Lizzie and Bill stewed in anger upon entering the mansion's parlor, where Beth nervously hung up her cell phone. Beth told Bill that a botched statement wasn't enough to shake Lizzie's faith in him. After Bill left for a walk alone to think, Beth wished she had Lizzie's incredible capacity for love, trust, and faith. Lizzie refused the praise for her faith. Beth suggested that her frayed daughter rest, but Lizzie hurried upstairs to call Mel about Bill's statement instead.
When Alan entered the parlor, Beth thoughtfully asked him if he'd ever looked back on his life and wondered what might have been. Alan staunchly said that he never looked back, only forward. Beth pitied him for what he was missing. Alan thought Lizzie was extraordinary, but he said her faith in Bill wasn't unique. Though Alan had the same devotion to Beth, he sensed reluctance in her. Beth uneasily said that perhaps it was just easier for the youth to show blind devotion. Alan preferred maturity and experience to youth. Sensing Beth's turmoil, he said she could talk to him about anything. Beth dubiously said she would as soon as she figured it out.
Beth left the parlor just as Bill was entering. Alan immediately berated Bill for what he was putting Lizzie though. Alan claimed that all the accusations against Bill were pushing Lizzie over the edge. Bill thought it was funny to be receiving relationship advice from Alan, and he sardonically asked what Alan thought he ought to do. Alan believed Bill already knew the answer to that question.
Lizzie met Cyrus at Towers to discuss what had happened at the police station with Bill's interrogation. Lizzie understood why people would think Bill was guilty, but she persisted that he was innocent. Cyrus wished he could tell her what the truth was. He said he would call her if he uncovered anything, but he urged her to get some rest. Lizzie said that waiting for Bill to revive from his coma had been exhausting. She had endured it by envisioning an ending in which Bill would awaken and vindicate himself. However, since he'd awakened, he hadn't been able to do that, and it had become a never-ending nightmare.
After Lizzie returned home, she cried on the staircase. A pain-filled Bill watched her momentarily before walking away. Outside later, Lizzie tearfully read a letter from Bill stating that he was causing her too much anxiety. He decided to leave town until he could find evidence to prove his innocence. Alan watched as Lizzie sobbed in disillusionment.
Olivia didn't want to elaborate on how she'd gotten Natalia's money back, but when Natalia persisted that Decker had cut a deal to get an ailing Olivia out of his company, Olivia blamed herself for Decker taking advantage of Natalia. Natalia said that she had made her own mistake with the investment, and she felt guilty about Olivia sacrificing her job over it. Claiming that the job had been lost anyway, Olivia admitted to struggling with guilt over taking Gus from Natalia. Natalia tried to disagree, but Olivia wouldn't discuss it further.
Olivia headed home to plan how to franchise the Beacon and put Decker out of business. In her room, she fondly looked at her Galaxy brochure. Feeling unsteady, she settled herself on the bed. Grimacing, she lay down, and her brochure fell to the floor.
Frank congratulated Natalia on getting the money back. He thought that she could buy her dream house, but a cautious Natalia wanted to be more prudent with her second chance. Frank assured Natalia that she knew the value of a dollar. He felt strongly that she shouldn't let one mistake douse her dreams. When Frank and Natalia entered Company, Rafe also encouraged her to buy the farmhouse. Natalia still seemed unconvinced, but Rafe expressed his confidence in her choices. After Rafe left, a weak Olivia called Natalia to go to her room immediately.
Upon arriving at the Beacon, Natalia told Olivia that driving across town to her aid had become inconvenient. Natalia needed a closer place, but Natalia couldn't afford the house she wanted unless she rented a room out. She said she would offer the renter twelve hundred per month for rent and in-home care. Olivia wondered who needed the care. Upon realizing that she was Natalia's intended tenant, Olivia grinned at Natalia's assertiveness. Later, Natalia and Olivia sat with an agent at Company. The Coopers looked on as Natalia signed contracts. "I guess that makes me a home owner!" Natalia nervously beamed. Everyone toasted, and Natalia smiled, happy but overwhelmed.
Though Daisy was still unhappy with her family for tossing Grady from the wedding, she decided to help with their Christmas tree drive for Natalia's sake. Coop was relieved that she didn't bring Grady. She thought Coop, being younger and less jaded than their other family members, should sympathize with her. Daisy knew Coop well enough to assume that he wouldn't like the family dictating his love life. Glancing at Buzz, Coop said Daisy had a point. Sometime later, Beth entered Company, looking for a Christmas tree. Coop asked her if she knew what kind of tree she wanted. Gazing into his eyes, Beth confessed that she didn't know what she wanted.
Daisy saw Rafe, who told her that he was also working with the tree drive. When Rafe asked her if she were still with Grady, she didn't want to discuss her relationship. Rafe vowed not to give up on her. Once out of prison, he planned to fight Grady for her affections.
Ashlee, who had dubbed herself Grady's new best friend since the foiled mugging, had promised to occupy Grady while Daisy worked. To Grady's dismay, Ashlee set to out use her purported connections to get him a respectable job. Ashlee took Grady to the police station, but he didn't think working with the Coopers was a good idea. When Ashlee suggested the mayor's office, Grady doubted that her mother would hire him. Ashlee dragged him to see Doris, who found Ashlee's proposal of hiring Grady ludicrous. When Ashlee reminded her mother that he had saved her from a mugger, Doris opted to just send him a card. Ashlee bribed Doris with mother-daughter time in exchange for the job. Doris thought Ashlee was a good scammer, but she wasn't buying it until Ashlee suggested that Doris make Grady a rehabilitation project for publicity.
Ashlee left Doris and Grady alone, and Doris pondered where Grady would fit into her administration. She hinted that she needed someone who worked outside the box to help her overcome seemingly insurmountable problems. She asked what Grady would do about a council member who she couldn't persuade to vote her way on an issue. Grady suggested digging up blackmailing dirt on him, and Doris decided to give him a shot as her "special assistant." When she mentioned that someone would brief him on her current trial involving Bill Lewis, Grady grinned, saying that the job could be interesting after all.
Outside Grady's hotel room, Grady thanked Ashlee for her help. Ashlee said she knew how it felt to be an outsider, and she didn't want Grady to feel like that anymore. Daisy approached, astonished that Ashlee and Grady had actually hung out together. Grady announced that he had a new job, and he ushered Daisy inside to tell her about it. Ashlee stepped forward to enter as well, but Grady stopped her, saying that he could take it from there. Grady shut the door on Ashlee, who murmured, "Don't mention it."
After Alan saw Lizzie sobbing with Bill's letter in hand, he tipped off Doris Wolfe that Bill Lewis had left town. Later, at Towers, a smoldering Alan met with a police detective named Malloy. Alan said Malloy was on Alan's payroll so that Alan would be the first to know about occurrences at police headquarters, not the last. Malloy slipped Alan a piece of paper, stating that Alan would find its contents interesting. Alan glanced at the paper and then stuffed bills into the officer's pocket before boarding the elevator.
At the police station, Doris giddily organized a manhunt for Bill Lewis. When Ashlee arrived, Doris commented that a low-life like Grady probably knew where Bill would hide out. Ashlee warned Doris not to call him that in front of Daisy. Doris haughtily murmured that she was paying Grady to be a low-life. Daisy approached and thanked Doris for hiring Grady, though Daisy was unclear what his job was. As she left, Doris said she'd just thought of the perfect assignment for Grady. Ashlee told Daisy that Grady's first assignment probably had something to do with Bill Lewis, who had skipped out on his bail.
Meanwhile, Lizzie shared Bill's disappearance with Billy. Billy regrettably thought that Bill had left because he'd screwed up his interrogation, but Lizzie defended that a confused coma patient probably would mistake a few details under pressure. As they argued about it, Daisy called Lizzie to inform her that Doris had put out an APB on Bill. Lizzie rushed to call Bill and warn him about the manhunt.
After calling Lizzie, Daisy asked Ashlee not to tell Doris that she had warned Lizzie and Bill. Ashlee understood that Daisy championed the couple because they gave Daisy hope for her relationship with Grady. Daisy wondered why Ashlee had changed her stance on Grady. Ashlee said that she'd changed since she'd shot Alan Spaulding, and she wouldn't want a love interest to hold past mistakes against her.
Dinah saw Grady in Doris' office when she stopped by to discuss Bill's case. She scoffed at the notion that Doris had hired Grady for a real job. "You hired me," Grady snickered. He thought his new job was a good thing for them since it gave him access to Bill's case files. Dinah warned him to stay out of Bill's life because it wasn't a game. Grady said that if the police uncovered the truth, it was his and Dinah's lives on the line.
When Doris scurried into her office, she was unsurprised to see Dinah there to defend her brother. Dinah asserted that the real kidnappers had set Bill up, and Grady grew uneasy. Bored with Dinah's theory, Doris said that once Bill was back in police custody, prosecuting him would be a cinch. Doris warned that Dinah would be an accessory if the police caught her with Bill. Dinah received a cell phone call that caused her to abruptly depart the office.
After Dinah left, Doris asked Grady about the peculiar glances that she'd seen between Dinah and him. Feigning innocence, Grady said that he had worked for Dinah, but he liked his job with Doris better. Once Doris left the office, Grady pilfered some of her files and sneaked into the bathroom to peruse them. He noticed that someone was smoking in a stall, and he asked if he could have a smoke. When he opened the stall, he saw Doris standing inside it with a cigarette in hand. She said she had wondered when Grady would show up.
Noting the files in his hands, Doris said she'd expected him to go through her drawers eventually. Grady shrugged, stating that there was "no time like the present." Doris indicated that the black book on the top of his stack contained coded secrets that she'd dug up on the good people of Springfield. When he asked her to teach him the code, she said he hadn't proven himself yet. She warned him not to tell Ashlee that she smoked. Grady said it was their secret.
Daisy and Ashlee went to Doris' office, where they discussed Daisy's concern that Grady would become a white-collar nine-to-fiver. When Daisy suggested that Ashlee and Cory double date with her and Grady, Ashlee said she and Cory weren't that serious. Grady entered and told Daisy that Doris had given him the day off. Ashlee seemed to want to cry as the couple left.
In Grady's hotel room, he and Daisy opened some cheap wine. Grady said he could get her better wine with the money from his new job. Daisy was just happy that he liked what he was doing. When Grady said he wanted to make some changes, Daisy warned him not to cut his hair. Grady asked her to move in with him, and Daisy gasped.
Upon returning to her office, Doris told Ashlee that she liked Grady. Doris rarely shared her high school experiences with Ashlee, but she revealed that Grady reminded her of Tommy, a student who had transferred to her high school. Doris fondly recalled how she had watched Tommy save an outcast like herself from vicious bullies. Ashlee wondered if her mother had dated Tommy. Doris embarrassingly said that they'd flirted, kissed, and gone for long rides on his motorcycle, but he hadn't fit into her plans for college and law school. She poignantly conjectured that he could have been Ashlee's father instead of a sperm bank donor. Doris implored Ashlee to date and live her life, not hide from it as Doris had done. Ashlee murmured that Cory was her boyfriend. When Doris appeared overly hopeful about the relationship, Ashlee corrected that she wasn't serious with Cory, but she was indeed living her life.
Lizzie met up with Dinah at the lake and hugged her, professing that they were the only people who believed in Bill. Dinah urged her to keep believing in him because Doris was ready to crucify him. Hugging Dinah again, Lizzie suggested that they find Bill together and help him prove that he hadn't committed the kidnapping.
Meanwhile, a disoriented Bill tried to use the newspapers to retrace the kidnapping. After he located the garage where Grady had held Lizzie, Billy somehow found Bill kneeling beside a truck. Billy said that running away sent the wrong message. Billy vowed to stand by Bill, but he wanted Bill to tell him the truth no matter how bad it was. Bill asked if Billy thought Bill was capable of kidnapping Lizzie. Billy hesitated and Bill sighed. Billy said that anyone was capable of doing anything. Billy realized that he'd worsened the situation and he left Bill alone.
While Dinah and Lizzie discussed how to help Bill, Bill called Dinah to say that he needed to see her alone. Dinah ended the call, and Lizzie wondered if Bill had been the caller. Dinah lied that it had been Maureen, who had been frightened by news coverage of Bill. Lizzie offered to go with Dinah to talk to Maureen, but Dinah preferred to handle it on her own. Lizzie hugged Dinah again, grateful not to be alone anymore.
Lizzie returned home and saw Alex, who had just returned from managing the Decker deal in China. Alex worried that the project was crumbling. Lizzie and Bill had structured the deal in such a way that the success of the whole company depended upon it. Lizzie claimed she couldn't concentrate on business. Alex insisted that Lizzie attend to the matter, but Lizzie intended to protect Bill even if it cost her everything.
Dinah met with Bill, and he desperately asked her if she thought he were capable of the crime. Dinah told Bill that she knew he didn't do it, but Bill seemed have lost confidence in himself. Fretting that he needed proof, Bill wished that Dinah or the police had been at the ransom drop. A confused Dinah reminded him that she and Mallet had been there. She asked him if he remembered. Bill stammered in frustration until Dinah realized that he couldn't remember anything about it. Dinah said Lizzie had told her that he was studying the newspapers. She suspected that Bill had hoped that the articles would spark his memory, but he couldn't glean information from them was because Mallet had been keeping the case details out of the news. Dinah pressed him, and he admitted that he had huge gaps in his memory.
When Grady asked Daisy to move in with him, she nervously admitted that it was a big step. Daisy said she hadn't known where she belonged for most of her life. Her adoptive parents had died when she was young, and she hadn't spent much time with the Coopers before attending boarding school. Grady said he had been a loner, too, but his life had changed after meeting Daisy. He felt that they belonged together, and he urged her to live with him. Daisy dreaded the repercussions from her family, but she decided that she wouldn't let them dictate her happiness. She kissed Grady and agreed to move in with him.
At Company, Mallet and Marina viewed their wedding photos. When Frank asked them why they weren't on their honeymoon, they said they wanted to stay home for a family holiday. Once Frank left, Marina and Mallet agreed that they weren't honeymooning because they feared leaving Daisy alone with Grady. They decided to throw a holiday party, since they hadn't had a wedding reception.
At their home, Mallet and Marina sorted Christmas decorations. Daisy entered and apologized for wrecking their wedding. The newlyweds forgave her, and they regretted that she'd missed their ceremony. Daisy announced that she was moving out to give them space to begin their new marriage. An overprotective Marina slammed the idea down, but Mallet wanted to strike a deal with Daisy. He requested that Daisy stay through the holidays for their family celebration. Afterward, he said, they would seriously discuss her decision to move. Daisy wanted to be reasonable and fair, so she agreed to Mallet's plan. She assured them, however, that she would move in with Grady immediately after the holiday.
At Company, Grady asked Frank how much a miniature tree cost. Frank replied that Grady was better off buying a tree somewhere else. Grady claimed that Buzz didn't mind him coming around, but Frank retorted that he wasn't Buzz. Grady said he just wanted to make his place nice and festive. When Grady added that the proceeds went to a good cause, Frank begrudgingly accepted ten dollars for the tree and marked it on Rafe's Christmas tree drive board.
Daisy called Grady to tell him that she was wrapping his present. Grady chuckled, stating that he hadn't unwrapped a Christmas gift since his childhood. She said she'd announced her move, but her family requested that she stay through the holiday. Daisy informed him that she had agreed so that she wouldn't appear to be running away from home. Grady seemed to understand. He grinned like a kid, wondering what his gift was.
Pausing on the stairs later, Daisy overheard Marina and Mallet disparaging her relationship with Grady. Mallet believed that Daisy wouldn't move in with Grady once she'd observed real love between Marina and Mallet. When Marina worried that his plan wouldn't work, Mallet joked that they would handcuff Daisy. They noticed Daisy on the stairs, and Daisy accused them of scheming against her instead of treating her like an adult. Mallet and Marina tried to reason with Daisy, but she was determined to move out immediately. Grady entered the house unexpectedly, and Daisy took off with him.
Cyrus visited Lizzie in the mansion's parlor. Jittery from caffeine, Lizzie complained that her business was crumbling and she might lose the house. When Cyrus had no leads for her, she screamed that it was unacceptable. A desperate Lizzie ordered Cyrus to fabricate evidence to exonerate Bill in the kidnapping. Cyrus discouraged that idea, and a worked up Lizzie passed out from anxiety and insomnia.
Cyrus took Lizzie to the hospital. Rick wanted to admit her for dehydration and exhaustion, but Lizzie refused stay. As Cyrus forced Lizzie into a hospital room, Rick prepared an injection for her. Rick pricked Lizzie's exposed hip and administered a sedative as she argued with Cyrus. Lizzie jerked in shock, and Rick said she would get some needed sleep. Lizzie grew instantly groggy, and the two men settled her into bed. Once Lizzie fell asleep, Cyrus exited her room and called Bill.
Dinah assured Bill that he would regain his memory; however, Bill worried that he wouldn't regain it before his trial date the following week. A tormented Bill knew that he was incapable of hurting his beloved Lizzie, but he wondered if he might have been subconsciously blocking out his guilt. When Dinah was adamant that he hadn't abducted Lizzie, Bill frantically asked her how she could be so sure. Dinah spotted Grady ducking behind a truck in the distance. Dinah told Bill to hold onto his instincts until they could prove his innocence. She urged him to contact Frank before Doris' manhunt got out of control, but she thought he should keep his memory loss a secret from everyone but Lizzie. Bill agreed and thanked Dinah for her support.
Following Dinah's instruction, Bill visited Frank at the police station. Bill conjectured that whoever tipped the police off to his disappearance was probably the culprit in the kidnapping. Frank stated that all the evidence pointed to Bill. Just then, Bill received a cell phone call from Cyrus, who said that Lizzie was at Cedars. Bill bolted out of the police station as Frank yelled to him that they weren't finished.
At the hospital, Rick informed Bill that he'd given Lizzie a sedative for exhaustion. After Rick left, Bill apologized to Lizzie for causing so much controversy. Bill stated that he hadn't always been fair to Lizzie, but he wanted to restore her faith in him. Though he knew in his heart that he would never have kidnapped her, he confessed that he couldn't remember what had transpired. Lizzie awakened briefly and muttered his name. Bill asked her to rest, saying that he might have the courage to tell her the truth when she awakened.
Meanwhile, Dinah found Grady behind the truck and asserted that she would no longer watch her brother suffer for Grady's inane decision to kidnap Lizzie. Grady insinuated that Alan was a real danger to Bill's life. Dinah didn't believe Alan would kill anyone. Grady agreed, saying Alan would hire someone to do it, just as he'd hired Grady to run down Jonathan. Grady welcomed Dinah to talk to the police, but he warned that Alan's retaliation would last a lifetime.
At Company later, Dinah asked Cyrus if he agreed with Grady's assertion that Alan would have Bill murdered before allowing the truth to surface. Cyrus' dismal expression caused her to grimace. Cyrus said that Lizzie had hired him to get to the bottom of the case, but he felt he couldn't tell Lizzie that he was already there. Dinah blamed the whole thing on Grady, wishing that she had turned him in from the start. She said Alan's involvement in planting evidence against Bill had complicated the situation. Regardless of a jury's decision, Dinah vowed Bill would not be imprisoned for the kidnapping.
At Remy's hotel room, Remy mixed Shayne a glass of his special hangover juice. Remy attempted to talk about Shayne's drinking and landmine injuries, but Shayne changed the subject to what had happened with Ava. Remy apologized for not telling Shayne about the situation sooner, but Remy hadn't wanted to announce Max's birth and death in an email. Remy said he'd mapped out a life with Ava, but it had just disappeared. Shayne said the postpartum depression wasn't Ava's fault. Shayne then regretted promising his family that he would stay through Christmas.
Later, Remy caught a purportedly busy Mel at the hospital watching races on her computer. Mel admitted that she had ditched his quickie divorce case because she believed that he and Christina were good together. "We haven't even been together," Remy protested. Mel urged him to try the marriage out, but Remy didn't think he could try out a marriage as he would a sample of cheese. Mel said it would be awkward to ask Christina out after the divorce. When Mel asked if his feelings for Ava stood in the way, he stormed out of her office. Remy returned to his hotel room, and he was shocked when Ava showed up on his doorstep.
At Cross Creek, Reva blamed herself that Shayne hadn't contacted her after disappearing from the hospital. Josh said that an adult Shayne could take care of himself, but Reva still wondered what kind of mother she was that her child couldn't lean on her. Josh deepened her worries when he said Shayne was more like Reva than they had realized. When Jeffrey arrived home, he offered to cancel Reva's doula appointment due to Shayne's situation. Josh asked them to focus on the pregnancy, and he promised to update them once he located Shayne.
After Reva had the session with Betty, her doula, she and Jeffrey strolled by the lake. Reva worried that she couldn't focus on both of her distressed sons. Jeffrey pointed out that while Shayne refused her help, her unborn son couldn't even ask for it. Jeffrey implored her to focus on her unborn son while Josh handled Shayne.
Josh ran into Dr. Wallace in the hospital parking lot. Dr. Wallace became alarmed when Josh divulged that Shayne had suffered a prior injury that had left him temporarily paralyzed. In Dr. Wallace's opinion, the prior incident might have a bearing on Shayne's newest injury. After Dr. Wallace went to his office to check Shayne's charts, Shayne rolled his wheelchair up to Josh.
Josh didn't believe it when Shayne said his prior injury hadn't come up in his conversation with Dr. Wallace. Josh thought Shayne hadn't revealed the injury because he had been trying to protect Josh, who had caused the initial accident. Shayne avoided discussing it, saying it had been an accident and he had fully recovered; however, Josh claimed that it was relevant because it could have exacerbated the landmine injury. Shayne said that he hadn't wanted to stay in town because he hadn't wanted to deal with Josh's guilt and pity over the car accident. Josh wondered if Shayne didn't want to deal with Josh's love either.
Josh returned to Cross Creek to tell Reva the doctor's theory that Shayne's first accident had compounded the second. Reva mindfully told a guilt-ridden Josh not to blame himself. Josh nodded noncommittally, saying that he'd just stopped by to give them the update. Meanwhile, Shayne called someone to get him on a military flight out of Springfield as soon as possible.
Alan awakened Beth with an omelet plate after she'd slept on the parlor sofa all night. He said that he'd enjoyed studying with her and visiting Lizzie at the hospital together the other night. When Beth rushed to leave, Alan wondered where she could be going, since Lizzie was resting and Beth had no classes over the holiday. Beth claimed to have research to do. Alan thought his legal team could do it for her, but Beth replied that he couldn't buy her a law degree. To prove that Alan took her and their relationship seriously, he invited her to spend Christmas in China. When he explained that Lizzie had compromised the company for Bill, Beth clarified that they would travel to China on business, not pleasure. Alan suggested that they could do both. Beth promised to think about it, but she wearily clasped her hands to her face once Alan left.
At Company, Coop ecstatically typed away on his laptop. He told a curious Buzz that his creative juices had begun flowing ever since Beth had come into his life. Buzz reluctantly said he understood the feeling. Later, Buzz pulled Beth to the side when he saw her approaching Coop. Buzz ordered a torn Beth to end her recklessness with Coop, who had become deeply involved with her. Beth tried to defend her feelings, but Buzz cut her off with a warning that Alan was two steps behind her. Buzz thought Beth would break Coop's heart and Alan would break the rest.
When Beth sat with Coop, Buzz hovered around them. Coop showed her a picture of Telluride and offered to take her there to his friend's timeshare for a week. Beth said that it was impossible because she had to spend the holiday with her children. Coop offered to go right after Christmas, but Beth said Alan wanted her to go to China. Coop thought she should tell Alan that since they weren't married, she could do what she wanted, including spending the holiday with Henry Cooper Bradshaw. Coop then offered her the safe excuse of telling Alan that she was attending a law conference in Minnesota. Beth insisted that she just couldn't do it.
Later, Coop caught Buzz reading his manuscript, entitled, "An Affair to Remember." Buzz said that chapter one was about the lovers spending the afternoon in a hotel together, chapter two was about them spending the night together, and chapter three would be about them spending a week together. Buzz knew the story, and he hated that Coop was so much like him. Coop replied that he wouldn't let Alan dictate his life. Buzz warned him that Alan had dangerous contacts and wouldn't hesitate to kill Coop for screwing around with his manhood. Buzz wanted to know the moment that Alan found out about the affair because Buzz claimed that he needed an hour to kill Alan before Alan killed Coop.
At the hospital, Lizzie awakened to see Bill at her side. Glad that he hadn't run from the indictment, she wondered if he had uncovered any new information that would end their prosecution nightmare. Bill claimed to have a lead, but he wanted to see if it would pan out before discussing it. Lizzie asked him to check her out of the hospital.
Bill took Lizzie to Towers, where Alan entered with Alex on his arm. Since Lizzie seemed better, Alan told her that she could travel to China to rescue the Decker deal. Bill became concerned, but Lizzie, talking with her mouth full, said that she didn't need to go to China. Alan hoped Bill appreciated having a woman who was willing to sacrifice everything for him. Lizzie said that the kidnapping had changed her priorities, and the Decker deal was no longer one of them. Alan announced that he would go to China to rescue the deal.
Alone at their table, Bill implored Lizzie to save the deal because Alan would strip it of its green initiatives and people-friendly additions. He also wanted her to save it so they would have something to return to once the trial ended. Lizzie frowned because she needed to spend the holiday with Bill. Bill said she would have that.
Later at the mansion, Lizzie entered the dining room to see a huge poinsettia Christmas tree and sparkling decorations. Bill handed her a glass of champagne, saying that he'd sent the staff home. They settled on fury blankets before a candlelit hearth to celebrate Christmas and New Years early. Bill expressed his faith that Lizzie could save their Macau project. She asked him to follow all leads while she was away until he proved what she already knew to be true. Kissing her, Bill asked her to say no more.
Meanwhile, Beth located Alan at Towers. He stated that Lizzie wouldn't go with them to Macau. When she saw that he'd already purchased a ticket for "Elizabeth Raines," she told him that she couldn't go because of a law workshop in Minnesota. Beth was certain Alan wouldn't want her to pass on the workshop because it was important to her, just as going to China was important to him.
Christina was at the gym with Reva helping her exercise. Reva told Christina what a great girl she was and, upon learning that Christina had no man in her life, remarked how she had seen Christina look at Remy. Christina stated that she had no time for a social life. Reva jokingly busted her when she saw a present for Remy in Christina's bag.
Natalia, Olivia, and Emma began settling into the farmhouse. When Emma went upstairs, Natalia gushed about her new house and told Olivia to relax while she unpacked. It became obvious that Olivia was not pleased with Natalia's decorating choices. Especially unsettling was the crucifix, which Olivia did not feel should be displayed publicly on the mantel. Natalia agreed to put the cross in her bedroom and then objected to a piece of modern art that Olivia wanted to display. Later, the pair bickered about a nativity set that Natalia wanted to display. After some talk about the meaning of Christmas, which Olivia was cynical about, Natalia suggested that they throw a home-style Christmas party. Olivia liked the idea of a party but wanted a black tie affair. After some bickering, Olivia asked Emma how she felt about an elegant party. Emma liked the idea but seemed to side with Natalia when she suggested that they could make cookies. Though Natalia loved the idea, Olivia did not see the point of doing all the work, and called it "home-spun nonsense." At that point, Christina arrived to work as Olivia's personal trainer. Olivia tried to beg off the session by saying that they had to make cookies, but Natalia urged her to do her exercises to regulate her circulatory system.
Ava paid an unexpected visit to Remy. Ava told Remy that she was feeling better and was in town to wish her parents a Merry Christmas. Remy asked why she visited him, since she had told him that they should not see each other anymore. Ava ignored the question and admitted that she came there to see him, as well. This confused Remy, who reminded her that she told him that they had too much baggage. After talking about Max and how much she missed him, Ava told Remy that she had a job interview in San Francisco and asked him to accompany her. She stated that it would be nice for them to spend time together to see where they stood as a couple.
When Remy seemed reluctant, Ava guessed that he had another woman in his life. Remy denied that it was about a woman, and told Ava about passing the MCAT. Suddenly, Remy got a call from Christina, but was careful not to let on to Ava that he was talking to a woman. Christina suggested to Remy that they postpone their divorce and began to tell him about her scholarship. Remy cut her off and asked that they talk later at the gym. When he ended the call, Ava asked who it was, and Remy informed her that it was just a friend. Remy thanked Ava for stopping by and told her that he would think about going to San Francisco with her. Ava joked that if he did not go, he might regret it when he was a busy doctor. Remy asked Ava if she were going to run away again and she promised that she would not. She then told Remy that she hoped his answer was yes.
Exercising with Christina, Olivia became unsettled by the crucifix and the manger. She then began ranting about Natalia and how different they were. Christina said that different was not always a bad thing, and suggested that sometimes people came into people's lives when they needed them the most. At that point, Ava called Olivia and told her about visiting Remy, and Remy possibly going to San Francisco with her. Hearing Olivia's side of the conversation, Christina became unsettled and asked if she could go upstairs and change. At that point, Ava arrived. Talk turned to Remy, and Ava stated that he told her that the only thing keeping him in Springfield was work, so she believed that they might have a chance together. Christina overheard the exchange and rushed out.
Christina arrived at the gym to meet with Remy. Remy apologized for sounding strange on the phone. He said that he was surprised that she wanted to postpone the divorce, but agreed that they could do it after the holidays. Christina told Remy that she was going to be out of town during the holidays visiting a friend. Before she left, Remy asked about the scholarship, but she dismissed it. Before leaving the gym, Christina put Remy's gift in the trash.
Shayne ran into Jeffrey and asked to speak to him. After some small talk, in which Jeffrey complimented Shayne on his courage, Shayne asked for a favor. He wanted Jeffrey to use his contacts to get Shayne back in the Peace Corps overseas. Jeffrey told Shayne that he could not do that, since Reva really wanted Shayne home for the holidays. Shayne tried to argue that Jeffrey and Reva should spend their first Christmas together, but Jeffrey was undeterred, because he knew Reva wanted Shayne there. Shayne told Jeffrey that he could be useful overseas, but in town, he was just the guy that everyone felt sorry for. When Jeffrey again refused, Shayne argued that his leaving was not that big a deal, since Reva was not in a high-risk pregnancy. At that, Jeffrey told Shayne that Reva's cancer was back. Shayne was speechless, and Jeffrey told him that, although there was no risk, Reva was worried about whether the chemo would harm the baby. She was also worried about whether she would survive to see the baby. Shayne said that was another reason for him to leave, because it gave Reva one less thing to worry about.
At that point, Reva arrived and, noticing their expressions, realized that Jeffrey had told Shayne about her cancer. Shayne asked Jeffrey for a moment alone with his mother. Alone, an upset Shayne lamented that she did not tell him. He also expressed regret that she had to see him the way he was. Shayne asked Reva if she was certain about the baby and chemo, Reva stated that she was certain that she wanted to have the baby. Shayne told her that he worried for the baby because of what had happened last time.
Reva realized that he was talking about her post-partum depression, which resulted in her disappearance. Reva assured Shayne that she was going to fight both the cancer and the PPD. She then took Shayne for a walk. Shayne asked Reva if she was scared, and she stated that she was not, because she had already gone through cancer before. Reva stated that she was more scared for the baby. Reva talked about cancer as fighting a battle, and then made it clear that she knew it was nothing like what he did in the Peace Corps. Shayne dismissed it as just a job, but Reva declared that it was heroic. When Reva asked if he was going to be okay, Shayne replied that he was Reva Shayne's son. Reva then started to leave for home and invited him to dinner. Shayne said that he would try to make it, but could make no guarantees.
Ava visited Jeffrey at his office and told him about her job interview in San Francisco. Jeffrey called it a big step since, she would be far away from everyone she knew. Ava responded that that she wanted a fresh start. Jeffrey commented on how happy Ava seemed, and said that it was great to see her smile again. Ava said that when she lost Max, she lost faith in everything. Talk turned to Reva and Jeffrey's baby, and Jeffrey stated that he could use some of that faith. Later, Jeffrey went home carrying a bag of Christmas decorations. Reva remarked that he was turning into a man who loved Christmas. Jeffrey told her about Ava's visit and remarked that he was hopeful about the future. Reva agreed that, despite the year they'd had, they had many blessings, and she hoped that Shayne felt that way.
Shayne parked his car on the railroad tracks and waited while a train could be heard in the distance.
