At the Horton Town Square, Philip stared at Chloe in disbelief, getting their chance encounter off to an awkward start. "Hoped you'd seen the last of me?" Chloe assumed, clearly feeling a bit uncomfortable. "No!" Philip insisted, finally cracking a smile. "It's so great to see you!" Philip added before seizing a hug from Chloe, who still seemed uncomfortable. "Wow, such a homecoming..." Chloe stiffly mused after Philip pulled away.
Philip was surprised to learn that Chloe had returned to Salem to work with Nicole at Basic Black. "I hope that's okay -- I had no idea you were even back at Titan, or I maybe wouldn't have accepted this offer..." Chloe stressed, knowing that Basic Black was a DiMera Enterprises company. "You don't owe me anything," Philip admitted, waving a hand dismissively.
Chloe hesitantly changed the subject, wondering if Philip was still dating Mimi. "How about we talk about something other than Mimi," Philip begged, but Chloe decided not to grant the request. "I want to know what happened between you two [after our high school reunion -- and] I don't really give a damn if it makes you feel uncomfortable, [because] I think, since she 'stole' you away from me, that I deserve to know," Chloe reasoned, and Philip conceded the point. "What's going on with us is...complicated," Philip admitted. "Of course it's 'complicated' -- it's Mimi!" Chloe countered.
"Sometimes, I think I'm really dumb -- I was afraid to get hurt again, so I walked away from you and picked up again with Mimi..." Philip grumbled. "I'm willing to bet that Mimi made the first move," Chloe mused. "It's interesting -- you say the word 'bet,' [and] you and I went to dinner [on our dates, but] Mimi and I used to go to poker parties [instead]," Philip revealed. "Oh... That's a swell idea..." Chloe muttered. "Don't blame Mimi -- I used to be a gambler," Philip stressed. "I just should have said no... Man, I should have said no..." Philip fretted. "So...you lost?" Chloe assumed. "I lost all I had -- and then I lost money that I didn't have..." Philip confirmed. "Oh, wow... So, did you come back to Titan just to dig yourself out of a hole?" Chloe guessed. "It's actually a little more than that..." Philip replied.
Philip hesitated, seemingly on the verge of confessing everything to Chloe -- then ultimately decided to claim that the other reason for returning to Titan had been to finally make things right with Victor, who wasn't exactly getting any younger, before it was suddenly too late to ever do so. Chloe wasn't convinced but decided not to pressure Philip into finishing the real confession.
At the Salem Inn, Sarah gloated to Xander about having managed to copy some of Philip's computer files to a flash drive. "Oh, Sarah, this is great -- you've managed to capture every single financial transaction Philip's made..." Xander began to rave while viewing the contents of the flash drive on a laptop. "But none of the recipients' names," Xander realized with a sigh.
Sarah started to apologize, but Xander dismissed the concern. "I'm gonna need more than this to convince Victor that Philip's cooking the books, [but it] isn't useless -- it proves we're on the right path, [and] now that I've seen the number of transactions and the amounts, there's not a doubt in my mind that I can bring Philip down," Xander assured Sarah, and the couple made love to celebrate their progress.
Later, Sarah sneaked out of the Salem Inn, unaware that Philip was nearby. "What was that, Dr. Horton -- a house call?" Philip quietly mused while watching Sarah walk away.
At the Walker-Brady apartment, Nicole insisted that there had to be another explanation for what Allie had witnessed earlier, since Tripp's biological mother couldn't possibly be alive. "You've never even met her, [so] how do you know it was her?" Nicole asked. "Tripp called her 'Mom,'" Allie replied. "Well, maybe it was his foster mother," Nicole suggested. "She was pretty fierce to be a foster mom," Allie countered.
"There's no way it could be Ava!" Nicole maintained. "Oh, what are you talking about, Nicole -- this is Salem!" Nicole quickly backpedaled before producing a cell phone and loading a search engine. "That's her -- that's the woman I just saw!" Allie confirmed after Nicole found a picture of Ava. "Salem really needs to hire a new coroner..." Nicole mused with a shake of the head.
"Joey Johnson [is] in prison for murder [because] he was driven to smother this woman [after] she did unspeakable things to his family --" Nicole explained to Allie. "Unspeakable things?" Allie worriedly repeated. "Yes -- like mother, like son..." Nicole vaguely summarized.
"Anyway...I mean, if she is back, then she must have had some connection to Dr. Rolf..." Nicole started to acknowledge before suddenly remembering the initials that had been on one of the locked doors at the warehouse in Nashville. "It wasn't the audiovisual room, after all..." Nicole realized. "It didn't even occur to me it could be Ava [Vitali's room]..." Nicole continued. "Oh, God -- she is alive..." Nicole concluded.
Allie sarcastically mused that Ava sounded like a charming individual. "She could be -- [and] fun, too... We were actually friends back [in the day] -- before I realized she was a psychopath," Nicole admitted. "A psychopath?" Allie incredulously repeated. "Well, no wonder Tripp can lie without turning a hair..." Allie grumbled. "She can do more than that -- she will do anything to anyone she thinks is in her way," Nicole stressed.
Nicole wanted to report the development to the police, but Allie was quick to object. "Honey, Joey is in prison for murdering someone who is still alive!" Nicole reiterated. "[And] I do want Joey out...but I don't want to end up there myself, [and] if you call the cops on [Ava], then she's going to tell them that I held a gun on Tripp!" Allie fretted. "I know -- it's selfish..." Allie conceded, but Nicole understood -- and soon thought of a potential solution.
At the Brady Pub, Roman and Abe caught up with each other over cups of coffee. Roman was stunned to hear that Lani had barely spoken to Eli or Abe lately -- and that the seemingly irreparable divide between the two sides had developed because of issues involving Kristen, of all people. "Eli and I thought that [if] we could keep Lani -- pregnant Lani -- out of jail, [then] it merited Kristen DiMera paying for one of her 200,000 attempted murders," Abe summarized with a shrug. "Ugh -- you are so out of line!" Roman sarcastically declared. "You would have thought that we were bringing trumped-up charges against Mother Theresa!" Abe stressed with a chuckle. "What the hell happened in that convent?" Roman wondered. "I don't want to know," Abe admitted.
Abe soon changed the subject, apologizing to Roman for having failed to get justice for Allie. Roman dismissed the concern, acknowledging that Abe's hands were tied because Allie had been raped in another jurisdiction. Roman admitted to Abe that it was more upsetting that the Metropolitan Police in London weren't going to be able to get justice for Allie, either -- although even that development was understandable. "I knew it was a long shot -- I mean, it's hard enough to get rape charges to stick when you have plenty of evidence," Roman reasoned. "And 'he said, she saids' don't amount to much, unfortunately," Abe agreed.
"How's she doing?" Abe asked. "She's not in a good place, [and] I'm afraid that maybe, one day, she might snap," Roman replied -- and Kayla, who had just entered the pub, echoed the concern.
Kayla soon started complaining to Roman and Abe about Steve's refusal to believe that Tripp had raped Allie. Roman argued that it made sense for Steve to be on Tripp's side. "He is the kid's dad," Roman reasoned. "But the kid is lying, and I can prove it -- I have proven it!" Kayla countered. "[But that] doesn't make a difference to Steve -- [even though] he knows that rape is a very personal subject for me..." Kayla grumbled.
Roman and Abe both understood why Kayla was no longer willing to live under the same roof as Tripp -- and Abe was quick to point out that it wasn't like Kayla was kicking out a child who had never lived alone before. Kayla was curious to know how Steve's conversation with Tripp was going -- but also didn't really want to risk returning home before it was over. As if on cue, Kayla received a message about an emergency at the hospital. Kayla breathed a sigh of relief then rushed out of the pub.
Abe headed over to the Walker-Brady apartment after receiving a phone call from Nicole. "Just what Salem needs -- another crazy lady," Abe dryly declared after Nicole explained that Allie had seen Ava earlier. "Roman was worried that..." Abe began to add before stopping abruptly, realizing that Allie didn't need to hear about what Roman had said earlier. "I think we're just going to have to wait and see what Ava's going to do," Abe decided, unable to think of a way to turn Ava in without risking Allie's freedom. "And that's a scary thought..." Abe fretted while exiting the apartment.
At the Brady-Johnson townhouse, Steve stared at Ava in disbelief -- and Tripp watched them both closely, as if worried about how their reunion might play out. "Aw, Patch -- I knew you'd be happy to see me," Ava eventually cooed, breaking the silence. "You look good --" Ava seductively added while caressing Steve's chest. "Don't touch me," Steve warned, smacking Ava's hand away.
"So, do you happen to know a Dr. Wilhelm Rolf?" Steve challenged Ava, who responded with an innocent shrug. "Dude's on a roll..." Steve grumbled.
Tripp suddenly spoke up, firmly objecting to the tone that Steve was using with Ava. "Oh, right -- she's your mom, [so] I guess you're happy to see her..." Steve said to Tripp. "[But] I wish you were still dead," Steve said to Ava. "You know, there's one thing about your father -- God, I love him, but he sure does have a hard time letting things go..." Ava said to Tripp. "Okay, look...you're my mother, and I'm really glad you're back, but this isn't funny -- [the] things you did [aren't] funny -- [so] maybe you should lose the attitude," Tripp said to Ava, having apparently accepted Steve's perspective.
"Okay, point taken...but I would like to mention that there is one very good reason that your father should be thrilled that I'm back," Ava said to Tripp. "Joe can go free now," Steve realized.
Steve started to roughly drag Ava down to the police station, but Tripp firmly objected again. "What, you want me to be nice to her?" Steve asked incredulously. "No, but you can't hurt her, okay?" Tripp coolly replied. "[Besides], I'm willing to help get Joe out of prison..." Ava interjected. "If -- and this is a big 'if' -- you make sure that I don't end up there, either," Ava challenged Steve.
"What do you want?" Steve tiredly demanded to know. "To have a second chance -- and for Joe to have that same chance," Ava sweetly clarified. "That sounds reasonable," Tripp interjected. "Reasonable?" Steve repeated with a scoff of skepticism. "God, I wish you were still dead," Steve said to Ava again. "Hell, I sure don't -- [because] if she didn't show up when she did, I might be dead right now myself," Tripp said to Steve.
Steve was stunned to learn that Allie had held Tripp at gunpoint earlier. "Want to see [the gun]? I preserved her fingerprints!" Ava bragged. "Dad, she was threatening to shoot me in the..." Tripp summarized before shuddering, unable to finish the sentence. "Just like Sami did," Steve recalled.
"I need a drink..." Steve grumbled. "Allie is your niece, so if you make the charges against me go away, I won't say a word about what happened here tonight," Ava assured Steve. "It's not my call whether the charges stand or not, because I wasn't your victim, Ava -- Kayla was," Steve pointed out.
Abe visited Rafe at Rafe's house, and he welcomed Rafe home. "I know how painful it must have been to come back and hear about Ciara. And now, Hope has left," Abe said. Rafe admitted that he'd been shaken by the news but that he understood why Hope had left Salem. Abe changed the conversation, and he asked Rafe to take the job of commissioner.
"Even before Hope left town, she explained that she wouldn't be ready to come back to the force," Abe said. "[Hope] is going through hell. And why wouldn't she be?" Rafe said. Rafe confided to Abe that he had tracked down Hope and talked to her. "Coming back to work isn't the only thing that she's not ready for," Rafe said.
Rafe said that Hope had told him that she was not ready to get back together, because she needed to focus on finding Ciara. "[Hope] is determined to find [Ciara] and bring her back," Rafe said. Rafe admitted that he was willing to wait for Hope, but he knew that he could not push Hope to return home.
"I don't see a future for us," Rafe confessed. "I love you both, and I just want you both to be happy. Either together or apart. Only time will tell," Abe said. Rafe nodded in agreement. Abe reiterated his request for Rafe to accept the job as commissioner. "You got yourself a commissioner," Rafe said. Abe warned Rafe that Ava Vitali was alive, and he told Rafe about the situation between Allie and Tripp. With a sigh, Rafe agreed to get to work.
Jack met with Justin at the pub. Jack apologized for working over their meeting, but he admitted that with Jennifer out of the office, he was overwhelmed with work. Justin asked for Jack's drink order. With a smirk, Jack said, "Considering the cozy little scene you and I walked in on yesterday between Jennifer and that studly young man, anything but a Bloody Mary."
When the food arrived, Jack asked Justin if he believed anything had happened between Jennifer and the man she had flirted with. Bonnie walked into the pub. "That wouldn't be Jennifer at all," Justin said. Jack agreed. "You'd both be dead wrong about that," Bonnie interrupted. When Bonnie noted that the men had shown her and Jennifer a great time, Jack dropped his fork.
"I thought your wife was one of those good girls. You know, the ones that never cuts loose, never lets her hair down. But she really surprised me last night," Bonnie said. Justin warned Bonnie not to tease Jack. Jack encouraged Bonnie to continue. Bonnie told Jack and Justin that she and Jennifer had left the restaurant with the guys, and Jennifer had behaved wildly.
"It was as if she was channeling Alexis Texas. That's a porn star, in case you didn't know," Bonnie said. As a look of horror crossed Jack's face, Bonnie started to laugh. Bonnie explained that she was joking. "Just seeing that look on your face gave me more pleasure than if I took those two studs home myself," Bonnie said. Jack sighed. Jack told Bonnie that it was just like her to make someone feel worse than they already felt.
"You know, Jack, you're the one who screwed up with Jennifer, not me," Bonnie said. Flustered, Jack collected his stuff. Justin encouraged Jack to stay for breakfast, but Jack was too upset. "Was it something I said?" Bonnie cooed. Jack stared daggers at Bonnie as he walked out. With a grin, Bonnie sat down at Justin's table and started to dig into Jack's breakfast.
"Seriously? The man is feeling awful right now. He doesn't need you to pile on!" Justin barked. With a shrug, Bonnie noted that she had gone easy on Jack. After finishing breakfast, Bonnie announced that she needed a drink to help her hangover.
"Maybe you should lay off the booze today," Justin suggested. Bonnie joked that she knew how to deal with a hangover. "Will you join me?" Bonnie asked. Justin said no. Justin noted that Bonnie had upset Jack with her story about going home with the two guys from the bar.
"I said Jennifer didn't sleep with that guy. What makes you think I didn't?" Bonnie asked. "I just assumed you made up the whole story," Justin said. Bonnie reminded Justin that he had failed to call her, and she refused to wait around for Justin. Justin explained that he had traveled to Arizona for Thanksgiving, and that was why he had not called Bonnie to meet.
"They don't have cell service in Arizona?" Bonnie asked. Justin told Bonnie that he had planned to call her the previous night before he had watched her flirt with the men in the bar. "I guess I lost my chance," Justin said. "Maybe. I guess I'm willing to play the field," Bonnie said. With a smile, Justin said he did not like to share. As Justin rose to leave, Bonnie chased after him, and she told Justin that she had not gone home with either of the men from the bar.
"I'm only interested in one guy," Bonnie said. Justin confessed that he was happy to hear that Bonnie had not gone home with the guy. With a grin, Justin offered to buy Bonnie a drink. "No, you're not going to get away that easy. You promised me drinks. And now I want a proper date," Bonnie said. Justin promised to take Bonnie out to dinner.
At the Horton house, Jennifer lay on the couch with an icepack on her head. Jennifer chastised herself for having had too many Bloody Mary drinks the day before. Julie marched in with a box of breakfast pastries, and Jennifer groaned. "Are you ill?" Julie asked. "However bad I look, I feel worse," Jennifer muttered. Jennifer admitted that she had a hangover after an afternoon of drinking with Bonnie.
As Jennifer told Julie about her day out with Bonnie, Julie handed her aspirin and a cup of tea. "I have to admit, it felt good. I just wanted to get [Jack] back for what he did with Kate. But there was more to it," Jennifer said. Julie asked Jennifer what she meant. Jennifer admitted that she liked the attention from another man. With a sigh, Jennifer said the hardest part of the situation was that she could not stop picturing Jack with Kate.
"I'm just so angry and disillusioned with [Jack] right now!" Jennifer complained. As Julie comforted Jennifer, Jennifer noted that her problems were nothing compared to Hope and Ciara. Jennifer asked Julie if she had heard from Hope. "Not a word, but I found out that Rafe is back in town, and I wonder if [Hope] has heard that," Julie said. Julie told Jennifer that Hope and Rafe had attempted to reconcile before he had left for Mexico.
"I pray that Hope finds peace of mind and comes back very soon," Jennifer said. Julie agreed. Julie offered to cook food for Jennifer, but Jennifer said she was not ready to eat. When Julie suggested fresh air, Jennifer agreed that a walk was a good idea, and she headed out.
Kate and Jake snuggled up in his bed in the workshop on the DiMera property. "I didn't mean to stay over. Is it really morning?" Kate asked. When Jake failed to respond, Kate asked if he was distracted. "Thinking about DiMera. Business stuff," Jake said. Kate chuckled. "Or are you thinking about Gabi?" Kate said. Kate asked Jake if he had changed his mind.
"You heard me express my feelings for you," Jake pointed out. When Kate reminded Jake that he still had feelings for Gabi, Jake stressed that he was with Kate. "I'm just making sure it is where you want to be," Kate said. Jake smiled. "After last night, you really need to ask me that question?" Jake said pointedly. Jake kissed Kate, but they were interrupted when Chad knocked on the door.
"I'm not leaving until you open the door," Chad yelled. While Kate hid behind a curtain, Jake let Chad into the room. Chad yelled at Jake for spending all his time in the workshop. As Chad looked around the room, he saw the mussed-up bed. "I know you slept out here again. I know you weren't alone," Chad said. Chad added that he knew that Gabi had returned home and had headed out to the workshop in search of Jake.
"How long after you got reacquainted did you start planning and plotting on taking what was mine?" Chad asked. Jake corrected Chad and told him that Jake's half of the company was his birthright and did not belong to Chad. Jake added, "Second? I wasn't with Gabi last night." Jake reminded Chad that, before she'd left town, Gabi had told Jake that she had used him.
"When I talked to her last night, she said that was all a lie and that she broke it off with you because her family was in danger, and she didn't want you to follow her to Mexico in some, I don't know, sense of devotion," Chad said. "She told you that?" Jake asked with surprise. Chad nodded yes.
"Why are you lying?" Chad asked. Jake admitted that he had talked to Gabi, but he did not know whether Gabi wanted anyone else to know the real reason she had left town. "So, she told you the real story why she left. Then what?" Chad asked. Jake told Chad that he had rejected Gabi because of Gwen. Suspicious, Chad asked why. Jake said he was not interested in a relationship, and he did not like that Gabi had lied to him.
"She did that for your own good," Chad pointed out. Jake insisted that he would decide what was in his best interest. Jake grabbed the employee contract off of the desk, and he showed it to Chad. "Why don't you go mind your own business and leave me to mine," Jake said. With a shake of his head, Chad walked out.
"Think he believed me?" Jake asked. "Nope," Kate said. Jake admitted that when Chad had asked him why he had rejected Gabi, he had wanted to tell Chad about Kate. "If you're going to have a hard time keeping up this lie, I think we need to make a change," Kate said. Kate suggested that they end their affair.
"I want you, Kate. I think I made that abundantly clear. But what's not clear to me is why you care so much about what Chad thinks," Jake said. "Chad is like a son to me," Kate reminded Jake. Kate stressed that she did not want to lose Chad's trust again. "You're kind of doing it right now," Jake noted. Kate insisted that she needed to protect her relationship with Chad. "If it matters to you, then we'll keep this a secret, because you matter to me," Jake said. With a grin, Jake suggested that they find a new place to meet. Kate laughed.
In the park, Gwen sat on the bench and watched Thomas and Charlotte play on the playground. Rolf called Gwen on the phone to talk about her plans. "I managed to ruin [Abigail's] father, and now I've moved on to the main event. Ruining her marriage," Gwen said. Gwen told Rolf that she had driven a wedge between Abigail and Chad with Jake.
"I will not rest until everything Abigail has is mine," Gwen vowed. As Gwen looked up, she saw Abigail staring at her. Gwen quickly ended her call, and she lied and said she had been talking to the pediatrician. With a smile, Abigail thanked Gwen for scheduling the doctor appointments for the kids.
"What do you think of Gabi being back?" Gwen asked. "Have you not heard that she's gone?" Abigail countered. Gwen was surprised. Abigail explained that Gabi had left for Arizona to be with her daughter. "Sounds like Jake was pretty bummed when she went to Mexico, so I was a little bit surprised they didn't try to rekindle things," Abigail said. Gwen thought about when she had seen Jake and Kate in bed together on Thanksgiving. Gwen noted that it was good news that the woman that had drugged Abigail was gone, and Abigail agreed.
"I'm not 100% certain that Gabi's the one who was even drugging me," Abigail confided. Gwen reminded Abigail that Gabi was ruthless and hated her. With a shrug, Abigail said that she wished she could have confronted Gabi and looked her in the eyes to be sure. Abigail said that she knew Gabi well enough to know when she was lying.
"If not Gabi that drugged you, then who?" Gwen asked. Gwen said she did not believe that someone as kind as Abigail had any enemies. After Abigail took a work call, Gwen said she understood why Abigail was reluctant to go into work after her fight with Jack. Jack rounded the corner. "That's timing!" Gwen blurted out. Gwen stepped between Abigail and Jack, and she told Jack that what had happened at the party had not been Abigail's fault.
"I agree completely, and that's why I apologized to her," Jack said. "You did?" Gwen stammered. "How could I stay angry with my precious daughter?" Jack said. As Jack hugged Abigail, Gwen gritted her teeth in anger. "You didn't tell me that you and your father made up," Gwen said. "I just didn't get the chance," Abigail said. Jack said he had remembered that Thomas and Charlotte had a scheduled playdate, and he had stopped by to see the kids.
"I had the same idea," Abigail said as she beamed at Jack. Jack told Abigail about a puzzle he had bought for Thomas, and Jack suggested that he could give Thomas the gift early so that he could spend time with his grandson before Christmas. Abigail suggested that they go home, and she asked Gwen to collect the toys while Abigail and Jack took the kids. Gwen forced a smile and nodded yes.
After Abigail, Jack, and the kids left, Gwen tossed around the kids' items as she packed them up. "Maybe daddy's little girl can just bat her eyelashes and get her father back, but it's not gonna work when I take Chad away from her," Gwen muttered. Gwen grabbed a plastic bat out of the children's bag, and she hit a table with it. "I will destroy her life if it is the last bloody thing I do!" Gwen screamed. Jennifer rounded the corner and gave Gwen a questioning glance.
Chad returned to the DiMera mansion, and he stared at Stefano's portrait. "What's that bastard son of yours up to?" Chad asked. As Chad looked around the room, he saw Abigail's scarf on the back of the couch. Chad squeezed the scarf in his fist as Abigail returned home. "Is something wrong?" Abigail asked. Chad thought back to when he had found the scarf in Jake's workshop, when Gwen had told Chad that Abigail had been eager to invite Jake to dinner, and when Chad had found Abigail asleep on Jake's lap. "Are you having an affair with Jake?" Chad asked Abigail.
At the park, Jennifer demanded an explanation for Gwen's outburst. "I was just blowing off some steam," Gwen claimed. "I didn't mean what I said --" Gwen continued. "Well, I didn't hear what you said..." Jennifer revealed, drawing a sigh of relief from Gwen. "But what I saw was certainly enough... What in the world are you so mad about?" Jennifer continued.
"I don't really want to talk about it," Gwen admitted. "Well, that's too bad, because I do -- [after all], you take care of my grandchildren, [so] I need to make sure they're in good hands. I mean, what if they had seen that?" Jennifer countered. "But they didn't!" Gwen snapped before quickly apologizing then explaining, in a calmer tone, that Thomas and Charlotte had left with Abigail and Jack earlier. "[So], I had, like, two minutes to myself [for a change] --" Gwen continued. "Are we working you too hard?" Jennifer wondered. "No!" Gwen insisted.
Jennifer continued pressing for answers, prompting Gwen to admit that an exchange between Abigail and Jack had triggered the outburst. "[They've] patched things up --" Gwen began to elaborate. "Oh? Well, that's good -- I told Jack he had no right to be mad at Abigail. [But] why does that make you mad?" Jennifer interjected. "[Because] what he did to you is what Jake did to me -- and these men, they just create so much pain and humiliation, and they just get to go on with their lives [afterward]... There was something about Abigail forgiving him that made me feel all those feelings that I felt when Jake did that to me, and everything just came boiling up..." Gwen claimed. "[Look], I agree [that] Mr. Deveraux should not be angry with Abigail...but Abigail should be angry with him for what he did to you!" Gwen concluded.
Jennifer understood why Gwen was still upset about what had happened with Jake. "I still see red when I think about Jack lying to me, so maybe the baseball bat wasn't such a bad idea," Jennifer admitted. "You should try it," Gwen suggested. "No --" Jennifer began to protest. "Maybe you were joking about the bat, but you're not joking about how angry you are...right?" Gwen reasoned. "No," Jennifer confirmed. "I find it very interesting that you say you are so angry [because] Mr. Deveraux lied to you -- not that he...you know...with Kate, but that he lied," Gwen mused.
Taking the bait, Jennifer started complaining to Gwen about Jack's one-night stand with Kate. "You know, we lived in the same house as that woman, [and] Jack let that happen -- I mean, he could have [made her] move out, but he didn't -- [so]...were they laughing at me?" Jennifer fretted, and Gwen seized the opportunity to fuel the suspicion. "[But] I'm sure it only happened the one time..." Gwen eventually said to Jennifer with obvious skepticism before starting to stuff the kids' baseball bat into a backpack. Taking the bait again, Jennifer snatched the baseball bat and started smacking it against a metal planter.
Jennifer eventually calmed down and admitted to Gwen that the outburst had been therapeutic. "This is none of my business, but...are you going to take Mr. Deveraux back?" Gwen asked. "I don't know," Jennifer replied. "I still love Jake, I guess, and a lot of me wants him back...but it just keeps hitting me [that] I cannot trust him, [so] I would spend the rest of my life worrying about him. I don't want to live like that. Do you?" Gwen continued.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail demanded to know what had prompted Chad's accusation -- and Chad mused, while in the process of answering the question, that it was quite interesting that Abigail had not yet denied the accusation. "I didn't deny [having an affair with Jake] because I refuse to see it as anything but a joke," Abigail explained. "I don't see why it's funny -- it wouldn't be the first time you slept with one of my brothers, [and it] certainly wouldn't be the second time, [either]!" Chad countered.
"Sorry -- I didn't mean that --" Chad tried to backpedal. "Yeah, you did," Abigail decided, fighting back tears. "I didn't --" Chad maintained, reaching out to comfort Abigail with a hug. "You did -- you meant it so much that you couldn't help but say it," Abigail maintained, recoiling from Chad.
"Do you think, for one second, that I have forgotten that you've been through hell and back because of my illness?" Abigail challenged Chad. "I'm me -- I am me [again now -- so] do you think I would ever intentionally hurt you [and] risk our marriage [as well as] our family, all for some cheap fling?" Abigail continued. "[Or] maybe you don't understand what it feels like to be accused of something like that, [so]...let's try this on for size -- Chad, are you sleeping with Gwen?" Abigail concluded.
"That's ridiculous!" Chad protested. "Why? I came home from Florida, and the two of you were in each other's arms --" Abigail argued. "I explained that --" Chad stressed. "And I believed you -- because you're you!" Abigail countered -- just as Jack entered the study and demanded to know what was going on.
Abigail left the study without answering Jack's question, forcing Chad to do so instead. "This is all my fault -- [I mean, now] you think cheating is a family trait --" Jack decided. "I absolutely do not, all right? [Look], this is on me, [okay]? I'm an ass," Chad stressed. "Well, from one ass to another...I know you can work this out, [because] Abigail loves you, and I know she would never hurt you the way that I hurt her mother," Jack assured Chad.
After Jack left the study, Abigail returned to it, and Chad seized the opportunity to apologize for everything that had happened earlier. "I was so out of line... [Look], it's just that [Jake] looks so much like Stefan, [and] it just brings back so much bad déjà vu, [and] I think the worst of him because --" Chad tried to explain. "Well, you think the worst of me, too --" Abigail assumed. "No!" Chad insisted.
"Will you please forgive me?" Chad begged. "I'm really hurt, and I'm gonna be hurt for a while -- and probably a little angry -- [but] I'm gonna forgive you...eventually," Abigail replied. "Do you just want me to give you some space?" Chad wondered, fighting back tears. "That's probably a good idea," Abigail decided, also fighting back tears.
Shortly after Chad left the study, Gwen entered it and started questioning Abigail about the obvious tension in the air. Abigail explained everything to Gwen, who offered a comforting hug and words of support while hiding a smirk of triumph. "[Chad's] got a lot of nerve -- [and] how does he expect you to get over [this]?" Gwen mused. Meanwhile, Jack ran into Jennifer at Julie's Place and tried to start a conversation but was ignored.
At the Horton Town Square, Tripp emerged from a café with three cups of coffee -- just as Nicole, who was shopping for Christmas gifts with Henry, approached the café. Tripp tried to walk away without saying a word, clearly hoping to avoid an argument, but Nicole objected. "Your son is right here, and you don't even care?" Nicole snapped. "He's not my son," Tripp insisted. "DNA tests say otherwise," Nicole argued.
"And I wish it were enough to put you in prison, because you deserve to pay for what you've done," Nicole declared. "Does the same hold true for Allie, or was it perfectly okay for her to pull a gun on me?" Tripp countered. "So...what, now you're morally outraged at Allie for snapping? Doesn't this make you think twice about what you've done to her?" Nicole asked incredulously. "I didn't do anything to her!" Tripp firmly replied.
"But she was crazy last night --" Tripp stressed. "Oh? So crazy that you were scared she might shoot off your privates? Well, that's one way to get a man's attention..." Nicole summarized.
"And then your mom showed up and took the gun -- mothers really are a boy's best friend, aren't they?" Nicole mused. "Allie told you about my mom," Tripp realized. "Yes...[and] I realized that she was probably in the DiMera warehouse in Nashville at the same time I was," Nicole replied. "Look, I know what you think of her, but I'm glad Rolf saved her --" Tripp stressed. "No, you don't know what I think of her...because, at one time, we were friends," Nicole revealed, stunning Tripp. "We have a lot of awful things in common -- for example, your mom and I have shared some long, martini-fueled talks on the subject of fathers..." Nicole explained.
"I've done some terrible things, Tripp...but Ava... [Look], a bad childhood can only justify so much -- I mean, what your mother did to Steve and Kayla is why Joey wanted to kill her; not only did she try to systemically destroy a family, she thought she had the right to do it," Nicole stressed. "So, you just hate her, like everyone else does..." Tripp summarized, disappointed. "No, I don't -- I hate what she's done," Nicole clarified.
"But, even so, I feel like I understand her," Nicole admitted. "You know, it's weird -- you hate me --" Tripp began to muse. "Yes, pretty much," Nicole confirmed. "But you're still the only person who has ever said anything good about my mother -- the only person who doesn't just flat-out hate her," Tripp concluded. "Don't get me wrong -- I am not sentimental. She caused some pretty deep pain to some good people," Nicole reiterated.
"You know, Truman Capote wrote a book about a man who brutally murdered a totally innocent family, and people were furious because they thought he was excusing the man, but Capote said, 'It's not an excuse, because he and I lived in the same house -- only I went out the front door, and he went out the back.' I went out the front door, too, Tripp -- and I still did horrible things, so I have no place to judge your mother," Nicole elaborated. "But you judge me," Tripp pointed out. "Yes -- because you won't own up to what you've done, and you're continuing to torture Allie --" Nicole explained.
"I didn't do it!" Tripp maintained. "But, you know, there's really no point in saying it again --" Tripp decided. "No," Nicole agreed. "Tell your mother...if she wants to see her grandson, give me a call," Nicole added before walking away.
At the Walker-Brady apartment, Allie received a visit from Rafe, who explained that Abe had just provided a summary of recent events. "Are you here to arrest me?" Allie wondered. "Not yet...[but] I do need to talk to Tripp [and] assess the situation..." Rafe admitted. "You think he's gonna press charges," Allie realized. "I think that I can persuade him not to," Rafe promised.
"But, in the meantime, you need to stay away from him," Rafe stressed. "Got it," Allie agreed. "[Besides], what kind of idea is it to handle a situation the same way your mother would?" Rafe asked. "A bad idea," Allie replied. "Always," Rafe declared. "I know... But I understand how she felt -- I understand that frustration [and] that anger that just won't go away," Allie explained.
Rafe offered Allie a few words of comfort then exited the apartment -- just as Nicole was about to enter it with Henry. Nicole was relieved to learn, during a brief chat with Rafe, that Allie wasn't facing charges for what had happened the previous night -- yet, anyway.
At the Brady-Johnson townhouse, Steve started to say something to Kayla, who had just returned home after pulling an all-nighter at the hospital. "Is this about Tripp?" Kayla asked tiredly, drawing a sigh of frustration from Steve. "You did tell him he needs to move out, didn't you?" Kayla continued. "No, I didn't get the chance --" Steve began to explain. "Steve, this is not a can that you can kick down the road!" Kayla snapped. "Kayla, listen -- something has happened --" Steve tried to explain again. "Hey, Kayla!" Ava cheerfully interjected while sauntering into the living room, wearing only underwear and a man's dress shirt.
Kayla watched in disbelief as Ava settled in a chair at the kitchen table and claimed a piece of the honeydew melon that Steve had just finished chopping a few minutes earlier. "Oh, honey -- you look like hell!" Ava declared, cringing at the sight of Kayla. "[Or] like you've seen a ghost..." Ava continued, smirking.
"You don't think that I should have gotten a heads-up on this?" Kayla snapped at Steve. "I tried to call you last night -- you were already in surgery," Steve explained. "What is going on? How is she alive?" Kayla wondered. "Take a guess," Steve responded. "How long has she been here?" Kayla asked. "She showed up last night," Steve replied. "Yeah, because my son needed me -- as a mother, I'm sure you understand," Ava interjected, prompting Kayla to suddenly realize what the development meant for Joey.
"How dare you -- my son has been sitting in prison for four years, and you did nothing!" Kayla snapped at Ava. "Well, there was extensive rehab -- in real life, coming back from the dead is hard; it's not like a soap opera," Ava reasoned with a shrug. "You bitch!" Kayla spat before wrapping both hands around Ava's neck and squeezing tightly.
Steve quickly intervened, pulling Kayla away from Ava. "Let go of me -- I'm gonna kill her!" Kayla snapped at Steve. "I thought that doctors were supposed to have a little more self-control..." Ava mused.
"Why didn't you call the police?" Kayla challenged Steve. "Because I didn't want to let her out of my sight until I had a chance to talk to you --" Steve started to explain. "What, do you need my permission to have her thrown in jail?" Kayla asked incredulously. "It's not that simple..." Steve hesitantly replied. "The fact that I am back among the living doesn't change the fact that Joe did try to kill me, so you need to realize that now I have a legal right to press new charges for attempted murder...and whether I do that or not is entirely up to you," Ava helpfully elaborated.
"You're looking for some kind of deal," Kayla translated. "I am still wanted for kidnapping you..." Ava reasoned. "Which is why I had to stay away all these years -- [and] you have no idea how difficult that was!" Ava continued. "Oh, my heart bleeds for you!" Kayla dryly declared. "But then my son -- he needed me --" Ava continued. "You must be so proud of your little rapist," Kayla spat. "Well, he never smothered anyone..." Ava countered, prompting Kayla to lunge forward again -- and forcing Steve to intervene again. "Thank God we've got Patch here to keep us civilized!" Ava declared.
"[Anyway], here's where things are now -- having found Tripp again, I can't bear to give him up, so I'm gonna need you to make those pesky little kidnapping charges just...go away," Ava summarized. "And if I help with that?" Kayla asked. "Well, then, I won't press new charges against Joey -- [or] fight [his release] with appeal after appeal [to] slow that process down," Ava replied.
Ava decided to take a shower so Kayla and Steve could have a few minutes of privacy to figure out how they were going to handle the situation. Once the coast was clear, Steve tried to get Kayla to eat some of the honeydew melon. "You've been working all night --" Steve reasoned. "I am not gonna have a little nosh while Ava Vitali is in our house, using my shower [and] wearing your shirt!" Kayla snapped. "She needed something to sleep in --" Steve explained. "No, she didn't!" Kayla countered before starting to admonish Steve for having allowed Ava to spend the night at the townhouse.
"I know this is horrible for you -- [and] it's no fun for me, either, but I haven't forgotten the things she's done, and that's why she's here in our house," Steve stressed. "My father is dead because of her, and my son is in prison, [but] she has the upper hand? [That's] a travesty!" Kayla grumbled, and Steve agreed -- just as Tripp entered the townhouse and Ava reentered the living room.
"If I had known that she was gonna be here, I would have told you," Tripp said to Kayla. "And ruin the surprise?" Kayla dryly protested. "You don't have to apologize to her!" Ava said to Tripp.
Tripp wondered how Kayla was going to handle the development -- and, as if on cue, Rafe interrupted the conversation just then and started to arrest Ava. "Isn't there something that you want to say?" Ava challenged Kayla.
Kate entered Julie's Place while in the midst of a phone conversation with Jake -- and Jennifer, who had just emerged from the bathroom, listened intently. "Propositioning my husband?" Jennifer began after Kate ended the call. "Don't play dumb with me, Kate -- I heard you on the phone, making plans for a little romantic rendezvous, [and] I am pretty sure I [also] heard you say that you would be safer at the Salem Inn than you would be at the mansion, so unless you're sleeping with Chad or Harold, it's pretty obvious that the person on the other end of that line was Jack!" Jennifer concluded.
Kate scoffed and started to deny the accusation then stopped abruptly, deciding that it would be pointless to try to talk some sense into Jennifer. "All men have their limit, [and if] you keep on acting this way, Jack is gonna find his limit, and he's gonna stop banging his head against the wall, and he's gonna realize that he should be with a woman who appreciates him -- for better or for worse!" Kate warned Jennifer before storming out of the restaurant -- just as Bonnie entered it. "What was that all about?" Bonnie asked Jennifer.
Jennifer clarified the matter for Bonnie, who wondered if it was possible that Kate truly had been arranging to meet up with someone other than Jack. "I don't know," Jennifer admitted to Bonnie with a shrug. "Jack was here just a little while ago, [and] he told me that he loved me too much to ever give up on our marriage, and he sounded so sincere, [and] part of me wants to believe [him...but] I was talking with my grandchildren's nanny about this a little bit earlier today, and she pointed out that even if I did forgive Jack, I'd never really be happy [again because] I'd never stop asking myself [if he's] lying again [or] cheating again -- and that's no way to live," Jennifer continued. "I don't think I can ever trust Jack again," Jennifer concluded with a sigh.
Changing the subject, Jennifer observed that Bonnie seemed to be dressed for a special occasion. "Are you going out with that guy -- the one that you were flirting with the other day?" Jennifer wondered. "No, ma'am -- [but, speaking of which], I honestly want you to know that I told Jack that nothing happened between us and them boys," Bonnie responded. "I know -- he told me. And, to be honest with you, I don't really feel good about that whole thing -- I mean, it's just...playing games, it just isn't my style; it feels silly and immature [and] pointless," Jennifer admitted. "Well, I don't know about ['pointless'] -- Justin was jealous enough to ask me out on a real date..." Bonnie bragged. "I'm so happy for you!" Jennifer declared, stunning Bonnie.
"You and Adrienne were super tight..." Bonnie pointed out. "Adrienne will always be in my heart, but she's gone now, and I think she would want us to go on living our lives," Jennifer reasoned. "But [still]...me and Justin?" Bonnie protested. "Okay, I wasn't so sure about the two of you at first...but I think everyone deserves a chance at happiness. And Justin has been through so much -- first Adrienne, then Kayla -- so I'm really glad he's moving on," Jennifer explained. "Maybe being with me will take the sting out of seeing Kayla so happy to be back with her soul mate," Bonnie suggested. "Unfortunately, I hear things aren't so good with Kayla and Steve right now," Jennifer revealed before wishing Bonnie luck with Justin then rushing off.
At the DiMera mansion, Gwen entered the study and greeted Jack, who was preparing a drink at the bar. "Didn't expect to see you here..." Gwen admitted. "Abigail invited me to move into the gatehouse," Jack explained. "Must be nice to be home --" Gwen mused. "It's not really a 'home' without my wife," Jack stressed.
Gwen apologized for having lashed out at Jack on Abigail's behalf earlier. "I'm just very protective of your daughter -- [she's] been very good to me," Gwen explained. "I understand," Jack replied. "I'm so happy [that you've reconciled] -- she needs her parents. But then...don't we all? It's so sad when we're estranged from our parents..." Gwen declared.
Changing the subject, Gwen guessed that Jack, having patched things up with Abigail, was drinking because Jennifer was proving to be less forgiving. "But, please, we don't need to talk about it, honestly -- I didn't mean to pry --" Gwen innocently added. "No, it's okay, really -- [but] there's just not much to talk about..." Jack admitted.
Gwen gasped after learning that Jennifer had given Jack the silent treatment during a chance encounter at Julie's Place earlier. "I'm sorry to hear that -- and a little surprised, [because] I actually happened to see Mrs. Deveraux today at the park, [and]...well, I know it's not really my place to offer an opinion, but...seeing two people in love, such as yourselves, broken apart like this is so very sad, so...I brought forth the case that she should just focus on all the things that she adores about you, and that she should open up her heart and try to forgive you," Gwen claimed.
Jack started to thank Gwen for the support -- just as Kate entered the study. "I didn't realize you'd be here," Kate said to Jack with a smile. "Abigail invited me to move into the gatehouse," Jack stammered before saying goodbye to Kate and Gwen then rushing off to another room.
Gwen also tried to rush off to another room, but Kate objected. "Jake told me that you saw us kissing -- and [that] you told him you weren't going to say anything. But he doesn't trust you...and I don't, either, [because] I know your type -- you want something, [and] I'm pretty damn sure you're going to use that information to get whatever it is that you want," Kate challenged Gwen, who innocently dismissed that accusation -- as well as another one that involved a plan to steal Chad away from Abigail to get back the piece of the DiMera fortune that had been lost when Jake had moved on to other women.
"I'll keep your secret about Jake...unless you cross me," Gwen snapped at Kate before storming off to another room -- and, a short time later, Jack returned to the study. "I'm sorry -- I didn't know that you were still here..." Jack stammered before starting to retreat to another room again. "Okay, Jack, this is crazy -- what, are we never gonna talk to each other again?" Kate protested, stopping Jack. "I feel I owe it to Jennifer to...keep my distance from you," Jack explained. "The last thing I would ever want to do is cause any more problems between you and Jennifer," Kate stressed.
Kate told Jack about what had happened at Julie's Place earlier. Jack thanked Kate for having tried to get through to Jennifer then casually mentioned that even Gwen was trying to help. "You should be careful of Gwen..." Kate started to warn Jack before remembering Gwen's earlier threat. Jack probed for more details, but Kate refused to elaborate then rushed off to another room.
Meanwhile, Gwen sneaked out of the DiMera mansion and headed over to the Horton house, armed with Christmas cards that Thomas and Charlotte had made for Jennifer. "You didn't have to come all this way just to deliver these!" Jennifer protested. "I don't mind -- and I actually needed an excuse to get out of that house, with all the things that are going on..." Gwen admitted before stopping abruptly and apologizing for the comment.
Taking the bait, Jennifer probed for more details, prompting Gwen to make a show of reluctantly revealing that Jack and Kate had been flirting at the DiMera mansion earlier -- and had seemed eager to be alone together.
At the Brady-Johnson townhouse, Steve wrapped up a phone conversation with Rafe then informed Kayla that Trask was finally available after a long day at the courthouse. "She's on her way over to the Salem P.D. [now, so] we should head out," Steve added before starting to rush off, expecting Kayla to follow. "You go ahead without me," Kayla called out, stopping Steve.
"I don't understand -- if you don't tell Trask not to prosecute Ava for kidnapping you, Ava could try to block Joe's release!" Steve said to Kayla, who tiredly insisted that the reminder wasn't necessary. "You don't want Joe out of prison?" Steve asked incredulously. "Of course, I do -- but I just think that Ava is more concerned with securing her freedom than Joey's, and I think that we need to take steps to protect ourselves and him --" Kayla started to clarify. "You know what? I don't have time to argue with you about this! If you're not coming with me, I'm gonna go make the case to Trask myself," Steve snapped before storming off.
At the police station, Tripp joined Ava in one of the conference rooms, carrying a cup of coffee in one hand and a pile of optional extras in the other hand. "It's kind of weird -- I don't know how my own mother takes her coffee..." Tripp mused while passing everything to Ava. "Honey, just having you look after me means the world to me," Ava assured Tripp.
"God, I really hope that I don't go back to prison -- because I want nothing more than to make up for lost time with you..." Ava fretted. "Well, look -- Rafe had to arrest you, [but] Kayla really wants Joey out of prison, [so] I'm sure she'll convince the D.A. not to press charges against you," Tripp reasoned. "I am afraid that you underestimate just how much Kayla hates me," Ava warned, but Tripp argued that Kayla surely loved Joey even more. "It would mean so much to her and my dad if Joey was free again -- and, I mean, it would mean a lot to me, too, obviously," Tripp stressed. "Of course -- [he's] your brother," Ava acknowledged.
"[Still]...darling, I am here, and I am ready to make a deal, but Kayla and Patch, they are nowhere to be found," Ava pointed out. "I'm sure they're on their way," Tripp predicted. "Or Kayla is working behind the scenes to just screw me over," Ava maintained. "She's not like that, okay? She's a decent person --" Tripp insisted. "Oh, my God, Tripp -- how can you defend her when she won't do the same for you?" Ava protested.
"Kayla thinks that you..." Ava began to remind Tripp before shuddering, unable to finish the sentence. "She thinks that I raped her niece Allie," Tripp helpfully summarized for Ava. "Doesn't that hurt you?" Ava asked. "Yeah -- a lot -- but I'm trying to keep [that] separate from what's happening with you," Tripp replied. "And yet Kayla can't separate you from me -- she may have pretended to accept you, but...honey, whenever she looks at you, it's a constant reminder of [the fact] that you are my son, [and] of what Steve and I had," Ava argued. "I don't want to believe that --" Tripp began to counter with a hint of uncertainty -- just as Steve arrived, alone.
"Where's Kayla?" Tripp wondered. "Well, I don't know that she needs to be here for us to make a deal," Steve responded. "I told you," Ava said to Tripp with a shake of the head, confusing Steve. "I was just telling [Tripp] that your two-faced, scheming wife [was] likely to pull a fast one," Ava explained to Steve. "You watch how you talk about Kayla!" Steve warned. "I'll talk about her however I like," Ava countered. "She supported her niece over supporting our son, [so] maybe she wants revenge [against him and me] more than she wants to see her child go free --" Ava suggested to Steve -- just as Kayla arrived. "That is not true," Kayla insisted.
"Where the hell have you been?" Ava challenged Kayla. "I went to get a lawyer to protect my son's interests," Kayla answered -- and, as if on cue, Justin entered the conference room just then, with Trask close behind. With the conference room suddenly much more crowded, Steve and Tripp decided to wait outside.
Trask stared at Ava in disbelief. "This entire situation is beyond comprehension," Trask summarized, deciding not to question how it was possible for Ava to still be alive. "You do understand that it is my job, as district attorney, to hold people accountable for their crimes, [right]? And yet you want me to sign off on a deal that would allow a kidnapper and a man convicted of murder to go free! [And] you've all made it very clear what you want, but what about everyone else who lives in this town? I don't think they'd be too happy with this little deal of yours!" Trask challenged Justin, Kayla, and Ava, who all waited anxiously for the district attorney's decision.
Outside, Steve wondered how Tripp felt about Ava's return. "Honestly, it hasn't really sunk in yet... All I ever knew of her was from those DVDs that she made for me before I was even born, [and] I watched those things over and over again, just to try to get a feel of who she really was -- and now...like, meeting her, talking with her, being with her... [Anyway], all my life, I wondered what it was like to know my mom, and now I might finally get that chance, [so] I'm praying that this works out, because I don't want to lose her again," Tripp admitted.
Trask eventually emerged from the conference room and rushed out of the police station -- and Justin, Kayla, and Ava emerged from the conference room together seconds later and approached Steve and Tripp as a group. "Trask is not happy about releasing Joey --" Justin began to explain. "But we persuaded her that she couldn't prosecute Ava for kidnapping if I didn't testify," Kayla concluded for Justin. "[So]...we have a deal?" Tripp translated. "I just need to run it by a judge and get them to sign off," Justin confirmed. "And, as soon as that's done, our son will go free..." Kayla said to Steve. "And so will Ava," Kayla grudgingly added.
As Tripp and Ava shared a celebratory hug, Steve apologized to Kayla for their earlier misunderstanding. "You just rushed off -- you didn't give me a chance to explain --" Kayla pointed out. "Well, I'm glad you had the presence of mind to get a lawyer here -- a good lawyer," Steve stressed. Justin gave Steve and Kayla a nod then rushed off.
"I'll just meet you guys at home," Tripp said to Steve and Kayla, wanting to spend a bit more time with Ava first -- and the comment caused immediate tension between Steve and Kayla that was quite obvious to Tripp. "When I came home and found you with your mom before...I was planning to talk to you about something..." Steve began to explain. "What?" Tripp prodded Steve. "Kayla and I were discussing you moving out --" Steve continued. "Wow... Okay..." Tripp muttered. "I'd be happy to help you find another place -- or maybe you could, you know, get student housing --" Steve continued. "It's fine -- I'll be okay," Tripp insisted.
"Don't be angry at your father -- this was at my request. It's [just]...all of us living under the same roof after what happened to Allie -- it's caused a lot of strain in [my relationship with your father]; I'm sure you've felt it --" Kayla tried to clarify for Tripp. "And, obviously, [that's] more important than Patch's son," Ava summarized. "This doesn't involve you," Kayla snapped. "Anything that involves my son involves me," Ava countered.
"I stepped up today, and that was for your son -- and I saved him God knows how many more years in prison! [But] you can't even give Tripp the benefit of the doubt when he swears that he had nothing to do with raping your niece!" Ava snapped at Kayla. "Mom, it's fine, okay? I'll be okay," Tripp insisted. "Of course, you will, honey -- because you will come and live with me," Ava replied.
Steve and Kayla both tried to backpedal, not wanting to drive Tripp into Ava's arms, but Tripp accepted Ava's offer, still feeling the sting of Steve and Kayla's rejection.
Justin burst into Julie's Place and started to apologize to Bonnie for being late to their date. "I know where you were, [because] when you didn't text me back or message me, I got worried and called your house, [and Henderson] told me Kayla showed up, and the two of you went rushing off together. [So], she and Patch are on the skids, and she came running right back to you [to] make the man she really loves jealous, [and] you fell for it, [right]? Well, let me tell you something, mister -- Bonnie Lockhart is no one's sloppy seconds, so you can just forget about me and our date, 'cause I have made other plans!" Bonnie snapped, ignoring Justin's attempts to interrupt and set the record straight. Justin watched in disbelief as Bonnie left the restaurant with one of the men Justin had seen Bonnie with once before.
At the Vitali apartment, Ava apologized to Tripp for having put their reunion off for so long. "I saw you once, in the park, [and] you looked really sad, and I wanted, with everything inside of me, to [reach] out to you and comfort you, and I got really close...but I just couldn't take the risk," Ava admitted, and Tripp insisted that was understandable.
"Thankfully, that is all over now, and I don't have to hide anymore!" Ava raved, and Tripp agreed that they had a good reason to celebrate. "This is my dream come true -- my son living under the same roof as me! Oh, if only Patch were here -- then everything would be perfect..." Ava declared while hugging Tripp, who seemed a bit concerned about the comment but didn't voice the concern.
At Statesville, Steve and Kayla fretted about the fact that kicking Tripp out of the Brady-Johnson townhouse had played right into Ava's hands -- but they didn't get to dwell on the matter for very long, because Joey soon joined them in the visitors' lounge.
Kate sauntered into Rafe's office at the police station, and she welcomed him back to Salem. Kate asked why Rafe had summoned her. "You have been implicated in the commission of a felony," Rafe said. Rafe pulled Kate's gun out of his desk drawer.
"That's my gun. How did you get it?" Kate asked. Rafe told Kate that Allie had stolen the gun. "Why did she want it?" Kate asked. Rafe informed Kate that Allie had planned to shoot Tripp. "What do you know, she really is a chip off the old block," Kate muttered. Confused, Rafe asked Kate what she meant. Kate told Rafe that Sami had done the same thing to her rapist.
"When I spoke to [Allie] about it, she seemed genuinely remorseful," Rafe said. "Remorseful? Why? I mean I wish that that little bastard had gotten exactly what he deserves," Kate said. Rafe's jaw dropped open. "Vigilante justice is not the answer. I don't think I'm giving this back to you," Rafe said as he reached for Kate's gun. Kate slapped her hand on top, and she assured Rafe she had been blowing off steam.
"I'll make sure the kid never gets her hand on [my gun] again," Kate promised. When Rafe mentioned that he had talked to the D.A. about Allie's case, Kate defended Allie. "It is my job to enforce the laws. [Allie] committed a felony," Rafe objected. With a shrug, Kate argued that Trask would ensure that Allie went to prison.
After Kate met with Rafe, she returned home and summoned Allie to the DiMera mansion. As Kate placed her gun on the desk, Allie groaned. "It looks like I'm going to have to find a more secure place to keep that," Kate said. Allie apologized. "Why didn't you ask me to handle Tripp?" Kate said. Kate argued that Allie's actions had put Allie's future in jeopardy. Kate told Allie about Tripp's history with the D.A.'s daughter.
"So, to Melinda Trask, Tripp Dalton is a hero," Kate said. "Well, then, that's it! I'm toast!" Allie exclaimed. Kate told Allie that Trask was sympathetic to Allie's case, and she had decided not to press charges against Allie. "You are off the hook. Don't blow it," Kate said. Allie said she would learn to live with the idea that Tripp would not pay for his crime.
"Tripp is going to pay. I promise you that," Kate said. When Allie asked about Kate's plan, Kate recommended a civil suit. "The burden of proof isn't as heavy, and I think the DNA results will be all that is needed," Kate said. Kate stressed that the court case would not result in jail time, but it would make Tripp's misdeeds public. "All we have to do is find the right lawyer," Kate said.
Steve and Kayla visited Joey at the prison to tell him that Ava was alive. Stunned, Joey said, "Ava can't be alive. I'm the one who killed her. I watched her die." Steve explained that Rolf had revived Ava. "What does this mean?" Joey asked. Kayla told Joey that although they had to deal with Ava's return to Salem, the good news was that Joey had not killed Ava.
"I didn't kill [Ava]," Joey whispered. "Your uncle is at the courthouse right now, trying to get your sentence vacated," Kayla said. With a shake of his head, Joey suggested that Ava could go to prison. Kayla told Joey that Ava had agreed to speak on Joey's behalf if Kayla had agreed not to press charges for kidnapping. "You shouldn't have made that deal," Joey said. Kayla stressed that she would have done anything to free Joey from prison.
"You can't make deals with Ava. I'd rather do my time and know you guys are safe and she was behind bars," Joey said. Angry, Joey argued that Steve and Kayla should have talked to him before they had made a deal with the D.A. Steve stressed that he and Kayla could handle Ava. "I wanted her dead. I deserve to be in here," Joey said. Kayla noted that Ava wanted to have a relationship with Tripp and that she would be on her best behavior rather than risk losing her son.
"Ava's idea of best behavior is a lot different than yours, Mom," Joey said. Steve noted that the situation was out of their hands and up to the D.A. Rafe walked in. "What are you doing here?" Kayla asked. Rafe announced that the judge had vacated the remainder of Joey's sentence. "You're free to go," Rafe said. In tears, Kayla and Steve hugged their son. Rafe explained that he had talked to the warden, and Joey could leave that night. "We're a family again," Kayla said.
At Ava's apartment, she helped Tripp settle in. Tripp thanked Ava for the help, and she assured him that she had wanted to be a part of Tripp's life for a long time. "Kayla's always been a cold-hearted bitch," Ava muttered. "That's not true, and you know it," Tripp said firmly. Tripp softened and noted that everything had worked out for the best because Joey had room to move in with Steve and Kayla since Tripp had moved out.
Ava blamed Kayla for Steve's request for Tripp to move out. "You don't have to defend Dad, okay? I know how he feels about me," Tripp said. "And I also know how he feels about you," Tripp said. As Ava nodded, Tripp asked if she planned to go after Steve again. Ava explained that her previous pursuit of Steve had been about a fantasy life, but having Tripp back in her life was reality.
"I'd have to be a fool to ruin this opportunity to finally be a mother to you," Ava said. "You're not going to cause any more trouble between Dad and Kayla?" Tripp asked. Ava promised that she would not interfere. Ava added that she hoped Steve and Kayla had not poisoned Tripp against her. Tripp thought about when his father had told him about Ava's rape of Steve. Concerned by Tripp's furrowed brow, Ava asked what was wrong. Tripp admitted that some of the things he had heard about Ava had kept him awake at night.
"When you get a second chance at life, it makes you want to change your ways. And I promise you, I will not do anything to your dad or Kayla. I swear," Ava said. "I really hope you mean that," Tripp countered. With a sigh, Tripp said he could not believe he was sitting next to his mother. Tripp added that he could not believe that Ava had saved him from Allie.
"I am here now. And I'm not going anywhere. And you can count on me," Ava stressed. Tripp told Ava that he had given away the money she had left him because he had not wanted to be tied to mob money. Concerned, Tripp asked Ava how she had paid for her fancy apartment. Before Ava could answer, Tripp told his mother that if she was still connected to the mob, he would leave.
"I understand how you feel about my family, but when I left Nashville, I didn't have anything. Not a cent, so, yeah, I did call my cousin Angelo," Ava said. "He is the one that fed me all that garbage about Dad and Kayla," Tripp said. Ava defended her decision and stated that she had agreed to only take money from the legitimate side of the family business. Tripp was wary, so Ava offered to get him proof.
"No. I didn't mean to sound all high and mighty. I'm grateful," Tripp said. "I am so proud that my son turned out to be such a good guy," Ava said. Tripp noted that he had not always been a good person. Tripp told Ava that after he had obsessed over her DVD's, he had set out to ruin Kayla's life and that he had even held a scalpel to Kayla's neck. "You did that for me?" Ava said with tears in her eyes. Ava grabbed her son and hugged him.
"I didn't tell you about what I did to Kayla for you to be proud of me," Tripp said. Ava explained that she was touched that Tripp had stood up for her. "That was a long time ago. And Kayla not only forgave me, but she's been great to me. I mean, she is the one that convinced me I could be a doctor," Tripp said. Frustrated, Ava reminded Tripp that Kayla believed Tripp was a rapist.
"[Kayla] was a victim of that very same crime herself," Tripp said. Tripp added that Allie was Kayla's niece, and Kayla had waited until after the DNA test to side with Allie. "I know how this looks to Kayla, but I know for a fact that I never slept with Allie," Tripp stressed. Ava suggested that Sami had a history of switching paternity results. "Kayla ran the test like four times," Tripp said. Ava laughed.
"[Kayla] is railroading you. This is payback for Joe," Ava said. Tripp refused to believe that Kayla would fake test results. "If you didn't have sex with this girl, then how does the test prove that you are the baby's father?" Ava asked. Tripp shrugged, and he said he was certain that Kayla had not changed the test results. Ava asked Tripp to tell her the story about his night with Allie. Tripp recounted the same details he had told the police.
"I don't know what happened to [Allie] after I left, because the next time I ran into her was when I ran into her here," Tripp said. "It doesn't make sense," Ava said. Tripp noted that Allie would not let the situation go until she felt that Tripp had paid for what Allie believed he had done to her. "A small part of me wishes the case had gone to trial, just so Justin could prove me innocent," Tripp said. When Tripp mentioned the case in London, a confused Ava asked why the police in London were interested in the case. Tripp explained that he had met Allie in London.
"You didn't tell me that. You met Allie in London?" Ava asked with a look of alarm. Ava played it cool, and she noted that it was an odd coincidence that Tripp had met Allie overseas. "Got any ideas to get me off the hook?" Tripp asked. Ava said no but that she would not stop until she figured out how to solve the problem. After Tripp left to pack up his stuff, Ava called someone on the phone. "You call me back the minute you get this, and I am not kidding around," Ava growled.
In the park, Xander met up with Charlie. "Why did you want to see me?" Charlie stammered when he saw Xander's scowl. "I want to know what Philip has been up to," Xander said. "I don't really have anything to report on that score," Charlie said. With narrowed eyes, Xander noted that Charlie was a terrible liar.
"Corporate espionage was not in my job description, which is good because I really suck at it," Charlie said. Charlie told Xander that Philip had caught him, and he had been forced to admit to Philip that he had spied on Xander's orders. "You didn't tell me that before," Xander said through gritted teeth. "If you were me, would you tell you?" Charlie shot back. Charlie told Xander that Philip had ordered him to spy on Xander.
"I didn't have a choice!" Charlie protested. "You made a choice, Charlie. A very bad choice," Xander said. Charlie begged Xander not to hurt him. "You sound like you're afraid of me," Xander said. Charlie nodded yes. With a groan, Xander said he was hurt that Charlie would believe that after Xander had helped him with Claire. Charlie told Xander that Philip had threatened to fire him.
"I panicked," Charlie admitted. "I understand," Xander said. Xander promised Charlie that he would beat Philip, and that it was in Charlie's best interest to "back the right horse." Charlie asked Xander not to fire him. "Did I say anything about firing you?" Xander asked. Charlie stared in silence. Xander told Charlie that he understood that Philip had forced him to be a double agent. "I'm afraid I am going to ask you to be a triple agent," Xander added. Xander asked Charlie to pass along a message to Philip.
In the Kiriakis living room, Sarah and Philip reviewed the plans for the charity event. "I keep waiting for Xander to come through that door and find us together," Philip said with a chuckle. Sarah assured Philip that she had sent Xander's stuff over to him.
"No regrets?" Philip asked. Sarah insisted she had no regrets after how Xander had reacted to her plan to work on the party with Philip. Suspicious, Philip asked Sarah if she had sent Xander's stuff to the inn or if she had delivered the stuff to Xander herself. "Why do you ask?" Sarah said. Philip admitted he had seen Sarah leaving the Salem Inn the previous night.
"Are you having me followed?" Sarah asked. Philip explained that he had been in the square and had seen Sarah. Sarah lied and said that she had dropped off Xander's stuff so that he would not have an excuse to stop by the mansion. "If it makes you feel any better, we got into a giant fight," Sarah added. Philip told Sarah he was sorry, and she joked that Philip wasn't sorry.
"Well, I'm very sorry if he said things that hurt you," Philip said. "Actually, he did. He did hurt me. I feel like I finally saw who Xander really is, and I hate him," Sarah said. Sarah offered to help Philip get Xander fired from Titan. "All you have to do is ask," Sarah said. Philip raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"If Xander is not out of this house and out of that company, he will never be out of my life," Sarah said. "And that's what you want?" Philip asked. Philip reminded Sarah that she had given Xander multiple second chances. "I honestly don't know why I did that," Sarah said. Philip asked Sarah why the newest argument was worse than previous ones.
"It just showed me how truly delusional he is, and I just saw what my life would be like if I stayed. Like you and me? That's ridiculous isn't it?" Sarah said with a laugh. "Totally ridiculous," Philip whispered as he leaned in for a kiss. Sarah leaped to her feet. "What are you doing?" Sarah asked. Philip apologized for having misread the situation.
"I was under the impression that you ended it with Xander because you were interested in me," Philip said. "I broke up with Xander because he was trying to run my life," Sarah corrected Philip. Philip apologized for having overstepped boundaries. Sarah explained that she was not ready to jump into another relationship. With a raised eyebrow, Philip suggested that the best way to push Xander away was to make Xander think he was right about her and Philip.
"You really want to make Xander think that we're having an affair?" Sarah asked. Philip said that an affair would drive Xander out of the company. "I don't want to make things more complicated than they already are," Sarah said. Sarah suggested that she and Philip meet up after her shift at the hospital. With a nod, Sarah walked into the foyer, and she called Xander and asked to meet at his hotel room.
After a quick stop at the hospital to throw Philip off the trail, Sarah arrived at Xander's room at the Salem Inn. Xander's face was white as a ghost. "Baby, what's wrong?" Sarah asked. "Ava Vitali is alive and back in Salem," Xander said as he looked at his tablet. Unaware of Ava's past, Sarah grabbed Xander's tablet to look at the story. "That's Angela van de Kamp," Sarah said. "Angela van de Kamp and Ava Vitali are the same person?" Xander exclaimed.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Philip was surprised to see Charlie walk in. "What have you got?" Philip asked. Charlie lied and said that he had told Xander that he did not have anything on Philip yet. "Did he buy it?" Philip asked. When Charlie said yes, Philip narrowed his eyes, and he asked if Charlie was telling him the truth. Charlie said he was not a good spy.
"You came all the way here to tell me you got nothing?" Philip asked. "Yeah, I guess," Charlie said. Philip told Charlie that the sooner he found something to use against Xander, the sooner they could get back to corporate business. Charlie nodded in agreement. After Charlie left, Philip looked at a text on his phone. "Aw, man. This is not the news I need right now," Philip said.
