Daniel received a visit from Eric, who revealed that he had learned some things about Serena that had led him to believe that she had been using him all along -- and had probably been using Melanie and Daniel all along, too.
Eric pointed out that Serena had spent the past few months finding reason after reason to spend time at Daniel's place, but Daniel didn't think that was particularly odd, since Melanie had basically been the only person Serena had known in Salem, other than Eric. Eric wondered if Daniel could think of anything about Serena's visits that had seemed particularly odd.
Daniel recalled that Serena had left things at his place on more than one occasion, which had made him think that, for a journalist, she was surprisingly forgetful. At Eric's request, Daniel revealed the secret compartment he had found in the base of the elephant statue. Eric suspected Serena had left things behind at Daniel's place to give herself excuses to keep going back there for whatever had been hidden in the compartment.
Daniel wondered what could have fit in such a small space that would have been worth going through all that trouble to secretly retrieve. Eric ignored the question but seemed to be formulating a theory. Eric asked if he could keep the statue, and Daniel agreed, stating that Parker's interest had shifted to action figures, anyway. Daniel wanted to know what was going on, but Eric refused to get into details about the matter.
Caroline decided to take some homemade macaroons to Serena, but when she got to Serena's hotel room, she was surprised to see that Serena's bags were packed. Serena explained that she was leaving Salem for good, adding that, while she had hoped Eric would accompany her, that probably wasn't going to happen. Caroline said some kind things about Serena and admitted she was sorry they hadn't gotten to spend more time together. Touched, Serena hugged Caroline and thanked her for the cookies and the compliments.
Xander arrived just as Caroline was exiting the hotel room, so Serena introduced them to each other, and Xander said some nice things about Eric for Caroline's benefit. Once they were alone, Serena demanded to know what Xander was doing in her hotel room. "Today's the day I start tying up all the loose ends in my life -- every one of them, starting with you," Xander replied. Serena seemed apprehensive, but Xander assured her that he just wanted to say goodbye to her, since she was about to leave Salem for good.
Serena stressed that Eric didn't know anything about the diamonds -- or anything else that could cause trouble for Xander. "Then why do you look so worried?" Xander wondered. Serena clarified that she wasn't worried; she was actually just trying to refrain from throwing things at Xander, since she had done everything he had asked her to do, and he had ultimately decided to mess with her anyway, ruining her relationship with Eric in the process. Xander dismissively predicted that Serena would bounce back eventually, adding that she never would have been satisfied with a guy like Eric, anyway. "You need a real man," Xander concluded.
Serena wondered if Xander knew where she could find a real man. Xander laughed mockingly before yanking Serena's hair back. "I do not like being insulted by a woman," Xander snapped. Knowing she wasn't the woman Xander was really angry with, Serena guessed Nicole had done something to set him off. Xander claimed he couldn't care less about Nicole, since she had just been using him all along, and he wasn't interested in Daniel's used goods, anyway.
Serena seemed skeptical, but Xander insisted he didn't care what she or anyone else in Salem thought about him, since he, too, was done with the town for good. Xander suggested he and Serena might cross paths again someday. "Right. In hell," Serena replied. Xander said it was nice to hear Serena finally admit that, deep down, she was really a very naughty girl. Xander left after assuring Serena that she and Eric had nothing to fear from him -- as long as they both kept their mouths shut.
Just as Serena started to relax, someone began pounding on her door. "Damn it, Xander, what more do you --" Serena shouted as she opened the door, abruptly stopping when she realized Eric was her visitor, not Xander. "Lovers' quarrel?" Eric guessed. Serena explained that Xander had shown up earlier -- uninvited -- and she had been worried that he might have returned to bother her again. Serena assured Eric that her relationship with Xander had ended years earlier and wasn't worth talking about anymore. Eric held up the elephant statue and suggested he and Serena could talk about it instead.
Serena claimed she didn't have time to talk to Eric about the elephant statue because she had a plane to catch, but he informed her that she would have to call the cops to get him to leave -- and he would love for her to do just that, since he was sure Roman would be quite interested in hearing what he had to say about the statue. Revealing the secret compartment, Eric demanded to know what had been hidden in it. Serena remained silent, so Eric added that she didn't really need to say anything at all, since he had already figured out that the compartment was too small to hold much of value -- other than blood diamonds from the Congo.
"So, what does Xander do with the diamonds, Serena? Does he finance an insurgency? A warlord's bloodbath? Listen, it looks like you got what you came for, so I think I deserve to know why you used me!" Eric shouted. Serena tearfully protested that she loved Eric -- and had, in fact, never stopped loving him, which was why she couldn't explain things to him. Unsatisfied, Eric insisted he had a right to understand why Serena had done what she had done. "If I make you understand...you'll end up dead," Serena replied.
Nicole received a phone call from Xander while trying to find out more about his shady past. Xander asked if he could get together with Nicole later, and she sweetly replied that she could probably find a way to make that happen, especially since he seemed quite eager to see her. "Baby, you have no idea," Xander replied, snapping a garrote between his hands.
After ending the call, Nicole found an online archive of records pertaining to crime and criminals in Scotland. The site offered information about Xander's murder trial, but the file was password-protected. Nicole was, however, able to see the name of the law firm that had represented Xander. Adopting a barely passable Scottish accent and posing as the law firm's scatterbrained new secretary, Nicole contacted the Crown Office in Glasgow and managed to sweet-talk the receptionist into emailing her the password.
The file revealed that Xander had originally been charged with murder but had ended up only serving time for culpable homicide. Nicole was outraged when she learned just how quickly Xander had been released from prison after being sent there for killing someone. Reading on, Nicole discovered that Xander's sentence had been reduced due to the influence of a letter from a friend of the court -- his uncle, Victor Kiriakis. "Since when is Victor Kiriakis a friend of any court?" Nicole muttered.
As she was pondering the implications of what she had just learned, Nicole received a phone call from Daniel, who told her he had to drop off a gift for Tate at the Kiriakis mansion but would then be free for the rest of the night. Nicole offered to meet Daniel there, explaining that she had a baby gift of her own to deliver. Daniel warned that if he and Nicole met up at the mansion, she might have to deal with Victor. "Actually, I'm kind of looking forward to it," Nicole admitted. Daniel said he was looking forward to clearing the air with Nicole, who ended the call after promising to explain everything the minute she arrived at Victor's place.
Navidad met with Xander in a secluded section of the town square and assured him that she had taken care of the lights at the front entrance of the television station, as well as the guard. Navidad also confirmed that Nicole hadn't left the television station yet.
"I can't believe it. Everything's finally going my way! I know Xander's probably still having me followed, but who cares? Let whoever it is try to get past the front door at Victor's," Nicole muttered. A coworker soon advised Nicole to call it quits for the night, since she was one of the only people left in the building. The coworker also reported that the lights were out at the front entrance, and the guard who was normally posted there had rushed off after getting sick, so everyone was being asked to leave through the back entrance instead. The coworker offered to walk Nicole out, but she declined, so the woman left after warning Nicole to be careful.
At the hospital, Brady informed Theresa that, while he planned to be completely reasonable with her where Tate was concerned, they were otherwise done with each other. A nurse entered the break room just as Theresa began to protest, prompting Brady to realize it would be more appropriate to continue the conversation in a private location instead. The nursery was ready at the Kiriakis mansion, so Brady offered to take Theresa there so she could see it, but she was more interested in showing Brady where Tate would be staying when the child was with her.
Brady was critical from the moment he entered Theresa's apartment, observing that the place wasn't the least bit ready to accommodate a baby's needs. Theresa complained that she hadn't had nine months to prepare for Tate's arrival, hadn't had the benefit of a baby shower, and -- unlike Brady -- didn't have people she could order to handle everything for her. Theresa added that Tate wouldn't even have his own room at her place, and she sighed as she conceded that it was a bit of a dump. "What do you want?" Brady impatiently asked.
Theresa reminded Brady that he had once offered to let her live at the Kiriakis mansion, and she hesitantly conceded that, while she wasn't thrilled about the idea at all, it might be the best thing for Tate. Pointing out that he had made that offer when things had been different, Brady added that neither Victor nor Maggie would be welcoming of Theresa after what she had done to Melanie. Theresa protested that Brady could make Victor and Maggie suck it up for Tate's sake if he really wanted to. "Listen, do you really want to sit in that living room and have to stare at that fireplace poker that you [tried] to kill my father with?" Brady wondered.
Theresa remained silent, so Brady moved on, warning her to stop using his son as a way of trying to get what she wanted out of him. Brady offered to help Theresa pay for a bigger place but stressed that it would have to be a place that met his approval. "And I'm more than happy to help you with a nanny and babysitters, 'cause frankly, the thought of you alone with my son scares the hell out of me," Brady added. Brady warned, however, that every cent he gave Theresa would be for Tate's care, not for her own personal use. "How dare you make this about money?!" Theresa snapped.
"It's always been about money with you, Donovan!" Brady countered. Theresa reminded Brady that she had a job, adding that if she needed additional financial help, she could get it from her parents. Brady urged Theresa to do just that. Changing the subject, Brady suggested it would be best for most of his and Theresa's communications with each other to be done via email, unless some sort of emergency cropped up. "So, basically, you want to see me as little as possible, and maybe not at all," Theresa sadly summarized. "Hopefully, yeah," Brady confirmed.
Theresa argued that such an arrangement wouldn't be good for Tate. "I don't think it's a good idea for Tate to know that I think his mother is the lowest form of humanity," Brady countered. Brady agreed that it wasn't an ideal arrangement, but he added that nothing about the situation was ideal. Theresa insisted that motherhood had changed her, and she assured Brady that they could find a way to make things work without any tension. "That's not gonna work. I'm tense right now, right in front of you. I want to strangle you. And kids pick up on those things; they're like sponges. I'm doing what I think is best for my son, period," Brady stressed.
Theresa doubted that, assuming everything Brady had just said had really been about Melanie leaving Salem. Theresa insisted she couldn't be blamed for the fact that Melanie had decided to bail on Brady, since it wasn't like she had told Melanie to take off. "Yes, you did, Theresa! And now you get to deal with the fact that I'm never gonna forgive you for it," Brady snapped. Theresa fought back tears as Brady added that he wanted to limit his interactions with Theresa because he didn't want their child to realize that he found the very sight of her disgusting. Brady left to spend some time with Tate, asking Theresa to have the decency to give them some privacy.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor told Maggie they wouldn't be having a dinner to honor Xander, after all, since Xander was no longer welcome in their home -- and, in fact, would soon be leaving Salem for good. Maggie knew there had to be more to the story, but she also knew Victor had probably already told her everything he planned to tell her about the matter, so she decided to change the subject, revealing that Brady had called earlier to let her know Tate would be released from the hospital the following day.
Victor admitted he couldn't believe Theresa Donovan was the mother of a Kiriakis child. Maggie complained about how Theresa had driven Melanie away, and Victor warned that Theresa wouldn't be satisfied with just getting rid of Melanie. Victor predicted that Theresa would also use Tate to suck every dollar she could out of Brady -- and suck the life out of Brady in the process. Maggie advised Victor to let Brady handle Theresa his own way, and Victor grudgingly agreed.
Later, Victor overheard Daniel telling Maggie that he and Nicole were working things out. "Someone tell me I'm hearing things," Victor said as he entered the room. Maggie abruptly excused herself so Daniel and Victor could talk privately. Daniel braced himself for an argument, but Victor said his plate was already full, thanks to the sudden arrival of Theresa as a permanent fixture in Brady's life, so he wasn't going to object to Daniel's relationship with Nicole if she was truly who Daniel wanted to be with.
Daniel settled for that as the closest thing to a blessing he was likely to get from Victor. Daniel suggested that Victor could tell Nicole the same thing, since she was on her way to the Kiriakis mansion to meet up with Daniel, but Victor happily reported that he had a meeting to attend. Before excusing himself, Victor informed Daniel that Xander would soon be leaving Salem -- perhaps even as early as that very night.
After applying some makeup, Nicole started to exit her office, but when she opened the door, she found Xander waiting on the other side.
Rafe and Justin met at Club TBD to talk. Justin told Rafe that Victor was disappointed that Rafe had not left Clyde alone. Justin said that it was a bad idea to involve Hope in the investigation. Rafe reminded Justin that Hope was strong-willed and had followed her own hunch. With a shrug, Rafe said that he had pushed Hope to back off.
"And when you failed, you decided to join forces and go after Weston together after you promised Victor you wouldn't," Justin theorized aloud. Justin advised Rafe to talk to Victor instead of the police. When Justin asked Rafe whether he had any hard evidence against Clyde, Rafe asked Justin if he was saying that Victor did not have any evidence either. Justin argued that Victor would talk to Rafe if there was anything he wanted to share. Justin added that Victor wanted to minimize collateral damage. Rafe agreed to drop his investigation "for now."
In the town square, Kate found Clyde and handed him a copy of the latest issue of Sonix. Clyde grinned as he looked at Will's headline about him on the cover. Kate's phone beeped with a message from Justin. Annoyed, Kate explained that she had been summoned.
In his office, Aiden asked his assistant, Maria, not to mention his personal life around clients. Maria apologized and agreed. As Maria left, Hope walked in and said hello. Aiden informed Hope that he was going to drop Clyde as his client. Upset, Hope said Clyde was not a suspect in an active case, and it was possible that her hunch about Clyde could be wrong. Hope said she did not want to affect Aiden's work with an overreaction.
"Are you saying you don't want me to drop Clyde as a client?" Aiden asked. Hope told Aiden that the decision was up to him. Hope said she did not want their jobs to interfere with their relationship. When Aiden asked Hope if she was still concerned about Clyde, she noted that she had no reason to ask Aiden to drop Clyde as a client.
As Clyde walked through the town square, his henchman Stan called to report that Hope had visited Aiden at his office and had left. Clyde asked Stan to keep him updated on Hope. Clyde then dropped by Aiden's office to sign some paperwork. When Clyde asked what Aiden had wanted to discuss with him, Aiden lied and told Clyde that he had wanted to suggest that there were tax benefits to a charitable trust. On his way out, Clyde commented that being a father was the best job in the world.
At the Brady Pub, Hope and Rafe met for a drink. Rafe informed Hope that Stefano had cut a deal on his tax evasion charges. Hope said she had heard the same thing. With a raised eyebrow, Hope asked Rafe why he had called her to meet. Rafe said it had been a mistake to tell her about Clyde. Hope surmised that Victor had talked to Rafe. Hope said that she was dropping her investigation into Clyde.
Hope explained that though Clyde was dirty, he was too smart to leave any evidence of his wrongdoing. With a sigh, Hope added that she had received Victor's message loud and clear. Hope and Rafe agreed that Clyde was likely the cause of Sonny's stabbing but that Victor would never admit it. Without proof, Hope advised Rafe to drop the matter so that no one was hurt by the investigation.
Hope noted that she had talked to Aiden and that he had been contemplating dropping Clyde as a client. Hope said that she had feared it would be dangerous for Aiden to drop Clyde because Clyde would suspect something, and that would put Aiden in danger. When Rafe asked Hope what she had told Aiden, Hope said that she had told him she had overreacted. Hope added that Clyde needed to feel safe or else he would trace any suspicions back to her or Rafe. "When he makes a mistake, we got one shot to take him down," Hope said.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie asked Daniel if Victor was around. Daniel explained that Victor had left when he had heard that Nicole was on her way over to the mansion. Daniel asked Maggie if she knew why Nicole would be anxious to talk to Victor. When Maggie asked about Nicole, Daniel smiled and said he believed things were changing for the better between him and Nicole.
Maggie swooned, and Daniel rushed to catch her. With a chuckle, Maggie noted that she had skipped lunch and likely had low blood sugar. Worried, Daniel insisted that he take Maggie to the hospital for tests. Daniel said that Nicole could wait while he made sure that his mother was healthy.
In Serena's hotel, Eric confronted Serena about her smuggling operation. Eric demanded to know the details of Serena's exploits. Emotional, Serena begged Eric not to push "him" too far. Suspicious, Eric asked Serena if she was talking about Xander. Serena grew quiet. Eric started to leave, and Serena begged Eric to leave Xander alone. Eric argued that Serena was panicking that he would discover the truth. Eric added that he could not overlook that Serena had committed a crime.
"Nothing justifies lying to people you love. I want you to tell me what I got right and what I'm missing, and don't leave out a thing because I'll get what I need out of Xander one way or another," Eric yelled. Serena nodded. Serena said she would tell Eric everything, but she needed him to promise not to talk to Xander. Eric refused.
"Yeah, I am trying to cover my own ass, but I am way more worried about you. They don't call them blood diamonds for nothing," Serena said. "So I was right?" Eric said. "About that? Yeah. But I need your word that you are going to hear me out all the way through. That you are not going to go running to the police or trying to confront Xander until you have had time to digest everything I've said and you understand all of the implications. And in return, no lies. You get the whole truth. At this point, I have no choice," Serena said.
Eric agreed not to leave until he heard all that Serena had to say. With a sigh, Serena began her tale. Serena explained that after Eric had left Africa, she had been heartbroken and lonely. Angry, Eric asked how soon it had been after he had left before she had taken up with Xander. With a guilty shift of her eyes, Serena admitted that she had started to see Xander during Eric's last photo assignment in Africa. Serena said that the adrenaline rush of the smuggling combined with her empty bank account had lured her into Xander's web.
"Xander convinced me that we weren't hurting anyone," Serena said. Furious, Eric noted that when Serena had told him goodbye in Africa, she had already moved on. Fighting tears, Serena said that she had wanted Eric to be happy. In the emotion of their goodbyes, Serena had accidentally mixed up the statues and placed the wrong one into storage. When Eric pressed her for details, Serena said that she had stayed with Xander after Eric left. Crying, Serena explained that two men had argued with Xander, and the two men had been beaten nearly to death.
Fearful for her life, Serena had run away from Xander and waited for him to find her. Serena said she had heard from Xander years later and had been frantic to find the diamonds. Pulling a photo of Eric out of her purse, Serena said that when she had seen the photo, she had realized that she had mixed up her statue and the one that Eric had taken with him. Serena explained that in order to protect Eric, she had told Xander there had been a delay so that she could find the diamonds alone.
As Eric grumbled, Serena said she had returned to Salem for the diamonds, but she had fallen in love with Eric in the process. Serena stressed that Eric was everything she had wanted. Overcome with anger, Eric stormed out while Serena cried and begged for Eric not to tell anyone what she had said.
As Nicole left her office, she was startled to find Xander waiting for her in the hallway. Xander reminded Nicole that they had discussed getting together. Nervous, Nicole reminded Xander that she had said she would call him. When Xander noted that Nicole had failed to call him, Nicole stammered that she had worked a long day. Xander thought about the garrote in his briefcase.
"I couldn't wait any longer. I just had to see you," Xander said ominously. Nicole begged off, noting that she had an appointment. Xander asked if she was seeing another man. Chuckling, Nicole joked that she had not met any men that afternoon. As Xander nodded, Nicole lied and said she was going to meet some colleagues for a drink. As Nicole turned to leave, she stopped. Nicole asked Xander how he had entered the building when it was locked and the guard had gone home ill.
Xander said the guard had been up front and had let him in. Nicole's phone rang, and Xander smiled innocently at Nicole. As Nicole saw that Daniel was calling, she explained that she needed to take the call. Without leaving, Xander urged her to take her time. When Nicole answered the phone, Daniel explained that he needed to take Maggie to the hospital to run some tests. Nicole gave a cheerful okay. When Daniel asked about meeting later, Nicole said they would meet another time.
After Nicole hung up the phone, Xander asked who had called. With a nervous smile, Nicole said that her coworker Sally had called. Xander asked Nicole if he had her all to himself for the evening. Shrugging, Nicole said that she was relieved that Sally had canceled because she was tired and wanted to go home.
"I understand a great deal. I'm not sure you're all that exhausted though. I think you're just not interested. At least not in the way you led me to believe," Xander said. "I really don't think I like you, Nicole," Xander said as he grabbed Nicole's arm. Frightened, Nicole attempted to call the guard at the front, and Xander informed her that the guard was gone. Xander added that he had lied about the guard, just like Nicole had lied to him from the start.
"And right now, you just lied to me again about who you were talking to on the phone. I saw the caller I.D. It was Daniel. It's always been Daniel. You led me on, Nicole. That was a huge mistake," Xander growled. Nervous, Nicole said that Daniel had been jealous. Xander yelled that he had seen Nicole kissing Daniel. Xander said that he would deal with Nicole and then deal with Daniel. Frantic, Nicole lunged away, but Xander grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close.
"You think you're smarter than me? You, Misty Circle? You're too good for me? How dare you?" Xander said. Nicole reached behind her and grabbed the stapler. Nicole swung the stapler at Xander's face, but he ducked the blow. Xander threw Nicole against the wall and began to choke her.
At the hospital, Maggie asked Daniel not to tell anyone about her weakness until the test results were available. Daniel and Maggie joked and hugged one another while they waited. When the test results proved the problem was low blood sugar, Daniel handed Maggie a cup of juice, and they headed down the hall to see Tate.
At Club TBD, Justin reviewed the sales figures with Kate. Kate was annoyed when Justin downplayed the positive performance of the company. Justin countered that since the company had lost its top designer and distributor, they would reevaluate the growth in the next quarter. When Justin announced that he had suggestions for the men's line, Kate scoffed. Justin said that Titan should hire Paul as a spokesmodel for the men's line.
Justin argued that Paul was perfect for Titan's target demographics. When Kate resisted, Justin argued that it was a business decision. Kate countered that Justin wanted to hurt Lucas for his affair with Justin's wife. Grinning, Justin said that if Will and Sonny's marriage was strong, then there was no need to worry about Paul. Kate refused to hire Paul. When Kate said Justin could deal with everything, Justin asked Kate if she intended to quit after she had forced her son out in order to secure her job. Furious, Kate grabbed the file on Paul and stormed out.
As Will and Sonny returned to their apartment after their first therapy session, Will was singing Dr. Meyers' praises, but Sonny was frustrated because Meyers had been pushing for them to move forward instead of first focusing on what had gone wrong in their marriage. Will pointed out that they had told Dr. Meyers everything that had happened, but Sonny countered that the doctor hadn't even asked them any questions. "He asked us if we wanted to stay married. We both said yes," Will reminded Sonny, adding that Dr. Meyers had a terrific reputation.
A skeptical Sonny asked, "Will, be honest. Did it go great? Really? Or did it go just the way you wanted it to?" Will was surprised that Sonny seemed to think they hadn't accomplished anything in their session, but Sonny asserted that it was far too early to judge. Will stated that he was feeling optimistic because he wanted more than anything to fix things -- but he understood that it would take more time. Sonny hugged Will goodbye and left for the club.
As soon as the door closed behind Sonny, Will picked up something from the table and furiously hurled it at the sofa.
At Club TBD, a gloomy Chad was at a table alone, brooding about Abigail. Ben entered and hung back near the bar when he saw Chad. Ben glowered in Chad's direction while Chad rubbed his forehead as if nursing a headache. Just then, Zoe walked in and joined Chad. After a bit of flirtatious banter between them, Zoe revealed that the sales figures for the latest issue of Sonix were disappointing so far.
Ben left the club and tried to call Abigail at the office, but someone at the hospital informed him that Abigail had left early. Wondering where Abigail could have gone, Ben remembered the tracking software he'd installed on her phone, so he used it to ascertain that she was at home.
Chad wasn't terribly surprised that an issue with Clyde Weston on the cover wasn't flying off the shelves -- but he didn't really care because the purchase of the magazine had been intended as a corporate write-off. Zoe grumbled that she hadn't exactly been thrilled when Chad had requested the cover story on Weston, and she wondered if Chad had expected Will to uncover Clyde's dirty secrets. "Everybody's got secrets. Now, if Will couldn't find any, what can I say? Maybe Clyde is a saint," Chad joked, mocking Clyde's drawl.
Chad asked Zoe about Sonix's upcoming articles. Admittedly surprised by Chad's interest, Zoe said they were planning an exclusive about a Hollywood starlet, as well as a story that Will Horton was pushing about a Dr. Meyers, a couples' therapist whose techniques were "all the rage." Zoe admitted she wasn't sold on the latter article, but she felt she owed it to Will to at least listen. Caressing Chad's hand across the table, Zoe suggested they continue their discussion back at his place over a drink.
Sonny entered and observed what was going on between Chad and Zoe, but he left them alone and quietly headed behind the bar. Chad told Zoe that he'd have to get back to her. As she left, Zoe suggestively assured Chad that her phone was always on.
When Sonny saw Zoe leaving, he rushed over to Chad's table and teasingly asked why Chad had turned down Zoe Browning. Chad pointed out that it would be inappropriate for him to hook up with Zoe because she was his employee -- plus he didn't think of her that way. "Not like the way you think about Abigail, right?" Sonny noted, pointing out that he'd seen the way Chad looked at Abigail. Chad maintained that since he'd returned, he had tried his hardest to stay out of Abigail's life. Sonny didn't buy it, but Chad insisted that there was nothing going on between him and Abigail, and there never would be.
Zoe headed for Will's to tell him in person about the disappointing sales figures for the latest issue of Sonix, which didn't surprise him. Zoe also told Will that she didn't think he should do the article about Dr. Meyers and that he should instead find someone "hotter." Will tried to convince Zoe that Meyers would be a great subject for an article.
Zoe didn't think the magazine's demographic was right for it, but she offered to let Will write an article "on spec." Will said he couldn't do the piece, but he could write a treatment that Zoe could show to the other writers in the office -- as long as she kept his name out of it. Zoe agreed but reminded Will that he needed to be thinking about what his next article would be.
After Zoe left, Will muttered angrily, "I promised Doctor Meyers. I promised him!" Will called Dr. Meyers, who asserted that they shouldn't be talking outside the office and without Sonny present. Will explained that his editor was "psyched" about the article on Dr. Meyers and wanted it within the next week. A flattered Dr. Meyers agreed that his methods could make a fascinating article. Will remarked that Sonny still seemed to want to dwell on the past. "Will, relax. I have an extraordinary success rate. You and Sonny are going to be yet another one of my miracle saves," Dr. Meyers reassured Will.
On the couch at the Horton house, Abigail was dressed in sweats and working on her computer, attempting to do some work from home, but memories of her encounter with Chad kept intruding and distracting her. Finally, she gave up. She set her laptop on the coffee table and began dictating a diary entry about her mystifying obsession with Chad and how ashamed her family would be if they knew about it.
Abigail reminded herself and her diary that Ben was the one who really loved and cared about her, and it tormented her that she had betrayed him -- but she also knew she couldn't be honest with him about it, or she would lose him forever. "I love him. I do. Oh, my God, I almost blew it, sleeping with Chad," Abigail said with a sigh. She clicked a key and read over what she'd just dictated. The teakettle whistled, so Abigail left her computer open while she headed into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Abigail was returning through the foyer with a cup of tea when Ben knocked on the front door. Surprised to see him, Abigail asked how he'd known she was there and not at work. Ben lied that he'd called the hospital, and they'd said she was working at home. Although Abigail hadn't told anyone that was what she was doing, she dropped it and led Ben into the living room before returning to the kitchen to make him a cup of tea.
Ben headed straight for coffee table, but instead of taking a peek at Abigail's open laptop, he picked up the photo album next to it and began leafing through it. When Abigail returned with the tea, she tried not to panic when she noticed how close Ben was sitting to her computer. She tried to be casual as she shut it, but it closed a bit loudly. "Something on there you didn't want me to see?" Ben asked with a smile. Abigail confessed that it was her "interactive" diary, explaining that the software typed as she was speaking.
Abigail assured Ben that she'd just been telling her diary how wonderful he was -- how loving, kind, and "super-hot." "Well, then maybe we should work on giving you some more stuff to put in your diary," Ben proposed, setting down the photo album to kiss Abigail. As things turned more passionate, Abigail pulled away, reminding Ben that her mom or brother could walk in at any moment. Ben pointed out that they wouldn't have to worry about that if they lived together, but he quickly apologized for mentioning it.
Abigail admitted she'd been thinking a lot about moving in with Ben. She apologized for being secretive about everything that had been going on with her family, but Ben understood that she was just respecting J.J.'s privacy. Ben asked if Abigail knew when she might want to move in. She asked him to give her a little time to make sure everything was all right with her mom and J.J. Ben was just thrilled that Abigail was thinking about moving in with him. After Ben left, Abigail told herself that he could never find out that she'd slept with Chad.
Serena was pacing in her hotel room, worrying that Eric would try to go after Xander, when Marlena dropped by and demanded to know what was going on between Serena and Eric. Marlena explained that she'd learned from Caroline about Serena and Eric's breakup and Serena's imminent, solo departure from Salem. Marlena wanted to know what had happened, since she'd expected Eric to join Serena in Hawaii later.
Picking up her phone and retrieving Eric's contact information, an anxious Serena shouted at Marlena to leave. Marlena admitted that she was worried about Serena, but Serena repeated her request for Marlena to leave. Bewildered, Marlena left. Serena snatched up her phone and dialed Eric, but she got his voicemail. "Where are you?" Serena fretted fearfully.
At the hospital, as Maggie headed down the hall to look in on baby Tate, she assured Daniel that he didn't have to wait around for her, but he refused to leave. While Daniel was waiting, he left a message for Nicole, assuring her that he definitely wanted to get together soon. When Maggie returned, she said she'd run into a woman she sponsored who needed to talk. The woman had offered to drive Maggie home -- after which Maggie intended to be the one to break the news to Victor about what had happened to her.
Just then, a nurse announced that one of the other doctors had requested Daniel for a consult, so Daniel reluctantly agreed to let the other woman take Maggie home instead of waiting around to drive her.
As Daniel was leaving the hospital a little later, he ran into Marlena. She filled him in about what she'd learned from Caroline, as well as Marlena's fruitless visit to Serena, who'd been agitated and upset but had refused to reveal anything. Marlena added that she had tried several times to get in touch with Eric, but he hadn't returned any of her messages. Daniel said he would drop by to see Serena, and he promised to tell Marlena anything he learned.
Meanwhile, Serena was freaking out about not being able to reach Eric. She worried what would happen if Eric confronted Xander, or, worse, if Eric went to the police. After trying again and failing to reach Eric by phone, Serena resorted to calling his neighbor, Mrs. Parrish, and pleading with her to knock on Eric's door. Mrs. Parrish evidently refused, because Serena grabbed her purse, muttering that she would go do it herself, and rushed out the door -- where she nearly ran into Daniel. "Have you seen Eric?" Serena asked breathlessly.
Daniel said Eric had shown up at his place earlier to pick up the elephant statue. Knowing that had been a while before, Serena became even more upset and tried to leave, but Daniel blocked her way and refused to move until she told him what was going on. Daniel noted that Serena was clearly freaked out, and no one had been able to reach Eric. Serena interrupted Daniel to insist that she really loved Eric, but she needed to get to him before he got hurt.
Daniel gently demanded to know what Serena had done to Eric. "I didn't do anything. It was all Nicole," Serena maintained. She pleaded with Daniel to let her leave so she could find Eric. "What does Nicole have to do with this? Tell me!" Daniel demanded, grasping Serena by the arms and shaking her.
In Nicole's office at the TV station, Xander wrestled Nicole against the wall and wrapped his hands around her throat. Choking, Nicole warned Xander that the security cameras would record his actions, plus her car was still in the garage. Xander informed her that they had disabled the security cameras, and her car -- where he intended to stash her dead body -- was being moved. Xander and Nicole heard her phone chime, so he dragged her, still in a chokehold, over to the desk to check her phone.
Before shoving Nicole's phone in his back pocket, Xander taunted her that she'd gotten a message from Daniel. Furious that Nicole had continued seeing Daniel behind his back, Xander roared, "Big mistake, bitch! Nobody plays me!" Sobbing and gasping for air, Nicole informed Xander that she knew he'd murdered someone in Scotland. Xander reacted by swiftly wrapping the garrote around Nicole's neck and pulling it taut.
While Nicole was struggling to free herself and to breathe, Eric suddenly showed up and bashed Xander over the head with a vase, knocking him out. As Nicole caught her breath, she explained that she'd been trying to get information about Serena, but Eric said he knew all about it. Nicole thought they should get out of there and call the police, but she was worried about endangering Eric, as well, because Xander had people watching her.
Just then, Xander regained consciousness and grabbed Nicole by the ankle. Eric attacked him, and he managed to get in a few good punches before Xander started fighting back. In the scuffle, Eric's phone fell, unnoticed, out of his pocket and under a chair. When it appeared that Xander was getting the upper hand, Nicole grabbed something large and bashed Xander over the head with it. She grabbed Eric by the hand, and the two ran out of her office, leaving an injured Xander shouting threats after them.
Navidad arrived in Nicole's office a few minutes later and found Xander struggling to get up off the floor and holding his head in pain. Navidad assured Xander that she'd checked all the exits, so Eric and Nicole had to still be in the building. She sat at Nicole's computer so she could unblock the security cameras to look for Nicole and Eric. Navidad spotted Nicole and Eric in the basement, but she informed Xander that she'd locked the basement exit from the outside. Xander and Navidad headed out in pursuit of their prey.
Eric held Nicole's hand as they crept through the basement hallways toward the lower-level exit. Nicole was still worried that one of Xander's people could be watching that door, so Eric said he would call his dad to get him to send the police -- but he discovered that his phone was missing. When they reached the exit door, it was locked. As they were trying to decide where to go next, they heard Xander calling them. "Nicole! Eric! You know there's no way out. Here I come -- ready or not!" Xander's voice rang out in a taunting sing-song.
Nicole and Eric quietly slipped into the boiler room and hoped that Xander wouldn't notice the door. They worked their way further into the room and hid behind the furnace, remaining as silent as possible so Xander wouldn't hear them. Just then, Xander arrived outside the boiler room and grasped the door handle.
While researching Laura's past, Eve discovered that Marlena had been Laura's psychiatrist.
Paige met with Kayla at the Brady Pub to ask for a reference letter, explaining that she needed one to include with the job application she planned to submit to the local yogurt shop. Kayla offered to help Paige get a job at the hospital instead, but Paige declined, insisting she didn't want to work at the same place Jennifer and Abigail worked, nor did she want to risk running into J.J. there every day. Kayla assured Paige that J.J. only visited the hospital on rare occasions, but Paige guessed he would suddenly start visiting more frequently if she took a job there.
Kayla tried to urge Paige to find someone to talk to about everything that had happened, but Paige insisted she was fine, adding that she had lots of friends and had already started moving on with her life. Kayla wondered if that meant Paige was dating again. Paige clarified that she hadn't officially started dating yet but had checked out a few dating websites and had talked to a few of the men registered on them. Kayla tried to warn Paige that some of the men on those sites weren't very honest, but Paige was certain she would be able to handle them, especially after what she had been through with J.J.
At the Horton house, J.J. received a phone call from Rory, who urged him to get down to the park right away because there was a keg party going on there -- and an unbelievable selection of babes were in attendance. "I don't care about babes. All I want is Paige," J.J. said before ending the call. Jennifer overheard and told J.J. he needed to accept that Paige was gone for good. Jennifer advised that, while it would be difficult, J.J. needed to find a way to move on and start over. "You didn't do that with Dad, did you? I know he made, like, a ton of mistakes, and you took him back, every time," J.J. pointed out.
Jennifer confirmed that J.J. was correct. "But honey, what you did with Paige --" Jennifer started to add. "Is, like, ten times worse than anything Dad ever did, right?" J.J. concluded. Jennifer wished she could give J.J. hope that Paige would eventually forgive him, but she reminded him that every person was different, as was every relationship. "I get it, okay? It'll never happen. It's a stupid hope," J.J. muttered. Jennifer insisted it wasn't a stupid hope at all -- it was just a human one. J.J. abruptly excused himself, claiming he had stuff to do. Before leaving, J.J. hugged Jennifer and thanked her for never giving up on him.
J.J. went to the town square, where he bumped into Paige. "Are you stalking me?" Paige demanded to know. Bev eavesdropped nearby as J.J. denied the accusation, explaining that he had simply been headed to the yogurt shop to apply for a summer job. Paige incredulously asked if Kayla had told J.J. that Paige was planning to apply for that same job so he could just happen to run into Paige there. J.J. swore he hadn't known anything about that, and he assured Paige that bumping into her had been nothing more than a coincidence. Paige was skeptical, but J.J. maintained his innocence and begged her to listen.
"No, you listen, okay? I don't know if you were stalking me or if this was just pure chance, but what I do know is that I'll never believe another word out of your mouth," Paige spat. Paige added that J.J. was a liar and a cheat who wasn't even worth two seconds of her time. "I get it! You hate me, and you never want to see me again. You can have the job; I'm done here," J.J. sadly muttered before walking away.
After J.J. left, Bev emerged from her hiding place and gleefully observed that he and Paige really knew how to flip-flop between being gooey-eyed lovers and slicing and dicing each other to shreds. "Ooh, maybe you guys should have your own reality show! I would watch that," Bev joked. Paige offered to fill Bev in on exactly what had happened with J.J., and Bev's jaw dropped when she learned that he had slept with Paige's mother. Meanwhile, J.J. went to the keg party in the park and quickly seized Rory's drink. Rory observed that J.J. looked kind of bummed. "Screw it. Let's party," J.J. replied before downing the drink.
At the hospital, Theresa told Anne about all the harsh things Brady had said during their last conversation. Theresa feared that driving Melanie away might have been the biggest mistake of her life, but Anne dismissively assured Theresa that Brady would get over it eventually. Meanwhile, Eve arrived and asked to see Tate. Theresa snapped that Brady was with Tate, and she didn't want to deal with Brady at that time -- or Eve, for that matter. Eve started to protest, but she changed her mind when she spotted Marlena nearby.
Anne took Theresa to the town square for some fresh air. While eating frozen yogurt with Anne in a secluded area, Theresa expressed her fears about being unprepared for motherhood. Brady passed through the area while Theresa was talking, and he paused to eavesdrop on the conversation. Theresa complained that she didn't have the foggiest idea about how to take care of a baby. "Especially important stuff, like feeding him. I mean, what if I feed him too much, you know? He's so small. And, you know, what if I drop him?" Theresa fretted.
Anne advised Theresa to ask Kimberly for help, but Theresa insisted she couldn't because that would just prompt Kimberly to barge in and take over -- plus, Kimberly was already upset about the fact that Theresa had decided not to move back to Los Angeles, anyway. Theresa added that she couldn't lean on her sister for help, either, since Eve had a bad habit of moving from one hot mess to the next. Theresa sighed as she mused that Tate wasn't going to have anyone except her.
Anne clarified that Tate would also have his Auntie Anne, adding that she and Theresa could learn how to raise Tater-Tot together. Theresa hesitantly thanked Anne before stressing that it was her responsibility to take care of Tate. Changing the subject, Theresa suggested she and Anne could return to the hospital to see Tate, since Brady had probably left already. "At least at the hospital, I don't really have to worry about doing anything wrong. Tomorrow, though -- that's when it gets scary," Theresa added with a nervous sigh as she and Anne walked away.
Brady followed Theresa back to the hospital, where he found her singing to Tate in his room. Theresa apologized and started to excuse herself, explaining that she had assumed Brady had already left. Brady stopped Theresa and suggested they could talk about some things, but she insisted she had nothing to say to him. "You made it real clear, Brady -- I'm scum, and you want nothing to do with me. Well, guess what -- it's mutual. So from now on, anything that has to do with Tate, talk to my attorney," Theresa added before storming off. "Oh, buddy. No matter how I feel, I'm gonna do what's right for you," Brady assured Tate after Theresa left.
Eve followed Marlena to her office and asked to talk to her for a moment. Eve explained that, because of a terrible mistake she had made, Paige was no longer speaking to her. Eve said she believed Marlena could help her repair her relationship with Paige. Eve conceded, however, that she and Marlena probably wouldn't be able to work together, since Theresa had done some terrible things to Marlena's loved ones. Eve asked Marlena to consider at least doing one session with her to determine the appropriate colleague to refer her to.
"Marlena, sometimes I just feel like I want to die, you know?" Eve added, forcing a few tears to the surface. Marlena agreed to check her schedule and see if she had any openings. While Marlena was at her computer, Eve continued talking, pretending to get more and more choked up until she finally started faking a coughing fit. Marlena rushed off to get Eve some water. Once the coast was clear, Eve closed the office door and went to Marlena's computer to start searching for Laura's medical files. Before Eve managed to locate Laura's name in the database, Jennifer entered the room, looking for Marlena, and demanded to know what Eve was doing.
Daniel manhandled Serena as he ordered her to tell him what was going on. Serena stonewalled Daniel, so he shoved her aside and threatened to get the police involved. Serena grabbed Daniel's cell phone, insisting he couldn't do that. After a few more failed attempts to get the truth out of Serena, Daniel reclaimed his phone and rushed off to track Eric down, vowing to tell him all about how Serena had refused to help out when the chips had been down.
Xander's search for Eric and Nicole only managed to uncover a family of rats, so he went back to Nicole's office, where he found Eric's cell phone. After listening to the voicemail messages Serena had recorded for Eric, Xander decided to use her foolishness to his advantage. Using Nicole's cell phone, Xander sent Daniel a text message, making it seem like Nicole was accompanying Eric on a drive to Chicago -- a trip he was taking to clear his head because he was upset about his earlier fight with Serena. Xander also used Eric's phone to send a reassuring text message to Marlena, another person who had recorded a voicemail message for Eric.
Daniel was outside Eric's apartment when he received the text message from Nicole's phone. At Daniel's request, Xander sent a second text message with an address, directing Daniel to a place in Chicago where Nicole and Eric would supposedly be waiting for him. Xander's second message also warned that Nicole's cell phone battery was almost dead. Serena had followed Daniel to Eric's place, and she grabbed Daniel's phone and read the second message before he could stop her. Daniel insisted Serena wasn't allowed to tag along on his trip to Chicago, but she chased after him anyway.
While hiding, Nicole and Eric quietly discussed Serena and Xander's secret. Eric was surprised to learn that Nicole had been suspicious of Serena and Xander for weeks but had never said anything to Eric about her suspicions because she had assumed he wouldn't believe her. Eric hugged Nicole and apologized for doubting her instincts.
Navidad located the building's blueprints on Nicole's computer, and she and Xander quickly spotted a hidden room in the basement. Just as Eric and Nicole were starting to get confident that Xander wouldn't find them, he began banging on the door and rattling the locked doorknob, angrily ordering them to let him in immediately.
In Horton Square, Bev's jaw dropped when Paige asserted that she and J.J. had broken up because he'd had sex with her mother. A stunned Bev stammered a bunch of questions before stopping to remark that Paige seemed not just angry but very cold. Paige declared that she was through with liars and manipulators, so she could live with the label of "cold." With seemingly genuine concern, Bev urged Paige to take care of herself.
In the party at the park, Rory pointed out a couple of girls to J.J. and said the girls were fans of J.J.'s music, as well as "hippie" types. Rory said he was fine with either girl, so he offered to let J.J. pick first. J.J. downed his drink while Rory went to get the girls, whom Rory introduced as Lisa and Wendy. After they raved about J.J.'s music, Lisa said she went to Salem U, but Wendy was going to study in Mexico the following year.
Wendy explained for an interested Rory that her group would be monitoring turtle nests and tagging the babies when they hatched. Rory surprised everyone by knowing exactly the type of endangered turtles Wendy was talking about. Rory pulled an uncommunicative J.J. aside and urged him to up his game. J.J. complained that he didn't feel well and needed to leave, but first he asked how Rory had learned about those turtles. "I watch the Nature Channel when I get baked," Rory explained sheepishly.
J.J. gave Rory a push in the direction of the girls and turned to leave, but Bev showed up just then. She told J.J. that she'd just run into Paige, who had revealed everything. J.J. assumed Bev wanted to taunt him, but instead, she gently expressed her sympathy. J.J. reminded Bev that she'd tried countless times to break up him and Paige. Bev admitted she'd done those things because she'd been hurt and jealous, but she'd never wanted to see him so heartbroken.
J.J. tried to explain to Bev what had happened between him and Eve while he and Paige had been broken up and how he'd felt like he'd gotten a second chance when he'd gotten back together with Paige. He continued that Eve had done everything in her power to keep him away from Paige -- but he didn't really blame Eve for it. Bev tried to reassure J.J. that maybe Paige would forgive him, but he didn't think so. "It's over, and I have to accept that and figure out some way to move on," J.J. said glumly.
Bev took J.J.'s hand and again expressed her sympathy. She urged J.J. to let go of his bad feelings, even if it were just for a few minutes, to give himself time to breathe. "You are not the worst person to walk the earth, and you are not this one big mistake. So just forget it. Feel better," Bev instructed, grabbing J.J. and kissing him.
Jennifer walked into Marlena's office and found Eve on Marlena's computer. "What do you think you're doing?" Jennifer demanded. Eve indignantly pointed out that Jennifer had just barged into a psychiatrist's office, but Jennifer still wanted to know what Eve was up to. Eve lied that she'd just been trying to access Marlena's calendar online so she could schedule an appointment with Marlena. Jennifer was skeptical that Eve was seeing Marlena professionally.
"My God, you're the one who said I needed to see a therapist, so I'm doing it, all right?" Eve shot back. Eve explained that losing Paige had been difficult, and she'd realized that she'd made a lot of mistakes with Paige. "While you're dealing with your mistakes, don't forget to mention that you set my son up for a felony to try and hide your secret," Jennifer suggested irritably.
As Eve was pronouncing Jennifer "sanctimonious," Marlena returned. Jennifer left, promising Marlena that she would return later. Marlena apologized to Eve for how long she'd been gone, explaining that she'd been trying to get in touch with Eric, from whom she'd just received a text message. As she checked her schedule, Marlena said she could fit Eve in at eleven the next morning so they could discuss a referral for Eve.
Although Eve really wanted an earlier appointment, she agreed to that time. Eve expressed concern that her records might not be confidential. Marlena stressed that the hospital had a great data security system, but she admitted that she preferred the old-fashioned way of keeping files, indicating the locked file cabinet in the corner. Marlena added that files more than fifteen years old were still kept that way. Eve thanked Marlena and headed out.
Jennifer returned to inform Marlena that she'd seen Eve on Marlena's computer. Before Jennifer could divulge any details, Marlena cut her off, pointing out that Eve could become a patient, therefore Marlena couldn't discuss anything about Eve with Jennifer. Jennifer admitted that she'd dropped by earlier because she'd wanted to discuss her relationship with her mother. Jennifer reminded Marlena about the time Jack and Laura had been in the clinic together and had had an affair.
Jennifer continued that even though she and Jack hadn't been together at that time, and neither Laura nor Jack had known who the other was, she had thought she and Jack would never get past it. "Why is this coming up now?" Marlena asked. Jennifer explained that she'd been struggling with forgiveness, but she had managed to forgive Jack and her mom for something she'd believed unforgivable -- so she knew it was possible, especially if it were someone a person really loved.
Back at her apartment, Eve poured herself a glass of wine and mused, "If Laura Horton's illness is hereditary, I just need to know what the symptoms were." When Paige entered the apartment, Eve greeted her daughter effusively. Paige brusquely explained that she was only there to pick up some things she'd asked her Aunt Theresa to pack up for her, except Theresa had never done it. As Paige rummaged through her things, Eve remarked that she hadn't been able to get through to Paige on the phone, even her voicemail.
Paige said she'd blocked Eve's number. Paige became annoyed when she couldn't find some class notes that she would need for the next semester, but, eager to get out of the apartment, she said she would just get them from the cloud. As Paige grabbed her box of stuff to leave, Eve said Paige couldn't just walk out. "I am your mother," Eve reminded her. "You are nothing to me!" Paige spat.
Eve pleaded with Paige not to leave. "Honey, there's got to be something that I can say, something that I can do..." Eve began, standing in the doorway to keep Paige from departing. "You want to help me? Leave! Leave Salem. But for now, get out of my way," Paige barked. Eve reluctantly moved, and Paige left, slamming the door behind her. Eve blamed Jennifer for everything, muttering determinedly, "Now she's going to lose her son -- and everything else."
When Paul met Kate at the Brady Pub at her behest, he assumed she wanted to warn him to stay away from Will and Sonny. Kate explained that she ran a cosmetics company, which was introducing a line of products for men that Mad World hoped would appeal to a very broad range of men -- and they wanted Paul to be their spokesperson.
Paul remained silent while Kate noted that in addition to his regular compensation, they could also include a small portion of the profits, which Paul could either keep or donate to charity. Paul guessed that the idea had not been Kate's. "And I thought I had the best poker face in Salem," Kate replied evenly. She left the contract on the table for Paul to review and headed out.
Sonny returned to the apartment to retrieve his tablet, which he needed to finalize the club's schedule. He asked Will when their next appointment with Dr. Meyers was, and Will said they didn't have one because he didn't think Sonny wanted to go back. Sonny explained that he merely wanted to make sure Dr. Meyers knew it was important to them to go over everything that had happened before they moved forward.
Hedging, Will suggested that they try to return to Dr. Lewis, but that immediately aroused Sonny's suspicions. Will pointed out that Sonny hadn't seemed comfortable with Dr. Meyers. Sonny asserted that he'd simply had some questions. He asked Will to make another appointment for the next afternoon, if possible. Sonny left to return to the club. "Damn it," Will grumbled as soon as the door had closed behind his husband.
A few minutes later, Kate arrived, an apology already on her lips because she'd received a text message from Will, demanding her presence right away. Will clarified that he needed a big favor from Kate. After he'd explained everything to her, Kate was a little incredulous that her grandson had proposed writing a "puff piece" about his counselor in exchange for a promise from Dr. Meyers to keep Will and Sonny's marriage together. Kate advised Will that they would only be able to make their marriage work by putting in the time and work.
Will argued that the odds weren't in his favor because Justin and Victor were pushing for Sonny and Paul to get back together. Kate confessed that she had just offered Paul Narita a job on Justin's orders. When Will learned what the job was, he realized that it would only make Paul more famous and desirable. Kate asserted that Will was overreacting because Sonny clearly still wanted to work things out. Will argued that after learning that there would be no article, Dr. Meyers would "torpedo" him.
Kate didn't believe Meyers would ruin his success rate just to get back at Will. Will asked if Kate could get an article written about Meyers for Salem Style or TruVista, since they were part of Titan. Kate pointed out that she no longer ran that division of the company. "Grandma, if anyone can make this happen, it's you," Will pleaded. Kate urged Will to stop trying to control everything.
Will was determined not to let his daughter grow up without knowing her other daddy, pointing out that neither Kate nor his parents would have ever let someone steal their partner away from them. Kate reminded Will what a mess Lucas and Sami had made of his childhood. "Are you going to help me or not?" Will asked. "I don't know if I can make that article happen, but I'll think of something," Kate said.
Paul ran into Sonny in the park and asked to talk to him about the job offer. After Sonny reviewed the contract, he said it seemed like a really good deal. Sonny guessed that his dad had put Kate up to offering Paul the job. Paul admitted that it had been obvious Kate hadn't been crazy about the idea -- which was why he had wanted to talk to Sonny about it. Paul offered to not take the job if Sonny didn't want him to, but Sonny said his dad wouldn't do anything he didn't think was good for the company.
Sonny asked if Paul needed the money. Paul said he would give it to charity, but he pointed out that it would give him another reason to stay in Salem. Sonny thanked Paul for the heads-up and said it was Paul's decision whether or not to accept the job.
In the basement at the TV station, Xander beat on the door of the boiler room, where Nicole and Eric had locked themselves. Navidad waited with gun drawn in the hall behind Xander while he shouted for Eric and Nicole to open the door. When they didn't respond, Xander grabbed a fire extinguisher and used it to pound at the doorknob. Nicole and Eric tried desperately to hold the door shut from inside. They spotted the latch at the top of the door, and Eric slid it into place just as Xander knocked the doorknob off, leaving a hole in the door.
Eric and Nicole shoved a nearby shelving unit in front of the door to barricade it shut then they ducked behind the furnace. Meanwhile, a frustrated Xander screwed a silencer onto his pistol and began firing at the door. When it seemed clear that Xander and Navidad would manage to get into the room in the next few seconds, Eric grabbed Nicole, and they slipped through a vent and cowered together in the corner.
When Xander and Navidad burst in, they couldn't figure out where their quarry had disappeared to, since there were no other exits and the boiler was on. Xander bellowed a warning that by hiding, Nicole and Eric were only angering him further. Xander and Navidad left, pausing outside the door so Xander could use the handle of his gun to wedge a screwdriver into the doorframe to jam it shut. Then they headed upstairs to access the security cameras from Nicole's computer.
Nicole fretted that Xander and Navidad would return soon and figure out where they were. Eric tried to reassure her that someone would realize they were missing soon and show up there to look for Nicole. Nicole pointed out that Daniel wasn't expecting to see her until the next day. Eric guessed that Serena had already left town, and no one knew he had been going to see Nicole. "Then let's not delude ourselves. It's over," an anxious Nicole said sadly.
Back in Nicole's office, while Navidad sat at the computer, Xander looked at Eric's phone and counted five text messages from Serena to Eric. Xander wasn't worried that Serena would show up looking for Eric, though, because she had followed Daniel to Chicago. A few minutes later, Navidad pointed out something on the computer screen to Xander.
Eric blamed himself for the situation Nicole was in because he had mistakenly tried to protect Serena from Nicole. Urging Eric to stop beating himself up, Nicole reminded him that he'd saved her life earlier. "It's a hell of a time to get it... You're the only one who's ever completely loved me," Eric noted softly. He added that he had once thought he deserved someone better than Nicole, but he'd since realized that he'd never been good enough for her.
Nicole reassured Eric that things between them were good, and there was nothing for her to forgive. She kissed him tenderly on the cheek. They appeared to be about to share a kiss on the lips when Xander suddenly returned. "I'm back!" Xander called, heading straight for the air vent and tapping on it with his gun. Eric and Nicole stared anxiously at the vent. "So how is it in there, kiddies? Nice and cozy?" Xander asked.
