Will and Sami have a heart-to-heart talk
At the police station, Eli informed Rafe that a search of Theo's laptop had revealed that the teen had been investigating a breach of DiMera Enterprises' cybersecurity system and had pinpointed an office building as the source of the attack -- the same office building he had apparently been caught breaking into on the night of the shooting. A company known as CFR Partners was on record as the renter of the office building.
At the DiMera mansion, Andre realized, while musing that it might be wise to take another look at the office building that had been linked to DiMera Enterprises' saboteur, that Kate wasn't really listening to his suggestions. She apologetically confirmed that she had other things on her mind. He assumed that she was worried that he might eventually change his mind about keeping her secret, but she clarified that she was more concerned about another person who knew what she had done. "And if he has inherited his father's need to do the right thing, then my secret's already out," she added with a sigh.
"So, you're blackmailing Steve Johnson's bastard son, [and] now you're afraid that Steve may know the truth," Andre summarized after Kate shared the whole story. Nodding, Kate explained that she'd had a suspiciously icy encounter with Steve recently that had left her concerned. Andre tried to assure Kate that there was probably nothing to worry about -- just as Kayla barged into the mansion with Steve, who had just finished telling his wife everything. "Told you," Kate said to Andre as Kayla began lashing out, upset that Kate had put Theo in harm's way and was blackmailing Tripp to keep the police from finding out the truth.
"Bad time?" Eli asked, joining the group in the living room. Kate innocently claimed that Steve and Kayla had actually been about to leave, anyway. Steve took the hint, but Kayla refused to budge, instead asking Eli if there had been a break in Theo's case yet. Eli vaguely confirmed that there had been a small break in the case -- one that had raised questions that Kate and Andre would hopefully be able to answer. "What kind of questions?" Steve asked curiously. "The private kind, I'm sure," Kate pointedly replied for Eli. Steve again tried to leave, but Kayla stayed rooted in place, announcing that she had important information to share.
Kate and Andre exchanged nervous glances as Eli asked Kayla, "Information on the case?" Steve, who was standing behind Eli, gave Kayla a shake of the head. Getting the message, Kayla -- talking to Eli but keeping her eyes locked on Kate -- reluctantly elaborated, "What you need to know is that Theo's condition hasn't changed...and that this is extremely hard on Abe, [who] has been at the hospital every single day, praying for his son to wake up. So whatever you need to do to get to the bottom of this case, please, do it quickly." Eli assured Kayla that everyone at the Salem Police Department was committed to solving the case in a timely manner.
After Steve and Kayla showed themselves out, Eli relayed to Kate and Andre the information that had been gleaned from Theo's laptop. Kate and Andre claimed that they were hearing the information for the first time, but Eli found that hard to believe -- especially since Theo had used a DiMera Enterprises credit card to purchase the scanner he had used to disable the office building's security system. Kate innocently claimed that there had been no restrictions on Theo's use of the credit card -- and no obvious reasons to monitor the spending of one of the most trustworthy people in Salem. "Trust me -- if either one of us had known that Theo was involved in an activity that was dangerous to him, we would have stopped him immediately," Kate added as Andre nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Steve explained to a somewhat annoyed Kayla that he had stopped her from revealing the truth to the police because Kate had the upper hand -- at least for the time being. Later, Kayla received a phone call from Kate, who reminded her that there would be dire consequences for both her and her stepson if they didn't continue to keep their mouths shut. "I could strangle that woman!" Kayla told Steve after ending the call. Steve advised Kayla not to waste energy on Kate, promising, "She'll get hers when the truth comes out -- and it will come out."
At the Martin mansion, J.J. contacted Hope and told her that he needed to see her right away. When she arrived a short time later, she observed that it looked like it had been days since he had last slept. "Every time I close my eyes, I see [Theo]," he explained. She tried to encourage him to talk to a professional, but he dismissed the advice, explaining that he had asked to see her so they could talk about her life, not his.
J.J., feeling responsible for what had happened to Hope, produced a letter of resignation, which he had drafted with the hope that his departure from the police department would allow her to return to it. Hope refused to let J.J. resign, insisting that Abe didn't want her involved in Theo's case and therefore wouldn't even consider reinstating her, with or without J.J.'s resignation, until it was resolved. Hope tried to assure J.J. that he had nothing to feel guilty about, but he disagreed, arguing that he had ruined the lives of two great people. "My life is far from ruined," Hope protested. "That still leaves Theo's," J.J. countered.
Hope started to stress that everything she had learned thus far about the night of the shooting had suggested that J.J. had followed the proper procedure for the kind of situation he had found himself in, but he soon interrupted to reiterate that he wasn't interested in talking about his life. He added, while opening the door to his room, that he didn't want to take up any more of her time, but she ignored the hint, assuring him that she wasn't in a hurry to leave. "Thanks, but I'd much rather be alone," he replied. She didn't think that was a good idea, so she offered to contact his mother, his sister, or his girlfriend, assuming that he might feel more comfortable talking to one of them. "I said I'm fine!" he snapped before adding, in a calmer tone, that he no longer had a girlfriend. "Please...go," he quietly begged her, fighting back tears.
While passing through Horton Town Square, Jennifer bumped into Eric, scattering a box of Christmas cards in the process. As Eric helped Jennifer pick up the Christmas cards, she mentioned that she had heard the good news about Will being alive -- and the bad news about his memory loss. When Eric revealed what Sami had done to try to restore Will's memory, Jennifer was stunned -- and somewhat angry, since Ben was still a potential threat to Abigail -- but managed to muster some empathy, knowing how it felt to be the mother of a child who was suffering the kind of pain that couldn't easily be relieved.
Later, Hope joined Jennifer and Eric and told them about her earlier conversation with J.J. Jennifer was disturbed to learn that J.J. had recently broken up with Lani. Jennifer started to rush off to the Martin mansion, but Eric suggested that it might be better for him to finally initiate the chat he had promised her that he would eventually have with her son. Jennifer hoped that Eric would be able to get through to J.J.
Meanwhile, back at the Martin mansion, J.J. stuffed a pair of earbuds in his ears, connected them to his cell phone, and started a playlist of songs, increasing the volume to its maximum level in a desperate attempt to drown out the sound of gunfire that was playing on a loop in his head. When that failed to distract him, he yanked the earbuds out of his ears and threw the cell phone across the room in anger.
Later, while J.J. was reading an article about Theo's candlelight vigil, Eric arrived to talk to him. "I don't feel like talking," J.J. insisted. "Then how 'bout listening?" Eric countered, reminding J.J. that, after all, there was no one in Salem who had a better understanding of what he was going through than the guy whose drunk-driving incident had resulted in a tragic death.
At the Salem Inn, Will explained to Sami that her twin brother had urged him to try talking to her one more time before deciding to cut her out of his life for good. "I didn't put him up to that, if that's what you're thinking," she preemptively stressed. "I don't think that. Um...I think he would have told me if that was the case, 'cause he actually seems like a very honest person," he replied, adding that her brother also seemed to know her better than anyone else did. Chuckling, she explained that, as her twin, her brother had a very unfair advantage. Nodding, he continued, "So, anyway, I learned some stories about some of the lengths that you went to [in order] to protect and defend me as a child, and even though I'm not totally convinced that you're not a crazy, self-interested control freak, I am willing to hear you out."
Sami was thrilled to hear Will say that, especially since she was planning to leave Salem soon -- and really wanted to leave on good terms with him. He assured her that he understood that she needed to spend the holidays with her younger children. "You should know, my first instinct would be to pack them up and drag them back here so we could all help you remember," she admitted. "Yeah, that, uh...that doesn't seem very fair to them," he mused. She agreed that it wouldn't be -- especially since she had already dragged them all over the world in search of answers about the reported death of her husband, the real E.J. DiMera.
"But I also think [that leaving is what's] best for you. I -- I can see now that, uh, I'm...I see that I'm making things worse for you, and, uh...I don't want that. I want you to have the space that you need," Sami told Will, fighting back tears. He observed that it was clearly hard for her to make such a decision. She confirmed that it was but stressed, "Full disclosure -- you should know, I am selfish, and I can be controlling and...crazy...sometimes...but I love my kids with my whole heart, and...and there is nothing I wouldn't do for any one of you." Nodding, he revealed that her twin brother had basically told him the same thing earlier.
"Among other things," Will continued. Chuckling nervously, Sami admitted that it was hard to even begin to guess which stories her brother might have chosen to share. "You definitely keep things interesting," Will diplomatically replied. "I also got to see some photos of my wedding...and he said that, you know, you were kind of thrown when I came out, but you ended up being, like, my biggest champion," Will continued. Smiling, Sami confirmed that she had always been -- and still was -- extremely proud of Will. "Anyway, he also said that, uh, because of stuff that happened to you when you..." Will began to add before letting his voice trail off.
Skipping ahead, Will continued, "That keeping your kids safe and happy was the most important thing to you, and that, um, you would go to extraordinary lengths to ensure that, up to and including breaking a serial killer out of a mental institution and getting him to strangle me." Sami conceded with a sigh that it hadn't exactly been her finest hour.
Will didn't argue with Sami on that point, but he admitted that he had experienced brief flashes of old memories since the reenactment, which weren't significant enough to get excited about but had at least helped him understand that it was possible that her crazy actions had stemmed from a place of love. He added that she had been unfairly receiving the brunt of his anger from the moment his life had been turned upside down in Memphis -- something that needed to stop because, after all, none of what had happened there had been her fault. She was quick to point out that she certainly could have handled the situation more sensitively, but he maintained that he could have handled the situation better, too. "I'm sorry for hurting you," he concluded. "I'm sorry that I sicced a serial killer on you," she replied. "Apology accepted," he assured her.
"So, uh...where do we go from here?" Sami asked Will, who admitted that he was still trying to figure that out -- but was hopeful that they could slowly work on their relationship. She happily assured him that he could reach out to her anytime via any method of communication. "Or you could just skip all that and come with me," she added. "I thought you wanted to give me space," he pointed out. "Had to ask," she explained with a shrug. Nodding, he politely declined, guessing that he'd have a better chance of regaining his memories if he stayed in Salem for the time being. He added, however, that he would consider visiting her and his siblings sometime, although he was quick to warn her, "Baby steps." Smiling, she hesitantly asked him, "So, uh...we're -- we're good?" He replied, "Uh...feels like we're...on the way to good?" She agreed to take that.
"I gotta say, this whole, like, 'fighting and then kind of forgiving' thing -- it feels really familiar to me. Do we do this a lot?" Will asked. "You have no idea," Sami replied with a laugh.
As Sami began jotting down her contact information for Will, he noticed a diamond ring on the floor. She thanked him for finding it and quickly slipped it on, explaining that it was the engagement ring E.J. had given her.
Will pocketed Sami's contact information then asked if he would get to see her again before she left town. She assured him that he would and extended a hand so they could shake on the matter, resisting the urge to hug him.
Later, Will returned to the Evans-Black townhouse and mused, while looking at a framed photograph of him and his mother, "Maybe she's not so bad, after all."
At the Horton Town Square, Jennifer asked Hope about Rafe. Hope reported that the engagement was back on -- news that Jennifer was thrilled to hear. Hope thanked Jennifer for advising her to work things out with Rafe.
Sami went to the police station to see Rafe, who was frantically searching his office for something. "Looking for Hope's ring?" she guessed, holding up her left hand while explaining that he had left the ring in her hotel room the previous night -- and she had been forced to pretend it was hers when her son had found it.
Rafe was pleased to hear that Sami and Will were on better terms than they had been the previous night, and Sami was likewise pleased to hear that Rafe and Hope had worked things out. "Which is why I need the ring," Rafe explained to Sami, who tried to remove the ring to hand it over to him -- but quickly realized that it was stuck.
As Sami and Rafe were trying to figure out how to get the ring off her finger, Hope arrived and wondered what was going on.
At the police station, Eli briefed Abe on the shooting investigation. Eli explained that he had finished his work and had turned the investigation over to Internal Affairs. When Abe asked Eli off the record for his view on the shooting, Eli admitted that he believed J.J. could have avoided shooting Theo. Gabi overheard Eli when she entered the station, and she frowned. After Abe left, Gabi confronted Eli. Eli said he did not want to hurt J.J. Gabi was not convinced.
Eli escorted Gabi into the interrogation room to apologize privately. Gabi explained that she had intended to apologize for her overreaction during their last conversation. After a joke, Eli promised Gabi that they would occasionally have a difference of opinion because they were both opinionated. When Gabi said she was hurt by what Eli had said to Abe, a suspicious Eli asked Gabi if she still had feelings for J.J.
Gabi vehemently denied the accusation. Gabi stressed that she was a loyal friend who wanted to support a friend who was suffering. With a sigh, Eli confessed he was afraid to lose Gabi. Gabi said she felt the same way. Eli and Gabi agreed that they would make their relationship a priority in their lives. The lovers kissed.
In the commissioner's office, Sami struggled to remove Hope's engagement ring from her finger while Rafe loudly complained. From the hallway, Hope overheard the two arguing and walked into the office. Sami draped her coat over the hand that bore Hope's ring. Noting the tension, Hope asked Sami what she was hiding. As Sami and Rafe denied any secrets, Hope raised her eyebrow in suspicion. Hope charged Sami with attempting to convince Rafe to drop charges against her, since he was the commissioner. Rafe told Hope not to worry.
Sami changed the subject to Will, and she shared the happy news about her truce with her son. Sami said she planned to return to her other children and give Will space. Overcome, Sami started to cry. While Hope fetched a tissue, Sami frantically pulled the ring off of her finger. Hope handed Sami the tissue, and Sami wiped her eyes. As Sami turned away to dramatically cry louder, she hid the ring in the tissue. Hope hugged Sami. Sami held the tissue out behind Hope's back for Rafe to take. After Sami left, Hope said she believed Sami was hiding something.
In the square, Kate left flowers at the vigil site for Theo. Gabi walked over and hugged Kate. As Kate wiped away tears, Gabi assured Kate that Theo would pull through. Though Kate was pessimistic, Gabi urged Kate to give Theo time to heal. Kate asked Gabi if she had considered Kate's offer to buy Gabi Chic. Gabi said she had thought about the deal, but she wanted another day to think. The two set up a meeting to talk.
After Gabi left, Sami spotted Kate as she walked through the square. Kate lit into Sami for arranging to have Ben strangle Will. Sami interrupted to share that Will had forgiven her, but Kate was unfazed. When Sami offhandedly said she had believed that Kate would thank her, Kate's mouth dropped open in shock. Sami muttered, "I did what no one else could. I saved Lucas."
Seeing the confusion on Kate's face, Sami explained that she had convinced Lucas to go to rehab so that he could be there for Will. Sami added that she was leaving town. Kate was relieved to hear that Lucas had sought treatment. With a shrug, Sami said that Lucas had been in a car accident, and she had urged him to find himself again for Will's sake. Concerned, Kate asked Sami if Lucas was committed to recovery. Sami said she believed Lucas. Overjoyed, Kate grabbed Sami and hugged her tightly. Over Kate's shoulder, Sami saw Abe.
Sami and Kate approached Abe and asked about Theo. Abe lashed out at Kate. Abe growled that Kate was a DiMera and that either she or Andre was responsible for Theo's shooting. Narrowing his eyes, Abe vowed revenge if he learned that Kate was involved in the burglary. Sami stuck up for Kate, and she argued that Kate would not do anything to harm Theo. Rolling her eyes, Sami said she believed Andre was to blame. As Sami hoped aloud that Andre would go to prison, Kate guiltily shifted her eyes away. After Abe walked away, Kate swore to Sami that she did not believe that Andre was involved in Theo's burglary.
At Doug's Place, Julie set up a private dinner for Rafe and Hope. Julie explained to Doug that Hope had returned her engagement ring to Rafe but that they had since reconciled. Grinning, Doug pulled Julie in close and purred, "We got it right." When Hope and Rafe arrived, they chatted at the table while Doug and Julie ducked into the kitchen. Hope stared off into space, and she wondered aloud why Sami had lied. Rafe changed the subject to their fight, and the couple apologized to one another for the things they had said.
Hope said she loved that their relationship was built on honesty and trust. Smiling, Hope held up her glass and asked Rafe to toast to trust. Rafe apologized to Hope for hurting her because he "loved her more than anything else in this world." Rafe got on his knee and presented the engagement ring to Hope. Hope eagerly agreed to wed Rafe, and she said she wanted to set a date as soon as possible.
When Doug and Julie returned, Hope flashed her ring. Julie asked for details about the wedding, but Hope merely smiled at Rafe without answering. While Doug and Rafe went to the bar to fetch Champagne, Hope told Julie that she had never been so happy in her life since she had lost Bo. At the bar, Doug warned Rafe that Rafe would have to answer to him if Rafe hurt Hope. Doug and Julie toasted to a long and happy marriage for Hope and Rafe.
At the DiMera mansion, Jennifer played with Thomas in the living room as Chad and Abigail smiled sweetly at them. Chad took Thomas upstairs to tuck him into bed, and Jennifer told Abigail how pleased she was to see Abigail happy with Chad. Abigail expressed her worries about her brother, and Jennifer confessed that she had asked Eric to talk to J.J.
When Chad returned downstairs, Jennifer had just finished a phone call from the paper. Jennifer told Chad that her source at the police department had confirmed that the DiMera family was part of the investigation into the shooting. When Jennifer asked for a comment for the paper, Chad scoffed at the notion. Abigail intervened and offered a boilerplate statement.
Jennifer urged Chad to give her a more substantive statement. Defensive, Chad snapped that J.J. was the one that had shot Theo. Chad quickly apologized for crossing the line. Jennifer reiterated her warning that her reporters would search for the truth. Chad promised that if anyone at DiMera had been involved, he would "take care of them."
In his room at the Martin house, J.J. talked to Eric about his guilt. Eric told J.J. that he could have purpose and a meaningful life. J.J. was pessimistic about that possibility. J.J. said he did not deserve love and that he could not begin to forgive himself until Theo woke up. Eric urged J.J. to either forgive himself or find forgiveness through others. Shaking his head, J.J. said he did not believe Abe could forgive him. Eric urged J.J. to give Abe time. Eric offered J.J. his Bible from when he had been in prison.
J.J. declined the book. Eric gently placed the Bible on the desk and left. Alone, J.J. paced his room, repeatedly looking across the room at the Bible. J.J. grabbed the Bible and flipped through it. When he stopped flipping pages, J.J. read aloud the passage on the page. "An eye for an eye," J.J. whispered.
In the park, Eric met up with Jennifer to tell her about his conversation with J.J. Shaking his head, Eric said he had not been able to connect to J.J. Eric explained that J.J. was not ready to ask for help, and he needed to forgive himself first. Eric said he believed J.J. could not move forward with his life until Theo woke up from his coma. Worried, Jennifer wondered aloud if Theo might not wake up. Eric said that in the event that Theo never woke up, J.J. would need Abe's forgiveness.
While lying in bed with Rafe, who was still asleep, Hope admired her engagement ring and thought about the moment when it had been slipped back on her finger the previous night.
Rafe soon woke up and observed that Hope seemed quite happy. She explained that she had just been thinking about his second proposal, which had been just as romantic as the first one. "Even if we did have to fight and break up for this one to happen," she added, prompting him to admit that he wished they could have avoided that part. "Me, too, [but at least] now everything's out in the open," she pointed out.
Hope concluded, when Rafe didn't respond right away, that there was still something they needed to discuss, but he claimed that he had simply been thinking about the fact that, just a couple nights earlier, he had been thisclose to losing her for good. Changing the subject, he added that although he would love to stay in bed with her for the rest of the day, he needed to get to work soon.
"Internal Affairs is [supposed to] release information on J.J. today," Rafe continued, checking his cell phone. Hope decided to check hers, as well -- and was disappointed to see that her "rebel daughter" was still giving her the silent treatment. "I just miss how close we used to be -- I really do. I just -- it makes me sad. Now it seems that everything that I do just makes her angry and distant," she mused with a sigh.
Later, while en route to the Brady Pub for breakfast, Rafe and Hope spotted Bo's old motorcycle in a parking lot. "What is it doing here? I took the keys away from Ciara!" Hope protested incredulously. "Looks like she took 'em back," Rafe concluded with a shrug.
Eve ran into Gabi in the Horton Town Square and seized the opportunity to ask her about Eduardo, hoping to hear that he had somehow managed to get pardoned for the crimes he had committed earlier that year. Gabi reported that her father was still in prison -- and would likely remain there for quite some time. "I'm sorry. I know you must miss him a lot," Eve sympathetically stated. "Yeah," Gabi quietly confirmed.
"That's one thing that we both have in common -- we both know what it feels like to be left by Eduardo," Eve mused with a shrug. Gabi was quick to point out that Eve had suffered a much greater loss, adding, as a fellow parent, that it was hard to imagine how anyone could ever even begin to recover from the death of their own child. "You don't -- ever. [The pain] subsides every now and then, but it's always there," Eve admitted.
Changing the subject, Eve stressed that she still had things to be grateful for, including her family, her friends, and her late husband's riches -- riches that she wished to share with Gabi, whose Gabi Chic business venture seemed like the perfect thing to incorporate into Basic Black. When Gabi revealed that Kate had recently extended a similar offer on behalf of Countess Wilhelmina, Eve grudgingly acknowledged, "Well, Kate was never one to pass up a good thing." Pleased to hear that Gabi hadn't agreed to anything yet, Eve began making a case for Basic Black as the better company for Gabi Chic to join, arguing that working with the DiMeras would be awkward because Chad was one of Gabi's exes. "I think I have a bigger issue with the idea of having to work with the wife of the man who kidnapped me and tried to kill me -- twice," Gabi countered.
Eve dismissively reminded Gabi that Deimos was gone for good. "This is about you and me starting fresh -- a partnership with no baggage," Eve continued, adding that Gabi, as Paige's half-sister, was family -- and would always be treated as such. Eve urged Gabi to at least consider joining Basic Black, suggesting that it was, after all, the more legitimate company -- the one that wasn't under the umbrella of a parent company that was being investigated at that very moment for its link to a tragic shooting.
Kate went to the hospital to see Lucas, who was in the throes of alcohol withdrawal when she arrived. "I know you're going through hell, but Lucas, you did the right thing; you're doing the right thing," she assured him as he shivered uncontrollably in his bed. "As soon as you get through this detox, we are gonna get you to the best rehab facility money can buy," she added while wrapping him in a blanket.
"That's a very generous offer, Kate...but you know it's not about the facility or how luxurious it is -- how expensive; it's about Lucas' will to get better [and] his commitment to sobriety," Maggie gently pointed out, joining Kate at Lucas' bedside. Maggie assured Lucas that the worst part of the withdrawal process would soon be over -- and that he would be able to make it through that phase because he had proven in the past that he was strong enough to do so. Lucas regretfully suggested that he might not deserve yet another chance at a full recovery because he always ended up letting down his loved ones -- and himself -- sooner or later.
John entered the Brady Pub and approached Paul, who had just turned on his laptop seconds earlier -- and had been greeted with a picture of him and Sonny. When John asked if the picture was a sign that Paul and Sonny had worked things out, Paul clarified with a sigh, "Sonny and I are over...for good." Closing the laptop, Paul continued, "It's pretty simple -- predictable, too: Sonny ended our relationship because he wanted to be with Will."
Paul admitted that he was, of course, disappointed that Sonny had chosen Will. "[But] I feel bad for Sonny, too, [because] I don't think that Will's really interested in being with him," Paul added. John was surprised to hear that Will had recently kissed Paul. "It was impulsive, obviously -- it came out of nowhere -- [but] Susan was keeping Will from being who he is, so I think that he's just trying to find, you know, himself, and just trying to sort things out," Paul explained before quickly changing the subject, acknowledging that, in any case, he needed to get on with his life and start focusing on other things -- like digging up dirt on Eve for Brady.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady overheard Sonny recording a voicemail message for Will. "Sounds like someone's avoiding you," Brady observed after Sonny ended the call. "Will just has a lot to deal with right now," Sonny replied with a shrug. "Or maybe he's just not that into you," Brady countered. Scoffing, Sonny pointed out that Brady wasn't really in a position to be giving others relationship advice, since there was a long list of women who had ultimately decided that they just weren't that into him. Brady encouraged Sonny to keep chasing after a back-from-the-dead ex who couldn't even remember him, predicting that Titan would get neglected in the process, paving the way for someone else to take over as CEO. Sonny dismissively insisted that getting back together with Will would actually make him a happier man -- and, in turn, an even better CEO than he already was.
"If Will is so into you, why is he seducing Paul?" Brady asked tauntingly, adding that Paul had revealed, during one of their brotherly heart-to-hearts, that Will had recently kissed him. Taken aback, Sonny wondered if Brady was really willing to break his own brother's confidence just to get under a rival's skin for a brief moment -- or if he was instead making up a story in the hope that it would send Sonny running back to Paul. "God, no! As far as I'm concerned, my brother dodged a bullet when you left him at the altar. [I just] wish he saw it that way..." Brady replied.
Nodding skeptically, Sonny maintained that Brady was probably lying. "Sonny, you want to believe that [I'm lying, just] like you want to believe that you and Will are [still] married...but I'm getting the distinct impression that Will [thinks of himself as] a single guy, finally free and able to be with who he wants to be with -- and that might not necessarily be you. And given the history between Will and Paul...look out," Brady warned with a wicked grin. Sonny refused to let his rival's petty greed and jealousy undermine his faith in his husband, but Brady countered, "The only one undermining your faith in Will is Will."
"Isn't that right, brother?" Brady continued as Paul entered the mansion. "After that bombshell that you spilled yesterday, don't you think Sonny's being a little bit delusional here?" Brady asked. Annoyed, Paul reminded Brady that things shared between brothers in confidence were supposed to remain confidential. As Brady scoffed dismissively, Sonny demanded to know if Paul really had kissed Will recently. "No. He kissed me," Paul clarified. Sonny refused to believe that, but Paul insisted, "It's true, Sonny -- and you almost walked in on it [when you came to see me at the Martin mansion]."
Sonny angrily mused that it was interesting that Paul hadn't bothered to say anything about the kiss then, adding, "But then again, that's not the first thing you've kept from me!" Paul tiredly insisted that he was done apologizing for what had happened in Memphis. "You made your choice, [and] I haven't done anything to stand in your way," Paul continued. "You couldn't if you tried," Sonny spat. "I am going to be with Will, and neither one of you have anything to say about it!" Sonny told Paul and Brady before storming out of the mansion. After watching Sonny walk away, Paul sarcastically thanked Brady for throwing him under the bus.
Brady claimed that he was sorry for breaking his brother's confidence, but Paul didn't believe for a second that the apology was sincere, knowing that Brady would happily stoop to any level just to get under Sonny's skin. Brady dismissively argued that, on some level, Paul had to be enjoying the fact that Sonny was, from that point forward, going to have to live with the knowledge that Will was interested in another man. Annoyed that Brady wasn't taking the matter more seriously, Paul changed the subject, producing a folder while explaining that he hadn't trekked over to the mansion to talk about Sonny or Will; he was only there to talk about Eve.
After leaving the hospital, Kate ran into Gabi in the town square and reported, when asked, that Lucas was in bad shape at that time but was determined to stay sober. Gabi, who had been taking Arianna to St. Luke's every night so they could light a candle for Theo, promised to start lighting one for Lucas each night, too. Touched, Kate thanked Gabi for both gestures of kindness.
When Gabi started to talk about the mystery surrounding Theo's visit to one of the office buildings near the docks on the night of the shooting, Kate quickly changed the subject, wondering if Gabi had given any further thought to the idea of making Gabi Chic a part of Countess Wilhelmina. "I need more time," Gabi replied, explaining that there was actually another offer on the table -- from Eve Donovan Kiriakis, on behalf of Basic Black.
Eve entered the Kiriakis mansion and found Brady sitting alone in the living room, reading something that, to her surprise, seemed to be putting a genuine smile on his usually grumpy face. Guessing that it was Basic Black's latest earnings report, she assured him that things were only going to get better with her in charge of the company. "No, no, no, Eve -- this is much better than an earnings report," he teased, adding that he would actually be happy to share the information with her. "Pull up a chair. You are gonna want to sit down for this one," he continued.
Sami took some Christmas gifts over to the Evans-Black townhouse -- and was stunned when her mother accepted them then shut the door in her face. Hurt, she considered leaving but ultimately decided to try again. "I would really like to talk to Will," she requested when her mother reopened the door. She acknowledged, when reminded, that she couldn't force a reconciliation with her son. "[But I] thought that he [would have] told... I guess I just... Well, Will talked to me yesterday, and -- and -- and I thought that we had this sort of new understanding -- that we were in this good place -- and I just don't understand why..." she tried to explain, fighting back tears.
"We are," Will confirmed, stepping into the living room. "Sami and I -- I mean, uh...my mom and I -- came to an understanding," Will continued. Pleased to hear that, Marlena happily stepped aside so Sami could enter the townhouse. Sami explained, while clearing her throat uncomfortably, that Justin had managed to work out her latest set of "legal issues" -- which, she added with a sigh, meant that it was time for her to say goodbye. Sami wanted to give Will his Christmas gift first so she could watch him open it. Marlena rushed off to another room with the rest of the gifts so Sami could have a few minutes alone with Will.
"It's a regift -- I should admit that -- but I think this one's okay, 'cause it was actually yours in the first place," Sami explained, handing a gift box to Will. He opened it and found a journal inside -- a gift he was pleased to receive because he had left his old one behind in Memphis. "I gave that one to you when you were...thirteen, I think? It was the first time you kind of had that moment where you realized you wanted to be a writer," she explained. He guessed, after an awkward silence, that she had been hoping it would trigger a memory of that day. "I mean, it was worth a shot, but I just thought you'd like to read the entries...and even if it doesn't jog your memory, there's [still] plenty of space in it for you to write down the story of your life -- the life you want to have now," she replied. Smiling, he admitted that he kind of liked the idea of writing his own life.
Sami hoped that Will would stay in touch and allow her to be a part of his story. Nodding, he promised that he would keep her posted. He apologetically added that he didn't have a gift for her, prompting her to stress that just being able to talk to him again was the greatest gift she could have ever received. Directing his attention to the back page of the journal, she explained that she had written her contact information there so he'd always have a permanent record of it somewhere, just in case he ever lost his cell phone or the copy she had given him the previous night. With her left hand in full view, he curiously noted that the diamond ring she was wearing wasn't the one he had found on the floor of her hotel room. Chuckling nervously, she claimed, "E.J. gave me a lot of jewelry, and I just switch it out sometimes."
When Marlena returned, Sami started to excuse herself so she could go out to her car to get some of Will's old things that she had pulled out of storage to give to him. Will happily volunteered to handle the task himself, leaving Sami alone with Marlena. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you and Will have reconnected. It really is a Christmas miracle," Marlena told Sami. "I know! And it could never have happened without you, Mom," Sami admitted, explaining that Marlena had been right about the importance of giving Will space. "I was right? Wow! May I have that in writing, please?" Marlena jokingly requested.
Marlena was disappointed that Sami wouldn't be staying in Salem for the holidays but understood that Johnny, Allie, and Sydney needed time with their mother. Sami admitted that she was lucky to be able to count on her mother to look out for Will in her absence. "I will always be here for you -- and for your children," Marlena promised with a warm smile. Nodding, Sami continued, while fighting back tears, "I love you, Mom...and I know I don't say it very often, but I love you -- for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that you are always there for me, even if I make it hard for you."
While Sami and Marlena were hugging and playfully arguing about which one of them would spend the most time missing the other, Will returned -- with John, who had returned from the Brady Pub in time to offer to help Will carry his things from Sami's car to the townhouse. Sami started to thank John for everything he had done for her in Memphis, but he stopped her with a hug and quietly assured her, "I've always been on your side."
Sami soon turned her attention to Will, who admitted, "I thought I'd be happy to see you go, but now, um, for some reason, not so much." Sami thanked Will for saying that then assured him, "Just so you know, no matter what -- when -- you're always in my heart, and I'm really, really excited to, uh, see how your story unfolds." Nodding, Will replied, "You and me both."
Sami started to leave, resisting the urge to hug Will first. As she opened the townhouse door, he reminded her that he still had her car keys. He tossed them to her then tentatively approached her and gave her a hug, prompting her to break down in his arms. "Bye, Mom," he whispered as he pulled away from her. Beaming, she thanked him then happily rushed off.
Before leaving Salem, Sami went to the hospital to check on Lucas, who was vomiting when she arrived but assured her that he was okay. "No, you're not...but you're gonna be," she confidently predicted. "Thanks to you," he acknowledged. He made it clear that he understood why she couldn't stay in Salem to help him through the worst of the withdrawal process. She confirmed that she had purchased a tablet computer to give to his daughter on his behalf as a Christmas gift. Nodding, he promised that he would stay sober for his kids so he could be a good father to them, since that was the most important job he would ever have. She warned that she was going to hold him to that promise, adding, "[Will and I] talked, and things are good [now], and I'm gonna stay in touch with him, but that is not an out for you, [because he still] needs you -- especially when he says he doesn't."
Will was sitting alone in the living room of the Evans-Black townhouse, looking through the boxes of items Sami had given him -- including, among other things, documentation of his separation from Sonny -- when someone knocked on the townhouse door. Will opened it and found Sonny standing in the hallway. "We need to talk -- about us. I want my husband back," Sonny admitted with a nervous sigh.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady waved his reading material at Eve and tauntingly informed her, "This file tells me everything I need to know about the time you spent away from Salem." She coolly pointed out that she had already answered questions about her recent activities when she had first returned to town. "[But] you left out the best part -- or the worst part, depending upon your perspective -- [and now] the bottom line is [that you] have two choices: you either sign over your rights to Basic Black...or I'm gonna take this file to the new police commissioner -- and your butt's going to jail," he countered, grinning victoriously.
Smiling back at Brady, Eve stated, while casually approaching the nearby bar, that she would love to hear all about the dirt he had managed to dig up on her -- but she really needed a drink first. "It's not even eleven," he pointed out, watching greedily as she mixed whiskey and orange juice in a glass and took a long whiff of the resulting concoction. She gave him a dismissive shrug then took a sip of her drink and released a sigh of contentment as she savored the taste of the combined ingredients. "So, what is this stunning revelation that you really want to share, hmm?" she asked, pulling him out of his craving-induced trance.
Brady summarized, after clearing his throat uncomfortably, "Seems like you have a very nasty habit of seducing rich old men and then taking their money. You're good at it, I'll give you that; you even used, uh, aliases -- [let's see], you were once Chelsea...or something...from Springfield...[and then there was] Blair...something...from Pennsylvania. Ring a bell?" Eve calmly replied that neither name sounded familiar.
Nodding skeptically, Brady tossed his reading material at Eve and encouraged her to take a look at it, suggesting that the incriminating photographs might jog her memory. "Those old coots, they didn't even know that they were inviting a mongoose into their beds. You tried the same con on Deimos, and you got away with it every time, Eve...except now," he continued, flashing another smug grin.
After taking a quick glance at the report, Eve wondered how Brady had managed to uncover such carefully hidden parts of her past. He vaguely replied, "I mean, you're good, but you're not that good. Victim number three actually sued you in civil court [after] you took hundreds of thousands of dollars from [him]." Chuckling dismissively, she pointed out that the matter had ultimately been settled out of court -- with the mutual agreement of, among other things, a gag order that ensured that the details of the settlement would never be discussed.
"It still happened, though!" Brady protested. "But you can't prove it," Eve countered. "More importantly, you can't even use it in court against me; in fact, nothing in this file will stand up legally. All you have is a couple of old fools with hurt feelings," she added with a shrug, tossing the report back at him. "No, no -- if I keep digging --" he began. Interrupting, she encouraged him, "[Go ahead and] dig -- dig, dig, dig, all the way to China, Brady. In the meantime, I'm gonna keep doing my thing here for Basic Black." He angrily insisted that she wasn't going to get away with her past misdeeds, but she nonchalantly countered that she already had.
"Aw. You look so disappointed, Brady. Tell you what -- why don't you have a little drink to lift your spirits?" Eve suggested, offering Brady her glass, which still had plenty of liquid left in it. He turned away from the glass and reminded her that he had been sober for years. Nodding skeptically, she put the glass back in front of his face and started waving it under his nose, musing that if he was telling the truth, what she was doing wouldn't bother him at all. "Not a bit," he claimed, inhaling theatrically. "Okay. How 'bout if I told you that I saw you drink the other day?" she replied, adding that he was lucky that his sponsor hadn't caught him instead.
"One drink -- I had one drink," Brady dismissively confirmed, but Eve wasn't the least bit convinced that he was telling the truth -- and guessed that his grandfather wouldn't be, either. "Or is it Sonny that you're answering to now?" she asked, taking another sip of her drink. "I don't answer to Sonny," he insisted through gritted teeth, adding that his sponsor would never take her word over his, and his grandfather was already aware of his occasional indulgences -- and didn't mind at all. "So, I've got nothing on you, and you've got nothing on me. Looks like we have a stalemate," she concluded. "For now," he agreed.
"[Then], 'for now,' I'm gonna go back to running my multinational fashion company, and you're gonna go back to...gosh, what is it that you do around here when you're 'not really' drinking?" Eve asked Brady, who warned with a scowl that their war wasn't over yet. "It's over," she dismissively assured him, adding that it might be beneficial for him to start figuring out the true source of his anger. "I mean, I'm not holding you back; that honor goes to your dear old granddaddy," she continued. Scoffing, he insisted that it was pointless for her to try to turn him against his grandfather, of all people.
"He's playing you against Sonny --" Eve began to point out, but Brady quickly interrupted to stress that no one would ever be able to play him. He added that his grandfather was simply letting two people compete against each other for the honor of running Titan. Chuckling skeptically, she countered, "You need to stop lying to yourself, okay? You really think Victor [hasn't] already decided who is going to win? [After all], he's turned a blind eye to your drinking, and he would never do that if he knew that you were gonna take over as CEO of his own company. He's given up on you, Brady. He doesn't care. And it's just a matter of time until he permanently passes the Titan reins over to Sonny." He dismissively insisted that she knew nothing about his relationship with his grandfather, but she maintained that it seemed like he was simply being strung along.
Eve soon excused herself, leaving behind the rest of her drink for Brady -- who, she observed, looked like he really needed it. He pounded his fists on the desk in frustration after she walked away, taking the report with her.
At the Evans-Black townhouse, Will showed Sonny the documentation of their separation. "You do remember signing these, don't you?" Will asked, curious to know why his husband was trying to save a marriage that had apparently ended before he had been presumed dead. "Of course [I remember] -- it was the worst day of my life. But we weren't divorced, Will. Neither one of us had given up [at that point, and] I'm not giving up on you now," Sonny stressed. Confused, Will pointed out that Sonny was engaged to another man -- and had seemed more interested in being with him during the trio's recent encounter at the Martin mansion. Sonny clarified that he had only chased Will away that day because he had needed to talk to Paul privately -- to break up with him. "'Cause of me?" Will concluded with a hint of guilt.
"I love Paul -- and I always will -- but when I searched in my heart... Will, falling in love with you was the best thing that ever happened to me. And now I get to make you fall in love with me all over again!" Sonny explained, beaming with excitement. "But you can't make somebody fall in love with you, Sonny," Will pointed out, adding that other elements needed to be present, such as chemistry and attraction, in order for love to develop. Sonny wondered if Will's protests had anything to do with the recent kiss he'd shared with Paul. Somewhat surprised, Will admitted that he hadn't really expected Paul to be willing to volunteer that information. Sonny vaguely clarified that he had found out about the kiss from another source. Sonny added, however, that Paul had confirmed, when asked, that the kiss had occurred -- but had claimed that Will had initiated it.
"Yeah...but, I mean, he didn't pull away, really," Will stressed with a shrug. Sonny wondered why Will had kissed Paul in the first place. Sighing, Will hesitantly explained, "Well...I...I found out I cheated on you with Paul, and I went over to see him and ask him about it, and I kissed him because...I wanted to." Sonny pointed out that Will had to have known beforehand that kissing Paul would complicate things.
"What can I say? The man opened the door, wearing nothing but a towel," Will replied, shrugging again. Sonny argued that relationships were about more than physical attraction, but Will countered, "I know that, but that's how it starts, right? You feel a connection between the two of you; you share, like, an amazing kiss; and then...who knows?" Sonny wondered if Will was saying that he had feelings for Paul. "Maybe I do," Will admitted, shrugging yet again -- this time with uncertainty.
Hurt, Sonny turned away from Will, who quickly clarified, "Don't look so wounded! I'm -- I'm sorry... Obviously, I'm not in love with Paul...but I'm not gonna lie to you and say that I'm not -- I wasn't attracted to him." Facing Will again, Sonny stressed, "I just want to talk about us." Will was quick to remind Sonny, "There is no 'us.'"
"I'm sorry. I get that you want to stay married, and I know that you have all these -- these great memories of our romance. But if these papers are any indication, things went south between us, anyway!" Will continued, prompting Sonny to stress that, despite their problems, they had never stopped loving each other. "But I don't feel that. I don't feel that! And don't get me wrong -- you're -- you are a very handsome guy, and you've been -- you've been so nice..." Will began. "Nice?" Sonny incredulously repeated as Will continued talking, explaining that he had been forced to stay closeted in Memphis and was therefore excited to finally have the opportunity to live as a single, out-and-proud gay man who was free to explore his options. "Your options," Sonny sadly repeated, releasing a heavy sigh.
Will apologetically acknowledged that it was probably hard for Sonny to hear such things. Will added that it seemed like, with or without his memory, he simply couldn't stop himself from hurting his husband. Sighing, Will extended a hand while concluding, "I hope that eventually there will be no hard feelings." Refusing to settle for a handshake, Sonny grabbed Will and gave him a passionate kiss that received a favorable response.
A smile stretched across Will's face as Sonny ended the kiss and locked eyes with him. "Is it...hot in here, or is it just me?" Sonny asked Will after an awkward silence. As Will laughed, Sonny stressed, "There it is -- [and I can see] in your eyes [that] you feel it, [too]. I'm not talking about the past or the memories that you don't remember; I'm talking about right now -- this moment. You can feel this, right? You feel the connection. It's more than physical, Will. Just give us a chance. Give us a chance to rebuild this connection." Will held Sonny's gaze for a bit longer then hesitantly turned away from him.
"Why are you fighting what you feel?" Sonny asked. Ignoring the question, Will walked over to a nearby desk and picked up the journal he had been given earlier that night -- an item that his husband recognized at once. Will explained that his mother had returned it to him as a Christmas gift -- not to jog his memory but instead to encourage him to start writing again, picking up the story of his life where it had paused two years earlier. Sonny thought that sounded like a good plan. Nodding, Will continued, "But...with everything I've learned -- how I wrecked our marriage by cheating on you -- I don't think that even if we pick up where we left off, Sonny...I don't think you and I are destined for a happy ending." Sonny was quick to stress that he had made mistakes in the marriage, too, but Will guessed that none of them had been as big as his mistakes.
A framed photograph of Will and Sonny, taken on the day of their wedding, was proudly displayed on John and Marlena's mantel. Sonny eyed it while assuring Will, "None of [those mistakes matter] anymore. All that matters is this moment -- and the future that I want to build with you." Will wondered if Sonny would really be willing to start their relationship over from the very beginning and take things slowly to see if they could eventually get back what they had once had together. Sonny excitedly confirmed, "Absolutely! I mean, whatever makes you comfortable. I just want another chance. I want you to get to know me."
"Okay, well...what's, uh...what's step one?" Will hesitantly replied. "Move into the mansion with me," Sonny spontaneously suggested. "That's step one? That's taking it slow? Living together?" Will asked with a nervous chuckle. Sonny assured Will that they could stay in separate rooms, excitedly adding, "But I'll be right down the hall if you need anything...and we can figure this out together."
"I know I'm asking you to take a leap of faith, but I know, deep down, you feel this connection between us, because if you didn't, you would have asked me to leave a long time ago," Sonny continued. Nodding, Will conceded that Sonny was right about that. "I guess if I can give my mom another chance after everything she did, I can spare one for...my husband...as well," Will added with a nervous sigh.
"So you'll move in with me?" Sonny asked excitedly. "No -- I'll move into the house, okay? Let's not -- let's not get ahead of ourselves," Will warned. Beaming, Sonny said that was good enough for him, and he confidently predicted that the decision was one that his husband would never regret. "I'm not promising anything, okay? But I think I can, um...I think I can trust you to help me figure out what comes next," Will told Sonny.
While Hope was telling Rafe about the ways in which she planned to punish her daughter for disobeying her, Ciara arrived, ready for another ride on Bo's old motorcycle, and defiantly wondered if Hope was going to try to stop her as a mother or as a cop. Hope started to respond, but Rafe interrupted and admonished Ciara, insisting that she needed to start showing her mother -- and the law -- some respect.
Ciara dismissively dared Rafe to arrest her for refusing to bow down to her mother. Hope started to scold Ciara for being rude, but Rafe interrupted again, asking for a few minutes alone with Ciara. Hope reluctantly granted the request, heading off to the nearby Horton Town Square. Once the coast was clear, Ciara told Rafe, "I thought she'd never leave." Ciara started to take off on the motorcycle after assuring Rafe that she understood why he'd had to pretend to be the bad cop while in her mother's presence, but he stopped her and clarified that he had actually meant everything he had said earlier.
Ciara incredulously protested, "You know, I thought, of all people, you would be the one to understand. Ever since I was a little girl, [I've known] that I could always come to you, and that you would always have my back." Rafe assured Ciara that he would always have her back -- except when she was attacking her mother for no reason. "Because it's all about her," Ciara grumbled.
Rafe said he understood that the motorcycle was important to Ciara because it helped her feel connected to her father. He added that if she ever bothered to obtain a license for the vehicle, he would be happy to lobby for her mother to reconsider banning her from riding it -- but until then, she needed to stay off it. Sighing, she reluctantly handed over her spare set of keys.
As Hope returned, Rafe began to assure Ciara that he wasn't trying to replace her father. "You will never be the man that my dad was!" Ciara spat before storming off, ignoring Hope's attempts to stop her. After apologizing to Rafe for Ciara's behavior, Hope rushed off, hoping to catch up to her daughter so they could talk.
Sami went to the Brady Pub to say goodbye to Roman and Eric, who were both disappointed to learn that she was on her way out of Salem. They tried to change her mind, but she explained that she needed to spend Christmas with Johnny, Allie, and Sydney. "Even though Will's not settled?" Eric asked. "Wow, that was a low blow," Sami grumbled. "Look, I make his life miserable, and we both know it. He'll be better off with me gone, and I just want him to find himself, you know -- be the man that he wants to be. I just want him to be happy," Sami continued with a shrug. Nodding, Eric promised to keep an eye on Will while Sami was gone.
Roman insisted on making a sandwich for Sami, wanting her to have something to eat during her trip. Sami and Eric agreed, after Roman stepped into the kitchen, that their father probably just wanted a few minutes of privacy so they wouldn't be able to see him crying about having to say goodbye to one of his kids yet again. While the coast was clear, Eric asked Sami, "[So], about that...thing...the other night [that you rated at] a scale [of] three to four -- Sami scale, that is -- of causing trouble..." Sami evasively assured Eric that the matter had been handled then quickly changed the subject, urging him to instead focus on his own life -- or, more specifically, his love life. "Nicole is gone, [and] it's time for you to find someone amazing," Sami reasoned, adding that Eric was, after all, a great catch and a fantastic person. "Back at you," he replied, hugging her.
Hope went to Ciara's apartment in search of the teen but instead found Shawn, who was visiting Claire. When Shawn revealed that Ciara had reportedly threatened to ruin Claire's life, Hope wondered just how bad Ciara's behavior had been in Hong Kong. "I mean, she stayed out past her curfew sometimes, and she got into a few fights with her boss, but Belle and I just thought it was her having trouble adjusting [to being in] a strange new city," Shawn explained with a shrug. Sighing, Hope mused that Theo's shooting was just the latest in a long list of traumatic experiences Ciara had been forced to deal with over the past few years -- and counseling clearly wasn't helping as much as they'd all hoped it would. Shawn suggested that Ciara might simply need more time to work through everything, but Hope wasn't sure that she could afford to sit back and wait for that to happen.
Ciara stormed into the Brady Pub and took a seat at the bar, fighting back tears. Concerned, Eric joined Ciara at the bar and wondered what was wrong. "[This is] already the worst day ever," she explained with a dramatic sigh. When he asked if there was anything he could do to make things better, she suggested, "How 'bout you buy your favorite cousin a drink?"
Ciara was pleasantly surprised when Eric placed a bubbling drink in front of her a few minutes later -- until he clarified that it was just club soda. "I changed my mind about you being my favorite cousin," she complained, shoving the glass aside. He eventually got her to reveal that she was upset with her mother for treating her like a child who didn't know how to handle herself on a motorcycle. He guessed that her mother was simply being a bit overprotective because, after all, one of her brothers had died in a vehicular accident. He also suggested that there was another reason for her bad mood. "Theo, maybe?" he suggested with a shrug.
"It didn't have to happen, you know? He's the best person I know, and nobody understands how I feel -- not Mom, not Rafe..." Ciara began before abruptly excusing herself, declining Eric's offer to take her wherever she wanted to go. A short time later, while passing through the town square, Ciara overheard Sami and Rafe talking nearby.
Hidden behind some hedges, Ciara listened in shock as Sami and Rafe said goodbye to each other -- and agreed that they would never tell Hope about their recent sexual encounter.
At the hospital, Abe and Claire sat with Theo. Claire admitted they she felt guilty about the fight she'd had with Theo before the shooting. With a warm pat on her arm, Abe assured Claire that Theo's coma was not her fault. Claire grumbled that Ciara disagreed. Claire hoped that Theo could hear her.
Outside Theo's room, Valerie and Lani hoped that the specialist that Chad had invited to examine Theo would make a difference. Valerie lamented that she had botched the surgery, but Lani assured Valerie that she and Abe believed that Valerie had done everything she'd been able to do to save Theo. When Valerie marveled that Lani and Abe had forgiven her, Lani wondered aloud why Abe had found it difficult to forgive J.J., as well.
Abe joined them, and he asked Lani if she was talking about J.J. With a shrug, Lani said it did not matter how she felt because she was no longer with J.J. The specialist, Dr. Britz, arrived and introduced himself to Valerie, Abe, Lani, and Claire. While Dr. Britz examined Theo with Valerie and Abe, Lani and Claire waited to hear the specialist's diagnosis.
After overhearing Rafe and Sami discuss their secret night together, Ciara approached Rafe when he was alone next to Bo's bike. Rafe asked Ciara if anything was wrong. Hesitant, Ciara said she wanted to get her motorcycle license. Rafe offered to supervise Ciara in a parking lot for practice, but Ciara was insistent that she could practice on her own. Ciara said Rafe did not need to tell Hope. Shaking his head, Rafe said he would not lie to Hope.
Shocked by the irony, Ciara raised her eyebrow, but she failed to tell Rafe that she had overheard him confess to sleeping with Sami. Noting the sour look on Ciara's face, Rafe again asked Ciara if anything was wrong. Ciara accused Rafe of stealing her mother's job. Rafe denied the charge, and he promised that Hope understood why he had taken the position. The station called Rafe, so he excused himself and left.
Frustrated, Ciara marched through the square and unloaded her anger onto Tripp when she ran into him working at the café. Ciara complained about Claire, and when she called Claire a "selfish, spoiled brat," Tripp stood up for Claire. Ciara realized that Tripp had a crush on Claire. When Ciara called Tripp out for his feelings, he insisted he was only friends with Claire. Ciara warned Tripp that Claire was a terrible flirt and would toss him aside once Theo was back in her arms.
"She is a selfish little bitch," Ciara said. Tripp asked Ciara why she was so angry. Ciara said that she had a history with Claire. Tripp told Ciara that he had been angry when he had arrived in town, and his desire to lash out had only hurt him. As Ciara started to soften, Tripp counseled Ciara to "give Claire a break." Furious, Ciara accused Tripp of thinking about Claire's feelings and not hers. Ciara told Tripp he was as bad a hypocrite as Rafe.
As Claire approached the two, Ciara asked Tripp why he was making a move on Theo's girlfriend. Claire said that nothing was going on with Tripp. Still angry, Ciara asked Claire why she was not with Theo but instead running to see Tripp. Sighing, Claire explained that a specialist was examining Theo, and she was getting something to eat. Tripp escorted Claire away from Ciara and into the café.
Still stewing, Ciara walked back to the park and gasped when she saw that Bo's bike was gone. Angry that Rafe had taken her bike, Ciara muttered that everyone in Salem was a lying hypocrite. Ciara called Hope and said she needed to talk to her mother.
At the Martin house, Abigail banged on J.J.'s door while he lay in bed, thinking of the shooting. Unfazed, Abigail continued to bang on the door until a disheveled J.J. answered. Abigail hugged her brother tightly then ordered him to shower and get dressed. J.J. said no. Abigail reasoned aloud that J.J. needed to get out of his apartment and get fresh air.
Before J.J. said no again, Rafe interrupted. Rafe informed J.J. that Internal Affairs had finished their report. The two men agreed to meet in Rafe's office in an hour to examine the verdict of the investigation. While J.J. showered, Abigail called Lani and told her that the IA report was ready.
At the police station, Lani told J.J. that she hoped the report would clear J.J. J.J. insisted that Lani stick with Abe until Theo woke up and that they should keep their distance. With a nod, Lani wished J.J. well and told him that he had her support. Jennifer arrived and hugged her son before he walked into Rafe's office. As Rafe held up the envelope with the report, Abe arrived. Rafe asked Abe to step out while he reviewed the report, but Abe refused. When Rafe noted it was against procedure, Abe still refused. Rafe opened the envelope.
At the DiMera mansion, after meeting with the specialist, Chad told Kate that he needed to meet with Belle about legal matters involving Theo's break-in. Kate was curious but adamant that Andre had not been involved. Kate said that Andre would not hurt someone he cared about. With a nod, Chad stared at a message on his phone then left.
Outside the mansion, Chad met with Steve. Steve told Chad that he knew who had sent Theo to the warehouse the night of the break-in. Chad was eager to hear the name, but Steve asked Chad to trust him and follow his plan.
As Kate gathered her belongings to leave the house, Steve entered. Kate said she was not interested in talking. Steve told Kate that he had convinced Kayla not to tell anyone about Kate's connection to the shooting or the blackmail. "You won," Steve said plainly. Shaking his head, Steve called Kate selfish for thinking of herself first the night of Theo's shooting. Kate protested that she loved Theo, and it had been a mistake to send him to the warehouse. Setting her jaw, Kate ordered Steve to keep his mouth shut.
"Heard enough?" Steve asked. As Kate looked bewildered, Chad stepped into the room from the foyer. Chad held up his phone to show that he had recorded Kate's confession.
