Aaron returned to Memorial Hospital with balloons for Alison, who was suffering the horrible effects of the poison in her system. Aaron was surprised when an Oakdale police officer refused to let him back inside. Aaron pleaded with the cop, but to no avail. Aaron took advantage of a passing ambulance and jumped onto the roof in an attempt to sneak inside the hospital. Once inside, Aaron realized his only way to Alison's room was through the air vents. He crawled around until he was above her room.
Inside the hospital, Margo explained to Bob and Chris that she believed Rick Decker was behind the mass poisoning that had gone on in Oakdale. She detailed the numerous connections between Decker and the victims, and Bob and Chris agreed with Margo. Once Margo left, Bob and Chris began to work on a cure for Alison and the other victims. Chris became agitated once he realized that Rick was trying to kill Alison, but Bob was able to calm Chris down and focus him back on his work.
At the Oakdale police station, Paul and Barbara asked Rick how they could save Meg. Meg was still locked up in the Oakdale psych ward and delusional from the poison. Paul was desperate to save his wife and hoped Rick could help. Rick explained he would produce a cure, but only if Barbara and Paul arranged for his escape once he had given them the antidote. Barbara agreed to Rick's scheme, but Paul was not sure what to do. Barbara implored Paul to think of Meg and let Rick work on a remedy. Rick described to Paul the pain and physical ailments that would plague Meg if Paul did not let him come up with a cure. Paul finally relented and started to leave, but Margo had returned from the hospital and demanded that Paul stay so she could talk to him.
Margo wanted to know why Barbara and Paul had brought Rick back to town. Barbara explained to Margo that she believed Rick was the only one who could cure all the victims. Rick tried to ingratiate himself to Margo, but she refused to believe he was anything more than a serial killer. Barbara pleaded with Margo to think about Casey. Margo was not sure what to do, but she wanted to make sure Rick knew her suspicions about him poisoning everyone. Rick was not intimidated by Margo's threat of prosecution and told her he had nothing to lose because he had already been sentenced to life in prison. Margo wanted to know why Rick would save his own victims and he said he wanted his sentence commuted to time served. Margo was sickened by Rick's plot of revenge against the people of Oakdale, but Rick refused to take responsibility for poisoning anyone. He declared his innocence and said he wanted to save lives, but only if his sentence was commuted. Margo finally relented and sent Rick to Memorial with a police officer.
Tom had arrived at the station and overheard the end of Margo's talk with Rick and demanded to know why Margo was helping Rick. Margo broke down in Tom's arms and told him that Casey had been hospitalized and Rick was their only hope to find a cure.
After his meeting with Rick at the station, Paul returned to Meg's side and told her he would do whatever it took to make her well again. He left to work on Rick's escape, but unknown to him, Margo was having him followed by a police officer. Paul went straight to rent a helicopter and paid the owner to let him be the pilot. After Paul took off in the helicopter, the officer phoned Margo and told her Paul was heading to Memorial.
As Barbara left the bank with a briefcase full of money for Rick, a police officer who was following her brought Barbara back to the station. Margo demanded that Barbara open her briefcase and show her what was inside. Barbara begrudgingly did as Margo asked, but claimed the cash was only payment for Rick to find a cure. Margo wondered what Rick would want with a million dollars in jail, and obviously did not believe Barbara's story. Barbara begged Margo to return the money, but Margo had another officer lock it up as she left to find Paul and Rick.
Rick arrived at Memorial to work in the lab, but once Chris caught sight of the man he believed was behind his poisoning, Chris began to yell for the cops to get Rick out. Rick claimed he could save Chris and Alison if Chris would just let him work on a cure. Bob arrived and told Rick he would not be working in Chris's lab, but would have his own space, and would report directly to Bob. Once Rick was gone, Chris began work and soon discovered a compound he believed would counteract the poison. He knew the only way to find out for sure was to test it on himself. He injected his arm and waited to see if his cure would work.
Rick's police escort took him to his lab where Rick asked for his handcuffs to be removed. The police officer refused, so Rick asked the officer for help moving his equipment. Once the man's back was turned, Rick injected him with a drug that made him collapse to the floor. Rick quickly found the keys and removed his cuffs before dragging the unconscious cop to a hiding place. Just as Rick sat down, Susan arrived and was not happy to find her ex-husband back in the Memorial lab. Susan recounted the numerous ways Rick had lied and manipulated her over the years. Rick claimed he just wanted a second chance and showed her a vial that he claimed held the antidote. Susan suggested he go upstairs and save everyone, but Rick was not ready to go quite yet. He walked over to Susan and kissed her. Susan pushed Rick away and slapped him. She told him to never touch her again and began to walk out, but returned when Rick asked her if she wanted the medicine for Alison. Susan walked up next to Rick and he suddenly injected her and she passed out. Just then, Rick got a call from Paul asking if he could save Meg. Rick said he had the antidote and was ready to give it to Meg as soon as Paul and Barbara met his demands. Paul told Rick to meet him in five minutes outside of Memorial and Rick smugly walked over Susan as he headed out to meet Paul.
Tom went to the hospital to be by Casey's side and found Casey looking terrible. Tom was not only surprised by his son's appearance, but also that he was in a hospital bed with Emily. Tom was shocked that his son and ex-lover were in bed and wanted to know what was going on. A visibly ill Emily explained that she and Casey were very sick, but they wanted to be together because they were married and feared their deaths were imminent. Tom returned with Kim, and Emily overheard the nurse asking if anyone had been able to locate Susan, because Alison was not doing well. Emily begged Kim to help save Alison. Kim ran to get help and found Bob. She asked him to check on Alison. Bob was able to stabilize Alison and a short time later she woke up and asked for her mom. Bob went to find Susan and found her unresponsive in the lab.
Back in Casey's room, Casey woke up long enough to tell his father that he was happy with Emily as his wife, but then Casey quickly passed out again. Emily begged Tom to give Casey his blessing so that Casey would know he had his father's support. Tom agreed and told his son he loved him and that he was happy for him and Emily. As Emily began to feel weaker, she begged Tom to make sure Daniel never knew about her terrible past. She pleaded with Tom to make sure Daniel knew she loved him.
Once outside the hospital, Rick saw all the police surrounding the building. He tried to time his escape, but an officer was able to get the draw on him and told him to freeze. Rick quickly disarmed the cop and looked for a way to get to Paul in the helicopter. He realized his only chance was to go back inside and take a hostage. He grabbed Meg and took her at gunpoint to Alison's room. Alison cowered in her bed when she saw Rick holding Meg hostage, but he guaranteed Alison that he was there to save her.
Margo had returned to the hospital with backup and hollered to Paul through a megaphone to land the helicopter. Once he did, Paul told Margo that he had seen Rick overpower one of her officers and run back inside Memorial.
Chris soon realized that he had found the antidote and rushed to Alison's room to save her, but found the room empty. Chris hurried to Casey and Emily's room and once he opened the door he saw Rick holding everyone hostage. As Chris asked Rick why he was doing it, Margo arrived with Paul. With her gun drawn, Margo tried to convince Rick to let everyone go. Rick was not backing down, but Margo told Rick his escape from Memorial was never going to happen. Just then Tom grabbed Rick from behind. Rick shoved Tom hard in the chest, pushing Tom to the ground. Tom gripped his chest in pain and Margo feared her husband was having another heart attack. She pleaded with Rick to help Tom, but Rick was more ready than ever to negotiate his freedom.
In Casey and Emily's hospital room at Memorial, Margo and Dr. Decker were in a standoff with pistols drawn. Tom collapsed on the floor, apparently from a heart attack. Margo pleaded for medical attention for her husband while Dr. Decker demanded a helicopter at his disposal and the assurance of no police interference as he made his escape. Paul was concerned about Meg, who had also collapsed, and begged Margo to call for the chopper. Margo asked Chris if he had completed making the antidote to Decker's poison, and Chris said that he had. Suddenly Aaron, who had crawled through the air vents to a position directly over the room, dropped suddenly into the midst of the drama. Decker shot Aaron, hitting him in the shoulder. Decker then asked Margo to pick his next victim or to let him make his escape.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Bob found Susan unconscious on the floor in a room. He called for help, and Kim and a nurse responded. Bob examined Susan and realized that Decker had injected her with a dose of the poison.
Margo made her decision about Decker and called for the helicopter to land on the hospital grounds. Decker took Alison hostage, even though she was barely conscious. He dragged her down the hospital corridor while Margo ordered the SWAT team to stand down. Decker and Alison took an elevator down to ground level, unaware that Chris was following them after delivering the antidote to his father. Decker had another standoff with 3 SWAT team members, but they allowed him to approach the helicopter. Decker spotted Chris and ordered him to back off, but when he turned to put Alison into the chopper, Chris jumped him. The two doctors wrestled, and Chris was able to disarm Decker so the team could grab him. Chris removed Alison from the helicopter and ran with her back into the hospital.
Back in Emily's room, Meg tended to Aaron while Margo ran to Tom who was in great pain. Chris delivered Alison back to her room and asked a nurse to bring him some of the antidote. Bob had inoculated Meg first so she could help with the others, but because Susan had been directly injected with the poison, she had required an extra dose of the antidote. There was no more left for Alison. Chris dashed to his lab to begin making more.
Paul and Meg had some alone time in which they talked about spending the rest of their lives together. Paul forgave her for her bizarre behavior while under the influence of the poison and promised her that Sofie would never return. Meg was relieved, and then decided she had to be with Aaron until other family members arrived. She then called Emma, who told her Holden was not there, so Meg asked her mother to come to the hospital so she could explain what had happened to Aaron.
Tom was resting more comfortably and waiting for Bob to repair his stent. It had been dislodged when he fell in Casey and Emily's room but fortunately he had not suffered another heart attack.
An unconscious Alison dreamed she was riding with Aaron on his motorcycle and they stopped at a bar. Aaron served her a beer, which Alison started to drink until she remembered that she did not drink anymore. Alison was shocked to see Emily and Susan doing a song and dance routine in the bar to the accompaniment of Chris on the piano. The two Stewart women invited Alison to join them in a rendition of "Together." Emily and Susan disappeared, and Aaron asked Alison to sing a song for him that she used to sing in Seattle when he couldn't sleep. Chris complained that she had never sung for him, ever, so Alison said she would sing for both of them. She began singing, but soon Chris disappeared. Aaron said he had to leave, and the two of them kissed.
Chris finished the antidote and rushed to Alison's room. He administered the drug as Alison continued her dream in which Chris reappeared and asked her to take his hand and come with him. As she took his hand in her dream, she regained consciousness. She thanked Chris for coming back for her and then asked about Aaron, and Chris had to tell her that Aaron had been shot. Alison insisted on seeing her friend and sat with him until he awakened.
Emily pled with her mother to wake up, and Susan responded. She told Emily that she finally understood how much her daughter loved Casey. Casey was recovering well back in their room under Margo's watchful eyes. Margo told her son that she finally got it that Casey truly loved Emily. They were both encouraged when Bob reported that Tom's stent had been repaired with no ill effects.
Bob and Kim had a tender moment in which they counted their many blessings. Emily went back to be with Casey and said she wished she could forget about the day and all that had happened, but Casey disagreed. He was pleased that his parents had recognized his marriage to Emily and were accepting their love for one another.
Meg was released, and disappointed Emma by telling her that she was going back to Fairwinds with Paul and not to the farm. Paul stepped up by inviting Emma to come with Meg and help her get settled and to help herself to the kitchen. Emma gratefully accepted.
After recovering from Dr. Decker's attempt on her life, Alison prepared to leave the hospital. Chris came into her room to talk to her before she left and offered to give her a ride home. Alison thanked Chris for all he did to save her and explained she wanted to check on Aaron before she left for home.
Lily came to visit Aaron at the hospital and was met by Holden, who was surprised to see her. Lily was upset no one had phoned her to tell her about Aaron's shooting and was relieved when she learned he would be fine. Holden took Lily into Aaron's room to see for herself that he was getting better. Aaron was still groggy, but joked that his getting shot had brought Lily and Holden back together. Lily and Holden put on a happy face in front of Aaron, but were both uncomfortable when Aaron urged them to work out their problems before it was too late. When Alison arrived to check on Aaron, Lily and Holden left to have coffee together at Java and discuss Aaron's recovery.
Alison was happy to see that Aaron was recuperating from his gunshot wound, but she did not want to overstay her visit and make Aaron tired, so she got up to leave. Aaron grabbed her hand and told Alison he still loved her. Aaron explained he would always love her and needed her to know. Alison was surprised by Aaron's declaration and seemed confused about her own feelings toward him. She told Aaron to get some rest, and left. Out in the hall, Chris offered to drive Alison home, but she told him she needed to stay around a little longer. Chris worried that Alison was afraid to be alone with him, but Alison explained she just was not ready to leave.
Once Lily and Holden arrived at Java, Holden asked Lily if she would be willing to help Aaron with his recovery. Lily was happy to help, but was afraid it would be awkward running into Holden at the farm. Holden explained he had taken a room at the Lakeview and Lily was quickly annoyed with the news that Holden had begun staying in a hotel. Lily was convinced Holden had moved so he could be closer to Carly. Holden denied the move had anything to do with Carly, but Lily was not convinced and wanted to move forward with their divorce.
At home, Carly got a visit from Neal, who wanted to know if Carly was still seeing Holden. When Carly admitted that she and Holden were no longer together, Neal hoped that he could have another chance with her. Carly agreed to have lunch with Neal, but their conversation was quickly interrupted when Neal got a call from Mike. Mike told Neal that there was a problem with the Snyder project and he needed to meet with Neal right away. Neal asked Mike to meet him at the Lakeview and then asked Carly if she would mind meeting him a little later for lunch so he could take care of business. Carly graciously agreed and Neal left for his meeting.
Neal met with Mike and learned their entire project was in danger of coming to a disastrous end because of toxins in the soils around the farm. Mike said they would know more once they did more testing, but Neal wanted his London office to look over the findings and left to fax them the reports. Soon Carly arrived for her date, but found Mike at Neal's table. Mike wanted to know if Carly was able to get Lily and Holden back together. Carly explained her attempt at reuniting Lily and Holden had failed and she was sure their divorce was moving forward. When Neal returned, Mike left Neal and Carly to enjoy their lunch.
Neal and Carly spoke over lunch about their chances at a relationship. Neal said he was happy to let Carly set the pace of their relationship, but Carly was not convinced she was ready to start dating again. Just as Neal was asking Carly what was holding her back, Holden walked into the Lakeview. Neal caught sight of Holden and noticed Carly's interest in him suddenly change. Holden left once he saw the two together and headed up to his room. Moments later, Neal received a phone call and had to leave to take care of business. Carly phoned Holden to ask why he had stormed out and learned that Holden was upset about Aaron's shooting.
Carly was concerned about Holden and went to his room to make sure he was all right. Holden invited her in and Carly asked if she could help with Aaron's recovery. Carly offered to listen to Holden if he needed to talk to someone. Holden complained his life was falling apart around him and realized he had no one to blame but himself. When Holden suggested that he and Carly could comfort one another, Carly felt it was time for her to go. Holden begged Carly to stay and tell him why she had really come to his room. Carly admitted she still cared for him and wanted to make sure he was okay. Holden explained his marriage was over and he did not want to pretend anymore that he did not care for Carly. He told her he wanted to be with her and the two began to kiss passionately. Suddenly, Carly stopped Holden and said she could not be the reason his marriage to Lily ended. She walked out.
After her argument with Holden, Lily returned home and found Mike checking on the work at her house. Lily invited Mike in and he asked her how she was doing. Lily realized Mike had come to check on her and was grateful to have his friendship. Lily and Mike discussed Lily's marriage troubles and Lily admitted she did not understand why Holden could not get over Carly. Mike told Lily she was a beautiful woman with a lot to offer. When Lily passed Mike some paperwork for the farm project, their hands touched and the two finally gave in to their attraction for one another and began kissing. Lily and Mike made their way to the couch, where Mike asked Lily if she was sure she wanted to make love. Lily said she was certain she wanted to be with him and the two began to take off one another's clothes.
Emily left the hospital and returned to work at the Intruder to write a story about Rick Decker. Casey arrived at her office and began to question why Emily was suddenly shutting him out of her life. Emily explained that the toxin Rick had poisoned her with had made her irrational and that was the only reason she had married Casey. She tried to make him understand that she was not ready to be married again. Casey tried to convince Emily that they loved one another enough to make their marriage work despite all of their differences. Emily refused to change her mind and told Casey she wanted an annulment. Frustrated by Emily's lack of faith in their relationship, Casey stormed out.
Casey went to the hospital to check on his dad and told Chris about his problems with Emily. Chris advised Casey to be happy with Emily and not worry about a piece of paper.
Casey took Chris's advice and returned to Emily's office. He told her that he would annul their marriage if that were what she really wanted. Emily tearfully admitted she was willing to give their marriage another try. Casey was happy to hear Emily had changed her mind, but told her that he wanted to annul the marriage and try to just be happy together. He said that if things worked out, they could have a big wedding soon enough. The two celebrated their happiness by making love in Emily's office.
Carly found Jack at the Oakdale Police Department and gave him a computer game to amuse J.J. on the ride home from camp. Jack invited her to come along, and she accepted. They stopped for coffee en route, and Carly poured out all her personal problems. She told Jack that he was at the root of all her troubles by being so warm and caring towards her.
At Metro, Bonnie took a hard line with Marcello, the wine merchant. Much to Henry's dismay, she haggled with the Italian for better prices on his merchandise. Henry wanted her to apologize, but Bonnie hung tough. Henry was shocked to learn that Bonnie had negotiated a much better deal than he had.
After a night of lovemaking, Lily made breakfast for Mike. Faith walked in on a kiss between the two and demanded, to the point of rudeness, to know what was going on. Mike got a call from Neal Stokes, asking him to meet him at the Snyder Farm, and Lily and Faith joined him.
Holden came into Emma's kitchen at the farm to find her unsettled. She was concerned about the report of soil contamination on the Snyder Farm project. Mike, Lily, and Faith arrived, along with Paul and Meg, whom Mike had also called. Neal joined them with the bad news that the soil samples were so badly contaminated that his company was abandoning the project altogether. Mike and Holden offered to renegotiate all the terms, but Neal opted out. Emma was distraught at the thought of losing the sale money and also losing her house to the bank. Paul offered to step up and build the condos, which would save Emma's home and a few surrounding acres. He said if Worldwide would not back the project, he would arrange financing personally. Meg questioned his motives, and Paul responded that he was willing to bail out the whole project for her family. Emma, however, was not pleased. Her comment to Paul was, "Over my dead body."
Paul offered to begin the land transfer procedure anyway, and Emma could decide at a later time whether she wanted to accept or not. Meg scolded her mother for being ungrateful to Paul, who left to make the arrangements. After the bank turned Paul down, he approached his mother as a guarantor for the loan. Barbara thought the bank was probably right in turning down her son, but she reluctantly cosigned on the loan.
At camp, Jack and Carly packed up J.J.'s belongings while their son finished an art project. Carly flashed back to her liaison there with Holden when the bunk beds had collapsed. Jack noticed her expression and guessed what her thoughts were. He asked her if she was in love with Holden, and Carly said she was not sure of her feelings. J.J. returned and presented his folks with a frame he had made. In the frame, he had put a picture of their family. After an uneventful ride home, Jack and Carly had another heartfelt talk about their mistakes with one another over the years.
Mike told Lily he would be leaving Oakdale because the Snyder Farm project was dead. They shared a kiss, which Holden witnessed. Lily taunted Holden by telling him she had slept with Mike, and Holden told her that he still cared for her and did not want her to get hurt. The two argued loudly, and Lily told Holden to stay out of her business and to sign the separation agreement.
Paul approached Bonnie at Metro and asked her to do the legal work on the Snyder property transfer. Bonnie and Henry tried to tell Paul that Bonnie was no longer dealing with legal matters, but Paul offered to double her usual fee. Henry could not resist this bribe and urged his new partner to do the work. He also suggested she take her time finishing it because Paul was paying her by the hour.
Paul returned to the farm with the news that he had secured a loan and the Snyder project was back on track. Mike came in and asked for approval to disperse the crew, but Paul instead asked him to stay on at his usual salary, and Mike left to tell Lily the good news. Holden also went to Lily's to hand her the signed separation papers. He cautioned her that there was no going back for them. Lily said it was time for them to move on and sadly removed her wedding ring. Mike consoled her with a hug.
Neal went to Carly's as Jack was leaving. He explained that it was his last visit to Oakdale, but renewed his offer to take Carly to Paris whenever she wished. Carly declined the invitation.
Back at the farm, Holden also took off his wedding band and told his mother that he had signed the separation papers.
Margo and Casey brought Tom home from the hospital, where Casey gave them the news that he and Emily were going to have their marriage annulled. Casey told his parents that the annulment was Emily's idea, because Emily thought it was too soon for them to get married. Tom and Margo agreed, and Margo said Casey was young to make a commitment. Casey assured her he was still committed to Emily, and one day, they would get married again. Tom offered to prepare the annulment paperwork, but both Casey and Margo told him not to rush into work again.
Emily went to the hospital and told Susan about her impending annulment. Susan was pleased to hear the news and told Emily the May-December romance wasn't a good idea. Emily reminded her mother of Susan's own marriage to a younger man, and Susan said that was precisely why she knew it wasn't a good idea.
Emily went to the Lakeview lounge, where she met Casey. As they talked, Emily spotted someone she knew: her niece, Dani Andropolous. Emily and Casey got up to talk to Dani, who informed them she had graduated from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and was a criminologist. Casey told Dani he'd been on the wrong side of the law, having served time for grand larceny. Dani was shocked to hear that, but Casey said Dani had no idea how much had happened since she'd been gone from Oakdale. Dani realized Casey meant that he and Emily were a couple. Emily got Casey to leave before he could mention that he and Emily were actually married. Dani told Emily she thought it was great that Emily was dating a younger man, and she called her Aunt Emily, "queen of the cougars."
Emily went to her office and was surprised to see Casey waiting for her. Casey asked why Emily hadn't wanted to tell Dani about their marriage. Emily said she didn't think it was the right time to discuss it.
Dani went to the hospital to see Susan. Dani told Susan how surprised she'd been to learn that Emily and Casey were an item. Susan cautioned Dani against mentioning the age difference to Emily. Dani said one day, Casey would wake up and realize there was a world of hot, young women out there, and then he and Emily would be history.
Back at Emily's office, Casey and Emily kissed passionately. Margo walked in and told them the door was open and they should be more discreet. Margo said she'd brought paperwork for the annulment, from Tom. Casey said he'd told his dad not to rush that, but Margo said it had kept Tom from going stir-crazy. She offered to leave the papers for them to sign, but Emily told Margo to wait, and she and Casey both signed the documents. Margo said she would take the paperwork back to Tom so he could have it filed. She left, and Casey asked Emily if she was still as invested in their relationship as he was. She said she was, and they embraced.
Carly waited at a train depot for Parker, who was supposed to be coming home from tennis camp, but Parker wasn't on the train. Carly called Jack, who asked if Carly had gotten to the depot on time and whether she had tried to call Parker; Carly answered yes to both questions. Jack said he was sure Parker was fine, but Carly wasn't convinced; however, given Jack's reluctance to do anything, she hung up.
Carly kept trying to call Parker, but he didn't answer his phone. She left a message asking him to send her a text message if he didn't want to talk to her, then she called Holden and told him what was happening. Holden told Carly he would come to the train depot right away. When he arrived, he asked Carly if she was sure Jack hadn't picked up Parker. She said he had not and that Jack seemed to think she was making a big deal out of nothing. Holden asked whether Carly had spoken to the camp counselor, and Carly said no and immediately called him. The counselor told Carly that Parker had taken an earlier train, so Carly told Holden that Parker was probably at home, wondering where everyone was. Holden told Carly he would walk her to her car, and he put his arm around her.
At the farm with Janet, Jack tried to call Parker but couldn't reach him. Janet called Liberty to ask if she had seen Parker, but Liberty assured her that she hadn't. When Janet told Jack, he decided maybe he'd better go to the train station after all. Jack arrived at the train depot and asked Holden why he was there. Carly tried to explain, but Jack said Carly's relationship with Holden was a big part of the problems Parker was having, and he thought Holden should think twice before going to Carly's with her to check on Parker. Holden told Jack that the next time Carly called because she was concerned about one of their kids, maybe Jack shouldn't blow her off. Jack became angry. Trying to defuse the situation, Carly asked Holden to leave. Holden asked if Carly was sure she wanted to deal with Jack on her own, but Carly assured him she could handle it. As Holden walked past Jack, Holden told him next time Jack should step up, and then Carly wouldn't have to call Holden.
Parker showed up at Brad's house and scared Liberty by coming up from behind her unexpectedly. Parker explained that he'd gotten off the train and headed straight for Liberty's house; he assured her he'd waited outside until he was positive Brad and Katie were gone before he came in. Liberty told Parker he had to leave, but Parker kissed her, and she found herself kissing him back.
Parker told Liberty she was the reason he couldn't concentrate on tennis. Liberty said Parker loved tennis, but Parker said he also loved Liberty. That seemed to freak Liberty out, and she sat Parker down on the couch, turned on the TV, and went to get him something to drink. In the kitchen, Liberty made a quick call to her dad, who was at work at WOAK. Liberty told Brad that Parker was there, uninvited, and didn't appear to want to leave. Brad told her he would be there right away. He and Katie left the studio, telling Kim there was a family crisis.
Parker told Liberty he'd thought of a plan so that they could see each other despite their parents' objections. Liberty told Parker he was crazy, but Parker said he missed her and wanted to be with her. As he leaned towards Liberty to kiss her again, Brad and Katie walked in. Brad said, "You must have a death wish, and it is about to come true!"
Jack went with Carly back to her house; however, J.J. came downstairs and informed them that he hadn't seen Parker. Carly told J.J. they thought Parker would already be home because he'd taken an earlier train, but Jack went to check, and Parker wasn't there. Brad called Jack and told him Parker was with Liberty, and Brad was going to bring him home. He told Jack he'd better figure out a way to get through to Parker about staying away from Liberty. When Brad dropped Parker off, he told Jack that if he couldn't deal with Parker, Brad would do it himself. Brad left.
Holden went to the diner to get something to eat, and Janet waited on him. She could tell he was upset, and he told her he'd already had a run-in with Jack. After he explained what had happened, Janet said she hoped Parker was home and not with Liberty. Janet asked Holden if he was upset only about what had happened at the train depot or if it had something to do with his separation from Lily. Janet said she understood about breakups, that it was like quitting smoking: You kept reaching for something even though you knew you couldn't have it. Holden asked if she was talking about him and Lily or him and Carly; Janet said both. Holden said it was too bad there wasn't a patch, and Janet agreed that a relationship patch would be a terrific idea. Holden smiled and left.
Jack asked Parker what he'd been thinking when he chose to go see Liberty. Carly told Parker he should have called her to let him know he'd taken an earlier train, but Parker blew her off. Jack told Parker not to use that tone with his mother, and Parker sarcastically agreed that no one deserved his respect more than his mom. Jack told Parker to empty his pockets, and he took Parker's phone and house keys. He told Parker that in the future, Parker wasn't going to make a move without Jack knowing about it, and he sent Parker up to his room. When Parker left the room, Jack told Carly he didn't know what else to do short of locking Parker up. Carly said she understood, but she wondered if Jack would have a better chance of getting through to Parker if he acted less like a cop and more like a father.
Jack retorted that kids needed a good example of how to behave, and he wondered how Parker was supposed to learn how to act when the only adult he was living with was setting such a poor example. Carly responded that perhaps Parker would be better off at the farm, where Jack was living with Janet, setting yet another good example. Jack said if Parker moved to the farm, he would find someplace else for Janet to live, and he asked Carly if he should look into that. Carly said no, and Jack turned to leave, still upset. Carly asked, "What about yesterday?" She said she thought they had put all the "bad stuff" behind them; Jack said he had, too, but he'd been wrong again. Jack left.
J.J. went into Parker's room and said Parker must really like Liberty if he was willing to continue being punished by his parents for seeing her. Parker said he would find a way to keep seeing Liberty. J.J. asked how, given that their parents were going to be watching Parker constantly. Parker said they wouldn't be watching J.J.. Parker then proposed that J.J. tell their parents that he and Parker were hanging out together, and then whenever Liberty showed up, J.J. could make himself scarce. J.J. told Parker to forget it, because their parents would figure it out. Parker offered to pay J.J. $20 every time he helped him.
Liberty told Katie that although she liked Parker, he was too intense about their relationship. Katie asked if Liberty had told Parker that they should hold off on their relationship because of their parents, and Liberty said she had, but Parker hadn't listened. Liberty told Katie she wasn't worried about her dad as much as she was concerned about Parker and what he might do.
When Brad returned home, he told Katie he didn't think anyone could keep Parker from thinking he could still be with Liberty. Katie said she had an idea. She thought they should set up a fake date between Liberty and Leo, the new intern at WOAK, so that Parker could see that Liberty wasn't ready for a committed relationship. Brad wasn't sure that was a good idea, but Katie thought it would do the trick.
Jack went to the diner and told Janet about Parker having gone to see Liberty. Janet assured him they would get through this and told him the kids were tougher than they gave them credit for. Meanwhile, Holden went to Carly's house to make sure she was okay and that Parker was home. Carly told Holden that Jack had threatened to take Parker away from her. Holden said Jack would never do that, but Carly wasn't so sure. She told Holden that Jack had a valid point: she hadn't set a good example for her children. She said her relationship with Holden had to end, and that she couldn't call him anymore when she needed help. Holden reluctantly left.
