement to watch Arianna. As Will grinned serenely, Kate asked Will how he was doing. Will responded that Sonny was doing well and that his article was available online. Will went into the bedroom to see Arianna. While Will changed clothes, Kate read his article.
Will returned to the living room and thanked Kate for helping out with Arianna. Will also thanked Kate for convincing him not to tell Sonny about Paul. When Kate asked if all was well with Paul, Will explained that he had run into Paul in the square, and Paul had said he had decided to pursue his true love. With a grin, Will wondered aloud whether everyone would get their happy ending.
While Sonny slept in his hospital bed, Paul visited. Paul saw the computer tablet on the table and picked it up. Paul opened the cover to find the article about him. Sonny stirred and was surprised to see Paul next to his bed. When Sonny asked Paul why he was visiting, Paul explained that he was hoping he was not too late. Paul explained that Derrick had said that Sonny had been stabbed on the way to see Paul after learning that Paul had been with another man.
Sonny remembered talking to Derrick about a man that Paul had slept with at the hotel. Paul explained to Sonny that he had only slept with the man one time and that it was over. Paul said there was no other person in the world that he wanted to be with other than Sonny. Paul stressed that he had made a mistake after spending an excessive amount of time with the other man.
When Sonny asked Paul why he had spent so much time with the other man, Paul explained that the man had been writing a story on him. Sonny remembered what Derrick had said to him at Club TBD about Paul sleeping with Will. Sonny's mouth fell open. Turning to Paul, Sonny angrily said, "My God. You slept with him."
In Aiden's cabin, a scared Hope pointed a letter opener at him in a defensive pose. Upset, Aiden disarmed Hope, and he picked up the letter opener. Aiden admitted that he had lied to Hope. As Aiden aggressively brandished the knife, he stressed that he would never let Hope tell anyone about what she had learned. Terrified, Hope attempted to run past Aiden. Aiden stopped Hope and asked her not to be afraid. Hope pointed at the letter opener in Aiden's hand.
"I loved you. How can you love a murderer?" Hope wondered in awe. A look of shock dawned across Aiden's face. Aiden told Hope that he was surprised she believed he was a murderer. With a shrug, Hope reminded Aiden that he would not let her leave, that he had a locked closet and an ax, and he was brandishing a weapon at her. Aiden noted that Hope had to have seen Meredith's message on the tablet. Hope said that judging by Meredith's message, there was no way her death had been a suicide. When Hope added that the only three people who had been in the house had been Meredith, Aiden, and Chase, her mouth fell open in dawning horror.
Gently, Hope asked Aiden if Chase had shot Meredith. Aiden grew angry and refused to answer the question. Hope told Aiden that she understood why he would want to cover for his son. Aiden repeatedly denied that Chase had killed his mother. Fighting tears, Aiden ordered Hope to leave. When Hope refused, Aiden begged her to leave him. Hope asked Aiden how Meredith had been shot. Aiden continued to pace. Confused, Hope asked Aiden why Chase had been so oblivious the day of the shooting. As Hope continued to question Aiden, his eyes kept shifting to the shelf behind Hope.
Seeing Aiden's gaze, Hope asked what was hidden in the wall. Frustrated, Aiden marched to the closet, grabbed the ax, and chopped up the wall. Aiden reached into the hole and pulled out a plastic bag, which held evidence from the murder. Aiden explained that when Chase had been four, a drunk Meredith had stumbled into the room and found Chase playing with the gun that she had kept in her purse. With a sigh, Aiden said that when he had entered the room, he had witnessed Meredith reaching for the gun, and Chase shooting his mother.
Aiden explained that he had cleaned up the crime scene and tucked his son into bed before calling the police. Aiden stressed that Chase had no memory of the incident and that he would do everything he could to prevent Chase from realizing what had happened. Softly, Hope asked Aiden what he planned to do.
At the cabin on Puget Sound, Aiden noted that as an officer of the court, Hope was obligated to report that Chase had accidentally shot his mother and that Aiden had covered it up. Hope stated gently that she needed to hear the whole story before she made a decision. Hope wanted to know why Meredith had feared Aiden had been trying to kill her and how Aiden had managed to cover up what had really happened.
Aiden admitted that he really had no idea why Meredith had believed he'd been trying to kill her, especially since he never could have done so because he knew Chase had loved and needed her. Hope questioned Meredith's assertion about the antifreeze. Aiden guessed that Meredith had planted the antifreeze, because until he'd seen the video, he hadn't even known it was in the house. Aiden assured Hope that no poisons -- nothing but a lot of alcohol -- had been found in Meredith's system.
Aiden added softly that, in the end, Meredith had died trying to protect their son -- and he had tried to do the same every day since then. Aiden described how Chase had gone into shock after the gun had gone off, so Aiden had immediately taken the boy and the bloody clothing upstairs. Aiden had then wiped Chase's prints off the gun, making sure that Meredith's and Aiden's were on the weapon, then he had rearranged the room to make it appear as if there had been a struggle. Aiden had told the police the same story he'd later told Hope, and as a criminal lawyer, he'd known to stick to his story.
Aiden was grateful that Chase had never remembered what had happened that night. Aiden had kept a careful eye on his son, but Chase had never recalled anything -- and Aiden hoped Chase never would. Aiden continued that he had checked with therapists over the years to make sure he was doing the right thing on the pretense that it was for a client. Hope cautioned Aiden that Chase might run into someone one day who believed Aiden had killed Meredith, and Chase could start blaming his father.
Aiden explained that was one of the reasons he and Chase had relocated several times before they'd moved to Salem -- but he would prefer Chase think Aiden had done it than remember what had really happened. "Only now that isn't really in my hands, is it?" Aiden added. Before Hope could answer, Aiden acknowledged that what he'd done was illegal and apologized for making Hope complicit by telling her -- but he had nearly told her numerous times because he'd always trusted her.
His eyes filling with tears, Aiden pleaded with Hope, "I need to ask you one last favor. Don't tell anyone what Chase did, because if it comes out -- Hope, it'll destroy his life." Hope grasped Aiden's hand reassuringly and told him, "Aiden, it's an easy decision. Everything you've shared with me, it stays between us -- just us -- forever." She acknowledged that she'd been known to break a few rules where her children were concerned, and she intended to help Aiden protect Chase and make sure he never remembered the accident.
An emotional Aiden thanked Hope. She announced that it was time to get to work getting rid of the clothes and replacing the wallboard. Aiden insisted that she didn't have to help, but Hope assured him that he wasn't alone anymore, and they were in it together. Aiden embraced her gratefully, burying his face in her neck. Hope apologized that she'd ever doubted Aiden. He reassured Hope that apologies were unnecessary, because anyone would have reached the same conclusion based on his behavior.
Aiden said that he'd assumed Hope had figured out the truth because at the end of the video, Meredith had mentioned having to find a new hiding place for her gun because Chase had found it. Hope admitted she'd never gotten that far in the video. She promised Aiden that the two of them would protect Chase together. "I love you so much," Aiden declared softly, kissing Hope.
When J.J. entered the Horton house, Jennifer met him in the front hallway and declared angrily that she knew J.J. had been lying to her. She explained that she had seen the email from J.J.'s English professor, warning J.J. that he would fail if he missed one more class. Jennifer didn't understand how J.J. could have already missed so many classes that early in the semester. J.J. hung his head and apologized. Jennifer wanted to know what had been bothering J.J. -- and if it had to do with the girl he'd been with the previous night.
J.J. refused to divulge any details about the "girl." Jennifer asserted that J.J. was clearly still in love with Paige. J.J. angrily reminded his mom that things were over with Paige, and Jennifer blamed Eve. "It was all me -- because I'm a total screw-up. Always have been; always will be," J.J. snapped before grabbing his jacket and storming out.
At the Edge of the Square, Daniel overheard Nicole on the phone with Rafe, who was out of town, visiting his sick mother. Daniel stopped Nicole before she could leave and said he'd heard that she had apologized to Eric and Serena, and Daniel was proud of her. Nicole thanked him but maintained that she hadn't done it to earn points with Daniel. Daniel was impressed that Nicole really was trying to change, as she'd promised. Nicole asked if she and Daniel could at least be friends, but Daniel reminded her that they'd tried that -- unsuccessfully.
Serena met Melanie at Club TBD and said she had a little more info about Dr. Mandrake for Melanie. Just as Melanie was asking if there were a connection between Mandrake and Theresa, Eve and Theresa arrived. While Eve waited at the bar for their coffee, Theresa greeted Serena pleasantly and asked her to apologize to Eric that Theresa hadn't been in better touch. Theresa boasted that she'd been busy because she'd been seeing a really hot guy who was obsessed with her.
When Eve walked over with the coffees, Theresa introduced her to Serena and Melanie. Eve snidely noted that she'd already met Melanie, who had seemed far too inclined to butt into other people's business. Serena maintained that Eve's character seemed similar -- much like someone Serena had known once. "She was a bitch, too," Serena explained. As Theresa and Eve headed out, Theresa paused to point out that Brady obviously wasn't as crazy about Melanie as he'd been about Theresa, since Melanie had been spending so much time alone.
Serena wondered why Melanie was bothering to dig into Theresa's life when "that little loser" clearly hated Melanie. Melanie explained that something strange was going on with Theresa, and Melanie was even more puzzled about everything after learning that Dr. Mandrake was a fertility specialist. Melanie and Serena wondered if Theresa had gotten so upset when she'd seen the baby rattle because she was trying to get pregnant.
Melanie pointed out that Theresa had been relieved when she'd learned she hadn't been pregnant with Brady's baby -- plus Theresa didn't even know Dr. Mandrake. Serena revealed that Mandrake had been "a big deal" at a place called the Franklin Fertility Center in New York City -- until he had resigned unexpectedly, after which he had disappeared. "If he opened up a private practice, it must be real private," Serena noted. "Yeah, and he's still getting reports about Theresa from Clint? Something's definitely wrong with this picture," Melanie concurred.
Melanie asked if Serena could get more information about Mandrake's location or activities, but Serena didn't think she could. Half-joking that Melanie would need a private detective to find out any more, Serena advised Melanie to stay out of it. "Sometimes you get in too deep, and you wish there was a way out. Then you find out it's too late, and you have to pay the price, no matter what it is," Serena said. Guessing that Serena had changed subjects mid-warning and was talking about herself, Melanie asked if Serena and Eric were doing okay. Serena insisted that things with Eric were great. Serena left after urging Melanie to think about what she'd said.
As Eve and Theresa sat in Horton Square, drinking coffee, Eve confided that Paige had moved out because she blamed Eve for Paige's breakup with J.J. Theresa couldn't believe Paige was still hung up about whom J.J. had cheated with. "I told her a long time ago if she wants to figure it out, it's pretty simple. Just take his phone and read his texts, you know?" Theresa said. Eve hotly pointed out that Paige did not need to be looking at J.J.'s phone -- but Eve was glad J.J. was out of Paige's life for good.
"Nope, I do not have any regrets, not a one," Eve declared confidently. "Regrets about what?" Theresa asked. Jennifer arrived just then and echoed Theresa's question. Fumbling for words, Eve finally maintained that she regretted nothing she'd said about J.J. because she'd been right about him all along. Theresa needled Jennifer about how neither of her kids seemed able to control themselves where sex was concerned. Although Jennifer just laughed incredulously, Eve dragged Theresa away before the spat could devolve into a shouting match.
Nicole arrived just as the Donovan women were leaving and asked if Jennifer were all right. "That Theresa can be hard to take," Nicole noted. "Well, her sister is worse, and she destroys anything that she touches," Jennifer declared, obviously more rattled than she'd previously let on.
Theresa was working on a computer at the nurses' station when a pregnant woman passed by. Watching the woman pat her tummy and smile, Theresa suddenly became upset. "What the hell? Why do I keep reacting like this? God, what is going on with me?" Theresa asked herself.
Melanie was sitting alone, trying to convince herself to drop the subject of Dr. Mandrake. "But if I just knew someone with better connections," Melanie mused -- just as Nicole walked into Club TBD. "Thank you!" Melanie mouthed skyward before approaching Nicole tentatively. "I know things have been a little weird between us, but you're very sneaky and very underhanded and always trying to find a way to dig up dirt on people -- and that is why I need your help," Melanie announced.
After Serena returned to her hotel room, she got a phone call from her contact, who wanted an update. Serena reminded the woman that it hadn't been possible to exchange the statues the previous night. Serena acknowledged, "They are getting impatient, and they want to remind me that I need to switch the elephant statues. Yes, I know, and I will -- but it has to be at the right time so that Eric doesn't get hurt." The woman commanded Serena to get it done immediately -- whether Eric got hurt or not.
J.J. stopped by Daniel's apartment and reminded Daniel, "I got your message. You said you had something I might want?" Daniel could tell something was bothering J.J. and asked what was going on. J.J. mumbled something "hypothetical" about falling in the mud and knowing there was no point in getting up after getting so filthy. J.J. continued that he had thrown away everything good in his life and had no place to go. Changing the subject, he asked what Daniel had thought J.J. might want.
Daniel produced the jacket and reminded J.J. that he'd borrowed it once, so Daniel had thought J.J. might want it. Recalling the first night he'd had sex with Eve and left the jacket out where Paige had spotted it, J.J. firmly and somewhat rudely insisted that he did not want the jacket. Daniel asked again what was going on with J.J. "You're not my dad, man, and I don't have to explain anything to you," J.J. snapped. He quickly explained that he hadn't gotten enough sleep then he hurried out.
Daniel went to Jennifer's later with a box of clothing to donate. He could tell that she was distracted, and Jennifer admitted that she and J.J. had argued. She explained that J.J. had seemed upset about more than his breakup with Paige, and he appeared almost self-destructive. Daniel agreed that J.J. had seemed very down on himself. Jennifer suspected that her son's angst had something to do with Eve -- and Jennifer was determined to find out what Eve had done to J.J.
As J.J. wandered past Club TBD, he gazed morosely at a picture of Paige on his phone. In a fit of frustration, he hurled the phone at the wall. He glared at it for a moment before retrieving it and saw that he'd broken the screen. Shaking his head, J.J. muttered, "Now I've got nothing. Idiot!"
A little later, J.J. showed up on Eve's doorstep, and she reluctantly let him in. As soon as the door closed, J.J. suddenly grabbed Eve, shoving her up against the door and kissing her.
At Marlena's behest, Will visited his grandmother in her office at the hospital. When he spotted her tablet, he excitedly asked if she'd read his article yet. Marlena said she hadn't but planned to do so a little later. Will was thrilled when Marlena returned Sonny's wedding ring, which she explained the police had found while searching the square again.
In Sonny's hospital room, Sonny was furious when he realized that Paul had slept with Will. "How could you do this to me?" Sonny demanded angrily. Paul was a bit surprised that Sonny was so upset, although he was still hopeful that he and Sonny could have a future together. Paul reminded Sonny that he had urged Paul to move on.
"I didn't tell you to sleep with my husband!" Sonny spat. Paul was completely flabbergasted, but Sonny believed that Paul had known who Will was. Paul insisted that Will had never worn a wedding ring or talked about Sonny. Shaking with rage, Sonny shouted at Paul to get out of his room -- just as Abe walked in. Sonny caught his breath and told Abe that Paul was just leaving. Paul apologized sincerely to Sonny and left.
Later, Paul charged into Marlena's office, despite her assistant's protests. After Marlena assured her assistant that it was all right, Paul stammered, "I apologize. I don't normally do this kind of thing, but I think I just screwed up my entire life."
Abe recognized Paul, and Sonny showed him the cover of Sonix online. "Will's new cover boy," Sonny explained. Abe asked if Sonny had remembered anything else. "Yeah. I remember. I remember everything," Sonny declared.
A grinning Will arrived right after Abe asked if Sonny remembered where he'd been headed right before the attack. Glaring at Will, Sonny replied that he'd been going to see his husband. "Sonny went to see his husband, Will Horton, at their home," Abe said to himself as he jotted down the notes. After wishing Sonny well, Abe left.
Will saw the tablet on the foot of Sonny's bed and asked what Sonny had thought about the article. "You outdid yourself, Will," Sonny said through clenched teeth. Oblivious to his husband's hostility, Will said that he hoped the article would help kids who read the article see that they were not alone. "Sounded like you helped Paul Narita, too," Sonny noted pointedly. Will agreed that he hoped he had.
Will produced Sonny's wedding ring and held it out for his husband, who stared dourly at the gold band. Finally, Sonny just said that he was tired. "I'll let you rest, but I couldn't wait to do this," Will said, slipping the ring onto Sonny's finger.
Serena was a bit rattled after her phone conversation about the importance of switching the elephant statues right away, so she decided to get some fresh air -- unaware that Eric was standing right outside her hotel room, preparing to knock on the door. Eric could tell that something was wrong, but Serena firmly denied the suspicion, even snapping at him when he tried to press the issue.
Serena quickly backpedaled and assured an apologetic Eric that he wasn't to blame for her outburst. Serena told Eric she had been thinking about their relationship earlier and had realized they were stuck in neutral. Serena suggested that it had been a mistake for her to move to Salem, but Eric insisted that wasn't true. Serena feared she might hurt Eric, but he said giving up on their relationship would be the only way she could do that.
Eric kissed Serena, and they soon started undressing each other. After having sex, Serena told Eric that -- to her surprise -- being with him had been even better than she had remembered. Eric recalled that Serena had previously mentioned wanting to recreate their first time amidst the African artifacts in his apartment, but she assured him that she had no regrets about how things had transpired.
Eric invited Serena over to his place for dinner. Serena happily accepted but suggested that it would be a good idea to take a shower first, and she convinced Eric to get started without her so she could pack an overnight bag while waiting for the water to heat up. Once the coast was clear, Serena tossed her elephant statue in a bag so she could take it to Eric's place, assuring herself that he would never have to know about the switch.
When Eric and Serena got back to his apartment, she told him to get started on the cooking and let her put away the overnight bag herself. Serena went to Eric's bedroom and shut the door, but when she pulled out her elephant statue and went to make the switch, she was shocked to see that his statue was gone.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Justin found Adrienne reading a book in the study. Adrienne closed the book and started to leave, but Justin stopped her and wondered if she planned to just ignore him until he returned to Dubai. Adrienne somewhat bitterly observed that Justin wasn't even bothering to pretend he would be sticking around for long. Justin protested that Adrienne knew he had unfinished business in Dubai and would have to return there eventually. Adrienne countered that she only knew what Justin had told her -- which wasn't much, since they had barely spoken to each other lately.
Justin started to apologize, assuring Adrienne that he knew how hard his absence had been on her, but she doubted that. "Even if I didn't, your friend Lucas made sure I heard all about it," Justin reported. Adrienne stressed that Lucas was nothing more than a good friend, and she pointedly wondered if Justin would like to talk about the friends he had made in Dubai over the past seven months.
Justin didn't want to get into another argument, since he only knew of a finite number of ways to apologize for not being in Salem when Sonny and Adrienne had needed him most, so he suggested calling a temporary truce. Adrienne softened and conceded that she had been laying the guilt on a bit thick. Thinking that a change of scenery might be beneficial, Justin offered to take Adrienne to Victor's new club, adding that they could go to the hospital afterward to say goodnight to their son. Adrienne agreed that it would be nice for her and Justin to visit Sonny together.
Clyde entered Club TBD and waved at Kate, who was having coffee with Lucas. Lucas took that as his cue to leave, but Kate asked him to stay because she wanted to talk to him about something. Before Kate could elaborate, Clyde took a seat next to her and started talking to Lucas about the buzz surrounding Will's latest article. Clyde also took the opportunity to say he was glad Will's husband was going to be okay.
After Clyde left to take a phone call, Lucas disapprovingly wondered what Kate saw in the man. "Really? How many times have I said the same thing to you, hmm? At least he has charm. At least he's not married," Kate pointedly replied. Lucas insisted he wasn't going to talk to Kate about Adrienne, who was just a friend he had supported during a crisis.
At Edge of the Square, Rafe informed Victor that the place was likely going to be packed that night. Seemingly uninterested, Victor stressed that Rafe was to ignore his previous instructions about Clyde and instead treat the man like a VIP guest every time he entered the club. Rafe thought Victor was joking, but Victor grimly pointed out that he never joked. Victor added that he and Clyde had recently buried the hatchet, but he refused to tell Rafe anything else about the matter.
When Justin and Adrienne arrived a short time later, Rafe greeted them and said he was glad Sonny was going to be okay. Victor waved from his seat at the far end of the bar, and Justin admitted to Rafe that it was weird to see Victor hanging out in a nightclub. Rafe stressed that Victor wasn't around often, but Justin wasn't able to get Rafe to elaborate on why that particular night was a special case.
After Adrienne and Justin were seated, Rafe forced a smile and greeted Kate and Clyde, promising that a table would be ready for them shortly. "What's he doing here? He hates having fun," Kate muttered when she spotted Victor. Clyde and Victor exchanged nods, piquing Kate's curiosity, but Clyde innocently claimed that he had simply been saying hello to Victor -- and that they had decided their turf war had been a complete waste of time and energy.
After ending a call, Justin placed his cell phone facedown and assured Adrienne that he was done with business for the rest of the night. Justin raised his glass and proposed a toast to Sonny's health, family, and being with Adrienne again. Adrienne took a sip of wine before musing that it was nice to be out with Justin again, since it had been a long time since they had last done something similar.
Justin excused himself for a moment so he could say hello to Victor, who seemed ready to leave at any moment. After Justin left, Adrienne eyed his cell phone but resisted the urge to check it -- until it started vibrating. Adrienne curiously picked up the device and read part of a text message conversation between Justin and his Dubai-based colleague, Elsa -- who had said she missed Justin, was thinking of him constantly, and hoped he would be back soon. In response, Justin had said he didn't know how much longer he would have to stay in Salem, adding that he hoped Elsa knew her support meant the world to him.
Justin wondered why Victor had never bought him a nice nightclub. Victor chuckled and said he wished Sonny had agreed to run the place for him. Justin thanked Victor for at least giving Sonny the opportunity. After getting a quick update on Sonny's condition, Victor wondered if Justin was in a hurry to get back to Dubai. "Not as long as I'm needed here," Justin replied. Justin added that Elsa was doing an amazing job with the negotiations, and they seemed close to being finished with everything.
As Justin headed back to his table, Clyde introduced himself and explained that he was in need of a good lawyer to handle his corporate interests because his old lawyer, Aiden Jennings, had gone out of town for a while. Kate listened with interest as Justin declined the offer, explaining that he wasn't going to be in Salem for long himself. Clyde asked for a recommendation, and Justin replied that Aiden was worth waiting for.
Justin suddenly noticed that Adrienne wasn't at their table. Kate watched Justin scan the room before revealing that she had seen Adrienne leave the club while he had been talking to Victor earlier. Justin excused himself and left the club with a sigh after seeing what was on his cell phone screen.
After watching Victor send Clyde and Kate glasses of complimentary Champagne, Rafe guessed that he knew exactly what was going on. Victor insisted that, with Stefano gone, he was simply too old to get into another blood feud, but Rafe suspected that was just what Victor wanted Clyde to believe. Victor raised his glass and took a drink, which Rafe realized was the closest thing he was going to get to a confirmation that the suspicion was correct. "Well, I'd sure hate to be in that hillbilly's boots when you decide to make [your] move," Rafe mused before walking away.
Adrienne sobbed as she rushed through the town square, passing Lucas but not bothering to stop when he called out to her. Lucas caught up to Adrienne in a secluded section, and when he urged her to talk to him, she broke down in his arms. Lucas promised that everything was going to be okay. Adrienne protested that Lucas couldn't promise that, but he insisted that he could, and he slowly leaned in and kissed her.
Paul paced Marlena's office as he fretted that everything was a mess -- and that he hadn't just ruined his life. After convincing Paul to sit down and take a few deep breaths, Marlena wondered if his emotional state had something to do with the big news about him that was set to go public sometime that day. "You could say that," Paul replied.
Marlena tried to get Paul to tell her what had happened, but he remained silent, so she wondered if he was upset about how his family had reacted when he had told them he was gay. Paul admitted he hadn't talked to his mother since breaking the news to her, and he revealed that she had told him she had known he was gay for quite a while. Paul got a bit annoyed when Marlena asked how that had made him feel, but she assured him that, while it might seem like a clichéd question to him, it was actually a very important one.
Paul apologized and admitted he didn't know how he felt about the matter. Paul said he didn't understand why his mother had never said anything to him about his sexuality. Paul wanted to ask her that question, since her decision to stay silent about her suspicions had made it seem like she had been perfectly fine with the idea of him spending his entire life pretending to be someone he wasn't -- and, in fact, might have actually preferred that.
Marlena wondered how Paul's father had reacted to the news. "I never knew my father. He died before I was born, before my mother could even tell him I existed," Paul revealed. After expressing sympathy, Marlena wondered if Paul had thought about contacting his mother again. Paul thought his mother needed to be the one to reach out because of the way she had acted, and Marlena agreed but pointed out that they didn't live in a perfect world.
Marlena reasoned that someone needed to make the first move, and she wondered if Paul had considered the possibility that his mother might be feeling overwhelmed or might even be upset about the fact that he hadn't told her the truth about his sexuality until he had already decided to tell the rest of the world, as well. "So now it's my fault," Paul somewhat bitterly summarized.
Marlena clarified that she was simply pointing out that assumptions could only lead to hurt feelings and that Paul wouldn't know how his mother actually felt until he asked. Paul recalled that he had been more worried about telling his grandfather the truth than anyone else -- and that his mother had reinforced that fear when he had told her he was gay, fretting that the news would kill his grandfather. Paul revealed that his grandfather had actually been extremely proud of him for being honest about who he was. Marlena smiled warmly and guessed that the man's reaction had been a tremendous relief for Paul, who confirmed the suspicion.
"But, you know, I just -- I just thought it would -- it would be my mom, you know? I thought she was gonna be in my corner. I mean, she was always there when it came to the contracts and the money...but now that I'm not a baseball player anymore, now that I'm not gonna give her any grandchildren...I'm just a big disappointment to her," Paul sadly added. However, when Marlena pressed the issue, Paul admitted he was confused and angry but knew what he had just said about his mother wasn't really true.
Marlena suggested that Paul's mother might be reluctant to reach out to him due to being ashamed of how she had reacted, and he allowed for that possibility. Assuming Paul had been talking about his mother when he had fretted earlier about ruining someone's life, Marlena reminded him that he had been honest about his sexuality not because he had wanted to hurt his mother but because he had needed to do it for his sake. Paul clarified that he hadn't been talking about his mother -- he had been talking about the man he was in love with.
When Marlena probed for more details, Paul somewhat dismissively stated that it would be easier for her to read the article than it would be for him to rehash everything again, but she didn't know what he was talking about. Paul explained that he had agreed to an interview that was originally going to be about the end of his baseball career but had evolved into being a way of telling the world he was gay. Paul added that he had talked about the man in the article -- specifically, about how he had been with the man for over a year but had been too afraid to say yes when the man had proposed to him.
Paul revealed that the man lived in Salem, and he admitted that when he had figured that out, he had hoped he might still have a shot with the man -- but everything had gotten horribly messed up since then. "If I had any idea -- the slightest idea -- I would never have -- he wasn't even wearing his wedding ring. How was I supposed to know?" Paul fretted.
Confused, Marlena asked Paul to elaborate, but he hesitated, so she assured him that everything he said in her office would stay in her office. Paul nodded and took a deep breath. "The guy who wrote the article for Sonix -- his name is Will Horton. I came out to him, and we slept together, and it turns out that he's married to the man I'm in love with," Paul revealed as Marlena went pale and tried to hide her shock.
"With this ring, I thee wed -- again," Will joked as he put Sonny's wedding band back where it belonged. Sonny remained silent as he stared at the ring. Will could tell that something was wrong but assumed Sonny was simply exhausted due to the steady stream of visitors he had received that day.
Nodding, Sonny revealed that he had received another visitor while Will had been gone earlier. "You know him pretty well, actually. It was --" Sonny started to add, but Caroline entered the room before he could finish the sentence. Caroline cheerfully greeted the couple and apologized for not visiting sooner, explaining that she had known a lot of people would be competing for Sonny's time.
Caroline said Roman had told her about Sonny's wedding band being recovered. "You know, when I see you two wearing your rings, it just...makes me smile. I -- I'm very grateful that you asked me to speak at your wedding, you know? Your love just, you know, gives me hope for the future," Caroline gushed. Sonny forced a smile but remained silent, as he had since Caroline had first entered the room.
Will thanked Caroline for visiting and offered to walk her back to her car. "You are coming back, Will?" Sonny asked. Will confirmed the suspicion as if it were a given. After Will and Caroline left the room, Sonny picked up the tablet computer and glared at the cover page of Will's latest article, recalling what Paul had said about how sleeping with Will hadn't meant anything.
Sonny furiously flung the tablet across the room, causing himself considerable pain in the process. Sonny winced and took a few deep breaths, waiting for the pain to subside as he imagined Will and Paul rolling around in bed together. "It didn't mean anything? Like hell it didn't," Sonny tearfully muttered, his heart monitor beeping rapidly as he tossed his head back against the pillow in defeat.
After Sonny finished crying and his heart rate began to stabilize, he stared sadly at his wedding band, twisting it around his finger as he recalled reciting vows with Will on their wedding day. Will returned and grasped Sonny's left hand, musing that it was amazing that the police had managed to find the ring. Sonny yanked his hand out of Will's grip as he bitterly agreed.
Concerned, Will wondered if Sonny was okay. Sonny shook his head but remained silent. Will thought he knew what Sonny was feeling, but Sonny doubted that. Will took a seat next to Sonny's bed and pointed out that, while he didn't know exactly what Sonny was going through, he had been in a similar position when he had been shot. Will recalled that the experience had been surreal -- and that it was the sort of thing that could change a person's whole life. Will added that the important thing to remember was that Sonny was going to make a full recovery. Will concluded that Sonny was very lucky.
Sonny skeptically repeated the word, prompting Will to wonder if something else was going on. "Like what?" Sonny challenged Will. Will curiously recalled that Sonny had told Abe earlier that he had been headed to see Will right before the stabbing. Will pointed out that he hadn't been at the apartment at that time because he had been working -- and that Sonny had known that but had told Abe otherwise. Sonny clarified that he hadn't told Abe anything about the apartment -- Abe had just assumed that had been the destination, and Sonny had chosen not to correct that assumption.
Will wondered if Sonny had been headed to his Sonix office. "No...because you weren't there, either. I was on my way to Paul Narita's hotel room. I was on my way there because you were there," Sonny revealed as he glared directly at Will. Will confirmed that he had been in Paul's hotel room on that particular night because they had been putting the finishing touches on the article. Noting that Sonny hadn't known the article had been about Paul at that time, Will curiously wondered who had told Sonny where to find him. Sonny scowled as he explained that a Salem Inn bellhop named Derrick had revealed the information.
"He came by Club TBD, and we talked. And he told me something else, Will -- that someone was having an affair with Paul Narita. You," Sonny snapped through gritted teeth.
Jennifer arrived at the front door of the Horton house with a couple of heavy grocery bags. As she dug in her purse for her key, one of the bags slid off her shoulder, wrenching her wrist on the way down. Suddenly Paige appeared and helped Jennifer pick everything up. Paige explained that she'd been across the street, picking up some stuff for the dorm at Daphne's house. Jennifer and Paige inspected the groceries and determined that nothing had broken then Paige carried everything inside.
When she realized that Jennifer had hurt her wrist, Paige insisted on having a look at it. After getting an ice pack for the injured joint, Paige encouraged Jennifer to have the wrist checked out the next day. Jennifer proclaimed that Paige was going to be a good doctor. When Paige mentioned that she had to get back to the dorm, Jennifer realized that Paige had moved out of the house and asked why. "I just wanted a break from -- I needed a change," Paige explained. Jennifer guessed that Eve had to have done something hurtful to make Paige move into a dorm in the middle of the semester.
Paige confided to Jennifer about how Eve had lied about Shane's illness in order to get Paige to California and keep her there and had even coerced a doctor to lie to Paige. Paige complained tearfully that her separation from J.J. was her mom's fault. Jennifer tried to reassure Paige that J.J. had missed her, but Paige pointed out what J.J. had done while she had been gone. Upset, Paige grabbed her purse and left.
In bed at Eve's apartment, J.J. watched Eve get dressed. Disgusted with herself for sleeping with J.J. again, Eve asked him what they were doing. "You know what we're doing. You know we're not going to stop. There's no reason to stop anymore," J.J. replied gloomily. Eve reminded J.J. that Paige was determined to find out whom he'd been seeing. J.J. said he'd figured out how to handle that. He explained that he had gone to school in England with a girl who had since moved back to Chicago, and he thought he could get her to say they had been hooking up since the holidays.
J.J. continued that he would invite the girl to Salem and make sure they ran into Paige -- and if the girl wouldn't agree, he could ask someone else. Eve remarked that it had to be wonderful to be J.J., who had people lined up to cover his tracks and who was a great liar. "Just like you," J.J. countered. He maintained that at least he was honest about what he wanted, while Eve had pretended to give J.J. a chance when she'd had no intention of letting him and Paige be happy.
Eve quietly countered that J.J. had repeatedly proven that he would only have dragged Paige down. "I guess that's why I come back here. We both know what we are," J.J. noted. Eve grabbed his arm and urged him not to return because they both knew it wasn't smart. "You know, I could tell you I won't, but we both know I'd be lying," J.J. said as he headed out the door.
Eve had just poured herself a glass of wine when Jennifer showed up. "I finally found out the disgusting thing that you did to my son!" Jennifer spat as she stormed past Eve into the apartment. It quickly became apparent that Jennifer was referring to Eve's faking her dad's illness and not to Eve's sleeping with J.J. Eve asserted that she'd been right to keep J.J. and Paige apart because J.J. had cheated on Paige as soon as she'd left town. Jennifer argued that it had only happened because Eve had manipulated the kids' relationship.
Eve declared that she intended to protect her daughter from Jennifer's "little screw-up of a son." Jennifer asked, "Does your daughter think it's okay that you lied to her? Does she think that's love?" Eve ordered Jennifer to leave, but Jennifer asserted that Eve had no idea what real love was. "And now that [Paige is] gone, nobody wants you or your love," Jennifer pronounced, her distaste apparent. As Jennifer was leaving, Eve stopped her to declare, "You're wrong about that. There's somebody who very much wants me and what I have to give." Jennifer scoffed.
In the park, J.J. left a message for his friend Roxanne. He told her that he'd been thinking about her a lot and had a huge favor to ask if she could get to Salem. J.J. promised to cover everything and emphasized that he would really like to see her again. As he ended the call and started to leave, J.J. spotted Paige and Cole approaching from the opposite direction. J.J. hid so he could eavesdrop.
J.J. listened as Cole told Paige that "their" idea for their paper for Eastern Civilization had been a good one. "A little plagiarism to start the semester off right?" J.J. said as he emerged from his hiding place. As the guys needled one another, Paige defended Cole. J.J. intimated that Cole was stupid, but Cole countered that he'd swiped J.J.'s phone without J.J. knowing. After Cole sauntered off, Paige explained, "Cole figured out your code -- which was pretty smart -- and took a look, and then he gave it to me... He saw the messages you sent." Dismayed, J.J. asked softly, "You know?"
Eric searched his kitchen for something to make for the dinner he'd promised Serena. Meanwhile, Serena was searching the bedroom for Eric's elephant statue to replace it with her identical one. She emerged from the bedroom when she couldn't locate the elephant and claimed that there was no hot water in the bathroom. Eric assumed that meant the gas was still off, so he headed out to check with the building superintendent. As soon as Eric left, Serena began searching every hiding place in the apartment for his elephant figurine.
Serena had had just removed some candlesticks and had a couple of candles in her hands when Eric returned, startling her. He playfully accused her of getting rid of him so she could set the mood -- since there was nothing wrong with the hot water. "I just wanted to help," Serena said innocently. As he took her face in his hands to kiss her, Eric noted that sometimes it was all right not to have a plan, to just sit back and let things happen.
After Serena and Eric had sex, Eric dozed off, and Serena stared at the spot on his dresser where the elephant statue had been. She woke Eric with a ladylike clearing of the throat. Serena stated that she'd never believed that there was a grand plan to life or a guiding force, but she had changed her mind because they were both where they were supposed to be. As Eric snuggled with Serena, she casually asked why his elephant wasn't in its usual place on the dresser. "I gave it away," Eric explained.
Justin exited Victor's club into Horton Square to look for Adrienne -- who at that moment was in the park outside the square, kissing Lucas. When they heard Justin calling for Adrienne, Lucas and Adrienne quickly separated, moving several feet apart. Justin asked why Adrienne had left the club, and Adrienne informed him that she'd been upset. Before Lucas could leave so Adrienne and Justin could talk, Justin and Lucas began exchanging heated words. Lucas accused Justin of upsetting Adrienne but quickly realized he'd taken things too far and apologized. As Lucas left, Adrienne said a sincere, "Thank you."
Justin asked Adrienne what was going on. "I read your texts from your friend in Dubai," Adrienne replied, leveling her gaze at Justin. Justin explained that he and Elsa had been working ridiculous hours for so long that it had become a running gag for her to refer to the two of them as "work spouses." Justin assured Adrienne, "We started texting each other like that. It's a joke... She started it, and I have to handle her."
Justin clarified that he had to humor Elsa, since she was the point person in all the negotiations, and he didn't want to alienate her because he just wanted the project to be finished. Adrienne indicated that she wouldn't be able to tolerate it if it went on much longer. Justin maintained that he didn't want to waste any more time talking about Dubai; all he wanted to do was see their son.
In Marlena's office at the hospital, as soon as Paul admitted that he had slept with Will Horton, Marlena stopped Paul and told him she couldn't hear any more. Assuming that Marlena was disgusted by his admission, Paul was irked because she had encouraged him to open up. Marlena assured Paul she wasn't disgusted; she had a conflict of interest, a personal one, so she would have to refer him elsewhere. Paul tried to call her out on giving him a "load of bull," but Marlena cut him off. "Will Horton is my grandson," Marlena informed Paul.
After the initial shock wore off, the first thing Paul asked was if Marlena had said anything about him to Will, but Marlena reminded Paul that she was bound by doctor-patient confidentiality. She produced a card for another psychiatrist and urged Paul to call the doctor. Paul agreed to think about it. Marlena wished Paul luck. "Just not with the man I'm in love with, right?" Paul asked as he headed out.
From his hospital bed, Sonny revealed that he'd learned from the hotel bellboy that Will had been having an affair with Paul Narita. Will tried to deny it, but Sonny said Paul had been there and had confirmed it. Will's first reaction was skepticism that Paul Narita had been in Sonny's hospital room, but that only served to further infuriate Sonny. Will insisted that sleeping with Paul hadn't meant anything, that it had only happened once, and that he loved only Sonny. Sonny pointed out that Will had been with Paul every night for weeks.
Will tearfully protested that it had only been for work, but Sonny refused to believe a word Will said. Will tried to explain that he and Sonny had been fighting because of the money Sonny had spent on the new club. Sonny was incredulous that Will was trying to blame him. Will clarified that it had been the first time in their marriage when it had seemed as if they'd drifted apart, but Sonny reminded him that it had all started when Will had gone to L.A. Will contended that when he'd returned from California, they had needed the money from the big article he'd been assigned.
"You whored yourself out for a stupid magazine article!" Sonny shouted. Will insisted that wasn't the case, but he'd also known there was a bigger story that he had to get. "Paul Narita came out to me," Will reminded Sonny. "That's one way to put it," Sonny muttered. Will maintained that he understood how painful coming out could be, and he'd wanted to help Paul just as Sonny had helped Will. "That's so freakin' noble I want to puke," Sonny declared, angry tears streaming down his face.
Will asked Sonny if they could just pretend it had never happened and move on. He reminded Sonny, "You've been with other guys." Incredulous, Sonny countered, "Before you, not since, because we're married! Do you remember the vows we took? Because I do." Beginning to hyperventilate from the anxiety, Sonny began trying to remove his wedding ring. Will held Sonny's hands down and insisted that he did remember their wedding vows. Will insisted that he still admired, respected, and adored Sonny.
Crying, Sonny argued that Will had slept with the first attractive guy who'd shown him attention, but Will maintained that he could have done that in L.A. if he'd wanted that, but all he'd been able to think about had been Sonny. "Why didn't you answer the phone when I called you? Why did you let so many days go by?" Sonny demanded plaintively. Horrified, he deduced that Paul hadn't been Will's first, but Will insisted that he had only slept with Paul, and it had only happened once.
"That's because you knew!" Sonny declared, becoming increasingly agitated. Concerned, Will urged Sonny to calm down. "You knew! You knew!" he repeated over and over, his breaths growing more and more labored, his pulse rate increasing, until Will finally shouted for help. A doctor rushed in, followed closely by Marlena, and instructed Sonny to slow down his respiration. Sonny lay back, panting, with his eyes closed. Marlena asked what had happened. "Ask him," Sonny whispered, pointing at Will.
After the doctor sedated Sonny, he cautioned Marlena and Will, "He'll sleep through the night -- and you need to let him." Will apologized to his sleeping husband and declared his love for Sonny. Marlena asked Will what had happened. Will would only say, "I hurt him. I hurt him so bad." He asked Marlena to stay with Sonny for a while. Marlena assured her grandson that Sonny had almost died but had survived -- and Sonny and Will could survive whatever was going on between them.
Marlena was sitting quietly at Sonny's bedside when Adrienne and Justin arrived. Adrienne asked where Will was. Marlena hedged that the doctor had given Sonny a sedative, so Will had left to do something while Sonny was sleeping.
After Marlena left, Justin asked why Adrienne hadn't told him how serious Sonny's condition had been. Adrienne pointed out that Justin couldn't have gotten there any sooner, and she hadn't wanted his long flight from Dubai to be filled with panic about his son. Justin was grateful that a blood donor had been found in time and hopeful that they would be able to thank that person someday.
Back in his hotel room, Paul looked at his phone and saw that he had 73 new voicemails. He started to call his mother but stuck the phone back in his pocket instead. He sat on the bed and gazed at the cover of Sonix on his tablet. Will showed up a little later and demanded to know why Paul had told Sonny they'd slept together. Paul argued that it had only happened the way it had because Will hadn't even admitted he was married, but Will asserted that Paul should have just left Sonny alone.
Will wanted to know how Paul had found Sonny. Paul explained that he'd gone looking for Sonny after learning that Sonny was in the hospital. "I needed to know if I still had a shot. Look, I didn't know that Sonny was your husband!" Paul explained. "Why on earth were you even looking for him?" Will demanded. Realizing that Will had no idea about Paul and Sonny's past, Paul spelled it out: "Sonny's the guy, the one that I was with, the guy who asked me to marry him." Will stared at Paul with disbelief.
Paul assured Will that he hadn't known Sonny and Will were together, and Will noted that Sonny had likewise never mentioned Paul. Paul explained that Sonny had promised never to tell anyone to protect Paul's career, and he insisted that when he'd gone to Salem for surgery, he hadn't known Sonny was there. Will was stunned when he realized how many times Paul and Sonny had seen one another since Paul's arrival in Salem -- especially when Paul confessed that Sonny had dropped by when Will had been in the shower.
Will assumed Sonny still had feelings for Paul, but Paul reassured Will that Sonny had said he was completely committed to his husband. Although Paul invited Will to stay for a drink, since it had been such a difficult day, Will declined and left. In the hallway, a clearly overwhelmed Will tried to get his bearings before leaving the hotel.
