Due to the Labor Day holiday, Days of our Lives did not air. There were no "lost" episodes as a result of this pre-emption.
Regular programming resumed on Tuesday, September 8, and picked up where the Friday, September 4 episode concluded.
J.J. returned home and found an envelope with his name on it. J.J. opened the envelope and found a bullet, and he thought about when Clyde had threatened him. As J.J. stared at the bullet, Paige called out to him. Worried, Paige asked about the bullet, but J.J. warned Paige through gritted teeth to leave in case someone was watching his house. With a sigh, Paige reluctantly left.
J.J. met up with Paige in the park to talk. Paige was concerned about the bullet. Shaking his head, J.J. said he needed to make sure that Clyde believed he had not talked to anyone. J.J. swore to take down Clyde's business, but he intended to do it his own way. Paige wanted to help, but J.J. begged her to stay away. Shaking her head, Paige said she was worried about what would happen. J.J. said he would protect Paige because he loved her.
"I know that I broke your heart. Maybe you'll never be able to forgive me, but someday maybe I hope we will be able to sit down and talk," J.J. said. Paige assured J.J. that she did not hate him and that they would talk someday. Paige urged J.J. to be careful. With a nod, J.J. asked Paige not to tell anyone about Clyde. Paige gently kissed J.J. on the cheek then left.
J.J. called his contact, Watts, at the DEA. Watts ordered J.J. to learn who Kyle's boss was. J.J. told Watts that he was working on the connection.
In the park, Aiden told someone on the phone, "Yes, I am very clear on your expectations. Haven't I proven myself by now? I wouldn't dream of letting you down." Aiden walked over to the DiMera mansion to meet with Stefano. Aiden asked for an advance. Shaking his head, Stefano argued that he had promised to pay Aiden when he had married Hope and not a moment sooner. Aiden complained that he had fought a lot of obstacles to get as far as he had with Hope.
"I am telling you. I need the money, and I need it now," Aiden said. Angry, Stefano cautioned Aiden to remember that he worked for Stefano and not the other way around. Aiden apologized. Curious, Stefano pressed for details. Aiden said he had played Hope perfectly and that it was only a matter of time until Hope accepted his proposal. Stefano refused to give Aiden any money.
"Bo Brady is a distant memory! I've earned that money, and I need it, and I need it now!" Aiden yelped. Stefano reminded Aiden that he had evidence of Aiden's past. Stefano cautioned Aiden to remember that Stefano held all the cards.
In the Kiriakis mansion, Steve warned that the letters Victor had received from Bo were clearly not written by Bo. Steve offered to dig up Bo's merchant marine files and prove that Bo had never been to Tahiti. With a groan, Victor countered that Bo had been in Tahiti with Hope. Victor said he believed that Steve was "grasping at straws." When Steve urged Victor to consider that he was not imagining things, Victor said that if Steve was correct, then they needed to determine who had written Bo's letters.
Steve wondered aloud whether Bo had been working for the ISA at all. When Steve asked Victor if Bo had ever said that he was working with the ISA, Victor shook his head no. Eager to confirm whether Bo had been working with the ISA, Steve met up with John at the Brady Pub. After a joyous greeting, Steve broached the subject of Bo's disappearance. Steve asked John to tell him about the last time he had spoken to Bo. John explained that after Bo had given him the letter to give to Hope, Bo had informed John that Bo's investigation had involved an international crime syndicate.
"He couldn't give me any details. I wasn't with the agency back then," John added. John confirmed that he had not spoken to Bo since that last meeting. John added that Bo had said that he was working for the ISA. With a sigh, John warned Steve not to look for problems that were not there. Steve refused to believe that Bo would abandon his family.
"That's part of the life. I think you know that better than anybody. But I'll tell you this; before Bo left to go after Dimera, he was really driven. For the sake of his family. So I will check out this theory of yours, but I've gotta tell you, my gut says that he went off the grid of his own free will," John said. Steve frowned.
At Salem hospital, an officer called Rafe on the phone and informed him that a key found at the crime scene was a match for the key to the DiMera mansion main gate. At the nurses' station, Abigail overheard the officer.
In Club TBD, Hope comforted Eric. Eric blamed himself for upsetting Serena enough to send her to the club to drink the night she'd been killed. Hope assured Eric that Serena's murder was not his fault. Eric asked Hope if she had any suspects other than Chad. As Eric looked up, he saw Chad behind the bar. Eric jumped to his feet, and Hope gently grabbed his arm and forced him back down. Hope warned Eric to stay away from Chad. As Eric glowered, Hope asked Eric to take a walk with her.
After Hope and Eric left, Chad shook his head in frustration. Chad's phone rang. When Chad answered, he was surprised to hear Abigail asking him to meet with her. Chad was unsure, but Abigail said that she needed to tell him something. Abigail rushed over to Club TBD and told Chad about what she had heard at the hospital. Chad laughed. When Abigail asked if that was his key, Chad nodded. Abigail asked Chad if he had been in the park the night of the murder.
"I don't remember everything that happened that night," Chad admitted. For privacy, Chad and Abigail adjourned to his office. Chad explained that his lawyer had advised him not to talk to anyone. Chad said that he trusted Abigail. Concerned, Abigail asked Chad why he did not remember that night. Chad said that he had had a miserable night, and he had gotten drunk with Serena. Chad told Abigail what had happened with Serena and that he did not remember anything after he had left the club in pursuit of Serena.
"The worst thing is, I can't even say I didn't do it for sure. But maybe my worst fear has come true. I really am a chip off the old block. Maybe I'm a murderer," Chad said quietly. In disbelief, Abigail said that she did not think Chad had murdered anyone. Abigail said she refused to believe the worst in Chad because she knew that Chad had been willing to stand up to his father rather than hurt her.
"The last thing on your mind was revenge. You know what that tells me? That tells me that you are a person of character. The way that Serena was killed, that was senseless, and that was brutal. But you, Chad, you are not a violent person. It wasn't you," Abigail said. Chad thanked Abigail for her faith in him. As Abigail squeezed Chad's hand, he stepped closer to her. Nervous, Abigail pulled her hand away and left.
Ben paced his apartment, waiting for Abigail. Ben texted Abigail about whether they were still meeting with the wedding planner. When Abigail did not return his text, Ben called the wedding planner and rescheduled the meeting. Worried, Ben stared at the app on his phone to track down Abigail. After hesitating, Ben looked at the app and learned that Abigail was at Club TBD. Ben called the club and, using an Australian accent, asked if Chad was available. The employee noted that Chad was in his office.
After leaving Club TBD, Abigail called Ben. Abigail explained that she had felt queasy after work and had stopped at Club TBD to buy a cup of tea. Ben sighed in relief. Abigail apologized for missing their meeting with the planner, but Ben told her he had rescheduled. Worried, Ben asked Abigail if it was a good idea to hang out at Club TBD. Abigail noted that Chad was hardly ever at the club. Ben stated that since Chad was headed to prison, Abigail should steer clear of Chad in the meantime.
"I know you want to think the best of everyone because you are the sweetest person I know but trust me, Abigail, some people just don't deserve the benefit of the doubt," Ben said.
At the police station, Rafe told Roman about the key at the crime scene. Rafe argued that he did not believe that Chad was to blame because the DiMeras were usually not sloppy with their evidence at crime scenes. Roman countered that Chad had been drinking and that if he had committed a crime of passion, he might have been sloppy at covering up the crime. Shaking his head, Rafe disagreed.
Justin walked over and asked Rafe why he had not arrested Chad yet. Justin recounted the evidence. Rafe reminded Justin that the evidence was circumstantial. When Justin argued about an arrest, Rafe yelled he would arrest a suspect when he was ready. Hope and Eric entered the station as Rafe was arguing with Justin, and she asked what was going on. Justin asked Hope to remind Rafe that his job was to arrest a suspect.
Hope spoke with Rafe and Roman alone. Roman sided with Justin and argued that the key seemed to show that Chad should be arrested. As Rafe sighed, Roman said that he appreciated that Rafe wanted to be methodical, but they needed to make an arrest. Hope told Roman that she had every confidence in Rafe's instincts. Roman nodded and said that he would support Rafe if Hope said he should. After Roman left to tend to a matter, Hope offered to help Rafe. Rafe shook his head no. Rafe said he wanted to find the right killer.
In Roman's office, he talked to Eric about Serena's funeral. Eric was upset that none of Serena's family had attended the funeral and that Serena had never had a chance to start over. Eric asked Roman to find Serena's killer so that the killer did not hurt anyone else. Roman promised to find the murderer. With a sigh, Eric said he worried that Serena had died thinking that Eric had not appreciated her. Roman counseled Eric not to blame himself.
After Roman left, Eric stayed behind in Roman's office. Eric prayed to God, and he asked for guidance. Upset, Eric muttered that it was not fair that Serena had died before she had been able to rebuild her life.
After picking up Ciara from school, Hope and Ciara talked in their living room about Ciara's day. Ciara explained that her friend Lauren was annoyed that her crush Connor liked Ciara instead. Rolling her eyes, Ciara complained that it was not her fault. "Romance is so complicated," Ciara lamented.
Changing the subject, Hope told Ciara that she wanted to discuss Aiden. Ciara guessed that Aiden had stayed overnight at their house recently. Hope nodded. As Hope stammered in an attempt to tell Ciara about Aiden's proposal, Ciara grinned and asked Hope if Aiden had proposed to her. Hope chuckled. Hope admitted that Aiden had asked but that she had not answered the question yet. Hope said she had wanted to talk to Ciara first. With a grin, Ciara said that she liked Aiden and Chase.
"The important thing is Aiden, he makes you happy, and I really don't want you to be sad any more. Tell him yes, mom," Ciara said. When Hope asked Ciara if she was sure, Ciara answered that whenever they moved in together, she wanted the biggest room. As Hope smiled, Ciara asked about the ring. Hope took Ciara's hand, and she promised that Aiden would never replace Bo. "Sometimes I wish he could," Ciara said.
After their chat, Ciara went upstairs, and Hope stared at a photo of Bo. Hope thought about past romantic moments with Bo and when he had left. "I'll be back before you know it. Nothing is going to keep me from my two beautiful girls," Bo had said. Hope then thought about the last letter she had received from Bo and her heartbreak. Hope thought about all the happy moments with Aiden. With a sigh, Hope pulled the engagement ring out of the box and stared at it. Overwhelmed, Hope broke down in tears.
In an unknown prison, a man with Bo's tattoo on his back lay on the floor of a cell. Disheveled and grimy, the man did not move when a guard entered the cell and kicked him in the back. As the guard left, the prisoner coughed. Roused to consciousness, the prisoner sat up and revealed his face. It was Bo. Bo cowered in the corner of his cell, and he carved into the wall.
Rafe met up with Paige in the town square to talk about what Paige had witnessed in the club the night of Serena's murder. As Paige mentioned that she had seen Chad pursue Serena out of the club and that he had seemed angry and drunk, Chad overheard. Chad ducked behind a column in the square and eavesdropped. Rafe thanked Paige for her cooperation. Once Rafe had left, Chad asked Paige to talk. Chad asked what Paige had said.
Paige said she had told Rafe the truth about the night of Serena's murder. As Paige turned to leave, Chad grabbed her wrist and growled that she was wrong about him. Paige warned Chad not to touch her again. Paige pulled her arm away, and she left. Paige ran into the park, and she called J.J. to ask him to meet her at her dorm. J.J. agreed.
J.J. rushed over to Paige's dorm. When J.J. arrived, he found the front door open. J.J. walked in and looked around. When J.J. looked in the bathroom, he saw a foot poking out of the shower curtain. J.J. pulled back the shower curtain to reveal Paige lying on the shower floor, strangled with a necktie.
As Ben and Abigail snuggled in bed together, she apologized for missing their appointment with the wedding planner. Ben surprised her by handing her a stack of bridal magazines, explaining that although he wasn't necessarily into the planning process, he was thrilled to be marrying Abigail. The two marveled that the baby would be there soon, and they agreed that the idea was a little scary. "It's all happening for us, Abigail. We're going to start our life together and never look back," Ben said, his hand on Abigail's belly.
Eve stopped by the Kiriakis mansion to visit Theresa and proposed that they indulge in some cocktails. Theresa declined, explaining that she tried not to drink in front of the baby. Brady bounded down the stairs on his way out for a run. Theresa tried to stop him, but he didn't hear her over the music playing through his earbuds as he sailed out the front door.
Theresa gushed over little Tate in his bassinette and asked if Eve wanted to hold him. Eve admitted that being around Tate only made her remember how much she missed Paige, whom Tate resembled at the same age. As Eve lamented the loss of her relationship with her Paige, Theresa urged her sister to be patient. "It's hell not having Paige in my life. I can't imagine anything worse," Eve declared sadly.
Ben took Abigail to Club TBD and watched her devour a couple of desserts before kissing her goodbye and heading for work. Abigail jumped up from the table to ask Ben something before he left, but she ran right into Theresa, sending a bunch of Theresa's drawings to the floor. Theresa protectively refused Abigail's offer of help to pick them up, but Abigail caught a glimpse of the drawings -- and Theresa's signature -- anyway.
Abigail remarked on Theresa's obvious talent, but Theresa couldn't help noticing Abigail's condescending attitude. Pointing out that the two of them hated working at the same place, Theresa declared that her son and Abigail had both been part of the inspiration for her career change.
Chad awoke on the floor of his hotel room, facedown and still dressed from the previous night. Chad sat up and looked around the room in confusion. He crawled over to a side table, looked at the empty liquor bottle on the table, took several gulps of water, and collapsed back onto the floor. "What the hell is happening to me?" Chad wondered aloud.
Chad headed to a table in Horton Square with his tablet, which he opened and typed "blackouts alcohol" into a search engine. Shaking his head, Chad closed the cover and rose to leave, nearly running into a jogging Brady in the process. Brady stopped and observed that Chad looked "like hell." Before Brady could head off again, Chad stopped him. Chad explained with embarrassment that he'd been drinking a lot, to the point where he'd forgotten the previous couple of hours, something that had never happened to him before.
Chad wanted to know if he would ever remember what had happened, but Brady didn't think so. "If you want to make sure that it doesn't happen again, I think you know what you gotta do," Brady pointed out, offering to accompany Chad to a meeting. Chad insisted that he didn't have a problem. "I hid my addiction for a long, long, time. Kept telling myself that I was in control. But I was lucky that I didn't kill myself or someone else," Brady cautioned.
When Brady returned to the Kiriakis mansion later, Theresa was in the living room, pouring herself a glass of wine. "Mommy doesn't need a drink right now," Brady declared, taking the wine glass out of Theresa's hand, much to her bewilderment.
J.J. found Paige lying in the shower of her dorm room, a necktie wrapped around her neck. He knelt over her body and frantically loosened the tie to feel for a pulse. When he found no signs of life, J.J. broke down over her body in sobs. Sniffling, he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed 9-1-1. J.J. couldn't find the words to explain to the operator what had happened, so he just requested that she send help, giving the address and room number at Paige's dorm. After he hung up, J.J. cradled Paige in his arms and wept.
A few minutes later, a couple of cops pounded on the door and entered the dorm room, guns drawn. When they found J.J. on the floor of the bathroom with Paige, they ordered him to step away. Raising his hands to show he was unarmed, J.J. stammered that he had found Paige like that and had tried to help her. One cop dragged J.J. out of the shower while the other checked Paige for signs of breathing and a pulse.
At the police station, Hope reviewed the evidence in Serena's murder. Rafe explained that he still wasn't convinced Chad had killed Serena, even though Roman and Justin were eager to haul Chad in. Hope agreed with Rafe's conclusion that there wasn't enough evidence against Chad -- yet. A uniformed cop arrived with a bouquet for Hope from Aiden, and Rafe taunted her a little about it. A beaming Hope declared that she was very lucky.
Rafe wondered if it would cause problems between Hope and Aiden if Chad were arrested for Serena's murder, since Aiden was Chad's lawyer. Hope was confident she and Aiden would manage. Hope's shift was over, so she headed out as Roman arrived for a status update about the case. Rafe started stammering about how Roman's patience had to be wearing thin. Roman interrupted to urge Rafe to just follow the rules.
Rafe described the exchange he'd seen between Paige Larson and Chad earlier. Rafe added that his impression had been that Chad had been trying to intimidate the police's witness. Roman got a phone call just then, and after speaking briefly, he hung up and informed Rafe, "Looks like we got another murder on our hands." Roman and Rafe hurried out together.
The cops dragged J.J. out of Paige's bathroom and into the main room. J.J. was sitting at the foot of the bed, crying miserably and rocking back and forth, when Roman and Rafe arrived. One of the cops informed Roman that the medical examiner was on his way. Roman headed into the bathroom and gazed quietly and grimly at Paige before leaving again. Roman ordered one of the cops to start canvassing the dorms to find out if anyone had seen anything.
Roman and Rafe gently asked J.J. to tell them what had happened. J.J. explained that Paige had called and asked him to meet her so she could tell him something, and he'd found her when he'd gotten to her room. "I swear I didn't do this. I would never hurt her," J.J. asserted. Grasping J.J.'s shoulder, Roman assured J.J. that they knew that. Rafe quietly headed into the bathroom to take a look at the crime scene, and when he looked at Paige lying on the floor, his face betrayed his dismay and sorrow. After ordering one of the cops to cover Paige with a blanket, Rafe returned to the bathroom to look around some more.
Roman sat on the bed and asked J.J. if he thought Kyle Southern was behind Paige's murder, since she had been dating Kyle. J.J. shook his head. Roman urged J.J. to get in touch if he thought of anyone who might have wanted to hurt Paige. Roman headed into the bathroom and found Rafe using tweezers to put a tiny flower petal in an evidence bag. Rafe noted that the petal had been crushed, as if it had been on someone's shoe -- possibly the killer's.
As Rafe handed off the evidence bag to one of the uniformed cops to label and take back to the station, J.J. expressed his anger and frustration that they had found nothing more than a flower petal. "You need to go out and get the bastard who did this!" J.J. shouted. Roman tried to calm J.J. then he asked the cop labeling the evidence bag to take J.J. to the station and get his statement. A solemn Roman left to notify Paige's next of kin.
While Rafe was searching the bathroom floor, Justin called him. Rafe reluctantly admitted that the murder had been similar to Serena Mason's. Justin was concerned that the public would worry there was a serial killer at work, but Rafe wanted to play things by the book. Justin impatiently urged Rafe to check Chad DiMera's alibi.
Roman exited the elevator at the hospital and found Eve filling out paperwork at the nurses' station. Although Eve was headed to an appointment, Roman asked if they could talk someplace quiet. When Roman said it was about Paige, Eve anxiously demanded to know what was going on. "Eve, I'm so sorry. Paige was killed tonight," Roman said sadly. Eve exhaled sharply, refusing to accept the news at first, but her knees buckled when she realized that Roman was serious. Roman caught Eve and helped her to a chair, holding her as she began to cry.
Eve wondered who would have wanted to hurt a girl as sweet as Paige had been. "She was everything to me, Roman!" Eve cried. Roman promised that the police were doing everything they could to catch Paige's killer. He asked if Eve could go to the station and give her statement, but she refused to leave the hospital until she'd seen her daughter.
When Rafe returned to the police station, Justin demanded to know why he hadn't arrested Chad. Rafe calmly noted that he'd just finished securing the crime scene and hadn't talked to Chad yet. Rafe tuned out Justin's rant about the evidence against Chad. Roman walked in, obviously upset after breaking the bad news to Eve. One of the cops from the crime scene delivered a report to Roman about the flower petal Rafe had found. When Rafe overheard that the flower was rare and not native to that hemisphere, he grabbed the report. "I've seen this flower before, lots of times, at the DiMera estate," Rafe said.
Eve entered the morgue with the medical examiner and stood a few feet away from Paige's draped body. Eve asked to be alone with her daughter. The medical examiner tried to refuse, but Eve was insistent, so he quietly left. Eve whimpered shakily as she pulled the drape back, and she broke down when she saw Paige's face. "Oh, my Paigey!" Eve sobbed, taking Paige in her arms and clutching her to her chest. "I'm so sorry!" Eve exclaimed over and over as she wept inconsolably.
In his office, Justin had just closed his briefcase and was about to leave when he spied Eve in the hallway outside. He rose and stepped around his desk as if to invite her in. Eve's face crumpled into tears as she threw herself, sobbing, into Justin's arms.
J.J. was pacing in the park when an angry Clyde arrived. "Don't you ever summon me again, boy!" Clyde barked. J.J. grabbed Clyde by the lapels and accused him of killing Paige. Clyde calmly watched the red dot of light from a gun nearby moved toward J.J.'s face until J.J. noticed it, too. At last, J.J. let go of Clyde.
"You're always in my sights, boy. My man, there, he sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake," Clyde growled. "You didn't have to kill Paige! I didn't breathe a word about you!" J.J. yelled. "You've got one thing to worry about, boy, and that's our business. Everything else is just a distraction. You know what happens when people let me down. You do not want that to be you," Clyde warned as he walked away.
Chad returned to his hotel room and stared at the window until a pounding at the door snapped him out of his stupor. Chad answered and found Rafe in the hallway. "You recognize this?" Rafe asked, holding up the plastic bag that contained the flower from the crime scene.
Kayla called Steve from her office at the hospital so they could talk about Joey. Before they could agree on where or when to meet, Kayla was called away to the operating room.
In the park outside Horton Square, as Steve hung up, Aiden hurried through the gate. Steve stopped him so they could finish their conversation, but Aiden said they had finished. Steve bristled a bit. Aiden snappishly acknowledged that Steve was Bo's best friend, but Aiden asserted that Bo had chosen to leave Hope. The conversation between the men was starting to turn heated when Hope showed up and interrupted.
Steve complained about how Aiden had "swooped in on Hope" and Hope had let him. Hope ordered Steve to stop, reminding her that she wasn't some helpless woman on whom Aiden had preyed, and Steve completely agreed. Hope wondered if he thought she'd been disloyal, even though Bo had deserted her -- just as Steve had deserted Kayla. Conceding that point, Steve reminded Hope that they were talking about the ISA. Hope declared that she didn't give a damn about the ISA or how noble Bo's mission had been.
Steve told Hope about the letters that Bo had written to Victor, which Steve didn't think Bo had actually written. A skeptical Hope told Steve that it had been very painful for her to finally accept that her husband had chosen his job over his family, noting that she hadn't even heard a word from Bo after she'd filed for divorce, which had told her that he didn't care about fighting for his family. Steve wanted to know how long Hope had known "this dude," Aiden. Hope contended that it was none of Steve's business.
When Steve became angry and demanded to know how Hope could know that Bo was never returning, Aiden stepped in and pointed out how painful the whole experience had been for Hope. It appeared the argument between the men might become physical, but Hope quickly interceded. She pointed out that Steve had given her no reasons to believe his theories about Bo were true. "You do what you want, Hope, but I won't let it go. I can't," Steve said as he left.
Hope turned to Aiden and apologized for Steve, but Aiden observed that Steve had really rattled Hope. Aiden asked if Hope believed Bo was in trouble. Hope asserted that she didn't -- and she was very happy with Aiden.
Later, Aiden was walking through Horton Square, fumbling with his money clip until he dropped it on the ground. A hulking thug in a leather jacket picked up the wad of cash. "Looks like the universe knew I was coming to collect on your debts," the goon said, pocketing the cash. "This is just a start. Give us the rest, or I'll be back," the thug warned Aiden.
Hope entered her house without turning on the overhead lights. She tossed her keys in a bowl by the door and plopped into a chair. Reclining against the back of the chair with a sigh, Hope sat in the dark, remembering the letter she'd written to Bo to tell him that she had to move on but would always love him.
When Aiden rang the doorbell a little later, Hope turned on the lights and opened the door. She invited Aiden inside and thanked him for being patient while she considered his proposal. "I accept!" she announced, giggling as she added, "Nothing would make me prouder than being Mrs. Aiden Jennings." Hope kissed Aiden and threw her arms around him.
Kayla was back in her office when Steve stopped by to discuss Joey. Steve said he hadn't had much luck talking to Joey earlier. Kayla admitted that Joey's words to her earlier had hurt -- but she was so desperate to help her son that she wanted Steve's help. Steve cautioned Kayla that their son hated him. "I'm not giving up, baby -- on Joe or on us," Steve vowed. Kayla reminded him, "There is no 'us,' Steve." Steve expressed his displeasure when Kayla was called away, but she pointed out, "I've got a hospital to run. I don't have time to bang my head against the wall."
A guard helped a filthy, barefoot Bo half-stumble, half-walk to the corner of the dirty prison cell. Bo collapsed into a seated position, coughing. "You're not making this easy for yourself. When are you just going to tell them what they want to know?" the man asked Bo. As Bo shivered in the corner, his leg shackled to a chain anchored to the wall, the man knelt down and ordered Bo to look at him. Bo struggled to open his eyes and turn them to the man, but when he managed, the guard said pointedly, "You're welcome."
Bo was curled in a ball on the floor a little later, dreaming about returning to the home he'd shared with Hope. As he entered the house and called her name, he heard her screaming, "Bo!" Bo awakened with a start, his eyes darting around the cell in a panic.
A guard entered the cell, knelt down, and held a white pill between his thumb and forefinger. Bo obediently opened his mouth, and the guard tossed the pill in. Bo swallowed and opened his mouth to prove the pill was gone. After the guard left, Bo coughed up the pill, which he stuffed into a small hole in the wall.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady pointed out that, while Theresa didn't drink terribly often anymore, she still had a tendency to head straight for the nearest bottle of wine whenever she was upset about something. Brady added that he didn't want Tate to be around that sort of behavioral pattern. Theresa clarified that she wasn't upset; in fact, she actually couldn't remember a time when she had felt better than she did at that exact moment.
Theresa asked if Brady had ever gotten the sense that he was talented at something, only to later start wondering if he was just lying to himself about being good at it. "You lie to everyone else; why make a personal exception?" Brady muttered. Ignoring the comment, Theresa continued that the best way for Brady to prove to himself that he was actually right about his talent would be for him to receive praise for it from someone who couldn't stand him. "You actually found somebody that couldn't stand you?" Brady replied. Undeterred, Theresa explained that Abigail had been forced to admit earlier that Theresa's sketches were actually really good.
Theresa showed her sketches to Brady, who was skeptical at first but confirmed, after looking at all of them, that they were very good. Feeling encouraged, Theresa begged Brady to give her a chance to prove to him that she could handle running Basic Black. "Theresa, look, if I were to help you out with this little scheme, I think it would be a lot like giving me that first little taste of cocaine. First you'd start planning how to get the ring back on your finger, then how to get your name on the marriage license, then how to get your name on my joint checking account... I'm not feeding into that delusion," Brady insisted.
Brady added that he had already agreed to loan Nicole the extra money she needed to purchase Basic Black herself. Theresa scoffed and sarcastically agreed that, unlike her, Nicole had never lied or cheated before. Brady put an abrupt end to the conversation and started to leave, but Theresa warned him that she was going to get the money she needed to buy Basic Black, with or without his help. "Nicole Walker can just go to hell," Theresa concluded before Brady exited the mansion.
At Club TBD, Kate overheard Nicole talking to Daniel on the phone. "Nicole Walker as the stoic housewife. Talk about playing against type," Kate mused after Nicole ended the call. "Hi, Kate. Why don't you drop dead?" Nicole cheerfully suggested before carrying her martini over to an empty table. Kate followed Nicole and joined her at the table, offering to keep her company instead.
Nicole guessed Kate was only interested in talking to her because she had recently acquired a lot of money. Kate commended Nicole for finding a way to turn a horrific near-death experience into a major financial boost. "Well, it sure as hell beats marrying someone you hate," Nicole pointed out. Nicole added that the sum of her major financial boost had already changed from what had originally been quoted in the newspaper, since she had donated Serena's half to charity. "What? A moment of weakness?" Kate asked incredulously. Nicole said she was glad she had chosen to do that, especially in light of what had since happened to Serena. "And it will give you a substantial tax write-off," Kate pointed out. Nicole agreed, apparently realizing that for the very first time.
Kate wondered what had happened to the quarter of a million dollars that Victor had given Nicole to cover Xander's half of the settlement. Nicole said that was none of Kate's business but then decided to take the bait and find out why Kate cared. Kate explained that she wanted to team with Nicole to buy Basic Black, since they were both interested in the company. Kate added that she had a slight cash-flow problem at the moment that was preventing her from being able to afford the company outright. "So I thought, why not let bygones be bygones?" Kate concluded with a shrug.
When Nicole pointed out that she didn't like or trust Kate, she hated Kate's style, and she believed that Kate was ruthless and greedy, Kate conceded that there were a few issues they would have to work through first. "Not really, 'cause I wouldn't work with you if you were the last bitch on earth," Nicole insisted. Kate understood Nicole's concerns -- and understood how much Nicole was enjoying being in a position where Kate needed her help -- but she maintained that, as someone who had actually worked at Basic Black before, she could help Nicole turn the company around and make it the blueprint for the industry. "And then you would take said company, put it in your purse, and throw me to the curb. No thanks, pal," Nicole concluded. Kate warned that Nicole would end up regretting her decision to refuse the offer, but Nicole doubted that.
As John finished moving his things back into his and Marlena's townhouse, Marlena admitted that she had forgotten how much of a pack rat he was. "Actually, I'm famous for traveling light," John protested, prompting Marlena to warn that it would probably be best to avoid that particular topic for the time being. John agreed that it would be better to just celebrate the fact that he was back home -- forever. "Or at least until the ISA calls and sends you on a mission," Marlena replied.
Later, Brady arrived and presented Marlena with a bouquet of flowers as a tribute to her for agreeing to put up with John again. Marlena laughed and thanked Brady before offering him some sparkling water so they could make a toast to John's new job. "Here we go," John muttered, bracing himself as Marlena informed Brady that he had decided to rejoin the ISA. "But this time, it's gonna be different. Yeah, this time, uh, he's not gonna be gone from home, and this time, it won't be dangerous at all," Marlena sarcastically assured Brady. "Yeah, I'm sure this time, the bad guys won't be as violent, right?" Brady agreed, with the same amount of sarcasm.
John started to complain about how Marlena and Brady were ganging up on him, but Marlena interrupted and told him to get used to it. "You know, Dad, I don't know if you know this, but Liam Neeson? He has a stunt double. Is the ISA providing one for you?" Brady asked. John said he resented Brady's ageist comment. "That means he doesn't have a comeback for you," Marlena told Brady. Meanwhile, someone knocked on the door, and John jumped at the chance to greet the visitor. Marlena and Brady went to the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase, warning John that their conversation wasn't over yet.
When John opened the door, he found Theresa standing in the hallway. Theresa made her pitch to John, but he wasn't impressed. Kate hid behind a corner, eavesdropping as John told Theresa that if she really wanted to purchase Basic Black, she was going to have to find some other way to get the needed funding. "I'm sure [that] will be a piece of cake, given your track record," John sarcastically added before shutting the door in Theresa's face. "Well, it was worth a shot," Theresa muttered with a sigh as she walked away.
When Marlena and Brady returned from the kitchen, John told them the visitor had been someone who had been looking for a handout. As promised, Marlena and Brady picked up right where they had left off earlier, criticizing John's decision to rejoin the ISA. John protested that the family gathering was supposed to be a celebration, but Marlena countered that it was hard to celebrate while knowing he was determined to put himself back in harm's way again. Momentarily changing the subject, Brady told John and Marlena about Theresa's desire to run Basic Black. Marlena was sure Theresa wouldn't be able to pull that off, even if she really wanted to. After dinner, Marlena and Brady once again tried to get John to explain why he was determined to rejoin the ISA. "I'm using the ISA resources to find out who the hell I really am," John reluctantly revealed.
Kate approached Theresa in the town square and offered her a bar of chocolate. "Next best thing to a martini when you've got the blues," Kate noted. Theresa said she had always been told not to take candy from strangers, prompting Kate to wonder when Theresa had started doing what she had been told to do. After Theresa accepted the treat, Kate took a seat next to her and pointed out that they shared many people -- and many enemies -- in common. Theresa wondered how Kate had managed to mold herself into a successful businesswoman, especially in light of all the obstacles she had faced along the way.
"The first thing you need to do when the whole world is against you is stop whining," Kate advised Theresa, who muttered that she could see why everyone hated Kate. "And why they can't stop me," Kate added. Kate wondered what Theresa had to offer that would prevent people from being able to stop her. Theresa started to talk about how she wanted to buy Basic Black but didn't have the money needed to do so, but Kate interrupted and pointed out that Theresa was talking about things she didn't have. "I want to know what you do have. What's in your arsenal, Theresa?" Kate asked.
Theresa showed her sketches to Kate, who said they were good. Theresa started to thank Kate for the compliment, but Kate interrupted and advised her to instead start acting like she already knew perfectly well that her sketches weren't just good but damn good. After Theresa practiced saying the words with conviction, Kate added that they might be able to help each other.
Daniel ran into Maggie at the hospital and thanked her for her recent efforts to find some common ground with Nicole, knowing it couldn't have been easy for her to do that. Maggie conceded that it hadn't been easy at first, but she added that she and Nicole had genuinely found a way to put the past behind them and move on. Maggie assured Daniel that she was looking forward to planning parties and welcoming Nicole into the family, since it was obvious that Nicole made him happy. "She does make me very happy, and nothing is gonna get in the way of that," Daniel agreed.
Later, Daniel met Nicole at Club TBD, and she quickly started bragging about her earlier encounter with Kate. Daniel was surprised to learn that Brady had offered to help Nicole buy Basic Black. Daniel advised Nicole to turn down the offer, insisting that it would be a bad idea because there would be too many strings attached. Nicole disagreed, pointing out that Brady wasn't like that, and she wondered if Daniel was actually jealous of Brady for offering to help her. Daniel denied the accusation and explained that he simply believed that Nicole was falling back on old habits -- specifically, her pattern of running to Brady every time she needed help. Daniel apologized for potentially taking the wind out of Nicole's sails, adding that he was just trying to be honest with her. Nicole wasn't upset but vowed that she was going to prove Daniel was wrong about her.
At the police station, Justin was still comforting Eve when Rafe and Chad arrived and interrupted them, looking for an empty room to use. Eve excused herself and walked away, and after Justin followed her out of the room, Rafe shut the door and started asking Chad about the flower that had been found near Paige's body -- which, coincidentally, wasn't native to Salem or even the United States but was imported from Europe to the DiMera mansion on a regular basis. Chad informed Rafe that he no longer lived there, prompting Rafe to wonder where Chad had been that afternoon.
At Hope's house, Aiden detected a hint of uncertainty on Hope's face as he happily slipped the engagement ring on her finger. Aiden vowed that he would never hurt Hope the way Bo had, but he added that their relationship would be doomed to failure if Bo continued to be a dark cloud hanging over their heads. Hope assured Aiden that she wouldn't have accepted his proposal if she hadn't been absolutely sure she was ready to marry him. Satisfied, Aiden apologetically excused himself after receiving a phone call. Hope didn't mind the interruption, knowing it was something she would have to get used to.
Later, Hope shared her engagement news with Doug and Julie. Julie was thrilled, but Doug was less enthusiastic about the matter, wondering if Hope was one hundred percent sure she was making the right decision. Hope assured Doug that she hadn't made the decision impulsively; she had made it after realizing that Bo was probably never going to return home. Hope tearfully added that she simply wanted to be happy. Doug nodded and hugged Hope, conceding that he was fine with whatever made her happy. With that out of the way, Julie was eager to start making wedding plans immediately.
When Aiden arrived at the police station, Rafe and Justin were in the middle of another argument about Chad's possible involvement in the murders. Aiden insisted that, in the absence of concrete evidence against Chad, Justin needed to let Chad go immediately, but Justin countered that he had enough to hold Chad for several days as a material witness without charging him with anything -- and that was exactly what he planned to do. Justin left after receiving a text message from Eve, and after a quick meeting with Aiden, Chad was taken to a holding cell for the night.
Justin met Eve at the town square, where she was in the process of drowning her sorrows in an effort to forget about what had happened. Eve admitted that her plan wasn't working because she kept remembering moments from Paige's childhood, and she complained that she wanted Paige, not the memories. Eve begged Justin not to leave her, insisting that she couldn't be alone at that time. Justin admitted that he felt useless, knowing there was nothing he could say or do to make Eve feel better. Eve quietly agreed that all Justin could do was sit with her to make sure she wouldn't be alone.
After gulping down more glasses of alcohol, Eve eventually decided she couldn't put off returning home any longer. Justin offered to drive Eve back to her apartment, since that was about the only thing he could actually do to help her. Eve admitted that she was afraid to return home, knowing what she would have to face when she walked through the door. Justin led Eve back to her apartment, and when she broke down in the hallway, Justin tried to comfort her -- and she responded with a kiss.
Hope met Aiden at Club TBD and told him about her earlier conversation with Doug and Julie. Hope revealed that Julie had suggested scheduling the wedding to coincide with Salem's bicentennial celebration. Hope thought that was a great idea, and Aiden agreed. Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, someone was busy electrocuting Bo in an attempt to force information out of him. When the man's efforts failed, he gave up but vowed to return later to repeat the process -- if Bo was still alive at that time.
Julie, Maggie, and Caroline entered the old Martin family mansion, which was draped with drop cloths and filled with the paraphernalia of ongoing renovations. Julie described the house as the first mansion ever built in Salem and explained that it was supposed to be finished in time for the bicentennial celebration. The other women observed that Caroline was a little slow to respond to their comments and questions.
Caroline covered that she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and asked if Julie had known the original owners of the house. Julie revealed that as a teenager, she'd dated the Martins' son, David. He had eventually married a girl named Susan -- who had killed David. After David's mother had gone insane, his father had left town, abandoning the house, which had stood empty since the 1960s. Julie thought the house would be perfect for Salem's bicentennial celebration.
Julie headed upstairs and returned with a box of photographs. The women each took a stack of pictures, and Caroline quickly found a photo of the Brady Fishmarket from before Shawn and Caroline had turned it into the Brady Pub. Caroline privately recalled happy times of being alone with her husband in their establishment. She excused herself and headed into the foyer, where she shook her head and looked around in confusion. As Caroline's eyes fell on a large mirror, she saw a ghostly image of her late husband floating above her own reflection.
Caroline moved closer to the mirror, but Shawn's image vanished just as Maggie entered the room. Maggie asked if Caroline were all right, and Caroline let out a strangled shout. "Where am I?" Caroline asked, confused. Maggie reminded Caroline that they were in the old Martin mansion, and Caroline seemed to return to her senses. Hiding her concern, Maggie gently led Caroline back into the room with the photographs.
In the park outside Horton Square, Victor informed Kate that Justin had left Titan to become the new district attorney, and Kate would report to Miranda Styles. Kate's reaction -- or lack thereof -- surprised Victor. A cheerful Kate reminded Victor that the business they were in could turn on a dime.
Lucas took Adrienne to the pier and informed her that he'd packed a picnic and rented a boat for the evening so the two of them could enjoy the beautiful, romantic evening. Lucas sensed Adrienne's reluctance and asked about it. Adrienne emphasized that she'd thoroughly enjoyed the time she and Lucas had spent together and he had done nothing wrong, but she needed to give her marriage another try.
Adrienne explained that she'd spoken to Sonny earlier, and as the two of them had reminisced about past good times with the family, she'd gleaned that her and Justin's divorce was really hurting all of their sons. Adrienne apologized for hurting Lucas and thanked him for being her "rock" over the previous few months. Lucas assured Adrienne that he wouldn't try to change her mind. "The main thing is...I want you to be happy, and if that's with Justin, I guess that's with Justin," Lucas conceded. A grateful Adrienne embraced Lucas, tenderly pressing her cheek against his, then quietly left.
Lucas was pacing near the water when Kate showed up. Lucas was reluctant to talk to his mom, but she maintained that he couldn't hold his grudge against her forever. Kate correctly guessed that Lucas' mood had something to do with Adrienne and that Adrienne had gone running back to Justin, the newly appointed D.A., because she was attracted to his power.
"I know you don't want to hear this from me, but you're actually so much better off having that vampire out of your life," Kate proclaimed. "Thank you, Mom. Your opinion of Adrienne is very helpful... Knowing exactly how you feel about her makes me realize how much she means to me. So I think I'll fight for her," Lucas declared as he left.
In the hallway outside Eve's apartment, Justin and Eve kissed. After a moment, Justin pulled away and asked what they were doing. Mortified, Eve apologized, tearfully explaining that she wasn't in her right mind. An understanding Justin offered to stay with Eve -- as a friend -- but she declined, explaining that she needed to call her dad and break the news about Paige to him. As he headed for the elevator, Justin encouraged Eve to let him know if she needed anything.
At Marlena's townhouse, an incredulous Brady asked John, "You rejoined the ISA so you could find your parents?" John explained that he knew who he wasn't; he wanted to find out who he was. Marlena asked why John was suddenly interested in searching for his birth records again. John explained that he'd decided to do it after he'd awakened from his coma. Brady questioned what would happen if John didn't like what he found out.
John reminded Brady and Marlena of all the disheartening things he'd learned in the past about who he'd been, or had thought he had been. Marlena got a phone call just then from Eve. After apologizing for bothering Marlena at home, a weeping Eve informed Marlena that Paige had been murdered. Shaken, Marlena offered to head straight to Eve's. Marlena mumbled an apology to John and Brady and headed out.
When Marlena got to Eve's apartment, Eve related how she'd had to identify Paige's body, and then she'd had to call her father to tell him about Paige. "I'm sorry to call you. I just didn't know what else to do. I mean, how do -- Marlena, how do I deal with never seeing my daughter, that she's gone forever?" Eve asked, sobbing. Marlena gently assured Eve that she would get through it with help from the people who loved her. Eve said she hadn't told Theresa yet.
Marlena sat on the couch and invited Eve to sit beside her. "Come, tell me about Paige. What was she like?" Marlena inquired. Eve described how sweet and good Paige had been and how it had been just the two of them for most of Paige's life. They had shared everything -- until Eve had betrayed her daughter terribly. Marlena recalled that Eve had been to see her but hadn't divulged what had happened. Eve said that although it was difficult, she needed to talk about what she'd done and to feel the shame and humiliation of having everyone know how she'd betrayed her daughter.
Eve revealed that she'd had an affair with the boy Paige had loved -- J.J. Deveraux. Marlena assured Eve that she wasn't judging. Eve asserted, "Well, you should. I destroyed the last few months of my daughter's life, and now I'm never going to be able to make it up to her." Eve began to weep again. Marlena firmly urged Eve to stop beating herself up, assuring Eve that Paige had known how much her mother had loved her. "I'm a horrible mother! Well, you know, that's wrong because, no, I'm not a mother anymore, now am I?' Eve said.
Marlena asserted that Eve would always be Paige's mother. "I've had the experience of losing a child. I know how endless that feels," Marlena shared, adding that Eve would have to take things a minute at a time until the minute turned into an hour and then a day. She urged Eve to let go of her guilt and instead to remember Paige's happiness and the joy she'd given to Eve. "Eve, you'll get through this. I promise. And I also promise you won't be alone," Marlena said. Eve grasped Marlena's hand then embraced her gratefully.
Nicole showed up in Horton Square and learned that Theresa had lied to get Nicole to agree to meet. Theresa said she knew about Brady's agreement to lend Nicole half the money to buy Basic Black, and Theresa wanted to put up the other half, which would make the two women partners. "You must be out of your mind," Nicole declared. Theresa pointed out that Nicole had been given numerous chances to turn her life around, and a chance to do the same was all Theresa wanted.
Theresa wondered what would happen if Nicole couldn't find another partner before Basic Black sold to someone else. Nicole wanted to know where Theresa was getting her half of the money. Theresa explained that she had a "silent partner" but assured Nicole that it would just be the two of them making the decisions. With a sigh, Nicole reluctantly agreed to join forces with Theresa. She extended her hand, but Theresa excitedly threw her arms around Nicole, thanking her profusely. Nicole left after promising to get in touch with Theresa about making the pitch to John.
While Daniel was having ice cream at Club TBD with Parker, a clearly inebriated Eric staggered in. Instructing Parker to stay at the table, Daniel went over to check on Eric, who declared that he just wanted to be left alone.
A few minutes later, after Daniel sent Parker off with the nanny, he asked why Eric was drinking. Slurring his words, Eric explained that he'd made a lot of bad decisions over the previous few years, so he'd decided to stop thinking and concentrate on drinking. Daniel asked if Eric were getting drunk because of Serena, but Eric claimed that he wasn't. Daniel started listing everything Eric had going for him, but Eric declared that the last thing he needed was a pep talk from someone for whom everything was going right.
When Nicole arrived, Eric told her to get Daniel out of there because he was ruining everything. Daniel pulled Nicole aside, and they agreed to work together to get Eric home. While Daniel paid Eric's tab, Nicole promised Eric that she'd have a drink with him if he let her take him home. Daniel concurred that it was a good plan. Eric lurched up out of his chair and put his arm around Daniel, and the three left together, with Daniel practically carrying Eric out.
After Daniel and Nicole got Eric home and put him in bed, Daniel said he didn't think Eric should be there alone. Nicole agreed to go back to the apartment and stay with Parker, but she cautioned Daniel that the same things would torment Eric the next morning. Daniel said he didn't think Eric's drinking had been completely about Serena, explaining that Eric seemed lost, as if he needed to find some kind of purpose again.
When Brady arrived home to the Kiriakis mansion, he found Theresa sleeping on the couch in the living room, her drawings strewn on the coffee table and the floor in front of her. After picking up the sketches from the floor, Brady gently covered Theresa with a blanket and gazed at her pensively.
The next morning, Victor ran into Maggie in the foyer of the mansion as he was heading out. Maggie confided that she was concerned that Caroline's condition might have been worse than they'd thought. Victor promised to speak to Kayla.
Meanwhile, Caroline returned to the Martin mansion. As she entered the house, she called out, "Shawn! I'm back!" Caroline walked over to the mirror and asked, "Shawn, are you here?" But only her reflection looked back at her. "Oh, God. Am I losing my mind?" Caroline wondered.
Justin met Adrienne in Horton Square at her invitation. Adrienne explained that she'd been doing a lot of thinking about everything they'd been through, and she had finally reached a place where she was ready to forgive Justin. Admitting his surprise, Justin asked what had happened. Adrienne replied, "I think we were too quick to divorce. Justin, do you think maybe we could try to make our marriage work?" Adrienne clarified that after talking to Sonny, she'd realized what a beautiful family they had. Justin agreed.
"You are so important to me, Justin, and I hope I'm still important to you, too," Adrienne said. Justin reassured her that would never change. "Aside from that, I think it would mean so much to our boys if we could try to fix what went wrong. What do you think?" Adrienne proposed. "I think I'd really like to try," Justin replied. As the Kiriakises embraced, Lucas entered the square.
Marlena was reading the newspaper on her tablet when John got up the next morning. Marlena showed him the headline about Paige's murder, and John quickly guessed that Marlena had gone to see Eve the previous night. Still obviously unsettled, Marlena fought back tears as she admitted, "I did what I could. It's just heartbreaking. It made me realize that family is everything, and we never get to know how long we'll have them." She added that, despite her reservations about it, if returning to the ISA meant that John could find his family, she thought he had to do it.
Theresa was still asleep on the couch when Brady went downstairs. He gently woke Theresa and offered her a glass of orange juice, which she promptly spilled on some of her drawings. Brady helped her clean it up. Brady remarked that it looked as if Theresa had been working all night. Theresa said she'd been too excited to sleep because she'd found an investor -- and she and Nicole were going to buy Basic Black. "You and Nicole? Theresa, that's going to be a complete disaster," Brady warned.
After seeing Parker off to school, Nicole returned to Eric's apartment with bagels for Daniel and Eric. A very hungover Eric stumbled out of the bedroom, and Daniel pointed him in the direction of the coffee. Eric apologized for his behavior the previous night. After Daniel got a page and left for the hospital, Nicole declared that if Eric were feeling lost, she had a solution.
Nicole explained that she was going to try to buy Basic Black -- and she wanted Eric on board as a photographer from the very beginning. "Nicole, I don't need your charity," Eric declared grumpily. Nicole firmly reminded Eric that he had given her a job at the church when she'd been at her lowest. Eric contended that he neither needed nor wanted Nicole's help because he could manage on his own.
Victor headed to the hospital, where he asked Daniel if Kayla had arrived yet. Daniel informed Victor that Kayla was in surgery. As soon as Daniel walked away, Victor made a phone call: "Doctor Salinas. Victor Kiriakis. I need to know when that formula is going to be ready for human trials."
When Theresa and Kate met in the park, Theresa revealed that Nicole had agreed to team up. Kate asked if Theresa had followed the plan. "Yep. She knows just that I have a silent partner. [She has] no idea it's you," Theresa said. "Great. I am so going to enjoy collaborating with you and Nicole," Kate declared, surprising Theresa. Kate explained that she needed to keep an eye on her investment. "Talk to you soon, partner," Kate said as she headed off, leaving Theresa with her mouth hanging open.
