In John and Marlena's townhouse, Sami revealed that the safety deposit box E.J. had directed her to had contained information she could use to neutralize Stefano and keep everyone safe -- including E.J., who was actually still alive. Marlena gently tried to convince Sami that was impossible, but Sami countered that the DiMeras had taught them that nothing was impossible.
Sami believed that if she continued following the trail of breadcrumbs E.J. had left for her, she would eventually get to the end -- and he would be waiting for her there. John wondered how Sami had gotten such a crazy theory in her head in the first place. After protesting that it wasn't a crazy theory, Sami elaborated on what she had found in the safety deposit box, explaining that it had contained not only Stefano's financial information -- including passwords and account numbers -- but also a cell phone, which she hadn't turned on yet because she had been instructed not to do so until she got back home.
Sami turned the device on and stared at the screen expectantly, but nothing happened. Marlena started to say something, but Sami interrupted and preemptively denied being crazy, insisting that there was more proof that E.J. was alive -- a lot more, actually. John suggested that it would be best for Sami to start at the beginning, so she did, explaining that the letter she had received from E.J. had featured his handwriting, had contained meaningful phrases, and -- most importantly -- had, in some parts, been written in the present tense instead of the past tense.
Sami could tell that John and Marlena were still skeptical, so she showed them some surveillance footage of a man who had placed things in the safety deposit box two days before the postmark of the letter. Marlena pointed out that the man's face wasn't visible, and John observed that the man -- who had worn a hat, coat, and scarf, and had kept his face averted from the camera he had obviously been aware of -- had clearly wanted to prevent people from being able to identify him. "It's E.J. I mean, look how tall he is! And his posture -- that's how he walked. And that's the side of his neck. That's him; that's my husband," Sami confidently declared.
"You know, I know you're gonna think I'm coming off as being kind of negative here, but...from a professional standpoint, there's nothing to go on," John apologetically concluded. Undeterred, Sami said it was okay if John and Marlena were unable to see what she saw. "Stefano took so much time away from both of you. I'm not gonna let him do the same thing to E.J. and me," Sami insisted, vowing that she was going to fight for her husband and ultimately get him back. "And I don't have time to have you shrink me about this right now, Mom, okay?" Sami added.
Marlena clarified that she wasn't trying to do that; she was just trying to think of an argument that Sami would actually listen to. "There isn't one," Sami said with a shrug. Marlena warned that Sami needed to stay away from the DiMeras, but Sami dismissed the advice, insisting that she was doing what she had to do for her family.
Sami excused herself, explaining that she was headed off to find Roman and see if he could do anything to keep the DiMeras distracted for a while. Sami was aware that Roman had never liked E.J., but she reasoned that he would still help her because he loved her, just like John and Marlena did. Sami hugged John and Marlena, told them she loved them, and exited the townhouse, excitedly assuring them that she was going to get E.J. back. As soon as she stepped into the hallway, Sami received a text message on the cell phone she had found in the safety deposit box. "Oh, my God! E.J., that's brilliant!" Sami muttered before rushing off.
A short time later, Sami met with Father Louis at the Brady Pub and vaguely explained that she had received a text message that had prompted her to get in contact with him. Father Louis wasn't surprised, revealing that someone had recently left something for Sami in his office. When Sami opened the plain white box, she found a large, leather-bound family Bible inside. On one of the first pages of the Bible, someone had inscribed the date of Sami and E.J.'s wedding as well as the names of her four kids and their respective dates of birth.
"It's almost as if -- well, I mean, if I didn't know better, I'd say that E.J. was trying to send you a message from beyond the grave," Father Louis mused, directing Sami's attention to a bookmark that had been included with the Bible -- and had been deliberately placed between two specific pages. When Sami opened the Bible to that location, she found a passage that had been highlighted -- "I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice" -- and when she inspected the bookmark, she found an address on the back, suggesting that it had been purchased in Paris. Sami thanked Father Louis and rushed off, leaving the Bible in his care for the time being.
After chopping some wood for the fireplace, Ben returned to the cabin in which he was holding Abigail hostage. Abigail -- who was sitting on the floor, her wrist handcuffed to the metal footboard of the bed -- greeted Ben with a faint smile, prompting him to wonder why she was even bothering to pretend that she didn't hate him. Abigail clarified that she didn't hate Ben; she was just struggling to understand why he had murdered innocent people.
Ben claimed that he hated what he had done, and he couldn't close his eyes without seeing the faces of his victims -- especially Will, whom he had considered a friend but had been forced to kill because Will had figured out the truth and would have shared that information with Abigail if he had been given a chance to do so. Ben added that the thought of losing Abigail to Chad had driven him out of his mind, prompting Abigail to conclude that the whole thing was her fault. Ben clarified that jealousy hadn't driven him to commit murder; love had. "I loved you so much [that] I would have done anything to save you from Chad," Ben explained.
"Maybe Chad didn't murder anyone -- that we know of -- but he is evil. I needed you and the whole world to see that, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Do you see that now, Abigail?" Ben asked, and Abigail hesitantly confirmed that she did. Ben stressed that he was really sorry for the things he had done. "It's a cruel world, and sometimes, innocent people have to die," Ben matter-of-factly added. Abigail said she knew Ben was a good person, and she guessed that it had probably been difficult for him to bear the burden of such a secret on his own.
Believing that Clyde and Abigail were the only two people he could trust, Ben vowed to make sure that no one else ever found out the truth. Ben was relieved to know that Abigail finally understood that he had simply done what he'd had to do for her and their baby. Ben started kissing Abigail and eventually decided to free her from the handcuffs so they could have sex. Meanwhile, Abigail eyed the fireplace poker Ben had been using earlier.
Once she was free, Abigail climbed on top of Ben and tried to reach for the item while he was kissing her neck and clawing at her clothes. Just before Abigail managed to grab it, Ben asked her to look him in the eyes and tell him she loved him. Abigail complied but was unable to stop her voice from wavering as she spoke. "You lying bitch," Ben spat, pushing Abigail off him and wrapping a hand around her throat.
Chad paced the floor of his holding cell, recalling Andre's earlier promise that the serial killer was going to strike again that night. Chad desperately tried to convince a guard to relay a warning to Rafe or Hope, but the guard didn't take Chad's request seriously. Meanwhile, at the DiMera mansion, Stefano and Andre played chess while waiting for the good news that Hope had been murdered.
At Hope's house, Bo slammed Aiden into a cabinet then rushed over to check on Hope. Aiden soon recovered and tried to escape, but Bo caught him, knocked him out, and went back to trying to revive Hope. Aiden regained consciousness and grabbed Bo from behind, wrapping an arm around his neck in an effort to strangle him. A long fight ensued, and, after breaking practically every piece of furniture in the living room, Bo and Aiden ended up struggling for control of Hope's gun, which eventually went off -- leaving Aiden dead.
Bo resumed his efforts to revive Hope, performing CPR until she finally regained consciousness -- and immediately began screaming for help, thinking he was Aiden. Bo calmed Hope down and assured her that she was going to be okay, and she broke down in his arms as they waited for the police to arrive. Eventually, Hope approached Aiden's lifeless body and angrily shook it, sobbing as she demanded to know why he had tried to kill her.
As Bo comforted Hope, Rafe arrived with a few police officers -- and was shocked to learn not only that Bo was back in town but also that Aiden was dead. Rafe tried to question Hope, but she just stared at him numbly, so Bo explained what had happened. Meanwhile, Hope approached Aiden's lifeless body again and began lashing out, first at him then at Bo, demanding to know why he hadn't been there for her when she had needed him. As Hope pummeled Bo's chest with her fists, she suddenly collapsed in his arms.
The paramedics soon arrived, and after they took Hope to the ambulance, Bo filled Rafe in on where he had been and why he had suddenly returned to Salem. Bo had detected a reaction when Rafe had learned that Aiden had been holding a necktie, and when he questioned Rafe about it, Rafe explained that a serial killer had been on the loose for the past few months and had used neckties to strangle people. Rafe was surprised that Steve hadn't mentioned anything to Bo about the serial killer, but he didn't explain why he was surprised, deciding that it wasn't the right time to tell Bo about Will's death.
At the hospital, Steve explained to Kayla that leaving her and Joey behind in Africa had been a matter of life and death. "I never would have come back unless I felt sure it was safe. But now it looks like the bastard's followed me home," Steve added with a sigh. Kayla wondered who Steve was talking about. "And if you say you're not gonna tell me, I'm gonna wring your neck," Kayla warned.
Steve explained that he had rejoined the ISA, despite knowing that doing so would infuriate Kayla, because he had needed to take care of something -- or, rather, someone. Steve added that he hadn't told Kayla that back then because he hadn't wanted to put her and their kids in danger. "But now we are?" Kayla guessed. "I thought I had eliminated the threat. Apparently, I was wrong," Steve replied with another heavy sigh.
Kayla reminded Steve that his decision to keep her in the dark had led her to divorce him and stop trusting him. "I know," Steve quietly replied. Steve assured Kayla that everything was going to be okay, vowing that he would protect her and their kids to the ends of the earth. Kayla wanted to believe that but seemed skeptical. "Oh, my God. Does your unfinished business have anything to do with what happened to our son tonight?" Kayla wondered. Steve said he didn't know what had happened to Joey, but Kayla pointed out that Steve had believed Joey's claim that he hadn't taken drugs. "I swear, if anything happens to our son --" Kayla began.
"Listen, you know what, I was doing my job! You know, that respectable job you always wanted me to have? When are you ever gonna give me credit for that? I brought Bo back home, for God's sake!" Steve countered. Kayla stressed that she was truly grateful for that. "But now, knowing that we are living under some mysterious threat that you have brought into our lives --" Kayla continued before letting her voice trail off.
Steve said he had been under the impression that he had dealt with the problem, and he conceded that, in hindsight, he probably shouldn't have returned to Salem, after all. "If you are going to go get that guy, whoever he is, go do it. And in the meantime...I need you to stay away from me and your son," Kayla replied before walking away.
A short time later, the paramedics arrived with Hope, and Bo quickly filled Steve in on what had happened then he went into Hope's room to check on her. A nurse tried to convince Bo to get himself examined, but he assured her that he would be fine. "I just want to be here with my -- with my wife," Bo added. After the nurse left, Hope woke up -- and began screaming when she saw Bo, again mistaking him for Aiden. Bo calmed Hope down and assured her that she was safe.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefano and Andre were furious to learn that Bo had returned to Salem just in time to save Hope, leaving Aiden the only casualty of their plan. Later, Stefano overheard Andre talking to someone on the phone. "Yes, I believe in being proactive rather than reactive. That means that the next move is ours," Andre told the person before ending the call. When Stefano questioned Andre about the phone conversation, Andre explained that he was simply dealing with the fallout of Hope's attack and Aiden's death. "And?" Stefano asked. "Oh, you have nothing to worry about, Father. I have matters well in hand, as always," Andre replied.
The guard returned to Chad's holding cell and conceded that Chad's earlier story might have had some truth to it. Chad was shocked when the guard added that Chad's lawyer had gotten him off. "Yeah, best defense ever -- he's the guy they've been looking for all along. Aiden Jennings tried to strangle someone tonight. Turns out he's the Necktie Killer," the guard explained. Meanwhile, at Hope's house, Rafe struggled to understand how he could have missed Aiden as a suspect -- and why Aiden would have wanted to kill Hope in the first place.
At the hospital, Kayla tracked Steve down after hearing that Hope had been admitted, but before he could explain what had happened, Bo returned from his examination, wearing clean scrubs. After a brief reunion with Kayla, Bo went back to Hope's room and crawled into Hope's hospital bed so he could protectively cradle her in his arms as she slept.
As Sami was passing through a secluded section of the town square, Andre approached her. "Welcome home, Samantha. I trust your trip to Switzerland was enlightening," Andre said with a smile. Sami tried to run, but one of Andre's goons grabbed her and covered her mouth to muffle her screams, and another goon soon appeared to help drag her away.
As Chad waited impatiently in his jail cell for news, Rafe visited. Rafe confirmed that Aiden had attempted to strangle Hope with a red necktie the previous evening. Chad's mouth dropped open. Rafe said that it looked like Aiden was the Necktie Killer. When Chad asked about Aiden's motive, Rafe said that Aiden was dead. Rafe informed Chad that he would be released from jail. "For what it's worth, I never thought you were the guy," Rafe said. "Yeah, I know. Thank you," Chad said quietly.
In the precinct, Andre demanded an apology from Justin, but Justin refused. Chad and Rafe entered the room, and Andre asked Chad if he had heard the good news. A stone-faced Chad said he had heard about Aiden. Justin suggested that Aiden could have been a copycat killer. As Andre raised an eyebrow, Justin warned Chad not to leave town. While Rafe worked on Chad's paperwork, Andre asked Justin if he still suspected Chad. Justin smiled.
At the cabin, Abigail sat in a chair with her wrists bound tightly in a plastic cuff. When Ben returned to the cabin with food, Abigail glared at him. Ben said he did not want to give up on their relationship. Seeing Abigail's raised eyebrow, Ben said he was confident that he could make Abigail fall in love with him again. Abigail said that they could not start over until Ben stopped treating her like a prisoner. Ben asked Abigail if she was playing him. Abigail started to cry.
"Ben, look at me! I'm scared to death right now. I thought that I knew you. I have no idea who you are. You were keeping a horrible secret," Abigail said. Abigail reiterated her request for Ben to remove her plastic cuffs. As Ben paced the room, Abigail mentioned that she had forgiven Ben for using the tracking app on her phone, and she asked him to return the favor. Angry, Ben noted that he could not trust Abigail because he knew that she had had an affair with Chad.
Shaking her head, Abigail started to cry again. Ben said he had decided to fight for Abigail after he had learned that she was carrying his baby. Ben said he was concerned that Abigail would not be able to fight for him like he had fought for her. Abigail apologized for her affair. Weeping, Abigail said that the conversation that Ben had overheard between her and Chad at the DiMera mansion had made her realize that Ben was the only man that she wanted.
"Maybe you want to want me, but you have this weakness for guys like Chad and his brother," Ben said. Abigail shook her head. Ben said he would not trust Abigail until Chad was in prison. Concerned, Ben checked his phone for information on Chad's case. Unable to get a signal on his phone, Ben said he was going to return to their apartment to get some stuff and check the news. Abigail warned Ben that someone might see him in town without her. With a shrug, Ben said he was a really good liar.
After Ben left, Abigail screamed in frustration. Unfazed, Abigail rubbed the plastic cuffs against the chair to break free. Abigail promised her baby that they would escape. As Abigail looked around the room, her belly cramped. Pained, Abigail breathed through the pain and muttered, "It's too soon."
At the DiMera mansion, Stefano greeted Chad when he returned home. Chad asked Andre if he had told Stefano about Andre's suggestion to Chad at the hospital to stay in the coma or die and save the family the shame. Andre switched the subject to Aiden. Chad laughed. Chad told Stefano that Andre had visited him at the police station to inform him that the Necktie Killer would strike again. Annoyed, Stefano said he did not care how Andre had heard that there would be an attack by the Necktie Killer.
"I hope to hell that the two of you did not do something on my behalf that could have gotten Hope Brady killed," Chad said. Andre stressed that Hope and Chad would be fine. With a grunt, Andre wheeled Stefano out of the living room.
Hope slept in her hospital bed with Bo asleep on the floor beside her. Bo woke with a start. As Bo leaned over his wife and kissed her, Victor stared through the window into the room. Bo met with Victor in the hallway. Victor apologized for putting Bo in danger. Shaking his head, Bo insisted that he had wanted to help Caroline and that Victor was not to blame for the kidnapping. As Bo stared through the window at Hope, Victor assured Bo that Hope had waited a long time before moving on.
Victor asked Bo what had happened to him. Bo explained that he had located Dr. Salinas and had set him up at a lab in Peru. Bo noted that the ISA had contacted him after that and had offered to provide Bo with evidence to take down the Dimera family. As Victor nodded, Bo explained that people that were interested in the serum work of Dr. Salinas had kidnapped him. Bo warned Victor that they would need to keep their guard up. Roman interrupted the conversation to hug his brother. Kayla joined in. Bo stressed that he wanted to focus on Hope. Nodding, Kayla thanked Bo for saving Hope's life.
In her hospital room, Hope dreamed about Aiden's attack, and she thrashed in her bed. Hope awoke screaming, and Bo rushed into the room to hold her and calm her down. Kayla sedated Hope. When Victor asked Bo to return to the mansion to clean up, Bo resisted. Kayla gently talked Bo into leaving Hope's side. Bo agreed, but he insisted on returning to his house instead.
When Bo arrived at home, he talked to a police officer who promised to get a crew to clean up the crime scene before Hope returned home. After the officer left, Bo stared around the battered living room. "This should not have happened. Not in my house. Not to my family," Bo growled.
At the hospital, Rafe visited Hope. Hope stirred awake and asked for Bo. Rafe informed her that Bo would return shortly. When Rafe asked Hope how she was doing, she started to cry. Rafe assured Hope that she was surrounded by loved ones. As Rafe held Hope's hand, Bo returned from home and watched them from the doorway. Bo said hello, and Rafe kissed Hope's hand and left.
When Bo asked how Hope was feeling, she said she did not know. Bo said he would stay by her side. Shaking her head, Hope said she did not know if Bo could help her. Hope hugged Bo tightly. Bo urged Hope to rest, but she was resistant. Hope asked Bo what had happened to him and why he had not returned home sooner.
In the town square, Gabi and Kate talked over breakfast about a job offer. Gabi was reluctant to model again, and she asked for a desk job instead. Kate insisted that Gabi had been born to be a model, and she urged Gabi to accept her offer. Gabi agreed to think about it. As Kate walked away, Gabi looked across the square at Eduardo. As Gabi rose to leave, her phone beeped with a text message from Rafe.
Gabi looked stricken. As J.J. walked by, he stopped and asked Gabi if she was okay. Gabi showed J.J. the text, which stated that Aiden was the Necktie Killer. When J.J. mentioned Paige, Gabi looked across the square at Eduardo. J.J. suggested that Gabi should talk to her father about Aiden. Nervous, Gabi declined. J.J. told Gabi that he often wished he could talk to his father. Nodding, Gabi said she would think about it.
When J.J. left for home, Gabi approached Eduardo. Surprised, Eduardo rose slowly to his feet. Gabi offered her condolences about Paige. Gabi told Eduardo about Aiden. As Eduardo talked about getting to know Gabi, Rafe entered the square and overheard. As Rafe approached, Eduardo told Gabi that he hoped to see her soon, and he left. Gabi said she had wanted to tell Eduardo about Aiden. Nodding, Rafe told Gabi that she should make up her own mind about their father.
When Gabi asked if it was possible that Eduardo regretted leaving his families, Rafe said their father was dead to him. From the corner of the square, Eduardo eavesdropped and overheard Rafe's declaration.
At the pub, a tearful Jennifer talked to J.J. on the phone about Aiden. Worried, Jennifer started to leave for the hospital, and she ran into Chad at the doorway. Chad asked about Abigail. Jennifer said that Abigail had told her that Ben had been acting strangely then Abigail had texted that they were leaving town to work on their relationship. Emotional, Jennifer rushed out.
Eduardo went to the pub, and while he ate, he read a news report about Aiden. Kate walked over and introduced herself. Eduardo asked her to join him, and she did. Kate confided that her grandson had also been a victim of the Necktie Killer. When Eduardo showed Kate the news report on his tablet, Kate shook her head in disbelief. Kate said she had been at their wedding. Shaking his head, Eduardo said he was anxious to move past the murders. Curious, Kate asked Eduardo if he was leaving Salem. Eduardo said he was staying.
When Kate inquired about Eduardo's plans, he informed her that he owned a security company but that he was looking for a home base for his company. Eduardo said he liked the people he had met in Salem. Kate smiled. Kate offered her business card and told Eduardo to call her for advice. With a smile, Kate left the pub.
In the town square, Gabi met with Rafe and told him that J.J. had convinced her to talk to her father. Rafe countered that Jack Deveraux was not Eduardo. With a nod, Gabi said she understood. When Rafe asked if Gabi and J.J. were dating, Gabi said that she was friends with J.J. Gabi added that J.J. looked up to Rafe and wanted to be a cop. In the cemetery, J.J. visited Paige's grave. J.J. told Paige that he wanted to make her proud of him.
At his apartment, Ben rushed around and gathered stuff to carry back to the cabin. In the hallway outside the apartment, Chad arrived. As Ben stared at a sonogram photo, Chad knocked on the front door. Ben looked through the peephole and sighed when he saw Chad was in the hallway. Ben opened the door. "What the hell are you doing here?" Ben asked.
At the hospital, Steve tracked Kayla down in her office and reported that Joey was feeling better -- and had even asked for a cheeseburger and some fries. Kayla wasn't happy to learn that Steve had visited Joey, since, as far as she was concerned, it was Steve's fault that Joey had been hospitalized in the first place. Kayla complained that it had been wrong of Steve to keep her in the dark about the mysterious threat to their family. "Why don't you ask Bo how that worked out [for him]?" Kayla suggested, asserting that Hope wouldn't have had her near-death experience if Bo had just stayed in Salem, where he belonged.
Steve pointed out that Caroline probably never would have recovered from her illness in that case, but Kayla refused to buy that excuse because Bo hadn't just gone off to look for a cure for Caroline -- he had also taken on a new ISA mission as a side project during his absence because, like Steve, he just couldn't resist the allure of such things. "We are who we are," Steve said with a shrug. "Right -- idealistic, stubborn men who think that [they're] the only people [who] can save the world," Kayla summarized, adding that Steve and Bo apparently didn't care about the possibility of their respective families getting hurt in the process.
Steve protested that neither he nor Bo had ever put their respective families in danger intentionally, but that distinction didn't really matter much to Kayla because danger had still found all of them regardless. Kayla added that the scariest part was that Steve didn't even seem to understand how that had happened. Steve guessed Kayla wanted him to be someone else entirely, but she denied that, clarifying that she simply wanted to know the whole truth about what was going on -- something Steve should have told her before their son had been drugged.
Steve maintained that he never would have returned to Salem if he had known that the threat against his family had, in fact, not been neutralized. "That's why I left in the first place! That's why I stayed away! I won't apologize for that!" Steve added. Kayla understood that danger followed Steve wherever he went, and that was just part of who he was as a person, but she insisted that he couldn't keep that stuff to himself. "You want to share the danger?" Steve asked incredulously. "We already do!" Kayla replied.
"I just need a little heads-up, a little warning. We should be a team! I can help! But you've gotta tell me what's going on!" Kayla added, arguing that if Steve had told her about the threat sooner, they might have been able to neutralize it together. Steve admitted that it had been wrong of him to keep Kayla in the dark. "All I could think was [that] the threat was following me, [and] the further away I got, the better it would be for you and Joe," Steve explained. Kayla suggested that if Steve actually wanted a family of his own, they needed to start acting like a family -- meaning they needed to handle the threat together.
Grinning, Steve started cracking jokes, and when Kayla wondered how he could manage to do so at such a time, he explained that he was simply happy. "You want me back! Right?" Steve guessed. "Unbelievable!" Kayla countered, tossing a box of tissues at Steve, who caught it and chuckled as he reminded her that he wasn't the bad guy. "Okay, fine. Then start talking, and tell me who is," Kayla demanded.
Bo filled Hope in on what had happened to him while he had been away from Salem. Hope blamed herself for Bo's ordeal, but he assured her that he understood why she had lost faith in him during his absence. Bo promised that he would never leave Hope again. Meanwhile, Doug and Julie entered Hope's room -- and were shocked to see Bo. Ciara wasn't far behind, and she began sobbing as she embraced Bo, who was shocked to see that she had grown into a young lady during his absence.
Julie began inundating Bo with questions, and Hope silently struggled with her guilt as he quickly explained that he had been held prisoner for a while and hadn't willingly abandoned his family. Meanwhile, Chase arrived and wondered what had happened to Hope -- and where his father was. Hope assured Chase that she was okay, and when he gave Bo a puzzled look, Ciara explained that Bo was her father. At Julie's prompting, Doug ushered Chase out of the room, claiming that they were leaving to give Ciara some time alone with Bo. After saying goodbye to Hope, Bo and Ciara also left, leaving Hope alone with Julie.
Hope took her wedding ring off and set it aside as Julie explained that she and Doug knew what had happened but had managed to keep Ciara and Chase from finding out. As Hope began wondering how she was going to tell Chase about what had happened, Roman entered the room and revealed that he had an idea that might help Chase -- and prevent Hope from having to be the one to break the news to him.
At John and Marlena's townhouse, Marlena tried to contact Sami, but the call went to voicemail, so she left a message, urging Sami to be careful -- and call her back as soon as possible. As Marlena ended the call, John assured her that Sami would get in touch with them eventually. Marlena didn't share John's confidence, pointing out that Sami was consumed with anger because she blamed Stefano for E.J.'s death as well as Will's.
John showed Marlena the article he had been reading about Aiden. John admitted that he found it hard to believe that Aiden, who had always seemed like one of the good guys, had been the serial killer all along. "People are not always what they seem," Marlena reminded John, who declared her an exception to that rule because she had never lost faith in Chad. Marlena said she was glad that she had been right about Chad, adding that he had never seemed capable of committing such horrible murders.
When Marlena received a phone call from Roman, she assumed he was calling to give her some news about Sami's whereabouts, but he explained that he hadn't seen or heard from Sami lately -- and, in fact, he hadn't even known that she had returned to Salem. Trying not to let that concern her, Marlena dropped the subject, and Roman proceeded to ask her for a favor.
Ciara was shocked when Bo told her about what Aiden had done. Ciara started to muse that Aiden had always been nice to her, but she stopped herself and decided that none of that mattered anymore -- and she was glad he was dead. Bo urged Ciara not to think like that -- and not to blame Chase for what had happened, since it wasn't his fault. "You understand a little bit about not having a parent around, right? Imagine losing both your parents," Bo added. Conceding the point, Ciara tearfully stated that she was glad that Bo had returned home, and she hugged him tightly as she added that she was never going to let him out of her sight again.
Later, Bo took Hope back to their house, which had been cleaned up and filled with new furniture. A cop was there, doing one last sweep of the place, and he started to ask Hope how she was doing, but she quickly stopped him and assured him that she was fine. After the cop left, Hope identified him to Bo as Rollins, a relatively new -- and good -- addition to the police force.
As Hope looked around the living room, she recalled what had happened to her the previous night. Bo wondered if Hope was sure she was ready to be back in the place where she had nearly died. Hope confirmed that she was, adding that it was her home, and she couldn't let what had happened there change that. Bo wondered what was going to happen to Chase. "I will -- we will [take him in]. He belongs with us; he doesn't have anywhere else to... I can't imagine not having him with me," Hope replied, and Bo nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Chase, Ciara, and Marlena emerged from the kitchen. Hope hugged Chase as Marlena said that she had just been about to explain why she was there. "You're a shrink, right?" Chase asked. Marlena confirmed the suspicion and began to say something else, but Chase impatiently interrupted and demanded to know where his father was. "And don't say you don't know. Just tell me what happened," Chase added.
Nodding, Marlena admitted that no one was really sure exactly what had happened. Marlena gently explained that Aiden had suffered a mental breakdown because he had been under a lot of pressure and hadn't been able to handle it. "It's an illness; it doesn't mean that he was a bad person," Marlena stressed. Marlena added that Aiden had tried to hurt Hope after the wedding. Chase refused to believe that, but Marlena and Hope both assured him that it was true. Hope admitted that she didn't know what had set Aiden off, adding that he'd had a lot of problems that no one had ever seen.
Assuming that Aiden was in jail, Chase asked to talk to him, but Marlena apologetically informed him that he wouldn't be able to do that. "When your father attacked Hope, she tried to fight him off, and Bo came in, and he tried to pull [your father] off of her, and there was a terrible fight that happened, and --" Marlena began. "Stop. I got it. You killed my dad, didn't you?" Chase guessed, glaring at Bo. Bo started to explain that he hadn't meant to do that, but Chase interrupted and wondered if his father's death was news to Ciara. Ciara admitted that she had found out what had happened earlier.
"So everyone knew? Everyone knew my dad was dead? My dad?" Chase asked. Hope knelt beside Chase, told him she was sorry, and assured him that he wasn't alone because he was still a part of her family. "That's bull. That's bull!" Chase shouted as he stormed out of the house. Bo rushed after Chase but was unable to catch him. When Bo returned to the house, Ciara reluctantly informed him that Chase had a secret place he liked to go to when he was upset. Bo headed there, and Hope hugged Ciara and assured her that she had done the right thing. Hope also stressed that Ciara couldn't blame Chase for Aiden's actions.
Bo winced and grabbed the back of his head as he approached Chase's secret place. Bo tried to convince Chase to return to the house, but Chase shoved him away and warned him to back off. "You got what you wanted! You killed my dad! You wanted him out of the way when you came back, [so] you killed him! You are a murderer!" Chase spat.
At John and Marlena's townhouse, John received a visit from the ISA agent he had caught following him and Marlena earlier. The man pointed out that John had walked away from two ISA missions since his return to the agency. John explained that he had told "the powers that be" that he couldn't let his ISA job get in the way of his family. "You can spend all your time with them now. You're fired, effective immediately. And that decision is final," the man replied before showing himself out.
Ben was shocked when Chad revealed that the police had caught the real serial killer -- Aiden, who had been killed while trying to strangle Hope the previous night. Chad explained that he wanted to thank Abigail because she had never lost faith in him, but Ben refused to believe that, suspecting that Chad really just wanted to fill her head with lies. "I'm not here to cause any trouble," Chad assured Ben. "Yeah, this time," Ben countered. Confused, Chad wondered if he had tried to cause trouble the last time he had shown up at Ben and Abigail's apartment.
"Chad, you got in my face, and you... You really don't remember anything at all, do you?" Ben asked. Chad confirmed the suspicion and wondered where Abigail was. Ben explained that he and Abigail had left town earlier, and he had just returned to the apartment to grab a few things they had forgotten to pack. Chad found that hard to believe, since Abigail had previously told him that she and Ben had decided not to leave town, but Ben explained that they had since changed their minds.
Ben threatened to call the cops and have Chad charged with harassment, and that caused Chad to recall how Ben had threatened to call the cops on the night they had fought with each other. Chad kept quiet about what he had just remembered and left the apartment. As he walked through the town square, Chad recalled a bit more about his fight with Ben but still wasn't able to remember what had caused it.
At the cabin, Abigail cried out for help as she struggled to free herself, using a chopstick to try to pick the lock on the handcuffs that were tethering her ankle to the bed. When her contractions worsened, Abigail abandoned her task, stretched out on her back on the floor, and began taking deep breaths, hoping to stop the contractions. Abigail timed the contractions and was comforted to learn that they were occurring twenty minutes apart from each other, meaning she was probably just suffering from Braxton Hicks contractions.
Before Abigail could get back to trying to free herself, Ben returned and told her about his earlier encounter with Chad. Abigail wanted to know how Chad had gotten out of jail, but Ben insisted that he didn't want to talk about how "that murderer" had managed to get released. Knowing that Chad was never going to give up on Abigail unless she forced him to, Ben used her cell phone to contact Chad, and he pressed the device to her ear, ordering her to tell Chad, in no uncertain terms, that she never wanted to see him again. With his other hand on Abigail's stomach, Ben also warned her to be very careful about what she said to Chad.
When Chad answered the call, he started to thank Abigail for her faith in him but quickly surmised that something was wrong. "Wait, is Ben with you right now?" Chad asked. "Yes, that's right," Abigail replied. "All right, listen, if you're in trouble, just say goodbye and hang up, okay?" Chad suggested, and Abigail complied.
Jennifer bumped into Maggie at the Brady Pub, and when she apologized and offered to help with the load of takeout food Maggie was carrying, Maggie observed that Jennifer seemed to be carrying an even bigger load on her shoulders.
Jennifer explained that she was worried about J.J., who was determined to join the police force, and Abigail, who had left town with Ben and had refused to say where they had gone. Jennifer added that she felt like she didn't have a right to be upset about anything at that time, considering what Hope was going through. Jennifer said she hadn't talked to Hope since the wedding because she wanted to give Hope some space, and she didn't know what to say to Hope, anyway. Maggie guessed that just being there for Hope would be enough. Conceding the point, Jennifer thanked Maggie for always being able to help her see things more clearly.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady and Theresa awkwardly greeted each other in the living room. Brady suggested that he and Theresa could treat what had happened the previous night like adults, adding that it didn't have to be a big deal. Theresa protested that it was a big deal -- to her, at least. "It wasn't easy for me to tell you that I love you, and, um...what I have to tell you right now -- it's not gonna be easy, either. But, um... Look, Brady, if you don't love me back, then this whole thing's gotta end," Theresa added, her voice wavering a bit as she spoke.
Before Brady could say much in response, Maggie entered the mansion and greeted him and Theresa. Maggie quickly surmised that something had changed between Brady and Theresa, but Brady feigned ignorance and excused himself so he could get to a board meeting at the hospital. After Brady left, Theresa hugged Maggie and admitted that she was extremely happy. "Who knew that honesty could be so great for a relationship?" Theresa mused, prompting Maggie to raise her hand and point out that she had tried to tell Theresa that more than once.
Theresa started to tell Maggie about what had happened with Brady the previous night, but Maggie quickly got the gist and asked to be spared from hearing the gory details. Nodding, Theresa explained that the best part was that Brady hadn't headed for the hills as soon as the sun had risen; he had instead cuddled with her for a while, and had later said he wanted to talk to her sometime soon about what was happening between them. Maggie warned Theresa to be careful, suggesting that her and Brady's mutual love for Tate might be the only thing holding them together. Theresa disagreed, asserting that Brady loved her, too -- he just didn't know that yet.
Victor ran into Brady at the hospital and wondered why he wasn't in the board meeting. Brady explained that it had been canceled -- thanks, once again, to Hastings -- and Victor complained that "that man" was always wasting everyone's time. Changing the subject, Brady asked about Caroline. Victor reported that he had found Caroline at the Martin mansion the previous night, waiting for Bo -- who had, in fact, returned home, just as she had said he would. Brady was shocked to hear about what had happened after Hope and Aiden's wedding. "Dear God, where have I been?" Brady muttered. "Probably sleeping with the in-house tramp," Victor guessed.
"Granddad, I am sick and tired --" Brady began. "Of what, hearing the truth?" Victor guessed again. Victor added that Brady's judgment had been clouded in the past but had since gotten totally overcast. Victor declared that Theresa was poison, and he insisted that he didn't want to see her sink her teeth into Brady any more than she already had, because that could leave Brady as a total loss not only to Titan but also to himself. Brady protested that Theresa had changed -- or, at least, was trying to. "A leopard and its spots. Catch the metaphor?" Victor countered. Fed up, Brady left after warning Victor to stop having such a negative attitude about Theresa.
Nicole tracked Daniel down at the nurses' station and gave him a pointed glare when he greeted her. "Did I do something?" Daniel wondered. "You did nothing!" Nicole complained, adding that Daniel hadn't booked the limousine, checked with the caterer to see if a vegan option could be added to the menu, or done any of the other wedding-related things on his to-do list.
Daniel apologetically explained that he hadn't had time to do those things yet because he had been busy covering for another doctor. Daniel started to assure Nicole that he would take care of those things as soon as his shift ended, but when he hesitated while trying to recall exactly what he was supposed to be taking care of, Nicole wondered if he was starting to get cold feet. Daniel insisted he wasn't, and he promised that he really would take care of everything as soon as possible, but Nicole told him not to bother.
Daniel thought Nicole was about to call off the wedding, but she clarified that she had meant that she would take care of the things on his to-do list herself. Daniel tried to protest, acknowledging that he wasn't the only one who was busy with work, but Nicole refused to change her mind. "I am going to be a doctor's wife. This is good practice," Nicole reasoned.
After Daniel headed off to check on a patient, Nicole received a phone call from someone, who informed her that they were sending a male model her way. Nicole didn't want to meet the potential model for Basic Black at the hospital, so she told the person to send him to the Brady Pub instead. After ending the call, Nicole gathered her things from the nurses' station and turned to leave -- just as an attractive man exited the elevator. Assuming the man was her potential model, Nicole circled him while doing a head-to-toe inspection. Once she was done, Nicole decided that, while the man was really good-looking, he simply wasn't what she was looking for.
Chuckling, the man introduced himself as Fynn Thompson and explained that he was looking for Daniel. "As in Dr. Fynn Thompson, who used to work with Daniel at Lockhart Memorial Hospital," Nicole realized, adding that Daniel had mentioned that Fynn would probably be visiting Salem sometime soon. Fynn confirmed that he and Daniel were good friends who'd had some fun times together in the past -- and he expected that they would have more of the same in the future.
"How about I take you to dinner tonight and tell you why you should be the model?" Fynn suggested, prompting Nicole to show off her engagement ring and explain that she was already with someone -- Daniel. "Oh. That's territory I don't need to tread on again," Fynn mused with a laugh, adding, for Nicole's benefit, that it was a long story.
Nodding, Nicole excused herself so she could get to the Brady Pub to meet up with the real male model. Fynn said Daniel was a very lucky guy, and, after thanking Fynn for the compliment, Nicole countered that she was a very psychic girl -- so psychic, in fact, that she had known, from the second she had first laid eyes on Fynn, that his middle name was Trouble.
Later, Daniel ran into Fynn in the park. Fynn said he had decided to move to Salem a few weeks ahead of schedule because he hadn't had anything keeping him back at home. Fynn added that University Hospital had accepted his application -- and he had met Nicole while checking the place out earlier. Daniel guessed Fynn had tried to hit on Nicole, but Fynn claimed that he hadn't -- although he certainly might have back in the old days. Daniel admitted that he would have been concerned, back in the old days, about Fynn swooping in on Nicole. Daniel added, however, that he and Nicole had been through a lot together and trusted each other completely.
Brady met with Theresa at the Brady Pub and told her that, while he'd had a great time with her the previous night, he thought it would be best for them to just take things one day at a time instead of trying to push things into happening. Theresa assumed that meant Brady didn't want to be with her, but he clarified that he simply wasn't ready to answer that question yet, one way or the other. "I'll take what I can get," Theresa said, smiling at Brady. Theresa excused herself so she could get back to Tate, but before leaving, she asked if she could have a goodbye kiss from Brady.
Nicole passed the Brady Pub while on the phone with someone, complaining about how the male model had booked another gig before she had even had a chance to meet with him. Witnessing the kiss through one of the windows, Nicole waited until Theresa left then confronted Brady, reminding him that he had previously been consumed with hatred toward Theresa.
Brady admitted that he was rethinking his position, adding that motherhood had changed Theresa -- and she actually had some attributes that he liked and respected. Nicole worriedly wondered if things between Brady and Theresa were getting serious. "I don't know," Brady hesitantly replied. "Oh, my God. That is the wrong answer," Nicole insisted, shaking her head in disbelief.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Theresa went to the living room to get a couple of Tate's baby rattles -- and was in such a good mood that she suddenly felt inspired to break into a flamenco dance of joy as she headed into the foyer, using the toys as makeshift tambourines. Victor met her there and told her that, in the future, the nanny -- or Brady, or Maggie, or Victor -- would see to it that Tate had his baby rattles.
"After a couple of days, houseguests start to smell like bad fish. With you, it's been more than a couple of days, and the stench has become intolerable, so I'm no longer willing to extend my hospitality," Victor added. Theresa said she didn't understand. "Well, let me put it in a more common, unrefined way that you might understand -- get your sorry ass out of my house. Now!" Victor spat.
Bo dragged Chase back home and tried to talk to him, stating that the place was his home, too, and he had people who wanted to be there for him at that time. As Chase stared at the floor, Ciara apologized for revealing his secret place, explaining that she had simply been worried about him. Chase remained silent as Ciara added that she hoped he wasn't upset with her.
Ciara started to excuse herself so she could finish some homework, but Bo stopped her and pointed out that Chase could use a friend to talk to. Ciara said she wasn't ready to talk to Chase yet. Hope tried to reason with Ciara, but Ciara interrupted. "This is really hard for me, okay? Why can't you understand that? I don't feel safe around him!" Ciara admitted, prompting Chase to retreat to his bedroom and slam the door shut.
Bo understood how Ciara was feeling but reminded her that Chase wasn't responsible for what Aiden had done to Hope. Hope added that Chase had been through a lot in his life and wasn't just grieving the loss of his father; he was also in shock due to the traumatic realization that his father had been capable of murder. Hope knew that, at the very least, Aiden had loved Chase -- and Chase had loved Aiden, too.
Hope said she was sorry that she had shown such poor judgment with Aiden, and she added that, while Ciara had a right to be upset and angry, she didn't want Ciara to take it out on Chase. Ciara replied that she didn't really want to take her anger out on anyone, and she promised to apologize to Chase, conceding that she shouldn't have said that she didn't feel safe around him. Ciara wondered, however, if Hope and Bo really believed that Chase was in the mood to hear them go on and on about how they felt sorry for him. Ciara guessed Chase would probably prefer to be left alone for a while.
Ciara wanted to shift to a happier topic -- the "totally awesome and amazing" fact that Bo and Hope had finally been reunited. "I have a great idea -- why don't you guys set up a date to get married again?" Ciara suggested. Bo seemed open to the idea, but he could tell Hope wasn't, so he asked Ciara to give them some time to talk privately. After Ciara left the room, Hope admitted to Bo that she felt like her mind was going one hundred miles per hour but her brain was only going twenty miles per hour. Hope added that, while she was relieved that Bo was back, she was still in shock because of what had happened.
Hope apologetically explained that she didn't feel like she was capable of thinking clearly and making decisions at that time. Bo said he understood, and he promised that he wouldn't pressure Hope. Bo suggested that he and Hope could discuss the future once the time was right, and he added that she could feel free to lean on him and talk to him whenever she needed to because he wasn't going anywhere. "Stop, please! Please, just... You're being rational. I just -- I can't -- I can't process rational right now. I can't think, I can't plan; I'm not sure if I can even make it to the end of the day," Hope tearfully admitted.
Bo hugged Hope and told her to focus on the feeling of his beating heart, since that was something real that she could cling to. Hope pulled away from Bo, and he took the hint and headed out so she could have some time alone, promising to check on her again later. After Bo left, Hope angrily tossed all the pillows off the couch then curled up on it, sobbing as she tucked herself into the fetal position.
Later, someone rang the doorbell. Hope, who had moved to a chair but was still curled up in the same protective position, cowered in fear and kept her head low as she stared at the door, waiting for the visitor to go away. After hearing a knock, Hope received a text message, which gave her the courage to answer the door. "You had to text me to get me to open the door," Hope mused as she hugged Jennifer.
Jennifer wondered how Hope was doing, and Hope admitted that she was struggling. Hope couldn't believe that she had loved Aiden and had actually agreed to marry him. Grabbing her neck, Hope started gasping for air, complaining that she couldn't breathe. Hope added that her head was spinning with memories of Aiden, and she couldn't handle being in the place where he had tried to kill her.
Jennifer understood and suggested that Hope -- and, of course, Ciara and Chase, as well -- could stay with her at the Horton house for as long as necessary. When Ciara joined Hope and Jennifer in the living room a short time later, they told her about their plan. Ciara wasn't happy about the idea, so Jennifer excused herself so Hope and Ciara could talk about it privately.
Ciara wanted to stay right where she was -- especially since Bo had finally returned home. Hope explained that things were complicated because Bo had been gone for a very long time, and learning the truth about his absence had changed everything. "It wasn't your dad who betrayed us, Ciara; it was me. I betrayed him," Hope added.
Pointing out that Hope had been led to believe that Bo had stopped caring about his family and had left them behind for good, Ciara insisted that Hope needed to stop beating herself up about the decisions she had made as a result of that mistaken belief. Ciara added that it was obvious that Bo and Hope still loved each other. Hope confirmed that she still loved Bo -- and she always had loved him -- but she added that she wasn't sure if things would ever be the same between them.
Bo ran into Shawn in the town square and told him Hope wasn't doing very well. Shawn was confident that Hope would be okay, but Bo admitted that he didn't share Shawn's optimism. Shawn didn't like the idea of giving Hope some time alone, arguing that she needed her family's support, but Bo thought they needed to respect her wishes, since she had been very clear about what she wanted.
Bo suddenly stumbled backward while talking to Shawn, who caught him and wondered if he was okay. Bo insisted that he was. Shawn helped Bo over to a nearby bench then went to get a bottle of water for him. When Shawn returned, he was on the phone with Kayla, telling her about what had happened.
Bo took Shawn's cell phone and assured Kayla that everything was okay, but she wasn't convinced, so he reluctantly agreed to go to the hospital later that day so she could check him out herself. After ending the call, Bo started to complain that it had been unnecessary for Shawn to get Kayla involved, but before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed in Shawn's arms.
While Joey was in Horton Square, someone lurked in the bushes and spied on him. Joey left the square and headed into the park. Looking over his shoulder, he took off his backpack and set it on the ground, and when he heard someone approaching, Joey hurled the pack in that direction -- where it landed squarely in his dad's midsection. "You following me?" an incredulous Joey asked, and Steve admitted that he had been because he'd been worried about Joey.
Steve asserted that he thought, because of Joey's drugging, someone was trying to send a message to him. Steve produced the anonymous note he'd received at the hospital. He explained that he had made a lot of enemies over the years, and one of those enemies had started targeting him in Africa, and he'd feared that Kayla and Joey had been in the line of fire, as well -- and that was why Steve had felt it necessary to leave his family behind. Once Steve had gotten rid of the threat, he'd returned home. Joey understood what Steve meant by that.
Steve said that there had actually been more than one person after him. "I can't believe you kept this from us! Damn it, I spent so much time hating you for leaving -- and so did Mom!" Joey complained. Steve apologized and cautioned Joey that the problem had to be dealt with. Joey pleaded with Steve to let him help. Steve firmly refused to use Joey as bait. "This is on me. I got this," Steve declared. "Fine. What happens when I leave this park? You gonna keep trailing me? Want me to save you a seat in the cafeteria?" Joey grumbled. Steve promised that it would all be over soon.
After Joey left, Steve got a text message that read simply, "Intrigued, aren't you?"
At the cabin, a bound Abigail clutched her belly and moaned in pain, crying to the baby that it was too soon. When Ben returned, drinking a beer, Abigail faked feeling well. She pointed out to Ben that there were other people in Salem who would be worried about her besides Chad, especially her mom. With the next pain, Abigail tried to hide it but cried out in pain anyway. When Ben asked what was wrong, she claimed it was nothing, but she had another pain.
Concerned, Ben asked if Abigail were in labor. Abigail had to admit that she'd been having cramps, but she'd thought they would go away. Becoming a bit panicked, Ben asked what they could do to stop them. Abigail said she didn't know, other than taking her to the hospital. "I cannot go into labor like this, please, not here, like this," Abigail cried. Ben didn't buy it, yelling in Abigail's face that he wasn't stupid. Abigail doubled over in pain again.
Ben was asleep on the bed, while Abigail dozed upright in the chair. She dreamed about Chad arriving to rescue her -- and Ben waking up. The men fought in her dream until Chad knocked Ben out. Abigail awakened and immediately had another cramp. She finally called out for Ben, who jumped out of bed. Abigail implored her dubious fiancé to take her to the hospital and tried to assure him that she would never trick him about their baby. Ben just glared down at Abigail as she doubled over and cried, "Ben, help us, please! Please help us! There's something wrong!"
Chad went to the police station and told Rafe that he was worried about Abigail. Chad explained that it wasn't like Abigail to miss her cousin's wedding or the bicentennial gala, and Chad didn't think she'd left willingly. Rafe said he needed more before he could open an investigation. Chad told Rafe about the phone call when Abigail had signaled to him that she was in trouble. Rafe was skeptical, pointing out that there was bad blood between Chad and Ben. Chad was insistent that Abigail was in trouble, and when he grew enraged, Rafe almost had to have Chad escorted out. Chad vowed to help Abigail himself.
Outside the Brady Pub, Jennifer got a text message, presumably from Abigail, that read, "Ben and I are doing great! Every day is better. I love him so much." Jennifer sent a reply asking Abigail to call her.
On a bench in the park outside Horton Square, Bo collapsed in his son's arms. When Bo insisted he was all right, Shawn started to dial 9-1-1, but Bo yanked the phone out of Shawn's hand. Bo insisted that he would get checked out, but Hope needed him. Shawn took the phone back and tried to convince Bo to go to the hospital. Bo joked that Shawn had always been bossy. After some jovial teasing, Shawn admitted that he, his mom, and Ciara loved Bo and wanted him around for a long time.
Shawn took Bo to the hospital, and Shawn told Kayla what had happened, although Bo claimed it had just been sleep deprivation. Kayla asked Bo to describe his symptoms. Before Bo began, he urged Shawn to go check on Hope -- but not to tell her about what was going on with Bo. Shawn reluctantly agreed. Once Kayla and Bo were alone, Bo insisted that whatever was wrong with him probably had something to do with what he'd been through. "Oh, did you get your medical degree when you were away?" Kayla asked.
While Kayla questioned him, Bo admitted that he'd been having headaches pretty much every day and sometimes more often that that, he'd been lightheaded and dizzy, and his vision was sometimes blurry. Kayla took Bo to an exam room and instructed him to put on a gown, after which she would run an MRI and CT scan. Bo tried to refuse because he wanted to get back to Hope, but Kayla pointed out that Shawn was capable of taking care of his mother while Bo got tested. After threating to have her burliest orderlies put the gown on Bo, Kayla left.
At the Brady house, Hope urged Ciara and Chase to get packed to leave for Jennifer's. Chase asserted that the others didn't have to act like Jennifer was his family. Hope reassured Chase that he was very important to them and that she loved him. Chase lashed out at Hope and Ciara, complaining that they pitied him and thought he was "crazy and homicidal" just because his dad had been. Before Ciara started up the stairs, she angrily ordered Chase to stop putting words in her mouth.
Hope leaned over on the couch and buried her head in her arms. Chase turned to her with concern, softly saying her name repeatedly, but Hope only sobbed without responding. Chase called Ciara downstairs, but she was unable to get Hope's attention, either. Tearfully apologizing for fighting with Chase, Ciara put her head on Hope's back and said, "I love you, Mom!" At last, Hope sat up.
Hope assured the kids that she hadn't been crying because of them. When Hope asked, Chase admitted that he didn't understand why they had to stay at Jennifer's. "Then we'll all stay here," Hope said, embracing Chase. The stain from Aiden's blood on the carpet caught Hope's attention, but she tried to focus on Chase.
Shawn showed up and claimed that Bo was running some errands and would be there in a little while. Seemingly satisfied, Hope took her suitcase upstairs, despite Shawn's offer of help. Shawn agreed with Ciara that their mom was acting "weird" and overwhelmed. Ciara demanded to know where Bo was when Hope needed him, and Shawn explained that Bo was with Kayla.
Before Ciara could send a text message to her dad, Jennifer arrived because she'd gotten a message from Hope about the change of plans. When Hope returned from upstairs, Jennifer offered to make some lunch for everyone. After Jennifer led Hope into the kitchen, Ciara pointed out Hope's behavior and asserted that Hope wouldn't be all right without Bo.
Later, Jennifer sympathized with what Hope had been through. Hope beat herself up for not knowing what Bo had been going through, trying to get back to his family, and for not realizing he had not deserted them. "Why did I think I had to move on? And with Aiden?" Hope continued. Jennifer asserted that there was no way Hope could have known that Bo was trying to find his way home, but despite Jennifer's assurances, Hope was inconsolable. "You need to heal with him, and you need to heal each other. He's the answer, Hope," Jennifer said gently.
Rafe showed up a little later and seemed a bit alarmed by Hope's demeanor. He offered to do whatever he could to help, but Hope said there was nothing he could do. Hope abruptly headed outside to get some air. Rafe was surprised that Bo wasn't there, and Jennifer agreed that Bo needed to hurry home. Jennifer pretended nothing was wrong when Rafe asked about Abigail. Rafe explained that Chad had shown up at the station, asking about Abigail, and Rafe wondered if Jennifer had actually spoken to Abigail since she'd left with Ben.
Rafe was skeptical that Abigail would have missed Hope's wedding, but Jennifer nonchalantly maintained that Abigail and Ben had just needed to put their family back together. Rafe asked Jennifer to let him know when she heard from Abigail. After Rafe left, Jennifer sent Abigail a text message that read, "Can [you] call me instead of texts? I need to hear [your] voice, honey." Jennifer headed into the kitchen.
Hope returned with the mail, and again, her eyes fell on the bloodstained carpet. After a moment, she perched on the edge of the couch and looked at the mail. In the stack, there was a letter addressed to "Mrs. Bo Brady."
Rafe was at the Brady Pub when Chad arrived. Chad promised not to let his temper get the better of him again -- but he pleaded with Rafe to help him with Abigail.
When Bo's tests were finished, he was antsy to return home. Kayla made him stay in bed but assured him that she'd put a rush on the test results. Kayla expressed her sympathy for everything Bo had been through. She added that Hope was feeling guilty because she hadn't recognized what had been going on with Aiden, but because she hadn't believed that Bo would have been trying to get home, it only compounded the guilt. Kayla explained that she understood Hope's feelings because Kayla felt the same way.
Bo assured his sister that he didn't blame her or Hope, because he was the one who had screwed up. All he wanted to do was help his family heal and help Hope after everything she'd been through. Kayla got a page from the lab and went to retrieve Bo's test results.
Kayla got the file containing Bo's results at the nurses' station and became distressed while she was looking at them. Bo stuck his head out the door as if attempting to sneak out of his room, but he paused when he saw Kayla's disposition. Upset, Kayla dropped her glasses on the desk and dialed Dr. Michaelson to ask for a consult on Bo's test results right away. Bo slipped back into his room with a worried look on his face. Kayla composed herself before entering Bo's room -- but he was gone.
Bo went to the park outside Horton Square and paced. Shawn showed up, carrying some takeout, and was surprised that his dad had already been released from the hospital. Bo claimed that he was "good to go." Shawn said he'd gone out with Chase and Ciara to get some food, and he'd sent the kids to see a movie. Bo said he couldn't decide whether to go home or give Hope the time she'd asked for. Shawn thought it would be all right to give Hope some space -- as long as Bo was ready to return the minute she was ready. "What's a few days...[when] you have your whole lifetime together?" Shawn added. Shawn headed for the house.
A few minutes later, an out-of-breath Kayla showed up, relieved to find her brother. Trying to laugh everything off, Bo joked that Steve would "laugh his ass off" when he heard about all the tests, since Bo had survived torture, drugs being pumped into him, and even a plane crash. Putting his arms on Kayla's shoulders, Bo choked up as he added, "And here I am, in this park, and my beautiful sister is about to tell me that I'm going to die. Right?"
