Deimos has a puzzling encounter
After Hope was released from the hospital, she received a ride back to her place from Jennifer, who also helped her get inside and get settled on the couch. Jennifer offered to get Hope a cup of tea or a bowl of soup, but Hope assured her that wasn't necessary.
Changing the subject, Hope observed that it seemed like something was bothering Jennifer. Jennifer didn't want to discuss the matter while Hope was still recovering from surgery, but Hope insisted that she was already well enough to handle serious discussions and would love the opportunity to focus on something other than what had happened to her, anyway.
Jennifer reluctantly admitted that she was suing for custody of Thomas. "And I want to hire Aiden Jennings [to represent me]," Jennifer added. Hope was appalled to hear that Jennifer was even considering that idea, but Jennifer reasoned that she needed someone ruthless to help her go up against a DiMera. Jennifer complained that Chad was a danger to Thomas, but Hope suggested that Jennifer might just be using that as an excuse to go after Chad because she really just wanted to punish him for Abigail's disappearance. Jennifer conceded with a shrug that she might want to protect Thomas and punish Chad. "Is [that] wrong?" she wondered.
"I don't know what you want me to say," Hope replied. Jennifer wanted to hear that Hope understood and wouldn't be upset with her for hiring Aiden, but Hope wasn't able to provide those assurances. Hope offered to recommend some other capable attorneys, but Jennifer had already looked into each one of them, and she didn't want to hire any of them because they had each lost at least one of the custody cases they had tried. Jennifer insisted that she couldn't lose her case, and she believed that Aiden was the only person who could guarantee her a win.
Meanwhile, Rafe arrived to check on Hope, and he quickly surmised that he was interrupting something. Jennifer told Rafe not to worry about it then excused herself, prompting a somewhat chilly goodbye from Hope. After Jennifer left, Hope told Rafe about what had just happened. Rafe guessed that Jennifer wouldn't even be considering the idea of hiring Aiden if she were aware that he had been partially responsible for the explosion. Hope pointed out that she and Rafe couldn't prove that, but Rafe vowed, "Oh, I'll find a way."
Hope asked Rafe to promise that he would let Roman and the rest of the Salem Police Department handle the case. Hope wanted Rafe to instead focus on staying safe so they could have a future together, and Rafe liked the sound of that, so he reluctantly agreed. As Rafe leaned in to give Hope a kiss, someone started to open the front door. Hope and Rafe quickly pulled away from each other as Shawn and Ciara entered the house. Rafe took that as his cue to get back to the police station, but Shawn and Ciara refused to let him leave without first giving him a hug to thank him for saving Hope's life. "We saved each other," Rafe clarified.
Later, while Hope was napping on the couch, she had a nightmare about Aiden. Meanwhile, at the police station, Rafe informed Roman that he planned to focus on finding Tate instead of trying to nail Aiden and Andre, not just because the latter case was a conflict of interest but also because he had promised Hope that he would stay out of that particular investigation. Roman wondered if Rafe wanted to at least be kept informed of any new developments. "No, you can keep me out of it...unless Aiden tries anything else -- then all bets are off," Rafe replied.
Jennifer went to Aiden's office to discuss the custody case, but Aiden refused to represent her, knowing that would cause a rift between her and Hope. "I don't want to be responsible for hurting her any more [than I already have]," Aiden explained. Later, while Aiden was searching online for information about Justin, he noticed a link to a related article about Hope's release from the hospital. Unable to resist clicking on the link, Aiden stared sadly at the accompanying photograph of Hope.
Belle went to the DiMera mansion to see Chad, who had clearly spent the day drowning his sorrows. When Chad informed Belle that he wanted her to help him stop Jennifer from getting custody of Thomas, Belle warned, "You're gonna have to help yourself first, or she's gonna have a strong case." Belle explained that although Chad had precedence as Thomas' father, he would need to prove to the judge that he was a good father in order to maintain custody of Thomas. Chad promised to do whatever Belle told him to do. "Then you have a lawyer," she replied.
Later, Chad received a visit from Ciara, who wanted to let him know that she had decided to move back home so she could take care of Hope. Chad assured Ciara that he understood. Having showered and shaved since Belle's earlier visit, Chad was pleased when Ciara observed that he looked a lot better than he had the last time she had seen him. Chad explained that he needed to maintain the appearance of a fit father because Jennifer was planning to sue him for custody of Thomas. Ciara insisted that Chad was a fit father, and she assured him that if he needed anything, she would be happy to help.
When Chad ran into Jennifer in the town square later that day, she was surprised to learn that he knew about her earlier meeting with Aiden. Chad coyly explained that he had heard about it through the grapevine. Chad guessed that Abigail would be ashamed of Jennifer if she knew what Jennifer was planning to do, but Jennifer doubted his prediction. Jennifer once again begged Chad to agree to let Thomas stay with her for a while. Chad refused then walked away after warning Jennifer, "I'll see you in court."
Belle ran into Philip at Club TBD and wondered if he had seen Claire recently. Philip reported that Claire was with Chloe. Belle wasn't happy to hear that, but Philip said she would have to discuss her concerns with Chloe because Chloe was Claire's boss. "No, actually, this is your label, Philip, and your main investor's not happy, so you need to deal with me," Belle countered.
Philip insisted that he didn't want to get in the middle of Belle and Claire's conflict. Philip added that he hadn't told Chloe about Belle's involvement with the record label. Philip reasoned that it would be hard to explain how Belle had gotten the money to fund the project, but Belle guessed that Philip really just wanted Chloe to think he was the man in charge of the whole thing so she would be impressed.
"I am the man in charge. That was the deal," Philip countered. Philip wondered if Belle was having second thoughts about their arrangement. Belle explained that she wanted Philip to have the opportunity but didn't want Claire to be dragged along for the ride. Philip wondered why Belle was trying to kill Claire's dream. "College will not kill her dream. She'll learn music from the ground up, she'll learn business so she knows how to handle herself, [and] she'll grow as a person [and] as an artist," Belle argued. Philip warned that Claire might not see things that way.
Belle complained that she was sick of Philip's attempts to tell her how to raise her daughter, whom he didn't even know. "Oh, the hell I don't! She used to be my daughter, too!" Philip angrily countered. Belle thought that was a low blow, and she pointed out that Claire had been a toddler back then, anyway. Philip dismissively tabled the discussion, insisting that he didn't want to fight with Belle. "If you want to start a war with Claire, do things your way," Philip added with a sigh. "That's for us to decide, Philip, so why don't you mind your own business?" Shawn advised as he joined Belle.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Deimos told Nicole about the deal he had made with Victor the previous day. Deimos hoped the news would convince Nicole that he was truly a changed man, but he insisted that wasn't the reason he had offered Victor the deal. Nicole feared that Deimos would eventually return to his old ways. Deimos conceded that he would probably still have dark impulses from time to time, but he assured Nicole that he would never give in to them again.
Nicole remained skeptical, and she also seemed unimpressed with Deimos' deal, pointing out that he had chosen to keep some of what he had stolen from Victor. Deimos said he had done that so he would still have the resources to take care of Nicole and give her everything her heart desired. "That is all I want. Nothing else matters to me but that -- but you," Deimos added before giving Nicole a passionate kiss. Nicole responded to the kiss, but when Deimos tried to take things further, she hesitantly pulled away and rushed off, insisting, "I can't -- not right now." Later, Nicole called Dario and left him a voicemail message, asking to see him right away.
After sending Claire off to run a few errands, Chloe, who had been feeling ill all day, went to a nearby store and bought a home pregnancy test. Later, after getting the results, Chloe went to a secluded section of the town square to think. When Deimos spotted her while passing through the area, he wondered if she was okay. "Never been better," she replied.
Deimos could tell that wasn't true, but Chloe refused to open up to him, rushing off after insisting, "My life is none of your business."
At Club TBD, Sonny and Paul talked about why Sonny had returned to Salem. Sonny explained that his main focus was returning to see his friends and family. When Sonny asked Paul why he was quiet, Paul admitted that it was surreal to see Sonny again. Sonny apologized for not staying in touch. With a sigh, Sonny said he regretted what had happened between him and Will before he had left for Paris.
"Seeing me again? I'm guessing that probably brings up a lot of those regrets," Paul said. Smiling, Sonny assured Paul that his problems with Will had had nothing to do with Paul. Paul was unsure, but Sonny stressed that Paul had not spoiled Sonny's marriage to Will. Sonny explained that he had not called Paul while he was in Paris because he had wanted to disconnect from Salem while he grieved for Will.
Sonny asked about Paul's relationship with John. Smiling, Paul said he was excited to work closely with John, but he was disappointed that the first case was investigating Tate's kidnapping. Sonny asked a couple questions about how busy Paul was with work, and Paul chuckled.
"Are you asking me if I'm dating anyone, Sonny?" Paul asked. Sonny said he was curious. Paul admitted that he was dating but ultimately single. When Paul asked Sonny if he was single, Sonny admitted that he was not sure whether he would ever be ready to date again. Talk turned to the club, and Sonny said he planned to focus on his family instead of work. Sonny said he was worried that Deimos would do more to hurt Victor. Paul's phone buzzed with a text, and Paul excused himself to leave for work.
In the Kiriakis condo, Victor told Maggie about the evidence proving that Summer had been involved in Tate's kidnapping. Maggie was angry with herself for not stopping Summer from leaving town when she had seen her in the square. Victor told Maggie there was no shame in seeing the best in one's children. With a gasp, Maggie said she had an idea of how to find Tate. Maggie suggested that they talk to Caroline about triggering a vision. Shaking his head, Victor said Caroline had not had a vision for months. Victor did not want to push Caroline.
At the pub, Caroline encouraged Theresa to rest so that she could be strong for her son. Breaking down into tears, Theresa thanked Caroline for keeping the faith that she would find Tate. Theresa lamented that Summer had run out of town before Theresa had learned more about Tate's disappearance. Fighting tears, Theresa confided that she was worried that she would never see her son again. Caroline comforted Theresa and cheered her up a little. Caroline's phone rang with a call from Maggie. Maggie asked Caroline if they could meet and talk about Tate.
At the Salem Inn, Brady and John spoke to a clerk at the hotel about the guest that had been in the room where Tate had stayed. The clerk gave a description of the woman and noted that the woman was British and had left with a baby a few hours after she had checked in to the hotel. Brady showed the clerk a photo of Tate. The clerk was not sure if it was the same baby, but he promised to call with any new information.
In the Hernandez kitchen, Gabi and Marlena chatted about Will while Adriana played nearby. Gabi said she consistently made an effort to tell Adriana about her father. When Gabi mentioned that Sonny had returned to Salem, Marlena was surprised. Gabi filled Marlena in on Sonny's return to town. When Gabi mentioned that Sonny was going to pick up Adriana later, Marlena asked Gabi if Paul was aware that Sonny was in town. Adrianna nodded.
Before Marlena left, she informed Gabi that she and John wanted to remarry. Thrilled, Gabi hugged Marlena and congratulated her. Marlena asked Gabi if Arianna could act as the flower girl. Gabi agreed.
Later, Sonny arrived for his visit with Arianna. Gabi beamed as she watched Sonny holding her daughter. Sonny asked about Gabi's life, and she told him about her relationship with J.J. Smiling, Gabi said she was happy. Gabi admitted that she worried about J.J.'s job and was concerned about J.J.'s obsession with the search for his sister. Shaking his head, Sonny said he could not understand everything that had happened with Abigail.
When Gabi asked Sonny about his love life, he admitted that he had not dated anyone while he had been in Paris. Gabi asked about Paul. Shrugging, Sonny said he was not over Will. Gabi reminded Sonny that Will would want Sonny to be happy. When Sonny admitted that he had talked to Paul at Club TBD, Gabi teased him. Sonny said he and Paul had talked as friends.
After reading to Arianna, Sonny told Arianna a story about when Will had made her pancakes. Gabi laughed at the memory. Taking Sonny's hand, Gabi told Sonny that she hoped Will was watching them and smiling. Shaking off the memory, Sonny returned to reading to Arianna.
At Black Patch, John informed Paul that he had a new lead on Tate's kidnapper. After John added that he needed to leave town for a few days, he asked if Paul could run the agency in his absence. Paul grinned. John told Paul that he was proud of him and the good work he had been doing at the agency.
At the Kiriakis condo, Victor was annoyed that Maggie had convinced Caroline to drop by with Theresa to talk about Caroline's visions. Caroline agreed with Maggie. When Theresa handed Tate's pacifier to Caroline, Caroline did not have a vision. Maggie suggested that they go to where Tate had been taken.
When Maggie, Caroline, Victor, and Theresa arrived in the park, Caroline sat on the park bench, holding Tate's pacifier. After a moment, Caroline shook her head in defeat. Maggie held Theresa's hand to reassure her. The group then travelled to the hotel room that Tate had been hidden in and joined Brady. Caroline held the toy that had been left behind in the hotel. After a moment, Caroline sighed. Caroline looked at the phone and swayed. Theresa rushed to Caroline's side, and Caroline explained that she sometimes felt dizzy just before a vision.
Caroline gingerly walked over to the phone. When Caroline picked up the receiver, her mouth fell open. Caroline had a vision of Victor talking on a phone. Brady asked Caroline if she had seen anything. Caroline said no. John arrived and informed the group that he had determined that a woman named Lauren Cartwright fit the hotel clerk's description. Elated, Brady and Theresa left to pack for the trip to Indianapolis. Caroline and Victor shared a look. Maggie studied her husband's face.
At Black Patch, John stopped by the office to pack for his trip to Indianapolis with Brady and Theresa. John asked Paul to keep looking into Deimos' connection to the mob. When Paul mentioned that Sonny did not trust Deimos, John stopped in his tracks. John asked about Sonny. Paul told John that Sonny had returned home to Salem for good. When John asked Paul how he felt about Sonny's return, Paul said he had moved on and that Sonny was not ready for a relationship anyway. John nodded.
In the hotel room, Caroline, Victor, and Maggie continued to stare silently at one another. John returned to fetch Maggie, and they left to return to his office. Once alone, Caroline told Victor that she had lied. Caroline said she had seen Victor in her vision. Victor was defensive and denied any involvement in the kidnapping. Victor warned Caroline to keep her vision to herself. Frustrated, Caroline accused Victor of not being honest. As the argument grew heated, Brady returned to the hotel room. Victor explained that Caroline was on edge.
In the town square, Marlena reviewed files at a table in the café. John slid into the chair next to her and handed her flowers. Suspicious, Marlena asked John where he was going. John feigned innocence but admitted that he needed to leave town to follow a lead in Tate's kidnapping. John promised Marlena that he would find Tate. Smiling, John said that after he found Tate, he would throw an extravagant wedding for Marlena. After a kiss goodbye, Marlena asked John to stay safe.
At the Kiriakis condo, Maggie told Victor that she felt like Caroline had been holding back information about her visions. Victor argued that Caroline would have told them if she had seen anything. Fighting tears, Maggie said she was desperate to see Tate return home. Victor changed the subject and encouraged Maggie to lie down and rest. Reluctantly, Maggie agreed.
When Victor was alone, he thought about the phone call that Caroline had envisioned. On the phone call, Victor had talked to a British woman. "Now you must make sure that absolutely nothing goes wrong. Do you understand?" Victor growled.
At Black Patch, Theresa met up with Brady after she packed their bags. Theresa admitted that she was worried that she would not survive another disappointment. Brady held Theresa close and reminded her of when they had fought Kristen. Brady asked Theresa to be strong like she had been with Kristen. As Theresa nodded, Brady hugged her tightly. Caroline entered the office and wished Theresa luck in her search. Confident, Theresa said she knew that she and Brady would find their son together.
Aiden sneaked into Andre's hotel room while Andre was gone then searched the place until he found the deed for the DiMera property that Andre had used to set a trap for Rafe. Aiden took the deed and headed back to his own room, where Andre was waiting for him. "What the hell are you doing in my room?" Aiden demanded to know.
"I could ask you the same thing," Andre replied. Changing the subject, Andre, who had been going through the search history on Aiden's laptop, noted that it was quite interesting that one of the most recent searches had been about District Attorney Justin Kiriakis. Andre guessed that Aiden was thinking of stealing the job from Justin. "I think it's a good [idea], and you certainly have my support," Andre said.
Aiden insisted that he didn't want Andre's support. "You may not want it, but you're going to need it. And if you do get that job, that could be quite beneficial for both of us," Andre mused. Aiden refused to work with Andre, but Andre pointed out that Aiden didn't really have a choice in the matter. "I'm your keeper," Andre reminded Aiden with a wicked grin.
"Not anymore," Aiden replied, revealing the deed he had just stolen from Andre's room. Aiden seemed quite proud of himself, but Andre just laughed. "[That's] not the original. And it could be forged, which means nothing. [But] even if [that were] the original, it would implicate you, not me," Andre pointed out. Andre added that he had anticipated the break-in and had also known that Aiden wouldn't think to search for extra copies of the deed. "You're not gonna beat me, Aiden, [so your] only choice is to concede and then join me," Andre reasoned.
Aiden wondered what Andre's ultimate goal was. "What else? Revenge," Andre replied, adding that he planned to punish anyone in Salem who had ever cast aspersions on, humiliated, maimed, or killed a member of his family. "In other words, everyone," Aiden concluded. Andre promised that he wouldn't add Aiden's name to his list of targets if Aiden agreed to go along with his plans.
Aiden pointed out that he might not even be able to get Justin out of office -- and even if he did manage to accomplish that, he would still have to worry about dealing with opposition from Abe. "I wouldn't worry about my brother-in-law if I were you. He's so fond of me," Andre joked. As Aiden scoffed, Andre added, "One step at a time."
Aiden reluctantly agreed to work with Andre but warned that he did have one condition. Andre guessed that Aiden wanted him to promise not to hurt Hope. Andre wanted to know why Aiden still cared about Hope's well-being, given the fact that he no longer stood a chance with her, but Aiden ignored the question. "I still haven't heard you promise," Aiden pointed out. With a sigh of boredom, Andre replied, "I'll think about it."
Later, Aiden ran into Rafe in the town square. Insisting that he still loved Hope and hadn't known anything about the explosion until after the fact, Aiden begged Rafe to at least assure him that she was healing as expected. Rafe refused to tell Aiden anything about Hope. "If you [really] cared about her, you'd be gone," Rafe added before walking away.
Elsewhere, Deimos spotted Nicole and seized the opportunity to apologize for what had happened during their last encounter. Deimos stressed, however, that he didn't regret kissing Nicole; he simply regretted that doing so had upset her. Nicole insisted that she wasn't interested in getting involved with Deimos, but he expressed doubts, pointing out that their kiss had, in fact, been a mutual one.
"You know, even if I was a teeny, tiny bit attracted to you, it would be a horrible mistake to act on it [because] you're a criminal, and you're a liar, and you hurt people, and the only reason you're helping Maggie now is to impress me, just so you can get what you want," Nicole replied. Nicole advised Deimos to get back together with Kate, insisting that they were perfect for each other, but he said he couldn't do that because he was in love with Nicole, who was like no other woman he had ever met. Nicole wasn't sure if she was supposed to take that as a compliment. "[But] it doesn't matter, because we're done here," she added.
"If we were done here, you would have gotten up and walked away ten minutes ago," Deimos countered. When Nicole started to do just that, he added, "It's too late now. I know the truth: you just can't stay away from me. Accept the inevitable, Nicole, because I'm not giving up."
Philip ran into Chloe at the Brady Pub and quickly realized that she was upset about something. Chloe reluctantly admitted that she was pregnant, worriedly adding, "I'm carrying a monster's child." Philip wondered if Chloe was sure that Deimos was the father. Chloe confirmed that she was but admitted that, given what had happened with Parker, she couldn't blame Philip for asking such a question.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Chloe added, "I was on the pill!" Philip uncomfortably acknowledged that Chloe didn't owe him any explanations because the matter was none of his business, but she disagreed, pointing out that the development could mess up their record deal. Philip dismissed the concern, reminding Chloe that Kelly Clarkson had managed to record songs while pregnant, but Chloe countered that Kelly Clarkson had also been forced to cut her tour short due to pregnancy-related illness -- and she wasn't Kelly Clarkson, anyway.
"What are you gonna do?" Philip wondered. Chloe admitted that she hadn't really had time to even process the news yet, let alone decide what to do about it. Chloe feared that she might not be able to handle raising another child as a single mother, but Philip was confident that she could do anything, including that, and he assured her that she would have his support regardless of her decision. "Are you gonna tell [Deimos]?" Philip asked. Chloe said she would have to think about that for a while.
Later, as Philip and Chloe were parting ways in the town square, Deimos spotted them hugging. After Chloe walked away, Deimos tried to get Philip to reveal what had upset her, but Philip insisted that was none of Deimos' business. "You know, you would have saved everybody a whole lot of grief if you really had drowned in the river," Philip added. Philip advised Deimos to take Victor's money and leave Salem. Deimos clarified that he had actually returned half of Victor's money and had made peace with him. Deimos wanted to make peace with Philip, too, but Philip said leaving Salem would be the only way for Deimos to accomplish that feat.
Chloe returned to her room at the Salem Inn and tried to get some sleep, but she awoke with a start after a nightmare in which Deimos had warned that it was impossible to keep secrets from him. Meanwhile, Deimos returned to the Kiriakis mansion and found Nicole waiting for him in the living room. "Damn you, Deimos. Why can't I get you out of my head?" Nicole wondered.
Adriana went to the police station and demanded to know what Roman was doing to get justice for Rafe. "You know, Rafe didn't tell me you were so, uh...so..." Roman started to say. "Bitchy?" Adriana guessed. "I was gonna say 'feisty,'" Roman replied. Roman assured Adriana that he was doing everything he could to catch the men who had tried to kill Rafe.
Adriana complained that Hope was just as responsible for putting Rafe's life in danger as the person who had actually planted the bomb. Adriana wanted Roman to assign Rafe a new partner, but Roman refused to do that. "Then you watch his back and make sure no more harm comes to him, or, I swear, you will answer to me," Adriana warned before storming off.
Rafe went to Club TBD to see Dario, who was disappointed to learn that Aiden was still a free man. Rafe explained that he had not yet found a way to prove that Aiden had been involved in the explosion. Dario pointed out that there were other ways to get justice. Rafe said he was aware of that but had promised Hope that he would stay out of it.
Changing the subject, Dario revealed that he planned to move out of the Hernandez house soon. "[And when I do], please tell me you're not gonna let Eduardo move in," Dario added. Dario predicted that Eduardo's past would catch up with him again sooner or later, and when that happened, another member of the Hernandez clan would get caught in the crossfire, just as Arianna had a few months earlier.
As if on cue, Gabi rushed into the club and tearfully revealed that she had just been attacked but had managed to escape after using her pepper spray on the attacker. When Rafe asked if the attacker had stolen anything, Gabi clarified that the attack hadn't been about that. "He said that this is what happens to the family of a murderer," Gabi explained. "What'd I tell you? It's not over. It'll never be over," Dario warned Rafe.
J.J. soon arrived and went with Rafe to check the crime scene, but Rafe decided not to tell him about the attacker's warning. When Rafe and J.J. got back to Club TBD, Dario was in the process of lashing out at Eduardo, who had arrived a few minutes earlier with Adriana. J.J. offered to take Gabi home, and after they left, Eduardo conceded that it would probably be best for everyone if he left Salem for good. Adriana tearfully wondered if she would ever see Eduardo again. "I hope to hell we never do," Dario spat, adding that the whole family would be better off without Eduardo.
Later, after the rest of the members of the Hernandez clan had cleared out of the club, someone approached the bar and greeted Dario, who angrily pointed out, "I told you to go after Rafe." The attacker countered that Dario had failed to mention that Rafe was a cop. Dario refused to pay the attacker because the attacker hadn't followed his instructions. However, when the attacker threatened to reveal the truth to Rafe, Dario had a change of heart and handed over the cash he had promised the attacker. "For the amount of money I [just] paid you, this better have worked," Dario warned.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole told Deimos to stop smiling, insisting that her inability to get him out of her head wasn't a good thing. "Quite frankly, I feel like I'm in a nightmare, and I can't wake up," Nicole continued.
Deimos offered to get Nicole a drink. "Make it a double," Nicole replied. As he poured the drink, Deimos told Nicole he was happy to see her -- and equally happy to know that she couldn't get him out of her head, since he couldn't get her out of his, either. "Well, don't get your hopes up," Nicole warned as she accepted the drink from Deimos. After taking a sip, Nicole insisted that she was nothing like him -- at least not anymore -- and she owed that to Daniel. "That is all I have left of him now, and because he changed me, I will never go back to being the way I was -- the way you are," Nicole tearfully vowed.
Deimos stressed that he had no desire to change Nicole. "What I'm hoping -- asking -- is that you'll change me," he added. Nicole insisted that she wasn't Deimos' life coach. "If you want to change, then go find religion or something," she advised. Nicole maintained that Deimos didn't even know who she really was as a person; he was simply infatuated with her because of her resemblance to Helena. "[And] I don't want to be your guru any more than I want to be some old photograph come to life," Nicole continued.
Deimos assured Nicole that he wasn't trying to turn her into Helena, whose death he had already accepted. Deimos added that although he had initially been attracted to Nicole because he had been convinced that they were kindred spirits, he had eventually realized that she was actually someone who had once been just like him but had since begun traveling a different path. "What I'm hoping is that you'll let me travel on that path with you. We could have a much better life, Nicole -- together. Isn't that what you really want?" Deimos reasoned.
Bored with the repetitiveness of the conversation, Nicole started to leave after once again stressing that she had no desire to be Deimos' troop leader. "Then how 'bout my partner?" Deimos suggested, stepping in front of Nicole to block her path to the front door. Deimos suggested that it would be best for Nicole to see their conversation through to its end for once instead of rushing off in the middle of it yet again.
Deimos reached for Nicole's hand as he forged ahead. "What else do you have going on in your life right now? Your career is in limbo, yes? I can open up any door that you would like to walk through. And I will make you this promise, right here and now: from today until forever, I will never lie to you, Nicole -- about anything. And if you're with me, I will never let anyone hurt you. Nobody stands between us anymore. I know I can make you very happy, Nicole, if you'll only give me the chance. Every day that we have from this moment forward -- it'd be magnificent," Deimos vowed.
"That sounds like a proposal," Nicole observed. Deimos confirmed the suspicion. "Marry me, Nicole," Deimos requested. Nicole pointed out that Deimos had nearly died the last time he had tried to put a ring on her finger. "And I would brave that river a thousand times over if you would say yes," Deimos replied. Deimos caressed Nicole's cheek as he wondered if she was willing to take a chance with him. Nicole didn't respond, but she also didn't pull away. Feeling encouraged, Deimos leaned in and kissed Nicole, and when she responded to the kiss, he led her over to the nearby couch.
Later, after having sex with Deimos, Nicole awoke from a nap and found him sitting at the piano, playing "Für Elise." Nicole joined Deimos on the piano bench and leaned her head on his shoulder as he continued playing. After he finished, she marveled at the way he seemed to transform while playing the piano. Deimos admitted that he went to a private place while playing, and he added that he was actually kind of surprised that he felt comfortable enough around Nicole to share that part of himself with her. "I want to share everything with you," Deimos continued.
Nicole said she couldn't give Deimos an answer to his proposal yet. Deimos understood and told Nicole to take all the time she needed to reach a decision. "I think I made myself pretty clear about my feelings -- the love I have for you, my desire to be with you. I want so much to be the father of your children," Deimos added. Nicole's reaction led Deimos to conclude that he had said something that had upset her, but she claimed that nothing was wrong. "I should go," Nicole quickly added. Deimos tried to convince Nicole to spend the night with him, but she hesitated for only a moment before deciding not to change her mind about leaving.
At Club TBD, Chloe and Dario caught each other up on the things that had happened in their respective lives since they had last seen each other. When Dario offered Chloe a free drink to welcome her back to Salem, she ordered a glass of wine before catching herself and changing her order to a glass of ginger ale. Later, Chloe excused herself so she could say hello to Nicole, who had just entered the club.
Nicole hesitantly informed Chloe that Deimos had proposed earlier. "I should run as fast and far away as I can," Nicole acknowledged. "But you don't want to," Chloe guessed. Nicole admitted that she couldn't stop thinking about Deimos. Nodding, Chloe agreed that Deimos could be quite enticing.
"He's just so damn secure and strong, and yet he can be so vulnerable, and just so...open and ready to care. I mean, he's changed. He's changed so much. And he wants to change even more. He wants to be a different man," Nicole explained. Chloe warned that Deimos could just be playing Nicole. Nodding, Nicole admitted that although she saw many reasons to say yes to Deimos' proposal, she also saw many downsides to doing so. "The biggest one being that he wants a family, and children -- I mean, that's the one thing that I can't give him," Nicole fretted.
Taken aback, Chloe hesitantly advised Nicole to give the matter some serious thought before making a decision. "If there's anything I know about Deimos, it's that no matter how convincing he is, you just can't trust him," Chloe continued. Nicole conceded that Chloe was probably right. "But I've been where he is. I know what it's like to work your butt off to change and then have no one believe you," Nicole added.
Nicole excused herself so she could take a long walk to clear her head. After Nicole left, Chloe worriedly clutched her stomach, thinking about what Nicole had just said. Meanwhile, at the Kiriakis mansion, Deimos retrieved a picture of Helena from his back pocket and placed it in a keepsake box then smiled as he closed the lid.
At the Horton house, Jennifer tweaked her back while cleaning Thomas' nursery. Moments later, she discovered a leftover bottle of painkillers hidden in the top drawer of Thomas' dresser. Jennifer opened the bottle and started to reach inside for a pill before changing her mind and hesitantly tossing the bottle into a nearby trash bag. After closing the bag, she carried it out of the nursery.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad awoke with a start after a nightmare in which Jennifer had stood in the shadows of the study, pretending to be Abigail, and had lectured him about being a bad husband as well as a bad father before revealing her true identity and admitting that she had simply been messing with him to keep him distracted long enough for someone to steal Thomas for her. Chad was relieved when he checked the video on the nearby baby monitor and saw that Thomas was still sleeping soundly in the nursery.
Meanwhile, Belle arrived and observed that Chad seemed spooked about something. Chad told Belle about the nightmare, and she assured him that she intended to prevent it from happening. Belle was pleased with the lifestyle changes Chad had made since her last visit. Belle explained that she planned to build Chad up in the judge's eyes while tearing Jennifer, the recovering opioid addict, down. Chad was hesitant to rip into Jennifer, guessing that Abigail wouldn't want that, but Belle stressed, "This is a custody battle; there's no room [to be] nice."
Still not convinced, Chad asked for a night to sleep on the matter. Belle understood Chad's hesitation but reminded him, "Jennifer is the one that's coming after you." Belle mused that it was actually ironic that Jennifer was trying to prove that she was more fit to raise Thomas, given the fact that one of the children she had already raised had recently escaped from a mental institution and was on the run.
Feeling uncomfortable, Chad interrupted and assured Belle that he had gotten the point. Chad added, however, that he didn't doubt Jennifer's love for Thomas, and he also knew that the weeks since Abigail's disappearance had been hard on Jennifer. Belle could tell that they had also been hard on Chad. "Don't take this the wrong way, [but] the judge can't sense that you're not strong enough to take care of Thomas on your own, so the fact that Abigail abandoned you [can't] even get a mention --" Belle started to warn Chad.
"Stop. Don't use that word. She didn't abandon us; she just -- she got -- she got lost for a minute, so I'm gonna continue to hope that one of these days, one of my men is gonna bring her through [those] doors, and then everything will just -- you know, it'll -- it'll just work itself out," Chad insisted. Belle seemed skeptical but admired Chad's optimism. "Let's hope it works out that way. In the meantime, I'm gonna be preparing a strong case that fatherhood trumps a grandmother with known issues. Nobody's perfect -- that's for sure," Belle added as she began gathering her things.
Realizing that something was bothering Belle, Chad wondered if she wanted to talk about it. Belle filled Chad in on Claire's plan to skip college in favor of pursuing a career as a singer. Chad assured Belle that Claire, being a teenager, would probably change her mind within the next week or so. Belle laughed and warned Chad that although raising a child was a very rewarding experience, it was also a very challenging one. "And there will be no shortage of people along the way [who will try to tell] you how to do it. I think the one thing you really need to trust, though, always, is that your love for your son will always show you what's right," Belle advised.
Chad observed that it seemed like Belle was saying those words not just for his benefit but also for hers. Chad wondered if Claire's plan was making it difficult for Belle to get back together with Shawn. Belle said that was none of Chad's business. Chad argued that, as Belle's client, he had a right to be concerned about whether she would be able to focus on doing her job to the best of her ability without any distractions. Belle assured Chad that she would never let her personal life interfere with her work. Nodding, Chad explained that he hadn't meant to insult Belle; he simply had to ask such questions because he had a lot at stake.
After Belle left, Chad glanced at a framed photograph of Stefano. "Yeah, I can hear you, old man. 'You tried to run your entire life from who you are. If you want to keep your son, you have to do what's necessary and be a DiMera.' All right. [I'll] do whatever it takes," Chad vowed.
Rafe visited Hope at her house to check up on how she was feeling. When Hope said she felt good, Rafe grinned and showed her that he had DVDs. Hope laughed when she realized that Rafe did not know what "Netflix and chill" meant. Hope whispered in his ear, and Rafe blushed. Laughing, Hope said she knew that Rafe's intentions were honorable.
As Rafe and Hope snacked on peanut brittle, Hope asked about the bombing case. Rafe said there was no evidence connecting Aiden or Andre to the bombing. Rafe promised not to enact vigilante justice, but he admitted he was having a hard time not doing anything. As Rafe started the movie, Hope thanked Rafe for the evening in. Hope snuggled close to Rafe, and the power went out.
While Hope lit candles, Rafe confirmed that the power was out on the block. Hope asked about Rafe's backup plan for the evening. Rafe pulled his phone out of his pocket and played some music. Rafe asked Hope to dance. After a gentle kiss, Hope said she felt good. Rafe kissed Hope again. Hope guided Rafe upstairs to her candlelit bedroom.
"Are you sure?" Raf asked. "Yes. Yes in every way," Hope said. Rafe assured Hope that he was willing to wait for her, but she asked Rafe to make love to her. After Hope and Rafe had made love, Hope teased Rafe again about his intentions. Rafe said his only intention was to enjoy Hope's company.
"I love you so much," Rafe said. "I love you too," Hope said. As Rafe and Hope kissed, the lights turned back on. With a chuckle, Rafe said the move could wait.
Outside Club TBD, Aiden called Andre and informed him that Justin and Roman were talking inside the club. Andre explained that Justin was up to something, and Aiden should investigate if he wanted to take Justin's job. Aiden slipped inside the club to eavesdrop on Justin and Roman's conversation.
At a nearby table, Roman asked Justin if he remembered the Jimmy Holman case. Justin nodded. Roman explained that former officer Fred Dozer said he knew what had happened to the missing evidence in the Holman case. Roman added that Fred had agreed to tell Roman in exchange for Fred's job. Justin asked why Fred had not told anyone sooner. With a shrug, Roman said he would ask Fred when he met him in the square. Justin offered to take the meeting.
Curious, Roman asked Justin why he wanted to handle the interview. Justin explained that as D.A., he could threaten prosecution. When Roman offered to join Justin, Justin said it would be better if he handled the interview alone. Roman shrugged in agreement. Aiden dashed out of the club to meet with Fred before Justin could talk to him.
In the town square, Aiden introduced himself to Fred. Aiden lied and said he was there on Roman's behalf to talk to Fred about a deal. When Fred nodded, Aiden escorted him out of the square to the park before Justin arrived. After talking to Fred, Aiden met up with Andre in the park. Aiden told Andre that Fred had watched Justin leave the evidence room with a box on the day that the evidence had gone missing in the Holman case. With a smile, Aiden said that Fred had taken a picture of Justin with the box.
In the town square, an impatient Justin paced, waiting for Fred Dozer. At the Brady Pub, Aiden met with Abe to share with him what he had learned about Justin. Once Aiden had spilled the beans, Roman called Justin and asked him to meet at the station. When Justin arrived at the precinct, Roman told him that someone had met with Fred Dozer already. Abe interrupted and asked Justin to talk privately.
In the town square, Adrianne and Lucas met with Jennifer and J.J. to talk about Abigail. J.J. explained that there was evidence that Abigail had boarded a plane but that the plane had crashed. Emotional, Jennifer said she had a horrible feeling that she would never hear from Abigail again. Jennifer asked everyone if they could change the subject.
Jennifer asked about the wedding. Lucas said they wanted to backburner the plans. Jennifer and J.J. said they needed something happy to look forward to. After exchanging a glance, Lucas and Adrienne agreed to start planning their wedding. Jennifer happily noted that she had a friend that was a florist.
As Jennifer emptied the contents of her purse on the table in an effort to find her friend's card, Lucas saw a business card for Paul Bellamy. Lucas noted that Bellamy was a legal shark. Jennifer informed Adrienne and Lucas that she was suing for custody of Thomas. Jennifer explained that she felt like Chad was neglecting Thomas.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad talked on the phone to Mr. Shin about selling off certain DiMera assets so the company could stand up to scrutiny. After the call, Chad opened an envelope that had arrived by courier. The contents included a report on Abigail from the airline. Chad reviewed the report, which included a photo of Abigail's fake driver's license. Struggling to retain his composure, Chad called the airline investigator and asked if the report meant that Abigail was dead. Chad broke down in tears.
After collecting himself, Chad muttered, "It wasn't Abby. It can't be." Overwhelmed, Chad threw a glass against a wall as Jennifer walked into the living room. Panicked, Jennifer asked what was wrong. Chad stared at the wall. Jennifer told Chad that he could not continue to suffer alone. Shaking his head, Chad told Jennifer that the airline had confirmed that Abigail had been on the flight. Both Chad and Jennifer broke down into tears.
Once they had both calmed, Jennifer said that she refused to give up on Abigail. J.J. arrived at the house after Jennifer texted him, and she updated him on the airline's report. Upset, J.J. refused to believe that his sister had died. J.J. accused Chad of faking the evidence of Abigail's death. Angry, Chad argued that Abigail would never have left Salem if J.J. and Jennifer had not pushed him to commit Abigail. J.J. left to call the airline. Chad apologized to Jennifer.
When Jennifer asked Chad if he believed Abigail was gone, Chad said he did not want to believe it, but the report appeared to be accurate. Jennifer noted that she would never hold her daughter again. As Jennifer broke down, Chad put his arm around Jennifer to calm her. When J.J. returned, he said that a security officer at the airport had told him that the woman had matched the photo. With his voice cracking, J.J. said that he had also called the Coast Guard, and they had not recovered any bodies from the plane wreckage yet.
"You destroyed my sister's life!" J.J. yelled at Chad, his fists clenched in rage. J.J. accused Chad of encouraging Abigail to run away from Shady Hills. Numb, Chad mumbled that he loved Abigail. Jennifer hugged her son tightly and asked him to stop attacking Chad.
"Chad loves your sister the same way that we love her, and she loves Chad, so this is not his fault. Don't blame him," Jennifer said. J.J. refused to believe that Abigail was dead. J.J. ran out of the house, and Jennifer went to the park.
On the park bench, Jennifer broke down in tears and cried out that she could not handle the death of her daughter alone. Jack touched her shoulder and assured her that he was there for her. Jennifer jumped to her feet and into Jack's arms.
"It's as bad as it gets," Jack whispered. "I didn't know how I was going to get over you when I lost you, but then I told myself that this is as bad as it gets, and it's never going to get any worse. But I was wrong, Jack," Jennifer said through tears. Jack reminded Jennifer that she was tough. Jennifer asked Jack to find Abigail and keep her with him and Jennifer's grandparents. Jack promised he would.
"I feel so alone right now," Jennifer said. "I'll try not to take that personally," Jack joked as he hugged Jennifer and stroked her hair. Jennifer reminded herself that Jack was not real. Jennifer said she would need to deal with the situation on her own, without Jack. Crying, Jennifer said that only Jack could understand how she felt. Jennifer wanted to take a pill, but Jack cautioned her not to make a horrible situation worse. Jennifer said she needed to feel numb. With a sigh, Jack said he was leaving.
"I'm not going to stay around here and watch the bravest girl I know self-destruct," Jack said. "That's fine. That's what you do anyway. You go. So just go," Jennifer countered angrily, turning away. When Jennifer turned back toward Jack, he was gone.
In his hotel room, Andre talked to someone on the phone. "So you're telling me that the letter was delivered to Chad? You've already spoken to him? And to the girl's brother as well? Excellent. I knew they'd want confirmation from the airline. So you did say to them exactly what I told you to say? Good. Well, it's just a matter of time before they are all convinced that Abigail DiMera tragically died in a plane crash," Andre said. After Andre hung up the phone, a grinning Aiden stopped by with good news.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad sat with his son and told him how much he loved him. Belle arrived at the house to talk about the case, but she stopped short when she saw Chad's face. Belle asked what was wrong. Chad told Belle about the report from the airline.
At Hope's house, Hope and Rafe sat on the couch and watched a movie. Hope told Rafe that their night together had been perfect. There was a knock at the door. After seeing Roman's face through the front door window, Hope and Rafe hurriedly buttoned their shirts. When Hope opened the front door, a sour-faced Roman announced that Aiden had replaced Justin as the D.A.
