At Katie's house, Dr. Reid Oliver and Henry verbally sparred. After Katie introduced them, Henry asked the doctor many questions, until finally Oliver said that if Henry frisked him, he would expect Henry to take him out to dinner. Oliver left to return to the hospital, as Henry fumed at Katie for taking a stranger into her house. Henry was not at all impressed by "Dr. Mc Brainy," and he could not understand why Katie didn't want to spend all her evenings with Henry.

Katie firmly said that she and Henry were too close to live together. Henry tried to talk her out of having a strange doctor as a roommate, but Katie did not want to do anything that would jeopardize her friendship with Henry. Besides, she found comfort in having a medical person around if baby Jacob needed help. Katie also assured Henry that she would not be sleeping with the doctor, and that somewhat relieved him

Henry made Katie promise that if she got any sort of "weird vibes" from the good doctor that she would not go through with letting him move in. Henry left, after promising to return to babysit Jacob so that Katie could meet with Reid to have him sign the rental agreement. Katie held her son and told him how lucky he was to, literally, "have a doctor in the house." Then she looked at her laptop, and she put the baby in his bassinet and typed Reid Oliver's name in a search engine on the computer.

Henry made a beeline for Memorial and hunted down Reid Oliver. He apologized in advance for how difficult it would be for the doctor to live with Katie's mood swings, crying jags, and grief over losing her husband at such a young age, as well as a fussy baby. Dr. Oliver, however, countered by saying that he slept with ear plugs, and he hoped that Henry understood that even Harvard-educated world-famous neurosurgeons had "needs," and "with a hottie like Katie on the other side of the wall..." He stopped there. Henry went ballistic, but Reid assured Henry that Reid was a trustworthy roommate.

Henry returned to Katie's and said that he had tried to give Dr. Oliver a chance, but he just didn't trust Reid. Henry thought the doctor was "sleazy." Katie said that she had looked up Oliver on the Internet and learned that he was one of the top brain surgeons in the world. Henry was not appeased, as Katie left to meet Reid to go over the living arrangement. She said goodbye to Jacob by telling him that "Uncle Henry was a little fragile."

Henry held the baby, who giggled at him happily, and said that it was time for Jacob to swallow his medicine just as he had to swallow "Mommy's new roommate." On the other hand, Henry said, it would be easier to just find a good way to get rid of the fellow altogether.

Katie met Dr. Oliver at Java, and they went over the rental agreement. He said he had no "stuff" to move in because he had been kidnapped and taken to Oakdale against his will. He said he mostly wore scrubs all the time, and he would buy some underwear, but it was obvious that he expected Katie to do his laundry as part of the deal. Katie said she had a washer and dryer, but the brain surgeon would be washing his own skivvies. If he didn't know how to work the machines, Katie would teach him.

Holden and Damian argued on the docks near the Grimaldi shipping offices. Holden accused Damian of attempting to kill Meg and wanting to take Lily out of the country and away from her children. Damian said that if he left on the departing freighter, everyone would get what they wanted: Damian would disappear as soon as the ship reached international waters, and Holden could comfort Lily and Luke, and also search for his sister. Holden took out his phone and threatened to call Margo at the police station, but Damian stopped him.

Damian remarked that if he went to trial, that experience would be extremely tough on Lily and Luke, and the whole Snyder family. They would be discussing the most intimate details of their lives, and besides, Damian was sure that he could win an acquittal because Officer Grady's testimony would be discounted because juries didn't like "dirty cops." Neither did they like to listen to the ramblings of a psych ward escapee like Meg, he added. Damian claimed he stood a very good chance of getting free, and he looked forward to having Lily forgive him again.

Damian maintained that he had been sure that Holden was dead after he had observed the burned remains of Holden's truck, but Holden accused Damian of not caring at all about Lily but rather of exercising "ownership" over her and Luke. The men continued to argue more heatedly, and when Holden said Damian was trying to control Lily, Damian was infuriated. Next, Holden said that, thank God, Damian had not made Lily pregnant, and Damian swore that as long as he was alive, he would be part of Lily's life. Holden accused Damian of being a lousy father and said that once Luke found out what Damian had done to Lily and the rest of the family, he would never want to see Damian again.

In Memorial, Lily waited for her MRI and talked with a tearful Molly. Molly admitted that she had wanted Holden for herself for as long as she could have him, so she had lied. Lily was angry but said that Molly had made one serious mistake; Lily had made wrong choices a hundred times a day for months. She blamed only herself for some of the near tragedies. Lucinda arrived and wanted to know what had happened. Lily was sorry for ignoring everyone's warnings about what kind of man Damian was, and for marrying him anyway.

Lily was especially worried about what she would tell Luke, but Lucinda told her to be honest with the children and not to underestimate them. On another floor of the hospital, Luke spoke with Noah and told him that Dr. Oliver could not tell Noah who could be in his life. Noah said that he had no choice if he wanted surgery, and he was not willing to risk anything else. He was fearful that Dr. Oliver would back out if Noah did not fulfill the terms of their arrangement. Luke was very disappointed that his boyfriend had chosen Dr. Oliver over him.

Luke also told Noah that, for some reason, Damian had left town and that the move sounded permanent. He had even given Luke the shipping company, but Luke did not know what that meant. Noah was sorry that his boyfriend was going through his own problems, but just then Dr. Oliver approached and asked if Noah was no longer abiding by the terms of their deal. Noah defended Luke, who voluntarily left after warning that he hoped the doctor's performance lived up to his hype.

Luke went to the exam room where Lily was waiting and told her that Damian had called him to the office. He said his father had acted very strangely and had packed his passport and some other papers in his briefcase. He also said that his father had told him to take over the shipping business, as Lucinda interrupted him to shout her delight that Damian might be gone forever. Luke was confused, so Lily promised that she would tell him what happened on their way home. Lucinda reminded her daughter that the doctor wanted an MRI, but Lily claimed to be fine, and she and Luke walked out.

At WOAK, Molly called Holden and left a message. She said that she just couldn't walk away from him, and she asked him to call her. Lucinda entered the studio and overheard Molly's words. She told Molly that she wouldn't hold her breath waiting for Holden to return the call. She also reminded Molly that it was "time to go home," and called her "a seat-filler in the theater of Holden's life." She said Lily and Holden were destined to be together, but Molly said that was Holden's decision. Lucinda pointed out that Holden was obviously avoiding Molly, but Molly said that he was out looking for Meg.

At the farm, Holden rushed into the house with his hands covered with blood. He flashed back on a physical confrontation with Damian in which Holden beat Damian and someone wielded a large knife. He washed his hands rapidly and took off out the door.

Lily and Luke went home, and Luke obviously had learned the story about Damian, as he commented that he really thought that his father had changed. Lily was conflicted because she said she couldn't turn off her feelings for Damian even though she hated what he had done. Luke wondered if they would ever see his birth father again.

Holden ran into Lily's house, and Lily and Luke asked where he had been. Luke correctly surmised that he had been with Damian, and Holden admitted that. He said that he had let Damian go. Lily poured a visibly shaken Holden a drink, and he took it with trembling hands. He said that he had found Damian waiting to catch an outbound freighter on the docks.

Holden said he had been about to call the police when Damian had begun talking about winning his trial. Holden said he had let the man go because he was afraid that otherwise, Damian would just have hung around, and Holden couldn't bear to think of that. Then Holden assured his family that Damian was "gone forever."

Lily asked if Meg didn't deserve justice for what Damian had put her though, but Holden said the best thing for his sister was for her to never see or think about Damian Grimaldi again. Luke said how lucky he was to have Holden for a father, and he hugged Holden. Holden, however, winced with pain, and then turned and said he was going to find Meg. As Holden was walking out, Lucinda arrived, and when she saw him, she announced, "All's right with the world!"

Lily looked worried, however, and she told her mother that, despite Holden's opinions, Damian might have left to spare the family the torture of a lengthy trial. Lucinda refused to believe that Damian had done anything for anyone other than himself, but Lily wanted to hold on to that idea. Lucinda said that the only thing that would keep Damian from returning was "a stake through his heart."

Holden returned to the farm and surprised Molly in the kitchen. She said she was moving to the Lakeview, and she had her bag packed. Holden said, "Okay," and Molly began to cry. She walked past him on her way to the door, but she glanced at him and cried out, "Oh, my God! You're bleeding," and she pointed to his shirt. Holden lied and said that he had cut himself while changing a flat tire, and Molly wanted to clean it up for him. Holden refused, but he struggled to pick up Molly's suitcase for her. Ever the investigative reporter, Molly asked where Holden had gone after he'd left the hospital, and he admitted that he'd been at the docks. Holden then stopped answering questions.

Luke wandered through Old Town and saw Noah sitting on a bench. He spoke to Noah, who said he was waiting for Maddie to finish up at the bookstore. Noah asked about Lily, and he apologized for "shutting out" Luke earlier. Luke was upset, but he refused to get into it because he said he would break down and then they would violate Dr. Oliver's terms. Luke turned to leave, but Noah stopped him. Luke pulled back and walked away.

Lily told Lucinda that she had brought Damian into her house and put her children's lives in danger. Lucinda warned her daughter that Damian would try to worm his way back into her life, but Lily said that Holden had assured her that Damian was gone for good. She also promised her mother that she was finished with him herself. Lucinda suggested that Lily get a divorce from Damian and go get Holden, if she still wanted him. Lucinda walked out, with Lily yelling after her.

At Metro, Dusty called the office of the oncologist in New York whom Liberty was seeing, and he asked if the Snyder family had kept their appointment. Teri walked in and asked Dusty if he was checking up on her relatives, but Dusty ignored her. He was managing the club in Janet's absence, and as they worked behind the bar, Teri asked Dusty if it bothered him that Jack was in New York with Janet. Dusty answered no, but then he suggested that she go back in the kitchen and do her job.

Soon Dusty heard a commotion at the front door, and it was Teri screaming at a departing deliveryman who had dumped a 50 pound bag of flour at the front door. Teri was struggling to drag it in, so Dusty tried to help, and they each picked up one end. They tried to control it, but the bag burst, covering Dusty almost completely with flour. Teri began to giggle, and Dusty laughed, too. Teri grabbed a towel from the bar and began flicking the flour off. Then Teri got on her knees and began working on Dusty's pants.

Lucinda walked in the door and took one look and muttered that she didn't even want to know what was going on. Dusty turned around and Lucinda began laughing. Teri excused herself, and Lucinda commented on Dusty's fondness for young women. When Dusty protested that Teri was only "the best chef in town," Lucinda asked if that meant Dusty was "not inclined to sample her specials." Dusty asked Lucinda what she wanted, and she asked him to recommend the best private investigator he knew.

After Lucinda left, Teri returned to the bar and helped Dusty clean up the flour spill. She had overheard Dusty refer to her as "a kid," and that upset her. Teri said she was able to think of Dusty not only as a boss but also as a person. She wanted him to realize that she was a woman, as well as a chef. Dusty was afraid that Teri had feelings for him, but she said she was thinking more about Dusty's affection for her sister. Teri suggested that Dusty was in love with Janet, but Dusty denied that and said Janet was not the reason that there couldn't be anything between him and Teri. Teri walked back to the kitchen, and said that she hoped Dusty enjoyed being alone about as much as she did.

At the farm, Molly asked Holden again why there was blood on his shirt. Holden lied and told her the same story about changing a tire. Molly wanted to know exactly what had happened between Holden and Damian, and again Holden said that he had let Damian go. He refused to change his story, and he went outside and called Lily. He told her that Margo had the state police looking for Meg. He also said that he thought the kids should hear the news about Damian from them, so he asked Lily to stop by the farm where Ethan and Natalie were looking at the horses with Emma.

Holden suggested to Molly that it would be better if she were not there when Lily arrived, so she agreed to go as soon as Holden told her the truth about how he had gotten hurt. He was in obvious pain, and Molly asked what Holden had done to Damian. Holden told her he had done nothing and for her to let it go. Molly was not convinced that Damian was really gone, but Holden said that he had refused to stoop to Damian's level, so he had let him leave the country.

Molly asked Holden again to take off his shirt so that she could see the cut on his chest, and he finally complied. The wound looked nasty, and Molly wondered what had happened. She urged Holden to go to the hospital, but he refused. Lily pulled up in the driveway, so Holden ran upstairs and asked Molly to tell his ex-wife that he would be down soon. Lily walked in and immediately spotted a puddle of blood on the kitchen floor. Molly tried to say it was "tomato juice," but Lily wasn't fooled.

Holden returned to the kitchen, and Molly saw that he was in pain, so she offered him something to drink. He accepted a beer from her, but it hurt him to move. Molly went outside to give Lily and Holden some privacy while they discussed how to tell the children about Damian. Holden said that he thought they should not shuffle the kids from Lily's house to the farm, and he was willing to let them stay permanently with Lily. Lily was worried that Damian might return, but Holden said she would "never see Damian again."

They called in the children and offered them ice cream. Then Holden began by reminding Ethan and Natalie that lying was never good, and he said that Damian had told some very bad lies and had also hurt some very good people. He said their mother, Lily, was one of those people, and he explained that they were going home with Lily to try to resume normal living.

At the Lakeview, Lucinda met with a private investigator and showed him a photo of Damian Grimaldi. The investigator knew Damian by sight, and then Lucinda passed him an envelope full of cash. She also promised more money if he could locate Damian and make sure that he never returned to Oakdale.

Molly went down to the docks to prowl around. She walked along the waterfront and found an oar that had lots of blood spatters on it. Then she heard someone coughing, so he investigated and found a small boy hiding behind a barrel. He had a toy boat with him, so Molly asked if he was going to put it in the water. The boy said that his name was Arthur, and he had been planning to sail his boat, but the "men who were fighting" had frightened him. He said there were two men, and Molly asked if one of them had called the other "Damian." The boy nodded, so Molly showed Arthur a picture of Holden, but that frightened him even more. He stood up and told Molly that he had seen all the blood, and he ran off.

In New York, Jack and Janet took Liberty to a couple of appointments with specialists, but they had some time before the next consultation. They went to their hotel rooms, and Janet was unhappy that Liberty was so negative. Jack unpacked his bag and took out the sweater that he had worn recently when he met Carly at the lake, and he remembered their pledging their love again. Liberty and Janet out of Liberty's room and Liberty said that she would like to get out until her next appointment, but her mother said the girl should rest.

Jack thought it was all right for Liberty to have some time by herself, and she said there was a costume exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that she would like to see; she promised to be back in one hour. Janet was still not convinced, so Liberty got angry and went to her room by herself. She called Carly and was surprised to learn that Carly was also in New York on business for Monte Carlo. Liberty asked Carly to go to the Met with her, but Carly said it was best if they stayed on opposite sides of Manhattan.

Liberty went back into Janet and Jack's room and said she was leaving, but Janet said it was all right. Jack had convinced her that one hour away would not hurt her, and he offered the girl cab fare and money for admission to the museum. Liberty took off, and as she walked up the steps to the museum, she spotted a palm reader who had set up a table near the entrance. Liberty approached her and gave her $20 and asked for a reading. The woman took Liberty's hand and commented that her lifeline was very short.

Liberty asked what a short lifeline meant, but the woman asked for another $20. The woman said something rude, as Carly swooped in and plucked Liberty out of the chair and scolded the woman for cheating a child. Carly showed the girl her hand, and Liberty noticed that Carly had an almost non-existent lifeline. Then Carly said that she barely had one at all, but she planned to live "forever."

Back in the hotel, Jack tried to be encouraging about Liberty's prognosis, and the girl opened the door and walked in, followed by an uncomfortable-looking Carly. Janet could not believe her eyes and asked why Carly was there. Liberty spoke up and said she had invited Carly to go to the museum with her, and then Carly shared the story about the bogus palm reader who was ripping off the girl. Janet swallowed her feelings and thanked Carly, who said she had to go to her lunch meeting.

Jack called downstairs to make sure there were cabs available, as Janet went into Liberty's room with her daughter. Jack also attempted to explain to Carly that he and Janet were not sleeping together, but Carly said it was none of her business. Jack blurted out that whenever he was alone with Janet, he felt as if he was cheating on Carly, and that devastated Carly. She said he was telling her things that only made the situation worse. She left in a hurry, but before long, she was knocking on the door again.

Jack opened the door and Carly said she had lost a glove. Jack found it in the room, and as he handed it to her, he apologized for his earlier comments. Carly closed the door herself and walked away.

While Liberty was in her bathroom, Janet's cell phone rang. Her caller was Dusty who told her that "the bar" missed her. Janet smiled and replied that she missed "the bar," as well. They agreed that they would talk later, and they both hung up.

Alison arrived at Casey's, and they discussed how hard Alison was working to get extra hours built up at the hospital so that she could take off some time for the wedding. Casey was worried about her, and Alison admitted that she was having difficulty sleeping because of weird dreams. Casey had a meeting with his father, so he left, while Alison lay down to rest. She could not relax, so she did some yoga, but she still tossed and turned. She remembered her dream of going to the old church with Mick, and she put on her boots and left the house.

Alison walked to the old church and went up to the belfry. She called out to Mick, but he was not there. She found his scarf on the floor and picked it up and pressed it to her face. She sat down for a long while, holding the scarf in her lap.

Meanwhile, Casey went to meet his dad, and he said how pleased he was that Tom and Margo had welcomed Alison into their family. Tom said that he was very proud of Casey, and they began talking about Casey's goal to be an attorney. Tom cautioned his son about the challenges facing him because of his criminal record, and Casey seemed surprised and discouraged. He asked Tom for more details, and his father said that the District Attorney and members of the city council might decide to weigh in on the issue of Casey's morals and ethics. Casey was afraid that his being an ex-con would hang over him for the rest of his life.

Later, Alison returned to the Hughes home, and she told a worried Casey that she had just gone for a walk. She was shaking, but she blamed it on the cold weather. Casey held her, and Alison asked him not to let go. They went to their bedroom, and Casey told her about Tom's remarks. He was concerned that getting approval from community members would be a nightmare. Alison said that they would do whatever it took to let Casey achieve his dream.

Carly was surprised when she went home after returning from New York, and Jack opened the door for her. He said that they had flown back earlier, but his conversation with Carly was strained. Then Jack mentioned that they needed to discuss the children's winter school break, so they went to the kitchen to make coffee. Jack found his favorite old Chicago Cubs mug, and he remembered how he and Carly had gone to a game several years before. Carly was uncomfortable walking down memory lane, so Jack switched the talk to a discussion of a ski trip for Sage.

Both Carly and Jack thought Sage would enjoy the trip with another family, and then they turned to Parker. Jack said that Parker's plans were probably on hold until he knew when he could remove the brace on his leg, and Carly thought that their son would want to stick around home to be near Liberty, anyway. Jack agreed, and then he apologized again for what he had said to Carly in New York about feeling unfaithful to her every time he was alone with his wife. Someone rang the doorbell, and Carly went to answer it. Jack heard her say, "Hello, Janet."

Janet asked to speak to Carly, and explained that the doctors in New York had suggested that they build a support team around Liberty while she was undergoing treatment for her leukemia. Janet hoped that Carly would pitch in to help, and Carly instantly agreed. Janet admitted that Liberty had caught her mother watching her sleep, and it had frightened the girl even more. Janet cried and said that she had no time to feel sorry for herself because she had to focus on her daughter.

Carly volunteered to involve Liberty in a design project, and Janet thought that was a fine idea. Jack listened to the conversation from the kitchen, and he agonized to hear the two women he loved put aside their feelings to support Liberty. Janet left, and Jack appeared from the kitchen. He said that he had stayed in there so that Janet would not "jump to conclusions." The two of them agreed that more had been going on between them than a simple cup of coffee, and Carly asked Jack what they were going to do.

Both of them admitted that they couldn't stay away from each other, and Carly cried and said that she needed to not love Jack so much. Jack thanked her for helping Liberty, but Carly told him that she could see no "us" in the future. Both of them were close to tears as Jack took his leave.

Jack went to the farm, and he told Janet that he had "run some errands." She told him that she had gone to see Carly to ask Carly to be part of Liberty's team. Jack said that he was fine with that, and Janet said that she needed to be reassured that she didn't have anything else to worry about besides getting her daughter well. Jack said there was nothing else to concern herself about, and Janet said how much she needed to hear that.

At home, Carly threw Jack's Cubs mug into the trash.

Mick walked into Fairwinds and saw an invitation for Emily to attend Alison's bridal shower. It shocked him, and he dropped his bag on the floor. Emily arrived home and almost tripped over Mick's bag. She looked at it and suddenly remembered seeing Mick with the bag, and she realized that it had contained photos of Paul as a child and young man. She turned and found Mick standing right behind her, and he frightened her.

Emily said that seeing Mick's bag had triggered some sort of vague memory that had to do with something that had happened to her just before she had blacked out in her coma. Mick asked her if she was listening, and then he looked directly into her eyes and said that sometimes memories were too painful to remember. It was time "to get the ball rolling," he said, and to focus on getting a baby with Paul.

In Old Town, Barbara and Paul argued about Mick. Barbara wanted Paul to give the young man another chance, and she asked her son to trust her on that. Paul asked if Barbara knew something about Mick that he didn't, but Barbara stopped him. Paul continued by saying that something "odd" had been going on between his mother and Mick ever since Mick had been "sticking her with his needle." Paul demanded to know what it was, but they had reached Fairwinds, so he warned Barbara that their conversation on that subject was not over.

Emily and Mick were sitting in the living room, and Paul was pleased that they were both there. Barbara excused herself to go upstairs and visit Eliza, as Paul asked what was going on. Emily said that everything was wonderful, and she was ready to focus on their future and making their baby. "It's time to get the ball rolling," parroted Emily, and Mick smiled. Paul could not believe that Emily was still fixated on having a child, and he reminded her that she had just awakened from a coma and a stay in the hospital.

Mick spoke up and said that Emily was ready, but Paul challenged him by reminding Mick that he was not a physician. He asked to have a private conversation with his wife, so Mick left the room. Barbara returned, however, and Paul asked her, too, for alone time with Emily. Barbara and Mick left Fairwinds, and Emily bluntly asked Paul if he no longer wanted to have a baby with her. Paul stated that nothing was worth risking Emily's health, but Emily repeated that it was "time to get the ball rolling."

Paul suggested that Emily get a full medical workup at the hospital before they even thought about getting pregnant, but Emily said that Mick had said that she was fine. Paul yelled that Mick was not a doctor, and all Paul wanted was to keep her safe. Paul then picked up his coat and said he would be back soon. He ran out the door, and Emily began to sob.

Barbara and Mick went to her room in the hotel, and she asked him when he would tell Paul the truth. Mick answered that he would tell their son when the time was right. He said his living at Fairwinds gave him the advantage of keeping an eye on Paul. Barbara believed that there was "more to the story," however, and she was curious as to how Mick had managed to have Emily not remember that she was with him just before she had slipped into a coma. Mick's only answer was that he could be "very persuasive." Then Barbara brought up the subject of Alison Stewart, and Mick got visibly upset.

Barbara accused Mick of "chasing Alison around the bleachers like a school boy," and Mick reached into his pocket and handed Barbara a jeweler's box that he opened to reveal a large diamond ring. Barbara took it and asked what the occasion was, and he asked her to read the inscription. It said, "From J to B with eternal love." Mick said the ring was a token of his "appreciation and undying affection." Barbara asked what the catch was, but Mick assured her that there were "no strings attached." Barbara slipped the ring on her finger.

Barbara answered a knock on her door, and Paul burst in and grabbed Mick around the throat. He screamed at Mick, and asked him what Mick had done to Emily, but Mick said only that he had told her that she was ready to get pregnant. Paul was furious, and he told Mick to "back off" immediately. Barbara ordered Paul to let Mick go, so Paul released him, but Paul warned Mick not to interfere in Paul's life. Mick promised not to "cross that line again," and he excused himself and left.

Barbara asked Paul "what the hell" he was doing, and Paul said that he was defending his family. He suggested that Barbara try it some time, herself. She said that she had faith in Mick Dante, and then Paul noticed the ring on his mother's finger. He asked if Mick had given it to her, and he jerked it from her finger. Paul read the inscription but could not figure out who "J" was. Barbara lied that Mick had found it in an antique shop, but Paul did not believe her. He demanded to know who Mick Dante was, and Barbara cried that she could not tell him.

Mick returned to Fairwinds and spoke to Emily. He asked what was going on, and Emily explained that she and Paul had fought about the baby. Mick said that Emily could make that decision herself since it was her body involved. Emily said she couldn't get pregnant by herself, so Mick said that if Paul was not willing to give her a baby right away, then he would.

Emily couldn't believe that Mick had offered to father a baby with her. She was stunned, and she told him that she didn't want just any baby, she wanted Paul's. Mick said that the goal was for Emily to carry a healthy baby to term while living with Paul and to allow him to believe that the child was his. Emily refused to entertain that idea, and she began to cry. She knew that she would have to undergo in vitro treatments, and Paul certainly would know that he hadn't made a "contribution." Mick said to remember that anything was possible.

When Emily was reluctant to go for Mick's scheme, he looked her in the eyes and said, "Are you listening, Emily?" Those words put Emily into hypnotic receptiveness, as Mick continued to tell her that if she was happy about the baby, then Paul would be happy. Mick assured Emily that being pregnant was what she wanted. Emily asked how soon she could be pregnant, and Mick answered, "Within a few days." Emily wanted to discuss it with Paul, but Mick said that if she went with him to do the procedure immediately, she would not regret it.

Mick asked Emily once again if she was listening, and then he convinced her that the baby would belong to both Emily and Paul. They began to leave, but Emily suddenly remembered that Alison's bridal shower was taking place within the hour at the Lakeview. She said to Mick that she had to support her sister who was getting married. Mick got angry and said that marriage was not going to happen. Then he reminded her that they had to harvest Emily's eggs that day, but she could attend the shower after the procedure. Mick mentioned that they were not going to Memorial but to a small clinic to preserve Emily's privacy.

Emily was still hesitant and said that something just didn't seem right. Mick repeated "Are you listening, Emily?" and then told her to tell everyone that the pregnancy was what she had always wanted. The two of them left Fairwinds and went to the clinic where Mick prepared to harvest Emily's eggs. Emily was on an exam table and was covered by a sheet; she acknowledged that she was ready. Mick lifted the sheet and picked up a hypodermic syringe.

Casey asked his folks about the recipient of a gaily wrapped package on their kitchen table, and Margo said it was a present for Alison's bridal shower that day at the Lakeview. Casey knew the nurses at the hospital were throwing a shower for his fiancée on the weekend, and when he mentioned that, Margo was irked at Susan Stewart for not combining the showers into one. She asked Casey to get Alison to the Lakeview in half an hour, and then Alison walked out from the bedroom.

Margo hid the present under her coat and said she had to run. Tom suggested that the young people head over to the Lakeview to get some lunch, but Alison began to get suspicious. She agreed to go because no one there could cook very well, but she warned Casey that if someone yelled "Surprise!" in her vicinity, he was in deep trouble.

At the hotel, only Margo, Lisa, and Susan were in attendance. Lisa told them to look on the bright side; the mother and mother-in-law of the bride were both there and seemingly getting along. Alison and Casey walked in, and the women yelled "Surprise!" Alison gave Casey a look, but she was gracious. She asked where Emily was, and Susan said that she must be running late. Lisa threw out Casey, and they turned to the presents.

Upstairs in the Lakeview in his mother's room, Paul examined more closely the ring he had pulled off Barbara's finger. He asked again who the "J" in the inscription referred to, but Barbara said she didn't know. Paul insisted that she knew more than she was telling, and he angrily yelled that he would go find out for himself who Mick Dante really was. Barbara grabbed her coat and followed her son to Fairwinds, where she walked in to hear Paul leaving a message for Emily on her phone.

Paul spotted Mick's bag and opened it and looked through it. He was desperate to get a straight answer about who Mick was, and he worried that Mick might in some way hurt his wife. Paul listened to his mother go on about how much Emily wanted a baby with him, but then Paul said that Mick's presence in their lives had put a damper on everything. He told Barbara that he had found photos of himself as a child in Mick's room, and he asked her for one good reason why Mick Dante would have pictures of James Stenbeck and his family in his possession. Barbara hedged and said she was sure that Mick would reveal all in good time, and then she made her exit.

Alison began opening her presents at the mini-shower, and Lisa brought sex into the conversation. That made Margo uncomfortable, so she kept shoving presents at Alison and hoping they did not contain lingerie. Kim's present was a set of towels monogrammed with the initial "H." Susan sneered and declared it presumptuous of Kim to think that Alison would change her name to Hughes. Lisa, on the other hand, was sure that Alison couldn't wait to be a Hughes. The bride-to-be said she hadn't even thought about it, and she looked up and saw Mick Dante grinning at her in a doorway. Alison excused herself to go to the ladies' room, while Lisa chewed out the other two guests for ruining the party.

Alison dragged Mick out to the lobby to be away from the shower guests, and he told her that he hadn't meant to interrupt the festivities. She thanked him for that, but then Mick said that he thought Alison was putting on a good show for the ladies. He said he knew that she would rather be somewhere else with someone else. Mick pulled Alison into an elevator, and then he shut it down. He claimed he was "saving" her, but Alison demanded to be let out. Mick said she was not ready for marriage, and she was hiding something.

Alison protested that Mick was confusing her, but he said that he wanted to save her from "a trap." He told her he had visited the bell tower and knew she had held his scarf because he could smell her scent on it. He claimed that he knew she was as drawn to him as he was to her, and he only asked that she give him one night before she resigned her life away. They almost kissed, but Alison pulled back and started the elevator again.

Emily arrived at the shower and asked where the guest of honor was. Susan was concerned because Alison had been gone so long, but Lisa interrupted Emily by telling her that she looked a little flushed. Emily began to giggle and announced that she was going to have a baby. She asked for Alison because she wanted to celebrate. Lisa and Margo went to look for Alison, and Susan told Emily to tell her precisely what she had done that day. Emily grinned and told her mother that she had her eggs harvested, and it was what she had always wanted.

Barbara walked through the lobby on her way to her room in the Lakeview and saw Mick and Alison exit the elevator. Alison started back to join the ladies, but Barbara grabbed her by the arm. Barbara asked what Alison had been doing with Mick, but just them Lisa and Margo walked up. Barbara slipped away, but Lisa asked what had happened. Alison said she had gotten stuck in the elevator, and Margo directed Lisa to have it checked right away. Susan said she was taking Emily home, and the two of them left.

Emily and her mother walked into Fairwinds, and Susan got on her soapbox and said how irresponsible it was for Emily and Paul to begin the in vitro process with Emily's having a recent hospitalization. Paul said that they had decided to put that project on hold, but Susan said he might want to check with his wife. Emily spoke up and said that she had not decided to put anything off, and she had already had her eggs retrieved. Susan left, and Paul demanded to know why Emily had done that without even talking to him. He reminded her that it took a woman and a man to make a baby, so Emily looked her husband in the face and said that if Paul was not willing to father her child, then Mick had volunteered to do it.

Paul could not figure out why Emily would talk to another man about having a child. Emily said she truly wanted Paul to be the biological father, so Paul asked if he had to hurry and make up his mind or else he would lose his spot in line. He went on to say that he wanted Emily more than he wanted a baby from Emily. Suddenly in her head, Emily heard Mick's voice hypnotizing her to answer all naysayers by swearing another baby was what she had always wanted. She shrieked and pushed Paul away, screaming that Mick had made her say and think things. She was very frightened that he had brainwashed her.

Casey arrived at the Lakeview, and Alison was ready to go home. He had spent the intervening time with Tom, eating pizza and drinking beer, as a feeble attempt at a bachelor party. They had talked about how much better Casey's relationship with his mother was, and Casey answered his dad's question about why he and Alison were sleeping in separate beds until the wedding. Tom suggested that Casey do "something fancy" for his bride during the honeymoon, and he offered to foot the bill. Casey also told Tom that he was determined to do whatever it took to get through law school and sit for the bar.

Mick returned to the bell tower and lit dozens of white candles. He had a rug and a chair arranged, but he wondered if Alison would show up. He sniffed his scarf, which carried Alison's scent, and he blew lightly on some of the candles to make the firelight dance. Mick heard footsteps on the wooden stairway, and he began to smile. The door opened, and Barbara slipped in. She put her hand on Mick's shoulder, and he said, "Alison." "Guess again," said Barbara.

Mick was very angry that Barbara had intruded on his special place, and he tried to tell her that, rather than being romantic, candlelight was "restful." He said he liked to meditate, but Barbara accused him of expecting a tryst with Alison Stewart. Mick grabbed Barbara roughly and told her that he was sick of her and her vanity. She said that Paul was on to Mick, and it was just a matter of time before her son pieced it all together. Barbara declared she was tired of running interference for Mick, and he was on his own. She ran out and down the stairs.

Back in Casey's room, he excused himself to study for an exam. He and Alison kissed, and Alison said she was tired and could probably sleep. She lay on the bed, but after a few minutes, something pulled her to get up. She walked to the church and went up to the bell tower. Mick took her hand and rubbed it over his face in a sensual manner. He kissed her fingers and moved to remove her coat, but Alison stopped him. Then she stepped up, and they kissed with great passion.

At Fairwinds, Emily gathered her thoughts and explained to Paul that Mick had put words into her head. Paul felt that it would explain why she'd threatened to have a child with Mick. An appalled Emily asserted that she'd never say that in a million years, but Paul assured her that she had. Emily experienced a flashback of her confrontation with Mick, and she told Paul that Mick had known how to revive her from her coma, because he'd put her into it.

Paul coached Emily through her flashbacks, and she remembered finding photographs of Paul in Mick's bag and going to the church to confront Mick about them. She recalled Mick sinisterly admitting that he wasn't who he'd claimed to be. Paul wanted to kill Mick, but Emily said that they needed to find out what he wanted from them. Paul and Emily ranted about how stupid they'd been to fall for Mick's schemes. Paul hugged her, and stated, "I'm going to find him, and I'm going to put an end to him, once and for all."

As Casey searched the Hughes house for Alison, she was busy ripping off Mick's clothes at the bell tower. They had sex and lay together on the floor. Alison stated that she didn't know what had compelled her to go to Mick. She worried that he had some power over her, but he said that she'd arrived because she'd wanted to be there. Overwrought with guilt, she redressed, but Mick insisted that she belonged there with him. Alison sobbed that she didn't even know him, but he stated that she was the only person who saw all sides of him.

Mick proposed that they run away together, but Alison said that she would never be with him again. Mick doubted that she loved Casey; however, Alison asserted that Mick had somehow gotten into her head, and she never should have been with him. Mick pulled her toward him and nuzzled her backside against him. He asked if she'd ever felt as emotionally connected to Casey as she did to Mick. Alison insisted that Mick was wrong, and she ran out.

Mick dressed and heard someone on the threshold. He called to Alison, but Barbara appeared, saying that Alison was the least of his worries. Barbara smacked Mick and said that she didn't recall him sleeping with Alison being in their plan. Mick ordered Barbara to stay out of his business, and she accused him of feeding her a load a crock about their future together.

In his charming voice, Mick stated that nothing had happened with Alison, because Barbara was the love of his life. "Well, James, you're going to have to prove it," she replied. Mick kissed Barbara and stated that Alison had an unrequited crush on him. However, he refused to make love to Barbara until he remade her into her younger self, as he'd promised.

Emily called Mick to say that Paul had refused the IVF treatment. She invited Mick to the house to discuss the next steps. After the call, Mick asked Barbara to meet him at Fairwinds. Mick cooed that Emily trusted him implicitly, and Barbara claimed that she did, too. She asked if he were sure that nothing had happened with Alison. "Barbara, please," he responded, and she passionately kissed him. Mick smiled, but after Barbara left, he tearfully gasped.

Before Barbara and Mick could cross the parlor threshold at Fairwinds, Paul jerked Mick by the neck and slammed him into the door. Paul challenged Mick to state one reason that Paul shouldn't kill Mick. "Because he's your father!" Barbara cried out.

Alison rushed into the Hughes house and was startled to see Casey. He announced that Tom had offered to pay for their honeymoon, and Alison burst into tears. Casey hugged her, but she pulled away. She claimed that she felt gross from her walk, and she went to take a shower.

After Alison's shower, Casey suggested that they practice their vows. He took her hand and noticed that her engagement ring was missing. Alison rushed upstairs and returned with her coat over her left hand. She claimed that she'd found the ring in the soap dish, and Casey was relieved. His great grandparents had been the married for a long time, and he'd viewed the ring as a good luck charm for his marriage to Alison.

Alison lied that she had to meet her shoe dyer, and she rushed to the bell tower to find her ring. She spotted it on top of a note from Mick. The note read, "There's a reason you left this behind."

At Lily's house, an exasperated Luke didn't know how to run Damian's company or get in touch with Damian. Luke asked Lily what Damian had done to make him decide to abandon his family and the business. Lily dodged Luke's questions by claiming that she had a headache, and Luke left the house frustrated. A dockworker named Victor arrived with Damian's wallet in hand. Victor gave it to Lily and said that he'd found it floating in the water at the docks.

Holden had been ignoring Molly's calls, so she tracked him down in the Lakeview lobby. He claimed that he'd been busy looking for Meg, and Molly suggested that Holden get his bruises checked out. Holden demanded that she drop it, but Molly couldn't do so because she'd found a witness to what had happened at the docks. Holden stated that he'd warned her not to go poking around, but Molly claimed that she'd been worried about Holden.

Molly said that, with one look at the cracked oar and broken railing, any beat cop could figure out that a fight had occurred at the docks. She added that a little boy had identified Holden from a photo, and the boy had heard Holden say Damian's name. Holden grew incensed that she'd shown the child his picture. Molly persisted that she knew what Damian had done to Holden, but she wanted to know what Holden had done to Damian in return.

Assuming that Molly was hinting to murder, Holden strode out of the Lakeview angry. Molly pursued him and demanded to know what had happened. Holden persisted that after the fight, he'd let Damian go, because Damian had made a good point in saying that a trial would destroy the family. Holden stated that he could have either let Damian stand trial, let him go away forever, or kill him. "I opted for the second choice," Holden concluded.

Holden claimed that the freighter had been about to leave, so he'd dragged Damian onto the deck, hopped off the ship, and watched it sail away. Molly asked if Damian had been breathing. "As far as I know. Listen, Molly, it's over," Holden uttered. All he wanted to do was find his sister. Molly agreed to let whatever had happened with Damian remain in the past.

Molly vowed to keep silent about the events, and Holden assumed that she wanted to move back to the farm. Molly didn't want anything in return. She felt that she owed him her silence, and that time, she'd be silent for the right reason. Holden wordlessly walked away.

Holden went to the farm and found a broom on the floor. When he grasped it, he recalled a gloved hand wielding an oar in a fight. Lily strode in and displayed Damian's waterlogged wallet. She feared that Meg might have killed Damian.

Holden theorized that Damian, desperate to go into hiding, had lost his wallet in his haste to get out of town. Lily persisted that it was also possible that Meg had done something to Damian. "But you think it's justifiable," Lily presumed. Holden asked her to forgive him for being ambivalent to the man who'd stuffed his half-dead sister in a trunk. Before Lily stormed out, she cried that she hated Damian for what he'd done, but she didn't want him dead.

Later, Molly went to WOAK and found Luke waiting for her. He asked if she knew what had happened to Damian. Luke said that his parents had been silent to protect him, but he didn't need protecting. He loved both Holden and Damian as his fathers. Molly stated that Luke probably wouldn't see Damian again, because he'd tried to kill Meg.

Luke wondered how Damian could have said that he'd done that out of love for his family. Molly thought that Damian did love Luke, but Damian had been desperate. As Luke left, he encountered Holden. Luke said he'd finally gotten some answers, and he was glad that Holden was okay. Luke left, and Molly explained that she'd told Luke what Damian had done to Meg, but nothing more. Holden said that Lily and he had been trying to protect Luke, but it was best that Molly had told Luke.

Holden explained that Damian's wallet had been recovered from the water, and Lily assumed that Meg had done something to Damian. Holden theorized that Damian had discarded the wallet himself before Holden had arrived at the docks, or as Holden further reasoned, it could have fallen as Holden had dragged Damian onto the ship. Holden worried about Meg getting arrested if Lily went to the police, so he asked Molly to help him find Meg before the police did.

Luke went home to talk to Lily about what he'd learned about Damian and Meg. Disillusioned about who his father really was, Luke wondered how Damian could have been two different people. Luke spotted Damian's wallet on the desk, and Lily concluded that it had fallen into the water as Damian had boarded the freighter. "You don't believe that, and neither do I," Luke replied. Lily conveyed her fears about Meg, who'd chased Damian after he'd tried to kill her. Luke decided to call the police.