At Crimson Lights, Dylan discovered that the handgun he kept stored in a lockbox was missing. Sharon asked if an employee might have accessed the box. Dylan appeared worried when he realized that Avery had taken the gun, so they rushed to Paul's office to enlist his help. Having just ended a phone call, Paul told Dylan and Sharon that officers had thwarted an attack in progress. The perpetrator of the crime had been wearing a ski mask, possibly like the one Avery's rapist had worn.
Paul explained to Sharon and Dylan that he'd told Avery that another suspect might surface. Dylan explained that Avery, who hadn't been herself lately, had taken his gun. Paul thanked Dylan for not handling the matter himself. Paul promised to send an officer to Avery's home. After Paul stepped out, Dylan told Sharon that if Avery had the gun, she wouldn't be found at home.
At the Genoa City Athletic Club, Avery stopped by Joe's suite. When he answered the door, she told him that the constant conflict between them had to end. Avery entered the room, and Joe closed the door. Joe poured a drink for Avery and told her they could resolve their differences without involving the authorities. Avery mumbled, "Yes, I want to end this." Joe replied, "I'll drop the lawsuit against Dylan and Paul if you'll publicly rescind your claim that I raped you, and we'll move on."
Joe turned his back on Avery for a moment. Avery drew a handgun, ordered Joe to sit in a chair, and warned that she wouldn't let him get away with what he'd done to her. Avery said that she'd lost Dylan because Joe had manipulated her. Joe admitted to the things he'd done, but he denied raping her. Avery became agitated and insisted that Joe admit having attacked her in the alley. Joe did as Avery demanded and claimed that he'd raped her.
Dylan arrived, and Avery ordered him to stand near Joe, who'd just confessed. Dylan said that Joe wasn't the man who'd raped Avery. Dylan pleaded with Avery to put down the gun. She lowered the gun, and Joe stood up. Avery fired two shots into the ceiling before lowering the gun and again aiming it at Joe.
Paul and a uniformed officer burst through the door with their weapons drawn. Paul ordered Avery to drop her weapon. Avery obeyed and dropped the gun. Paul told Avery that police had arrested a rapist who had her phone and purse in his possession. Dylan took Avery in his arms and comforted her as tears rolled down her cheeks.
At the Underground, Sage poured out her heart to Michael while she served him a few drinks. Sage told Michael that her life was a mess. Michael replied, "Gabriel Bingham? It can't be easy knowing that your ex-husband is the star witness against your baby's grandfather." Though Sage knew that Gabriel's true identity was Adam Newman, she said she hoped to avoid becoming entangled with the case. Michael explained that avoiding the fray might be impossible for Sage because no one knew her ex-husband better than she did.
Michael asked why Gabriel disliked Victor. Sage said that Gabriel blamed Victor for his father's death. Michael replied, "He knows Jack is really his daddy now. You think he'd drop some of his anger toward Victor, but his hatred only seems to have increased." Michael told Sage that he'd conducted a thorough background check on Gabriel and discovered that he seemed to have "fallen off the grid" for an entire year. Michael asked, "Why the disappearing act?" Sage said that Gabriel had done nothing but care for his ailing grandmother for a year before her death.
Sage became agitated with Michael's inquiries. She said, "Have any other questions for me?" Michael asked, "How did a loving grandson turn into a ruthless manipulator?" Sage suggested that Michael question Chelsea. When Michael asked if Chelsea was the reason Sage and Gabriel had divorced, Sage alluded to many reasons that might lead couples to drift apart. Michael understood the connection Sage had made to his own faltering marriage. Michael gave up and left.
In Victor's office at Newman-Abbott, Nick, Victoria, Chelsea, and Billy met with Adam to create a new mission statement. Disgusted, Nick said that Gabe had wasted hours of their time by rejecting every suggested mission statement. Adam said, "Surely someone has an original thought." Chelsea said, "We're doing our best, Gabe." Nick pointed out that both his father and Billy's had invested their hearts and souls into the company, so merely choosing a string of words to define that legacy would be meaningless.
Chelsea piped up that the company's mission was to create a new company for a new generation. Adam replied, "That's it, isn't it? Our new mission statement. Chelsea, you're a genius." Nick wasn't initially a fan of the new slogan. Billy liked it. Victoria won over Nick. Exhausted, Nick, Victoria, and Billy left.
Chelsea and Adam shared a kiss to celebrate. Chelsea warned Adam that words scrawled on a piece of paper weren't enough to win Nick, Victoria, and Billy's loyalty. Adam noted that Nick had a conscience, unlike Victor. Victoria, Adam noted, would be undone by her blind devotion to her family. Adam added that Billy was torn between his love for Victoria and his loyalty to his family. Chelsea replied, "How do you know so much about everybody? It's like you've known these people forever." Adam shrugged off Chelsea's question.
Nick, Victoria, and Billy joined Sage at the Underground to unwind. Billy mentioned the new mission statement Chelsea had created. Victoria said they should continue to placate Gabriel. Billy said he thought Chelsea would've chosen a decent guy after what she'd endured with Adam, though she'd found another guy just like him. Sage seemed uneasy, but she didn't offer a comment and stepped away briefly to get more drinks. Nick mentioned that his old college friend seemed like a completely different person. Billy noted that Gabe's goal from the beginning had been to win over Chelsea and not allow Sage to stand in his way.
Sage walked away after she overheard Billy's comment. Nick joined Sage and asked about her fake marriage to Gabe. Nick said it seemed as if Sage was still tied in some way to Gabe. In a brief flashback, Sage recalled having made love to Adam. Sage replied, "There is nothing tying me to Gabe. I'm just looking forward to my future with you and with our baby." Nick embraced Sage and said, "So am I."
Chelsea was with Adam at the office when he received a warning phone call from Sage. Adam was still talking to Sage when Michael arrived. Michael loudly announced that it was too late for Gabriel and Sage to get their stories straight. After the call ended, Michael asked Adam about the last year of his life. Adam said he'd spent the year taking care of his grandmother. Michael noted that both Gabriel and Sage had explained the absence the same way, as if they'd rehearsed it.
Chelsea asked Michael how his question related to Victor's defense or Jack's shooting. Michael explained that Gabe's credibility would be called into question. Michael suggested that Gabe had blackmailed Victor in ordered to gain control of the company. Michael warned that Gabe's life would be on trial in the courtroom just the same as Victor's. After Michael left, Chelsea said that Gabe had railed against the Newman family while maintaining loyalty to Jack as if he owed him a favor.
Adam expressed his desire to make love to Chelsea. Afterward, the two sipped Champagne before Chelsea left. Adam gazed at Victor's portrait and said, "I was smart enough to fool you. How does it feel knowing the son who was never good enough and only wanted your approval more than anything is running your company? I won." Adam raised his Champagne glass and said, "A toast to me. A toast to Adam Newman." Adam heard the sound of breaking glass. When he turned his head, he saw Chelsea, who looked shocked.
In Jack's room at the hospital, Marisa talked to an unconscious Jack. He could hear her and responded in thoughts, but he couldn't speak. Marisa said, "I didn't help you get here to die in a hospital bed. You need to wake up and reclaim your life." Phyllis entered the room and demanded that Marisa identify herself. A security guard stood nearby while Phyllis quizzed Marisa.
Noah entered the room and called Marisa by name. Noah explained that Marisa worked at the Underground, where she'd cut her hand on broken glass. Phyllis persisted and asked why the woman had wandered into Jack's room. Marisa cried out when Phyllis snatched her hand to check for an injury. Phyllis apologized, but Marisa said she understood why Phyllis was concerned about her husband.
After Noah, Marisa, and the guard left, Phyllis grasped Jack's hand and said that Marisa seemed to know him. Jack squeezed Phyllis' hand once indicating that she did. Jack thought to himself that he couldn't yet admit knowing Marisa because there were too many unanswered questions about Marco, Victor, and Adam. After Phyllis asked if Victor had lured Jack to the park, he squeezed her hand twice, indicating that Victor hadn't. After asking a series of questions, Phyllis surmised that Victor had intended to protect himself from someone other than Jack. Phyllis placed a pen in Jack's hand and held up a notepad for him. Jack wrote the numeral 2.
In her suite at the Genoa City Athletic Club, Noah asked Marisa about her ex-boyfriend. Marisa said he'd been forgotten in her past. Noah reminded Marisa that her ex-boyfriend had a connection to Marco Annicelli, a drug lord who was connected to Courtney's murder. Noah asked Marisa why she'd gone to Jack's hospital room. Noah discounted Marisa's explanation of having just wandered in and asked about her abusive ex-boyfriend.
Marisa told Noah that she'd overheard Kevin mention that Jack's shooting might be tied to the murders of Courtney and Austin. Marisa promised not to interfere again and said she would allow the police to handle the investigation. Noah left, but he later returned for his phone. Marisa, dripping wet, was wrapped only in a towel when she answered a knock at her door and gave Noah his phone. After Marisa closed the door, Noah lingered in the hallway and took a deep breath.
In the CEO's office at Newman-Abbott, Adam gloated to Victor's portrait that the son who had never been good enough in Victor's eyes was running the company. Adam crowed that he'd won, and he proposed a toast to himself. "To Adam Newman," he declared, but he turned around when a glass shattered behind him, and a horrified Chelsea asked why he'd said that. He denied that he'd called himself Adam, and he grappled for an explanation, but Chelsea repeated his exact words.
Adam jokingly stated that he was an identity thief who'd had plastic surgery, and he suggested that Elvis was also alive. He added that he'd been messing around after having too much to drink, and he'd tried to rile up "Lurch." Chelsea wondered how he had known that was one of Victor's nicknames, and Adam claimed that everyone knew about it. She thought he was hiding something, and she told him not to dare deny what she'd witnessed. She threatened to walk out the door and be out of his life forever unless he told her the truth. "I told you the truth. It's me -- Adam," Adam confessed, and tears rolled down Chelsea's face as she stared at him in disbelief.
Chelsea recalled that the authorities had identified Adam's body through dental records, and Adam revealed that the coroner's report had been falsified. He explained that he should have died in the explosion, but the real Gabriel Bingham had rescued him by pulling him out of the wreckage, and Gabriel had lost his own life while saving Adam's. Adam added that Gabriel's had been the body the police had identified, and Adam had woken up at the Bingham estate with third-degree burns all over his body. He continued that the doctors hadn't been sure he would make it, and Sage had paid the coroner to falsify the records to allow a dying Constance to believe her grandson was still alive.
Adam said Sage had given him Gabriel's face and name, and he'd gone from a dead man walking to having a new life. Chelsea protested that Adam would have returned to her, but he said that was why he was there, and he thought Chelsea had known from the time she'd first seen him again at the Athletic Club. He swore he was the same man who'd proposed to her in the rain and helped her get her GED by testing her with flashcards, and she demanded to how he knew those things. He maintained that he was her husband, and he reflected on the times they'd watched The Outsiders and fantasized about being a Norman Rockwell family. He begged her to look at him and believe him, and a sobbing Chelsea caressed his face and called him Adam. He held her and reassured her that it was he.
Adam lamented that it had been exhausting not being able to tell Chelsea everything, and she asked why he hadn't. He pointed out that there was a price on his head, and she incredulously inquired whether he'd thought she would have turned him in to the police. He recalled how she'd felt about his involvement in Delia's accident, and he hadn't been sure if Chelsea had wanted him back. Chelsea ranted that he'd seen how devastated she'd been when she'd thought he was gone, and he'd made her think he was dead the whole time. Adam apologetically explained that it had been a story to protect her, and it had snowballed into one lie after another, but he swore that she knew the whole truth.
Adam contended that the only thing that mattered was that he and Chelsea were together, but she protested that everything had been based on a lie. Adam insisted that his love for her was real, but she flatly stated that her love had ended the day Delia had died. Chelsea spat that he would have let her think he was Gabriel for the rest of their lives if she hadn't walked in when she had, and Adam said he'd wanted things to be the way they had been before the accident. He was sure that she loved him no matter what his name or face was, and he gushed that they'd found their way back together because they were meant to be together forever. "There's no such thing as forever," she replied, but he asked if she really believed that.
Adam recalled that Chelsea had said she'd wanted her husband back more than anything, and he acknowledged that the situation wasn't perfect, but it was their second chance. She skeptically asked if he expected them to be Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Bingham, and he replied that it was the way it had to be. She testily inquired whether he anticipated adopting Connor and pretending to be part of the Bingham family while she said nothing, and she accused him of conning their son. Adam thought they could explain the mess to Connor when their son was an adult, but Chelsea whimpered that she couldn't handle it. Adam wondered if she preferred to see him rotting away in prison, forcing Connor to lose his father all over again.
Chelsea thought Connor had already lost Adam either way, but Adam envisioned helping to raise his son. Chelsea suggested that Adam try being a role model instead of a coward by confessing to his crime, but he stressed that it had been an accident. She argued that covering it up hadn't been, and she was appalled that he had looked Billy in the eye and had allowed Jack to believe Gabriel was his son. Adam revealed that the paternity claim had been Jack's idea to keep Victor off Adam's trail, and Chelsea realized that Jack had known the truth about Adam.
Chelsea became livid that Adam had told Jack but not her, and Adam explained that Jack had been the one person he'd trusted to help him, since Billy also stood to go to prison if the truth emerged. Adam showed her his scar and divulged that he'd made up the story about a drunken girlfriend, but Billy had shot him. Chelsea was stunned, and Adam said he'd been on his way to the police station to confess before Billy had confronted him. Chelsea realized that Adam wouldn't jeopardize being CEO of Newman-Abbott by revealing his true identity, and Adam questioned whether she blamed him for wanting to hold on to the company.
Chelsea guessed that Adam had blackmailed Victor into putting him charge, and she barked that Adam hadn't changed a bit. She angrily hoped Adam could sleep at night, and he replied that he always figured something out, but she asked at whose expense it would be. She pondered what it would do to her to keep his secret and what effect it would have on Connor, and she couldn't understand how Adam could do that to them. Adam swore that he'd never wanted to hurt Chelsea, and he never would have put her in that position if there were another way out.
Chelsea argued that there was another way, and she asked Adam to consider turning himself in. He protested that he'd just gotten his wife and son back, and he refused to lose them again. She sobbed that she couldn't do it, and she turned to leave, but he grabbed her and pleaded that he was fighting for his life. He begged her to help him, and she tearfully said she couldn't believe he was alive, but she didn't know if she could live with what he'd done. Over Adam's protests, Chelsea pulled away and walked out.
At the hospital, Phyllis struggled to make sense of the number two that Jack had scrawled on a pad of paper, and he confirmed with a hand squeeze that it was what he'd intended to draw. Meanwhile, a nurse reported to Victor's guard that Jack had been coherent enough to write something down, but she wasn't close enough to see what it was. Phyllis urged Jack to name the person Victor had meant to shoot, and she guessed that Victor had been meeting two people in the park. Jack squeezed her hand twice, and she became frustrated because she didn't understand. Jack thought to himself that she had to find Marco and stop him, and his monitors began beeping. Phyllis yelled for help, and medical personnel ran in to tend to Jack.
The doctor informed Phyllis that Jack was still comatose, but she insisted that he'd squeezed her hand to respond to her questions. The doctor maintained that it could have been involuntary movement, and Jack was completely unresponsive. Phyllis sat at Jack's bedside and said the important thing was that he was still there, and she refused to give up hope that he would wake up and tell them who had put him in that condition.
Phyllis asked if Jack had been trying to give her a heart attack, and she gently scolded him for overdoing it to get attention from the hospital staff. She wondered if he could hear her or squeeze her hand, but he didn't respond. She suggested they try again after he got some rest, and they could figure out what he'd been trying to tell her when he got his strength back.
At the police station, Victor insisted to Christine that he'd already told the truth, but she pointed out that there wasn't a shred of evidence to corroborate anything but the opposite of what he'd said. She suggested summoning Michael to explain the terms of a plea bargain, but Victor asserted that they had nothing more to talk about. Christine stressed that if Victor confessed to a lesser charge, he'd serve less time than he would for attempted murder or for murder if Jack died.
Victor reiterated that he'd had no motive to kill Jack, but Christine reminded him that there had been a witness. Victor argued that Gabriel stood to profit financially and professionally by lying, and he anticipated that Michael would shred Gabriel to pieces on the stand. Victor asserted that Christine had offered him a deal because her case had no legs, and he respectfully declined.
Later, Phyllis visited Victor and asked if the number two Jack had drawn meant anything to him. She explained that Jack had written it when she'd asked about the shooting, and Victor assumed Jack was out of the coma. Phyllis reported that Jack was unresponsive again, but she found it interesting that Jack had wanted her to see the number. Victor remarked that Jack had done a lot of things he didn't understand, but Phyllis asserted that Jack never would have given Victor a reason to shoot him. Victor reiterated that the Jack that Phyllis had known no longer existed, since Jack had accused him of embezzlement and would have killed Victor if he hadn't protected himself.
Phyllis was surprised by Victor's sincerity, and Victor pledged to make sure Jack never hurt her. She demanded the truth about what had happened on the night of the shooting, and Victor wished he could help, but he claimed to be baffled by what Jack had written. Phyllis picked up the paper and said it didn't add up, and she suspected that both Victor and Gabriel knew more than they were letting on. Victor swore that he was as much in the dark as she was, but she huffed that Victor Newman was never in the dark, and she vowed to prove it unless Jack beat her to it.
In Joe's hotel suite, Paul revealed that the man who'd been apprehended during an assault had been in possession of Avery's cell phone and purse, and he thought they'd found Avery's rapist. He instructed an officer to inform hotel management that they had the situation under control and to have a technical team collect evidence in Joe's room. Dylan scoffed at the idea that Paul would arrest Avery, but Paul replied that he absolutely had to, since it had been a crime to intentionally discharge a firearm in the hotel. Dylan defended that Avery had been under duress, but Avery said she could speak for herself, and she admitted that she'd pulled the trigger.
Avery understood that Paul had to do things by the book, and she glared at Joe and coldly added that Paul had been sued the last time he'd looked the other way. Paul recognized that even people who filed nuisance lawsuits deserved the protection of the law, and Dylan pointed out that Joe could simply drop the charges. Paul said the hotel was also a victim, but he assumed management would agree to drop the charges if Joe did. Dylan worried that Avery's career could be permanently damaged, and he appealed to Joe to consider what kind of person she was and how her work had helped people.
Joe scoffed at Dylan's concern for Avery's career when she'd falsely accused Joe of rape, and he angrily stated that she'd had a gun pointed at Joe five minutes earlier, so he was the victim. Avery yelled that she'd been raped, and Michael entered and requested a word with his client alone. Michael urged Avery to take baby steps to get her out of there without legal issues, and she realized that he wanted her to apologize to Joe, but she didn't want to. Michael reasoned that it was a simple thing and that she could keep her fingers crossed behind her back, and he advised her to apologize in order to walk out free and clear.
Paul commended Dylan for handling Avery well, and Dylan replied that she hadn't wanted to hurt anyone and that she trusted him. Dylan added that he'd been in a lot of bad situations, and Paul suggested that Dylan train his guys how to act. Dylan chucked at the idea of working for the police department.
Avery hesitantly faced Joe and proclaimed that she was very sorry she'd ever met him, and she was sorry she'd shot the bullet into the ceiling instead of his face. Dylan said he had to head out, and Avery replied that Michael was on babysitting duty, so Dylan could go home to Sharon. Dylan started to walk to the door, but he stopped and noted that Avery had never given up on him. He added that she'd always talked him down from whatever trouble he'd gotten into, and she'd encouraged him to get help and talk to someone. Avery affectionately remarked that it had taken him long enough to believe her, and he hoped she got help, too. She agreed that she needed it.
Michael wanted to take Avery home to rest up before she turned herself in, and she confided that she didn't think she could continue to practice law. Michael assured her that she wouldn't be disbarred over the charges, but she reminded him that she had to believe in the cause. She explained that she'd dedicated her life to the law, but she'd taken it into her own hands because she hadn't trusted the system. She promised that she wouldn't leave their practice in the lurch, and he offered to take care of their caseload while she took some time off.
Michael suggested that Avery take a few days to clear her head, and she would return ready to believe in herself and her cause, but she feared it would take longer than that. Avery thought she needed to leave town for a little while, but Michael didn't want her to go. He assured her that she'd get through it, and he reminded her that she had a support network there. Michael offered to take Avery home, and she tearfully put her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her.
At Crimson Lights, Dylan stared at the frayed photo of Avery that he'd carried with him in combat. He heard someone enter, and he called out that the coffeehouse was closed. Sharon replied that she knew, and they hugged. He said he'd needed to gather his thoughts about Avery, and Sharon commented that Avery needed all the positive thoughts she could get. Dylan worried that Avery was in trouble with the law and in a lot of pain, and he'd told her that she needed help. He added that someone needed to help Avery, but it wouldn't be him.
Dylan explained that he didn't feel like he'd lost Avery, but he'd said goodbye to that part of his life. Sharon recognized that the feelings would always be with him, but they would soften over time as the memories became more distant. She began to place the chairs on the tables, but he warned that she wasn't supposed to lift anything, and he wanted to be extra cautious. She assured him that lifting a chair wouldn't hurt the baby, and he vowed that nothing would. Sharon called it sexy how protective Dylan was of the baby, and he noted that she'd been just as protective by sending Paul to Joe's room. He agreed that it was sexy, and they kissed.
Joe looked at a photo of Avery on his phone as he drank at the club bar, and he called Paul and announced that he'd decided not to press charges against Avery. As Joe turned to leave, Cane slugged him for sleeping with Lily.
At the hospital, Adam closed the shade on the window of Jack's room, and he revealed to a comatose Jack that he'd told Chelsea who he really was. Adam said he'd never seen her that scared and heartbroken, and she had gotten upset and left. Adam had no idea where she'd gone, but no one had confronted him yet, and he wondered if perhaps Chelsea just needed time alone to think. Adam swore that everything he'd done had been for her and their family, but the person he'd risked everything for might be arranging for Adam to spend the rest of his life in prison.
Adam rambled that he'd thought he had everything, but it had all been a bunch of lies, and he didn't know if he was more scared or relieved that Chelsea knew everything. The door opened, and Billy observed that Gabriel had been spending a lot of time talking to Jack, but he figured it was easy for Gabriel to spill his guts when Jack had no choice but to keep Gabriel's secrets. Billy imagined that Gabriel expected Jack to forgive him when Jack woke up, but Billy thought that would never happen after everything Gabriel had done. Adam asked if Billy wanted to kill him, and Billy admitted that there had been a time when he'd wanted nothing more than that, but he had moved past it.
Billy acknowledged that he'd hated Gabriel for pursuing Chelsea, but he'd accepted that the couple was together. Billy added that he wanted the company with his family's name to succeed, but he couldn't get past how Gabriel had used Jack's shooting to his own advantage. Billy condemned Gabriel for acting like he cared about Jack, and Adam swore that he did. Billy pointed out that Gabriel had only known that Jack was his father for a few months, but Jack had been Billy's brother for Billy's whole life, and Billy couldn't lose Jack like he'd lost Delia. Adam sincerely said he was truly sorry about what had happened to Billy's daughter.
Billy said he hadn't been looking for sympathy, and he requested some time alone with his brother. Adam told Jack to get better and called him a good man with a lot to live for, and he stepped out. Billy grumbled that he'd wanted a quiet visit, and he recognized that Jack had chosen to embrace Gabriel as his son, but he hoped Jack saw Gabriel for who he really was -- a guy who didn't care about anyone but himself. Outside, Adam made a call and instructed someone to gather everyone at the office for an emergency meeting, since he had an announcement that couldn't wait.
Chelsea arrived at the Underground, and Sage offered her some coffee, but Chelsea snapped at Sage not to get near her. Chelsea coldly added that she knew, and Sage feigned ignorance, but Chelsea divulged that Adam had told her everything about how Sage had helped him take over Gabriel's life and face. Sage approached her, but Chelsea warned Sage to stay back, since she didn't want to slap a pregnant woman in the face. Chelsea asked why Sage had helped Adam to become someone else, and Sage wondered what Adam had said. Chelsea guessed that Sage had done it for the money, and Sage conceded that the inheritance had been a small part of it, but she pointed out that she'd walked away from it.
Sage explained that Adam had nearly been dead when she'd met him, and she'd felt terrible because he'd been burned and in terrible pain, but she had also been furious and devastated that Gabriel had risked his life to save Adam's. Sage continued that Constance wouldn't have survived the shock of her grandson's death, and Sage hadn't been able to stand the thought of losing Constance right after losing Gabriel, so she'd made the decision that Gabriel would live on. Chelsea noted that Sage and Adam had provided similar stories about being motivated by love, but she thought Adam had been more motivated by Victor and getting control of the company.
Sage insisted that Adam had returned for Chelsea and Connor, and Adam had spoken of them from the moment he'd been conscious. Chelsea was doubtful, but Sage recalled the skin grafts, operations, and rehab Adam had gone through, and she was sure that only the thought of getting back to Chelsea had kept him going. Sage added that no risk had been too great for Adam to have a chance for even one more minute with Chelsea, and Chelsea wiped away tears.
Chelsea didn't think Sage's story would fly if it went public, and Sage realized that Chelsea hadn't told anyone else that Adam was alive. Chelsea reasoned that she needed time and answers, but all she'd gotten from Sage was a pretty spin on Adam and Sage's unholy alliance. Sage said she'd been scared people would find out the truth, but Adam had been unwilling to stop until he'd gotten Chelsea back. Sage contended that the one truth in the midst of all the lies was that Adam loved Chelsea, and Sage hadn't understood why Adam had been so driven until Nick had changed her life.
Sage became emotional as she referred to carrying the baby she'd been told she could never have, and she knew how much having a family meant to Chelsea. Sage sobbed that she stood to lose everything if Chelsea told everyone the truth, and she begged Chelsea not to do it. Chelsea pointed out that people had been hurt, but Sage contended that nothing would give Billy his daughter back. Sage swore that she'd regret her part in the deception for the rest of her life, but she beseeched Chelsea not to make Nick and the baby pay for Sage's mistakes. Chelsea was clearly affected, but she said she couldn't make any promises, and she walked out.
At Newman-Abbott, Phyllis filled in Ashley about Jack communicating through hand squeezes that Victor hadn't intended to shoot him but that Victor hadn't fired in self-defense. Phyllis added that Jack had been clear that he'd meant to write the number two, but Victor had dismissed it, even though she'd had a feeling Victor knew what it meant. Phyllis hoped Ashley could help her figure it out, but Ashley said Victor didn't trust her anymore. Phyllis thought Ashley was their best chance to uncover what Victor was hiding, and Nick overheard and refused to let them railroad his father.
Phyllis explained that she'd just gotten new information about the shooting, and Nick wondered if it could clear Victor. Phyllis replied that it probably wouldn't, but she needed to pursue it, and she imagined that Nick also had lingering questions about what had really happened. Ashley urged Nick to hear Phyllis out, and she departed. Nick asked what Phyllis had learned.
Phyllis updated Nick about Jack scrawling the number two, and she wondered if Nick knew of anything that would help explain why Victor had shot Jack. Nick swore he already would have told her if he did, and he asked if Jack had been able to get anything else significant across. Phyllis hesitated to respond, but Nick implored her to trust him if she wanted his help. Phyllis revealed that Jack had thought he hadn't been the intended target, and she'd been trying to figure out who Victor had wanted to shoot. She believed she knew who the bullet had been meant for, but she needed proof to back up her theory.
Phyllis speculated that Victor had intended to shoot Gabriel, but Jack had taken the bullet meant for his son. Nick wondered how the number two fit in, and he thought that Gabriel would have said Victor had been gunning for Gabriel. Nick added that Victor had insisted that he'd acted in self-defense, and if Victor had meant to target Gabriel, Victor would have said Gabriel had been the threat. Phyllis guessed that Victor and Gabriel had cooked up the whole story to throw everyone off track, but Nick countered that the men hated one another, and he thought she was just trying to make the pieces fit.
Phyllis was stymied by who else Victor's intended victim could have been, and Nick suggested that perhaps she'd misinterpreted what Jack had meant. Phyllis began to cry, and she vowed not to let Jack down, but she was sure she hadn't misinterpreted anything. Nick sympathized that it was painful for her, but he believed Victor's story, and Phyllis warned that Nick would regret putting his trust in Victor.
At the police station, Victoria reported to Victor that she and Nick were trying to throw Gabriel off his game by making him think the Newman siblings could be divided and conquered. Victor declared that it gave him hope to see his kids working together to get a firm grip on the company. Victoria mentioned that Billy was playing along with the ruse, and Victor scolded her for trusting "that punk" with their plans. Victoria argued that Billy wanted to get rid of Gabriel as much as they did, but they'd chosen not to involve Abby, who was enjoying the new promotion Gabriel had given her.
Victor inquired about how Abby was doing as COO, and Victoria begrudgingly admitted that Abby had closed a deal, but she griped that Abby had done it by playing to the male ego rather than negotiating. Victor pointed out that Abby's success reflected on Gabriel, and he suspected Gabriel would become cockier if Abby was successful. Victor advised Victoria not to forget their plan, since once they were rid of Gabriel and Victor was out of there, the Newmans would be back on top.
Later, Ashley visited Victor, and they made small talk about how he was doing. She swore her concern was genuine, but he was surprised that she'd wanted to see him after the last time they'd interacted. She defended that she'd been upset about her brother, and that hadn't changed, since Jack had suffered a setback. Victor said he was sorry to hear it, and Ashley thought he actually sounded like he meant it. Victor countered that he'd thought she'd washed her hands of him, but Ashley replied that he'd been wrong.
Ashley reported that Abby was doing well in her new position, but she thought Abby was throwing herself into work to avoid dealing with her mixed emotions. Ashley bemoaned that it had been a nightmare for everyone who cared about both Jack and Victor, and Victor asked if she believed his claim of self-defense. Ashley had a hard time imagining that Victor had felt threatened enough to shoot Jack, but she also couldn't picture Victor going to the park to execute her brother, so she was struggling to understand. Victor invited her to ask as many questions as she wanted.
Ashley informed Victor that Jack had managed to convey to Phyllis that Victor had meant to shoot someone else, but they had been unable to figure out who it had been. Victor pointed out that Ashley was accusing him of myriad crimes, and he maintained that he'd shot Jack in self-defense. Ashley stressed that Jack had known what he'd been communicating when he'd written the number two, but Victor argued that the cops would have asked him about it if it was the key to understanding everything. Victor cautioned that Phyllis was losing her mind, and he advised Ashley not to be dragged into the hole with her. Later, Victor summoned the guard and said there was something else Victor needed him to do.
At the hospital, Phyllis told Jack that she and Ashley were trying to unlock the mystery of what Jack had been trying to tell them, and she brainstormed ideas about what the number two meant. She conceded that there were holes in her theory that Victor had meant to shoot Gabriel, and she said it would be a whole lot easier if Jack woke up and told her what he'd been trying to say. She contemplated whether she'd been reading too much into some scribble, and she begged Jack for his help.
Phyllis implored Jack to return to her again, not to tell her about the shooting but to hold her hand and talk to her the way he had before. She said she missed him, and she asked him to give her a sign. Ashley walked in and asked if Jack had been communicating at all, but Phyllis replied that he hadn't yet. Ashley relayed that Victor hadn't confided in her, and she didn't think she could get Victor to tell the truth. Ashley maintained that Victor's walls were firmly up, and only one person could get through to him. Phyllis realized she meant Nikki.
At Crimson Lights, Victoria ran into Billy, who apologized for being distracted. He reported that Jack's condition was the same, but he'd had an odd encounter with Gabriel at the hospital. He disclosed that Gabriel had been uncharacteristically compassionate and genuine, and he had sensed that Gabriel had been burdened, like he was guilty and wanted to confess.
Victoria couldn't see Gabriel copping to anything, since he was a sociopath who'd had no problem lying about Victor attempting to commit murder. Billy chided her for having a huge blind spot for her father, and they bickered about whether or not Victor was telling the truth. They both received a text message about Gabriel's meeting, and they agreed to focus on their common enemy. Billy and Victoria left for the meeting.
Nick entered the Underground and noticed that Sage seemed upset. She claimed that she was just nervous about the future, and she tearfully stated that everything would change. He kissed her hand and recognized that there was no bigger shakeup in the world than having a baby, and he remembered being anxious with his first child, but he was sure Sage would be great. She said she wanted to believe it, and she tenderly told him that she loved him. Nick responded that he absolutely loved her, and he offered to tell her as many times as she needed to hear it.
Sage asked Nick to say it again, and they embraced. He asked why she was insecure, and she blamed it on hormones, but he pressed her to tell him what was really going on. Nick got a call and said he was on his way. He informed Sage that Gabriel had called an emergency meeting, and he had no idea what it was about, but everyone would be there. Sage said there was something Nick needed to know before he left.
Adam stopped by to see Chelsea at the penthouse, and he promised that he wasn't there to tell her what to do, since he was taking it out of her hands completely. He revealed that he'd called a meeting at the office to tell everyone the truth and deal with the consequences of his actions, and she asked if he was serious. He thought it was the only thing he could do after he'd put her in a terrible position, since it was his secret and his problem. Chelsea countered that it was hers, too, and she wondered what had made him change his mind.
Adam explained that he'd seen Billy at the hospital, and Adam's remorse had bubbled to the surface when he'd seen the pain in Billy's eyes as Billy had talked about Delia. Chelsea mentioned that Billy would face charges for shooting Adam, but Adam contended that no one had to know that part of the story. She was grateful, but she questioned why he hadn't told Billy everything already. Adam had expected that Billy would have turned him in right away, but there had been something Adam had wanted to ask Chelsea first.
Adam asked to see Connor, and he swore he wouldn't confuse the boy, but he wanted to hold his son one last time. Chelsea started to go upstairs to fetch the tot, and Adam said he'd appreciate it if she allowed Connor to visit him. She asked if Adam meant in prison, and Adam explained that it was important for Connor to know who his father was. Chelsea said she couldn't commit to anything, but she agreed to think about it.
Adam took Chelsea's hands in his and reflected back on all the time he'd kept the truth from her in order to stay in her life, and he felt a sense of relief that she knew everything. Chelsea said she'd known "Gabriel" had been holding something back from her, and Adam professed his love and said he was sorry for everything he'd put her through, but it was time he did right by her and their son.
Adam placed Connor on his lap and promised that the boy would have a life full of love and happiness. A torn Chelsea watched as Adam said it was what Connor's mom wanted for him because Connor was the most important thing to her, and Connor was lucky to have her. Adam compared Chelsea to his own wonderful mother, and he was sorry his son would never get to meet Hope. Adam recalled that his own father hadn't been around for his childhood, and he hadn't wanted that for Connor, but he promised he'd always be thinking about Connor and Chelsea. Adam swore that he would always love his son, and Chelsea struggled with her emotions as she watched them together.
At Crimson Lights, Noah presented Summer with a cookie bearing a smiley face in frosting, and Summer remarked that she wasn't six years old anymore. He pointed out that it had made her smile, and he noted that she'd looked miserable until he'd given it to her. Summer credited him with helping her to survive her first wedding anniversary, and Noah was sure Kyle had gotten her through it, but she grumbled that it was complicated to be stuck in between the Newmans and the Abbotts. Noah was glad Summer had Kyle to lean on, and she sympathized that Noah missed Courtney. Summer wondered if Noah looked at Marisa as someone he could lean on.
Noah mentioned that Marisa had gone through some tough times, and Summer joked that he was "pulling a Dad" by taking in strays. Summer pointed out that it didn't hurt that Marisa was gorgeous, but Noah argued that Marisa had been soaking wet with nowhere to go. Summer countered that Marisa was dry and employed, and she asked what else Noah had learned about Marisa. Noah said Marisa hadn't been raised like them, but her past wasn't his business as long as she did a good job.
At the police station, an officer announced that Victor had a visitor, and Victor asked the cop to take his tablet computer. Marisa entered and quipped that she didn't know jails had Wi-Fi, and she assumed it was only for Victor. She introduced herself and reminded Victor that they'd met briefly at the Athletic Club, and she informed him that they had a mutual friend by the name of Marco.
Victor claimed that he didn't know anyone named Marco, and Marisa was impressed that she didn't see even a flicker of recognition in Victor's eyes, but she knew what he'd done to both Marco and Jack. She suspected that Marco had told Victor that she'd died in an accident at sea, and Victor wondered if anyone else had perished in it. Marisa scolded that it was bad manners to ask questions and offer nothing in return, and she suggested that she return another time. Victor ordered her not to play games, but she stated that she was late for work, and she sauntered out.
At the Underground, Nick reiterated that he had to leave, but he suggested that Sage ride with him on his way to the office. She asked him to sit down so she could tell him something, and she said she'd never thought she could have real love or a child. She added that when she thought about Nick and the baby, nothing existed in the world but that, and she whimpered that she didn't know if it was really possible. She worried that she was imagining a future that wouldn't happen, but Nick swore that nothing would get in the way of them having it all.
Nick promised that he wouldn't be at Newman-Abbott forever, but he and Sage had a lifetime ahead of them. He said he had to deal with Gabriel, and he encouraged her to go home and rest. Sage gently touched Nick's face and said he would know she was right by the time he got back, and he assured her that she had nothing to worry about. They kissed, but after he left, she began to sob.
Sage penned a letter to Nick, saying that he would already know everything by the time he read it, and she didn't deserve forgiveness for protecting Adam and his secret. She wrote that she loved Nick, and she would continue to love him no matter where she was. She folded the page, put it in an envelope with Nick's name, and left it behind the bar. Marisa cheerfully announced that she was there for her shift, and she asked if Sage was okay. Sage instructed Marisa to take over until Noah got in, and she hurried out. Marisa stepped behind the bar and found the envelope.
Noah arrived and asked what Marisa was up to, and she claimed that Nick had wanted the invoices for some craft beers he'd ordered. Noah said Nick hadn't mentioned it to him, and he cautioned Marisa against dealing with orders when she was still learning the ropes. She questioned whether Noah thought she was lying, and she said it was up to him whether or not he wanted to believe her. She stalked off, and he spotted the envelope.
At the hospital, Ashley informed Phyllis that she'd just been summoned to an urgent meeting at the office, and she contemplated breaking her phone and pretending that she hadn't received the text message. Phyllis urged Ashley to go to protect Jack's interests, and she left to track down Nikki. Ashley greeted Stitch, who excitedly picked her up and twirled her around. Stitch crowed that he'd been officially reinstated back into the residency program.
Ashley congratulated "Dr. Rayburn," and she said she was happy for him, even though she'd just lost her best chemist ever. He called working in the lab a great experience, and he appreciated her giving him a shot when no one else had. He suggested they celebrate over a drink. Ashley declined because she had to go to a meeting, but she was sure Abby would be excited to join him. Stitch mentioned that Abby had been hard to track down since she'd gotten her new job, and Ashley said Abby needed to learn to ask for help to ease her workload.
At the Athletic Club, Phyllis thanked Nikki for meeting her, and Nikki hoped there was good news about Jack. Phyllis reported that Jack wasn't out of the coma, but he had been able to hear her, and he had squeezed her hand when she'd asked questions. Nikki suspected that Phyllis had imagined it, but Phyllis revealed that Jack had managed to write something about Victor. Nikki protested that Victor wasn't in her life anymore, but Phyllis contended that Jack was, and Jack had let Phyllis know that Victor hadn't gone to the park to shoot him.
Phyllis asserted that Victor had planned to shoot someone else, and she showed Nikki the number two that Jack had drawn. Phyllis explained that she and Ashley had tried to get information out of Victor, but he had been unwilling to share anything. Nikki realized that Phyllis wanted her to push Victor for answers, and she worried that pursuing it wouldn't be healthy for Phyllis or herself. Phyllis admitted that she was on edge, but she was determined to find out what had happened in the park. Phyllis believed that no one but Nikki could get the truth out of Victor, and she begged Nikki to try.
Later, Victor was happy to see Nikki, and she asked if he was ready to be honest with her. He inquired about her health, but she stated that the meeting wasn't about her, and she mentioned that Phyllis had shown her the number two that Jack had written. Nikki asked what it meant, but Victor chided her for asking about a number on a piece of paper when he hadn't seen her for a while. He guessed that Phyllis and Ashley had been unsuccessful, so they'd sent Nikki because they knew Victor loved her.
Nikki thought it made no sense for Victor to think that Jack would have attacked her and her children if Victor hadn't shot him, but Victor said there was more to the man than she was aware, and he repeated that he'd shot Jack in self-defense. Nikki pointed out that no gun had been found on Jack at the scene, and Victor asserted that Gabriel had taken the gun to make it look as if Victor had been unprovoked. Victor urged Nikki to find out where Gabriel was hiding the other gun.
At Chelsea's penthouse, Adam told Connor that he would love the tot every second of every day, but it was goodbye "for now." Adam turned to a tearful Chelsea, and he guessed it was goodbye for them, too. Adam imagined that everyone was already waiting for Gabriel at the office, and he expected Billy would be out for blood once Adam told the truth. Chelsea recalled that Billy's life had fallen apart when Delia had died, and they'd also hurt Billy by getting together. Adam said Billy had never deserved Chelsea, but he thought Billy deserved justice for Delia, and he stood by his decision not to tell anyone that Billy had shot him.
Chelsea suggested that they tell everyone together, but he didn't want her to be there. Adam anticipated being charged with no chance of bail, and he realized that he probably wouldn't see the outside of a jail cell after that night, but it was the right thing to do. Adam handed Connor to Chelsea, and he took one last look at his family. After Adam departed, Chelsea held Connor close as she cried.
Billy and Victoria entered Gabriel's office and griped that Gabriel wasn't even at his own meeting. Abby walked in as she instructed Kyle to distribute the latest operations reports, and he sarcastically stated that he was glad to be her personal assistant. Abby said it allowed her to concentrate on her meeting with the warehouse workers' representative, and Billy mentioned that he'd been working on that deal for weeks. Abby declared that it was a meeting the COO should take, and she ordered Billy and Victoria to stay out of her way.
Victoria said she didn't want Abby to fail, and Kyle asserted that no one wanted to see the company tank, no matter who was in charge. Abby asked for support for her contributions, and Billy warned that the workers' representative played hardball. Abby argued that Gabriel trusted her to handle the meeting, and she wished her family would, too. Abby declared that she had to follow her own instincts as COO, and she was determined to take the meeting and make sure the warehouse workers didn't become a headache. Billy said they'd deal with Gabriel without her.
Nick and Ashley arrived, and she imagined that Jack would have wanted her to be in charge, since she was loyal to the Abbotts. A surly Abby questioned whether she wasn't Abbott enough, and Ashley contended that the company needed a leader with experience. Ashley asked to speak to Abby alone, and she expressed confidence that Abby would be a great executive one day, but the company needed a seasoned leader right away. Abby insisted that she was ready, but Ashley suggested that Abby call Stitch, who had some news that he wanted to share. Adam entered and remarked that he was glad they were all there, since they needed to talk about the future.
Ashley noted that Gabriel had ordered them to get there in a hurry, but he didn't seem prepared. Kyle wondered if Gabriel was ready to admit that he had no business being in Victor's chair, but Abby suggested that they all focus on business. Adam said he hadn't asked them there on business, and Nick huffed that he didn't need to be there if it wasn't about work. Adam proclaimed that it was about who he was, since Gabriel Bingham was gone as of that day. Chelsea burst in and told Adam not to say another word.
Adam stressed that he hadn't wanted Chelsea there, but she insisted that they discuss her position at the company. She mentioned that she'd gone with Abby to the meeting to negotiate shipping terms, and she wanted to get more involved in the business. Adam reminded Chelsea that they'd agreed "it" had to happen, but Chelsea insisted that what they'd said in private moments should remain private. Adam stammered that there would be no meeting, and Nick queried whether Gabriel had been about to step down. Adam claimed that the meeting had been about restructuring, but he needed to hear Chelsea out first.
Adam asked everyone else to leave, and Ashley warned Gabriel to pull it together to avoid pulling the company down with him. Ashley invited Abby to go to the hospital to see Stitch, but Abby said she had a meeting. Ashley protested, but Abby snapped that Ashley had focused on work her whole life, so she shouldn't be surprised that Abby wanted to do the same thing. Adam thanked everyone for being there as they filed out, and he turned to Chelsea and asked why she'd stopped him from telling them who he was.
Chelsea admitted that she'd dreamed of having Adam back and finding a way to be a family, but it had just been a dream. She added that every moment they'd shared had been a lie, but he insisted that their love and chemistry were real. Adam pointed out that he'd planned to kill the lie that day, but she'd covered for him. Chelsea explained that she'd done it for everyone else and not for him, since his confession would destroy things for Billy, Nick, and Sage, and none of them deserved more pain. Adam asked whether Chelsea was sure she wasn't doing it for herself, and he hoped she'd realized that she wanted him in her life.
Adam contended that the world knew he and Chelsea were together, and nothing had to change. He apologized for everything he'd put her through, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make it up to her. Chelsea recognized that Sage was having a baby with a great man, and Billy would never get over what had happened to Delia, but Billy took comfort in believing that Adam couldn't hurt anyone else.
Adam promised that no one had to know Billy had shot him, but Chelsea worried that it could get out, and Katie and Johnny deserved to have their father. Adam asked if she thought Connor deserved his father, but Chelsea firmly stated that Adam's name was Gabriel Bingham, and he didn't have a son or a wife. Chelsea added that her husband was dead, and that was how they had to play it. She walked out.
At the Athletic Club, Stitch happily informed Abby that the doctor was in, and she said she was excited for him, as was her mom. He asked if Abby was mad, and she explained that it had been awkward that Ashley had heard the news first, but she was irked because her families were treating her like a traitor for stepping up. Abby complained that Gabriel was the only person who thought she was capable of acting like a responsible adult, but Stitch said he was on her side. He suggested that they have some Champagne, but she said she had a meeting with the warehouse workers' representative in two minutes.
Abby offered to spring for a second bottle later, but Stitch said he had a shift at the hospital. He wasn't crazy about her taking the meeting on her own, since warehouse guys weren't known for their manners, but she vowed to celebrate after she closed the deal. Abby suggested that Stitch go to the gym, since it would look odd for her boyfriend to join her meeting, but he wanted to watch her work and be ready to step in if needed.
Ashley returned to the hospital and told Phyllis that the meeting had been a waste of time, but she thought the pressure was making Gabriel crack. Phyllis hoped it got to him enough to tell them what had happened in the park, and Nikki joined them and reported that Victor hadn't been pleased that they'd sent her to see him, but he'd told her that they needed to find where Gabriel had stashed Jack's gun. Ashley guessed that Gabriel had hidden it in a place he could access again if he needed it to reappear, and Nikki thought it was in Chelsea's penthouse. Meanwhile, Victor asked if the guard had done what he'd asked, and the officer assured Victor that someone would find a certain something.
Nick, Victoria, and Billy went to the Underground, and Nick thought they'd made the right call to exclude Abby from their plan. Billy hoped to lure Gabriel into a false sense of security so they could step in when he screwed up, and a distracted Nick stepped aside and asked Noah if Sage was in the back, but Noah didn't think she was there. Nick mentioned that Gabriel had called a meeting to make a big announcement, but it had been canceled, and he took off to find Sage. Marisa told Noah that she wasn't feeling well, and she asked Noah to cover for her.
Billy gleefully recalled watching Gabriel melt down, and Victoria noted that Gabriel had obviously confided in Chelsea. She thought Chelsea might need someone to talk to, and she insinuated that Billy should take one for the team. Nick returned and reported that Sage hadn't answered his call, and Victoria was sure Sage was just taking a nap. Behind the bar, Noah opened the envelope and found the invoices Marisa had mentioned.
In the park, Marisa approached Sage and insisted that Sage couldn't leave, and she handed over the letter Sage had written to Nick. Sage testily stated that it was none of Marisa's business, but Marisa replied that she'd already known about everything. Marisa revealed that Adam had said nothing about his identity in the meeting, so Sage was safe. Sage demanded to know who Marisa was, but Marisa said it was better that Sage didn't know. Marisa added that they all had their secrets, including Jack and Victor.
At Crimson Lights, Michael suggested that he and Avery postpone their press conference for the Innocence Foundation, but she insisted that it would be good for her. He assured her it was a simple question-and-answer session to get the Humboldt case some attention before the appeal, but he observed that she was distracted. She said she could handle it in her sleep, and she insisted that she had to do it to feel normal again.
Michael decided to stay, and Avery grumbled that he was like the big brother she'd never had or wanted. He agreed to leave if she promised him that she was okay, and she replied that she couldn't say that, but she knew she could handle the press conference. Michael guessed that she was wondering how she could advocate for clients who had been wrongly accused after she'd abandoned her principles to punish Joe, but he was certain that anyone who had suffered the way she had would have done the same thing.
At the Athletic Club, Abby groused to Stitch that she'd nailed the shipping negotiations, but no one took her seriously. He pointed out that Gabriel and Chelsea did, but Abby was determined to prove she could do her job by finalizing the deal with the warehouse workers, since Billy had gotten nowhere. Two men arrived at the club for the meeting, and Stitch offered to sit in, but Abby was confident that it was her moment to shine.
Abby told the warehouse representatives that it was critical to have good salaries and benefits to keep the workers happy, but one of the men recalled that Billy had indicated otherwise. She declared that Billy was no longer handling the negotiations -- she was. At the bar, a third man remarked to Stitch that Abby was the hottest female executive he'd ever seen, and he imagined the negotiations wouldn't be too difficult. The man approached the table and introduced himself as Guy Berg, and he told the other representatives that he could take it from there.
After the other men left, and Guy commented that it had been a shrewd move to send someone with Abby's looks to handle the meeting. She declared that the labor dispute had gone on much too long, and she was there to settle it. Guy said he was convinced they could make a real deal, and she suggested they order some Champagne. Guy said he enjoyed having a woman at the negotiating table, but Abby warned him that she was just as tough and fair as any man. He remarked that she was easier on the eyes, and she replied that his first mistake had been to assume she traded based on her looks.
Abby complained that she was thirsty, but they couldn't pour the Champagne until they arrived at a deal. She offered a modest pay increase and a basic benefit package, but he balked at the mention of "modest." Guy wanted benefits on par with "the suits," and Abby assured him that management valued all employees, but they had to be realistic. He requested an obscene pay increase for the workers, and she countered at double the rate of inflation. Meanwhile, Stitch was paged to the hospital.
Guy dropped his offer slightly, and he was stunned when she did the same and warned that if he kept joking around, her offer would continue to drop. She became offended when he referred to her as "lady," and she threatened to decrease the offer even more just for the remark. She asserted that wages had been stagnant for years in every industry, so it was a concession to even entertain the idea of a raise. Abby added that if they got somewhere, everyone could benefit, and they'd get to drink Champagne. He asked if the original offer was still on the table, and they shook hands on the deal.
Later, Abby tipsily chirped that they'd finished all the bubbly, and she declared that negotiating was hard work. Guy replied that it beat moving boxes at the warehouse, and she crowed that after management had gone back and forth with the workers for weeks, she couldn't wait to show everyone the deal they'd hammered out. Guy agreed that it definitely broke new ground, and he offered her a ride home. She said she would love one, and he helped steady her as she stumbled to the door.
In the foyer, Hilary asked Devon if he was ready to set a wedding date, and she hoped the printer was okay with a tiny order, since they wouldn't have many invitations. She realized that she'd forgotten her phone upstairs, and they went back to retrieve it. Joe greeted Lily as she walked in, and she noticed his black eye. He made up a lame excuse, but she wondered if Cane had hit him. Joe conceded that he'd deserved to be punched, and Cane overheard and snarled, "He deserved a hell of a lot more than that."
Joe acknowledged that Cane had every right to be angry, and Cane attempted to goad Joe into starting a fight. Lily ordered Cane to stop it, and Cane guessed she was defending Joe to keep her options open. Joe admitted that he shouldn't have allowed things to go as far as they had, and he urged Cane to blame him and not Lily. Joe recalled that he'd once had something beautiful with his own marriage, but he'd ruined it, and he cautioned that Cane stood to lose "a hell of a lot."
After Joe left, Lily implored Cane to get past his anger and think, and Cane questioned why she hadn't thought about what she'd had to lose before she'd slept with Joe. Devon and Hilary returned, and he asked for a moment with Cane, but Cane brushed them off. Cane flatly told Lily that he wanted sole custody of the kids, and Lily snapped that he was out of his mind. Michael walked in, and Lily angrily asked what she'd ever done to cause him to destroy her family. She questioned whether Michael was representing Cane in the custody suit, and Cane replied, "Damn right he is."
Michael explained that Cane had asked to see him, but he hadn't known why, and Cane pointed out that Michael had trashed the Ashby marriage without giving it a second thought. Michael accepted the blame, but he encouraged the couple to avoid an ugly court trial for the kids' sakes. Michael added that it was obvious Cane and Lily loved one another, and Lily said she would give anything to fix things. Michael pointedly advised Cane to stop the divorce talk before Cane was alone and filled with regret, and he suggested that Cane find a way to forgive his wife.
Michael hoped Cane and Lily didn't need a lawyer, and he walked away. Lily wanted to talk things out, but Cane contended that the secrets and lies had broken them. He added that he'd thought they could get past anything by being open and honest, and she replied that she'd been trying, but he wouldn't listen. Cane considered what their marriage had once been and what it had become, and he accused her of using their problems as a free pass to sleep with someone else.
Cane recalled that he'd defended Lily when he'd thought Joe had been hitting on her, and he wondered if Lily had been the one hitting on Joe, but she denied it. Cane asked how many other guys she'd been with, and she slapped him. Lily threatened that she could be just as mean and nasty as Cane, and there was no way she was letting him take her kids. "Watch me," he retorted.
In the dining room, Hilary mused that Cane and Lily had been the perfect couple with the perfect life from the outside, but they hadn't been able to hold it together. Devon promised Hilary that they wouldn't end up like the Ashbys, since he and Hilary had already been through their hard times. Devon showed Hilary some venue photos from the Forresters' wedding planner, and he suggested the possibility of a destination wedding. He declared that there were no limits, and he wasn't just talking about the wedding. Hilary squealed that they were really doing it.
At the coffeehouse, Avery introduced herself to a reporter as an attorney for the Innocence Foundation, and she wanted to shed light on a particular case, but her voice trailed off. The reporter asked if everything was okay, and Avery said she'd been fighting for worthwhile cases like that one her whole career, but she'd only believed in the justice system when it hadn't applied to her. She admitted that she'd taken the law into her own hands by holding a man at gunpoint, and she announced that she was taking an indefinite leave of absence and suspending her law practice.
The reporter asked why Avery had wanted to hurt the man, and Avery replied that she had been raped. Avery recognized that rape was grossly underreported because of the shame victims felt, and she didn't want to be a victim. Avery explained that she'd thought her attacker had been her loathsome ex-husband, who had been an easy target for her rage and frustration, but he hadn't raped her. She continued that if she had let the justice system run its course, she would have known that, and she would regret her actions for the rest of her life. She looked up as Joe approached.
Joe said it had been a gutsy thing for Avery to do, but she replied that she still felt ashamed. Joe sat down and asked why she'd talked to the reporter, since no one would have known what Avery had done, and she explained that she couldn't keep practicing law and representing noble causes after what she'd done to him. Avery contended that she'd committed a crime, so she'd had to tell the truth to show respect for the law and for herself, and she had a clean conscience. She thought that she needed to start over someplace far away, and she suggested that Joe do the same thing.
At Newman-Abbott, Adam assured Sage that Chelsea had kept his secret, and he warned Sage not to put stress on the baby. Sage hissed that she hadn't appreciated finding out from Marisa that Sage didn't have to leave town, and she demanded to know how Marisa knew the truth. Sage insinuated that Adam had spilled the beans to Marisa during a tryst, and he insisted that he was in love with Chelsea, but Sage pointed out that it hadn't stopped him from sleeping with her. Sage asserted that she had a shot at a life with Nick, and she wanted some warning if that was about to be taken away. Adam told her that she didn't have to worry, since no matter what, the baby she was carrying was a Newman.
Adam revealed that Chelsea had only stopped him to avoid causing more destruction to others, and it was very clear they were done. Sage thought Chelsea had left the door open by keeping quiet, but she considered Marisa to be a threat. Adam explained how Marisa had contacted him, but he assured Sage that he could handle it. He advised her to keep her distance and stop talking about leaving town, since her baby needed a father. Sage was nervous that Marisa was getting closer to Noah, but Adam suggested that Sage focus on the baby.
At the hospital, Phyllis was skeptical that Gabriel had hidden Jack's gun at Chelsea's penthouse, but Nikki contended that Gabriel had needed to make sure Victor stayed locked up. Phyllis argued that Gabriel was madly in love with Chelsea, and she didn't think Gabriel would conceal evidence at Chelsea's place. Ashley decided to find out for herself, and she stalked off. Nikki said she would love nothing more than to believe Victor, but he'd told too many lies for her to trust his version of events. Phyllis mentioned that Jack had been carrying a gun before the shooting, but she didn't know if he'd had it on him in the park.
Phyllis added that Jack had told her more than once that he'd been worried Victor might try to kill him, and Nikki condemned Phyllis for withholding information that might prove Victor was telling the truth about shooting Jack in self-defense. Phyllis contended that Jack had made it clear that the opposite was true, but Nikki thought Phyllis had misinterpreted Jack's squeezes and scribbles. Nikki was determined to tell the police that Jack might have been carrying a gun on the night of the shooting.
Ashley stopped by the penthouse to discuss the subscription box service with Chelsea, who informed Ashley that she'd told Victoria that she wasn't interested. Ashley rambled that the right hand hadn't known what the left had been doing since the merger, and she was just trying to keep things running smoothly. Ashley requested some sketches from Chelsea's latest line in the hope Chelsea decided to participate, and Chelsea heard Connor cry over the baby monitor. Chelsea went upstairs to tend to her son, and Ashley searched the penthouse.
Ashley eventually found a gun in the credenza, and Chelsea returned and asked what Ashley was doing. Ashley claimed that she had been looking for a piece of furniture just like it for her place, and Chelsea handed over the sketches and volunteered to design some affordable accessories for the subscription program. Chelsea agreed about the communication being terrible, and she stressed that they needed to work as a team. Ashley saw herself out, and in the hallway, she called the police and asked to speak with a detective.
Sage arrived at the hospital and asked to see Dr. Green right away. A concerned Nikki approached, and Sage claimed that she was just having heartburn, but everything was fine. Sage chalked it up to being nervous because it was her first pregnancy, and Nikki advised her to trust her maternal instincts. After Nikki left, a nurse informed Sage that Dr. Green was in delivery, and she inquired about Sage's symptoms. Sage said she was fine, but she needed a paternity test.
Phyllis told a comatose Jack that Ashley had found a gun in Chelsea's apartment, and the police were on it. She wondered if the number two he'd drawn had meant there had been two guns, but Jack didn't respond. She contemplated whether she'd done the right thing by telling Nikki he'd owned a gun.
Outside Jack's room, Ashley called to "Dr. Rayburn" and asked how it felt for him to be back. Stitch replied that it was fantastic, and she inquired about what he and Abby had done to celebrate. He said Abby had been too immersed in work, and Ashley jokingly blamed it on her daughter's rotten upbringing. Ashley and Stitch toasted with coffee to new beginnings, and she asked Phyllis if there had been any change with Jack.
A frustrated Phyllis wondered whether she'd imagined Jack's efforts to communicate, but Stitch doubted it. He explained that he'd talked to Jack's neurologist, and it was plausible that Jack had made his thoughts known to her. Stitch referred to soldiers he'd treated for serious head traumas, and they had sometimes woken up from comas, able to recall everything they'd heard while they'd been under. Phyllis mentioned her own experience, and Stitch assured her that Jack's communication was a positive indication of recovery.
Paul presented Chelsea with a warrant to search her workplace, residence, and storage units. Adam asked what the police were looking for, and Paul disclosed that they'd received an anonymous tip that Jack's gun was hidden there. Adam guessed that someone was trying to discredit him as an eyewitness, and the same person wanted him in jail instead of running Newman-Abbott. Adam maintained that he'd only seen one gun on the night of the shooting, and it had belonged to Victor. Chelsea argued that she'd never have a gun with a small child in the house. An officer pulled a gun out of the credenza.
Chelsea freaked out that a gun had been in her home, and she swore that it wasn't hers. Adam added that he'd never seen it in his life, and he found it suspicious that an anonymous tip had led the police to the proof Victor needed to get out of jail. Paul asked Chelsea to make a list of everyone who'd had access to her home, and he warned that Gabriel would have explaining to do if forensics turned up any connection between Jack and the gun. Paul and the officer left, and Chelsea demanded to know if Adam had put her son in danger by leaving a gun in the house.
Adam pointed out that Connor was his son, too, and he would never do anything that reckless. He called it "classic Victor" to make him look like a liar, and he theorized that Victor was trying to get back at him for selling Victor out. Chelsea barked that selling Victor out was something Adam Newman would do.
At the police station, Paul informed Michael that they'd found a gun, and forensics was running tests. Nikki reported that Phyllis had admitted that Jack had had a gun before the shooting, and an officer entered with the lab results. Paul revealed that the prints on the gun belonged to Jack, and Nikki realized that Victor had been telling the truth.
In Jack's room, Phyllis speculated that Gabriel had taken the gun that Jack had been carrying, and she said she needed Jack to focus. She asked if the two he'd scrawled had meant there had been two guns in the park, and he slowly squeezed her hand two times, indicating no. Phyllis realized that Jack hadn't had a gun that night, and Victor had shot an unarmed man.
