Victor tries to neutralize Deimos.
At Brady and Theresa's townhouse, Brady searched online for a picture of Daniel's deceased wife, Rebecca Jonas, and was surprised to find that she looked nothing like the woman he had been dreaming about. Meanwhile, Theresa and Nicole returned from a failed search for office space.
Brady casually closed his laptop as Theresa tried to convince Nicole that it would be best for them to just run their new company from the townhouse until a more permanent solution could be found. Brady was okay with the idea, but after Theresa went to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, Nicole expressed reservations, reminding Brady that their connection was a problem for Theresa. Brady assured Nicole that Theresa had gotten over her insecurities and no longer minded seeing them together. Nicole still had concerns, but Theresa soon returned and continued to insist that the plan was perfect, so Nicole eventually agreed to go along with it.
After reminding Theresa and Nicole that he needed a budget proposal from them as soon as possible, Brady headed to the hospital for a checkup. Theresa seized the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart talk with Nicole, hoping to get her out of the funk she had been in lately. "I mean, honest to God, Nicole, you act like if you raise your voice around Brady, he's gonna break. [I know] you're trying to make us believe that you're not affected by the fact that Daniel's heart is inside of Brady, but you are, [and that's] okay. Just be yourself, will you? We get it," Theresa assured Nicole.
Nicole tearfully admitted that Valentine's Day had been rough, not just because she and Daniel had planned to get married that day but also because he had arranged, before his death, for a bouquet of flowers to be sent to her, along with a touching note. "Oh, Nicole. You just can't get a break, can you?" Theresa mused as she gave Nicole a hug.
At the hospital, Brady told Fynn about the woman he had been dreaming about. Fynn guessed that Brady was talking about Summer, a girl Daniel had taken under his wing while living in Malibu. "Nothing sexual; he just tried to help her. She had some psychological issues -- on meds, as I recall," Fynn explained. Fynn was unable to remember Summer's last name, and he didn't know if she was still living in California. Certain that the dream would stop occurring soon enough, Fynn advised Brady to ignore it and focus instead on things that were real, such as his family.
Later, while Brady was waiting to be discharged, he received a visit from Maggie, who was pleased to hear that his checkup had gone well. Brady could tell that something was bothering Maggie, so, at his request, she hesitantly filled him in on Deimos as well as the rift that Deimos had caused between Victor and Philip. Maggie suggested that it might help if Brady paid Victor a visit sometime soon to make it clear that he still loved Victor and hadn't abandoned him. "He might try to put you back in at Titan," Maggie predicted. Chuckling, Brady said he was willing to try patching things up with Victor but wasn't ready to return to Titan yet.
As Theresa and Nicole continued working at the townhouse, Theresa said she wanted Nicole to start thinking of her and Brady as family -- or, at the very least, work family. Nicole appreciated the gesture, and Theresa was equally appreciative when Nicole mused that Theresa and Brady seemed like a perfect fit for each other. Theresa predicted that Nicole would eventually find her own perfect fit -- someone she would grow to love just as much as she had loved Daniel. "Don't bet on it," Nicole advised Theresa.
Brady soon returned and announced that his checkup had gone well. Theresa was thrilled to hear that, and as she leaned in to give Brady a kiss, Nicole found herself thinking about Daniel doing the same to her. When Nicole's fantasy kiss ended, however, she saw that Brady was the one who had given it to her, not Daniel. Nicole abruptly excused herself, and after she left, Theresa complained to Brady that it seemed like Nicole was waiting for someone to give her permission to fall in love again.
Concerned, Brady wondered if Theresa was pushing Nicole to get back in the dating game right away. "What? It's dangerous for people like her to not have love and support, you know? Like an anchor," Theresa defensively reasoned. "Like someone else I know," Brady mused. Conceding the point, Theresa acknowledged that she had been an awful person before Brady had entered her life and saved her from herself. As Brady eyed his closed laptop, Theresa wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss, stressing that she was never going to let go of him.
At the police station, Belle ran into Philip, who was upset because he had just tried to get someone in the district attorney's office to help him dig up information on Deimos, and the request had been denied because Philip had been unable to provide evidence that Deimos had committed a crime. Confused, Belle said she had been under the impression that John had agreed to help Philip investigate Deimos. Philip complained that John had been blowing him off recently. Belle assured Philip that she would take care of that problem.
Later, Belle ran into Lani, who informed her that Shawn was working on a case at that time. Belle said she wasn't looking for Shawn, anyway. Lani pointed out that Belle couldn't avoid Shawn forever, especially since their respective careers kept them in the same orbit. Belle insisted that her personal life was none of Lani's business, but Lani disagreed, reasoning that the police department needed a forensics expert who was at the top of his game and wasn't being bogged down with drama from a soon-to-be ex.
Outraged, Belle wondered if Shawn had been talking to Lani about her. Lani pointed out that Shawn and Belle's relationship woes weren't exactly a big secret -- especially to her, since she had witnessed one of their recent arguments firsthand. "Shawn is worried about his family all the time. He needs to know if things will work out or not," Lani added. "My, a detective and a psychologist," Belle countered.
Lani confirmed that, in her line of work, she sometimes needed to be both. Lani advised Belle to figure out what was really important to her -- and stop making Shawn worry about when the next shoe was going to drop. Belle conceded that Lani was right. "If you see him, you tell him he's no longer my priority. I have someone else I need to focus on," Belle added before walking away.
John and Eduardo met in the town square to discuss Eduardo's recent encounter with Vadim, the man who had been sent to kill Eduardo. Eduardo was certain that he had neutralized that particular threat, but he knew that the organization that was hunting him and John would eventually send someone else to finish the job Vadim had started.
John wanted to make a preemptive strike, but Eduardo was more interested in focusing on his family, reasoning that it was past time for him to start putting them first. John apologized for inadvertently dragging Eduardo back into the life he had tried to leave behind years earlier. Eduardo admitted that he was actually glad to know he had someone he could turn to for help when needed. Eduardo maintained, however, that it would be best to refrain from starting a war with the organization at that time. "Right now, it's gotta be about family [for me]. I just hope I'm not too late," Eduardo added.
Later, at Belle's request, John met with Philip and explained that he had figured out that Seth Malcolm had, at one point, received a series of phone calls from Greece. John added that, while the police had initially suspected that Malcolm had somehow been connected to the DiMeras, the phone calls from Greece seemed to contradict that theory.
Philip confirmed that Deimos had lived in Greece before moving to Salem. Deimos had been in prison back then, though, so Philip wasn't sure how he could have been making phone calls to a doctor in the United States at that time. "Maybe he didn't. But if he's as slippery as you say he is, these calls are facts you should know about [and] look into a little bit," John advised.
Nodding, Philip thanked John for the information and started to walk away, but John stopped him and wondered what was going on between him and Belle. Philip said he just knew that he wanted to see Belle a lot more, and he thought she felt the same way about him. "You want to know what I think? I think my daughter's life is messed up right now, and my granddaughter's life is also messed up right now. And I think that's because you're sniffing around too much," John replied. Philip insisted that he would never hurt Belle, but John thought that was an empty promise.
"I mean it. Honestly, I'm more worried she's gonna hurt me," Philip admitted, adding that he thought he was falling in love with Belle. John reminded Philip that they had been down that road before. Nodding, Philip said he understood that John didn't want to see Belle get hurt again. Philip stressed that he felt the same way. "Ever hear the phrase 'talk is cheap'? And how the hell do you think you're gonna go up against someone like Deimos Kiriakis and carry on a sweet little love affair on the side? Been there, done that, and trust me, someone always suffers. And I don't want it to be my daughter, so think this through, Philip," John advised before walking away.
Kate agreed to join Deimos for breakfast at Edge of the Square, and when he arrived, he presented her with a belated Valentine's Day gift -- an extravagant diamond necklace that left Kate speechless. Kate thanked Deimos for the gift then passed it back to him, insisting that it would be inappropriate to accept such a thing from someone she barely knew.
Deimos apologetically explained that prison life hadn't provided him with many opportunities to learn how to act around beautiful women. Deimos asked for a chance to plead his case, and when Kate didn't object, he continued that he wanted to pursue a relationship with her because he found her fascinating -- and not just because she had turned down his offer to help her buy out her former business partners, a move that had shown him that she possessed strength as well as a backbone.
"I do apologize if I insulted you by offering you such an extravagant gift. It's just a trinket to me -- something that deserves to be around the neck of a lovely woman," Deimos added before starting to put the necklace away with a sigh of disappointment. Kate stopped Deimos and conceded that, since he had obviously gone to a lot of trouble to get the gift for her, she would be willing to accept it -- as long as he agreed to place it around her neck himself. As Deimos happily complied, Eduardo entered the club and spotted them together.
Later, Philip ran into Eduardo outside the club. Eduardo was quick to inform Philip that there was an interesting meeting in progress inside. "Why did I tell my mother to be careful around that sleazeball? All it did was make him more interesting," Philip realized when he spotted Kate with Deimos. Intrigued, Eduardo asked Philip to tell him about Deimos, and Philip happily complied. Eduardo was shocked to learn that Kate was aware of Deimos' past and was willing to associate with him regardless. "I thought she was smarter than that," Eduardo mused. "She's as smart as they come, but with men...let's just say her radar's on the fritz," Philip explained.
Eduardo promised to do some digging and see if he could find out anything else about Deimos. Philip said he had already tried that but had failed to dig up anything useful, even after getting professionals involved. "Yeah, well, I tend to use...unique sources," Eduardo explained. After Philip left, Eduardo entered the club and lingered at the bar, watching as Kate agreed to have dinner with Deimos later. On her way out of the club, Kate greeted Eduardo, who eyed her necklace and observed that it was "really something." Kate agreed then walked away. Deimos wasn't far behind, and Eduardo discreetly followed him outside.
Belle asked Philip to meet her in the town square, and when he arrived, he thanked her for arranging the earlier meeting with John. Philip offered to tell Belle about the meeting over lunch, but she declined, explaining that she thought it would be best for them to take a break and give each other some space. Taken aback, Philip hesitantly agreed and wondered what had made Belle reach that decision. Belle explained that she needed to focus on her relationship with her daughter, and Philip's presence wouldn't make that easy. Nodding, Philip claimed that he was in the same boat, needing to focus on repairing his relationship with Victor. Belle gave Philip a kiss on the cheek and thanked him for making the conversation easy. Philip watched sadly as Belle walked away.
Deimos ran into one of Victor's goons in a secluded section of the town square but easily took the man out. After sending Victor a text message to let him know that it would take more than that to get rid of him, Deimos continued through the town square -- unaware that Eduardo was still tailing him.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad talked to Harold about the changes at the mansion, and he reminded Harold not to take direction from Andre or Stefano. After dropping Thomas off at daycare, Abigail returned home. Abigail told Chad that she was going to tell her mother about resigning from her job and the elopement. Nervous, Abigail sighed deeply. When Chad asked Abigail if she was sure she wanted to tell Jennifer before they left, Abigail said she was certain.
In her office at the hospital, Jennifer gently eased herself down into her seat. When Mr. Burns called about the failure of the local paper to print the name of the donor for the pediatric wing, Jennifer stressed that she had sent the press release to the paper. As the caller grew more heated, Jennifer grew defensive. Jennifer yelled into the phone. Furious, Mr. Burns hung up. Jennifer turned to her computer to find the email she had sent to the paper, and she was dismayed to learn that she had failed to send out the email.
"Oh, my gosh, what's wrong with me? I didn't even finish writing this!" Jennifer exclaimed. Upset, Jennifer grabbed her bottle of pills and took a couple. Jennifer called Abigail and begged for her help at the hospital.
Gabi met up with J.J. in the town square for coffee. Over coffee, Gabi and J.J. kissed and laughed. Abigail walked over and said hello. J.J. asked about Thomas, and a defensive Abigail said that her son was in daycare. Gabi reminded J.J. of Chad's good deeds, and she encouraged J.J. to be more positive about Chad. J.J. said he would keep an open mind, but he was having difficulty because Abigail was moving into the DiMera mansion. When Abigail reminded J.J. that neither Andre nor Stefano would be in the mansion, J.J. scoffed at the idea.
Abigail thought about the nightmare she had experienced where an imposter had kidnapped Chad. Abigail shook off the memory as Gabi asked J.J. not to hold Chad's family against him. When Gabi mentioned that Thomas was a DiMera, J.J. nodded. Abigail informed J.J. and Gabi that she was eloping with Chad. Before J.J. could react, Abigail told J.J. to be happy that he did not need to fake a smile through a wedding ceremony. With a wave, Abigail left. Sighing, J.J. told Gabi that he would give Chad a chance. Gabi smiled.
In the Horton living room, Hope confided to Rafe that she regretted that she had not shot Stefano decades earlier. Worried, Hope wondered aloud if Andre would go to the police. Rafe asked Hope not to worry about an investigation when Andre was clearly more interested in hurting Hope and her family. Hope wondered aloud why Andre had stolen Bo's gun from the house. With a gasp, Hope said she had a plan to handle Andre.
In the park, Andre spotted Chase sitting on a bench. Andre approached Chase and asked if he had run away from his family. Chase stressed that Hope and Ciara were not his family. With a smile, Andre offered Chase a bagel, and he asked what was wrong. Chase explained that Ciara had blamed him for starting the fire. With a shrug, Andre noted that it had to be difficult for Chase to fight with Ciara, considering how Chase felt about her. Chase nodded.
When Andre asked Chase where he was going, Chase admitted he was not sure. Chase said he'd thought about going to Chicago. Andre noted that the weather in Chicago was too brutal for someone with nowhere to go. Andre urged Chase to make amends with Ciara. Shaking his head, Chase said he did not want to be around someone who looked at him like an enemy. Andre gave Chase a pep talk, and he urged Chase to fight for Ciara. Andre confided that, like Chase, he had been unjustly accused before, and that he had been judged based on his father's actions as well. Buddying up to Chase, Andre said that he was Chase's friend.
Andre offered to get Chase a room at the Salem Inn to give Chase time to figure out his situation. Suspicious, Chase asked Andre why he wanted to help. Andre explained that he had no motive to help Chase other than because it made him feel good to help Chase in his time of need. Chase agreed to Andre's offer, and the two ordered room service at the Salem Inn. With an oily smile, Andre told Chase that they were kindred spirits.
In the town square, Ciara thought about her argument with Chase about the fire. Shaking her head, Ciara muttered, "Oh, God, Chase. Please be okay." Ciara called Chase and left him a voicemail pleading with him to return home. Worried, Ciara went to the Horton house. Hope was surprised to see her daughter, but Ciara explained that she had left school because she had been feeling ill. When Hope asked Ciara if she was upset about something, Ciara told Hope about the fight she had had with Chase.
Upset, Ciara apologized. When Ciara asked Hope if she had thought about whether Chase had set the fire, Hope grabbed her phone and called Chase's cell phone. Hope left a voicemail begging for Chase to return home. When Hope called the guard for Chase, the guard admitted that Chase had slipped away. Hope told the man he was fired. Worried, Hope told Ciara to stay home while she searched for Chase.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad stared into the fireplace while Harold piled Andre's remaining belongings in the corner. When Chad asked about the stuff, Harold explained that he was sending the items to Andre at the Salem Inn. Chad told Harold that Andre was to be thrown off the property if he should ever return. When Harold asked Chad if he believed that Stefano was gone for good, Chad retorted, "I've never been so lucky before."
At the police station, Rafe asked Roman if he had any news about Stefano. Roman said he had heard that Stefano was in Europe. Shaking his head, Rafe said that Chad had not heard from Stefano since he had left town. Rafe noted that it was strange that Stefano had not reached out when the mansion was in foreclosure or when Andre had moved out of the mansion. When Roman asked if Rafe had seen Andre, Rafe informed Roman that Andre had a gash on his face. Roman theorized that Stefano could have cut Andre's face.
Confused, Roman wondered aloud why Stefano would have turned on Andre. With a shrug, Rafe suggested that Andre could have angered Stefano. Roman nodded. Rafe added that it was strange that a man as vain as Andre had avoided medical attention from the hospital. Hope interrupted to report that Chase had run away. While J.J. typed up the missing persons report, Hope informed Roman that her home had been robbed and vandalized. Roman noted that the fire department had concluded that the cause of the fire had been accidental.
Nodding, Hope said that she had believed the fire had been an accident until she had found a hidden camera in her home. Hope pulled a baggie out of her purse, which contained the camera. Hope added that the only thing missing from her house was Bo's gun. When Roman asked for details, Hope explained that she did not know when the gun had gone missing but that it likely had been taken whenever the camera had been planted in the house.
Rafe jumped in to note that the camera was likely connected to the people that had kidnapped Bo. When Rafe asked who stood to gain the most from stealing Victor's serum, Hope suggested that Stefano had the motive. Rafe asked if Andre could be to blame.
After making arrangements to search for Chase, Roman updated Hope on the search. A worried Hope thanked Roman for his help. Roman urged Hope to talk to him. Hope admitted that she was overwhelmed by everything. Roman suggested that Hope should think about returning to work so that she could focus on something other than her own misery. With a faint smile, Hope said she was not sure whether she was ready to return to police work yet.
In the town square, a worried Ciara met up with Theo. Ciara told Theo that she had fought with Chase and that he had run away from home. With a shrug, Theo told Ciara that Chase was a terrible friend. Ciara defended Chase, and Theo grew angry. Theo said he thought it was better for everyone if Chase never returned.
At the hospital, Abigail helped Jennifer with the missing press release. Jennifer was embarrassed that she had been short with Mr. Burns. Abigail assured Jennifer that the story would be printed a day late but that the delay would soon be forgotten. When Jennifer asked about the wedding planning, Abigail stumbled on her words. Abigail said the plans were moving along. After Jennifer left to check on a matter, Abigail called Chad. Abigail informed Chad that she had not told her mother about the elopement and that she was not sure they should elope after all.
At the mansion, Chad watched as Rafe entered the room with two police officers. Chad told Abigail that he needed to speak with some people, and he hung up. Rafe informed Chad that he had a warrant to search the mansion. When Rafe asked about Andre, Chad said that Andre was at the Salem Inn. Rafe explained that he believed Andre had broken into Hope's house. With a nod, Chad told the officers to look around the mansion. With a raised eyebrow, Rafe noted that Chad did not seem surprised.
"I'm not surprised that Andre would retaliate against Hope," Chad said. Rafe pressed Chad for details. Chad told Rafe that Andre was convinced that Hope had killed Stefano and had used Rafe to help her cover up the crime. Rafe chuckled. As an officer searched Andre's luggage in the foyer, he found Bo's gun.
As Steve and Kayla were enjoying a morning home together before Kayla had to leave for work, Steve tried to reassure Kayla that Ava really was gone. Kayla said she could tell that something had happened right there in the living room while she'd been gone. At Kayla's invitation, Roman showed up a little later. Kayla explained that she wanted him to arrest Ava for kidnapping, and Steve briefed Roman on the rest of the details, including Ava's feigned illness.
"So we've got some type of fraud on top of kidnapping. We'll get creative," Roman promised. Steve said Ava was still in Jakarta, and she'd promised to leave them alone. An irked Kayla was certain that Ava would return to Salem. Roman advised that he would "flag" Ava at the airport, but he seemed optimistic that she would stay away, since her plan had failed.
After Roman left, Kayla again voiced her concerns that something had happened in the living room. Just then, Joey returned from school. When Joey brushed off his mom's questions and headed to his room, Steve chided him. "You have a problem with the way I treat Mom? Seriously?" Joey retorted before storming out. Kayla demanded to know what had happened between Steve and Joey while she'd been gone.
Steve reluctantly admitted that Ava had wanted him to have sex with her in exchange for freeing Kayla. Kayla pointed out incredulously, "That's exactly what she tried before, and it didn't work! Why did she think that it would work now?" Steve maintained that it hadn't gone "all the way" because Joey had walked in on them -- plus, Joey had fallen for Ava. A livid Kayla flipped out, but Steve was pretty sure that Ava hadn't crossed that line. "This is bad, but it's not as bad as I feared," Kayla admitted with a bit of relief.
Kayla kissed Steve hard and thanked him for telling her everything. She wanted to try to convince Joey that Ava was crazy, but Steve wasn't sure Joey would believe it. "I can't believe we let this nightmare back in our lives," Kayla said. Steve admitted that Kayla had paid the price for his actions -- but he promised never to do it again.
As Ava checked into a hotel room, she spotted a "Things to Do in Salem" brochure on the dresser. Frowning, she immediately ripped it up. After staring out the window for a while, Ava watched a video on her phone of her and Steve having sex. She smiled a bit then her brow crinkled as she remembered how it had happened.
When Claire returned to John and Marlena's townhouse after school, an enthusiastic Belle suggested an extravagant shopping trip -- to international cities -- for some mother/daughter bonding. Although Claire was tempted, she wondered how her mom could afford it. Not buying any of Belle's explanations, Claire jumped to the conclusion that Philip had given money to her mom. Belle indignantly denied it, but an agitated Claire recounted all the things she'd heard Belle ordering.
"You whore yourself out to Philip, and then you--" Claire began, and Belle raised a hand to slap her. "Oh, go ahead!" Claire jeered. Belle sheepishly apologized and swore that she would never hit Claire -- and that she would never take money from Philip. Claire asked again how her mom had gotten the money. After a long pause, Belle blurted, "Your Aunt Sami gave it to me!" Claire quickly realized that it was the money that Sami had stolen from the DiMeras. Claire explained that she'd overheard Marlena and Belle discussing it.
Struggling to invent a viable explanation, Belle insisted that Sami had lent her own money -- not the DiMeras' -- to help Belle start her business. A skeptical Claire worried, "If the DiMeras find out that you have their money, they'll kill you!" Belle reiterated that she didn't have the DiMeras' money. "I don't even recognize you anymore. When did you become such a good liar?" Claire asked.
At the Salem Inn, Chase ate a hearty meal while Andre accompanied him. Andre broached the subject of Chase's living situation, and Chase said he'd never really been part of the Brady family. Andre commiserated with Chase about having similar relationships and problems with their fathers. Andre reassured Chase that Aiden's dark side didn't guarantee that Chase would have that same darkness. Andre proposed a way to deal with it: "You befriend every ugly impulse, and then you control it. And you take all of that energy and put it into a worthy goal." Andre suggested that Chase's goal should be love -- and Ciara Brady.
Chase maintained that Ciara hated him. Andre believed that Chase could win Ciara over, but Chase was sure that he'd blown things with her. Andre pointed out that Chase had suppressed his impulses and had instead done something worse. "That energy, that power you have, Chase, that is what a woman like Ciara wants," Andre asserted. He added that Ciara didn't really want a nice guy, as it appeared; she needed someone strong who would do anything to be with her. Clearly uncomfortable, Chase abruptly left. Andre smirked.
In the DiMera mansion study, Rafe informed Chad that the gun the police had recovered from Andre's luggage had belonged to Bo Brady and had been stolen from Hope Brady's house. One of the uniformed cops informed Rafe that they'd found some bloody bandages in an upstairs bathroom. Rafe instructed the officer to bag everything with blood on it from that bathroom. After Rafe noted that Stefano appeared to have disappeared off the face of the earth, a puzzled Chad asked, "You think Andre had something to do with Stefano's disappearance?"
Incredulous, Chad pointed out that Andre had believed Hope had murdered Stefano and Rafe had covered it up. He also couldn't believe that the police suspected Andre of murdering Stefano, maintaining that Andre's extreme actions had always been out of loyalty to Stefano. "What else did he tell you about Hope murdering Stefano? Is there any other evidence that I should know about?" Rafe asked.
Chad showed Rafe the figurine with the drop of blood, which Andre had asserted was Stefano's. "Proof, he says, that Hope killed our father," Chad explained. Rafe wondered how the blood drop could be proof, but Chad didn't have an answer except that Andre had been sure. "Sure that your father's dead? Interesting. How can he be so sure?" Rafe asked.
While Ciara and Theo were ambling through Horton Square, Hope called Ciara to ask if she'd seen Chase. Ciara hadn't, but she emphasized that they had to find Chase. After hanging up, Ciara said her mom had been a little overprotective but admitted that it felt kind of nice after everything that had happened. Ciara obliquely mentioned what Theo had said about his feelings for her, but Theo assured her that it wasn't a big deal.
Ciara remarked that Theo's Uncle Andre was "kind of creepy," and she was glad Stefano was gone. Suddenly remembering that Stefano was Theo's grandfather, Ciara apologized. "I get it. Everyone hates Nonno, but he was always good to me," Theo stressed. Ciara was surprised that Stefano had left but hadn't been in touch with Theo since. "He's the only one besides my dad who remembers my mom the way I do. I just don't want to forget her," Theo said. Ciara reassured Theo that neither of them would forget their departed parents.
When Chase walked into the square, a cop stopped him. The officer wanted to take him back to the station, but Chase insisted that he was fine. Ciara spotted Chase and rushed up to him with relief. She assured him that she hadn't meant what she'd said and pleaded with him to return home. Chase was unconvinced that anyone had been worried where he had been. Ciara informed the cop that she was taking Chase back to the Horton house. "Tell my mom we're okay," Ciara requested. A disheartened Theo watched Ciara leave with Chase and the police officer.
Theo was still hanging out in the square when Joey showed up. After Joey complained about his dad, he asked why Theo seemed so glum. "I told Ciara that I'm into her," Theo admitted. Joey cheered up instantaneously, declaring that he'd called it. Theo said Ciara only liked him as a friend, and she tended to ignore him when Chase was around. "[Being Ciara's stepbrother] doesn't stop Chase... He does whatever he wants," Theo added.
Ciara and Chase entered the Horton house and determined that no one else was home. Ciara wanted to know where Chase had spent the previous night, and he cryptically replied that he'd found a place to sleep. Ciara apologized to Chase for thinking he'd started the fire and for telling him that she didn't want him there. Although Chase seemed skeptical, Ciara took his hand to reassure him that she didn't think he was anything like his father. "Ciara, I love you," Chase quietly professed, adding, "I love everything about you. You get me."
Taking her hand away, Ciara reminded Chase her feelings for him were more as if he were his brother. Chase tried to persuade her that neither of them really felt that way. After saying he was only doing what both of them wanted, Chase leaned over and kissed Ciara. She returned his kiss for a moment then pulled away. "Chase, stop. We shouldn't," Ciara protested. Urging Ciara to just let things happen, Chase said he didn't want to lose Ciara. "You're not going to lose me -- but this? I'm not ready," Ciara said. "Yes, you are. Deep down, you know that," Chase murmured, kissing Ciara again.
Ciara jumped up and declared anxiously, "Chase, stop. I want you to stop!" "No, you don't," Chase insisted, tossing Ciara down on the couch and clamping a hand on her mouth before she could shout for help. "This is what we both want. I love you," Chase said quietly, looming over Ciara as she asked him again to stop.
At the police station, Hope informed Shawn that Chase was missing, and she was there to file a missing persons report, as well as reports about the fire, theft, and vandalism -- which Rafe suspected had been committed by Andre. Changing the subject, Hope gave Bo's St. Jude medal to Shawn, explaining that Bo had worn it every day. Touched, Shawn stared at the medal as he lowered himself into a chair. Hope declared that Shawn would be an even better cop than she was or his father had been. Shawn said he'd heard stories around the station, not just about Bo but about Hope, who was "kind of a legend" there.
Rafe returned to the police station and told the uniformed officer to give the evidence from the search to Shawn. Rafe informed Roman, Hope, and Shawn that he'd found Bo's gun in one of Andre's suitcases, and they'd also found bloody bandages in Andre's bathroom. Rafe requested that Shawn test the blood on the statue for Stefano's DNA.
"I think Andre may have killed Stefano," Rafe posited. Roman questioned why Andre had done so. Rafe explained that, on a tip from John, he'd discovered that all of Stefano's bank accounts had been drained -- and the computer that had transferred the funds out had been inside the mansion. Rafe theorized that Stefano had gone "ballistic" after learning that Andre had stolen the money, and Andre had killed Stefano and framed Hope for it.
Roman was dubious, so Rafe recounted all the things Andre had done to Hope and the Brady house. Hope reminded Roman that the DiMeras had been after the Bradys for decades. She added musingly that perhaps it had been Andre who'd stolen Stefano's money. After Roman had to leave, an anxious Hope wondered if Roman had bought their story. Rafe and Hope acknowledged to each other that the evidence worked because it could point at her or Andre.
Meanwhile, Shawn was informing Roman that the blood on the statue had matched Stefano's blood type and a molecular marker that suggested it could also match Stefano's DNA. As Roman walked off, Claire showed up and announced to Shawn that Belle was in trouble. Swearing her dad to secrecy, Claire informed him that Belle had gotten a lot of money, supposedly from Sami, but Claire suspected that it had been stolen from the DiMeras.
Shawn made a beeline for John and Marlena's to question Belle, who was dismayed but not surprised that Claire had blabbed to him. "Of course she did. She's scared that her mother's lost her mind," Shawn pointed out. Belle insisted that she had not taken DiMera money from Sami, but Shawn didn't buy it. "You're hiding something, Belle. What is it?" Shawn asked.
Roman returned to Rafe and Hope and informed them that the blood drop had matched Stefano's -- but until they found a body, there was no way to prove he wasn't just hiding out in Europe. "Bring Andre in. Sweat him. He'll give up the body," Hope suggested. Roman agreed that it was worth a try.
Chad stopped by Andre's hotel room. Ignoring Andre's sarcastic small talk, Chad informed his brother that Rafe had shown up at the DiMera mansion with a search warrant -- and after finding Bo Brady's gun in Andre's luggage, they'd alleged that Andre had killed Stefano. "They really think they're going to get away with this?" a furious Andre wondered. "Who's 'they'?" Chad asked. "The murderous harpy and her lovelorn poodle!" Andre sneered, explaining that he'd meant Hope and Rafe.
Chad asked soberly, "Is it true? Did you kill Stefano?" A dismayed Andre refused to answer the question. "I've seen your Wikipedia page, brother. I know that you could [have]," Chad asserted. Andre irately insisted that what the police were doing was "jujitsu," because they had used his evidence to prove they had done it against him. "I didn't see this coming. This is an incredible plot!" Andre complained. Chad was doubtful that Hope had been plotting against Andre. "Obviously, you've not read her Wikipedia page," Andre countered sardonically.
Rather than believing that two detectives had murdered Stefano and framed Andre, Chad contended, "My money's on the guy who brainwashed me." Andre wondered why would have killed their father. Chad conjectured that Stefano had found out Andre had tried to get the bank passcodes from Sami to use for himself. Andre insisted that Hope and Rafe were setting him up and trying to pin the crime on him. Chad reiterated that he would never believe the man who'd tried to ruin his life. Andre warned Chad that if he believed the detectives' lies, it would mean that Stefano would never get justice.
Andre demanded to know why he would have tried to take Chad to the abandoned warehouse where Hope and Rafe had dumped Stefano's body if Andre had been the one who'd killed Stefano. "I don't know. Maybe you're the one using jujitsu...by pointing your finger somewhere else," Chad speculated. Andre tried to point out that they were brothers, but Chad reminded Andre that he'd "cut the cord," and they were no longer family. After assessing his conversation with Andre, Chad asked, "You are telling the truth about Stefano, aren't you? Our father is dead. Isn't he?" Andre confirmed it.
Blinking back tears, Chad tried to leave without another word -- but Rafe and a uniformed cop were waiting outside. "Andre DiMera, I need you to come down to the station and answer some questions for me," Rafe declared.
Chad returned to the DiMera mansion and looked pensively around the study and at Stefano's photo.
The cops arrived at the station with Andre, who quipped, "This is quite a party... I didn't even have time to change. I mean, what does one wear at an ambush?" Roman explained that they only wanted the truth about a robbery at Hope's house and Stefano's disappearance. "Oh, so do I," Andre agreed with an ironic chuckle.
At the hospital, Nicole contacted Maggie and revealed that she had just finished cleaning out Daniel's office. Nicole confirmed that the task had been hard on her -- but not as hard as seeing all the wedding gifts, which she and Daniel had arranged, weeks earlier, to have delivered to his office because they had made plans to have the apartment painted.
Later, after finding a gift from a local charity, Salem Cares, Nicole contacted the organization and soon received a visit from one of its representatives. The man hoped that the gift, which had been sent before Daniel's death as a token of appreciation for everything he had done for the charity over the years, hadn't caused Nicole any further distress. Nicole assured the man that she appreciated the gift and would actually like to keep it.
Nicole invited the man to take all the other gifts off her hands and give them to people in need. Stunned, the man commended Nicole for possessing the same kind of good heart that Daniel had possessed. The man started to leave after assuring Nicole that he would send someone over to pick up the items as soon as possible, but she stopped him and said she had just decided that she actually wanted to keep one other gift, as well. "I realized I have the perfect place for it," Nicole explained as she eyed an unwrapped blender.
Brady awoke with a start after another dream about Summer, during which he had seen her locked in a psychiatric facility known as South Coast. "Daniel, what are you telling me?" Brady muttered as Theresa returned home and wondered what was bothering him. Brady told Theresa about the dream -- and about his desire to figure out what it meant.
Theresa fretted that it wasn't healthy for Brady to obsess over the matter, but he insisted that he was fine. "I don't think it's fine that every time you sleep, you wake up agitated," Theresa protested. Brady clarified that he was curious, not agitated. Theresa maintained that Brady needed to start taking better care of himself. Theresa added that she was starting to feel left out because Brady had been focusing his attention on Nicole and the mystery woman lately. Brady assured Theresa that she didn't have any competition to worry about. "You are always on my mind, and you're always in my heart," Brady stressed.
Brady reasoned that he needed to figure out what the dreams meant so he could get back to focusing all his attention on his family. "That's why I've decided that I'm leaving for L.A. today," Brady added. "Like hell you are!" Theresa protested, fretting that the flight alone could kill Brady. Brady explained that he had already chartered a private plane and arranged for a heart specialist to be available in Los Angeles at all times, just in case he needed medical care while visiting the city. "I know it sounds crazy --" Brady began to add. "No, it doesn't sound crazy; it is crazy!" Theresa interrupted.
Brady continued that he believed in his heart that Daniel was guiding him to Los Angeles -- and that he might find something there that could change his life. Hurt, Theresa wondered what was wrong with the life Brady already had. Brady said nothing was wrong with it, but Theresa wasn't convinced. "It kind of seems like you're latching on to some dream girl because you're not happy with who you actually are," Theresa mused. Brady assured Theresa that he was quite happy with his life. "I just feel like I owe it to Daniel to do this," Brady continued, adding with finality that he was going to make the trip to Los Angeles.
Theresa offered to accompany Brady to Los Angeles, but he pointed out that she needed to stay in Salem not just to take care of Tate but also to prepare for the launch of the new company she was starting with Nicole. Brady assured Theresa that he would only be gone for a few days. Before Theresa could say anything else, someone knocked on the townhouse door, and Brady asked her to see who it was so he could go say goodbye to Tate. Theresa opened the door and found Nicole standing outside with a blender. "It's kind of a housewarming gift," Nicole explained.
Theresa said it wasn't a good time, prompting Nicole to wonder if something had happened to Brady. Theresa assured Nicole that Brady was fine. Theresa added, however, that Brady was also obsessed with a woman he had been dreaming about -- so obsessed, in fact, that he was planning to go to Los Angeles to try to track her down. Confused, Nicole pointed out that the woman might not even exist. Theresa explained that, while she was aware of that possibility, Brady was convinced that the woman was real -- and that Daniel was guiding him to her because she was the key to unlocking some big mystery from Daniel's past.
"God, Nicole, even in his dreams, she's in a psych ward! He's looking for answers from a woman who, even if she isn't imaginary, she's crazy," Theresa added. "The heart has reasons, of which reason knows nothing," Nicole pointed out, but the Blaise Pascal quote was lost on Theresa, who interpreted the comment as confirmation that Nicole wanted Brady to go away. Before Nicole could respond, Brady returned and said goodbye to her and Theresa, promising to call as soon as he arrived in Los Angeles.
Later, while going through some of the things from Daniel's office, Nicole found a file on Summer Townsend. "What were you doing in L.A., Daniel? And who is this woman?" Nicole muttered. Setting the file aside, Nicole grabbed her cell phone, placed a call to someone, and explained that she wanted a seat on the next flight to Los Angeles.
At John and Marlena's townhouse, Shawn was upset to learn that Belle had accepted Stefano's money from Sami without giving any thought to the fact that doing so could put Claire in danger. Belle said she might be more willing to listen to Shawn's concerns if he hadn't spent the last two years judging her every action. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I supposed to just not care that you had an affair?" Shawn asked incredulously.
Belle sarcastically agreed that, as always, Shawn was right and she was wrong. "But that was true [even] before I...'strayed,'" Belle added. Belle complained that, like everyone else who claimed to love and trust her, Shawn believed that she was incapable of making a good decision. Shawn wondered if Belle really believed that aiding and abetting Sami in an embezzlement scheme had been a good decision.
"Ah. The sneering condescension. It's what I miss most about you, Shawn," Belle replied. Fed up, Shawn agreed to drop the matter but warned that he wasn't going to just sit back and watch as Belle continued to put their daughter in harm's way. "[What you did was] wrong, and I'm sorry if saying that hurts your precious self-esteem," Shawn added. As he started to leave, Shawn continued that he was going to be watching Claire like a hawk -- and he hoped that Belle would think about her before making any other brilliant decisions.
"You know what, why don't you just go straight to hell, Shawn?" Belle spat as Shawn opened the townhouse door -- and found Eric standing in the hallway, preparing to knock. Eric offered to return later, knowing that he had shown up at a bad time, but Belle insisted that his timing was perfect. "Shawn was just getting the hell out," Belle explained while glaring at Shawn, who took the hint and left after saying goodbye to Eric. Belle rolled her eyes and sarcastically muttered that working things out with Shawn was always an enjoyable experience.
Eric again offered to return some other time, but Belle insisted that there wasn't any time left because his sentencing hearing was fast approaching, and they needed to talk about some things before then. "I'm afraid I have some bad news," Belle added before informing Eric, who had already entered a guilty plea for one count of vehicular manslaughter, that he was facing a minimum of three years in prison and a maximum of fourteen years. "The state has taken most of the discretion out of the judge's hands. They're really cracking down on drunk drivers, so probation's not really an option; there are mandatory sentences built into the statutes," Belle explained.
Chase went to the Salem Inn in search of Andre, who wasn't in his hotel room. "Damn it!" Chase shouted in frustration as he sank into a chair, recalling what had happened with Ciara earlier. Meanwhile, at the Horton house, Ciara curled up on the floor and sobbed as she tugged on a torn piece of fabric at the hem of her skirt, trying to hide the bare skin exposed beneath it.
Ciara jumped to her feet when she heard someone entering the house. Drying her eyes, Ciara turned to face Jennifer, who greeted her and, without being asked, rushed into the kitchen to make her something to eat. Alone again in the darkened living room, Ciara found it hard to avoid looking at the couch that Chase had pinned her down on earlier.
Ciara soon received a text message from Chase -- "R U OK?? I need to see U!" Shaking her head, Ciara grabbed her jacket and opened the front door to leave -- just as Theo arrived to see her. "Please get me out of here!" Ciara sobbed as she seized a hug from Theo, who took her to a secluded section of the town square but was unable to get her to open up about what had happened to her. "Did someone hurt you? Did Chase hurt you?" Theo demanded to know, but Ciara just continued sobbing as she accepted another hug from him.
"I don't know what to say," Theo admitted as he took a seat next to Ciara on a nearby bench. Ciara asked Theo to tell her a story, like he had often done when they had been little kids. Theo began to tell Ciara about the time he had gotten lost in the DiMera mansion and had been reluctant to call out for help, fearing that Stefano would make fun of him. "But he was looking for me, and he didn't laugh; he was nice. And... I just -- I miss him. I don't get why he left without saying goodbye to me," Theo added.
Theo could tell that his story had failed to cheer Ciara up. "I don't know how to help you," Theo apologetically admitted as Joey approached and wondered what was going on. Theo explained that Ciara was unhappy but didn't want to tell him why. "Yeah, I get that way. Sometimes I don't want to be alone, but I don't want to talk, either," Joey said as he took a seat next to Ciara on the bench.
Ciara thanked Theo and Joey for their support and assured them that they didn't need to worry about her, adding that she was just kind of freaked out. "By what?" Theo asked. "By life," Ciara replied. Ciara soon rushed off to a nearby restroom, assuring Theo and Joey that she would be right back. Concerned, Joey wondered if Theo knew what was wrong with Ciara. "All I know is it's bad and she won't tell me about it," Theo replied. Meanwhile, in the restroom, Ciara splashed some water on her face then began sobbing again as she turned away from the mirror that was hanging on the wall.
At the Horton house, Jennifer entered the living room and announced that Ciara's food was finally ready, adding that it had taken longer to prepare than it should have because she had forgotten to turn the oven on at first. Surprised to find Ciara gone, Jennifer shrugged and retrieved a bottle of pain medication from her purse. As Jennifer swallowed a pill, someone began pounding insistently on the front door.
When Jennifer opened the door, she found Eric leaning against the side of the house, smiling at her. "I'm drunk. You said you wanted to help me, so here I am!" Eric explained as he stumbled into the living room and flopped down on the couch. Jennifer offered to make some food and a pot of coffee for Eric, but he told her not to bother. "I think it would be really hard to muster up a meal when you're [just] as stoned as I am," Eric added with a laugh. Jennifer tried to deny the accusation, but Eric reached behind the couch and picked up the bottle of pain medication that Jennifer had left sitting on a stand.
Shaking the bottle, Eric observed that it sounded like it was almost time for Jennifer to get another refill. Jennifer snatched the bottle out of Eric's hand and snapped that he had no right to enter her house and judge her, since she wasn't hurting anyone with the use of her pain medication -- and she certainly hadn't caused anyone's death as a result of it. Eric guessed that, like everyone else in Salem, Jennifer wished that he could trade places with Daniel. "It's okay, 'cause you know what? I wish it was me, too," Eric admitted.
"Don't say that," Jennifer protested, prompting Eric to observe that people only used that phrase when they were trying to avoid confirming that what was being said was the truth. Jennifer assured Eric that he could beat his addiction, but he insisted that he didn't want to. "I want it to kill me!" Eric shouted, angrily pounding his fist against his chest.
Jennifer offered to contact Lucas, but Eric told her to only do that if she wanted Lucas' help, since he was already beyond help. "[But] what about you? You know, even [I] can see that you're sinking [because] of these pretty little pills," Eric observed. Jennifer maintained that she was fine, but Eric wasn't convinced. "What are you gonna grab onto when you're sinking? What are you gonna grab hold of when there's nothing left to hold on to?" Eric tearfully wondered. As Jennifer quietly admitted that she wasn't sure, Eric leaned in and kissed her.
At the police station, Hope watched nervously as Roman and Rafe questioned Andre in one of the conference rooms. Andre remained calm as Roman presented all the evidence that Rafe had gathered from the DiMera mansion. Once Roman was done, Andre confirmed that Stefano was indeed dead, and he proceeded to tell Roman where to find Stefano's body. Shocked, Roman wondered if Andre was confessing to the murder. "Oh, not in the least, Commissioner. I don't have to confess that I killed my father, because it was Detective Brady that pulled the trigger...and your Detective Hernandez is doing everything he can to cover it up," Andre replied.
Roman refused to take Andre's word over the word of his own detectives. "Why am I not surprised?" Andre muttered. Ignoring the remark, Roman thanked Andre for telling him where to find Stefano's body. "We'll get right on that. And when we match the bullets in that corpse to the gun -- a gun, by the way, that has your fingerprints all over it -- I think we're gonna have more than enough to lock you up for the rest of your life," Roman predicted.
Andre warned that Roman and Rafe weren't going to get away with subverting justice to protect Hope, eliciting a chuckle from Roman, who mused that it was always fun to hear a DiMera talk about subverting justice. "That is not funny!" Andre snapped as he rose to his feet, reiterating that Roman and Rafe weren't going to get away with what they were doing. "No, you won't," Rafe countered before summoning a police officer to escort Andre to a holding cell. "Nice ring you've got there. Didn't it used to belong to your father?" Rafe observed as Andre was being handcuffed. While being led away, Andre glared at Hope but said nothing to her.
Shawn ran into Lani at the town square and asked if she would like to have dinner with him sometime soon. Lani wondered if Shawn really thought that would be a good idea. Conceding the point, Shawn started to walk away, muttering something about the well-known rules of fraternization. Lani stopped Shawn and told him she had always believed that the people who made such rules needed to mind their own business. Shawn agreed, and Lani told him she would be happy to have dinner with him later that night.
At the police station, Rafe assured Hope that the charges against Andre were going to stick. Hope warned Rafe that they weren't in the clear yet. Meanwhile, Roman watched Hope and Rafe suspiciously.
Belle was sipping a martini at the Edge of the Square when Marlena sat down next to her. Marlena offered to listen to whatever was bothering Belle. Belle confessed that both Shawn and Claire had said they didn't recognize Belle anymore, and Belle was inclined to agree with them. Belle confided that she often reflected fondly on the carefree time she'd spent on the Fancy Face IV with Shawn and Claire, sailing around the world -- but Belle had gotten lost somewhere along the way. Marlena asserted that Belle had to find herself again, but it would take a little work.
Belle complained that she was tired of playing by the rules, being the responsible one, and not being allowed to have any fun. "I think you're talking about Philip," Marlena guessed. Belle maintained that Philip had been really good to her, and he didn't judge her the way Shawn always had. Belle added that she wanted to focus all her energy on Claire, although she didn't quite know how to do it.
Philip entered the living room at the Kiriakis mansion and requested an audience with his father. Victor calmly called Philip a traitor and told him to get out, but Philip persisted because he wanted to explain his actions. Philip maintained that he hadn't known the woman had been an addict or the daughter of a cop, but after a night of partying, he'd found her lying on the floor with a needle still in her arm. "It was the worst thing that had ever happened to me," Philip stated sadly.
Victor presumed that Philip had asked Deimos for help. Philip asserted he had tried to handle things, but then Deimos, whom Philip had never met before, had shown up -- with photos of Philip and the girl together, including her dead in Philip's hotel room. Deimos had given Philip two options: either go to prison for life or work for Deimos. Philip had initially thought that Deimos had only wanted an inside man at Titan to get the serum that Victor had developed -- but all Deimos had wanted was to hurt Victor by getting Philip to betray Victor.
"Damn, you are such an idiot! Why didn't you come to me when you got in trouble?" Victor barked, adding, "What am I supposed to do now? Pat you on the head and say everything is forgiven?" Philip indicated that wasn't what he wanted. He explained that he'd spent his whole life trying to live up to be the perfect Kiriakis son, so every time he'd messed up, he'd worried what Victor would think. "Philip, I never expected you to be perfect. I just wanted you to be loyal to the family," Victor growled. He declared that if only Philip had gone to him, Victor would have handled the whole mess, but instead, he'd gone to Deimos. "Who's insane," Victor pointed out.
Philip apologized sincerely. "If there's anything I can do, whatever it takes, I'll do it. Just say the word," Philip professed. "If you really mean that, I know exactly what you can do," Victor said. He instructed Philip to return to Deimos and play the angry, wounded son who had nothing to lose and would do anything to get back at Victor. "Then find out what his next move is, and I'll take it from there... If you manage to pull it off, we'll discuss a forgiveness package," Victor said.
Philip was alone in the living room when Belle arrived to see Victor. After requesting that Henderson summon Victor, Philip asked if he could see Belle later so he could talk to her about something important. Belle didn't think that was a good idea. Victor entered and asked Philip to leave, so Philip reluctantly complied. "Sell me your nightclub. I want to buy Edge of the Square," Belle announced.
When Nicole called a car service from Brady and Theresa's, Theresa overheard and asked where Nicole was going. Nicole claimed she going to Chicago to meet with fabric vendors, but Theresa thought, as the designer, that she should go along. Nicole tried to cover with a story about just looking to get a good deal when they were ready to order, plus she was going to visit Chloe and Parker while she was there. Theresa seemed suspicious, but Nicole left before Theresa could question her further.
As Theresa sketched some designs, she imagined getting the terrible news that Brady had been found dead on the beach. She tried to convince herself that everything was fine and nothing would go wrong. Theresa called the fabric company that Nicole had claimed to be visiting, but they told her they weren't expecting Nicole. Theresa recalled that Nicole had seemed nervous before, as if she'd been lying. "Maybe she's in L.A.," Theresa mused.
Theresa envisioned a giddy Brady and Nicole returning from California after hooking up -- repeatedly -- and announcing that Brady was moving in with Nicole. Theresa ordered herself to stop thinking things like that. She called Brady and left an anxious message for him to call her, but after a moment, Theresa declared, "To hell with it. I'm going to L.A."
Meanwhile, Nicole arrived outside Brady's hotel room. She pounded on the door, calling Brady's name, but got no answer.
In Los Angeles, Brady shuffled along the beach. He sat down after a while and reviewed his list of Summer's physical attributes. Brady headed into a beach bar and ordered a ginger ale. While he was waiting, Brady described Summer to the bartender and asked if he knew her. It was the bartender's fourth day of work, but he said perhaps the regular bartender knew Summer.
A few minutes later, the regular bartender arrived. Brady immediately recognized him as Dario Hernandez, Rafe and Gabi's brother, whom Brady had sent to work for Titan in Argentina. Dario said he had resigned from Titan because he wasn't suited for the corporate world, and he'd gone to L.A. because Rafe and Gabi had never really thought he'd amount to much. Brady explained that he'd only run into Dario by accident because he was there to find a woman named Summer. Dario said he knew Summer, who had been a regular there for a long time.
Dario didn't have Summer's phone number, but he expected her to show up there soon. He expressed his gratitude to Brady for sending him to Argentina, because Dario had learned that the "corporate game" wasn't for him. Dario added that he didn't plan to be a bartender forever, but it was great to have the ocean to look at every day. Brady asked if Dario ever spoke to Rafe or Gabi, but Dario said he hadn't spoken with them, although they knew that he was no longer in Argentina. Brady promised not to tell Gabi and Rafe that he'd seen Dario, if that were what Dario wanted.
When Dario asked, Brady explained that he was looking for Summer because he was trying to help an old friend. Dario cautioned Brady that though Summer was attractive, she had issues and had even been in a psychiatric facility. "Are you really sure you want to meet her?" Dario questioned. A few minutes later, Brady rose to leave, explaining that he'd just had surgery and tired easily. Dario remarked that Summer usually showed up at the bar by that time. Brady gave his contact information to Dario to relay to Summer. "Tell her it's in regards to Daniel Jonas," Brady requested.
Brady headed back to the beach and sat on the sand, shoes off, staring pensively out at the ocean. Suddenly, he spotted Summer, sitting, fully clothed, at the water's edge. She rose and strode determinedly into the water, where a huge wave crested in front of her. Instead of turning around and heading back, Summer dove under the wave. Alarmed, Brady called out, "Summer!" as he ran after her.
In her hotel room, Ava looked unhappy as she watched the video of her and Steve having sex. After Ava had sent it, she paced impatiently around the room then rocked back and forth on the bed, as if waiting for a reply.
Ava answered the door to a scruffy-looking guy, who handed her a small box. Ava gave the guy some cash, and he left. Ava opened the box, which contained a vial and a syringe.
Steve was slouched on a bench in the park when John joined him. John observed that Steve seemed down and urged Steve to talk to him. After Steve had told John the whole story about what had happened with Ava, John was floored but urged Steve to tell Kayla before it destroyed him. Steve was worried that he would lose Kayla if he did so. John pointed out that if Kayla found out and realized that Steve had been lying to her, Steve would definitely lose her.
Just as Kayla returned home from work, she got a text message with an attachment from Ava. "'You should see,'" the message read. With a bit of a scowl, Kayla opened the video. When she saw what it was, she immediately stopped it and sank weakly onto the couch, gasping in horror.
A fuming and dejected Kayla was sitting in the same spot when Steve returned a little later. "Are you okay?" he asked when he saw the expression on her face. "How about you tell me? Or is that too much to ask?" Kayla replied sharply. Steve sat next to her and began, "Well, actually...there is something I need to tell you. I've been trying to figure out the best place to start." Handing him the phone, Kayla suggested, "You could start right here."
Steve only needed to watch a few seconds of the video to realize what it was. He stood up and bent over in agony, his head nearly between his legs, as he started to cry. He said that was what he'd wanted to tell Kayla about and begged her to let him explain. Kayla cried that Steve had lied to her face about what had happened with Ava. Steve interrupted her rant: "I did it to save your life!" Kayla spat, "Oh, now I have heard everything!"
With tears and mascara streaming down her face, Kayla demanded to know when Steve and Ava had slept together. Crying miserably, Steve related how it had happened to Kayla's turned back: a storm had stranded him and Ava in Hawaii on the way to Indonesia. Ava had promised that as soon as they landed, she would tell Joey where Kayla was so he could free her. But then, Ava had changed her terms, and Steve had needed to have sex with her or she wouldn't let Kayla out. Sobbing, Steve added, "I did what I had to do to save you, baby. I hate Ava. I hate -- I hate her! And I hate myself! But I knew I couldn't live if I lost you."
Steve tried to touch Kayla, but she recoiled. She declared that she'd never hated anyone as much as she hated Ava. Steve concurred that Ava was the worst thing that had ever happened to them. Kayla recalled how, after all their years apart when she'd never wanted to see Steve again, he'd returned with assurances that he was a different man and that family was the most important thing to him. Steve had continued to pursue her, and finally Kayla had let him back into her life -- and had let her guard down.
Unable to be in the same room as Steve, Kayla practically ran to the front door, with Steve calling out, "I love you!" after her. Kayla stopped, her forehead against the door, as Steve pleaded, "Please, don't let this kill us. Please?" Without looking back at Steve, Kayla opened the door and left but stopped on the stoop and sobbed bitterly.
Tapping the screen violently, Steve sent a furious text message to Ava: "U R A DEAD WOMAN."
Kayla went to the park outside Horton Square and plopped down on a bench, still seething and distraught. Ava strolled up from behind, startling Kayla, and declared, "We should talk about what happened, don't you think?"
