At Aiden's beach house, Hope tried to talk to Aiden about the improvised meal they had just eaten, but she could tell he wasn't really interested in the conversation. Hope observed that it seemed like Aiden wasn't particularly happy about having her around.
Aiden claimed that he was simply sorry -- for Hope's sake -- that she had gotten stuck on Puget Sound and missed her flight to Tahiti, but she wasn't convinced. Hope assured Aiden that she understood why her presence was making him uncomfortable, since he had originally expected to have some time to say a private farewell to the place. Aiden insisted that being at the beach house with Hope was actually better than being there alone.
Satisfied, Hope cuddled with Aiden on the couch for a moment before he suddenly decided to go grab some groceries from a nearby general store so he could provide her with a decent meal the following morning. As Aiden prepared to leave, Hope noticed that her cell phone battery was nearly dead. Aiden thought he had a compatible charger tucked in a drawer somewhere, so he encouraged Hope to look for it while he was gone.
After Aiden left, Hope started searching for the charger, but she soon heard someone fumbling with the front door lock. Assuming that Aiden had forgotten something, Hope opened the door -- and was surprised to find Bree standing outside. Bree barged in, explaining that she lived just down the road and had seen Aiden drive off a few minutes earlier.
Bree knew Aiden was selling the beach house, and she feared that she might never get another chance to find proof that he had killed Meredith. Hope threatened to call the police, but Bree revealed a key and insisted that she hadn't been trying to break in. Bree pointedly wondered why Aiden had changed the lock if he'd had nothing to hide.
Bree revealed that Meredith had been terrified of Aiden and had even made a recording that she had asked Bree to retrieve in the event of her death. Bree admitted that she had never been able to find the recording because all she knew was that it was in a hidden compartment in one of the many drawers in the beach house. Bree tried to get Hope to help her search for the recording, but Hope wasn't interested.
Hope said she understood Bree's pain but needed Bree to understand that it couldn't even begin to compare to Aiden's. Bree insisted that Aiden was glad that Meredith was dead. Hope stressed that Bree needed to stop saying such things because she had absolutely no idea what had really happened. "Neither do you," Bree countered. Hope maintained that she had seen Aiden's grief and knew it was real.
Hope contacted Aiden to find out if he wanted to press charges. Aiden couldn't hear what Hope was saying due to poor reception, but he warned her that he might be gone for a while because the store was packed. Bree searched through drawers while Hope was preoccupied but didn't manage to find anything before Hope ended the call and caught her snooping.
Bree observed that Hope was just Aiden's type -- wealthy. Bree also guessed that Hope was in love with Aiden. Fed up, Hope warned that Bree only had three seconds to leave before the police would be notified of her intrusion. "Meredith trusted him once, you know -- just like you do. And now she's dead," Bree reminded Hope before leaving.
Hope soon went back to searching for a compatible cell phone charger. Hope accidentally discovered a false bottom while rummaging through a desk drawer, and when she moved it aside, she found a note -- "To be played in the event of my death -- Meredith Jennings" -- taped to the cover of what appeared to be a tablet computer.
While they were lying in bed together, Brady and Melanie admitted that they were falling in love with each other. Brady invited Melanie to spend the night with him, but she declined because she didn't want Victor and Maggie to worry about him being out all night, especially after what had happened to Sonny. Melanie added that she also didn't want Daniel to worry about whether she and Brady were moving too quickly.
Brady mused that the Melanie he had known a few years earlier wouldn't have cared about such things. Brady admitted that, while the old Melanie had been a blast to hang out with, he was at a point in his life where the new Melanie was exactly what he needed.
Theresa twirled a pair of furry handcuffs as she ended a phone conversation with Clint, who promised to head over to her place right away. Meanwhile, Eve arrived to talk to Theresa about Paige, who seemed to be getting more upset with Eve with each passing day. Theresa thought J.J. was scum but also agreed with Paige's argument that he might not have been unfaithful if Eve hadn't schemed to keep the couple apart.
"I didn't come here for a lecture, little sister," Eve complained. After hearing a knock, Theresa sarcastically replied that she would love to offer Eve a shoulder to cry on but couldn't because she already had a date for the evening. Eve grimaced as Theresa opened the apartment door, wrapped her arms around Clint, and kissed him.
Eve pulled Theresa aside and quietly observed that the guy was below even Theresa's ridiculously low standards. Spotting Theresa's novelty handcuffs, Eve warned that getting involved with such a guy could lead to being outfitted with a much more authentic -- and much less comfortable -- pair. Theresa countered that Eve had once believed that nothing was off-limits. Theresa wondered when Eve had turned into such a prude.
Eve maintained that Theresa was dating the wrong guy. "Oh, you would know," Theresa countered. Eve left after admitting that was true. Theresa explained to Clint that Eve was simply jealous of her, but he didn't seem particularly interested. Changing the subject, Clint wondered if Theresa was still having bad dreams. Theresa suggestively replied that she was only having nightmares -- wicked ones she wanted Clint to help her fulfill.
Theresa and Clint quickly spotted Melanie when they arrived at the town square later that night. Clint stayed behind while Theresa went to tease Melanie about being alone. "Okay, you know what, Theresa? I really am not in the mood for this. I don't know if you've heard, but Brady's cousin was stabbed and almost died tonight," Melanie revealed.
Stunned, Theresa wondered why no one had bothered to tell her about the attack. "They probably didn't think you cared," Melanie guessed. Theresa was too concerned about Will and Sonny to put much effort into her retort. Theresa started to ask for more details about the stabbing but stopped when she overheard a nearby shop owner calling Brady's name.
"Oh. You aren't alone," Theresa realized with a sigh. Theresa quickly tried to excuse herself, but Melanie stopped her and wondered who Dr. Mandrake was. Theresa didn't recognize the name, so she sarcastically told Melanie about a new invention called the Internet that could be helpful when researching doctors. Theresa rejoined Clint, and Melanie later told a curious Brady that she and Theresa hadn't talked about anything important.
At the hospital, J.J. recorded a voicemail message for Jennifer, assuring her there was no need for her to rush home from her out-of-town conference because Sonny was going to be okay. After ending the call, J.J. turned and bumped into Paige, who said she had heard about Sonny and was glad he was going to be okay. J.J. thanked Paige and started to leave so she could get back to work.
Paige clarified that she was just picking up some papers for her internship. Paige wanted to know why J.J. was at the hospital, so he explained that he was hoping to visit Sonny for a few minutes. J.J. vaguely added that he had plans afterward. Paige bitterly guessed that J.J.'s plans involved his new girlfriend, but he denied the suspicion.
Paige started to complain about how J.J. was withholding the woman's name, but he wasn't interested in rehashing that conversation, so he once again tried to leave. Paige stopped J.J. and asked him to at least clarify whether the woman was a girlfriend or just a friend with benefits. "What is it to you? Look, I said that we're done," J.J. replied.
Paige struggled to understand why J.J. was treating her like someone he couldn't even stand to look at, let alone talk to. "I thought you were a good person, J.J. How could I have been so wrong?" Paige wondered. Before J.J. could respond, Daphne interrupted and convinced Paige to leave with her after advising that J.J. wasn't worth worrying about.
Adrienne stopped Paul before he could enter Sonny's room. Paul didn't recognize Adrienne, so she quietly informed him that she was Sonny's mother. "And I know exactly who you are, Paul," Adrienne added. Stunned, Paul tried to stammer out a response, but Adrienne interrupted and ordered him to follow her. Meanwhile, Will remained at Sonny's bedside, barely glancing at the door when he thought he heard it being opened.
"I am so sorry that it took this happening for me to wake up to the biggest truth of my life -- I can't live without you, Sonny, and I am so grateful to have the chance to make things right. I know I've made plenty of mistakes, but I swear to God that I've learned my lesson. The only thing that matters is being with my husband and raising our little girl together. I -- I just want to put these last few months behind us, and I want to move on with this beautiful life that we've made together," Will tearfully stated as he held Sonny's hand.
Adrienne took Paul to a break room and shut the door so they could talk privately. Paul started to explain that he had heard about Sonny's stabbing and had just wanted to make sure that everything was all right. Adrienne stressed that Sonny would be fine -- as long as Paul stayed away from him. "He's in with his husband right now. How would you explain your presence?" Adrienne wondered.
Paul apologized for failing to consider that possibility. "Look, they don't need -- you showing up after all these years would not do anybody any good," Adrienne asserted. Paul wondered if Adrienne had known about his relationship with Sonny the entire time they had been together. Adrienne clarified that she hadn't known all along but had indeed known for quite a while.
"Sonny kept your secret, you know. He never even told his husband. And now, Paul, with everything they're going through, the last thing they need is more drama," Adrienne maintained. Paul assured Adrienne that he understood and simply hadn't been thinking clearly earlier because hearing about Sonny's stabbing had been quite shocking.
Adrienne wondered how Paul had heard the news in the first place. Paul explained that he had been called to the hospital earlier because some patient had been in desperate need of O-negative blood. "Oh, my God -- it was you! Paul, thank you! Thank you for saving my son's life!" Adrienne tearfully exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Paul's neck.
Paul was surprised to learn just how close Sonny had been to death. Paul was grateful that he had been able to help, and he stressed that he never wanted to hurt Sonny again. Paul wondered how much Adrienne knew about his relationship with Sonny. Adrienne replied that she knew Sonny had proposed to Paul. "The biggest mistake I ever made was not saying yes to him," Paul admitted.
Adrienne guessed that Paul still loved Sonny. Paul confirmed that he did -- and always would. Adrienne started to say something, but Paul interrupted and assured her that he understood that Sonny had moved on. Paul added that, more than anything else, he simply wanted Sonny to be happy, and he would never do anything to get in the way of that happiness.
Paul assured Adrienne that she wouldn't have to worry about him bothering her son again because he would soon be leaving town, anyway. Paul asked Adrienne to contact him later to reassure him that Sonny was going to be okay. Adrienne was happy to grant the request, so Paul gave her his cell phone number before excusing himself.
Lucas went to check on Will and Sonny and was surprised to learn that Adrienne had not yet visited her son. Will suggested that Adrienne might be talking to Justin, but Lucas doubted that because she had already talked to Justin earlier that night. "And they can't talk again?" Will wondered.
Lucas started to concede the point before concluding that it was none of his or Will's business. Will was glad to hear that Justin would soon be back in Salem, since Sonny hadn't seen Justin in a long time. Lucas muttered that it had been a long time since Adrienne had last seen Justin, too.
After Lucas left, J.J. arrived and wondered if Will had been able to talk to Sonny yet. Will shook his head and explained that the doctors weren't expecting Sonny to wake up until sometime the following morning. Will hadn't seen J.J. lately, so he took the opportunity to ask about J.J.'s classes -- and Paige.
J.J. revealed that he and Paige were no longer seeing each other. Will was sorry to hear that, but J.J. admitted that he only had himself to blame. "I just can't believe what an idiot I was. You'll -- you'll probably hear it sooner or later, but, um...I cheated on her. Yeah. She deserves so much better," J.J. added. Will sighed and swallowed hard, the color draining from his face as he looked guiltily at Sonny.
After J.J. left, Will grabbed Sonny's left hand and suddenly noticed that Sonny's wedding band was missing. Meanwhile, Roman entered the room and greeted Will. "They took his ring," Will incredulously muttered. Roman promised Will that the police would catch Sonny's attacker but added that the most important thing was that Sonny was going to be okay.
At Club TBD, Paige complained that she hated J.J. and couldn't believe she had ever loved him in the first place. Paige added that she was having a really hard time forgiving Eve for interfering, even though she knew it wasn't Eve's fault that J.J. was a jerk. Daphne reasoned that Eve might have done Paige a favor. Paige admitted that Eve was trying to spin the matter the same way.
Paige particularly resented the fact that Eve had been somewhat dismissively advising her to just cheer up and let the whole thing go. "Like she's ever let anything go. She's hung on to every guy she's been with, okay? So hard that she left claw marks," Paige informed Daphne. Daphne made a vague reference to an offer she had made Paige earlier, and Paige admitted that she was thinking about taking Daphne up on it.
After Daphne left, Paige contacted Eve and asked to see her. Eve was filled with optimism when she arrived at the club a short time later, but Paige clarified that they weren't going to be able to work things out anytime soon. Paige stressed that she was heartbroken because she had truly loved J.J. Paige complained that Eve didn't seem to care about that at all because she had never approved of the relationship in the first place.
Eve argued that J.J. would have eventually been unfaithful even if she hadn't tricked Paige into going to Los Angeles to see Shane. "Well, I guess we'll never know, will we?" Paige bitterly countered. Eve continued to criticize J.J. until Paige angrily stopped her. Paige was more interested in criticizing the other woman, since they apparently knew each other -- which meant she had known just how much J.J. had meant to Paige.
"Whoever stole J.J. from me, she's nothing but a lying slut!" Paige snapped. Eve warned that Paige would only hurt herself if she continued to harbor such anger. "No, Mom -- she hurt me. J.J. hurt me. You hurt me. If you hadn't lied to me, everything could be different. And if you think I should just shut up and be grateful -- I'm sorry, but I can't," Paige countered.
Eve reasoned that Paige couldn't continue to wallow in anger and sadness forever. Paige agreed and said that was why she was planning to make a big change. Intrigued, Eve asked for more details. "I'm moving out. Tonight," Paige revealed with a smile.
J.J. ran into Daphne in the town square and tried to find out if Paige was okay. Daphne wanted to know why J.J. cared, so he admitted that he felt really bad about what he had done to Paige. Daphne thought J.J. deserved to feel that way, and she left after refusing to do anything to make him feel better. J.J. returned home and reviewed a text message -- "Please. I know you're Paige's friend, and maybe it's wrong, but I really need to see you again. I promise Paige will never know" -- before sending it to someone.
Lucas found Adrienne in a break room and took her to see Sonny. Will was still at Sonny's bedside, talking about how Valentine's Day wasn't far away. "You better get well quick and get out of this bed, because I want to give you a day that you'll never forget. I love you, Sonny Kiriakis," Will declared.
Sonny stirred and slowly opened his eyes. Sonny spotted Will and stared at him in wide-eyed horror, shaking and gasping for breath. Monitors started sounding alarms as Will called out for help and begged Sonny to stay with him.
In Aiden's cabin, Hope stared at the computer tablet she had found in a hidden compartment of a desk. The note on the cover read, "to be viewed in the event of my death -- Meredith Jennings." Hope debated to herself about whether to watch the video on the tablet. Hope rationalized that Meredith was crazy. Unsure what to do, Hope shoved the tablet back into the secret compartment when she heard Aiden's car pull up outside the house.
When Aiden walked inside, he noticed that Hope appeared to be on edge. Aiden asked what was wrong. Hope informed Aiden that Bree had stopped by the house. Furious, Aiden ranted about Bree and "her lies." Aiden warned Hope not to listen to Bree or let her into the house. Aiden started to go over to Bree's house, but he reconsidered and decided not to take the bait. Aiden apologized to Hope and promised to focus on her instead of Bree.
Aiden retrieved a bottle of wine from the bag of groceries and told Hope that he wanted to make the night special. With a nervous smile, Aiden told Hope that she could sleep in the guest room. Hope agreed that it would be awkward for her and Aiden to share a room in the house of his dead wife. When Aiden went upstairs to make up the bed for Hope, she pulled the tablet out of the drawer and played the video from Meredith.
At Club TBD, Paige told Eve that she was moving into the dorms with Daphne. Eve was hurt, but Paige was too angry to talk. Eve begged Paige not to leave. Citing a need for space, Paige said she would not change her mind. Eve assured Paige that everything would be fine.
"By trying to control my life, you're doing nothing but ruining it," Paige countered. Eve said that Paige had her whole future ahead of her, but Paige argued that she was entitled to have feelings about her breakup. Paige added that she did not want to hear Eve say that J.J. would have cheated eventually because Eve could not see the future. Paige said she blamed Eve more than she blamed J.J. for J.J.'s cheating. With a scowl, Paige said she was unhappy because Eve had taken the only thing Paige had loved and had ruined it. Paige growled that she could not stand to look at Eve.
Upset, Paige stormed out of the club and walked over to the Brady Pub to meet Daphne. Paige complained that Eve was too controlling. With a sigh, Paige promised not to talk about J.J. anymore. Daphne started to mention that J.J. had reached out to her, but Paige told Daphne that she did not want to hear what J.J. had done.
At the Horton house, a sullen J.J. texted Daphne and begged her to talk to him. Daphne reluctantly called J.J. and warned him not to harass her anymore. As J.J. slapped his phone in frustration, Rory rang the doorbell. Rory entered the house and suggested that he and J.J. should party. Rory and J.J. drank a beer, but when Rory noticed J.J.'s record collection, J.J. grew gruff as he noted that the records had been a gift from Paige. Rory suggested that he and J.J. go out.
At Victor's club, the Edge, Rory showed J.J. his fake I.D. and promised to get drinks. J.J. stared at his phone, and Cole walked into the club. As Rory returned to tell J.J. that the bartender had recognized him and that they had to leave, Cole walked over. The conversation was interrupted when Eve called J.J.'s phone and demanded that J.J. meet her. J.J. started to leave, and Cole verbally pushed J.J.'s buttons about Paige. When J.J. grabbed Cole by the collar in anger, Cole lifted J.J.'s phone from his pocket. Cole went to the park and looked at the contents of J.J.'s phone. Cole called Paige and asked to meet with her to talk about who J.J. had been sleeping with.
In the pub, Daphne advised Paige not to meet with Cole. Daphne counseled Paige to let go of J.J. and move on with her life. Daphne was called away, and she asked Paige to meet her at the Edge.
At Eve's apartment, an annoyed J.J. asked Eve why she had summoned him. Eve accused J.J. of ruining her life. Eve explained that Paige was gone. Panicked, J.J. asked what had happened. When Eve informed J.J. that Paige had moved into the dorms, J.J. sighed in relief and told Eve not to worry about her daughter. Eve cried out that her daughter needed her, but disagreeing, J.J. said Eve was the last person Paige needed in her life.
With a sigh, Eve said that everything she had done in her life had been for Paige, and she was horrified to know that Paige hated her. J.J. noted that they had both lost Paige. As Eve broke down in tears, J.J sat next to her on the couch and put an arm around her in comfort. Eve rested her head on J.J.'s shoulder.
"I'm sick and tired of being alone. It hurts like hell," J.J. said quietly. Eve and J.J. looked at one another. J.J. kissed her. Conflicted, Eve slapped J.J.'s face then kissed him passionately. The two adjourned to her bedroom and had sex.
In the DiMera library, Kate paced the room as she left a voicemail for Clyde, urging him to call her. When Kate hung up the phone, Roman called. Roman told Kate about what had happened to Sonny. Upset, Kate rushed over to the hospital.
In Sonny's room at the hospital, Will told Sonny that he loved him. Sonny opened his eyes and started gasping as he looked at Will. The alarms on the medical equipment started to beep wildly. As Will pleaded with Sonny to tell him what was wrong, Lucas ran down the hallway to retrieve Kayla. When Kayla arrived, she ordered everyone out of the room. Will lingered in the doorway, and Sonny stared at him, gasping for air. Once everyone had left, Kayla confided to Maxine that she was worried about Sonny's reaction to the transfusion.
Down the hallway, Lucas, Adrianne, and Will told Maggie and Victor what had happened in Sonny's room. When Will noted that Sonny had grown upset when he had opened his eyes and seen him, Victor asked what Will had done. Maggie reminded Victor that Kayla was with Sonny and that Victor should let Kayla deal with the situation. Kate arrived at the hospital and was upset to hear that Sonny's condition had worsened.
Kayla walked into the waiting area and informed everyone that Sonny had suffered an adverse reaction to the antibodies in the donor blood but that Sonny was doing well. Kayla told everyone they could visit Sonny. Victor apologized to Will. Victor added that he knew Will would not do anything to hurt Sonny. As a look of guilt crossed Will's face, Kate pulled Will aside and dragged him down the hallway to the lounge to talk.
Once alone in the lounge, Kate warned Will to "pull it together." Kate told Will that he was wearing his guilt about Paul across his face. Will admitted that he was concerned that Sonny would be suspicious about how Will had known Paul had been in the closet once Sonny read the article. Will added that he had been with Paul when Sonny had been attacked in the park. As Kate's mouth dropped open, Will assured her that he had only been talking to Paul about the article and nothing more. Will said that sleeping with Paul had been the biggest mistake of his life, and he planned to spend the rest of his life making it up to Sonny.
In the waiting area, Victor asked Adrienne about Justin. Adrienne said that Justin was on his way to Salem. When Victor grumbled that he had not been sure if Justin would ever return home, Adrienne agreed under her breath as Victor left to see Sonny. Lucas approached Adrienne and asked about Justin. Adrienne thanked Lucas for his support. As Lucas held Adrienne's hands, Kate rounded the corner and spotted them. Arching an eyebrow, Kate marched over and interrupted.
In Sonny's room, Victor and Maggie visited a still unconscious Sonny. Victor told Sonny that he needed Sonny to continue to defy the odds. Victor added that he was sorry about the club. With a chuckle, Victor said he should have known Sonny would be too stubborn to take over the club because Sonny was a lot like Victor. Victor told Sonny that he loved him.
In the waiting area, Lucas talked to Kate about Adrienne. Kate told Lucas that she admired how Adrienne had handled the situation with Sonny. Lucas nodded and said he thought Adrienne was a great person. Kate escorted Lucas to the lounge and asked him what was going on with Adrienne.
In Sonny's room, Will and Adrienne sat at Sonny's bedside. When Will said he wished he knew who had donated blood and saved Sonny's life, Adrienne thought about Paul. Adrienne nodded at Will, but did not tell him about Paul. Abe arrived with Kayla and informed Will and Adrienne that he wished to talk to Sonny about the attack once Sonny was awake. Abe promised not to upset Sonny. As Abe started to leave, Sonny opened his eyes. Abe asked Sonny if he was up for answering questions. Sonny stared at Adrienne.
In the waiting area, someone texted Victor and asked him to meet in the chapel. Victor sent Maggie home alone under the guise of staying to talk to Abe about the case. After Maggie left, Victor went to the chapel and sat in a pew to wait. "It's a shame about your nephew," Clyde said from the doorway.
While Aiden was upstairs at his cabin in Puget Sound, Hope watched a video on the tablet she'd found in a desk drawer. On the video, Aiden's late wife, Meredith, spoke directly to the camera and announced that she was terrified her husband was planning to kill her. Acknowledging that if someone were viewing the video, it meant that she was dead, Meredith urged the viewer, "No matter what it looks like -- an accident, or I got sick -- don't believe it. It was Aiden. He did it."
Aiden called to Hope from upstairs and told her that he would be a few more minutes. Hope hurriedly paused the video and assured Aiden that she was fine. She pressed the "play" button again, and Meredith asserted that although everyone loved Aiden because he seemed like such a good guy, they didn't know what she knew: "That smile of his? It's the smile of a monster." She urged the viewer to be careful, lest Aiden go after him or her, as well.
When Hope heard Aiden returning, she stashed the tablet back in the desk drawer and shoved it closed with a bang. Hope explained that the drawer was stuck because she'd slammed it too hard while searching for the phone charger. Aiden said he wished a misplaced phone charger were the worst thing that had ever happened in that cabin. He complained that Bree seemed determined to make sure his memories about his wife's death never faded, even though he'd tried hard to forget, especially about Meredith's drinking and how they'd fought.
Aiden confessed that he would always feel sorrow and regret over Meredith's death -- but he knew the right thing to do was to sell the cabin and look ahead to the future. He suggested that the two of them go for a walk on the beach to get out of the house for a while. Hope somewhat reluctantly agreed, although she tried to hide her reluctance. Noting that it was a little cold outside, she headed for the closet to see if she could find a jacket. Aiden, who'd stashed the axe and shovel in the closet earlier, suddenly slammed the closet door.
Hope flinched and stared at Aiden with fear. Aiden explained lightly that anything in the closet would have been Meredith's. He offered his own jacket to Hope and insisted that he never felt the cold. Hope eyed the closet suspiciously while Aiden helped her on with the coat then the two left for a walk. When they returned later, Aiden suggested that it was time to turn in. Hope followed him up the stairs and headed for the guest room.
Later, Hope crept as quietly as she could down the stairs, but she found the closet door locked. Before Hope could return to the desk, Aiden flipped on the lights from upstairs and asked what she was doing. Hope reminded him that she always got a glass of water before bed, and Aiden informed her that he'd already left one in her room. After she kissed Aiden goodnight, she apologized if she'd awakened him by going downstairs. Aiden admitted that he heard everything that happened at night because he was a light sleeper.
In the park, Cole informed Paige that he knew whom J.J. was sleeping with. Cole produced J.J.'s phone and explained that he'd checked J.J.'s text messages. Bracing herself, Paige declared that she was ready to hear who it was. Cole tried to caution her that she wouldn't like it, and Paige guessed that she'd been right about it being someone she knew. She insisted it was better to know the truth than to drive herself crazy about it. "It's that friend of yours... Daphne," Cole revealed.
Paige refused to believe it and snatched the phone away from Cole. She read J.J.'s text message to Daphne that said, "I know you're Paige's friend and maybe this is wrong, but I really need to see you again. I promise Paige will never know." The phone slid out of a devastated Paige's hands. She left, and Cole quickly followed after retrieving the phone from where it had fallen on the pavement.
Paige charged into the Edge of the Square, with Cole trailing in her wake, and yanked Daphne's phone out of her hands. Paige accused Daphne of sleeping with J.J. Laughing incredulously, Daphne wondered where Paige had gotten such a crazy idea. "From J.J.'s phone!" Paige said. Daphne admitted that J.J. had been sending text messages to her -- and Paige was welcome to look for herself. "He wanted me to tell him what's going on with you. I told him to his face that I wouldn't tell him anything, and then I ignored the rest of his texts," Daphne related.
While an embarrassed Paige looked through the messages and saw that she'd misunderstood them, Cole apologetically explained that it had been his fault. Paige apologized sincerely to Daphne and hugged her, and Daphne suggested they return to the dorm. Paige promised to meet Daphne there soon.
While J.J. and Eve were having sex in her bed, a photo of Paige on the nightstand distracted him momentarily. Eve noticed and asked what was going on. J.J. assured her that everything was fine and resumed what he'd been doing. When they were finished, both Eve and J.J. clearly felt wretched and guilty about sleeping together again. "You know where the door is. I'm sure you can't get out of here fast enough," Eve muttered, turning away from J.J. He admitted that he was in no hurry to leave because he had nothing to do.
J.J. wondered glumly, "Am I supposed to go down to the club and hit on some new chicks? What's the point of hitting on someone new when the only one I want is Paige, even if I can't have her." He added that he didn't want Paige to see him with someone new because it would hurt her, and he'd done enough of that already. J.J. hoped that Paige would eventually forget about him.
Eve was grabbing a couple of bottles of water from the kitchen when Paige showed up at the apartment. "Paige! Honey, what -- what are you doing here?" Eve stammered, while J.J. listened anxiously from the bedroom. Pointing out the two bottles of water Eve was holding, Paige asked if she had interrupted something. Eve recounted how she'd always taken Paige a bottle of water before bed.
Eve was hopeful that Paige had returned to stay, but Paige explained that she had only returned to get the backup drive for her computer. Eve implored Paige to stay for a little while. "And do what? Listen to you tell me how great it is that J.J. and I broke up?" Paige scoffed as she searched for the drive. "You got what you want, okay? So I hope you're happy," Paige added. She finally located the drive and left.
As soon as J.J. heard the door close, he emerged from the bedroom. "She won't be back," Eve lamented. A sympathetic J.J. agreed.
Paul was walking through Horton Square, fiddling with his phone, when Derrick spotted him. Derrick asked how things had turned out with Paul's friend. Paul was puzzled, so Derrick began explaining that he hoped he hadn't screwed things up. Paul interrupted to say it was a really bad time for him. He walked away and headed to the Brady Pub. He called the hospital to try to get an update on Sonny's condition, but they wouldn't divulge any information, since Paul wasn't family.
In the waiting room at the hospital, Kate demanded to know what was going on between Lucas and the "very married" Adrienne. Lucas defensively contended that his mother was being ridiculous because nothing was going on between him and Adrienne; they were simply friends. "Don't you lie to me, Lucas Horton," Kate commanded, pointing an accusatory finger in her son's face and noting that Justin was out of the country. Incredulous that Kate would attempt to lecture him about morality, Lucas refused to discuss Adrienne anymore and left the room. Kate followed.
Kayla, Abe, Adrienne, and Will were gathered around the bed in Sonny's room, where Sonny had just regained consciousness. Abe said he'd like to ask Sonny a few questions about what had happened if Sonny were up to it. As Sonny stared at Abe with confusion Adrienne urged her son not to push himself. Sonny asked where Will had been. Sheepishly recalling that he'd been with Paul, Will said he'd been working.
Lucas and Kate entered just as Will was asking why Sonny had been in the square. Sonny couldn't remember, and he had no idea what had happened to him. Abe asked Sonny the last thing he could recall. Sonny said he remembered being at the club and thinking about the fun things he could do with Arianna, since she'd started walking. He suddenly noticed his wedding ring was missing. Will promised to buy Sonny a new one just as soon as they left the hospital. Kayla urged everyone to let Sonny get some rest, so the group filed out, offering words of encouragement for Sonny to get better. Abe asked Sonny to call if he remembered anything.
Sonny asked Will to stay until Sonny fell asleep, and Will happily agreed. "If I lost you, I'd be lost, too," Will maintained. Sonny was pleased to hear that Will had finished the article. Will admitted that part of him wished he'd never gotten the assignment. Observing his husband's downbeat demeanor, Sonny asked if something had gone wrong. Will explained that the article had kept him away from Sonny and Arianna too much, but he intended to make it up to them.
"I felt that way even before I knew that you'd been hurt. I mean, I'm glad I wrote the article. It's going to do a lot of good for a lot of people. But if I lost you..." Will said, his voice trailing off. "You didn't," Sonny pointed out, noting how weird it was that he couldn't remember anything. Will suggested that perhaps it was better that way. Sonny dozed off, so Will kissed him gently on the forehead.
Adrienne went into the waiting room to call Paul and let him know that Sonny was going to be fine. She expressed her gratitude to Paul for donating the blood that had saved Sonny's life. "I'll be leaving Salem for good soon. I don't want to complicate things for Sonny," Paul assured Adrienne, who wished him well. Paul downed the rest of his drink in one gulp, shaking his head with regret at the memory of how he'd turned down Sonny's marriage proposal years before.
Lucas soon joined Adrienne, who admitted she'd been grateful for his company while Sonny had been in surgery. Lucas asserted that Adrienne was a strong woman who would have been fine without him. Lucas asked about Justin, and Adrienne said that her husband should arrive the next morning. "Lucas, what I said about Justin --" Adrienne began, but Lucas reassured her that she didn't have to worry about it. As Adrienne started out the door for home, Lucas stopped her. "I think Sonny's going to be a lot stronger in the morning when he sees you," Lucas said.
In the chapel, Victor was surprised and dismayed when he heard Clyde's voice behind him. "What's the matter, Victor? You kinda look like you've seen a ghost," Clyde drawled. He informed Victor that Damon wasn't going to make it, and Victor demanded to know where his henchman was. Clyde replied that they would get to that after they discussed what Victor had ordered Damon to do to Clyde. Victor refused to confirm or deny anything.
Clyde sardonically suggested that Victor should instruct his man to aim for the head and not the chest next time. "Unless, of course, it's a knife, in which case, you want to stick that right here," Clyde added, gesturing toward his lower back. "You son of a bitch! That boy is my nephew!" Victor growled, enraged. Clyde hinted that if Victor didn't stop going after Clyde, Clyde would go after other members of Victor's family -- and the next time, it wouldn't be with a knife.
Clyde warned Victor darkly that family was no longer off-limits, adding, "Even if one of your guys takes me out, I got guys, too, and they will get even with you and yours -- and believe me, you will never see them coming, just like your nephew didn't." As he moseyed out of the chapel, Clyde took Sonny's wedding ring out of his pocket and tossed it on a pew.
Kate found Victor sitting alone in the chapel a little later. She informed him that Sonny was awake and would be just fine, although he didn't remember anything. Although Victor was clearly relieved, Kate wondered why he didn't seem happier. Before Kate could press the issue, Clyde called her. Thrilled to hear from him, Kate asked where Clyde had been, and he claimed that he'd needed to take care of a business situation. After accepting Clyde's invitation to visit him, Kate hung up. Victor thanked Kate for finding him to tell him about Sonny.
Clyde looked in the mirror in his hotel room and inspected some bruises on his chest. He reflected on how he'd lain in the falling snow after being shot until Jeremiah had found him. Clyde had coughed deeply and clutched his chest as Jeremiah had helped him up. When Clyde had opened his coat and shirt to reveal a bulletproof vest riddled with bullet holes, Jeremiah had exclaimed, "Damn! You're lucky to be alive!" The men had laughed with relief as they'd realized just how lucky Clyde had been to survive.
Kate arrived to see Clyde, who playfully pulled her into the room and kissed her. Kate chided him for disappearing then she noticed the bruises on his chest and asked about them. Clyde claimed he'd slipped on a patch of black ice. "It's kind of sexy in a twisted sort of way," Kate remarked.
In the square, Roman and Abe informed Victor that the police hadn't located a single witness who'd seen anything out of the ordinary before Sonny's attack. "We're not giving up. Good people shouldn't get stabbed in the damn town square," Roman declared as the two cops left. Victor strolled casually over to the fence and took Sonny's ring out of his pocket. Using his handkerchief, Victor wiped the ring clean of fingerprints then surreptitiously dropped it on the other side of the fence before walking away.
At Aiden's beach house, Hope crept downstairs and tried to open the coat closet, but it was still locked. Before Hope could move to the desk drawer with the hidden compartment, Aiden descended the staircase and observed that she had woken up early.
Hope explained that she had been anxious to see if any updates had been posted online about the bridge that was being worked on. Aiden reported that he had already contacted Town Hall and been informed that the bridge would be closed for at least one more day, if not two. Aiden invited Hope to accompany him to the bridge so they could see the damage with their own eyes, but she wanted to stay behind to make him a nice breakfast.
Aiden thought Hope seemed a bit distant, but she claimed that she was simply trying to be respectful because she knew the beach house held a lot of memories for him. Satisfied, Aiden went to check out the bridge. Once she was alone, Hope rushed over to the desk to finish watching Meredith's video, despite reminding herself that it could just be an elaborate hoax.
"I know this sounds weird. After all, I married the guy, right? But -- but when he was courting me, he was so charming, handsome. Life was fun, spontaneous, exciting -- until it wasn't. And it hasn't been for a very long time. He changed. You don't have to take my word for it. He wants me dead -- and I have proof," Meredith claimed.
"I started getting sick. One or two glasses of wine at night, and I'd suddenly be cold, have trouble focusing. Aiden just sneered, said I can't hold my liquor -- he's always looking for a chance to call me a drunk. But it turned out he'd been trying to poison me, slipping something into my wine. When I finally figured it out, I couldn't believe it. It was antifreeze. He kept it right here in the living room -- that small cabinet under the stairs. Probably assumed I'd never see it, 'cause he kept it in a paper bag [and] nobody ever uses that cabinet. When I spotted it, I didn't touch it. It's still in there. And it has to have his fingerprints all over it," Meredith revealed.
Hope paused the video and quickly found a container of antifreeze right where Meredith had said it would be. Hope was stunned but once again reminded herself that Meredith could have planted it there herself. After putting the antifreeze back where she had found it, Hope continued watching the video. "I finally made an appointment to see a doctor, and...guess what -- Aiden must've overheard the call, because the level in the bottle immediately stopped going down. He knew if I tested positive, he'd be caught. Unfortunately -- I mean, okay, it stopped him from poisoning me, but all that really meant was...he'd have to find another way to kill me," Meredith continued.
"The other night, I woke up and realized he was standing right by the bed, looking down at me -- his eyes dark, filled with such hate. I -- I closed my eyes quickly so he would think I was still asleep, but...he knew. I knew the next time, I wouldn't wake up. I knew he'd -- he'd -- he'd strangle me in my sleep, or use some sort of weapon, like that axe he's always sharpening -- the one he keeps in that damn closet," Meredith added as Hope glanced at the locked coat closet with obvious suspicion and concern.
Meredith revealed a gun as she continued her tale. "That's why I bought this. I sleep with it under my pillow. He scares me...so much," Meredith tearfully admitted -- just as an unseen Aiden started pounding on the door, angrily ordering her to open it immediately. Completely engrossed in the video, Hope jumped and gasped when Aiden started pounding on the door again -- but called out to her to open it.
Eric went to Daniel's apartment to thank Daniel for saving Sonny's life -- and to talk to Daniel about Nicole. Daniel reported that he had ended his relationship with Nicole after the most recent stunt she had pulled. Eric was sympathetic, but Daniel admitted that he should have listened to Eric's advice in the first place. Changing the subject, Daniel asked about Serena, and Eric confirmed that things were going well with her.
Serena was in her hotel room, talking to someone on the phone about Eric's elephant statue, when she heard a knock. After ending the call, Serena opened the door and found Nicole standing in the hallway. Nicole apologized for her recent actions and admitted that she had been wrong about Serena all along. Serena was suspicious but accepted the apology before shutting the door in Nicole's face.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady presented Melanie with a gift -- the "do not disturb" sign from the hotel room they had rented the previous night. Melanie appreciated the gesture but assured Brady that she wouldn't need a memento to help her remember that night. Brady felt the same way, and he and Melanie both agreed they were glad they had changed their minds about taking things slowly.
After many kisses, Brady and Melanie reluctantly pulled away from each other and agreed that if they were both going to blow off work to hang out together that day, it would probably be best to actually go out and do something instead of spending the whole day inside. When Brady opened the door to the study, he was surprised to find Nicole standing in the hallway, preparing to knock. Nicole explained that Henderson had told her where to find Brady. Meanwhile, Brady received a phone call from a business associate in Hong Kong, so he excused himself so he could answer it.
Nicole had been able to figure out what Brady and Melanie had been doing because of the traces of lipstick around his lips, so Melanie braced herself for disapproval, but Nicole insisted she was happy for the couple. When Brady returned a short time later, Nicole told him and Melanie about what she had done to Serena. Nicole vowed that she would find a way to make things right, and she hoped that Brady and Melanie wouldn't hate her for her mistake -- and might even find a way to forgive her eventually.
After lighting a candle for Sonny at St. Luke's, Eric ran into Serena at the hospital. Serena was glad to hear that Sonny was going to be okay. Serena convinced Eric to let her cook lunch for him as a way of making up for ruining his plan to take her to Green Mountain Lodge. Serena was pleasantly surprised when Eric gave her the key to his apartment so she could head over there and get started while he took care of a few errands.
Later, Eric listened to a voicemail message from Nicole -- "Listen, I feel I -- no, I know I need to make amends. But until I can, I hope you don't mind what I'm about to do" -- and sighed nervously as he pondered its meaning. Meanwhile, Serena entered Eric's apartment with the elephant statue in hand but dropped it when she tripped on a loose rug. The statue didn't break, but Nicole arrived before Serena could grab it again.
J.J. woke up in unfamiliar surroundings and slowly remembered that he had spent the night with Eve, who was still lying next to him. J.J. tried to get dressed without waking Eve, but she stirred while he was looking for his cell phone. Eve put on a robe and followed J.J. into the living room, where he continued his search despite her reminder that they hadn't really spent much time in that area of the apartment the previous night.
"You know what? This really sucks. I lost it. Just one more screw-up, just like --" J.J. started to say before stopping himself. "What, like last night? Hmm? Well, no argument there," Eve agreed. Eve mused that she and J.J. were lucky Paige hadn't walked in on them having sex, but J.J. countered that getting caught shouldn't have even been a concern because Paige was no longer supposed to be living there.
Frustrated, J.J. gave up the search for his phone and started to leave. Eve stopped J.J. and handed him his wallet, and their hands touched for a moment before he pulled away and exited the apartment.
Paige broke down while she and Kayla were having breakfast together at Club TBD. Kayla guessed that Paige was still upset about what had happened with J.J. Paige confirmed the suspicion and complained that J.J. wouldn't even tell her who he had hooked up with. "But I'm going to find out. I won't stop till I know the truth," Paige vowed.
Paige told Kayla about J.J.'s increasingly odd behavior, including his recent claim that he was still seeing the other woman. Kayla stressed that she would be happy to do whatever she could to help, but she thought it might be better for Paige to turn to Eve for support instead. Paige laughed and started to respond -- just as Eve entered the club.
Eve reluctantly admitted that she had convinced Daphne to tell her where to find Paige. Eve complained that she and Paige would never be able to work things out if Paige continued to avoid her, but Paige countered that she needed space. Kayla squirmed uncomfortably but remained silent as the argument continued. Eve tried to make small talk, but Paige insisted that if Eve wanted to help, leaving would be the best way to do so.
After Eve reluctantly left the club, she ran into Daniel in the town square. Eve tried to get Daniel to help her patch things up with Paige, but he didn't want to get involved. "If you want to fix things with Paige, it is up to you -- only you," Daniel advised before walking away.
At the Horton house, Abigail was surprised to see Jennifer, who had booked an earlier flight back to Salem after hearing about Sonny's stabbing. Jennifer wondered if Abigail knew where J.J. was, since it looked like he hadn't slept in his own bed the previous night -- and his cell phone had been laying on the welcome mat outside, as if someone had left it there for him to find.
Despite Abigail's protests, Jennifer couldn't resist making a few attempts to unlock J.J.'s phone. Jennifer knew it would be wrong to read J.J.'s text messages without his permission, but his recent aloofness had left her desperate for information about his love life. Abigail didn't think there would be anything interesting on J.J.'s phone, anyway, although she did optimistically allow for the possibility that he had spent the night with Paige.
Abigail forgot about her earlier objections and started trying to unlock J.J.'s phone herself. Jennifer warned against accumulating too many failed attempts, fearing that safeguards might be in place to detect such signs of suspicious activity. Meanwhile, J.J. entered the house and headed upstairs, but the women quickly stopped him. J.J. was surprised that Jennifer was back in Salem already -- and relieved that Abigail had found his phone.
Abigail clarified that Jennifer had found J.J.'s phone laying on the welcome mat earlier. Jennifer suspiciously added that when she had gone upstairs to return the device to J.J., he hadn't been in his bedroom, and it had looked like he hadn't slept in his bed at all the previous night. J.J. claimed that he had woken up early and made his bed before heading to the library to get some books he needed for a paper that was due soon. J.J. assumed that his phone had fallen out of his pocket on his way out the door, and he mused that he was lucky he hadn't lost it elsewhere.
Seemingly satisfied, Jennifer excused herself so she could get to the hospital, promising her kids that she would pass their best wishes along to Sonny if she saw him. Jennifer hugged J.J. and quietly assured him that she would be happy to listen if he ever wanted to talk to her about anything. J.J. stared at the floor as Abigail watched Jennifer leave the house.
"All right. Listen, J.J. -- you can lie to Mom all you want, but you do not get to lie to me," Abigail said as soon as the coast was clear. Abigail reminded J.J. that she had seen him the previous day -- and he had been wearing the exact same clothes then. J.J. insisted that he didn't have to answer to Abigail, who curiously observed that he was getting pretty defensive.
Abigail wondered if J.J. had spent the previous night at the Larson apartment, assuming that Jennifer might not have been the only parent who had been out of town then. J.J. adamantly denied the suspicion before Abigail could even finish voicing it. J.J. explained that he and Paige had talked the previous day but would definitely not be getting back together.
Abigail remained suspicious, knowing that J.J. had obviously been with someone the previous night. J.J. reluctantly confirmed that he had been with the other woman again, although he added that he probably wouldn't be hooking up with her anymore. "At least I hope not," J.J. muttered.
The comment confused Abigail, who wondered if J.J. was saying he didn't want to hop back in bed with the woman but might do so, anyway. "You know, I don't know what the hell I'm going to do, okay? Does that sum it up for you?" J.J. snapped before grabbing his jacket and storming upstairs.
At Club TBD, Paige complained that she was sick of hearing Eve's lectures about how all men were liars. Kayla suggested that Eve was simply being protective, but Paige thought Eve was just being a hypocrite, considering Eve's own history with men. Kayla tactfully conceded that Eve had made some mistakes in the past. "You might as well just say it. Everyone knows. My mom's, like, easy," Paige muttered.
Paige said she had spent a lot of time getting to know her mother's boyfriends over breakfast but had never seen the same one twice. As Kayla expressed sympathy, Paige suddenly remembered that she hadn't met the last man Eve had hooked up with -- someone who had hidden in Eve's bedroom but had left his jacket on a chair at the kitchen table. Paige said she would never be able to get the image of that jacket out of her mind.
While gathering things to donate to a clothing drive he had heard St. Luke's would be sponsoring in the near future, Daniel recognized an old jacket as one that J.J. had once borrowed. Daniel set it aside and tried to contact J.J., but the call went to voicemail, so Daniel recorded a brief message, explaining that he had found something that he thought J.J. might like to have.
Chad joined Ben at a table in the Brady Pub to urge Ben to accept his help before Abigail and Jordan got hurt. Ben declared that he wasn't interested in Chad's help. Chad cautioned Ben that if the case went to trial, the D.A. could call Chad as a hostile witness. "I'm not proud of it, but do you really want it all over the Internet that I said your sister was better than your girlfriend?" Chad asked. Ben admitted, "No, Chad, I don't want that to come out...but I sure would like the whole world to know just how much of a tool you are." Still wanting to do what he could to help, Chad asked about Ben's lawyer. Ben revealed that the lawyer his dad had hired was Aiden Jennings.
In Jordan's office at the hospital, Abigail advised Jordan that Chad had offered to pay for a lawyer for Ben. Jordan said that Clyde had promised to do the same thing then he had promptly disappeared. Abigail informed Jordan that Clyde was back. Jordan was still baffled as to why Chad had provoked a fight with Ben just because Chad was mad at her. She added that with Ben, she understood where his anger originated, but she was at a loss to understand Chad.
Abigail asked if Chad had ever confided in Jordan about his family, but Jordan didn't know much. Jordan pleaded with Abigail to fill her in so she could understand why Chad was the way he was. Although she acknowledged that it wasn't really her place to do so, Abigail reluctantly related some of what Chad had been through while growing up, ending with the argument between Chad and his mother on the pier, during which Madeline had fallen and died.
Abigail explained that Chad felt as if he had killed his mother, and then after he'd gotten pulled into the DiMera fold, his brother and sister had both died. Abigail said she didn't know how Chad managed to keep going. Jordan was grateful to Abigail for telling her the story. After Abigail left to meet Ben, Jordan exclaimed, "No wonder he hates talking about the past."
Abigail soon arrived at the pub to join Ben, who informed her that Aiden was out of town. She urged him to think about letting Chad help him. Groaning, Ben wondered aloud why Abigail believed Chad was the cavalry. "Damn it, Ben! This isn't about Chad. It's about how much I love you!" Abigail proclaimed.
When Jordan returned to her office later, she found Chad waiting for her. She acknowledged that she knew Chad had offered to get a lawyer for Ben. Chad said Ben had turned him down -- although Chad understood. Chad asked Jordan if she would talk to Ben for him, because Chad thought the lawyer he'd recommended could keep the case from going to trial. Touching Chad's arm, Jordan thanked him sincerely and asserted that what he was doing was very kind. Chad disagreed. "I do things to get what I want, and right now I want you back more than anything. But if you think that I am somehow going to turn into someone else, I can't. That is never going to happen," Chad declared.
Melanie and Brady were making out in the living room of the Kiriakis mansion when Henderson interrupted to deliver the day's mail to Brady. As Brady sorted through the stack of bills and junk mail, he stopped cold when he got to one envelope. Melanie observed his reaction and asked about it, but Brady said it was nothing. Melanie reminded Brady that they'd promised not to let anything get in the way of their friendship. Acknowledging that she was right, Brady handed over the envelope. Melanie saw that it was from an adoption agency and asked if Brady had wanted to adopt a kid.
Brady explained that Kristen had desperately wanted a child, but the adoption agency seemed incapable of taking him off their mailing list. Melanie noted that the envelope was marked "urgent." With a shrug, Brady encouraged her to open it. Melanie read the letter inside and informed Brady that the agency had a little girl who they thought would be a perfect match for him. Brady agreed that might have been the case at one point, but not any longer. Brady cautioned Melanie that his past indicated that he could have terrible judgment. After making sure that Brady would be all right, Melanie reluctantly left for work.
In a break room at the hospital, Theresa couldn't resist needling Daniel about his daughter's involvement with his "junkie loser pal, Brady." Daniel hotly asserted that he wouldn't discuss his daughter or anything else with Theresa. She cautioned Daniel that Brady would hurt Melanie, just as he'd hurt every woman he'd ever been with. Daniel argued that Theresa knew nothing about Brady, in whom she had only been interested because of his money, because she was incapable of caring about another human being.
When Melanie got to the hospital, she called Brady. "I'm sorry that this happened because I know it reminds me of the future you thought you had with Kristen and the family that you thought you were going to have," Melanie said. Brady asserted that he would prefer to concentrate on his future with Melanie. As soon as Melanie hung up, Theresa appeared and laughed scornfully at Brady's belief that he could have had a family with Kristen. Clint got off the elevator just then and silently observed the women from the other side of the nurses' station. "[Kristen would] be almost as bad a parent as he would," Theresa asserted.
Theresa bragged that Brady had been so hot for her that he hadn't even thought about using protection. Disgusted, Melanie asserted that Brady was grateful Theresa had not been pregnant with his baby. Theresa informed Melanie, "You know what he said? 'Thank God no kid will have to deal with the two of us as parents.' 'The two of us.' Brady knew that no kid should be saddled with a sorry loser like him for a dad."
Clint emerged from behind the nurses' station and asked Theresa if she were ready to leave. While Theresa went to get her coat, Clint asked Melanie what she and Theresa had been talking about. Melanie replied that it was really none of Clint's business. "Looked like you were in her face. I like her, which means I don't like people in her face. So keep in mind I'm looking after her," Clint warned Melanie before meeting Theresa at the elevator.
Recalling the phone call she'd overheard Clint making to Dr. Mandrake, Melanie wondered why Clint was looking after Theresa. Melanie headed for Daniel's apartment. She opened the computer and typed, "Mandrake, physicians," into the search engine. "Oh, my God," Melanie murmured as she looked at the results.
As Theresa and Clint were strolling through Horton Square, she spotted Brady and asked Clint to order a drink for her. After Clint left, Theresa ambled up to Brady and told him, "That was so sweet. I heard Melanie on the phone, making sure you were okay after some botched adoption offer... All I can say is thank God you're passing on that, because I'd sure feel sorry for any kid who had you for a father."
Eric listened to a message from Nicole, informing him that she was heading to his apartment so she could apologize to him in person. He tried calling Nicole but got her voicemail.
Meanwhile, at Eric's apartment, Serena had just tripped over the rug and fallen flat on her face, her elephant statue spilling out of her bag. Just then, Nicole showed up and found Eric's door open, so she went inside. When she saw Serena sprawled on the floor, Nicole offered to help her up. "Get the hell away from me!" a panicked Serena spat, shoving the statue into her bag while blocking Nicole's view of it. Serena accused Nicole of following her. Nicole denied it, maintaining that the door had been open.
Nicole asked what Serena had just hidden in her bag. Annoyed, Serena said it was a surprise for Eric -- something private and therefore none of Nicole's business. Serena launched into a tirade about how Nicole was always sticking her nose into Serena's business and then apologizing for it -- and Serena was starting to feel like an idiot for always letting it go. "Maybe this is a bad time," Nicole suggested, but as she opened the door to leave, Eric was just about to enter.
Eric guessed that Nicole and Serena had been fighting and blamed Nicole. Nicole defensively told him what had happened, but Serena again accused Nicole of spying. Nicole argued that she'd left a voicemail for Eric to let him know she was headed over there to apologize in person. Backing down a little, Serena admitted that Nicole had asked if Serena were okay.
"I probably overreacted, given our history," Serena acknowledged, adding, "Nicole, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I think I was just embarrassed that you saw me being such a klutz." Nicole reiterated that she really had just wanted to tell Eric she was sorry. Just then, she got a text message from her producer. On her way out, Nicole told Serena, "I really hope Eric likes his present."
Eric asked Serena, "What present?" Chuckling, Serena said that Nicole had misunderstood; Serena had said she had a surprise for Eric, meaning the lunch she'd planned. She explained that she'd gotten some eggs with the intention of making omelets for them. Serena emphasized that she really had overreacted with Nicole, who had seemed truly concerned about Serena. Eric maintained that Nicole was good at appearing sincere, but he didn't trust what she said about anything.
Eric confessed that he wanted to be able to get close to someone again, but what had happened with Nicole had really messed him up. He added that he might not be able to get over it for years. Stroking Eric's face, Serena declared softly that he was an open and honest person, and she was sorry for what Nicole had done to him. "I hoped that I never, ever hurt you," Serena added.
Serena headed into the kitchen to start cooking -- but just then, Eric got a call from the building super, informing him that they were about to turn off the gas in the building for repairs. Disappointed not to be able to impress Eric with her "culinary prowess," Serena promised that they would do lunch another time. As Serena was leaving, Eric asked her to return the key he'd given her, so she did so. Kissing Eric goodbye, Serena playfully declared, "I owe you an omelet." In the hallway, she looked at her elephant statue and scowled.
Nicole headed to Club TBD to call Miles. She firmly reminded him that she had refused to cover Sonny Kiriakis' stabbing because Miles wanted her to "sleaze it up." "You're asking me to exploit my friendship with his family, just like you asked me to exploit my friendship with Eric," Nicole hissed. She hung up angrily and turned to leave -- and nearly ran into Daniel, who seemed impressed with Nicole's integrity for refusing to do the story.
Nicole explained that she couldn't do it when Miles wanted it to be sensational -- which, Nicole clarified, was just another word for "trashy." Daniel was grateful, but Nicole admitted that he was the reason she'd refused to do the story. Daniel wondered why Nicole had felt compelled to tell him the whole truth, pointing out that letting him think she'd done a good thing would not have been lying. Nicole asserted that instead of pretending to be the person she wanted him to think she was, she wanted to actually be that person.
Nicole explained, "I know I've probably blown everything with you forever, but there is something I can do: I can prove that I've learned from my mistakes." She added that she never wanted to hurt Daniel again because it was finally clear to her that she loved him. "I love you more now than I ever had," Nicole declared. She assured Daniel that she knew it changed nothing, but she hoped that he would someday see that he had changed her for the better.
At Aiden's cabin, Hope was re-watching the video of Meredith describing how terrified she was of Aiden. On the video, Aiden pounded on the door of the room Meredith was in -- just as Aiden banged on the front door of the cabin, startling Hope so much that she gasped. She quickly stashed the tablet behind a throw pillow on the sofa and headed for the door, but Aiden managed to get it open, even though he was carrying two full bags of groceries.
Seeing the distressed look on Hope's face, Aiden asked if something were wrong. Hope admitted she hadn't been feeling well -- and she'd completely forgotten to make breakfast. She assured Aiden that she was feeling much better. As he went outside to get the rest of the groceries, Hope tried desperately to make a phone call, but her phone was dead. Aiden returned with a couple more grocery bags and informed Hope that he'd learned the bridge would be out for at least another day, possibly longer.
Aiden had gotten steaks to grill for dinner. Hope asked to borrow Aiden's phone to let Shawn know she wasn't going to make it to Tahiti. Aiden admitted that his phone wasn't working after he'd dropped it in the grocery store parking lot. He offered to drive Hope to the post office so she could use the payphone after he put away the groceries. Aiden remarked that Hope seemed a little tense and offered her a drink. A bit taken aback, Hope said it was a little too early in the day for her, but she thought she'd take a walk to get some fresh air.
While Hope paced around outside the cabin, she recalled Meredith's haunting words on the video. Inside, Aiden finished unpacking the groceries and plopped down on the couch with a drink. He spotted the tablet sticking out from behind the pillow and grabbed it. He was alarmed when he saw Meredith's note taped to the front. As he anxiously pressed "play" on the video, his breathing became ragged and more rapid.
Meanwhile, Hope reminded herself that Meredith had been a rage-filled alcoholic. Hope knew that she would investigate the case if someone took it to her -- but she also knew and trusted Aiden. Taking a deep breath, Hope went back inside the cabin, but Aiden was nowhere to be seen. She called Aiden's name, but he didn't answer. When Hope noticed a dirty trail on the floor leading from the closet to the front door, she grabbed a letter opener from the desk and used it to open the locked closet. She took a rag from the shelf and picked up the axe with it.
Eyeing the axe with alarm, Hope told herself, "There's got to be another explanation." She put the axe back in the closet and shut the door. As Hope stood with her hands over her mouth, thinking, Aiden entered the room behind her.
