At John and Marlena’s place, Tate told John that Holly knew about Eric’s role in her father’s death. Tate insisted that he hadn’t realized that the truth had been withheld from Holly, and he fretted about her reaction to being kept in the dark. John believed he and Tate should alert Eric to Holly’s newfound knowledge. John couldn’t get in touch with Eric on his phone, so he listened as Tate shared how he had found out about the accident from having overheard his mother and grandmother talking about it.
John believed that Holly would forgive Tate for unknowingly disclosing the truth about Eric. Tate explained that he and Holly had also been fighting after Tate had defended his father. Tate insisted that he could not turn his back on Brady, especially since Brady had been consumed with so much guilt. John understood Tate’s feelings but urged Tate to also understand Holly’s feelings. When John suggested that there could be “more to the story” with Sarah’s accident, Tate hopefully asked if his grandfather believed that Brady could be innocent.
John hedged on asserting Brady’s innocence but did assure Tate that he would always stand by Brady, just as John would for Tate. After noting that Tate was still worried about Holly, John encouraged his grandson to reach out to Holly.
In the park, Eric approached Holly and apologized for not letting her know that he was in town. He explained that it had been a “last-minute decision” and that he had arrived to support Brady. Holly snapped that she had expected as much after what Eric had done. Eric assumed that Holly was angry because she thought he was defending Brady, but he stressed that he only wanted to offer his support because Brady was his brother. Holly countered that Eric had another reason for sympathizing with Brady, which confused Eric.
Holly stunned Eric by telling him she knew that he had killed her father. Eric expressed regret that he hadn’t been the one to reveal the truth. Holly coldly stated that Tate had told her because he had assumed she had already known. She scoffed when Eric claimed that he had wanted to confess to her that night, as he’d had 17 years to tell the truth and had not done so. Holly also lashed out at her mother for lying to her and called Nicole a “manipulator.”
Eric insisted Nicole and he had lied to protect Holly, but Holly believed the person her mom had really wanted to protect was Eric. She recalled how Nicole had claimed the drunk driver had died in the accident. Holly also recounted how every time she had been tempted to look up the details of her dad’s death online, she had heard Nicole’s voice telling her that the details would only make Holly feel worse. Holly had believed it didn’t matter, since the driver had presumably been dead. “But he was living right under my roof,” Holly mused to a guilty Eric.
Eric pleaded with Holly to understand why he and Nicole had kept the truth from her. He reminded Holly that Daniel had died before she had been born, and by the time Holly had been old enough to hear the truth, she, Nicole, and Eric had been a family. Holly shot back that Eric had stolen her father’s life, and she added that it made her sick to look at him. Eric emotionally affirmed that he loved Holly like a daughter, and he had not wanted the truth to destroy their relationship. Holly tearfully said that it was too late because she hated Eric.
Holly blasted Eric for having been a hypocrite who always preached truth and honesty. She chastised herself for all of the times she had idolized Eric and had gone to him with her problems. She had considered Eric to be like a “real Dad,” when all the time, Eric had taken away her real dad. Eric tried to apologize again and expressed how much shame and guilt he had felt, because Daniel had been a friend whom Eric had loved. Holly cried that she had never gotten a chance to love her dad, and she would never forgive Eric.
When Holly walked away, a devastated Eric remembered a conversation he’d previously had with Sarah in which he had expressed his fears about how Holly would react when she discovered the truth. Emerging from the flashback, he pulled out his phone and called Nicole. He sadly stated that something had happened that she should know about.
At the police station, Justin informed Brady that E.J. had been forced to drop the charges due to lack of evidence. The news angered Brady, who expressed displeasure that he would not be held accountable for his actions. Brady was certain that Xander and Sarah would feel the same way.
Later, Brady moped outside the pub. Ava walked up and jokingly asked if she was talking with a fugitive, as she had assumed Brady would be in jail. Brady snarked that a confession had not been enough to keep him in jail, where he believed he belonged. After Brady filled Ava in on the charges being dropped, she contested that Justin had only done his job. She hinted that Brady should be grateful that he was in the clear. Brady remained steadfast in his belief that he should be in jail, and he brushed off Ava’s attempts to defend the circumstances as an accident.
When Brady mentioned that the tragedy had started with him drinking, Ava assigned some responsibility to herself, since she had found Brady drinking and had not stopped him. Brady insisted that he could not have been stopped, and he lamented how his weakness had led him to make “the biggest mistake of my life.” Ava still believed she could have done more, even after Brady protested that they were not close or even friendly. Ava admitted that she had tried to check on Brady again the night they had shared drinks, but she had left after she had overhead his conversation with a woman that had an accent. During the conversation, Brady had asserted that he would not drive drunk.
Ava quickly corrected Brady’s assumption that she’d been eavesdropping. Brady wished that he had opted not to drink and drive the night of the accident, like he had the night that Ava had found him. He asked Ava to keep quiet about his interaction with Fiona and grudgingly admitted that he’d been intimate with Xander’s mother. Ava was bemused but ultimately agreed to honor Brady’s privacy. She wished Brady well, and he left for home.
Later, Brady arrived home and updated a relieved John and Tate on his release.
Downstairs at the Kirakis mansion, Xander expressed gratitude to Maggie for having his mother at the mansion and in his life again. He marveled at the closeness and trust he had been able to establish with his “mum” since she had arrived in town, and he credited Sarah with having brought them back together. Xander also thanked Maggie for her role in his life, but Justin’s arrival interrupted the moment. Xander called Justin a “traitor” and relayed that he planned on attending the arraignment so that he could witness Brady get what he deserved. Justin informed Xander and Maggie that the charges against Brady had been dropped.
After an angry Xander went upstairs to check on Sarah, Justin wondered if he should sleep with “one eye open.” Maggie conceded that Xander was distraught, but a part of her was relieved that the charges had been dropped. She still could not come to grips with the idea that Brady had driven drunk and then had left the scene. Justin admitted that Brady had fought being released, and he wasn’t certain that Brady would ever forgive himself.
Maggie expressed reservations about forgiving Brady, as well, but she wanted to try because Brady was family. She looked toward Victor’s portrait and wondered aloud what he would think of his family’s troubles.
Later, Justin entered the pub and discovered Ava working behind the bar. She thanked him for helping Brady.
Upstairs in Sarah and Xander’s bedroom, Fiona watched over a sleeping Sarah. She sighed and asked forgiveness for what she was about to do. Then, she picked up a pillow and moved it toward Sarah’s face. Fiona jerked the pillow back after having second thoughts. She argued with herself about whether or not she would need to take extreme action to keep Sarah from remembering the accident. Fiona made a decision and placed the pillow over Sarah’s face.
Just then, Xander entered the room with food. Fiona was able to hide her intention before he noticed. Sarah roused from her slumber, and Xander hesitantly told her about the dropped charges against Brady. He assured an inquiring Fiona that the police did not have another suspect and that instead, they had lacked evidence. Xander believed it “imperative” that Sarah remember the driver's identity, while Fiona wore a panicked expression.
Sarah tried again in vain to remember, but she still could not make out the face of the driver. When Xander suggested that Sarah lie and say that she could identify Brady, Sarah vehemently rejected the idea and scolded Xander for even raising the possibility. Xander apologized and affirmed that he just wanted justice to be served. He brightened when he got another idea: a hypnosis session with Marlena.
Fiona immediately attempted to dismiss the idea of hypnosis, but both Xander and Sarah reiterated that Marlena had experienced success with other patients. Fiona then insinuated that Marlena wouldn’t help Xander because Brady was a part of Marlena’s family and because of what Xander had done to Marlena. Xander quizzed his mother about how she had known about his past with Marlena. Fiona remembered Brady telling her about Marlena’s shooting, but she lied that she had read up on Xander after she had arrived in town. Xander expressed remorse for his previous actions, but he insisted that his relationship with Sarah had changed him.
Xander wanted Brady held accountable because Brady had left Sarah to die, and he urged his wife to see Marlena. Sarah eventually relented and agreed to make an appointment with Marlena. When Fiona left the room, she listened at the door and heard Sarah and Xander expressing their hopes for a breakthrough. Fiona vowed that the truth could never come out.
