The wedding crasher makes a shocking claim
At St. Luke's, everyone stared at the wedding crasher in shock. "I feel a bit underdressed. Should have worn a tie," he joked as he realized that he was the only person wearing everyday street clothes.
"Oh, my God. Ben," Abigail muttered, dropping her bouquet in horror. Things began moving in slow motion for her at that moment as the other people in the church faded away until only he was there with her. "What's happening? Where is everybody? Am I going crazy? Is that what this is?" she wondered as he stared at her in silence, flashing a taunting smirk. "Are you a sign that I'm not ready to be Chad's wife? Not ready to be Thomas' mother? 'Cause I can't lose them again. I don't -- I don't want to go back to the sanitarium and lose everything. I just -- I don't think I could do..." she fearfully continued until her voice suddenly trailed off.
Steeling herself, Abigail picked up the bouquet and defiantly told Ben, "I'm not gonna fall apart this time because that would mean that you won, and you don't [get to win]. I win. I'm not afraid of you. You don't have any power over me. You can't hurt me. You can't hurt the people that I love. You understand me? 'Cause I'm not imagining this. You're real, and I'm not crazy. So I'm not gonna let you destroy my life -- ever."
"You son of a bitch!" Abigail spat at Ben as she snapped back to reality. Before anyone could stop her, she advanced toward him and landed a punch that sent him to his knees.
Chad rushed to Abigail's side and held her back as Rafe and J.J. pulled Ben to his feet and kept a firm grip on him. Meanwhile, Jennifer worriedly wondered if Hope knew why Ben was suddenly walking around as a free man again. Hope promised to find out then rushed into an adjacent room with her cell phone already pressed against her ear, calling for Lani to join her. Confused, Eli approached Gabi and asked her to explain what was going on. "[That's] the man that killed Arianna's father. But he's supposed to be locked up," Gabi shakily informed Eli.
Abigail demanded to know how Ben had managed to get out of Bayview. "Things have been pretty crazy around there lately -- all this confusion with John and Marlena and Andre -- and people start getting lazy, they leave their keys around..." Ben began to explain. Chad incredulously demanded to know if Ben was saying that he had simply grabbed a set of keys and waltzed right out of the sanitarium. Ben, still focused on Abigail, continued, "I happened to see a little article about your wedding. Seemed like it was gonna be the event of the season, and you know me -- never one to miss a party."
Chad suddenly lunged forward, but Rafe kept him away from Ben long enough for Andre to intervene. Chuckling dismissively, Ben asked, "What are you gonna do, Chad, huh? What are you gonna do in front of all these people here -- doctors, lawyers, cops...? What are you gonna do?" Andre warned Chad not to do anything that would land him back in jail. Despite the warning, Chad continued debating the idea of attacking Ben, insisting, "It'd be worth it." Grinning wickedly, Ben revealed that he had heard all about Chad's recent arrest. "Lots of murderers around these parts, huh?" Ben mused, chuckling again.
Ben soon turned his attention to Andre, stressing that he was sorry they had missed each other at Bayview. "If I had known you were gonna be there, I would have -- I would have engineered a nice little payback for what you did to my father, you piece of --" Ben continued. Interrupting, Andre countered, "Well, unlike you, I don't [belong] in an asylum." Ignoring the dig, Ben moved on to John and Marlena, stating that he was sorry he had missed them, too. "Must've been, you know, a real bummer to be wrongfully committed like that, huh? [If I had known], maybe I could have helped -- not that anybody would believe somebody like me, though, right?" Ben mused.
"A murderer and a liar?" Chad helpfully summarized. "Even liars tell the truth time to time," Ben countered. Confused, Abigail wondered what that was supposed to mean. "It means, Abby, that I came here today because I have something very important to say," Ben cryptically clarified. Meanwhile, Hope returned to announce that Bayview officials and backup police officers were en route to St. Luke's. As Hope instructed Rafe and J.J. to escort Ben out of the church so the wedding could continue in the meantime, Ben curiously observed, "I thought weddings were supposed to make people happy, but look at everybody in here! Everybody's so mad!"
Abigail demanded to know why Ben was trying to wreck her wedding. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, Abby, okay? I didn't come here to wreck your wedding; in fact, I didn't come here for you two at all," Ben informed Abigail and Chad. Eyeing Sonny and Paul, Ben continued, "I came to talk to them. See, I have something quite interesting that I know, Sonny, you're gonna want to hear."
Sonny insisted he wasn't interested in hearing anything Ben had to say. Paul tried to convince Sonny not to engage with Ben, but Sonny ignored the advice and forged ahead, telling Ben, "You killed my husband. You took away my daughter's father. You're not gonna walk in here and ruin this day, do you hear me? Not after all the damage that you've caused. You murdered Paige, you tortured Abigail, and you killed my husband! Do you know how much pain and suffering you caused? And we finally found a way to get over it -- we finally found a way to move on -- and that's what this wedding was supposed to be about."
"Sonny, you need to listen to me, okay?" Ben insisted. Ignoring Ben's demand, Sonny continued, "I gave you a job! I let you into my business -- into my family -- and you took the most important thing in my life!"
Paul silently absorbed the comment as Ben asked Sonny, "Are you done? If you're done, I have something to tell you." Sonny angrily ordered Ben to shut up, adding, "Because of you, I never got a chance to work out my feelings with Will! I never got to tell him that I loved him as much as he loved me! Do you know what that feels like? I never got a chance to say goodbye, and I wonder every day, 'What would it -- what would it have been like if I was here, and I could have stopped you from murdering him? Would he still be here? Would we still be together?' And what about my daughter? What about Will's daughter? He would read to her every night and talk about the adventures we were gonna go on as a family. But that's gone now. You destroyed our family the moment you put that tie around Will's neck [and] strangled the life out of him!"
Ben tried to explain that that was what he wanted to talk to Sonny about, but Sonny ignored him and continued, "You are a monster, and you deserve to rot in prison for the rest of your life! I never want to see your face ever again, and there is nothing you could ever say to me that would undo the hurt and pain and loss of me and my daughter!" Ben cryptically warned Sonny not to be so sure about that.
"Look, I came here today to make amends. I know I can't make up for all my sins, man, but maybe I can -- maybe I can fix the biggest one," Ben continued. Sonny shook his head in disgust and told Rafe and J.J. to get Ben out of his sight immediately. "Sonny, please! Hey, I got three words for you, Sonny!" Ben teased as Rafe and J.J. started to drag him away. "Yeah? What are they?" Sonny asked tiredly. "Will is alive!" Ben revealed.
Everyone absorbed the announcement in shock. John assured Marlena that Ben was simply playing mind games. Nodding, Marlena agreed that the claim had to be Ben's way of trying to torture everyone. Eli asked Gabi if it was possible that Ben could actually be telling the truth. Gabi insisted that Will was definitely dead. Sonny demanded to know what Ben was trying to do. "I'm telling you the truth, man -- that's all. Will's alive. As alive as you and me," Ben maintained. Kate furiously ordered Ben to shut up, adding, "How dare you come here after what you did to Will? You've hurt him enough! You've hurt Sonny enough! You're sick! Sick!" Ben said he was sorry Kate felt that way. "But you, of all people, should be happy that your grandson's alive," Ben added as police officers entered the church -- along with a doctor who intended to sedate him for transfer back to Bayview.
Hope was okay with the idea of Ben being sedated but insisted that he wasn't going back to Bayview right away; instead, he was going to be taking a trip down to the police station first, since he had already escaped from the sanitarium once that day. Ben protested, "Sonny! Sonny, look at me! If you don't hear what I have to say, they're gonna bring me back there [and] they're gonna drug me -- turn me into a drooling zombie -- and you're gonna be left wondering! You're gonna be left wondering, Sonny! 'What if that crazy son of a bitch was right? What if my beloved Will is alive?'"
Realizing that Ben was right, Sonny decided to hear him out. Paul tried to talk Sonny out of the idea, but Sonny ignored Paul and told Ben, "You've got thirty seconds to explain why you're saying Will's alive." Paul continued trying to change Sonny's mind, insisting that listening to Ben was a waste of time. Ben dismissively advised Paul, "Hey, slugger, why don't you let Sonny decide for himself, huh? He obviously wants to hear what I have to say about his husband." Ben promised to answer every question Sonny had -- but only in private. Justin refused to let Sonny be alone with Ben, and Paul agreed, maintaining that it was pointless for Sonny to waste another minute on a homicidal maniac. "Please, can we just -- can you get him out of here so we can continue on with our wedding?" Paul begged. Sonny told the police officers to take Ben away, conceding that Paul was right.
Hope, Rafe, J.J., and Lani followed the police officers out of the room with Ben. As the remaining guests returned to their seats, Andre asked if Kate was all right. "I don't know. I'm just glad that Lucas wasn't here to hear that," Kate admitted with a sigh. Bonnie complained that Ben should have been allowed to reveal his news, adding, "[He] hyped us up and gave us nothing!" Maggie insisted that Ben was a psychopath who couldn't be trusted, and Victor added, "What the hell is the matter with you, [Adrienne]? Do you have any idea what that lunatic put your son through?" Bonnie maintained, "Just saying..."
John and Brady stepped aside to check on Paul, giving Kayla a chance to find out how Marlena was doing. Sighing, Marlena admitted, "[I had already] been thinking about Will all day, remembering the day that I stood in front of Will and Sonny when they exchanged their marriage vows." Kayla assured Marlena that everyone missed Will. Meanwhile, Paul told John and Brady that he was fine -- aside from being worried about Sonny, of course. "The good news? I don't think anyone's gonna forget our wedding," Paul joked. Elsewhere, Chad reminded Sonny that Will was alive -- in the heart of every person who had loved him.
A cop drove a squad car up to the entrance of St. Luke's to pick up Ben, who shouted, loudly enough to be heard inside the church, "You're making a big mistake! I'm not lying about Will! I'm not lying!" Paul reached for Sonny's left hand and quietly assured him, "I know it's not gonna be easy for you to forget the things that [Ben] said, [but] just hold on to me, and we're gonna be okay." Justin waited for a signal from Sonny then instructed Abigail to restart her vows. "As I was saying earlier...life is full of surprises. Some are good, [but others] are not very good," Abigail jokingly began, eliciting laughter from many of the guests.
"Every love story has got a beginning, and I remember the first time I ever set eyes on you," Abigail continued. As Sonny listened to Abigail's vows, he wistfully recalled his first conversation with Will. "And you just looked at me -- just a look...and one smile. [Then] our first date...and our first kiss," Abigail continued, prompting Sonny to recall his first date with Will as well as the first kiss they had shared. Tears welled up in Sonny's eyes as Abigail continued, "And it was in that moment right there that I knew -- 'I found him. That's my soul mate. That's the man that I am supposed to live my whole life with.'" As Sonny recalled making love to Will for the first time, the tears began rolling down his cheeks. "I didn't think it was possible to love you any more than I already did, [but] then Thomas was born," Abigail continued, prompting Sonny to recall raising Arianna with Will.
While Sonny was being flooded with memories of Will, Paul suddenly asked, "Sonny, are you all right?" Sonny shakily admitted that he wasn't. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I can't do this," Sonny added before rushing off. Paul chased after Sonny, who paused in the entryway -- near the guest book that Ben had thoughtfully signed earlier -- and told Paul, "I love you, and I wanted to marry you more than anything in this world, [but] I can't. I can't. Not now. I can't, in good faith, marry you -- not until I find out why Ben said Will's alive." Paul begged Sonny not to listen to Ben's crazy story, insisting that Ben was an insane murderer who didn't deserve to have that kind of power over Sonny, but Sonny maintained, "I have to hear him out. I have to know for sure." When Chad and Abigail stepped into the entryway seconds later, Sonny apologized to them again then left, with Paul close behind.
Kate and Justin soon joined Chad and Abigail in the entryway and wondered what was going on. Abigail explained that Sonny had gone to the police station to talk to Ben, and Paul had chased after him. "Oh, my God. Something has to be done about that bastard permanently," Kate muttered. "Ben will get what he deserves. It's Sonny I'm worried about," Justin stressed. Changing the subject, Justin assured Chad and Abigail that if they wanted to continue the ceremony, he would be willing to do so.
Meanwhile, the guests waited anxiously. Doug admitted to Julie that he felt bad for Sonny. "Well, we all know how much he loved Will. If I was Sonny, I'd want some answers, too!" Julie replied. Nicole hoped that talking to Ben would give Sonny a sense of closure. "I just have a feeling that this is not going to turn out well," Brady skeptically mused in response. Maggie wondered why Adrienne hadn't rushed off to check on Sonny yet. "I just, uh, wanted to give him some space," Bonnie explained. "Space?" Maggie repeated incredulously. "He had his wedding interrupted by the man who killed his husband!" Maggie continued. "I know that!" Bonnie replied.
As Bonnie reluctantly rose to her feet to check on Sonny, Justin returned and announced that Sonny and Paul had left the church. While others reacted to the news, Theo asked Justin if Chad and Abigail were still going to get married that day. Justin admitted that he wasn't sure. Chad and Abigail soon returned and announced that they had decided to postpone the wedding for the time being so they could offer Sonny and Paul their support.
At the police station, Ben made it clear that he wasn't going to talk to anyone other than Sonny. When J.J. started to go off on Ben for killing Paige, Ben countered, "Shouldn't you be at the church? I mean, it seems kind of rude that you just bailed on your own sister's wedding. But I guess there's always the next one." J.J. grabbed Ben and angrily warned him to shut up, prompting Rafe to intervene. J.J. reluctantly stormed off after telling Ben that everyone was going to move on from his earlier stunt and forget that he had ever even existed. "You can try..." Ben tauntingly replied.
Later, Sonny entered the police station and insisted that he needed to talk to Ben. Hope didn't think that was a good idea, and Rafe agreed that Sonny didn't need to waste another breath on Ben, but Paul informed the detectives that Sonny's mind was already made up. "This is something I need to do. I need answers. Please! Please," Sonny begged Hope and Rafe, who reluctantly granted the request.
Paul sighed as he watched Sonny join Ben in one of the conference rooms.
After the double wedding was postponed, Chad sat alone in the church and stared at Abigail's ring. Abigail joined Chad after checking on Thomas. The couple agreed that the day had been a disaster. Chad admitted he was worried about Sonny. Abigail said that part of her wished that Ben's story about Will being alive was true. Shaking her head, Abigail added that Ben was obviously lying. After expressing their mutual relief that Ben was not interested in them, Chad congratulated Abigail on the right hook she had landed on Ben's jaw.
Abigail admitted that she had believed she had gone insane and had imagined Ben. Smiling, Abigail said she was happy to know that Ben could no longer hurt her. Abigail said they would make it through the ordeal, and so would Sonny and Paul.
After checking in with Gabi on the phone, Abigail and Chad said they were thankful that Arianna had not heard about Will. Squeezing Abigail's hand, Chad told her that he was proud of how strong Abigail had been leading up to and through the wedding. Abigail agreed that the old Abigail would have seen all the problems as omens that they should not marry. Chad said he did not believe anyone would get in their way.
Chuckling, Chad asked Abigail where she had learned to punch. Abigail admitted that she had been picked on as a girl, and Will had taught her how to stand up for herself. Chad was amazed he had not heard that story about Will before. Worried about Sonny and Paul, Chad wondered aloud if they should reach out to them. Abigail suggested that they call J.J.
In the interrogation room at the police station, Sonny confronted Ben. Ben said he would not talk without his lawyer present. Frustrated, Sonny accused Ben of using Will to void his murder charge. As Sonny turned to leave, Ben warned Sonny that he would never forgive himself if he walked away without getting answers. Sonny demanded to know why Ben believed that Will was alive. Ben reiterated his demand to speak to his lawyer.
Sonny argued that Ben would have mentioned Will at the trial if he had been alive. With a shrug, Ben said he had a reason. Sonny asked what Ben wanted. After scoffing at the idea that he was interested in Abigail, Ben said he was not interested in "that bitch." Ben said he wanted Chad and Abigail to suffer, and "mark my words, they will." Sonny refused to help Ben hurt Abigail. With a grin, Ben said that sometimes there was more to a story than was evident at first.
Outside the interrogation room, an anxious Paul wanted to join Sonny while he questioned Ben. J.J. warned Paul to give Sonny space to talk to Ben. Fighting emotion, J.J. reminded Paul that he had been there when Will's body had been taken to the morgue and that Will's parents had identified him.
In the interrogation room, a confused Sonny asked why Ben was telling the story two years after Will's death. As Paul walked into the room with J.J., Ben said he had learned that Sonny was marrying Paul, and he'd needed to tell him that his husband was still alive. Paul yelled at Ben, blaming him for killing Will. Paul turned to Sonny and told him that Sonny knew that Will was not alive. Sonny quietly said he needed to know the truth.
Staring coldly at Sonny, Ben said that Sonny did not know for sure that Will was dead. Ben argued that Sonny felt in his heart that Will was out there. Paul stared in Sonny's eyes and urged him to walk away and not let Ben manipulate him. Sonny looked over at Ben. "You're right. This was a waste of time," Sonny said. Ben said Sonny would see soon enough. Paul asked Sonny to marry him and prove that Ben had no hold over them.
From the DiMera mansion, Kate called Hope at the station. Hope warned Kate not to get her hopes up about Will. Kate pressed Hope to investigate whether anyone had helped Ben escape. Hope promised to check on Clyde and make sure he was behind bars. As Kate hung up the phone, Andre placed a hand on her shoulder, startling her. Kate warned Andre not to scare her again. Andre apologized. Wiping away tears, Kate talked about what a wonderful person Will had been.
Kate lamented that she had not spent more time with Will. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Kate said that Will reminded her of Lucas. Andre told Kate that he was sorry Lucas had relapsed. Andre asked about Ben, and Kate said that Ben had refused to talk until he had spoken with his lawyer. Sniffling, Kate said that Ben's reappearance had reminded her of the moment she had learned that Will had died. Andre asked Kate if Ben's story had given her any hope.
"Hope is a cruel thing. I never hope anymore," Kate whispered. Andre warned Kate that she sounded cynical. Kate changed the subject back to Lucas, and she wondered aloud if she should call Lucas and tell him what Ben had said. Andre advised Kate not to talk to Lucas until she had more news. Andre offered to send people out to look for Will. When Kate asked why, Andre noted that Kate was his wife, and more importantly, his friend.
With a smirk, Kate countered, "Maybe more frenemy than friend." "It depends on the day," Andre retorted. Kate said she was glad that Andre had been with her at the wedding. Kate added that she thought Andre had given a lovely speech. The two hugged. As they pulled away, they hesitated, almost kissing. They shook off the moment, and Andre left to check on Chad.
In the police station bullpen, Rafe informed Hope that the psychiatric hospital had confirmed Ben's story about the details of his escape. Hope told Rafe that she was looking into whether Clyde had been a part of the escape plan, and she agreed with Rafe that they needed to make sure that Ben was not able to escape from the hospital again. With a furrowed brow, Hope wondered aloud why Ben had gone to the church after he had escaped. Hope added that it was strange that Ben had been focused on Sonny and not Abigail.
Abe called Hope and asked her and Rafe to meet him in the park. When they arrived, Abe announced that the town was in an uproar over Ben's escape, and he needed to appoint a commissioner to calm the town. Abe asked Rafe and Hope if either of them had changed their mind about the job. Looking at one another, Rafe and Hope said they were both still eager and ready to take orders from the other if they did not get the job.
After Abe made his decision, Hope and Rafe told one another that they were happy with the decision. When they hugged, Hope's eyes bugged out in shock. Rafe congratulated the new Commissioner Brady. Hope beamed as Rafe asked her if he should call her "Boss."
At the pub, John asked Marlena if she was okay. Breaking down into tears, Marlena confided that she was hurting. After Marlena finished crying, she and John had a cup of coffee and discussed what they should do. Marlena wanted to talk to the hospital about Ben. When John suggested that the hospital might claim confidentiality, Marlena threatened to sue the hospital for committing her if they denied her information about Ben. Marlena added that Ben's story could be a lie, but she had seen enough crazy things in her life to wonder if Will was alive.
Marlena said the thought sounded crazy, but she needed to investigate. With tears in her eyes, Marlena said, "Wouldn't it be so wonderful if Will was alive? And I know Kate, Kate must be feeling the same thing." With a gasp, Marlena said she did not mean to be so insensitive to Paul. John noted that he loved Will, too, and he was worried about Paul and Will. Marlena admitted that she had been thinking about Will all day before the ceremony.
Abigail called J.J. at the station. J.J. told Abigail that Ben had not told them anything useful yet. J.J. asked Abigail not to let Ben's return ruin her day. Abigail looked over at Chad and laughed. Abigail assured J.J. that she was fine. After talking to his sister, J.J. returned to the interrogation room to talk to Ben.
When Ben mentioned that he had not killed Will, J.J. grabbed Ben by the hair and asked him if he had killed the other people, including Paige. "She's worm food, I'm sorry," Ben said with a laugh. J.J. pulled his gun out of the holster and threatened to "do the world a favor." Ben rose to his feet and leaned his forehead against the muzzle of the gun.
Abe arranged an impromptu press conference in a secluded section of Horton Town Square to announce Hope's appointment as the Salem Police Department's new commissioner.
"Commissioner Brady is not only a first-rate detective with years of experience, [she] is also one of the finest people it has ever been my privilege to know," Abe told the gathered members of the press, adding that he was looking forward to working with Hope in her new capacity as police commissioner. Hope braced herself when Abe began accepting questions, but the reporters didn't seem to have any concerns about her promotion; they were more interested in finding out what was going on with Ben Weston. Abe revealed that Ben was in police custody -- and that Hope had every intention of keeping him there for the foreseeable future.
When the next question was also directed at Abe, Hope took the hint and stepped aside. Rafe, who had been waiting nearby, quietly mused, "'Commissioner Brady' does have a nice ring to it..." Rafe added that he was going to miss having Hope as his partner. "You're still my partner in every way," Hope stressed before giving Rafe a kiss. Smiling, Rafe suggestively assured Hope that they would properly celebrate her promotion later.
Elsewhere, Lani found Paul sitting alone on a bench, looking upset. "I wish I was dancing at your wedding reception right now," she told him. "You have no idea how much I wish that, too," he sadly replied.
Lani reported that she had just returned from Bayview, where the staff had confirmed Ben's story about how he had managed to escape. Lani continued that Ben had apparently never told anyone there that Will was still alive. "Well, that's his story, and he's sticking to it," Paul grumbled. When Paul added that Sonny had tried to get answers out of Ben but hadn't gotten very far, Lani optimistically suggested that a trained cop might have better luck. Nodding, Paul informed Lani, "When [Sonny and I] left, J.J. was having a go at it."
At the police station, Ben dared J.J. to shoot him, joking, "Instead of a wedding, we could have a murder." Keeping the gun pointed at Ben's head, J.J. admitted that he had always felt sorry for Clyde's son for having to grow up with that as a role model. "But you are just like he is -- scum," J.J. spat. Smirking, Ben countered, "You know what you are, J.J.? A lying, cheating phony, just like your whore of a sister."
J.J. cocked the gun and angrily warned Ben, "If you don't shut up, I will shut you up!" Ben pressed his forehead against the barrel of the gun, still daring J.J. to pull the trigger. J.J. mused, "Life in a rubber room must be pretty boring. A bullet in the head could be just what you came here looking for. Is that why you wrecked my sister's wedding? Is that why you said Will's alive? To make us all as crazy as you are so one of us would put you out of your misery?" Ben maintained that Will was alive, but J.J. refused to believe that. "Tell me why you're putting his loved ones through this, or you will leave this room in a body bag!" J.J. demanded.
"Holster your weapon -- right now!" Hope ordered J.J. as she burst into the room with Rafe. J.J. reluctantly complied when Hope repeated the command. "[Ben's] playing games. He's not answering my questions. He needed to know I meant business," J.J. unapologetically explained. "[J.J.] said he wanted to put a bullet in my head so he could dance on my grave," Ben calmly clarified.
When J.J. angrily repeated his earlier threat about shutting Ben up one way or another, Hope put herself between the two men and declared, "You're done here, J.J." J.J. protested that Hope didn't have the authority to make that call, prompting Rafe to reveal that she had just been named the new police commissioner. J.J. stared at Hope in shock as she promised that they would talk later, after he'd had a chance to pull himself together. "Yes, ma'am," J.J. muttered before storming out of the conference room. Lani had arrived seconds earlier, and when she tried to find out what had just happened, J.J. dragged her off to a more private location to fill her in.
Meanwhile, Ben told Hope and Rafe, "That was police brutality. I'll be suing this department." Rafe sarcastically agreed that Ben was a very reliable witness. "Sonny Kiriakis believes what I say," Ben confidently countered.
Hope warned Ben not to be so sure about that, adding that his earlier stunt would probably end up earning him nothing but a one-way ticket back to Bayview. "You try and send me..." Ben began to shout before abruptly stopping himself. After taking a deep breath, Ben continued, more calmly, "If you send me back there, you will never find out what I know about Will."
Rafe wrapped a hand around Ben's neck and pushed his head back against a wall, pointing out that Ben was in no position to dish out ultimatums. Playing good cop to Rafe's bad cop, Hope ordered him to back off. "What is it with you? You got a sweet spot for this guy?" Rafe asked Hope, feigning disgust. Ben gave Rafe a mocking shrug then turned his attention to Hope, who cordially pointed out, "Ben, if Will really is alive, then your sentence reflects a crime that you didn't commit. [Now], if you don't feel like talking, I'll take off the cuffs, and you can write down everything that you know. Swear to the truth and sign it, and maybe we can work something out."
Ben wanted to talk to a lawyer first, but Hope insisted that no lawyer would ever agree to represent someone who had already been convicted of murder -- unless, of course, there was a very compelling reason to do so. "I'm not an idiot," Ben countered, guessing that if he didn't secure a deal beforehand, he would be sent back to "the cracker factory" the moment he revealed what he knew about Will.
"Ben, you went to a lot of trouble to escape Bayview on [Sonny's] wedding day. Now you have nothing to say? You had a lot to say before. I can ship you back to Bayview...or prison -- whatever I want. You're on borrowed time -- you realize that, don't you? You need to tell me -- right now -- what you know about Will, or there will be no deal to be made, do you understand? Not ever," Hope warned.
J.J. was still seething with anger when he stopped in a secluded section of the town square and told Lani, "I shouldn't have pulled my gun on Ben -- I was out of control, and that's on me -- but Hope could have done this another way. She busted my chops in front of a guy who kidnapped my sister [and] murdered my girlfriend!" J.J. was worried about what was going to happen next, but Lani felt confident that being taken off the case would be the extent of his punishment because, after all, Hope was family and knew all about the damage Ben had done to J.J.'s loved ones. "You should have never been in that room alone with him," Lani pointed out.
"Well, I didn't get anything out of him -- that's for sure. That smug little son of a bitch -- he was having a blast, and I let him get to me. You know, I was just trying to scare him, but the only person who's gonna pay is me," J.J. mused with a sigh. J.J. refused to apologize for what he had done, insisting that even though he had a temper, he'd had it under control while facing off with Ben, and he'd never actually been close to firing his gun. "As much as I wanted to," J.J. added through gritted teeth.
J.J. soon received a phone call from Hope, who wanted him to return to the police station immediately. After ending the call, J.J. nervously told Lani, "Guess I'm about to find out [my punishment]."
After taking Ben to a holding cell to give him time to think about his next move, Rafe rejoined Hope in one of the police station's conference rooms and assured her that he understood that she had simply been entertaining Ben's demands earlier in an effort to get him to reveal more information about Will. "I have to try [everything] -- for Lucas, Sami, and Sonny," Hope stressed.
Changing the subject, Rafe wondered how Hope planned to handle J.J.'s earlier stunt. After insisting that there had to be some sort of punishment, Hope asked Rafe, "How harsh do you think I should be?" Shrugging, Rafe pointed out, "Up to you...boss." Hope sighed and nodded, knowing that Rafe was right.
While sharing a meal with Abe at the Brady Pub, Valerie wondered what had contributed to his decision to promote Hope instead of Rafe. "History. She started the academy right out of high school, she's got seniority and a distinguished service record..." Abe began. When Valerie pointed out that Hope also had a prison record, Abe dismissed the concern, explaining that Hope had ultimately been cleared of all charges. "Do the people know that?" Valerie asked. "You know, I checked with my office, and we're not being flooded with protests of her selection," Abe replied with a shrug. Valerie took that to mean that Abe had made the right choice.
Abe added that Hope was a member of an old, respected Salem family, whereas Rafe, while being an asset to the police force because of his FBI experience, had multiple family members who had been on the wrong side of the law at one time or another. "It's not fair [for him to have to pay for that], but..." Abe concluded with a shrug. Valerie agreed that it sounded like a lot for the public to overlook.
Changing the subject, Valerie added, "Speaking of FBI experience, how are Eli's prospects looking [now]?" Abe maintained that he would love to see Eli join the police force. Abe warned, however, that Rafe had a vote in the matter because he was the one who was suddenly in need of a new partner -- and, unfortunately, he had unresolved issues with Eli that stemmed from the recent hostage situation.
Valerie incredulously pointed out that Eli had saved Rafe's sister's life during that ordeal. Abe explained that Rafe's take on the matter was that Eli had taken unnecessary risks that could have easily cost Gabi her life instead. "Well, what was he supposed to do -- let Raines push Gabi into a car and take off with her?" Valerie protested. Abe stressed that he wasn't defending Rafe's stance; he was simply outlining it.
Abe guessed that Rafe might also be a bit touchy about the idea of any new partner so soon after having lost a big promotion to his fiancée. "I will definitely speak to Hope about Eli...[but he] should be prepared for the fact that it might not be smooth sailing," Abe continued. Valerie nodded and thanked Abe for at least being willing to put in a good word on her son's behalf.
When J.J. joined Hope in one of the police station's conference rooms, she admitted, "I wish this wasn't my first personnel decision as commissioner." After acknowledging that he was not only family but had also turned into a fine cop, she continued, "I can't look past what happened today...[so] you are suspended without pay until further notice." He absorbed the announcement then handed over his badge and gun without saying a word.
"Stay the hell away from Ben Weston," Hope ordered J.J. "Anything else?" he numbly replied, glaring at her. When she confirmed that he was free to leave, he silently exited the police station.
Lani chased after J.J. Meanwhile, Hope rejoined Rafe and sighed as she told him, "[Never] regret not getting this job."
At St. Luke's, Jennifer and Andre anxiously waited for Chad and Abigail to make a decision about rescheduling the wedding ceremony. Jennifer seized the opportunity to thank Andre for everything he had done for Abigail in the past. "Well, I can see how good she is to my brother. I must say, I'm really happy about the two of them being able to find a way to come back to each other," Andre replied. Jennifer wondered if Kate would ever adopt Andre's stance on the matter. Chuckling, Andre informed Jennifer that, surprisingly, it seemed that Kate had already done just that.
Changing the subject, Andre wondered if Jennifer had heard from Lucas recently. "No...and if he hears what Ben has to say about Will, I have no idea how he'll react," Jennifer worriedly replied. Andre offered to try to find Lucas, but Jennifer declined, explaining that she had already sent her brother a message earlier. When Jennifer thanked Andre for caring enough to make such an offer, he reminded her that they were about to be family again. "[And] family is as important to the DiMeras as it is to the Hortons," Andre continued.
Chuckling, Andre mused, "Soon, two of Salem's greatest dynasties will be joined forever." Jennifer also laughed but was quick to stress that the Hortons had never really thought of themselves as a dynasty. "Well, you're part of [one] now!" Andre maintained.
Elsewhere, Sonny joined Chad and Abigail and told them about his earlier conversation with Ben. Chad remained convinced that Ben was lying about Will being alive, prompting Sonny to admit that everyone seemed to think that, including Paul. "But as long as I have the tiniest bit of doubt, I have to get to the bottom of this," Sonny insisted.
"If Ben is messing with you, I'm gonna kill him with my bare hands, I swear to..." Chad began to vow before remembering that he was in a church. After looking upward and muttering an apology, Chad wondered what it was going to take to convince Sonny that Ben really was just messing with him. "I wish I knew," Sonny replied with a shrug.
Sonny informed Chad and Abigail that he couldn't marry Paul while he had so many unanswered questions. "[But] I do not want Ben to ruin your wedding day. Paul and I can't get married, but the two of you can, [and] it would really help [us] to see you two happy," Sonny continued. Nodding, Chad and Abigail assured Sonny that they would consider the idea.
After Sonny left, Chad and Abigail had a brief conversation about the possibility of going through with their wedding ceremony. After reaching a decision, Chad and Abigail tracked down Jennifer and Andre and informed them that the wedding was back on. Abigail didn't want to summon all the guests back to the church because it had already been a long day for everyone, and Jennifer and Andre were already there to act as witnesses, anyway. However, that left the couple without someone to officiate the wedding. "[I can find someone to] perform the duties, even if I have to --" Andre began. "Don't finish that sentence," Chad interrupted.
Chad and Abigail were willing to get married at City Hall because they already had their marriage license, but Jennifer really wanted them to get married in the church where many of Abigail's milestones had occurred. Andre soon managed to pull up an online directory of licensed officiants on his cell phone, but when he showed the couple, Chad protested, "I don't want to get married by [some random] officiant you found at 'Weddings R Us.'"
As if on cue, Father Louis entered the church, having just returned from the hospital. After explaining that his sister was battling a sudden illness but was going to be okay, Father Louis added that he was sorry that the double wedding had been interrupted. Chad and Abigail revealed that they were thinking of continuing with their wedding -- if Father Louis would be willing to perform the ceremony. Father Louis happily agreed to do so.
As soon as everyone was ready, Father Louis began the ceremony -- from the very beginning. When Thomas started fussing, Chad politely informed Father Louis that, since they had already covered most of the standard parts of a wedding ceremony earlier, it would be okay for him to skip to the end -- if only for the boy's sake.
"Okay, so, uh -- well, so, if anyone here has just cause to --" Father Louis stammered. "Please tell me we're not leaving that part in," Abigail jokingly interjected. Father Louis happily skipped ahead again, encouraging Chad and Abigail to recite their vows. When it was time for the couple to exchange rings, Chad produced Abigail's original engagement ring. Abigail was touched that Chad had never parted with it.
"As Chad and Abigail have exchanged vows of love and fidelity in the presence of God and the church, I now pronounce that they are bound to each other in a holy covenant as long as they both shall live," Father Louis eventually concluded. "Finally!" Andre declared with a chuckle. Chad and Abigail kissed as Jennifer and Andre helped Thomas bombard them with celebratory bubbles from a bubble gun.
After leaving St. Luke's, Sonny joined Paul in the town square and apologized to him again for being unable to go through with the wedding. Paul claimed that he understood Sonny's reasons, but when Sonny expressed skepticism, Paul reluctantly backpedaled, admitting that although he was trying to understand, he was finding it hard to do so. "Sonny, you were in Paris when Will died, [but] Lucas and Sami identified Will's body, [so] how could the doctor and Will's parents make that kind of mistake?" Paul continued. Sonny argued that Ben had nothing to gain from claiming that Will was alive unless there was actually some truth to it.
Paul didn't think that was a valid argument because Ben was psychotic and therefore didn't need rational reasons for his actions. Paul suggested that Sonny, who had been feeling guilty about moving on with someone else in the days leading up to the double wedding, was just using Ben's announcement as an excuse to back out of it, but Sonny insisted that wasn't true. "You were the first man that I ever loved, [and] I love you with all of my heart and soul," Sonny assured Paul. "Well, I may have been the first, but I let you down, and then you met Will, and you loved him with all of your heart and soul," Paul countered.
Knowing that Sonny wanted Ben to be telling the truth, Paul stressed that he wanted that, too, for Sonny's sake -- and for the sake of every other person who had loved Will. "[But] I know that Ben's just screwing with us," Paul maintained. Sonny insisted that he couldn't forget about Ben's claim until he knew with absolute certainty that it was false, and he guessed that Sami and Lucas would feel the same way when they found out about it. Sighing, Paul somewhat tiredly advised Sonny, "Okay, well, if you want to know the truth...[and] multiple eyewitnesses aren't enough for you -- or a coroner's report...then what you need to do is exhume Will's body."
Paul took Sonny's strong reaction to the idea as confirmation that he knew, deep down, that Will really was dead and buried, but Sonny insisted that he didn't like the idea of disturbing anyone's grave. After giving the matter some thought, Sonny decided with a heavy sigh, "I have to ask for [it] to be done."
At the park, Eli assured Gabi that Arianna, who had just headed off to play with a friend, seemed to be oblivious to the drama that had occurred earlier that day.
"Look, I know [Ben] is out of his mind, but...you think there's a chance he could be telling the truth?" Eli asked. "There's absolutely no way that Will is alive. [I know because] I was the one that found [his body]," Gabi replied, recalling the horrific discovery. Gabi tearfully stressed that she had tried to revive Will but had been unable to do so.
"[Will] was my best friend, and I didn't get to say goodbye to him -- and neither did Arianna...because that disgusting, sick man took [him] away from us," Gabi spat. Eli sympathetically guessed that it had been extremely difficult for Gabi to explain Will's death to Arianna. Nodding, Gabi revealed between sobs, "You know, for a while, she'd wake up -- she'd wake up in the middle of the night, crying for her dad, [but she doesn't do that anymore because] she knows he's not coming back." Gabi angrily added that she would have decked Ben herself if Abigail hadn't literally beaten her to the punch.
"Don't get me wrong -- Sonny's an amazing dad to Arianna. I just wish she had Will in her life, too," Gabi stressed. Eli confirmed that he could relate because he had grown up without his biological father -- and had even lost his adoptive father at the age of six. Gabi revealed that she, too, had grown up without her biological father, who had only reentered her life a couple years earlier, after the death of one of his other daughters -- a sister she had never even known she'd had. Eli was shocked to learn that Ben was responsible for that death, too.
Eli assured Gabi, "[You know, I used to] feel pretty sorry for myself, growing up without a dad to look up to, but with the benefit of time and perspective, I've realized that my mother was twice the parent that most kids get, and I'm sure that Arianna is gonna feel the same way about you." After Gabi thanked Eli for the kind words, he changed the subject, admitting that he was sorry that the double wedding had been canceled because he had been looking forward to dancing with her at the reception. She joked that, on the bright side, the cancellation had saved her from the pain of having to dance in high heels. He agreed that getting dressed up was usually more of a hassle for women than it was for men. "The price [we women pay] for looking amazing is not being able to move," she summarized with a chuckle.
Eli offered to walk Gabi back to her place, but she declined, confidently insisting that she could walk home on her own because an amazing self-defense trainer had recently taught her all the crucial moves. He doubted that she had been taught how to defend herself while wearing restrictive clothing. Conceding the point, she agreed to let him teach her a few more things -- and the lessons soon led to a kiss.
While approaching Club TBD, Chloe noticed a new sign hanging on the front of the building, giving it a new name: Doug's Place. "The nerve of that woman..." Chloe grumbled, shaking her head in disbelief.
When Chloe entered the club, Lucas, who was chugging a bottle of Champagne, asked, "Where the hell is everybody?" She tried to take the bottle from him, but he refused to part with it. "Lame reception, don't you think?" he observed, looking around the otherwise empty club. She offered to take him back to his place so he could sleep off his latest binge, but he insisted that he had to stay so he could give his best wishes to the newlyweds.
"Lucas, there isn't gonna be a reception...because there was no wedding," Chloe reluctantly revealed. Confused, Lucas demanded more details, guessing, "Was it Paul? It was Paul, right? He changed his mind about Sonny? Oh, no, wait -- it was Sonny. Sonny ditched Paul, right? Because that's what Sonny does -- when the going gets tough, he ditches people, like he ditched my son!"
Chloe clarified that Sonny and Paul were still together but had not gotten married that day. Chloe added, when asked, that Chad and Abigail, on the other hand, had gotten married during a small, impromptu ceremony shortly after the cancellation of the planned double wedding. Chloe hesitantly explained that Ben Weston had escaped from Bayview and had interrupted the double wedding to make an announcement -- about Will.
"Apparently, [Ben told] Sonny that...Will is still alive," Chloe continued, stunning Lucas. "[And] evidently, Ben wanted Sonny to know the truth -- if that is the truth -- before [marrying] Paul," Chloe concluded with a shrug. Chloe couldn't provide more details because Jennifer hadn't said much about the matter when she had called to cancel the reception, so Lucas stormed off in search of someone who could answer his questions.
Sonny and Paul went to the Kiriakis mansion to ask Justin for help with the process of getting the body in Will's grave exhumed and tested. The plan stunned Justin, who insisted, "This is a bad idea."
Justin added that, in any case, there were no grounds for such a request because Sonny and Will had been legally separated at the time of Will's death. That was news to Sonny, who had never known that the paperwork for the legal separation -- which Sonny and Will had agreed to pursue while Sonny had been living in Paris -- had been filed and processed before Will's death.
"Unfortunately, once you signed those documents, I had an obligation to send them in to the court," Justin explained with a shrug. "Would've been nice if I'd known that..." Sonny grumbled. Justin clarified that he had never talked to Sonny about the matter because the legal separation had been finalized just before Will's death, and it had seemed cruel to mention it while Sonny had been in mourning. Justin added that without compelling evidence that the body in Will's grave had been misidentified, only Lucas or Sami could request an exhumation.
After Justin went to check on Adrienne, Paul suggested that it might be best for Sonny to just abandon the exhumation idea. Sonny refused to do that, stressing, "I love you, Paul, [and] I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but that's not gonna happen unless I can give you my whole heart, so if there is the slightest chance that Will is alive, I need to do whatever it takes to find out, [because] otherwise I'm always gonna be wondering. So...as painful as it's gonna be, I have to see that the body in that grave is Will's."
Lucas stormed into the mansion at that moment and demanded to know, "What the hell is this about my son being alive?" Still unable to believe the shocking claim, Lucas tearfully reminded Sonny that Will had been placed in a casket and buried in a grave. Sonny admitted that he couldn't even begin to imagine how painful it had been for Lucas to lose a child. "But you know what? I loved Will with all of my heart, and even though you accuse me of forgetting him, I think [you know], deep down in your heart, [that] isn't true. Anyone that loved Will could never forget about him," Sonny continued as Paul silently absorbed the sting of the comments. Lucas assured Sonny, "I know that you loved him. He knew it, too."
Lucas remained skeptical that Will was still alive, even though he desperately wanted that to be true. Sonny stressed that he desperately wanted it to be true, too. "That's why I need you to sign off on something. We want to get Will's body exhumed," Sonny continued, gesturing toward Paul, who added that it was the only way to get definitive answers. "[But] I don't have the authority to do so. I am not authorized. It has to be one of his parents. So please, Lucas, can you give us the okay?" Sonny begged a stunned Lucas.
"There's no way in hell I'm giving you permission to dig up my son's body!" Lucas snapped before starting to leave the mansion. Confused, Sonny admitted that he had actually expected Lucas to jump at the chance to prove that Will was still alive. Lucas angrily asked Sonny, "What's wrong with you? [You] trying to get my hopes up or something?"
As Sonny started to respond, Lucas continued, "[Will's] gone, okay? He's dead! I saw his cold, lifeless body laying on that slab in the morgue. I saw the red marks around his neck, where that son of a bitch choked the life out of him! [And] no matter how much I drink, nothing works -- nothing gets rid of that image! Vodka, tequila, whiskey -- nothing works! It works on everything else, but not that! No matter how much I drink, it won't go away!"
Sonny tried to apologize to Lucas, who continued, "I was a miserable disappointment to my son. I failed him when he was here. I failed him in his lifetime. I am not gonna fail him in death, too! The only thing I can do is let him rest in peace. I hope...I hope to God that everybody else can do the same damn thing!"
Lucas stormed out of the mansion and slammed the door shut before Sonny could say another word. Paul offered to chase after Lucas, but Sonny didn't want to make the situation even worse. Sonny reluctantly allowed for the possibility that Lucas was right about it being best to just accept that Will was gone, but Paul knew that Sonny didn't really want to do that. Sonny gave a shrug of defeat, unable to think of anything else to do. Paul insisted, "Well, I'm not gonna give up that easily. If Will's father's not gonna help us, then there's somebody else who will." Meanwhile, Lucas paused outside the mansion and broke down.
While trying to fix a leak in the roof of the farmhouse, Eric received a phone call from Roman, who filled him in on what had happened at the double wedding. Roman couldn't think of a reason to tell Sami about Ben's claim, since it had not been verified, but Eric lived a lot closer to Salem and would have surely found out about it one way or another regardless, so Roman had wanted to be the one to share the news with him. Eric appreciated the call but insisted, when asked, that he didn't need help with the leaky roof.
At the Horton Town Square, Holly slept peacefully while Brady complained to Nicole that Titan was in the midst of a crisis because of the poor decisions Sonny had made during his brief stint as the company's CEO. Nicole had been under the impression that Brady had rehired the employees Sonny had fired, but Brady clarified that most of those people didn't want to return because of the way Sonny had treated them. Nicole urged Brady to cut Sonny some slack, since, after all, Sonny was family -- and had been through a lot lately, even as recently as that very day. "Well, thanks for taking his side," Brady grumbled.
Nicole stressed that she was always on Brady's side. Backpedaling, Brady claimed that he believed that and was only testy because it had been a long day. "Speaking of which...we haven't had a chance to talk about your speech at the wedding," Nicole pointed out. Brady insisted there was nothing to talk about, but Nicole thought the speech, with its strong words of advice about the importance of stopping at nothing to hold on to a partner, might have been a veiled commentary on their relationship.
Brady dismissively assured Nicole that everything was fine, adding that he loved her and simply didn't want to lose her. When he acknowledged that he hadn't exactly been a joy to be around lately, she recited the traditional wedding vows in an effort to convince him that she would stick with him through good times and bad times. He thanked her for the reassurance then rushed off to handle business matters.
After Brady left, Nicole started thinking about Eric -- and soon saw someone who looked like him, at least from behind, but turned out to be a stranger. Disappointed, Nicole turned her attention to Holly, who had just woken up and was fussing. Assuming that the child was upset about not having her mother's full attention, Nicole apologetically explained to Holly that she was simply missing Eric. Nicole added that Eric's departure from Salem was probably for the best because she and Holly belonged with Brady and Tate.
Brady entered the Brady Pub and considered gulping down a shot of vodka someone had left sitting on a table, but Roman emerged from the kitchen -- with a box containing fresh bottles of liquor -- before he could do so. After placing the box on the bar, Roman asked if Brady wanted anything. Brady ordered a club soda then mused, while eyeing the box, "There's probably a lot of people in this town that could use a stiff drink after what that Ben Weston pulled, huh?" Nodding, Roman admitted that if he had been at the double wedding, he probably would have attacked Ben as payback for everything. Brady guessed that Roman would have had a lot of backup.
Changing the subject, Roman wondered if Brady had talked to Eric lately. "Here and there," Brady vaguely replied. Brady added, when asked, that he had no idea why Eric had suddenly decided to move back to the farmhouse. After Roman returned to the kitchen, Brady grabbed one of the unattended liquor bottles, mixed its contents into his glass of club soda, and gulped down the resulting drink.
While passing through the town square, Chloe paused to talk to Nicole, who was sorry to hear that Lucas hadn't taken the news of Ben's claim very well -- and had already been wasted to begin with when Chloe had filled him in on it. "You know, I thank God every day that Brady is clean and sober," Nicole mused, causing Chloe to shift uncomfortably. Noticing the oddity, Nicole worriedly asked Chloe, "Is Brady drinking again?"
"Uh...the last time I saw Brady drinking, it was just water...I guess," Chloe evasively replied, eliciting a sigh of relief from Nicole. Chloe quickly changed the subject, asking if Brady had managed to accept Nicole's close working relationship with Eric yet. "Well, he doesn't have to worry about that anymore," Nicole answered, adding that Eric had recently decided to leave Salem for good.
"He said he felt [he'd] accomplished everything he could here in Salem [and needed] to move on, but I still think it's odd that he just got up and left, you know? No notice, no goodbye, no nothing," Nicole continued. Sighing, Chloe blurted out, "He left because of you."
At the DiMera mansion, newlyweds Chad and Abigail celebrated their marriage. Chad told Abigail that he had planned a honeymoon trip for them, but he asked Abigail if they could cancel the trip in light of recent events. Abigail agreed. Smiling, Abigail told Chad that she loved that Chad was the type of man that would not abandon his friends in their time of need. Chad and Abigail agreed that the situation with Ben and Sonny was not fair. Holding his wife's hand, Chad told Abigail that he loved her. The two went upstairs and made love. Afterward, Chad promised Abigail that they would be together forever.
In the Kiriakis living room, an anxious Brady marched into the room and poured a glass of water. Victor watched Brady and advised him not to let the events of the day or Nicole get to him. Brady admitted that he was struggling with his sobriety, and he was glad that Victor was there to keep him company. When Victor asked about Nicole, Brady said things were good with Nicole, but he was feeling guilty about forcing Eric to leave town. Victor advised Brady to stop feeling guilty about getting what he wanted.
Victor asked Brady if he would prefer that Eric remain in Salem, working with Nicole. As Brady paced, Victor asked him if it was worse to live with the guilt of pushing Eric away or to have him remain and slowly move in on Nicole. Victor told Brady that he had won. Brady agreed but added, "I wish I was happier about the way I did it."
In the town square, Chloe told Nicole that Eric had left Salem because of Nicole. Chloe added that both Eric and Brady had confided to her, and she did not want to keep any secrets from Nicole. Nicole confessed that Eric had told her that he had left town because of her. When Chloe asked for details, Nicole explained what Eric had written in the letter. Chloe told Nicole that what Eric had failed to tell her was that he was still in love with her.
Nicole refused to believe Chloe. Chloe explained that she had pushed Eric until he had confessed his feelings for Nicole. Chloe added that she had urged Eric to tell Nicole the truth. Confused, Nicole wondered aloud why Eric had gone out of his way to avoid her. Chloe said that Brady knew that Eric was in love with Nicole. When Nicole asked how Brady had learned the truth, Chloe admitted that she had accidentally told him. Confused, Nicole wondered aloud why Brady had not talked to her about Eric.
Chloe informed Nicole that Brady had ordered Eric to fire her from the center. Indignant, Nicole noted that Eric had not fired her. With a shrug, Chloe said that Eric had not wanted to fire Nicole from a job that she loved. Chloe added that Eric had not wanted to interfere with Nicole's happiness. Shaking her head, Nicole commented that Brady had spoken at the wedding and had said that people needed to do everything they could to be with the person they loved.
As Nicole stared into the distance, Chloe said she hoped Nicole forgave her for revealing the truth about Eric. Nicole promised that she was not mad. Nicole added that she was glad that Chloe had been honest with her. With a sigh, Nicole wondered aloud how she could have been so clueless. Nicole asked Chloe to watch Holly so she could run an errand. Chloe begged Nicole to tell her what she was going to do. Nicole said she would be in touch, and she left.
In the park, Gabi flipped Eli, using one of the self-defense moves he had taught her. As Gabi helped Eli to his feet and apologized, the two kissed. Rafe interrupted the kiss and growled at Eli to leave his sister alone. Rafe lit into Eli for taking advantage of his sister on an emotional day. Gabi defended Eli, and she argued that Eli had not taken advantage of her. When Gabi yelled that Chad had not even gotten married, Rafe corrected her and told her that Chad and Abigail had gone through with the ceremony.
Stunned, Gabi said, "Good for them." Gabi said she was fine. Rafe looked over at Eli and noted that that was why he did not want Eli messing with Gabi. Gabi told Rafe to back off. With a sigh, Gabi said she wanted alone time, and she asked Rafe to leave. Once Rafe was gone, Gabi apologized to Eli for her brother's comments. Eli said he understood why Rafe felt protective. Eli asked Gabi if she was okay. Gabi said she was only upset that Rafe was interfering in her life.
With a grin, Eli said Rafe did not scare him. Eli added that he was glad he was able to see Gabi stand up for him. As Gabi smiled, Eli said he hoped he had not taken advantage of her. Gabi promised that Eli had not overstepped with her. Gabi said that Eli had helped her get through the day and she was thankful he had been by her side. Eli said he was glad they had kissed, but he believed they should take things slowly. Gabi agreed.
In the police station, Sonny and Paul explained to Marlena that Lucas had refused to sign the papers to exhume Will's body. Sonny asked Marlena for help. Sonny urged Marlena to talk to Ben and convince him to talk about why he believed that Will was alive. Frustrated, Paul jumped in and exclaimed that Will was dead and that Ben was a liar. Quietly, Sonny countered that if there was a sliver of a chance, he needed to know if Will was alive. Marlena agreed to help.
When John arrived at the station he and Paul talked in the corner while Sonny and Marlena talked about Will. Marlena admitted that she could not stop thinking about Will's early death. With a sad smile, Marlena said she had been very pleased to attend Sonny's wedding to Paul and had been happy for Sonny to move on with his life. Sonny admitted that he felt guilty for falling in love again. With a groan, Sonny said he felt like he had abandoned Will and that Will had died believing that Sonny no longer loved him. Marlena disagreed. Marlena told Sonny that Will had believed that he and Sonny would reconcile.
"Will was the love of my life. I need to tell him that, Marlena. And I'm hoping I get that chance," Sonny said. Hope escorted Ben into the bullpen, and he commented that the gang was all there. When Ben mentioned Will, Paul started to attack him, but John grabbed Paul and calmed him down. Paul urged Sonny to go home and rest while Marlena talked to Ben. Paul promised to call Sonny if he learned any news about Will.
In the interrogation room, Ben asked Marlena if she was there to scream at him about Will. Marlena asked Ben why he believed Will was alive. Ben said he had wanted to tell Sonny that the love of his life was alive and had not been there just to break up the wedding. Marlena calmly argued that Ben's timing told a different story. Frazzled, Ben yelled that he did not want to be treated like a monster. Ben admitted that he might be a monster, but when he had escaped, he had returned to Salem to tell them the truth rather than go into hiding.
"What do I get for my efforts? Disrespect. Worse than that, I get treated like dirt! I get attacked. I get shunned and scorned like I rained on your damn parade! Screw that. Screw that. I'm done wasting my energy on a bunch of ingrates, so I say to hell with all of you!" Ben ranted. Marlena remained calm through Ben's tirade. Once calm himself, Ben noted that Marlena had remained at ease during his rant. Marlena countered that Ben had acted out because he felt guilt.
"I watched you in the church. I saw your face. I saw the remorse. I saw the regret you felt at hurting Will. You were friends. You were close friends, and Will was kind to you," Marlena said softly. "Lotta good that did him, huh?" Ben countered softly. As Ben grew emotional, Marlena told him that he would feel better if he talked to her. Ben told Marlena that she was wasting her time, but he encouraged her to ask him any questions she wanted.
Marlena asked Ben why he had said that Will was alive. Ben explained that he had not seen Will alive, but he knew that Will was alive. When Marlena asked if someone had told Ben that Will was alive, Ben said yes. Ben admitted that a visitor to the hospital had said that Will was alive. Marlena asked about the visitor.
In the police station bullpen, Paul confided to John that he wanted to help Sonny get through the pain of losing Will again once Ben admitted he was lying. John asked Paul what he would do if Ben was telling the truth. Paul asked if John believed Ben's lies. John said he only wanted Paul to be prepared for any possibility. Paul argued that Ben was a cruel man and would not destroy Paul's relationship with Sonny.
Across the room, Rafe returned to the station, and Hope told him that Marlena was talking to Ben about Will. Rafe scoffed at the idea that Ben would tell the truth. Changing the topic, Hope informed Rafe that she was assigning Eli as Rafe's new partner. "You've got to be kidding me," Rafe muttered. Before they could discuss it further, Marlena returned to the bullpen and informed the group that she needed their help to solve the mystery.
After Marlena updated the group on what she had learned, Hope returned to the interrogation room and asked Ben about the visitor at the hospital that had talked about Will. Ben said he did not remember the visitor. Hope opened an envelope and showed Ben a photo of Clyde. Hope asked if Clyde had been the visitor. Ben stared at the photo.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny returned home and overheard Brady talking on the phone about Titan. Sonny demanded to know what Brady was doing. Brady argued that he was working to correct Sonny's mistakes at the company and cover the workload since Sonny had been in jail. Victor wandered in and demanded to know why the two men were arguing. Sonny asked Victor to remind Brady that Sonny was CEO and in charge. Brady urged Sonny to leave the work to him, since Sonny was too emotionally fragile to handle company business.
Outraged, Sonny argued that Brady's tenure was a short-term solution. Sonny promised that he was not throwing Brady out of the company, but he wanted to take his rightful place as the head of Titan. Brady refused to step down. Frustrated, Sonny asked Victor to tell Brady to step down as CEO.
After fixing the roof at the cabin, Eric rushed inside as a storm started. As Eric placed his toolbox on the desk, there was a knock at the door. Eric opened it and found a soaking wet Nicole shivering on his doorstep.
