As Sharon sat around the house, Victor knocked on her door. He asked her right away if she had heard from Nick, and she told him she was hoping to, especially because it was Valentine's Day. He told her he had spoken with Nick, and that he had tried to do some damage control. He told Sharon he had confessed to Nick that he had been the aggressor in the kiss Nick had seen, but he wasn't certain if he had influenced Nick or not. Sharon was surprised and told Victor she was grateful that he would take the blame for what had happened. He told her all she could do at that point was to hang on to what Nick had written in his note and to try to still believe there was hope.
After Victor left, Nick showed up, looking for the children. Sharon encouraged him to stay and wait for them, and he decided to take off his coat and stay. She asked him how he was doing in light of what he had seen. Full of sarcasm, he asked if the version Victor had told him was actually the truth -- if she had really been just an innocent victim. He went on to say he didn't even know her anymore. She asked if he was open to giving her another chance, and he admitted he really didn't know what he wanted at all.
Again, Nick asked Sharon if she was sticking to the story that Victor was the aggressor, because to him, it just didn't wash. He said he knew what he had seen, and he had not seen her pull away. To add insult to injury, he told her she had sexual needs and that she didn't care where she satisfied them. With that, she slapped him in the face. He looked at her, said, "Goodbye, Sharon," and walked out the door. Infuriated after the door slammed on her, she replied, "Goodbye, Nicholas."
Waiting for Victoria to arrive, Diego decided he wouldn't give up on her. When she arrived, he told her he loved her and that, finally, he was ready to spend the rest of his life with her. She told him it wasn't that simple anymore and that she didn't feel as much for him as she once had.
Upset, Diego asked if Victoria had ever cared about him at all or if she was just a lonely woman who needed someone. She began to cry and told him she truly did care for him, and that he made her feel things she didn't think she could feel anymore. For that, she thanked him. Looking sad, he told her it was time to hit the road. With a sad smile, she told him to be safe. Returning the sad smile, he told her goodbye and walked out the door.
John joined Billy in Colleen's room to see her in her party dress. John asked if she was in a better mood, and Billy told him no. He went on to say he wished things could be different and that Colleen would just stay away from J.T. When Colleen walked out of the bathroom, she looked lovely, but her face was very sad. She told them she really didn't feel like going because she felt miserable. John sat her down and told her he knew she was angry with him, but it was going to be a special memory for her, and she should try to make the best of it. After John left, Billy warned Colleen not to pull anything -- it was hard enough to gain everyone's trust back, and that was not the time to blow it.
J.T. was waiting for Colleen at the park when Brittany walked up. She told him he ought to know that John Abbott was going to be chaperoning the Valentine's dance, so he'd better not show up. She also told him he should really reconsider his relationship with Colleen, especially since it wasn't likely to get any easier.
At the dance, Lily ran up to Colleen, gushing about how beautiful she looked and how glad she was that Colleen had decided to attend. Colleen told her J.T. didn't know John was chaperoning, and Lily encouraged her to try to reach him immediately. Colleen said she wanted to sneak over to the park and asked if Lily would cover for her if her granddad asked where she was. Much to her surprise, Lily said, "no way," because she'd already covered for her enough. Instead, Colleen decided to call J.T. on his cell phone and told him she was going to sneak out. He told her not to risk it because they could see each other another time.
When "their" song came on, Colleen began to get very sad, and John approached her and encouraged her to dance with someone. She declined and told him it was the worst Valentine's Day of her life. He told her he was sorry she was hurting, but he had to leave, and Billy would be waiting for her and Lily to take them home soon. After he left, Lily approached Colleen and asked how she was, and Colleen said she was ready to go. Just then, J.T. approached the microphone and said he wanted to sing a song he had written for a very special girl. He sang a song and played the guitar right to Colleen and kissed her in front of an applauding group of young people.
Nick got dressed at the office, and a delivery person stopped by. Nick signed for a letter from Sharon and sat down to read it. It was a long, sad letter, saying how she had failed as a wife and mother, and that because she couldn't bear the devastation her life had become, she was leaving. It also said she didn't know where she was going or when she was returning. She ended by asking Nick to make the children understand that she was in no state to be a good mother at that time, told him he was the love of her life, and asked for forgiveness.
Completely surprised and angry, Nick threw the letter across the room and just sat, stunned. Victoria walked in and asked what was wrong and was equally surprised when Nick told her Sharon had left. He also added the whole situation was Victor's fault and that Victoria should keep him away from Nick.
Meanwhile, Victor went to see Victoria in her office and was sitting waiting when Neil walked in. Neil tried to engage Victor in a project involving him and Nick, but Victor declined getting involved. Seeing that something was wrong, Neil offered some kind words, saying whatever was going on in their family, not to get too worried, because in the end, they always stuck together.
As they were talking, the phone rang -- Miguel called to say he had picked up Cassie from school because she was sick. He told Nick she was asking a lot of questions about Sharon, and he wasn't sure how to respond to them. Nick told Miguel he was on his way home and said to Victoria that he was about to blow Cassie's whole world apart. She asked if there was anything she could do, but he told her there wasn't, and he left. Once Nick arrived home, Miguel gently said he realized Sharon had left; he had seen her leave in a taxi, carrying a suitcase. He told Nick he didn't really know what to say to Cassie, and Nick said he really didn't, either. At that point, Cassie arrived downstairs, and Nick thanked Miguel for his help.
Cassie told Nick she wasn't really sick, but she was just concerned about her mom. She told him that earlier that morning, Sharon had hugged her and Noah so tightly that it made her wonder what was going on. Nick told Cassie that Sharon had left a letter explaining that she was leaving and not sure when she was returning. The news scared and infuriated Cassie, and she immediately asked if Sharon would ever be back. Cassie questioned Sharon's love for them.
Nick did his best to console Cassie, and while he was holding her, Victor walked in and watched. Nick encouraged Cassie to go up to the main house for a little while so he could talk to Victor alone. After she left, he scowled at Victor, asking what he was doing there. When Victor asked to be heard out, Nick said through clenched teeth that he was using all of his self-control not to hit him again.
Jill met her mother at the Lodge for breakfast and said she had a bone to pick with her. She said she didn't appreciate Elizabeth telling Katherine about her personal affairs -- that she had been adopted. Elizabeth thought Jill was being ridiculous and asked what the big deal was. Jill got upset and started asking if Elizabeth treated her differently than her brothers In her no-nonsense way, Elizabeth said Jill was being foolish.
Jill said she always felt different but had never been able to put her finger on what it was that made her feel that way. She went on to say she was always very self-destructive and didn't like herself very much. Elizabeth said not to use the fact that she was adopted to make excuses for why she behaved badly. She advised Jill to stop worrying about it and to just live her life.
On the other side of the restaurant, the Hodges family had a difficult time making conversation with one another. When Anita saw Frederick looking at a waitress, she turned the conversation to their non-existent sex life. She reminded him how he had, in the past, sneaked home during the day to see her. She asked why he had stopped. Then she suggested they rent a room and go upstairs for some intimacy. He smiled and agreed.
After Anita left, Jill stopped by the table, full of energy. Not noticing he was getting up to leave, she sat down to chat. She told him she had a new lease on life and that she wanted to play hooky that day. She said she wanted to go to the movies or something and asked if he would join her.
Isabella went to see Michael, asking questions about his meeting with Kelly Simmons. When Michael blew her off, she started threatening him again. She told him if she lost, he would lose, too. He told her he was getting bored with the threat, and she reiterated that if Christine found out he had asked her to break up her marriage, she would never forgive him.
Paul stumbled into the office, and Lynn asked what was wrong. He told her Ricky had been up the majority of the night and that he had just started falling asleep when the babysitter had arrived. Lynn immediately started insulting Isabella, saying she should have been there with Ricky, asking what Isabella actually did around there, anyway. Paul tried telling Lynn that Isabella had had a very good reason to be upset, and when Lynn protested, he went ahead and told her what was really going on.
Shocked, Lynn asked if that was all that had happened and almost slipped and said that Christine hadn't told her, but she caught herself before Paul noticed. At that point, Michael burst in, asking to speak to Paul alone. It was obvious Michael was looking for a fight and said that as long as he lived, he would make sure Paul never laid another finger on Christine.
Michael told Paul he knew Paul and Christine had had sex the night of Ricky's christening. Paul assumed Michael had gotten that information from Christine and demanded to know where she was. Michael took that as an admission and accused Paul of manipulating his fiancée into bed, thereby forcing her to leave town because she felt guilty. Paul wouldn't give him any details, but the more Michael talked, the angrier Paul got. When he appeared likely to hit Michael, Michael told him to go ahead. He said that Paul was going to have to live with the things he'd done to Christine every day for the rest of his life then warned him to go nowhere near Christine when she returned to town.
At her apartment, Christine thought about the night she and Paul had had sex. She finally opened her bedroom door and stared into the room with a haunted face. At that point, Lynne went over. She pressed Christine to reveal what she was thinking about. When Christine wouldn't, Lynne admitted that she knew about what had happened the night of the christening. However, she assumed that Christine was feeling guilty about Michael and was pining over Paul.
When Christine refused to discuss her private life, Lynne encouraged her to forget Michael and talk things over with Paul. Christine said that it was more complicated than Lynne knew. Frustrated by Lynne's biased perception of things, she finally dressed in her Kelly Simmons outfit and left the apartment to go to the coffeehouse. Lynne called Paul and asked him to meet her for coffee there, smiling when she hung up the phone, satisfied that instead of finding Lynne when he arrived at Crimson Lights, he'd find his ex-wife. When Paul got to the coffeehouse, he immediately spotted "Kelly."
Jill continued to try to talk Frederick into playing hooky with her. She joked about going to a mall, a movie, or a motel. When Frederick looked a little shocked, Jill said she was only teasing. However, she did think it would do them both good to take a day off and enjoy life. When Frederick pressed Jill about why she was suddenly trying to deal with the idea of mortality by living life more fully, Jill told him the truth about her mother's brain tumor and how it had put things in a different perspective for her.
Frederick, aware that Anita had booked a room at the Lodge for them and was waiting on him, asked if he could take a rain check. Both were unaware that Anita, tired of waiting for him, had returned to the restaurant. She overheard Jill say that one day, she did intend to make Frederick have some fun, including robbing a bank and checking into a motel room with her to snuggle up and watch R-rated movies. Anita then hurried to the table and coldly asked the two of them what they were up to.
Jill and Frederick tried to make her understand that Jill had only been joking, but Anita wasn't buying it. She said she'd overheard some women at the club talking about Jill and how she was a threat to any woman with a husband. Then again, they'd agreed she wouldn't be a threat much longer, as she was getting old. Hurt, Jill told Frederick she was leaving Anita to him and wished him luck before she left the restaurant.
Anita then turned on Frederick for keeping her waiting while he flirted with Jill. Frederick tried to convince her that she'd misunderstood. He promised to take her upstairs and make her forget the whole thing. Anita said she was no longer in the mood. She told Frederick to go to the bank and watch his interest rates then huffed out of the restaurant.
After her walk, Elizabeth Foster went to see Katherine. Katherine was surprised how well she looked then Elizabeth explained that her surgery had been postponed. Katherine and Esther expressed concern for Elizabeth's health, but Elizabeth insisted that she was fine. Since there was a chance that the operation might leave her mentally incapacitated or dead, she was in no hurry to have it. She said that perhaps since she'd always had a slow brain, she also had a slow brain tumor.
Elizabeth's friends were amazed at her sense of humor, but Elizabeth said she really had no choice. After Esther took a few hints and left them alone, Katherine made a couple of rude comments about Jill. Elizabeth reminded her that it took two people to keep the hostility alive between them. Katherine pointed out that Jill was the only person she fought with, whereas Jill fought with everyone.
Katherine wondered if Jill had inherited some flaw from her biological parents. Elizabeth said she really had no idea, but she did love Jill very much no matter what. When Jill walked in, Elizabeth invited her to join them for tea. Jill said that "the viper" had no doubt been saying terrible things about her, so she didn't feel like joining them. She then went upstairs.
Neil tried to get Victoria to talk about what was wrong between her father and her brother, but Victoria said it was just better if the two of them stayed away from each other. She then admitted that part of her problem with her father had arisen from her relationship with Diego, but that had ended. She wasn't sure if she'd ever really loved him, so it seemed best to let the relationship go.
Neil agreed that Victoria had probably done the right thing then tried to get her to talk about Victor and Nick again. He said that Victor was concerned about whether he and his son would ever be able to resolve their conflicts, but Neil had the idea that Victor had gone to talk to Nick. Victoria grabbed her coat and purse and fled from her office, sure that any meeting between the two would be a disaster and that she'd better stop it.
Cassie waited at Victor and Nikki's house for Nick to go there and talk to her about her mother. Miguel worried about how sad and upset she was and tried to cheer her up. He told her that he was sure her mother would be back, because she loved her children too much to stay away long. Cassie wondered how things had ever gotten to that point and sadly looked at a photograph of herself with her parents during happier times. Dejected, she finally pulled on her coat and left the house.
At his house, Nick told Victor that he would never forgive Victor for what Nick had witnessed between Sharon and his father. He'd grown to expect that kind of behavior from Sharon, but he'd always looked up to and respected his father. Victor told Nick that he didn't understand the entire situation. The kiss Nick had seen had been completely meaningless. He reminded his son that Nick had been about to reconcile with Sharon; that could still happen if Nick would put all of it behind him.
Nick said it was over for good between Sharon and him. Although he'd desperately wanted a reconciliation, the pain of seeing his wife and his father all over each other had destroyed all possibility of that. While they were fighting, Cassie returned from the main house, hoping to talk to her father. She overheard Nick and Victor arguing and cracked the door to listen. Nick saw her and called her name. Cassie reminded him that she'd been waiting to talk to him about Sharon leaving.
Victor was shocked to hear that Sharon had left without leaving word where she was going or how long she'd be gone. Cassie sadly left, and Victor continued to question Nick about why Sharon had taken off. Nick said she'd obviously given up all hope and had to have been devastated. Nothing else would make her leave her children because she loved them more than anything in her life. He said that he was no longer Victor's son.
Cassie sadly trudged through the snow, her mind on the pain her family was going through. She wiped tears from her face and dropped her mitten then stared sadly into the distance. She didn't realize that she'd stepped onto thin ice until she looked down and saw it crack under her feet. Before she could do anything, she was completely submerged in icy water.
Larry planned a special evening for Jill at the Colonnade Room. It included a bed with a rose on it and preordered food for them to indulge in. Jill first wanted to leave, but Larry talked her into returning to their love nest. She was nervous about cameras or videos being taken of them. She admitted that she had been accused of flirting with Frederick Hodges and was sure that she was dangerous and was getting old. She wanted to find out who her real parents were. Larry comforted her and told her that they were probably good parents.
Victor paid a visit to Doris, Sharon's mother, looking for clues to where Sharon might have gone. He asked about people that they knew from Milwaukee but didn't seem to get anywhere with Doris. Victoria and Nick realized that Sharon and Diego had left town at the same time and put two and two together. Miguel knew that Sharon had talked to Diego the night before she had left.
Michael went to Christine's apartment and found Lynne there. He noticed blankets on the couch and demanded to know who was sleeping there. Lynne said that it had been her. Michael accused her of waiting for Christine so that she could let Paul know when she was back in town first. Lynne didn't deny it.
Distraught after his encounter with Michael, Paul started talking to Kelly at the coffeehouse. Something she said sounded familiar to him, and he wanted her to go home with him. She resisted at first, but they ended up leaving together.
When Nick and Victoria realized Cassie wasn't in the house, they started a search of the grounds. Someone in the tack house thought that they had seen her heading for the woods. Nick and Victoria continued their search on ATVs, yelling for Cassie everywhere. Victoria found a mitten and then Nick spotted her coat under the surface of a frozen pond. The ice had been broken through. He plunged into the icy water to save his daughter.
Drucilla went to see Olivia, complaining about how her sister had been discussing her personal business behind her back with Wesley and Neil. She wanted Olivia to stay out of it. Olivia reminded her that she'd once asked Dru for the same thing in regard to Brad and Ashley. She questioned her sister about what her plans were, pointing out that Dru had created the situation leading to Neil and Wesley's confusion and frustration. Dru pointed out that she had money in the bank, a daughter to raise, and her own life. She didn't need a man to take care of her. She then huffed out of the apartment, saying she had an interview for a modeling job.
After Nick dove into the icy pond to retrieve Cassie's unconscious body, Victoria threw him a rope to help him out. She then called 9-1-1 and went to the house for blankets. Nick said Cassie wasn't breathing and continued performing life support measures on her. After the paramedics arrived, they were able to detect a shallow pulse. As Miguel and Victor joined them, Victor questioned what Cassie had been doing walking by herself near the pond. Nick reminded Victor that he'd been stuck arguing with Victor instead of talking to his daughter.
Later, at the hospital, Dr. Walker told them everything possible was being done to revive Cassie. He reminded Nick that his daughter was a fighter, so they should hope for the best. Victoria tried to keep peace between her brother and her father as Nick told Victor that whatever happened, he was holding Victor responsible. Later, when Nick sat by Cassie's bed, begging her to wake up for him, he told her that they would find Sharon and reminded her how much Sharon loved her and Noah counted on her.
Victoria told Victor they needed a miracle. She asked when Nikki was returning, and Victor said she should be home that night. He then went to Crimson Lights to ask Cody if he'd seen or heard from Sharon. Cody hadn't. Jack overheard Victor and asked if everything was okay. Without giving Jack information, Victor just said he needed to find Sharon.
Jack admitted that Nikki had told him about the trouble between Nick and Sharon. He said that he cared a lot about Nick and had helped raise Nick when he had been married to Nikki. Victor insisted that was ancient history. Jack then said his own experience had taught him that when things were at their worst, it was best to hold on. They would get better. When Victor asked if that was Jack's advice for Nick, Jack said it was advice for Victor, too. Victor left Crimson Lights.
Jack returned to the office, where Dru dropped in on him. She put up a good show of everything going well for her then asked if Jabot had any products they could use her modeling skills for. Jack said they already had a full group of models. He took Dru's numbers and promised to call if anything opened up. She left, slumping outside his door in despair and wondering what she was going to do.
Dru's agent, Sid, stopped by Neil's apartment. Neil said that he was on his way out and Dru wasn't there. Sid said he was there to see Neil, not Dru, and told her ex-husband about the phone conversation he'd had with Dru. Her modeling career was over, and Sid was worried about how she was doing. Later, when Dru returned home, Neil had candles burning, music playing, and an exquisite dinner prepared for a "date" with her. Even Lily had gone to spend the night with a friend.
Dru let Neil pour her a glass of champagne. Neil drank nonalcoholic champagne. She told him that Jack had offered her a job, but it was one Sid would have turned down. She then said Jabot might have something for her later in the year, but she didn't intend to sit around waiting. Neil gently told her that Sid had stopped by, and Neil knew the truth. Dru broke down in tears as Neil said he was very sorry.
At Paul's apartment, Paul sent Ricky's babysitter, Santana, away and began to confide in "Kelly Simmons" about the troubles in his marriage. He exonerated Isabella of any wrongdoing, but "Kelly" told him that trouble in a marriage was usually the fault of both partners. Paul admitted that Isabella hadn't been totally honest with him at first, but he insisted he was the one who was to blame for the mess his life was in. He'd been fixated on his former wife and had been less than honest with Isabella about it.
Christine began to be uncomfortable as Paul shared his feelings with her. First, she poured herself a cup of coffee to break off the conversation, and finally she kept her back to him, so he wouldn't know how much he was upsetting her as he talked about his ex-wife. He admitted that he'd had sex with her on the night of Ricky's christening, but said it hadn't been the way it had once been. Christine had tried to throw him a lifeline, but instead, he'd dragged her down with him, treating her in a way that she hadn't deserved, and he would never forgive himself for it.
As Christine fought her tears, Paul said it was the worst decision he'd ever made in his life, and he only wanted to find a way to tell Christine how sorry he was, then said, "I'm sorry, Christine." Christine turned around, startled, wondering if he'd seen through her "Kelly" disguise.
