At the Kiriakis mansion, Will ended a phone conversation with Harold then informed Sonny that, in addition to having failed to pick Arianna up at school the previous day, Gabi had also never returned to the DiMera mansion.
At the Salem Inn, Ben struggled to track down Gwen as Ciara worriedly watched the hands of a clock move closer to the deadline that the thugs had given Jake the previous day.
"I've spoken to heads of security at the airport, bus station, train station -- no sign of Gwen comin' or goin' [from any of them]," Ben reported with a sigh of frustration after ending a phone conversation with the last of the heads of security. Ciara still wanted to enlist the help of Rafe -- or Hope, or John and Steve -- but Ben still thought it would be a bad idea to get any of those people involved, reasoning that the thugs probably weren't serious about the deadline but probably were serious about the dangers of alerting any branch of law enforcement to Gabi's kidnapping.
At the auto repair shop, Jake recorded the latest of an apparently large number of voicemail messages for Gwen, reiterating that a certain stolen item needed to be returned right away as a matter of life and death.
A short time later, Will and Sonny entered the shop and stared at Jake in disbelief. "Wow -- they weren't kidding..." Sonny said to Will, who nodded in agreement. "Can I help you?" Jake asked tiredly. "Yeah -- where the hell is Gabi Hernandez?" Will suspiciously replied. "How would I know? [And] who the hell are you two, anyway?" Jake evasively snapped, prompting Will to take care of the introductions. "Ah, yeah -- Gabi mentioned you two," Jake admitted, softening a bit. "Yeah, well, she mentioned you to us, as well," Sonny revealed. "[And then] she told us she was coming here yesterday...and she hasn't been seen since," Will elaborated.
Jake insisted that Gabi had not visited the shop the previous day, but Will and Sonny were both skeptical of that claim. "Gabi's been kind of obsessed with the idea that Stefan is still alive --" Will noted. "No kiddin'. [Look], I've told her a million times [that] I'm not him, but she refuses to believe me, [because] apparently this Dr. Rolf guy has turned this town into The Walking Dead... But bringin' back a heartless guy -- come on!" Jake replied. "You're the heartless one! [I mean], Gabi was destroyed when Stefan died, [and...what], you couldn't give her a little peace of mind by agreeing to a simple DNA test?" Will snapped.
"I hate needles," Jake explained with a shrug. "Gabi doesn't need your blood -- your hair [or] saliva will do just fine -- but you already know that, don't you? You caught her in the act yesterday, didn't you? [And] you were so desperate to stop her from getting a DNA sample that you --" Will countered. "That's where my toothbrush went!" Jake suddenly realized. "So, Gabi was here," Will translated. "You have a toothbrush here?" Sonny interjected. "I live in the apartment upstairs," Jake revealed. "[Then] how could you not have seen Gabi come through here?" Will wondered. "I'm not a hermit -- I do get out sometimes," Jake stressed.
"Gabi must have broken in here when I was gone [and] took my toothbrush," Jake explained. "You're lying," Will immediately decided. "[See], I'm a reporter...and, in my experience, when people lie, they squirm [and] sweat [and] avoid eye contact -- [all of which] you're doing right now," Will reasoned. "Okay, Clark Kent -- well, if you're such an expert on body language, you should be gettin' the hint right about now [that] I want you to leave!" Jake countered. "We're not going anywhere until you tell us where Gabi is," Will insisted. "[Or we could] call the police and report Gabi as a missing person --" Sonny suggested while producing a cell phone.
"Don't!" Jake begged. "[Look], Gabi broke in here -- that's a crime, right? [And] she's out on bail, isn't she? You don't want her to go back behind bars, [do you]?" Jake reasoned. "How do you know Gabi's out on bail?" Will wondered. "Ben told me," Jake replied. "[Look], she's probably out there right now harassing some lab tech, so maybe try...I don't know, a hospital, a lab, maybe a cheap motel...[or] how 'bout the gutter," Jake advised, annoying Sonny and Will, the latter of whom wanted to search the shop first. "Fine, knock yourself out...but you're not gonna find anything," Jake said to Will after some thought.
At Bayview, Gwen passed by Claire's room and saw that it was still occupied. "You're still here? I thought Granny the Wonder Shrink was getting you out," Gwen called out to Claire, who was spinning wildly on a stool, from the hallway. "Oh, she is," Claire insisted, but Gwen seemed skeptical. "Well, I hope Granny does come through -- I know how much you want to be a part of Ben and Ciara's big day --" Gwen mused, horrifying Claire, who quickly dragged Gwen into the room and shut the door. "Keep it on the down-low that I know about the wedding!" Claire begged Gwen. "Why?" Gwen whispered.
"I am thisclose to getting released, and I just don't want to mess anything up...[and] I didn't exactly tell my grandma that I found [Ciara and Ben's wedding invitation] on Ben's doctor's desk [because] I do not want anyone to think that this wedding is the only reason I want to get out of here -- because it's not -- and I do not want anyone to think that I'm not better -- because I am!" Claire explained. "Don't take this the wrong way, love, but you're starting to really sound like you're not better right now -- [I mean], you're just kind of being a little bit intense right now..." Gwen observed.
"I swear to God, Gwen, if you say a single word to anyone --" Claire began to stress. "What is there to say?" Gwen innocently conceded. "I should have never trusted a psycho with my secret..." Claire realized with a groan, doubting Gwen's sincerity. "Do you want to know my secret? I'm actually not a 'psycho' -- or crazy, or deranged... In fact, I shouldn't even bloody be in here," Gwen revealed, drawing skepticism from Claire, who noted that every patient at Bayview held that belief. "Except...in my case, it's true -- [see], I faked a breakdown to get myself committed," Gwen clarified.
"Perfect hiding place, really," Gwen reasoned. "Who are you hiding from?" Claire wondered. "My ex-boyfriend. [See, things] ended between us [because] he's scum [and] we fought too much...and, one night, we really went at it, and...he stormed out, and he said he didn't know when he was coming back...and...I didn't want to deal with that, so I left...[but] I wanted to make him suffer for what he did to me, so...I just helped myself to a few of his favorite things..." Gwen explained. "I can't believe I've known you for a couple of months, [and] I am only just now figuring out why you're really here," Claire mused. "You never asked," Gwen pointed out.
"Yeah... That's one of the things I'm working on in therapy, actually -- giving more thought to the people around me," Claire admitted. "[Anyway], how long are you planning to hide out here?" Claire continued. "Don't know -- I haven't really thought about my next move yet..." Gwen admitted before trying to swear Claire to secrecy. "You keep my secret, and I'll keep yours," Claire promised Gwen.
At the Evans-Black townhouse, John and Marlena received an unexpected visit from Belle, whom they had called the previous night.
"[This is] a pretty big decision -- [I mean, we're talking about] Claire's health [and] future [here] -- so Shawn got a flight for both of us to come in from Hong Kong [right after we heard from you]," Belle explained after greeting John and Marlena with a hug. "[Shawn] went straight from the airport to go see his mom... You know, things have been, uh, a little fraught [between us since we] got the call -- I mean, I was over the moon, but, um, you know, Shawn's response was a little more measured," Belle continued. "Because he's concerned about Ciara," Marlena guessed. "Yeah," Belle confirmed.
"He insisted that, uh, she and his mom be looped in before any decisions are made...[and I understand -- I mean], I don't want to exclude them or blindside them -- [but] I'm just terrified that they'll do something to keep Claire from coming home," Belle concluded. "We all want what's best for Claire -- [including Ciara, who's] doing very well right now --" Marlena tried to assure Belle, who interrupted to find out if Claire knew about Ciara and Ben's upcoming wedding ceremony yet. "We haven't told her," John admitted. "We were just concerned that [the news] might set her back a little way," Marlena explained.
Belle took that to mean that Marlena didn't truly believe that it was the right time for Claire to be released from Bayview. "I did not say that -- [in fact, Claire's] made tremendous strides," Marlena stressed. "Yeah -- last week, we were at Bayview, [and] Claire [had written] the most beautiful song for us --" John recalled. "Kind of a cross between a Mother's Day [and] Father's Day [gift] --" Marlena explained. "Because it fell right in between both --" John continued. "I can't remember the last Mother's Day that I spent with Claire... [You know], if I would have been more present for her over the last few years..." Belle fretted.
"I was here, [and] I'm a psychiatrist, [and] I didn't see [that Claire was sick]," Marlena pointed out. "[But] I am her mother -- I'm supposed to know!" Belle argued. "You're a wonderful mother," John insisted. "The evidence would indicate otherwise," Belle countered. "You did nothing to cause this to happen, [and] feeling terrible won't solve it," Marlena stressed.
"[Anyway, look...what I was saying earlier was] that Claire has made amazing progress [and] may well be ready to come home...but she's not 'cured,' and she may require outpatient therapy the better part of her adult life," Marlena clarified. "[But] there are drawbacks to continued inpatient therapy, [as well -- for example], if Claire feels that she's not making progress, she could feel defeated, and she could regress," Marlena continued. "So, we're damned if we do, and we're damned if we don't," Belle translated with a groan. "In your professional opinion, which one is Claire -- is she a Jordan...or is she a Ben?" Belle challenged Marlena.
"Claire is her own person, with...with her own therapeutic trajectory --" Marlena carefully began to respond. "Oh, my God, Mom -- all this 'shrink speak' is making me insane!" Belle admitted, groaning again.
Shawn met up with Hope in the town square and explained what was going on with Claire. "I saw her last week, [and she] didn't mention that she was being released... [Honestly], I just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon..." Hope admitted. "[She's] been there for two years," Shawn stressed. "I know," Hope conceded. "So, if it -- if it happened, how would you feel about that?" Shawn wondered. "Claire's my granddaughter, and I love her -- I love her very much -- [so] of course I want to see her come home...but... [Look], there's no one I trust more on this than Marlena, so..." Hope decided after some thought, giving Shawn a shrug of approval.
Satisfied, Shawn started to talk to Hope about the best way to prepare Ciara. "For what?" Ciara, who had just exited the nearby Salem Inn with Ben, asked while approaching Shawn and Hope.
Dodging the question, Shawn congratulated Ciara and Ben on their engagement. When Ciara repeated the question, Hope jumped in to try to help Shawn keep the conversation focused on Ciara and Ben's upcoming wedding ceremony. Increasingly suspicious, Ciara demanded to know what Shawn and Hope were trying to hide. Shawn received an urgent text message from Belle just then and rushed off, leaving a nervous but understanding Hope to singlehandedly explain everything to Ciara and Ben, who were both concerned but also both believed that people could recover from mental illness.
Ben hoped that Claire, unlike Jordan, was truly better. "If there's any doubts that this could go wrong --" Ben began to stress. "I love you so much for being so protective of me...but I really think that I should treat Claire the same way that I treated you -- [you know], give her the benefit of the doubt [and] trust her doctors," Ciara reasoned. "Can you do that?" Ben wondered. "I can try," Ciara decided. "You don't need to pretend that you're okay with Claire being released if you're not," Hope interjected, sensing that Ciara wasn't fully invested in the conversation. "I actually have something else on my mind," Ciara vaguely clarified, eyeing Ben.
"Working at Titan has been a lot more stressful than I thought it was going to be," Ciara claimed, realizing that Ben still didn't want Hope to know about Gabi's kidnapping. "Speaking of work..." Ben interjected before rushing off. "There's something you're not telling me," Hope challenged Ciara once the coast was clear. "It's nothing -- I'm just...I'm really tired, that's all..." Ciara insisted with a shrug, but Hope remained suspicious.
Shawn arrived at the Evans-Black townhouse while Marlena was still in the process of trying to explain Claire's unique situation to Belle, who was still frustrated about the lack of definitive answers. "[My mom said] she trusts whatever Marlena thinks is best for Claire," Shawn reported. "Great...except my mom doesn't know what that is," Belle grumbled. "Sweetheart, she's doing the best she can -- she just can't predict the future," John stressed. "All right, I have one question, then -- if Claire weren't your granddaughter, [then] what would you do?" Belle challenged Marlena. "I think I would...ask for a supervised release on a trial basis," Marlena decided.
Delighted, Shawn and Belle thanked Marlena, who stepped aside to contact Claire's doctor.
Ciara, who was still with Hope at the town square, reiterated that Claire's potential release from Bayview wasn't a big concern -- especially since Claire would surely just move to Hong Kong with Shawn and Belle upon release.
Shawn and Belle went to Bayview to see Claire, who was delighted to get confirmation that a release was imminent. "We still have some red tape to deal with...but, um, our hope is that we're gonna get you out of here later today and get you on a plane to Hong Kong tomorrow," Belle revealed. "Wait, wait -- what are you talking about? Oh, no, there -- there's no way that I'm going back to Hong Kong with you!" Claire protested.
Ben entered the auto repair shop while Will and Sonny were still in the process of searching the place for clues to Gabi's whereabouts. Will explained the situation to Ben, whom Jake tried to keep silent with a subtle look.
Nicole stopped by the penthouse to speak to Marlena about Nicole's wedding to Eric. "I want to show [Eric] that I will do anything and everything I can to make him happy," Nicole said. Marlena asked Nicole what she needed. "I want to invite Sami," Nicole explained. Nicole said she knew that Eric would be happier if his twin were there at the ceremony. "I think Eric is very lucky to have you," Marlena said. Marlena promised to help Nicole with Sami.
In the DiMera living room, Jennifer returned from checking on the kids in the yard, and Jack informed her that Chad had texted to say that he and Abigail were doing well. "That's so great!" Kate said as she walked into the living room. Kate asked Jack to send her best to Chad and Abigail. "I certainly will," Jack said. When Kate commented that it was strange to run into Jack and Jennifer in the house, Jack joked, "It's not that strange. It's not like we serve breakfast or anything."
Kate said that she was focused on the key to the city ceremony, and she asked Jennifer if she would cover the event for the paper. Jennifer said she would be happy to cover the event, but she did not think that Steve or Hope would take part. With a chuckle, Kate said that was another thing that she wanted to speak to Jack and Jennifer about.
Kate asked Jack and Jennifer to convince Steve and Hope to accept the award and attend the ceremony. "I really believe Steve nor Hope feel deserving of that honor," Jennifer said. Kate disagreed. Jennifer explained that Steve and Hope felt a lot of guilt about Stefano and Gina's antics. Kate argued that the ceremony would help Steve and Hope move on.
"And if the two of you could stop walking on eggshells around their fragile egos and their guilty consciences, then maybe you could make them accept the damn key!" Kate barked. Kate forced a smile. Jennifer said she appreciated Kate's passion for her job. "We cannot persuade Steve or Hope to do anything," Jennifer said.
Jennifer added that she and Jack had agreed to "respect other people's boundaries." Jennifer refused to interfere in Steve or Hope's lives. Kate said she would find someone to convince Steve and Hope that they were fools to not accept the award. Jennifer confirmed that the paper would cover the ceremony if Kate pulled it off. "It will work out. I'm going to make that happen," Kate vowed. With a huff as she walked out, Kate said, "See you at breakfast!"
At the garage, Will and Sonny questioned Jake about Gabi's disappearance. Ben walked in. Will asked Ben if he had seen Gabi. Behind Will and Sonny, Jake shook his head no at Ben. Ben said he had not seen Gabi since he had stopped her from jabbing a needle into Jake. Ben turned his attention to a car so that he would not have to look Will and Sonny in the eye.
"She was trying to help Jake because she's convinced that," Will started. "I'm her dead husband resurrected by Dr. Quack?" Jake finished. "It's happened before. She was just trying to restore your memory," Sonny added. Jake assured Will and Sonny that his memory was fine. When Sonny mentioned Jake's missing toothbrush, Ben raised an eyebrow. Will argued that the toothbrush was proof that Gabi had been in the garage, because she had been looking for DNA.
"The good news is, if she is telling the truth, and she was set up, then she'll be cleared. I hope she is," Jake said. Jake told Will and Sonny to look for Gabi elsewhere. "Ben, if you hear anything at all about Gabi, will you let us know?" Will said. "Absolutely," Ben said. With a sigh, Will and Sonny walked out.
In Eric's apartment, Eric told Abe about his engagement to Nicole. "You and Nicole set a date?" Abe asked. Eric asked Abe if he could marry him and Nicole that day. Abe said he understood why Eric would be eager to marry Nicole after all their years of struggles. Concerned, Abe asked Eric if he wanted his family to witness the big day. Eric said he did not need friends and family to be at the wedding.
"We've waited for so long for this moment, I just can't wait any longer," Eric said. Nicole returned home. "To what do we owe the honor of Your Honor honoring us with your presence?" Nicole joked as she hugged Abe hello. "Abe is here to marry us," Eric said. Nicole's eyes went wide with surprise.
"I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen," Nicole said. "You don't want to get married?" Eric asked. Nicole said she wanted to marry Eric, but she did not like surprises. Abe asked Eric and Nicole to let him know what they wanted to do, and he would perform the ceremony any day they wanted. "I'm a phone call away," Abe said as he walked out. Disappointed, Eric reminded Nicole that she wanted a simple wedding. Eric asked Nicole why she did not want to get married that day.
"Sami," Nicole said. Eric apologized for his sister's comments, but Nicole explained her objection was that she had invited Sami to Salem for the wedding as a surprise for Eric. "But you hate [Sami]," Eric said. "But you love her. That's why I did it," Nicole explained. Eric said he was touched by Nicole's gift. Nicole joked that any torment from Sami "would be worth it when I get to see the look on her face when I call her sister." Nicole admitted that she was sad that they would not be getting married that day.
"I just want it to be special for you," Nicole said. "No matter what, it will be special because I will be marrying the love of my life," Eric countered. Eric agreed that they should wait for Sami to return to Salem for the wedding. There was a knock at the door. When Eric answered the door, he said, "Oh, my God."
At Bayview, Belle and Shawn visited Claire. "We have really good news. You're coming home," Belle said. Claire jumped up and down with joy. "I am myself again. I swear I'm gonna make both of you so proud of me," Claire said. When Belle said that they would get Claire on a plane to Hong Kong, Claire balked at the idea. "I thought that was what you wanted? To come home?" Belle asked. Claire said that Salem was her home, and she wanted to stay there. Claire argued that she should be able to choose where to live.
"This is like a trial. Supervised release," Belle said. Shawn noted that he and Belle were Claire's legal guardians. "[The doctors] think I'm still a little nuts?" Claire asked. Belle said that the doctors wanted Claire to have the support she needed on the outside. "Whatever is best for your recovery, we will do," Shawn said. "That's great! How soon can you move back to Salem?" Claire asked. Belle said that she and Shawn could not leave Hong Kong.
"It might be good to have a fresh start, someplace that's away from where everything happened when you got sick," Shawn suggested. "Won't that defeat the purpose of me getting out?" Claire asked. Confused, Shawn asked Claire what she meant. Claire said she could not fully recover until she made amends to the people she had hurt. "Everybody understands that you were sick when you did the things you did," Shawn said. Shawn started to mention Ben and Ciara's engagement, but Belle stopped him.
"Engaged? Are Ciara and Ben getting married?" Claire asked. Belle quietly confirmed that Ben and Ciara were engaged. Claire said she was happy for Ben and Ciara. "I was just kind of hoping that someday, somehow, Ciara and I could get back to what we used to be. Best friends. Do you think that is ever possible?" Claire asked. Shawn suggested that Claire take her recovery one step at a time. Claire stressed that she did not want to run away to another country.
"We cannot just leave you alone in Salem, all right? Supervision is a condition of your release," Shawn said. Claire begged Shawn and Belle to let her stay in Salem with Marlena rather than return to Hong Kong. Reluctantly, Belle and Shawn agreed to ask Marlena. After Claire's parents left, she stared at Ciara's wedding invitation.
Shawn and Belle went to the penthouse, and they asked Marlena if she would agree to let Claire live with her. "As a psychiatrist, I do see the benefits of Claire staying here and taking responsibility and making amends," Marlena said. "As her grandmother?" Belle asked. Marlena smiled and said she would love to have Claire there as long as John agreed. Marlena asked Belle and Shawn if they were okay with Claire staying in Salem.
In the square, Hope broke the news to Ciara about Claire. When Ciara acted fidgety, Hope asked Ciara what she was not telling her. "It's nothing, I'm just really tired," Ciara said. Hope was suspicious. "I can tell when you're keeping something from me," Hope said. Ciara lied and said that she was overwhelmed with work and a lack of sleep. Hope admitted that Ciara was under a lot of stress.
"Besides, if Claire gets released, she will go to Hong Kong, and I won't have to worry about it," Ciara said. Ciara hugged Hope, and she thought about when Ben had told her there were no leads on Gwen. Ben had promised Ciara that he would track down Gwen. Ciara stiffened at the memory.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Hope asked. With a nod, Ciara said that she wanted to give Claire the benefit of the doubt. "All I want is for her to get better. Just like Ben did," Ciara said. Rafe rounded the corner and said hello. Hope asked about David's custody case. Rafe said he was waiting on information, and he thanked Hope for testifying on his behalf in court. Hope said she was happy to have helped. Ciara told Rafe that she and Ben hoped that Rafe would secure custody of David.
"You're just like the best dad to that little boy," Ciara said. Rafe told Ciara that if he were lucky enough to gain custody of David, he wanted to set up playdates for Ben and his nephew. Ciara said she and Ben would love to babysit. With a nod, Rafe changed the subject to Gabi. "Have you seen her?" Rafe asked. Rafe explained that he had scheduled a breakfast with his sister, but she had failed to show up. Ciara shifted her eyes away guilty.
"Disappearing the day before her court date? How am I supposed to help her if I don't know where she is?" Rafe wondered aloud. Ciara started to tell Rafe about the kidnapping, but instead, she told Rafe that she hoped Gabi was okay. Ciara hugged Hope and Rafe goodbye, and she hurried away. "Is it just me or is Ciara acting very strange?" Rafe asked.
Hope told Rafe about Claire's possible release from Bayview. Rafe's phone beeped with a text. "It's work. I was hoping it was Gabi," Rafe said. Rafe told Hope about Gabi's theory that Rolf had set Gabi up. "Do you believe that Gabi's innocent?" Hope asked. Rafe argued that though the evidence was against Gabi, Gabi's argument made sense.
"[Gabi] thinks Jake is Stefan. She loves Stefan. Why would she try and hurt him?" Rafe said. Hope asked Rafe if he had questioned Rolf. With a shake of his head no, Rafe said that Rolf had denied framing Gabi. "If [Gabi] is right," Rafe started. "Then [Rolf] must have had access to the drug used on Abigail," Hope finished. Rafe noted that Rolf had been locked in jail at the time of Abigail's drugging, but Hope argued that Rolf had never had a shortage of minions to do his work.
"[Rolf] could have directed someone else to poison Abigail then set Gabi up to take the fall," Hope said. Rafe thanked Hope for her help on the case. As Hope smiled, Justin called Rafe's phone. Justin told Rafe that the judge had made a decision about David's custody.
Claire was still staring at Ciara's wedding invitation when Belle and Shawn returned with Marlena. Claire slid the card under her pillow. "Did you talk about what I asked for?" Claire asked. "You're going home. With me," Marlena said. Overjoyed, Claire hugged Marlena tightly. Belle and Shawn exchanged a worried glance.
Outside the Brady Pub, Sonny asked Will whether Gabi could have skipped town to avoid prison. Will reminded Sonny that Gabi had vowed to never leave Arianna again. "And also, if she thinks Jake is Stefan? There is no chance she would inject him with something weird. You know? Which means she's innocent," Will reasoned aloud. Sonny agreed, and he noted that Gabi would fight to prove her innocence.
"Do you think it's possible that Jake is really Stefan?" Will asked Sonny. Will admitted that he'd gotten a weird feeling from Jake when they had met him. "What's weird is I got a vibe from Ben, too," Will said. Sonny asked Will if Ben was lying, too. "I think they both know something about Gabi that they're not telling us," Will said. Worried, Will and Sonny went to the police station to speak with Rafe, but he was not there. Abe offered to help. "Gabi is missing, and we think she could be in trouble," Will said.
At the garage, Ben told Jake that Ciara was struggling to keep the secret about Gabi. "Ciara's worried, and so am I," Ben said. Jake asked Ben to trust him. A frustrated Jake told Ben that he had left another voicemail for Gwen, and he had said in the message that someone's life was in danger.
"That's the exact reason I don't want to keep this secret anymore," Ciara said as she walked in. Ciara informed Ben and Jake about her run-in with Rafe, and she insisted that they tell Rafe about Gabi's kidnapping. "If you want blood on your hands," Jake said. Furious, Ciara argued that Gabi's predicament was Jake's fault. Ben stepped between Ciara and Jake, and he asked Ciara to trust Jake's judgment.
"If [Gabi] dies because we kept Rafe in the dark, how can you live with that?" Ciara yelled. Jake reiterated that they could not tell the cops. Suspicious, Ciara asked Jake if he was worried about Gabi's blood being spilled or his own. Ben took Jake aside and noted that his way had not worked out. "Rafe could be the answer," Ben suggested.
Jake apologized to Ciara for yelling, and he stressed that they needed to find Gwen. Jake said he was certain that Gwen would call back when she heard his message about Gabi's life being in danger. Ben suggested they give Gwen two more hours to call back before they reached out to Rafe.
Kate went to the Evans-Black townhouse to try to enlist John's help with the campaign to convince Steve and Hope to each publicly accept a key to the city.
"I'm sure Steve could use some money, and I've arranged for there to be a cash reward for Orpheus' apprehension..." Kate temptingly informed John, who remained reluctant to talk Steve and Hope into doing something they didn't want to do. "Ugh! Why do I even bother with you people?" Kate grumbled before starting to storm back out of the townhouse -- just as Marlena entered it, having just returned from Bayview. "I would really love to chat, but your husband just wasted all of my time," Kate explained to Marlena before continuing to storm off. "What was all that about?" Marlena asked once the coast was clear. "Just Kate being Kate," John replied.
Changing the subject, John probed for details about Marlena's visit to Bayview. Marlena reported that everyone was still on board with Claire's immediate release and subsequent move to the townhouse -- news that delighted John. "I'm telling you, Doc -- these last few years, we just haven't seen enough of our grandkids," John mused with a sigh, and Marlena nodded in agreement.
Eric and Nicole were both shocked to see Allie, of all people, standing outside their apartment. Eric tried to greet Allie with a hug but was rejected. "No way I'm sharing my germs -- [I mean, do you really want me to] give you my cold?" Allie -- who was wearing an oversized hoodie and carrying a large messenger bag that was hanging from a strap in a cross-body manner -- reasoned while entering the apartment.
"Nobody told me you were gonna be here," Eric admitted. "It was a last-minute decision," Allie explained. "How long you here for?" Eric asked. "That kind of depends on you -- [see], if it's not too much trouble, I was hoping I could crash here for a while, [because] I'm not really feeling London anymore," Allie replied. "What happened?" Eric wondered. "My mom happened," Allie grumbled. "Sami's in Italy, taking care of E.J. -- you're living in two separate countries..." Eric noted, still confused. "That's the problem -- she's demanding I move home [because] she's a control freak [and] refuses to see that I'm an adult!" Allie clarified.
"As if she didn't party when she was my age... [Anyway], now she's all about keeping an eye on me, like I'm irresponsible or something!" Allie continued. "Sami did mention [that] you haven't gotten a job since you graduated college..." Eric recalled. "Have you seen the job market? It's impossible! I've sent out tons of résumés -- tons -- [but] a zillion people apply for every job! And does Mom even try to understand? [You know], she cut me off financially! [And] then she booked a flight to London to drag my ass home, like I'm a child, [so] I got the hell out [before she arrived]," Allie explained.
"How did you buy a plane ticket if Sami cut you off?" Eric wondered. "I...have my ways..." Allie bragged.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate received an unexpected visit from Lucas, who refused a hug and began lashing out. "Last time we spoke, do you remember what I told you -- [that] we were cutting Allie off [because] she's just partying too hard [and] shopping like a madwoman?" Lucas wondered. "You know, I do remember that..." Kate confirmed. "Well, according to her roommate, Allie is traveling the world -- living it up -- because her grandmother gave her a bunch of money!" Lucas snapped. "And you think that's me?" Kate countered. "Marlena knows better!" Lucas reasoned.
"Okay, fine -- I might have helped Allie out a little bit..." Kate admitted. "I knew it..." Lucas grumbled. "I can't believe you did that -- [I mean], now my daughter is God knows where, doing God knows what, [and] she's getting into all kinds of trouble right now probably -- because of you!" Lucas snapped, drawing an unapologetic shrug from Kate, who explained that Allie had claimed that the money would be used to pay for food and rent. "[But] she deserves to have a little fun, [too]..." Kate argued. "She has a lot of fun, believe me -- she's a master at having fun; [it's] all she does!" Lucas stressed.
"Of all people, I'd think that you would want her to straighten her act out -- [I mean], after all, when you were her age, you were working pretty hard..." Lucas noted. "I had nothing [at that age]. Allie doesn't have that problem, so she can afford to be a little adventurous," Kate reasoned before suggesting that Lucas was overreacting to the situation. "My daughter could be anywhere in this world right now -- I think my level of concern is warranted!" Lucas snapped. "Is Sami overreacting, as well?" Kate wondered, ignoring Lucas' point. "She's freaking out, yeah -- that's what she does," Lucas confirmed.
"[But] E.J. had another setback, so she's in Italy," Lucas revealed before changing the subject, wondering if Kate had heard from Allie recently. "Not a word," Kate insisted. "Well, at least you only gave her enough money for food and rent -- how far could she get on that..." Lucas mused. "Well...she might be able to get farther than you think...[because] I might have given her my credit card..." Kate innocently admitted. "When you get that bill [and] see that amount that she runs up, you're gonna have a heart attack!" Lucas predicted before suddenly realizing that Allie could be tracked via charges on the credit card.
"Lucas, she's a grown woman -- you have to let her live her life now," Kate advised. "What? Is that coming from you, [as if] you let your children live their lives and make their own decisions? Really? No, I don't think so -- let's get on that computer and access those charges [so I can find out] where my daughter's been...right now!" Lucas countered.
Meanwhile, Eric and Nicole realized that Allie was ignoring Sami and Lucas' phone calls. Nicole wondered if Sami and Lucas were at least aware that Allie was in Salem. "It was so much more fun to have my roomie tell [them] I'm on a grand tour of the world," Allie admitted before promising to eventually reveal the truth to Sami and Lucas. "But first...[I need to know that] you'll let me stay [with you -- just for] a couple months. [I mean], if Mom knows that her very responsible ex-priest twin brother is looking out for me, maybe she'll get off my back, [so]...please, Uncle Eric -- please tell me I can stay," Allie begged.
Eric wanted to discuss the matter with Nicole, so Allie stepped into the guest bathroom to freshen up a bit. "Echoes of Sami...[which means] we're not getting the full story," Nicole insisted once the coast was clear. "So, we should turn her away?" Eric assumed. "No, not at all -- [look], I don't blame [Allie] for not wanting to live with Sami [if Sami's] bound and determined to control Allie's life. [And Allie's] your niece, [and] I think Holly would love having Allie around, [so] I'm fine with [this] if you are," Nicole clarified. "I think [it's] for the best...[and Allie will] still be here when Sami comes for the wedding, so maybe I can help heal their relationship [then]," Eric decided.
Justin met up with Rafe and Hope in the town square to share the outcome of David's custody hearing -- and the news wasn't good.
"[The judge decided] that Zoey had no choice but to follow Orpheus' demands in order to save the life of her son," Justin explained when Hope wondered how Zoey had managed to win custody of David after everything that had happened. "I argued that very point, [but] the judge's mind was made up," Justin explained when Hope pointed out that Rafe was the only parent David had ever known. "Sadly, Jordan is dead, [but] Christian is very much alive, [and] he made it very clear that he wants his sister to raise David," Justin explained when Rafe wondered why Jordan's wishes were being ignored.
"We don't have the grounds to file [an appeal, so] the ruling is final, [and] Zoey and a court-appointed official will be picking up David soon. [Look], I'm sorry -- I wish I could have done more..." Justin said to Rafe before walking away. "This can't be happening..." Rafe repeatedly muttered while accepting a comforting hug from Hope. "How do I say goodbye to my son?" Rafe fretted.
Later, while Rafe was explaining the situation to David at the Hernandez house, Zoey arrived and greeted Hope, who was packing David's things. "It's not too late, you know -- you don't have to do this," Hope stressed, but Zoey refused to go against Evan's wishes -- and Rafe emerged from a bedroom with David just then, ending the conversation.
Rafe shared a tearful goodbye with David. "I find no pleasure in this... [Anyway, look], I only live a few hours from here -- you can see him whenever you want..." Zoey assured Rafe before rushing off with David, who didn't cause a fuss. "That's it -- he's gone..." Rafe muttered before breaking down in Hope's arms, clutching one of David's toys.
While heading out of the hospital in search of food from the Brady Pub, Kayla ran into Steve, who wanted to apologize for what had happened the previous day. Kayla understood, having been in Steve's position at least once -- a memory that drew laughter from both of them. Kayla again tried to determine the reason for Steve's binge -- and, again, was unsuccessful.
Not yet ready to give up, Kayla tried yet again to get the truth out of Steve -- but Justin arrived just then, ending the conversation. "What was that about?" Justin asked Kayla after Steve rushed off. "He came by to apologize -- [see], I ran into him in the pub last night, [and] he was drunk, [so] I took him home and put him to bed," Kayla replied, stunning Justin, who was upset at first but calmed down after getting more details. "When I got home, you were sleeping, and then you got up and left early," Kayla explained to address why Justin hadn't heard the story sooner. "I sound like a jealous jerk," Justin realized. "I think I'll take the Fifth," Kayla decided.
Steve went to the Evans-Black townhouse to see John, who invited Steve along on a preplanned trip to the town square to purchase Claire's favorite flowers, reasoning that they could talk on the way.
"You want to talk about Kayla?" John assumed. "Anything but," Steve begged. "Come on, man -- since when do you give up when it comes to the love of your life?" John protested. "Since Justin put a ring on her finger," Steve clarified. stunning John, who reluctantly agreed to drop the subject.
"I want to come back to work, if that's okay," Steve revealed. "Are you kidding me, partner? You are the 'patch' part of Black Patch -- I'd love to have you back. [And] besides, you can't live on reward money forever..." John replied, confusing Steve, who groaned in response to Kate's latest stunt.
While eating lunch at the Brady Pub, Justin and Kayla discussed the outcome of David's custody hearing -- then distracted themselves with the happier topic of their upcoming wedding ceremony.
Kayla grew quiet when Justin suggested that they could get married in July, prompting Justin to recall that Kayla had married Steve in July. "[Our] first wedding was in July...but, then again, we did have weddings in August and February, [too], so I guess it doesn't really matter," Kayla decided after some thought. "Okay...then how about July 10?" Justin suggested. "I'm counting down the days," Kayla agreed.
"Then it's settled -- in less than a month, you and I will be husband and wife," Justin said to Kayla, and they sealed the deal with a kiss, both unaware that Steve had arrived in time to hear the plan.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate and Lucas reviewed the recent transactions on the credit card that Allie was using -- and were both surprised to see a charge for a one-way plane ticket to Salem, of all places.
Meanwhile, Eric and Nicole announced that Allie could stay with them. Delighted, Allie started to thank Eric and Nicole with a hug but quickly abandoned the idea. Oblivious, Eric and Nicole warned Allie that there were two conditions to the agreement -- and that neither one was negotiable. "Call your mom and let her know that you're staying here," Eric demanded. "If I have to..." Allie decided with a groan. "[And] no partying," Eric insisted. "Done," Allie promised without hesitation, surprising Eric and Nicole. "Definitely not into partying these days..." Allie explained before removing the hoodie.
Eric and Nicole exchanged looks of concern, realizing that Allie was pregnant.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny finished checking on Arianna then joined Will in the living room and reported with a sigh, "Ari keeps asking me about Gabi, and I've run out of excuses -- I used them all up when she was in jail."
Will contacted Abe, who was still unable to file a missing person's report because it had not yet been a full 48 hours since Gabi had last been heard from or seen. Will guessed that Rafe would be willing to make an exception for Gabi, of all people, and Abe conceded the point but balked at the idea of delivering such disturbing news to the commissioner during a phone conversation.
At the Hernandez house, Hope assured Rafe that Zoey would take good care of David. "[And] Zoey said that you could visit whenever you want --" Hope continued. "[And] Zoey never lies..." Rafe sarcastically interjected. "I think that she was being sincere... [Anyway, look], if you want to yell, [then] yell at me...[but] when it comes to Zoey, [be] calm [and] reasonable at all times, okay? For David," Hope concluded.
Later, while Rafe was showering, Hope packed up the rest of David's belongings.
Abe eventually arrived to talk to Rafe about Gabi's disappearance -- but lost the nerve to do so after Hope revealed the outcome of David's custody hearing.
"No pressure, [but] if you ever want to return to police work..." Abe suggested. "Uh, no...[but] speaking of [pressure], Kate will not leave Steve and me alone about accepting [keys to the city]..." Hope replied. "I am so sorry -- [that] was all Kate's idea... [Honestly], I opposed it [at first -- I mean], not that you two weren't great [candidates, but] I thought there might be a public backlash... [Anyway], I changed my mind [because] you deserve that award, [so] I hope you accept it -- [and besides], it's the only thing that will get Kate off your back," Abe stressed. "I'll think about it," Hope promised.
Shortly after Abe left, Rafe rejoined Hope, who started to rush off with a box that contained the rest of David's belongings. "Do you mind, uh...just sticking around for a while?" Rafe requested. "No problem," Hope agreed.
After sharing the details of Abe's visit, Hope offered to order a pizza with all of Rafe's favorite toppings. "No -- David doesn't..." Rafe began to object before stopping abruptly. "I'm sorry --" Hope stressed. "Not your fault," Rafe acknowledged. "It's okay -- 'it gets better,'" Rafe bitterly continued. "I know it doesn't seem that way right now --" Hope noted. "It doesn't get better! [And] I know because I've been through this [before]. Yes, I can go on living, [but] I don't want to... [You know], I thought that David was, um...a gift -- [a] gift from God -- and, um...well, it didn't work out, so maybe I'm just not meant to be a father..." Rafe fretted.
"It's not too late -- [I mean], you could still be a dad," Hope assured Rafe, who eventually conceded the point.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate and Lucas looked up Allie's flight information and realized that the plane had landed in Salem a few hours earlier.
"Why the hell hasn't she called me?" Kate wondered. "Maybe she's not here to see you," Lucas suggested, drawing a dismissive scoff from Kate. "I am her favorite relative," Kate bragged. "'Cause you gave her your credit card," Lucas guessed. "No -- [because] we have rapport!" Kate clarified. "Okay..." Lucas skeptically agreed. "[Besides], there's no way in hell that she came here to visit Marlena -- [I mean, look], I love Marlena, but --" Kate argued. "Wait a minute..." Lucas interjected. "What, do you...do you really think she did come here to visit Marlena?" Kate fretted. "That's not who I was thinking of..." Lucas clarified.
Eli and Lani were in their apartment, making out on their bed as a way of celebrating the fact that they had just settled on a wedding date, when Abe arrived to talk to them about Gabi's disappearance.
"Perfect timing," Lani claimed with a forced smile after Eli opened the apartment door. "I'm not sure Eli would agree with you," Abe acknowledged, gauging Eli's body language. "We were just, um...making wedding plans," Lani explained, drawing a nod of skepticism from Abe. "Fourth of July," Eli revealed. "Oh, darn -- now I won't be able to judge the hot dog-eating contest..." Abe joked.
"[Anyway, look]...this is not a social call -- I know this is your day off, but I have a job for you...[and] I don't think you're going to like it," Abe continued.
"Nothing happened to her -- she just jumped her bail," Lani guessed after Abe explained everything. "Will doesn't think that she'd leave [Arianna]," Abe reported. "Are we really gonna pretend that Gabi cares about anything or anyone other than Gabi?" Lani countered. "I know you don't like the woman...but I promised Will and Sonny that we would put out some feelers," Abe reasoned. "Why us and not Rafe?" Eli wondered. "[Well], I was going to ask him...[but he just] lost custody of David [to] Zoey," Abe clarified. "Rafe loves that little boy!" Lani fretted. "So do you," Eli acknowledged.
"As much as I find it hard to give a damn about Gabi...we will try to find her -- for Rafe's sake," Lani assured Abe after some thought, and Eli nodded in agreement. "And for her daughter's sake," Abe stressed.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Will wondered if Sonny thought that Gabi had skipped town to avoid being sent back to prison. "[Come on] -- when has she ever done anything impulsive, rash, stupid, or boneheaded?" Sonny sarcastically protested. "Yeah... [And] she's made a lot of enemies, [so]...do you think any of 'em would actually...you know, like, go after her?" Will continued, thinking of Jake in particular.
While Sonny was pondering the theory, Will received a phone call from someone at an adoption agency.
Although Will remained calm and respectful during the phone conversation, Sonny could tell that something was wrong.
"What'd they say?" Sonny asked after Will ended the call. "That our...'domestic situation'...is, uh...'suboptimal,'" Will, who was shaking with rage, replied. "[And then] they mentioned my jail time --" Will continued. "But...you were innocent..." Sonny protested, confused. "[Right, but] we both know that's not the problem; it's -- it's just, they say that 'cause they can't legally say it's 'cause we're gay... But, bottom line, they're not gonna help us," Will concluded. "Well, then, we are gonna find an agency [that] is not homophobic, okay?" Sonny assured Will.
"I have a friend who just adopted a child, and the biological parents actually requested gay adoptive parents, okay? And we haven't ruled out surrogacy --" Sonny continued. "I just -- I couldn't stand that woman; I could hear the moral superiority in her voice, [and it was so clear that she believes that] people like us shouldn't be allowed to raise a child..." Will explained. "I know that you're mad -- and I am, too -- [but], babe, in the end, this is all gonna be worth it, okay?" Sonny stressed. "It's just -- Gabi and I...like, we had no business having a child, but no one said that we shouldn't, [or] can't, [or that] it would be wrong --" Will noted, still furious.
Kate and Lucas entered the mansion just then, ending Will and Sonny's conversation. "What are you doing here?" Will asked after greeting Lucas with a hug. "We're trying to track down Allie, [and] we were hoping she came to see you," Lucas replied. "I thought she was in London," Will admitted with a shrug. "So, when's the last time you heard from [her]?" Lucas wondered. "Um...a while ago..." Will recalled.
"What's going on? What's wrong?" Will asked. "Your mom told me [that Allie] got sucked back up into the party scene... [And], you know, with her genes [and] my history of substance abuse, uh, I can't really blame her... [Anyway], maybe it's good that she came back here..." Lucas replied. "Well, I mean, as long as she's here, I'll look out for her, obviously," Will promised. "Well, [that's] if we find her..." Kate interjected while stepping aside to contact Marlena. "I'm worried... [Anyway], how you guys doing?" Lucas said to Will and Sonny. "Uh...yeah, we're great..." Will claimed while glancing at Sonny, who nodded in agreement.
"Do you think we should call Mom about this?" Will wondered. "Not yet -- let's try to, um, see if we can locate Allie first..." Lucas advised. "Why? You -- you don't think Mom would overreact, do you?" Will teasingly challenged Lucas, who sarcastically insisted that Sami would never do such a thing -- just as Kate returned. "Okay, well, I spoke to Marlena, [and Allie's] not there, so...if she didn't come to see Will or [either of] her two grandmothers --" Kate began, clearly confused. "There's only one person it could be," Will realized. "Let's go," Lucas said to Kate after hearing Will's theory and deciding that it had merit.
"You could just, like, pick up the phone instead of trekking all -- all over town..." Will pointed out. "Really? [And] ruin the element of surprise? I don't think so," Lucas argued. "'The element of surprise'... See, I -- I love that my family uses military terminology to describe our family dynamic," Will sarcastically said to Sonny. "She's gonna take off again if she knows I'm coming for her," Lucas reasoned. "Are you gonna send her back to Italy?" Sonny wondered. "No, [but] she probably thinks I will," Lucas clarified. "The fact that she came here without telling anyone says that something is probably wrong," Kate mused. "I'm gonna find out what," Lucas vowed.
After Lucas and Kate left, Sonny wondered if Will was worried about Allie. "Yeah... I mean, I, uh -- trust me, I get wanting to get away from Mom, but...[between] not telling anyone [and] what Dad said about her partying... I don't know -- when she was little, she was such a sweet kid, [so] maybe she's [just] acting out," Will mused. "Like every kid ever born?" Sonny noted. "Yeah -- I mean, God, I know I did stupid stuff..." Will agreed. "I actually didn't -- my parents never worried about me once," Sonny joked, drawing a knowing grin from Will.
"What if this is a wake-up call? 'Dudes, this is more than milk and cookies and Little League!' Like, are we up for raising a teenager?" Sonny suddenly fretted. "Well, I guess we'll find out with Ari," Will acknowledged with a shrug. "Should we just be one-and-done?" Sonny wondered. "See, that would probably be the smart move, but...the thing is...I don't know -- raising Ari with you is just so much fun, and, uh, I want another kid...this time with my husband," Will replied, shrugging again. Sonny smiled and hugged Will, resealing the deal.
Allie admitted, while pacing around Eric and Nicole's apartment, that no one else in the family knew about the pregnancy yet. "I thought you wouldn't let me stay if I told you...[but] I knew [that once] Uncle Eric said yes, he'd never go back on his word, [so that's why I'm telling you now]. Are you mad?" Allie continued. "No, I'm not mad -- it's just...I'm...I mean, I'm concerned...[and] we only have two bedrooms, [so] four people is really tight [to begin with], and five --" Eric replied. "[So, you are] kicking me out," Allie concluded for Eric with a sigh of disappointment before starting to storm out of the apartment.
"You're not listening to me -- just like your mother never listens!" Eric snapped. "Let's not go down that road," Nicole interjected. "[Look, all] I was [trying] to say [is that] we need to make a plan for the long term," Eric clarified. "All right -- well, maybe Allie already has a long-term plan..." Nicole suggested. "Not really..." Allie admitted. "What a surprise..." Eric grumbled.
"I've been too busy trying to keep my mom from finding out -- which is why I freaked out when she said she was gonna come to London and drag me back to Italy," Allie explained. "She was younger than you when she had Will -- do you really think she's gonna judge you?" Nicole argued. "Mom is of the 'do as I say, not as I do' school of parenting...[and besides], if she found out, she'd just want to take over [and] raise the kid herself," Allie reasoned. "She wouldn't do that," Eric insisted. "Have you met her? 'Cause it would take less than five minutes to figure out that [she] cannot help herself," Allie countered.
Nicole seemed to agree with Allie but didn't say anything. "Mom is all about babies; she loves to have them, dress them, correct them -- she's crazy about them...until they have a mind of their own," Allie continued. "I don't think you're being fair," Eric maintained. "Is this how it's gonna be -- you sticking up for her every time I say something bad about her?" Allie wondered. "I never said she was perfect --" Eric tried to clarify. "Eric...could you just try to listen?" Nicole gently advised. "I have enough to deal with [right now] without her [asking a million questions, like]...'Who's the father?'" Allie fretted.
"Who is the father? [And] how is he handling all this?" Eric wondered. "Really good on the 'listening' thing, honey..." Nicole sarcastically declared before pulling Eric aside. "You can't interrogate her -- she doesn't owe us an explanation; this isn't our business --" Nicole stressed. "It's her father's business --" Eric insisted. "You need to be a little more sensitive --" Nicole continued. "Yeah -- what she said," Allie, who could still hear everything, agreed. "Would you talk that way to someone you don't know if they walked into the Horton Center? You're reacting the way she's scared Sami will," Nicole concluded. "Like a Brady..." Eric translated.
Eric apologized to Allie and offered a comforting hug. "It's okay...just as long as you promise not to tell my mother," Allie stressed. "The last time I kept a secret from Sami, I, um, was in the third grade...and I vaguely recall waking up in the hospital with a concussion," Eric admitted. "So, you're afraid of her," Allie translated. "Who isn't?" Eric reasoned. "Point taken," Allie conceded. "[Plus], I just don't think it's a good idea for you to lie to her," Eric advised. "It's not 'lying' -- it's just...not telling her something that's none of her business," Allie argued. "She's not gonna see it like that," Eric warned. "That's why you can't tell her!" Allie maintained.
"Allie, do you really think she's never gonna find out?" Nicole interjected. "And the longer you keep it from her, the bigger [the] explosion when she does -- trust me, I sadly know from experience," Nicole continued. "Fine -- tell my mother...[and] ruin my life," Allie grumbled. "You can't keep this from your mom forever, [because] in a few months, there's going to be a baby --" Eric stressed. "Not necessarily..." Allie countered.
"What do you mean by that?" Eric wondered -- but before Allie could respond, Lucas and Kate arrived and took turns knocking on the apartment door.
"I can hear people talking in there -- why aren't they opening the door?" Kate complained to Lucas from outside the apartment as Allie gave Eric and Nicole a look of panic.
As Ciara hung flyers of Gwen around the square, Brady walked by. "Who is that?" Brady asked about the woman in the flyer. "Ben and I are just trying to track her down for a friend of his," Ciara explained.
As Ciara scowled at Brady, he asked her if anything was wrong. Ciara asked why Brady had thrown her proposals in the trash. "You promised me that you would read them!" Ciara said. Brady said the proposals were good. Confused, Ciara asked Brady why he would throw away good ideas.
"I'm just trying to do what is best for the company," Brady said. "Are you sure about that?" Ciara countered. Brady explained that he had decided to take the company in a different direction. Ciara said she had noticed that Brady was selling properties.
"There are only two ways to get back at grandpa. A, you go after his family, which is something you would never do. And B, you go after the company that he built from the ground up," Ciara said. "I'd have to be pretty insane to do something like that, wouldn't I?" Brady said with a chuckle. Ciara noted that a great way to get revenge would be to destroy the company.
"My motivations are not that dramatic," Brady lied. Brady said the only payback he had wanted had been to boot Xander from the company. "I really hope that is true, because Titan isn't just Victor's pride and joy. It employs thousands of people all over the world. You run that company into the ground, Brady? Those people will lose their paychecks," Ciara said. Brady said that he knew that. Ciara reminded Brady that he was not the kind of person to ruin people's lives to make a point.
"Well at least you didn't used to be," Ciara added. Brady asked Ciara if she planned to tell Victor about her theory. Ciara said Victor was too ill. "So, this conversation can stay between us, right?" Brady asked. Ciara told Brady that if he was serious about improving the bottom line of the company, he would look at her proposals.
"That sounds a little like blackmail, Ciara," Brady said. "Think of it as more of a negotiation," Ciara said. Ciara pulled a copy of her proposals out of her purse and handed it to Brady. With a scowl, Brady noted that Ciara's tactics were not a good way to get ahead with him. "You know Granddad told me that if I ever wanted to run anything by him, that he'd be more than happy to listen," Ciara said. Brady took the proposals.
In the penthouse, Marlena told John that Kate had tracked down Allie. Marlena explained that Kate had given a credit card to Allie so that she could keep track of her. "John was concerned that Allie had arrived in Salem and had not contacted anyone. Marlena noted that the only person that had not checked in was Eric.
After Shawn picked up Claire at Bayview, they returned to the penthouse. An overjoyed John gave Claire a bear hug. "I'm so glad this worked out!" Marlena said. Marlena said she and John wanted Claire to know how happy they were to have her at home. Shawn announced that he was going to go talk to Hope about Claire's new living arrangement. Claire winced. John reminded Claire that she would not be able to stay in Salem if Hope had not approved the possibility.
"[Hope] is your grandma. She is happy that you are doing so well," Shawn stressed. After Shawn left, John suggested a game of cards, but Marlena waved off the idea. "Can you tell me about this? Why do you have it?" Marlena asked as she held up Ciara's Save the Date card.
"You went through my stuff?" Claire asked. Marlena noted that she had been unpacking Claire's suitcase for her. "Did Ciara send you this?" Marlena asked. Claire said that she had gotten it from her parents. "They told me about the wedding. They didn't want it to come as a surprise to me," Claire explained. Marlena asked Claire if she was okay with the news.
"Who am I to judge anyone? If I can be rehabilitated, so can he," Claire said. "Are you jealous of Ciara's happiness?" Marlena asked. Claire claimed that she only wanted Ciara's forgiveness. "That would have to be on [Ciara's] timetable. You can't rush someone's forgiveness," Marlena counseled. Claire said she wanted Ciara to be happy, and if marrying Ben made Ciara happy, she supported it. After playing cards, Claire announced that she was going to go lie down and rest. "I'm going to prove to you and everyone that I am a different person," Claire said.
Jack was working at a table in the Brady Pub, when Xander walked in and asked to talk about an ad in the paper. "What does it say?" Jack asked. Xander held up a tablet with the graphic "I'm sorry" on it. "Are you going to address it to the entire town?" Jack asked.
"I don't give a damn about the entire town; it's meant only for Sarah Horton," Xander grumbled. Jack reminded Xander that he was married to a Horton woman, and he told Xander that Horton women were not impressed with grand gestures. "Let me save you a lot of money and quite a bit of humiliation. Let the lady go," Jack counseled. Xander refused to give up on Sarah.
"You're used to getting your own way. But if you want to see a change, you better start learning to listen," Jack said. Xander asked Jack how many times he had "dumped" his wife and kids. Jack smiled. "From all that, what I've learned is that words are cheap. They're meaningless. It's what you do that matters," Jack said. "You make your living with words," Xander countered.
"If you try to publish this ad, Sarah will not only be humiliated, she'll see it for the empty, flashy gesture that it is," Jack said. Xander asked for advice. When Jack shrugged, Xander reminded Jack that they had been friends in Nashville. Jack argued that friends did not hold one another captive. Xander argued that he had pulled Jack out of the warehouse before it had exploded.
"And then you sold me to Eve," Jack noted. Jack said that during his time with Eve, all he'd had had in his life had been misery. Jack was thankful his family had forgiven him. Xander reasoned aloud that Jack's history was why he was the perfect person to offer advice.
"Just tell me how you got your Horton woman to take you back," Xander said. "Mainly, I just got my memory back," Jack said. Jack added that he had attempted to undo all he had done, and he made his family see that they were the most important people in his life. "None of that applies to me," Xander said. "I understand that you were devoted to Sarah when she was pregnant," Jack said. Xander explained that he had not been able to tell Sarah the truth about her daughter after the accident.
"The hardest thing about watching someone that you love go through something that bad is realizing how powerless you are," Jack said. Xander agreed. Jack suggested that Xander should give Sarah space. "I know she likes jewelry," Xander said. "Forget the jewelry. Try thinking long and hard about what it is that Sarah really wants, really needs," Jack said. Xander thought about Jack's suggestion for a moment, then he said, "I don't know what Sarah needs."
"Are you sure this ad isn't a good idea?" Xander asked with suspicion. "What do you think?" Jack countered. With a sigh, Xander thanked Jack for his advice As Xander rose to leave, Jack grabbed his arm. "You got me through that locked door. Maybe we should do this more often," Jack said. Without a word, Xander left.
In the Kiriakis living room, Sarah raced into her mother's arms. Sarah said she had attempted to see Maggie after her release from prison, but Maggie had been busy talking with Victor at the time. "Yeah. He and I had a lot to talk about," Maggie said quietly. Sarah asked her mother if she was okay. Maggie insisted she was fine, and she asked Sarah how she was doing.
"It's not easy. I'm really missing Rachel, and mourning Mickey, but you're home. You're home, and I can't tell you what that means to me," Sarah said. Over tea, Maggie and Sarah talked about Victor and Xander. "In their misguided way, they were just trying to protect us," Maggie said. Sarah complained that Xander had fed her the same line.
"They were just thinking of us, and they made such horrible judgments," Maggie said. Sarah refused to forgive Victor or Xander. "I talked to Xander. He's lost without you," Maggie said. "Did you talk to Sonny? Because he was lost without Will when he was in prison for a year," Sarah shot back. Maggie said that Xander was upset with himself for hurting Sarah.
"It wasn't the first time," Sarah said. Sarah told Maggie about the plan that Kristen had made with Xander to take Sarah's embryo. Sarah reminded Maggie that Xander had been her confidant during the pregnancy, and he'd still planned to help Kristen. Sarah bitterly added, "And when I brought it up to him, he said, 'Well, you were just going to get rid of the baby, anyway. Why not give it to Kristen?'" Maggie gasped. Maggie reminded Sarah that Kristen had taken an embryo before. Maggie added that Kristen might have threatened Xander.
"Since when is Xander afraid of anyone, even Kristen? I trusted him, and he sold me down the river, and he wouldn't have done that if he actually cared about me," Sarah said. "So, he interfered in the most important event in your life, twice," Maggie noted. Fighting back tears, Sarah noted that the worst part was that she had been ready to forgive Xander before she had heard about the clinic.
"What's wrong with me?" Sarah wondered aloud. Maggie hugged her daughter. Sarah said that if Brady had not told her about the planned embryo heist, she might have forgiven Xander. "Brady told you all of that?" Maggie asked. Maggie told Sarah that Brady was lashing out, and his actions had destroyed "any chance at happiness that you and Xander had."
"You think he should have kept it to himself?" Sarah asked with surprise. "Well, he didn't do it for you. He did it out of revenge," Maggie said. Maggie called Brady a "wounded animal." Sarah claimed that she was in the same boat as Brady. "Well, then, you and Brady are a bad combination," Maggie said. Incredulous, Sarah asked Maggie if she would prefer to have a thug as a son-in-law.
"All I'm saying is that I know Brady very well, and when he is in this kind of pain, he goes to a very dark place," Maggie said. Maggie argued that Brady should be going to meetings and working through his anger and grief with his sponsor, not Sarah. "And maybe you should think about seeing a therapist, as well," Maggie suggested. "Brady knows what I'm going through more than any therapist could," Sarah argued. "Is that why you're sleeping with him?" Maggie asked.
"Xander told you, didn't he?" Sarah asked. Maggie explained that Xander had also said that he believed it was an act. "For your sake, I hope he is right," Maggie said. Sarah sarcastically thanked Maggie for her confidence in Sarah's judgment. Maggie stressed that although she loved Sarah and Brady, she did not think it was a good time for either of them to have an affair. "Because if you get involved, it's going to be for all the wrong reasons," Maggie said.
When Xander returned to the mansion, Maggie was alone. Xander asked Maggie for help. "Why would I lift a finger to help you after what you did?" Maggie asked.
Sarah met up with Brady in the square and told him about her conversation with Maggie. Sarah said she wanted to make some changes. Curious, Brady asked what Sarah had in mind. Sarah kissed him.
In Eric's apartment, Nicole cautioned Eric not to interrogate Allie. Nicole noted that Eric was acting the way Allie feared her parents would act. "You mean I'm acting like a Brady?" Eric said. Nicole nodded yes. Eric told Allie that he was sorry, and he hugged her.
"It's okay, just as long as you promise not to tell my mother," Allie said. Eric joked that he had not kept a secret from Sami since they'd been children. "She will just take over everything like she always does," Allie complained. Nicole warned Allie to tell Sami the truth sooner rather than later. Allie argued that Eric would ruin her life if he told Sami about the baby.
"You can't keep this from [Sami] forever. In a few months, there is going to be a baby," Eric pointed out. "Not necessarily," Allie said. Concerned, Eric asked Allie what she meant. A knock at the door stopped Allie from answering. Eric looked out the peephole, and he noted that Kate and Lucas were in the hallway.
"They're not gonna go away, you know," Eric said. Scared, Allie said that if Kate or Lucas saw her baby bump, her life would be over. Allie pleaded with Eric not to open the front door. "I'm not going anywhere!" Lucas yelled through the door. "I'm sorry. He's right, I have to let him in," Eric said. Allie zipped up her hoodie to better hide her belly. Eric opened the door.
"What the hell is going on? Why didn't you call me?" Lucas asked. Defensive, Allie asked Lucas how he had found her. Lucas glared at Kate and said they had looked at the credit card statement. "I can explain about the Birkin," Allie said to Kate. "You have good taste. No explanation needed," Kate said. Frustrated, Lucas yelled at the women to stop talking about the bag Allie had purchased with the card. Lucas demanded answers about why Allie had run away.
"I'm sick of dealing with mom, and I wasn't about to live with her," Allie said. Kate offered Allie a place at the DiMera mansion, but Allie noted that Eric had already offered a room. Lucas looked at Eric. "Yeah, but there were conditions," Eric said. Lucas asked about the conditions. Eric and Allie exchanged glances, but neither said a word. Lucas asked Allie if she was keeping a secret.
When Allie remained silent, Lucas said, "Obviously, there is something going on here that you're not telling me about." Lucas demanded answers from Eric, who looked over at Allie. With a sigh, Allie said, "I'm pregnant."
"How could you do this? How could you let this happen?" Lucas asked. "You're as bad as mom!" Allie cried out. Kate stepped between Lucas and Allie, and she suggested that Lucas and Sami could not lecture anyone about unplanned pregnancies. Kate told Lucas to remain calm. "I'm calm! Don't I seem calm to you!" Lucas yelled.
Lucas asked about the father. When Allie refused to answer, Lucas threatened to call Sami. "You call her, and I'll run away again," Allie said. Eric pulled Lucas aside. "[Your anger] is not going to do your cause any good," Eric said. With a nod yes, Lucas apologized to Allie.
"I'm sorry I reacted the way I did; I just didn't see this coming," Lucas said. "Neither did I," Allie admitted. When Lucas asked about the father of the baby, Allie said that was not important. "It is important. Whether you want him in your life or not, he needs to know," Lucas stressed. Frustrated, Allie yelled at Lucas to stop lecturing her. Allie admitted that she was not sure whether she wanted to keep the baby or not.
As Lucas grew more heated, Kate stepped in. "Listen to me. You know she is safe. You know she is here, but if you stay here and keep giving her a hard time, you're only making things worse," Kate advised. Reluctantly, Lucas agreed to leave. "I'm coming back tomorrow, and I have a lot of questions for you," Lucas said. Allie nodded yes. Allie asked Lucas to promise not to sell Sami, but he refused to make that promise. "He's going to tell her. I know he is," Allie whispered. Eric hugged Allie.
Kate called Marlena and told her that Allie was staying with Eric, but she did not mention the pregnancy. As Marlena told John the news, Shawn returned to the penthouse. Marlena asked Shawn how things had gone with Hope. "She's thrilled for Claire, but she is also protective of Ciara. She said she is going to let Ciara know that Claire is in town," Shawn said. Shawn asked about Claire, and John confirmed that Claire had gone to her room for a nap.
At the Salem Inn, Ciara talked to Ben on the phone about the flyers of Gwen she had posted around town. Ciara noted that if no one called about the flyers, she would be forced to go to the police to tell them about the kidnapping. There was a knock at the door, so Ciara ended her call to answer the door. It was Claire.
