At the cabin, Abigail desperately tried to persuade Ben to take her to the hospital, but he remained convinced that she was faking her contractions. Abigail insisted that she would never use her and Ben's baby as a way to trick him, and she wondered if he would be able to live with himself if something happened to their baby because of his refusal to believe her.
Ben suggested that Abigail could simply be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, but she explained that those weren't known to get worse or get closer together. When another contraction occurred, Ben finally started to believe that Abigail was telling the truth, but he insisted that he couldn't risk taking her to the hospital. Ben promised to find some other way to help Abigail.
At the Brady Pub, Rafe informed Chad that Jennifer had heard from Abigail earlier that day, and everything was fine between Abigail and Ben. Chad wondered if Jennifer had actually talked to Abigail, forcing Rafe to admit that Jennifer had just received a text message from Abigail's cell phone. "Ben wrote that text," Chad confidently concluded.
Chad tried to convince Rafe to talk to Jennifer again and see if anyone had actually heard Abigail's voice since she and Ben had left Salem. Chad suspected that he was the only person who had actually talked to Abigail on the phone lately, and he was willing to bet any amount of money on that. Rafe was still skeptical, so Chad used his own cell phone to dial Abigail's number then handed the device to Rafe, guessing Ben would answer.
Ben angrily demanded to know what Chad wanted. Rafe remained silent, and Ben took the silence as Chad's way of trying to play games with Ben and Abigail. Rafe listened as Ben insisted that wasn't going to work, adding that Chad had already lost the game, and he needed to face that fact and leave Ben and Abigail alone. Ben ended the call, slammed Abigail's cell phone down on a table near Abigail, and stormed out of the cabin.
Rafe returned Chad's cell phone, a bit more suspicious than before but still not ready to fully subscribe to Chad's theory about Abigail being in danger. Rafe pointed out that it would be easier to take Chad seriously if it weren't for the fact that he had a history of going out of his way to make Ben's life miserable -- and had used the police department in the past to help him do so.
Rafe was only willing to promise to keep asking Jennifer, unofficially, for updates on Abigail's whereabouts. Chad wasn't satisfied with that, and he urged Rafe to trace Abigail's cell phone, but Rafe insisted he couldn't do that without a court order. Chad impatiently warned that Ben was losing it. "Oh, he is?" Rafe replied. Unamused, Chad stormed off, vowing that if anything happened to Abigail, he would make Rafe pay for it.
At the cabin, Abigail managed, with considerable effort, to stretch her arms far enough to reach her cell phone, but she dropped it when she suddenly experienced another intense contraction. Meanwhile, Ben returned and assured Abigail that help was on the way. Using her foot, Abigail discreetly pushed the cell phone under the bed when Ben wasn't looking, leaving it within reach but out of sight.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady found Theresa in the living room, obviously in a bad mood. Theresa claimed that everything was fine, but when Brady reminded her that they had agreed to be open and honest with each other, she admitted that Victor had kicked her out earlier. Brady realized it was his fault that Victor had done that.
Theresa jumped to conclusions and started lashing out at Brady for telling Victor to kick her out, but Brady eventually managed to keep her quiet long enough to tell her about his earlier conversation with Victor. Theresa didn't know what to do next, since she didn't have money to pay for her own place because Basic Black hadn't started generating income yet, and she didn't want to ask Eve to take her in because Eve already had enough to deal with. Brady assured Theresa that he would handle the matter himself.
Later, after Theresa went for a walk with Tate, Brady confronted Victor, who unapologetically pointed out that the mansion was his home, meaning he got to decide who resided there. Brady maintained that Theresa had changed, but Victor argued that she had simply gone underground for the time being. "You know, I thought that sobriety would enable you to think with your brain and not with your glands, but my God, man, [that] woman has turned your brain to mush," Victor observed.
Victor said he was starting to wonder if Brady was still capable of running Titan, prompting Brady to respond that Victor could always fire him if he was that concerned. Brady stormed off after adding that Victor was "dead wrong" about Theresa.
Brady tracked Theresa down in the town square and said he had decided that it would be best for everyone if she left the mansion. Brady reasoned that if he tried to force Victor to continue accommodating Theresa, Victor would probably just make her life miserable when Brady wasn't around, and that wouldn't be good for her or Tate. Brady promised to find Theresa and Tate a nice place to live -- and work out a schedule so he and Theresa could both continue to spend time with Tate, together and separately.
Theresa suspected that Brady was just using Victor as a convenient excuse to put some distance between them because what had happened the previous night had freaked him out. Theresa started complaining about how Brady had gotten her hopes up earlier but hadn't really meant any of the things he had said to her then, and he eventually shut her up with a kiss.
At Bo and Hope's house, Ciara found Hope sitting in the living room, staring at an envelope that was addressed to Mrs. Bo Brady. After tucking the envelope under some other things she had received in the mail, Hope handed the whole stack to Ciara, numbly explaining that she wanted Ciara to put it somewhere because she wasn't ready to deal with it yet.
"I can't stand seeing you like this," Ciara said with a sigh. "I don't know any other way to be," Hope replied. Asserting that Hope needed to be with Bo, Ciara went to get Hope a change of clothes and some makeup so she could freshen up and go track him down, but Hope stayed curled up on the couch, unwilling to move.
Hope pointed out that she didn't even know where Bo was, but that didn't discourage Ciara at all because she knew that Hope was a great detective. "Great detective? That's funny. I married a man who was planning to kill me, Ciara," Hope countered. Ciara said that was on Aiden, not Hope, and she insisted that Hope couldn't let her ordeal defeat her. Ciara left to give Hope some privacy so Hope could get ready to look for Bo.
In a secluded section of the town square, Kayla gently informed Bo that he had a pretty sizable brain tumor in his cerebrum. Kayla hesitantly added that, based on the size of the tumor as well as Bo's health, neither brain surgery nor chemotherapy would be a viable option for him. Kayla tried to remain optimistic, noting that the type of tumor Bo had developed had been known to go into remission, but Bo could tell she wasn't really hopeful.
At Bo's insistence, Kayla reluctantly admitted that Bo probably didn't have much time left. "What this tumor seems to be is a glioblastoma. They create their own blood supply, which makes them grow very rapidly," Kayla explained. "Leave it to me to have a crafty tumor," Bo joked. Kayla said that if Bo were her patient, she would advise him to plan for the worst.
Kayla tearfully begged Bo to let her take him back to the hospital -- or at least stay with him for a while so he wouldn't have to be alone at that time -- but he told her that being alone for a while was precisely what he needed at that time. Kayla nodded and gave Bo a hug, promising, at his request, that she would let him be the one to break the news to the rest of the family.
Bo went to a quiet, secluded section of the park and stretched out on his back on the ground, staring up at the sky. "You got some wicked, twisted sense of humor. I fight my way out of that hellhole you had me in, I make it back home, and I can finally be with my beautiful wife and daughter... I can be with my family for the rest of my days! But there's one teeny little catch -- I can count those days on my two hands! Damn it! It can't be! It just can't! I mean, why? Just answer me that! Why now? Why me?" Bo demanded before breaking down.
Steve found Kayla crying in the town square, and when he asked her to tell him what was wrong, she tried to resist, explaining that she had made a promise to Bo, but she soon ended up telling Steve exactly what had just happened. Kayla thought Steve might be able to convince Bo to undergo chemotherapy in an effort to shrink the tumor, but she couldn't guarantee that the time it would give Bo would be quality time, since sending radiation to the brain carried its own set of risks. Steve knew Bo would never agree to such a thing, and although she didn't want to admit it, Kayla knew Steve was right about that.
Steve tracked Bo down in the park and took a seat next to him on the ground. "Kay never could keep a secret," Bo muttered. Steve wondered if there was anything he could do for Bo, who replied that Steve had already done enough. "In the end...you know what to do," Bo added, and Steve nodded to confirm that he understood. Steve said he loved Bo, and after Bo returned the sentiment, Steve broke down while watching Bo walk away.
Bo went to the Kiriakis mansion and admitted to Victor that he was concerned that the people who had kidnapped him might eventually go after members of his family -- namely, Victor, who knew more about Salinas' experimental drug than anyone else except, of course, Salinas himself. Victor assured Bo that he had Salinas under continual surveillance and would take care of himself and the rest of his family.
"Flush out those bastards [and] deal with them as you see fit," Bo encouraged Victor, explaining that he didn't want to seek vengeance himself because he had more important things to be concerned about. Victor assumed that Bo was talking about Hope, and Bo went along with that, adding his kids and Caroline to the list. "You do what you have to do, son. I'll take care of the rest," Victor promised, and Bo thanked him with a Greek phrase.
Bo said he appreciated the fact that Victor had never given up on Caroline. "What haunts me is that I gave up on you," Victor admitted. Bo insisted that Victor didn't need to worry about that, since his captors had gone to a lot of trouble to convince everyone to give up on him. Victor protested that he should have known better.
Bo pointed out that Hope knew him at least as well as Victor did, and she had bought his captors' tricks, too. Bo insisted that none of that mattered anymore, adding that all that mattered was the future. Bo asked Victor to promise that he would always look after Caroline. "You and I will do that together, right?" Victor replied. "Absolutely. I will always look after the people I love, for as long as I live," Bo confirmed as he hugged Victor.
At Bo and Hope's house, Hope reluctantly forced herself to change into the outfit Ciara had selected earlier. Hope opened a compact but found it hard to look at herself in the mirror, so she closed it and blindly applied some lipstick.
Ciara ran into Joey in the town square and wondered if he had seen Bo recently. Joey said he hadn't. Joey asked about Hope, and Ciara reported that Hope had been released from the hospital but was having a tough time dealing with what had happened. Joey wondered how Ciara was doing, since "that psycho" Hope had married had gotten pretty close to being Ciara's stepdad. "Yeah, well, they're not married anymore, [and] he will never be my stepdad, because my real dad took care of that freak, thank God," Ciara replied, unaware that Chase was listening nearby.
When Ciara returned home, she found a note that Hope had left for her. Ciara was thrilled to know that Hope had decided to take her advice and try to track Bo down. As Ciara looked around the empty living room, Chase entered the house and wondered if she was thinking about what had happened there the previous night. Ciara nodded and admitted that being in the house alone was creepy for her, despite the fact that she had grown up there. Chase suspected that being around him was also creepy for Ciara. "Deep down, you have to be thinking, 'like father, like son,' right?" Chase guessed.
Ciara assured Chase that she knew he wasn't like his father, and she admitted that it had been mean of her to say that she was afraid of him. Ciara reminded Chase that she had already apologized for saying that, and she stressed that her apology had been sincere. Chase wondered what it would be like for Ciara if he continued to live with her family, providing her with a reminder of his father every time she looked at him. Chase admitted that he still loved the version of his father that he had known, and he would miss that man every minute of every hour of every day. Ciara grasped Chase's hand and told him they would get through the ordeal together.
Hope went to the hospital to see if Kayla knew where Bo was. Kayla reported that she and Bo had gone to the town square earlier to talk privately, but she didn't know where he had gone afterward. Hope wondered how Bo was doing, and when she didn't get an immediate response from Kayla, she surmised that there was something that Kayla wasn't telling her.
As Kayla started to respond, Bo arrived and greeted Hope, who said she had been looking for him. "Oh, yeah? Well, I've been looking for you all my life," Bo replied, causing Hope to smile.
In her office, Kayla talked to Steve about Bo. Kayla said she was grateful that Steve had returned Bo to Salem. With a shrug, Steve commented that he had lousy timing. Steve showed Kayla the latest text message from the unknown person. It read, "Intrigued aren't u??" Steve said he did not believe the texter was the same person he had dealt with previously. Angry that the texter might have been the person that had poisoned their son, Kayla grabbed Steve's phone and sent a reply text.
"We know who you are," the message said. Steve smiled with pride, but he confided that he was also concerned that Kayla had escalated the matter. The texter sent a return message warning them that the situation was serious. Kayla was needed at work, so she asked Steve to figure out who the mystery person was and get back to her.
A worried Marlena paced her penthouse and left a message on Sami's voicemail, pleading with her to call back. John was concerned about the silence from Sami, so he called some contacts for information, but there was no news. While Marlena went into her bedroom, Steve stopped by to talk to John. Steve informed John about the threatening text messages he had received. John broke the news that he had quit the ISA.
Overhearing, Marlena returned to the living room and asked what had happened with the ISA. John promised that he had quit because he wanted to stay with Marlena. Nodding slowly, Marlena said they would talk later. After Marlena left, Steve asked John if the ISA had fired him. Changing the subject, Steve asked if John wanted to open a private detective agency with him. When John suggested that they hire Bo as a partner, a shifty-eyed Steve said that Bo needed time with his family.
After his talk with John, Steve walked through the town square. The mystery texter sent a new message ordering Steve to meet at the Salem Inn, room 204. With a nod, Steve left. When Steve arrived at the hotel room, the room was covered in rose petals, and there was a note on the bed. No one was in the room.
In a locked dungeon, Sami checked her phone for cell service. With no service on her phone, Sami fluffed up the blankets on a nearby cot to resemble a body. When someone started to unlock the door, Sami ran to the corner with a food tray. A bodyguard entered, and Sami hit him over the head with the tray. Sami barely reached the hallway before Andre and the beaten bodyguard grabbed Sami and returned her to her underground dungeon cell.
Sami demanded that Andre release her. Andre warned Sami that she was not in charge, and he threatened to leave her in the cell to rot. Sami was unfazed. Andre asked Sami about her trip to Switzerland. When Sami shrugged, Andre growled that Sami would only know about the safe deposit box in Switzerland if E.J. had crossed a line to help her. Andre warned that Sami's actions could cause her children's deaths.
"You've already lost a son. Wouldn't it just be a tragedy for that to happen again?" Andre wondered aloud. Sami reminded Andre that two of her children were Stefano's grandchildren. With a smirk, Andre countered that Sami was not dealing with Stefano. Andre asked Sami to return the items she had taken from the safe deposit box.
Sami asked about Stefano. When Andre shifted his eyes away, Sami theorized aloud that Stefano did not know she had been taken. Sami asked Andre if he was using her to take revenge on Stefano. When Andre denied the charge, Sami told Andre that E.J. had beaten Andre to the punch.
"Why do you keep talking about him as if he was still alive?" Andre asked. Sami said E.J.'s spirit was with her. Andre warned Sami to cooperate. Sami offered a deal, and Andre ordered his bodyguard to leave the cell. Once alone, Sami told Andre that she would give him everything she had but that Andre would have to give her half the money so that she could secure her children's future. Sami added that she wanted Andre to promise to destroy Stefano. Laughing, Andre countered that Sami would give him the information or else he would kill her.
"Never," Sami whispered. As Andre fumed, Sami walked over to the cot and sat down. Andre promised that he would outwait Sami. After Andre left, Sami examined her cell and clutched her phone to her heart. A smile slowly dawned across her face. "That's it. That's how I'm going to get out of here. And they will never see it coming," Sami said.
In the park, Hope apologized to Bo for not seeing through Aiden's charade. Frustrated, Hope said she was mad that Bo had not returned home sooner, but she understood that he had been kidnapped. "Will we ever be the same again?" Hope asked. Bo promised that nothing would destroy their relationship. When Bo asked Hope if she could forgive him, Hope asked him not to blame himself. Bo asked Hope to stop blaming herself first. Chuckling through tears, the lovers hugged.
Bo asked Hope if she was ready to move on with him. With a sigh, Hope said she was struggling to make it through the day. Hope admitted that she could not let go of her guilt. As Hope started to cry, Bo hugged her again. Hope commented that they had all the time in the world to heal. Unnerved, Bo pulled away and said he was sorry.
Confused, Hope asked Bo if he could forgive her. Bo's phone beeped. Bo remarked that Kayla needed to talk to him. Rebuffed, Hope told Bo to head over to the hospital and that she would walk home. Once Bo left, Hope broke down in tears. Nearby, Bo fell to his knees, clutching his head. Fighting through the pain, Bo stood up and continued to walk on.
Bo stumbled to the hospital and ran into Rafe as he walked inside. Noting that he had left an emotional Hope in the park, Bo asked Rafe to go meet with her while Bo talked to Kayla. Rafe agreed and left. Bo went to Kayla's office, and he admitted that he had not told Hope about his diagnosis. Furious, Kayla asked why. Bo explained that Hope was experiencing a roller coaster of different emotions.
"She can't take this news right now," Bo yelled. Kayla reminded Bo that Hope would learn the news soon. Bo promised to talk to Hope in his own time. Kayla apologized for yelling at her brother. After a hug, Bo left to find Hope. Overwhelmed with grief, Kayla swept all the items off of her desk and screamed.
As Rafe approached a crying Hope in the park, she wiped away her tears. Rafe gently placed an arm around his partner. Hope said, "I've lost Bo. I've lost everything." Rafe asked Hope if she was sure. Hope said that Bo had pulled away from her.
Rafe assured Hope that there had to be more to Bo's reaction. Rafe reminded Hope that the whole town was there to support her. Citing the cold, Rafe escorted Hope inside the hospital and poured her a cup of coffee. As Rafe and Hope talked in the waiting area, Bo watched from nearby.
In the park, Andre ran into Marlena. Suspicious, Marlena asked Andre what he wanted. Andre called Sami a thief. When Marlena objected, Andre mentioned the safe deposit box. Marlena shook her head. As Andre narrowed his eyes, Marlena commented that Sami could not open the box without passcodes to access the accounts. Marlena told Andre to contact the Swiss authorities if a crime had been committed. Andre told Marlena that he had taken Sami and that she had refused to cooperate.
Alarmed, Marlena asked about her daughter. Andre asked Marlena for the passwords and account numbers for the material in the safe deposit box. Marlena protested that she did not have the information that Andre wanted. Marlena suggested that Andre call the bank and change the account numbers. When Andre said that the matter was not that simple, a light sparkled in Marlena's eyes. Marlena asked Andre if he was afraid of incurring Stefano's anger. Andre warned that Marlena should be afraid of Stefano's reaction if Sami did not behave. Calling his bluff, Marlena walked away.
Marlena marched over to the DiMera mansion and inside the house. Marlena swept the chess pieces off of Stefano's chessboard. Hot on her heels, Andre joked that Marlena was drunk. Marlena pleaded with Stefano to remember that Sami was the mother of his grandchildren. When a confused Stefano demanded to know what was happening, Marlena said that Andre wanted to use material that Sami had taken in order to destroy his father. Andre denied the accusation.
Marlena pleaded with Stefano to change his passcodes rather than kidnap and harm Sami. Crossing his arms, Stefano listened intently. As Marlena wheeled on Andre, Stefano asked Marlena to leave so that he could handle the situation. On her way out of the house, Marlena warned that she would take matters into her own hands if the situation was not resolved.
Once alone, Stefano asked Andre what was going on. Andre said he believed that Sami had left town and had not informed Marlena. With a groan, Andre said it was an outrageous accusation to say that he had kidnapped Sami. As he left the room, Andre promised to get to the bottom of the mystery. Stefano scowled.
Marlena returned to the penthouse and told John that Andre had kidnapped Sami.
After a mystery person texted Steve a room number at the Salem Inn, Steve investigated. The room was covered in rose petals. On the bed was a note that read, "Romantic, isn't it?" Steve looked for cameras and checked under the bed. When Kayla arrived, Steve's mouth dropped open. Scowling, Kayla asked Steve if he had been the one sending the mysterious texts in order to woo her. Steve shook his head no. Steve noted that he knew Kayla would not fall for the clichéd hotel room. Steve showed Kayla the note on the bed. Puzzled, Kayla asked who had tricked them. Steve accused Kayla of the setup.
Furious, Kayla said she was too upset about her brother to plan a romantic getaway. When Kayla showed Steve the invitation text on her phone, Steve nodded. Steve admitted that he had suspected Kayla because he had hoped that she would want to work things out. Kayla warned Steve not to hold his breath. Stumped, Steve and Kayla looked around the room for clues. Kayla noted that the Champagne was the same kind that had been served at their wedding.
Steve poured a glass of Champagne, but a stressed Kayla knocked the glass out of his hand. Kayla reminded Steve that Joe had been drugged. With a sigh, Kayla asked Steve if he was playing her. Steve said he would not have toyed with Kayla while her brother was dying. Kayla admitted that she was scared. Steve apologized for adding to the stress in Kayla's life.
As she looked around the room, Kayla suggested that someone had played matchmaker. Nodding, Steve said he believed the latest texts were matchmaking, but the previous ones were more sinister. Steve promised to get to the bottom of the text messages. With a nod, Kayla reminded Steve that her fears for Steve in the past had been founded. Kayla admitted that their lives had never been boring.
With a grin, Steve poured a glass of Champagne. Kayla wanted to test the Champagne for drugs or poisons, but Steve noted that life was full of risks. As Steve raised the glass in a toast to Kayla, she gently placed her hand on the glass and asked him not to drink the Champagne. Steve thanked Kayla for still caring about him. After Steve sipped the Champagne, Kayla noted that they were different people. Kayla argued that Steve liked risks, and she liked rules. When Kayla confessed that she was worried about losing Steve, Steve promised that she would never lose him.
"I wouldn't want my life without our children, without you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't know why I was so stupid. If I could just have you back," Steve said. Steve leaned in and kissed Kayla.
At the police station, Abe and Rafe talked about Theo. Abe said he was impressed that Lani was getting along so well with his son. When Abe asked Rafe his opinion about Lani, Rafe noted that she was a good partner. Abe asked Rafe how he felt about Lani as a person. Raising an eyebrow, Rafe asked Abe whether he had a personal interest in Lani.
After Theo went to talk to Abe in the conference room, Lani invited Rafe to go to a basketball game. Rafe said he still did not think it would be a good idea to fraternize outside of work. Lani stressed that she did not intend for the game to be a date, but she retracted her offer. In the conference room, Abe talked to Theo about Lani. Abe told his son that Lani was Theo's half-sister. Confused, Theo left for a walk.
Bo and Hope returned home. Ciara offered to make lunch, but a tired Hope noted that she wanted to lie down. After Hope walked upstairs, Ciara suggested that Bo should not leave Hope alone in the bedroom. Bo wanted to keep his distance, but Ciara disagreed. Ciara asked Bo to move back home. With a sigh, Bo noted that he wanted to fix the family but that it would not be easy. Ciara hugged her father and said, "You're safe, and we're going to live happily ever after!"
After a moment, Ciara asked Bo if he was resisting moving in because he was planning to leave town again. Bo said he planned to stay in Salem because all he wanted in the world was Hope and Ciara. Ciara encouraged Bo to make an effort with Hope. On her way out of the house, Ciara counseled Bo to "not be so dumb."
Upstairs, Hope looked around the room sadly. Hope saw a bag, and when she opened it, she found her bloody wedding dress. Shocked, Hope gasped and stumbled backward. Hope cried out, and Bo raced upstairs to find Hope cutting up her wedding dress with scissors. Bo grabbed Hope and urged her to calm down. As Hope berated herself for her stupidity, Bo reminded Hope that Aiden had been a psychopath.
Hope argued that Aiden's presence was still in the house. Bo reminded Hope that Aiden would never be able to hurt her again. Crying, Hope said she could not live in their house anymore. While Bo disposed of her wedding dress, Hope curled up on the bed. Bo returned and spooned her.
"This is our house, Fancy Face. Where we raised our kids, where you made so many memories for them. I think you should stay and fight. Fight to make this home yours again," Bo said. Bo promised Hope that she would not need to fight alone. When Hope asked if Bo was back, he responded, "You will always, always have me."
Hope asked Bo why it felt like Bo no longer wanted to be with her. Bo firmly said that Hope was the love of his life and that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. Crying, Hope said she could handle anything with Bo at her side. Bo kissed Hope, and the two made love. After, Bo struggled with head pain while Hope slept. When Hope woke up, Bo was gone.
At the police station, Bo met with Rafe to talk about Hope's recovery. When Rafe noted that Bo would help Hope, Bo said he would not be around very long. Rafe bristled at the possibility of Bo abandoning Hope, but Bo explained that he was dying. Shocked, Rafe asked how. Bo informed Rafe that he had a brain tumor. Bo asked Rafe to stand by Hope after he was gone.
"I've seen her with you. She's grounded. She's calm. She trusts you. She knows that you'll never let her down," Bo said. "I was Aiden's best man, so I think I already let her down," Rafe countered. "See? There it is right there. I hear you talk about her. I see you with her. I know you love her. I appreciate you not denying it. It makes this a little easier. I know that you will always, always do what's best for her," Bo said. With tears in his eyes, Rafe nodded.
Overwhelmed, Rafe sat down in a chair and commented that the situation was unfair. Bo said he was relieved that he had been able to return home to say goodbye. When Rafe asked Bo if he was sure, Bo admitted that even before Kayla had seen the test results, he had known he was dying. As Rafe nodded, Bo's phone rang. Caroline asked Bo for help. Bo rushed over to the pub and was shocked to find a surprise party waiting for him.
At her house, a frantic Hope ran downstairs, looking for Bo. Hope turned to look at the staircase, and she pictured a masked man descending the stairs toward her. Hope chanted over and over that the man was in her mind. After shaking her head, the man disappeared. Hope collapsed at the base of her front door, shivering in fear.
In the town square, Joey thanked Theo for helping him when he had been drugged. When Joey made a joke about enjoying Lani's help as well, Theo asked Joey if he liked having a sister. Joey shrugged. Theo informed Joey that Lani was his sister. Theo admitted he was unsure of how he felt about the big change in his life. As Ciara walked by, Joey teased Ciara about her shopping. Ciara explained that she had been shopping for Hope.
"I think it's nice that you got your mom a present. I miss my mom," Theo said. When Ciara apologized for being insensitive, Theo said, "Family comes and goes I guess." Ciara asked Theo what he meant. Joey told Ciara that Theo had a sister. Overjoyed, Ciara hugged Theo, then she apologized when Theo stiffened up with unease. Theo told Ciara not to apologize. Ciara and Joey assured Theo that things would be fine. With a smile, Theo thanked Ciara for her advice. After Ciara left, Joey asked Theo if he had a crush of Ciara. Guilty, Theo shifted his eyes away.
At the cabin, Ben timed Abigail's contractions and realized that they were getting closer together. Ben assured Abigail that help was on the way, but she protested that she needed a doctor, not a midwife.
Ben reminded Abigail that it had been her idea to give birth the natural way, with just a midwife present. Abigail explained that she had made that decision under the assumption that she would give birth in Salem, with Jennifer at her side and a hospital nearby. Refusing to change his mind, Ben freed Abigail from her bindings and drew a gun as he warned her to act natural when the midwife arrived.
Claiming she was cold, Abigail asked Ben to find her another blanket. Ben knew there was one in the car, but he didn't want to leave Abigail alone and untethered. Abigail argued that Ben had nothing to worry about because she wouldn't be able to get far before suffering another crippling contraction. Ben was suspicious because it didn't seem that cold to him inside the cabin, but he conceded the point and went to fetch the blanket.
After Ben left, Abigail reached under the bed and grabbed her hidden cell phone. Ben returned with the midwife before Abigail could use the device, so she tucked it behind her back, keeping it hidden under the blanket she was already using. The midwife introduced herself as Wendy, and Abigail shared her own full name, as well as Ben's full name and their town of residence, before Ben stopped her from saying anything else. Abigail reminded Ben that he was supposed to be retrieving a blanket for her, but he said that could wait until after Wendy left.
After doing a quick examination, Wendy determined that Abigail was definitely in labor and needed to be taken to a hospital right away. Ben said that wasn't an option, and when Wendy refused to listen, he drew his gun and pointed it at her head. Abigail tried to convince Ben that the baby would die without proper medical attention because it was being born too early, but he insisted that everything was going to be fine -- as long as she and Wendy did exactly what he told them to do.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad explained to Stefano that he had ordered some of the DiMera goons to track down Abigail because he was certain that she was in danger. Andre entered the study and said he hadn't been aware that Chad was authorized to give such orders. "Spare the speech and just send me a bill," Chad snapped, prompting Andre to threaten to call off the search.
Chad backed down and explained that he was really just upset with himself because he couldn't remember why he and Ben had fought, and he believed that if he could just regain his missing memories, he would be able to figure out where Ben had taken Abigail. "What, you think he told you his travel arrangements while he was smashing your head against the floor?" Andre asked, drawing Chad's ire again. Andre warned Chad to take it easy, suggesting that Chad would never remember anything if he remained agitated.
At John and Marlena's townhouse, John told Marlena that, while he was fairly certain that Sami wasn't being held at the DiMera mansion, he still had the place under constant surveillance, just in case. Despite her misgivings about the ISA, Marlena felt desperate enough to suggest that it might be a good idea for John to ask the agency for a favor. John admitted that he hadn't exactly left the ISA on the best of terms -- in fact, he hadn't quit; he had been fired. John explained that he hadn't told Marlena the truth sooner because he hadn't wanted her to blame herself for his dismissal.
John suggested that it was time for him and Marlena to have a face-to-face talk with Andre. "Okay. I will pack up my tire iron," Marlena replied. John liked entertaining that thought but doubted that force would work with Andre. John believed that he and Marlena would need some sort of bargaining chip, so they began searching the townhouse for the information Sami had obtained from the safe deposit box, suspecting that Andre had been right to assume that Sami had hidden the information there. "Try to think like Sami," John advised Marlena. "Oh, God help us," Marlena muttered before heading upstairs to search that part of the townhouse.
Later, as John and Marlena were ending the search -- which had turned up nothing at all -- they received a visit from Chad, who explained that he needed to talk to Marlena. John insisted it wasn't a good time, but Marlena agreed to hear Chad out, so John went to the bank to see if Sami had stored the information there. After apologizing for his poor timing, Chad explained that he needed Marlena to hypnotize him because he was worried about Abigail and believed that accessing his lost memories was the key to finding her. Marlena said she would help Chad if he promised to help her in return.
Under hypnosis, Chad recalled that his most recent fight with Ben had been different than their other fights because Ben's eyes had been scary and dead during it. Chad also remembered that he had vowed to get Abigail as far away from Ben as possible then prove something that would leave Ben rotting in jail for the rest of his life. Chad bolted toward the townhouse door while reliving the most vicious parts of the fight, forcing Marlena to quickly snap him back to reality.
Marlena tried to get Chad to tell her what he had just remembered, but he said the memories had already disappeared again. Marlena reminded Chad that he had said something about watching Ben rot in prison for what Ben had done, but Chad wasn't able to remember what he had meant when he had said that. As Chad recovered from what he had just been through, Marlena explained that she needed his help because she believed that Stefano and Andre had kidnapped Sami. Chad was surprised to hear that but promised to do his best to find out what Stefano and Andre were up to.
When John returned a short time later, he started to snap at Chad but backed off after Marlena explained that Chad was going to help them. After Chad left, Marlena guessed that John was in a bad mood because he hadn't had any luck at the bank. Confirming the suspicion, John admitted that he should have known that Sami would never do something as rational as visiting a bank in the middle of a crisis. "Oh, no, when Sami's in crisis, she... She tends to regress; she tends to be more like a little girl," Marlena agreed before rushing off to another room to check something.
Marlena soon returned with a doll. "Sami [once] had information about Kate, and she put it in here," Marlena explained. Hoping Sami had stayed true to form, John started to inspect the doll -- and soon found a flash drive taped to the back of it, under its clothing. "You know, I have a feeling the information in here is going to finally and completely destroy Stefano," John mused. "I've got a feeling it's finally gonna save Sami," Marlena added.
At the Salem Inn, a text message alert interrupted Steve and Kayla's heated kiss. Steve tried to convince Kayla to ignore the message, but she pointed out that it might be about Bo. After reading the message, Kayla explained that Ciara was throwing a surprise party for Bo at the pub. "This was a mistake," Kayla told Steve before rushing off.
At Bo and Hope's house, Ciara tried to convince Hope to go to the pub. "[It] isn't a party; [it's] the family coming together to show the world that Aiden and those jerks that did that to Dad did not win. We won," Ciara stressed, prompting Hope to observe that Ciara looked just like Bo when fired up.
Hope was still reluctant to attend the gathering, pointing out that she could barely function in her own house. Determined to change Hope's mind, Ciara offered a bribe -- a silver, heart-shaped locket she had purchased for Hope earlier. The locket contained one of Bo and Hope's wedding photographs, and Ciara said that was why Hope needed to be at the pub.
At the Brady Pub, Caroline told Bo that the surprise party had been Ciara's idea. Caroline added that Ciara had gone to get Hope, and they would be arriving soon. Bo appreciated the sentiment but wasn't sure Hope was ready for such a thing. Caroline said she and Ciara had thought of that but had determined that being around the whole family was precisely what Hope needed at that time. "And you know what Ciara called the party? 'The beginning of Happily Ever After,'" Caroline loudly announced with a flourish -- just as Steve and Kayla arrived. Bo forced a smile and hugged Caroline as she added that bad days were behind them.
After the guests bantered with each other for a bit, Victor asked Bo to recount the details of his lengthy adventure, jokingly calling him Odysseus. Promising to share the whole boring story some other time, Bo instead opted to tell the guests how they had each helped him get through his ordeal -- Caroline had urged him to eat even though the food hadn't been up to her standards; Victor had made the guards sound like they were speaking Greek to keep things amusing; Kayla, Roman, and Steve had encouraged him to keep trying to find a way to escape; and his kids had kept him motivated every time he had considered giving up hope.
Bo told Doug he had named Hope well. "I could not give up Hope. All I had to do was, um, picture her smile [and] her eyes, hear her voice... She got me through hell," Bo added, unaware, until Shawn alerted him, that Hope had just arrived with Ciara. Bo hugged Hope and told her she had perfect timing. Later, Julie proposed a toast to Bo, pointing out that many of the guests owed their lives to him. Recalling just one of Bo's heroic acts, Julie started talking about how he had saved people from Ernesto Toscano's cruise ship when a bomb had gone off on it. Shawn added that Bo had once hung from a helicopter to save his life.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Bo stood up and protested that enough stories had been told for one day. Bo stumbled as he spoke, and as he braced himself against a nearby table, he assured everyone that there was nothing to worry about, claiming that he had simply stood too quickly after drinking alcohol for the first time in years. Knowing the truth, Steve quietly asked Kayla if she believed it would be best for them to get Bo out of the pub. Fighting back tears, Kayla decided not to spoil what could be the family's last good memory of togetherness with Bo.
While hugging Bo, Caroline had a vision in which Hope was cradling him in her arms, sobbing as snow fell on them. Gasping, Caroline pulled away from Bo, and Victor and Maggie watched with concern as she excused herself to put away the pies, assuring Bo that nothing was wrong. Victor and Maggie followed Caroline and questioned her about what had just happened, guessing she'd had another vision. Caroline reluctantly revealed that she had seen Bo and Hope crying in the park. Maggie suggested that Bo and Hope might have been crying tears of joy, and Caroline immediately latched on to that theory, finding it a relief to believe that nothing was wrong.
Eric could tell that Jennifer was concerned about something, so he tried to talk to her about it, but she dismissively called herself a helicopter mom and cut the conversation short. Jennifer went to say hello to Steve and Kayla, and Eric followed her. When Eric asked, Steve revealed that he was planning to stay in Salem for good, adding that he had promised Kayla and Joey that he would put his vagabond days behind him, and he intended to keep that promise.
Bo stepped outside to contact Chelsea but kept the conversation brief so she wouldn't realize it was making him emotional. When Bo rejoined Hope, Shawn, and Ciara inside, he told them about the phone conversation. Surprised, Hope pointed out that it was probably around four in the morning in Chelsea's part of the world. "Something that couldn't wait," Bo explained. Bo said he loved having Shawn back in Salem but wished Belle and Claire had been able to join him. Shawn joked that Bo was just going to have to settle for having him as a solo act.
Feeling left out, Ciara wondered if Bo was glad she was around, and he reluctantly conceded that he was kind of, sort of happy about that. As Ciara started to protest, Bo gave her a hug and assured her that she had always been -- and always would be -- a huge part of his heart. Bo said he couldn't really take any credit for how smart, understanding, and beautiful Ciara was, since she had gotten all those qualities from Hope, but Ciara argued that she was actually a lot like Bo, too. Ciara cited her ability to make amazing doughnuts and her love of motorcycles and baseball as proof, and Bo smiled as he conceded the point.
Ciara suddenly decided that the gathering would be the perfect time for Bo and Hope to get remarried. Ciara suggested that Abe could officiate the wedding, and she added that it didn't matter if it was legal or not because Bo and Hope could always just go to City Hall later to make it official; the important thing, she reasoned, was that they symbolically acknowledged the fact that they were back together as a family again.
Abe was willing to help out, and Hope seemed okay with the idea, too, but when she asked for Bo's thoughts, he abruptly left the pub, explaining that he needed a minute alone. Hope took that as proof that Bo hadn't really forgiven her for giving up on him, and she refused to listen when Kayla tried to convince her that wasn't true.
Steve followed Bo outside and wondered what was going on. Bo explained that he was suffering another headache. Changing the subject, Bo handed Steve the keys to the motorcycle they had ridden back to Salem, joking that he wouldn't need it where he was headed. Steve said Bo needed to tell Hope what was going on. Bo agreed but was frustrated because he didn't know how much time he had left -- nor how to tell his wife he was dying.
After Bo's party, Ciara led Caroline inside the Brady house. Ciara said she'd hoped the party would cheer her parents up, but they had both still seemed very sad. Caroline offered to stay with Ciara until her parents got home. Ciara confessed that she was a bit "creeped out" to be in the house alone, and she wondered if things would ever be normal again for her family. She added that she believed her parents would work things out because they were supposed to be together forever.
Ciara beat herself up because she had given up on her dad. Caroline pointed out that she had been the reason Bo had left town in the first place. Caroline recalled how Bo had promised that he would get her back from California in time for Memorial Day, when Ciara had planned to recite something at the pub. Ciara fretted that her dad might not be able to forgive her mom for falling in love with someone else while Bo had been gone. Caroline was confident that Bo would forgive Hope.
Caroline related to Ciara the story of Bo whisking Hope away on his motorcycle from her wedding to Larry Welch. Caroline added, "Your father gave me back the gift of my memory. I will be forever grateful to him for that." A little later, Ciara noted that it was getting late, so Caroline should probably head home. Before Caroline left, Ciara admitted that she'd thought her grandmother had been out of her mind when she'd had visions of Bo. Caroline confessed that a part of her had, too.
Ciara wanted to know who would ask her to prom, if Caroline really could tell the future. Chuckling, Caroline waved her hands as if to say that wasn't how it worked. Ciara asked if Caroline's visions had stopped since Bo had returned. "Not exactly," Caroline admitted, but she reassured Ciara that it was nothing to worry about.
Outside the Brady Pub, Steve firmly urged Bo to fight and beat his illness. When Hope and Kayla exited the pub, Bo said he needed to talk to Hope alone. He added that he needed to pick up something first and asked her to meet him at their spot in the park. The Bradys left in opposite directions.
Steve followed Kayla as she headed for the park outside Horton Square. On the phone, she pleaded with another doctor to pull some strings and get Bo into a study. The doctor obviously turned Kayla down. She fought back tears until she hung up then she began to cry. Kayla told Steve that she didn't want to give up on trying to save Bo if there were even a small chance that they could save him. Steve pointed out that the side effects of treatment would likely make Bo miserable. Admitting that she felt helpless, Kayla leaned against Steve and began to sob.
Drying her tears with a tissue, Kayla remarked that after seeing Bo's MRI, she didn't know how he was even functioning. Unwilling to lose her baby brother, Kayla expressed her gratitude to Steve for not giving up on Bo. An emotional Steve admitted that, after searching so long for Bo, losing Bo that way would be terribly painful. Kayla pointed out that Bo would be alone if Steve hadn't found him -- and Aiden would have killed Hope. "You've given me a chance to say goodbye to my brother. No matter how painful it is, it's a gift," Kayla asserted, taking Steve's hand gratefully.
Kayla apologized and maintained that she didn't want Steve to get the wrong idea, because she had only been feeling vulnerable. Steve said he knew the two of them still had feelings for each other -- and Kayla knew it, too. Kayla sadly reminded Steve that she couldn't think about anything but Bo. Steve declared determinedly that Bo would fight with everything he had. Kayla was ready to leave, but Steve asked if she would stay to watch the sunset with him. Kayla joined him on the bench as the waning light reflected off their faces. After the sunlight had faded, a forlorn Kayla rested her head on Steve's shoulder.
Caroline returned to the pub and chuckled when she saw the party decorations in the dark room. She remembered Bo and Hope telling her that they'd bought a boat on which the two of them and Shawn-Douglas would live as they sailed away together. Although Caroline had assured Bo and Hope that she'd been happy for them, she'd also admitted that she would miss them very much.
Alone in the house, Ciara sat by the fire, gazing at a photograph of her parents, taken just a few years earlier.
As Hope arrived at the park, she recalled the Fourth of July fair, where she'd worked the kissing booth and where she and Bo had shared their first kiss -- after he'd bought two dozen tickets. Hope's remembrance slowly faded when Bo showed up, carrying a large burlap sack. He cryptically explained to Hope that the bag contained their future. Hope reminded Bo that they'd had their first kiss in that very park -- and it had made her realize how lucky she'd been to have him in her life. Laughing at some of their other memories, Bo said the teenage Ciara reminded him of Hope when they'd first met.
Bo remembered meeting Hope for the first time and giving her a ride home on his motorcycle. "Ten minutes that turned into the rest of our lives -- amazing lives," Bo marveled. Hope suddenly recognized Bo's clothing -- a black leather jacket, red T-shirt, and black jeans -- was the same thing he'd been wearing when he'd driven her home on his bike. Bo admitted that he was amazed at everything they'd been through since that day.
Hope tearfully admitted that she'd always thought, because of their connection, she would be able to sense it -- and she regretted that she'd been unable to do so while he'd been gone. Bo reassured her that they still shared that connection. When he produced a fistful of carnival tickets, Hope laughed and kissed him. Still beaming, Hope wondered why Bo had run out of the pub when Ciara had suggested they get married again. Bo turned serious and suggested they sit on the bench because there was something he had to tell her.
Bo said he'd always thought he and Hope could overcome anything, adding, "Ma always said, 'The meaning of a life is quality, not the quantity,' and I understand that now." He explained that he hadn't been getting any stronger or felt any better since he'd returned, and he'd passed out earlier, so he'd gotten checked out at the hospital. Hope wanted to know why he hadn't told her. Bo reminded her that she'd been through a lot, so he'd wanted to find out if anything was wrong first.
Fighting to keep from breaking down, Bo disclosed, "Kayla did some tests, and it turns out that I have a tumor. It's in my brain." Clutching Hope's hand, he continued, "Apparently it's been there for quite some time, and it's growing. And it's inoperable. There's nothing they can do." Distraught, Hope began to cry and hugged Bo tightly as she asked how much time they had. Bo said no matter how long it was, it would never be enough.
After a long while, Bo pulled away and said he wanted to talk about their future. He rose and escorted Hope over to the burlap bag. "I wanted to bring a little bit of Oak Alley back here to where we had our first kiss," Bo explained, opening the bag and pulling out a little oak sapling. He promised that, once it grew into a mighty oak, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren would play under the tree -- and perhaps a couple of "crazy kids" would carve their names into its trunk.
Bo and Hope recalled taking a sexy shower together outdoors at the Horton cabin. Hope smiled through her tears as Bo declared that they'd still been kids then, but Hope had taken his heart much earlier, in the park where they were. Feeling weak, Bo sank to his knees on the ground, and Hope sat with him. "I thought I'd finally figured out how to live without you, but now I know I can't," Hope said tearfully. Bo reminded Hope that "can't" wasn't in her vocabulary. "I love you so very much. I'm so sorry you doubted that," Bo said emotionally. Hope cried that she was sorry for doubting him.
Bo said there was no time for regrets, because all he wanted was to be with Hope. Kissing Bo and embracing him, Hope implored him in a whisper, "Please, Bo, don't leave me!" They held onto one another for a long while. Finally, his eyelids growing heavy as if he were sleepy, Bo broke away to get a spade from the burlap sack so they could plant the tree. Hope took the spade from him and said she would do it.
Hope softly declared that she wanted them to get married again -- right away. "Okay, how about right now?" Bo suggested with a wry smile. Grasping both of Hope's hands as they gazed deeply into each other's eyes, Bo noted that it had taken them a long time, and they'd overcome a lot of obstacles and doubts, to get where they were. "I never thought I could have somebody in my life who would make me so happy, make me feel so alive," Bo stated earnestly. Hope and Bo reminisced about the vows he had taken at their first wedding in England.
"I love you, Fancy Face," Bo declared with a wistful smile, and he kissed the love of his life. Afterwards, Hope held him and smiled, despite the tears streaming down her face. Together, they remembered the joyful and romantic times in their relationship -- the fun they'd had together, the kisses they'd shared, Shawn's birth. Hope suggested they move to sit against the bench. Kneeling next to Bo and stroking his face and hair, Hope beamed as she told him, "I guess I fell in love with you the first time I saw you."
Hope began to weep as she kissed Bo and continued, "It's taken me all this time to realize that what I was feeling then is nothing compared to what I'm feeling right now." Hope kissed Bo and clasped him closely to her while the two of them recalled Hope's wedding vows. Between kisses, Hope cried but beamed at Bo, declaring quietly, "I love you, Brady. I love you. I love you." Bo reached up to caress Hope's face and kissed her one final time before closing his eyes and going limp in her arms.
Hope gazed closely at Bo's face then she clutched him to her chest, wailing inconsolably, "No. No. No. No. No!" She sobbed as she begged, "Please! Brady, don't leave me! No, please!" She tenderly held his head up as she rested her face against his, weeping despondently. Light snowflakes began to drift down on them. "Don't leave me, Brady. Don't leave me," an anguished Hope implored.
