Deimos makes an unexpected move
At the DiMera mansion, Gabi watched Thomas as he slept, marveling at his ability to do so in the midst of all the explosions. Although she was under the impression that Arianna was with Blanca at the hospital -- and, hopefully, sleeping just as peacefully -- Chad soon returned home with the girl in his arms, having decided that it would be wrong to keep her separated from her mother all night.
Gabi appreciated the gesture, admitting that it was nice to have one less person to worry about while the town was under siege. She wished that J.J. weren't right in the middle of the danger, complaining that it was bad enough that she had to worry about Rafe all the time. Chad assured her that J.J. had been trained for such situations and would be just fine.
As Chad and Gabi were talking about Arianna's strong resemblance to Will, the town's civil defense siren suddenly began blaring in the distance. Arianna didn't seem to mind, but Thomas immediately woke up and started crying. Gabi calmed him down with ease, and when Chad praised her ability to do so, she dismissively informed him that her secret weapon was a bottle, which never failed to get the job done.
Gabi added that Thomas was, generally speaking, a pretty easygoing child, and J.J. was quite proud to be his uncle. Chad stammered a bit as he tried to ask if she saw J.J. as someone who could potentially be a father figure to Arianna. Gabi said that seemed like the kind of thing she wouldn't even have to consider for a very long time, since she and J.J. weren't even planning to move in together anytime soon. She added that the family dynamic was pretty complicated; on her side, Eduardo wasn't fond of J.J., and on J.J.'s side, Julie wasn't fond of her.
Chad reasoned that if Gabi and J.J. truly loved each other, no one would be able to keep them apart. She agreed then turned the tables on Chad, wondering if he thought he would ever be able to move on with someone else who could be a mother figure to Thomas. Chad stammered as he admitted that, for Thomas' sake, he would like to think that he would eventually be able to do so. "But just for Thomas' sake?" Gabi asked. Nodding, Chad insisted that Thomas was his main concern. Gabi understood but urged Chad to remember that it was important for him to find love again for his sake, too.
Later, Gabi happily realized that it had been quite a while since the siren had last blared. As she curled up on the couch with Arianna and Chad, she mused that the mansion's study was much more comfortable than its panic room. Chad admitted that he hadn't minded the panic room much because he had enjoyed reminiscing with Gabi about the past while they had been trapped in there. "We've come a long way," he pointed out. Nodding in agreement, Gabi guessed that Abigail would be happy to know that they were getting along again. Chad wished Abigail were still around to witness the turn of events.
Gabi assured Chad that Abigail was still with him every day and was quite proud of how he had managed to pull through everything he had been forced to deal with in the past year. He mused that Stefano had always been fond of saying that DiMeras could rise from the ashes like the Phoenix. He explained that it had been Stefano's way of being an insightful role model to his children. "But in this moment, right now, I don't really need his inspiration," he continued, declaring that Gabi was inspiring enough because of everything she had managed to endure in her life.
Later, Chad woke up and found Gabi sleeping on his shoulder. He cautiously moved his arm and wrapped it around her so she could rest her head on his chest instead.
John went to the Kiriakis mansion to announce that Clyde was in police custody. Deimos assured John that if everything went according to plan, Xander would soon be joining Clyde. John was glad to hear that Deimos and Nicole had managed to fool Xander during their phase of the plan. Theresa wished she could witness Xander being arrested at the docks later that night. "On, like, closed-circuit TV," she quickly added.
Deimos soon excused himself to take a phone call. Meanwhile, at the docks, Roman approached a man from behind, expecting him to be Xander, but the man turned out to be someone who just bore a slight resemblance to the criminal. Roman chased the man off, explaining that police business was underway at the docks. A short time later, a police officer informed Roman that Xander was nowhere to be found. "Damn it! You know what that means? That son of a bitch was tipped off that this was a trap," Roman guessed.
Elsewhere, Deimos approached Xander, who thanked him for the warning that the police were at one of the piers. Deimos admitted that the police were there because he had tipped them off. Before Xander could react, Deimos added that he wasn't planning to double-cross Xander, even though the police believed that he was. "I've been thinking a lot about your predicament -- how this family failed you, abandoned you -- and believe me, I can relate. So I've decided not to turn you in to the authorities. In fact, I'm gonna grant you asylum -- safe passage to Greece," he continued, adding that he wanted Xander to work for him from there.
Xander wondered what the catch was. "Victor, Nicole, Brady -- none of the Kiriakis family -- could ever find this out," Deimos answered. Xander happily agreed, shaking Deimos' hand to seal the deal. Xander still wanted Theresa, but Deimos insisted that wasn't going to happen. "I was never gonna let you harm Theresa. And if you're gonna be of any use to me in the future, you need to get over your twisted need for revenge. And since we're on the subject, if you ever come anywhere near Nicole or try to contact her in any way, I don't give a damn whether you're family or not -- you're a dead man," Deimos stressed.
Roman went to the Kiriakis mansion to announce that Xander had never shown up at the docks. Nicole and Theresa were worried that Xander would be even more determined to go after them in the wake of the failed setup, but Brady assured them that he would see to it that they were kept safe. Brady suggested that it was time to get Victor involved so he could fix the mess that Deimos had made. Nicole protested that Brady had no way of knowing that it was Deimos' fault that Xander had changed his mind about taking the bait. John agreed that Deimos had likely done everything he could to make the plan work.
As John was adding that there was no need to involve Victor yet because Maggie needed his full attention during her recovery, Deimos returned, holding a bloody handkerchief to his busted lip, and agreed that it wouldn't be necessary to enlist Victor's help. Concerned, Nicole wondered what had happened to Deimos. "It was Xander. But don't worry -- he's gone...for good," Deimos replied.
Deimos explained that he had received a tip that Xander was planning to skip the meeting at the docks. Roman and John both thought that Deimos should have alerted at least one of them, but he insisted that maintaining Xander's trust had been more important. He continued that he had arranged to meet with Xander at a different part of the docks and had taken a bodyguard with him for protection. He claimed that Xander had gotten violent after realizing that he had been double-crossed. "Thankfully, my man stepped in, [and] that's when I was able to grab Xander's gun. I shot and killed him," he concluded.
Deimos gave Roman the gun and told him where to look for Xander's body, warning that he'd have to drag the water for it because the fight had taken them right to the edge of the pier. After Roman left, Deimos assured Brady, Theresa, and Nicole that Xander would never harm the Kiriakis family again. John eyed Deimos suspiciously but didn't say anything. Brady apologized for doubting Deimos' ability to handle the situation with Xander. After shaking Brady's hand, Deimos excused himself so he could go to the police station to give his official statement. Outside, he contacted Xander and reminded him to stay dead.
Hope went to the Brady Pub to help Marlena keep an eye on the place. When Marlena mused that Bo would have been really proud of the way Hope had managed to hold herself together during the crisis, Hope expressed doubts, prompting Marlena to guess that something was bothering her. Marlena offered to help, but Hope insisted, after a few attempts at evasion that Marlena didn't buy for a second, that she wasn't ready to talk about what was bothering her yet. Meanwhile, Jennifer arrived with a cumbersome box of items from a food drive St. Luke's was sponsoring. Relieved to have an excuse to end the conversation, Hope rushed off to help Jennifer.
Later, Hope wondered how Jennifer was holding up. Jennifer said she was doing about as well as could be expected after the death of one of her children -- a loss Hope knew the pain of all too well. She added that she was worried about J.J., prompting Hope to assure her that Rafe was keeping an eye on him. Jennifer thanked Hope then changed the subject, wondering what Hope was planning to do about Aiden. Hope admitted, to Jennifer's dismay, that she was thinking of giving in to his demands because she didn't want anyone else to have to pay for what she had done to Stefano -- and, most importantly, she didn't want to leave Ciara.
Later, John arrived and filled Marlena, Hope, and Jennifer in on what had happened to Xander. He soon received a phone call from Orpheus, who had been keeping an eye on the pub throughout the night with the help of an associate. "From what I hear, you and your cohorts have had quite the busy evening," Orpheus told John, who confirmed the news and revealed that he planned to go after Orpheus next. John offered Orpheus the chance to turn himself in, but Orpheus insisted that there was no reason for him to do that -- especially not when he was extremely close to achieving his goal.
John doubted that, pointing out that Orpheus had no money, no hostages, and no partners in crime left to rely on. Orpheus conceded that John was right on all counts. "But then again, you might not be perceiving things as they are. From where I sit, I have you and your beloved Marlena exactly where I want you," Orpheus added. John wondered what Orpheus was talking about. "Look under the table in the center of the room and see for yourself," Orpheus answered.
Realizing what he was about to uncover, John carefully lifted an edge of the specified table's tablecloth, revealing a bomb that was taped to the leg and had just under fifteen minutes left on its timer. "Run and you die," Orpheus warned.
At the hospital, Kayla complained to Steve about the administrator's decision to refuse treatment to anyone who was not already inside its walls, leaving her unable to help the many injured people who were waiting outside. Seth Burns overheard her talking about him and countered, "I don't need you to tell me how to run my hospital, Dr. Brady. No one enters or leaves until the siege is over. Understood?" He walked away without waiting for a response.
Meanwhile, Rafe tracked Eduardo down in one of the break rooms after hearing about the explosion near Club TBD. Eduardo reported that Dario had suffered an injury but was going to be okay. Although Rafe was pleased to hear that, he made it clear that he was still upset about the dangerous stunt that Dario had pulled to try to get Eduardo to leave Salem. Eduardo assured Rafe that Dario felt bad about that.
Rafe had expected Eduardo to be furious with Dario, but Eduardo revealed that he and Dario had actually had a civil conversation earlier. He blamed himself for Dario's selfish behavior, believing that Dario had "a troubled heart" as a result of having grown up without a father. Rafe thought that was a lame excuse because he and Gabi hadn't turned into selfish people after Eduardo had abandoned them, but Eduardo argued that they were different people and had been affected in different ways. He hoped they would be able to forgive Dario, just as they had already forgiven him. "We've all done things we're not proud of," he pointed out.
Later, Rafe considered calling Hope but decided not to, guessing that she probably wanted to be left alone. Eduardo wondered if the couple had hit a rough patch. "Something like that," Rafe replied with a mirthless chuckle, explaining that he and Hope were taking a break. "I forgot what it's like to feel like this," he added, leading Eduardo to conclude that Hope was the one who had requested the break. Eduardo wondered if Rafe wanted to talk about what had happened. "Eh, it's complicated. But then again, I guess love always is," Rafe replied. He insisted, however, that things weren't over between him and Hope yet.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad woke up and tried to move his arm without disturbing Gabi, whose head was still resting on his chest. She stirred and sleepily apologized for having used his body as a pillow. He dismissed her concern, assuring her that he hadn't minded at all. She gave him a hug to thank him for providing her and Arianna with a safe place to stay while the town was under siege. J.J. arrived in time to witness the embrace, and he lingered in the doorway and watched for a moment before announcing his presence with a knock on the open study door.
Gabi stood and excitedly greeted J.J. with a hug and a kiss, declaring that she had missed him. As J.J. returned the sentiment, Chad asked, "How's everything going out there?" J.J. reported that the town was in a state of chaos, and things were getting worse with each passing minute. He offered to take Gabi and Arianna over to the Horton house so they could stay with Jennifer, Doug, and Julie, but Gabi refused, insisting that she didn't want to be around Julie at that time. J.J. tried to assure Gabi that Julie was growing to like her, but Gabi thought he was just imagining that, and she maintained that she would rather stay with Chad.
Chad had no objections, reasoning that it would be pointless to move Arianna because she seemed to be having a good time at the mansion. J.J. conceded the point and gave up on trying to change Gabi's mind. She thanked him for understanding then excused herself so she could get Arianna settled in the guest room. J.J. stayed behind and stepped over to Thomas' crib to watch him as he slept. Chad assured J.J. that Thomas had slept through most of the chaos.
J.J. thanked Chad for letting Gabi and Arianna stay at the mansion, although there was a slight edge behind his words. Chad said it was the least he could do, and he promised that they would be safe with him. J.J. nodded as he silently studied Chad. Meanwhile, a cell phone started ringing. When J.J. didn't react right away, Chad pointed out that the sound wasn't originating from his cell phone. J.J. turned away from Chad and answered the call then started to rush off after a brief conversation. Concerned, Chad wondered what was going on. "Orpheus planted a bomb at the Brady Pub. My mom's inside!" J.J. quickly explained.
John and Hope carefully turned the bomb-rigged table onto its side so they could get a better look at the explosive device. John told Hope to call the bomb squad and get everyone ready to evacuate the pub. As Jennifer rushed upstairs to get Caroline, John explained to Marlena that Orpheus had promised to detonate the bomb the moment anyone tried to flee the building. Marlena thought there had to be some way to reason with Orpheus, but John said he had already tried to do that during their earlier phone conversation. "Try harder," she worriedly advised.
"You're right. This has gone on long enough. It's time to give him what he wants," John agreed. Marlena didn't like the sound of that, but as she started to protest, Hope returned and reported that the bomb squad was stretched too thin and wouldn't be able to make it to the pub in time to defuse the bomb. "Damn. He planned this out so perfectly," John mused with a sigh.
John soon received another phone call from Orpheus, who revealed himself to be standing right outside the pub, holding a detonator. John begged Orpheus to spare everyone else and just take him instead. "I was hoping you'd say that," Orpheus admitted. He told John to get Hope to end the call she was on. John did that then waited for further instructions. Orpheus refused to let anyone go until John was in his custody. "All right. Just --" John started to respond, but Orpheus interrupted and made it clear that he wasn't willing to negotiate. "You try to get clever, and I blow this place and everyone in it to hell," he added.
John ended the call and relayed the terms to Marlena and Hope. He assured Marlena that he would find a way to get himself out of the predicament once everyone else was safe, but she feared that he might not be able to do that, and she could tell that he shared her concern. Nevertheless, he maintained that he would find his way back to her, just as he always had before.
Meanwhile, Orpheus entered the pub, refusing to wait any longer for John to say his goodbyes. John insisted that he wasn't going to turn himself over to Orpheus until the bomb was deactivated. Orpheus said he would comply only after John and Hope handed over the magazines for their respective guns. They did as they were told, and Orpheus tucked the magazines in one of his pockets before retrieving his own gun, which he kept aimed at them while deactivating the bomb's timer. He then tossed Hope a rope and ordered her to tie John's hands behind his back.
After Hope finished her task, she and Marlena watched helplessly as Orpheus took John and backed out of the pub with him, keeping the gun aimed at them the whole time. As Hope started to assure Marlena that John was going to be fine, Jennifer returned with a bomb strapped to her chest, set to go off in less than ten minutes. As Jennifer tearfully explained to Marlena that one of Orpheus' associates had gotten in through the fire escape and had cornered her when she had gone upstairs to get Caroline, Hope stepped aside and contacted the bomb squad to see how much longer it would take them to get to the pub.
After Hope ended the call, Marlena wanted to relay Jennifer's story to her. Hope quietly revealed that the bomb squad wouldn't be able to make it to the pub in time to defuse the bomb because they were juggling about a million other things at the moment. Hope urged Marlena to flee the pub, and although Marlena was reluctant to do so at first, she eventually agreed after Hope insisted that her help was needed more elsewhere.
Hope tried to assure Jennifer that the bomb squad would be arriving shortly, but Jennifer guessed that Hope was just telling her what she wanted to hear. Jennifer urged Hope to follow Marlena out of the pub, but Hope refused to leave without Jennifer. With less than six minutes left on the bomb's timer, Hope vowed that if the bomb squad didn't arrive in time to defuse it, she'd find a way to do so herself.
At the hospital, Steve tracked Kayla down and informed her that he had just overheard a police officer mentioning something about John being Orpheus' new hostage. Steve insisted that he had to save John. He expected Kayla to protest, but she agreed and offered to help him find a way out of the hospital. After examining a map of the place, she pinpointed an exit that she was almost certain no one would be guarding, and she advised him to take that exit then use the nearby fire escape to get to the ground level.
Elsewhere, Rafe received a phone call from Hope, who quickly explained the situation and asked him to help her defuse the bomb. "Hope, I am not the one to call when you want to defuse a bomb," he insisted, reminding her of what had happened the last time they had tried to accomplish that feat. "But I do know someone who is. I'm gonna call you right back," he added before ending the call.
Rafe tracked Eduardo down then initiated a videoconference with Hope so Eduardo could examine the bomb and coach her on how to defuse it. He was relieved to see that the bomb's wiring seemed straightforward enough, but as he was trying to tell her which wire to detach first, her cell phone lost its signal. He quickly started another videoconference with her and picked up where he had left off. Following his instructions, she managed to detach the first wire, and although her cell phone threatened to lose its signal again, the videoconference continued without interruption.
Eduardo told Hope which wire to detach next, but as she was about to do so, he suddenly changed his mind, realizing that the solution seemed a bit too obvious. He instructed her to detach a different wire instead, and after she did that, he turned her attention to another wire, still ignoring the one that had aroused his suspicions. When she pulled the third wire as instructed, the timer stopped -- with just four seconds left on it.
Relieved, Hope carefully helped Jennifer out of the vest that the bomb was strapped to. As she set it aside on the bar, Rafe called her and wondered how she and Jennifer were doing. Hope reported that Jennifer was much better than she had been a minute earlier, and she jokingly added that she was thinking of joining the bomb squad. She asked Rafe to thank Eduardo for helping out. "Listen, Rafe --" she started to add, but he interrupted and blurted out that he loved her. "I love you, too," she replied before excusing herself, promising to talk to him again soon.
As Marlena was passing through the town square on her way to the hospital, she found J.J. on the ground, bleeding from a gunshot wound in his abdomen. She rushed to his side and retrieved some gauze from her medical bag, pressing it against his wound as she urged him to stay calm and conserve his strength. She tried to call for an ambulance, but no one answered.
Meanwhile, Gabi arrived with Chad and rushed to J.J.'s side, having been on the phone with him at the time of the gunshot. Marlena instructed her to keep firm pressure applied to J.J.'s wound. When Marlena mentioned that she hadn't been able to reach anyone at the hospital, Chad explained that the place was still on lockdown. She insisted that she needed an ambulance immediately. "On it," Chad said before rushing off.
Marlena wondered if Gabi knew who had shot J.J. Gabi said she wasn't sure, explaining that she had just heard the gunshot and the sound of J.J.'s cell phone dropping to the ground. Meanwhile, Chad returned and reported that no one was around to help. He added that he couldn't drive J.J. to the hospital himself because his car was out of gas; in fact, he and Gabi had been forced to abandon it on their way to the town square. Marlena tried to keep J.J. from looking at the wound, but he guessed, "It's bad, isn't it?" Blood sputtered out of his mouth as he spoke.
At the Evans-Black townhouse, John transferred twenty million dollars to an offshore bank account as Orpheus held him at gunpoint. He urged Orpheus to take the money and leave Salem before anyone else got hurt. Orpheus somewhat curiously observed that John seemed to genuinely care about everyone's safety, recalling that he had really upset John when he had shot the cop who had gotten in their way. He insisted, however, that he couldn't just leave Salem without first killing John. "You've known from the beginning that that's what this is all about," he continued.
John asked Orpheus to at least promise that he'd leave Salem afterward -- without hurting anyone else in the process. "What do you want me to do, pinky-swear?" Orpheus mockingly replied. He added that it was a bit late for such a promise, since he had rigged the Brady Pub with more than one explosive device. Complaining that he and Orpheus had struck a deal that he, unlike Orpheus, had upheld, John demanded the immediate deactivation of the second bomb. "John, are you getting this? You're in no position to give me orders," Orpheus pointed out.
John wondered how many innocent people would have to die to satisfy Orpheus' sick need for revenge. "Well, I hadn't thought of an exact number," Orpheus admitted. He refused to deactivate the second bomb, adding that his only regret was that he hadn't been able to think of a way to lure Roman to the pub. "But, at this point, I really can't be greedy, can I?" he conceded with a shrug.
John tried to reason with Orpheus, pointing out that twenty million dollars was more than enough to allow him to flee the country and start a whole new life for himself. Orpheus conceded the point but insisted that the taste of retribution was much more enticing to him. "[I want to] subject you -- and everyone [else] who caused me pain -- to as much hurt as I've felt," he explained.
Orpheus complained that losing Rebecca had been bad enough, but facing the rejection of his kids -- his only remaining links to her -- had been unbearable. "And even when I had a chance to reconcile with them, they would have nothing to do with me, their father. Why? Why, John? Because you and those hypocritical slags at the ISA painted me as some kind of irredeemable monster," he continued. John dismissively insisted that Orpheus' kids were better off without him. "As yours will be without you," Orpheus countered, ordering John to get on his knees.
"Tell me, John Black...are you prepared to die?" Orpheus asked as he pointed the gun at John's head, circling around to John's backside. John asked Orpheus to at least have the courage to face him while pulling the trigger, but Orpheus guessed that John was just trying to buy himself some more time. "You can't stop this, John," Orpheus insisted. "But I can," Steve said as he entered the townhouse and cocked his own gun.
Lucas was working on a report at the DiMera mansion, trying to keep his mind off all the horrible things that were happening in Salem, when one of the guards dragged Anne into the study, explaining that she had been found lurking outside the main entrance. "I wasn't 'lurking;' I was looking," she clarified.
Lucas assured the guard that Anne was a familiar face. Surprised to hear that, she began primping her hair as she wondered how he knew her. "You're the bitch who made my sister's life a living hell, right?" he recalled. She stammered as she tried to figure out who he was referring to, so he helpfully added that his sister was Jennifer Horton. "Jenny! Wow. Wow, Jenny from the Square!" Anne replied with an awkward laugh.
Anne wondered what a Horton was doing at the DiMera mansion. Lucas explained that the place was his home for the time being. "Your turn. What are you doing here?" he asked. She said that was actually a funny story. "Well, no, it's not funny; it's tragic, really. I was in Brooklyn -- I was visiting my mother -- and yesterday, the woman gets all wacko on me about a piece of pie I ate, right? And she straight-up kicks me out! Can you believe that?" she continued.
Lucas and the guard exchanged impatient glances as Anne obliviously forged ahead, explaining that she had booked a flight to Chicago and had rented a car upon arrival. "And it ran out of gas, like, two miles [away from Salem]. Some luck, right? So then I'm hoofing it [into town], and this...wacko...guy comes [and] tries to steal my luggage! And luckily for me, I...keep...bottles of wine in my carry-on," she continued, rushing through the admission before moving on with her story.
"So I grab a chardonnay, and I knock this guy into next Sunday. And then I notice Chad's house up the block, and I -- and I remember that we were like this when I was at the hospital," Anne explained, crossing two of her fingers together to illustrate the point. "So I devise a plan: I'm gonna go ring the bell; I'm gonna ask for refuge. And -- and then this Gestapo wannabe grabs me, and...you are not seeming particularly refuge-type, so..." she observed as she studied Lucas.
Lucas thought his attitude toward Anne was understandable, given everything she had done to his sister and niece. "I mean, is that really important right now? You know, really, where's your humanity, your sense of charity?" she argued. He seemed unmoved, so she added, "Look, I have nowhere else to go, okay? And Salem is dangerous; there are some crazies out there!"
"Some crazies in here, too," Lucas muttered. Anne agreed, glancing suspiciously at the guard. Sighing, Lucas reluctantly assured the guard that it was okay for Anne to stay for a while. She thanked him then turned her attention to the nearby bar as the guard left the room. Lucas asked her to stay away from the alcohol until Chad returned home. She slowly backed away from the bar then began looking around the study. "So, uh, how many rooms in this place, anyway? I mean, talk about huge! This is -- I mean, you know what? I think if I moved in here, nobody would notice," she mused.
"It'd be impossible for anyone not to notice you, Anne," Lucas replied with a sigh of irritation. Oblivious, Anne thanked him and started primping her hair again. She wondered why he was staying at the mansion. He explained that his fiancée, Adrienne, had thought of the idea as their way of helping Chad look after Thomas while dealing with the loss of the child's mother. "Poor girl. She was always so...perky," Anne noted with a hint of derision. "Little full of herself," she quickly added before moving on, talking over Lucas' attempt to object to the snide remark. She wondered if his fiancée was the one who had a one-eyed brother.
Getting more annoyed, Lucas confirmed that Steve wore a patch to cover a missing eye. Anne admitted with a laugh that she had always gotten Adrienne confused with Kayla. Lucas struggled to understand how that could even be possible, given the fact that Anne had worked alongside Kayla at the hospital for quite some time. "Well, between you and me, I tried to stay out of Kayla's way," Anne explained. She grudgingly added that she was probably going to have to beg for her old job back soon, since Theresa's clothing company had folded. "Kayla's gonna love hearing about your troubles, I'm sure," Lucas muttered sarcastically.
Anne guessed that Kayla probably wouldn't be able to help her, given the amount of flexibility she'd need in her schedule to accommodate her mother's needs. Lucas wondered if Anne had any siblings who could help out. "Uh, no. [Just] me and Mommy. She had me, uh, when she was young, you know? But she's -- ugh, talk about pushy. She was always telling me how I should live my life, you know? So I got out of there; I got as far away as I could as soon as I could," she explained. Lucas admitted that he could relate. "Must have been tough," he guessed.
"Yeah, I was tough, right? Anyway, now that she's sick, I'm, uh -- whatever. I mean, I won't have a mom for much longer, so..." Anne continued before suddenly breaking into tears. "Oh, God, now I'm like your sister! I just -- it's all about me! I'm, like, the worst daughter in the world!" she fretted. Lucas carried a box of tissues over to her and offered her one of them as he tiredly assured her that she wasn't the worst daughter in the world. "I am! I'm -- you don't know! Can I...?" she asked, gesturing toward the bar. "No. No, not a chance," he replied.
Anne sighed and took the whole box of tissues, setting it aside before blowing her nose on one of them. Lucas went to the bar and poured her a drink, but when he handed it to her, she was disappointed to learn that it was water, not vodka. After regaining her composure, she thanked him for listening to her troubles, admitting that she didn't really have many people to talk to about them. "Yeah, I'll bet," he muttered.
As Anne started to realize that might have been an insult, Lucas added that he had eventually figured out, while dealing with his own pushy mother, that everything was ultimately about her, not him. He assured Anne that although she might have regrets, just like everyone else, the important thing was that she was willing to be there for her mother in times of need. She marveled that he was a really nice person, knowing that if she had tried to talk to Theresa about her problems, Theresa would have made the conversation all about her instead.
Lucas turned his attention back to his report with a mixture of regret and relief, explaining that he really needed to get it done soon. Anne assured him that she understood, adding that she had bought a great magazine at the airport and could keep herself occupied with it for a while. As she settled on the couch with her reading material, stressing again that it was great, she stole occasional glances at him, primping herself when he wasn't looking.
At the Horton Town Square, J.J. gasped for breath as Marlena concluded that he had a collapsed lung. Warning that what she was about to do would hurt, she removed a syringe from her medical bag, preparing to relieve the air pocket that was making it hard for him to breathe.
"Uh, Marlena, with all due respect, you're a psychiatrist," Chad skeptically pointed out. She assured him that she knew what she was doing. "So, you've done this before?" he asked hopefully. She confirmed that she had but admitted that she was a bit nervous about performing the procedure again because she hadn't done it since medical school. "Look, the human body has not changed," she assured him as he gaped at her.
Setting aside his concerns, Chad wondered what he could do to help. Marlena asked him to hold J.J.'s upper body in place so she could have both hands free to do what she needed to do. Gabi kept pressure applied to J.J.'s gunshot wound as Marlena assured him that the pain she was about to cause wouldn't last long. Once she finished relieving the air pocket, he started breathing more easily, but she fretted that his wound was still an issue. With J.J. able to speak again, Chad wondered who had shot him. "Orpheus," J.J. choked out, alarming Marlena.
At the Evans-Black townhouse, Steve told Orpheus to drop his gun. When Orpheus hesitated, Steve warned that SWAT was waiting outside but had been told not to turn on their sirens or send in a hostage negotiator. "Now, why don't I believe that?" Orpheus muttered. "Believe this: if we don't walk you out of here right now with your hands up in the air, real slow, those sharpshooters are gonna make like you're a bottle on a fence," Steve replied.
Steve added that Clyde was in police custody and Xander was dead, meaning that no one would be rushing to Orpheus' rescue anytime soon. "Then maybe I should just do what I came here to do," Orpheus suggested, his gun still aimed at the back of John's head. Steve kept his own gun aimed at Orpheus' head while stepping into the townhouse to face him. "If you pull that trigger, you're a dead man," Steve warned.
John told Steve to go save the people at the Brady Pub instead, explaining that Orpheus had planted a bomb there. "You mean the bomb that Hope defused?" Steve asked. "That's a lie!" Orpheus insisted. Steve continued that Orpheus only had a few choices available, one of which was to try to shoot him instead of John. Steve opened his jacket to show that he wasn't wearing a bulletproof vest, and John took advantage of the distraction, springing to his feet and throwing Orpheus backward.
As John and Orpheus struggled for control of Orpheus' gun, Steve spotted an opening and fired a shot at Orpheus, managing to hit his left arm. The injury weakened Orpheus enough for John to shove him to the ground and tie his hands behind his back with a cable tie Steve helpfully supplied. John tauntingly declared that Orpheus would soon be headed back to prison, prompting Orpheus to guess that John didn't have the guts to kill him. "What, and stain this nice carpet?" John countered.
At the hospital, Adrienne tracked Kayla down and wondered where Steve was. Kayla carefully revealed that Steve had gone after Orpheus, who had taken John hostage after planting a bomb at the Brady Pub. Adrienne guessed that Kayla had tried to stop Steve, but Kayla admitted that she had actually helped him escape the hospital, which had been -- and still was -- on lockdown. "He had to try. And I think I'm just coming to terms with who he really is. I just hope he makes it," she added.
Kayla soon received a phone call from Steve, who assured her that everything was okay. She and Adrienne were relieved to hear that Orpheus was in custody and had failed to harm anyone. Kayla rushed off to find Seth Burns and get him to reopen the hospital. Adrienne thought about calling Sonny to let him know what had happened, but before she could retrieve her cell phone from her purse, Justin ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her, nearly knocking her over in the process. "You're okay!" he observed with a sigh of relief.
Adrienne wondered why Justin had been worried about her. "Well, I went to the DiMera mansion, and the guard at the gate said that you were taken to the hospital," he explained between gasps of breath. "Oh, no, no, no -- I was escorted to the hospital. I came here to meet with Sonny," she clarified. She quickly added that Sonny was fine, too, explaining that he and Steve had taken Paul to the hospital after Paul had sustained an injury during one of the explosions. "What were you doing at the DiMera mansion?" she asked.
"Checking on you. It's a madhouse out there. And the traffic's so bad, I finally just pulled the car over and ran the rest of the way here. And then I had to sneak into the building! I had to crawl up two flights of stairs of the fire escape, and then crawl through a window, and then I --" he explained before deciding that the rest of the story wasn't important. Adrienne wondered why he had gone to such extreme measures to find her. He incredulously reminded her that he had been married to her for years and shared children with her. "Why would you be surprised that I would be upset if I thought you were in some kind of trouble?" he asked.
Adrienne conceded that Justin would understandably be worried about their kids, knowing how tough it would be for them if something were to happen to her. "Well, it's more than that. Why would you think that I wouldn't have a tough time?" he asked. She was reluctant to answer that question. Sighing, he stressed that she would always have a place in his heart, despite how things had ended between them.
Adrienne tried to suppress a laugh, and when Justin wondered what he had missed, she explained that he had just uttered one of the most tired, clichéd breakup lines in the book. "Yeah, okay, it's a cliché. But it happens to be true," he insisted. She nodded and apologized, admitting that she shouldn't have responded cynically to the sentiment. He conceded that he couldn't really blame her because he was the one who had screwed things up for them. She quickly stopped him, unable to think of a reason to rehash ancient history.
Adrienne still couldn't believe that Justin had gone to such extremes to find her, even in light of everything he had just said. "I don't mean to be unkind, [but] where was all this concern when we were married [and] you were halfway around the world, having your affair with Elsa?" she asked. He reminded her that she had just finished telling him that there was no need to rehash such things, and she conceded the point and apologized, explaining that the question had just slipped out. "Water under the bridge. I'm marrying Lucas now, and that's what I have to focus on," she added.
Justin seized the opportunity to voice his concern that Adrienne and Lucas were rushing into marriage. "I mean, it's not like you're planning to start a family, right?" he reasoned. Adrienne said that was none of his business, and he agreed but maintained that the rush to marry Lucas right away seemed a bit desperate. "Excuse me? You and I were engaged for, like, two minutes before we got married -- every time!" she countered.
Although Justin didn't exactly agree with the suggested timeline, he admitted that he was surprised that Adrienne even remembered that they had never stayed engaged for long before getting married. "Seriously? What, do you think now I have dementia? That's a very important memory. How could I forget something like that? Please," she asked incredulously. Sighing, he conceded the point then suddenly collapsed in her arms.
Adrienne called for a doctor, who concluded that Justin was simply dehydrated and had overexerted himself earlier. After the doctor left, Adrienne apologetically admitted that she should have thanked Justin for rushing over to check on her instead of getting into an argument with him about his concern. He observed that she obviously cared just as much about him, given how she had reacted when he had fainted. "I just hope that we can always find a way to be...civil," he added. She protested that she didn't want to be civil with him. "I want us to be friends -- always," she continued.
Elsewhere, Chad and Gabi waited for news about J.J., who was undergoing surgery. Jennifer soon arrived and listened worriedly as they filled her in on what had happened. Later, Kayla reported that although the surgery had gone well, J.J. had slipped into a coma as a result of rapid and severe blood loss. She admitted that the next twenty-four hours would be critical but added that she was optimistic because J.J. was strong and healthy.
Kayla didn't want J.J. to have more than one visitor at a time, so Jennifer went to see him alone. She grew distressed when he didn't squeeze her hand upon request. Later, while Jennifer was seeking comfort from Justin and Adrienne, Gabi went to see J.J. and begged him to pull through, vowing that if he did, she would never take him for granted again. Chad quietly entered the room and listened as she made the promise.
Marlena breathed a sigh of relief when she arrived at the police station and saw that John was okay. He explained what had happened, and when he noticed blood on her face, she shared her own story about J.J. When Steve interrupted to let John know that someone was ready to take their statements, Marlena seized the opportunity to thank him for saving John's life.
After Steve and John left, a police officer approached Marlena and informed her that Orpheus had requested medical treatment. "Oh. Well, I don't care," she replied before turning away. "But don't you kind of have to help if...?" the police officer protested. She sighed as she realized that he was right. He escorted her into one of the conference rooms, explaining that Orpheus hadn't been taken to the hospital because there had been concerns about it being secure enough to hold him. Orpheus complained that his arm was killing him. Marlena reluctantly informed the police officer that he would have to remove Orpheus' handcuffs so she could treat him.
Marlena examined Orpheus' wound and determined that it would need some stitches. She proceeded to sterilize the area, and when he winced in pain, she dismissively mused that his pain was nothing compared to the pain he had caused the people of Salem. "But you feel no remorse, do you?" she guessed. He confirmed that his only regret was that he hadn't killed her years earlier. "Ah, but you didn't do it. And now you're gonna go to hell," she replied.
"That's a place you know a little something about. Oh, yeah, I did my homework on you. You made quite the devil, wreaking havoc left and right. You're not only the biggest hypocrite in this town, you're [also] the biggest whore," Orpheus countered. Marlena disgustedly turned her attention back to his wound, and while she was distracted, he grabbed her wrist. The police officer tried to intervene, but Orpheus shoved Marlena away then slammed the police officer against the wall and took his gun. "You can leave now, son -- or die. Your choice. I have some unfinished business with Marlena," he explained.
The police officer looked at Marlena, who assured him that it was okay to leave. He rushed out of the room and told John and Steve what had just happened. As John worriedly called for help, Marlena tried to reason with Orpheus, pointing out that he would never make it out of the police station alive. "Who said I'm going anywhere? I'm tired, Marlena. I'm tired of fighting. I'm done," he replied as he began rummaging through her medical bag. He soon found a vial of medication and downed it before she could stop him. "That could kill you!" she protested. "That's the idea," he explained.
The medication took effect faster than Orpheus had anticipated. As he collapsed to the floor, he told Marlena that she was about to have another death on her conscience. He aimed his gun at her as he added that he was about to have one more death on his conscience, too, but he died before he could pull the trigger. Meanwhile, John busted the door open and rushed into the room. Marlena explained that Orpheus had taken a large dose of a powerful sedative. She tried to revive him, unable to fight her natural instinct to save lives, but John eventually pulled her away. "It's over, baby. It's okay. It's all over," he assured her.
While Nicole was dining with Deimos at the Brady Pub, she mused that with Salem no longer under siege, it almost felt like the past few weeks of chaos had just been one long nightmare. She knew it had all really happened, though, because the proof was written all over Deimos' bruised face. He dismissed her concern about his injuries, assuring her that he would always do whatever he had to do to keep her safe.
When Dario entered the pub a short time later, Nicole insisted on talking to him about something immediately, ignoring the fact that he was with Blanca. He reluctantly followed Nicole outside, musing that it was interesting that she had ditched her date to pull him away from his. "I am so not jealous," she stressed, realizing what he was implying. She clarified that she actually wanted to talk to him about his recent work as Deimos' spy.
Dario started to complain about Deimos' decision to rat him out, but Nicole made it clear that Deimos had only admitted the truth after she had overheard him discussing the job with Dario. "Okay, so you're mad at me because I spied on Chloe, but you only knew about that because you were spying on me?" Dario asked incredulously. Nicole ignored his attempt to deflect, admonishing herself for having assumed that he was a decent, trustworthy guy. He insisted that he was, explaining that he had only agreed to work for Deimos as a way of looking out for her.
Nicole admitted that Deimos had said the same thing. "Oh, look at that! For once, the guy's telling the truth," Dario mused. He added that he still believed that she would end up getting hurt sooner or later if she continued her involvement with Deimos, and he had simply been trying to prevent that from happening because he considered her a friend. She thanked him but insisted that she could take care of herself. "[And] if you and I are going to continue to be friends, you need to respect my choices!" she added. He wondered if she was happy, and she confirmed that she was. "Okay, then. That's all I want," he conceded with a shrug.
"That makes two of us," Deimos said as he emerged from the pub. He urged Nicole not to be too hard on Dario, who had only been following orders. He added that he regretted the things he had done to try to prove he was the father of Chloe's baby, and he hoped everyone, including Chloe, would one day be able to see that his intentions had been pure, even if his actions had been questionable.
"Fine. Let's just go back inside," Nicole uncomfortably suggested, trying not to think about the secret she was keeping for Chloe. Deimos apologetically revealed that he would actually have to cut his date with Nicole short because Philip had asked to meet with him at the docks. After Deimos left, Nicole guessed that Dario still believed he was right about Deimos being someone who would eventually hurt her. "Are we done here? I'd like to get back to my date," Dario impatiently replied, not bothering to confirm or deny the suspicion. Nicole glanced at Blanca through one of the pub's windows and conceded that she was beautiful.
When Deimos arrived at the docks, Philip reported that Titan had just lost more business to DiMera Enterprises as a result of Brady's bungled raid. "I was really hoping the panic would've died down by now," Deimos admitted with a sigh. "If anything, it's growing," Philip stressed. He suggested that it was time to get Victor involved, but Deimos insisted that wasn't an option because Victor already had enough to deal with.
Philip admitted that he wanted to start getting more involved with Titan. Deimos encouraged the idea but pointed out that Victor might not be interested. Philip asked Deimos to talk to Victor on his behalf. Deimos refused, reasoning that doing so would just remind Victor of what had caused the rift with Philip in the first place -- and might even make him wonder if Philip was once again doing Deimos' bidding.
Deimos advised Philip to take the idea to Victor personally. "Just don't expect [him] to jump on board right away," Deimos added. Sighing, Philip grumbled that he was starting to feel like it was a waste of time to try to mend his relationship with Victor. Deimos agreed that Victor could certainly be a difficult man to reach. As Deimos continued speaking, Nicole arrived to return his cell phone, which he had left behind at the pub earlier. She decided not to interrupt, unable to resist the chance to hear him open up about some of his regrets.
Deimos reasoned that it would be a mistake for Philip to give up on trying to reach Victor just because doing so had proven to be difficult. "Honestly, I would give anything to have the chance you have right now to make things right. I resented Victor for being the apple of our father's eye, while I was considered nothing but damaged goods -- a mistake my father was constantly forced to acknowledge," he admitted.
Philip said he was sorry to hear that. Dismissing the concern, Deimos forged ahead, explaining that he had eventually realized he was a worthy human being despite everything his father had said to the contrary, and that realization had allowed him to finally set aside all his anger. "For the first time in my life, I feel like love isn't a weapon, something to be withheld or exchange for obedience," he continued.
Philip mused that it seemed like Deimos' revelation had helped him get in touch with his feelings. Deimos shook his head, thoughtfully admitting that wasn't the only thing that had contributed to his newfound views on love. "Bottom line, Philip? The bond between a father and son -- it's way too important to dismiss so lightly. Between us, I think that was the real reason why I was so desperately wanting Chloe's baby to be mine. I thought that if I could be the father I never had to my own son, then maybe, finally, I'd be able to heal all those old wounds," he added.
Later, Nicole tried to contact Chloe, but the call went to voicemail. "I don't know why you're not returning my phone calls, but I really need to talk to you. It's about the baby. And I know I promised I would keep your secret, but...the more I think about it, the stronger I feel that Deimos needs to know the truth," she explained before ending the call. She added a text message for good measure, and after she finished sending it, Deimos approached and wondered what she was doing at the docks. She handed over his cell phone, explaining that he had left it at the pub earlier.
Nicole wondered how Deimos' talk with Philip had gone. He admitted that the part that had been about Titan had been bad news. He optimistically added, however, that the rest of the conversation had felt like a breakthrough of sorts. "Talking to Philip just now, giving him advice -- it kind of felt like he was the son I never had," he mused with a smile. Sighing, Nicole regretfully muttered, "I can't do this." When Deimos wondered what she was talking about, she admitted that she had been keeping a secret from him.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie's doctor announced that Maggie had fully healed -- at least physically. Maggie objected to the implication that she was still stuck in her wheelchair because she wanted to be. She tried to stand with Victor's help but soon collapsed in his arms. Later, Maggie contacted Julie but found herself unable to admit what was wrong, even though Julie could tell that something was bothering her.
Julie rushed over to the mansion. Victor greeted her at the front door and told her about what had happened. Julie didn't find the doctor's diagnosis particularly surprising, given Maggie's history. "Years ago, she had a surgery to regain the use of her legs, and afterwards, the doctor said it was a medical success...but she still couldn't walk," Julie recalled. She explained that fear had been the issue.
Victor assumed that Julie was referring to a fear of falling and getting reinjured, but she clarified that Maggie hadn't had such logical concerns. "For all her beauty and her accomplishments, she has issues with self-esteem, and back then, she thought she'd lose Mickey to another woman. I don't know -- maybe she thought that if she was completely dependent on him, he wouldn't stray," she explained. Victor insisted that he had never given Maggie a reason to fear he would cheat on her. "That doesn't mean that [she] isn't afraid of losing you," Julie countered.
"You're saying she's literally afraid of standing on her own?" Victor asked. Shrugging, Julie conceded that she wasn't a psychiatrist; she was simply someone who had known and loved Maggie for decades. She advised him to find a way to make Maggie feel safe again. He insisted that he wasn't shy about telling Maggie just how much he loved her and needed her. Julie guessed that Maggie had heard every word but needed to feel, deep in her heart, that he wasn't going anywhere.
Victor wondered how Mickey had addressed the issue. "He gave her a pair of red dancing shoes -- a symbol of his love and of their future together," Julie recalled with a smile. Victor said he had already tried that, and it obviously hadn't worked. "Damn, I feel so helpless," he admitted. "Victor, you're hardly that. You need to look into your own heart. It will tell you how to reach hers," Julie advised.
Later, Victor received a visit from Philip, who asked to talk to him about something. "Not now, Philip," Victor gruffly replied. Philip started to leave, sarcastically conceding that it had been foolish of him to make such a request, but he soon stopped and asked about Maggie. Victor admitted that her earlier checkup hadn't gone well. "Want to talk about it?" Philip wondered.
After giving the offer some thought, Victor filled Philip in on what the doctor had concluded after examining Maggie. He also shared Julie's thoughts on the diagnosis. Philip was surprised to hear that Maggie might not be absolutely certain of Victor's love for her, since it was quite obvious to him. "[But] showing your love isn't as hard as it sounds. It could be as simple as a shift in thinking. Being willing to make a small change like that could mean the world to someone," Philip advised. Victor suddenly got an idea, and although it was a bit more than a small change, he thought it just might work.
After Philip left, Victor informed Maggie that he had made a decision. "I'm going to retire from Titan [so I can] spend all my time making you better," he announced. She protested that he couldn't do that. "Of course I can. It's my company. I can do whatever I want," he dismissively replied. He added that there were plenty of viable candidates standing in the wings, ready to take his place if asked. "I only want one focus in my life right now, and that focus is you. I will move heaven and earth to make you well. You'll see -- soon enough, we'll be dancing the night away, just the way we used to," he promised.
"Well, maybe we can try a little dancing now," Maggie suggested, fighting back tears. Victor helped her to her feet, and she clung tightly to him as she declared that he was her rock. She admitted that what she was doing didn't really count as dancing, since she could barely even move on her own, but he assured her, "That's all right. That's what I'm here for."
After a nightmare about Brady's death, Theresa was relieved when she woke up and saw that he was still alive and well. He had made breakfast for her, and when she wondered what the occasion was, he reminded her that it was the first day of their honeymoon. She was confused at first but soon realized what he was talking about. She pointed out that they weren't officially married yet, but he argued that they were -- at least in his heart.
Later, Brady and Theresa took Tate for a walk around the park. When Brady mentioned Xander's name, Theresa spontaneously decided that it was time to finally admit that she had lied about Xander trying to rape her the previous year. "I wanted you to care about me, okay? And I wanted you to want to protect me. And when I said that Xander attacked me, you did all of that," she explained.
Stunned, Brady pointed out that Xander had therefore gone to prison for a crime he hadn't actually committed. "Yes, and I hate myself for it," Theresa admitted. She explained that she had decided to finally reveal the truth because she was sick of living in fear that Brady would one day figure out her secret on his own. She knew there was a possibility that he would leave her as a result of her deception, regardless of whether he heard the truth from her or someone else, but she also knew it wouldn't be fair to let him marry her without knowing all the facts.
"Theresa, I hate that you lied -- I really do -- but Xander was on his way to prison, with or without you," Brady pointed out. He acknowledged that Theresa had been a different person back then, and he admitted that he had done plenty of hurtful things to people over the years, too. "The reason I'm a different person [now] is because of you -- because of what we have in our relationship, and Tate, and our family," he continued.
Brady assured Theresa that he would never stop loving her. She returned the sentiment and promised never to keep secrets from him again, not wanting to do anything else to jeopardize their relationship. "Good, because I'm in this for the long haul, so you're stuck with me," he warned her. "Till death do us part?" she asked. "Maybe beyond that. Who knows?" he replied with a shrug.
Later, Brady and Theresa ran into Philip, who revealed that Victor was thinking of retiring and giving someone else a chance to run Titan for a change. "I plan to convince him that I'm the man for the job. Any good word you could offer up on my behalf would be much appreciated," he added. Brady pointed out that Philip wasn't the only viable candidate. "You?" Philip asked incredulously.
Brady bragged that he did have experience running Titan smoothly. Philip countered that Brady had also managed to tear the company apart in the span of one night. The two men continued sniping at each other until Theresa stopped them, fearing that they would disturb Tate's slumber. She wished Philip luck, and Brady did the same, confidently adding, "May the best man win."
As Blanca was finishing her meal with Dario, a man entered the Brady Pub and greeted her. "I can't believe you had the nerve to follow me here," she spat, leading Dario to conclude that the man was Guillermo, the ex she had hoped she would never see again. Blanca told Guillermo to leave, but he ignored the request, assuring her that he was sorry for the mistakes he had made. "I caught you in bed with another woman!" she reminded him.
Guillermo begged Blanca to give him a chance to explain. "Only if you explain why you were also in bed with a major drug cartel," she replied before taking back the question, deciding that she really just wanted him to leave immediately. Dario threatened to throw Guillermo out if Guillermo refused to leave willingly, but Guillermo dismissively insisted that Dario was no match for him. Blanca intervened before things could get physical, warning that if Guillermo didn't leave Salem immediately, she would provide his boss with proof that he had stolen from the man. "We both know Mateo is not the type of boss to forgive and forget," she added.
"When you change your mind, you know where to find me," Guillermo told Blanca before storming off. As soon as he exited the pub, she began trembling. Dario noticed and comforted her with a hug. When she regained her composure, she thanked him for sticking up for her. He dismissively pointed out that she had held her own just fine without his help. He wondered how she had ended up with such a lowlife. "I feel embarrassed to say it, but I really thought I was in love with him...until I found out everything was a lie. The truth is, Guillermo is a bad guy, and he's in deep trouble with some dangerous people," she revealed.
As Guillermo was storming through the town square, complaining to himself about Blanca's threats, he spotted Theresa and Brady. "Well, what do you know?" he muttered, quickly turning away from them. He contacted someone and revealed, "I just found Theresa Donovan."
After spending the night at the DiMera mansion, Anne left the following morning. Later that day, Lucas told Chad about her visit. Chad didn't mind that Lucas had taken it upon himself to give her shelter from the chaos of the previous night, but he seized the opportunity to segue into a conversation he had been trying to think of the right way to start with Lucas.
"Look, I...um...I appreciate everything that you [and Adrienne] have done for Thomas and for myself..." Chad carefully began. "But you're sick of us," Lucas guessed with a knowing grin. Chad insisted that wasn't the case, clarifying that he simply felt like he was finally in a better place and could handle taking care of Thomas on his own again. He was pleasantly surprised when Lucas agreed without hesitation. He knew, however, that Jennifer might not be quite as understanding. Lucas thought he could convince her to give her blessing, but he advised Chad to approach the conversation delicately because of everything she was going through with J.J.
At the hospital, Gabi played J.J. a collection of songs from all his favorite guitarists. "I was trying to decide on doing this or, uh...or making you listen to my favorite kind of music, 'cause I thought that maybe Selena Gomez might make you wake up just to -- just to make me shut it off," she joked as she fought back tears.
Later, Gabi emerged from J.J.'s room and found Chad and Arianna waiting for her near the nurses' station. With Jennifer's help, Chad managed to convince Gabi to take a break and join him and Arianna for lunch in the town square. Gabi was pleased to see that all the stores were reopening as news spread that Salem's long nightmare had finally ended, but she sadly mused that it hadn't ended for everyone -- namely, J.J. -- yet.
While Chad, Gabi, and Arianna were eating, Lucas and Adrienne approached with Thomas. Gabi was ready to return to the hospital, so Adrienne offered to take Arianna back to the DiMera mansion. Chad was surprised to hear that Lucas and Adrienne had already found a new place to stay and were planning to pack their things later that day. Lucas clarified that the new place was actually just the Salem Inn. He and Adrienne knew they were welcome to continue living at the mansion for a while longer, but they were fine with expediting the move because they were anxious for some alone time.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Julie assured Jennifer that J.J. was going to be okay. Jennifer stressed that he had to be because she couldn't bear the thought of outliving both of her children. "Why did he want to be a cop? He was barely out of high school!" she complained. Julie guessed that J.J. had wanted to turn his life around and make a difference in the world. Jennifer maintained that she couldn't survive another funeral. "I know that there are people who just seem to be put together, you know, to handle tragedy, [but] I'm not one of them. I can't -- I can't do it. I can't take anymore," she tearfully insisted.
Later, Lucas arrived and offered to take Jennifer to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting that would be starting shortly. Jennifer declined, insisting that she couldn't leave J.J.'s side. "Jen, what you can't do is even admit the possibility that he's not gonna make it. Now, you need to stay strong and stay sober. You need to be there for him when he gets out and help him recover. He's gonna need you," Lucas pointed out.
Realizing that Lucas was right, Jennifer agreed to accompany him to the meeting. Afterward, they returned to J.J.'s room -- just in time to witness signs that he might be about to emerge from his coma. Lucas rushed off to alert one of the nurses. Jennifer stayed behind and listened as J.J. started mumbling, "Gabi, I'm so sorry. Forgive me."
Elsewhere, Paul signed the last of his discharge papers. Sonny soon arrived and offered to give him a ride home. Paul declined, revealing that he was actually on his way to the Brady Pub to see a friend. Sonny wondered if he could at least keep Paul company until the friend arrived. "Sure. Why not?" Paul replied with a shrug, following Sonny out of the hospital.
While waiting for his friend to show up at the pub, Paul tried to thank Sonny for saving his life, but Sonny dismissively insisted that what he had done hadn't been a big deal. Paul wondered what had made Sonny decide to check on him during the explosions. "Something told me to go look for you," Sonny explained with a shrug. He added that he would like to talk to Paul about what had happened. "We just did," Paul evasively replied.
"Not all of it," Sonny countered, clarifying that he wanted to talk to Paul about what had happened between them. Sighing, Paul insisted, "Sonny, I thought I was a dead man. I would have shared a moment with anybody who showed up." Sonny tried to object to Paul's dismissive summary of what had happened, but Paul interrupted him, adding, "I know where you're going with this. Um...I came to, and I saw how worried you looked, and it got to me. But you made it very clear that all you ever want to be is friends, and now I have decided I agree with you. So if you got any kind of different vibe from me last night...I was out of it. I'm sorry."
Sonny insisted there was no need for Paul to apologize. "Okay, well, um...it won't happen again," Paul stressed. Nodding, Sonny said he was okay with that and had simply wanted to discuss the matter with Paul. "Well, great, because I just -- you know, to tell you the truth, I just want to put yesterday behind me," Paul replied.
Sonny soon changed the subject, asking for Paul's opinion on a Halloween costume he was thinking of getting for Arianna. "You want your four-year-old to go out for Halloween dressed as a nun?" Paul asked incredulously. Sonny confirmed that he did, reasoning that she would stand out that way because all the other four-year-olds would be dressed as princesses and ballerinas. Paul seized the opportunity to tease Sonny for the way he had stood out at a comic book convention they had attended a few years earlier, wearing green tights that had been too small and had ripped at one point, revealing his choice of underwear to everyone.
"At least I was wearing a mask," Sonny pointed out. Paul suddenly grew quiet, prompting Sonny to wonder what was wrong. "I was just thinking that in those days, I was always wearing a mask. You were the only person who really knew who I was," Paul explained. Sonny started to respond, but he stopped himself when Derrick entered the pub. Taken aback, Sonny greeted Derrick and told him that Paul had mentioned plans to meet a friend at the pub but hadn't revealed the identity of the friend. "I guess I should've," Paul said.
Derrick explained that he had recently begun working at the hospital and had crossed paths with Paul there the previous night. "Oh. They have bellhops there now?" Sonny asked snidely. Forcing a chuckle, Derrick clarified that he was working as an administrative assistant. "It was nice to run into a familiar face," he added, patting Paul's hand and receiving a pat on the back from him in return. Sonny watched the interaction closely. Paul said he had suggested that he and Derrick could catch up and maybe even see a movie together. "Sounds like a date," Sonny dryly observed. "No, just hanging out," Paul replied before he and Derrick excused themselves.
Later, Adrienne joined Sonny at the pub and filled him in on her impending move to the Salem Inn. He somewhat disappointedly guessed that she and Lucas would soon begin forging ahead with their wedding plans, given all the free time they were about to have again. She confirmed the suspicion and wondered if he would be willing to give her away. "Don't push it," he replied.
Adrienne knew Sonny wasn't happy that his parents were no longer together. "I've accepted it," he assured her. She wondered if that was what was giving him the blues, since he clearly had a bad case of them. "Really? I thought I was covering so well," he dryly replied. She shook her head and urged him to talk to her about what was bothering him. "I just thought there might be something between Paul and me again. But apparently I just misread the entire situation," he explained. She wondered if he was upset about that. "I'll survive. It's what's best," he answered.
As Derrick was passing through the town square with Paul, he wondered if they should have invited Sonny to accompany them to the movie theater. Paul shook his head, insisting that it was okay that they hadn't. "You sure? He seemed pretty upset that we had plans together," Derrick pointed out. Paul dismissed Derrick's concern, explaining that Sonny had simply been dealing with a lot lately.
"I think you're kidding yourself," Derrick said, insisting that he had seen the way Sonny had looked at Paul earlier. Paul explained that Sonny was still grieving the loss of Will and had made it clear that he wasn't ready to get involved with anyone yet. Derrick pointed out that people often said things they didn't really mean. "Look, even if you were right, it would never work out. Will, what happened -- it would always come between us," Paul countered.
Derrick couldn't see a reason for that to be the case, given the fact that Paul and Will hadn't known about each other's connections to Sonny when they'd had their one-night stand. Paul said that didn't matter anymore because Will was dead, meaning there would never be a chance for the three of them to work through what had happened. When Derrick tried to make another counterargument, Paul interrupted, insisting, "Hey, I've been through all this too many times. Sonny needs to be with somebody who doesn't remind him of Will and who's not gonna make him feel guilty for moving on with his life. I'm not that guy."
At the docks, Nicole admitted to Deimos that Chloe really was carrying his child. He was confused at first, pointing out that a paternity test had proven that he wasn't the father, but she explained that Chloe had somehow managed to falsify it. Elated, he hugged her and thanked her for telling him the truth. His mood quickly changed when he realized that she had kept Chloe's secret for two whole months before finally deciding to share the truth with him. She apologized and tried to explain why she had initially chosen to go along with the deception, but he furiously insisted that there was no excuse for what she had done.
"Oh, right, and you're the poster child for doing the right thing," Nicole sarcastically countered. She wondered just how many times Deimos had lied to her. He dismissively insisted that he would never lie to her about something as important as what she had lied to him about. "Oh, I see. So there's bad lies and there's okay lies?" she asked incredulously.
"Don't turn this around! This is about what you did -- and what you did was unforgivable!" Deimos shouted as he picked up and angrily hurled a nearby crate. Nicole asked him to calm down, adding that it was exactly that sort of behavior that had made her wonder if it would be better for his child to grow up without him as a father. She explained that she had decided to reveal the truth to him because he had a very big heart and wasn't really as ruthless as he sometimes appeared to be -- facts that had led her to believe he would be fair and kind to Chloe despite the deception. She hoped it hadn't been a horrible mistake for her to assume that.
Deimos spat that her mistake had been agreeing to keep the truth from him in the first place. "I don't know why I'm so surprised about this. A woman who would steal another woman's baby [and] let her believe that her own baby was dead -- I mean, why should I be surprised that a woman like that would do [something like this]? You know, for someone who goes on and on about how much you love children, you really have an odd way of showing it. You know, in fact, I have to wonder if any child would even want you for a mother in the first place," he added.
Nicole slapped Deimos. "How dare you say that to me when you know I miscarried two babies?" she tearfully asked. He unapologetically replied that he had honestly believed that she knew him and understood him better than anyone else ever had -- and that they were, in fact, soul mates. "How in God's name could I have been so wrong?" he wondered, shaking his head in disbelief. Nicole broke down as he walked away.
Later, Deimos instructed someone to fly to New York, find Chloe, and get her back to Salem one way or another, taking care not to harm her in the process. Meanwhile, Nicole contacted Chloe and left an apologetic voicemail message, explaining that she had made a huge mistake. "You need to do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself and the baby, because I don't know what Deimos is gonna do next," she warned.
