In the corridor at the courthouse, Sheila held onto Finn, amazed that she was free. Nearby, Liam held up his phone and began recording the mother and son's embrace. An officer approached to take Sheila for processing. Before going, she told Finn that a miracle had happened for her, and one could happen for them, too.
In the judge's chambers, Bill grumbled that the judge couldn't let Sheila go on a technicality. Steffy asked about the other crimes Sheila had committed: shooting Steffy, Taylor, and Finn. Judge Scott, who could only rule on the case before him, reminded Steffy that she and Finn had withdrawn their statements and had refused to testify. The judge insisted that he'd had no choice but to dismiss the charges and set Sheila free.
After the judge left, Steffy wondered how she'd keep the children safe. Finn entered, and she hugged him. Liam watched from the door as Steffy asked if Finn had been checking on a patient. Finn affirmed it. Bill ordered Carter to file a case against the judge and get the decision reversed. Carter offered to look into every possible option. Terrified, Steffy asked how Sheila could be free, and by the door, Liam seemed to be pondering something.
Steffy and Ridge talked about security, and she told Finn that they had to get the babysitter to keep the kids inside because Sheila would target Hayes. Bill grumbled that he'd worked for months to get the confession. "The things I had to do..." he said.
Carter said everything that the judge had said about the way the confession had been obtained was correct, and without it, the case was closed. Steffy added that she and Finn hadn't testified, so the charges had been dropped. Liam entered, saying they had to keep everyone safe from Sheila. He asked if Finn agreed, even though Sheila was his birth mother. "Of course, I agree," Finn responded. He said her being his birth mother didn't matter, and he was just as upset as everyone that she'd been released.
At the cliff house later, Steffy was a wreck. She told Finn that Abigail knew not to go anywhere without security, but Steffy wanted everyone to stay near the home. Finn promised that they were safe and had the best security, and no one would get in there. Steffy talked about the anxiety that had returned to her because she had to constantly worry that Sheila would take Hayes. Finn asserted that they wouldn't let anything happen to the kids.
Steffy asked about Finn, saying Sheila had acted like she had a claim to him. Finn replied that Sheila didn't. Agreeing, Steffy asked Finn to promise that Sheila wouldn't get near the family.
Later, Steffy was on the phone, trying to get Connor or someone who specialized in kidnapping. Steffy told the caller that Sheila was violent and had access to guns. Steffy told the person she needed to set up on appointment. After the call, Steffy raged about the judge's decision.
Finn reasoned that Bill's plan hadn't been legal. Steffy asked if Finn was saying Sheila deserved to be freed. In his silence, she asked why he was acting so calm when the woman who'd left them to die was free. She claimed nothing was off-limits to Sheila. Steffy asked why he wasn't upset. Finn asserted that he was. Steffy asked if he understood that Sheila had to stay far away from them and their family. She asked him to promise not to have contact with Sheila. Finn promised.
At Spencer, Liam watched his video of Finn and Sheila hugging. Wyatt arrived, anxious to know how it had gone and if Sheila had cried. He decided that was dumb because Sheila didn't know how to cry. Liam replied that the charges had been dropped, and Sheila had been released. "A productive member of society again, 'released'?" Wyatt asked. Liam replied that she was free, and they all had to figure out how to deal with it.
Later, Wyatt was shocked that Bill's plan had backfired due to an unlawful search and seizure. Liam replied that it wasn't the biggest shocker of the day. Liam went on to explain that he'd watched Finn leave in the aftermath of the judge's decision, which Liam had thought had been weird. Liam had expected Finn to comfort his wife, but upon following Finn, Liam had seen Finn with Sheila. Liam said Sheila had hugged Finn. Liam had expected Finn to shove her off, but Finn had "gone for it," putting his arms around her and holding her. Liam said it had been intense and for a long time, as if Finn hadn't wanted to let go.
Wyatt wondered why Finn would want anything to do with that woman. Liam said it wasn't the Finn that Liam knew; however, if Finn was cozy with Sheila, he'd be unable to protect Steffy, Hayes, and Kelly. "And in that case...Well, that's my job now," Liam decided.
In the visitation room at the prison, Sheila waited as Mike arrived. She said she'd wanted to see him, and he replied that she looked good on her first day of trial. He assumed it hadn't gone well because she was back way too fast. He said he was sorry; however, she wasn't in it alone, and another prisoner in there was thinking about her every night. Sheila grinned.
Mike asked what Sheila was smiling about. He asked if they'd given her a sentence shorter than life. Grinning, she announced that they'd given her life -- her life back! She explained that they'd dismissed the charges, and she'd been given a second chance. She said she was there to say goodbye to him. Mike asked how it could have happened.
Sheila explained that Bill hadn't been so masterful and had illegally obtained her confession. She said there would be no prison or dank cells for her. She apologized to Mike, saying she knew all he'd done for her. She claimed she'd never forget it. She kissed him and thanked him. He said she knew how he felt about her, and he was happy for Sheila, who always landed on her nine toes. He wondered what she'd do with the rest of her life.
Sheila stated that she wouldn't waste her chance. She planned to be a real mother to Finn and grandmother to Hayes. She wouldn't let it go and was determined to build a relationship with them. Sheila believed that Finn loved his mother deep down.
At Forrester, R.J. and Brooke waited to hear how Sheila's trial had gone, and he listened as his mother discussed the terror Sheila had instilled in their family. He hoped they no longer had to worry about it. Brooke was confident Sheila would never get out of prison after her confession.
Later, the topic turned to how crazy everyone had thought Bill had been to be in love with Sheila. Brooke and R.J. agreed that it had been worth it to be rid of Sheila. R.J. said Sheila being Hayes's grandmother had to make it worse for Steffy, and Brooke said Sheila being intimately tied to that family was devastating. Brooke and her son contemplated throwing a celebration, and they clinked their coffee mugs together, toasting to never having to worry about Sheila again.
Later, the grim Carter, Bill, and Ridge arrived, and Brooke asked them to say Sheila was going away for life. Brooke noted that they didn't seem happy, and Bill said things hadn't gone as planned. Ridge revealed that the judge had thrown out the case, and Sheila had been free to go.
At the cliff house, Steffy raged about Sheila being set free. She asked Finn to say he knew that Sheila should be behind bars. Finn replied that he was just as shocked by Sheila's release.
Later, Steffy ended a call about beefing up security at work and at home. She was sure Sheila couldn't wait to get to Finn and Hayes. Steffy said it was worse than ever because Sheila was completely free, and they had no recourse. Finn said they had a restraining order and tons of security, but Steffy replied that it wasn't enough. "Come on. I know she's your birth mother, but Sheila must be far away from our home and our children," Steffy asserted.
Later, Steffy was checking the lock on the sliding glass door when Finn told her that he had to get to the hospital. Steffy was waiting to do a conference call. Finn assured her that nothing was more important than their family, and they'd make it through. Steffy agreed that they'd be fine as long as Sheila stayed away from them.
Alone, Steffy became startled when her kettle went off. She heard a loud noise outside. Steffy ripped open the patio door. "Sheila? Is that you? Sheila!" Steffy yelled into the wind.
At Spencer, Wyatt wondered what Finn could be thinking to hug Sheila. Liam asserted that Sheila had shot Steffy. Wyatt added that Sheila had shot Finn, too. Liam showed Wyatt the video and said Sheila had a hold on Finn but questioned how strong it could be. Wyatt wondered if Liam could be overreacting to Finn and Sheila due to Liam's feelings for Steffy.
Liam asked if Wyatt would really look at the video and say Liam was overreacting. Wyatt agreed that it did look bad, but Wyatt said Liam's feelings might make anything Finn did seem bad. Liam shouted, "This isn't anything Finn does!" Liam said he had a problem with the hugging of a murderous psychopath. Liam reasoned that Finn could be having confusing feelings, but what wasn't confusing was that Sheila had almost killed Steffy. Kelly had almost lost her mother.
"I almost lost her," Liam passionately added. Wyatt wondered if Liam was being overprotective of Steffy. Liam insisted that he was just being protective, and he would not let Finn drag Sheila back into all of their lives. Wyatt said he knew how much Liam loved Steffy.
Liam replied that it was a no-brainer. He said they'd been married and had a child, and Steffy had had a huge impact on his life and who he'd become as a person. He said he'd always love her. "I remember the first time I..." Liam said. A flashback played of Liam saving Steffy from drowning in the tub, and she'd kissed him. He stated that he'd saved her life once, and he wouldn't lose her because of Sheila.
In Eric's office, Brooke tried to work, but she flashed back to finding Hope with Thomas and to Hope asking Brooke to keep it a secret. Ridge arrived, assuming she was still upset about Sheila. Brooke didn't get how the judge had set Sheila free. Miffed about the illegally obtained confession, he said Carter had told him that they couldn't fight it. Brooke expressed worry about the children and grandchild, but she was especially worried about Hope.
Ridge questioned whether it had to do with the Rome kiss. Struggling with keeping secrets or confidences, Brooke said she'd been contemplating telling him something. Ridge decided to try to guess and insisted that it had been just one kiss. Brooke revealed that it had been a lot more than that, and she'd just recently found out something she hadn't told him.
Ridge asked what it was. Brooke explained that she'd suspected Hope had been developing feelings for Thomas, and apparently, they'd taken their relationship to the next level. "I found them in bed, Ridge," Brooke revealed. Ridge asked how that had happened.
Brooke reminded Ridge that she'd gone to see Thomas, but when she'd gotten there, she'd seen Hope's car. Brooke explained that no one had answered when she'd knocked, so she'd gone inside. She said she'd seen her daughter's purse and had heard muffled voices upstairs. Worried, she'd run up there, and it had been the last thing she'd expected to see.
Ridge asked if Liam knew. Brooke replied that her daughter had claimed to be capable of making decisions and didn't want anyone to know. Brooke said she hadn't been able to keep it from Ridge, and it had to do with his son. Thanking Brooke, Ridge started to worry about Thomas sliding back into obsessing over Hope just because she was unhappy in her marriage.
Brooke wondered if Ridge thought Hope had done it because she was upset that her marriage was ending. Ridge yelled that he didn't know and asked if Hope really had feelings for Thomas.
In the design office, Hope got an alert for Sarah's birthday on her phone. It popped up over her background picture of Liam and her. She gazed at the picture and flashed back to signing divorce papers. Next, Hope saw a promo picture of her and Thomas, and she flashed back to sex with Thomas and telling him that she wanted a man who only wanted her.
Thomas arrived, figuring she was thinking about the same thing he was. Hope said she might have been thinking about them, but she was also thinking of Sheila being released from prison. Hope said Brooke had added extra security to the house. Thomas vowed to keep Hope safe and to not let anything happen to her, Douglas, or Beth.
Hope realized Thomas meant it and claimed it was nice to hear because she'd never felt protected or secure. She said Liam had made the promise, but she didn't think he could really mean it because of his feelings for Steffy. Hope figured Thomas should know that she and Liam signed divorce papers.
Later, Thomas noted that Hope had filed for the papers and not Liam. Hope claimed she was trying to move forward without dwelling on it. Hope hated that Beth would have to grow up with separated parents. Thomas replied that, divorce papers or not, Hope could still put her marriage back together. He said no one but Brooke knew what had happened between them, so Hope and Liam could still work things out.
Hope replied that Liam didn't want to work things out. She said he'd made it clear that he couldn't forgive what had happened in Rome, and he hadn't tried to fight for the marriage. Hope said she'd had to wonder why it had been so easy for Liam to ask for a divorce so quickly. Thomas didn't understand how Liam could walk away from Hope so quickly and easily. Hope said it was because Liam was done with their life together and because Liam wanted what he'd had before. "He wants his life with Steffy," Hope claimed.
Thomas asked how Hope was holding up. She said it was painful to watch her marriage end, but she appreciated how thoughtful and considerate Thomas had been. She didn't want him to forget about what they'd shared, because it had been all she'd been thinking about. He said it was true for him, as well. She stated that she had a lot of complicated and conflicting things happening inside of her, but she was sure about one thing. Hope kissed Thomas.
At Il Giardino, Deacon sat down with Hope and Brooke. He figured Hope wasn't there to try the new chef, so he wondered what Hope wanted to see her parents about. Hope assumed Brooke hadn't told him. Brooke said Hope should. "It's about Thomas and me," Hope said. Deacon looked at Brooke, and upon seeing the ill look on Brooke's face, he sat up straight.
Deacon asked if Thomas and Hope were still working together after Rome. Hope replied that something else had happened in Rome, and she and Thomas had kissed. Deacon started to launch off on a Thomas tirade, but Hope said she'd initiated the kiss. She said it had just happened. Brooke quietly added that Liam had seen it. Deacon asked if Hope was okay.
"Yeah...no...Liam left," she uttered. Deacon figured that Liam hadn't really left over one kiss. Brooke said it had been with Thomas. Deacon started to go off about Thomas again, but Hope insisted that she'd kissed Thomas. Deacon asked why, saying she loved her family and Liam.
Hope didn't know why and said a part of her still couldn't believe she'd done it. Deacon asked about the other part of her. Hope replied with her belief that it had been inevitable that Liam would leave eventually, anyway. Hope claimed it had never been just her and Liam; it had been her, Liam, and Steffy. Hope acknowledged that Liam and Steffy had shared something special and had a daughter, but Hope believed that Liam still loved Steffy.
Hope didn't want to do what Brooke had done with Ridge and Taylor. Brooke said she hadn't wanted Hope to feel any of that. Hope believed she deserved more than half of Liam's heart. Deacon asked if she'd snapped and kissed Thomas to sabotage the relationship. Hope said she couldn't explain it; she'd just wanted something different.
"Besides, Liam's the one who wanted a divorce," Hope added and then explained to her parents that she'd had divorce papers drawn up. Brooke and Deacon were shocked to hear that Liam and Hope had signed the papers. Hope said she hadn't wanted that; she'd wanted her family with Liam, but in an instant, their life together had been reduced to two signatures on a page.
Brooke asked why Hope hadn't waited. Brooke didn't believe Liam wanted a divorce but was instead just angry and lashing out. Brooke believed Hope could fix it and urged her not to give up so easily. Hope replied that she hadn't been the one to give up so easily; it had been Liam.
As Sheila sat nearby in a hat and sunglasses, Brooke said Hope and Liam had a family. Hope replied that she'd avoided telling Brooke because she knew Brooke would tell her to fight for her marriage, but Hope was sure she and Liam would make it seamless for Douglas and Beth.
Deacon was sorry about it. Hope claimed to be, too, because it hadn't been an easy decision. Deacon stated that Hope had made a mistake, but mistakes didn't define her. Brooke wished divorce wasn't the price Hope had to pay. Hope took responsibility for what had happened with Thomas, but she said she didn't want to be with someone who didn't fight for what they had or wouldn't give her the same grace she'd given him. Hope added that Liam still loved Steffy, and Hope was tired of accepting it.
Deacon asked if Hope was moving forward with Thomas. Hope said she didn't know what the future held, but she didn't want her parents to worry about her. Brooke thanked Hope for being open and honest. Brooke felt for Hope because Liam was the love of her life. "Except I'm not the only love of Liam's life," Hope replied. She said she'd been in competition with Steffy forever and didn't want to live like that anymore.
Deacon received a notification of a package delivery. Before leaving the table, he told Hope that he loved and supported her. Brooke said she supported Hope, too. Hope replied that she knew. Brooke wondered if Hope's intimacy with Thomas was the reason Hope had drawn up the divorce papers. Hope replied that she wanted to be with someone whose feelings weren't divided. Brooke said she couldn't believe Hope's marriage was at an end. Hope couldn't, either.
Upstairs, Deacon searched his place for a package. A woman entered and locked the door. "What the hell?" Deacon said, but he grinned when he saw the toes in her sandals. "I'm back, Daddy," Sheila uttered and pulled him into a kiss.
At Spencer, Wyatt asked if Liam really thought Finn couldn't protect his family. Liam said that after the creepy moment he'd seen between Sheila and Finn, Liam couldn't sit back and trust Finn to protect Kelly and Steffy when Liam couldn't be there. Liam refused to let Sheila strike again. Wyatt asked if Liam had doubted Finn before.
Liam said Finn had never given Liam a reason to, and he'd been an upstanding guy who'd never given Liam a reason to think Finn would put Kelly or Steffy in danger. Wyatt asked if Liam actually thought Finn was a threat. Liam said he didn't know what to think; however, Finn had seemed to have an emotional moment with Sheila, and he'd looked happy that she'd been freed. It made Liam question everything he'd thought about Finn, and Liam wouldn't be the guy who ignored the signs again. He insisted that he had to protect his family.
Wyatt felt the need to call Liam out on a few things, like kissing Steffy in Rome. Liam asked what that had to do with Finn and Sheila. Wyatt stated that it made Liam overthink and overreact. Wyatt wondered if Liam was looking for an excuse to find a way into Steffy's life and justify upending her marriage so that Liam could have a shot at Steffy.
Liam assured Wyatt that Liam wasn't out to torpedo Steffy's marriage. Liam claimed to only be concerned about keeping Steffy and Kelly safe from Sheila. Wyatt asked if Liam didn't think Finn felt the same way. Liam asked if Wyatt had seen the video. Liam couldn't ignore it and said the stakes were too high. Liam headed for the door and Wyatt wondered if he had to ask where Liam was going. Liam silently left.
At the cliff house, Steffy screamed Sheila's name to the winds. No one was there, so Steffy locked her patio door, returned inside, and took deep breaths.
Later, there was a knock at Steffy's door. She answered it for Liam, who asked how she was doing after what had gone on that day. Steffy said she was a nervous wreck about Sheila. Liam replied that he was there to talk to her about Sheila and Finn. Liam expressed disappointment about his father's plan and said he was worried about protecting Steffy, Kelly, Hayes, and everyone. Steffy appreciated it but said he didn't have to worry about her.
Liam replied that worrying was his thing, but Steffy insisted that she could take care of herself. She promised nothing would happen to the kids, and Finn would protect them. "He might. Maybe not," Liam replied. He asked if she remembered Finn leaving the room amid the chaos in the judge's chambers. Steffy said Finn had checked on a patient.
Liam wondered if Steffy found that strange, and he questioned whether it could have waited. Steffy asked what he was saying. Liam revealed that he'd followed Finn. Steffy asked why Liam would do that. Liam called the whole thing strange and said he'd picked up on a weird vibe between Finn and Sheila, who'd been led out of the room ahead of Finn. Liam said what he'd seen had blown his mind, but at the end of the day, it was about safety.
Steffy asked Liam to just say what he'd seen. She began to get frustrated as he said he wasn't telling her to cause marital problems. Steffy sighed. Liam revealed that he'd seen Sheila in Finn's arms. Steffy said that it couldn't be. Liam said Sheila and Finn had been hugging.
In Finn's office, Li was enraged to hear that Sheila had been set free and deemed a victim of injustice. Li shouted that Bill's plan had been foolproof. She asked Finn to say he'd testify against Sheila. Finn explained that he couldn't because the case had been dropped without new evidence. He asked Li not to worry. Li insisted that Finn needed to protect his family and ordered him not to let Sheila back into their lives.
Finn said it hadn't been the outcome Steffy had expected. Li asked about Finn, and he replied that he'd had a strong reaction. Li couldn't believe they were in that position again. She yelled that Sheila should be spending the rest of her life behind bars. "Right, Finn?" Li asked.
Finn flashed back to hugging Sheila. Li said Finn had to think about his family because the judge's decision had put them at risk. Finn said he'd do whatever it took to keep his family safe.
At Deacon's place, Deacon closed the blinds and asked if Sheila had escaped. Gleeful, Sheila announced that they'd let her go. Sure there was a scheme, he asked what she'd done and if Guthrie had helped her escape. Sheila poured them some wine, announcing that the judge had dropped all the charges and set her free.
Later, Deacon found it unbelievable that the confession had been thrown out. Sheila spoke about how she'd felt when she'd thought she'd never touch the people she loved again. She touched Deacon's face, and they kissed.
Deacon said no one knew about their relationship because Bill and Ridge had kept their secret. Sheila wanted to reflect on how great it was that she was free. Deacon loved it and said he'd hated the thought of her rotting away in prison. She said his visits had helped her forget the reality of that place. She'd been in a hopeless situation, but "look at me now!" Sheila said people shouldn't give up because one never knew what gifts life would give. She just hoped Finn would be happy for her, too.
Deacon admired Sheila's positivity but doubted Finn would let her in. Sheila maintained the belief that anything was possible, and of that, she was living proof. Deacon didn't want Sheila to set herself up for disappointment and suggested that she accept reality. Sheila told him not to underestimate a maternal bond. She insisted that anything was possible, and she refused to give up until Finn forgave her and allowed her to be a part of his life.
At the cliff house, Steffy didn't buy what Liam was saying and assumed he'd misunderstood. She said Finn would never do something like that. Liam replied that he was just telling her for safety reasons, but he was certain that Finn and Sheila had been embracing each other at the courthouse. As Steffy refused to believe it, Liam held out his phone, which was playing the videotaped hug. He said he was sorry, but he'd thought she'd needed to know.
Liam claimed he hadn't wanted to drop the bomb on Steffy, but she needed to know if Finn was vulnerable to Sheila. Tossing the phone down, Steffy rejected the idea, saying it didn't make any sense. She couldn't explain the video, but she disbelieved that Finn would put them in jeopardy.
Liam agreed that it didn't make sense after Finn had said for months that he'd sworn off Sheila and would do everything within his power to keep his family away from her. Liam had taken the video because he didn't think Steffy would believe it otherwise. "Hell, I know I wouldn't," he added. He said Steffy didn't know if Finn could keep her and their family safe from Sheila, and that was information Steffy deserved to have.
Liam told Steffy that she had to consider the possibility that Finn wouldn't be able to stand up to Sheila. Steffy was sickened by the sight of Finn holding Sheila. Steffy said she didn't know how many times they'd discussed Sheila staying away. Steffy felt there had to be an explanation because Finn wouldn't just endanger the family. "It's impossible," Steffy said.
Liam said no one wanted to believe it, but Finn hadn't pushed Sheila away. Liam refused to sit back and put their safety at risk while Finn tried to figure out his relationship with his dangerous birth mom. Liam stated that it was his job to protect Kelly, who lived under that roof with Finn. Liam said it was about Hayes and Steffy, too.
Steffy replied that Liam had always been protective of them. Liam replied that there might be an explanation, but she couldn't bury her head in the sand. Steffy said she wasn't. Liam suggested she confront Finn and get an explanation. Liam reasoned that tensions were running high, and there had been some mother/son bond or something. Steffy insisted that Finn hated Sheila.
Liam asserted that Finn should feel that way, but the hug had sent a message to Sheila. It had told her that Finn was vulnerable, and Liam believed Sheila would take it and use it to get close to Finn, Hayes, and Kelly. Liam refused to let it happen and said he loved Kelly way too much to put her in harm's way. Liam said they weren't together, "but I love you, too, you know."
At Forrester, Ridge arrived after receiving Brooke's text. He saw Hope with Brooke and asked what was going on. Hope said that Liam had moved out. Sorry to hear it, Ridge was convinced that they could work through it. Hope disagreed, and Ridge asked what had happened.
Later, Ridge said, "Divorce?" Hope replied that it had been what Liam had wanted. She hadn't wanted it -- initially -- and had tried to get Liam to forgive her. Ridge assumed Liam had drawn up the papers, but Hope stated that she had. Ridge noted that in one moment, Hope had been desperate to save her marriage, but suddenly, she'd filed papers. "Let me ask you something. Does this have something to do with you sleeping with my son at all?" Ridge asked.
Hope and Brooke gasped. Hope questioned Brooke, who said Hope knew Brooke couldn't keep secrets from Ridge. Ridge said he didn't care about that. He said that if Hope and Liam could figure it out, great, and it was fine if they couldn't. What Ridge cared about was Thomas, who'd been working to get his life back and not be obsessed with Hope. Ridge directly asked Hope how she felt about Thomas.
"Of course, I have feelings for Thomas. We're a great team with HFTF, and I think we are on a path that is just getting started," she said. Ridge said he didn't know what any of that meant. Hope claimed to get why Ridge was concerned about his son. He replied that he was concerned about all of his children. Hope guessed that meant he knew about the role Steffy "kinda" played with Hope and Liam. Brooke told Ridge that Hope thought Liam was still in love with Steffy.
Hope claimed that the dynamic had been going on for a while, and she'd "just realized" that she didn't want to spend her life with a man with a divided heart. She said she'd seen the damage it could do. She stated that Thomas had always been clear about his feelings, so even though she didn't know what the future held, she just knew she wanted to work and concentrate on raising her kids. She didn't want to let "this" drag her down.
As a new morning rose over Los Angeles, a disguised Sheila dropped by Deacon's apartment. He greeted her with a kiss and remarked that he could not believe that Sheila was a "free woman." Still, Deacon didn't think that walking around Los Angeles with Sheila on his arm was a good move for him. Sheila vowed that she would make the most of her newfound freedom.
Deacon questioned what Sheila meant and worried that Sheila might have an unrealistic idea of what her future held. Sheila thanked Deacon for worrying about her but told him there was no reason to be concerned. "The stars are aligned. Everything is going my way. Fate is smiling on me," Sheila said giddily. Sheila's unbridled optimism seemed like a "recipe for disaster" to Deacon.
When Deacon reminded Sheila that similar past situations had ended up with her doing things that were crazy, Sheila fidgeted and pounded her hands. "I hate that word," she said in a loud whisper. Deacon said what should have been obvious: Sheila had shot Finn and Steffy. It seemed unlikely, he said, that Finn would ever want to have Sheila in his life. Sheila asked why everyone kept bringing up the double shooting.
Sheila told Deacon of the events with Finn at the courthouse after she'd learned she'd be getting out of jail. "He didn't look at me with hatred or fear or judgment... It's like for the first time, he really saw me," Sheila said with an intense expression on her face. She described the hug and how she'd felt Finn's heart beating against her chest. Deacon was "blown away" by Sheila' story.
Liam dropped by Steffy's beach house to see if she had spoken to Finn about "the hug." Steffy said that she hadn't because Finn had worked an all-nighter at the hospital. Steffy commented that she wasn't sure what she'd say to Finn because she wasn't really sure what she'd seen in Liam's video. "Please... do not blow me off or treat me like I am overreacting," Liam responded.
Steffy continued to downplay Liam's video and insisted that she and the kids were Finn's top priority. Liam firmly stated that he would not "sit back and watch [Steffy] and Kelly and Hayes's life be put in jeopardy by Sheila." Liam admitted that he wasn't sure what Finn's feelings for Sheila were, but he suggested that they could still be an "open invitation" for Sheila to reenter Steffy's life.
"I know my husband," a defiant Steffy snapped. Steffy agreed that it was "upsetting" that Finn had hugged Sheila, but she said that she wouldn't jump to any conclusions until she'd spoken to Finn. Liam declined to give Finn the benefit of the doubt. "He is my husband, and he hasn't given me a reason not to trust him," Steffy countered, adding that she would not throw away everything she held dear over one hug.
Liam remained insistent that something wasn't right. "I have a feeling something is going to happen. Something awful," Liam said in an agitated state.
At the hospital, Finn asked a nurse, Rose, to bring Kelly to his office when she was dropped off. The nurse agreed and, before leaving, told Finn that she was sorry to hear that Sheila had been released from jail. Alone in his office, Finn thought back to the hug he and Sheila had shared at the courthouse.
Later, when Kelly arrived, Finn gave her a big hug, and they talked about heading to the beach together. Finn told the nurse that even though he'd be at the beach, he was still on call. He asked that she contact him immediately if anything changed with any of his patients' conditions.
At the beach, Finn and Kelly played in the ocean. They were unaware that Sheila was watching them from inside a nearby blue tent. Finn and Kelly sat on the beach, making sandcastles. Finn received a call, but before taking it, he reminded Kelly how important it was to respect the ocean and the danger it posed. Finn had a poor signal on his phone and stepped away to try to get better reception. Kelly decided to head down to the water to get a pailful of water for the sandcastle's moat.
Sheila stood up to keep track of the young girl. A wave knocked Kelly to the ground. Sheila yelled out the girl's name and raced toward the water.
