Kate begs Lucas to stop drinking
Kate, alone in the living room of the DiMera mansion, stood in front of Stefano's portrait, sipping Strega.
"I'm so sorry. Your grandson was always so precious to you. I didn't mean for him to get hurt," Kate reiterated, sighing heavily. "I came clean with Andre about what happened -- you know, about how I was responsible for Theo getting shot. Who would've believed that he'd keep my secret, right? He's full of surprises -- like you were. Like you are? Whichever it is, I just...I wish you could do something to make everything right -- to bring Theo back to us," she tearfully continued.
As Kate turned away from the portrait and began drying her eyes, Lucas entered the mansion. "Got one of those for me?" he asked, eyeing her glass of alcohol. Ignoring the question, she breathed a sigh of relief and seized a hug from him then quickly pulled away, realizing that she was making him uncomfortable. "We were so worried about you! We were looking everywhere for you!" she stressed.
"Lucas, Will is alive! He really is alive!" Kate excitedly continued. Nodding, Lucas revealed that he had seen his son earlier -- and that the reunion had been bittersweet because he was essentially a stranger to Will, at least for the time being. "[But] that's not the worst of it, all right? Sami had him kidnapped, and he almost got killed," Lucas added.
After hearing the whole story, Kate disgustedly declared, "Sami -- I could wring her neck sometimes! How could she put Will's life in danger like that? He's been traumatized enough already!"
Lucas assured Kate that he had been just as outraged -- and, in fact, had even been tempted to report the stunt to the police. "[But] Will didn't want to go through all the questioning and stuff. He just -- he wants Sami out of his life. I mean, everybody wants Sami out of his life -- even Marlena," Lucas continued, adding that Marlena had warned Sami to stay away from Will -- but, Sami being Sami, it was impossible to guess if she would actually listen or not. "She was crying and screaming about betrayal, [and] she's probably off feeling sorry for herself somewhere, but...you know what? She made her bed. She's gotta lie in it," Lucas concluded with a shrug.
Meanwhile, at the Brady Pub, Hope prepared to contact Rafe but got distracted when Shawn and Belle made an unexpected appearance. At that same time, Sami and Rafe began undressing each other in Sami's suite at the Salem Inn. With nothing stopping them, they soon made their way over to the bed.
Back at the DiMera mansion, Lucas helped himself to some whiskey as Kate voiced her disapproval. "It's just one," he dismissively assured her. "You know there's never just one," she countered. She tried to convince him to enter rehab, offering to foot the bill when he pointedly reminded her that he didn't have a job and therefore couldn't pay for such a thing, but he insisted that he wasn't interested in entering rehab -- or attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, for that matter. "I'm finally doing what I want to do for once, okay? I don't care what you or anyone else thinks about me!" he stressed before gulping down a portion of his drink.
"Fine! That's fine! You don't have to care what anybody thinks! But you have to care about yourself...unless you just want to die. Is that what you want? Do you want your children to be fatherless? Because it's up to you! It's your choice! Unlike Theo, you have a choice -- to make yourself better, to get over this illness!" Kate countered.
Confused, Lucas wondered what was going on with Theo. "[He] was shot -- which you would have known if you weren't on a two-week bender!" Kate replied. Stunned, Lucas wondered if Theo was okay. "No, he's not okay; he's in a coma, and he may never get better, and it's all my fault!" Kate tearfully revealed. When Lucas asked Kate to elaborate, she claimed that she hadn't meant that in a literal way; she had simply meant that, as CEO of DiMera Enterprises, she felt responsible for anything that happened to its employees while they were carrying out company business.
Back at the Brady Pub, Shawn and Belle explained to Hope that they were back in town because they had heard about what had happened to Theo. "Ciara [is] pretty broken up about it," Shawn continued, adding that Ciara had already tried to visit Theo but had been denied access to his room -- and had stormed off in anger and hadn't been seen or heard from since then. "We're worried about her," Shawn admitted.
"Ciara's been pulling away from me lately, too," Hope revealed. Shawn and Belle were sorry to hear that, and they hinted that there was more that Hope needed to know about Ciara's recent behavior, but they decided not to elaborate at that time. Shawn hoped that being back in Salem would be good for Ciara, since she would be among friends and family again. "Rafe, too -- I mean, he is pretty much the only father that she's had since Dad's passing," Shawn pointed out. Belle agreed that Rafe might have the best chance of getting through to Ciara. Sighing, Hope reluctantly shared the details of the fight she'd had with Rafe.
Meanwhile, at the Horton Town Square, Claire wondered what Ciara was doing with a motorcycle. Ciara explained, somewhat coldly, that it had once belonged to her father. Trying to ignore the tone of the response, Claire wondered when Ciara had gotten back into town. "Just in time to see you cheating on Theo," Ciara replied, glaring at Claire.
Taken aback, Claire insisted that she wasn't cheating on Theo, but Ciara was skeptical because she had just caught Claire and Tripp in each other's arms moments earlier. Scoffing, Tripp insisted that he had simply been comforting Claire with a hug because it had been a rough day for her. Claire elaborated that, at Tripp's urging, the community had held a candlelight vigil for Theo earlier that night. "Touching...but it's not like it's gonna bring him back from his coma," Ciara dismissively informed Claire and Tripp, who both argued that Ciara was missing the point of such events, which were really just about showing love and support for someone.
"Yeah, well, I love Theo, too...but he's never gonna know that now -- because of you," Ciara spat, shooting Claire another glare. "Maybe if you hadn't been so selfish -- maybe if Theo had actually gotten the letter [I wrote to him] -- he would have come to his senses and dumped you, and he and I would be together, and none of this would have happened -- including him being shot," Ciara continued.
Tripp insisted that Claire wasn't responsible for what had happened to Theo. Scowling, Ciara ordered Tripp to stay out of the matter. "[Look], I'm so sorry [about what happened with the letter], but I don't know what you want me to do about that now," Claire told Ciara. "I don't want you to do anything. I'm the one that's gonna do something. I...am gonna make you pay," Ciara vowed through gritted teeth.
"[I'm done] letting people walk all over me -- and being friends with selfish, spiteful people like you that get away with everything. Now I'm the one that's gonna play that game...so stay tuned," Ciara added before riding off on her motorcycle. "What just happened?" Claire asked numbly. "I don't know...but obviously Ciara's not the same girl she was when she left," Tripp replied.
Back at the Brady Pub, Belle optimistically suggested that Hope and Rafe might still be able to reconcile eventually. Nodding, Hope confirmed that she was at least going to try to talk to Rafe, adding that she had, in fact, been seconds away from calling him when Shawn and Belle had arrived. Shawn and Belle encouraged Hope to go ahead and make the call, explaining that they still needed to visit Claire before calling it a night, anyway.
After Shawn and Belle left, Hope turned her attention back to her cell phone but soon got distracted again -- this time due to Ciara's sudden appearance. Hope was thrilled to see Ciara -- but wasn't thrilled to learn that her daughter had been riding Bo's motorcycle around town. "Your cousin David died in a motorcycle accident a few months ago. If anything ever happened to you..." Hope began before letting her voice trail off.
Ciara held up her helmet while dismissively insisting that she was being careful. "Well, if that's the case, you must have a motorcycle license, then. May I see it, please?" Hope asked, forcing Ciara to admit that she only knew how to ride the motorcycle because she had paid close attention to everything her father had done during his many outings on the vehicle. "What are you gonna do, arrest me?" Ciara asked Hope defiantly.
"No license, no motorcycle," Hope insisted, demanding the keys. Ciara refused to hand them over, pointing out that she was no longer a child. "Then don't make me treat you like one," Hope countered.
"You're just on my case because you're the big-shot commissioner now. Can't afford to have your daughter embarrass you, huh?" Ciara guessed. "You don't have to be such a hard-ass all the time, Mom -- and I bet you anything that Rafe would agree. He gets me," Ciara added, looking around the pub in search of Rafe. "Where is he, anyway?" Ciara wondered.
"This isn't about Rafe and me," Hope evasively replied before demanding the keys again. Ciara insisted that her father would have been okay with her riding his motorcycle, but Hope knew that wasn't true -- and guessed that, deep down, Ciara knew that, too. "Why the sudden interest in your dad's motorcycle?" Hope wondered. "Really? You don't get it? I miss him, Mom! It makes me feel connected to him!" Ciara explained.
Hope guessed that there was more to the story. Fighting back tears, Ciara admitted, "Do you have any idea how sick and tired I am of people walking all over me? I have been such a doormat! But when I put on that helmet [and] ride on Dad's bike, it's like, for once in my life, I feel like I'm in control, you know?" Sighing, Ciara added, "You know what? Just forget about it. Here -- take the damn keys if it makes you happy!" Ciara stormed out of the pub after handing over the keys, ignoring Hope's attempt to stop her. "Just trying to keep you safe, honey," Hope muttered as the front door slammed shut.
At the Salem Inn, Sami and Rafe talked about what had happened earlier, each admitting that being with the other still felt great, even after so many years apart. "You rescued me from a pretty dark place tonight," Sami told Rafe, adding with a laugh that she hoped, for her own sake, that she had hit rock bottom for the last time in her entire life. "I have no one to blame but myself for everyone's reactions. They hate me with good reason," she acknowledged with a sigh. "Not everyone," he assured her. Smiling, she asked him, "Where do we go from here?"
Rafe believed that his relationship with Hope was over for good, but Sami insisted that if he wanted Hope back, he needed to fight for her. "[But] I highly recommend you not talk to her tonight," Sami, who was still naked in bed with Rafe at that moment, added. "Regroup, shower [and] clean up tomorrow, [then] go get her...[but] in the meantime, you're welcome to stay here with me," Sami continued, knowing that if Rafe returned to his place in the middle of the night, his sister would bombard him with questions. Rafe implied that Sami had ulterior motives, but she assured him that she was fine with the idea of a platonic sleepover.
Steve went to the hospital to see Kayla, who was in her office. The couple soon began discussing Theo's candlelight vigil. Kayla wished that she could have attended it, but she was happy to inform Steve that Tripp had been there to represent the Johnsons -- and was, in fact, the person who had thought of the idea of holding a candlelight vigil in the first place. "I think he mostly did it for Claire, you know? I mean, he has been here practically around the clock, keeping her company. He has been a good friend," Kayla mused.
"I'm afraid he wants to be much more than that," Steve revealed with a sigh of concern. Kayla was surprised to learn that Tripp had a crush on Claire. "He hides it pretty well," Steve agreed, adding that there wasn't really much that could be done about the matter, so he was trying to simply be a confidant for his son when needed. Kayla assured Steve that, while she had often been critical of his parenting in the past, he had proven, in recent years, that he was actually an amazing father. Steve thanked Kayla, admitting that getting such praise from her meant a lot.
Changing the subject, Steve informed Kayla that he had assured Tripp earlier that although Kate knew about the anonymous donation he had made to the hospital, she would never find out that he was responsible for the acts of sabotage that had nearly cost Kayla her medical license. "You told him about the conversation I had with Kate?" Kayla asked, somewhat surprised that Steve had been willing to open the door for Tripp to worry about what Kate might do with the information she had learned. "I never said a word about that conversation. I thought you told him," Steve replied, suddenly confused.
As Claire followed Tripp into their apartment, she asked if he believed that she was spoiled and selfish. "No, of course not, okay? Who cares what Ciara said? She's obviously got something going on," Tripp dismissively reasoned. "She usually does," Claire grumbled. Tripp advised Claire not to take Ciara's comments personally, noting that it seemed like Ciara had an axe to grind with the whole world at that moment.
Tripp soon received a phone call from Steve, who explained, "I need to talk to you a little bit more about Kate DiMera." Tripp evasively requested a rain check, not just because he secretly wanted to postpone the conversation but also because, as he told his father, Claire needed a friend to lean on that night. Steve agreed to wait until the following day to discuss the matter with Tripp.
After Tripp ended the call, Claire protested that she didn't want him to neglect his own life just to look after her. "See, look at that -- you just proved that you're not spoiled or selfish. Ciara doesn't know what she's talking about. You are a good friend -- and an even better person," Tripp replied. Smiling, Claire hugged Tripp and thanked him for the kind words.
Claire was surprised -- but thrilled -- when her parents arrived moments later. She introduced them to Tripp, who greeted them then retreated to his bedroom so they could have some time alone with their daughter.
Claire revealed, when asked, that Ciara wasn't at the apartment -- and probably wouldn't visit at any point that night, since they had seen each other in the town square earlier and had gotten into an argument. Belle optimistically suggested that Claire and Ciara might be able to quickly resolve their issues so they could offer support to each other while Theo was in the hospital, but Claire doubted that Ciara would be interested.
At the hospital, Steve told Kayla about his phone conversation with Tripp. "This whole Kate thing doesn't sit right with me. Hopefully we'll get some answers when I talk to Tripp [tomorrow]," he mused.
At the DiMera mansion, Lucas drained a glass of whiskey while staring at a framed photograph of Kate and Will then started to excuse himself. Kate begged Lucas to stay -- and not just for one night. Scoffing, Lucas pointed out that living with Kate, Andre, Chad, and Abigail would literally make him the fifth wheel. "No, it wouldn't, because Thomas lives here, too, so you would actually be the sixth wheel," Kate joked.
Lucas guessed that Kate simply wanted to keep him close so she could keep an eye on his drinking habits, but she insisted that was only one of the reasons she wanted him to move into the mansion. "Thanks, but no thanks," he replied, heading toward the front door. She stopped him and tearfully stressed, "I love you so much...and I hate to see you in this pain. I hate it!"
Kate added that Lucas still had a lot to live for -- including his son. Lucas dismissively reminded Kate that Will didn't even remember him. "Let me tell you something -- that is why I drink: because the booze erases the pain. And I am so sick and tired of people trying to tell me to stop drinking! I don't want to stop drinking, all right? I want to drink until I can't feel anything anymore -- that's what I want to do! And I don't want you or anyone else to tell me what to do anymore, you got that? I don't want your help -- or anything! If I want to be a waste -- if I want to waste my life -- that's my own choice, and I don't care!" Lucas continued.
"Well, I do, and I always will!" Kate countered as Lucas stormed out of the mansion. Breaking down, she begged him not to give up on life, even though he was already out of earshot.
At the police station, Hope called Shawn on the phone and asked him to keep an eye on Ciara. Shawn and Hope agreed to find all the keys to the motorcycle so they could hide them from Ciara. Laughing, Hope agreed with Shawn that Ciara was like he had been at that age. As Hope ended the call, Eli walked into the commissioner's office, looking for Rafe. Concerned, Hope noted that Rafe was usually the first person in the precinct. Hope added that she was worried about Rafe because they had fought.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady was frantic when he could not find Tate in the house. Victor and Maggie had not seen Tate. Maggie suggested that Adrienne had taken Tate for a walk. Panicked, Brady called the police. Eve returned to the house with Tate, and she explained that she had taken Tate to the park to see the ducks. Maggie escorted Tate into the kitchen for breakfast. Once his son was gone, Brady growled at Eve not to take Tate out of the house without his permission. Raising an eyebrow, Eve asked Brady how long it had taken him to realize that Tate had been missing.
When Eli arrived at the mansion, Brady complained that Eve had taken his son. Maggie walked in and announced that Tate had finished his breakfast. Eli asked Brady if he had intended to file a false kidnapping report. Brady corrected Eli and said that Eve had taken his son without permission. When Eli glowered, Brady said that he had overreacted. Eli asked Eve why she was still living in the mansion. Smirking, Eve said that Brady and Victor had decided to let her stay. Brady apologized again for the false alarm.
Eli asked Brady for a statement about Deimos' murder. With a shrug, Brady said he did not think he could help the investigation. Eli pointed out that Brady had accused Eve of the murder and that it had been evident that someone had planted the amulet in Eve's bag. As Brady stared at Eve, Eli explained that Brady was the main suspect for the murder. Eli pointed out that the culprit was more likely to have falsely accused Eve. Brady offered to sit for a lie detector test, but an outraged Victor said that he knew for a fact that Brady had not killed Deimos.
Victor reminded Eli that the police had confirmed Brady's alibi. When Eve asked for proof, Victor growled that he had been home all night with Brady, who had been recuperating from heart surgery. Eve urged Eli to take Brady in, anyway, but Eli said he did not believe "an octogenarian and a heart patient could sneak into a party, stab Deimos, and get out without being seen." Victor added that Maggie could corroborate their alibi. Maggie agreed.
Unfazed, Eve exclaimed that the Kiriakis men had hired someone to murder Deimos. Eve argued that even if Victor and Brady had not murdered Deimos, they knew who had murdered him. Eli asked for a list of everyone that had access to the house. Maggie promised to get Eli the list. After Eli left, Eve told Maggie that she was living with murderers.
Eve marched out, and Victor told Brady it had been stupid to accuse Eve of kidnapping. Fed up, Maggie demanded to know what Victor was hiding. As Victor and Brady remained quiet, Maggie sighed and went into the kitchen. Alone, Brady told Victor that it was fortunate that Nicole had left town. Victor argued that if the police continued to sniff around, they might need to send for Nicole.
In his room at the Martin house, Paul was anxious to keep busy with work so that he did not think about Sonny. John cautioned Paul to be patient. Paul confided that he did not believe love would be enough to save his relationship. Shaking his head, John urged Paul to trust his love for Sonny. Paul worried aloud that he had ruined any chance he'd had to hold onto Sonny when he had lied to him about Will. Raising an eyebrow, John urged Paul to fight for Sonny. John assured Paul that Sonny had not seen Will since returning home.
John told Paul what Sami had done to scare Will. Shaking his head, Paul said the plan sounded insane. John assured Paul that Ben was back in the hospital. With a sigh, John commented that Will was "on the edge."
At the Brady Pub, Marlena introduced Will to Belle. Over breakfast, the three talked about Claire. When Marlena stepped aside to call John, Belle told Will a story about when he had thrown food at her when she had babysat him when he was four. Laughing, Will noted that he had been a brat. Will expressed his surprise that Belle was nothing like Sami. With a shrug, Belle told Will that he had been close to Sami. Belle explained that Sami was difficult but extremely loyal. Will told Belle what Sami had done to jog his memory.
Belle was horrified but happy that Will was okay. Will added that Sami had been upset that Ben had stopped the charade. When Will said he did not want to remember his "bitch of a mother," Belle noted that Sami was the kind of person that refused to back down from helping the people that she loved. Will noted that, unlike Sami, Belle would not sic a serial killer on her children. Will barked that Sami was not normal.
With a shrug, Belle said that everyone made mistakes, including Will. Will pushed for information, but Belle was reluctant to explain. Marlena returned to the table and found a frustrated Will. After rattling off the difficult things he had learned since arriving in Salem, Will said he believed he could handle whatever information Belle had about him.
Hesitantly, Belle said that Will had cheated on Sonny. When Will asked with whom, Marlena explained that Paul had been the other man. Upset, Will said he did not want to remember who he had been. Will walked out. With a groan, Marlena asked Belle why she had told Will that he had cheated on Sonny. Belle countered that Will would learn the truth eventually. Marlena growled that they needed to be careful how things were revealed to Will. Belle noted that it was not fair to let Will believe that his marriage had been perfect.
At the Martin house, Paul toweled off after a shower. There was a knock at the door. Paul answered his door, wearing nothing but a towel. Will was standing in the hallway. Mouth agape, Will stared at Paul's chest.
In Sami's hotel room, Rafe slept and dreamed of his breakup with Hope. Sami brushed her hand on Rafe's shoulder, and he called out Hope's name. Rafe turned and was startled to see Sami. Sami chuckled. Sami told Rafe that she was thankful to have a friendly face to wake up to before she faced her day. Rafe muttered, "That's what friends are for." Laughing Sami countered, "And the sex wasn't too bad either."
Rafe groaned good-naturedly. Sami advised Rafe not to beat himself up for sleeping with her because he had not technically cheated on Hope. "I miss that. Your ability to wrap reality around your finger," Rafe said. Talk turned to Will, and Sami admitted that she had gone too far by forcing Ben to attack Will. Sami said she planned to apologize to everyone in Salem. When Sami asked Rafe if he planned to fix things with Hope, Rafe said there was no going back. "If that is true, that's her loss," Sami said.
Hope called Rafe's cell phone. Sami encouraged Rafe to answer the call, but he hit decline. Sami asked why Rafe had not talked to Hope. Rafe mumbled that it did not feel right to answer a call while in bed next to a naked woman. Sami reminded Rafe that what they had done was about two friends comforting one another. Rafe did not think Hope would see things that way. Concerned, Sami warned Rafe not to tell Hope the truth. Rafe argued that his relationship with Hope had been about trust and honesty, and he could not keep that secret.
"Seriously? If you tell Hope about this, your chances of getting her back go up in flames," Sami said. Hope knocked on the hotel room door. Rafe wanted to let Hope in and tell her the truth, but Sami was adamant that Hope would kill them both. Sami said they should ignore Hope and wait for her to leave, but Hope continued to knock. Hope yelled that she needed to talk about Rafe. Reluctantly, Sami opened the door to let Hope in.
While Hope asked Sami about Rafe, he hid in the bathroom, listening. Playing dumb, Sami commented that Hope was Rafe's boss, and Hope explained that she had been let go. Sami offered her apologies. As Sami started to usher Hope out, Hope explained that she had fought with Rafe and was desperate to talk to him. Hope begged Sami to tell her anything she knew about where to find Rafe. Sami noted that Hope and Rafe would make up. Hope announced that Rafe had broken off their engagement. Sami turned Hope back toward the room and asked, "You're trying to find him. Does that mean you want to make up with him?"
"It's probably too late, anyway," Hope said sadly. Sami asked if Hope still loved Rafe. "Like crazy," Hope said. Sami told Hope it was never too late to fix things. When Hope noted that Rafe did not want to talk to her, Sami disagreed. Hope asked Sami why she sounded so sure. Sami explained that she knew Rafe well enough to know how he felt about Hope. Sami urged Hope to find Rafe and talk to him. Hope nodded. Sami suggested that Hope check the gym.
After Hope left, Rafe thanked Sami for her help. Cheerily, Sami noted that she had used her "lying powers for good." Rafe raised his eyebrow questioningly. Sami told Rafe that Hope definitely wanted to be with him, and he should find her and fix things. Smiling, Sami said that Rafe needed to find happiness for both of them. With a kiss on the cheek, Sami sent Rafe on his way.
After Sami dressed, Belle stopped by Sami's hotel room for a visit. Disappointed, Sami said she'd thought Belle might be Will. Belle said she was happy to hear the news that Will was alive. Grumpy, Sami said she did not want to hear Belle act like she was happy for Sami. "After what you did to me?" Sami said indignantly. Bewildered, Belle cocked her head questioningly.
In the park, Hope met with Rafe. Rafe asked if she wanted to talk later after she spent time with Ciara. Shaking her head, Hope said she wanted to be with Rafe. Hope asked Rafe where he had spent the night.
Rafe squirmed as Hope revealed that she had been looking everywhere for him -- and had even checked with Sami to see if she knew where to find him.
"God, you can't even look me in the eyes because of the things I said to you," Hope mused regretfully before forging ahead, ignoring Rafe's attempt to clarify why he was uncomfortable. "You were right about Bo, [but] you were wrong, also -- you were very wrong -- when you said that you could never measure up to him in my eyes. What you need to understand is that you came into my life at a time when I never thought that I could ever trust anyone ever again, let alone fall in love. You changed that for me. You made me believe in love again. You changed my life," she told him.
"When Bo died, it's true -- a part of me died, [too]. And the reason I'm telling you this is because I finally understand the reason why I kept putting this distance between you and me, and why I kept putting off marrying you: it's because I was scared of losing someone else that I love so deeply," Hope explained to Rafe. Chuckling incredulously, he wished she had realized that sooner. Misinterpreting his statement, she agreed that, in the future, they needed to always be open and honest about everything so there would be no further misunderstandings between them.
Nodding, Rafe hesitantly admitted that there was something Hope needed to hear -- something that involved Sami. Again misinterpreting Rafe's words, Hope preemptively assured him that his relationship with his ex-wife wasn't going to be an issue anymore -- and, in fact, had really only turned into an issue because of what had happened in Salem while he had been in Memphis. "I know...and, trust me, I wish, more than anything in this world, that I could have been there with you -- for you -- [at the time of Theo's shooting]," Rafe stressed. "You're here now," Hope replied with a smile.
Rafe acknowledged that Hope's promotion had probably bothered him more than he had initially realized, adding that it had been jarring to suddenly go from having her as a partner to having her as a boss. "I should have respected [your] decisions [and] supported you," he continued, prompting her to stress that she didn't expect him to also agree with every decision she made. "You know, Abe -- he's going through a tough time right now, [but he's eventually] gonna realize that making you head of Salem P.D. was the best thing that he ever did," he assured her. Touched, she thanked him for the kind words.
Still determined to tell Hope about what had happened the previous night, Rafe admitted with a sigh that she was a wonderful person who deserved to be with a better man. "Something else happened yesterday that --" he began to add. She interrupted to suggest, "We both made mistakes yesterday, but we can move past [that]. Let's start fresh -- from this moment." She added that she was done running from her feelings for him and making excuses to avoid fully committing to him. To prove that she truly meant what she was saying, she spontaneously got down on bended knee and proposed to him.
Stunned, Rafe happily accepted Hope's proposal. "Let's set a date!" she suggested with a smile as she stood to give him a kiss.
At the Brady Pub, Roman told Eric about Sami's latest stunt. "What was Sami thinking?" Eric asked incredulously, shaking his head in disbelief. "She had her reasons...I guess," Roman replied with a shrug. "She always has a 'reason,'" Eric dismissively countered. Eric hoped that Sami wouldn't end up driving away the son she had just gotten back. Sighing, Roman mused that Sami was unfortunately quite good at driving people away. Roman added that Eric might be the only person who could get through to Sami and stop her from making things worse -- again.
At the Salem Inn, Sami lashed out at Belle, complaining, "I generously shared with you half the money I stole from the DiMeras, and then you betrayed me by giving it back to them!"
Scoffing, Belle incredulously summarized that Sami was upset about the return of stolen money. Sami argued that the money had been rightfully stolen from the DiMeras as a form of compensation for all the damage they had caused over the years. "They hurt our entire family, but that obviously doesn't seem to bother you much!" Sami continued.
"I can't believe I'm even still talking to you [after what you did]!" Sami added. "Maybe that's 'cause no one [else] will talk to you," Belle countered, pointing out that Sami had alienated practically everyone else she had been in contact with lately. Sami insisted that wasn't true, prompting Belle to argue, "Well, it should be -- I mean, who'd want to stand by you after the disgusting thing you did to your own son?"
Sami refused to apologize for her actions, insisting that, as Will's mother, she'd had to do something to try to help him regain his memory. "[And] it was working! He was starting to remember -- until Ben Weston screwed it up! Now I have to think of a new plan," Sami added with a sigh of annoyance. "Here's a plan -- why don't you let Mom, who's a trained psychiatrist, take the lead?" Belle suggested. Sami dismissively explained that Marlena's best advice had been to exercise patience, and that plan of attack simply wasn't good enough -- which Belle would probably understand if she were more willing to take risks for loved ones.
"Oh, please, would you just save it for someone who doesn't know you as well as I do? I mean, you're just acting like you're doing this great, selfless thing and that the ends justify the means, [but] look at how you hurt [your son] -- and how you [have] hurt so many people [in the past]. I mean, you always claim that you're always looking out for all these people you care about, but the only person that Sami Brady truly cares about is Sami Brady!" Belle argued, adding that although Sami's love for Will, Johnny, Allie, and Sydney was unquestionable, she needed to start showing more consideration for their needs instead of her own.
Sami insisted that Will needed to be whole again, but Belle guessed that Sami had reached that conclusion on her own, without any input from him. Belle compared Sami to Susan, arguing that Susan, like Sami, probably believed that she had always had Will's best interests at heart when making decisions. Belle added that Sami had always fit in with the DiMera family she'd married into because her list of misdeeds ranked right up there with Kristen, Andre, and even Stefano's respective lists -- and if she didn't change her ways, she was going to lose her son all over again, and she'd have no one to blame but herself.
Hurt and outraged, Sami ordered Belle to leave, shouting, "Go back to Hong Kong -- or go to hell, for all I care! Just stay out of my way!" After Belle stepped out of the hotel room, Sami slammed the door shut then began throwing things in frustration. She paused to scream into a pillow then continued trashing the room until she collapsed, exhausted, at the foot of the bed and broke down.
Later, Eric arrived and silently took note of the mess then joined Sami at the foot of the bed and wrapped his arms around her.
Chad went to the Kiriakis mansion, hoping that Sonny might know something about the bidder who had recently prevented Titan from acquiring a company that DiMera Enterprises had also been interested in, but it was almost immediately obvious that Sonny was too distracted to talk about business. Chad guessed that Sonny was thinking about Will. Nodding, Sonny explained that Marlena thought it would be best for him to keep his distance for the time being so Will wouldn't get too overwhelmed. "[But] staying away from Will has been torture," Sonny added with a heavy sigh.
Chad wondered where things stood between Sonny and Paul. "We're in this...holding pattern," Sonny admitted with a shrug. Chad acknowledged that Sonny and Will's love had been a "once in a lifetime" thing but was quick to add that Will had been gone for two years -- and, during that time, Sonny had moved on with Paul, whom he also clearly loved. "Can you be sure that what you're feeling for Will [now] isn't just guilt?" Chad asked.
"Of course I feel guilty," Sonny confirmed, elaborating that he blamed himself not just for being in another country at the time of Will's attack but also for failing to sense that Will had survived the attack and was still out there somewhere. "I should have known; I should have felt something. We took vows -- for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, and, most importantly, 'til death do us part," Sonny continued.
Chad pointed out that Sonny and Will had been legally separated at the time of Will's attack. "He cheated on you with Paul. You didn't forgive him then; what makes you think you can forgive him now?" Chad asked.
Chad guessed that Sonny still often found himself listening to Will's final voicemail message -- the one Will had recorded for Sonny just before the attack. "Yeah, I do. He was just trying to reconnect, and I never got a chance to tell him that I wanted the same thing," Sonny explained with a sigh of frustration. Chad argued that the past no longer mattered because Will didn't remember it -- and might never remember it -- so there was nothing for Sonny to make right because, in Will's mind, it had never even happened in the first place. Sonny countered that telling Will about such things could trigger the return of his lost memories.
"Say they do. Say he remembers everything about his life -- everything with you, everything with Arianna... Do you really think he's gonna come running back to you [then]? And if he does, is that something you want?" Chad asked, pointing out that, just a few months earlier, Sonny had been looking forward to starting a new life with Paul. Nodding, Sonny admitted that he still dreamed of that life from time to time. "Then go for it!" Chad advised.
"As much as I love Paul, I'm afraid I will never be able to get Will out of my head -- or out of my heart," Sonny explained, adding that he had been forcing himself to stay away from both men because he didn't know what to say to either one. "Okay, well, what if Will's never Will again? What if you have to start over from scratch? Are you willing to do that?" Chad asked.
"Yes! Even if his memories don't come back, he's still Will; he's still the man that I love, and he's the man that I committed my life to," Sonny answered without hesitation, prompting Chad to wonder where that left things between Sonny and Paul. Sighing, Sonny admitted that Paul deserved an answer to that question -- right away. "You're choosing Will, aren't you?" Chad guessed with a knowing grin.
"Will changed my life. I will never forget that. And I vowed to love him forever, and I'm gonna stand by those vows," Sonny confirmed, adding that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about what it would be like to have a second chance with his husband since the moment he had learned that might still be possible. Chad wondered if Sonny was sure. Sonny nodded then acknowledged that, in that case, it was time to walk away from Paul.
Later, Chad met with Belle and informed her that someone was sabotaging DiMera Enterprises -- and he needed her help to identify the culprit.
At the Martin mansion, Will explained that he had some questions for Paul. Nodding, Paul invited Will into his room then excused himself so he could get dressed. "What's the rush?" Will asked, leaving Paul speechless.
Will added that he wasn't trying to make Paul uncomfortable, prompting Paul to clarify that Will's comment had simply surprised him. Paul stepped into the bathroom and put on a pair of jeans then rejoined Will, who was looking at a framed photograph of Paul and Sonny. "You looked happy," Will observed. "We were," Paul confirmed. "Were Sonny and I that happy before I slept with you?" Will asked, leaving Paul speechless again.
Will guessed that he had just made Paul uncomfortable again. Will explained, when asked, that Belle had told him about the incident. "It's a complicated story," Paul hesitantly explained while putting on a shirt. "Doesn't sound that complicated to me," Will countered, watching Paul closely. When Paul pointed out that Will was staring, Will apologized and explained that he was just enjoying the freedom to finally be who he was -- and show attraction to those he found attractive -- after having been forced to hide that part of himself during his time with Susan, who had preferred to think of him as a straight man.
Paul was quick to stress that he was engaged -- to Sonny. "Yeah, I know...but you did postpone your wedding -- because of me," Will pointed out. "I'm sorry if I'm causing trouble -- well, I'm kind of sorry. Uh...it's just that...look, I know that Sonny and I have a history, but...suddenly, I'm finding out that, uh, you and I have some history, too," Will continued. Paul insisted that was all it was -- history.
"It's new to me," Will pointed out. Taking a seat on Paul's bed, Will added, "So, tell me...was the sex between us good?" Stunned again, Paul wondered why Will wanted to know such a thing. Will explained with a shrug that talking about the matter could trigger the return of some memories. "Yes, it was good," Paul reluctantly admitted. Paul wanted to leave it at that, but Will wanted more details, so Paul eventually began elaborating on the circumstances that had led to their one-night stand. Will was shocked -- and somewhat embarrassed -- to hear that he had been willing to go to such lengths -- and risk his marriage -- to further his career.
Paul described the incident as a momentary lapse of judgment, but Will argued that it might instead be an indication that his marriage hadn't been as great as everyone was trying to make it out to be. Paul didn't want to talk about Will and Sonny's marriage because he knew it wasn't his place to do so, but he refused to claim that it hadn't been a great marriage in general, because he knew that was a lie. Will concluded that Paul was too decent to lie about things, but Paul clarified that he had actually lied to Sonny himself -- quite recently, in fact. "About what?" Will asked. "You," Paul replied.
After hearing the whole story, Will mused that it might have been better for everyone if Paul had never told Sonny the truth. Will suggested that Paul was perhaps too nice, but Paul insisted that Will belonged in Salem because it was Will's home. Nodding, Will apologized for having once viewed Paul as a story instead of a person, insisting that even if he couldn't remember having done that, he still knew it was wrong. Paul appreciated the apology but admitted that he had known from the start, back then, that Will was a reporter who was pursuing a story. Confused, Will wondered why Paul had still been willing to sleep with him. "Because I thought that you were worth taking a risk on," Paul explained, adding that, in the end, Will had actually done him a favor, since he had needed a push to finally start being his true self.
"Good. Nobody should have to feel ashamed about who they are," Will noted, adding that he hoped he could have a friendship with Paul because Paul was the one person who didn't make him feel like he had to meet certain expectations based on a person's memory of who he had once been. Paul confirmed with a smile that he would actually like to have a friendship with Will. Nodding, Will started to leave then changed his mind and spontaneously kissed Paul -- just as Sonny approached the door to Paul's room.
Claire was alone in her apartment when someone began messing with the lock on the door. She quickly grabbed a frying pan to use as a weapon -- then breathed a sigh of relief when she realized who the "intruder" was.
"Damn it, Ciara! God, you scared the hell out of me! Why didn't you just knock?" Claire asked, setting aside the frying pan. "Why should I? This is still my place," Ciara pointed out, dropping a duffel bag on the floor. "[And] I'm moving back in," Ciara added before going back outside to retrieve another duffel bag from her motorcycle.
Claire couldn't believe that Ciara had managed to fit so much stuff on the back of a motorcycle, but Ciara explained with a shrug that she was quite resourceful -- a fact that her mother should have taken into account before wrongly concluding that there was only one set of keys to the vehicle. Ciara added that although she wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of living with Claire, she certainly wasn't going to live with her "tyrannical despot" of a mother, and her name was still on the apartment lease, after all. "[And] I am tired of you trying to take things that belong to me," Ciara spat.
Ciara and Claire started arguing again about Theo, but Claire soon stormed off, having already made plans to visit him that day. Alone in the apartment, Ciara fantasized about stealing Theo away from Claire -- then she smashed a framed photograph of the seemingly happy couple and stomped on it.
Tripp was in the middle of a work shift at the Horton Town Square when Steve approached and convinced him to take a break, reiterating that they needed to talk -- about Kate DiMera. Tripp tried to dodge Steve's questions, claiming that there was nothing to talk about, but Steve was certain that Tripp was hiding something. "Tripp, I'm on your side. Now, you may think you've taken care of things, but [Kate DiMera] is bad news, and she's got you in her sights, so...[I'll ask you] one more time -- tell me what this is about," Steve urged Tripp, who hesitantly revealed that it was about Theo.
After Tripp shared the whole story, Steve vowed to find a way to make Kate pay for what she had done. "I know it looks like she has the upper hand right now, but she's not gettin' away with this. She used Theo, she went after my family... She's not gettin' away with it," Steve assured Tripp before walking away.
At the hospital, Kayla overheard Kate asking for Theo's forgiveness. "I would think that he's one of the few people in town that you haven't treated like dirt, [so] what do you need [his] forgiveness for?" Kayla asked. Kate insisted that was none of Kayla's business but innocently added that she simply wished she had gotten more involved in Theo's life after Stefano's latest vanishing act, since she felt like she owed Stefano at least that much. Kayla pointed out that Abe had never wanted Theo to get involved with the DiMeras, anyway, but Kate countered that Abe's concerns were no longer relevant because the DiMeras had abandoned their old way of life.
Changing the subject, Kate wondered if Theo had shown any signs of improvement yet. Kayla shook her head and reported that, on the bright side, a specialist was going to get involved soon. Kate stressed that money was no object. Kayla somewhat coldly replied that Chad had said the same thing earlier, suspiciously adding, "Very generous of you." Nodding, Kate asked to be kept apprised of new developments then started to leave.
Kayla stopped Kate, insisting that there was something else they needed to discuss. "[Tripp] hasn't been acting like himself, and [Steve] can't figure out what's wrong with him, [so I'm just wondering]...did you talk to him about the donation he made?" Kayla asked. Kate innocently claimed that, as promised, she hadn't said a word to Tripp -- or anyone else, for that matter. Kayla skeptically agreed that Kate was known for always keeping promises. Scoffing, Kate indignantly complained that Kayla was starting to sound like an interrogator who was about to level an accusation. Kayla suggested that Kate might be getting that sense simply because she felt guilty -- about not being there for Theo, of course. "I guess guilt does make one feel prickly. You certainly seemed prickly to me when I found out that Tripp was the anonymous donor," Kate countered.
Claire entered Theo's room at that moment, putting an end to the conversation. After Kayla and Kate left, Claire took a seat at Theo's bedside and began talking to him, revealing that Ciara was back in town. Ciara arrived a short time later -- just in time to overhear Claire apologizing to Theo for the fight they had gotten into right before the shooting.
When Ciara announced her presence, Claire asked her to return some other time, voicing the request in a fairly polite manner. Ciara refused to leave, arguing that Claire had already had plenty of opportunities to spend time with Theo and therefore needed to give other people a chance to do so. Sighing, Claire reluctantly exited the room, promising Theo that she would be back soon.
Once the coast was clear, Ciara took a seat at Theo's bedside and told him, "I am so sorry this happened to you...but let's put the blame where it belongs -- not on J.J., not on whoever put you up to whatever you were doing that night... This is Claire's fault. You wouldn't be lying here like this if Claire had given you my letter sooner. You and I would be together, and you would be safe and sound. I promise you...I am gonna make her pay."
Meanwhile, Kayla ran into Kate at the nurses' station and pointed out that they had never really finished their earlier conversation. "No, we did," Kate insisted -- just as Steve arrived. Steve pointedly stated that it was quite a coincidence to see Kate right outside Theo's room, since he had just been thinking about both of them. Kate coldly thanked Steve for his concern then rushed off.
Confused, Kayla knowingly observed that Steve's comment had actually been laced with hostility, not concern. Steve confirmed that Kayla was right, admitting that he would rather tear Kate's head off than make nice with her. Steve promised to explain everything to Kayla but insisted that they needed to continue the conversation in a more private location, noting, "Talking out in the open like this is what got us into this mess in the first place."
Claire went to the town square to complain to Tripp about what had happened at the hospital but quickly realized that he was dealing with his own set of problems. She encouraged him to open up to her, but he insisted that he couldn't. He started to excuse himself so he could get back to work, but she stopped him and informed him that an old roommate had just moved back into their apartment.
At the Salem Inn, Eric informed Sami that their father had told him about her latest stunt. "I was desperate, okay?" she explained defensively. "Surprise, surprise -- taking the power in your own hands again," he replied with obvious disapproval, prompting her to wonder why he was always nice to everyone else but was always mean to her. "[You want me to] just be another sucker you can control with your little finger? Then I'd be no help to you," he reasoned. "You're not helping me now!" she countered before breaking down in his arms.
After Sami told Eric about the fallout of her stunt, he pointed out with a shrug, "You knew you were playing with fire." Annoyed that he wasn't being more sympathetic, she protested that she deserved at least some credit because, after all, her plan had been showing signs of success before it had been prematurely ended. He countered that she had only helped her son remember the worst moment of his entire life. "That's it -- I've reached my tolerance of your tough love!" she snapped, ordering him to leave. Ignoring the command, he began searching for the minibar, joking that he suddenly had a craving for popcorn.
"You know what? I hate you! I hate you very much!" Sami complained, shoving Eric onto a nearby couch. "I know the truth hurts," he calmly assured her, inviting her to take a seat next to him. As she complied, he added that he knew she was frightened that she might lose her son all over again as a result of her actions, and he also knew that she regretted those actions, even if she didn't want to admit to any wrongdoing. Nodding, she tearfully acknowledged that she had a habit of convincing herself that her plans were going to work out exactly the way she wanted them to -- and that allowed her to avoid thinking about the potential consequences because successful plans didn't have consequences. He warned that there was always a chance that things could go wrong.
Eric tried to assure Sami that, deep down, her son was still her son -- and would therefore be able to recognize, sooner or later, that her actions had stemmed from a place of love -- but she wasn't sure that was true. "Sure is nice to think so, though," she admitted with a sigh. He urged her to run future schemes past him before putting them in motion, stressing that impulsiveness often caused people to make bad decisions. "Yeah, tell me about. Like last night, maybe I shouldn't have..." she began to acknowledge before letting her voice trail off. Groaning, he wondered what she had done. "It's better if you don't know," she evasively replied.
Eric urged Sami to open up to him, pointing out that he might be able to help her mitigate the damage of whatever she had done, but she jokingly insisted that she wasn't willing to confess to him because he was no longer under an obligation to keep her secrets confidential. "It's nothing for you to worry about," she added. "Famous last words," he countered with a chuckle.
Still concerned, Eric asked Sami to rank what she had done the previous night on a scale of one to ten, with the reenactment of her son's attack being at the upper end of the scale. "A three? A four," she guessed with a shrug. She assured him that it wasn't going to land her in jail, cryptically adding with a laugh that, in fact, she'd actually had the law on her side for once the previous night.
Quickly changing the subject, Sami assured Eric that she had heard -- and was truly trying to take to heart -- everything he had said earlier. "It's just hard not to push, because I have to leave -- I have to go back to the kids soon -- and I don't want to go without Will hearing me out, you know? I want him to forgive me; I want him to know that I love him," she continued.
Eric gently pointed out that Sami couldn't force Will to forgive her -- and, in fact, she might have to leave town without even talking to him again beforehand. Sami guessed that Eric was trying to hint that it might actually be best for her to do just that so Will would have some time and space to reach the forgiveness stage on his own. "Your words, not mine...but it is something to think about," Eric confirmed, adding that, after all, Will was Sami's son -- and had therefore inherited her stubbornness.
Grateful for Eric's support, Sami insisted that Nicole hadn't deserved him -- and that he was going to find a more worthy woman soon enough. He took that as his cue to leave, not wanting to talk about his problems at that time. He promised to keep her posted on what was going on with her son. "Clean up your mess! It's disgusting!" he said as he started to exit her trashed hotel room. "That's why God invented housekeeping," she dismissively countered. Later, she received a phone call from someone -- someone who told her something shocking. "Oh, my God, what are you saying? Is he alive?" she asked the caller.
At the Martin mansion, Paul started to respond to Will's kiss but pulled away when someone began knocking. Will tried to convince Paul to ignore the visitor -- just as Sonny called out to Paul from the hallway to further announce his presence. "It's Sonny!" Paul whispered to Will worriedly. "So it is," Will replied without a hint of concern before opening the door to Paul's room.
Confused, Sonny wondered why Will and Paul were together. "You want to tell him, or should I?" Will asked Paul. Before Paul could say anything, Sonny made it clear that he would actually like to hear Will answer the question. "Well --" Will began. Interrupting, Paul explained, "He wanted to know more about his life." Still confused, Sonny reminded Will that there were plenty of people in his family that were more qualified to answer his questions and would love the chance to do so. "Oh, yeah -- trust me, I know. But I came to Paul because everyone in my family only wants to tell me about the good times," Will explained.
"Paul's the only one with the guts to tell me that sometimes I can be a son of a bitch," Will continued, citing his infidelity and his journalistic exploitation of a person's sexuality as just two examples of his darker side. "Believe it or not, that's a little bit more interesting to me than finding out there's a Christmas ornament with my name on it," Will said to Sonny dismissively.
"Seems like you can still be a real son of a bitch," Paul observed. Sonny started to admonish Paul for having told Will such things, but Will clarified that Belle was the one who had gotten the ball rolling, and Paul had simply filled in the blanks when asked to do so. "But you know what I really want to know? Why did my husband fail to tell me any of this? You made it seem like we had a perfect marriage, Sonny. Clearly, we don't...so why did you lie to me?" Will asked.
Taken aback, Sonny insisted that he hadn't lied about anything; he had simply chosen not to reveal certain things right away in an effort to avoid overwhelming Will. Nodding skeptically, Will sarcastically agreed, "Sure. Such concern. Or, maybe, was it that you just didn't want me to know that our marriage was on the rocks? Which I honestly don't understand, by the way, because, according to Paul, it was pretty much all my fault, [so why would you want to hide it]?" Sighing, Sonny promised Will that he would explain everything some other time. "But right now, I really need to talk to Paul alone, if you wouldn't mind," Sonny continued.
"I would mind, actually...'cause, uh, Paul and I -- we're sort of in the middle of something," Will replied. Paul shot Will a worried look and insisted that they had actually already said everything they'd needed to say to each other. "Oh? Different perceptions of the same event? I thought we were just kind of, uh, scratching the surface," Will replied.
Unamused, Paul firmly ordered Will to leave. Nodding, Will agreed to do so then pointedly informed Sonny, while gesturing toward Paul, "I like this guy. He's definitely not trying to, uh, kiss my amnesia and make it all better." As Will started to walk away, Sonny assured him, "We'll be in touch." Will somewhat tiredly countered, "Yeah, I'm sure you will."
Once the coast was clear, Paul started to excitedly stress that he was glad to see Sonny, but Sonny quickly interrupted and clarified that he had something important to tell Paul. "I'm so sorry...but I can't allow you to keep hoping. We're done," Sonny bluntly added, causing Paul's smile to fade at once.
Confused, Paul tried to make it clear to Sonny that Will's visit had been completely unexpected, adding, "I didn't talk about [my past with him] to try to screw things up between the two of you." Sonny assured Paul that he believed that, prompting Paul to conclude that Sonny was instead breaking up with him because he had lied at first about Will being alive.
"This isn't about something that you've done wrong," Sonny clarified, adding that it simply wasn't fair of him to ask one man to sit around and wait for him to sort out his feelings for another man. Paul insisted that he didn't mind waiting, but Sonny countered, "No, I don't want you to wait. You can't wait...because this is never gonna happen. Whether Will remembers me or not...I love him...and I want to be married to him."
Stunned, Paul sank onto the bed in disbelief. Sonny stressed that he had never meant to hurt Paul, adding that he was hopeful that they could eventually be friends again. "I don't want to be your friend; I want to be your husband," Paul replied. "I already have a husband," Sonny gently countered. "I'm so sorry. I want to be with Will," Sonny continued, prompting Paul to point out that Will might not necessarily want to be with Sonny at that time -- or ever. Sonny allowed for that possibility but insisted that he wanted to see where things were going to go with Will -- and couldn't just leave Paul hanging in the meantime.
"I am so sorry. You know how much I love you...but it's over between us, okay?" Sonny reiterated before showing himself out. As soon as the coast was clear, Paul, who had been on the verge of tears for most of the conversation, stopped fighting to hold them back.
Eric went to the Evans-Black townhouse to see Will, who was in the middle of reading the article he had written about Paul. When Eric introduced himself as Will's uncle -- and Sami's twin brother -- Will warned, "If you're anything like Sami, I don't think we will be getting along."
In the square, Sonny ran into Victor at the café. Curious, Victor asked Sonny what was wrong. Sonny said he was fine. "If you're going to deal with Will Horton, you're going to be dealing with me first," Victor said. Sonny told Victor that Will did not remember his past life. Victor was pleased, noting that Sonny could move on with Paul.
When Sonny told Victor that he had broken up with Paul, Victor was shocked. Victor noted that it was stupid of Sonny to dump Paul for "an adulterous mama's boy like Will Horton." Sonny explained that he had been happy with Will once, and he wanted to make Will remember that life. Victor urged Sonny to file for divorce. "He upended your life once before, and he is going to do it again," Victor counseled.
Sonny reminded Victor that when Will had upended his life, he had turned his life around and become an asset to the company. Victor countered that he had already watched Brady ruin his life over someone, and he was worried that Will was worse than Nicole. Victor said he feared that Sonny had chosen someone that would never want to be with him. Sonny argued that he had a family with Arianna and Will and that he needed to make that family work. When Sonny asked Victor not to discount him at the company for his decision, Victor warned Sonny that if he screwed up, he would not be demoted but thrown out of the company entirely.
Sonny told Victor that he was committed to his job as CEO, and he asked Victor to butt out of his personal life. Shaking his head, Victor reminded Sonny that Will's affair had hurt the company before. Sonny refused to dump Will for a PR win for Titan. Victor said he could not forget all the things Will had done to hurt Sonny. Victor concluded that he did not think Will was capable of real love.
Brady went to the Martin house to ask Paul for help with Eve. Brady explained that Eve had taken control of Basic Black. When Paul suggested Brady consult a lawyer, Brady said he needed to find dirt on Eve for leverage against her. Paul glanced at his engagement ring on the desk. With a nod, Paul said that his schedule had cleared up. For background, Brady told Paul about when Eve had forced Jennifer to give up the profits from Jack's book rather than hand over the money to veterans as Jack had wanted. Brady asked Paul to keep the case secret from John, Steve, and Sonny. Paul admitted he was unlikely to speak to Sonny anytime soon.
When Paul explained that Sonny had chosen Will, Brady was confused. Brady argued that Will might never want to be with Sonny. Groaning, Paul agreed. Paul told Brady that Will had kissed him. Paul explained that Will had asked about their history, and he believed Will had kissed him in an effort to remember. When Brady asked Paul if he was up to working on Brady's case, Paul said he was happy for the distraction. After Brady left, Paul looked at a photo of Sonny and cried. Wiping away the tears, Paul began to research Eve on the Internet.
When Maggie arrived home to the Kiriakis mansion, she found movers taking furniture out of the house. Maggie asked Eve what was going on, and Eve said she had also removed Maggie's figurines from the house. Eve said she wanted to "class up" the house. Maggie explained that she had decorated the house. Eve apologized and chuckled nervously. Raising an eyebrow, Maggie noted that Eve was a guest and had no say in how to decorate the house. Eve disagreed. Eve cited her leverage over Brady for framing her.
Maggie advised Eve to find a new home. With a shrug, Eve said she had planned to move out, but after Brady and Victor had framed her, she intended to make their lives miserable. Maggie said she did not believe that Brady or Victor had killed Deimos. Maggie added that she did not believe that Eve had the right to take over the house either.
When Eve threatened to deal with the family, Maggie counseled Eve to remember that Victor and Brady had dealt with threats before. "You'll end up back where you started. All alone," Maggie snapped before she walked out. Eve headed into the kitchen. When Brady returned home to the mansion and found an empty living room, he poured a glass of whiskey. From the doorway, Eve watched Brady gulp down his drink.
At the penthouse, Eric stopped by to talk to Will. After Eric explained that he was Sami's twin brother, Will said he was not hopeful about getting along with Eric. Will cut Eric off and noted that he would never grow to like Sami. Will grudgingly admitted Eric into the penthouse to hear him out. Eric explained that Sami had "her own way of doing things." Eric agreed that Sami had gone too far. Will countered that Sami should be happy to know he was alive and move on.
Curious, Will asked Eric if something was wrong with Sami. Eric explained that Sami had been a teen mom. With a shrug, Eric added that Sami had witnessed Marlena having sex with John while Marlena had still been married to Roman. Will was stunned to hear that Marlena had cheated on Roman. Eric said Sami had started to act out after witnessing her mother's affair. With a sigh, Will said he had acted out when he had been married to Sonny. "Are you saying I'm a chip off the old block?" Will asked. "Basically, yes," Eric conceded.
Will pushed for more negative information about his past. Eric told Will about when he had shot E.J., and Lucas had gone to prison to protect him. Eric noted that both Will and Sami had made mistakes and that Will should not be too quick to judge his mother. Eric urged Will to make a connection with Sami but set boundaries. Will was concerned about Sami's goons, but Eric said he believed Sami would respect Will. When Will asked why Eric wanted to reconnect Will with Sami, Eric said he did not like to see his sister in pain. Will noted that Susan's comments about Sami had been true. Eric countered that Susan had hidden Will from his family and his life. Eric asked Will to give Sami a chance.
An angry Sami met up with Lucas at the police station. Lucas had survived a car crash after excessive drinking. Sami lit into Lucas as he sat handcuffed in interrogation. Sami reminded Lucas that Will was alive and that he should do everything he could to clean up. When Lucas grumbled that he wanted Sami to help him, not lecture him, Sami refused to help Lucas unless he agreed to get help with his drinking.
When Lucas mentioned Allie, Sami yelled at Lucas not to use their daughter as a justification for his drinking. Sami ordered Lucas to quit drinking and be a father to their son. Sami admitted that Lucas was the only person that could get through to Will because she was on the outs. Shaking her head, Sami said she needed to return home, and she needed to count on Lucas to be there for Will.
"It's really hard to get sober. I don't know if I can do it again. I don't know if I have it in me," Lucas said, holding back tears. Lucas told Sami that she did not understand how it felt to be an alcoholic. Sami urged Lucas to remember that he had a life. Lucas disagreed. "I am not the rock that you think I am," Lucas said sadly. Sami countered that she would not bother to appeal to Lucas if he were not a great father.
Sami begged Lucas to make an effort at sobriety. Lucas said he could not promise to get sober, but he agreed to take sobriety one day at a time. When Lucas asked what would happen if he failed, Sami said she would never stop talking to Lucas unless he failed to make an effort at all.
Sami told Lucas that she believed in him. When Lucas was unsure, Sami yelled that she could not believe enough for both of them. Sami told Lucas to call her every day and promise her that he would not drink that day. As Lucas stared in silence, Sami promised that if Lucas did not do as she asked, "You really will be dead to me." Lucas attempted to change the subject, but Sami refused to budge. Sami urged Lucas to lean on his family and friends for help. Sami slid her phone across the table and asked Lucas to call someone and admit that he needed help.
Maggie arrived at the station and smiled at Lucas. "I was so relieved to get your call. Talk to me, sweetheart," Maggie said. "My name's Lucas, and I'm an alcoholic. And I really need your help, Aunt Maggie," an emotional Lucas said.
At her hotel room, Sami stared at her phone at a photo of Will. As Sami touched the screen, stroking the face of her son, there was a knock at her door. Sami opened it and found Will.
