At the Horton Town Square, Abe confronted Valerie, who was quick to stress that she had been trying all along to convince his daughter to tell the truth.
"Right...because you're the hero of this story," Lani sarcastically agreed, adding that Valerie apparently didn't care about the collateral damage she had caused. Valerie started to apologize for that, but Lani interrupted and stormed off, not wanting to hear it. Abe, also not interested in hearing Valerie's apology, chased after Lani.
Valerie caught up with Abe in a secluded section of the town square and begged for a chance to explain her side of the story. "I know it feels like I betrayed you..." she began, grasping his hands. "It doesn't just feel that way," he snapped, pulling away from her. He mused, while recalling her recent behavior, that it all suddenly made much more sense.
Valerie said she was sorry for hurting Lani, J.J., and -- most of all -- Abe, but she wasn't sorry for defending her son's right to be a part of his child's life from the very beginning, especially since she knew, better than most, just how important that was. Abe reminded Valerie that he, too, knew what it was like to miss out on part of a child's life. "[So] I understand you trying to protect your child...but, from where I stand, it looks like you were doing that at the expense of mine," he added before walking away, leaving her in stunned silence.
At the police station, J.J. asked for a minute alone with Eli. Jennifer tried to protest, but J.J. dismissed her concerns, promising that he wasn't going to throw any more punches. Eli decided to grant J.J.'s request.
Lani soon arrived and reluctantly greeted Jennifer, who explained that J.J. was out on bail -- and was talking to Eli in one of the conference rooms. Lani expressed concern, but Jennifer argued that it was probably best to let the conversation continue, since J.J. and Eli had things to work out with each other. "[In the meantime], I want you to explain to me why I'm not gonna be a grandmother to your baby," Jennifer calmly added.
Lani apologized for lying, stressing that she had never meant to hurt Jennifer -- or J.J., for that matter. "I admit that I've been selfish, [but] it's just [that] I knew that [J.J.] would love this kid like crazy [and] would be an amazing father, [and that's why] I really wish that this [had] all stayed a secret," Lani continued, fighting back tears.
Jennifer understood that Lani had desperately wanted J.J., not Eli, to be the baby's father. "But did you really think that you could keep this lie forever?" Jennifer asked Lani incredulously. Shrugging, Lani confirmed that she had certainly hoped that would be the case. Jennifer warned that she knew just how destructive such lies could be because her family had almost been torn apart years earlier when her Uncle Mickey had learned that her brother Mike wasn't really his biological son. "[See], even with the best intentions, the truth has a way of coming out [sooner or later]," Jennifer concluded.
Meanwhile, Eli tried to clear the air with J.J. "When I found out Lani was pregnant, I was hoping the baby was yours. I wasn't looking to be a father, [and] I knew it could ruin things with Gabi...[but] I was also worried about what it might do to you, [because even though] we haven't always been on the same page, [we're still] family, and I know how much you wanted this baby -- maybe even needed it. [So]...I'm sorry you don't get to have that," Eli stressed. Scoffing, J.J. wondered if Eli even wanted to be a father. "Lani and I need to have a talk [about that]," Eli evasively replied.
J.J. curiously noted that Eli's chosen method of dealing with Gabi's supposed betrayal had not been to break up with her or "kick the crap out of" the guy she had cheated on him with; it had been to sleep with another woman in retaliation. "You didn't even trust Gabi enough to give her the chance to explain [first], and that's the reason why you've lost her -- [and] why my life is ruined," J.J. continued.
Eli conceded that J.J. was right. "I was angry, [and] I wanted to hurt [Gabi] -- and you," Eli explained, shrugging. "Mission accomplished," J.J. replied with a mirthless chuckle.
Eli wanted to take back his actions from that fateful night but knew that he couldn't. "[No, but] you can make up for it [by being] the dad that I was going to be," J.J. suggested, adding that Lani was going to be a great mother but would need help. "I lost my father, and I miss him every day. You never knew yours. I want this kid to grow up with a dad who is there [and] cares. That can't be me anymore," J.J. continued. Eli guessed that J.J. would still care about the child, regardless of biology. "More than you can know," J.J. quietly confirmed.
J.J. pulled something out of his packet of belongings and tossed it to Eli, who wondered what it was. "Two tickets to, uh, the Cubs' final home game this year," J.J. explained. "[See], when you find out you're gonna be a dad, you start imagining your life -- you know, the hopes and dreams you have for your kid -- [and] I know it's silly, but, uh, one of [mine] was that he or she would be a Cubs fan," J.J. continued. J.J. advised Eli to take the child to a game each year and do everything else in his power to give the child the best possible life. "Be the kind of father [he or she] deserves," J.J. concluded.
When J.J. emerged from the conference room a short time later, Lani asked if he was okay. "No...but I will be," he replied. She tearfully stressed, as he walked away with his mother, that she was sorry for hurting him.
Lani tried to avoid having to talk to Eli, but he insisted that, sooner or later, they were going to have to make some decisions about their child.
At the courthouse, Gabi stood and angrily demanded to know why Abigail was lying. "I never said I killed Andre! I am innocent, and you know that!" Gabi insisted as the judge called for order in the courtroom.
Justin calmed Gabi down and quietly assured her that he would take care of everything. Meanwhile, at Trask's request, Dr. Laura repeated her earlier testimony. "I can only imagine how difficult this is for you. The courage that it takes to come up here and tell the truth about your best friend --" Trask began, prompting Justin to object. Trask preemptively assured the judge that she was done questioning her witness, anyway.
Dr. Laura started to leave the witness stand, but Justin protested that he had a few questions of his own to ask first. "Let's start with this one -- can you explain to the jury why you are lying in open court?" he wondered. She insisted that she wasn't lying, but he argued that her story didn't make any sense at all. "Do you blame yourself for [Andre's] death?" he asked. Taken aback, she stammered that she did not. "[But] during one of your psychotic breaks --" he continued. Trask interrupted with an objection, but the judge agreed that the witness' history of mental illness was relevant because it spoke to her credibility.
"During one of your breaks, when you lost touch with reality, you once told me that it was Andre DiMera that brought you back, [so], in a sense, he saved your life...[and yet] you weren't able to save his," Justin mused, prompting Trask to impatiently wonder if he was ever going to get to the point. "You loved him, didn't you?" Justin asked. Dr. Laura confirmed that Andre had been a good friend. "Just like Gabi is a good friend?" Justin asked. Dr. Laura agreed. "And yet you are willing to believe that Gabi, your good friend, committed this crime? You're willing to sit up here and look her right in the eye and make up a bald-faced lie?" he asked.
When Trask objected again, Justin pointed out that his client was being accused of murder -- and that the prosecution, with no physical evidence to link his client to the crime, was suddenly trying to introduce a confession that, conveniently, only one person had heard. The judge agreed that Justin was therefore allowed to question the character and the motives of the prosecution's witness. "[But] no grandstanding," the judge warned Justin.
Dr. Laura squirmed as Justin established just how well he knew Abigail -- someone who would never intentionally hurt a friend, especially when that friend had always been good to her and was, furthermore, a single mother whose beautiful daughter had already been through a lot. Dr. Laura felt a sharp pain in her head as Justin continued addressing Abigail. Chad was concerned, and the judge was, too, but Justin argued that they couldn't take a recess just yet because he wasn't finished questioning the witness -- who seemed, at the very least, to be showing signs of confusion about the accuracy of her testimony.
Dr. Laura eventually recovered and confirmed that she was fine with continuing her testimony. She stuck to her story but conceded that there was no one who could corroborate it. "So, it's your word against Gabi's," Justin concluded with obvious skepticism. The judge ordered a recess after making sure that both attorneys were done with the witness.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Abigail?" Gabi asked incredulously, storming toward the witness stand. Chad held Gabi back and asked to talk to his wife privately. "I want to talk to my friend [first]," Dr. Laura told Chad. "Oh, your 'friend'?" Gabi bitterly repeated. Dr. Laura apologized to Gabi but maintained that she had simply told the truth during her earlier testimony. "I swear, on my son's life, that I am telling the truth," Dr. Laura added. "And I swear, on my daughter's life, that you are lying!" Gabi countered. Dr. Laura shrugged then rushed off, concluding that there was nothing left to say.
Meanwhile, Trask guessed that Stefan was still hung up on Abigail. He insisted that he wasn't. "Who, then?" she wondered. "Well, if you must know, her name is Gabby," he replied, adding, when asked, that he was talking about someone other than the defendant. "I don't understand," she admitted. "Most people wouldn't," he acknowledged before walking away.
Gabi told Chad that Abigail was lying. Chad remained convinced that Gabi was innocent but also knew that Abigail would never falsely accuse someone of murder. "I don't know what the hell to think right now, [but what I do know] is that when she was testifying, something was off," Chad noted. Confused, Gabi asked Chad to elaborate. "I can't explain it. It was just...[I don't know], a look in her eye. It's like she wasn't there," Chad clarified, adding that something was definitely not right. "Yeah, that's for sure," Gabi angrily agreed. Chad rushed off after promising to figure out exactly what was going on.
Gabi, alone with Justin, concluded that her only choice at that point was to testify in her own defense. He insisted that wasn't a good idea. "When I was the D.A., I knew I was gonna win when the defendant took the witness stand. It is a desperate move," he warned. "I am desperate," she countered, adding that even if it was indeed a mistake, it was nevertheless hers to make -- and he was obligated to let her if she asked him to.
People soon started filing back into the courtroom. After resuming the trial, the judge gave Justin the opportunity to call his first witness. Justin glanced at Gabi, who shook her head, having suddenly changed her mind. "The defense rests," Justin announced, stunning Trask and the judge. "The defense feels confident the prosecution did not make its case," Justin explained.
"I hope I don't regret this," Gabi quietly told Justin as the judge moved on to closing statements.
At the DiMera mansion, Dr. Laura blamed Stefan for what she had done earlier, insisting that his testimony had left too much reasonable doubt hanging in the courtroom. She dismissed his concern that his brother hadn't bought her story. "I swore on Thomas' life -- [which], I thought, was a pretty nice touch," she argued. "Yeah, well, I heard Gabi swear on Arianna's life," he countered.
"If I can convince an entire courtroom, I can certainly convince Chad," Dr. Laura maintained -- just as Chad entered the mansion. She tried to casually greet him, but he interrupted and demanded the truth from her.
Kayla led Steve through the square to the café. "Hey, it's Tripp," Tripp said as he greeted his father. "I know who you are, dummy," Steve joked. Once Steve and Kayla were seated, Tripp stared quietly at his father. When Steve asked why Tripp was silent, Tripp said he had not realized that Steve would lose his vision so quickly.
After his shift ended, Tripp joined Steve and Kayla while they ate. Tripp asked about Steve's sight. Steve explained that his vision had fully disappeared. With a grin, Steve joked about his "cool" shades and his cane. Kayla's phone beeped with a text. Kayla asked Tripp to sit with Steve. Smirking, Steve said, "She is asking you to babysit."
After Kayla left, Steve asked Tripp about his life. Concerned, Tripp turned the conversation back to his father's condition. Tripp told Steve that he was available whenever Steve needed him. Steve nodded and assured his son that he would be fine. "It's Kayla I'm worried about," Steve said softly. Steve said he could feel Kayla's nerves in her silences.
"She blames herself because she can't find a cure for me," Steve said. When Tripp asked Steve if he blamed anyone, Steve said he only found a challenge. Tripp said he would not let Steve face his challenge alone. Shaking his head, Steve said he would not let anyone take care of him. Tripp grasped his father's hand. "Finding you changed my life," Tripp said. Tripp wondered aloud if he had returned to Salem because Steve needed him.
In the park, Abe accused Valerie of protecting her son at his daughter's expense. When Valerie reiterated her defense that she'd needed to make Lani tell the truth for everyone's sake, Abe yelled that he did not want to hear any more. Abe stormed off. Frustrated, Valerie went to the hospital to talk to Marlena. Valerie told Marlena what had happened with Lani and Abe. Marlena assured Valerie that Abe would forgive her in time. "I don't regret what I did," Valerie whispered.
"If we're in a relationship together, I need him to respect my son, too," Valerie grumbled. Valerie added that she would make the same decision if she had to do everything over again. With a sigh, Valerie said she was concerned that she would lose Abe forever. Marlena advised Valerie to do whatever she could to win Abe's trust back.
At the police precinct, Eli escorted Lani into the interrogation room to talk privately about their baby's future. Lani refused to let Eli be a part of her baby's life. Eli was taken aback. Eli explained that J.J. wanted him to be a part of the baby's life. Upset, Lani exclaimed that the only reason she had decided to have the baby was for J.J.
"This baby will always be a reminder of the mistake I made the night that I ruined my life," Lani cried out. Eli said he understood that Lani wanted to forget their affair, but he cautioned Lani not to blame their baby. Lani asked Eli why had had changed his mind about being a father. Eli said he had decided that he wanted to be there for Lani and his child from the beginning. "We can make this work. The both of us," Eli said. Lani doubled over, clutching her stomach. "The baby," Lani said breathlessly.
In the DiMera living room, Chad asked Abigail if Gabi had confessed to her that Gabi had killed Andre. Stefan fidgeted nervously as he watched Dr. Laura swear to Chad that she had told the truth in court. When Stefan stated that he believed Abigail, Chad yelled at him. Dr. Laura, still in control of Abigail's body, said she wanted to be alone. Dr. Laura grabbed the glasses that Stefan was holding, and she walked into the foyer. As Dr. Laura started to climb the stairs, she fell and hit her head. Dr. Laura sat on the steps. In her head, Gabby talked to Dr. Laura. Gabby warned Dr. Laura that she wanted out. Dr. Laura gripped her head in pain.
"I'm not going anywhere. Not until we talk face to face. One alter to another," Gabby's voice echoed in Abigail's head. Dr. Laura envisioned meeting with Gabby in a room. Dr. Laura told Gabby that she had not been acting in the best interest of Abigail when she had decided to sleep with Stefan, using Abigail's body. Dr. Laura reminded Gabby that their ultimate goal was to protect Abigail. Gabby argued that her need to be with Stefan was more important. "You're going to make it happen," Gabby growled. Gabby argued that Stefan understood her.
"Do you want to fight, Gabby?" Dr. Laura asked. Gabby demanded to leave. Dr. Laura warned Gabby that she would have to go through her. Gabby argued that she could do a better job of handling their life than Abigail. Dr. Laura argued that Gabby could not go free because the trial was still going on, and it was their best hope of keeping Abigail out of prison. "I can't have you screwing up all my hard work. So I'm going to lock you away in here so that you can never hurt Abigail again," Dr. Laura said.
"Oh, like hell you will!" Gabby yelled. Dr. Laura locked the door. Gabby punched Dr. Laura and took the key. Gabby vowed to lock up Dr. Laura forever. When Gabby went to the door, she realized it was unlocked. "You distracted me, you idiot. Abigail escaped!" Dr. Laura exclaimed. In Marlena's office, a distraught Abigail asked Marlena to help her.
In the DiMera living room, Stefan cautioned Chad to support his wife. When Stefan questioned why Chad had taken Gabi's side, Chad stressed that he supported his wife. Stefan pushed the question. Chad asked about the dark-haired woman in Hong Kong. Chad argued that the woman had been Stefan's accomplice in Andre's murder. Nodding, Stefan said he would tell Chad everything he knew if Chad beat him in a game of chess.
"From what I know of our father, he would appreciate a dispute being settled in such a civilized manner," Stefan said. Stefan explained the wager. If Stefan won, Chad would back off of him and Vivian. Stefan added that if Chad won, Stefan would tell Chad everything he knew. With a shrug, Chad said it was a sucker's bet because Stefan was a master player. Stefan offered to answer a question for each chess piece that Chad captured.
"Whatever is said at this chess table will stay in the family. And I promise to answer honestly," Stefan said. Chad agreed. The game commenced. When Chad took the first piece from Stefan, he asked if Stefan had planted the drugs in Hong Kong. Stefan admitted that he had planted the drugs. After Chad captured another chess piece, he asked Stefan if security had found Andre's cell phone. Stefan admitted he had taken Andre's phone from his office the night Andre had been murdered. After the next chess piece, Chad asked Stefan if he had killed Andre. Stefan said no. For the next question, Chad asked Stefan if Vivian had killed Andre. Stefan said neither he nor his mother had killed Andre, but they had taken the phone from Andre's office.
Chad asked Stefan to end the game and tell him the truth. Shaking his head, Stefan reminded Chad that the rules were clear. After Chad took another piece, he asked Stefan if the dark-haired woman had killed Andre. "Yes and no," Stefan said. Confused, Chad asked Stefan what he meant. "Win another piece, and I'll tell you," Stefan said. The game continued. When Chad took another piece, Chad asked about the dark-haired woman.
At the pub, John greeted Abe as he walked in. Noting the dour look on Abe's face, John offered to buy him a beer. Abe told John about his fight with Valerie. John asked Abe how he would have felt if the lie had been about his grandchild. Abe said he expected Valerie to look out for his daughter as well as her son. Shaking his head, John urged Abe to forgive Valerie and not give up on their relationship. After their chat, John left, and Valerie walked in. Abe was sitting alone, drinking. Valerie asked to join him. Abe motioned to the vacant seat.
At the hospital, Kayla examined Lani. When Eli asked questions, Kayla asked him to step outside so that she could examine her patient. Eli refused. Eli said he was the baby's father. Lani confirmed that everyone knew the truth. With a nod, Lani said Eli could stay.
While Kayla ran tests, Eli sat next to Lani and asked how she was feeling. Lani explained that the cramps were likely from stress. When Lani said she was scared, Eli assured her that everything would be fine.
"I know that you miss J.J., and I know that I screwed up your future...but now, I want to do the right thing for you, for the baby, for myself. Lani, please. Let me be a part of our child's life," Eli asked. Lani agreed. Lani thanked Eli for sitting with her.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Adrienne hesitantly revealed, after ending a phone conversation that Sonny had overheard, that she had been talking to the Spectator's newest reporter -- Will.
Adrienne expected Sonny to be upset that she hadn't bothered to discuss the matter with him beforehand, but he acknowledged that what went on at the Spectator was none of his business. "[But], with that being said, I am fine with you hiring Will. He's a great reporter, and he needed a job, so I'm happy that you were able to help him out," Sonny added.
Adrienne was pleasantly surprised that Sonny was taking such a mature stance, especially since Will had just divorced him. "Eh, he's moving on -- and so am I," Sonny reasoned with a shrug. Adrienne, delighted to hear that Sonny really liked Leo, hoped that the blossoming relationship would work out. She excitedly added that her son wasn't the only one who had a date that night.
Justin soon entered the mansion and joined Adrienne and Sonny in the living room. "You would not believe the day I've had. I just want to crawl into bed and pretend it never happened," Justin declared, slumping into a chair with a heavy sigh. Sonny, taking that as his cue to leave, flashed his mother a teasing grin and told her to have a fun night with his father.
After Sonny left, Adrienne massaged Justin's shoulders and assured him that their planned date night would salvage his otherwise rotten day. Groaning, he apologetically admitted to her that he had completely forgotten that they were supposed to go out that night. "What time did you make the reservation for?" he asked. "You said you were gonna make the reservation," she replied, forcing a smile.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefan wondered if Chad was absolutely certain that he wanted to know the identity of the woman who had been captured on DiMera Enterprises' surveillance footage. "Quit stalling and just tell me who the hell it was," Chad demanded. Nodding, Stefan revealed, "Her name is Gabby." Chad insisted that wasn't possible because Gabi had been in a holding cell at the time that Stefan had been seen with the mystery woman in Hong Kong, and no one could be in two places at once. "I didn't say she was," Stefan pointed out.
Annoyed, Chad lashed out at Stefan, impatiently ordering him to hold up his end of their deal and tell the truth. "I'm sincerely sorry that you didn't get the answer you were looking for," Stefan calmly replied. Chad upended the chess table in frustration as Stefan exited the mansion.
A short time later, Kate entered the mansion and joined Chad in the living room. "What happened here?" she wondered, picking up one of the scattered chess pieces. "Stefan and I were 'bonding' [over a game of] chess," he explained. "Oh. Well, it looks like someone was a sore loser," she observed, putting the piece back where it belonged.
Chad told Kate about what had happened during the chess match -- and about what had happened at the courthouse earlier that day. "[Abigail and Gabi can't both] be telling the truth! [That's] crazy!" Kate insisted. "We are clearly missing something," Chad agreed.
Kate pointed out that Abigail's testimony had worked in Stefan's favor because it had kept the case focused on Gabi instead of the real murderer, whom Stefan was almost certainly involved with in some way. "Maybe he brainwashed her into giving that testimony today. I mean, I know [that sounds] crazy, [too], but it's possible," Kate mused. "You actually may be onto something," Chad admitted, knowing that brainwashing was a family trade of sorts. Chad guessed that Stefan might have taken Abigail to Hong Kong for just that purpose.
At Doug's Place, Leo claimed a table near the bar, where Vivian was sipping a martini. "Hey, boss. Are you checking up on me?" he asked, keeping his back turned to her. "I'm meeting my son [here] for a drink," she clarified.
Changing the subject, Vivian wondered why Leo wasn't with Sonny at that moment. "Relax. I'm meeting Sonny [here] for our date," Leo replied before moving to a different table, wanting to be a safe distance away from Vivian when Sonny arrived. Seconds later, Stefan joined Vivian and wondered who her mystery man was. "Oh, just a friend..." Vivian innocently replied.
Vivian wasn't surprised to hear that Stefan's trip to Hong Kong hadn't gone as planned, since, after all, she had tried to warn him that it probably wouldn't. He conceded with a sigh that he should have listened to her. "I really messed things up...and now I may never see Gabby again," he fretted, prompting his mother to observe that he "really had it bad for" the alter.
Vivian assured Stefan that she knew what it was like to want the wrong person. "The heart wants what it wants. My heart wanted Victor Kiriakis. Full disclosure -- it still does," she admitted.
Meanwhile, Sonny, who had just joined Leo, complained that it was going to be difficult for him to enjoy himself when he was occupying the same space as Vivian Alamain, of all people. "You know her?" Leo asked casually. "Unfortunately. She's evil and deranged. She has a huge vendetta against my family," Sonny explained. "Looks harmless enough to me..." Leo observed, shrugging. "Trust me -- you don't want anything to do with her. She's a nasty piece of work," Sonny maintained, adding that Vivian had, in fact, recently threatened to take him down. "I told her to bring it on," Sonny bragged with a confident grin.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Justin called for Adrienne to join him in the living room. She was pleasantly surprised to see that a table for two was waiting for her there -- and that the meal that was being served that night was from her favorite burger joint. He started to acknowledge that it couldn't possibly compare to dinner at a fancy new restaurant, but she assured him that she had actually been craving the burger joint's food since her return to Salem. "Let's just face it -- I'm really more of a burger girl than a filet mignon girl," she admitted with a shrug. "That's what I love most about you," he replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Adrienne appreciated what Justin had done but insisted that she would have understood if he had chosen to ask for a rain check because of everything that had been going on recently. He made it clear that the thought hadn't even crossed his mind. "I never want work to come before you. I made that mistake before, and I'm not making it again," he explained.
Meanwhile, outside the mansion, Sonny thanked Leo for walking him home. "How else was I gonna get my goodnight kiss?" Leo reasoned, prompting Sonny to give him what he wanted. "Should we take this inside?" Leo asked after Sonny pulled away. Sonny hesitated, admitting that, while the timing was right because Arianna was with Lucas that night, taking things to the next level with Leo was a big step.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to push you. It's just, uh...I feel a real connection here. Don't you?" Leo asked while locking eyes with Sonny, who soon gave him another kiss in response.
Sonny excitedly led Leo into the mansion then froze when Adrienne called out to him from behind the living room's closed doors. "I'm all for introducing you to my parents, but..." Sonny quietly began. "Not the right time. I get it," Leo concluded with a nod. Sonny poked his head into the living room and said a few quick words to his parents, trying to ignore the fact that Leo was groping him from behind the whole time.
"You are bad," Sonny quietly told Leo as they sneaked upstairs together. "I know it," Leo replied with a mischievous grin.
At the Martin mansion, Will and Paul tossed back a few beers while catching each other up on what had happened since they had last spoken that morning. Paul was pleased to hear that Will had landed a job at the Spectator. Will was excited about the development, especially since it meant that Paul would no longer be stuck paying the bill every time they went on a date.
Paul was quick to reassure Will that he hadn't minded paying for the first few dates himself. Paul added that, in any case, he wouldn't have to worry about money anytime soon because he had just landed a new job of his own. Will was sorry to hear that Paul had tailed Vivian all day and still didn't know what she was up to, but Paul was confident that he would figure it out sooner or later.
Will started to fear for Paul's safety after plugging Vivian's name into a search engine. "This article says that [she] has buried people alive. People -- as in plural; as in more than one person," Will warned Paul, who admitted that wasn't news to him. "Look, if she comes at me with a shovel, I think I can take her," Paul jokingly assured Will, who wasn't amused. Paul promised Will that he would be careful.
Changing the subject, Paul wondered what Will wanted to do that night. "Well, we could...stay in," Will flirtatiously suggested. Paul teasingly guessed that Will was just trying to get out of having to pay for the date. "I'll pay you to stay in," Will jokingly replied, prompting Paul to protest that he wasn't a gigolo. Chuckling, Will shut Paul up with a kiss.
Later, while lying in bed with Paul, Will expressed doubts about his ability to be a good reporter, fearing that he might have been better off staying a bartender instead. Paul insisted that Will had been a great reporter who had been well on his way to winning a whole shelf of journalism awards before he had been presumed dead -- and that he would pick up right where he had left off because that was simply what he was meant to be doing. Will thanked Paul for the reassurance and apologized for being neurotic. Paul jokingly reasoned that, after everything Will had been through, a bit of neurosis was perfectly understandable.
"Was I like that before, though?" Will wondered. "Maybe," Paul hesitantly admitted. "That's what I thought," Will replied, chuckling.
Will wondered what Paul's first impression of him had been. "My first thought was, 'Wow, that guy is hot,'" Paul admitted. Will doubted that was true, but Paul insisted it was. "And I also thought you were a real pro. You asked some very smart questions, [and] you listened...but what impressed me the most was that you didn't read up on me beforehand; you came into it with an open mind. I mean, you were really good at your job, Will -- [and] I know that you are probably still amazing," Paul confidently added.
Sighing, Will admitted that it would be nice to be as confident and fearless as Paul was. "So, you're saying I'm cocky," Paul teasingly concluded. When Will started to protest, Paul clarified that he had been joking. Paul explained that he had gotten his confidence and fearlessness from baseball -- but he hadn't always felt as secure off the pitcher's mound. Will understood how Paul had felt as a closeted athlete because, during his time in Memphis, he, too, had been too afraid to ask guys out. "Well, I guess things turned out pretty well for the both of us. [Actually], better than I could have ever imagined," Paul concluded before giving Will another kiss.
At the hospital, Abigail told Marlena about everything that had happened recently. During the conversation, Abigail started hearing voices in her head. "My Grandma Laura heard voices, and so did her mother, so, I mean, is that what's happening to me now? 'Cause my mom has always been worried about that because we know it's in our genes, and --" Abigail fretted until Marlena interrupted and urged her to calm down. Marlena wondered if the voices sounded familiar. "They sounded like me, [and] they were talking to each other," Abigail explained. "I see," Marlena quietly replied, leading Abigail to conclude that Marlena knew what was wrong.
Before Marlena could respond, Abigail felt a sharp pain in her head. "Let me guess -- you were about to tell Abigail that she [has] dissociative identity disorder. Well, I'm sorry, Dr. Evans, but Abigail simply isn't ready to hear that yet," Dr. Laura insisted after the pain subsided.
At the Brady Pub, Jennifer tried to enjoy a meal with Eric, but he could tell that she wasn't really into it. "Is my dad off his game today?" he asked as she absently poked at her food. "No, no -- the chowder's amazing, as always. I'm just worried [about Abigail and J.J.]," she explained. He listened attentively as she elaborated.
"I just turned our date into a free therapy session," Jennifer realized with a groan at the end of her speech. "Who said this was free?" Eric jokingly countered. He assured her that he didn't mind. He was quick to add, however, that if she wanted a distraction, he had a surefire way to cheer her up. Intrigued, she told him to lead the way.
Later, at the Martin mansion, Eric and Jennifer shared a bowl of popcorn while watching a romantic comedy in his room. When the movie started getting more romantic than comedic, Jennifer turned it off and guessed, with feigned shock, that Eric had chosen it because he had known that it would go in that direction. Opting to neither confirm nor deny the allegation, Eric instead kissed Jennifer, who responded favorably.
Abe was in the Horton Town Square, drawing on a past experience with blindness to help Steve adapt to life without eyesight, when Valerie called to report that Lani had been admitted to the hospital. Steve encouraged Abe to head over there right away. Abe was hesitant to do so, but Steve insisted that he would be fine on his own -- and wouldn't be alone for long, in any case, because his wife's work shift would be ending soon.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Eli kept Lani entertained with stories about old cases while they were waiting for news about the baby's health. Outside Lani's room, Valerie waited for Abe, who soon arrived and thanked her for calling him. She started to leave, but he stopped her and assured her that she was welcome to stay, since, after all, the baby was her grandchild, too.
Shortly after Abe and Valerie joined Eli and Lani, Kayla arrived with Lani's test results. "Lani, you have a condition called placenta previa, [which is] when the baby's placenta partially or totally covers the mother's cervix, and that's what's causing you cramping," Kayla explained, adding that the good news was that the condition often corrected itself eventually. "But it might not," Lani worriedly guessed.
Nodding, Kayla assured Lani that the condition would be monitored closely, just in case. Lani knew that having a high-risk pregnancy meant being in danger of losing the baby at any time, but Kayla was quick to warn her not to get ahead of herself. "There is a chance you'll be put on bed rest, and I know that [would] be difficult for someone like you..." Kayla began. Lani promised that she could learn to live with that if necessary. Abe and Eli immediately started talking about getting Hope to put Lani on desk duty, prompting Lani to irritably remind them that she was still capable of making her own decisions.
Getting the hint, everyone started to leave so Lani could have some time to privately process the troubling development. "Valerie...would you stay?" Lani requested. Surprised, Valerie preemptively apologized for hurting Lani -- and promised to mind her own business from that point forward. "That's not what I want," Lani clarified, adding that she needed someone in her corner who wasn't afraid to be blunt with her about the reality of her situation. Valerie confirmed that Lani could count on her to be that person. Meanwhile, outside Lani's room, Eli made it clear that Abe could count on him to always be there for Lani and the baby.
While waiting for Kayla, Steve tried to walk around the town square on his own -- and soon stumbled. Stefan, who was passing through the area at that moment, jumped in to help Steve regain his balance. Recognizing Stefan's voice from a recent television interview, Steve noted, "You've caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people in Salem -- including my niece, Abigail."
Stefan insisted that Steve was mistaken. "I haven't hurt your niece, Abigail, nor would I -- ever. [In fact], there's a part of her I care very deeply about, and I'm certain there's a part of her that feels the same way about me," Stefan continued. Steve was quick to remind Stefan that Abigail was a married woman, but Stefan innocently clarified that he cared about her as a member of his family.
Steve skeptically warned that he was very protective of his niece. Stefan coolly replied that loyalty was a trait he had always greatly admired. "You kind of remind me of someone I was once very close to -- my uncle," Stefan mused. Steve assumed that Stefan was talking about Vivian's deceased brother, Leopold. "Different uncle, different time, different place -- different life altogether, actually," Stefan vaguely clarified.
Kayla soon arrived and warned Stefan to get away from Steve, who assured her that everything was fine. "My wife is even more fierce than I am when it comes to the people she loves," Steve explained. "I knew a woman like her once, too," Stefan replied, eyeing Kayla. "In your other life?" Steve guessed. Confused, Kayla wondered what Steve and Stefan were talking about. "A story for another time," Stefan replied before walking away.
J.J. went to the DiMera mansion to see Abigail -- and was disturbed to learn that Chad didn't know where she was. Abigail soon sent a text message to Chad's cell phone, letting him know that she was with her mother.
Chad and J.J. were both relieved to know that Abigail was all right. J.J., who had wanted to talk to Abigail about what had happened with Lani, instead confided in Chad, who was happy to listen because they were family. Chad, in turn, confided in J.J. about Abigail's confusing testimony -- and the possibility that she might have been brainwashed. "[I know it sounds] ridiculous, [but] something is going on with Abby...and I don't know what it is, but [I'm sure that] Stefan is behind it," Chad stressed. J.J. encouraged Chad to do whatever it took to keep Abigail safe.
Later, while passing through the town square, J.J. ran into Stefan. "You need to stay away from Abigail," J.J. insisted. Scoffing, Stefan wondered if J.J. was going to start shooting if the warning wasn't heeded. "Oh, I'm willing to do whatever's necessary to protect my family. So, if you're as smart as you think you are, you'll watch your back," J.J. stressed before walking away.
At the hospital, Marlena told Dr. Laura that it was nice to meet her. "I'm sure it is. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about you," Dr. Laura replied. Dr. Laura refused to tell Marlena about Abigail's other alters, arguing that it would be a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality. Dr. Laura added that Abigail was already in the care of a perfectly capable psychiatrist and didn't need another one.
Marlena realized that Dr. Laura was Abigail's gatekeeper alter, but Dr. Laura was quick to clarify that she preferred to think of herself as her host's protector. Dr. Laura wasn't willing to talk about her host's traumatic experience but insisted that it had nothing to do with any sort of abuse, even though that was usually how dissociative identity disorder began.
"Well, if no one ever did anything to [Abigail], then maybe [she] did something to somebody else," Marlena guessed. Dr. Laura maintained that it was none of Marlena's business.
Dr. Laura started to leave, but Marlena stopped her. "[Abigail] came here today [to ask] for my help, and I am obliged to give it to her, so that's what I'm going to do...and until that happens, you're not going anywhere," Marlena informed Dr. Laura, who took that to mean that she was going to be held against her will. "No! You are free to go," Marlena assured Dr. Laura, who quickly started walking away again.
"But if you do, I'll be forced to tell Abigail's family what I know," Marlena continued. Scoffing, Dr. Laura dismissively advised Marlena to stay away from poker tables in the future. Marlena insisted that she wasn't bluffing, and she proceeded to explain that she was allowed to break doctor-patient confidentiality in cases where she believed that the patient was a danger to someone.
"Do you think of me as a danger?" Dr. Laura asked incredulously. "You? Ha! No!" Marlena replied with a fake smile. "But I don't know the other alters," Marlena added. Dr. Laura maintained that Marlena didn't need to meet the other alters -- or be involved in the situation in any way, for that matter -- because she already had everything under control. "If you tell Abigail that she has DID, then you will be the one putting her in danger, and those consequences could be dire," Dr. Laura added. Undeterred, Marlena argued that Abigail was stronger than Dr. Laura thought she was.
Marlena started addressing Abigail directly, urging her to reclaim control of her body. Dr. Laura soon felt a sharp pain in her head, and when it subsided, Abigail fearfully guessed that something had happened.
Marlena gently explained what was wrong with Abigail, who immediately understood the diagnosis because Kimberly had once suffered from the same thing. "It's okay. Don't get overwhelmed. We're going to handle this together. I'm here to help you. We will all help you. And you are going to be fine," Marlena assured Abigail as the office phone began ringing.
Marlena took the call then apologetically excused herself, promising to return shortly. Abigail, feeling tired, asked Marlena if they could just continue their session the following day instead. Marlena hesitantly agreed.
After Marlena left the room, Dr. Laura dropped the act, muttering, "Sorry, Dr. Evans, but Abigail will not be back, after all."
Adrienne and Justin spent the morning after their date night, snuggling up in the Kiriakis living room. Sonny walked in. When Adrienne asked Sonny to join them for breakfast, Sonny said he needed to take his food to go. As Sonny piled the food high on his plate, Adrienne asked about his date. Leo stumbled awkwardly into the room, and Sonny's parents chuckled. Adrienne invited Leo to join them, but Leo awkwardly explained that he needed to leave for work.
Sonny escorted Leo to the foyer, and he apologized to Leo for subjecting him to questions. Smiling, Leo said he looked forward to seeing Sonny again soon. Sonny kissed Leo goodbye. Sonny returned to the living room. With a grin, Adrienne asked Sonny why he had not told them about Leo the previous night. Sonny said it had been an awkward conversation to have with his parents. As the group teased one another, Justin's phone rang. After a brief chat, Justin announced that Gabi's verdict was ready.
Before Sonny left for work, Adrienne told Sonny that she was happy that Sonny was dating again. Adrienne said she had a good feeling about Leo. Sonny reminded his mother that sleeping with someone was not the same thing as a relationship. Adrienne said she had been heartbroken to see Sonny after his breakup with Will, and she was happy that Sonny was dating at all. Sonny said he planned to see Leo again. "Leo is very genuine. With him, what you see is what you get," Sonny said.
In the park, Stefan asked Vivian, "You look happy. Whose life did you destroy today?" Vivian needled Stefan about Abigail, and Stefan said he was eager to see Gabby again. After Stefan left, Vivian met with Leo. Leo said he was happy to have landed a man like Sonny. Vivian told Leo that she was ready to move on to phase two of their plan. Leo balked at Vivian's plan, but she reminded him that she had paid him already. Leo nodded. "Get to work," Vivian ordered.
In the interrogation room at the precinct, Rafe comforted his sister. Gabi told Rafe she did not know why Abigail had lied on the stand. Rafe was taken aback. When Rafe asked Gabi if Abigail had misinterpreted something she had said, Gabi said she had not said anything that could have been misconstrued as a confession. Gabi wondered aloud if Abigail had "lost her mind again." Gabi reminded Rafe that Abigail had previously imagined voices and things that had not happened when Ben had been on the loose.
"One catastrophic event could trigger a relapse," Gabi said. Gabi wondered aloud what other explanation there was for Abigail's behavior. Rafe argued that there was still time to fix the situation. In tears, Gabi wondered aloud if she was a lost cause. Rafe assured Gabi that everything would be okay. After Rafe left to talk to Abigail, Justin arrived to meet with his client. Gabi suggested to Justin that Abigail had suffered another psychotic episode. With a shrug, Justin said it was too late because the jury had returned a verdict. Panicked, Gabi cried out that she was in trouble.
At the DiMera mansion, Dr. Laura glanced at a text from Marlena. Dr. Laura muttered that she needed to keep Marlena away from Abigail. Chad overheard Dr. Laura talk to herself about keeping the truth from a woman, and he asked her what she had been saying. Avoiding the question, Dr. Laura lied and said that she had been with Jennifer all night but that her mother had felt better in the morning. Chad renewed his question about what Abigail had said when he'd walked into the room. Dr. Laura said she had been talking about Gabi.
"Even though I swore on our son? But you don't believe me, do you?" Dr. Laura asked. Chad said he found it hard to believe that Gabi would have sworn on her child's life. Dr. Laura asked Chad if he did not believe her. Shaking his head, Chad said he did not think either woman would lie to him. Chad added that if Abigail had lied, he wanted to believe that it was because Stefan had forced her to lie. Confused, Dr. Laura asked Chad what he meant. Chad suggested that Stefan had threatened or brainwashed Abigail.
Shaking her head, Dr. Laura said she still did not know what Chad meant. Chad noted that Abigail had been behaving strangely since Hong Kong, and he asked her why. "I think I ought to be the one to answer that," Stefan announced as he walked into the living room. Stefan said he had not done anything to Abigail in Hong Kong. Dr. Laura confirmed that Stefan was telling the truth.
As Stefan reminded Chad that Gabi had confessed to Abigail that she had murdered Andre, Rafe walked in. Rafe asked Abigail why she had lied. Dr. Laura complained that it was frustrating that no one believed her. Dr. Laura called Gabi a cold-blooded killer.
"If she was going to confess, why would Gabi confess to you? Doesn't make sense, does it?" Rafe asked. Dr. Laura said that Gabi had confessed out of guilt. "Gabi killed Andre, and she deserves to pay for it," Dr. Laura said. Chad quietly noted that Dr. Laura sounded convincing. "But neither you or Stefan can explain the dark-haired woman in Hong Kong," Chad added.
Rafe asked about the woman. Chad explained that he had seen a dark-haired woman that resembled the woman on the security footage. Stefan interrupted to say that the woman was a business associate. Rafe demanded Stefan tell him about the woman, but Rafe's phone rang and interrupted Stefan's response. After glancing at his phone, Rafe announced that Gabi's verdict was in.
In Eric's room, he gently woke up Jennifer. "I didn't remember how lucky I was to be with you," Eric said. Jennifer kissed Eric. "It feels so different this time. It feels better," Jennifer said. "We're not hungover. That alone is an improvement," Eric joked. Jennifer said she was glad that she and Eric had spent time together before getting involved again. The two agreed that they were happy to be friends as well as lovers.
"I really appreciate your friendship. I always have," Eric said. "I feel the same way. I also love how great you are with my kids," Jennifer added. Eric promised that he and Jennifer would be good to one another from that point on.
At the hospital, Valerie was surprised to find Abe sitting in the waiting area outside Lani's hospital room. Abe hesitantly thanked Valerie for calling him when Lani had been admitted to the hospital. Valerie said that she had never wanted to keep anything from Abe. Abe apologized for when he had yelled at Valerie. Valerie said she understood. "Now we move on, and we focus on the baby. Our grandchild," Valerie said.
"Should we be worried about this high-risk pregnancy? What are the chances that Lani could lose this baby?" Abe asked. Valerie said Lani and the baby should be fine if Lani took care of herself. Valerie explained that the placenta previa could be managed. Relieved, Abe thanked Valerie for her explanation. Valerie informed Abe that she and Lani had talked and had made peace with one another.
"Now that we know we're going to share a grandchild, I want to be there for you, too," Valerie said as she reached for Abe's hand. Abe smiled and said he looked forward to sharing a grandchild with Valerie. "I do understand how important it was and is to you that this baby knows who its father is and that your son gets to share in raising his child. You did the right thing," Abe said. Valerie thanked Abe for supporting her.
Outside the Brady Pub, Adrienne called Sonny about Gabi's verdict. Sonny said his assistant had quit, and he would not be able to be at the courthouse with Gabi. As Sonny ended the call, he turned and ran into Leo as he was walking through the square. Leo told Sonny that he had good news. When Leo said that his temp job had been made permanent, Sonny asked where Leo worked. "Titan Industries," Leo said cheerfully as Sonny's face fell. Vivian watched from nearby.
Inside the Brady Pub, Jennifer and Eric ate breakfast together. "It's just your smile, your laugh, and the way you look at me. The way you and I were last night makes me really happy," Eric said. "You make me happy. So happy," Jennifer returned. As the lovebirds kissed, Adrienne walked in and saw them. Adrienne smiled.
Adrienne walked over and cheerfully reminded Jennifer that they had a meeting. With her mouth falling open, Jennifer exclaimed that she had forgotten. Eric's phone beeped, and he left for a meeting. Adrienne asked Jennifer about Eric. Smiling, Jennifer said she had spent the evening with him. "There's a lot of that going around lately," Adrienne said with a grin.
At the courthouse, Rafe rushed in to see his sister. Gabi asked Rafe if he had talked to Abigail. Rafe said he had no new information. With a shrug, Rafe said that Abigail had stuck to her story. When Dr. Laura arrived with Stefan and Chad, a furious Gabi ordered Abigail to leave. Dr. Laura left with Stefan. Trask arrived and grinned at Justin. "Let's hope justice is served. Not just for Andre but for Nick Fallon as well," Trask whispered to Justin. The judge entered and asked Gabi to stand for the verdict.
At the DiMera mansion, Dr. Laura struggled to fight off Gabby in her head. Stefan rushed into the house and demanded that Dr. Laura let Gabby emerge.
