The morning after their wedding, Mallet and Dinah are interrupted by a knock at their door. It is a gift basket for them. While the card says it is from Cyrus, Dinah lies and tells Mallet it is from an adoring fan. She quickly dresses and sends Mallet on his way. He wants to continue their honeymoon, but she says she has to work and run errands. The honeymoon will be later that night. Mallet leaves and goes to Company and runs into Cassie. She has just been to Josh's sentencing where he received 15 years. At the hospital earlier, she tried to inject L-Dopa into Alan so he would come out of his coma. Reva stopped her. Now at Company, she begs Mallet to make some calls to see to it that Josh is not hurt in prison. Mallet agrees.
When Mallet has left the hotel room, Dinah finds Cyrus hiding in the suite. She offers him three "marks" that he could con out of their jewelry, which would make him twice the money he would get from stealing from Vanessa and Matt. Cyrus rejects the offer, saying that he would prefer seeing Dinah in pain as she was forced to steal from her mother in order to save Mallet's reputation. Cyrus leaves and Dinah goes to Company and encounters Mallet and Cassie. Dinah tells Cassie she is sorry about Josh. Cassie pleads with Dinah to hold onto Mallet and congratulates her on their marriage. When she and Mallet return to their suite, Dinah calls Cyrus and tells him she'll help embezzle from her mother.
Reva, still at the hospital, injects Alan with the drug that could pull him out of his coma. Just as the drug may be working, she has to flee the room because someone is coming in. Reva can't see what is happening and has to wait. Alan wakes up and tries to write a note but only gets as far as the letter "A" before the paper falls from his grasp. Rick enters Alan's room and sees that Alan is conscious. Instead of encouraging Alan to remain awake, he gives him a sedative to put him back to sleep. He also finds the empty L-Dopa vial on the floor. Reva has not seen any of what has happened. When she returns to Alan's room after Rick leaves, she feels the attempt to revive Alan has failed. Rick confronts her with the vial and says she could have killed Alan. He lies and says that Alan did not wake up.
Alan-Michael finds Ava clearing out her belongings at the mansion. He tells her that if she leaves her job, she loses. He gives her the option to follow her ambition and stay with Spaulding. Ava leaves and goes to Towers to meet Doris. Ava tells Doris that Alan-Michael had begged her to stay on with Spaulding because he saw Doris as a threat. She tells Doris that she wants to stick with whoever will win. She gives Doris a file on Alan-Michael that could be damaging. Doris, as she is leaving, tells Ava that she made the right choice. When Doris is gone, it is revealed that Alan-Michael and Ava had set Doris up. Ava has chosen to stick with Spaulding.
Although Remy knows that Marina does not trust Cyrus, he buddies up with him nonetheless. Marina and Remy accuse one another of butting into each other's lives. They both seem obsessed with Cyrus.
Back at the hospital, Doris fires Rick from Alan's case. Alan-Michael goes to Alan's hospital room and finds the "A" scribbled on the piece of paper and seems to realize that Alan had regained consciousness at some point.
Dr. Bedford tells Alan-Michael that Doris doesn't have a say in Alan's health care – Alan left his son in charge. Meanwhile, Alan-Michael hides the paper with the "A" on it. He discusses the weight of having to using the L-Dopa shot on Alan with Lizzie, and she talks him into it. Jeffrey tries to plan a little family time, but Ava and Olivia end up arguing. Ava asks her parents to help her keep Doris from taking control of Spaulding. Jeffrey thinks Alan-Michael is a bigger threat to Ava than Doris is and refuses to help her. Later, Olivia and Ava bond as Olivia agrees to help Ava with Spaulding. Cyrus tells Dinah to find a way to siphon money from Matt and Vanessa, or he'll ruin Mallet. Dinah tells Vanessa she wants to hear all about Matt and Vanessa's new business venture. Dinah pretends to be Vanessa, calls her mother's banker and asks the banker how soon she can get the money. Frank and Buzz give Marina a hard time for not having more of a love life when Cyrus shows up. Buzz invites him to play cards, and he and Frank make nice until they realizes who he is. Frank isn't pleased to hear that Marina's hired Cyrus to work at the station, and worries as he and Buzz realize that Marina is attracted to Cyrus.
"A" is For???
While Alan-Michael, Lizzie and Doris argue over whether or not to give Alan the shot of L-Dopa, Alan dreams. He thinks he's in hell when he dreams of himself at Company with Buzz. Buzz plays the devilish angel who encourages Alan to remember who shot him that night. In Alan's dream, he remembers desiring a cigar. As he turns around in the elevator, Lizzie appears in the doorway, telling him that he has a lot to answer for.
Meanwhile, the first shot of L-Dopa doesn't seem to be working. Doris begs them to give him something else. Despite the risks, Alan-Michael instructs the doctor to up the dosage of L-Dopa.
Alan continues to think of arguing with Lizzie in the halls of the Beacon. He assurs her that he plans all along to get rid of Doris and Ashlee. A bitter Lizzie pulls out a leather feathered and studded machine gun and blows him out of the dream back into his original dream with Buzz at Company. As he tells Buzz that he doesn't believe Lizzie did it, he hears Alex calling him from the sky. Back in the hospital room, Alex lingers over Alan. Alan-Michael opens the card with the "A" on it and then spots a brooch with the same letter on Alex's collar.
Alan begins a new dream within his original dream. Again he gets on the elevator. This time it's Alex who confronts him. She outlines her motives for shooting him, saying that he banished her two sons, shot Phillip, ordered a hit on his own granddaughter and now he's married a woman that he found on the bottom of his shoe. She goes in her purse and Alan begs her not to shoot. Alex slyly retrieves her glasses, saying she needs them to be assured that she gets an up close view of his death. Alan steps off the elevator and Alan-Michael is suddenly behind him, holding a gun to his head. Alan-Michael slams him against the wall, touting that some people kiss the bride but he's going to kill the groom.
In the real world, Doris, Alex and Lizzie bicker over Alan. Alan-Michael leans over his bed, talking to him. In the dream, Alan confronts a bitter Alan-Michael. After a heated argument, Alan-Michael announces that he plans to put a stop to Alan's selfish rampages. He shots Alan in the dream. In real life, Alan goes into cardiac arrest.
Beth has joined the family in the hospital room and everyone is frantically arguing about Alan's worsening condition. Doris blames Alan-Michael for instructing the doctor to give Alan the maximum dosage of the drug. Beth screams at Alan-Michael because she thinks that this is what he wanted all along—for Alan to die. Dr. Belford clears everyone out of the room and shocks Alan's heart.
In the dream, Alan falls to the floor crying to Buzz that he has been shot. Buzz leans in and asks how was the shooter. A confused Alan shakes his head and he says that it's not Alan-Michael—or was it? Meanwhile, Alan-Michael stands outside the hospital room, staring at the "A" on the crumpled note card.
Beth approaches and derides Alan-Michael for having Alan injected. She thinks he wants to kill Alan so that he can maintain control of the family and the company. Alan-Michael quickly turns the tables on Beth. Who has more motive than a bitter ex-wife, he wonders before walking away.
Meanwhile in the coma, Alan tries to convince Buzz that Alan-Michael would never shoot him. He defends his love for his son, saying that he would die for him. Buzz grasps Alan's face and asks him does he really know who he is. Alan shirks him off, replying of course he does. The dream within the dream sequence begins again with Alan lighting his cigar and heading toward the elevator.
This time he arrives on Main Street and runs into Beth. He acknowledges the pain he caused her for leaving her for Doris. He explains it was the only way to keep him out of prison. He leads her to believe they'll be together for the rest of their lives after the Doris situation is over. Beth cynically laughs at him. He just doesn't get it. He asks her if she wants him dead. She tells him that she doesn't want him dead. She wants him alive so she can kill him. She reminds him of a letter opener he wanted to buy when they were on a trip to Venice. As he remembers, she tells him she got it for him. She rounds him and giggles before stabbing him in the back with it.
Alan snaps out of the sequence with Beth and finds himself back at Company with the letter opener in his back. Buzz removes it, asking if it's possible that Beth is the shooter. Alan doesn't believe so. As he keeps talking to Buzz, Ava's name comes up. As they talk, he realizes that Ava's name begins with an "A." She appears in his dream. "No, no. It couldn't be Ava," he says as she approaches.
Meanwhile back at the hospital, everyone rushes into Alan's hospital room as he awakens. His eyes flutter. He murmurs something about the shooting. They ask him who shot him. He groggily mutters, "Ava." Alan-Michael thinks Alan is delirious. Off to the side, he stares at the "A" on the card again.
Back in Alan's coma, he and Buzz are inside Company when Alan sees Ava lurking at the windows. Alan is terrified of her. He clutches Buzz, but Buzz tells him that no one as sweet as Ava could have shot him. Alan returns to the dream within a dream sequence. He sees a black-cloaked woman go into the elevator. She dropped her glove. When he hands it to her, she uncloaks herself to reveal that she's Ava. She says she's been trying to get him alone. Alan flirts with her, asking her if she wants to trade up from his son to him. Ava calculatedly tells him how she went from waiting tables to the Spaulding boardroom. Now, with him out of the way, the sky is the limit. She shoots Alan. Once he feels the bullet, he lurches back into the first dream and lands back at Company with Buzz.
Buzz urges Alan to tell him who shot him. He urges him to wake up. The whole world is waiting for him. "You want a piece of me?" Alan rages and runs out of Company. He is instantly confronted with himself standing in the Company courtyard. Coming face to face with himself causes Alan to lunge out of his coma. He sits up in the bed with a shocked expression on his face. He stares out of the window in the room to see everyone else outside conversing. He appears faint and falls back into the bed.
Beth and Doris continue to bicker over Alan. Ashlee arrives at the hospital, wondering if there is anything she can do. Doris bellows at her that nothing can be done unless she can bring him out of his coma. Meanwhile, Alan slips back into his coma and has one last shooting sequence. He steps off the elevator and tells someone off camera that they should know by now this marriage is a farce. "We're supposed to be a family," the person whines back. Alan scoffs at her, saying he's throwing Doris out first chance he gets. We see the ugly lavender bridesmaid's dress as someone picks up a gun. Alan looks surprised and puzzled. Ashlee extends the gun, crying that Alan was supposed to care about her and why does no one care about her. Alan replies that she won't shoot him. A crying Ashlee pulls the trigger.
Alan staggers against the elevator doors, "Buzz," he whimpers. "It was Ashlee. Ashlee shot me..."
Alan awakens again. Alone in his room, he stares around. He sees Ashlee on the other side of the window with the others. His wide eyes roam and he utters, "I remember. I remember everything..."
Alan comes out of the coma – remembering everything. Lizzie returns to the hospital to find Alan awake. She asks him if he remembers who shot him. He flashes back in his mind to Ashlee pulling the trigger, yet tells Lizzie he doesn't remember. He apologizes to Lizzie for his actions that lead to losing Sarah. He tells her he loves her and promises her he will do everything in his power to make it up to her. He has Lizzie take him to Company to see Buzz to thank him for saving his life – and to ask him for his help.
Daisy asks Gus to keep his promise and teach her how to drive. Gus tells her how much Harley wants to be the one to teach her. Daisy throws it in his face – that he's a Spaulding and goes back on his word. The dig works and he takes her out driving. She does well on her first lesson. Gus tells her Harley will continue with the lessons. Daisy begs him to teach her himself.
Harley tells Buzz Daisy missed her meeting with her drug counselor. Buzz tells her to go to Frank for advice. He tells her to remember the trust factor in raising Daisy. Harley searched her room, but didn't find anything. Harley decides to arrange to have Daisy sent off to a boot camp to teach her discipline. Harley comes home to find out Daisy passed her written driving test. Harley finds out Gus started teaching her how to drive, against her wishes. She sends Daisy out to get the boys from next door. Daisy decided to take the car and take the boys to the store.
Coop meets up with Ashlee to hear how she liked his stories. Ashlee tells Coop his stories were not very good – he doesn't know what it's like to be a killer. Ashlee edited his story to make it more real.
Alan-Michael pops open a bottle of champagne celebrating the fact that Alan may not come out of his coma. Beth, Doris and Alan-Michael start discussing Alan's funeral arrangements. Ava returns move her things out. She stops by to say goodbye to Alan-Michael. He's making funeral arrangements and she offers to help. They're all arguing about an emergency board meeting when Lizzie wheels Alan into the room. They all stare, mouths agape. Beth rushes to hug him. He tells Doris he's not interested in revenge. Doris tells Alan she allowed Beth to stay in the house since she's pregnant with his child. Alan is thrilled, while Beth is very uncomfortable. Alan is doting on Beth, much to Doris' dismay. Ashlee comes in to find Alan alive and in the house. Alan tells her he was hoping she would come home.
Gus tells Harley about his conversation with Daisy regarding Harley teaching her to drive. While they are talking about Daisy, Cassie arrives. This is her first night visiting Josh and she wants to make sure she is ready. After they tell Cassie about the rules (such as no physical contact), she leaves. When she goes, Harley wonders what is taking Daisy and Zach so long. When she looks outside, she notices that the car is gone. Gus tries to assure Harley that Daisy is a pretty decent driver, but Harley cannot help but freak out. After making several phone calls trying to locate Daisy, Harley gets a call that Daisy was involved in a minor accident. She and Gus rush to the scene. Daisy and Zach are both fine and Daisy apologizes for what happened. At home, Harley speaks with Daisy alone and accuses her of loving to get into trouble. Daisy gets on the defensive and states that Harley was the same way otherwise she would not even be here. Harley blasts Daisy for putting her little brother in danger. Daisy tries to tell Harley that the accident could have happened to anyone and reminds her that everyone is okay. Harley accuses Daisy of not wanting to be a part of this family, which Daisy denies. A little later, Gus finds Daisy alone reading and asks where Harley is. Just then, Harley comes out with Daisy's bags packed. Daisy thinks she is going to Reva's. Just then there is a knock at the door-it is an Officer Peyton. Harley explains that he is a corrections officer who runs a program for kids. An upset Daisy cannot believe that Harley is sending her away again and refuses to go but Harley makes it clear she has no choice. Daisy pleads with Gus to help her but he remains silent, unable to look at her. As she is being taken away, Daisy accuses Harley of not wanting her and tells here she will be sorry.
Alan is at the mansion speaking with a nervous Ashlee. Alan tells Ashlee that he remembers everything that happened the night he was shot. He remembers seeing her; she was very angry; he had never seen her with such rage. Then she got the gun and blew him away, literally. A nervous Ashlee apologizes and tells him that she did not mean. She explains that he treated her mom like dirt and she wanted to stop him. She states that she convinced herself that it was an accident and then made herself forget about it. She then tells him that afterwards she tried to piece his family together because she felt she owed him. Alan surprises her by stating that he understands. Alan states that almost everyone in town had reason to shoot him but she was the only one who had the guts to do it. Plus, she had the best reason-family. Alan assures Ashlee that what happened will be there little secret. He states that this is her second chance and assures her that she can talk to him about anything; from now on he considers her his stepdaughter. Ashlee tearfully thanks him and gives him a hug. Meanwhile, Doris is in the hallway warning Alan-Michael not to cause trouble or she will tell Alan how horrible they had been to her. Alan-Michael later goes in to visit his father who is now alone. Alan-Michael tries to catch Alan up on what happened while he was in a coma but Alan is not interested. Alan thanks Alan-Michael for being in charge; he realizes he must have had hard choices to make. Alan-Michael admits that he did and states that he tried to do what he thought Alan would have wanted. Alan thanks him again, which makes Alan-Michael uncomfortable since Alan does not even know what he did. Alan assures him that it does not matter-the house is still standing; the company did not fold. Alan tells Alan-Michael that he is proud of him. Alan acknowledges that he was a not a good father to Alan-Michael and tells him that is going to change before giving him a hug. Alan-Michael then tries to ask Alan about the "A" he saw in the hospital. He mentions that perhaps Alan was trying to tell them who shot him. Alan denies having written anything. When asked what happened in town when he was gone, Alan-Michael tells him that Josh is in jail for shooting him. Later, Doris visits Alan and toasts to his speedy recovery. Alan tells Doris that he is grateful for the lessons he learned while he was away. Alan acknowledges that he hurt a lot of people before he was shot and now he has to make amends so he can get on with the rest of his life. Doris reminds him that he means "their" life but Alan makes it clear he meant what he said. He then states that he has to go and clean up this mess.
Ashlee is now at Company alone. That is until Frank barges in, yelling at her to freeze. Ashlee promptly faints and hits her elbow on the bar. Frank apologizes-he was just fooling around-and offers to call her mother to get her. Ashlee tells him not to and then states that she might not pick up because Alan is home. Frank asks how Alan is doing and Ashlee states that he is new, nicer. She then begins asking what prison is like. Frank tells her that it is not a place you want to be. When Ashlee states that not everyone can be bad, Frank admits that there are some good people there. Good people can do bad things if they are pushed hard enough. Frank goes on to say that everything catches up with you. A little later in the conversation, Frank calls Ashlee an honorary Cooper and compliments her on her big heart. Ashlee proclaims that she is not perfect and states that you can do one bad thing and it outdoes all the good. Frank can tell Ashlee is in an unusually serious mood and asks if she is okay. As Ashlee is about to confess to what she did, a panicked Doris rushes in and drags her outside to talk to her. There, Ashlee confesses to Doris that she shot Alan. Ashlee admits that she was about to tell Frank but telling her is the same thing. Ashlee expects to be punished. Doris is practically speechless and asks if Alan hurt her. Ashlee admits that did with his words. She states that she realized that Alan hated them. Doris had those beautiful vows and he gave her nothing in front of all those people. A tearful Ashlee tells her what she told Alan-that it just happened. Doris assures Ashlee that she is not going to jail. When asked why--because she is her daughter?-Doris says it is because Ashlee is the best person she knows. She draws Ashlee into a hug and tells her they will get through this.
In prison, Josh asks an inmate for the time and gets a sarcastic response. The inmate then gets belligerent. After revealing that he is a former employee of Vinnie Salerno, the man beats Josh up before a guard breaks it up. A little later, Cassie visits Josh, who hides the extent of his injuries. Josh can tell that Cassie is trying too hard to make this an upbeat visit and she admits that she does not want him to worry about her. Josh states that he thinks about her every night and promises that he will find a way back to her. Cassie asks what if Alan dies and Josh tells her not to even speak his name. He cannot take away their love. Cassie starts tearing up (though she tries to hide it) and Josh tells her he wants to see her smile. He assures her that this is just a break for them. After they proclaim their love for each other, Cassie gets up to leave and Josh finally doubles over. Cassie rushes to his side but is led out. As she is being led out, she yells that Alan deserves to be in here. When she is gone, another visitor arrives---Alan.
