Erin and Aidan were kissing and Erin pulled away. She looked distressed and said they needed to stop. She told Aidan they needed to cool it for a while. Erin explained she was too overwhelmed between work and her personal life. She went from no life at all to having a life filled with confusion, anxiety, and stress. Aidan said he understood, but wanted to know what was really going on. She was defensive and asked if he thought it was impossible for her to want to back away from him. Aidan said he just wanted to know why. She claimed the reason was simple, not dramatic. She said they both had enough drama in their lives. She told him to concentrate on Kate, not her. He said he was concentrating on Kate, but also liked to stop and think about the woman he loved. He thought she loved him and felt like he was missing something. She begged him not to make things harder. He agreed, but not without saying he loved her. Erin exclaimed she could not do this and walked out. Aidan stood alone and looked upset.
Lily and Jonathan were in the park and realized it stopped raining. T was still watching them from a distance. Suddenly, Lily thought she saw someone. T hid behind a wall. Then, Amanda walked into the park. She saw the two and was very happy Jonathan looked healthy. She gave him a friendly kiss and touched his arm. Lily seemed alarmed. At this point, a maintenance man came and warned them about the mud. He said a drainage pipe broke and soaked the park. After he left, Lily asked Amanda why she was happy for them. Amanda was glad they proved to everyone how right they were for each other. Lily inquired if Amanda still wanted to be Jonathan's girlfriend. Amanda said no and Jonathan wondered why Lily asked that. She said it was because Amanda kissed him and told him he looked great. Amanda explained she liked Jonathan because he was a great guy for Lily, not her. Amanda asked if she could hang out with them and be their best friends. Lily answered no because they were already each other's best friends. So, Amanda asked to be their second, third, or top ten best friend. Lily agreed and questioned if there were rules on being a second best friend. Jonathan said they could make the rules themselves. Amanda volunteered to be a celebration coordinator, since they did not have a party after their wedding. She suggested going to BJ's for burgers and fries. They were about to leave when Erin approached them. She asked to speak with Jonathan. Amanda offered to wait in the car with Lily. As soon as the two left, Jonathan spoke to his sister normally. He asked how she was, but she wanted to know about him first. He said Lily was happier than ever. She corrected him by saying she wanted to know how he was, not Lily. He explained he did not care about pretending because all that mattered was Lily's smile. Erin said Jonathan was a wreck mentally and spiritually, but now he was so happy. They hugged and Jonathan sensed something was wrong. Erin admitted she and Aidan broke up. She said it was her head and she needed time. She told him not to be worried if she seemed preoccupied because she would be fine. As Jonathan told her she was the worst liar in the family, Amanda came back and heard Jonathan talking. Jonathan asked if Erin's mood was about him and her promise not to reveal his recovery. Erin said he made the lying work, which convinced Jonathan he was right. Erin asserted it was about her getting a grip and growing up. Jonathan said Erin took care of him and it was his turn to take care of her. He said she deserved happiness more than him and that he would do anything for her. Amanda heard all of this and stood there with a worried look on her face.
JR saw Babe and Josh on the roof of Fusion. He told Josh he wanted to talk to his wife, but Josh thought they should finish what they started earlier. JR demanded he leave and Josh said he would only do what Babe wanted. JR accused Josh of being like his father. Babe interrupted and told them both to stop. She said Josh did not know where Kate was and that he would help find her. Then, she asked Josh why he was nice one minute and a jerk as soon as JR got there. JR asked if he would ever stop sucking up to Babe. Josh explained he would help find Kate so Babe would have one less thing to worry about while married to JR. Josh left and JR wanted to leave also. Babe would not go until she knew JR's feelings on seeing her with Josh. JR said he wanted to smash his face in, but would not disallow Babe's relationship with Josh. JR apologized for Babe having to deal with his anger and alcohol issues. Babe understood he had a big fight ahead of him with alcohol, like his sister, Hayley. Babe said she argued with Kendall earlier and admitted it was over the opening of a bar. JR thought it was a great business move and Babe agreed. He said she could not protect him from every bottle. Babe said she cared about him. JR said that was why he trusted her, even with Josh. He said he trusted her with his entire life. They embraced and JR promised he would make things work. Babe declared JR's trust meant more than he would ever know. They kissed. JR proposed they go home to Little Adam and they left.
Zach and Kendall were kissing at Fusion when Tad walked in. He asked Zach where Dixie was. Tad explained he located a woman who was at Dr. Madden's clinic with her and needed Dixie for information. Zach said she found a lead in Scarsdale, NY. Tad said he already looked into the lead and it was a dead end. Kendall inquired why Dixie would inform Zach of her trip and not Tad. Tad admitted they were not on good terms. They wondered who she got the lead from when Josh walked in and said David told her. Josh said his father helped friends, the Silverstones, adopt a little girl a few years back and he told David this. Tad called David useless. Kendall said he probably got excited, did not check it out, and hastily took Dixie to Scarsdale. Josh stated David did check it out and knew it was a dead end. He said maybe David thought he would find a missing clue up close and personal with the Silverstones. Tad said up close and personal with Dixie was what he was really looking for and then left. Josh sincerely asked Kendall how she was feeling. She assured Josh she was fine and he left. Zach got on his phone and demanded the person on the other end find Dixie and David. Kendall asked Zach if this drove him crazy and he replied yes. Kendall was surprised Zach did not rush out with Tad. Zach told her to ask what she wanted to ask. Kendall inquired if he cared about Dixie and he said yes. Zach wanted to know if this was a problem. In turn, Kendall said, "I don't know, is it?"
David and Dixie walked into a motel room. Dixie was impatient and wanted to see the Silverstones immediately. David said they had to wait because the family was still on vacation. Frustrated, Dixie thought this was another false lead and asked David to take her home. David sympathized that Dixie had no help before, but now he would be there for her. If ever she was too tired or too discouraged, David would take the lead. Dixie asked why he did not hate her, since she gave him a thousand reasons. David said he loved her. He explained he did not say this to pressure her, but to let her know he cared no matter what. David asserted he was in no position to judge Dixie for her actions with Kate. He said everything was Dr. Madden's fault. David wished she came to him sooner for help. Dixie asked why he wanted to help her, especially because Kate was not his. David said he was there from the start and saw how determined she was to have Kate. He swore they would find her. He also stated he knew her pain because he lost his baby and his wife. Then, Dixie admitted she was not alone in Europe and that she had a relationship. She asked if David still wanted to help and what he thinking. Surprisingly, David was glad she was not alone and had someone to help her. Dixie could not believe his reaction. David said he would not condemn her for finding solace. Dixie said others had. David was angry people were continually telling Dixie what she did wrong. Dixie said most of the time she did not hear them because she was always listening for news on Kate instead. David apologized for blackmailing her and making things worse. He said for the first time, he was not looking for anything in return. He went to go to his room, but Dixie began to cry. He embraced her and told her she was not alone. Dixie thanked him. David caressed her cheek and kissed her forehead. Then, their lips touched and they shared a kiss.
Water was rapidly seeping into Dr. Madden's grave. Dr. Madden was frantic and called out for his abductor. He cried out for his release, but there was no response. He yelled the secret would die with him if he drowned. He began to cry and pleaded he did not want to die like this!
JR and Babe arrived home in time to break up a physical fight between Adam and Krystal. Krystal was adamant about attempted-murderer JR moving out of the mansion, and Adam was not. Babe assured her mom that wasn't necessary and informed her of JR's sentiment before his trial. Adam freaked when Babe announced JR had signed over his Chandler shares to her. Krystal, however, was delighted. Now she, Babe and Little Adam could high-tail it out of there. Then she realized this could mean danger to her daughter. To try to assure his mother-in-law that Babe wasn't in danger, JR offered to give the rights to Krystal instead. Babe was moved, and she and JR walked hand-in-hand upstairs. Meanwhile, a still-upset Krystal informed her husband that'd he'd be sleeping alone.
In the park, Greg got so desperate and frightened that he offered to tell his captor about Kate if he was set free. Completely losing his cool, the evil doc even hallucinated his release. But alas, he's still buried alive. Meanwhile, above ground, Erin promised to keep her brother's secret, but after she left, Amanda surfaced and revealed she overhead the truth. She began berating Jonathan and assured him she would not keep his secret. Jonathan managed to calm her down long enough to explain how he came to be "normal" again. Normal = "A serial killer!" pointed out Amanda. Jonathan swore that was because of the brain tumor and he was truly normal now. He was just protecting Lily. He cared about her too much to hurt her. When Lily walked up on the two, Amanda kept mum, but assured Jonathan if he EVER hurt Lily, he'd answer to her. And that's a threat coming from "Janet from another Planet's" daughter!
After Dixie and David parted from their kisses, Dixie claimed he was taking advantage of her. Nada, David said. In his eyes, she was taking advantage of him. She knew she was his weakness. Dixie smiled as he cupped her cheek, but before any further making out could ensue, "room service" knocked on the door. One problem: there was no room service at the motel. It was Tad. Feigning ignorance, he had Dixie fill him in on the "lead" David had. Tad immediately called the family in question then informed Dixie that unfortunately the child was too old to be theirs — and the family had already told David that. When he let it slip that he knew about this prior to coming to the hotel, Dixie was just as angry with him as with David. She berated Tad, then walked out on both men.
At Fusion, Zach and Kendall continued to discuss Dixie. Kendall informed her hubby even back in kindergarten she didn't share well with others — and still doesn't. She wanted him to pick up a new hobby and drop the one where he saves any female in need of saving. She wanted to tell him that if he ever talked to Dixie again, she'd leave, but she couldn't. She was acting like a high schooler and she knew it. It was time for her to grow up. Zach silenced her rambling by taking her hand and putting wedding bands in it. Kendall was beyond moved when she saw the inscription read, "Always, only you." He knew her too well. After reciting private vows again, the happy couple went home and made sweet love.
Ryan was sitting with Spike in a rocking chair. Julia came into the hospital room and was glad to see the two together. Ryan asked if she saw a resemblance between them. Julia stated Spike was a perfect combination of Ryan and Kendall. Still, Ryan asked if the baby looked like him. Suddenly, Julia appeared enlightened. She told Ryan not to think it. Ryan said Dr. Madden was obsessed with Erica and Kendall, which would make it possible he used his own sperm. Ryan thought if Dr. Madden used his sperm with all his other patients, then he probably did it with Kendall also. Julia said, "I'll kill him!" She also said Spike was so sweet and innocent. Ryan was amazed with how quickly Kendall's insecurities changed in regards to loving Spike. Julia posed the question what if Dr. Madden was the father. Ryan asserted Spike was his son and he loved him no matter what. He said Spike changed the way he looked at everything in his life, including Kendall. Regardless, Julia offered to give paternity test and keep the results quiet. Ryan refused and Julia asked if he could live without knowing. Ryan answered Spike was his and Kendall's. So, Julia said she would forget about the paternity test idea, but Ryan told her to act like the idea never happened. Julia agreed.
Erin opened the door to the penthouse and Aidan stood in front of her. He asked for a couple of minutes to talk and the truth about why she wanted space from their relationship. Erin was mad he came and told him he was smothering her. She asked him to leave. Aidan said he loved her and demanded the truth again. He also pleaded with her not to give up on them. Then, he kissed her. Erin told Aidan he was right and she owed him the truth. At first, Erin thought she was ready for a relationship, but was wrong. She said things were going too fast. She told Aidan how wonderful he was and that it was not because of him, but because of her. Aidan asked if he was just therapy for her. She said no and he deserved better. Once again, he offered to give her space. Erin snapped! She yelled for him to stop being so nice and understanding. Bluntly, she said she wanted to see other men. Aidan was adamant she still loved him. Erin explained he was her first, but there might be better out there. She did not want to resent him for not exploring other options. Erin also felt pressured to be a well adjusted girlfriend. Finally, she told Aidan not to see her, call her, or talk to her! Then, Ryan walked in. Aidan left and Erin began to cry. Ryan asked what the hell he walked in on. They sat on the couch and Erin filled Ryan in. He was stunned because he thought Erin was truly in love. Erin told him not to worry because she would be fine.
Erica was at the yacht club and ran into Jeff. Erica heard he suspended Josh. She inquired if this meant he was willing to let Josh go for good. Jeff maintained the suspension had nothing to do with their situation. Erica said he should fire him and allow him to start a life somewhere else. Jeff said after Josh's suspension was over in two weeks, Josh would be back under his tutorial. Meanwhile, Josh and Jamie were at the yacht club too. Jamie sarcastically thanked Josh for getting suspended from the hospital. Josh said the last laugh was on the Martins thanks to his father, Dr. Madden. Josh claimed Dr. Madden did Kate a favor by saving her from the smug Martin family. Jamie believed Josh's statement proved Dr. Madden stole Kate. He also warned Josh not to talk about his little sister. They exchanged words and began to shove each other. Erica and Jeff saw the fight and broke it up. Jamie left and Josh was left to be lectured by Jeff. Josh said he did not need his protection. Jeff explained he wanted to have private sessions with Josh, so he would not fall behind while out of the hospital. Josh rejected him by saying he did not need his charity. Josh left. Erica indicated the more Jeff interfered with Josh, the more he screwed things up. Also, she said it was wrong of Jeff to take JR's side and punish Josh. Jeff declared Erica was defending Josh like a mother. Erica claimed she was behind anyone who was against JR. Jeff asked if she ever felt maternal and wanted to tell Josh who he really was. She said yes, but it would cause too much damage to Josh and her family. Jeff said he knew this would not be easy for Erica to handle. Erica stated she was not the same woman he married and she firmly believed she was right about not telling Josh. Jeff wished he was as sure. Erica said he could solve every problem and he was only making things worse. Jeff disagreed and thought he could make things better. Then, an employee approached Erica and Jeff left. Erica asked where her boat was. The employee said Jack took it out the night before and had not come back yet. Erica walked around and finally found Jack. She expressed how worried she was. He said we had some trouble. Erica was unclear on who he was with and then she saw Brooke. Brooke uneasily said good morning while Erica stood speechless!
Babe was working at Fusion and seemed very frustrated. JR entered and asked what was wrong. Babe explained she had to recreate her presentation because the Fusion girls erased it. JR told her not to give up unless she wanted to give up Fusion. Babe refused to let Kendall win. She said the presentation flowed the first time, but now her brain was blocked. JR offered to help make this project even better than the first. Together they brain stormed and Babe was very pleased. They made a campaign in which confident teenage girls had guys watching them; however, the girls did not notice the guys. Babe then saved it and sent herself a copy via email, so it could not be erased. Then, Jamie walked in and wanted to speak to JR alone. JR obscurely said Jamie's plan was a big risk. Jamie said it was from the start and if they did not crack him now, they would never get answers. JR agreed, but was surprised at the extremes Jamie would go to. Jamie said he was all in because of Kate and asked if JR was too. JR said they should push it as far as they could. JR told Babe he had to help Jamie and would meet her home. JR and Jamie went to the park. JR asked Jamie if he was sure they were not implicated. Jamie said he had too many enemies to narrow it down. They believed they were getting to him. Suddenly, they saw Babe. She was glad to see they were getting along, but demanded they let her in on their secret.
Zach walked into the bedroom fully dressed, but Kendall was still in bed. She threw a pillow at him and exclaimed, "Who the hell do you think you're messing with?" She asked why he did not tell her his preliminary hearing was moved to that morning. Zach claimed it was not a big deal. Kendall believed his charges were a big deal. She also thought he deserved a medal for saving her and Spike's life, not a hearing. She did not want anyone to take Zach away from her. Zach assured her everything would be fine. He told her to have lunch with Spike and left. After, Zach was in court with Livia. Chief Frye was on the stand and gave testimony about Zach's hold up in the hospital. Next, the judge asked Livia if she had any witnesses. She said yes and called for Kendall. Zach was shocked and wanted to know why Livia did not warn him. She said Kendall did not want him to know because he would try to stop her. Kendall testified that Zach was the only one who knew what she wanted and he carried out her wishes. She also stated none of this would have happened if an idiot judge did not give custody to Ryan. The judge revealed he was that idiot. Kendall apologized, but continued to praise Zach for putting himself on the line for her and Spike. She affirmed no one was hurt. Still, the District Attorney argued Zach created a dangerous situation. Kendall asserted Zach took care of her and everyone jumped to the wrong conclusion. She said Zach saved Spike's life and begged the judge to take this into account. Once off the stand, Kendall asked Zach if he was mad at her. He said no and she was great up there. The judge came back from chambers. He said he made a decision on whether or not Zach's case should go to trial!
Immediately jumping to the worst case scenario, Erica opines about how of all of things that she thought could have happened when Jack didn't come home - seeing him come off of their boat with Brooke was the last option. She storms off, and Brooke, annoyed, asks Jack if they don't owe Erica an explanation. Blithely, Jack tells her no. Brooke takes off on her own, finds Erica and tries to explain what really happened. True to form, Erica assumes that she knows all that she needs to know and instead of listening to reason, takes a few potshots at Brooke. Mostly unruffled, Brooke notes that she should have listened to Jack and let Erica "sweat it out." Jack arrives on the scene, and follows by saying that Erica's current state of infuriation has nothing to do with the two of them. He then hands the floor over to Erica and suggests that she tell Brooke the real reason that she is upset. Brooke doesn't take the bait, she wishes Jack luck and takes her leave. Erica then says that she can't believe that Jack would take Brooke out on the boat that she gave him as a wedding present. Jack counters by saying that because it is his boat, he didn't think there were any rules. He tells her that they both know that nothing happened between him and Brooke overnight - just as they both know that Brooke is not symptomatic of the problem. Agreeing mutely, Erica waits a beat, and then asks if they are in trouble. Without hesitation, Jack tells her that they are. Erica tells him that it should have been the two of them stranded out on the boat alone, and Jack tells her that there are a lot of things that should have happened but didn't. Erica then asks if Jack thinks it's too late to save their marriage. Jack tells her that he is furious over all of the things that she failed to share with him, and that he isn't sure how he will get past it all. She asks if he thinks he will, and Jack honestly says that he doesn't know about that. He does know, however, that he is nowhere ready to throw in the towel and she happily echoes his sentiment.
As music blares within, Lily and Jonathan approach a music store. With Lily planning to apply for a job there, they discuss all of the precautions she would have to take. She tells him that she would be able to afford to replace the earmuffs she currently sports with earplugs. In addition, she tells him that she made a plan for how to tout herself as the best candidate. Jonathan asks her if she is going to fill him in on the plan, or if it's a secret. Lily lightly admonishes him, and reminds him that married people don't keep secrets from each other. She starts to put on her glasses and enter the store, thus missing the guilty look spreading across Jonathan's face. As they make their way to the music racks, Terry watches them from outside. He moves away as he sees someone come near his station on the other side of the window, and he misses Lily and Jonathan approaching the manager. Without making their intent clear, they start to spout Lily's strengths with regard to the layout of the store and the merchandise. The manager entertains them, hoping that at some point they will explain what they need from him. As they continue to talk, Terry repositions himself on the outside of the glass front door, and resumes watching the couple. He finally makes his way into the store when he sees them distracted by filling out an employment application. The manager is still not taking either one of them seriously, and after listening to Lily prattle on for a while, he tells them that they are wasting their time and that they might be better suited to work somewhere else. Lily asks the manager to try to give their application serious consideration, but he tells her that he is going to pass. He feels that music stores already have a bad enough reputation regarding who they hire - and he doesn't need to make it worse by hiring them. Offended, Lily tells him that he is rude and walks out. Jonathan leans in and, in his normal voice, tells the man exactly what he thinks of him. The manager does a double take and asks Jonathan to repeat himself. Jonathan then slips back into his role, and notes that the manager really upset his wife. He follows Lily out, and the manager throws their application in the nearest waste bin. Terry then materializes from behind a wall and, having seen everything, plots to make a beeline to retrieve the application. Outside, Jonathan assures Lily that they wouldn't want to work for a guy like that, and that they will get better jobs. A smile breaks through on her face, and they renew their commitment to find gainful employment with an air high five.
As Aidan loudly demands more information on Terry's case - such as a possible location for his ex-wife and child - Ryan enters the office. Seeing him, Aidan quickly wraps up his call and asks what Ryan needs. Ryan notes that Aidan is in about the same mood as his sister. Aidan tells him that Erin broke up with him, therefore landing him in his foul mood. Ryan lets on that he is aware of what happened, as Erin filled him in and then ran out of the house in tears. Because he loves her, Ryan feels that even though it's none of his business, he should ask what happened. Aidan tells him that he loves Erin too, and that he has no idea why one day they were perfect for each other, and the next day they weren't. He goes on to say that if he did something wrong, all Erin has to do is tell him - and he would do whatever he needs to do to fix it. Not meaning to sound arrogant, Aidan notes that Erin loves him as much as he loves her, and those facts make it hard to understand why she would just dump him out of the blue. Ryan chimes in saying that he could tell when they talked that Erin really didn't want the relationship to end. Rather, it was more like she was hiding a secret that she didn't want either of them to know about. Before they could mull it over any further, Aidan's cell phone rings an interruption. Upon answering it, he finds that there is a lead in Terry's case that he needs to follow up on. He asks Ryan to hang around so they can talk more about Erin, as he won't be long. Ryan has no problem with that, but does ask if his lead has anything to do with Kate Martin. Sadly, Aidan had to let him down - but he does tell Ryan that it has to do with a missing child, and a desperate client who is a father.
Erin shows up at Room 17 at the Pine Cone. She knocks at the door and the unseen occupant lets her in without question. She emerges a short time later, and before the door closes, she assures the occupant that she would be back soon, and that everything would be all right. The door closes, and as she turns around, she spots a familiar man. After identifying him as Jamal, and giving him a hug, they engage in some brief small talk. He then tells her that she did make one mistake regarding the current situation - hotels and motels are usually off limits. He notes that the average person might not be able to ferret someone out, but a good detective could. She fills him in about how a private detective was hired, and how good he is at what he does.
Aidan shows up at the Pine Cone and knocks on door 17, announcing that he is a member of hotel security. After asking if anyone is in and receiving no answer, he pulls out his lock picks and starts to go to work. Before he can give it an honest go, Erin opens the door and faces her newly dumped ex. She asks why he is following her, and he tells her that her belief isn't factual. He says that he got a tip from one of his men that a woman matching the description of his client's ex-wife was here, and he was merely checking it out. He asks her why she would check into a motel under a phony name, and she tells him that she needed to get away. Erin continues to throw up smoke screens in order to hide the truth, and blasts Aidan for not getting the fact that they aren't dating anymore and that any problems that she may have, she alone will deal with. Aidan, still not buying it, asks what she is hiding. Enraged, Erin invites him into the room and shows him that she is alone, and that there is nothing secret about her stay at the Pine Cone. She insists that she has laid it all out for him, and that it doesn't matter whether he likes it or not - they are over. He looks at her intensely, and then tells her that he hates it. He goes on to say that she can take all the time she needs - as long as she knows that when she is done with that she needs to do, she can come back to him. He tells her that he loves her, that he knows she still loves him, and then plants a kiss on her that she can't help but return. They fall on to the bed in a passionate embrace, but after a moment, Erin breaks it off and tells Aidan that he needs to leave. Aidan protests, asking her again why she is ending things. She tells him that she can't explain it any better than she has, so unhappily, he obliges and leaves.
Babe catches up with Jamie and JR in the park, and demands to know what they are up to. Jamie starts to deny it, but having known them both intimately, it's no tough task for Babe to read them. She notes that they have been sitting on a massive secret since the night that Greg Madden went missing - the night that they went AWOL - and she wants to know what it is. Jamie tells her that they were out that night looking for Greg, and that's all that she needs to know. Irritated, Babe says that if Jamie wants to keep the lid on his secret - fine. However, JR is a different story. Because of all that he did and the promises that he made to her, he owes it to her to be completely upfront. Thinking on this a moment, JR caves and notes aloud that he does indeed owe Babe the truth. They fill her in, and Jamie steps up - explaining that JR came on board after he took Madden. Babe freaks out, thinking that the man could die, and with JR's recent brush with the law, he could spend the rest of his life away from their son. They think that she is overreacting, as they don't believe Madden could die - and Madden certainly can't identify who the culprit is. They just think that the only way they will get the truth out of Madden is to scare him within an inch of his life. Babe thinks they are playing a game akin to Russian Roulette, and that they need to stop before someone's life is destroyed. She then makes a decision, and they question whether or not it is the best choice. Babe tells them they don't have a choice - as she is furious that they got in this deep already. Jamie hotly tells her that they were simply trying to bring their sister home, and while she understands, she thinks their methods were suspect. She admits that the smartest thing they have done thus far is stay anonymous - and says that they should keep it that way.
Babe arrives at a warehouse and hears cries for help. She goes to the walk-in freezer door and opens it. Inside, she finds Josh tied up and hung from a hook near the ceiling. Upon seeing her, Josh yells for assistance and Babe rushes to him, but not knowing what to do first. Josh tells her to pull the crates over and put them beneath his feet. She does that and now, able to stand, he is able to loosen up some of his restraints. As he does, he caustically vents about who he believes is responsible - Jamie and JR - and how much they will pay for what they have done. After listening to a few moments of his vitriol, Babe backs away and stops attempting to free him. He asks her why, and she tells him that a giant freezer is a suitable place for a meathead. She feels badly for him and doesn't leave him hanging for long. She rids him of the final ropes and helps him down from his makeshift perch. He suggests that she hold him for a while to help him warm up, but she rejects him. He then goes back to talking trash about Jamie and JR, unwavering in his belief that they are responsible for holing him up in the freezer. Babe tells him that her husband and brother-in-law have bigger fish to fry, and she just happened upon him by coincidence. Josh doesn't believe her, and notes that he can't seem to convince either brother that he has no idea where his father is. Babe finally cracks and tells Josh how sick she is of hearing him bash her family. Josh thinks that she has her head in the sand if she can't see what is right in front of her face. He continues to vent, voicing his feelings about everyone in town that he thinks is against him. Babe tells him that if he hates it so much he should just leave - and Josh yells back that he just might. She tells him to get out of her face, and frustrated, Josh stalks out of the freezer, hitting the door on the way out. Before Babe can stop it, the door swings shut, locking her in.
Back in the park, Jamie and JR are certain that Babe got Josh out of the meat locker. Jamie sounds defeated as he notes that they no longer have the means to put the screws to Greg. JR tells him to lighten up, as the ride is far from over. Jamie tells his brother that he should bow out of the plans they have, as he has a wife and kid to think about. JR reaffirms his commitment, but Jamie reminds him that with the way Babe freaked out earlier, it's possible that JR could lose her for good if he doesn't step aside. JR tells Jamie that there is no way he will lose Babe again.
As Kendall sends up a silent prayer that there will be no trial, the judge starts to make his ruling. He states that if he were to go solely by what his wife and lawyer have to say, Zach is a hero to be commended. However, the state presented a much different case - how a man barricaded himself in a room with his comatose wife, discharged his firearm in a hospital and threatened to shoot anyone who dared cross the line. According to the judge, this makes Zach an arrogant man - and he is left with only one way to rule on this case. Without enough evidence to warrant an actual trial, he dismisses the case. The ADA is instantly argumentative, but the judge shuts him down - saying that they can continue to go around in circles with the evidence they have, but the end result would be the same. Kendall, who was momentarily frightened that her wish wouldn't come true, insists that they run and see Spike before the judge changes his mind. The courtroom empties, and the Slaters take a moment to revisit what just happened. Kendall tells her husband that she thought for a split second that he was a goner, given the judge's "reckless and arrogant" lead-in. Zach tells her that he thinks that he could have been, as the judge was dying to throw the book at him. However, her eloquent and passionate speech ended up being his saving grace. They kiss in celebration, and then run out of the courtroom. In the hall, they run into Livia and Derek. Derek takes the opportunity to congratulate them on a performance well done. Kendall seems taken aback, and insists that her testimony was 100% true. As Zach remains stone-faced, Derek tells her that he wasn't referring to her - he was referring to the judge, and his suspicions that not only had the judge been paid off, but she had been duped. Zach blows off the accusation by saying that law enforcement, by nature, is suspicious. Livia notes that any client of hers found guilty of such shady practices would no longer be a client. Derek quickly notes that Zach must have been able to dupe Livia as well. Livia cuts his accusations off, and they make their way out of the courthouse. Kendall promptly grabs her husband by the arm and leads him back into the courtroom. She asks if what he said about her being key to his release was a lie, and he tells her that he stands by his opinion. Realizing that she would have to be specific, Kendall then asks if Zach paid off the judge or not. After thinking a moment, Zach admits that he made a contribution to the judge's re-election fund - and Kendall instantly bursts out laughing. Although she thinks it would have been nice if Zach had told her beforehand, she is convinced that all went as it should when Zach tells her that he wouldn't have wanted to miss her speech about what a great guy he is. Amused, they kiss and head for home.
Dixie shows up at Aidan and Tad's office and finds Ryan trying to get the best of the pinball game. They chat for a moment about his skills at the game, and then he offers her a shot. She declines, and asks if he's seen Tad. Ryan denies having seen her ex-husband, and she notes that it's probably for the best since they can't seem to tolerate each other. She goes on to say that she thinks Tad hates looking at her. Ryan tells her that for what it's worth, he likes looking at her. She can't imagine why, and he tells her that he thinks he's a sucker for a pretty face. He then racks up a pool game and as he takes a few shots, Dixie marvels that he doesn't hate her too. Ryan tells her that he is still furious that JR was let off the hook without serving time, but his anger is at JR. In addition, now that he is a parent, he can understand Dixie's role in how all of that came down. He notes that not only can he understand losing a child because of what happened with JR, but also because of Greg Madden. Dixie doesn't want to talk about it, but Ryan can't help noting that she amazes him for not having lost her mind after all of this time. Dixie notes that she isn't so sure that she hasn't. Ryan tells her that even though she has the best people working on her case, she should know that all of his resources - both personal and Cambias - are available to her; all she has to do is ask. He tells her that he admires her, but she can't fathom why, as there is nothing admirable about her. She notes that she made her own hell, and Ryan tells her that we all do. Ryan then reminds her that they have more in common than she is remembering - that he too pretended to be dead, and ended up hurting the very people that he swore he was protecting. She tells him that those people forgave him, and he corrects her by noting that only some did; the rest wrote him off. She then asks how he forgave himself, and he told her that mostly it took time. She tells him that while time gave him his son, it is her enemy - because every second that passes is another that she is away from her little girl. With no words left to say, Ryan simply wraps her in a comforting embrace.
In the park, Jamie apologizes to JR for getting him involved in Josh's kidnapping, but JR tells he would have helped anyways. After Jamie leaves, Josh comes over and pushes JR, accusing him of locking him in the meat freezer. JR pretends that he has no clue what Josh is talking about, even when Josh mentions that Babe rescued him. Josh tells JR he does not deserve such a wonderful woman as Babe, but that is no news to JR. JR tells Josh that although he may not deserve Babe, Josh isn't making much progress either. JR brings up that if Josh isn't careful, he may disappear just like Greg has. Both men leave the park.
Julia finds Jamie taking a late night swim on the beach, but is stunned to find him naked. Jamie tells Julia that he hung Josh on a meat hook, which gives her quite a chuckle. She even jokes that Jamie should have taken a picture to post on the Internet. Jamie claims he lost it when Josh said Greg did the right thing by taking Kate, but regardless, it was wrong to put him the deep freeze. Jamie claims that JR is not the only one in the family with a dark side. Julia says that she has a dark side too - after all, she killed a man. Julia and Jamie share a kiss after they have come to understand each other's dark sides a little better.
Babe struggles to get the door open in the meat locker by banging on the door, but no one hears her cries. Luckily, JR comes to her rescue. Babe tells him that she accidentally locked herself in there when JR assumes Josh did it. After Babe and JR go home, JR apologizes for getting Babe involved, but claims they need answers from Greg. Babe spends time with Little Adam and takes a bath. She hops in bed and JR bundles her up with blankets. JR says that sometimes he does stupid things to help his family, but Babe cautions him not to break any more laws. JR gives Babe a kiss, then pulls back when he realizes he has overstepped his boundaries. Babe tells him that she wants to be intimate with JR, but is afraid that she will never forget he almost killed her. JR understands Babe's feelings but he tries to explain his mentality when he tried to kill her. He promises to make it up to her every day for the rest of his life. JR kisses Babe again, but this time, she does not push him away.
Kendall and Zach spend an evening partying in the casino, but their night is dampened when Kendall sees an upset Dixie walk in. Kendall musters up the courage to allow Zach see what is wrong with Dixie. Dixie starts wallowing about how she will never find Kate, even though Zach assures her that Greg will break soon. Kendall tells Dixie that she understands why Zach has been helping her and thanks her for warning him about Greg. As Kendall offers to help Dixie in any way she can, Tad angrily walks up, thinking Dixie is getting drunk and begging for sympathy. Dixie tells Tad that he hates her, but Tad claims that Dixie has no regard for her son, JR, by slopping up alcohol. When Di walks in, Dixie tells Tad to go take care of her sister instead of worrying about what's in her wine glass. When Dixie starts making a scene by raising her voice, Zach tells them to take it outside. When Tad tries pushing Dixie out, Josh walks in and announces that he has no clue where his father is, so they can leave him alone. Aidan comes over and Di makes it clear to him that is not giving information about Annie. Di asks about Erin, so Aidan breaks the news that she broke up with him for some unknown reason.
Tad and Dixie go upstairs to her room to finish talking. Dixie asks Tad to leave, but instead, Tad throws out all of the alcohol in her room. Tad reminds Dixie that she is a mother again, so she needs to lay off the booze. Dixie tells him that she wasn't drinking in front of JR - just enjoying a drink. When Tad starts trashing Zach, Dixie tells him that Zach is the only person who hasn't thrown her out of his life. Tad thinks Dixie believes Zach cares for Kate more than he does, which simply isn't true. Tad starts thinking that Dixie is trying to make decisions for him, such as keeping Kate's identity a secret. Dixie tells him that he didn't want Kate in the first place. Tad said he always wanted Kate, but in the end, he chose Dixie's life over Kate's. Tad plants a kiss on Dixie and she responds eagerly.
Greg is still in the coffin, but water keeps dripping into his underground home. He wonders how many days he has been in the coffin and how much longer the kidnapper will keep him alive. Greg thinks that perhaps the kidnapper has found Kate, meaning he does not need Greg anymore. He claims he will tell the kidnapper where Kate is if the kidnapper speaks to him, but there is only silence. A small earthquake tears through Pine Valley, spilling debris into Greg's coffin.
