While struggling to assemble a crib with Anne's assistance, Theresa received an unexpected visit from Brady, who offered to help out. Anne insisted it wouldn't be necessary, but Theresa disagreed, so Anne reluctantly left. After putting the crib together, Brady observed that Theresa's apartment still wasn't ready to accommodate a baby's needs. Theresa started to get defensive, but Brady clarified that he wasn't trying to criticize her.
"Look, Theresa...I know you need more time to get things together, but...maybe -- and this is a big maybe -- for a few days...you and Tate could move into the mansion with me. How do you feel about that?" Brady suggested. With Theresa's back turned toward him, Brady was unable to see the huge grin that stretched across her face as she tried to act reluctant about accepting the proposal.
Theresa reminded Brady that he had previously said he wanted nothing to do with her. Brady clarified that, while that was still true, he was nevertheless trying to be flexible and do what was best for Tate. Brady said he could tell Theresa wasn't ready to care for Tate on her own in her apartment, and he added that he knew she was concerned about being a good mother because he had overheard a recent conversation she'd had with Anne.
"Listen, I'm furious with you, okay? That's not gonna change. But I want you to be the best mother that you can be to Tate," Brady stressed. Theresa wondered how Brady's family would feel about her living at the Kiriakis mansion. Brady told Theresa not to worry about that. Theresa nodded and hesitantly accepted the offer, stressing that she was only agreeing to stay for a few days. Brady left after telling Theresa he would meet her at the hospital the following morning so they could take Tate home together. As soon as Brady left, Theresa started bouncing around the apartment, gleefully squealing and laughing as she celebrated the turn of events.
When Anne returned a short time later, Theresa opened a bottle of wine -- despite refusing to drink with Anne before Brady's arrival -- and drank straight from the bottle as she recapped what had just happened. "Man! Who knew that the truth could be so useful?" Theresa mused after telling Anne about how Brady's change of heart had occurred after overhearing their conversation in the town square. Anne wasn't as excited about the development, reminding Theresa that Brady had only agreed to let her live at the mansion for a few days. "Anything can happen in a few days!" Theresa happily countered, handing Anne the bottle.
Abigail contacted Ben and asked him to meet her at the Horton house. When he arrived -- with a big bouquet of roses -- Ben told Abigail he had spent most of his life running from city to city, and she was the first person he had met who had made him want to stop running and make a permanent home somewhere. "You know, um...speaking of home, uh...do you think my nightstand would clash with your dresser?" Abigail casually asked.
Ben wondered what Abigail was talking about. "Well, I'm just thinking, you know, if we're gonna move in together, our stuff should sort of coordinate. I mean --" Abigail started to clarify, but Ben interrupted and asked if she was being serious. Abigail confirmed that if Ben's offer was still on the table, she would love to move in with him.
Ben picked Abigail up and spun her around as he kissed her cheek, wondering if she knew how happy she had just made him. While Ben excitedly talked about how he was looking forward to falling asleep next to Abigail every night and waking up to her beautiful smile every morning, she started thinking about how she had recently woken up in Chad's bed.
Ben wondered if Abigail was all right, observing that she had suddenly adopted a more serious look than she'd had previously. Abigail claimed she was just thinking about how she was going to break the news to Jennifer. Abigail was sure Jennifer would approve of her decision to move in with Ben, but she still wanted to tell Jennifer privately. Ben nodded and rushed off to get his apartment ready for Abigail's arrival later that night, declaring that it was the best day of his entire life. "There's just one thing I have to do to make sure everything doesn't fall apart," Abigail muttered after Ben left.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefano was on the phone with someone, explaining that there had been a complication in the Abigail Deveraux situation. "Of course I'm not giving up. This is much too important, don't you understand?" Stefano added. Stefano abruptly ended the call when Chad entered the study. Chad warned that, while the members of the Salem Police Department were generally a bit slow on the uptake, even they would eventually catch on if Stefano kept making secret visits to Salem. "I am not visiting. I am back for good," Stefano clarified, adding that the charges against him had finally been dropped.
Vaguely confirming that he had paid a lot of money to make the problem go away, Stefano added that it had been worth the cost because he was finally back with Chad, where he belonged. Stefano observed that Chad didn't look particularly happy about his return. "I'm happy you're back...as long as you accept that Abigail and I are through," Chad replied. Stefano innocently assured Chad that he had no ulterior motives and simply wanted Chad to be with Abigail because he could remember the intensity of his own first love, and he wanted Chad to be spared from suffering the loss of such a love.
Chad insisted he no longer had any feelings for Abigail. "Very well. Then it's all for the best anyway, all right? Clyde Weston's son can have that fickle little whore," Stefano replied. Chad warned Stefano to never talk that way about Abigail again -- and, preferably, to never talk about her at all, especially if he wished to coexist peacefully with Chad in the DiMera mansion. Chad added that it shouldn't be hard for him and Stefano to avoid the subject, since Abigail was out of his life for good.
"As you wish," Stefano said with a shrug, but he chuckled wickedly after Chad left the room. When Chad returned later to ask Stefano a business-related question, the study was empty. After receiving a text message from Abigail, Chad went to the garden to meet with her.
At the keg party in the park, Rory spotted Paige, who was looking for Daphne. Rory warned that Paige might run into J.J. while searching for her friend. Paige wanted Rory to point her in J.J.'s direction so she could ruin J.J.'s good time with a reminder that he was a colossal jerk, but Rory claimed he couldn't remember where he had last seen J.J.
J.J. started responding to Bev's kiss before abruptly pulling away from her. "Wait. I think that --" J.J. began, but Bev interrupted and told him to let her do the thinking for both of them. Bev started kissing J.J. again, straddling him after he lowered himself onto a nearby bench. "Oh! Uh, hey, um...I didn't expect to see you here," Bev said a few seconds later, quickly separating from J.J. as she focused on someone who had just appeared behind him.
Following Bev's gaze, J.J. spotted a guy he vaguely recognized. The guy approached and introduced himself as Kyle, who didn't attend Salem University but could occasionally be spotted around campus because he had friends who went to the school, such as Bev. Kyle apologized for interrupting and asked if he could talk to Bev privately for a moment. Bev agreed, and she and Kyle abandoned J.J. for a few minutes before rejoining him. After thanking J.J. for letting him borrow Bev, Kyle walked away, reminding her that she knew where to find him if she ever needed anything else.
J.J. guessed Kyle was Bev's new dealer, and she confirmed the suspicion. Bev stressed that she had only been using drugs on rare occasions lately, and she claimed that the stuff she had just purchased was for a group of friends who needed it for an impending Fourth of July party. Bev said she would toss the drugs if J.J. asked her to, since she respected his decision to stay away from illegal substances. "I don't care what you do, Bev. I know I'll never touch that stuff again, but you can do whatever you want," J.J. assured Bev. Bev maintained that she could take or leave the feeling of getting high, adding that she really just wanted J.J.
Bev started kissing J.J. again, but he stopped her when she began unbuttoning his pants. J.J. apologized and explained that he wasn't ready to hook up with someone else yet, and Bev assured him she understood, claiming things had been moving too quickly for her, too. "Okay, good. I mean...to be honest, if I was gonna hook up with you right now, I'd just be using you. That's how I used to be. And then I met Paige, and I quit dealing, and I fell in love with her. And I still ended up lying and cheating -- ruining everything -- and I don't want to make the same mistakes over and over again," J.J. added.
Bev reiterated -- more convincingly -- that she understood. "You and I really connected once. I can't hurt you like that," J.J. told Bev, who kissed his cheek and advised him to go home and get some rest, adding that she would be available if he ever needed someone to talk to.
Paige eventually found Daphne, who encouraged Paige to stick around and flirt with the cute guys who were at the party, insisting that was just what Paige needed to get over J.J. Paige agreed but said she didn't plan to meet new guys at the party. Paige took Daphne to the town square and revealed that she had created a profile at a site called NstantCxn. "Isn't that a hookup site?" Daphne asked. Ignoring the question, Paige showed Daphne a picture of a guy on the site and asked for her opinion about him. Daphne acknowledged that the guy was cute but warned that Paige would only find sketchy guys on the site.
"Can't get any sketchier than J.J.," Paige muttered as she started showing Daphne some of the other guys who had expressed an interest in her profile. Daphne was impressed with the amount of attention Paige's profile had attracted from the guys in Salem, but as Daphne was drooling over their profiles, Paige was flagging most of them as guys she wished to ignore. Daphne wondered why Paige had bothered signing up for the site in the first place if she just planned to ignore everyone who showed an interest in her.
Paige insisted she wasn't ignoring everyone, and she proceeded to show Daphne an example of a guy whose profile she had flagged as one she liked. "Yeah, but he must be, like, thirty years old," Daphne pointed out. "What he must be is absolutely nothing like J.J., so that's who I'm liking. I don't want some player who says one thing and does another," Paige countered. Daphne understood but stressed that she was worried about Paige and didn't want her to get hurt again. Paige insisted she knew what she was doing.
After Daphne left, Paige ran into J.J. while exiting the town square. After shooting Paige a quick glance, J.J. hung his head and started to walk away, but she stopped him, admitting she was surprised he had left the party early, since it had seemed like his kind of scene. J.J. wondered how Paige had known he had been at the party. Paige explained that she had been at the party for a while herself and had talked to Rory while there. "So you left because you found out that I was there," J.J. sadly guessed.
"Please," Paige dismissively replied before turning to walk away. J.J. stopped Paige and wondered if he could at least ask if she had managed to get the job she had wanted at the yogurt shop. "No, you can't. Nothing about me or my life is any of your business, okay? When are you gonna get that through your thick head, J.J.?" Paige spat. J.J. explained that, while he understood that things were over between him and Paige, he had been hoping they could at least be civil with each other.
Paige told J.J. to do her the favor of turning around and walking the other way the next time he saw her somewhere. J.J. pointed out that he had just tried to do that, and Paige had stopped him so she could rip into him about going to the party. Paige insisted she didn't care what J.J. did with his time because he meant absolutely nothing to her. "Really? Well, gee, that's news to me, even though you've said it, like, a thousand times!" J.J. countered. "Go to hell," Paige muttered before walking away. Someone watched J.J. through the window of a nearby store as he sadly headed off in the opposite direction.
After failing to get into the ventilation shaft Eric and Nicole were hiding in, Xander turned on the furnace and pushed some things against the wall so they wouldn't be able to escape. Xander taunted Nicole and Eric, warning that they would soon begin suffocating because of the heat generated from the furnace pipes, which ran right through the crawlspace they were trapped inside. "You played with fire when you decided to deceive me, so now it's only fitting that you get burned -- literally," Xander told Nicole before heading off with Navidad to erase all traces of their time in the television station.
Eric and Nicole desperately cried out for help and kicked the ventilation panel before finally giving up, realizing it would be best to conserve their strength. Eric blamed himself for getting Nicole into the predicament through his connections to Serena and Xander, but Nicole insisted Eric wasn't responsible because he had been completely unaware of Xander's true nature. Nicole admitted that Serena had tried to warn her, but she had been too stubborn to listen to the warning. Nicole fretted about how she had pushed Daniel away in order to figure out what Xander and Serena had been up to, and she might never get to explain her actions to Daniel.
"I just hope Daniel knows how much I love him, because I don't think I'm gonna get a chance to tell him," Nicole tearfully added. Eric grasped Nicole's hand and assured her that Daniel undoubtedly knew that already. As she and Eric stripped to their underwear, Nicole said she was sorry he'd had to deal not only with her betrayal but also Serena's. Eric insisted he had long since forgiven Nicole, and he hoped she had also forgiven him for the months he had spent treating her horribly. Nicole said she understood why Eric had been upset with her, but he maintained that he hadn't treated her fairly.
"I hope you know it wasn't you that kept me from staying in the priesthood. It was because of my feelings for you. I was in denial. Rather than face the truth, I just wanted to blame you. You were my first love. And even though we both went our separate ways, we were good. You will always be the love of my life," Eric declared, caressing Nicole's cheek. Nicole said she felt the same way about Eric. "And if this is it for us, then maybe this is the universe's way of saying it's okay -- that we were supposed to end up together, after all, and if we die, we die together," Nicole added.
Eric assured Nicole they were going to make it out alive. Nicole thanked Eric for being strong for her and loving her in spite of herself. "You know, I have spent the better half of my adult life desperate to find love, and I'm just glad to know -- I'm comforted, knowing -- that when it is the end...soon...I will be with someone who loved me," Nicole added before gently kissing Eric. After a few moments, Nicole and Eric stopped kissing, and she wondered if he, too, was starting to feel dizzy. Eric confirmed that he was. "We're dying, aren't we?" Nicole asked as she rested her head on Eric's shoulder.
At the hospital, Paul and John talked about Kate's job offer. John said Justin was not a good enough reason to turn down the offer. While John went in to see Tate, Brady and Paul talked in the hallway. Paul explained that he was getting to know John. With a grin, Paul gave Brady a baby baseball glove for Tate. Brady thanked Paul, and he welcomed him to the family.
Paul excitedly told Brady that he had always wanted to have a brother. Joking, Brady said he had always fantasized about having a 90 mph fastball. Paul joked he had dreamed about that too. Feeling bad, Brady apologized for being insensitive. Paul assured Brady he was not offended because all careers ended eventually. Paul said he felt better since he had left baseball because he felt more like himself. With a nod, Brady told Paul that he thought his decision to come out of the closet was brave. Paul said he wished he had done it while he was still playing baseball, but Brady cautioned Paul not to dwell on what could have been his life.
Paul and Brady talked about Tate. Brady was nervous but excited to be a father. When Brady mentioned Theresa, Paul admitted he had hit on Theresa when he had been a patient at the hospital in order to hide his homosexuality. Brady and Paul laughed at the embarrassing memory. Brady assured Paul he did not need to be embarrassed because Theresa had done far more embarrassing things. John returned, and Brady asked Paul to join him for a beer sometime to talk. After Brady made a snarky comment on his way out about a mistake Paul had once made in a game, Paul laughed and told John he liked Brady.
At Club TBD, Ben told Sonny that he was moving in with Abigail. Sonny was excited to hear the news. With a grin, Ben said he was enamored with Abigail from the first moment he had seen her walk into the club. "I knew she was the one. Someone I could just fall in love with. It was just that intense," Ben said. Sonny thought about when he had first met Paul and had fallen hard for him. When Ben asked Sonny if he had felt the same way about Will, Sonny shrugged.
Sonny explained that when he had first met Will, WIll had still been in the closet. When Ben asked Sonny whether a part of him had known how much he had loved Will from the start, Sonny shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Ben remarked that it was obvious Will had loved Sonny from first sight. Before Sonny could respond, Ben stated he needed to meet with Abigail, and he left.
Outside the club, Ben checked his phone app to see where he could find Abigail, and he was dismayed to see she was at the DiMera mansion. Inside the club, Sonny cleaned up behind the bar as Paul walked in. Paul told Sonny about his talk with Brady. Grinning ear to ear, Paul admitted that Brady was a great guy and that he was excited about his new family. As his smile faded, Paul admitted Sonny was not the only reason he wanted to stay in Salem now that he had a new family and a job. Sonny told Paul he was making the right decision.
"In my heart, Sonny, I know we belong together," Paul said. Paul said that if Sonny wanted to start over, they could. Sonny reminded Paul he was married. Nodding, Paul said he would live with Sonny's decision whether he decided to stay with Will or move on. "I don't know how to give up on you. I don't want to give up on you. On us," Paul said.
At the Brady Pub, John met with Abe over coffee and talked about Paul. John was optimistic things would work out with Paul. When John noted the only issue in the family was Theresa, Abe wondered aloud if motherhood would mellow Theresa. "A tranquilizer gun wouldn't mellow her," John quipped.
In the Dimera garden, Abigail met with Chad. Chad bluntly told Abigail he had said all he had wanted to say the last time they had spoken. With narrowed eyes, Abigail ordered Chad to listen to what she had to say. Abigail admitted she could not stop thinking about sleeping with Chad, but that she only felt disgust over what had happened. Chad told Abigail not to rewrite history because he knew she loved sleeping with him and wanted it to happen again.
When Chad reached for Abigail, she smacked his hand away and snarled she did not want to sleep with Chad ever again. Abigail accused Chad of using her to get revenge. Chad countered that Abigail's affair with E.J. had been worse.
Outside the DiMera mansion, Ben wandered the grounds, looking for Abigail. As he walked behind a hedge, he overheard Abigail and Chad yelling at one another. Abigail argued she never would have gotten back together with Chad. Chad countered, "That's not what you said when we were here on this lawn! Or when I took you upstairs to my bedroom where you begged, begged me to keep making love to you over and over again."
"I love Ben. End of story," Abigail said. "Maybe that poor sap believes him when you feed him that crap but not me," Chad said. "You love him so much that you slept with me? And you would do it again if that's what I wanted" Chad cried out. Abigail vehemently disagreed. Chad asked Abigail why she had been compelled to visit him at the mansion to tell him how much she loved Ben. When Abigail said she wanted to move in with Ben, Chad told her to do it.
"Who's stopping you?" Chad asked. "You could," Abigail countered. Chad wondered aloud if Abigail was hoping Chad would give her a reason not to move in with Ben. Shaking her head, Abigail told Chad she wanted to move in with Ben because he was a real man and loved her. Abigail added that Ben was not calculating like Chad. When Abigail noted that Ben deserved better and that she would have to give up Ben if he learned about her cheating, Chad argued Abigail wanted Ben to learn the truth so that she would have a reason to end things with Ben.
Abigail asked Chad to give his word as a DiMera that he would not tell anyone about the affair. Chad agreed and gave his word. As Abigail turned to leave, Chad said he hoped Ben would make Abigail happy. Abigail noted that Chad almost sounded sincere. Chad cleared his throat and added, "I hope he can but I doubt it." Chad stood in silence after Abigail left. Ben attempted to creep away, but he stepped on a stick.
"Show's over father! So now you know you're not gonna get what you want because Abigail and I are over. For good," Chad bellowed. Ben silently crept away into the night. Chad thought about the morning after he had slept with Abigail. As Chad stared into the night, Zoe called his cell phone, and he invited her over.
Ben rushed home. Furious about what he had learned, Ben grabbed a glass to throw against the wall. As Ben raised his hand, Abigail returned home and he quickly lowered the glass. Pretending as if all was well, Abigail cheerily said hello. Seeing Ben's posture, she asked Ben if he was okay.
At Nicole's office, Xander texted Daniel from Eric's phone to throw him off the trail. Xander and Navidad wiped prints from the crime scene, and he informed her he had made sure to set up an alibi in Chicago for the evening. Navidad and Xander agreed to go their separate ways. With a shrug, Xander blamed Nicole for her own death and Eric's death. Xander worried aloud about Victor's reaction to the mess he was leaving at the news station.
In Chicago, Daniel and Serena looked for Eric and Nicole. Worried, Daniel said he believed Eric would have called him rather than texted. Noting the looking of terror on Serena's face, Daniel asked Serena to tell him everything she knew. Serena whispered, "Xander." Serena explained she had hoped to find Eric in Chicago because that would mean he was safe. Serena said it was possible Xander had kidnapped Eric and Nicole.
When Daniel asked why, Serena said it was possible Eric had demanded answers from Xander and that Xander had decided to hurt Eric and Nicole for asking questions. Scared, Serena confessed she was terrified Xander would kill Eric and Nicole. Daniel asked why. Reluctantly, Serena told Daniel she had warned Nicole not to investigate Xander but that it was likely too late to save her life. Daniel was furious Serena had been selfish and had not told him anything about Xander sooner.
Daniel called Victor and left him a voicemail warning him about Xander and his possible plan to hurt Eric and Nicole who were missing. Daniel ordered Victor to do something to help, and he warned Victor he would kill Xander if he hurt Eric or Nicole. Failing to find Victor, a panicked Daniel called Brady to ask if he had seen Nicole or Eric. Daniel explained that Eric and Nicole might be in danger, and he asked Brady to track them down. Daniel added that the police had driven by Nicole's office, but Nicole's car was not in the parking lot.
In the crawl space at Nicole's office, Nicole and Eric overheated. Overwhelmed, Nicole passed out. Eric gently shook Nicole awake and urged her to hold on. Eric pushed at the door again. Exhausted, Eric collapsed back into Nicole's arms. Nicole looked at Eric's burned hands and arms from pushing against the heated door. After a few deep breaths, Eric pushed against the door again. Nicole pulled Eric away from the door and assured Eric there was nothing left to do. Nicole begged Eric to accept that they would not be able to say goodbye to anyone.
Upset, Nicole said she would never be able to tell Daniel how much she loved him. Eric gathered Nicole in his arms and hugged her. Overheated, Eric and Nicole peeled apart from one another as Eric apologized for not stopping Xander. "If this is it, I don't want it to end on sorrys. I just want to hold you. I want you to be the last thing I see. My friend," Nicole said. Eric put his arm around Nicole and pulled her close.
Upstairs, Daniel and Serena broke into Nicole's office. As Daniel and Serena looked around, Brady arrived to help. Though Nicole's car was not in the parking lot, Brady noted Eric's car was parked on a nearby street. Daniel suggested they should check the boiler room because the heat in the building was turned up so high. As the three headed downstairs, Brady called the police on his phone.
After Daniel, Brady, and Serena headed to the basement, John and Abe arrived at the scene with the police. Abe remarked about the heat in the building.
Daniel, Brady, and Serena searched the basement, looking for the boiler room. Daniel found a door with bullet holes and he eagerly opened it. Inside, Daniel saw a pile of items and a shelf pushed haphazardly against the wall. Daniel called out to Eric and Nicole, and then he called out to Brady and Serena for help. Daniel pulled frantically at the hot metal shelf, and he yelled out to Eric and Nicole.
Brady and Serena ran into the room. As Brady helped Daniel pull the shelf and all the materials away from the wall, Serena turned off the boiler. Daniel and Brady uncovered the door to the crawlspace. As Daniel opened the door, he was horrified to find an unconscious Nicole and Eric behind the door. Daniel pulled Nicole and Eric out of the crawlspace. Daniel confirmed Eric was still alive. A groggy Eric muttered, "Xander." Daniel turned his attention to Nicole, but he could not find a pulse.
In the park, a smug looking Xander stared at his phone. From the bushes nearby, a gunmen lowered his weapon and shot Xander in the back. Xander fell to the ground. The gunman checked Xander's pulse.
In the garden of the DiMera mansion, while Chad was reminiscing about having sex with Abigail there in the garden, Zoe arrived. As Zoe was remarking that Chad seemed far away, Harold delivered some hors d'oeuvres and left again to fetch a glass of Champagne for Zoe. Chad noted that the first issue of Sonix since DiMera Enterprises had taken it over had been a "flop." Zoe pointed out that her ideas for cover stories, particularly her first one about Chad, had been much more successful. Chad said he'd told his father to give Zoe more decision-making responsibility.
Zoe admitted she was disappointed that her meeting with Chad would only be about business. Chad made an excuse that the price of DiMera had dropped, but Zoe didn't buy it. Chad bristled about her skepticism, so Zoe began to storm off. An apologetic Chad stopped her and admitted he'd been taking his bad mood out on her. Zoe asserted that "coming on" to Chad had been a bad idea. Chad countered that he'd only thought that Zoe had hit on him because she worked for him.
"In other words, I am a driven, ambitious slut," Zoe noted before setting down her glass and starting to leave again. Chad promised to stop being a jerk if Zoe would stay. "Not if you think the only reason I'm here is because you're my boss," Zoe said. Chad apologized if he'd inferred that Zoe only wanted to get him into bed because she worked for him. Zoe clarified that Chad had only gotten her motivation wrong. Chad cautioned Zoe that he wasn't looking for a serious relationship, but she reassured him that she wasn't, either.
Zoe wondered why Chad seemed to be suffering from such a serious lack of confidence. Chad reminded her that he'd had two siblings die within the previous year. Zoe asked when Chad had last had fun, and he replied that it had been when they'd had dinner together. Assuring him that he'd answered correctly, Zoe said it didn't bother her at all that he was still hung up on Abigail Deveraux. Chad casually denied it, but Zoe pointed out the clues she'd picked up on. Kissing Zoe, Chad insisted that she was wrong about that.
When Abigail showed up at Ben's apartment, he was sulking about the conversation he'd overheard between her and Chad, in which she had admitted to having sex with Chad. Ben asked how Abigail's talk with her mom had gone, and Abigail admitted she hadn't gotten a chance to reveal that she was moving in with Ben. Ben was curious about why. Abigail made a really big deal about how she had something to talk to Ben about before she could move in, then she finally declared that she wouldn't move in unless he let her pay half the rent.
Abigail explained that she knew how proud Ben was and how she knew he'd want to pay her share of the rent. She sensed that Ben was dubious, so he explained that he couldn't help wondering what had made her do such an about-face since he'd first broached the subject of her moving in. Abigail insisted that she'd changed her mind because she'd realized exactly how lucky she was to have Ben and how much she loved him. "Show me how much you love me," Ben demanded. Abigail obligingly kissed Ben, and he carried her to the bed.
Ben vowed never to let Abigail forget how much he loved her. After they'd had sex, Ben stewed for a moment about Abigail sleeping with Chad then went into the kitchen to get something to drink. "She's mine again. She's mine," Ben told himself as he downed a soda. He returned to bed and told Abigail that he'd decided it would be all right if she wanted to pay half the rent. "I'm never going to give you a reason to regret being with me. I swear, I'm going to make you happy," Ben pledged.
In the basement of the Titan TV building, Daniel tended to an unconscious, feverish Nicole and was unable to find a pulse, while Eric opened his eyes for Brady and Serena. As soon as Eric saw Serena, he began freaking out and screaming to get her away from him. Brady checked to make sure the furnace had been turned off, while Daniel began performing CPR on Nicole. Daniel asked Brady to find anything he could, especially cold water, to cool down Nicole and the room.
Brady left then returned a moment later with a rag, which he doused with part of a bottle of water. As soon as Eric regained consciousness, he asked about Nicole. Brady reassured Eric that Daniel was taking care of Nicole. Nicole roused for a moment and asked about Eric then she passed out again.
When Abe and John arrived with a uniformed cop, Daniel called the hospital to ask where the ambulance was. Kayla answered the phone, and when she heard whom the ambulance was for, she promised to drive the vehicle herself if necessary. Eric continued demanding to know why Serena was there, and he became so agitated that Brady pleaded with Serena to leave.
A little later, Eric and Nicole arrived at University Hospital by ambulance, with Daniel, Brady, and Serena right behind them, followed shortly by Abe and John. Daniel quickly filled in Kayla as to the patients' condition and the treatment they had received while en route. Brady informed Abe, "This was no accident, and I'm pretty sure that I know who did this, so you'd better get this guy, or so help me, I will."
Once Eric had gotten settled into a room, a cold pack under his head and a fan blowing on him, Kayla checked on him. Eric was only concerned about Nicole's condition. Kayla tried to reassure him that Nicole should recover fairly quickly, just as Eric had. Eric wanted Kayla to check on Nicole, so Kayla reluctantly left.
After Kayla had gone, Serena crept into Eric's room. Eric angrily pointed out that Nicole could die because of what Serena and Xander had done. Serena insisted she'd tried to warn Nicole that Xander was dangerous. Serena asked for a chance to explain, and Eric bitterly agreed. "I came to Salem for the wrong reasons. But over time, I realized that was the best decision I'd ever made -- because of you... It ended up being the truest and deepest love that I'd ever felt in my life," Serena said.
When Serena had finished, Eric declared angrily, "I don't care what happens to you. I don't care if you go to prison. I don't care if I ever lay eyes on you again. You disgust me, and I want you gone!" A devastated Serena stumbled out of Eric's room -- and ran into a cop, who told her, "You're wanted for further questioning."
Brady entered Nicole's room and found Daniel at her bedside. Daniel revealed that Nicole's heart rate was still elevated and her temperature was at 104; she wouldn't be out of danger until her temperature dropped below 102. They could only hope that she'd received treatment soon enough to save her. A worried Brady asked if Nicole's condition could change who she was. "The longer she's out of it, the greater the risk of brain damage," Daniel admitted.
While Daniel sat at Nicole's bedside, she dreamed about their past together -- playing ball in the park, taking a shower together, how Daniel hadn't trusted her because of Eric, and how she'd regretted not being able to tell Daniel how much she'd loved him before she'd died. As Nicole stirred in her sleep, Daniel pleaded with her to open her eyes. At last, she murmured Daniel's name and looked at him.
Serena insisted that, despite her desire to tell Eric the truth, she'd been unable to because she'd feared what Xander would do to him. Kayla returned to tell Eric that Nicole had regained consciousness. Eric wanted to see Nicole, but Kayla cautioned him that it would be just a little while. After Kayla left, Serena said she was grateful and relieved that Eric and Nicole were both all right.
Nicole admitted to Daniel that she'd been afraid she would never see him again. Daniel promised that they would see each other for a long time, and she would be all right. He declared his love for Nicole, who whispered back, "I love you, Daniel. It's always been you." Daniel left to get another bag of saline for Nicole, who was having trouble keeping her eyes open. While Daniel was gone, Eric and Nicole separately remembered their kiss in the crawl space. Nicole shook her head in her sleep.
John called Marlena from a private waiting room to let know her what was going on. She promised to return to Salem as soon as possible, as had Roman. As John hung up, Abe, Brady, and Serena entered. Brady and Serena recounted how they'd found Eric and Nicole in Nicole's building. Brady surmised that someone had clearly wanted Nicole and Eric dead because there had been furniture piled up in front of the crawl space by the furnace -- plus the furnace had been turned on on a hot day in June. Abe reported to the station what Xander's real name was and advised the cop on the phone to look at the Kiriakis mansion for Xander.
When Abe, John, and Brady returned to the boiler room at Titan TV, the uniformed cop told them the security tapes had shown no one entering or leaving the building over the previous eighteen hours. The cop said the security guard had gone home sick after eating lunch, and the others guessed that hadn't been a coincidence. Abe asked about the security footage from the hallways, Nicole's office, and the crawl space. "All disabled. Whoever did this, they knew what they were doing," the cop reported.
Abe said that Forensics had found no fingerprints except Nicole and Eric's in her office or the crawl space. He added that uniformed officers were canvassing the area in hopes that a bystander had seen something, but Brady doubted anyone had. John was hopeful that Eric or Nicole would be able to provide more information about why someone would have wanted them dead.
Xander was walking through the park outside Horton Square when someone fired at him from a distance. After Xander collapsed to the ground, a pair of beefy guys carried his motionless form away. When Xander regained consciousness, he was bound, gagged, and tied to a pillar in a squalid, dilapidated room. As Xander struggled against his bonds, someone approached who caused Xander to panic.
Kate went to Club TBD to meet with Clyde, but she found Stefano waiting for her there instead. Kate assumed Stefano had stolen Clyde's cell phone and sent her a message from it. Stefano suggested Kate could call Clyde and find out if that was the case, but she decided to call 9-1-1 instead. Stefano calmly sipped his espresso as Kate reported that she was in the presence of a wanted felon.
Rafe entered the Brady Pub and caught Hope reading Will's article about Clyde. Rafe reminded Hope that she had previously assured him she was going to forget about Clyde. Hope admitted she had tried to let the whole thing go but had been unable to do so yet. Hope complained that Clyde was obviously dirty, and Rafe added that there wasn't anything she could do about that. "Well, not yet," Hope countered.
Rafe reminded Hope that Clyde was dangerous -- and that there was obviously a reason Victor had decided to back off and leave Clyde alone. Hope wondered if Rafe had any idea what that reason might be. Rafe admitted he didn't. "But I will tell you this -- and I don't know if it matters to you -- but my money's on Victor, because if you cross a Kiriakis, it's only a matter of time before it comes back to bite you," Rafe added.
Hope tried to get Rafe to tell her what he believed Victor was planning to do to Clyde, but Rafe evasively replied that he simply ran Victor's nightclub. Rafe added that he was sorry he had gotten Hope involved in the matter in the first place, but she clarified that she was the one who had approached him about it. Rafe stressed that if anything ever happened to Hope or Ciara, he would never forgive himself.
"Please, Hope -- I know that this is hard for you, but just let it go. Just stay away from Clyde Weston," Rafe advised. Hope reminded Rafe that she had already promised to stay away from Clyde. Hope pointed out that Rafe had made the same promise, and she wondered if he was sticking to it. Rafe confirmed that he was, adding that when Clyde had threatened Gabi and Arianna, he had realized that pursuing Clyde wasn't worth the risk.
"And what if he decides to go after someone else we care about? Then what? If Victor doesn't stop --" Hope started to protest, but she received a phone call before she could finish her statement. After a quick conversation, Hope excused herself. "Stefano DiMera is in Salem," Hope informed Rafe before leaving.
Stefano praised Club TBD's espresso, declaring that it almost made him feel like he was still in Italy. "I wish you were," Kate said. Stefano expressed skepticism, sarcastically encouraging Kate to tell him all about how perfectly wonderful life in Salem had been during his absence. Kate confirmed that her life had been pretty wonderful lately, prompting Stefano to wonder if seeing him behind bars would somehow make it even better. Kate stressed that she didn't want to see Stefano at all for the next ten to twenty years. "Katerina, what a thing to say to someone you once loved," Stefano said.
"Blindly, stupidly," Kate replied. Stefano laughed and argued that he could say the same thing. "Well, fortunately, I've moved on. And, fortunately for the rest of us, now you will," Kate countered, standing to leave as Hope arrived with a uniformed police officer. Stefano chuckled and took another sip of espresso as Hope began to read him his rights. Stefano calmly observed that Hope had apparently been so eager to arrest him that she hadn't even bothered to check in at the police station first. Hope said she planned to go there next -- with Stefano in tow -- but he advised her to make a simple phone call first, just to avoid wasting everyone's time.
After contacting the police station, Hope wondered how much it had cost Stefano to get the tax evasion charges to disappear. Stefano innocently replied that, like any good citizen, he had simply paid his tax bill, including penalties and interest. Stefano added with a shrug that the whole thing had been one big misunderstanding. "Look on the bright side, all right? Now you are free to focus on the true criminals of Salem, huh? May I suggest that you start with Clyde Weston, hmm? Or there's always your ex-father-in-law, huh? Ha, ha, ha, ha -- how is Victor Kiriakis, anyway? I mean, is he still out on the street after all these years?" Stefano asked, chuckling merrily.
Rafe ran into Kate in the town square, and she couldn't resist bragging that Stefano was on his way to jail -- and that she was the one who had sent him there. "You know, I actually just got off the phone with a friend of mine at the FBI. I don't think I'd be breaking open the grappa just yet," Rafe cautioned Kate. After Rafe explained that Stefano had cut a deal, Kate sighed and complained that Salem had been a much happier place without Stefano around. "Of course he found a way to make the charges disappear. But he could have cut the deal months ago. Why now?" Rafe wondered. Kate walked away after admitting that was a very good question.
At the hospital, Roman tried to question Serena about Xander, but she ignored his questions and simply insisted he had to find Xander before more people got hurt. Meanwhile, Abe and John arrived, and Abe offered to take over so Roman could check on Eric. Abe observed that Serena was trembling, but she claimed she was just worried about Eric. Abe offered to give Serena a few minutes to calm her nerves so they could continue.
Marlena stopped Eric when he tried to get out of his hospital bed so he could check on Nicole. Roman soon arrived and asked if Eric could tell him anything about what had happened the previous night. Eric explained that Xander had tried to kill him and Nicole. Before Roman could get more details out of Eric, John interrupted and suggested it would be best for him to take over the questioning so there wouldn't be any concerns about conflicts of interest if the case went to trial. Roman agreed and went to question Nicole instead.
Marlena asked to stay, and Eric and John both said that would be fine. However, when John started asking questions, Eric acted hesitant about responding. Observing that Eric looked a bit flushed, Marlena went to tell a nurse he needed an extra icepack. After Marlena left, John guessed Eric had been concerned about revealing things that might upset her. Eric nodded and proceeded to tell John about what had happened, leaving out only the fact that he and Nicole had kissed in the crawlspace.
Daniel visited Nicole, who was visibly distressed because she had just been remembering the kiss she and Eric had shared while trapped in the crawlspace. Daniel wondered what was wrong. Nicole explained that she had been having a dream, and she asked to see Eric. Daniel assured Nicole that Eric was fine. Daniel told Nicole how he and Brady had managed to find her and Eric the previous night. Daniel asked if Nicole could remember anything about what had happened to her and Eric, but before she could respond, he hugged her and added that the only thing that really mattered was that she was safe -- and the ordeal was behind her.
"Daniel...I wish that were true, but it's not," Nicole sadly replied. Daniel understood, guessing Nicole would carry the trauma of her experience with her for quite a while. "That's not it," Nicole muttered. Daniel hesitantly asked if Xander had hurt Nicole in any other way. Nicole revealed that Xander had tried to strangle her, and she proceeded to tell Daniel about how Xander had tracked her down in her office and had gone berserk when Daniel had contacted her to let her know Maggie had been taken to the hospital. Nicole wondered how Maggie was doing, and Daniel assured her that everything was okay.
Nicole informed Daniel that Serena and Xander had been smuggling blood diamonds out of Africa -- and that Xander had also been convicted of murder a few years earlier. Daniel was shocked when he realized Victor had helped Xander get out of prison, but Nicole pointed out that it couldn't possibly be that surprising. Daniel wondered why Nicole hadn't told him about her findings earlier. Nicole explained that she had been planning to tell Daniel the previous night, adding that she hadn't wanted to say anything without proof. Daniel realized Nicole had been afraid he wouldn't believe her, and she confirmed the suspicion.
Nicole added that she also hadn't wanted to put Daniel in danger. Daniel said he was grateful that Eric had been there with Nicole during her ordeal. Nicole started to say something else to Daniel, but Roman interrupted to take her statement, so Daniel went to give his to Abe. Nicole proceeded to tell Roman about what had happened the previous night, leaving out only the fact that she and Eric had kissed in the crawlspace. Roman advised Nicole to notify the police the next time she grew suspicious about a possible crime, and she assured him she had learned her lesson. Later, after Abe left, Eric entered Nicole's room.
Marlena found Serena in one of the break rooms and lashed out at her, warning her to stay away from Eric in the future. After Marlena left, Abe entered the room and asked if Serena was ready to answer some questions about Xander. "She might not answer them, but I will," Daniel said as he joined Abe and Serena. Daniel told Abe about Serena and Xander's smuggling operation. Abe turned to Serena for answers, but she demanded to speak to an attorney first.
After leaving Eric's room, John ran into Marlena in the waiting area. John promised Marlena that the police would catch Xander, and she replied that she was sure they would. John added that Eric was going to be all right, and Marlena said she was confident that was true, too. "So, what about us? Are we?" John asked.
John admitted he had been blaming Marlena for something that didn't even really matter anymore. Marlena wondered how things were going with Paul, and John reported that their relationship was getting better every day. Marlena said she was glad to hear that. "Wow. We've been through so much. Look, I hope you know that through it all, no matter what, I've never stopped wanting to --" Marlena began, and when her voice trailed off, John assured her that he understood and felt the same way.
In an abandoned warehouse, Victor confronted Xander, declaring that Xander had betrayed his trust and would have to pay the price for doing so. "Cry and scream all you like. I can assure you no one's going to hear your final words," Victor added as one of his two goons removed Xander's gag. Xander started to say something, but Victor interrupted and told Xander to be quiet, stating that he had no more patience for Xander's lies. Victor revealed that Xander's "idiotic" plan to kill Eric and Nicole had failed and that they were both still very much alive. Xander tried to deny the accusation, but Victor told him not to bother.
Victor pointed out that he had given Xander explicit instructions to stay away from Nicole. "You, of all people, Alexandros, should know what happens to men who defy me. As far as I'm concerned, it's the ultimate sin," Victor added. Xander tried to claim he would have told Victor everything if Victor's goons hadn't jumped him first, but Victor revealed that he had found Xander's rainy-day fund and knew Xander had been planning to skip town so he wouldn't have to face Victor's wrath. Xander assured Victor the police would never be able to tie either of them to anything that had happened the previous night.
"That may be true, but the police are not your concern now. We all know who the real arbiters of justice are. That job's reserved for family," Victor replied. Victor wondered if Xander was truly stupid enough to believe he was smarter than Victor and could get away with deceiving Victor. Pointing out that he was paid to do Victor's dirty work, Xander added that Victor hated Nicole and that she would have ruined Daniel's life eventually. "So, you were doing Daniel a favor, eh?" Victor summarized. Xander nodded and said he didn't understand why Victor seemed to have such a problem with that.
Victor said the problem was that he had told Xander to leave Nicole alone, and Xander had ignored that order. Victor observed that Xander didn't seem to know his place. "You think I don't know my place? You made it very clear to me my whole life, despite all my hard work and loyalty, despite all the risks I've taken to do the dirty jobs that no one else would deign to do -- all without complaint! It's never enough. In your eyes, I'll always be unworthy, beneath every other member of this family -- including the great Dr. Daniel Jonas, your godson, who's not even your own flesh and blood!" Xander countered.
Victor unapologetically confirmed that Daniel was a man he loved and respected -- and a man who was more important to him than Xander was. "Among many others," Xander bitterly muttered. Victor confirmed that was true, too, and he observed that it seemed to bother Xander a great deal. Victor wondered if Xander had done what he had done because he had felt slighted. Xander clarified that he had only ever wanted Victor's love and approval, and he had done what he had done to protect Victor.
Xander explained that Nicole had been on the verge of discovering some particularly sordid details about a business transaction he had been doing on Victor's behalf -- and, since Victor had repeatedly instructed him to handle such matters without involving Victor, that's exactly what he had done. "Uncle Victor, you must know I wouldn't hesitate to give my life for you -- or to take the life of anyone that dared threaten our family," Xander stressed. Victor found Xander's ingratitude disgusting, and he admitted he was sorry he hadn't left Xander rotting in prison when he'd had the chance years earlier.
"I'm going to ask you one more question now, and I won't abide a lie. You said you'd give your life for me. Is that true?" Victor wondered. Xander confirmed that it was. "Well, then, so be it," Victor replied, signaling his goons, one of whom pushed Xander to his knees and stuck a knife under his throat.
In Horton Square, Kate informed Will that she'd learned the new editor at TruVIsta magazine was an old friend who owed Kate a favor. Will asked his grandmother if she could get the editor to publish Will's profile about Dr. Meyers. Kate was dubious about Will's intention to bribe his couples counselor, but Will insisted the story wasn't a bribe. He explained that Sonny wanted to talk about what had happened in the past before they moved on to the future. Kate warned Will to be careful, lest his plan backfire.
Kate urged Will to trust the process of therapy, but Will believed he could steer the process in the right direction to keep his marriage together. Kate cautioned Will that Paul would likely take the endorsement deal with Mad World. Will wanted to know if Kate could arrange it so Paul worked mostly from one of the other divisions, such as Houston or Seattle. Kate agreed to think about it -- and to talk to her editor friend about Will's profile on Dr. Meyers.
At Club TBD, Chad and Sonny went over the books. Chad was pleased with the most recent numbers, but Sonny was worried that he would never be able to repay Chad after the club on the south side had failed even before it had opened. Will didn't want to take advantage of their friendship -- but Chad only hoped their friendship could survive his father's return to town. Chad explained that Stefano had cut a deal to keep from being arrested the minute he returned to town.
Sonny didn't understand what Stefano had to do with Chad and Sonny's friendship. Chad pointed out that Stefano hated the idea of a DiMera and a Kiriakis working together. "Never trust my father," Chad cautioned Sonny. Sonny asked if Chad were happy his father had returned, and Chad admitted that he hadn't decided yet. Chad asked if Sonny would relay a message to Will: "If that article he's pushing Zoe to run is really important to him, I'll make it happen. He just has to say the word."
Chad explained for a puzzled Sonny that Will had asked to do a story about "some therapist." Sonny asked, "Was it about a Doctor Meyers, by any chance?" Chad confirmed that it was. He clarified that although Zoe wasn't exactly sold on the piece, he would try to convince her if Will really wanted to do it. Sonny agreed to pass on Chad's message. After Chad left, Sonny asked another bartender to cover for him for a while.
When Kate ran into Chad in Horton Square, they discussed Stefano's return to town. Chad noted that with Kristen and E.J. gone, Stefano just wanted to spend more time with his remaining son. Kate acknowledged that it had to have been hard for Stefano to bury his children, whom he loved very much, but she wondered about the timing of Stefano's return. "Because what else does he have to do except screw up your life?" Kate asked before turning and walking away. Chad recalled how furious Stefano had been when Chad had defied him by dumping Abigail.
Will was at home, working on his laptop while Arianna napped, when Sonny arrived. "I thought maybe we could talk about our marriage -- unless you're too busy writing the article on Doctor Meyers," Sonny said testily. Will became defensive, and Sonny suggested they try another "honesty hour." "Tell me how this isn't a conflict of interest and why you're so set on doing an article on the therapist who's supposedly helping us save our marriage," Sonny demanded.
While Theresa packed a few things at her place in preparation to move into the Kiriakis mansion with Tate, Anne urged her to keep up the lease on the apartment. Kimberly called Theresa just then to try to talk her out of moving into Victor's house. Theresa emphasized how large the mansion was and promised to avoid Victor as much as possible. She added that she thought what was best for Tate was for the two of them to be with Brady. Theresa listened irritably while her mother lectured her until Theresa couldn't take it any longer and hung up. When Theresa left to pick up Tate, Anne headed out, too.
Eric donned a robe over his hospital gown and left his room to check in on Nicole in her hospital room. Eric was relieved to see that Nicole really was all right. "I just want to say what happened between --" Eric began, but just then, Brady walked in. Reminding Eric that he shouldn't be out of bed, Brady asked what they had been talking about. Nicole explained that Brady's cousin Xander had tried to kill her and Eric the previous night, but Brady reminded her that he'd been there.
Although Nicole was admittedly still a little hazy about what had happened, she thanked Brady for helping to save her. Brady informed Nicole that it had been Daniel who had revived her when she'd stopped breathing. Nicole and Eric tried to urge Brady to go take care of taking his son home, but Brady wouldn't leave until they told him why they both seemed so upset. Nicole and Eric pointed out that they'd nearly been killed, and the man who'd tried to do it was still on the loose. Maxine entered the room and scolded Eric for being out of bed. Eric obediently headed back to his room.
While Maxine was getting Eric settled back in his bed, she informed him that he should be discharged soon, and his mother had dropped off a new phone for him. On her way out, Maxine made Eric promise to do right by his family by taking care of himself.
In Roman's office at the police station, Abe informed Serena that Commissioner Brady would speak with her shortly. Serena reiterated that she wouldn't say a word without her lawyer present. Abe reminded Serena that she was the only one who could help the police track down the extremely dangerous Xander Cook. Serena swore she had no idea where Xander was -- and that terrified her.
Roman entered and reported that there was no news about Xander Cook's whereabouts. Abe suggested they could offer Serena a deal regarding her involvement with Xander's illegal activities in Africa, but she still refused to talk until her lawyer got there. Roman urged Serena to tell them whatever she knew so they could keep her and Eric safe.
Serena still wouldn't say anything except to assure Roman that she loved Eric and had done everything possible to make sure Eric wouldn't get hurt. "But he did, didn't he, Serena? And a lot of that blood goes straight to you," Roman barked. Abe added that the police were building a very strong case against Serena and Xander for attempted murder.
After Abe had gone, Roman was called away, and he forgot his phone under a pile of papers. Serena waited until the coast was clear then she grabbed Roman's phone to call Eric. When Eric's phone rang, he saw Roman's number on the caller ID and answered, "Dad?" Instead, Eric heard Serena's voice urging him not to hang up. She warned Eric that his life was in danger as long as Xander was still out there.
Eric thought Serena was trying to protect Xander, but she insisted that she was trying to protect Eric. Serena declared that she didn't care what the police charged her with as long as she could keep Xander from hurting Eric further. "It's a little late to try to protect me from Xander. I have nothing left to say to you," Eric declared before hanging up abruptly.
Roman returned to his office just as Serena was sticking his phone back under the pile of papers on his desk. Roman reiterated that Serena should help them try to find Xander, but she insisted that she would do so if she could -- and she didn't care how much trouble she was in.
In her hospital room, Nicole confided to Brady that she'd been "an idiot" to pursue Xander, who had clearly enjoyed torturing her and Eric. Brady reassured Nicole that the hospital had increased security, as well as assigning additional guards for her and Eric. Brady had to leave to sign Tate's discharge papers, and Nicole was thrilled that her friend got to take his son home.
As Brady was leaving, Abe arrived to review some of the things in Nicole's statement. Nicole was adamant that she had to talk to Daniel first, but Abe promised to finish as quickly as possible. He asked if there were anything she'd left out of her previous statement about Xander's actions that could help the police prove definitively that Xander had been trying to kill her and Eric.
Maxine delivered a note for Nicole from Daniel, who'd told Maxine that he would visit Nicole in a few minutes. Nicole eagerly opened the envelope, but when she saw how long the note was, she resumed telling Abe that she thought she'd heard Xander talking to someone, possibly a woman, but Nicole couldn't be sure because her memories of the night's events weren't clear. Observing that Nicole seemed tired, Abe left so she could get some rest.
After looking over Daniel's note, Nicole told herself, "If I just explain things to Daniel, he'll understand. He'll have to. I just can't lie to him about this. Not this." A few minutes later, Eric, dressed in street clothes, entered Nicole's room. "I think we need to talk about what happened last night -- all of it," Eric said.
When Theresa and Anne arrived at the hospital, Theresa complained that the nurse she'd just said hello to had ignored her. Anne left to see if something big were happening to distract the staff. Maggie arrived, and Theresa acknowledged that her moving into the mansion probably didn't thrill Maggie. Maggie diplomatically promised to help Theresa and Tate get acclimated, although she admitted that she hadn't gotten a chance to inform Victor that Theresa was moving in. Brady showed up just then with Tate. A beaming Theresa cooed over her son as she took him from Brady.
Anne returned and informed Theresa about the incident with Nicole and Eric. Concerned, Theresa rushed into Eric's room to see for herself that he was all right. "Being a mother -- I couldn't stand it if you weren't around to see the person that you always said I could become. Thank you for always believing in me," Theresa said sincerely after hugging her cousin. Brady entered and informed Theresa that it was time to take Tate home.
In the abandoned warehouse, one of Victor's thugs held Xander down while another held a gun on him. Victor held a knife to Xander's throat and declared that he'd never had much use for either Xander or his father. Victor pressed the knife against Xander's skin until he drew blood. After a moment, Victor dragged the knife-tip down Xander's neck and held the point against Xander's shirt, all while keeping his steely gaze focused on Xander. Victor handed the knife to one of the goons, who used it to sever the rope around Xander's wrists.
Victor admitted that after Xander's father had asked for help numerous times, Victor had eventually had to refuse. He added that he had no remorse about not helping prevent his brother's death -- but he had later realized that mercy and weakness were not the same thing, so maybe he could give Xander one last chance. Victor called out Xander for his stupidity in targeting Roman Brady's son.
Victor vowed that even if Xander managed not to end up in prison, Xander would still be stripped of his compensation package and his position on the board of the charity he ran -- but perhaps Xander could work as a servant in Victor's home. Ordering Xander to stand up, Victor warned his nephew, "Make no mistake, Alexandros: I've just shown you the limits of my affection. The rest is up to you."
Victor stated that he would do nothing to help with Xander's legal problems, adding that while Nicole's testimony might not be taken seriously, people would most likely believe the word of the police commissioner's son, the ex-priest. Victor pointed out that he owned the TV station where Xander had tried to kill Eric and Nicole, and it wouldn't surprise Victor if Xander ended up in prison again, despite his efforts to destroy the evidence of his crimes -- and no one would rescue Xander then.
Xander swore that there was no evidence to connect him to what he'd done to Nicole and Eric. Victor said that however things played out, he and Xander would discuss Xander's new role afterwards. "Never run or hide, not from me. If you do, I promise you a very slow and painful death. Now go. You know what you have to do," Victor ordered. Xander left, obviously relieved to still be alive.
Theresa, Tate, Maggie, and Brady entered the Kiriakis mansion. Maggie and Brady got Theresa settled in the study then they left to let the nanny know they were there and to get a bottle for Tate. Theresa placed Tate in his bassinette and tucked him in with a little stuffed-toy rattle she'd just gotten for him. "Baby, we're home, and Mommy's here, and I'm not going anywhere," Theresa cooed in a sing-song voice. "What the hell are you doing in my house?" Victor's voice growled suddenly from the doorway.
Serena was waiting alone in Roman's office when the door opened a little later. Roman entered, followed by Xander, who was wearing a suit and a smug grin.
