At the hospital, Daniel reprimanded Chelsea for visiting Victor without permission. Daniel explained to Chelsea that he did not want her to get in the middle of Bo's relationship issues with Victor. Daniel convinced Chelsea that Victor must remain stress free and that was the reason that he would not allow Victor to have visitors. Daniel asked Chelsea to stay away from Victor's room. He told Chelsea that he wanted to protect her from all the mayhem that might be associated with Victor's business transactions involving the shipping lanes and the Hollingsworth investigation. Chelsea told Daniel that she did not appreciate him telling her what to do when it came to family, but that she understood.

At the DiMera mansion, Eddie, one of Ava's bodyguards, accidentally shot Philip as Philip stepped in front of Morgan who confronted John about Paul's whereabouts.

In the meantime, at the police station, Hope gave Bo the cold shoulder because she told him that she was upset with him because he did not trust her with new information about the Hollingsworth case. While Bo and Hope discussed the case, Bo received a phone call that Philip was shot at the DiMera mansion.

Roman arrived at the DiMera mansion to investigate the shooting, but before he could interrogate anyone, he found Morgan and Kate emotionally distraught as emergency personnel worked on Philip and prepared to transport him to the hospital. Roman tried to comfort Kate, who appeared extremely stressed when she realized Philip's condition was serious.

At the hospital, Kate was weak and almost collapsed. Daniel asked Chelsea to get Kate a glass of water. Kate told Daniel that she did not know how much more she could take between Victor near death, Lucas back in prison, and Philip shot and in serious condition, on top of everything else. Daniel embraced Kate and comforted her.

Bo and Hope arrived at the DiMera mansion and Bo asked Hope to take Morgan back to the station.

Roman questioned John and suggested that he might have staged the shooting, but E.J. piped in to defend John. Eddie explained to Roman that he fired his gun because he thought that Morgan had a gun and that she was going to shoot John.

John stopped the conversation and explained that it was an unfortunate accident. John told Roman that Morgan burst into the mansion and accused him of murdering her father. Morgan appeared very upset and then reached into her purse. Eddie thought she had a gun and fired at her, but Philip stepped in front of her and ended up shot.

Roman accused John of being involved in Paul's disappearance and asked John if he was responsible for the incident. John stated repeatedly that he did not plant drugs on the docks and that he was not involved in anything illegal. E.J. advised John not to make any more statements or answer any more questions, and informed Roman that he was John's attorney. Roman seemed surprised that E.J. and John had become fast friends and hinted to them that the DiMeras always stuck together to protect and cover up for each other. John dismissed Roman's comments and asked E.J. if he had grounds to charge Morgan with breaking and entering and other infractions. John advised Roman to consider the events of the shooting as an unfortunate incident or Morgan would pay the price. E.J. agreed that John had grounds to charge Morgan if he wanted to pursue it. Roman backed off and asked Eddie to go to the station to make a statement regarding the incident.

After Roman and Eddie left for the police station, E.J. told John that John must be honest with him about the entire Hollingsworth case or else he could not help him. Ava spoke up and told John and E.J. that she understood from personal experience why Morgan was so upset, because she had thought that her father was dead.

During their conversation, E.J. received good news that Ava's trial would take place in Salem rather than in Ireland. E.J. congratulated John on helping Ava's cause because Karen Fitzpatrick, John's friend and one of Salem's prominent judges, would preside over Ava's trial. John opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate. E.J. reminded John that he knew how to play the game, and John should not to be concerned about any future legal matters. Ava and John toasted to a fast and fair decision. Ava kissed John and thanked him for all his help.

Ava assumed that Judge Fitzpatrick was somewhat unethical, but John would not confirm her suspicions. John told Ava that it was best that she did not know all the details.

Ava told John that she wished she could find some way to thank him for her appreciation, and then pulled him into a passionate kiss. Ava wrapped her arms around John and they fell onto the sofa in the living room. Ava lavished John with her passion and devotion to him and then John pulled away from her and became distant. Ava asked John what was wrong. He talked about Morgan's state of mind, and said that he was certain that if she had a weapon, she probably would have killed him. John told Ava that he admired Morgan and thought that she had backbone and courage. He wondered what she would do if she knew what really happened to her father, and Ava stared at John and wondered what he meant.

Back at the police station, Morgan told Hope that she did not mean for anything to happen to Philip or anyone else, and said she was sorry that Philip was shot and for her part in the incident. Hope advised Morgan that she should not have confronted John on her own. Morgan told Bo and Hope that her father should not have been involved with John Black, and in anger told them that if she had a gun, she would have killed him on the spot. Hope suggested to Morgan that maybe Paul set up his own disappearance, but she needed to trust that the police would find her father and the truth behind his disappearance. Bo and Hope reminded Morgan not to do anything foolish or say another word that could implicate her in a crime. Bo could not help but think that he withheld evidence to protect Philip, and that he could not tell Morgan that Philip appeared even guiltier than John Black did.

Hope told Morgan that there was no proof or evidence against John Black. Morgan told Hope that her father told her many stories about his work as a customs official. Hope asked Morgan if Paul mentioned anyone specific that could be a threat to him or his family. Morgan hesitated and then told Bo and Hope that her father told her to stay away from Philip. Morgan added that she thought that John Black forced her father to make Philip appear guilty. Morgan told Bo and Hope that Philip genuinely cared about her and always helped her, so he could not possibly be involved in the matter. Bo seemed concerned that things were heating up against Philip and left the room.

Later, Bo told Hope and Morgan that Philip's condition was stable and that he would recover.

Morgan called Chelsea at the hospital and told her that she wanted to see Philip, but Chelsea advised her that Kate would not want Morgan to see Philip, considering the circumstances. Chelsea agreed to pick up Morgan from the police station after Morgan gave her statement about the shooting.

Hope confronted Bo about her concerns and told him that she knew he was withholding evidence. She badgered him to tell her or else she would go to Abe with her suspicions. Bo became angry and told Hope not to go to Abe because he would handle it, and then stormed out of the office.

Back at the hospital, Kate and Chelsea were worried about Philip and waited for more news from Daniel. Daniel explained to Kate that Philip had lost a lot of blood, and that they were checking other hospitals and blood banks for a match. Due to Victor's fragile condition, and Bo, Kate, and Chelsea's recent surgeries, none of them could donate blood, nor were they even a match. Daniel assured the family that he would find compatible donors or secure a supply from a blood bank.

Later, Kate asked Daniel if she could visit Victor, because it was important for her to be with him in light of Philip's accident. She told Daniel that she needed to feel close to Victor. Daniel felt bad for Kate and decided to allow her to visit Victor.

Kate sat by Victor's bedside talking aloud to a semi-conscious Victor, and questioned if Victor should have given Philip so much responsibility. Kate told Victor that Philip wanted Victor to be proud of him, and in turn that Victor wanted Philip to succeed in the family business. However, Philip's rivalry with John Black over the shipping lanes and docks and his subsequent involvement with Paul Hollingsworth placed Philip in danger. Kate whispered to Victor that something terrible happened to Philip and blurted out that one of Ava's bodyguards shot Philip while he was trying to protect Morgan. Before Kate could tell Victor that Philip survived and would recover, Victor woke up, his heart monitor went crazy, and he went into cardiac arrest after he heard the news about Philip. Kate jumped up and ran out the room to call for help.

Daniel managed to revive Victor and stabilize his condition. Daniel asked Kate what happened and what she said to Victor to cause his heart to stop. Kate told Daniel that she and Victor were talking, and then his monitor started beeping, but Daniel did not believe Kate's story. Daniel told Kate that effective immediately, he barred anyone from visiting Victor. Daniel explained to Kate that Victor's condition was too fragile and that he must avoid stress, and she understood.

Kate's emotions were high, but Daniel assured her that he would not allow anything to happen to Victor or Philip while they were under his watch.

Bo arrived to talk to Victor, but Daniel refused and accused him of almost killing Victor the last time he visited him. Bo questioned Daniel about Victor and Philip's health. Daniel assured Bo that they both had a long road ahead of them, but he felt confident that both would survive.

Bo asked Daniel if could speak to Philip to question him about what happened at the mansion. Daniel advised Chelsea, Kate, and Bo that Victor and Philip needed their rest. Hope arrived to be with Bo and apologized for pushing him so hard. Hope assured Bo that she was on his side and wanted to help. Bo thanked Hope but said that he had to do it on his own. Bo left and stood outside Philip's room and recalled his past relationship with his brother. Bo thought about his conversation with Philip when he did not think he would survive, and remembered that Philip was a brother to him. Bo's thoughts consumed him and then he decided to ignore Daniel's order and entered Philip's room. Philip remained sedated, but Bo encouraged Philip to get well and told him how sorry he was that he did not believe in him. Bo explained to Philip that he thought that he committed a crime and that he wanted to protect him. Bo assured Philip that everything would work out and that he would take care of everything. Just then, Morgan arrived to visit Philip, and Bo left.

Morgan sat by Philip's bedside and told him that he saved her life and she could not believe how he stepped in front of her and did not even think twice about the danger. She thanked Philip and told him that she would make it up to him. She promised Philip that she would show him how much he meant to her and that she loved him for making this sacrifice for her.

Nicole sneaked her dog, Pookie, into the Java Café and sat at a table, where she placed her order with the barista, Evan. At the counter, Marlena read Trent Robbins the riot act when he cut in line ahead of a young woman because he was too busy talking on his cell phone to notice anyone else. An eavesdropping Nicole smiled to herself, impressed by Marlena's chutzpah.

E.J. came in and Nicole, who was initially reluctant for Trent to see them together, invited him to join her. They chatted a bit, and then E.J. wanted to discuss Nicole's feelings for him. He noticed that she kept looking over at Trent, but she covered. Nicole admitted that she liked E.J., but refused to get involved with him while Sami was still in the picture. E.J. told her that he hadn't looked at another woman in the two years he'd been involved with Samantha-until he'd met Nicole. When she declined his dinner invitation, he assured her with a smile that he'd probably ask her again.

Trent was about to approach E.J. and Nicole's table when Nick came in to discuss a project that they were working on. Trent urged him to take a break and enjoy the summer. Trent then told Nick that he wanted to host a going-away party for a colleague at the Brady Pub, and asked Nick to put in a good word for him with Max. Nick suggested that Trent speak to Caroline, since she owned the place.

Trent sat down uninvited at E.J. and Nicole's table and snidely remarked that Nicole's legal problems must be quite pesky if she and E.J. had to spend so much time together. E.J. excused himself to return to work, and when he'd gone, Trent reminded Nicole that she was supposed to have severed all ties with E.J. When she claimed they'd been talking about her legal issues, Trent asked why, then, E.J. had been holding her hand. Nicole angrily retorted that she wasn't going to let him try to control her any longer. Trent smugly replied that she'd be devastated if her secret got out. Nicole declared that she wished she'd never met Trent, and stormed off. Evan found her at the counter and told her that he'd throw Dean Robbins out if she wanted.

Marlena found E.J. as he prepared his drink to go, and reproached him for trying to take Sami's son away. She also accused him of using his DiMera influence to bribe a judge. When he tried to justify his actions by claiming that Samantha would have done the same thing, Marlena informed him that she knew about how he'd influenced the Immigrations official. She furiously pointed out that he'd manipulated and lied to not only Sami, but to her entire family as well. She then told E.J. that she'd reported Mr. Burke to his higher-ups at the immigration office. E.J. asserted that he'd told Samantha about what he'd done in the hopes that she'd respect him for his honesty. Marlena declared that what E.J. had done was unconscionable and she hoped Sami never forgave him. Though E.J. assured her that he and Samantha were through, Marlena confessed that she was concerned because, like a true DiMera, when E.J. wanted something, he went after it. She asked if he were still in love with Sami, or if he thought Sami might come back to him. He replied that regardless of what he felt, Samantha didn't return his feelings, and so he was moving on.

Nick was surfing the Internet on his laptop when Trent wandered back by his table. Trent noticed a headline over Nick's shoulder announcing that Max Brady had been spotted in France. Evan observed the celebrity gossip site Nick was looking at and asserted that he would never want to be famous. Nick stumbled across a picture of a girl the press had dubbed the "premier party girl," who'd been seen at a nightspot's opening, and agreed with Evan that she was hot. He then noted that he felt like he'd seen her somewhere before.

Trent followed Nicole outside when she left and told her she needed to do a favor for him. She reluctantly agreed to listen to his demands, but only after he threatened her. He ordered Nicole to find out why Max was in France. Nicole scoffed and told him to ask Nick, but Trent strongly suggested that she speak to Caroline about it. Nicole wanted to know what Trent would do if she didn't comply. Trent replied icily that he'd tell everyone that he and Nicole were still married.

"Everyone-and I do mean everyone-is going to find out about us, that you and I are still very, very much married," he said.

In Marseille, Max and Stephanie found Bistro Raoul. Before they went in, they wondered what Max's sister Melanie would be like, and what she must think of her father. Stephanie called her parents while Max went inside to order. The bartender observed how badly Max spoke French and guessed that he was American. As Stephanie watched through the window, a woman approached Max. "Max Brady? I thought that was you," she exclaimed in accented English, and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Stephanie, clearly not pleased, went inside, but strode over to the bar instead of confronting him. Max told his friend that his espresso was ready and went to the bar, as well, sitting a few stools down from Stephanie. The two talked without looking at each other, and Max apologized, explaining that Daphne was an old friend, and suggested that Stephanie ask the bartender about Melanie.

Max returned to Daphne and they reminisced about how they had met: She'd been assigned to write an article about him after the Monaco Grand Prix, and afterwards they'd ended up in her hotel room. She chided him good-naturedly for leaving without saying goodbye, and then asked why he was in France. Max filled her about his search for Melanie and gave her the details he had, and Daphne advised him that she'd use her sources to find out what she could.

When Stephanie placed her coffee order, the bartender remarked that although she, too, was obviously American, her French was very good. He flirted with her in English as they chatted about trivial things. Stephanie made up a cover story so she could ask if the bartender knew Melanie. He said he didn't know her, but pointed her to a young man named George, who was seated nearby.

Stephanie approached George, introduced herself, and asked if he knew Melanie. George curtly replied, "If you see her again, tell her we are through." He explained that Melanie, who had very expensive taste, had dumped him once she'd learned that his parents had cut him off. Stephanie urged him not to give up on love just because of one girl, but eventually George wondered why she was asking so many questions.

Daphne returned and told Max that she'd learned that Melanie was quite the party girl, always on the V.I.P. list for club openings and the like. Max frowned, and Daphne asked why Melanie was so important to him.

When Max escorted Daphne out later, Stephanie's eyes followed them. George said that he could tell that Max was Stephanie's boyfriend, and asked why she wasn't bothered to see him with that other woman. Stephanie replied that she and Max trusted each other, and then tried to get George to see that he deserved to be treated better than Melanie had treated him. Later, as she told him goodbye, George cautioned her to keep her distance from Melanie.

Daphne invited Max to go out for a drink while he was in town, but he declined. She smiled and asked if the woman inside were his girlfriend, and when he confirmed it, she declared that she was happy for him. She then kissed him on the cheek and bid him au revoir.

The bartender picked up the phone and informed the person on the other end that a guy had just been looking for "Mel," and that he'd just gone outside.

At Salem Hospital, in Victor's room, Bo asked Daniel for an update on Victor's health. Angry and reluctant to even let Bo in the room, Daniel told Bo that Victor's blood pressure was still elevated due to stress. Waking up, Victor softly asked Daniel to let him talk to Bo. Daniel reluctantly ceded to Victor's wishes and told Bo that he had two minutes to talk to Victor. Bo sat beside his father and let him know that Philip was going to be okay. Victor told Bo that he knew where to get blood for Philip's transfusion, but Bo told him that Philip no longer needed the blood. Worried, Victor insisted that one of his men would get the blood just in case, but Victor also told Bo that he could not be involved. Victor then thanked Bo again for helping to destroy the evidence incriminating Philip and, still on edge, Bo reminded Victor that his family also included Hope and his children who might be greatly affected by what Bo had done. Trying to calm Bo, Victor whispered that the evidence was gone and that no one needed to know. Uncomfortable, Bo explained that he knew what he had done and that Hope was growing suspicious as well.

In the hallway outside Victor's room, a furious Daniel lit into Kate, demanding the truth about what had happened prior to Victor's cardiac arrest. Nearby, Chelsea watched Daniel yell at her grandmother. Kate explained that she never intended to hurt Victor and that she felt that Victor "had the right..." Daniel jumped in saying, "To another stroke? " With Kate visibly shaken, Chelsea intervened to attempt to calm Daniel and support Kate. Kate explained that she felt Victor had a right to know that Philip was in the hospital, but Daniel vehemently disagreed with her because Victor's health was so precarious. Chelsea demanded that Daniel apologize to Kate, but Kate declined, saying, "I don't want anything from Daniel," as she left the hospital. Daniel attempted to explain to Chelsea that his patients were his priority, but angry, Chelsea yelled at Daniel for his failure to be civil to Kate. Furious, Chelsea stormed off in search of Kate.

At the Java Café, Kate drank her coffee while Chelsea stewed over Daniel's behavior. Kate defended Daniel saying that he cared about his patients. Still annoyed by Daniel's performance, Chelsea disagreed with Kate's assessment. Right on cue, Daniel walked in and asked to speak to Kate alone. Chelsea reluctantly left the two of them and headed out. Daniel immediately apologized to Kate for losing his temper, and Kate told him that she understood. Kate went on to explain that she had told Victor about Philip only because she was worried that he would hear the news from someone else. Looking almost lovingly into Daniel's eyes, Kate said that Daniel was a passionate man with a kind heart, "which drew me to you and why...." Catching herself, Kate stood up and left, leaving her sentence unfinished and leaving Daniel alone to wonder what she was going to say.

Back in Victor's room, Daniel returned to check on Victor who told him he knew where to obtain blood for Philip. Daniel dismissed the offer and advised Victor to concentrate on his own recovery. Not listening, Victor urged Daniel to let him go see Philip. Arching an eyebrow, Daniel sternly denied Victor's request.

When Chelsea stopped by Victor's room later, she found Daniel sitting quietly alone on the bed while Victor was off getting more tests. Chelsea questioned Daniel as to why his display earlier felt like he was trying to hurt Kate. Daniel denied that he wanted to hurt Kate, and explained that he was just worried about Victor. Walking over to Chelsea, Daniel told her that everything was fine with Kate and that she understood where he was coming from. Chelsea chalked the incident up to stress and told Daniel that both Victor and she were lucky to have him. As Daniel and Chelsea fell into one another's arms kissing, a seemingly sad Kate watched them from the doorway.

Down the hallway in Philip's hospital room, Morgan sat at his bedside worrying. Morgan delicately kissed an unconscious Philip on the lips and told him, "I've never felt this way before about someone. Philip I think I'm falling in love with you." From the doorway, Chloe coughed to announce her presence, but then quickly and sincerely apologized for intruding on such a private moment. Morgan told Chloe that Philip's condition had improved, and Chloe snidely joked, "Of course. I'm sure your love for him helped save his life." Before Morgan could respond, Hope interrupted and escorted Morgan out into the hallway. Alone in the room, Chloe sat at Philip's bedside and held his hand. Chloe apologized for how things had ended between them and softly told him that she would always be his friend. Chloe lamented not keeping Philip away from Morgan, but then told him that she would always be there for him.

Out in the hallway, Hope questioned Morgan about the contents of the package. Morgan did not remember seeing anything in the package other than the letter and the money, but after checking with Abe about the package, Hope hinted to Morgan that the proof that was promised in the first letter had yet to turn up. Worried, Morgan asked if Hope believed that Morgan was withholding evidence. Hope assured her that she did not think that about Morgan.

When Morgan returned to Philip's room, she found Chloe kissing his hand. Morgan started to defend herself to Chloe, but Chloe cut her off, saying, "No one is to blame but the man who pulled the trigger." With Morgan clearly stunned, Chloe explained that she wanted Philip to be happy and if Morgan made that happen, then she wanted Philip to be with Morgan. Morgan was hesitant to believe Chloe, but Chloe assured Morgan that she no longer was sure what Philip needed. "Don't hurt him," Chloe warned Morgan as she walked out of the room. Morgan stood at the window and fantasized about dancing and kissing Philip, while across the room, Philip's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Out in the hospital hallway, Chloe sat down just as Nicole walked in. Nicole asked Chloe about Philip, and then Nicole hung her head forward in relief when she heard Philip was doing better. Suspicious but concerned, Chloe asked Nicole if she was okay. Smiling, Nicole explained that her problems were petty in comparison. The two women joked that Philip would be sure to wake up if he saw the two of them being civil to one another. Chloe informed Nicole that Philip had taken the bullet to protect Morgan, and that Morgan was in love with him. Nicole asked Chloe if she was worried about her future with Philip, but sighing, Chloe said that she and Philip were never meant to be. Laughing, Nicole asked whether she and Chloe were becoming friends, but the two agreed that might be taking things a bit far. When a nurse walked past, Chloe and Nicole asked for an update on Philip's condition. Shaking her head, the nurse explained that her patient was not Philip Kiriakis, but instead was his brother, Lucas Horton.

Back at the Salem Police Department, Hope asked Bo for an update on Victor and Philip. Still acting distant, Bo gave Hope a brief update on them, before walking away. Hope pursued Bo into the next office and told him about her conversation with Morgan at the hospital. Hope shared her suspicions about the missing proof from the package and pointed out the gap in the chain of custody when Bo was left alone with the package. When Hope asked Bo whether he had looked in the package and seen anything, Bo averted his gaze. "My, God. There was something else in there, wasn't there?" Hope said, astounded. Bo denied that there was more evidence and started to walk away just as an officer approached Hope with the printout of an anonymous email. Reading the email aloud to Bo, Hope said, "What happened to the evidence in the Paul Hollingsworth case? Looks like a police cover-up. What do you think?"

At the DiMera Mansion, Ava wanted to celebrate the breakthrough in her court case, but a glum-looking John did not seem to share her enthusiasm. John explained that he was worried about Morgan, and that what happened to Philip was "not part of the design." Ava advised John not to feel guilty, since Eddie should have known better. John agreed that he did not feel guilty, but dismissed any problem with Eddie's actions. Smiling, John told Ava he had something to show her.

Down in the basement, John presented Ava with a key to a door. Ava opened the door to reveal Paul Hollingsworth lying on a cot and very much alive. John introduced Ava to Paul and explained, "I figured that he would be more useful to me like this." Paul begged John to let him contact Morgan, but John steadfastly refused. John asked Paul what had happened to the tape of Philip, but a flummoxed Paul noted that John had watched him put the tape in the package when he mailed it. After contacting his source at the police station, John informed Paul that the tape was not in the evidence. Ava suggested that Bo had likely made the evidence disappear. John again denied Paul's release, citing his fear that it might disturb his plan to frame Philip for murder.

Noting Paul's frustration, John explained that Morgan had fallen in love with Philip and Ava added that since Philip had taken a bullet for Morgan, he was likely in love with her, too. Shocked, Paul frantically asked why anyone was shooting at Morgan. John explained the events of the evening, and suddenly even more worried, Paul said that he was desperate to get out in order to warn Morgan that Philip was the one that had made him plant drugs on John's ship and burn down his warehouse. With a calm tone, John told Paul that he was still angered by Paul's betrayal, and Paul eagerly reminded John that he would do whatever it took to make it up to John. With a menacing tone, John reminded Paul that he was lucky that John's men had fished him out of the river that day, so he had better do what John wanted.

In France, Melanie's friends confronted Max about why he was asking around about her. One of Melanie's friends, Les, asked Max where Melanie was, and Max was surprised that they were looking for her as well. Stephanie was lurking in the background watching what was going on. Les didn't believe Max when he said he didn't know where Melanie was. Les said he would stop looking for Max's girlfriend, Melanie, if Max paid what Melanie owed him. Max corrected Les and said Melanie was not his girlfriend and Max didn't have money to pay Les. Les said Max had better pray that Max found Melanie before Les did.

At the Java café, Trent tried to act nonchalant when he asked Nick about Max's whereabouts. Nick said he didn't know where Max was, but it wasn't unusual for Max to leave the country. Trent tried to pump Nick for more information, but Nick wouldn't give away Max's whereabouts. Trent said he was surprised that Max didn't tell Nick where he was going. Nick asked Trent why he was so curious about where Max went. Trent confided in Nick that Max was Trent's son, and Nick asked again why Trent wanted to know where Max went. Trent said he and Max still had some unresolved issues. Later, Nick logged onto Melanie's party blog. Nick realized that Melanie was Max's sister. Nick called Stephanie and told her that Trent had been asking where Max was and that Nick knew how to find Max's sister. Nick told Stephanie that Melanie was a blogger and a party girl. Stephanie said she was beginning to realize that Max's sister was trouble, and was probably not worth the effort they were putting into finding her.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami walked in on E.J. playing with the kids. She pretended to be looking for her cell phone and when E.J. wasn't looking, she hid it on a chair in the living room. E.J. invited Sami to play with him and the kids. She apologized to E.J. for the way she had treated him before, but said that him threatening to take her son away from her sent her over the edge. Sami said she hoped he and she could get along and be friends for the kids' sake, and E.J. said the problem was Lucas. Sami said Lucas had nothing to do with it, but E.J. said that Lucas had a negative effect on E.J. and Sami.

At the hospital, Lucas was badly beaten and lying in the hospital bed. Roman asked what happened, and Lucas said his cover was broken. He tried to get information on Manny Ortega like the feds asked, and then Manny's men jumped him. Roman said he voiced his concern earlier about Lucas trying to get information on Manny, but Lucas said it was worth it if he would be set free. Chloe and Nicole went to Lucas' room to visit him, and Chloe asked him if it was true that he was getting released from prison. Lucas told her about the deal he made with the federal authorities and how the governor commuted his sentence in return. Nicole told Lucas she was glad he was going to be okay and that he was a great guy, which came as a surprise to Lucas. Chloe told him that Nicole had been acting strange all day. Lucas said he'd been thinking about Chloe ever since she left, and she said she felt the same.

Roman called Sami and asked her to come to the hospital. He told her that Lucas was at the hospital and Roman promised to explain everything when she arrived. Nicole wanted to talk to Chloe about her relationship with Lucas. Nicole advised Chloe to walk away from Lucas, because as long as Sami was in the picture, Chloe would never be with Lucas. Roman told Lucas that he would be released in a couple days. Roman asked Lucas if he wanted to be with Sami.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami told E.J. that she was going to see Lucas. Nicole stopped by after Sami left and asked E.J. for some legal advice. E.J. thought he and Nicole were through, and Nicole said just because they weren't having sex anymore, that didn't mean they had to stop working together. Nicole realized that E.J. had heard that Lucas had been taken to the hospital, and she explained that Lucas was being released from prison. Nicole asked E.J. how she could protect herself from Trent, who was blackmailing her.

Nicole told E.J. how she and Trent ended up together and got married. She said Trent treated her like a lady and made her feel special; they got married six months later. She thought she loved Trent, and a lot of who she was came as a result of the way Trent treated her. E.J. told Nicole no one would look down on her if they found out she and Trent were once married. Nicole confessed that she and Trent were still married. E.J. asked Nicole why she didn't tell him before. Nicole said she didn't know before Trent came back into her life. Instead, she assumed Trent had filed for divorce on the grounds of desertion or something. She didn't check because she didn't care. E.J. said if word of the news got out, Nicole's divorce from Victor would become null and void. E.J. asked what Trent was blackmailing Nicole for, and Nicole said Trent just wanted her to perform some small favors, but Trent made her do one thing that she regretted-stay away from E.J.

Back at the hospital, Lucas told Sami the good news about his release from prison. Sami was worried that Lucas could have been killed. Sami was touched that he risked his life so that they could be together, but Lucas corrected her, saying that wasn't at all why he did it. Lucas said he did it for the kids. Sami asked if Lucas was just being noble and that was why he tried to push her away before he went back to prison. Lucas said he knew he would be let out of prison because he struck a deal with the feds before he went back in. Sami realized that Lucas wasn't trying to protect Sami and he was just keeping her in the dark. Lucas said he couldn't confide in Sami after what happened, and couldn't forget what happened, but Sami hoped he would forgive her and want to start over.

Lucas said it would be too hard to start over. He couldn't understand how Sami could be so optimistic about their relationship, and he suggested they take a break from each other for a couple months. During that time, Sami could figure out what she wanted, Lucas said. Sami was adamant that she didn't need time to figure things out, because she wanted him. Lucas was too tired to talk anymore and wanted some alone time, so Sami left. Then she stood outside his room crying.

Chloe breezed into Lucas' hospital room with a bag full of goodies. She began pulling things out and giving them to him-magazines, a huge bag of pistachios-and then started fussing over him, asking if he needed something to drink or to have his pillows fluffed. When Lucas asked why she was doing all that, Chloe replied that she planned to be by his side until he got out of the hospital. Maggie came in, bearing flowers and a bag of Grandma Alice's doughnuts, and told Lucas she didn't think Sami would be too pleased to find Chloe waiting on him. Lucas assured his aunt that Sami knew Chloe was there.

When Chloe excused herself to get some coffee, Lucas informed Maggie that he'd decided that he and Sami needed a break from each other. He explained that their relationship, and Sami's unpredictable moods, had become exhausting. Maggie reminded Lucas of everything he and Sami had been through together, and urged him not to give up on Sami. Lucas maintained that being with Chloe was refreshingly calm, and that she had been nothing but caring and supportive, but he also needed some time to clear his head. Maggie suggested that he go the Horton Cabin on Smith Island, where he could spend some time alone and commune with nature. A grateful Lucas declared that it sounded like exactly what he needed. He said while he'd been in prison, he'd feared that, if something had happened to him, Allie would always believe he'd abandoned her. Maggie understood, and extracted a promise from him to give a lot of thought to his feelings for Sami while he was at the cabin.

Chloe returned, so Maggie said her goodbyes. Lucas told Chloe about his plans to go to the cabin, and how he needed to spend some time alone with his thoughts.

Nicole explained to E.J. that she'd broken things off with him because Trent had threatened her. E.J. was stunned, and furious with Trent. Nicole said she feared that she could lose her divorce settlement if Victor found out that when she'd married him, she'd actually still been married to Trent. She asked E.J. for his help. He thanked her for trusting him enough to tell him the truth. Nicole miserably admitted that she'd hated pushing E.J. away, but she still couldn't risk being with him because of Trent.

E.J. suggested that they look for other skeletons in Trent's closet, which they could use as leverage against him. Nicole brightened and told him how she'd already found out that Max was Trent's biological son, and how Trent didn't want anyone else to know about it. She then divulged that when Trent had made her do some snooping for him, she'd also learned that Max had taken off for France, and that Stephanie had soon followed him. E.J., pleased, said that he and Stephanie were old racing buddies, and she'd tell them exactly what they needed to know. Nicole was surprised and thrilled that E.J. was so eager to help her.

At the police station, Roman and Hope discussed the anonymous email they'd received, which had alluded to missing evidence in the Paul Hollingsworth case. Hope said she'd reviewed all the evidence and couldn't figure out what could be missing. She then said she would talk to Harry, who could determine the source of the email.

After some digging, Harry determined that the email had been sent from a computer at the Java Café, but it had also been routed through a server at the Kiriakis mansion. Hope and Roman knew it couldn't have been Philip or Victor, since both were in the hospital. Privately, Roman told Hope he felt even more strongly that this information showed John had something to do with it, and with Paul's disappearance.

Hope then went to the Java Café, where Evan informed her that the only way to track down who might have sent the email was to review their security footage. Evan went in back to retrieve the security DVDs, while Hope greeted her father with a hug and kiss. After they'd chatted a bit, Hope asked Doug if he would ever break the law to protect a family member. Doug reminded her that he'd done a lot of lawbreaking-even prison time-in his younger days as a con man. He declared that once a person crossed that line, they didn't forget it-but he probably would break the law for a family member. Doug assured his daughter that she could come to him for help any time, then asked her what was going on. Hope replied that she couldn't get him involved, but promised him that she wasn't in trouble. Evan then returned with the videos, so Hope kissed her dad goodbye, and they promised to get together soon.

Hope viewed the security DVD that Evan had loaded onto a laptop, and saw that Ava had been using a computer at the Java Café around the time the email had been sent. She called Roman and filled him in, adding that it all but proved John had been behind sending the email. Roman asserted that it wasn't enough proof to get a search warrant, but they could assign someone to tail Ava, and maybe she'd lead them to evidence about Paul.

Bo visited Philip in the hospital and told him about the email the police had received. Philip divulged that he'd gotten a note at home that read, "I know your secret." Bo declared grimly, "Somebody knows what I did. They're not going away. They're after us-both of us." Philip was sure it was John. Bo admitted that he was relieved to know that Philip was innocent, because it made it easier to live with having suppressed evidence. He added that he'd never believed it mattered that he was a Kiriakis by blood, but he'd realized that biological family was just as important as the family who'd raised him. Philip agreed and said it wasn't until Bo got sick that he understood how important their relationship was. Bo said he was glad that he and Philip were getting to know each other better, but pointed out that he'd put both his families at risk by giving the tape to Victor. Philip vowed that he'd always have Bo's back, but apologized for putting his brother in such a terrible position. Bo shrugged it off and urged Philip to concentrate on recuperating. They concurred that John had to be behind the note and the email, and that they had to find the trail that led back to John.

After Bo had gone, Morgan checked in on Philip, and told him that she felt terrible about what had happened. She explained that she hadn't been thinking clearly since her father disappeared, and asked for Philip's forgiveness. Philip promised he would find out what happened to Morgan's father. He then told her that he'd heard everything Morgan had said while he was unconscious-including that she loved him. A mortified Morgan claimed that it was only because she'd thought Philip was going to die. Philip admitted that what she'd said had been the first thing on his mind when he woke up. He then pulled her close and whispered something in her ear. She gave him a long, curious look, then smiled and kissed him.

At home, Hope showed Bo a postcard from Shawn, Belle, and Claire, which they'd sent from Fiji. Bo told his wife that he'd had a long visit at the hospital with Philip, and then asked how Hope's day had gone. Hope described how she'd investigated the anonymous email and learned that Ava had most likely sent it. Bo wasn't surprised, and they agreed that Ava's involvement pointed to John's. A worried Hope then pointed out how secretive Bo had been ever since the day Morgan had opened Paul's package, and reminded him that she'd backed off as he'd asked. But then, she said, they'd gotten the email hinting at a police cover-up. She urged him to finally tell her what he knew about the missing evidence. At last Bo confessed that he'd tampered with evidence to protect Philip. Hope, shaken, fumbled for words, and finally exclaimed, "My God, Brady, what have you done?"