As Trey clenched Daisy by the throat in the basement of a building, Mallet blurted out that he loved Marina as he snatched Marina out of danger. Stunned, Marina said his words didn't count unless he was looking at her when he said them. With his gun trained on Trey, Mallet said he couldn't look at Marina. While Marina and Mallet debated the validity of Mallet's profession, Trey dug his gun into Daisy's temple. Mallet sensed something bad was about to happen. In case it did, Mallet wanted Marina to know that she meant more to him than he'd let on. He then handed Marina his gun, and told Trey that the fun was over. Chaos ensued when Mallet and Marina tried to talk Trey down. Daisy jabbed Trey in the thigh with the skeleton key that Ashlee had returned to her. Trey buckled in pain and released Daisy. Seeing his opening, Mallet dived on top of Trey and handcuffed him.
At Company, Coop struggled with a paper he worked on, and Frank convinced him to take a break. Talking about the kids Coop taught at school, they debated whether kids like Clarissa, R.J., Maureen, and James would turn out like their parents. Frank wondered if it were weird for Coop to continue his education after his book tour, and Coop mentioned that Daisy, Marina, and Mallet had ogled him the last time he'd worked on his paper at Company. When Coop said Marina and Mallet made a good couple, Frank downplayed the seriousness of that relationship, saying they were merely friends who dated each other.
Later, Beth popped in for coffee. In talking with Frank and Coop, she learned that Coop was taking courses in addition to teaching. Beth commented that James loved Coop's class. Coop was glad to know that. With James being such a quiet student, Coop couldn't always read him. Beth said Alan didn't favor her attending law school. She'd considered cutting back on classes due to Alan's condition, but she was certain Alan would like her to cut them out altogether. While speaking, Beth seemed to captivate both bachelors. When she left, Coop seemed the most affected. Frank wondered why Beth was with Alan. Coop asked Frank why he always only wondered about beautiful women. Frank asked Coop about himself, and Coop dismissed that he was too busy for a relationship. Frank left after receiving an important call.
At the hospital, Rick told Lizzie, Beth, and Bill that Alan's fear of losing Gus might be a hindrance to his recovery. After Beth and Rick left, Bill told Lizzie that Alan was just pretending. He offered to announce Alan's bluff to the press in order to snap Alan out of it. Lizzie called Bill a jerk and walked off. Bill caught up to a perturbed Lizzie at Company and said he was only kidding. When Lizzie accused Bill of using Alan's illness to throw her off her game so that Bill could steal shareholders, Bill wondered how that was different from what Lizzie had done in New York. Lizzie believed that her choices brought them together as a couple, but Bill's motives were selfish. Bill proposed they call a truce in which they'd love each other, try to understand each other, and be realistic about business. Lizzie retorted that Bill's idea of realism was for her to relinquish everything to Bill and ignore her own needs.
After reaching an impasse with Bill, Lizzie tromped back to the hospital to tell Beth that Bill was off using Alan's condition to his advantage. Astonished, Beth replied that Bill had gone through so much trouble to help Alan. Lizzie dismissively shrugged, saying she had a meeting at Towers and she didn't even know whom she was meeting because she'd lost her date book.
Meanwhile, Dinah had formulated another scheme to get Grady close to Lizzie. As she walked with him outside, she ordered him to straighten up and act as if he'd worn a suit before. With Lizzie's planner in hand, she said Grady would conveniently run into Lizzie while Lizzie awaited an appointment at Towers. Dinah planned to derail Lizzie's appointment to give Grady uninterrupted time alone with Lizzie.
When the conspirators later saw Lizzie disembarking the Towers' elevator, Dinah slipped out of sight. Lizzie sat at the Towers bar and cringed when Grady approached her. Since Grady donned a suit, Lizzie concluded that some poor victim must have been naked in an alley somewhere. Lizzie did not believe when Grady said he had a job. When subjected to his charms, she seemed more repulsed than captivated. Grady grew hot when Lizzie compared him to Cyrus. After Lizzie made another nasty remark, she tried to leave, but Grady snatched her by her arm. Lizzie gasped and yanked away. Grady said he just wanted to get to know her because she was pretty and her hair smelled nice. Lizzie said he made her skin crawl and a connection between them would never happen. After Lizzie stomped off, Grady caught a glimpse of Daisy's hostage situation on the news. He asked the bartender to turn up the volume.
At the police station later, Frank berated Mallet and Marina for using Daisy as bait in a drug bust. Mallet said it was Daisy's idea, and Marina added that Daisy had saved the day with her key jab. With training, they both thought Daisy could be an asset to the force. Marina even wanted Daisy's key to become department issued. Daisy uttered that the key was one of a kind.
After Marina and Mallet left, Frank conceded to Daisy that she'd done well. Daisy said she'd done it to get Rafe a hearing, and Frank replied that Rafe already had a court date. Frank thought Doris had been pushing for Rafe's hearing all along and said Daisy's undercover work hadn't been required, unless Daisy just liked it. When Daisy bit back a smile, Frank said she was just like Harley, and asked her to refrain from any more untrained police outings.
Frank left and Grady showed up at the police station to check on Daisy. He lied that he had come there to pay a parking ticket. He asked Daisy if she were okay because he'd seen her on the news. Daisy told him about the youth taskforce. When Grady asked her what she knew about youth crime, she bitterly replied that she'd been in juvenile hall and then thrown into a fake hostage situation. She claimed she'd done it all for Rafe. Grady joked that she'd start busting bad guys like him, and Daisy disdainfully walked off. Just then, a cop stationed a handcuffed Trey in the room with Grady. Fanning a pencil between his fingers, Grady strode over to Trey to tell him something. As Grady whispered in his ear, Trey stiffened in his seat.
Later, Daisy received a call from Ashlee, who'd been concerned about Daisy after seeing the news. Daisy told her that everything was fine and admitted to being just a little scared. Daisy said Doris had come through on the trial date for Rafe. When Daisy started explaining Grady's reaction to her heroics, Ashlee interrupted Daisy. After listening to Ashlee, Daisy replied that she didn't know what she was thinking, and said she was totally over Grady.
At Company, Marina and Mallet shared a tall pitcher of beer. Marina wondered whether Mallet had meant his declaration of love or if he'd just said it to throw off the gunman. Smiling, Mallet said he'd never tell. When Marina pressed him, he said he couldn't be responsible for what he'd said while facing death. Marina pulled rank on Mallet, telling him that she'd have him on toilet detail at the bus station if he weren't truthful. "I love..." Mallet stuttered. "I love beer!"
Meanwhile, Dinah accosted Bill in the men's restroom because Bill refused to see her at the office or his house. Bill gave her two minutes to talk. Dinah proposed that if Bill got someone else to tip stockholders off about Alan's condition, Bill could keep his own hands clean. Bill dismissively said that if leaking information were his concern, he'd find his own way to do it. Dinah said Bill's love for Lizzie had weakened him and claimed that Lizzie relied on that weakness. When Dinah left, Bill called his physical therapist and told her that he needed her.
Bill returned to the hospital and greeted Lizzie. She said she'd checked the Internet and had been surprised that Bill hadn't leaked Alan's condition. Bill said their company came first. When Bill told Lizzie that he was meeting Suzie, the physical therapist, Lizzie scoffed that he was just trying to make her jealous. Suzie showed up in a dressy outfit, and Lizzie silently fumed as Bill said he was taking Suzie to the Old Mill Inn.
Bill and Suzie left a disgusted Lizzie at the hospital, but to Suzie's surprise, they went to the mansion for dinner instead of the hotel. Bill asked Suzie to freshen up, but Suzie said she only had the clothes she was wearing. Bill said to take them off because "she" would be there any minute. When Suzie looked confused, Bill laughed it off, saying the cook would be there soon. Suzie left to freshen up, and Bill said, "Game on, Lizzie. Game on."
Meanwhile a frustrated Grady had his phone off when he reentered Towers. Dinah left him a scathing message to turn on his phone during business hours so they could discuss "project breakup." Lizzie returned to Towers looking for her missed appointment, but saw Grady at the bar instead. She slinked up to him with a snide smile and said she was ready for him to buy her a drink. A gloomy Grady snapped to attention and got Lizzie exactly what she wanted. Tilting her wine glass to her lips, Lizzie murmured, "Game on."
When Remy spotted his mother's car at Harley's, he stopped inside to see her. Felicia had gotten the key from Buzz so that she could evaluate the property before Clayton put in his final bid. As Felicia excitedly talked interior design, Remy said he didn't want the house. He declared that he wasn't going to medical school and he didn't need his parents to run his life. He wished that Felicia would be on his and Mel's side against their father. Felicia felt Mel was appreciative of their parents' efforts, but Remy countered that Mel was just too polite to refuse them.
Felicia met Mel at Company and Mel politely said she shared Remy's displeasured sentiment about their parents buying them a house. After talking a while with Mel, Felicia agreed to let her children manage their own lives. She said she'd talk to their father, but she doubted that she could convince him to do the same.
On Remy's way to the hospital gym, he spotted a stack of MEDCat test applications. Scoffing, he continued to the gym, where he ran into his father. While they worked out together, Clayton said Ava had been the best thing that had ever happened to Remy. Max could've been Remy's compass, but Remy had lost him too soon. Clayton urged Remy not to lose himself to that tragedy as well. Clayton said Felicia thought they should let Remy make his own choices. When Remy asked Clayton what he thought, Clayton said the jury was still out. On Remy's way out of the gym, he strode by the MEDCat applications again, but that time, he picked one up before he left.
Over at Harley's old place, Mallet got a taste of fatherhood when he wound up having to babysit Peyton for an afternoon. Marina told Mallet that Beth had stopped by with some things she'd accidentally taken when she'd moved. Marina had offered to watch Peyton while Beth was at the hospital. Despite the unfinished renovations, Marina said babysitting was a snap since a lot of child safety stuff was still installed in the house. Marina needed to go to the store and asked Mallet to watch Peyton. Mallet seemed a little uneasy, but he said that it'd be a breeze. Marina cleaned up the leftover paint and then left. Mallet looked intimidated when he read Beth's lengthy baby safety list. Instead of working on the list, Mallet amused Peyton with toys he'd found in the basement. After checking the house over to make sure it was baby-proofed, he and Peyton played a while. He put her down for a nap and fell asleep on the sofa with the baby monitor in hand.
Marina returned and her voice on the monitor awakened Mallet with a start. Mallet showed Marina all of the baby proofing he and Peyton had done. Marina realized that they needed more batteries and sent Mallet to get them. Mallet had clearly loved bonding with Peyton and didn't want to leave her, but he reluctantly went on Marina's errand.
At the hospital, Alan turned his nose up at the spoonful of rice pudding Beth tried to feed him. He preferred a rare steak, but Beth convinced him to settle for the pudding. Eager to resume his life and his former rivalries, Alan told Beth that Rick must have loved having Alan confined because it gave him a shot at Beth. Alan said he needed to get out of there. He proclaimed that he was Alan Spaulding and he had work to do. Beth was glad to see his spunk return. Alan admitted being fuzzy at times; however, he told Beth that he was back. When Beth said that Peyton was walking, Alan was dismayed to have missed it. Beth felt that her law classes were going well, but Alan groaned about having a lawyer in the family. Alan said he was tired. Beth offered to sit with him while he rested, but Alan said it would be better if she'd just go.
Out in the hallway, Beth saw that Alex had brought family photos for Alan to view, but Rick suggested that they not show him any pictures of Gus. When they entered his room, Alan grumbled that they just wouldn't let him rest. Looking over the photo album, Alan said most of the people in it had wanted him to die on the operating table. "Not all of them," Alan corrected as he looked at Lizzie's childhood photo. Alex and Beth reminded him of the relationship he shared with Lizzie, and Alan thoughtfully replied that Lizzie needed him.
Later, Alex and Alan talked alone. Alex struggled to answer Alan when he asked her if he'd really been that bad off before the surgery. She said he hadn't been himself and he'd relied on abstract things. Alan believed he knew whom he could rely on. He asked Alex to have Lizzie come to the hospital to see him.
Over at the farm, Cassie joked with Cyrus while he worked. Josh called her to give her an update on Shayne and to ask about R.J. After the call, Cassie seemed out of sorts and she asked Cyrus to stick around. Cyrus joked that she was asking him on a date, but Cassie disagreed, saying she just missed having people in the house. She invited him to see a movie, but she said it was a "bitch session," rather than a date. She said they could talk about everyone and everything they didn't like. Cyrus said, "It's a date-I mean-non-date, whatever."
Even though Grady still made Lizzie's flesh crawl, she told him that she wanted to hire him. Grady assumed she wanted a gigolo and Lizzie snapped that she'd rather have bed bugs under her covers than Grady. She wanted to hire Grady for a little game between her and her boyfriend. Lizzie stepped away to call the hotel where Bill had supposedly taken Suzie. She was frustrated when they couldn't locate his reservations. Lizzie then anonymously called the press to leak that Lizzie Spaulding was at Towers with a hot guy. She suggested they get down there immediately because the couple looked ready to take it somewhere private.
Back at the bar, Dinah talked to Grady, who seemed confident that he was getting somewhere with Lizzie. He chuckled because Lizzie actually thought she was in control. Dinah crammed money in Grady's pocket and hurried off. Lizzie returned to the bar and told Grady to start flirting with her. When Grady complied, she cringed, telling him to flirt without touching. A short time later, Grady tired of waiting for Bill and said that if Lizzie wanted to make Bill jealous, they should get out of Towers. Suddenly, a photographer snapped a photo. Grady grabbed the camera, and Lizzie screamed, "No!" Grady slammed the cameraman into the bar.
Cassie and Cyrus entered Towers just in time to see the melee unfold. As the photographer threatened to sue, Cassie asked Cyrus if he wanted to help Grady. Given the choice of bailing Grady out of another mess or continuing his "non-date" with a beautiful woman, Cyrus choose to leave the restaurant undetected with Cassie. Back at the bar, Lizzie paid her way out of the Grady debacle and then shuffled him to the elevator. Lizzie flinched at his touch and his suggestion that they go back to the mansion. Retorting that her California king wasn't big enough for the two of them, Lizzie pushed him into the elevator just before the doors closed.
Cyrus sneaked Cassie into the T.V. station, saying they could eat their takeout there while watching the evening news. Cassie thought they were breaking and entering, but when Cyrus called her chicken, she sat down to eat. After the meal, Cyrus took her home and she suddenly became paranoid that they'd been caught stealing a mug on the station's surveillance tapes. Once he assured her that he'd taken care of the cameras, Cassie said their jaunt didn't seem so risky anymore. Smiling, they agreed to see each other the next day when he'd fix her garage.
Meanwhile, at the mansion, Bill anxiously waited for Lizzie to come home and catch him having a romantic dinner with Suzie. Suzie draped herself over the railing of the overlook, modeling a short dress she'd found in the pink room down the hall from Bill's. While Suzie continued freshening up, Bill called Alex to ask her to send Lizzie over to the house. Giggling, Alex said she'd do no such thing. She'd just talked to Lizzie, who was on her way to a hot date. Alex suggested that Bill not wait up for Lizzie.
Suzie and Bill sat down to dinner; however, Bill was overly distracted. Suzie rose from her seat and massaged his tense shoulders. Dinah popped into the room and looked embarrassed to have interrupted them. She awkwardly apologized and said she was glad to see Bill moving on. Bill sent Suzie upstairs to the Jacuzzi and then asked Dinah what she wanted. Dinah claimed to have plans with Hilda, but then she let it slip that she'd read online that Lizzie was at Towers with the hot Aussie, Grady Foley. As soon as Dinah left, Bill yelled up the stairs to Suzie that their plans had just changed.
A short time later, Grady returned to the Towers' bar and Dinah lit into him for causing a scene while he was supposed to be working. She ducked out of sight when Bill and Suzie disembarked the elevator. Suzie noted that the restaurant was dead and Bill disappointedly agreed. He dismissed Suzie, but when he offered her money, she got offended. She left on her own, telling him that he could get himself another "physical therapist." Bill settled down at the bar and heard an Australian order a drink. Turning to Grady, Bill pointedly said Lizzie was just using Grady to make Bill jealous. Grady casually insinuated that his relationship with Lizzie was much more than that, but Bill was undaunted by Grady's attempts to rile him. When Grady said he didn't mind being Lizzie's toy, Bill replied that Grady would more likely be Lizzie's pet. Grady's gaze flattened and he left the bar.
At the Beacon, Dinah solemnly meandered into her hotel room with a salad for one and propped on the bed to sort her mail. An unkempt Grady barreled into her room and Dinah wondered what had happened to him. Grady swept Dinah into a lusty kiss and told her, "I'm nobody's pet."
Meanwhile, a frustrated Lizzie's mood changed after Beth called to say Alan wanted to see her. Lizzie entered Alan's hospital room and Alan said he was proud of her. Alan told her that they were a family, and they hugged each other. Later, Lizzie explained the details how she'd reclaimed 49% of the company. Though it wasn't a fifty-fifty deal, it did give her veto powers. When Alan wondered if Lizzie really loved Bill, Lizzie asked Alan why he thought she was doing all of it. "Why? Greed? Power? Respect?" Alan heartily replied. Laughing, Lizzie admitted that she was indeed Alan's granddaughter; however, she also wanted love and family along with work. Alan asked what Bill wanted. Lizzie thought Bill wanted the same thing, but he just didn't know it yet. Lizzie then looked through the window and saw Bill approaching Alan's door. She abruptly slammed the door in Bill's face, and she asked Alan, "Now, where were we?"
While Bill stood outside Alan's recovery room, he called Decker to say he didn't think Lizzie would make their presentation meeting in a couple hours; however, he assured Decker that he'd be there as planned. Inside the room, Lizzie grappled with an ornery Alan, who wondered why Bill was lurking outside his room. Lizzie said Bill was her business partner and he'd actually helped Alan while he'd been sick. Nonetheless, Alan didn't trust Bill. Alan gave his nurse a hard time when she brought his medications. When Lizzie asked Alan to take a nap, Alan rasped that he'd sleep when he was dead. Once Lizzie left to check her messages, Alan tossed a pill the nurse had given him across the room. A short time later, Alan stood outside the hospital dressed in a suit, and he breathed in the fresh air. "Nice day for a walk," he commented, heading down some steps to exit the hospital.
Lizzie found Bill at Company and accused him of telling Lawrence Decker that she couldn't handle his account. Bill feigned innocence, saying that he'd told Decker they were a team; however, Bill did intend to handle the Galaxy account while Lizzie attended to Alan. While pouring Lizzie coffee, Buzz asked her about Alan. A skeptical Lizzie replied that Alan thought he was ready to return to the business world, but Lizzie didn't agree. She rolled her eyes when Bill said he'd handle things in the meantime. Lizzie agreed to let Bill meet Decker while she was with Alan. When Lizzie returned to the hospital, she was shocked to find Alan's bed empty.
Panicking, Lizzie called hospital security and then took off to search for Alan. When she went to Towers, she saw Bill with Lawrence Decker at the bar and she recomposed herself. She told Decker that she couldn't sit in on their meeting because Alan had left the hospital a little early. Decker grinned, saying that was Alan for them. Decker then rescheduled their meeting for the following week, even though Bill kept saying he could handle it without Lizzie. Once Decker left, Lizzie told Bill that she couldn't find Alan. Bill shook his head, saying that man was always causing problems. He went with Lizzie to locate Alan.
As Marina prepped Springfield's newest crime fighter, Daisy Lemay, for her next undercover assignment, Daisy ribbed Marina about Mallet's declaration of love. Mallet entered to help Marina with Daisy, who acted like she was the expert after saving the day on her last assignment. Later, Daisy staked out the pizza parlor, and she was shocked to see Alan Spaulding saunter up and call her Susan. She reminded him that she went by Daisy, and then wondered what he was doing out of the hospital. He asked Daisy if she'd been in touch with Rafe. Noting Alan's odd behavior, she asked him if he'd seen Gus. Alan replied that he wanted a pizza. After Alan sat down, Daisy said he was blowing her cover. When Alan insisted on the pizza, Daisy offered to drive him somewhere that he could get all the food he wanted.
Daisy took Alan to her grandfather at Company. She told Buzz that she'd found Alan at the pizza parlor, but she thought Alan was still supposed to be in the hospital. Buzz agreed since Alan had just had brain surgery. After Daisy said Alan craved a pizza, she left him in Buzz's capable hands. While talking to Buzz, Alan admitted that his mind had been fuzzy and he had gaps in his memory since the surgery. Buzz hesitantly asked him about Gus, and Alan said Gus was dead. Buzz apologized that Gus was no longer part of Alan's life. Buzz suggested that Alan think about how he wanted to be remembered once he was gone, and begin to live his life in a way to make that happen. Alan pensively said that was a lot to think about. Looking up, Alan saw Bill and Lizzie enter the restaurant. He told Buzz he had to go. When Buzz tried to resettle Alan in his seat, Alan grew dizzy. Lizzie rushed to his side. After Alan steadied himself, he murmured that he needed to figure out what do next. Lizzie cut in, saying she knew what he'd do-he'd take himself back to the hospital.
At Cedars, Bill waited while Lizzie safely tucked Alan back into his hospital bed. Afterward, Bill told Lizzie he'd been doing some research and had found a great rehab facility for Alan to recover in. Lizzie told Bill that she wouldn't send Alan to a rehab center. Alan would recover with them at their house.
Meanwhile, Grady attempted to ravage Dinah, but she set him straight, telling him that he wasn't getting beneath her dress until he made Lizzie want him more than Bill. Determined, Grady lassoed her to his side and said he didn't need her permission. Just as the situation seemed precarious for Dinah, Grady thought he heard Daisy outside the room. After finding no one in the hallway, Grady seemed less inclined to seduce Dinah. Upon leaving, Grady agreed to play by Dinah's rules, but he doubted Dinah could hold out for much longer.
A drunken Grady straggled into Company and said he wanted to be served. Brandishing a mop, Buzz told Grady that Daisy wasn't there. Grady said he didn't want Daisy, but he could have her at any time. Buzz ordered Grady to leave and Grady staggered out the door. Grady wound up at the pizza parlor where Daisy tried to resume her stakeout. He stumbled over the low picket fence beside her table and sat down with her. After watching him devour half her pizza within seconds, she testily told him to leave because he was blowing her cover. An obstinate Grady said he was staying, and then almost fell out of his chair when he lost his balance. Rolling her eyes, Daisy figured she wouldn't get any work done. As she stood to leave, Grady told her that he'd been about to get it on with a "hot chick," but he hadn't gone through with it because of Daisy. Daisy was disgusted that he'd been with another woman so soon after their breakup, and she walked away.
At Company, Coop tried once again to work on his school paper in peace, but Buzz interrupted with his editorial opinions. When Buzz asked his son how it felt to be a teacher by day and student by night, Coop admitted that it was taxing. While talking about how Olivia was doing, Coop asked Buzz if he ever missed his relationship with her. Buzz said his relationship with Olivia had been unpredictable, just like the one he'd had with Coop's mother, Jenna; however, Buzz was happy with Lillian. Buzz asked Coop about his romantic life. When Coop said he was staying out of trouble, Buzz advised him that a little trouble might be good for him.
Coop went outside and ran into Dinah. She was looking for Ashlee, and Coop said he hadn't seen much of Ashlee since their breakup. Dinah suspected he'd see more of her because Ashlee was doing a news piece on Marina's youth taskforce. She wondered if Coop would be willing to do an interview about his niece. Coop said he'd be happy to talk about Marina, until he heard that it was a trash piece to expose Marina's bad judgment with the taskforce. He refused to give out dirt on Marina, and left.
Coop went to the gym and Daisy caught up with him as he worked out. She shared with him the bizarre pizza experience she'd had with Alan, saying that she didn't understand how Beth put up with Alan. Coop pointed out that Beth wasn't married to Alan, and Daisy said Beth was just with Alan because he reminded her of Phillip. Coop wanted to give Beth more credit than that, and they both agreed that Alan took Beth for granted.
Meanwhile, an officer hauled Dinah into the police station after writing her twenty-second unpaid traffic ticket. After Mallet playfully interrogated her about her tickets, Marina waltzed in to tell Dinah that Vanessa had just paid them all. "You called my mother?" Dinah disdainfully asked. Later, Mallet and Marina played cards at Company, and Marina humorously giggled when Mallet said Vanessa didn't look happy about paying Dinah's fines. They decided to take a break from working on Harley's house that night and wondered what would keep them busy once the house was sold. Daisy returned to Company and saw Mallet and Marina at the bar. She asked them to deal her into their card game and then said people in their town were freaks.
Meanwhile, Grady and Dinah sat outside with a pizza. After telling Grady that she'd been arrested, she wondered if he were ready to resume the Lizzie project. Grady asked her if he'd be getting his down payment. Dinah said Grady wasn't getting any "down payment" until Bill and Lizzie were separated and Dinah had her life back.
On Alan's homecoming day, Lizzie informed "Mr. Property Owner" Bill that he needed to make the house wheelchair accessible. Annoyed, Bill agreed to get Lewis Construction on it. Later, a silk-robed Alan sat in his wheelchair outside on the patio. Lizzie asked him if it felt good to be home. Recalcitrant, Alan said he wanted out of the wheelchair and he refused to stay at the mansion where people would treat him like an invalid. He opted to take a room at the Beacon or have Buzz care for him at the boardinghouse. Lizzie said Buzz was busy running a business and she insisted that Alan recover in his own home.
At breakfast with Billy later, Bill ranted that Lizzie had moved Alan into the mansion. Billy thought Bill ought to move out, but Bill disagreed, saying he planned to stick around for the show. Vanessa joined them, and the minute she asked Bill about his relationship with Lizzie, Bill tried to leave. Vanessa worried that Bill would blow his chance at true love while trying to impress stockholders. Bill defended himself by pointing out that Billy and Vanessa's courtship had been fraught with competition. His parents said they'd wasted time trying to prove who was right. Bill got up from the table, saying he didn't need to prove how right he was.
After Vanessa had a meeting with the Henry Chamberlin Foundation, she met Billy for club soda at Towers. Vanessa was concerned that Bill had a problem with Lizzie wanting to care for her family. Billy joked that Bill's attitude showed him that Bill would ship both him and Vanessa off to the "old folks' home" the first chance he got. "But don't worry; you can bunk with me," Billy added. Vanessa wished Bill would just marry Lizzie and start a family. Billy said the two were butting heads over the business, but Vanessa thought Bill was just pigheaded. Billy said he and Vanessa had messed things up, but they'd turned out happy. Vanessa felt that she and Billy had written the book on messing things up. Billy toasted to writing the next chapter while in the "old folks' home."
After Vanessa left Towers, Matt strolled in and talked to Billy about how busy Lewis Construction had gotten. When he mentioned putting in Alan's wheelchair ramps at the mansion, Billy said Alan would cause big problems for Lizzie and Bill. Matt joked that Bill denied a serious relationship with Lizzie. Referring to Vanessa, Billy replied that he and Matt had both mistakenly thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to them. Since Billy and Matt worked together, Billy thought he should let Matt know that he planned to court Vanessa again. Matt frowned, saying Vanessa was a free agent after their divorce. When Billy asked Matt to wish him luck with Vanessa, Matt said he didn't think Billy was right for her.
As Alan petted Roxie on the patio, he shared a little secret with her. He told the dog that he felt just fine, but he was enjoying all the attention he was getting. Meanwhile, in the parlor with Lillian, Lizzie fretted that Alan would disappear again. Lillian calmly said Alan was fine. She'd seen him on the patio talking to Roxie. "He hates Roxie," Lizzie said, becoming even more concerned. She asked Lillian if she'd move into the house to help her with him. Lillian laughed dismissively, believing that Alan would be Alan. Lizzie asked her to think about it while Lizzie checked on Alan.
When Lizzie brought Alan a sandwich, he was still insistent upon leaving the mansion. Unbeknownst to Alan and Lizzie, Bill eavesdropped on them just out of view on the trail to the patio. Lizzie begged Alan to stay, saying that she was determined to put the family together, but she couldn't do it without him. Alan said that other people lived in the house that weren't family. Lizzie sighed, saying Bill might as well have been family because she was in love with him. She said that for some reason she needed both Alan and Bill.
Bill approached the two at the patio table to remind Lizzie about their Decker meeting. Before wheeling himself into the house, Alan remarked that he hadn't seen Larry in a while. Once he was gone, Lizzie expressed her concerns to Bill about Alan taking off again. Bill said Decker would be at the house any minute, and Lizzie apologized that she hadn't had time to prepare. Bill told her not to worry because she had him on her side.
Later, Lizzie and Bill came together as a team when they met with Decker in the mansion's dining room. Decker seemed concerned with a traffic flow plan for one of the hotels. Lizzie was about to explain her remedy when Alan surprised everyone by walking into the room dressed in a suit. Decker enthusiastically greeted him while Lizzie and Bill exchanged unnerved glances. With one look at the plans, Alan echoed Decker's concern about the traffic flow. When Lizzie gave her alternate suggestion of making the traffic flow in a circle, Alan raved at the idea. He said it created an inner loop and customers liked feeling as if they were in an inner circle. Decker loved the idea and said Alan was back.
Once Decker left, Lizzie ran into her grandfather's arms. He hugged her, saying that the two of them made a great team. When Lizzie agreed, Bill shuddered and left. Lizzie joined Alan in the window seat and thanked him for his help with Decker. Alan reveled in showing Bill up. Lizzie said Alan had to get used to Bill if Alan were staying on at the mansion. Alan replied that he didn't know where else he'd rather be. Lizzie hugged him, saying that together they'd be unstoppable. Alan said he'd hold her to that.
Later, Bill stood in the parlor alone, staring at Max's sonogram. He said he was "moving on with it," but he needed some backup. Bill sought out his parents at Towers to tell them that someone needed to keep an eye on Alan. He added that Lizzie was onto something with her idea of family unity. Bill had agreed to stay on at the house, and he wanted Billy and Vanessa to consider living there with him. Vanessa and Billy seemed taken by surprise at the proposal.
Over at Company, Olivia strained as she ate. Buzz asked Olivia what happened to getting Natalia a lawyer like Buzz had asked Olivia to do. Olivia threw her hands up, saying she was done with Natalia after the Russo mess. Buzz thought Russo was good, despite his sleaziness. Olivia retorted that Russo had made the moves on Natalia, and Natalia was in over her head. Buzz said Natalia felt everyone was giving up on Rafe, but Olivia disagreed that accepting a plea bargain was equivalent to giving up. Olivia then said she needed to prepare for her Galaxy photo shoot that day.
At the prison, Natalia and Rafe met their new public defender, who was a cavalier attorney that hadn't known Rafe's court date was set for the following day. He asserted that Rafe had two legal options: go to trial or accept a plea that guaranteed eighteen to twenty-four months in prison. When the lawyer insisted that a deal was Rafe's best option, Natalia tossed him out. She told Rafe she knew which lawyer she needed, but she had to pay him in person.
Natalia rushed into Company, and Olivia sighed to hear Natalia say that she needed to get Russo back on Rafe's case. Olivia incredulously quipped that Natalia would rather prostitute herself to Russo than take charity. Olivia urged Natalia to consider her religious beliefs. Natalia said there was no time because she had to locate an out-of-town Russo. Olivia asked her what Gus would want. Natalia said he'd want her to save their son and whined that Olivia wouldn't help her. Olivia retorted that she was helping by keeping her away from that creep Russo. Olivia had called a honeymooning Jeffrey, but she couldn't reach him. She suggested they try again, but Natalia left in a huff, saying Jeffrey's opinions didn't matter; everything was up to Natalia. Olivia was stressed and her chest hurt again. She settled in a chair and drew in shallow breaths.
On her way back to the prison, Natalia's car conked out on her again. She rushed into Towers, looking for a former coworker who might let her borrow his car. She ran into Matt on his way out and Matt volunteered to drive her to the prison.
Meanwhile, Buzz visited Rafe in lockup. When Buzz asked about his bruised eye, Rafe mirthlessly chuckled, saying he'd been hazed. Rafe asked about Daisy, and Buzz said she was trying to help Rafe's case. Buzz told Rafe that Natalia was so desperate for a lawyer that she might do things to get herself into trouble, but Buzz feared he couldn't stop her. Buzz then asked a worrying Rafe how old he was. Rafe said he'd just turned eighteen. After Rafe told Buzz about the grim two-year deal, Rafe asked him what Gus would want him to do. Buzz thought Gus would want Rafe to be a man, and advised Rafe to think of his mother as he made his tough decisions.
Buzz left the visitation room and saw Natalia, who hugged him tightly and thanked him for supporting Rafe. When she went in with Rafe, Natalia said she'd had no luck with the lawyer. Rafe said he'd decided to take the two-year deal. Natalia burst into tears, thinking of all the time they'd lose together, but Rafe told her to trust him to make the right choice. He said she'd raised him to be strong and make the right decision, even if it was hard. He loved her and he needed her to be with him on his decision. Sobbing, Natalia said she was with him.
When Decker left the mansion, he hurried to Towers to meet Olivia. He was thrilled to tell her that Alan was back on his game. When he asked her about her health, Olivia said he could hook her up to an EKG machine if he needed to, but she heard they didn't take good pictures. Smiling, Decker said he'd take her word for it. After her meeting, Buzz called her, again asking her to help Natalia and Rafe. Olivia said she'd done all she could, and she felt she needed to concentrate on her own life. She said she couldn't waste her second chance at life on a stubborn woman who wouldn't let Olivia help. Olivia hung up the phone and her heart began to strain again.
At Company, Buzz told Daisy that Rafe was not having a trial-he accepted a plea bargain. This news upset Daisy and she ranted about needing to change his mind. Buzz informed Daisy that it was for the best. Buzz believed that Rafe could get a longer sentence with a jury trial. At that point, Natalia walked in and Daisy asked to go to the hearing. Natalia replied that Rafe would like that. Later, outside the courthouse, Natalia lamented to Daisy about how awful a mother she was. Daisy declared that Natalia was a wonderful mother. Natalia bemoaned that after the shooting, it wasn't Natalia, but Harley, who helped Rafe. She added that she could not even get a good attorney. Daisy tried to console Natalia by telling her that Buzz believed that Rafe made the right decision by accepting the plea bargain.
Mallet arrived to transfer Rafe from the prison to the courthouse. Mallet asked Rafe if he had second thoughts about the plea bargain. Rafe responded that he did not. Rafe stated that he did what he did and had to pay for it. Rafe expressed his regret for what he had done and told Mallet that he wished he could take it back. Mallet understood. He stated that everyone had regrets, but part of being an adult was knowing that there was no do-overs. Rafe acknowledged that he could not change what he did but he could end it for his mother's sake. Mallet proudly noted that it sounded like something Gus would say.
Frank, Buzz, and Daisy accompanied Natalia to the courthouse for support. At the hearing, Rafe entered his plea of guilty. After noting that the victim, Jeffrey, sent a letter asking for leniency, the judge heard testimony from both Frank and Mallet. Frank spoke of what a hard life Rafe had lived and about how he just met his father a few years prior. Mallet echoed Frank's assertion that Rafe was basically a good kid, and expressed his regret that he did not do more to investigate what Gus was doing before the investigation went to the DA's office. Mallet testified to his belief that Rafe felt as if the DA's office was taking away the memory of his father. Mallet stated that Rafe was a good kid who made a bad decision. After some deliberation, the judge announced that despite everyone speaking on Rafe's behalf, he could not forget that a man had almost died because of Rafe's actions. The judge sentenced Rafe to two years in prison with a possibility of parole.
As Rafe was led out of the courthouse, Natalia approached him to say goodbye. Natalia sadly told him to be on his best behavior, since perhaps that would help him get out early. Rafe implored his mother to have a life and not sit around for two years waiting for him to get out. Daisy said a tearful goodbye, as well, and Rafe told her not to wait for him.
It was Olivia's first day as the face of Galaxy Hotels. Before a mother-daughter photo shoot, Olivia and Emma went to Company, where Buzz told Olivia about Rafe's sentence and its effect on Natalia. Overhearing the part about Rafe going away and Natalia being sad, Emma approached Natalia and told her how sorry she was. Olivia offered her sympathy, also, before she and Emma left.
A depressed Mallet returned to the station and called Marina, telling her that he needed her. At the same time, Buzz consoled Daisy.
Daisy joined Natalia while Frank brought them soup. Frank suggested that they go somewhere to take their minds off what happened. Natalia sadly noted that there was nothing that Frank could do to make her feel better-not for two years. Natalia asked Frank to take her to the house that Gus bought for her and Rafe. Natalia declared that she had two years to make the place perfect for Rafe and began counting down the days. Later, Natalia had the calendar faxed to a touched Rafe.
RJ needed someone to drive him to a campout. Since Cassie was unable to, Cyrus offered. Soon after, RJ got a ride from another parent. Afterwards, Cyrus suddenly opted to leave, stating that he had a job interview and probably would not be returning to the farm. Cassie picked up on the fact that Cyrus was upset and asked him about it. Cyrus commented on the convenience of another parent offering to drive RJ and pointed out that Cassie still did not trust him to give her son a ride. Cassie stated that her problem was not with Cyrus, it was what his brother did to her daughter. Cyrus lamented that this issue would always come up, and left in a hurry. Later, Cassie received a call from Josh who was having trouble re-entering the United States. Cassie asked why Josh was calling her and he told her that he tried calling Reva and Jeffrey, but they were both out. According to Josh, he was unable to enter the country because his name was on some kind of list. Josh asked Cassie to speak with a US Ambassador who owed him a favor. Josh stated that the Ambassador was in Springfield attending a party at Towers. Cassie tried to explain that she had no way of talking to the Ambassador, but Josh asked her to find a way to get into that party.
Cassie went to Cyrus's, told him about Josh's situation, and asked him to help her sneak into the exclusive party at Towers. Leaving the room, Cyrus pointed out that he was not good enough to hang around with her son, but if she needed a thief or a con man, then he was fine. Talking outside the door, Cassie stated that she basically just needed someone who looked good in a tux, since her presence would have more credibility if she had an escort. As Cassie was talking, Cyrus walked out wearing a tux. After Cassie changed into an evening gown, Cyrus told her that the trick to sneaking into a high-profile party was confidence. She had to act as if she knew something others did not. Later, the pair made it to the party where Cyrus tried to give Cassie advice on how to blend in. Suddenly, they were approached by a man who declared that they did not belong there.
