Summer receives an unpleasant surprise
Chloe abruptly ended her phone conversation when she heard Deimos step back into her living room, but he didn't believe her when she claimed that she had just been checking on Parker. Guessing that Chloe had really been trying to get details from Nicole about his relationship with her, Deimos explained that he had been obsessed with Nicole because she looked almost exactly like the only woman he had ever loved.
Deimos added that obsessing over Nicole and seeking revenge against Victor had kept him stuck in the past, and he wanted to finally start living in the present instead. "Being here with you [and] meeting Parker just made me believe [that] I could have a real life, you know? A new life that I don't know if I could ever have in Salem. So, I don't know, maybe we could have that new life together," Deimos suggested.
Before Chloe could respond, she received a phone call from Nicole, which Deimos encouraged her to take. After claiming that the previous call had been dropped because of a bad connection, Chloe explained that she had wanted to talk to Nicole because she had seen Nicole's name mentioned in a newspaper article about a man's disappearance. Nicole clarified that although the police hadn't found a body yet, they were actually treating the case as a possible homicide. "Kate Roberts told the police that he was shoved, hit his head on a tree, and then fell in the river. And then she went on to say that I'm the one who pushed him," Nicole added.
Nicole continued that Kate was using a fake marriage certificate to claim that she had been married to Deimos at the time of his death. Chloe repeated key parts of the conversation for Deimos' benefit, and he quietly confirmed that he wasn't married to Kate. Chloe assured Nicole that she would keep Parker from hearing the news. Sighing, Nicole admitted that she really missed Chloe and Parker, and she added that it felt good to talk to someone who was on her side. "None of this would have happened if Daniel were still alive," Nicole sadly mused.
"I know. But you still have me, Nicole. And, I don't know, just pretend that I'm there with you, and order two martinis [then] drink mine for me," Chloe joked. Chuckling, Nicole noted that Chloe always gave the most practical advice, prompting Chloe to offer more: "Stop obsessing about Kate. There's no way she's gonna get away with this." After ending the call, Chloe told Deimos that Nicole had sounded really scared. "You have to do something. You have to let her know that you're alive," Chloe insisted, and Deimos agreed.
In a secluded section of the town square, Andre approached Kate, musing that he was surprised that their paths hadn't crossed sooner. Kate suggested that she might have been avoiding Andre, who conceded that she certainly wouldn't be the only person in Salem who was employing that strategy. "Nobody loves you when you're down and out," Andre grumbled.
Kate countered that no one had loved Andre even when he had been on top. "You are, in a word, unlovable," Kate succinctly concluded. Andre protested that he and Kate had once shared a memorable dance together, but she reminded him that she had, at that time, been under the impression that he'd been Tony. Changing the subject, Kate wondered how Andre had managed to get released from prison. Andre explained that Stefano's real killer had finally accepted responsibility for the crime. "That had to cost you a fortune," Kate guessed. Andre clarified that he had actually fallen on hard times; in fact, he was "stone-broke."
"So that's why you're sniffing around me," Kate realized. Andre assured Kate that running into her had been a coincidence, but he added that he was glad to see that she was expressing skepticism because that meant she was still the same old Kate he had always admired, as opposed to the uncharacteristically vulnerable woman he had stumbled upon a few minutes earlier. "Enough with the sweet talk. What do you want, Andre?" Kate wondered. Andre claimed that he simply wanted to lend Kate his ear so she wouldn't have to resort to talking to herself, as she had been before he had arrived.
"So, I should open up to you [and] share my innermost thoughts with you so you can use them against me? Blackmailers do make the best listeners," Kate mused. Andre insisted that he was a changed man, but Kate thought that was about as reassuring as hearing a tiger claim to no longer be a fan of red meat. "Oh, talking about red meat, I'm famished. Why don't you ask me out for dinner? Or, better still, why don't you let me cook for you? I'm an accomplished chef," Andre suggested. Kate declined, guessing that Andre would just try to poison her, but he urged her to reconsider, arguing that she could use an ally.
Kate reluctantly agreed to let Andre accompany her back to the Kiriakis mansion, but when he suggested that she had done so because she was terrified that her supposedly departed husband might be waiting for her there, she vehemently denied the accusation, insisting that seeing Deimos alive would be an answer to a prayer. "Oh, Kate, please. It's me. You can stop with this grieving widow routine," Andre skeptically replied. Andre guessed that Kate had tried to kill Deimos and was worried that she might have bungled the job, in which case she, like Victor before her, would eventually have to face Deimos' wrath.
Later, as Kate and Andre were dining in the living room, he stressed that he really hadn't killed Stefano; in fact, he had loved Stefano very much. "[And] you may not believe this, but it pains me to think of the damage that Father and I did to people," Andre continued with a sigh, prompting Kate to sarcastically wonder if he was about to tell her he had found God while in prison. Chuckling, Andre clarified that he had found inner peace and had realized what he really wanted out of life: comfort, purpose, and love.
"Love is for fools," Kate dismissively declared, but Andre doubted that she truly felt that way. "What you really mean is you're tired of being fooled by false love," Andre guessed, prompting Kate to suggest that she might have never encountered any other kind. "You know, sometimes I get the urge to burn all of Salem to the ground," Kate admitted. Andre said he had once possessed that same kind of anger, but Kate remained skeptical about his claim that he had changed. "I think there's some plan rolling around in that head of yours, and I think whatever it is, it's going to make burning Salem to the ground look like child's play," Kate added.
Chuckling, Andre decided that an alliance between him and Kate would work splendidly. "Two like-minded people thinking alike in a mutually profitable relationship," Andre mused with a grin. Without explicitly committing to anything, Kate went to tell the staff to prepare a room for Andre.
While Summer was helping Maggie with her physical therapy, Brady and Theresa arrived at the Kiriakis townhouse to announce that they had decided to get married in mid-August. Maggie pointed out that there wasn't much time left for Theresa and Kimberly to plan the wedding, but Theresa dismissed the concern, clarifying that she had no intention of letting her mother be involved in the planning of the ceremony, anyway. "I want to be completely sane when I walk down the aisle," Theresa explained, prompting Victor to suggest getting electroshock therapy.
Feigning amusement, Theresa said she couldn't wait to hear Victor's toast. "Don't hold your breath. You won't find me anywhere near that wedding," Victor insisted. Victor started to remind Brady of Theresa's past offenses, upsetting Maggie in the process, but he stopped when he received an important phone call. After Victor left the room, Brady tried to apologize to Theresa, but she assured him that she had developed a thick skin specifically for her interactions with Victor. Maggie promised to make sure Victor wouldn't ruin the wedding, prompting Brady to wonder how she planned to accomplish that feat. "I don't know, maybe a restraining order," Maggie joked.
Later, after Brady and Theresa left, Maggie guessed that it had been hard for Summer to hear their news. Summer insisted that she was fine then quickly changed the subject, wondering if Maggie was ready to resume her physical therapy. After helping Maggie with some leg exercises, Summer encouraged her to try standing for the first time. Maggie agreed, but as Summer helped her to her feet, Victor returned and angrily demanded to know what was going on. Startled, Summer lost her grip on Maggie, who fell back into the wheelchair with a quiet gasp. As Victor rushed to Maggie's side to check on her, he ordered Summer to leave and never return.
After Summer left, Maggie lashed out at Victor, and when he tried to apologize, she guessed that he was only saying he was sorry because she was angry. "I don't know how much more of this I can take," Maggie tearfully admitted. Victor assured Maggie that she wouldn't have to take another moment of the stresses of Salem because his earlier phone call had been about a cruise he had booked for the two of them. "I can't stand to be in the same house with you, and you want us to share a stateroom? Ugh. That just sounds like a vision from hell! I'm so sorry about what happened to you, but I hate the way you're dealing with it. I want you to go!" Maggie spat.
Victor reluctantly left the townhouse and went to the Brady Pub, but when he tried to vent to Caroline about what had just happened, she wasn't particularly sympathetic, especially when he started badmouthing Theresa. Caroline insisted that her granddaughter had changed, but Victor dismissively countered, "People don't change; [they] are what they are, and that's it."
Caroline advised Victor to grow up and start enjoying his life with Maggie. Victor insisted that he couldn't be happy while threats to his family were looming everywhere. Caroline assured Victor that Theresa wasn't a threat. "If you try to hurt her in any way, I promise you, I will pay you back," Caroline warned Victor, who clarified that he didn't intend to hurt Theresa; he simply intended to neutralize her. "And how do you propose to do that?" Caroline wondered.
While passing through the town square, Summer ran into Brady and Theresa, who both noticed that she was upset. Summer explained that she had just faced Victor's wrath. Theresa dramatically breathed a sigh of relief, claiming that she had been worried that her and Brady's earlier wedding announcement had upset Summer.
After Summer left, Brady wondered why Theresa always felt the need to taunt her. Brady pointed out that Summer wasn't exactly feeling very welcome in Salem to begin with, and Theresa wasn't helping matters. Conceding that Brady was right, Theresa admitted that she was just fighting lingering insecurities about his relationship with Summer. Brady assured Theresa that she had nothing to worry about.
While in her room at the Salem Inn, Summer received a visit from a woman who referred to her as Cindi. Summer feigned ignorance, but the woman refused to leave, identifying herself as Clark's sister, Janet. "He's missing, and I found paperwork in his apartment that had your name and a Salem address on it, so I figured I needed to talk to you, especially [given] the fact that there was information on flights coming here from L.A. I'm pretty sure he flew here to see you," Janet explained. Silently recalling Clark's death, Summer feigned ignorance and rushed Janet off.
Later, Janet went to see John at Black Patch Investigations. "I need you to find a missing person for me," Janet explained.
At Club TBD, John told Brady about his client, Janet Bernard. John told Brady that Janet was looking for her brother Clark, who had arrived in Salem, looking for a woman named Cindi. When Brady's eyebrows shot up, John asked if Brady had heard the name before. Brady admitted that Cindi had been Summer's alias. Brady added that he had met Clark and had paid him off to help Summer. With a nod, John informed Brady that Clark had been a grifter. John added that Clark and Summer had worked together.
In Summer's hotel room, a panicked Summer told Dario that Clark's sister was in town. Dario assured Summer that Janet would not be able to find her brother's body. Dario cautioned Summer to deny that she had seen Clark, and Summer said that was what she had done. As Summer paced nervously and wondered aloud about the police, Dario told her to stay calm because her answer would affect them both. Dario reminded Summer that she had her family to lean on for support. When Summer's eyes shifted nervously, Dario cautioned her not to run away because it would look suspicious.
With a gasp, Summer wondered aloud if Brady might learn that Clark had been a grifter and not a mark. There was a knock at the door. Dario whispered soothing words of encouragement as Summer cautiously answered the knock. A fuming Brady marched inside to confront Summer. When Brady asked if he had been Summer's mark, a stammering Summer explained that Clark had taken all the money and had left. Summer adamantly argued that Brady had not been a mark.
Brady accused Dario of assisting Summer and Clark. Summer defended Dario, noting his innocence. Summer said that she had not told Brady the truth because he had helped her, and she had not thought he would understand. When Brady asked Summer if she had planned to steal from Maggie and Victor, Summer denied the accusation. Summer swore she would never hurt Maggie. Shaking his head, Brady said he had made a horrible mistake in escorting Summer to Salem and that he believed Daniel would have agreed with him. Brady ordered Summer to leave town.
Up at Green Mountain Lodge, Aiden and Hope returned to their hotel room after dinner. Hope wanted to look for her phone in the car but changed her mind based on Aiden's comment that the family could reach them through the hotel if there was an emergency. Hope and Aiden stood on the grass outside their living room and stared out at the waterfall. Hope lamented the insanity of the past year, and she admitted that she felt overwhelmed by Aiden's return. Hope said that she was both happy and sorry that Aiden had returned.
With a nod, Aiden told Hope to take the time she needed to feel more comfortable with him. After some flirty banter, Aiden asked Hope to dance to the music streaming in the evening air from a nearby building. While slow dancing on the grass outside their room, Hope thought about when she and Aiden had made love at the Salem Inn. After a smile, Hope's thoughts changed to the night she had unmasked her attacker as Aiden. Startled, Hope pulled away.
Hope explained what she had remembered. Upset, Aiden said he regretted his decision to work for Stefano. Hope told Aiden not to take on all the guilt because then neither of them would be free from the past. Aiden promised Hope that things would get better. Hope and Aiden started to slow dance again then kissed. As Aiden led Hope to one of the bedrooms, she stopped him. Hope said she felt like she was getting to know Aiden all over again.
At the Hernandez house, Rafe drank a beer on the side porch and stared at a news article about Andre's release from prison. As Rafe angrily tossed his tablet aside, Blanca walked outside. Blanca joined Rafe on the porch, and they made small talk about her interview at the hospital and the weather. As Blanca fanned herself and rolled a cold bottle of beer against her neck, Rafe repeatedly glanced at his phone. Blanca called Rafe out on his preoccupation, but Rafe responded, "It's a work thing."
Blanca asked Rafe if it was hard to work with his ex. With a groan, Rafe asked Blanca what Adrianna had said to her. Blanca said that Adrianna did not like Hope. Annoyed, Rafe said that Hope was wonderful but that things had not worked out. Blanca encouraged Rafe to tell her the whole story, but Rafe said that Hope was with another man. Rafe added that he was glad that Hope was happy and healthy.
A tango started on the radio, and a giddy Blanca jumped to her feet to dance. Swaying seductively, Blanca took Rafe by the hands and pulled him out of his chair to dance with her. Blanca taught Rafe some dance steps after he protested that he was a terrible dancer. Blanca mentioned that she had danced with a man in Mexico while the two of them had been recovering from broken hearts. Blanca said that dancing was a good way to mend a broken heart. After dancing a little too close for a bit, Rafe awkwardly excused himself to go inside for the evening. Rafe glanced at his phone once more and muttered to himself, "Let it go."
At Shady Hills, Chad was furious to learn that Abigail had managed to escape. As Chad was threatening various administrators, J.J. arrived and pulled him aside to let him know that Abigail's facial mask had been found near the river. Confused, Chad wondered why Abigail had headed in that direction instead of going straight to the DiMera mansion.
"I think she's scared and humiliated, and I'm worried that she's trying to get as far away from us as she can," J.J. guessed. Chad found that hard to believe, but J.J. continued that evidence had also been found that confirmed that Abigail had started the fire at Shady Hills. "There's a court order now, and once we find her, she'll be transferred to a state facility," J.J. reported.
Later, Chad received a report that Abigail had been spotted at the DiMera mansion earlier that day. Chad and J.J. searched the whole place but were unable to find Abigail, even after checking the secret tunnels. J.J. eventually excused himself so he could continue looking elsewhere, but before leaving the DiMera mansion, he warned Chad, "Don't do anything foolish. If you find her before we do, you let me know right away."
Despite the nanny's protests, Theresa insisted on taking Tate for a walk on her own, even though she had pulled an all-nighter to prepare for D.J. Wear's launch. While in a secluded section of the town square, Theresa started to doze off, but Victor soon arrived and woke her up. "This your idea of being a devoted mother?" Victor asked.
Theresa defensively stressed that if anyone had tried to snatch Tate while she'd had her eyes closed, she would have been all over that person in an instant. "And if you'd tried to take my child away from me in order to teach me some kind of lesson, you would be facedown on this pavement right now, old man. I'd off you in a second," Theresa added. Amused, Victor said he couldn't wait for the day when Brady finally realized who Theresa was and always had been: a poisonous woman who had a nasty habit of destroying the lives of everyone around her. "And mark my words: that day will come," Victor added before walking away.
Brady went to the Kiriakis townhouse to fill Maggie in on what he had learned about Summer. "As much as I hate to say it, I think Grandfather was right all along about her," Brady admitted. Maggie found it hard to believe that Summer had been conning her, but Summer soon arrived and confirmed Brady's story. Summer tried to defend her actions, explaining that she had lied about her connection to Clark because she hadn't wanted Brady and Maggie to think less of her. Summer denied taking a cut of the money Brady had given to Clark, and she also denied knowing where Clark had gone after the payoff, but Brady expressed doubts about her claims.
"I'm sorry to be such a disappointment to you, [Brady]; if it wasn't for you, I never would have met Maggie. I love you both, but I know that doesn't matter to you now, and I know it's my own fault," Summer tearfully acknowledged before rushing off. Maggie begged Brady to chase after Summer, but he insisted that it would be best to let her go. "This can't be happening again!" Maggie sobbed as Brady tried to comfort her.
When Victor returned home later that day, he blamed Brady for Maggie's heartache. "You know what a big heart she has, yet you dragged [that] creature into her life," Victor reasoned. Maggie clarified that she had done that when she had given birth to Summer, but Victor maintained that Summer should have remained a part of Maggie's past. "We'd all be much better off if [Brady had] just left Summer in the Pacific to drown. And while you're at it, you could throw Theresa in with her," Victor added.
After Brady left, Maggie reached for her cell phone so she could ask her sponsor for a ride to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, refusing to let Victor take her himself. Victor said he understood that Maggie and Brady were quite upset with him. "I know that I come on too strong when I'm protecting people that I care about. Sometimes it may seem like I don't like or trust anyone, but that's not true. I trust you with my life. If I seem fiercely overprotective, it's because I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you so much, and I can't stand the thought of someone hurting you," Victor explained. "The person that's hurting me is you," Maggie sadly countered.
When Brady returned home and announced that he had something to tell Theresa, she preemptively started to defend herself, but she soon realized that Brady didn't know about what had happened when she had taken Tate for a walk earlier. "You might as well tell me, or I'll find out on my own," Brady warned Theresa, who admitted that she'd had an argument with Victor. "About what?" Brady wondered. "About me," Theresa replied.
Janet ran into Summer in the town square and warned that she planned to stay in Salem until she figured out exactly what had happened to Clark. "You're gonna be here a long time, then, [because as] I told you before, I don't know anything," Summer insisted. Later, Summer returned to her hotel room and was puzzled to discover a bag of cash waiting for her there, along with a note that she read with great interest.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Kate warned Andre that she was tired of people trying to play her all the time. "If you want to get somewhere with me, then you'd better start by telling the truth," Kate advised. Andre explained that he had made a deal with someone and had to live up to his end of the bargain, but he declined to reveal the identity of the person in question.
"What I can tell you, though, is that I want to [help] in a way that requires cash and the right connections, and I'm short on both, whereas you're not. So, if you're so inclined, you could be of great help to me," Andre continued. Kate wondered what she would get out of the deal. "My loyalty and support. And my intuition tells me that you're going to need [both] in the coming days," Andre replied.
Nicole went to see Chloe but stressed that she couldn't stay long because she wasn't supposed to leave Salem during the murder investigation. Chloe was surprised to see Nicole, who explained that she hadn't wanted to wait to find out what Chloe wanted to talk to her about, since it had sounded really important. "It is," Deimos said as he joined Chloe and Nicole in the living room.
Parker returned home from his play date before Deimos and Chloe could provide many answers. Parker was pleased to see Nicole, but when he wondered why she was there, Chloe quickly changed the subject, leading him outside so she could talk to his friend's mother for a moment. Nicole continued to confront Deimos, wondering what he planned to do about the fact that Kate was trying to frame her for his murder.
"Even in your anger, you're absolutely beautiful," Deimos observed, but Nicole wasn't interested in hearing his compliments. Nicole insisted that Deimos needed to return to Salem to clear her name because no one was going to believe her claim that he was alive unless she provided them with proof. "I'm really sorry for everything you've been through. It all could have been so different," Deimos mused.
"If only I had said being your mistress was a dream come true. You're not gonna help me, are you? I wouldn't go to bed with you, so you're just gonna let me swing? Oh, you really are a bastard," Nicole spat. Deimos clarified that Nicole was wrong about him; in fact, he would happily return to Salem with her -- but only on one condition. "You just want to do it right here, right now? I'm sure Chloe won't mind," Nicole guessed.
"I don't want just sex with you, and you know it!" Deimos countered, reminding Nicole that he had offered her his heart and his ring, and she had thrown them both back in his face. "Because I'd rather be alone than to sit at home, waiting for you to call, while you played house with Kate in that mansion!" Nicole explained. Deimos insisted that he never would have done that to Nicole.
Nicole impatiently demanded to know what Deimos wanted from her, so he revealed that his condition was that he wanted her to let her guard down and tell him how she really felt about him. Nicole admitted that she had truly been attracted to Deimos at first, primarily because she had seen glimpses of the man he had been before he had gotten consumed with rage. Nicole explained that she hadn't been willing to allow herself to be with Deimos because she wasn't the same kind of person Deimos was -- at least not anymore -- and she didn't want to revert to the old version of herself because she liked the new version better.
Nicole observed, however, that it seemed like Deimos had recently gone back to being the man she had seen glimpses of before. "Almost drowning has a way of changing a man's priorities. I realized before you even came here [that] I don't want to keep living my life in reaction to Victor. I want to try to be the man you saw in me," Deimos confirmed. As Chloe approached the house, Deimos added, "And since you were honest with me, I'll give you what you want. I'll go back to Salem with you."
As J.J. passed through the town square with Jennifer, he theorized that Abigail had fled because she had realized that she had started the fire at Shady Hills and would be in a lot of trouble once the police figured that out. J.J. feared that Chad wouldn't say anything to anyone, including the Deveraux clan, if he managed to be the first to find Abigail, but Jennifer doubted that Chad would keep Abigail from her family. "I've got a feeling that as far as Chad's concerned, he's the only family that she needs," J.J. countered.
J.J. felt like he was failing Abigail because he hadn't been able to get inside her head and figure out where she had chosen to hide, but Jennifer thought that was understandable because Abigail was no longer thinking like the sister J.J. had always known so well. J.J. conceded the point but remained convinced that he was missing something, so he headed back to Shady Hills and did a thorough search of Abigail's room, ultimately finding a notebook hidden under her mattress. After reading a few disturbing pages of the notebook, J.J. rushed off with it.
At the DiMera mansion, Andre offered to help find Abigail, bragging that he still had his finger on the pulse of Salem and might be able to track her down if he made a few inquiries. Chad guessed that Andre would want something in exchange, and although Andre feigned indignation at first, he eventually admitted, when Chad started to get impatient, that he did have a quid pro quo scenario in mind. "There's a piece of property [with] a little house on it just outside of town. Father bought it years ago and used it as a safe house for his drug runners. Maybe you can sell it to me...or, better still, why don't you give it to me?" Andre proposed.
Chad was willing to do whatever it took to find Abigail, but he was curious to know why the property was important to Andre. "Oh, it's just [that] somebody is interested in acquiring it, and, as you know, I need the added income," Andre explained before hastily excusing himself, promising to call if he found out anything important. "And don't worry about Abigail. My God, if she was dead, they would have found her body by now," Andre added before leaving.
Later, Chad received a visit from Jennifer, who felt guilty because she was the one who had encouraged him to have Abigail committed to Shady Hills. Chad dismissed Jennifer's concerns, preferring to focus on finding Abigail instead of dwelling on past decisions. Chad wanted Jennifer to tell him about every possible place of significance that Abigail could have gone to for refuge, but Jennifer sadly reported that Roman had already checked all those places. "Then tell me, and I'll search again," Chad countered, pointing out that he, unlike Roman, was willing to break every law in the book in order to locate Abigail.
Jennifer protested that Chad wasn't the only person who loved Abigail enough to do whatever it took to find her. "I'm not trying to take that away from you, Jennifer. What I'm saying is [that] you, J.J., and Roman [all] need to stay the hell out of my way!" Chad snapped. Before Jennifer could respond, J.J. arrived and showed her and Chad the notebook, in which Abigail had fretted that she might never be able to go home again, given everything that had happened during the past few months. Chad wanted to keep the notebook and pore over it for clues to Abigail's whereabouts, but J.J. refused, guessing that Chad wouldn't share any such clues with him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?" Andre innocently asked as he joined the group in the study. Stunned, Jennifer wondered how Andre had managed to get released from prison. "Oh, what can I say? Even a DiMera can be falsely accused. It's a flawed system," Andre explained. J.J. and Jennifer abruptly excused themselves, not wanting to be around Andre any longer.
Once they were alone, Andre revealed to Chad that he had found out something about Abigail. "But before we get to that, can we deal with this property transfer and get that out of the way? And also, if you would, note that the new owner is Gateway Enterprises," Andre said as he handed a document to Chad. "Yeah. I don't care. Whatever you want. Just -- what do you know?" Chad impatiently replied as he gave the paperwork a cursory glance. Andre took the document back and handed over a note from Abigail, explaining that he had found it behind a curtain in the living room. Andre casually mused that a draft might have blown it there.
Confirming that the handwriting was Abigail's, Chad wondered if Andre had read the note. "No, of course I didn't; I draw a fine line when it comes to personal matters!" Andre assured Chad, adding that he hoped the note contained the answers Chad had been looking for. Chad asked for some privacy then started to read the note as Andre left the room. "My dearest Chad, this is the hardest letter I've ever had to write, because in it, I must tell you that you and Thomas will never see me again," the note began.
Philip went to see Belle at her parents' place, and she quickly surmised that he was drunk. "Why not? My life's gone to hell. Record label's a bust; can't sign artists with any cachet. Biggest thing, though: I'm alone, when I ought to be with you," Philip complained as he stumbled into the townhouse. Philip said he still loved Belle and didn't want her to get back together with Shawn. "I mean, yeah, he's kind. Nice. Safe. Good dad. Boring. You need excitement! Adventure! Someone who loves you even more when you're wild," Philip reasoned.
"Huh, wow. You got through most of that without slurring your speech, so good for you. But the truth is, you've had too much to drink, and you're lonely, and I'm not interested," Belle replied. Undeterred, Philip kissed Belle, guessing that she didn't really want him to walk out of her life for good. Belle started to respond to the kiss then pushed Philip away, insisting that he was wrong.
Meanwhile, Shawn entered the townhouse, having left something behind when he had walked Belle home after their earlier date. Shawn told Philip to leave, and when Philip refused, Shawn put him in a chokehold, dragged him to the door, and shoved him into the hallway. After shutting the door, Shawn wondered if Belle was okay. "Now that you're here, yes," Belle replied before kissing Shawn and leading him into her bedroom. Later, however, Belle found herself thinking about the kiss she'd shared with Philip before Shawn's arrival.
As Kate was passing through the town square, Lucas approached her from behind and tapped her on the shoulder, startling her. As Kate recovered from the scare, Lucas started questioning her about her sudden marriage and Deimos' subsequent disappearance. Dodging the questions, Kate asked Lucas to help her run Titan, stressing that she could really use his support.
Lucas advised that it would be better for Kate to return Titan to its rightful owner, Victor. "Do the right thing for once in your life," Lucas urged Kate, fearing that if she chose to keep Titan, she would soon find herself in a lot of trouble. Kate dismissed Lucas' concerns and requested a new topic of conversation, so Lucas revealed that he had recently gotten engaged to Adrienne. "Well, that's lovely. Congratulations," Kate dryly replied.
Lucas wondered if Kate could try saying that with a bit more sincerity. "Seriously, if you think that's good for you, then go for it. All I want is for my children to be happy. That's it," Kate insisted. Philip overheard and responded with a dramatic laugh of skepticism. Realizing that Philip was drunk, Kate offered to take him home and get some coffee and food in him, but he declined. "If I'm gonna screw up the only thing in my life worth having, I'm gonna wallow in it," Philip said as he stumbled off.
Chloe listened outside her house as Deimos assured Nicole that he would return to Salem shortly, vaguely adding that he just needed to take care of a few things first. Deimos stressed, however, that he didn't want Nicole to tell anyone he was alive. "I'd like to handle my...resurrection...my own way," Deimos explained. Nicole was skeptical but decided to trust Deimos.
Chloe soon stepped inside and forced a smile as she called out to Parker to let him know that Nicole was about to leave. Parker finished saying goodbye to his friend then rushed into the house to beg Nicole to stay a bit longer. Nicole apologetically explained that she couldn't, but she promised to work with Chloe to schedule a time for Parker to visit Salem in the near future.
After Nicole left, Chloe sent Parker off to his room to put his things away then confronted Deimos, who insisted that when he had offered to start a life with Chloe, he had meant every word. "Until Nicole walked in. Then every word meant nothing," Chloe guessed. Deimos pointed out that he needed to go back to Salem to clear Nicole's name, but Chloe suspected that he was also still hoping that he could eventually have a real relationship with Nicole. Deimos didn't try to deny that he was in love with Nicole, but he stressed that his time with Chloe had meant a great deal to him regardless. "None of it was an act," Deimos maintained.
"You are the most manipulative son of a bitch I have ever known. You used me, you used Philip, you used Kate, and now it's Nicole's turn. Just go!" Chloe countered, and she continued shouting until Deimos reluctantly exited the house. Parker soon joined Chloe in the living room and wondered why she had yelled at Deimos. Chloe explained that she had simply had a little argument with Deimos, and she apologetically added that Deimos had needed to return to Salem right away, so he hadn't been able to say goodbye to Parker before leaving. "Are you sad?" Parker asked.
"No, I'm not sad. How could I be? I've got you -- the best little man in the world!" Chloe replied. Chloe fought back tears as she embraced Parker, and after she pulled away from him, she wondered if he would like to go on an impromptu trip with her. When they arrived in Salem later that day, they ran into Philip in the town square, still suffering the effects of his earlier drinking binge.
At Club TBD, Blanca excitedly informed Dario that she had gotten a nursing job at the hospital. Dario guessed that Adriana would be thrilled to learn that she would have plenty of extra time to try to get Rafe and Blanca together. "She's wasting her time. Rafe isn't interested," Blanca replied, but Dario warned that Adriana could be very persistent at times. Dario hoped that Adriana wouldn't try to interfere in his life, since he didn't want or need her help.
Later, after Blanca left, Nicole arrived and quietly informed Dario that Deimos was alive. Nicole continued that she couldn't tell the cops yet because Deimos wanted to handle his return from the dead his own way. Dario warned that Deimos could be playing Nicole, but she didn't think Deimos would dare to cross her. "Let's put it this way: if he doesn't show up, I will track him down and kill him myself, because if I have to take the fall for something Kate did, I might as well get satisfaction out of it," Nicole added. Fearing that Nicole still felt drawn to Deimos, Dario maintained that if she gave Deimos the chance to do so, he would likely hurt her.
When Dario returned home later that day, Blanca informed him that she would be starting her new job the following day. Dario congratulated Blanca, who could tell that something was bothering him. "Let's just say I think [a] friend may be getting in way over her head," Dario explained.
After receiving a text message from Deimos, Nicole met with him in a secluded section of the town square. Nicole wanted Deimos to go to the cops right away, but he was more interested in getting revenge against Kate first, and he wanted Nicole to help him do just that.
When Kate returned to the Kiriakis mansion, she found Andre waiting for her in the living room. Andre offered to make Deimos disappear in exchange for five hundred thousand dollars. "I would advise you to [take] the deal, because I just saw Nicole talking to somebody that looked exactly like Deimos Kiriakis," Andre revealed, eliciting a gasp of horror from Kate.
Nicole met with Deimos in the park off of the square. Nicole told Deimos that she did not want to be part of a revenge scheme and that if Deimos had really changed, he would not want that either. Though Deimos promised nothing would happen to Nicole, she said she was not interested in revenge against Kate. Deimos explained that he did not want revenge for the attempted murder but only revenge for Kate's attempt to send Nicole to prison.
"Wouldn't revenge be a turnon?" Deimos asked with a grin. Frustrated, Nicole asked Deimos not to confuse her more. Nicole said that she believed Deimos wanted revenge because that was his survival mechanism, and he did not know how to respond because of his history. Nicole urged Deimos to be smart. Shaking his head, Deimos said that he did not want Kate to think she could get away with anything against him or Nicole. When Deimos begged Nicole to help him teach Kate a lesson, Nicole said no. "You haven't really changed at all," Nicole said sadly.
At the DiMera mansion, Andre informed Kate that he had seen Deimos in the park, talking to Nicole. With a groan, Kate rushed out of the house. Andre checked his phone and saw a text message from Guy that read, "How is our venture going?" Andre grinned and headed to the police station.
At the station, Rafe was working at his desk when Andre sauntered in. Andre asked for Hope. Rafe declined the request. When Rafe offered to lock Andre up again, Andre threatened to make Rafe regret it if Rafe ever arrested him again. Andre made a cryptic quote about his lawyer. "Why would I care about your lawyer?" Rafe asked. Andre smiled and walked out.
Curious, Rafe called the courthouse to ask about the attorney on record for Andre. The woman informed Rafe that there was no lawyer listed. Rafe then called the jail to ask about Andre's visitor log. The jailer noted that the only visitor other than Hope had been a man named Guy Haines. Rafe asked the jailer for photos from the security camera.
At the Green Mountain Lodge, Aiden was asleep on his bed, dreaming of his time in captivity. Aiden cried out and thrashed his arm, knocking over a lamp in his sleep. Hope rushed into Aiden's room to check on him. When Hope asked Aiden what had happened, Aiden said he was fine. Hope pushed Aiden to open up to her, but he refused. Hope called the front desk to inform them that they were checking out. Stunned, Aiden asked why they were leaving. Hope asked Aiden why he would not trust her.
After a maid cleaned up the broken lamp, Hope and Aiden resumed their conversation about his nightmare. Hope asked Aiden if he had dreamed about the cage. Aiden said he kept reliving his captivity in the cage and that it felt real. Hope assured Aiden that nightmares were a normal reaction to trauma. Hope added that she had nightmares, too, which was normal.
"Nothing we experienced was normal," Aiden argued. Aiden noted that Hope was cautious because she did not trust him. With a weary sigh, Aiden said that he had hoped the time at the lodge would help them get back on track, but he did not believe that was possible. Aiden said that when he had been held captive, he had dreamed of Hope, and he was afraid that he was still dreaming of her. Hope assured Aiden that she was not a dream. Hope kissed Aiden. As the kiss grew more heated, she remembered the night she had been attacked and screamed out.
Upset, Aiden said he did not want to keep hurting Hope. Aiden said he had been selfish to return to Salem because they could not go back to the way they had been together. Aiden marched into his room and started to pack. Hope stopped him. "I love you, so I need to respect that," Aiden said. Touched, Hope kissed Aiden passionately.
At the police station, the evidence from the jail arrived. Rafe reviewed the photos and saw that the visitor named Guy that had been to see Andre in jail was actually Aiden. Confused, Rafe wondered aloud, "Why a fake name?"
In the Kiriakis living room, Deimos crept around in the dark, looking around. Deimos opened the desk drawer and saw the marriage evidence that Kate had manufactured. With an annoyed grunt, Deimos returned the items to the desk drawer. The front door opened, and Deimos hurriedly hid behind the doorway in the living room. Andre walked into the living room, staring at his phone. With Andre's back turned to him, Deimos strolled out of the house, undiscovered.
In the town square, Nicole called a contact at Titan and demanded a group of files. After hanging up the phone, Nicole saw Kate across the square and approached her. When Kate asked about Nicole's partner, Nicole responded, "Dario?" Kate raised an eyebrow. Nicole asked Kate to stop telling people that she had been fired from Titan. With a shrug, Kate said that since Deimos was missing, Kate had a right to fire Nicole.
Nicole said that she was hoping that Deimos was still alive. Nicole asked Kate to do the right thing and tell the police the truth. Kate said no. When Kate asked what Nicole could offer in return, Nicole swore she could make Basic Black successful. Kate noted that Nicole had pursued Deimos -- and not just for revenge. Gnashing her teeth, Kate said she had seen and heard Nicole talking to Deimos, and she knew that Nicole had ordered Deimos to cut Kate out of his life. Kate told Nicole that she was incapable of making peace.
"You're selfish. DNA doesn't change. So you can just forget about getting your job back because I would see you rot in hell before I would ever tell the police that you are innocent," Kate growled. As Kate stomped away, Nicole narrowed her eyes.
Kate returned home to the mansion and told Andre that she had spoken to Nicole. Kate added that she had not seen Deimos and that Andre might have been mistaken about what he had seen in the park. Kate asked Andre to leave the house because she did not trust him. With a knowing grin, Andre offered to track down Deimos for a bounty, and Kate agreed.
Deimos asked Nicole to meet him in the park again. Nicole told Deimos that she had changed her mind after talking to Kate in the square. Deimos laughed heartily. When Nicole asked what was funny, Deimos answered that he had intended to tell Nicole that he had changed his mind about getting revenge. Deimos said that revenge was a waste of time. Deimos explained that Nicole's words had changed his mind. Nicole informed Deimos that Kate had suspicions about him being in town. When Deimos asked Nicole what she had said to Kate, Nicole promised that she had kept Deimos' secret.
"Maybe I didn't try to kill you, but I definitely played you," Nicole said quietly. "No more retribution. Remember?" Deimos responded.
