At the courthouse, Michael repeated Nikki's statement that she would have handled things differently if she'd known that Paul was the father of her child, and she confirmed that she'd given her baby away because she'd believed Ian was the father. Michael noted that the journal contained Nikki's own words about why she had decided to put her child up for adoption, and he instructed Nikki to read a certain passage. Nikki nervously glanced around the courtroom, and she read aloud that she'd had to face that she had Ian's baby growing inside of her, but the thought of it had made her sick.

Nikki hadn't been able to stop thinking that her child had been created by a monster, and she'd wanted to die when she'd felt the life moving inside her. Nikki faltered, and Michael prompted her to go on. She read that the baby had been a horrible reminder of its father and what Ian had done to her, and if she'd kept it, she'd been afraid that she'd grow to hate it as much as she hated "that vile man." Nikki continued that if the baby had grown up to be anything like Ian, she would have faced evil every day for the rest of her life, so she'd never wanted to see it again after it was born.

David asked Nikki questions about her life outside New World, and he established that she had been a stripper and an escort and that she'd been married numerous times. David pointed out that Ian had believed that he had been the only one Nikki had been sleeping with, but she had been sleeping with someone else. David suggested that Nikki had convinced herself that the baby was Ian's, and he voiced skepticism that it had never crossed her mind that the baby could be Paul's. Nikki reiterated that she would have told Paul about it, and David instructed her to read a marked passage in the journal.

Nikki read that Paul had joined the commune, and it had been nice to see a familiar, handsome face. She said that her feelings for Paul had been growing, and they'd kissed, but someone had caught them. Nikki continued that she hadn't known how much longer they could stay apart, and she had wanted to be with Paul more than anything. David accused her of having an affair with Paul at the same time she'd been sleeping with Ian, and he asserted that the last thing two young, carefree adults had wanted had been to be saddled with a baby. David suggested that Nikki had insisted that the child belonged to a monster to justify giving it away, since she'd hated her baby, and Nikki yelled that it wasn't true.

David asked if Nikki denied that she hadn't wanted children, and she pointed out that she'd had two children with her husband. David argued that Victor was extremely wealthy, and the Newmans had had cooks and housekeepers to raise the kids, but Nikki asserted that her children had been the center of her world when they'd been young and that they still were. David countered that Dylan hadn't been, and she explained that Dylan had just entered her life. David stated that she'd given Dylan away, but Nikki insisted that Dylan had been just as precious to her, and she'd thought about him every day.

David accused Nikki of cheating Dylan out of the chance to be her son, and she broke down in tears and admitted that she'd cheated both Dylan and Paul. David noted that she'd caused them emotional distress, just like the kind she'd inflicted on Ian by letting him believe he was the father of her son. Dylan bellowed that it was enough, and he barked that Ian had been the one to let him think Ian was his father. Dylan added that Ian was getting sick pleasure from playing head games, and he yelled that the judge should go after Ian.

Paul dragged Dylan out of the courtroom. David said that he was finished interrogating Nikki, and the judge announced that he'd hear closing arguments after a recess. Ian suggested to Avery that Dylan seek help for anger management, and Avery told him to shove his phony concern, since he was only interested in tormenting decent people. Victor helped Nikki to her chair, and he told Michael to make things right. Paul stopped Dylan from going back in, and he warned that Dylan would be cited for contempt and that as chief of police, Paul would have to arrest him.

Michael stated that David had tried to convince the court that Nikki was a heartless woman who had lied to justify giving her baby up, and she could have ended her pregnancy or abandoned the infant, but she had made sure her child had been safe and cared for. Michael added that Nikki had thought about her baby every day, and she could have kept her secret buried, but she'd searched for her child, knowing what it could cost her. Michael contended that Nikki had understandably believed that Ian was the father, and while Ian claimed that an honest mistake had caused distress, the irony was that Ian had caused a lifetime of distress to Nikki. The judge said that he would review the transcripts and render a decision, and Ian smiled creepily at Nikki.

Paul told Dylan that sometimes life wasn't fair, and they had to deal with it. Dylan recalled that his dad had said the same thing, and Paul replied that Dylan's father sounded like he'd been a good guy. Ian exited the courtroom and reported that the decision was in the judge's hands, and he hoped that Dylan and Paul had a chance to get to know one another after Nikki had kept them apart. Dylan assured Paul that Dylan had had a good life and that he hadn't been deprived. "I was," Paul murmured, adding, "I missed having you in my life. I will always regret that." Nikki looked distraught as she overheard.

Dylan hoped he hadn't messed things up for Nikki, and he recognized that she'd written the journal years before, when she had been young and scared. Nikki thanked him, and after Dylan left, she mused to Victor that she'd never wanted Dylan to hear those words. Victor assured her that Dylan understood, but she worried that Paul blamed her for taking away his son.

In the park, Paul remarked to Christine that the universe was trying to tell him something, since he hadn't stepped up when April had told him about Heather, and he'd screwed up with Ricky. Paul wondered if he didn't deserve to be a father, and Christine suggested that they both needed to get away from everything. She mentioned that she'd rented a cabin on the lake, and it could be the honeymoon they'd never had. He said that it sounded nice, but it wasn't a good time. Christine argued that Nikki had proven to be capable of taking care of herself, but she had to wonder why Nikki had never told Paul about the pregnancy.

At the Underground, Nick left a message for Nikki to apologize for not staying for the rest of her trial. He said that he loved her, and as he hung up, Mariah asked if he had a cool relationship with his mom. Nick hoped that Nikki hadn't been beaten up in court over Ian's ridiculous lawsuit, and Mariah contended that Nick was wrong about Ian, but Nick disagreed. Mariah said that Ian had helped a lot of people, and he had taken care of her when no one else had. Nick reasoned that Mariah had met Ian when she'd been young, but she no longer needed to hang around guys like that. She asked if she should hang around with guys like Nick, and he replied that she could do worse.

Hilary and Neil walked in after they'd seen a movie, and he teased that it had been the only action-adventure film she'd ever viewed. Hilary ordered some water, and Neil assured her that she could order a cocktail, especially since she'd compromised over the movie. He promised that they'd see a chick flick the next time, and he imagined it would be about a tormented love triangle with two men fighting over a beautiful woman. She looked uncomfortable when she spotted Devon.

Devon asked if Neil and Hilary were playing hooky again, and Neil replied that the game had been rained out, but he amorously added that they'd made blue sky and sunshine all afternoon. Hilary turned the topic to a magic trick, and she placed a dollar bill on the lid of her water bottle and then topped the bill with a stack of quarters. She dared Neil to pull out the dollar without spilling the coins, and he tried and failed. Neil suggested that Devon give it a try, and he searched under the table for the fallen quarters. Devon and Hilary's hands touched as they both reached for the bottle.

Devon suggested that they place a bet, but not for money. Neil offered the replacement White Sox tickets from the rainout, and he suggested that as a bonus, Devon and Hilary could go together. Devon protested that he was more of a Brewers fan, and Neil called him a chicken. Mariah and Nick approached to see what was going on, and they placed a wager of their own -- if Devon successfully performed the trick, Nick had to mop the floor that night, but if Devon couldn't, Mariah had to close the bar every night for a week. Devon tapped the bill, which flew out from under the quarters, and Mariah crowed that Nick had to mop. Neil handed over the tickets to Devon.

Neil stepped aside to take a call, and Hilary told Devon that he couldn't run off every time they saw one another. She urged Devon to act normal, and he questioned whether it was normal to pretend they didn't have feelings for one another. Neil returned with the news that there was a labor dispute, so he had to go to Hong Kong to settle it, and he had to leave immediately. He asked Devon to give Hilary a ride home, and he made a display of kissing Hilary and telling her that he loved her. After Neil left, Hilary prepared to call a cab, but Devon suggested that she take her own advice and try to act normal. They left together.

In the car, Hilary noticed that Devon wasn't heading home, and he said that he was taking a scenic route. He asked if she'd ever been in a car like that, and he suggested that they take it out of the city to see what it could do. She rolled her eyes at him showing off his car, but he said that he didn't understand her at all, since she'd gone from making out with him to having sex with Neil in the car. Devon contended that she couldn't pretend nothing was going on, but she maintained that she loved Neil, and she asked why Devon couldn't accept it.

Devon said that he didn't believe Hilary, although he understood that she didn't want to hurt Neil, but he thought that lying hurt his father. She ordered Devon to take her home, and he asked how long she'd go on wasting her life with a man she didn't love. Hilary admitted that she had feelings for Devon, but it didn't matter, since she'd made her choice. Devon tried to start the car, but it stalled.

At the Athletic Club, Victoria asked if Billy's claim that Stitch wasn't really Ben Rayburn was true, and Billy ordered Stitch to tell her why he'd stolen his dead friend's identity. Stitch protested that Victoria was under enough stress and that Billy was making it worse, and he suggested that he and Victoria leave to see the doctor. Billy growled that Stitch wasn't taking Billy's wife anywhere, and he was confident that after Stitch told her the truth, she wouldn't want to go anywhere with Stitch. Kelly begged Jack to make it stop, and Victoria realized that Jack knew what was going on. Jack threatened to tell Victoria if Stitch didn't.

Kelly encouraged Stitch to tell Victoria the truth, and Stitch swore that he'd tried many times to say something before, but something had always gotten in the way, like fate hadn't wanted him to tell her. Victoria asked why he'd been pretending to be someone he wasn't, and he revealed that he'd gone to jail for killing someone. Victoria was stunned, and Jack urged Stitch to tell her the rest. Over Kelly's objections, Jack demanded that Stitch divulge who the victim had been, and Stitch confessed that he'd killed his father.

Stitch explained that he'd been a teenager, and his father had been a mean, abusive drunk. Stitch recalled that they'd gotten into heated disagreements about many things, and his dad had been in the shed on the night he'd died, drinking as usual. Stitch said that their argument that evening had turned ugly, and they'd fought until his dad had passed out. Stitch added that a kerosene stove had fallen over in the scuffle, and the place had gone up in flames.

Stitch recounted that he'd barely been able to get himself out, and he'd told the cops it had been an accident, but Billy guessed that the police hadn't believed Stitch. Stitch lamented that no one had, and the police had concluded that Stitch had knocked his father out and had set the fire. Stitch hadn't wanted to put his family through a trial, so he'd confessed. Victoria asked whether Stitch had killed his dad or not, and Stitch admitted that he'd wanted his father dead. He stepped toward Victoria, but she snapped at everyone to stay away, and she hurried out.

Stitch testily asked if Billy was happy, and Billy replied that he was happy that Victoria knew the truth. Stitch admonished Billy for only caring about making Stitch look bad and not considering what the news could have done to the health of Victoria and her baby, especially since Stitch could be the father. Billy said that the kid would be better off without Stitch, and he chided Kelly for never saying a word about what her brother had been hiding, but Kelly defended that Stitch wasn't dangerous. Billy questioned why Kelly had told Jenna the truth, and Jack pulled Billy away to try to keep him out of trouble, but Billy retorted that Jack had kept him in the dark. Billy demanded to know why Jack hadn't told him.

Billy recalled that Jack had mentioned at their family dinner that he'd learned something troubling, and he assumed that it had been about Stitch. Jack explained that Kelly had confided in him about a horrible family tragedy, and he hadn't been able to betray her trust. Billy spat that Jack had betrayed his own blood, and Jack called it an impossible situation. Billy accused Jack of letting a murderer get close to his family, despite everything that had happened with Delia. Jack swore that he hadn't wanted anyone to be hurt, and Billy told him to tell it to Victoria.

Stitch and Kelly had drinks at the bar, and she said that the alcohol wouldn't help. He bashed her for telling Jack what had happened, and she scolded that maybe Stitch could build a life on lies, but she couldn't. Stitch griped that he couldn't build one at all, thanks to her, but she refused to let him blame her for that. He said that he'd had a good life there, and he'd been about to become chief resident and start a family with Victoria, but he'd be known as the guy who had killed his old man. Kelly flatly stated that he had, and he argued that he'd paid for it in juvenile detention and when Jenna had taken Max away, but he was paying yet again. He chugged his drink and vowed to find a way to fix things.

After Stitch left, Jack joined Kelly and reasoned that if he hadn't forced Stitch to tell, Billy would have. Kelly huffed that it would have been better if Jack had kept his promise, and Billy became livid that Kelly blamed Jack. Billy reiterated that Kelly had known for months that a murderer had been hanging out with Billy's wife and kid, and she'd protected Jenna and Max but not Billy's family. Billy asked if it was payback because he'd picked Victoria over her, and Jack warned that Billy was out of line. Billy told them both to "go to hell," and he stormed out.

Kelly griped that she'd made a mistake, getting involved with either of the Abbott men, and she cried that she'd thought she could trust Jack, but apparently, she couldn't. Jack regretted not telling Billy, but he'd stayed silent and hurt his brother for one reason -- he loved Kelly.

An obviously upset Victoria entered the Underground, and Nick asked if she'd heard something about the trial. She didn't respond, and he worried about the baby, but she said the baby was fine. She ranted that she just wanted her life back, and Nick assumed that she was talking about Billy, but she reported that Billy had made her face the truth about Stitch. She blasted Billy for continuing to dig, and she'd been hoping that Stitch was the father of her child and that they'd start a family together. Nick thought the news couldn't be that bad, but she informed him that Stitch had murdered someone.

Victoria expected Nick to ask how she could she be that stupid, but Nick said that Stitch had fooled them all. Victoria noted that Stitch hadn't fooled Billy, and she wondered what she should do. She wanted to do what was best for the baby, but she didn't know what that was, and she couldn't imagine her child growing up with a murderer for a father. Nick understood if she didn't want to tell Stitch if the baby was his, but he questioned whether she would lie to Billy, too.

Victoria contemplated how many times Billy had lied, and Nick stated that she didn't owe Billy or Stitch anything. She thought that she owed her baby the truth, and she referred to Summer. Nick said that he'd been selfish, but Victoria was only trying to protect her child. She wasn't sure that lying was the way, since lies usually caused pain, and Nick offered his support, no matter what she decided. She said that she wanted to be alone for a little while, and they hugged goodbye.

Mariah called Ian and asked if he'd gotten his hands on some Newman cash, since he deserved it. He said that she was the only person who felt that way, although perhaps the judge would, too. She thought it sounded promising, and he implied that the lawsuit wasn't the only thing he had going for him.

Billy entered the bar and ordered a double scotch, and Mariah asked if he'd had a rough day. He declared that he was celebrating, and Nick informed him that Victoria was a wreck. Billy said that he hated what Victoria was going through, but he didn't feel bad about exposing Stitch. Nick pointed out that it didn't mean Victoria would take Billy back.

Stitch rang Victoria's doorbell and called out that he knew she was there. He said that there was much more he needed to tell her, and he begged her to open the door. He proclaimed that he loved her, and he knew that she loved him, too. Victoria stood on the other side of the door in tears.