At the cottage, Sharon and Nick cuddled in bed, and she marveled that she felt like she was 22 again. She quickly added that things were different because they were uncomplicated and less serious, and he figured that they knew more than they had back then. She amorously stated that he'd picked up some handy new skills, and it was the perfect situation for them. Nick agreed that it was working out great because it was best to keep things simple as friends with benefits. She purred that since Christian was with the nanny and Faith was at a sleepover, they had plenty of time to take advantage.

Nick and Sharon panted in bed after another round of sex, and she gushed that she loved spending time like that. She suggested that they order pizza, but he suddenly remembered that there was a dinner at the Athletic Club for New Hope's key donors that night. Sharon couldn't believe that they'd both forgotten, and Nick pointed out that they could still make it if they hurried. She didn't want to have to explain being late to Nikki, but he expected his mother not to notice if they strolled in casually.

Sharon changed into a slinky dress and asked Nick to zip her up. He traced his hand down her bare back before obliging, and he asked if the frock was new. She explained that it was relatively new, but she hadn't had a chance to dress up lately. She observed that he looked really nice, and he said that seeing her in the dress reminded him of the Polynesian dance when they'd been crowned king and queen. She fondly recalled the memory, and he commented that she was as gorgeous as ever -- maybe even more so. He asked if that broke their friends with benefits deal, and they agreed that they had to be very careful when they were in front of watchful eyes that night.

At Hamilton-Winters, Devon made notes about his plans for the nursery, and he greeted Hilary when she walked in. She swore that she hadn't meant to pry, but she'd seen what had been dropped off for him. She inquired whether he was adding a nursery to the penthouse, and he confirmed that he was thinking about it. Hilary thought it was obvious that he hadn't wanted her to know, and she promised that she wouldn't pry anymore.

Devon explained that he hadn't made a big deal about the nursery in case Hilary wasn't pregnant, but he wanted to be prepared if she was. He figured that they might only have a little more than eight months, and he wanted his kid to have the best. He imagined that they'd have a lot on their plates once the baby was on the way, and he was very excited about being a father. Hilary found it incredible to hear him say it because she felt the same way, but she understood that it was important to manage expectations.

Devon recognized that artificial insemination might take several attempts, and Hilary pledged to focus on keeping up her routine. He asked what it involved that night, and she planned to do some work in her suite, take a bubble bath, and get lots of sleep. He remarked that it was too bad, since he had to go to a New Hope dinner at the club, and he'd hoped that she'd join him. She readily agreed to meet him at the club in half an hour.

At the Athletic Club, Nikki answered a call from Phyllis and curtly stated that it wasn't a good time. Phyllis said it was about Nikki's daughter and what could happen because of her, since Victoria had confessed to Paul. Phyllis quickly added that she had to go. Nikki begged her to explain what was going on, but Phyllis hung up. At Jabot, Billy remarked that the call hadn't looked like fun, and Phyllis claimed that it was boring stuff, unlike the situation with Jack.

Phyllis thought the Abbotts knew that Jack was in crisis, and she stressed that one of them had to find him that day. She insisted that he needed a connection to his family, and Billy replied that they were doing everything they could. Phyllis was adamant that they needed to remind Jack that no matter how bad things got, the Abbotts could withstand anything. Billy reflected back on all Jack had been through, but he pointed out that the one thing Jack had been able to count on had been being John's son, and that was gone. Billy recalled the look in Jack's eye before he'd taken off, and he thought his brother felt like a nobody.

Phyllis warned that isolation was the enemy, and the longer Jack sat with his dark thoughts, the more likely he was to act on his worst impulses. Billy acknowledged that everyone in the family was thinking that Jack would return to the dark side, and Phyllis cautioned that they needed to be prepared. She recalled being with Jack when he'd been in the trenches of addiction, and it had just about killed both of them. She remarked that Jack hid it very well but had more than his share of demons that he was dealing with. Billy recognized that when Jack needed them the most, he didn't want anything to do with any of them.

Billy mentioned that one of his duties as CEO was attending a New Hope fundraising dinner to fill in for Jack. Phyllis anticipated that it would be an excruciating evening for an excellent cause, and she encouraged him to skip the dinner and write a check. He argued that she was part of the reason he'd accepted the job, and he couldn't let the ship go down when people were counting on him. Phyllis mused that Billy had been in Jack's shadow his entire life, only to learn that Billy was John's only son. Billy understood that the dinner would be a pain, but he couldn't imagine doing it without her to keep him on point. He pointed out that her "best friends" Sharon and Nikki would be there, and Phyllis agreed to make the most of the evening for his sake.

At the Athletic Club, Nikki welcomed Hilary and thanked her for having Nick on her show to talk about the attack on Victor. Nikki stepped aside to greet some key donors, Jane and Lawrence. Nick and Sharon entered, and Nikki complimented them for looking fabulous. Nikki pulled Nick aside and pointed out Jane, a stunning cat food heiress who had made a huge donation. Nikki insinuated that Nick could charm Jane into giving more, since Jane was single. Nikki introduced Nick and Jane and cooed that she thought they had a lot in common. Sharon half-heartedly made small talk with Lawrence, but she couldn't stop jealously staring at Nick and Jane.

Meanwhile, Hilary told Devon that she loved the design of the nursery, but she was even more blown away by how excited he was about it. She hoped that it wasn't all for nothing, but he knew in his heart that they would be raising a child together. Phyllis looked pleased to see them talking.

Over dinner, Lawrence inquired about Nikki being Sharon's ex-mother-in-law, and Phyllis stressed that the key word was ex, since Sharon was very single. Sharon privately scolded Phyllis, but Phyllis reasoned that Lawrence was cute, wealthy, into neurotic blondes -- and he wasn't Nick. Sharon insisted that she wasn't interested, but Phyllis envisioned Lawrence taking Sharon on a world tour so that Phyllis wouldn't have to worry about being arrested because of Sharon's loose lips. Nikki and Phyllis locked eyes, and the three women met in the foyer.

Phyllis said they needed to talk about what Victoria had told Paul about helping J.T. skip town, and she griped that some warning would have been nice. Nikki defended that Paul had backed Victoria into a corner, since he had all the text messages J.T. had sent. Sharon figured that Victoria had given Paul a plausible story that kept suspicion away from them, but Phyllis fretted that Paul had been worked up about the inconsistencies in their statements even before Victoria had admitted that she'd lied. Phyllis expected that Paul would watch them more closely to get information, so they had to be extra careful about what they said to everyone.

Nick and Sharon exchanged stolen glances across the dinner table. After dinner, Nick announced that it had been a wonderful evening, and he thanked Nikki and Devon for arranging it and everyone else for their generosity and compassion. Nick prepared to leave, and Jane expressed disappointment that he had to go that soon. Nick claimed that he had to relieve the babysitter, and Sharon insisted that she go with him.

As the party broke up, Phyllis cornered Hilary and wondered what Hilary and Devon had been talking about earlier. Hilary didn't want to jinx it, but she reported that Devon was so excited about the two of them having a baby that he'd commissioned a fully loaded nursery for his penthouse. Phyllis took it as a great sign for them.

Nikki thanked Billy for being there and mentioned that she hadn't been able to stop thinking about Jack since he'd called her. Hilary overheard and added that she'd been worried about Jack, too, and Billy hoped Jack just needed some downtime. Privately, Phyllis told Billy that if he kept representing Jabot, he wouldn't be able to keep the fact that he was running the company secret much longer. Billy expected things to get even more complicated when Jack found out.

In the foyer, Hilary gushed that she'd had the best time, and she thanked Devon for an unexpected and special night. She praised him for being so positive about the baby, and he imagined raising their child in a world that was full of hope. They appeared to be about to kiss, but Phyllis and Billy interrupted. Phyllis suggested that they all go dancing at a local club, but Billy begged off because he had a lot on his plate the next day. Billy and Phyllis headed out, and Devon decided that he didn't feel like going home. Devon suggested that he and Hilary check out a new venue, and they left together.

Nick and Sharon returned home, and Nick observed that Lawrence had seemed interested in her. Sharon guessed that Nick had missed the part where she'd shown zero interest in Lawrence or his private jet, and she was sure that Lawrence had already moved on to the next woman he'd met. She noted that Nick had made a pretty good impression on the cat food queen, since Jane had been hanging on every word and almost hanging out of her dress. Nick said he hadn't noticed, since he'd only been there to build support for New Hope, and his mom had engineered him sitting next to Jane to get another donor check.

Sharon pointed out that Jane was available, successful, and hot, but Nick firmly stated that he wasn't interested in dating anyone. Sharon was happy to hear it because it would otherwise make their arrangement a little uncomfortable, and Nick confessed that he was already uncomfortable with it. He thought they should call it off.

Sharon was taken aback because she'd thought Nick had been enjoying himself the way she had been. He explained that that was the problem, since he couldn't think about anything else but her. He admitted that watching another guy put his arm around her had driven him crazy, and he wanted to be the one sitting next to her, making plans to be alone. Nick realized that it could never just be about sex, since there was too much history and too many feelings to act casual. He said he was sorry because it had to be all or nothing, but she told him not to apologize because she wanted the same thing. They melted into a kiss.

At the cabin, Jack stared at a prescription bottle of pills next to a bottle of liquor on the table. He poured a drink and opened the bottle of pills. He picked up one pill and put it to his lips, but he set it down before taking it. He made a call and admitted that he needed help. Later, there was a sharp knock at the door, and Jack rushed over to answer it. He opened the door to Neil, who said he'd gotten there as soon as he could.

Neil promised that he hadn't said anything to anyone about Jack's call, and he asked what had happened to Jack's face. Jack confided that he'd run his car into a tree, but only his car had been hurt. Neil spotted the liquor and pills and suspected that Jack hadn't felt a thing, and he was glad Jack had called so Neil could help him work through it. Neil tended to the cuts on Jack's face, and Jack cried out in pain. Neil lectured that it would hurt more if the wounds got infected, and Jack insisted on taking care of it himself.

Neil cautioned that pills didn't mix well with whiskey, and he asked how many Jack had taken. Jack firmly replied zero, and Neil suggested that they go out for a walk. Jack expected Neil to pour the pills out when Jack turned his back, but Neil figured that he shouldn't bother, since Jack could have his dealer back in a minute if he didn't already have an emergency stash around there. Jack grumbled that he didn't know why he'd called, and Neil barked that Jack knew "damn well" that popping pills wouldn't fix anything. Neil believed that Jack had called because he needed someone to remind him of everything he had to lose, but Jack lamented that the person he'd thought he was no longer existed.

Jack recounted that John had believed in the power of family and appreciating the generations before them. Jack noted that his father had built Jabot into a giant success beyond his wildest imaginings, and John had cared about the future and creating something bigger than his own ambitions. Jack reflected back on his family's struggles, but the Abbotts had endured because they'd believed in the legacy John had built. Jack recalled that he'd been proud to be John Abbott, Jr., and he'd worked hard to protect John's legacy and make it grow. Jack realized that no matter how much he'd messed up or had his heart broken, he'd had that as his anchor, but he'd woken up one morning and learned that everything he'd believed in was gone.

Jack bemoaned that he hadn't just lost his biological connection -- he'd lost his identity. Jack felt like someone had destroyed everything he'd believed in. Neil sympathized, but he swore that Jack was still the same man who'd found Neil's "drunk, sorry ass" in a dirty motel, so close to death that one could smell it. Neil recalled that Jack had dragged him out and kept him alive, and the same Jack Abbott had created a foundation with him to help other addicts in recovery. Neil referred to the many lives that Jack had touched and saved, and he said that was who Jack really was. Neil continued that nothing Jack had learned about himself could change that, and he ordered Jack not to tell him that everything Jack believed in was gone because it wasn't and never would be.

Neil asserted that the bottom line was that Jack was still John's son in every way that mattered. Jack groused that he'd heard it before, but no one could make it sound convincing. Neil pointed out that he'd adopted Devon, and they weren't the same blood, but he was still Devon's father. Jack argued that it was different because Devon hadn't grown up building a life around something that had been proven false in the most humiliating way possible. Neil wondered if Jack intended to find out who had deliberately exposed the secret.

Jack thought it made no difference because it was true, and a DNA test had proven that everything in his life was a lie. Jack added that he couldn't run the company that meant everything to him, but Neil countered that the clause didn't mean anything to anyone else. Neil urged Jack to focus on throwing the clause out, but Jack bellowed that he had no foundation underneath him, just a gaping hole. Jack snapped that the pills might not fix it, but he dared Neil to tell him what would. Neil grabbed the bottle of pills and told Jack to deal him in if Jack was going down that road, since Neil was going down with him.

Jack refused to let Neil break his sobriety, but Neil contended that it was his life and his choice, just like it was Jack's. Neil implored Jack to decide whether they'd get high together or go outside for a walk. Neil blasted Jack for wanting him to agree that Jack's life was over and that the only answers were at the bottom of a pill bottle. Neil conceded that Jack had received heartbreaking news, but Jack still had it better than most people in world.

Neil insisted that Jack's family was still his family, and Jack told Neil to go. Neil explained that he wasn't talking as Jack's sponsor but as his friend, and he encouraged Jack to change his perspective and look at things another way. Jack ordered Neil to leave so he could start popping pills and prove Neil wrong. Neil pushed Jack to look at what he had in life and reminded Jack that Neil was his friend. Neil walked out.

• Sharon brightly informs Nikki that she and Nick are back together.

• Abby tells Arturo to strip down.

• Devon and Hilary have a romantic evening.

• Dina declares that it's time to tell the truth about Jack's real father.