A trap is set for Ben
As a storm raged outside the DiMera mansion, Abigail said goodbye to Chad and locked the front door behind him. Abigail carried Thomas into the living room and greeted J.J., who pointed out that there was still time to back out of the plan and retreat to a safer location for the night. Abigail refused to do that, insisting that she wasn't going to let her fear get the best of her.
After J.J. headed off to check the property for signs of Ben, Abigail returned to the foyer and began to ascend the staircase but paused when a shadowy figure crept into view below her. Abigail breathed a sigh of relief when a flash of lightning briefly illuminated the person's face. "I didn't know you would get back to the house so quickly. When you sneaked back in, I thought you were Ben," Abigail told Chad, who apologized for the scare.
Chad reported that, as planned, he had ridden the limousine out to the front gate and had swapped places there with an identically dressed body double, who had proceeded on to the airport to board a plane to Zurich. Chad was certain that no one had spotted him on his way back to the mansion because he had used the secret tunnels to reenter. Satisfied, Abigail hoped that Ben had read or heard that Chad would be traveling to Zurich for work.
J.J. soon returned and assured Abigail and Chad that the place was secure. Relieved, Abigail resumed her trip to the nursery, declining to let Chad or J.J. accompany her. A short time later, while feeding Thomas, Abigail noticed that the nursery window was ajar. Abigail rose from her rocking chair and started to carry Thomas over to the window so she could close it, but she froze when a flash of lightning cast the silhouette of a body on the door to the adjacent room. Abigail called out Chad's name but received no response, so she cautiously crept toward the room, turned on a light, and found herself face-to-face with a giant stuffed gorilla.
Relieved but still a bit freaked out, Abigail rushed back downstairs with Thomas, forgetting to first close the nursery window. Just as Abigail stepped into the living room, the house phone rang in the foyer. When Abigail greeted the caller, she heard only the sound of heavy breathing on the other end. Abigail hung up and tossed the phone on a nearby table, but it immediately began ringing again. "Please stop doing this!" Abigail shouted at the caller when she picked the phone back up.
"Abigail, are you okay?" Jennifer asked. Abigail breathed a sigh of relief as Jennifer explained that she had tried to call a few seconds earlier but had gotten a bad connection. "Plus, if I sound like I'm really out of breath, it's because I just ran all the way up the stairs to close the window in your room. I just didn't want everything to get all wet," Jennifer hurriedly added while closing a bottle of pain medication.
Jennifer continued that she had spent the day packing everything in Abigail's room so it would all be ready for Abigail to take to the DiMera mansion at her earliest convenience. "Soon, [your room is] gonna be like a tomb, and every time I walk down the hallway, I'm gonna realize that my daughter is gone," Jennifer mused with a hint of sadness. Jennifer stressed, however, that she was happy for Abigail.
Changing the subject, Jennifer guessed that Abigail had, at some point that day, picked up the old baby rattle she had asked Jennifer to locate for Thomas, since it was no longer where Jennifer had left it earlier. "No, Mom. No, I didn't take it," Abigail nervously replied, but the electricity went out before she could continue, ending the call.
Abigail tossed the phone aside and carried Thomas into the darkened living room, shakily assuring him that everything was going to be fine. After placing Thomas in his portable seat, Abigail retrieved a flashlight from a nearby cabinet then stiffened when she heard a faint noise. Abigail called out for Chad and J.J. but received no response from either of them, so she armed herself with a fire poker and cautiously crept into the foyer to investigate. The room was empty, but when Abigail returned to the living room, she saw Ben staring at her through the windowed terrace doors.
Ben soon turned his attention to Thomas. Abigail followed Ben's gaze, and when she looked back at the terrace doors, he was no longer there. Abigail flung open the doors and started shouting that she wasn't afraid of Ben, holding the fire poker high above her head to show that she was ready for him. As Abigail continued shouting, someone approached her from behind. Abigail spun and swung the fire poker at J.J., who ducked just in time to avoid taking a blow to the head.
Horrified, Abigail tried to apologize, but J.J. assured her that he was fine. Meanwhile, Chad arrived, and Abigail rushed into his arms as J.J. closed and locked the terrace doors. "I almost killed J.J.!" Abigail tearfully informed Chad. J.J. insisted that the misunderstanding had been his fault because he hadn't bothered to announce his presence when he had entered the room. J.J. added that he should have just let Chad go downstairs alone, and Chad explained to a confused Abigail that they had gone to the basement to check the circuit breakers when the electricity had gone out.
"Everything's fine, all right? It was just a tree that took out some lines, or, uh, lightning that hit a transformer," Chad assured Abigail. Gesturing toward a box he had placed on the desk, J.J. added that he and Chad had grabbed some flashlights while in the basement, and the noise that Abigail had heard earlier had probably been the sound of him accidentally dropping one of them. Chad continued that the guards had recently radioed in to report that they had not yet seen anything out of the ordinary, aside from a ladder that the gardener had left propped up against the side of the mansion after trimming a tree outside Thomas' window.
Unconvinced, Abigail informed Chad and J.J. that she had seen Ben outside a few minutes earlier. Chad tried to get in touch with the guard who was supposed to be watching the garden, but he received no response over the two-way radio. As J.J. headed outside to investigate, Chad assured Abigail that the storm was probably just causing interference. Chad started to reiterate that everything had been fine when the guards had checked in earlier, but Abigail fretted that they might have simply told Chad what he had wanted to hear, particularly about the ladder.
J.J. soon returned and reported that the guards hadn't seen anything suspicious but were having trouble with their two-way radios. Abigail wasn't sure she could believe Chad and J.J., since they had lied to her once before about Ben, but they both assured her that they wouldn't do that again. "I saw him. I know I saw him. I'm not going crazy, and...I am not losing my mind. I'm not!" Abigail insisted with a hint of doubt. Chad agreed, pointing out that Abigail hadn't imagined the shredded nightgown. "[Maybe the maid] was vacuuming, and she got [the nightgown] stuck in the vacuum, and then I just put it in the closet [without noticing]," Abigail suggested.
Chad told Abigail to calm down and stop doubting herself. "Keep [things] in perspective, okay? We just set the trap, and we're expecting a move tonight, so, listen, it is not weird at all to start, you know, seeing things in the shadows," J.J. added. Abigail fearfully clarified that she hadn't seen something lurking in the shadows; she had seen Ben out in the open. Chad went to get Abigail a glass of tea, hoping that would help settle her nerves. J.J. assured Abigail that even if Ben did show up, he would never be able to hurt her again, and Abigail agreed that J.J. was right about that.
J.J. recalled a childhood memory of Abigail comforting him after a frightening storm had awoken him in the middle of the night. Abigail knew that J.J. was just sharing the memory as his way of calming her down, but she appreciated it nevertheless. Abigail maintained that she had seen Ben earlier, and she wondered if J.J. believed her. J.J. said that wasn't his call to make, adding that he only cared about protecting her and Thomas. "I don't even want to try to get in that bastard's head," J.J. stressed, prompting Abigail to shakily reply that Ben had already gotten inside her head.
Meanwhile, one of the guards radioed in to report a possible sighting at the southwest perimeter of the property. J.J. rushed off to investigate, instructing Abigail to stay in the living room and wait for Chad to return. Abigail started to assure Thomas that everything was going to be okay, but when she heard another noise, she went to the desk to retrieve a gun from one of the drawers. Wielding the weapon in one hand and a flashlight in the other, Abigail crept into the foyer and aimed for a shadow at the far end.
"Abby, what the hell are you doing?" Chad asked as he rushed over to Abigail from behind. Chad took the gun from Abigail, who insisted that she had just seen Ben duck behind a doorway. Chad ran off to search for Ben after telling Abigail to go back to the living room and let J.J. know what was going on. "J.J.'s --" Abigail started to clarify, but Chad was already gone.
From the living room, the carousel above Thomas' portable seat began playing "Itsy Bitsy Spider." Abigail spun to check on Thomas and found his seat empty. "Hello, Abigail," Ben said as he rocked Thomas in his arms at the far end of the living room.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole and Dario escorted a wobbly Maggie home. Nicole wanted to call a doctor about Maggie's dizzy spell, but Maggie begged Nicole not to make the call. Maggie explained that she did not want to make a fuss over a cold. Maggie added that she needed to go to Brady's party. When Maggie asked Nicole if she would be attending the party, Nicole shrugged and said that she thought the party was a family thing. Nicole added that she was also tired.
Victor wandered into the living room and demanded to know why Dario was in his house. Victor warned Dario that there was no job for him at Titan. With a polite nod, Dario said he was visiting family. Dario apologized for walking out of his job at Titan in Argentina without warning. When Victor saw Nicole, he growled at her. Maggie told Victor to thank Nicole and Dario.
"Hell froze?" Victor asked. Maggie explained that Nicole and Dario had helped her get home in the rain. Noting Maggie's face, Nicole said goodbye and left with Dario. Suspicious, Victor questioned Maggie about her story. Victor urged Maggie to tell him the truth. Maggie admitted that she had suffered a dizzy spell. Victor turned to call a doctor, but Maggie begged him to stop. With a sigh, Maggie said that she had been overly emotional after talking to Summer. Maggie explained that Summer had lived a difficult life. Shaking his head, Victor warned that Summer was trouble.
Victor argued that Summer was looking for money. With pursed lips, Maggie countered that Summer did not seem to have an alternative motive for connecting with her. Maggie asked Victor to give her daughter a chance. Changing the subject, Maggie told Victor to get dressed for the party. Victor said he did not have the energy to watch Theresa lead Brady around all night. Maggie smiled at Victor. Maggie said she was going to the party, and she hoped Victor would change his mind. Sweetening the offer, Maggie suggested that no one expected Victor to make small talk.
"So I'm going to be eye candy? And I don't have to be nice?" Victor grumped. Maggie nodded. Victor said he would go to the party for a little bit.
At the Salem Inn, Summer packed her suitcase. As Summer grabbed items, she spotted the charm that she had taken from Maggie's bracelet when they had first met in the square. Summer called the front desk and asked for a monthly rate for her hotel room. Shuffling through a collection of credit cards, Summer gave the front desk a credit card number. Summer checked her bank account online and sighed over the low amount in her checking account. Summer then called the credit card company and asked about an increase on her credit line, which was refused. With a sigh, Summer ran an online search for Victor's net worth.
In the town square, Dario and Nicole talked about Victor as they walked together. Dario invited Nicole to join him for dinner, but Nicole said she was tired. With a raised eyebrow, Dario asked Nicole if she was using her excuse as a way to avoid Brady's party. Nicole explained that she believed it was an engagement party and that she did not have the emotional energy to deal with it.
Talk turned to Maggie, and Nicole professed her admiration for Maggie as a person. Nicole asked Dario if she should worry about Summer hurting Maggie. Dario shook his head no. Dario explained that Summer wanted to belong somewhere. When Nicole asked Dario what he was looking for in life, Dario said he did not know. Dario added that Summer knew that she wanted a family. Worried, Nicole said she was suspicious of Summer's motives.
At the penthouse, John asked Marlena to join him at Brady's party. With a smile, Marlena reminded John that it was Brady and Theresa's party. John nodded. "For a smart spy, you are clueless. You have no idea what this party is about?" Marlena asked. John groaned. When Marlena asked if John still wanted to attend the party, John admitted that he had seen that Theresa had changed. John said he wanted to support his son. John added that he wanted to be a part of Brady and Tate's life and that he would not jeopardize his family by pushing Theresa away.
At Edge of the Square, Theresa and Brady prepared for their party. A nervous Theresa fretted about the decorations, but Brady told Theresa not to worry. Theresa worried aloud about the reaction of Brady's family to their engagement, but Brady kissed Theresa gently. Theresa looked at her hand and panicked when she realized her engagement ring was missing. Brady calmly asked Theresa to retrace her steps.
Crawling on the floor, Theresa's voice grew louder and louder as she offered to pay anyone who found her ring. With a sigh, Brady dropped to the floor to help Theresa search. Belle arrived with Philip, and she raised an eyebrow when she saw Brady crawling on the floor. Brady said that Theresa had lost the ring. Theresa blurted out that she had lost her key ring in order to prevent Brady from spilling the news of their engagement too early.
Theresa pulled Brady aside and asked if Philip had been invited. Brady said yes. Curious, Belle interrupted and asked what was going on. Brady said everything was fine. Theresa resumed crawling on the floor while Belle went to the bar to fetch drinks. Alone with Brady, Philip asked him why Brady had agreed to let him join Belle at the party. Brady said it was easier to agree to the request than it was to fight Belle.
"So the fact that it's a family party has nothing to do with it?" Philip asked. Brady argued that Philip had betrayed Victor. Philip countered that Victor had asked him to secure Deimos' trust, and he had believed that giving the formula to Deimos would do the trick. Philip added that he would have spied on Deimos for Victor, but Victor had "jumped the gun." Brady reminded him that Philip had worked with Deimos prior to arriving in Salem.
As Brady said he did not want to fight, Belle returned with the drinks. Philip said he needed to get some air, and he left. Annoyed, Belle asked Brady if he understood how difficult it had been for Philip to call Brady about the party. Brady said he did not care. Belle said that she and Philip had hoped to repair Philip's relationship with Brady. Concerned, Brady asked Belle if she and Philip were a couple. Belle admitted that was the case.
"Does he make you happy? Does he treat you well?" Brady asked. Belle said Philip was good for her. Nodding, Brady said he was happy then too. Brady added that everyone had warned him about Theresa, and they had been wrong about her. Belle looked over at Theresa, who was crawling across the floor. Someone stepped into Theresa's path, and Theresa yelled at them. When Theresa looked up, she looked into the face of John. Behind John were Marlena and Paul, who both raised an eyebrow at Theresa.
Theresa chuckled and rose to her feet. John asked Theresa what she was looking for on the floor. Marlena offered to help Theresa find whatever she had lost, but Theresa vehemently refused the offer. Brady interrupted to greet his family. While John and Marlena were occupied with Brady and Belle, Theresa slipped away to resume her search on he floor. Philip returned to the club and said hello to John and Marlena.
While Belle, Philip, and Brady were at the bar, John joked that Marlena would need a crowbar to pry the fake smile off of her face. Marlena argued that she was worried that Philip would hurt Belle again. Marlena added that Claire was still hopeful that her parents would reconcile. Brady circled back to Theresa and pulled her to her feet. Theresa was miserable, but Brady promised to get her another ring. Theresa confided that she was worried that everyone would think she was a gold digger. Brady told Theresa that the ring did not matter because he loved her.
Across the room, Philip told Belle that the club suited her. Belle grinned. While Philip went back to the bar, Marlena walked over and told Belle that she seemed happy. Belle said that she and Philip were having fun. In the doorway, Maggie and Victor called out hello to John and went over to talk to him. Victor joked that he hoped the announcement was that Brady and Theresa were breaking up. Maggie told Victor to hush. John said that he wanted his son to be happy.
With everyone at the club, Brady pulled Theresa close and announced that there was a lot to celebrate. As Brady talked, Maggie sat down in a chair and noticed something on the floor. Maggie leaned forward to pick up Theresa's missing ring from the carpet, and then she fell to the floor. Everyone rushed to Maggie's side. Dizzy, Maggie looked around the room, bewildered.
In the passageways beneath the DiMera mansion, Chad looked for Ben. Armed with a gun and a flashlight, Chad slowly crept down the hallways. Chad found the room that Chase had been hiding in. As Chad looked under the bed, the door to the room closed. Chad raced over, but the door was locked. Chad pounded against the door with his shoulder, desperate to break free.
In the DiMera living room, Ben held Thomas and cooed over him. Fighting her rising terror, Abigail screamed out Chad's name. A calm Ben commented about his baby boy and urged Abigail not to scare their son. Ben softly noted that Thomas was sleeping peacefully. Abigail asked Ben to hand her the baby, but he refused.
"This is my time and my son. I missed him so much. Every night in that place, I dreamed of him. You know?" Ben said. Abigail said she understood. Ben turned to Abigail and told her that he had dreamed of her as well. "I miss my family. My family that Chad took away. Chad destroyed everything," Ben said.
In an attempt to control the situation, Abigail asked Ben to sit with her on the couch and talk. Ben declined the invitation. Ben said that he did not belong in a psychiatric facility. Looking around the room, Ben asked Abigail why she had moved into the DiMera mansion. Ben said he would save his son from Chad DiMera.
Placating Ben, Abigail offered to go anywhere Ben wanted to go. When Ben commented that Abigail only wanted to go to stay with the baby, Abigail noted that she wanted to stay with Thomas. "Who? Who the hell is Thomas?" Ben asked. With tears in her eyes, Abigail's voice faltered as she said her son's name was Thomas.
"Colin. My son's name is Colin. You can't change that. Did you? Is that what his name says on the birth certificate?" Ben asked. When Abigail said, "We decided," Ben grew angry. Ben said no one would name his son but him. Frustrated, Abigail cried out that Thomas was not Ben's son. Abigail explained that Chad was the father. Shaking his head, Ben said that he was Colin's father. Abigail said that Thomas had been ill, and when the hospital had tested Ben's blood, it had not been a match.
In disbelief, Ben shook his head no. Ben turned to leave, and Abigail rushed into his path. Abigail apologized. Abigail added that Ben would be a great father someday. Emotional, Ben stared into the corner. Quietly, Abigail told Ben that he was free and did not need to take care of her baby. Abigail promised not to tell anyone that Ben had been at the house if he left. As Abigail reached out for Thomas, Ben told Abigail that she was a liar.
As Ben asked Abigail to say goodbye to Colin, Abigail had brief memory flashes of the night that Ben had taken her baby and set the cabin ablaze. Upset, Abigail begged Ben not to leave with her son. As Abigail called out for her son, Chad ran into the living room with his gun. Abigail pleaded with Chad to stop Ben before he got away. J.J. joined them in the living room, and both J.J. and Chad looked at Abigail quizzically. Abigail continued to scream, but Chad told Abigail that there was no one there.
Confused, Abigail screamed that Ben was standing right in front of them. The lights flickered on, revealing that Ben was not in the living room. Still panicked, Abigail pointed in the corner and continued to yell that Ben was standing right in front of them. Angry, Abigail noted that with the lights on, they could clearly see Ben standing by the garden doors.
"He has Thomas in his arms!" Abigail cried out. "He's not there," J.J. said quietly. As J.J. led his sister to her baby in the carrier nearby, an emotional Chad covered his mouth with his hand. Abigail saw her son in the carrier then looked across the room. Abigail ran to the garden doors, opened them, and gasped as she stared out into the garden, looking for Ben. Across the room, Chad broke down in tears.
At the DiMera mansion, a confused and frightened Abigail stared out terrace doors, through which she believed she'd just seen Ben flee. Chad and J.J. could only gape at Abigail as she slowly realized she had imagined Ben's entire visit. Chad finally broke the silence, and Abigail leaned in so he could embrace her. Chad signaled over Abigail's head for J.J. to call a doctor. As J.J. went into the foyer, Chad reassured Abigail that she'd "seen" Ben because he'd gotten into her head. "I really think I'm losing my mind," Abigail cried quietly, the fear evident in her eyes. Chad tried to comfort his wife by holding her.
When Thomas began to fuss, Chad wanted the baby to stay downstairs with them. He explained that Abigail was the only one who could calm Thomas when he cried. The anxiety on Abigail's face melted away, and she beamed at Thomas as she picked him up. Keeping her voice playful, she talked quietly to her son, and he rewarded her by grinning and chortling.
Fynn arrived a little later to check Abigail out. He advised them that Abigail had suffered a panic attack -- which was perfectly normal, given everything she'd been through with Ben. He gave Abigail a bottle of a mild sedative that would be safe for her to take while nursing and urged Abigail to see a therapist to cope with her anxiety. While J.J. walked Fynn to the door, Chad got a glass of water and one of the pills for Abigail. She fumbled with the glass while trying to drink from it.
Before he headed out, J.J. reassured Abigail that there would be a police detail outside all night, as well as DiMera security. J.J. reasoned that if Ben hadn't shown up already, he probably wouldn't. After J.J. left, a fearful Abigail worried that she hadn't just imagined Ben that night but also in Chicago. "Chicago was real. That nightgown didn't shred itself," Chad reassured her. "No, it didn't. But what if it wasn't Ben? What if it was me?" Abigail whispered anxiously. Chad firmly maintained that it made no sense for Abigail to shred her own nightgown.
Abigail was still worried that something was really wrong with her. Chad assured her that if that were the case, they would deal with it together. "But I think you're okay. You want to know why? Because when Thomas needed you, you focused on him. You got calm," Chad asserted with quiet conviction. He encouraged Abigail to let the medicine work and let go of what she was feeling, but Abigail began to sob.
Chad started toward the kitchen to get Abigail some tea. Panicked, she grabbed his arm and pleaded, "Please don't go because I don't want you to leave me alone. Not with the baby." Chad suggested they go upstairs to bed, but Abigail wanted to stay there in the living room. Chad tenderly tucked Thomas into his crib and started to turn out the lights. Abigail asked him to leave them on. Abigail lay on the couch, and Chad curled up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she pulled them to her even more tightly.
Unable to sleep, Abigail couldn't stop staring out the terrace doors. She waited until Chad had fallen asleep before carefully disentangling herself from him and creeping toward the French doors. Abigail let herself out onto the terrace and stood in the garden, trying to calm her frantic, rapid breathing. Memories of earlier that evening, when she'd imagined Ben was there, flooded back in quick flashes.
Abigail turned to hurry back inside but ran smack into Ben, or a vision of Ben. "You are not there. I know that. You are not there! I know you're not! I know you're not there!" Abigail proclaimed with false bravado, taunting the image of Ben by shoving a finger in his face before running away and going back in the house.
When Abigail entered through the terrace doors, it awakened Chad, who jumped up and wrapped a blanket around her. "I don't want to lose my mind! Am I losing my mind?" Abigail cried. Chad hugged her tightly and curled up with her again on the couch, peppering the top of her head with kisses. Abigail tried not to look back at the terrace doors, but the urge was too strong. When she looked, she saw Ben smirking at her through the glass. Chad asked Abigail if she were all right, and she reassured him, "Yeah, I'm fine. Everything's fine." She continued staring at the terrace doors.
At the Edge of the Square, everyone gathered around Maggie, who had fainted. Marlena dashed out to her car to retrieve her medical bag. Victor pleaded with his wife to say something. When Marlena returned, the men were helping Maggie into a chair. When Brady and Victor wanted to call 9-1-1, Maggie was insistent that they not ruin the party. She assured Victor and Brady that she really was fine.
Maggie blamed her dizzy spell on leaning over too quickly. She held out Theresa's engagement ring to explain why she'd been leaning over in the first place. A thrilled Theresa put the ring back on her finger while Victor groused, "Well, you damn fool, now we know what you were about to say." With a mischievous but affectionate grin, Theresa purred, "Aren't you going to welcome me to the family, Victor?"
Maggie urged Brady to continue with his announcement, so he informed the group that he'd proposed to Theresa, and she had accepted. Ignoring Victor's rude quips, Brady continued that he felt a great deal of joy with Theresa and Tate and wanted to share that joy with the people he loved. Everyone cheered and applauded. When it was Theresa's turn, she listed all the reasons that Brady was everything she'd ever wanted in a man.
"But...you're related to Victor," Theresa said to Brady before joking, "But then I realized that I could have my cake and eat it, too, because I could marry the man of my dreams and stick it to Victor on a daily basis." Theresa promised those gathered that she would never give them a reason to regret letting her into their lives. Maggie rose and hugged Theresa warmly, while Victor scowled.
Later, John ambled over to Theresa and welcomed her to the family, much to her surprise. John explained, "It's quite simple, really. If you make Brady happy, you make me happy. And you're not the same person you were a year ago." John was still talking when an emotional Theresa threw her arms around him gratefully. Still worried about Maggie, Brady and Theresa decided to call it a night. As Victor was leaving to fetch Maggie's coat, Brady told his grandfather, "I really wish that you could be happy for me." Victor replied, "I wish that, too, Brady."
Back at their townhouse, Brady and Theresa sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, sipping mugs of tea. Theresa remarked that Maggie and Belle had seemed genuinely happy for Brady and Theresa, and John had really seemed to want to bury the hatchet. Brady suggested that Theresa had won over everyone in the room. "No, not everyone, Brady... [Victor] wants to bury the hatchet, too -- in my back," Theresa said. She acknowledged that she didn't need to win Victor over because the right man loved her.
Looking at her ring, Theresa declared happily "I am Cinderella, and the damn shoe fits!" Brady hoped that Theresa finally believed that she deserved happiness. Before Theresa could get up to check on Tate, Brady grabbed her and kissed her passionately.
In Philip's hotel room, Belle said she wished Philip and Brady could get along. She added that Philip deserved the same good fortune for him that Brady had. Abruptly changing the subject, Philip said, "Tell me what you think about us." Belle wasn't interested in rehashing that topic, but Philip pointed out, "You say that you want me to have what Brady has. Well, he has a fiancée, right? A happy domestic life." Philip continued that Victor's life had changed for the better since he'd married Maggie.
Belle guessed that Philip had been talking about the two of them, but she didn't think they needed to discuss their relationship. Philip was uncomfortable not knowing where he stood, but Belle was happy to let things take their course and not have to define things. "What if I do want to define it?" Philip asked. Belle's jaw dropped. "Oh, my God. You're going to propose, aren't you?" she asked. After a pause, they both burst out laughing. They agreed that they weren't even close to being ready for that.
Philip said he wanted for Belle not to be with anyone else, but Belle bristled at his sexist attitude. Philip declared softly, "I'm falling in love with you all over again, even though...[it] feels like the first time." Belle inferred that Philip was only trying to pressure her to say "I love you" back. She said she wouldn't tell Philip she was in love with him -- and she didn't think he was really in love with her. Belle added that she wouldn't let him push them into something they weren't ready for. Philip suggested that they put his declaration on the back burner. Belle responded by kissing him.
As Victor and Maggie arrived back at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor admonished Maggie for being too stubborn to stop at the hospital on their way home. Maggie reacted testily, and Victor pointed out that she was being cranky, something she never was. Maggie crossly reminded her husband that she'd just learned she had a daughter she'd never known about, plus Victor had done everything he could to try to ruin Brady and Theresa's engagement party. In his usual gruff way, Victor proposed, "All right, I'll make you a deal: you go get in bed and let me take care of you, and I won't act like a jerk. Uh. Well. I'll try to not act like a jerk. And then we'll see how you feel in the morning."
Maggie agreed to the terms of their deal. As Victor headed to the kitchen to get a cup of tea for Maggie, she started a bit unsteadily up the stairs. She lost her balance and nearly tripped a time or two, until suddenly she seemed frozen in place near the landing. Clutching desperately at the railing, Maggie cried out for Victor, but, unable to maintain her equilibrium, she tumbled down the steps and landed hard on the foyer floor. Victor rushed over to his unconscious wife and shouted for Henderson or Justin to call a doctor -- just as Deimos strolled in the front door.
Victor ordered Deimos to get out, but Deimos maintained, "Trust me, brother. Right now, you need me more than anyone on this planet. I'm the only person who knows exactly what's wrong with her." While Maggie still lay, whimpering, on the floor, Deimos announced, "She's dying, Victor. She's been poisoned." He refused to tell a furious Victor what the poison was -- but Deimos would provide Victor with the antidote -- in exchange for everything Victor had.
Maggie began to convulse, and Deimos predicted that she would be gone in less than five minutes. He produced the paperwork for Victor to sign to transfer everything over to Deimos. Victor was dubious, but Deimos pointed out, "You're going to have to trust me." Glowering, Victor yanked the papers out of Deimos' hands, signed them, and returned them. Deimos said snidely, "Bravo, Victor. You chose love over power. This time, you saved a woman. Quite a difference from thirty years ago. I'm proud of you, brother."
His tear-filled eyes betraying his fear, Victor ordered Deimos to give Maggie the antidote. Deimos knelt beside Maggie and gave her an injection in the arm. At the hospital, Victor paced while Fynn examined Maggie. Fynn assured Victor that the poison had been neutralized. He questioned Victor about the poison, but Victor just wanted to know how Maggie was. Fynn advised Victor that Maggie would be all right after the poisoning, but he added, "She took a very serious fall. I'm sorry to tell you, but her back was broken, and her legs are paralyzed."
Stunned and enraged, Victor stepped away and quoted Aeschylus to himself: "For a deadly blow, let him pay with a deadly blow. It is for him who has done the deed to suffer."
Meanwhile, Deimos wandered around the Kiriakis living room, picking up photos and knickknacks to inspect them. He stood before the fireplace and grinned. "Finally, it's done," Deimos declared.
At the police station, Hope informed Rafe that Chase had been granted bail after his lawyer had convinced the judge to view the case as a "he said, she said" situation. Rafe couldn't believe that a public defender had managed to outsmart Justin, but Hope clarified that Chase was actually under the representation of some high-powered lawyer from Chicago who had probably been one of Aiden's friends.
"He argued that Chase had been singled out for unfair treatment because Ciara's a cop's daughter. Oh, and then -- then he had the bail hearing moved up so I wouldn't be there," Hope continued. Hope told a curious Rafe that she was still trying to figure out how Chase had gotten the money to pay for the expensive lawyer. As Hope fretted about how Ciara would take the news, Ciara arrived and angrily answered, "Not well."
Hope reached out to embrace Ciara, but Ciara backed away. "You promised me I was safe. How is he free?" Ciara demanded to know. Hope assured Ciara that, while Chase had made bail, that didn't mean he would be free forever. Hope stressed that Chase was still facing charges and would eventually have to answer for what he had done to Ciara. "Or not," Ciara countered.
Ciara demanded to know why no one had bothered to alert her that Chase had made bail. Hope explained that she had just learned the news herself and had been trying to contact Ciara. Ciara told Hope and Rafe about her earlier encounter with Chase, and Hope assured her that they would get a restraining order to keep him away from her in the future. "He's already here. All the time. He's in my head. And now that he's out there for real... I feel like he's driving me crazy," Ciara tearfully admitted.
Hope led Ciara into one of the conference rooms so they could talk privately. Ciara suspected that her ordeal was never going to end, but Hope assured her that they would eventually get Chase behind bars and out of her life for good. "But that's only part of the problem. He's still in your head. You said so yourself. You can't stop thinking about it," Hope added. Ciara insisted that she would never stop thinking about it. "I feel like he took away who I am," Ciara admitted, but Hope stressed that Chase couldn't hold that kind of power over Ciara unless she allowed him to.
Hope was pleased to hear that Ciara was willing to talk to Marlena the following day and would go into the therapy session with an open mind. "But what about tonight?" Ciara wondered. Ciara didn't want to stay at the Horton house because she feared that Chase might look for her there, so she asked if she could instead spend the night with Claire. "I have a better idea," Hope cryptically replied.
Hope and Ciara were soon lounging together on a bed in one of the rooms at the Salem Inn, watching a movie and eating ice cream. Hope paused the movie when she realized that something was on Ciara's mind. "It's just that...when you were my age, you were falling in love with Dad, and...I've never been in love before," Ciara began. Ciara said she couldn't imagine that feeling anymore. Hope promised that things would eventually get better, but Ciara found that hard to believe. "I mean, who's gonna want me? And why would I want them, when everything's ruined after what Chase did to me?" Ciara wondered.
Ciara felt foolish for having previously made the decision to remain a virgin until she fell in love. Hope insisted that Ciara couldn't blame herself for what had happened, and she also couldn't allow it to define her. "One day, your prince will come, and he will be so lucky to have my baby girl, and you will build a beautiful life together. There's no doubt in my mind," Hope assured Ciara as they embraced.
At the Horton Town Square, Rafe was having a phone conversation with the judge who had presided over Chase's case, trying to convince him to change his ruling. As Rafe ended the call in frustration, Adriana approached and wondered what was wrong. Rafe explained that he was trying to help a friend but hadn't had much luck yet.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail awoke with a start after a dream in which Ben had knocked on the front door. Someone really was knocking on the terrace door, though, and when Chad walked into the living room to find out what was going on, Abigail worriedly warned him not to greet the visitor. "They're not going away," Chad pointed out before opening the door and stepping outside to greet a guard, who had a firm grip on Chase's arm.
The guard reported that he had caught Chase trying to climb over the south wall to gain entrance to the property. "I was just looking for Andre. I didn't know there were gonna be guards everywhere," Chase explained. Chad informed Chase that Andre was in prison. "From what I hear, isn't that where you belong?" Chad added.
After dismissing the guard, Chad demanded to know why Chase wanted to see Andre. Chase explained that Andre was a friend who had recently tried to help him get out of some trouble. Chad guessed that Andre had wanted something in return, but Chase stressed that Andre had never asked him for anything. Chase added that he was aware of Andre's legal woes. "I just figured he would have made bail by now," Chase continued.
"Who's gonna bail him out? Nobody in this town even likes him," Chad pointed out. Somewhat disappointed, Chase explained that he had been hoping Andre would let him stay at the mansion for a while. Chad clarified that the mansion no longer belonged to Andre; it belonged to him. "Is it true? What you did to Ciara?" Chad asked. When Chase responded with a barely perceptible nod, Chad ordered him to leave and never return.
Later, at the town square, Chase sighed as he counted the few remaining dollars in his wallet. A woman soon walked past Chase, and when he realized that no one was around to stop him, he impulsively decided to grab her purse. The woman put up a bit of a struggle, but Chase eventually seized the purse from her, knocking her to the ground in the process. Chase ran off with the purse as the woman shouted for help.
Gabi went to the hospital to see Eduardo, but a nurse informed her that he had checked out "AMA" -- against medical advice. Gabi tracked Eduardo down at the Salem Inn, just as he was leaving his hotel room with a suitcase. "You're running out on us again?" Gabi asked incredulously.
Eduardo reasoned that, as others had suggested, everyone would be better off if he just left town, but Gabi argued that he wasn't being noble; he was just looking out for himself, as usual. "You can't run scared and blame it on us!" Gabi insisted. Eduardo maintained that he couldn't be sure that it was safe for him to be around his family, and he wasn't willing to stay in Salem if there was a chance that doing so could cause them to get hurt.
"This hurts me!" Gabi countered. Gabi added that, while the other members of her family were entitled to their own feelings, she had been happy to have Eduardo back in her life, and she had believed him when he had promised that he would never run out on them again. Eduardo started to reply that it wasn't like he wanted to do that. "Then don't," Gabi interrupted.
Gabi knew that her mother and Dario would each need time to forgive Eduardo, but she pointed out that Rafe had already agreed to give Eduardo another chance. Eduardo argued that Rafe might have been open to the idea but had nevertheless been visibly relieved to hear that Eduardo was planning to leave town. Gabi dismissively explained that Rafe's head and heart didn't always agree with each other.
Eduardo didn't think it would be possible for Rafe, as a cop, to ever forgive him for his extensive list of past crimes, but Gabi argued that just a few months earlier, it had probably seemed equally impossible for Rafe to ever forgive Eduardo for abandoning the Hernandez clan. Gabi added that Eduardo had taken a bullet for Rafe, and that had to count for something.
Eduardo was touched to know that Gabi wanted him to be a part of her life, and he assured her that the feeling was mutual. "But...it's just not clear what's supposed to happen next, and I'm gonna need a little time to figure that out, okay?" Eduardo added. Nodding, Gabi changed the subject, inviting Eduardo to join her and the rest of the family for dinner at the Brady Pub. Eduardo declined, knowing that Gabi was the only person who would want him there, but he promised that he wouldn't leave town that night.
At the Brady Pub, Dario warned Adriana and Rafe that he would bail on the family dinner if it ended up including Eduardo. Adriana hoped that Eduardo would leave town, but Dario said he was hoping for more than that. "I want him to rot in hell," Dario declared. Dario wanted Rafe to arrest Eduardo, who had already admitted to numerous murders, but Rafe explained that it wasn't the open-and-shut case Dario believed it to be. "There are things like jurisdiction, evidence --" Rafe started to add. "Oh, that's B.S., Rafe, and you know it," Dario interrupted.
Adriana intervened, reminding her sons that they were supposed to be having a nice family dinner together. As Dario apologized, Rafe received a text message from Hope, informing him that she and Ciara were going off the grid for the rest of the night. Adriana, who had grilled Rafe earlier about his relationship with Hope, wondered if the text message was from Gabi. "No, work," Rafe evasively replied.
Gabi soon arrived, and Dario was quick to ask her to confirm that she was on board with his plan to get rid of Eduardo before another terrible thing happened. Gabi protested that things didn't seem that terrible to her, since the family was safe and was together for the first time in decades. "And we're damn lucky no one got killed," Dario maintained.
Gabi pointedly asked if Dario had ever made a mistake in his life. Dario countered that what Eduardo had done had been more than just a mistake. "It was absolutely deliberate," Dario insisted. Gabi reminded Dario that Eduardo had saved Rafe's life. "That means something to me, okay? That counts in my life," Gabi stressed. Rafe conceded that he was grateful, adding that, while he thought it would probably be best for Eduardo to leave town, he might be willing to give Eduardo another chance if Eduardo decided to instead stay in Salem. "That is what you call a mistake," Dario declared.
Eduardo entered the pub a short time later, and when Dario stood and ordered him to leave, Gabi intervened and explained that she had invited him to the dinner. "Yeah, well, no one else wants you here. So what if you took a bullet for Rafe? It was meant for you; it found you. Too bad it didn't do what it was supposed to," Dario spat, ignoring Rafe and Adriana's attempts to interrupt.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail wondered why Chase had wanted to talk to Andre earlier. "Don't know, don't care," Chad replied. Abigail admitted that she could barely even stand to look at Chase after what he had done to Ciara. "Doesn't it seem like there's so many bad things happening at once right now?" Abigail mused.
Chad advised Abigail to focus on the good things, such as their child and their marriage, but she couldn't help thinking about how easily those things could be taken away. Chad reasoned that Abigail was simply on edge because she hadn't gotten a full night of rest since before her pregnancy and had also been dealing with stress and hormones at that time. As Abigail rested her head on Chad's chest, he asked if she was still having visions of Ben. "No. Mm-mm," Abigail lied, struggling to keep her voice steady.
Later, Chad and Abigail took Thomas out to the garden so they could have a picnic under the stars. Chad convinced Abigail to have some Champagne, reasoning that she could just give Thomas a bottle if he woke up. "My father would roll over in his grave if he knew we were using plastic cups," Chad mused as he filled them.
Fighting back tears, Abigail admitted that she felt detached from reality. "This is reality," Chad assured Abigail. Later, after Chad and Abigail made love, they noticed a change in the temperature, so Abigail put Chad's shirt on and went to get him a sweater. When Abigail entered the mansion through the terrace doors, she saw a uniformed police officer standing in the darkened foyer. Abigail greeted the man, who stepped out of the shadows to reveal himself as Ben.
"You...are not...real," Abigail insisted, tightly shutting her eyes. When Abigail took another look, Ben was gone. Relieved, Abigail grabbed Chad's sweater and turned to leave but found Ben standing in the terrace doorway, blocking her path. "I'm real, all right. But no one is going to believe that now, are they?" Ben tauntingly pointed out.
Abigail called out for Chad, and when he rushed into the mansion with Thomas, wearing only a blanket, she announced that Ben had been in the living room with her moments earlier. "He's gone now, but he...he touched me. I felt him touch me. I know he did. He said...he said he would never give me any peace, and...he said he would be back," Abigail fearfully added.
At Steve and Kayla's, Kayla found candles burning and several bouquets around the living room. Steve exited the kitchen with a bucket of beers and explained that he'd made his famous chili so the two of them could enjoy a late-night dinner. Kayla suddenly realized that it could be Steve's last night as a free man, though, unlike Kayla, Steve was surprisingly upbeat about spending it with the woman he loved. A worried Kayla thought, since they might not get to spend any time together for a while, they should talk.
Steve said he wanted to talk about good times, both in the past and in the future, stating philosophically, "No matter what happens tomorrow, my life is not over, because I got you, and Stephanie, and Joe. That's all I need." Kayla softened and managed a smile. The timer for Steve's cornbread went off in the kitchen, and Steve left to check on it, singing the wrong words -- although more befitting the occasion -- to "Short'nin' Bread."
While they ate, Kayla and Steve reminisced about the first time he'd made chili and cornbread for her, although Steve misremembered some of the lesser details. Kayla recalled how impressed she'd been when she'd returned from a trip and found that Steve had cleaned up and taken care of the baby just fine on his own. Kayla also remembered the country song Steve had played when she'd gotten home.
"Was it this one?" Steve asked as he took out his phone and played the romantic song. Touched, Kayla accepted his invitation to dance. As she took Steve's hands, she whispered, "Let's dance like there's no tomorrow." Swaying slowly, they danced around the living room, holding each other tightly and staring into one another's eyes. As the song ended, Steve murmured, "You know I love you, and only you, Sweetness." With a wistful nod, Kayla kissed him.
Later, Steve found Kayla in her pajamas, regarding the flowers in the living room. She explained that she had been too restless to sleep. As he stood behind Kayla and enveloped her in his arms, Steve whispered, "I feel peaceful. Tonight was everything I wanted it to be. I wish we could stay like this forever." Noting that the next day would be there too soon and smiling weakly through her tears, Kayla declared softly, "I just want to tell you I love you, and I always will." Steve assured her, "Then it doesn't matter what happens tomorrow. If you love me, I can survive anything." Kayla beamed and fervently kissed Steve.
Brady was at home, working on his tablet, when he suddenly put the tablet down and couldn't catch his breath. When Theresa entered the room and Brady said he had started feeling anxious for no apparent reason, she wanted to call the hospital.
Summoned by Deimos, Kate arrived at the Kiriakis mansion and found him pouring two glasses of expensive Champagne. Kate warned Deimos that Victor would be "pissed" when he found Deimos there. "It's no longer Victor's house; it's mine," Victor announced. Kate was skeptical when Deimos informed her that Victor had given him the house, since Victor utterly loathed his brother. "I mean, what did you do? Did you arrange for Victor to have a lobotomy?" Kate said, demanding an explanation.
Deimos replied, "What I arranged for was a little situation. I simply gave him an option: love or money? And to his credit, surprisingly, he chose love." Kate knew that Deimos couldn't have bested Victor without forcing Victor into a corner. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, Kate demanded, "You tell me what you did, or I'm going out that door -- and I won't look back."
Deimos began by describing his hatred of Victor's "über-Greek-ness." Deimos had begun to think the Greeks were sometimes appropriate, as demonstrated by the egomaniacal Victor's "Achilles heel: Maggie," who had made Victor vulnerable -- and human. Kate guessed that Deimos had used Victor's love for Maggie against him. Deimos explained simply, "I poisoned her." He reminded a somewhat shocked Kate that Victor had put everything in motion. Kate remarked, "A thirty-year feud. Sounds like the Greek plays that he's always talking about that always end with the stage strewn with bodies."
Deimos was thankful that Maggie had survived, but Kate called his concern "disingenuous." Deimos insisted Maggie was "quite wonderful;" she'd merely been a means to an end. Deimos related the short version of the story of poisoning Maggie -- which had "defanged" Victor. Kate gave a truncated version of poisoning Chloe and ultimately being forced to marry Stefano -- whom she'd eventually grown fond of. Kate noted that she had no proof that Deimos had truly taken everything that had belonged to Victor.
Deimos assured Kate that he didn't want to keep secrets from her, but she was unimpressed. Deimos maintained that he'd been more than ready to drop his vendetta against Victor, except that Victor had refused Deimos' one demand: an apology for everything he'd done to Deimos. "I'm sorry if you hate me for what I did," Deimos said. Kate reminded Deimos that because she and Victor shared a son, their lives would always be linked. Deimos acknowledged that, while he'd been getting revenge on Victor, he'd known he ran the risk of losing Kate.
"Losing me? You just sealed the deal," Kate said harshly. She asserted that her autonomy meant more to her than anything else, but being blackmailed into marrying Stefano had made her feel "like a butterfly pinned in a display case" -- and Victor had laughed at her, despite his hatred for Stefano. "And now you have pinned [Victor], just the way that Stefano pinned me," Kate declared, striding over to Deimos and adding, "Guess who's going to have the last laugh." She grabbed Deimos and kissed him fiercely.
Kate asked if Deimos minded her using him to get revenge on Victor. Deimos pointed out that if he did, that would make him a hypocrite. "Besides, I like unsentimental women. You know exactly where you stand with them," Deimos stated. Kate concurred: "I like unsentimental men...with lots of money." Guessing that Kate knew the layout of the mansion, Deimos suggested that she head upstairs and choose a bedroom. Carrying her glass to the staircase, Kate remarked, "Who says you can't go home again?"
In bed in her hotel room, Summer was afraid that, by revealing her checkered past, she'd disappointed Maggie.
At the hospital, Victor sat at an unconscious Maggie's bedside, an anxious scowl distorting his face. Fynn entered and updated Victor that the poison and antidote had cleared Maggie's system. Demanding Fynn tell him the truth without "doctor runaround," Victor wanted to know about Maggie's legs and spine and if she would walk again.
Fynn advised Victor that Maggie's injury was to her thoracic vertebrae, which was surrounded by scar tissue from a previous injury -- and they wouldn't know more about the nerves until her surgery the following morning. Fynn noted that everyone at the hospital loved Maggie and would do everything possible to make sure she received the very best care. "You should see her dance," Victor murmured after Fynn left the room.
When Theresa and a breathless Brady arrived at the hospital, Theresa rushed up to Fynn and said worriedly, "Something's wrong with Brady's heart. Can you please help him?" In an exam room, Brady described the sensation in his chest as a "fluttery feeling," but not pain, and he felt anxious. After reviewing Brady's test results, Fynn said everything seemed normal.
As Brady pulled his shirt back on, Fynn remarked about Brady's anxiousness, "I guess you don't know... Sorry to tell you this, but Maggie's had an accident. She's here. Your grandfather's with her." After Fynn gave the condensed version of Maggie's accident, Brady rushed out, still tucking his shirt into his pants.
Brady asked Theresa to call Summer to let her know that Maggie was in the hospital. As Brady headed into Maggie's room, a reluctant Theresa made the call. Despite the distressing news, Summer thanked Theresa for calling.
In Maggie's room, Victor described Maggie's accident and its result to Brady. Theresa tiptoed in and expressed her sympathy to Victor, who didn't take his eyes off Maggie. Victor declined Theresa and Brady's offer to stay with them, since he planned to stay with Maggie all night, but he did say, "I could do with a Scotch and soda." Brady and Theresa left to get the drink and call the babysitter. "My brother's going to pay for what he did. I'm going to make him wish he was never born," Victor vowed.
When Summer arrived, Victor was curt with her. She immediately guessed his identity. Victor barked, "And you're the opportunistic little grafter who crawled out of the gutter to bilk my wife." Summer bristled, but Victor informed her that he knew all about her, including her criminal record. "A con is a con. Your kind doesn't change," Victor snarled, ordering Summer to leave. She refused, informing Victor that she'd been honest with Maggie about her past. Victor commanded, "Listen, Gidget, you are leaving, either on your own, or I'll have you thrown out!"
Summer cautioned Victor that Maggie would be able to sense the tension in the room. Summer left just as Fynn returned. Fynn offered to arrange a bed for Victor while they took Maggie for some more tests. Victor declined, explaining that he would run a quick errand in the meantime. He tenderly kissed Maggie's hand and left.
Summer entered Maggie's room quietly and rolled the little stool up to the bed. She hesitantly took Maggie's hand but pulled away again, clearly a little uncomfortable with that act of familial intimacy. Summer apologized to Maggie for not acting when Maggie had obviously been feeing unwell and for reminding Maggie of her painful past.
Trembling, Summer expressed her regret for al the things she'd told Maggie. Theresa arrived but stopped in the doorway when she heard Summer softly crying, "It's just so hard to think that I might lose you just when I've found you." Summer took Maggie's hand and implored, "Please be okay."
Maggie opened her eyes and whispered Summer's name. Summer gasped in relief. Maggie asked why she was there and where Victor was, but Summer couldn't answer.
Brady returned from the hospital and found an upset Theresa by the coffee stand. She informed him that Victor had left the hospital, but Summer was with Maggie. Theresa's tone made Brady suspect that she still didn't trust Summer. "I do. Of course I do," Theresa said somewhat unconvincingly.
Kate had just gone upstairs when an enraged Victor arrived at the Kiriakis mansion. Addressing Deimos, Victor growled, "I will see you in hell for what you've done to my wife!" With icy wrath, Deimos reminded Victor of all the things he'd taken from Deimos, and then Victor had refused to apologize. "I wouldn't lie to you about something so important to you. I was not, I am not, and I never will be sorry!" Victor roared, adding, "But you will be, for what you've done to Maggie." Taken aback, Deimos reminded Victor that Deimos had given Maggie the antidote.
Victor thundered, "Because of you -- because of your cowardice, your arrogance, your stupidity -- Maggie may never walk again!" Deimos said sincerely that he was sorry to hear that and that he'd never wanted to hurt Maggie, but then his tone became aggravated again as he mentioned Helena. "I will kill you!" Victor spat, taking out a knife and lunging at Deimos. But just as he had gotten the knife to Deimos' chest, Victor's hand weakened. He dropped the knife, sending it clattering to the floor, and staggered into the living room, clutching his chest.
As Victor slumped onto the couch, his hand still to his chest and his face twisted in pain, Deimos just stared impassively at his brother.
