Beyond the Gates Recap for September 12, 2025: Samantha had her first kiss while Ashley flipped Derek's script

Here's what went down Friday, September 12, 2025 on Beyond the Gates when familiar couples had old conflicts, Chelsea weighed cocooning versus butterflying, and Dani and Bill continued bonding.

What happened on Beyond the Gates

On Beyond the Gates, Dani texted Andre from the country club, wondering why he was late. Bill approached her table, but she would only let him join her after hearing that his “persistent” wife was at home. Bill felt that Dani was glowing; she called it her “aftermath attire,” and the exes reflected that they had always been better doing battle together than against each other, as in the case of uniting during Chelsea's kidnapping ordeal. They couldn't fathom what Chelsea had been through, and Dani predicted that Chelsea would return to the fashion world once she felt safe again.

Bill affirmed that he loved his daughters and was amazed that Chelsea had been afraid to tell him about her sexual identity. Dani wasn't so sure; Bill remembered opposing of “those clowns” Chelsea had brought around in high school – but he did like Madison. The ex-Mrs. Hamilton joked about Bill maybe wanting to investigate Madison's family to be sure she was good enough for Chelsea and reminisced about how Bill had put up a fuss when Naomi had started dating “lowly cop” Jacob. Bill asserted he was capable of change, and Dani concurred.

Dani and Bill took hands as she thanked him for helping her through another crisis. Bill waited for the other shoe to drop when Dani marveled at how they, as exes, were able to have a civil, mature conversation; Dani smiled that Bill was probably using her to keep from going home, since she had witnessed him telling Hayley to stay out of family business while Chelsea was unaccounted for. Bill chalked that up to the heat of the moment, and the two laughed as they recalled Dani's philosophy that apology jewelry needed to cost a week's salary.

Andre received Dani's text at the hospital; when he saw Ashley and inquired how things were going with Derek, she answered, “We're figuring it out.” Derek wheeled himself out of his room and overheard Ashley telling Andre that there was no way to tell what Derek's future would look like – and admitting that, were it not for their “silly misunderstanding,” Ashley might be involved with Andre instead of Derek.

Ashley considered it fate that she had misunderstood about Andre breaking up with Dani – and, as Derek listened, she said Derek would be alone if she and Andre had gotten together. Once Derek circled away, Ashley went on that she and Derek had reconnected in ways she hadn't thought possible. Andre saw a parallel to him and Dani pulling together while Chelsea was missing. He thanked Ashley for teaching him to be mindful of other's needs; Ashley was grateful that Andre had shown her that there was more to experience in life than she had originally envisioned. They decided they'd see each other around, and Andre left after a pregnant pause.

Arriving at the country club, Andre told Bill that he was in his seat. Things got chilly as Bill reported that Nicole had brought him up to speed about Andre and Dani and lamented that he'd needed to be updated about the women in his life. “Ooh! Is that what I am?” Dani chirped. After Dani laid out that her private life was no longer Bill's business, Bill fired back that Dani always felt free to comment on his. Andre watched the tension and told Dani they needed to have “the ex chat” once Bill excused himself.

Dani maintained that she and Bill had only been talking about his desire to be more present in his daughters' lives and sussed out that the jealous Andre had had a run-in with his own ex. Andre conceded that he had seen Ashley; Dani snarked that Ashley wasn't even an ex because she and Andre had never actually been a couple, but she genuinely deemed Derek lucky when Andre described how devoted Ashley had been to Derek since Derek's accident. They agreed that they both had gained perspectives from recent tragedies, but Dani got tired of talking and wondered why they were lolling about the club; they went back to Dani's house and got naked.

Naomi had made breakfast for Chelsea, but she still hadn't felt like eating in the fallout of her captivity. Nor was Chelsea's heart in going through Naomi's wardrobe and determining what should be given away. Chelsea couldn't shake the feeling something bad was going to happen; Naomi assured her sister that the entire family would hold her up until she could do so herself. Though Naomi advocated for Chelsea taking her time to decide how to go forward, Chelsea was frustrated that she had no idea what that looked like.

Chelsea didn't disagree with Naomi's assessment that she always wanted to “burst out as a fully-formed butterfly” – but she did share that she didn't know if she desired to be the center of attention anymore. She wanted her privacy back after Allison had memorized so many details about her life. Naomi suggested that Chelsea give herself more time before making major decisions about anything, and talk turned to the prospect of Chelsea having to face Allison in court. When Naomi scoffed that Allison had wanted to retain her legal services, Chelsea hoped that Naomi had accepted.

Naomi picked up that Chelsea wanted her to rig the case so that Allison would be ensured jail time and pointed out that representing her sister's kidnapper would be a conflict of interest. The lawyer saw that Chelsea was concerned about Allison getting off on an insanity plea but foresaw Allison spending years in a mental facility should that result occur. Chelsea still worried about stalkers in general; Naomi rued that they were part and parcel to “being a woman and walking the planet.”

Chelsea was sickened that millions of women were being stalked on- and offline and wondered what she could do in light of having experienced it. Naomi knew that Chelsea couldn't be who she had been before her kidnapping, but divined that Chelsea would emerge a whole new version of herself. When Naomi didn't think that Chelsea walking away from being an influencer would make her feel happy or safe, Chelsea reckoned that she'd be giving Allison the power by taking that action.

Bill came to see his girls and asked Naomi for an update on her life. Naomi told Bill about June and how she'd been helping to get the homeless woman on her feet; Bill was stunned when Naomi informed him that June had turned out to be Tyrell and Samantha's biological mother. Chelsea had heard about June from Samantha; Bill wondered if Smitty and Martin needed a protective order against June. Naomi replied that the situation was under control, and Bill vowed that he was going to be so involved in her and Chelsea's lives that they were going to be begging him for space.

At Orphey Gene's, Tomás asked Kat about Chelsea; Kat reported that her cousin was the same and that she was at a loss as to how to help her. She was at least glad that Madison could provide Chelsea “love with no filter.” “Like us,” Tomás replied. Kat felt their relationship had been challenging, but Tomás smiled that that was where the fun lie, especially since he had “gone where no man had gone before.” Kat said she was enjoying their journey as much as he was, and Tomás was intent on finding a way to blow Kat's mind in the bedroom.

Eva walked in as Kat and Tomás kissed and sat herself at their table, saying her matter couldn't wait – it was something Kat would want to hear. Kat resisted Eva's presence, even after Tomás reminded his girlfriend that Eva was technically part of her family. “The floor is yours, drama queen,” Kat finally sighed as Eva made ready to leave. Eva apologized about Leslie trying to buy the house across from the Duprees, but Kat spat that Eva was only running interference for Leslie. Tomás didn't think it was fair of Kat to smirk that Eva was sucking up to Ted and doing Leslie's bidding at the same time.

“'Sorry' is not an eraser!” Kat responded when Eva exasperatedly went over how many times she had apologized. “No amount of DNA can erase what you did.” Eva gave up and left, after which Tomás disapproved of Kat's “mean girl era.” Kat frowned and said the only way Eva could prove she'd changed would be to “emancipate herself” from Leslie – which Kat was sure Eva would never do. Tomás reiterating Kat that she and Eva shared a father really set her off – “What it is about little Evil Adjacent that's turned you and my dad? Do downtrodden women appeal to your Captain Save-A-Ho instincts?”

Kat got up to leave as Tomás tried to impress on her that Eva wanted a family. “Take your pity for that basic bitch and choke on it!” Kat seethed, leaving the diner. Tomás invited Eva to join him after they locked eyes; he brought up Eva's request to represent Leslie, but she appeared to change her mind, seeing that he would lose his job and his girlfriend if he took Leslie's case. The young attorney said he enjoyed being with Kat, but added that she changed when she wasn't fully in control of something – and it was starting to wear on him.

Samantha brought a boy to Kat and Chelsea's guest house, which she explained was her “office,” since she was representing ChelseaKat. While they talked about working on an English project for school, the boy flirted with Samantha, who blushed. After they got to work, the boy said he hadn't started his research, so Samantha gave him her notes and opted to take care of the accompanying slideshow. The boy noticed that Samantha had already done most of the work and deemed her his secret weapon.

To thank Samantha, the boy invited her to a party that he and his brother were organizing through their burgeoning event planning business – having Samantha there as a model, and a Dupree, he enthused, would be next level. Samantha said yes and saw the boy's point about them being able to hang out in a different environment. The teens started to flirt, and the boy leaned in to kiss Samantha, who responded more aggressively – until Kat came in and demanded that her niece “start talking.”

Kat viewed Samantha's suitor as out of her league and wanted the boy gone. After he obliged, Samantha protested that Kat had given her permission to use the guest house, but Kat railed that that didn't include bringing “randoms” in who only wanted one thing. Samantha promised not to ever talk to a boy again as long as Kat didn't rat her out to her dads. Kat counseled Samantha that she needed to have friends over at her own home, with proper supervision. Samantha calmed and admitted that she just hadn't wanted to put the boy through “parental interrogation.”

Samantha added that she had only recently been allowed to date, despite all of her friends having boyfriends. Kat understood and said she'd stay quiet on the condition that Samantha tell Martin and Smitty what had happened on her own. Samantha gave her word but complained that Kat acted like Martin at times. After Kat left, Samantha invited the boy back; he was surprised that her aunt hadn't sent her “to juvie.” Samantha claimed Kat was just having a bad day and coyly asked him what they had been doing before they were interrupted, the romantic tension thick.

Eva was touched by how readily Tomás always stood up for her – but suggested he stop for Kat's sake. Tomás groused that Kat didn't realize how much Eva kept Leslie in check and was just saying that Eva didn't get the credit she deserved as Kat re-entered the diner. She watched as Eva took Tomás' hand in response to him labeling her a good person; when Tomás put his hand on Eva's, Kat turned around and walked out.

Derek was jovial when Ashley came to check on him and said he was lucky to have her. Ashley demurred when Derek continued that he had never thought he could love her more, yet rallied when Derek called himself a disaster. The duo each attributed Derek's accident with teaching them what was important and with bringing them closer than they had been before. Ashley became pensive, wondering about fate and parallel universes and “what ifs”; Derek replied that he didn't think about those because he didn't want to ponder worlds that Ashley wasn't in. He called Ashley his one and only, but Ashley seemed to shrink from the statement and went on her rounds.

Ashley had Jan meet her at the diner; Jan was none too pleased that she'd had to leave work just to talk about “Derek vs. Andre” again. Jan saw that Ashley was still thinking about Andre despite having reunited with Derek. Ashley exclaimed that she came alive whenever she was around Andre. “You are hardly the first to have butterflies over the edgy guy,” Jan advised. Ashley was torn because Derek was everything she thought she wanted, and Andre represented new possibilities. Jan asked Ashley whose stories she'd never get bored with and who she pictured still being around in 50 years. Ashley saw Jan's point about Derek's reliability but still felt pulled towards Andre; Jan said Ashley had a big decision to make.

Back at the hospital, Derek dug his knuckles into his thigh; he was about to tell the arriving Ashley what he had discovered when she cut in and acknowledged that she had treated him like an invasive species when he had moved in. She saw how unfair it was that she had expected him to acclimate to her way of living and remarked that everything always led her back to him. “You are where I belong, Derek,” Ashley declared. She dropped to one knee and asked him to marry her.

Beyond the Gates airs weekdays on CBS and streams on Paramount Plus.