Chloe makes a decision about her pregnancy
At the Salem Inn, Chloe awoke with a start after a nightmare about Deimos. Meanwhile, Claire arrived with a bag of bagels. "I wasn't sure how you felt about lox. I know it's kind of a --" Claire started to say, but Chloe interrupted and abruptly excused herself before rushing into the bathroom and shutting the door.
When Chloe emerged from the bathroom a short time later, she started to make up an excuse for her nausea, but she stopped herself when she noticed that Claire was standing at the desk, right next to a pamphlet about abortion. "You know," Chloe guessed. Chloe stressed that she had decided not to have an abortion. Chloe also made it clear that no one else -- aside from Philip, whom she had already confided in -- could know that she was pregnant. "And the father, right?" Claire asked.
Chloe declined to elaborate on the matter, pointing out, as politely as possible, that Claire was her assistant, not her best friend. Chloe reiterated, however, that she didn't want Claire to mention the pregnancy to anyone. Nodding, Claire confirmed that she understood. Claire started to add that she had thrown out the bagels, but she quickly realized that it wasn't a good idea to even mention food to Chloe at that time.
Chloe revealed that she planned to meet with Philip later to discuss what they were going to do about their record deal in light of the development, and she apologetically added that their decision could end up affecting Claire's employment. Claire protested that other singers, such as Beyoncé and Carrie Underwood, had managed to record albums while pregnant. Chloe wondered if Claire thought she was in the same league as those singers. Claire hesitantly confirmed that she did. "Good answer," Chloe replied with a laugh, ignoring the obvious hint of uncertainty that had accompanied Claire's response.
Later, after sending Claire off to take care of a few errands, Chloe contacted Philip and informed him that she had decided to keep the baby and move forward with their plan to record an album. Philip warned that Deimos would eventually realize that Chloe was pregnant. Chloe admitted that she hadn't figured out how to deal with that yet, but she maintained that Deimos could never know that he was the baby's father.
At Club TBD, Shawn told Belle that one of Salem University's counselors had assured him that Claire wouldn't have to reapply to the college if she deferred for a year. Belle didn't find that comforting because she didn't want Claire to defer for a year. Shawn agreed but feared that pushing too hard for Claire to go to college would only make matters worse. Shawn optimistically reasoned that Claire would probably grow tired of fetching lattes for Chloe soon enough, anyway.
Belle admitted that buying Edge of the Square for Claire had been a mistake. "It's like I set her up to fail," Belle added with a sigh. Shawn assured Belle that Claire didn't see things that way. Belle started to suggest asking Claire to sing at the nightclub, but she quickly stopped herself, realizing that she would just be repeating the same mistake. Nodding, Shawn reasoned that he and Belle needed to let Claire succeed -- or fail -- on her own. Chuckling, Belle observed that Shawn was starting to sound like Philip. Shawn wasn't particularly thrilled to hear that, begging Belle to promise that she would shoot him if he ever reminded her of Philip again.
Belle ignored the request and admitted that she didn't want to lose Claire -- or Shawn. Shawn assured Belle that she would never lose Claire, but he didn't bother to pretend that he was just as confident that Belle would never lose him. Instead, he admitted that although he knew that Belle truly loved him, he wasn't sure how she felt about Philip. "We can't even have a conversation without his name coming up," Shawn pointed out. Belle insisted that she wanted Philip out of her life, and she promised that if Shawn never mentioned Philip's name again, she wouldn't, either.
Meanwhile, Philip entered the club. After spotting Philip, Shawn passionately kissed Belle, who smiled and wondered what she had done to deserve the seemingly spontaneous display of affection. Shawn claimed that he was simply happy. Philip watched enviously as Shawn gave Belle another kiss. A short time later, after Shawn said farewell to Belle and headed back to work, Philip approached her and claimed that he was glad to see that things were going well. Philip quickly added that he was starting to think that it would be a mistake to keep her as a silent partner in his record label.
Confused, Belle wondered if Philip was saying that he wanted her to stop being silent. Philip clarified that he wanted Belle to stay silent -- a part of their deal that she had been having trouble honoring lately. Philip pointed out that Belle had originally asked him to extend Claire a record deal but had later begun hassling him to keep Claire out of the business. Belle insisted that Philip was in no position to question her parenting choices. Philip conceded the point and stressed that he didn't care either way. "I just don't want to [inadvertently] punish Claire because you're driving me nuts," he bluntly added.
Taken aback, Belle promised to bite her tongue in the future. Philip clarified that he would prefer to find someone who was willing to buy Belle out of the record label, reasoning that they should have known all along that working together would be a bad idea. Offended, Belle guessed that Philip was really just trying to punish her for choosing Shawn. "Why do you think everything's about you? This isn't personal," Philip insisted. Belle wasn't convinced, but Philip maintained that he simply didn't want personal baggage to affect business matters. "Then why sign Chloe Lane? How's that for baggage?" Belle countered.
Philip wanted to know why Belle was upset about his desire to buy her out, so she told him that she didn't think he would be able to, and she didn't want to be stuck in an investment with a business partner who didn't appreciate her contributions. Confused, Philip wondered why Belle doubted his ability to find another backer. "Investors tend to shy away from guys who don't know what they want or how to get it," Belle explained before walking away.
After running errands for Chloe, Claire returned to the Salem Inn and, upon finding the room empty, began working on a song. Chloe soon emerged from the bathroom and said she liked what she had just heard. Meanwhile, Philip arrived to talk to Chloe about something. Chloe asked Claire for some privacy but encouraged her to keep working on the song. Claire went to a secluded section of the town square to do just that, and as she was singing the song again, Shawn passed through the area and paused to listen to it.
Chloe was stunned when Philip offered to pretend that he was the one who had gotten her pregnant, reasoning that, given their history, no one would even think to question the story. Chloe conceded the point but struggled to understand why Philip would want to do something that drastic just to help her. Philip stressed that he had always cared about Chloe as well as Parker. Philip added that he didn't expect to have any say in how Chloe raised the child. "I don't know what other choice you have, Chloe. Do you want Deimos out of your life or not?" Philip asked.
Nicole went to the Kiriakis townhouse to see Maggie, who was preparing to undergo surgery later that day. Nicole handed Daniel's hospital badge to Maggie as a token of good luck. Nicole was surprised to learn that Deimos was the one who had made the surgery possible. Victor admitted that, even so, he was still wary of Deimos. Nicole understood that but chose to believe that Deimos' intentions were pure.
"Oh, Nicole, I hope you're not falling under his thrall. I warned you," Victor replied. Nicole urged Victor to just be grateful that Maggie was about to undergo a promising surgical procedure and that nobody had died before he and Deimos had decided to call a truce. Nicole added that, with the truce in place, Victor was free to go back to being the domesticated man who had been changed thanks to the love of a good woman. Smiling, Victor agreed that Maggie's love had changed him. "I suppose I should be thankful that someone or something caused Deimos to do the same," he added.
Later, Nicole went to the Kiriakis mansion to inform Deimos that she had decided to return to Basic Black. "That's great, but why stop at Basic Black?" Deimos wondered. Nicole tried to convince Deimos that he needed to slow down, but he gently reasoned that Daniel's death should have taught her that waiting was pointless and risky. "I mean, personally, I would love to start a family [right away]," Deimos added.
Nicole sadly informed Deimos that she had sustained a gunshot wound years earlier that had made it difficult for her to get pregnant -- and impossible for her to carry babies to term. Deimos was sorry to hear that, but he assured Nicole that it didn't change how he felt about her. Deimos pointed out that if he and Nicole really wanted to start a family together, they could still do so, either via adoption or a surrogate. Deimos conceded, however, that if Nicole wanted to take things slowly, he would be fine with that.
Choosing to just be happy that Nicole had agreed to return to Basic Black, Deimos wondered what had caused her to reach that decision. Nicole explained that she had heard about what Deimos had done for Maggie. Deimos wondered how Maggie's surgery was going. Nicole said she was planning to go to the hospital later to find out, and she encouraged Deimos to accompany her.
Deimos reminded Nicole that she had just finished telling him about the virtues of taking things slowly. Deimos doubted that Victor would welcome his presence at the hospital, but Nicole dismissively pointed out that Victor rarely welcomed anyone's presence anywhere. Nicole reasoned that if Deimos went with her to the hospital, it would show that he cared about Maggie's well-being. Nicole added that she wanted everyone to get along because Maggie would have a better chance of a full recovery if everyone did everything they could to keep her stress-free.
At the hospital, Sonny waited with Victor as Maggie underwent surgery. Dr. Hochman eventually tracked the men down and informed them that the surgery had gone well. Hochman warned, however, that it was still too soon to tell whether Maggie would regain the use of her legs. Later, as Maggie regained consciousness, Nicole and Deimos joined Victor and Sonny in her room.
Theo ran into Ciara in the town square. When Ciara mentioned that she had been out of town without her phone, Theo told her that Abigail had likely died in a plane crash. As Ciara cried, Theo put his arm around her. Theo told Ciara what he knew about the plane crash. Theo and Ciara then talked about their parents that they had each lost. Overwhelmed, Ciara rushed off to see Chad.
Claire approached Theo as he watched Ciara run away. With a sigh, Theo noted that Ciara was running off to be with Chad.
At the DiMera mansion, Belle stopped by to check on Chad. A bleary-eyed Chad said he had been wondering how to tell Thomas that his mother was dead. Chad said he and Abigail had been happy, and he did not understand when he had lost his wife. Belle cautioned Chad not to blame himself.
"Sometimes love just isn't enough," Belle said. Belle reminded Chad that Abigail had inherited an illness. Angry, Chad blamed Ben for leading Abigail down a destructive path. Belle urged Chad to let go of his guilt.
"You don't understand. That beautiful, smart, amazing, wonderful woman trusted me to take care of her. And I failed her. I let her stay in that institution where she felt trapped and even more depressed and alone," Chad said. When Belle asked Chad how he had failed Abigail, Chad said he had let Abigail linger in treatment. Belle quietly said that the decision had not been up to Chad but instead up to Abigail's doctors. Chad lamented that he had not found a better doctor.
Belle encouraged Chad to fight for Thomas or else Chad would lose his son too. Sniffling, Chad wondered aloud if Thomas would be better off with Jennifer. Belle said that Chad was grieving. Belle encouraged Chad to take time to think about his son before he acted rashly. As Chad stared blankly at the wall, Belle advised Chad to remember that Thomas needed his living parent. Belle warned Chad that he would regret succumbing to self-pity.
"Thank you for your support as a friend and for your services as an attorney. I will no longer be needing you," Chad said. Chad announced that he did not want to fight anymore.
In a seedy motel, Jennifer stared at a baggie filled with pills and a bottle of liquor. As Jennifer poured pills into her hand, the vision of Jack appeared and begged her to stop. Fighting tears, Jennifer told Jack that she missed him. With a sad smile, Jack said he was a part of Jennifer's heart, and he could feel her heart breaking. Jack reminded Jennifer that she had a lot to live for and that Abigail would want Jennifer to fight.
Jack added that Thomas needed his grandmother. Smiling, Jennifer talked about Thomas and Abigail. Jack said that Abigail would be crushed to know that Jennifer had given up on J.J. and Thomas. With a grimace, Jennifer agreed with Jack. Jack urged Jennifer to protect Thomas from Chad. Jennifer cried out that she did not want to feel anything anymore. Jennifer poured a glass of vodka and grabbed the bag of pills. Jack quietly urged Jennifer to stay strong.
Chad called Jennifer's phone, but Jennifer ignored the call. Jack told Jennifer to return Chad's call and tell Chad that she would raise Thomas. Jennifer stared at her pills. Jack urged Jennifer to look at a photo of Thomas before she did anything. After staring at a photo on her phone, Jennifer pushed the pills away.
"Oh, Abigail. You were my baby once. I'm never gonna get to hold you again," Jennifer said. As Jennifer placed her phone on the table, she looked over at Jack, who was gone. Alone, Jennifer grabbed two pills and swallowed them with a gulp of vodka. Jennifer broke down and cried.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad was frustrated that he could not reach Jennifer on the phone. Belle reiterated her argument to fight for Thomas, but Chad insisted that he wanted to do what was right for his son. Belle urged Chad to take time to think about what Thomas needed. Belle attempted to guide Chad out of the house to clear his head, but he grew angry. Chad ordered Belle to leave. Shaking her head, Belle said she was afraid that Chad would do something that he would regret.
"Don't worry, Belle. I'm here. I'll stay with Chad and Thomas. I can take care of them," Ciara said as she walked into the living room. Belle resisted leaving, but Ciara reminded Belle that she had lost her father, and she was familiar with the grieving process. Frustrated, Chad asked the women to stop arguing. Chad reminded Belle that Ciara had helped him with Thomas and Abigail. Chad urged Belle to worry about her own child. With a nod, Chad told Belle that he would pay for her services but that he wanted her to leave. Belle asked Ciara to convince Chad that he would regret letting go of Thomas.
After Belle left, an angry Ciara asked Chad why he would give up his son. Chad said he was too much of a mess. Ciara refused to let Chad give up. Ciara said that Abigail would be angry at Chad for giving up on their son. Shaking his head, Chad said he was not fit to be a father.
"I am letting him go because I love him," Chad said. Chad urged Ciara to stop wasting her time with him. Shaking her head no, Ciara said that Chad and Thomas were important to her and that she would make them strong again. Chad said he did not want Ciara to be stuck in the house. When Ciara refused to give up, Chad asked her why she cared so much. "Because I love you!" Ciara blurted out.
In the town square, Belle stopped to talk to Claire and Theo about Abigail. Belle said Chad was struggling with his grief. After Theo left to make a phone call, Belle informed Claire that she and Shawn had decided to let Claire defer college for a year. As Claire grinned broadly, Belle added that if Claire was not successful within a year, then Claire would go to college. Giggling, Claire said she was optimistic about her chances.
After Claire ran off to tell Theo the news, Belle's phone rang. Paul called Belle to inform her that he had evidence that Jennifer had fallen off the wagon. Belle walked to the pub to meet with Paul. Paul explained that he had followed Jennifer and witnessed her purchase drugs and alcohol. When Belle asked about Jennifer's location, Paul noted that Jennifer was holed up in a hotel.
In her parents' apartment, Claire and Theo talked about her good news. Claire said she felt guilty about her happiness, and Theo told Claire that she deserved to be happy. With a smile, Theo said that if Abigail were there, she would high-five Claire in celebration over Claire's news. Theo asked Claire to sing her new song for him. When Claire was finished singing, Theo said that he wished Ciara had heard Claire sing.
"We both know that she went running over to Chad. There's nothing we can do about that. We both just have to let it go," Claire said. When Theo said he could not let it go, Claire offered to help him. Claire pulled Theo close and kissed him.
As Jennifer slept on her hotel bed, Belle crept into the room. Belle looked around the room, and then she started to make a phone call. Belle reconsidered. Belle gently brushed the hair off of Jennifer's face.
While passing through the town square, Justin, who had just finished clearing out his office, ran into Aiden. After realizing that Justin wasn't going to congratulate him on being appointed the new district attorney, Aiden wondered if Justin could at least get him up to speed on all active cases. "Oh, you don't need my help. That's clear," Justin bitterly replied.
Justin accused Aiden of stealing the job from him. Aiden unapologetically pointed out that what he had done hadn't been illegal. Justin wondered why Aiden had wanted the job in the first place, given the fact that the pay wasn't nearly as good as what he could have made in private practice. Aiden claimed that he wanted to give back to the community. Chuckling, Justin warned that the people of Salem would never forget about what Aiden had tried to do to Hope. Aiden countered that the people of Salem could actually be quite forgetful at times. "If they have the right connections, people get away with murder [here]," Aiden continued.
"So that's why you wanted my job -- you want to get away with murder," Justin concluded. Aiden found it funny that Justin was acting like he was the criminal. "You are. You just haven't been caught...yet," Justin replied. Aiden fidgeted with his tie as he watched Justin walk away, hinting at some nervousness he had been careful to hide during their exchange.
Rafe stormed into the police station and approached Abe, demanding to know why Aiden had been appointed the new district attorney. Abe pointed out that he didn't owe Rafe an explanation. Abe added, however, that Justin, who had chosen to resign for personal reasons, hadn't been an elected official. "Oh, okay. So you just replaced him -- with a criminal!" Rafe snapped. Roman clarified that, legally, Aiden wasn't a criminal. "So how close to committing a murder do you have to get, huh? This is the D.A.'s job that we are talking about here. The bar has to be higher than 'we can't prove it'!" Rafe countered.
Abe assured Rafe that the decision to appoint Aiden, of all candidates, as the new district attorney hadn't been made lightly. "If you have proof of any of [your allegations about Aiden], you bring it to me, [and] I will reevaluate. Otherwise, I suggest you get back to work," Abe sternly added before walking away. Confused, Rafe told Roman that the situation reeked. "Yes, it does. But unfortunately, at least for now, [this is] the way it has to be," Roman replied with a shrug. Roman offered to do what he could to ensure that Rafe and Hope wouldn't have to work with Aiden very often, but Rafe knew that was largely out of Roman's control.
Later, Aiden arrived to collect Justin's old case files. Rafe followed Aiden into one of the conference rooms and warned that Aiden wouldn't be able to use his new position to get back together with Hope. Rafe also vowed to figure out how Aiden had managed to worm his way into it in the first place. Roman and Abe soon joined Rafe and Aiden in the conference room, and Aiden informed them that he planned to review not only Justin's open cases but also the closed ones. "You know, I think you'll have enough to keep yourself busy with the open cases," Abe pointed out, and Roman agreed, but Aiden insisted on going over everything again.
The search for Tate led Brady, Theresa, and John to a hotel room that Brady managed to convince the manager to let them enter. The room appeared to be unoccupied, but as Brady was comforting a distraught Theresa, a baby's cries filled the room. John moved a foldable room divider and found Tate in a crib hidden behind it. Relieved, John contacted the local police so they could check the room for fingerprints then joined Brady and Theresa in the hallway for a happy reunion with Tate. Later, after the police left, John took one last look around the room and found a cell phone they had missed. Only one phone number had been saved on the device.
At the hospital, Dr. Hochman performed a routine sensory examination on Maggie's legs, and she happily confirmed that she could feel what was happening. "Mrs. Kiriakis, with the right physical therapy, I have every reason to believe that you will walk again," Hochman concluded. Sonny and Caroline, who had been waiting outside Maggie's room, entered when they heard sounds of elation. "Someone is about to get on her feet," Victor announced. "And dance!" Maggie tearfully added.
Hochman thought it would be best for Maggie to stay at the hospital for a while so she could be closely monitored. "[But] we'll have you up and on your feet tomorrow," he promised as Nicole and Deimos entered the room. Nicole congratulated Maggie with a hug, and Maggie returned Daniel's hospital badge to Nicole. Meanwhile, Victor invited Deimos, who was waiting for Nicole at the entrance, to step closer to Maggie. Deimos said he didn't want to intrude, but Victor insisted. "You're the reason we're here! We're all grateful," Victor added.
Confused, Caroline wondered what Deimos had done to earn Victor and Maggie's gratitude. Victor explained that Hochman had initially refused to operate on Maggie but had reconsidered after a conversation with Deimos. Sonny suspiciously wondered how Deimos had managed to change Hochman's mind. "I was on a mission," Deimos vaguely replied. Victor assured Deimos that they could start over with a clean slate in light of Maggie's recovery. Meanwhile, Victor received a phone call, but when he answered it, the caller hung up.
Later, when Victor was alone with Maggie, he gave her a gift: a pair of red heels she could wear the next time they went dancing together. Delighted, Maggie vowed to take Victor up on the offer as soon as possible. Victor started to leave so Maggie could get some rest, but she stopped him and asked about the phone call he had received earlier. "You looked so rattled about [it]," Maggie noted. Victor said it had just been someone who had dialed the wrong number. Maggie seemed concerned but accepted the answer.
Everyone else returned to say goodbye to Maggie before letting her get some rest. As she was talking to her visitors, she received two more -- John and Brady, who arrived with a police officer in tow. Brady apologized for the poor timing then announced that Tate had been found and was safe and sound -- but proof of Victor's involvement in Tate's abduction had also been found. Victor demanded to know more about the so-called proof, so Brady explained that Tate's abductor had left behind a cell phone, and when the only phone number stored on the device had been dialed, Victor had answered the call. "That was you?" Maggie asked incredulously.
Victor insisted that he was being framed, but Brady refused to believe that. "Do I like this? No. Does it break my heart? Yes. But I think you did it. I know you did it!" Brady snapped. The police officer stepped forward and placed Victor under arrest for conspiracy and kidnapping. As Victor was ushered out of the room, he vowed to prove his innocence. Maggie agreed that someone could have framed Victor for the crime, but Brady maintained that Victor was guilty. Brady apologized again for the poor timing, and Maggie tearfully replied that, at the very least, she was thrilled that he had found Tate.
After Brady left, Sonny accused Deimos of setting Victor up to take the fall for Tate's abduction. Deimos insisted that he wanted peace with Victor and had been doing everything in his power to make that happen. "What a perfect cover that would be for screwing over my Uncle Vic," Sonny mused as he glared at Deimos. After Sonny left the room, Deimos decided to excuse himself so his presence wouldn't cause Maggie any further stress, but before leaving, he told her he was thrilled that her surgery had been successful.
Later, while alone with Maggie, Caroline reluctantly admitted that she, too, believed that Victor was guilty. Caroline told Maggie about the incriminating vision she'd had as well as Victor's suspicious reaction to the questions she had asked him about it. "I just felt that he wasn't being straight with me then. And now..." Caroline continued before letting her voice trail off. Meanwhile, at the police station, Victor assured John, who was waiting to give a statement to Roman, that someone else had abducted Tate and was doing a very good job of making him look like the guilty party.
Brady returned home and told Theresa about what had happened at the hospital. Theresa struggled to understand why Victor had been willing to go to such despicable measures just to make her suffer. Brady reasoned that Bo's death had hardened Victor. Brady also pointed out that Tate's abduction hadn't just been about making Theresa suffer; it had also been a way for Victor to get rid of Summer. Theresa gave Summer credit for having had a change of heart in the end but admitted that she was nevertheless quite happy that she would never have to see Summer again.
Sonny ran into Justin in the town square and told him about Victor's arrest. Sonny and Justin went to the Brady Pub so they could discuss the matter more privately, and after Sonny explained what had happened, he tried to convince Justin to get the case thrown out -- or, at the very least, stall so they could look for proof that Victor had been framed. Justin said he could no longer make such decisions, and he proceeded to tell Sonny exactly why he had been forced to resign the previous night. "Turns out I'm not a very good criminal," Justin admitted with a weak chuckle.
Sonny believed that Justin's ousting had been part of Deimos' grand scheme to frame Victor for Tate's abduction -- a way of keeping Justin from pulling strings to help Victor beat the charges. Justin assured Sonny that he could still practice law and would happily represent Victor. Sonny vowed to prove that Deimos had framed Victor, but Justin said he'd take care of that, too.
As Deimos entered the Kiriakis mansion, he issued instructions to someone over the phone, ordering a discreet investigation into the charges that Victor was facing. After Deimos ended the call, Nicole reminded him that he had recently promised never to lie to her again. Deimos confirmed that he would give an honest response to any question Nicole asked him. "Did you kidnap Tate and frame Victor for it?" she asked.
At John and Marlena's townhouse, Theo abruptly excused himself after kissing Claire, but as he began opening the door to leave, she stopped him and convinced him to stay and watch a movie with her. While the movie was playing, Claire inched closer to Theo on the couch, prompting him to warn her to pay attention so she wouldn't miss the funny part that was fast approaching.
Taken aback, Claire wondered why Theo hadn't bothered to mention that he had seen the movie before. Theo said he had been fine with watching the movie again, and he explained that he had first watched it with Ciara months earlier, in an effort to take her mind off everything that had happened with Chase. Oblivious to Claire's annoyance, Theo started talking about how much Ciara had enjoyed the movie, until Claire eventually turned it off and suggested that they could find something else to do instead.
Theo slowly started to realize that Claire was upset because he hadn't been able to stop talking about how much Ciara had enjoyed the movie. Theo promised to drop the subject. He was quick to remind Claire, however, that she was the one who had chosen that particular movie to watch in the first place, prompting her to respond that he was missing the point. "I guess. I do that a lot, actually," Theo conceded. Claire gave Theo a smile and assured him that she wasn't mad. "You seem a little mad," Theo argued, but Claire maintained that she wasn't.
"It's just... I don't know. Um... Theo, uh, when two people -- like you and me -- are alone, like each other, and one of us suggests we watch a movie, it just usually doesn't mean the other one talks through it the entire time -- especially about another girl," Claire explained. Confused, Theo wondered what it was supposed to mean. "It means we make out, like we did before," Claire answered.
Theo scoffed and reminded Claire that they had only kissed once, right after they had finished listening to her song earlier. Claire concluded that Theo regretted having kissed her in the heat of the moment, since he seemed reluctant to give her another kiss, but he assured her that he had liked the kiss. Claire told Theo there was no need to feel embarrassed about what they had done, and she admitted that although she'd had a bit of a crush on him for a while, she hadn't realized just how much she liked him until they had kissed. Claire continued that Theo was smart, sensitive, sexy, and a really good listener.
"I don't know what to say," Theo replied. Claire suggested that Theo could indicate something that he liked about her. "I just... I... I haven't kissed a lot of girls, you know? In fact, just one -- before you, I mean," Theo started to explain, prompting Claire to interrupt and inform him that she knew he was talking about Ciara. Claire pointed out that Theo and Ciara's relationship had since ended, and she advised that Theo needed to move on, just as Ciara had, because he couldn't waste the rest of his life thinking about what could have been.
Theo said he was aware of that, but Claire wasn't convinced. Despite what Theo had told her earlier, Claire concluded that he did regret kissing her, and she admitted that she was starting to have regrets, too. "I thought we could have been good together and had a lot of fun, and I'm so sorry for seeing something between us that wasn't there. Obviously, you're still too hung up on Ciara," Claire continued. Claire suggested that it would probably be best for Theo to leave, but as she stood from the couch and started to retreat to her bedroom, he grabbed her arm to stop her.
"All right, look, you're right about Ciara, okay? I... I am sad [about] how things ended, okay? I've been friends with Ciara ever since I was little, you know? But, um...we're grown up now, and...things change -- people change -- and...I have to let her go," Theo conceded. Claire wondered if he meant that, and he assured her that he did. He warned, however, that it would probably take a while for him to get over Ciara. Claire promised to help Theo and be there for him during that time. Theo said he would like that, and he added that Claire had been wrong about something earlier. "I'm not sorry that we kissed. Not at all," he said before kissing her again.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad gently told Ciara that he wasn't in love with her. Ciara tried to convince Chad that he did love her, insisting that they had formed an undeniable bond over the past few months that he would begin to recognize once he got over the pain of losing Abigail, but he apologetically maintained that he didn't share her feelings.
As tears streamed down Ciara's face, Chad added that it would probably be best for her to stop working for him, effective immediately, but she could count on him to continue paying her for the rest of the year so she would have time to find a new job. "I don't want your money! I don't want anything from you!" Ciara spat before storming off, slamming the front door on her way out of the mansion.
When Ciara returned home, seeking comfort from her mother, she found a note Hope had left for her on the coffee table. "'Went to bed early. There's leftovers in the fridge. Love, Mom.' Great," Ciara grumbled. Ciara quickly sent a text message to Claire then waited impatiently for a response. After getting bored of flipping through channels on the television, Ciara started searching her contact list for guys to reach out to, but she gave up after rejecting the first three names she found. Frustrated, she rushed back out of the house.
When Ciara arrived at John and Marlena's townhouse a short time later, the front door was slightly ajar, so she poked her head inside while calling out to Claire. Theo and Claire, who were making out on the couch, stopped what they were doing and pulled away from each other. Ciara apologized and started to excuse herself, but Claire stopped her and tried to find out the reason for her unexpected visit. "I was just leaving," Theo awkwardly interjected. Ciara assured Claire that nothing important was going on. Claire nodded, seemingly unconvinced, and Ciara rushed off after promising to send her a text message later.
Theo wondered if Claire thought it would be a good idea for them to chase after Ciara. Claire shook her head and assured Theo that Ciara would be fine. Nodding, Theo abruptly excused himself, pointing out that it was getting kind of late. Before leaving, Theo promised that he would call Claire later. Once she was alone, Claire sighed and picked up her guitar, but she only managed to strum a few notes before putting the instrument back down in frustration.
Theo tracked Ciara down in a secluded section of the town square and tried to explain what had happened with Claire. "You know what? I'm over it. It's none of my business, anyway. I just -- I want to be alone," Ciara dismissively replied as she turned away from Theo. Taking the hint, Theo left after urging Ciara to call him if she ever needed someone to talk to, and she fought back tears as she listened to his fading footsteps.
When Jennifer awoke from her drug-induced slumber, she found Kayla and Belle sitting in her hotel room. Confused, Jennifer looked around the room, struggling to remember what had happened the previous night. When she spotted the open bottle of vodka, she tried to assure Kayla and Belle that the scene was misleading, but she soon gave up and started to sob.
Jennifer assumed that Belle planned to tell Chad about what had happened, but Belle stressed that although the thought had crossed her mind, she was there as a family member, not Chad's attorney. "I'm a mother, too. I can't even begin to understand how unbearable this must be for you. I would never exploit that," Belle added. Jennifer tearfully thanked Belle then rushed out of the hotel room, wanting to return home right away.
When Jennifer, Kayla, and Belle arrived at the Horton house, Julie greeted them at the door. Belle started to excuse herself, but Jennifer insisted on having her stay. "I want to keep an eye on you so you don't go tell Chad about what happened tonight," Jennifer explained. Julie said Jennifer was out of line, but Jennifer fretted that she could lose everything if Chad learned about her relapse. Julie ushered Jennifer into the living room, and Belle followed them after Kayla politely asked her to stay for a while. Belle handed over her cell phone and invited Jennifer to search it for incriminating pictures, promising that there were none to be found.
Later, someone knocked on the front door, and when Belle opened it, she found Chad standing outside with Thomas. Belle stepped outside and told Chad that he needed to leave because Jennifer wasn't feeling well. "She relapsed, didn't she?" Chad guessed, remembering that Belle had hired someone to keep an eye on Jennifer. "Chad, go home. Take Thomas with you. Please," Belle replied before reentering the house.
Belle told Jennifer about Chad's visit and warned that although she hadn't told him about the relapse, he might have figured out what had happened, anyway. Jennifer conceded that she had only herself to blame and would simply have to deal with the consequences of her actions. Later, Julie took Jennifer to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting at the hospital. Jennifer had second thoughts before entering the room in which the meeting was being held, but Julie helped her realize that she was strong enough to face the people in there, none of whom would judge her for what had happened.
Belle went to the DiMera mansion and, when questioned, reluctantly confirmed Chad's suspicion that Jennifer had relapsed. Belle said that would basically guarantee Chad custody of Thomas as long as he didn't do anything to screw up the case. Blaming himself for what had happened earlier with Ciara, Chad told Belle it was already too late for that. "I screw up everything. I can't take care of my own son," Chad added with a sigh.
"Fine. I'll handle this right now," Belle replied as she dialed a number on her cell phone. Confused, Chad wondered who Belle was calling. "Social Services," Belle answered, explaining that they had a hotline that could be used for emergency situations. "Hi. Yes, my name is Belle Black. I'm here with a client who has just told me he can't take care of his child, so I --" Belle started to tell the person on the other end of the call. Chad snatched the phone out of Belle's hand and tried to assure the person that there had been a misunderstanding, but no one responded.
Realizing that Belle had tricked him, Chad demanded to know why. "Because I've told you before, but it seems to bear repeating: I have no patience for self-pity, and your son deserves better than a grief-stricken father and a pill-popping grandmother. And since neither of you can seem to take care of Thomas, I would have no choice but to call Social Services, and they would find him a foster home. Is that what you want? Is that what Abigail would have wanted?" Belle asked. Chad quietly said no.
Belle was pleased to see that her words were finally starting to sink in. However, she could tell that Chad needed some time to pull himself together, so she told him to get Ciara to watch Thomas for the night. Chad muttered that Ciara was unavailable. "Well, I guess that settles that," Belle replied with a sigh. Assuming that he knew what Belle was about to do, Chad started to protest, but she continued, "I guess I'm gonna stay the night."
At the Kiriakis mansion, Deimos and Nicole sipped Champagne. Nicole was quiet. When Deimos asked what was wrong, Nicole said she could not fathom why Victor would have kidnapped his grandson. Deimos asked Nicole if she believed that he had played no part in the kidnapping. Nicole firmly stated that she believed that Deimos was not involved. Shaking her head, Nicole said she also had difficulty believing that Victor would be so cruel to his family and Theresa.
Deimos informed Nicole that he had employed investigators to see if someone had framed Victor. Deimos admitted that the investigation was to help prove his innocence as well as Victor's. Nicole kissed Deimos. As the two kissed passionately, Deimos asked Nicole to move into the house because he did not want to be apart from her. Nicole kissed Deimos again, and the two made love on the couch.
At Club TBD, Philip talked to Kate over dinner. Philip noted that Deimos was an endless supply of bad news. Kate did not want to discuss Deimos. Philip said he was sorry to see Kate was miserable, but it was her fault. Angry, Kate lashed out at Philip. Smiling, Philip said he was happy to see his mother's fire. Philip guessed that Kate was out for revenge. Kate denied the accusation.
Kate accused Philip of sleeping with Chloe. Stammering, Philip said he was not sleeping with Chloe. Kate warned Philip that Chloe would revert to form and hurt him. Right on cue, Chloe stopped by the table. Chloe asked if Kate was warning Philip about her. Kate told Chloe that she was a conniving witch who would hurt Philip. Chloe rolled her eyes. When Chloe calmly reminded Kate of her past misdeeds, Kate flounced out of the club.
Chloe sat down at the table with Philip to talk about the baby. Chloe was reluctant to accept Philip's offer to be a surrogate father, but Philip argued that he was the only person that the town would believe could be the father. When Chloe noted that Kate would be furious, Philip joked that it was bad timing, since Kate was just starting to like Chloe. Philip said it was in his interest to help Chloe because she was the future of his label. Chloe took Philip's hand.
In the town square, Deimos and Nicole walked arm in arm. Deimos asked Nicole again about moving into the mansion. Nicole requested time to think. With a nod, Deimos agreed. With a chuckle, Deimos said that Nicole could take her time as long as she eventually said yes. Nicole kissed Deimos as Kate walked around the corner. With a groan, Kate rolled her eyes in disgust at the sight of the lovers.
As Deimos pulled away from Nicole, he spotted Kate across the square. With a grin, Kate walked over and noted that the two made a handsome, fairytale couple. Kate picked up a rose and smiled over it at Nicole. Deimos noted that Kate could be the wicked witch in their fairytale. "Or something that rhymes with witch," Nicole chimed in.
Chuckling, Kate argued that if she were a witch, she would have cast some spells. Deimos warned Kate not to make a fool of herself. Deimos put his arm around Nicole, and they walked away. Furious, Kate ripped the rose she was holding to shreds.
At Club TBD, Chloe wondered aloud if she should move to Los Angeles and record for Philip there. Philip did not want to handle their business relationship long-distance. Philip added that Deimos would learn about the pregnancy eventually. With a nod, Chloe hugged Philip and thanked him. Chloe told Philip that he was saving her life. As Chloe hugged Philip, Nicole and Deimos walked into the club and spotted them.
At the police station, Justin interrupted Roman's interrogation of Victor. Justin explained that he was Victor's lawyer. Upset, Victor argued that Deimos had arranged to kidnap Tate and frame him. Victor recounted the use of the Chopin group as a blatant clue that Deimos had been involved.
In the bullpen of the precinct, Sonny asked Brady why he was so certain that Victor was to blame for the kidnapping. Brady pointed out the $100,000 payment to Summer and the evidence leading to Lauren Cartwright. As Sonny sighed, Brady added that Lauren's cell phone only had one phone number, which was Victor's number. Unswayed, Sonny argued that Brady only had opinions, not facts.
"Maybe you should be out there looking for who set him up rather than measuring the rope to hang him," Sonny suggested. Roman escorted Victor and Justin into the bullpen. Justin promised Victor that he would handle the bail hearing. Sonny told Victor that he would not give up on his grandfather. Glaring at Brady, Victor said he was glad that some members of his family believed in him. As Victor was led away, Brady asked Justin why he was helping Victor.
Justin reminded Brady that Victor had changed. Gritting his teeth, Brady reminded Justin that he had lost his job as D.A. because of one of Victor's schemes. Justin asked Brady to consider that his judgment was clouded and that Deimos was the one to blame. Brady said he had investigated Deimos but had not found any evidence to connect Deimos to the kidnapping. When Justin asked why Brady had quit investigating, Brady said he had wanted to blame Deimos, but the only evidence had pointed to Victor.
At the hospital, Theresa and Tate visited an anxious Maggie. Maggie beamed when she saw the baby. When Maggie asked about Tate's health, Theresa muttered that Victor had made sure that Tate was in good health. Fighting tears, Maggie swore that Victor was innocent. Changing the subject, Theresa asked about when Maggie would be able to walk. Maggie explained that she needed to go through rehab and let time do its work.
Theresa apologized for the timing of Victor's arrest. When Maggie asked about Summer, Theresa noted that Summer was on the run. Theresa told Maggie that she would always be there for her, regardless of her feelings about Victor's guilt.
After her chat with Maggie, Theresa headed home. As Theresa cooed over Tate in his crib, she started to cry. Brady returned home and hugged Theresa. Brady reminded Theresa that Tate was home and safe. Wiping away tears, Theresa asked Brady if Victor was behind bars. Brady nodded. Brady told Theresa that Justin and Sonny had accused him of disloyalty to the family by not believing Victor was innocent.
With a sigh, Theresa asked Brady if any part of him believed that Victor was innocent. Brady said he felt guilty about Victor because he did not want to believe that anyone in his family could have kidnapped his son. Theresa kissed Brady and assured him that she would be there for him. Placing her arms around Brady, Theresa said that she and Brady would always have one another.
In her hospital room, Maggie called the jail and pleaded with them to let her talk to Victor. Maggie explained her situation, but the guard refused to put Victor on the phone. The guard agreed to deliver a message to Victor, and Maggie asked the guard to tell Victor that she loved him and believed in him. After Maggie hung up the phone, she stared at a wedding photo of her and Victor on her phone as tears rolled down her face. Maggie remembered thoughtful gifts that Victor had given her, including a statue and a pair of red shoes.
"You couldn't have done it, Victor. I know your heart as well as I know my own. And I know. I know it's so full of love for Brady and for his son. You just couldn't have done it," Maggie said quietly. As Maggie stared at the photo, her phone rang. When Maggie answered, she was overjoyed to hear Victor's voice. Victor explained that he was in jail but that a friendly guard had given Victor his personal cell phone to call Maggie. Victor assured Maggie that he was fine. When Victor asked about Maggie's health, she said she was fine. Victor promised that he would be home soon.
In the hallway outside Maggie's room, Justin advised Sonny to steer the conversation away from Victor and instead over to Maggie's recovery. Sonny asked about Justin's plan to help Victor. Justin said he hoped to get Victor released on bail. When Sonny noted that Victor had been framed, Justin countered that knowing Victor was innocent was different than proving he was innocent. Sonny wanted to investigate the mobster that Brady had found that had been connected to Deimos.
"Whoever did this broke a lot of laws to put Uncle Vic in jail. I say we return the favor. We're gonna do whatever it takes to make this right. Legal or illegal," Sonny said.
