Asleep on a couch in the parlor of Chandler Mansion, Brooke English was haunted by a recurring nightmare. In the dream, David Hayward and JR Chandler struggled for control of a handgun. The gun fired at least two times. Brooke suddenly awoke from her sleep with an audible gasp. Adam raced to her side to comfort her.
"Is it ever going to end?" Brooke asked as she looked at Adam.
At that moment, AJ entered the room. Upon learning that Brooke had suffered another nightmare, AJ rolled his eyes and told Brooke that the event that had taken place in her nightmare had happened five years before and she needed to "move on."
AJ headed to his room where, clad only in a towel, he rocked out to some music and played along on his electric guitar. As he danced around the room, his towel dropped to the floor. At the same time, the door to his room opened and Miranda Montgomery walked in. AJ lashed out at Miranda for not knocking, but she quickly noted that she'd seen what was under AJ's towel many times before.
Miranda whipped out her tablet computer and pulled up her Facebook page where someone has posed the question: Miranda Montgomery -- "vagatarian" or does she eat meat? The question was a dig at her sexual identity. AJ gallantly offered to "burn" anyone who'd speak ill of Miranda. Miranda recalled how AJ had once beaten up a boy in kindergarten who'd made fun of her for having two moms.
AJ focused on getting dressed, and Miranda yanked the towel off of AJ. AJ screamed out Miranda's named and dashed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
Back downstairs, Adam said that Brooke had put her life on hold for him. He then professed his love for Brooke and asked her to marry him. Brooke happily accepted -- but as soon as she did, Adam told her that he had a favor to ask of her.
AJ and Miranda returned to the room on their way to school. AJ correctly assumed that his grandfather was headed out of town soon. AJ then challenged Adam to a rematch in the video game "War Demons." Miranda wasn't sure why AJ would make the challenge, since Adam always seemed to win. Brooke asked Miranda how Miranda's mother, Bianca, was doing. The room suddenly went cold as Bianca's face grew serious. "She's okay... as okay as she ever is since," Bianca started before AJ interrupted and told them to stop talking about what had happened.
Brooke sat down at a desk and signed her name on some documents. She asked Adam if he was sure about what he was doing. He nodded. Brooke, he said, had run a national magazine with great success and that there was no one else that he'd have chosen. "You're the one person that would never betray me," Adam added. They then kissed.
Later at school, Miranda was over the moon that one of the school's hottest guys, Hunter Morrison, had spoken to her. AJ was incredulous, noting that all Hunter had said was "hey." Miranda assumed that AJ's response was meant to indicate that she was in some way not good enough for Hunter. AJ argued that he felt just the opposite -- Hunter wasn't good enough for her. Miranda then smiled wryly and asked AJ if he was jealous. AJ did his best to convince Miranda otherwise, but his face told a different story.
At Cortlandt Manor, Opal Cortlandt held a picture of her late husband, Palmer, and cooed excitedly that their "baby boy" would soon be returning home.
Somewhere just outside of town, Peter Cortlandt drove through the countryside in a blue Porsche convertible. He smiled as he passed a sign that welcomed drivers to Pine Valley. As he sped through the downtown area, Peter attracted the attention of a young woman wearing a plaid skirt and blue blazer, presumably from a local private school.
Peter arrived at Cortlandt Manor with his cell phone pressed against his ear. He told the person on the other end of the phone that "everyone is watching TV online now." He hung up the phone when he saw his mother standing before him. Opal gushed about how much she'd missed her son. She became choked up and made a remark about "Tad being gone." Peter gave his mother a hug and kissed her on the cheek.
Dixie was quietly folding laundry when she spotted a photo of herself and Tad from nearly 20 years before. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked skyward.
Later, Opal showed Peter her latest project: a scrapbook that chronicled his many achievements. The book contained pages and pages of newspaper clippings and other mementos, but one of the pages was bare.
"I keep it blank because this is where your diploma from Stanford would've gone," she explained.
Peter sighed and asked his mom to accept the fact that he had dropped out of college. Diploma or not, Opal commented that Peter was "a star." With that, she asked Peter to help revive his father's company, Cortlandt Electronics, from the dead. Peter looked over some business documents that had been prepared, and he agreed with plans to have a receiver take over Cortlandt Electronics, shut down the unprofitable segments of the company, and then sell off whatever was left. Opal disagreed with the findings in the report and demanded that Peter step in. Peter suggested that it might be time to let go of Cortlandt Electronics.
The discussion then turned to how often Peter returned home to visit. Taking on a role at Cortlandt Electronics would require Peter to be in Pine Valley more often than he'd want, and Peter's idea of frequent visits was nowhere near as often as Opal wanted. Frustrated, Peter said that he needed to get some air. Opal invited herself along, but Peter said that he wanted to be alone. He gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and left.
As he sat in his car discussing a business move, Peter saw the young woman he'd unknowingly passed earlier collide with another pedestrian. The woman's belongings fell to the ground. Peter told his business associate that he'd call him back later and then headed off to help the woman. Peter was quite taken with the young woman who nervously picked up an apple that she had dropped and took a bite out of it. The woman closed her eyes for a moment and marveled that she'd eaten an apple off of the ground. "Apples are my new favorite fruit," Peter said smoothly in an attempt to not make the woman feel uncomfortable.
The woman realized that she was running late for her job teaching art history at her alma mater and said that she had to be going. As she dashed off, Peter called out to her to ask her for her name. "Celia," the woman replied. After Celia darted off, Peter noticed that she'd lost part of a heart-shaped locket. He picked it up and looked at the photo contained inside.
At the school, Celia rushed around her room to get herself together. She found a wallet and looked at it with a reminiscent smile. An older woman stormed into the room and announced that Celia was late. As Celia attempted to explain her tardiness, the woman grumbled that Celia had some explaining to do. The woman then produced a condom.
Back at Cortlandt Manor, Peter told his mother that he'd decided to stick around Pine Valley for a few more days. Opal was elated but realized that they would have to "live large" and "savor every minute." She then announced that they should do some scrapbooking together.
Jesse Hubbard hurriedly put together a breakfast tray for his wife, Angie. He quickly stepped outside to the patio, where he pulled a daffodil from the ground. He barely had time to put the flower in a vase before Angie wandered into the living room. She was pleasantly surprised by the croissants and fresh strawberries, but she told Jesse that she knew what he was trying to do. Before Angie could go into detail about why she was upset, Jesse took her into his arms and gave her a kiss.
Later, after the pair had made love, Angie told Jesse how sad she was that Lucy had moved to Portland. Angie then turned her thoughts to what had happened five years earlier. "Pine Valley lost a part of its soul that night," Jesse agreed, but urged Angie to focus on all the good things in their life. Jesse then ordered Angie to put an end to her "lollygagging" because she needed to get dressed and ready for a surprise that he had planned for her.
Angie excused herself to go to the shower. On her way, she passed by a picture and remarked that they had a wonderful family. She stopped, cocked her head to the side, and told Jesse that his surprise had better not be that he'd finally fixed the garage door she'd been asking him to fix for quite some time. Jesse chuckled and replied that his surprise was big -- "Big like Christmas morning. Big like fireworks. Big like you and me." Angie then suggestively remarked that she wasn't sure she could "take anything else big this morning." Laughing, Angie headed for the shower -- and Jesse followed quickly behind.
After the shower, Jesse made a phone call to Cassandra Foster, Angie's adopted daughter. He was giddy with excitement over her impending arrival as part of the surprise he'd planned for Angie. Angie put on her jacket and announced that she was headed out to pick up something for dinner. She mused that whoever Jesse was hiding could "come out now."
Once Angie had left, Jesse placed another call to Cassandra, but no one answered the call. In an unknown location, a phone rang with the name "Jesse" displayed on the Caller ID screen. The phone was thrown to the ground and a large boot suddenly slammed down on top of it. Jesse then placed a call to the driver he'd hired to pick up Cassandra from the airport, and was alarmed to learn that Cassandra had never shown up.
In the staff locker room at Pine Valley Hospital, Dr. Cara Castillo lovingly looked at a necklace she was wearing. A hand gently touched her shoulder and caressed her. Cara smiled broadly as David leaned in and kissed her shoulder. The pair quickly stripped down and gave in to their passion. David hoisted Cara into the air and pressed her against the lockers as they made love.
Cara suddenly snapped out of her daydream and realized she was alone in the room. Her brother, Dr. Griffin Castillo, entered the room and asked Cara if she was ready. Cara shook off her daze and responded affirmatively.
Later in a patient's room, Cara reported to Griffin that the patient's condition hadn't changed. "It's a hell of a way to spend five years," Griffin remarked. Griffin then commented that the patient and Cara both had something in common; they'd both had their lives altered by David Hayward. Cara become nervous at the mention of David's name and told Griffin that David could never find out about what she had done. Griffin did his best to assuage Cara's angst, reminding her that David was "buried behind bars for manslaughter."
A metal door opened to an open area on the other side of a barbed-wired-topped fence. David stepped outside and relished the feeling of sunlight on his face. A Department of Corrections officer slammed a paper bag into David's chest. David realized the bag contained his personal effects. When asked where he was headed, David replied, "Home sweet home."
David got into the backseat of a waiting car. He looked into the rearview mirror and realized that the driver recognized him. "I'm that guy. Chandler Mansion... the shooting," David muttered. "That was me."
David headed to a cemetery where he looked over one of the gravesites. "I've been behind bars five years for what happened to you," he said coldly as a tear streamed down his face. "But now I'm back. And there's gonna be hell to pay."
At Jesse's house, Jesse left a message for Cassandra, who still wasn't answering her phone. He relayed that the driver had never picked her up at the airport, and he hoped that it was because she'd missed her flight but had caught another one. He hastily ended the call as Angie entered. She wondered who'd been on the phone, and when Jesse tried to change the subject, she asked what he was hiding.
Angie insisted upon knowing what her surprise was, but Jesse doubted there would be a surprise. Someone knocked on the door, and relieved, he claimed that the surprise was better late than never. Angie swung open the door and discovered Joe Martin on the doorstep. She exclaimed that it really was a surprise. "You're telling me," Jesse murmured.
Joe started to remark that Jesse hadn't known about the visit, but cutting Joe off, Jesse urged Joe and Angie to catch up while Jesse ran errands. By the door, Angie thanked Jesse for her surprise. She added that she'd have a surprise for him later. Jesse kissed her and hid his worried look as he left.
Angie joined Joe on the sofa and expressed how grateful she was for her family being healthy and safe. Joe remarked that he hadn't seen Cassandra since she'd been a teenager. Angie replied that Cassandra was thriving in Paris.
Joe explained that he was in town on a patient consult, and Ruth had gone to visit Jake and Amanda. Angie thought it was best, and Joe replied that Ruth had been through a difficult time. Angie said they all handled tragedy differently, and the topic changed to how Angie and Jessie had coped with losing their baby. Angie said her marriage almost hadn't survived after she'd found out that Jesse had lied about it.
Joe asked about Maya and Lucy. Angie boasted about Maya's job with an eco-design firm and Lucy starting kindergarten in Portland. Angie missed them, and Joe was sure she got worried at times. Angie said the further away loved ones went, the more she wanted to keep them safe.
Joe mentioned seeing Opal, who was overjoyed to have Pete in town. Angie asked if he'd seen Dixie. Joe admitted that he hadn't, but Angie thought the sullen Dixie could really use a visit from him. Before Joe took off, he remarked upon how glad he was to see that Angie and Jesse were doing well. Angie hugged him and said she was glad the worst was finally over.
In an unknown location, a man ripped a page out of Cassandra's passport and tossed items from her bag onto a bed. The man handcuffed a screaming Cassandra to the headboard of the bed.
In the security office at the airport, Jesse looked for answers about his missing daughter. He'd already learned that her boarding pass had been scanned, and a flight attendant had recognized her photo. The security officer figured out that Cassandra Foster had made it through customs.
Jesse wondered what had happened to Cassandra after that. The officer flippantly remarked that he guessed she'd picked up her bags. Identifying himself as a father and the chief of police, Jesse bellowed that he'd have the officer fired if it were necessary to locate his daughter.
The officer changed his tune and suggested places that Cassandra could be. Jesse had already checked those places and decided that they'd search the surveillance tapes for the previous three hours at every baggage carousel. In doing so, they located Cassandra on video near an airport exit. She was talking to a driver, but Jesse noted that his driver had never picked her up. On the video, Cassandra left with the man, and Jesse ordered the officer to get him the outside surveillance videos.
Later, Jesse called a friend for help locating Cassandra. He said she'd gotten into a car that was registered to his friend's casino. On the screen, Zach appeared, and he seemed surprised to hear that.
Jesse claimed that he knew it was painful for Zach to deal with anything related to Pine Valley, and Zach said it wasn't his favorite place. Jesse expressed that he was worried. Zach agreed to check out the limousine that had picked up Cassandra and assured Jesse that they'd get to the bottom of things.
At the mansion, AJ rushed in and shed his clothes in the living room. He was late to meet his team at Jane's Addiction. Brooke asked him to tell Dixie, because, after everything that had happened, Dixie always got concerned when she didn't see him. "I'll text her," he awkwardly replied and took off.
Later, Dixie was in the study when AJ entered. He said he'd been looking for her, but he'd guessed she'd been at the hospital -- or cemetery. Dixie put on a smile and asked where he was off to. AJ was going to celebrate his soccer team's win, but as he studied Dixie's sad face, he offered to hang out with her. She urged him to celebrate with his team because she had her own plans.
AJ exited, and Dixie wiped away tears. Brooke entered, and Dixie put on her cheery demeanor again. Brooke said that Dixie didn't have to pretend with her. Relieved, Dixie plopped down on the couch and sobbed, "I just miss him so much!" Brooke hugged Dixie and said to give it time.
Later, Dixie sat in a hospital room at a man's bedside. She held his hand, and crying, she uttered that she was there, just as she'd promised. She stood to leave but assured him that she'd be back. As soon as Dixie exited, monitors began beeping, and the man's hand flinched.
At a café, Bianca was thrilled with herself for scoring some tickets to a One Direction concert in New York for Miranda; however, Miranda frowned because she'd stopped liking that group months earlier. Miranda almost decided to attend the concert until she learned that it was on the night of the school dance. Miranda insisted that, concert or no concert, she wasn't missing that dance.
Bianca was sad that they wouldn't be spending family time together, but Miranda reasoned that she was in high school. Bianca recalled that she hadn't wanted to hang out with her mother at that age, either; however, having Erika Kane as a mother had added a new dimension to things.
Bianca decided that she'd have Gabby invite a friend to the concert. Miranda suggested that Gabby and Bianca spend that weekend in New York, and Bianca said it was a good idea.
Miranda spotted Hunter entering the café. He stopped to greet Miranda and to meet her mother. He asked to talk to Miranda later but said it wasn't about class. After he walked off, Miranda asked Bianca to leave. Agreeing to go, Bianca said the thing about the dance made more sense to her.
Later, Hunter returned to the table, and Miranda guessed she looked like a dork for sitting with her mother. Hunter said her mom was cool and hot, for someone who didn't swing his way. Miranda looked offended, and he said he was merely stating that her mother was pretty -- like she was. Embarrassed, she said she still had to cut her hair. "No, I like it," he said and stroked her hair.
Miranda showed Hunter some of her sketches, which he thought were cool. He decided to take off to study, and she asked if he'd wanted to talk to her about being a study partner. Hunter replied that he'd just wanted to see if she wanted to hang out sometime. Miranda could barely contain her excitement as they made a date to see each other on a Thursday.
AJ entered as Hunter left, and Miranda beamed to AJ about Hunter inviting her on a date. AJ assumed that meant she'd accepted, and she asked what else she was supposed to do. AJ asserted that she should have said, "'No freaking way.'"
At the school, Evelyn was questioning Celia about a condom when Heather entered, chattering about Mindy, who'd seen Celia with a "totally hot guy" earlier. Heather cut herself off when she saw Evelyn in the room. Evelyn told Heather to go conjugate some French verbs, and Heather hastily left.
Evelyn asked Celia to tell her that the condom and the guy were not connected. Celia claimed not to know the guy, who'd just helped her when she'd dropped her stuff. "And this?" Evelyn asked, holding the condom. Celia stated that she was helping out at the Miranda Center, passing out condoms to prostitutes and educating them about diseases. Evelyn replied that Celia was supposed to be at the center, helping Brooke English with public relations.
Celia replied that she wanted to do more, and the women at the center really needed help. Evelyn replied that Celia had always been a compassionate child. Evelyn didn't think helping people was wrong, but she doubted Celia's guardian would approve of Celia being the one giving out the help.
Evelyn reminded Celia of how cultured Celia was, and Evelyn recalled the countries they'd visited together and the cultures Celia had experienced. Celia didn't regret any of that, and she loved Evelyn; however, Celia felt that at eighteen, she wanted to do regular things that other young women did. She wanted to shop at the mall, go to parties, watch television, and be with a guy.
Celia sobbed, and Evelyn asserted that despite all the restrictions, the guardian had given Celia a good life. Evelyn said Celia got to do things other young women might never experience. Evelyn claimed "he" was proud of Celia, but Celia quipped that he was so proud that he never showed his face. Celia didn't want the guardian's gifts, and she didn't care if she pleased him. She just wanted her own life.
At Opal's house, Opal was still misty-eyed about having one of her "boys underfoot again." Pete replied that the babying stuff had to stop. Opal had decided to update his room, but he insisted that he wouldn't be in town that long. She asked if he'd stay long enough to clean up the mess that Caleb had left behind with Cortlandt Electronics. Pete assured her that he would; however, his California company would go public soon, and he needed to be there for it.
Before Pete left the house, he asked his mother for a restaurant recommendation, and Opal suggested that he try Jane's Addiction for their coffee drinks. He also wondered if there was a private school in the area because he was interested in setting up some focus groups for his company. Opal named Bramwell Hall and noted that the parents of those kids were loaded.
Later, Pete went down to Jane's Addiction and met Jane, the owner. She conveyed that she'd dropped out of school to follow the band that her place was named for, and Pete said he'd dropped out of Stanford to start his own software company.
Jane stepped away, and Pete spotted a brunette at a booth. "I was totally hoping to run into you!" he exclaimed, touching the girl's shoulder. She looked up, and he saw that it wasn't Celia. The girl was Heather, and he sat down with her to converse. She couldn't believe he'd created the "Top Pop App," and he told her the story of how it had happened.
Pete said that anything could happen when one stopped focusing on their limits. Heather anxiously replied, "I'm totally into no limits." Pete remarked that he looked at every person he met as an opportunity to grow his business. Heather asked how she could help with that, and he asked if her school had Facebook. She replied that it would ruin the school's reputation as an "old fart institution."
Pete guessed that wouldn't stop Heather. Heather grinned, admitted that she had almost a thousand friends, and eagerly showed off her page on a laptop. As Pete scanned all of Heather's friends, Jane approached to warn Heather that she was about to break curfew. Fearing another detention, Heather scurried out of the place.
Pete ordered more coffee and told Jane that he had a lot of work to do. He put a laptop on the table and pulled up Bramwell Hall's webpage. It didn't take him long to hack into the system and find what he was looking for. "Celia Fitzgerald," he said, staring at Celia's picture.
At Bramwell Hall, Celia was in a huff as she dressed herself. Evelyn entered and noted that Celia hadn't cooled down from the previous night. Celia asserted that she'd thought about it, and Evelyn needed to tell the guardian that Celia was going to have a life whether he liked it or not.
Evelyn doubted it was a good idea for Celia to go off on her own after being sheltered for so long. Celia guessed that meant Evelyn wouldn't talk to the guardian because Evelyn wanted Celia to live like a nun. Evelyn responded that Celia had been on many adventures, but Celia said that she'd done it all with Evelyn. Celia was ready to have adventures of her own -- and on her own.
Evelyn decided that she'd talk to the guardian. She felt it was better to have his blessing than for Celia to sneak around behind his back. Celia asked if Evelyn were afraid of him, but Evelyn replied that she wasn't. Celia hugged Evelyn and said she knew Evelyn could convince him. As Celia took off, she added that she wanted him to end the mystery routine, too, because she wanted to meet him.
At the mansion, Adam gave Brooke a morning kiss and thanked her for the previous night. To the couple's surprise, Opal and Pete entered, and Adam sarcastically said their timing was impeccable.
Brooke welcomed Pete to town, and Opal explained that she'd wanted her son to talk to Adam before deciding what to do with Cortlandt. Adam doubted the entrepreneurial Pete needed his advice. Brooke asked how long Pete planned to stay in Pine Valley. In unison, Pete said he wouldn't stay long, and Opal replied that he'd be there for a while.
Pete and Adam discussed union problems, and as they wandered out of the room, Celia entered through a different door. Pete didn't see her, but she saw him as he rounded the corner out of sight.
Brooke introduced Celia Fitzgerald to Opal Cortlandt, and Celia asked who the guy with Adam was. Opal replied that he was her son and asked if Celia knew Petey. Celia replied that they'd bumped into each other on the street. Brooke left to get some coffee for everyone, and Opal remarked upon Celia's cute uniform. Celia explained that she'd gone to Bramwell Hall, but after becoming a tutor, she had chosen to wear the uniform to fit in with the students. Opal gave Celia an anticipating stare.
Opal quietly observed as Brooke and Celia worked on some pamphlets that Celia had made for the center. Brooke had left her glasses in the kitchen, and Celia volunteered to get them. Alone with Brooke, Opal remarked about Celia being a real go-getter. Brooke said Celia was their best volunteer and a computer whiz. "She could be the perfect girl for Petey -- to help him with his Cortlandt Electronic stuff while he's in town..." Opal contemplated.
Brooke said Celia was very busy with her volunteer work and tutoring. Brooke left to help Celia look for the glasses. Opal sat down at the laptop. "Oops," she said, deleting Celia's pamphlet. Brooke and Celia returned, and Celia panicked upon seeing that her work had disappeared from the computer screen. Celia didn't have a backup, but Brooke figured there had to be a way to retrieve it.
"My techno-whiz son!" Opal suggested. Brooke said she'd heard from Adam that Pete had already left the house to meet Harris. Opal text-messaged Pete and assured Celia that he'd be there in two shakes of a lamb's tail to help. Celia got a text message and said she had to go. Brooke wondered what was wrong, but with a smile, Celia said that something was finally right.
Opal tried to get Celia to stay because Pete would be there at any second, but Celia said she really couldn't stay. As Celia took off, Brooke told Celia not to worry about the document.
When Celia arrived back at the school, Evelyn explained that the guardian would not agree to Celia's requests. Evelyn had tried everything she could, but he also wanted Celia to quit volunteering at the center because he didn't want her hanging around those people. Disheartened, Celia guessed Evelyn had told him about the condom giveaway, but Evelyn replied that he'd already known about it.
Celia guessed the man had spy cams all around, but Evelyn thought that idea was ridiculous. Celia figured that she was of legal age and could do what she wanted. Evelyn agreed, adding that Celia could walk out the door. Evelyn said she wouldn't stop Celia, but Celia had no money and nowhere to go. Evelyn asked how Celia planned to survive without her guardian's help.
At Jane's café, Pete had a meeting with Harris about problems with suppliers. Pete wasn't willing to cut the suppliers a break, but Harris said Pete's father had dealt with those people for years. Pete responded that his father was dead, and it was best that he let his California lawyers handle it. Upon ending the meeting, Harris refused to shake Pete's hand.
Later, Pete returned to the mansion. Brooke announced that they had a computer emergency. Opal took off to see if she could catch Celia before Celia left, but Celia had already gone.
Pete fixed the document problem and suggested that Brooke's assistant back things up on a flash drive. Opal said he'd already met Brooke's assistant because he'd bumped into her once. Opal gave Celia's name to Pete and said Celia would probably be back the next day to thank him for the help.
At the hospital, Cara squatted to pick her files up off the floor behind the nurses' station. David strode by the area, and Cara looked terrified. David continued down the hall and bumped into Angie. Grinning, David stated that someone had spoken to the parole board on his behalf. He'd assumed it had been Angie. "Was I right?" he wondered. "You got me," Angie replied, and David hugged her.
David thanked Angie again, and Angie said she couldn't stand to see him locked up when what had happened that night had been, in many ways, an accident. David didn't want to think about it, and he was grateful to be free. She advised him not to expect a warm welcome, but David chuckled, saying he was ready for that. Angie wondered why David hadn't decided to make a fresh start somewhere else. "After what I've lost, Angie, there's no way I can do that," he responded.
David didn't want to discuss himself any longer, and he asked how Angie's eyesight was. Grinning, she said it was "so far, so good," thanks for him. He asked about Maya and Lucy, and Angie explained how Maya had left town for a new job. David was shocked that Maya would leave after all the Hubbards had done for her. He thought Angie was a better person than he was for accepting it.
Angie admitted to missing Lucy so much that it hurt. Angie said she was sorry, but David replied that he wasn't the only person to lose a loved one. She conveyed that Jesse had advised her to focus on the good and their happy, healthy children, who were scattered around the world.
David didn't know how Angie could stay so upbeat. Angie reasoned that if she gave in to the pain, she could never get over the pain. David remarked that after five years, he still hadn't gotten over it. Angie said she'd heard about Cara's miscarriage. David revealed that it still pained him that Cara hadn't even visited him; she'd just sent him a "lousy letter" about it.
Angie relayed that Cara had gone back to Doctors Without Borders after the event, and David wondered if the organization could tell him where Cara was. Angie looked worried, and David asked if she knew were Cara was. Angie tried to abruptly cut the conversation off, but David asked her to tell him where Cara was. Angie revealed that Cara was back at the hospital.
David immediately tried to take off, but Angie stopped him, asking him not to make her regret speaking up for him at the parole hearing. He promised that he wouldn't. As he hurried down the hallway, Angie cursed to herself.
Back at the nurses' station, Griffin approached, and Cara stammered that David was back. Cara pulled her brother into a patient's room and insisted that she'd seen David. Griffin didn't believe it had been David, but from the way Cara had reacted, Griffin gleaned that she still hadn't let David go.
Cara decided to check on Mackenzie, but Griffin said Cara was avoiding the question. Cara admitted she didn't know how to let go of something she carried with her each day. Griffin suggested that she hold on to the good, release the bad, and stop obsessing over the sociopath.
Cara asserted that David wasn't a sociopath, but Griffin reminded her that she'd done what she'd done because she'd known what David could do to an innocent child. Cara regretted sending David that letter, but Griffin said she'd done it so David wouldn't catch her lying. Cara insisted that she'd had a choice, and for the good or bad, David had still been the baby's father. "Not anymore, Cara! Move on!" Griffin exclaimed.
Cara thought she should leave town again, but Griffin reminded her that she'd promised to be there to see McKenzie through chemotherapy. Cara was the only doctor the child would let near her, and Griffin didn't think Cara could live with herself if the child had a relapse. Cara decided that once McKenzie was in the clear, Cara was leaving Pine Valley for good "this time."
On her phone, Cara started checking flights out of the country in case she needed a backup plan. As she and Griffin entered the corridor, he tried to calm her down because David couldn't get to her. Cara figured that her guilt was eating her alive, and she couldn't imagine what would happen if David found out what she'd done. "What did you do, Cara? Tell me," David said from behind her.
At home, Jesse was on the phone, talking to someone about Cassandra's disappearance. He ended the call when Zach arrived at the house. Jesse was surprised that Zach was there, and Zach replied that he knew who'd checked out the car that had picked up Cassie. "Me," Zach said.
Zach had assumed a bouncer had taken the car under Zach's name to make extra money for airport runs. The car had already been returned without a clue as to who'd taken it. Zach wanted to see the airport footage of the driver, and Jesse pulled it up on his tablet. Zach asked Jesse to zoom it in more, and as Zach studied the man with Cassandra on the video, Zach uttered, "Holy shit."
Zach informed Jesse that the man worked for the Koslovs, the Russian mob -- and the biggest reason that Kendall had left Zach. Jesse was confused, and Zach explained that the mob had been after his casinos. The mob had muscled their way in and threatened the lives of his wife and his children. Sick of living in fear, Kendall had left Zach. Jesse said he was sorry, but Zach figured Kendall had been right because those people wouldn't stop until they got what they wanted.
Jesse didn't understand what the mob wanted with Cassandra. Zach said nothing, and Jesse asked what it was that Zach wasn't telling him.
Later, Jesse and Zach both got on their cell phones to coordinate efforts to find Cassandra. Angie entered, and Zach and Jesse immediately stopped chattering on their phones. The excited Angie greeted Zach and hurried over to hug him. Jesse and Zach exchanged uncertain glances.
In an unknown location, Vlad entered a bedroom with a breakfast tray for the handcuffed Cassandra. She said she wasn't hungry. Touching her top, he replied that she was hungry for something besides breakfast. She kicked his tray, and the breakfast flew into the air. Vlad smacked her and called her a "stupid bitch."
In his thick accent, Vlad said he'd give Cassandra one more chance to be nice. He tried to kiss her, but she spit in his face. He cursed, took off his belt, and said, "No more mister nice."
AJ knocked on the door to his bedroom, and Miranda requested his help from the other side. He entered and found Miranda on the bed, wearing only unbuttoned jeans and a bra. She complained that she didn't have anything to wear on her date with Hunter, and Brooke had allowed her to raid Colby's closet. AJ helped Miranda wiggle into a pair of Colby's old jeans, and Miranda asked if she looked hot enough for Hunter. AJ grumbled that Hunter would pick up anything with a pulse, but Miranda wanted AJ's honest input. AJ assured her that she looked hot, and Miranda asked him to help her select a top.
Miranda tried on shirts, and AJ warned her not to get into trouble on her date with a "walking man ho." AJ visibly reacted to seeing her in a skimpy halter top, and he noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra. He forbade her from wearing the top on her date, and Miranda jokingly thanked "Sister AJ" for his advice. AJ said that the trailer park called and wanted their trash back, and Miranda angrily replied that it was the meanest thing he'd ever said to her. AJ apologized, but he didn't want Hunter to think that Miranda would put out on the first date.
Miranda wondered if AJ was trying to ruin her first date, but AJ contended that he and Miranda had been on millions of dates. AJ looked disappointed when she referred to the time they'd spent together as "just hanging out." Bianca arrived, and she mentioned that Miranda had wanted AJ's stamp of approval. Bianca looked Miranda over and asked if her daughter could breathe in the tight jeans. Miranda swore that she could, and Bianca was glad, because she thought that Miranda looked awesome.
Bianca presented Miranda with a new blouse, and Miranda loved it. AJ gave the shirt a thumbs-up, and he noted that it matched Miranda's eyes. Miranda hugged Bianca and called her a lifesaver, and as Miranda left to change, Bianca ordered her to put on a bra. AJ expressed his gratitude for the save, and Bianca departed.
Miranda emerged after she'd changed back into her bra, and she freaked out because Hunter had just sent her a text message to inform her that he was running early. AJ suggested that Hunter pick her up at the Chandler mansion, and Miranda thanked him for the idea. AJ swore that he hadn't meant his earlier comment about the trailer trash, and Miranda remarked that even when she hated AJ, she still loved him. They hugged.
Celia returned to the Chandler mansion, and Brooke informed her that Pete had retrieved the file. Celia seemed unenthused, and Brooke asked what was wrong. Celia revealed that her guardian didn't want Celia to associate with the people at the Miranda Center, and her guardian would cut her off if she continued to work there. Celia didn't feel right leaving Brooke, but Brooke assured Celia that she'd been a big help. Celia proclaimed that she was 18 and that she could make her own decisions, and she wanted to keep volunteering.
Miranda introduced Hunter to Brooke, and he courteously greeted Bianca. He suggested that he and Miranda head to the mall to check out what movies were playing, and he asked when he should have Miranda home. Bianca told Miranda to use her judgment, and AJ looked worried as Miranda and Hunter left.
At Jane's Addiction, Hunter asked Miranda if it was cool to blow off the movies, because he wanted to find out more about her. She mentioned that she liked drawing, and he got a pencil and a napkin and asked her to draw something. While she began to sketch, he repeatedly glanced at the door.
AJ arrived at the coffeehouse and ordered his usual drink from Jane. Miranda joined him at the counter and asked if he'd followed her, but AJ pointed out that she and Hunter had said that they were going to the movies. Miranda excitedly relayed that Hunter seemed to be into her, and AJ observed that a trashy-looking blonde had sidled up to Hunter in Miranda's absence. Hunter introduced Miranda to Sally, who had graduated the prior year. Hunter pulled up another chair for Miranda.
Hunter mentioned that Sally was in a band, and Miranda nervously asked if Hunter wanted to grab some ice cream. Hunter suggested that they party at Sally's place, and Sally bragged that she had ecstasy and weed. Hunter said that Sally thought that Miranda was hot, and he added that Sally was a "switch-hitter" who preferred ladies. Hunter wanted to get wasted and see if Sally liked Hunter or Miranda better.
Miranda jumped out of her chair in shock, and Hunter huffed that he thought that Miranda would be into experimentation, since her mother was a lesbian. He taunted Miranda for being afraid to "get [her] freak on," and an offended Miranda raced out. AJ confronted Hunter, who surmised that AJ was hoping to have sex with Miranda. AJ punched Hunter.
Celia returned to her room, and she discovered a huge bouquet of flowers and a laptop computer that displayed the words "touch me." She did so, and a video message from Pete began to play. Pete reintroduced himself, and he swore that he wasn't a stalker, but he didn't want to miss the chance to talk to her. He urged her to look out the window, and Celia found Pete waiting with a red rose outside.
Bianca put flowers on Marissa's grave, and she reported that Miranda was on her first big date. Bianca wished that Marissa could see what a beautiful woman Miranda had become. Bianca said that AJ was strong and confident, just like Marissa had been, and Bianca was proud of their kids. Bianca cried that she and Marissa were supposed to have watched their kids grow up together, and it would never be the same without her. As tears streamed down her face, Bianca swore that she would never stop missing Marissa.
Angie sympathized that the years had been difficult for Zach and Kendall, and Zach stated that sometimes things couldn't work out, no matter how much two people loved one another. He added that the important thing was that Kendall and their kids were happy and safe. Jesse asked why Angie was home early, and she replied that she had news that neither of the men would like. She announced that David was out of jail and back in Pine Valley.
Jesse snarled that David should have gotten life in prison, but Angie reminded him that she'd still be blind without David's help. Jesse refused to let David off the hook for "that night," but Angie asked him to find forgiveness in his heart, because David had lost everything, including his baby with Cara. Angie believed that David had been punished enough.
Angie cautioned Jesse and Zach against trying to get David put back in prison, because she had testified on David's behalf to the parole board. She felt that the whole town had convicted David, even though Marissa's death had been JR's doing. Angie declared that she had been through enough, and she asked that Jesse find it in his heart to let David be. Angie stalked out, and Jesse vowed not to let Angie find out that her daughter had been kidnapped. Meanwhile, Vlad ordered a bloodied, bruised Cassandra do as he said, and he reached for her inner thigh.
At the hospital, David confronted Cara about what she'd kept from him, and Griffin started to call security. David revealed that he had been paroled, and he asked to talk to Cara. Griffin refused to leave David and Cara alone, but Cara pulled Griffin aside and said that she had to face David. Griffin protested, but Cara implored him to trust her to handle it. Griffin walked away, and Cara asked why David had returned. David stated that he wanted to know what had happened to their baby.
Cara asked if David had received her letter, and David replied that he hadn't been able to stop reading it. He couldn't believe that she'd told him about her miscarriage in a letter instead of in person, and she apologized. He asked if she'd gotten the dozens of letters he'd sent to her over the past five years, and she explained that after "that night" and the miscarriage, she hadn't been able to deal with his pain, too. Cara revealed that after the miscarriage, she'd rejoined Doctors Without Borders, and she'd burned his letters to erase the bad memories.
Cara reiterated that she'd had to put the loss behind her, but David noticed that she was still wearing his necklace. He couldn't forget what they'd lost, and he needed to know what had happened. David gently inquired whether the baby had been a boy or a girl, and Cara wiped away tears. She claimed that she'd told the doctor that she hadn't wanted to know, and she rushed off. David spotted JR's name on a placard outside a hospital room. He opened the door and found JR hooked up to a bunch of machines.
David looked at JR's chart and noted that JR's neurological responses had been good. David understood why no one had pulled the plug, and he recognized that it wasn't as simple as it sounded. David silenced the alarms that would go off if someone unplugged the equipment, and he removed the backup battery from the circuit breaker. David explained that it was the only way to turn everything off without a major commotion. David noticed that the plug itself was already loose, and he ominously stated that maybe he should take a look at it. He placed his hand on the plug.
David pushed the plug into the socket, and he remarked that JR couldn't die before his time. David admitted that he had tried to end JR's life five years earlier, but the outcome had been better than he had hoped for. As David replaced the battery and turned back on the alarms, he crowed that JR was in prison as much as David had been, but David was free, and JR had it much worse. David snarled that JR didn't deserve any better after what JR had taken away, and he hoped that JR never left his "living hell."
David wondered who JR had really intended to kill, and he contemplated what would have happened if he hadn't spotted JR in the Chandler tunnels. In a flashback, David confronted JR, and they struggled as JR's gun went off. David said that he'd almost put the gun to own head when he'd seen that Marissa had been shot, but he'd realized that JR had still been alive, and he'd done the only thing he could have -- David shot JR. David stated that he'd had no qualms about doing so, and he wished that he'd been a better shot. David was stunned to see JR's finger twitch. David refused to let JR wake up, and he began to reach for JR's throat.
Griffin warned Cara not to leave town, because David would suspect that she was hiding something. Cara wondered if she'd done the right thing, but Griffin insisted that she'd had no other choice.
Episodes of All My Children are now broadcast Monday through Thursday, and there will be no new episodes on Friday.
