Aiden forces Hope to have lunch with him
John and Marlena met with Steve and Kayla at the Brady Pub to celebrate the end of Orpheus' reign of terror. John soon received word that the twenty million dollars he had wired into Orpheus' offshore bank account had been returned to his own account. "That's great! Now there won't be any budget constraints on your wedding plans," Kayla pointed out, unapologetically admitting that she would love to see some decadence on the big day -- which would hopefully be soon. Marlena coyly replied that when a date was finally set, Kayla would be one of the first people to hear about it.
John couldn't provide Kayla with anything more, admitting that he had left Marlena in charge of all the details. Marlena teasingly wondered why he wasn't interested in helping her pick out things like the color scheme and the calligraphy. "As much as I would love to, the thing is, my partner and I, we've gotta be out on the street, looking for..." he started to respond before letting his voice trail off. "New office space for Black Patch?" Kayla guessed. She assured John that she already knew all about Steve's plan to rejoin the private investigation business -- and had, in fact, given him her blessing.
Pleased to hear that, John revealed that he had actually arranged to tour a few available spaces that day. Steve grabbed his jacket and told John to lead the way. Marlena smiled as she watched them exit the pub together, joking about their need for a hard-boiled, wise-cracking secretary to complete their operation. "It's great to see Steve so happy," she mused. Kayla agreed, admitting that she had finally realized that she needed to let him be himself, since he had always shown her the same courtesy. "You know, he was being a bartender just to please me -- you know, a nice, safe, predictable job -- [and] all hell broke loose anyway," she added.
Later that day, John and Steve cracked open a couple bottles of beer at the Evans-Black townhouse and started to discuss the pros and cons of each office they had toured. Steve thought he and John should have put down a deposit on their favorite one to avoid the risk of losing it, but John dismissed the concern, assuring Steve that office space wasn't in high demand at that moment -- probably because people were reluctant to start new businesses in a town that had been under siege for the past month.
Steve soon received a text message from Kayla, explaining that she was at the docks and needed his help. Concerned, Steve rushed off to find out what was going on. When he arrived at the specified pier, he found it covered with curtain lights, setting the mood for a romantic but somewhat unconventional meal for two. As he checked out the spread of grapes, crackers, cheese, and beer, Kayla revealed herself and approached him, wearing a red dress. When he breathed a sigh of relief, she misinterpreted it as a subtle sign that he didn't like his surprise. "I love it, baby, but you scared the hell out of me," he explained.
Kayla apologized, assuring Steve that she hadn't intended to do that. "Looking like that, I can forgive you, my lady in red," he replied. He admitted that he felt a bit underdressed, but she insisted that he looked fine just the way he was. "So, what's this all about?" he wondered. "New beginnings," she answered. He helped her get settled in her chair then took a seat at the opposite side of the table and opened one of the beers for her. She reminded him that they had spent a lot of time at the docks during the early stages of their relationship. "It just seemed like the right place to start over," she continued.
At the risk of sounding like he was complaining, Steve reminded Kayla that she had been pretty adamant about wanting to take things slowly. "[With] all the things that have gone on these past few weeks, I just think going slow is presuming that we will have all the time in the world to go slow, and I know [now] that anything can happen," she explained. She said she wanted to spend her time with Steve, and he happily returned the sentiment. He added that he planned to continue going to therapy, and although she tried to protest, he assured her that he wanted to so he would never mess things up with her again.
Kayla pointedly informed Steve that she had ordered the premium cable package so he could watch all his favorite sports from the comfort of their living room. "Wow. I have a feeling it's gonna be a great season," he declared with a smile. "We're gonna be a family again, Sweetness," he added. She clarified that they had always been a family. "But maybe now we can be happy," she continued. She wiped a tear away as she reached for her cell phone and started a song. "You want to dance with me, Patch Man?" she asked, and he happily obliged.
At the Horton Town Square, Kate and Andre ordered martinis and toasted to Clyde's downfall as well as the continuing prosperity of the DiMera empire. "You know, when you're at your best, you remind me so much of Tony," Kate told Andre. She advised that if he truly wanted to get back in Chad's good graces, it would be wise of him to start channeling Tony's best qualities more often. Andre grumbled that everyone had always loved Tony more than him. "Maybe you should ask yourself why," she suggested.
Later, a waitress cleared away Kate and Andre's plates and left their bill on the table. Andre reached for it, but Kate stopped him and insisted, "This is on me." He thanked her then pointed out that if they were to start discussing business matters, they could just write the lunch off as an expense of DiMera Enterprises. "You mean you'd be willing to discuss business so I could get a reimbursement? You are so selfless!" she sarcastically replied. She maintained, however, that the lunch was her treat -- a way of thanking him for what he had done to help apprehend Clyde, not an opportunity for them to discuss business matters.
Andre argued that the lunch was also Kate's way of assuaging her guilty conscience. Scoffing, she wondered what she could possibly have to feel guilty about. "Putting me in harm's way, bringing down your enemy while you were at home, sitting there, safe and sound -- knitting, probably," he clarified. She dismissively insisted that her presence likely would have just made things worse, since Clyde seemed to have issues with her for some strange reason. Her innocent act didn't fool Andre, who guessed that she had simply been unwilling to put her butt on the line. "I always think that that's what men are for," she countered with a smile.
As Andre was ordering another martini to take advantage of Kate's generosity, Marlena passed through the town square on her way back from helping Kayla get ready for Steve's surprise at the docks. Andre was delighted when Marlena took the time to thank him for helping with the plan to apprehend Clyde. She admitted that she'd had her concerns when Kate had first mentioned the idea but had eventually decided that it would be wise to involve him. Kate bragged that she was, after all, a pretty shrewd judge of character. "Really? Is that why you hit the sheets with Clyde-boy Weston?" Andre asked.
Kate glared at Andre, who innocently guessed that he had hit a nerve. "Sometimes I can be indiscreet," he admitted, but Marlena skeptically argued that his remark had felt like a deliberate dig to her. "This is a tough room," he observed with an awkward chuckle before excusing himself to answer a phone call. "Interviewer from Sonix. They want to do a profile on courage," he bragged as he walked away. Kate called out to him as he left, suggesting that they could do lunch again sometime. "How about never? Does never work for you?" she added.
Amused, Marlena observed that Kate and Andre were bickering like an old married couple and seemed to be getting pretty close. "Can't get close to a snake because they keep slithering away," Kate grumbled. Marlena warned Kate to be careful around Andre, who couldn't suddenly be trusted just because he had done one commendable thing for the people of Salem.
Later, at the Martin mansion, Kate received a visit from Eduardo, who wanted to know how she was recovering from her case of whiplash. She assured him that she was doing well. When she wondered how he was doing, he admitted that he had been having some dark dreams lately, likely stemming from feelings of guilt because of his role in making the escaped convicts' reign of terror possible. "Well, as a person who has intentionally done some terrible things, I think you should stop beating yourself up, because the only thing that you intended to do [was] to protect your family," she advised.
Kate wondered if Eduardo was planning to stick around for a while. He confirmed that he was. "I'm glad," she admitted, musing that it would be nice to have a chance to get to know him better. He said he would like to get to know her better, too. As he inched closer and placed a hand on her cheek, she guessed that he was still in danger -- and probably always would be. He confirmed the suspicion, but she didn't back away from him.
At the police station, Aiden told Hope to meet him in his hotel room later for lunch. She insisted that she didn't have time for that because she was covering J.J.'s shift while simultaneously trying to work her way through a mountain of paperwork. "Know what's funny? Rafe tried to bury me under a mountain of paperwork. Looks like you're trying to hide behind one. Didn't work for him, [and] it's not gonna work for you. All the bad guys are either dead or in jail. There's no more excuses," Aiden countered.
Rafe interrupted while Aiden was reminding Hope of what would happen if she refused to attend the lunch date. She tried to tell Rafe to stay out of the matter, but he ignored her request and warned Aiden, "If you shove someone around that I love, I'm gonna take you out." Aiden dismissed that as an empty threat, and he proceeded to issue one that wasn't empty, retrieving his cell phone while contemplating the idea of having a serious talk with Rafe's superiors -- the ones not named Roman Brady.
"You don't have time for that call. You have that lunch meeting," Hope reminded Aiden. Smiling, he conceded the point and walked away. Rafe refused to let Hope try to convince him that everything was okay. He insisted that she didn't deserve to be treated the way Aiden was treating her, but she argued, "Maybe I do." Meanwhile, Roman interrupted to announce that Lieutenant Raines wanted to see him and Rafe right away.
When Rafe and Roman returned from their meeting with Raines, Rafe was disturbed to see that Hope was gone -- and so was the dress Aiden had given her. Roman could tell that something was going on, so he pulled Rafe into one of the conference rooms and demanded answers. Rafe explained that the meeting with Raines had been nothing more than a distraction that Aiden had orchestrated to keep them busy for a while, and that was why it had felt like a colossal waste of time. Roman was skeptical at first, suggesting that Rafe was being more than a little paranoid, but he changed his mind when Rafe revealed what Aiden was doing to Hope.
Rafe guessed that Hope was with Aiden at that very moment. He spontaneously decided that the best way to stop Aiden would be to confess that he was the one who had murdered Stefano, but Roman pointed out that Aiden would know that was a lie. "Damn it, Roman, there's no way he's gonna get away with this. He can't! I don't give a damn -- I'm gonna stop him one way or another," Rafe vowed. Roman suggested that he might be able to force Aiden to accept Rafe's confession if he backed it up with an admission that he had helped Rafe cover up the crime.
At the Salem Inn, Aiden tried to wine and dine Hope in his hotel room, but she insisted that she wasn't thirsty or hungry. "Let's just get this over with," she added. He tried to propose a toast to new beginnings, but she refused to play along, forcing him to clink two glasses together himself. He took a sip of wine and jokingly reminded her of the time he had stumbled upon her near the lake while drunk. "That was the night we first kissed. You remember?" he asked. He was pleased when she confirmed that she did, but his smile faded when she added, "I also remember that everything after that night was a lie."
Aiden protested that he had truly fallen for Hope at some point, and he was certain that she had fallen for him, too. She countered that there wasn't enough wine in the world to make her forget how foolish it had been of her to fall for him. He vowed to make up for the pain he had caused her. "I love you, and that is the God's honest truth," he stressed. "You wouldn't know the truth if it hit you in the face," she spat.
"This isn't love. You don't love me, Aiden. You forced me here. You made me wear this dress. That's not love. It's anything but," Hope continued. Aiden maintained that everything would be fine once they figured out a way to get past the lies he had told. "No, Aiden. No. There are a list -- a plethora -- of reasons why we can't move past it all," she insisted. She proceeded to list some of those reasons for good measure, but he ignored her as music began playing -- the same music they had danced to at the gala. "Dance with me," he requested. "No," she spat.
Deciding that Hope needed a reality check, Aiden reached for his cell phone and started playing the recording of her confession. She let it play for a few seconds before asking him to turn it off. He complied and offered her his hand with a wink and a triumphant grin. She stood and started to dance with him, growing more distressed with each step they took together, but when he tried to kiss her, she shoved him away and insisted, "I can't do this." He dismissively reminded her that she didn't really have a choice in the matter.
"Oh, my God. Now I know where Chase got it," Hope observed. Confused, Aiden wondered what she was talking about. "You honestly think that you can force a woman to do whatever you want, whether they're willing or not. You are so determined to have it your way, aren't you? It's not happening this time, Jennings. You will not do to me what your son did to my daughter. It is not happening!" she spat as she glared at him.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor informed Deimos of his plan to retire from Titan. "Are you serious this time?" Deimos asked skeptically. Victor insisted that he was, explaining that he wanted to spend more time with Maggie, who already seemed to be benefiting from having him around more often. "She says I frown less and smile more [now], which seems to please her," he added. Deimos couldn't recall a single time he had seen a smile on Victor's face, but he was willing to take Maggie's word on the matter. He wondered who Victor was going to choose to be the successor to the throne. Victor coyly replied that he had a few candidates in mind.
Meanwhile, Deimos received a phone call from the man he had hired to locate Chloe. Deimos ended the call after a brief conversation with the man, who had just arrived in New York. When Victor wondered what the conversation had been about, Deimos explained that Nicole had recently admitted that Chloe had been lying about the baby's paternity all along. Victor warned Deimos to take everything Nicole said with a grain of salt, but Deimos pointed out that she would gain no benefit from lying about such a thing. "Well, that's true," Victor conceded.
"At least [this] gets Philip off the hook. Now I can get him out of that hot mess," Victor added. Scoffing, Deimos insisted that Philip had known all along that he wasn't the father of Chloe's baby. "Well, whatever. It's over," Victor dismissively replied. Deimos begged Victor not to school Philip just yet, fearing that if Chloe received word that the truth had been revealed, she might go into hiding before his goon had a chance to track her down.
"Well, it's lucky that Nicole found out the truth," Victor mused. Deimos clarified that Nicole, like Philip, had known the truth all along. "Well, that makes sense," Victor replied, advising Deimos to ask Nicole about what she had been up to in 2012. Deimos said he was aware that Nicole, like everyone else, had made some mistakes in her life, but he had truly believed that she would never do anything to hurt him. "Deimos, do yourself a favor: forget about Nicole. Find yourself a woman that's worthy of you. And take your child away from Chloe the minute that it's born," Victor advised.
Nicole took some flowers to Daniel's grave and admitted that she missed him more when she messed up than at any other time. She shared the details of her latest blunder, fretting that it might have destroyed her relationships with both Deimos and Chloe. "Sounds like you could use a friend," Maggie observed as she approached on crutches, carrying her own bouquet of flowers.
Maggie stressed that she hadn't meant to eavesdrop. Nicole said there was no need to apologize. Tearfully admitting that she really could use a friend, she proceeded to fill Maggie in on Chloe's secret as well as her own decision to reveal that secret to Deimos after having previously agreed to go along with the deception. "I'm a genius, right?" she joked with a weak laugh. Maggie reasoned that Nicole had simply been trying to make things right.
Maggie wondered how Nicole felt about Deimos. Nicole was reluctant to discuss that particular topic with Maggie, especially at Daniel's grave, but Maggie assured her that Daniel would want her to move on with her life and find happiness again. Nodding, Nicole admitted, "God, they're so different, Daniel and Deimos. I do care about Deimos -- I do -- and the attraction is so intense, it's scary."
Maggie understood, having felt the same way about Victor during the early stages of their relationship. She recalled that she had often thought about walking away from him back then because of his dark past, but she had also been able to see that there was a good man underneath all the nonsense. Nicole wondered if the good was enough to balance out the bad. Maggie gave the question some thought then shrugged and said that all she knew was that she was glad she had stuck it out with Victor because they had made a very good life together. Nodding, Nicole hugged Maggie and tearfully thanked her for the advice.
Later, Nicole ran into Deimos in the town square and asked to talk to him for a minute. He insisted that he had nothing to say to her, but she countered that she had something to say to him -- and if he had ever cared about her at all, he should at least be willing to show her the courtesy of hearing her out. He sighed and reluctantly followed her to a more secluded location so they could speak privately.
"Look, I know you can't understand why I didn't tell you about the baby, and I don't know if I can get you to understand, but I didn't think it was my place to tell you. Look, I -- I basically forced Chloe to tell me, and the only reason she did [was] because I'm her friend, and she figured she could trust me on it. I begged her to tell you, and she wouldn't," Nicole explained. She still believed that it hadn't really been her place to reveal the truth to Deimos. She informed him that she had gone against her instincts only because she had hated lying to him and had known that she wouldn't be able to live with the lie forever.
"Deimos, I don't want to lose you, so can we just please figure out a way to get past all this?" Nicole asked. Deimos didn't respond right away, and when she finally grew impatient and begged him to just say something, he recalled what Victor had said about 2012. Sighing, Nicole explained that she had lost a baby boy in 2012. Deimos didn't see the significance until Nicole guessed that Victor had been referring to the lengths she had gone to in an effort to keep the biological father -- a man who'd had a crazy obsession with his other kids -- out of the picture.
"So, you lied to the baby's father?" Deimos summarized. Nodding, Nicole tearfully confirmed that she had. "But I lost my baby, so I'm pretty sure my debt is paid in full," she added. Realizing why his earlier insults had prompted her to slap him, Deimos assured her that he hadn't meant those things. He wondered, however, if she truly believed that it had been okay to hide the truth from her baby's father. She admitted that she didn't, but she added that her experience had helped her understand why Chloe had wanted to resort to the same drastic measures.
Nicole begged Deimos to let her help him work things out with Chloe so their baby would hopefully not suffer the same fate hers had. Deimos doubted that Nicole actually wanted him to have a child with another woman. She insisted that wasn't true, admitting that, if anything, she had actually been hoping that the impending arrival of a biological child from another woman would make her own inability to give him children matter a bit less. "That never would have..." he started to assure her before letting his voice trail off.
"Nicole, I believed that you were my future," Deimos added. Nicole tearfully pointed out that it wasn't too late for them to have that future. She remained hopeful that they could work things out with Chloe eventually, even though Chloe had been ignoring her calls lately. "Chloe is angry with you?" Deimos asked. Nicole confirmed the suspicion but insisted that didn't matter. "It was worth the risk, Deimos. I didn't want to lose you," she stressed. Before Deimos could respond, he received a phone call from his goon, who revealed that Chloe had disappeared. "You warned her, didn't you?" Deimos angrily asked Nicole after ending the call.
Nicole unapologetically confirmed that she had wanted to prepare Chloe, reasoning that it had only been fair to do so. "Fair? Are you serious? What the hell is this, a footrace?" Deimos countered. Pointing out that his anger was only serving to justify Chloe's decision to lie to him about the baby's paternity, Nicole urged him to calm down and remember that Chloe was in the middle of a high-risk pregnancy. "Then she shouldn't be running around," he dismissively grumbled. He refused to let Chloe take his child away from him, prompting Nicole to observe that he sounded just like the man she'd tried to keep her child away from in 2012.
Deimos refused to back down, insisting that he would be a horrible father if he just gave up on trying to find his child. Nicole warned again that the search could endanger the unborn baby's life. "No. No! The only danger to my child is his lying bitch of a mother -- and her lying best friend! I'm telling you, if Chloe gets away with this, I will never, ever forgive you," he spat before storming off.
At the hospital, Kayla entered Abe's room while Theo was in the middle of explaining how he had been taking care of the house in his father's absence. Theo asked if Abe could return home soon. Kayla said she hoped that would be possible after the remaining bullet fragments were removed. She explained that the original specialist she had enlisted to perform the tricky surgery had backed out after Salem had fallen under siege. She assured the Carvers, however, that she had contacted another specialist who was twice as experienced. "Once she heard who the patient was, she came right away," she added.
Abe wondered who the specialist was. "An old friend," the specialist replied as she entered his room and greeted him with a smile. "Valerie Grant," Abe realized, returning the smile. He recalled that she had transferred to a hospital in Washington, DC, after she had left Salem years earlier. "Hi. Who are you?" Theo asked. She extended a hand and introduced herself as Dr. Grant, and Kayla added that Valerie was a brilliant surgeon.
"So, can you fix my dad?" Theo wondered. Valerie replied that she was ready to do the surgery as soon as Abe was. She added, however, that she wanted to go over a few things with him first, so Kayla and Theo left the room to give them some privacy. Abe told Valerie that she was still just as beautiful as she had been when they had first met years earlier. She countered that he was still just as smooth as he had been back then.
Valerie admitted that Abe had broken her heart when he had turned out not to be the marrying kind. He assured her that he would have been a worthless husband to her, anyway. He explained that he hadn't gotten his act together until years after she had left Salem. "Then I met Lexie," he continued. Valerie was sorry to hear that Lexie had passed away a few years earlier, after the couple had been married for over twenty years. She guessed that Lexie was Theo's mother. Abe nodded and stressed, "He's a good kid, but he's still a kid. I -- I can't leave him, Valerie." She assured him that she had no intention of letting him die on her operating table.
Later, Valerie ran into Julie and offered her a terse greeting. Oblivious, Julie gave Valerie a warm hug and wondered what she was doing in Salem. Valerie explained that she had been called in to operate on Abe Carver. Julie started to talk about how concerned everyone had been since the shooting, but Valerie interrupted and excused herself so she could get ready for the surgery. "Oh, it's happening right now? Oh, fine, go ahead. I just hope we can get together while you're still here --" Julie started to respond. Valerie cut her off with a noncommittal answer and quickly walked away, leaving Julie looking a bit confused.
Kayla later assured Theo that Abe's surgery had gone really well. Ciara, who had been waiting with Theo for moral support, breathed a sigh of relief as he wondered when he could see his father. Kayla warned that Abe wasn't awake yet, but Theo insisted that he didn't care about that. Kayla nodded and ushered him over to the window to Abe's room. While Valerie was recording Abe's vitals, he suddenly started to flatline. Theo watched helplessly as Kayla rushed into the room and started charging a defibrillator for Valerie.
At the Salem Inn, Aiden insisted that what he was doing to Hope was nothing like what Chase had done to Ciara. "Rape. What he did was rape her, and that's exactly what you're doing to me," Hope stressed. Aiden maintained that he would never do that, clarifying that he was simply asking her to give him a chance. "You're not asking anything. You are demanding; you are threatening. You don't care. You just want what you want. You don't care what I feel," she countered.
Aiden insisted that wasn't true. "Why isn't it true? Why isn't it? You tell me. Why isn't it? You forced me here! Made me put on this dress, made me have lunch with you, made me... What's next? Look at me. You want to force me to have sex with you?" Hope asked. He assured her that he would never do such a thing to her. He conceded that he might have started off on the wrong foot with the forced lunch date, but he maintained that he had simply wanted her to remember how good they had once been together. "We had magic together, and I know I messed it up, but I also know that we can get [it] back. And I'm not gonna give up," he continued.
Aiden assured Hope that he would never stop loving her, adding that he wanted nothing more than for them to be happy together. She made it clear that she would never be happy with him and that she was only in his hotel room because he had threatened not only her but also two people she really cared about. He insisted that things wouldn't always be that way. "Just put [that] all aside -- forget about how we got here -- and just --" he started to add, but she interrupted with an incredulous laugh, wondering how she could possibly forget everything he had done -- and was still doing -- to her. "You're putting a gun to my head!" she stressed.
Hope tearfully begged Aiden to realize that there would never be any love in their relationship. He sighed and turned away from her, recalling the moment when he and Chase had finally started doing well again in Portland in the wake of Meredith's death. "I wish that's when we'd met, you know, 'cause maybe I, uh..." he said before letting his voice trail off.
Aiden started blowing out the candles that were strewn around the hotel room as he tearfully admitted that it had been wrong of him to force Hope to spend the day with him. "I just wanted to show you how much I loved you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What did I show you, some sick, twisted version? That's not who I am. I don't know who I am. And I'm sorry," he stressed.
Aiden added that the craziest part about the whole thing was that he only knew what true love looked like because of her. "I clung onto that. It's the last thing I could hold onto, you know? And I'm sorry. Look, I'm sorry. And you don't have to believe this, but I'm gonna leave you alone from now on," he promised. He hoped, however, that she wouldn't mind if he took a few memories of her with him when they parted ways for the last time.
"You can go," Aiden assured Hope, but when she hesitated, he realized what she was waiting for him to do. He played the recording of her confession in its entirety then let her watch as he deleted it from his cell phone. He proceeded to hand over a flash drive that contained the only extra copy of the confession that he had made. As she started to walk away, he stopped her and wondered if she would be willing to accompany him as he took care of one last order of business.
Rafe and Roman summoned the deputy mayor to the police station so they could confess to Stefano's murder and the subsequent cover-up. Just as Rafe was about to reveal the reason for the meeting, Hope and Aiden arrived and interrupted the conversation. Aiden guessed that it had been about the tense working environment he had created as a result of his feelings for Hope. "Which is why I, uh...I'm resigning," he announced.
The deputy mayor wasn't particularly happy to hear that, stressing that it wasn't the best time to lose any member of law enforcement. Aiden refused to change his mind, but he assured the deputy mayor that he would make himself available from Portland to ease the transition to a new district attorney. After Roman escorted Aiden and the deputy mayor into a nearby conference room so they could finalize the resignation, Rafe wondered what had just happened. "He finally got it," Hope explained. She added that there was no longer anything keeping her from being with Rafe -- if he still wanted to be with her. He feigned indecisiveness then confirmed that he did.
Later, Roman returned and reported that Aiden had just signed his letter of resignation. After breathing a sigh of relief, Hope proceeded to admonish Roman and Rafe for what they had been moments away from doing before she had arrived with Aiden. As they were unapologetically insisting that they would have done anything to protect her, Aiden interrupted and informed Roman that the deputy mayor wanted to talk to him.
After Roman left, Aiden apologized to Hope and Rafe for the trouble he had caused them. "And by the way...technically, we are still married. But I'm gonna have the divorce papers drawn up and send them to you," he promised Hope before walking away. Later, Hope showed Rafe the flash drive and explained that he wouldn't have been able to confess to Stefano's murder to get her off the hook because Aiden's leverage had been a recording of her confession. He wondered if she was sure that there were no other copies out there. She confirmed that Aiden had seemed sincere earlier. "Once this is gone, it's over," she stressed.
Meanwhile, at the Martin mansion, Andre listened to a recording of Hope's confession on his cell phone.
At the police station, Rafe wondered why Hope hadn't gone home yet. She explained that she still had things to do -- and it might take her all night to do them, since she was having trouble concentrating.
Rafe found it odd that Hope's mind was still racing despite the fact that she no longer had Aiden or the escaped convicts to worry about. "Maybe that's the problem. Maybe I've forgotten how to relax," she suggested, adding that it would be really nice to go away for a while -- preferably to a peaceful place where she could just breathe. "Yeah, I dream about stuff like that, too. You're always there," Rafe replied.
Rafe offered to take Hope away for the Halloween weekend. She was reluctant to leave Ciara at that time, but he pointed out that Ciara wouldn't technically be spending the weekend alone because she and Hope were staying at the Horton house while waiting for the roof of their own house to be repaired. Hope said she expected that job to be finished before the start of the weekend, and she didn't want to leave Salem while J.J. and Abe were still in the hospital, anyway. "[But] let's grab a bite later," she suggested before walking away with an armful of paperwork. Once the coast was clear, Rafe contacted Jennifer and said he needed a favor.
Later, Hope received a text message from Rafe, telling her where to meet him for the meal they had discussed earlier. When she arrived at the secluded section of the town square he had specified, she found it closed off with police tape. A tent had been set up inside the barrier, along with two camping chairs, a portable charcoal grill, and a cooler that was doubling as a table for a lantern.
"Hello?" Hope called out with a chuckle of confusion as she ducked under the police tape. Rafe emerged from the tent and welcomed her to her pretend getaway. He warned her not to get too close to the roaring fire of the grill. Directing her attention to the curtain lights, he added that it was a perfect night for stargazing. She stifled a laugh of skepticism as she assured him that she loved her surprise. He poured her a glass of wine then opened a bottle of beer for himself, and they curled up together on a blanket and ate s'mores while sharing their respective bucket lists.
Brady, Justin, Philip, and Sonny arrived at the Kiriakis mansion within minutes of each other, having each received a summons from Victor. Maggie greeted them at the door but acted coy when questioned about the nature of the meeting. Meanwhile, behind the closed doors of the living room, Deimos reiterated that he would like Victor to stay quiet about Chloe's deception until she was found.
Victor and Deimos stopped talking when Maggie entered the living room with the other members of the family. Glasses of Champagne and orange juice were sitting on the coffee table, and as everyone grabbed their drink of choice, Victor declared that he was proud of the way the family had banded together to deal with all the chaos of the past few weeks. He proceeded to officially announce his retirement from Titan, although everyone had already heard the news at that point. "This time, I mean it," he stressed for the skeptics, explaining that he wanted to spend all his remaining time with Maggie.
As the rest of the group toasted to Maggie being back on her feet again, Philip impatiently wondered if Victor had really summoned everyone to the mansion for nothing more than an impromptu retirement party. Victor clarified that he also wanted to discuss Titan business. Maggie took that as her cue to leave. Victor waited until she was gone then announced that he had signed total control of Titan over to Deimos earlier that night.
"After everything he's done?" Sonny asked incredulously. Victor conceded that Deimos had certainly done things that "would have [gotten] him into hell on a good day." Brady stressed the point, noting that Deimos hadn't just done awful things to Victor and Maggie but also to Bo. Victor dismissively replied that he didn't hold Deimos responsible for what had happened to Bo. "And neither should you," he added.
Victor explained that he wanted Brady, Philip, and Sonny to each run a separate division of Titan, and he wanted Justin to act as the family's corporate and personal counsel. He distributed paperwork that outlined each person's proposed role in the company, but Philip barely even looked at his before insisting that he wasn't going to go along with the farce.
"I've worked my ass off for Titan; I know it inside and out! Now Brady's back, Sonny's in -- an equal, no less -- [and] I wasn't even consulted?" Philip complained. "I wasn't aware I had to do that," Victor dismissively replied. Seething with jealousy and rage, Philip pointed out that Victor had forgiven Brady and Sonny for their bungled raid and Deimos for even worse offenses but still couldn't find it in his heart to forgive his own son. "You know what you can do with this," he spat, throwing his contract back at Victor before storming off.
Victor followed Philip outside and apologized to him. "I know I could have handled things better in there. As usual, I just issued a bunch of orders, and then...to hell with anybody's feelings. It's what I do -- why I'm not very good at being a father," he acknowledged. He stressed, however, that he was trying to do what was best for the long-term survival of not just Titan but also his entire family, including Philip. "I am so tired of these endless battles. I don't want -- I can't go on arguing with you," he continued.
"What, you think this is me just having a temper tantrum?" Philip asked incredulously. Victor clarified that he understood that his announcement had hurt Philip's feelings. Philip stressed that he felt like Victor had just betrayed him. "And, of course, you've never betrayed anyone," Victor dryly countered. He admitted, however, that he had never been much of a parent. "And as cold and heartless as your mother is, at least Kate doesn't step on your pride," he continued. "Yes, she does," Philip protested, and Victor chuckled as he realized that Philip was probably right about that.
Victor optimistically pointed out that his retirement would give him plenty of time to focus on doing things right for a change. "I realize I set the bar too high for you as a son -- from day one -- and I was totally unforgiving. But I love you, and I need you with me, especially now. Please, give it a try. You don't have to give me an answer right now, but if you were to say yes, I can't tell you what it would mean to me," he added.
Meanwhile, Deimos tried to get the other family members on board. Victor soon returned and reported that he had talked to Philip but didn't know what Philip was going to decide to do. As if on cue, Philip entered the living room and hesitantly embraced Victor. Maggie arrived in time to witness the moment, and she took it as a sign that things had gone well. "I think my son just told me he's willing to give it a try," Victor happily confirmed.
Victor added that he would like each member of the family to continue living at the mansion, even if they chose not to go along with his new plan for Titan. "You don't have to decide right now," he added before asking to talk to Justin privately. Outside, Victor gave Justin time to finish looking over his contract. Justin noted that it was quite generous. "You deserve it," Victor insisted.
"You know, I know I did the right thing in there. Corporation's like a snake -- all it wants is a big meal -- so Deimos will be perfect for the CEO slot [because he's] totally amoral," Victor continued. Justin warned that it might be hard to get Sonny on board because he didn't have the same history with Titan that the other family members had. Victor predicted that there would be infighting even if everyone signed on. "That's where you come in. You see things for what they really are. You have that wisdom. They'll respect that. And you also know the meaning of family," he added. Justin nodded and thanked Victor for showing him such trust.
As Brady was ending a phone conversation with Theresa, Deimos joined him in the foyer. Brady reported that Theresa had agreed to go along with whatever he decided to do. Deimos hoped that meant Brady was going to agree to work for him at Titan, which desperately needed someone with Brady's experience. "Now, I know that we've had our differences --" Deimos started to add.
"Differences? Deimos, you crippled Maggie -- crippled her. That being said...if Victor can forgive you, and Maggie can forgive you... Hell, I've buried people alive," Brady conceded with a shrug. When Deimos realized that Brady was being serious, he chuckled and replied, "Well, then, you have me there." He hoped Brady would be able to help him convince the other family members to get on board.
Later, Justin rejoined the other proposed members of the new era of Titan and made it clear that he was willing to look past what Deimos had done to Victor and Maggie because they were willing to look past it. He hoped that the other men would be willing to, as well, but Sonny was only willing to say that he was still giving the matter some thought. Justin pointed out that Sonny had done well at the Paris division of Titan. He hoped that was just the beginning for Sonny, and Deimos agreed. "Victor has done a lot for you. Now, would it really hurt you to give him this time with Maggie, worry-free?" Deimos reasoned.
Maggie caught Victor eavesdropping from the foyer. She gently reminded him that he was in retirement, and he conceded the point and stepped away from the closed door to the living room. "I just hope that they'll all pull together. But if they don't, my focus is still going to be on you," he assured her. Meanwhile, Justin, Deimos, Sonny, Brady, and Philip each signed the contract that made the new era of Titan official.
At the hospital, Kayla assured a worried Theo that although Abe's heart had stopped earlier, it had quickly been restarted, and she was hopeful that there would be no further complications. Theo wondered why Abe's heart had stopped in the first place. Kayla admitted that she wasn't sure. She added, however, that tests were being run to determine the cause so she could do her best to prevent Abe's heart from stopping again.
After Kayla went to get the results of the tests, Ciara tried to assure Theo that Abe was in good hands, but he ignored her, noticing that Valerie had just emerged from Abe's room. "You're supposed to be his friend! How could you let this happen? He almost died!" Theo spat at Valerie, who said she was terribly sorry for what had happened. "Yeah, well, sorry's not good enough!" he insisted.
Ciara urged Theo to calm down and let Valerie talk. Valerie apologized again and assured Theo that she was going to do everything in her power to find out why Abe's heart had stopped and make sure that nothing like that happened again. "No, that's just more promises and more lies," Theo countered. He tried to enter Abe's room, but Valerie stopped him, insisting that Abe was still in critical condition and couldn't have visitors yet.
"That's my dad! That's my dad, so I can go see him! That's my dad!" Theo protested. Ciara pulled him aside and told him to take a deep breath, assuring him that everything was going to be fine. Meanwhile, Valerie went to find Kayla. Once the coast was clear, Ciara helped Theo sneak into Abe's room. Abe woke up and urged Theo not to worry about him. "I'm not gonna leave you," he assured Theo, who made him the same promise.
Elsewhere, Kayla and Valerie went over Abe's test results. "Aortic valve stenosis led to v-fib. His heart then just seized," Kayla summarized. Valerie was shocked that Abe's records hadn't mentioned anything about that particular risk. "That's because he hardly has any records. I don't think he's been to the hospital [or] seen a doctor in years," Kayla explained.
Later, as Ciara was keeping Theo calm with assurances that she would be with him during every step of Abe's recovery, he spotted Valerie entering Abe's room. She explained why Abe's heart had stopped then asked him to sign a new consent form so she could perform another surgery to fix what she had missed the first time. Theo rushed into the room and warned Abe not to sign the paperwork. Valerie reiterated that Abe wasn't allowed to have visitors yet. "Yeah, right, can't have me here 'cause I might tell him the truth -- that you almost killed him! No, I don't want you anywhere near my dad again!" Theo countered.
Abe assured Theo that it was okay for him to be upset and worried. He stressed, however, that he had complete faith in Valerie's ability as a surgeon. He explained that what had happened earlier hadn't been her fault; in fact, he was to blame because he had been trying so hard to be a good father and a good mayor that he had ignored his own health for far too long.
Theo maintained that Abe needed to find a different doctor, but Abe insisted that he wanted Valerie because she was the best. "You may not trust her, but I do, so trust me," he added. Theo broke down, and when Valerie put a hand on his shoulder and tried to assure him that Abe was going to be fine, he walked away without saying anything to her. Later, Ciara hugged Theo tightly as Abe was wheeled away for another surgery.
Meanwhile, Orpheus' associate approached the nurses' station and asked one of the nurses, "Could you please tell me how to get to the morgue?"
At the Martin mansion, Kate received an unexpected visit from Eduardo, who offered her a breakfast burrito. "Have you ever seen me consume anything other than black coffee before noon?" she asked, declining the meal.
Eduardo admitted that he was just trying to score points with Kate. "With a breakfast burrito?" she asked incredulously. He assured her that it was packed full of ingredients that were guaranteed to keep her demons away for the entire day. She wondered if he thought she needed help with her demons. He insisted that everyone needed help keeping the demons away. He added that he liked her and wanted to spend more time with her.
"What would your wife think of that?" Kate asked. Eduardo clarified that Adriana was his ex-wife and had moved back to Mexico -- seemingly for good. "Hmm. So now you're looking for someone to spend the lonely hours with until your ex-wife changes her mind," Kate guessed. She insisted that she had no desire to be anyone's consolation prize. He objected to her view of the situation, explaining that he had tried to make things work with Adriana simply because she was the mother of his children. "So, I guess becoming a new man didn't work out for you," she mused. "Not so much," he confirmed.
Kate wondered what Eduardo was going to try his hand at being next. He revealed that he planned to go into business with Dario, but he acted coy when she asked for details. She warned that working with biological children wasn't always a rainbows-and-flowers experience, prompting him to wonder if that was why she was working for the DiMeras. She explained with a chuckle that her children didn't particularly like taking orders from her. "However, Chad DiMera, who is like a son to me, has no attitude whatsoever," she added.
Eduardo wondered what was stopping Chad from cutting Kate loose after learning all he could from her. "I would have a company of my own right now if you had just invested in me when I asked you to," she replied. Conceding the point, Eduardo offered to make things right, inviting her to go into business with him. She was hesitant to agree to such a thing without knowing the details of the business venture, pointing out that it could end up being something that would compromise her ethics. "Well, the flexibility of your ethics is, uh, you know, why I want to be in bed with you -- metaphorically speaking," he explained.
Kate wondered if that was Eduardo's strange way of flirting with her. He scoffed at her assumption then asked, after a brief pause, "Is it working?" Smiling, she admitted that he could be right about her position at DiMera Enterprises being tenuous. She insisted, however, that she planned to stick with them regardless. He warned that doing so could make her his competitor sooner or later. "I'm capable of handing you your head on a platter," she confidently countered. She added that it would probably be best to stop whatever was going on between them right away, before things got too messy.
"Is that what you really want?" Eduardo asked. Kate confirmed that it was. Nodding, he handed her the breakfast burrito and urged her not to give up on it, stressing again that it was made of many wonderful ingredients, including one that couldn't be found in any kitchen. "That's the one that chases away the bad spirits," he revealed. When she wondered what he was talking about, he explained, "The private acknowledgement, Katherine, that you and I are alike -- demons on the one hand, care and compassion on the other, all wrapped up together deliciously." He showed himself out after promising that she would enjoy it.
Later, Eduardo met with Dario in the town square to discuss their new business venture. After swearing Dario to secrecy, Eduardo explained that he planned to renovate Club TBD and have Dario continue running it, hiding from everyone the fact that it was really just a front for something bigger. "Sounds like this new business you have in mind isn't on the up and up," Dario observed.
"If I were to say you're right, would you have a problem with that?" Eduardo asked. Dario admitted that he should have known all along that Eduardo was planning to get involved in some shady activity. "That's why you're opening up to me instead of Rafe," he guessed. Eduardo didn't confirm or deny anything; instead, he wondered if Dario wanted to hear more about the business venture. "Go for it," Dario replied.
"Before I get into specifics, I should tell you -- I'm not starting from scratch. I have a web of connections that'll be highly useful once we get up and running," Eduardo began. Dario wanted details about the connections, but Eduardo asked him to just listen. "The first order of business is to determine how we're gonna get our merchandise in and out of Salem," he continued.
Dario again interrupted to ask for details about the merchandise, but Eduardo remained coy. Dario advised that it would be wise for Eduardo to get the Kiriakis clan on board because they controlled the dock business. Eduardo pointed out that the DiMeras were starting to move in on that territory. Dario dismissively predicted that the Kiriakis clan would strike back soon enough. "We'll get a better deal from them," he added, knowing how they did business because he had once worked for them.
Dario was surprised to see that Eduardo was considering his advice instead of dismissing it outright. Eduardo stressed that he didn't want Dario to be a yes-man -- but he also didn't want Dario to make the mistake of getting too cocky. Changing the subject, he revealed that he planned to maintain a certain public image because of a personal project he was working on. "What's her name?" Dario asked knowingly. Eduardo tried to dodge the question, but Dario insisted, "When we start working together, you're gonna have to start being honest with me." Pleased with the wording, Eduardo shook Dario's hand and welcomed him to the team.
Later, Dario asked Blanca to meet him at the Salem Inn so he could finally give her the dance he owed her, since she had a busy work schedule, and Guillermo had interrupted their previous date. While they were dancing to rumba music in his hotel room, he leaned in and kissed her. She responded favorably at first but eventually pulled away and breathlessly asked herself what she was doing. "Don't you know?" he replied before kissing her again. They fell onto the bed together as they began to undress.
At the DiMera mansion, Gabi informed Chad that she planned to return to her own home soon, since Salem was no longer under siege. Chad admitted that he was going to miss her company. She playfully assured him that they would still see each other often, since she was, after all, still his image consultant, and his image needed a lot of fine-tuning. He encouraged her to let Arianna tag along every time she visited, not wanting her job to keep her from spending time with her daughter. She thanked him for the gesture, noting that he was much more considerate than her previous boss, Kate, had been.
"I only hire people who have had terrible experiences with other bosses," Chad joked. Gabi assumed that meant his entire staff was ready to kiss his feet. "They are, yes. As a matter of fact, look at my breakfast tray that Harold made for me this morning," he replied, gesturing toward a plate of food he had not yet touched. He pointed out that Harold had taken the time to decorate the tray with an origami napkin and a purple flower. He suspected that the personal touches were signs that Harold was incredibly grateful to no longer be working for Stefano -- or maybe just Harold's way of trying to seduce him.
Laughing, Gabi clarified that she was responsible for the personal touches, having helped prepare the breakfast tray. She explained that her favorite scent was lavender, and the napkin was supposed to look like a bunny -- a trick that never failed to make Arianna smile. She added that the decorations were her way of celebrating Chad's earlier announcement that he was ready to rejoin the land of the living. He took a moment to smell the flower before thanking her for the thoughtful gesture. She advised him to keep some of it around at all times, explaining that it was supposed to promote relaxation.
Later, Gabi and Chad went to the hospital to check on J.J. Jennifer reported that he would probably be waking up soon. She had prepared a bowl of ice chips to help soothe his dry mouth, but she didn't object when Gabi asked to be the one to give them to him. After Gabi left, Jennifer asked Chad about Thomas. Chad stammered nervously as he tried to explain that he had decided to start caring for Thomas on his own again. Admitting that Lucas and Adrienne had already moved out, he stressed that he hadn't been trying to hide anything from Jennifer; he simply hadn't wanted to give her more to worry about when J.J. had been comatose.
Jennifer hesitantly agreed that Chad seemed to be ready to handle the responsibility on his own again. She hoped he would soon be able to trust her enough to let her start being a bigger part of Thomas' life. She reminded him that she still had a nursery for Thomas at the Horton house. She added that Doug and Julie were still living there to hold her accountable for her actions. "[No], I think they probably just want you back. They want the real Jennifer. I mean, look, you're really somebody to be admired -- at least from my point of view," Chad protested, getting a warm hug from Jennifer in response.
Later, Chad returned home and found Andre waiting for him in the study. Andre explained that DiMera Enterprises' overseas partners weren't happy with Chad's recent decision to stop doing business with a major client. "'Doing business' with that client is code for 'bribery and fraud with mobsters,'" Chad clarified, reminding Andre of the plan to legitimize DiMera Enterprises.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were mildly interested in turning a profit," Andre countered. Chad insisted that the matter wasn't up for debate. He added that he was the boss and that Andre needed to remember not only that but also the promise he had made when he had been allowed back into the family business. Andre feigned confusion. Although Chad didn't buy the act, he helpfully clarified that Andre had promised never to keep secrets from him again. He guessed that Andre wasn't sticking to that promise, citing Andre's mysterious, unexplained ability to figure out Clyde's hiding place as just one recent example of questionable behavior.
Chad suggested that Andre might have known the location of Clyde's hideout because he had been working with the escaped convicts initially, but Andre denied the accusation, insisting that he would never turn on Chad, Theo, and Thomas -- his only remaining family members -- because doing so would leave him totally alone in the world. He maintained, however, that if they were going to rebuild DiMera Enterprises so Theo and Thomas would have something to inherit, Chad would have to be willing to let him get creative at times -- within the confines of the law, of course.
Chad didn't agree to Andre's request, but he didn't refuse it, either. Instead, he warned that he had no intention of rushing to the rescue if Andre got in trouble with the law again while trying to settle scores with the people of Salem -- namely, Hope. Choosing to believe that they had reached an understanding, Andre excused himself so he could attend to some community service.
"Community service? You? Really? Why?" Chad asked, stifling a laugh. Andre reminded him that DiMera Enterprises was underwriting Salem's annual Halloween festivities. Chad admitted that he had completely forgotten about the looming holiday. "What are you going as? Prince of Darkness?" Chad guessed. Andre chuckled and cryptically clarified, "No, I'm looking forward to...shedding...some light."
Later, Chad apologized to Thomas for forgetting to buy him a costume for his first Halloween. Luckily, Gabi had remembered, but Chad promised that he would pick out Thomas' next costume himself. "Your mom may have been taken from both of us, but, uh, you know, I'm gonna do my damnedest to make sure you get everything you deserve in life. Just gotta ask you to be patient with me. I'm kind of learning on the job here. It's the best job in the world, though. Wouldn't trade it for anything," he stressed. He picked up the lavender and sniffed it as he added, "Just wish I wasn't doing it alone."
At the hospital, J.J. woke up and found Gabi sitting at his bedside. "I'm sorry," he muttered. She insisted that he had nothing to be sorry for, adding that he was a hero. He shook his head in protest, but she maintained that he deserved the title. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him that she loved him, and he quietly stressed that he would always love her, too.
Meanwhile, Kayla found Steve waiting in her office with lunch. After telling him about what had happened to Abe, she wondered how long it had been since his last physical. "Never, right? Never. You've never had one," she guessed. Although he insisted that he felt fine -- invincible, even -- he assured her that he would see a doctor soon, just to put her mind at ease.
Later, as Kayla was eating her lunch, Steve gave her a gift -- a framed photograph from the early years of their relationship. "In a weird way, you know, all this stuff with Orpheus brought us closer together -- back then and now," he pointed out as his way of explaining what had prompted the gift. He gave her a kiss, but she soon pulled away and reminded him that she was still on duty. "So what?" he asked as he shoved everything off her desk. She laughed and started kissing him again, but as they climbed onto the desk, a nurse knocked on the door. Kayla tried to send the nurse away, but the nurse insisted, "It's an emergency."
Steve backed away from Kayla, who adjusted her clothes then opened the door and greeted the nurse. "I just got a call from the morgue downstairs. They say there's a body missing," the nurse revealed. Meanwhile, in an alley near the docks, Orpheus' associate approached him and observed that the reports of his death had clearly been exaggerated. "Greatly," Orpheus confirmed, adding that the man had done a good job of smuggling him out of the morgue. "I was highly motivated. The timing for your resurrection couldn't be better," the man replied.
"Agreed. It's gonna be a night full of tricks for some...and treats for me," Orpheus promised.
In the police station interrogation room, Hope and Rafe worked on paperwork and smiled slyly at one another. Hope said she had enjoyed their evening together in the park. Roman interrupted to order Hope and Rafe to go to the Halloween fundraiser for Abigail, as it was also doubling as an event honoring the Salem Police Department -- and Hope and Rafe in particular.
As Rafe rose to leave, Hope grabbed a black bag from the back of the door. Rafe raised an eyebrow questioningly. Hope asked Rafe to dress up for Halloween. Rafe refused. Batting her eyelashes, Hope told Rafe that they were wearing a couples' costume, and she needed him to dress up. When Rafe continued to resist, Hope seductively kissed Rafe until he agreed to her request.
At the hospital, Theo restlessly shifted on his feet as Dr. Valerie Grant told him and Abe that the surgery had gone well and that there were no complications. Worried, Theo said he did not believe Valerie. Valerie assured Theo that she had been wrong before because she had not known about Abe's underlying condition. Valerie added that since she knew the full scope of Abe's issues, she was confident that Abe would recover.
Theo was still annoyed. Abe assured Theo that Valerie had fixed him, but Theo did not believe Abe or Valerie. Theo marched out of the room and ran into Ciara. When Theo told Ciara that he did not trust Valerie, Ciara reminded Theo that Valerie had saved Abe's life. Changing the subject, Ciara invited Theo to join her at the Halloween party in the square. Ciara handed Theo a superhero costume with the letter T emblazoned on the front. Ciara said that she had gotten him a superhero costume because Theo was "The coolest friend I've ever had."
In Abe's room, Abe explained to Valerie that his son was very direct. Shaking her head dismissively, Valerie said that Theo's directness was not a problem. With a sigh, Valerie noted that the problem was not Theo's autism but that Theo did not like her. Abe countered that Theo was unsettled after the shooting and had even gone after the gunman. Abe said Theo's emotions were out of sorts because he was stressed. Later, as Abe slept, Valerie held his hand.
In the square, John and Marlena marveled at the updates to the stores after the recent criminal activity. Marlena noted that Chad had promised to match any funds raised at the event for aplastic anemia, which was in honor of Abigail. With a sigh, Marlena wondered aloud if Chad was a new breed of DiMera. Andre interjected to announce that Stefano would be rolling in his grave to know that the DiMera family was sponsoring an event to honor law enforcement.
With a chuckle, Andre insisted that Marlena and John should stay for the festivities. Marlena explained that she and John were headed for the pediatric Halloween party at the hospital. As Marlena and John started to walk away, Marlena saw Abigail's name on the sign. Marlena stopped and remarked to Andre that she appreciated what Andre was doing to honor Abigail. Marlena added that she hoped the DiMera name would begin to stand for decency.
"If you only knew," Andre muttered after Marlena and John walked away. Andre spotted Theo, who was dressed in his superhero costume. Andre asked Theo if Ciara would be attending the fundraiser party. Theo said she would. Barely containing his glee, Andre thanked Theo for the update.
At the Horton house, Doug and Julie laughed good naturally at Ciara when they saw her in Hope's old police uniform. Doug commented that Ciara was the spitting image of her mother. Hope walked into the room, dressed as Cleopatra, and she gasped when she saw her daughter. Hope hugged Ciara, and they complimented one another's costumes. Hope informed Ciara that Aiden and Chase had left Salem for good.
With a relieved smile, Ciara nodded. Ciara told Hope that she had dressed in Hope's old uniform because she was proud of her mother. Cautiously, Hope asked Ciara about Victor's offer of a trust fund. Ciara wanted to take the money, but Hope pleaded with Ciara not to accept the offer. Hope noted that Bo would not have approved because part of that money was blood money. Hope added that she did not think it was a good idea for Ciara to have access to that much money either. As Ciara frowned, Hope closed her argument by noting that Bo had fought with Victor about refusing his trust fund. Confused, Ciara said she would think about Hope's arguments.
After talking to her mother, Ciara met up with Theo at the fundraiser party in the square. Joey and Claire also joined them, dressed as rock musicians from the 1970s. Claire and Ciara traded subtle barbs, and Claire bristled when Theo noted that Ciara had given him his costume. Taking Theo's hand, Claire led him to the refreshments table. Joey asked Ciara about the tension, and Ciara complained that things were difficult because Claire acted like she was "God's gift to Salem." Jade rushed over to say hello, and Joey happily greeted her.
In the park, Hope met up with a visibly uncomfortable Rafe. Rafe was grumpy over his costume, and he complained about having to wear a skirt. Hope reminded Rafe that Marc Antony wore a uniform, not a skirt. Andre watched from nearby as Hope remarked about their lives, "I really think this nightmare is over."
After Hope and Rafe walked over to the square, Julie took Hope aside to tell her about her awkward encounter with Valerie Grant at the hospital. Hope suggested that Valerie's past with David might be the source of Valerie's discomfort with Julie. Julie shrugged and admitted that she might have imagined that Valerie had been cold to her.
Across the square, Roman mocked Rafe's outfit. Hope interrupted to defend Rafe. As Hope purred that Rafe was secure enough in his manhood to wear the outfit, Andre said hello to the lovers and Roman. Andre said he was pleased that Hope was at the fundraising event. After Andre went on at length about how happy he was, Roman noted that Andre was laying it on a bit thick. With a chuckle, Andre said he wanted to turn a page on their history.
"What's a trumped-up prison sentence between friends? Let's let bygones be bygones," Andre said. After Andre walked away, Roman assured Hope that Andre's comment was a last gasp. Rafe agreed and noted that Andre was full of hot air. To calm down, Hope tracked down Ciara at the party. Ciara told Hope that she had decided not to take the money from Victor. When Ciara said she wanted to make her father proud, Hope assured Ciara that Bo was already proud of her.
Across the square, Andre informed the deputy mayor that Chad was running late and that they should start the ceremony. The deputy mayor took the stage and handed out medals for J.J., Rafe, and Hope. As Hope took the stage to accept her medal, an audio recording of her saying "I killed Stefano" started to play on a loop. Hope looked over at Andre, who watched her with a scowl.
In the park, Theo sat on a bench with a furrowed brow. Claire spotted him and went over to talk. When Claire remarked that Theo did not look like he was having fun, Theo said that he had not wanted to attend the party, but Ciara had talked him into it. With a grumble, Claire said that Ciara always believed she was right. Claire added that if Theo wanted to return to the hospital, she would join him. With a smile, Theo said that was what he wanted. Claire reached out to Theo, and they left for the hospital, arm in arm.
In Kayla's office at the hospital, someone from the morgue called Kayla to tell her that a body had been stolen. Kayla asked for an update to be sent to her then she left with Steve to attend the pediatric Halloween party down the hallway. At the party, Marlena and John talked with Steve and Kayla about Orpheus' death by poisoning. Steve expressed his disappointment that he had not been able to kill Orpheus himself.
Kayla told Marlena and John that a body had been stolen from the morgue. Before John could ask any questions, the lights went out. When the lights turned back on, a magician appeared in front of the children to perform. The room erupted in applause, and the magician started to entertain the children. At the conclusion of the show, the magician asked for volunteers from the audience. As several children eagerly raised their hands, the magician asked Kayla and Marlena to join him for his next trick.
When the women joined the magician, he guided them each into separate magic boxes. The magician announced that he would perform his greatest trick. Across the room, a nurse handed Steve a slip of paper for Kayla. Steve opened the note and read that the stolen body had been confirmed to be Orpheus. The lights went out. When the lights flicked back on, the magician was gone. Panicked, Steve and John rushed over to the magic boxes and found that they were both empty.
