Newman ranch:
Victoria insists to Nick that Victor will propose to Nikki tonight. Nick is skeptical. Diego stops in to deliver a vet report. When Victoria gets feisty with Diego, he asks if there is a line he has crossed. She tells him that he just crossed another one. Later, over beers, Nick tells Diego that no one quite knows how you get onto Victoria's list, but once there, that's it. Diego laments to Nick about his brother Raul. Nick tells him that Raul is a good kid, and everyone will have to trust that he can straighten himself out.
Victor's Apartment:
Over dessert, Nikki tells Victor that she has spent the last several years molding herself into the woman that 'she' wants to be. She tells Victor about Victoria's offer of working at Brash and Sassy, and how it would not work. Victor wonders why, but Nikki wants the evening to end on a high note and tells him to stop talking. Later in bed, Nikki reflects that this must be their destiny because it is the happiest she's ever been.
Backstage:
Mackenzie and J.T. are kissing when Mac thinks that she detects someone up on the catwalk spying on them. J.T. goes up to look, but returns finding nothing. He suggests that they go back to his place. When she indicates that she's not comfortable with that, J.T. accuses her of teasing him. He tells her that he never expected that from her since she talks against it and he storms out leaving Mac alone on stage. Something falls from the catwalk and a frightened Mac runs out. On the catwalk, a mysterious hand appears...
Coffee House:
Raul has opened his college reply from Boston and finds out that he has been rejected. Brittany suggests that he has backup options. Raul accuses her of being a snob because she thinks blue-collar jobs are less than those requiring a college education. Brittany retorts that she said no such thing, and that she thinks that Raul likes school and simply would prefer to go to college. Raul remarks about how he feels like his family has been living his life for him all these years. He tells Brittany that he wants to go to that concert at the university after all. She rightly guesses that he only wants to go so that his mother will be asleep when he gets home, and he won't have to tell her that he didn't get into Boston.
Abbott Doll House:
Billy is unable to get into the sprit of things with Danielle, and she is irritated. He tells her about his relationship with Mac and how he only broke up with her because she wouldn't have sex with him. Danielle doesn't care and wants to know if anything is going to happen between them tonight. When it becomes clear that nothing is going to happen, she tells Billy that perhaps Mac was smarter than she gave her credit for. Then she storms out.
Chancellor Mansion:
Larry questions Jill as to why she wants to help him. Jill tells him that it benefits her as well as him because of Sean's apparent interest in him. Larry turns her down flat and Jill returns to her bedroom. Katherine tells Larry about Amanda's acting talent. Amanda says it was all back in high school. When Larry tries to talk to Amanda, she ignores him because she is distracted and then leaves for the kitchen. A confused Larry goes to Jill's room and asks if the offer to help him still stands. She tells him that it does and lessons start in the morning. Oh, and Mr. Warton, don't ever knock on my bedroom door again. Meanwhile, Amanda laments to Katherine about how she was a bad mother, but realizes that she and Mac can't let the past make them prisoners.
Jill's Bedroom
Jill returns from her unsuccessful attempt with Larry. Sean is not surprised. She explains that her offer to help him is genuine, though she admits that it is motivated by self-interest. Later, the incident with Larry at the door. Afterwards, Sean playfully berates her for being a bad girl.
Ranch:
Victoria is on cloud nine thinking about her parents' reunion. Nick is skeptical. Later Sharon and the kids arrive. Nick has a big weekend planned for them. When Sharon tries to make plans with Nick he evades, saying he has business meetings. She eventually sees why he's reacting this way. He's worried that if they try to it gets ugly that it'll mean things really are over. He decides to go ahead and give it a shot.
Diane's:
Diane meets with Isabella. She still won't go into detail about what she has up her sleeve but does divulge that Jack is the father of her baby. She plans on making Jack and Kyle bond so that Jack's love for Diane will be rekindled. Diane decides to spill all to Isabella, including Phyllis losing custody and her fertility problems. Isabella agrees that She has Phyllis right where she wants her.
Penthouse:
Nikki and Victor enjoy their post-love making talk and breakfast. Nikki is upset she ruined breakfast but Vic assures her it was still special. Victoria shows up and fishes for news of the proposal but gets nothing. She then grills her mother as to what she could have done to cause this.
Coffee Shop:
J.T. grills Danielle about her aborted night with Billy. Billy is upset he's involved at all. They speak privately and Danielle threatens to tell everyone how Billy is still hung up on Mac. Billy turns it around and tells her that if everyone finds out they'll also learn that she threw herself at him and he rejected her. She agrees to a stalemate.
Mac finds J.T. and tells him that he's the only one she can tell. She knows that someone has been watching her at school and she's terrified.
Abbott House:
Jack worries that Phyllis is nervous about the Daniel issue will be brought up. She wonders if he's willing to drop the whole thing to avoid that. He swears that he is sympathetic, but says he can't abandon his son.
Gina's:
Michael and Diane's lawyer meet. She is worried that Diane is a loose cannon with her own agenda.
At Crimson Lights, Diego and Sharon talked about Diego's concern that Raul was turned down by a college in Boston. Diego admitted that he'd also talked to Nick about it, and Nick had given him good advice because he was, as Diego said, "a solid guy." Sharon was pleased with this description and agreed, apologizing for any harsh comments she might have made to Diego in the past. After she told him that things were better between Nick and her, they discussed Sharon and Nick's upcoming dinner date. When Sharon worried that their house held too many memories and a restaurant seemed too impersonal, Diego suggested they meet at Crimson Lights, where Nick had proposed to Sharon. The more Sharon considered the idea, recalling Nick's proposal, the more she liked it. She was very excited that this might be exactly what she and Nick needed.
Nick brought his father up-to-speed on negotiations with Jason. After Victor expressed praise for Nick's business dealings, he questioned why Nick was rescheduling the next business meeting. When Nick explained Sharon's plan for the two of them to have dinner, Victor urged Nick to try to keep their meeting positive. Nick insisted that if Sharon didn't apologize for the things she'd once said about his part in the death of their child, they were wasting their time. Victor then asked if Nick knew why Victoria had seemed a little disappointed that morning when she came by his penthouse. Nick told his father that Victoria tended to go off the deep end with her hopes for Victor and Nikki reuniting. Victor asked Nick to try to keep her on dry land, because he found her expectations aggravating. After Nick left, Connie brought Victor some files and a copy of "Ruthless," Leanna Love's old tell-all biography about Victor.
Still at the penthouse, Victoria demanded to know what Nikki had done to keep Victor from proposing to her, revealing that she had seen the engagement ring in his pocket. Nikki tried to convince Victoria that no matter why Victor hesitated, she and Victor were both fine with things the way they were. She admitted that she had told Victor she did not want to work at Newman Enterprises because she valued her new independence. A disappointed Victoria left for work.
Michael was surprised to see Isabella when he and Diane's attorney Sydney arrived at Diane's hotel room. After Isabelle left, Diane explained that the two were friends and refused to tell Michael what they talked about. Sydney and Michael explained again to Diane the risk she was taking by not launching an all-out fight in court against Jack. Diane said if she refused to give Jack any visitation, it might cause the judge to look unfavorably on her, because Jack did have rights as Kyle's father. Michael insisted that Jack's rights were the court's to worry about, and his and Sydney's job was to protect Diane's rights. Sydney left so Michael could probe more deeply into Diane's motives. Diane said that if John Silva attacked her character, she could attack Phyllis's. When Michael reminded her that John Silva would make sure Jack knew Phyllis was his weak spot, Diane said that Jack was likely to respond emotionally rather than rationally. Michael implied that Diane was not putting Kyle's welfare first, and she reacted furiously, saying Kyle's happiness was the most important thing to her.
Isabella was surprised to find Paul when she got home. He'd arranged for Penelope Quinlan, a well-known interior designer, to meet them there. Together the three of them began making plans for the nursery. Isabella was delighted by Paul's involvement with the plans for their baby.
Ashley joined Brad at Gina's so he could have a late breakfast, and they could avoid everyone at Jabot while they waited for her appointment for the lumpectomy. Their meeting was cut short when Jack called and asked both of them to meet him at the Abbott house. When they arrived, it was to find that Jack had convinced Phyllis to break the news about Kyle to his family. Mamie and John were shocked to learn that Jack was Kyle's father, but they both expressed their support in his custody fight. After Jack and Phyllis left, John expressed his doubts that the court would actually take Kyle from Diane. Only Ashley seemed to have noticed Phyllis's unhappiness during the meeting, but she was too preoccupied by her own anxieties about her health to discuss Jack and Phyllis with her father or Brad.
Jack and Phyllis arrived at court before everyone else. When Jack asked Phyllis if she was sure she wanted to stay, Phyllis said she would take a walk and think it over. As she left, John Silva came in. Again he warned Jack that fighting for full custody of Kyle was a gamble, and Jack might end up losing everything. On the other hand, if all Jack wanted was reasonable visitation, John was sure he could get him a good deal that would allow him to bond with Kyle. He reminded Jack that Diane's attorney was sure to attack Phyllis's character, and he wondered if Jack and Phyllis were really prepared for that. Jack said that Phyllis was a different woman now, and they wanted full custody.
Ashley and Brad waited in the hospital room for the surgeon to talk to them before her surgery. Olivia arrived wondering what they were doing at the hospital. Ashley told her the news and how they found out about it. She stayed with them until it was time to go into the operating room. Before they left the waiting area, Ashley asked Brad to hug their little girl for her and tell her how much she loved her.
Sharon talked to her mother about her plans for the evening with Nicholas. She was nervous that it wouldn't work out like she wanted and her mother tried to help calm her down. Nicholas came into the coffeehouse with a business associate. He and Sharon talked for a few minutes, but he acted a little weird and she didn't take it very well. Nick's friend told him how lucky he was having a wonderful family, career, and wife, but then the woman who he met at Gina's came in the door. She wanted to sit down and Nick's friend tried to get her phone number, but he could tell that she wasn't really interested in him. Nick left for the ranch before Sharon got a chance to tell him about her plans in the office. She was surprised when she found out that he left already.
Paul and Isabella looked at wallpaper samples for the baby's room. They talked about the difference between having a boy or a girl -- Paul didn't mind one way or the other. Isabella brought up Mary's attitude toward their relationship. They wondered about where she was and what was going on. They talked about dinner and decided to go out instead of cooking.
At Gina's, Mary Williams walked in with her bag after her long trip back from Australia. Gina found a table for her and she ordered a nice dinner. Lauren spotted Mary before long and sat down to talk. Mary wasn't in the mood, which surprised Lauren. Next thing they knew, Paul and Isabella entered the restaurant. . . .
Michael Baldwin tried to discourage Diane from trying to be nice to Jack in order to get close to him. She wouldn't admit that her plans have anything to do with that, then she left for the court house. In the court room, John Silva encouraged Jack to back off from his suit for full custody. It was a huge risk and basically meant deciding between the relationship that he wanted with his son and the relationship that he wanted with his wife. They hadn't decided anything by the time the others arrived. Jack was hoping that they could postpone the announcement for awhile.
Phyllis paced outside the courtroom when Diane arrived. She tried to find out why Diane didn't use what she knew about Phyllis' motives against her earlier. Diane wouldn't really answer her question, but had one for her. Diane wanted to know what Jack was really going for with this lawsuit. Phyllis denied any knowledge. Diane ended up repeating that they both wanted the same thing -- for her to get her child and be out of their lives forever.
Instead of joining the rest, Phyllis raced off for Michael's office. She flung herself onto one of his chairs and demanded a drink of water. He said something sarcastic and she sobbed that she now had no friends at all to talk to. He offered a hug and she eventually accepted, her eyes full of tears. . .
Inside the court room, the proceedings began. Diane's attorney addressed the judge and asked right away what Jack's intentions were. John Silva tried to avoid it, but the judge agreed that the court needed to know in order to assess the situation. . .
Refusing to answer Lauren's questions about where she'd been, Mary walked out of Gina's when Paul and Isabella came in, managing to avoid being seen by them. When Lauren went to speak to the happy couple, they invited her to join them. After Isabella excused herself to the restroom, Paul thanked Lauren for her support. Lauren said that although it was hard on her, she didn't want to lose Paul as a friend. When Paul asked if Mary had been in contact with her again, Lauren assured him that Mary had not tried to enlist her support in breaking up Paul and Isabella. Paul wondered how far his mother was willing to go. Lauren was about to tell him her suspicions when Isabella returned. Paul insisted that Lauren finish what she was saying, and Lauren confessed that she had just seen Mary at the restaurant and the baggage claim ticket on her suitcase said "Sydney, Australia."
While Ashley was undergoing her lumpectomy, Brad confessed his fears about his wife's health to Olivia. Olivia reassured him that everything looked very positive for Ashley's prognosis. But Brad still worried about what would happen if Ashley's results were bad. Olivia cautioned him not to torment himself with worst-case scenarios, reminding him that Ashley was a fighter who had a lot to live for. After Ashley was returned to her room, the three of them waited for Dr. Jamison to tell them the results.
John Silva asked for a recess after the judge insisted on knowing whether or not Jack intended to ask for full custody of Kyle. John reminded Jack that going for full custody could be an "all or nothing" proposition, urging him to discuss it with Phyllis before he made his decision. Jack said that Phyllis's anxiety about having her past dredged up in court was not as strong as her desire to get Diane out of their lives. When they returned to the courtroom, Jack instructed John to press for full custody. The judge was obviously irate and, rather than setting forth any terms for immediate visitation, asked both Jack and Diane to formulate and submit their versions of a visitation plan to the court. As Jack noted to John Silva that the judge seemed unhappy with him, Diane's attorney Sydney was telling Diane the same thing. Diane, feeling more confident, stepped outside the courtroom to find Kyle with his nanny. She then spoke to Jack and agreed to let him hold Kyle so her son could start getting used to having Jack around.
Michael assured Phyllis that even though he couldn't discuss Diane's case, he could still be a friend to Phyllis. When Phyllis expressed her fear that her loss of custody of Daniel, and the court's declaration that she was an unfit mother, would become part of Jack and Diane's visitation hearing, Michael figured out that Jack intended to go for full custody of Kyle. He warned Phyllis that Jack should not do this, reminding her that what she, Diane, and he all wanted was for Diane and Kyle to be back in Milan. Phyllis said her life was spinning out of control, and Michael emphatically warned her not to underestimate Diane and to make sure Diane knew nothing about Phyllis's and Jack's relationship. After Phyllis returned to the courthouse, she stepped off the elevator to find Diane, Jack, and Kyle sharing what appeared to be an intimate, family moment.
After telling Miguel that he almost dreaded his upcoming dinner with Sharon, Nick took a stiff drink. Sharon, disappointed to realize that Nick had left Crimson Lights, called him at home. She finally agreed to meet him at their house. By the time she arrived and changed clothes, Nick had downed several more drinks before showing up at their house. When things began awkwardly between them, Sharon suggested that Nick open a bottle of wine. She said she hoped she hadn't made him feel pressured by initially arranging their dinner at the coffee house. Nick said very little, and Sharon finally asked why he was acting like he didn't want to be there. Nick admitted he wasn't sure if there was any point to their talking to each other. Sharon asked if the alternative was giving up and walking away from their marriage. When Nick told her no, there was another alternative, Sharon said she was willing to do whatever it took. Nick then grabbed Sharon and shared a passionate kiss with her.
