Emily convinced the superintendent of Hunter's building to let her into the boy's apartment. She was sure that Hunter had left town, but she only hoped that she would find something that would tell her where he had gone. She was stunned to find Hunter hiding under the covers of his bed. He looked terrible and was very angry. He told her that he neither needed nor wanted another mother, and he particularly wanted nothing to do with her. Emily said that she only wanted to be Hunter's friend and to feed him something, because he obviously had not eaten recently.
Alison called on Larry and chewed him out for having fathered a child he then ignored. She said that she would never forgive him for allowing his ugly secrets to ruin everything. Larry explained that Aurora Hunter had been desperate to have a child, but she could not get pregnant. Larry loved her and offered to help her realize her lifelong dream. Alison called Larry "insane," and said that Hunter had left town. Larry said he was sorry, because he had hoped to finally have a relationship with his son.
Emily asked Hunter to get dressed while she went outside and called Alison. She reported that she had found the boy, and Alison was relieved that her brother was still in town. Emily invited Alison to join them for breakfast, along with Susan, and Alison promised to meet them. Larry followed her, however, and asked to go along.
Jack got Sage off to summer camp and went back to the farm. He was worried about Parker's reaction to Carly's hospitalization, but Janet told him the boy had gone horseback riding with Liberty and had seemed all right. Rosanna showed up and asked for their help. She said that Carly was in a bad way, and she needed Jack's help. Rosanna was convinced that her sister needed to go to rehab, but Janet jumped into the conversation and argued that Carly was no longer Jack's responsibility, because they weren't married any longer. Jack promised Rosanna that he would do whatever was necessary to get Carly some help.
Janet was so angry with Jack that she turned her back on him. Rosanna went outside, and Jack attempted to calm his wife. He argued that he needed to be involved in what was best for the mother of his children. Janet referred to Carly's problems as "a bottomless pit" and as "an eruption on Mount Carly." They finally began listening to one another, and ended their discussion with a kiss. Jack left to catch up to Rosanna.
At Memorial, Craig sat with Carly as she awakened. He reminded her that she had cleaned out the mini-bar in the limo and had suffered the indignity of having her stomach pumped at the hospital. Carly apologized for worrying Craig, and she swore that it would never happen again. She begged Craig to get her out of there, just as Jack and Rosanna arrived. Carly assured them that she would soon be on her way home, and excused her behavior by claiming that the wedding had overstressed her. Rosanna urged her sister to tell the truth: she was an alcoholic and needed professional help to stop drinking.
Carly became angry and accused Jack of putting Rosanna up to the nonsense of rehab. When Craig backed up Jack and Rosanna's thoughts, Carly turned on him, as well. She declared that they had ruined her life. Rosanna and Jack urged Carly to think of her children, just as the doctor came in to examine his patient. The visitors went into the hall where Jack asked Craig to convince Carly to go to rehab, while Jack and Rosanna researched possible treatment facilities. Craig agreed with Jack's plan and went back into Carly's room.
Carly was ready to leave, but Craig mentioned that the doctor was concerned about her. She vowed that she could get through her troubles if only Craig would have faith in her. Carly began to cry about being separated from him if she went to rehab, and she declared that she couldn't bear it. She was willing to go away somewhere with just Craig instead of to a treatment center.
Susan Stewart waited in the Lakeview lounge as Emily and Hunter arrived. Susan was confused that Emily had brought her assistant from the office to a family event, so Emily dropped a few hints about how "close" Hunter was to their family. Susan wrongly assumed that Emily had done it again and taken up with a much younger man, but Emily soon set the story straight. She explained how one of her stolen fertilized eggs had been implanted in another woman, and the resulting child was Hunter. Susan said "Oh, my God" and "Holy Moley" in quick succession before she demanded to know the rest of the story.
Emily warned that her mother wouldn't like what she was about to hear. Larry unexpectedly joined them. No one was happy to see him, so Alison broke the news that not only was Larry her father, but he was also Hunter's. Susan immediately jumped on Larry about how she had known he was cheating on her when they were married, but she also had to come to terms with the fact that he had juggled two mistresses. She told Larry that was as low as a person could go, and then it dawned on her that Larry had used one of Emily's fertilized eggs on Aurora Hunter.
Susan apologized to Hunter for not being more enthusiastic about having another grandson, and Larry put in some words about how much he had cared about the boy's mother. He asked Hunter if he could be a father to him, but Hunter stood up suddenly and announced that he wanted nothing further to do with any of them. He dashed out, followed by Alison, as Susan launched a barrage of verbal abuse on Larry. Larry said he had already apologized, and whined that he deserved something in return. Susan smiled and stood up, going very close to Larry before she applied her knee with great force to his groin. Emily could not keep from giggling.
Craig took Carly to an isolated cabin, and she seemed pleased. She said the place had something of a honeymoon atmosphere, and Craig proceeded to build a fire. They kissed in front of the fire for a few minutes until Carly declared that she was hungry and began rummaging through the kitchen cupboards. In the back of one, she spotted a bottle of red cooking wine, so she dragged out some cans of tomato sauce and suggested that Craig go to the country store they had passed a few miles back and buy some pasta. Craig wanted her to go with him, but Carly begged off to "start the sauce simmering." Craig agreed, and left.
Outside the cabin, Craig called Janet and told her that he had taken Carly away and that the two of them were working on her "problem." He asked Janet to pass the word to Jack and Rosanna that he was handling everything. Janet hung up and cursed at the phone before grabbing her jacket and heading out.
Inside the cabin, Carly grabbed the cooking wine and opened it. It smelled terrible, but she eventually tipped it to her lips and began drinking.
At Carly's house, Jack and Rosanna began to worry when they learned that Craig had checked Carly out of the hospital over an hour earlier. Jack was angry that apparently Craig had backed out of their deal and had spirited Carly away on his own. Janet knocked on the door and delivered Craig's message that he was handling Carly on his own. Jack was upset that Janet had not found out where the two of them were, and he yelled at her. Janet felt unappreciated that she had delivered the news in person and gotten shouted at for her efforts. She was also hurt that Jack was, once again, embroiled in Carly's turmoils, so she stormed out. Rosanna urged Jack to go after her, and he did.
Rosanna called Carly, but her sister did not answer. Carly finished the bottle just as she heard Craig pull up in front of the cabin. He walked in carrying a grocery bag, but he found no sign of Carly.
Jack went back to the farm and found Janet taking out her frustrations by pounding dough. He apologized for his behavior, but Janet said that even if Carly licked her drinking problem, she would still be needy and demanding of Jack's time. Jack promised to get control of that, but Janet said that, even though she loved him, she could not live with Carly's shadow over their lives.
Alison talked with Hunter after his first "Stewart family luncheon" at the Lakeview. Riley approached them and assumed that Alison and Hunter were a couple. Alison, however, was quick to point out that Hunter was her brother. Riley was stunned that Alison had not yet told the news to Casey, but Hunter spoke up and said that Casey was no longer part of Alison's life, so the news should not matter to him. Alison agreed, but Riley mentioned that if Casey knew that Hunter was Alison's brother, it might make a big difference in how Casey felt towards her.
Margo asked Casey if he would be joining them for dinner, but he declined when he learned that Riley would be there. Margo criticized her son's attitude, so Casey blurted out that she had already made it clear which of her sons was the favored one. They argued, and Casey was very unhappy that Margo would not let him share the information that Riley was Adam with their father. Margo reiterated that Tom would have to turn Adam in to the police if he knew the truth. Casey promised to continue to keep the secret, but he said he could no longer love his brother.
At the cabin he had rented, Craig stood in the doorway and shouted for the missing Carly. When she did not answer, Craig went back in and discovered the empty cooking wine bottle. He did not notice Carly peeking out from a long cupboard, so Craig pulled out his telephone and walked outside for better service.
At the Snyder farm, Jack told Janet that he was through with Carly and her many problems. His phone rang, and the caller was Craig, who told Jack that Carly was missing. Jack was furious that Craig had not checked the cabin for alcohol, but Craig promised to search the area around the cabin for Carly, and he asked Jack to keep his eyes open in Oakdale in case Carly got a ride back to town. Craig hung up, but Jack told Janet that there was no way that Carly would return home. Janet was not happy, but she urged Jack to do what he had to.
Jack left and went to Carly's house, where Rosanna let him in. Jack told her and a frantic Parker that Carly had disappeared. Rosanna sat down with Parker and explained that the plan had been for Craig to take Carly to a treatment center, but instead he had spirited her away to a private cabin somewhere. Parker wanted to call his mother, and Rosanna said that it was worth a shot. Parker dialed and heard the phone ring several times.
In the cupboard at the cabin, Carly heard her phone ring, so she crept out and grabbed her purse. She saw that it was Parker calling, but she put the phone back in her purse and opened the door and ran straight into Craig, who asked her if she was going somewhere. Carly said that she had been hiding so that Craig would not be angry when he discovered she had drunk the cooking wine. Craig told Carly that he was not able to help her as he had wanted, so Carly reminded him how much he loved her. She begged him not to take her back to Oakdale.
Carly began kissing Craig in hopes of distracting him, but he resisted and sat her down on the couch. Carly closed her eyes and passed out, so Craig picked her up and drove her home and put her on her own couch. Rosanna was horrified to see her sister in that condition, as Craig explained that Carly had drunk a whole bottle of wine on an empty stomach.
Riley went home, so Casey attempted to make another hasty exit. Riley stopped him by saying that he had news about Alison. He revealed that Alison and Hunter were siblings, but Casey burst out laughing until Riley reminded him that Alison had been conceived by the in vitro process with one of Emily's fertilized eggs. Hunter had begun life the same way, except the egg had gone to Aurora Hunter. Casey said he was still not going to speak to Alison, so Riley called him a "jerk" and told his brother to "man up" and go talk to her.
Jack and Parker checked Metro for Carly with no success. Parker was worried that he would be the next in the gene pool to exhibit signs of alcoholism, and he lamented the fact that he had not gone to boarding school when he had the chance. Jack assured the teen that Parker was not the reason that Carly had begun drinking to excess. Jack also complimented Parker on shielding Sage from much of Carly's unpleasantness.
Carly awoke and was surprised that she was at home. She got upset almost immediately and shouted abuse at Rosanna, and announced to Craig that she was leaving, with or without him. Carly opened the door, and Jack and Parker were there. Carly swore at Jack, as Rosanna tried to subdue her. Carly next verbally abused Rosanna again and tried to get Parker to move away from the door. Parker begged his mother to sit down, and for once Carly listened and complied. Parker told his mother that she frightened him.
Janet knocked on the door and apologized to Jack for how she had been acting. She asked to help, but Carly began yelling at her to leave and telling her that Carly's life was "not a spectator sport." Carly got hysterical and ordered everyone out of her house, but no one moved. Craig spoke up and refused to leave, so Carly accused him of betraying her, and she said some other nasty remarks. Rosanna jumped in and tried to help, but Carly was bitter and angry and zeroed in on abusing Janet. Carly tried to make it to the front door, but Parker blocked it and refused to move.
Parker said some powerful things to his mother about how he had lied to his dad and protected his little sister from her. Carly promised to get herself under control, but on her own terms. Parker threatened that if Carly bailed on them, she would never see her three children again. Janet walked out, and Jack followed her. They hugged, and Janet said that she finally realized how difficult it had been for Jack to deal with his ex.
Jack went back inside, and Carly verbally attacked him. Jack talked about Carly's memories of taking care of her father, Ray, who had been an alcoholic, but Carly claimed to be nothing like him. As she talked about being afraid to go home from school and other frightening memories, she realized that she was doing many of the same things to her own children. She admitted having a problem, but she still begged her family not to send her away. She finally asked what Rosanna wanted her to do, and Rosanna said that Carly needed to let the people who loved her help her.
Casey tracked down Alison at the hospital, and he found her still with Hunter. He asked to speak with her alone, but Alison preferred to stay with her brother. Casey was less than tactful with his remarks about Hunter's relationship to Alison, so Hunter stepped up and stopped him. Alison then pulled Casey aside and tried to make him understand that she and Hunter had done nothing wrong before they had realized that they were brother and sister. She said that if all Casey wanted to do was to make her feel bad about herself, then she wanted nothing more to do with him. Casey then did one of his classic walk-aways, leaving Alison distraught and Hunter trying to comfort her.
Riley was coaching Margo through a recipe when Casey returned home. Casey thanked Riley for the "crappy advice" about talking with Alison, and he reported that their relationship was at its nadir. Riley apologized, and Casey told his mother that Riley's arrival had signaled the end of his relationship with Alison Stewart. Casey bolted out the door over Margo's protests, and Riley was not far behind him. Riley went directly to Memorial and found Alison. He said that he was sorry for sending Casey to her, and Alison said that ever since Riley had been in town, Casey had been secretive. She asked if Riley knew the reason, but he denied that and urged Alison not to give up on Casey.
Carly pleaded again to return to the cabin, but Craig said he could not help her alone. He shouted that the beautiful woman he had fallen in love with was slipping away from him and becoming a drunk. Carly sobbed as Craig told her that everyone in the room needed her to return healthy and sober.
Rosanna packed a bag for her sister, and Craig volunteered to drive her to the rehab facility they had chosen. A very subdued and resigned Calry kissed Parker goodbye and promised to be back. She and Craig walked out the door, as Jack watched them from the top of the porch.
Luke prepared to move his last box to his new apartment with Noah, but he noticed that Noah was unusually quiet. Noah said that he was worried that destroying his film project as part of the catharsis to free himself of his father's influence had compromised his chance to graduate on schedule. Luke had an idea, and he handed Noah a completed script that he had written previously. He offered it to his boyfriend, and the two of them got enthusiastic about working together on the film. The boys went to Old Town, and Luke took the box to their apartment while Noah kept an appointment with his faculty advisor.
Noah walked into Java and met with Professor Jarvis, who asked Noah to call him "Mason." Noah said that he would not be able to continue with the project about Colonel Mayer for personal reasons, but he had a substitute screenplay that a friend had written. He handed Luke's script to Mason, who gave it a fast read. Finally, Mason told Noah that he must have owed Luke Snyder either money or a favor when he agreed to shoot the script, because the work was not suitable for Noah's project. Noah explained that Luke was his boyfriend, and Mason looked surprised.
The professor told Noah that the choice between art and love was an age-old one, but the smart way to go was to choose art. He asked if Noah had any other ideas, even incomplete ones, and Noah said that he had a single paragraph with a very rough idea on it, and he handed it over. Mason read the paragraph and was enthusiastic about the kernel of an idea. He also offered, as Noah's mentor, to flesh out the idea with Noah to a full screenplay.
Lily visited with Meg at the farm, and she mentioned Paul's involvement with Dusty and Damian. Emma walked in, and neither she nor Meg knew what Lily was talking about. Lily said that the recent feud between Dusty and Damian was all Paul's fault. He had manipulated all the dirty tricks in order to keep his rivals for Meg distracted. Meg was furious that Paul had fooled her yet again, and she asked Emma to stay with the baby so that she could go and give Paul a piece of her mind. Meg was already out the door before Emma called out and stopped her.
Lily said a hasty goodbye, as Meg went back inside. Emma gave her a lecture about cutting Paul out of her life for good, but Meg said that she needed to do that in person. Emma encouraged her to let Dusty and Damian handle it, but Meg thought she could finally make an impression on Paul and make him listen to her. Emma shouted at her daughter to wake up and realize that Paul never listened, but she could not dissuade Meg.
Dusty and Damian met in the Lakeview lounge, and Damian wanted to revert to the old plan of letting the authorities deal with Paul. Dusty, however, was afraid that Paul would not serve any jail time, and he wanted to get Paul out of Meg's life for a very long time. Dusty suggested that they get a bomb and plant it on the docks and blame it on Paul. Damian was worried that the bomb might actually explode, but Dusty said he had it all worked out and that the police would have plenty of opportunity to step in before there was any danger.
Dusty did not yet have the bomb, so Damian gave him the name and phone number of a munitions expert and offered to set up the contact. They agreed that timing was crucial in the operation.
Paul and Barbara had tea at Fairwinds, and Paul was in a good mood. When his mother commented on it, Paul said that he and Meg were getting along much better since she had begun to see Dusty and Damian for what they really were. Barbara congratulated Paul for finally doing everything right in his life.
Meg appeared unexpectedly in the house and announced that her visit was not a social one. She lit into Paul and accused him of being up to his old tricks again by sabotaging Dusty and Damian. Paul denied her charges and said that the two half-wits did not frighten him. Meg declared that Paul had finally trashed whatever chance he had of being part of Eliza's life, and she walked out, declaring that she would never trust him again.
Barbara was outraged that Paul had been playing games with other people's lives again, but he said that he did not care if he went to jail. When Barbara continued to rant, Paul cut her off by telling her that he had learned from the best manipulators in the world: Barbara, herself, and James Stenbeck. Barbara threatened to take action and not just stand by.
Lily went home and told Holden that she had advised Meg of Paul's machinations. Luke walked in and announced that he had officially moved out of the family home. He was also thrilled to tell them that he and Noah would be working together on Noah's senior project, written by Luke. Lily remarked on how much time that would involve, and Holden asked when Luke would be able to fit in taking classes. Luke said that he was not going to enroll in school the next semester. When Holden asked why, Luke cited his work at the foundation and Noah's project as too time-consuming.
Holden was not happy, but Lily supported Luke's ideas. Noah walked in and asked to speak with Luke alone. He sadly told Luke that Professor Jarvis had not approved of Luke's script because of structural problems. Instead, Mason had offered to mentor Noah and help him complete one of his own ideas. Noah was sorry, but he suggested that Luke take some classes at the university instead.
Meg returned to Emma at the farm, and they began to talk; Damian appeared at the door. He wished to speak with Meg, so Emma left the room. Meg immediately apologized and said that she had learned what Paul had done to both Damian and Dusty. Damian said that he wished everything was over and done with, but he had a confession to make. He told Meg about Dusty's scheme to plant a bomb and frame Paul for it, but Meg wanted to know why Damian did not stick to their original plan that involved the police. She called the new plan "madness," and Damian assured her that he was backing out of it and was leaving to tell Dusty right away. Meg asked Emma to watch Eliza again, and she left right behind Damian.
At the Grimaldi warehouse on the docks, Dusty made an appointment to meet the munitions expert. After that was set up, Dusty next called Paul and asked him to meet him at the same location a bit later. Paul attempted to ask some questions, but Dusty told him to go immediately to the warehouse. The munitions expert showed up, and Dusty gave him an envelope filled with cash. The man then handed Dusty a briefcase, which contained the bomb and a timer. Dusty asked the man to set the timer and then to instruct Dusty how to turn it off.
The expert warned Dusty that the mechanism in the bomb was very sensitive and asked what he was planning to blow up. Dusty answered, "Nothing, if we're lucky." Next Dusty phoned Damian and left a message that Paul was on his way and that the bomb was set. Dusty reminded Damian that his job was to bring the Oakdale police.
Paul entered the warehouse and saw Dusty, and he began negotiating by saying that he wanted his family back and that Dusty and Damian could "pretty much go to hell." Dusty swore that he would never let Meg go back to Paul, so Paul turned to leave. Dusty accused him of setting up Dusty and Damian to destroy each other, and Paul grinned and admitted it. Dusty said he was, therefore, taking the law into his own hands unless the two of them could reach an understanding. Paul turned his back and started for the door, but just then, Damian walked in, and Paul asked if it was an ambush.
Barbara showed up at the farm and told Emma that she wished to speak with Meg. Emma said that Meg was gone, but she invited Barbara inside. Barbara said that she had just seen Meg at Fairwinds, and she put in a plea on Paul's behalf for his continued visitations with Eliza. As a mother, she confessed to Emma that she was recently comparing Paul with James, and she was torn between loving her son and knowing that he had insatiable demons inside him.
Luke was dejected and sitting on the couch at home. He told Lily and Holden that he was no longer on Noah's film project, so he was considering reapplying to Oakdale University and taking some classes. Holden was elated and went to call Lucinda, whose influence was needed to get Luke back in school. Lily asked her son what was wrong, and Luke said that he and Noah had decided not to work on the film project together. Lily thought that was an unsatisfactory response.
Damian told Dusty that he had not summoned the cops, and the deal was off. He said that he could not go through with it, and Dusty realized that Damian had told Meg about their plan and was canceling because of that. Damian mentioned the bomb, and that horrified Paul. Meg barged in and wanted to know what was going on. She yelled at Damian, as Paul threw in some insulting comments.
Dusty tired to disarm the bomb, but he could not override the timing mechanism. Dusty yelled at Damian to get Meg out, and Damian hustled her out the door. Paul began to understand that the bomb was real, so he grabbed the briefcase containing the bomb and dashed up some warehouse steps. Dusty backed out of the warehouse as the bomb exploded.
Dust settled after the bomb explosion, and Damian and Meg dashed up the stairs, searching for Paul. They found him unconscious in the rubble on the floor. Damian called 9-1-1, and Meg urged Dusty to call Barbara.
Margo visited with Katie, who was allowed a bit of time out of bed since her pregnancy was progressing well. Margo talked about Geneva Swift as a perfect character for Oakdale Now. Katie made some comments to the effect that Geneva's fifteen minutes of fame might be drawing to a close, but she would give no other hints. Margo took a call from the police station notifying her of the explosion on the docks, and she hurried out.
In their room at the Lakeview, Vienna asked Henry to zip up her dress. She was determined to return to work even though she still had some back pain. She felt that she needed to reclaim her spot on Oakdale Now, so that Geneva Swift could be history. Vienna expected Henry to drive her to WOAK, but he begged off because of an emergency at the diner. As she was leaving, Vienna swallowed double her muscle relaxant medication to prepare for the ordeal with Geneva. Henry began putting on Geneva's makeup.
At the television station, Brad pursued his sexual harassment complaint against Geneva Swift with Kim. Kim said that the complaint was in the pipeline with the station's attorneys, but Brad didn't understand why they still needed Geneva on the show if Vienna was returning. Kim said that the day's discussion topic was women's self image, and the show needed some spice. Geneva arrived and apologized to Brad for her behavior in his house. She stepped around a corner and, as Henry, he called Katie to ask if she had heard from Vienna. He explained that Vienna had left the hotel ahead of him but had not yet arrived.
Vienna finally arrived and went straight for her nemesis. She was a bit unsteady on her feet, but she made it known that she was prepared for a smackdown with Geneva. Kim opened the show with a discussion of beauty in women, and naturally Geneva's description differed greatly from Vienna's. Vienna asked Brad if he would rather sleep with her or Geneva, but Brad wisely passed on his answer.
Vienna, obviously feeling no pain because of the relaxants, stood up and called Geneva "ugly, stupid and vicious." Geneva called Vienna an exhibitionist, so Vienna took a mighty swing at Geneva, who ducked, and Brad took the full brunt of the blow, which knocked him out of his chair. Kim yelled, "Cut!" as Geneva walked off the set. Kim told Vienna that she was "done," and explained that in this case, "done" meant "fired."
At the hospital, Dusty, Damian, and Meg waited outside Paul's room for news of his condition. Dusty was angry at Damian for not bringing the cops to the warehouse. Barbara ran in, frantic with worry for her son. She was unkind to Meg and blamed her for whatever had happened. Barbara went into Paul's room, and Dusty asked Meg why she had shown up at the warehouse. Meg answered that Damian had told her of the plan, and she was concerned that her child could become fatherless because of it.
Damian claimed that he had backed off the plan sooner, and he and Dusty argued. Margo arrived and asked them to quiet down and not move. She went to check on Paul's condition and found Barbara and Dr. Bob with him. Bob sent the women outside, and Meg explained to Margo that a bomb set up by Dusty had injured Paul. She said that she had gone to the warehouse to try to change Dusty's plan, but she had been too late, and Dusty could not defuse the bomb. Paul had grabbed the briefcase when he spotted Meg and had run up the stairs. At that point, Bob opened Paul's door and called Barbara and Meg back in, as Dusty phoned Bonnie for legal advice.
Margo took Dusty and Damian away, and Bob said that he was taking Paul to surgery. He suspected that Paul had a subdural hematoma, and he expected that the neurosurgeon could relieve the pressure on Paul's brain. Meg tried to comfort Barbara, who accused her of being the root of all of Paul's problems. Meg defended herself by reminding Barbara that Paul had created the situation by pitting Dusty against Damian.
Paul's surgery did not take long, and Bob reported back that the patient had tolerated it well and was in stable condition. He also said that the neurosurgeon had removed a microchip from Paul's brain, and he showed it to Barbara and Meg. He was hoping that one of them could tell him when and why Paul had it inserted. Bob suspected that the chip had been in possibly for several years. He speculated whether the chip might have been responsible for Paul's strange "visions." Barbara thought the whole thing sounded like science fiction, but Bob said that similar chips had been used in experiments for mind control. Meg and Barbara both thought it was highly possible that James Stenbeck had been responsible for the chip's insertion.
At the police station, Margo went over the facts of the case with Dusty and Damian. Each man had a different version of the story, and when Bonnie McKechnie arrived, she advised Dusty to keep his mouth shut. Bonnie took Dusty into an interview room where the two of them argued. Bonnie realized that the donnybrook was all about Meg, but Dusty claimed it was about what was right. Dusty said that Damian had put him in touch with a demolition man, and he gave Bonnie the information.
Damian told a different story from Dusty and claimed that Meg would back up his version. Margo called Meg at Memorial and asked her to drop by the station. She did so, and she spoke with Damian. Dusty saw Meg and asked for a moment alone with her. He wanted to know why she was supporting Damian, and Meg told him that she was disillusioned with Dusty and felt that she could no longer trust him. She left the room as Bonnie returned to the station with the munitions expert in tow. Dusty identified him, but the man denied that he had ever seen Damian before. Margo released Damian and Meg, but placed Dusty under arrest for reckless endangerment, and she read him his rights.
Brad went home from WOAK and immediately asked Katie if she had heard from Henry. He told her that Kim had fired Vienna, and he was surprised that Katie seemed glad about that. He called Henry, who did not answer his phone because Geneva was walking through the lobby of the Lakeview being mobbed by fans, including "Floyd," her admirer bearing a single red rose. His phone rang again, and this time it was Katie telling him that Vienna had lost her job.
Henry took off his makeup and costume and returned to the television station where he learned from Kim that Vienna was something of a train wreck and had locked herself inside Kim's office. He acted shocked that Kim had let Vienna go, but Kim explained that she had no choice after Vienna had swung at Geneva and decked Brad. Vienna opened the door only to Henry, and he attempted to comfort her. His phone rang, and when he saw that the caller was Kim, he excused himself and went outside to answer. Kim offered Geneva a permanent position on the show, and Henry wangled as many perks as he could. He then took Vienna back to the Lakeview to sleep off her pills.
Henry left to go see Katie, who commented on the red rose in his lapel. Henry said it was from Geneva's biggest fan, Floyd. Katie warned her friend that his behavior was "crossing over into Loonyville." She told him Geneva's bit was over because Vienna was off the show. Henry surprised her, however, by declaring that Geneva Swift was an important new icon who could not disappoint her many fans.
Brad went back to the studio and talked with Kim. She asked him to drop his charge against Geneva, and she further horrified Brad by telling him that she had offered a contract to Geneva to become a permanent member of the WOAK family. Brad called Geneva a "sexual predator," but Kim believed that the incident with him was an isolated one and would not happen again.
Barbara stayed by Paul's bedside, encouraging him to wake up. She worried about what damage the microchip might have done to his mind. Paul opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room. Barbara comforted him and explained that the surgeon had removed a microchip from his brain. Paul looked blank and then gazed at his mother and said, "Who are you?"
At Katie's house, Katie tried to convince Henry that since Vienna had been fired, it was time for him to quit pretending to be Geneva Swift. Henry, however, found that he enjoyed the attention he was getting as Geneva. Katie reminded Henry that Geneva was just "a wig and a padded bra," but Henry said that was true of a lot of women on television. Henry left, determined to continue his charade.
Brad arrived at home and launched into a tirade about Kim hiring Geneva to be a permanent part of Oakdale Now. Brad said they had to do something to stop Geneva, and they should start by considering what they really knew about her.
Henry took flowers to Vienna at the Lakeview and tried to make her feel better about having been fired from Oakdale Now. Henry pointed out that Vienna's health was more important than the TV show, and he told her that in a few months, she would be able to watch Brad, Katie, and Geneva on Oakdale Now without having any bad feelings. Vienna asked what Henry meant, because she was certain that Geneva wouldn't stay on the show after Katie returned from her pregnancy and maternity leave. Henry said that Katie had told him that Geneva had been offered a permanent spot on the show, and Vienna became angry again. Henry asked what he could do to make Vienna feel better, and Vienna suggested they make love.
Vienna went into the bathroom to get out of her clothes. Henry's cell phone rang, and it was Kim, calling for Geneva. He answered in his Geneva voice and learned that Kim had arranged a press conference to announce Geneva's addition to the cast of Oakdale Now. Kim said that she needed Geneva at the Lakeview immediately, and then she hung up. Vienna walked out of the bathroom wearing a leopard-print teddy, and Henry stared at her.
Henry made up an excuse about being upset about Vienna's firing, and he said he needed some time alone to work through his feelings before he could make love to her. He grabbed a bag from his closet and told Vienna it was laundry that he needed to drop off. As he walked out the door, Henry wondered to himself where he could go to change clothes.
Brad got out his laptop computer and tried to look up information on Geneva, but all he could find were four fan sites. Katie said that he should stop looking, but Brad was determined to find out more. His cell phone rang, and Katie answered it for him. It was Kim, letting them know that Geneva had accepted the offer to be a permanent co-host of the show and inviting them to attend the press conference to welcome Geneva to the group.
Brad went to the Lakeview, and, as he waited in the lobby for Kim to assemble the press conference, he saw Henry go to the front desk. Brad then overheard Henry ask the desk clerk for another room for a few hours, and the clerk gave Henry the key to room 415. Brad went upstairs to Henry and Vienna's room and found Vienna preparing the room for her anticipated romantic time with Henry. Vienna told Brad that she and Henry were hoping that sex might cheer her up, but Henry had gone for a walk and hadn't returned yet. Brad told Vienna he hoped that Henry returned soon, and then he left.
Brad went to the fourth floor and exited the elevator in time to see Geneva walking out of room 415. When Brad asked why Geneva was upstairs when the press conference was being held downstairs, Geneva told him that Kim had gotten her a room so that she could prepare her makeup to look her best for the press conference. Geneva walked away, leaving Brad to wonder what was going on.
When Brad saw Katie in the lobby, he told her he needed to talk to her about something. Before he could, however, Kim approached and greeted Katie warmly. Kim then noticed that Brad didn't look very good. Brad said he was feeling a little light-headed, and he asked Kim for the key to the room she had rented for them to change and get ready in; Kim said she hadn't rented a room. Brad said in that case, he would just find an aspirin, and he left, telling them he would be right back.
As Kim and Katie watched Brad walk away, Geneva arrived. Kim greeted Geneva, and then left to get the press conference set up. Katie told Henry that his impersonation of a woman had to end, because he was hurting Vienna by continuing to pretend to be Geneva and taking Vienna's job away from her. Katie told Henry to take off the dress and act like a man. Henry continued to argue that he could be both Henry and Geneva, but Katie warned Henry that he had to tell Vienna the truth. Henry said he would, when the time was right.
Brad went back upstairs to Vienna's room and asked whether Henry had returned. When Vienna said no, Brad told her he was afraid something was going on between Henry and Geneva. Vienna couldn't believe it, but Brad told her he had seen Henry renting a room and then had seen Geneva exit that same room a little while later. Vienna was stunned, but she said if what Brad was suggesting was true, she would teach Geneva a lesson that she'd never forget.
Kim convened the press conference, and Katie and Geneva exchanged pleasantries for the audience. The reporters began asking questions, but Brad and Vienna's arrival interrupted them. Vienna said she had a question, and she asked, "What gives you the right to sleep with my man?"
Kim tried to stop Vienna, but Brad said he thought they would all like an answer to Vienna's question. Geneva/Henry said, "I refuse to dignify that absurdity with a response." Vienna accused Geneva of being afraid to answer the question, but Geneva said the very idea was preposterous. Vienna became incensed and said, "I'll teach you for putting your hands on my man!" She grabbed Geneva and pulled at her hair. Geneva's wig fell off, and everyone could see that Geneva was actually Henry in drag.
At the police station, Bonnie told Dusty that the only way to get him out of the legal mess he had found himself in was for her to make Paul Ryan look like the bad guy. Bonnie said that she would need to say that Paul was engaged in industrial espionage, and that Dusty had simply tried to protect his business. Although Dusty's methods may have been misguided and ill-conceived, Bonnie would argue that Dusty had never intended to cause Paul any physical harm.
Dusty said that the only way a jury might buy that argument was if Damian backed him up on the story. Bonnie told Dusty that Damian might have a change of heart about helping Dusty, but her case didn't depend on that. Her strategy would be to "paint Paul Ryan as the spawn of Satan."
At the hospital, Paul asked Barbara who she was, and she quickly realized that not only did Paul not remember her, he didn't even remember who he was. Bob went to examine Paul and learned of his amnesia. Bob and Barbara left Paul's room so that they could talk privately. Barbara wondered whether the removal of the microchip could have caused Paul's amnesia, and Bob explained that some patients had problems after brain surgery. When Barbara asked what she could do, Bob suggested that she surround Paul with the people he loved, because that might trigger his memory.
Damian visited Meg at the farm, and she told him that she had found out that Paul had regained consciousness after his surgery. Damian asked whether Meg wanted to visit Paul, but Meg said that was the last thing she wanted to do. Meg pointed out how complicated things had become with Damian, Dusty, and Paul, and she reminded Damian that any or all of them could have been killed when the bomb exploded. Meg said that she needed to distance herself from the people who might put her and her baby into dangerous situations. Damian replied that he hoped that didn't include him, because that was the last thing he wanted.
Meg assured Damian that she didn't intend to stop seeing him, because he had been the one who had tried to stop Dusty and Paul from destroying one another. Damian said that he was glad to hear that, and he told Meg that he thought she took very good care of Eliza, but he hoped one day, Meg would let someone take care of her, too. He moved in close to kiss Meg, but Meg's phone rang, and she broke away to answer it.
It was Barbara, who informed Meg of Paul's amnesia. When Barbara asked Meg to go to the hospital to see Paul, Meg was reluctant, but Barbara said that Bob had told her it might help Paul reconnect with his memories. Meg told Barbara she would be there as soon as possible. Damian asked Meg what had happened, and she told him. Damian said, "That's awful," and Meg replied, "Yes, it is ... if it's true."
Meg decided she needed to go to the hospital, to determine whether Paul's condition was real. Damian offered to drive her there, but Meg said it was something she had to do by herself. Damian asked what he could do to help her, and she told him that she wanted him to resolve his problems with Dusty, because she couldn't stand wondering what was going to happen next.
Meg arrived at the hospital and voiced her concern that Paul was only pretending to have amnesia. Barbara told Meg to go in and see for herself. Barbara took Eliza from Meg, and Meg went into Paul's room. Paul was stunned to see such a beautiful woman standing there, and he told Meg that he hoped they were involved somehow, because she was very sexy. Meg remarked that Paul was awfully glib and relaxed for someone who had lost his memory, but Paul responded that he didn't know how other people might react, because he couldn't remember anything.
Meg proceeded to give Paul a rough idea of their relationship, telling him that they had been married until he had ruined things with his unfounded jealousy. When Paul laughingly called himself an idiot, Meg told him that if it turned out that he was lying about the amnesia, she would make sure he never spent any more time with Eliza.
Paul asked who Eliza was. Meg angrily told Paul not to deny the existence of their daughter, but Paul asked in amazement, "We have a daughter?" When Paul then asked whether their daughter had Meg's eyes, Meg replied that she couldn't take it anymore, and she walked out of the room.
Barbara asked Meg whether Paul had remembered her. Meg said Paul had claimed not to know who she was, but she didn't believe him, because he had lied to her too many times before. Barbara pleaded with Meg to give Paul the benefit of the doubt, because she was afraid this time, they might lose Paul for good.
Meg took Eliza into Paul's room. Paul didn't remember Eliza, either, although he told Meg he thought Eliza was cute. Meg wanted Paul to hold Eliza, but Paul declined, saying he didn't think that was a good idea. Meg told Paul to look her in the eyes and tell her that he didn't recognize their daughter or remember that he loved Eliza with all his heart. Paul apologized, saying he was sorry he couldn't remember what Meg wanted him to remember. He then suggested that Meg take the baby outside, because he thought he should try to get some sleep.
Meg went back into the hallway and told Barbara, "He didn't recognize his own child." Barbara became upset and said, "Then you have only yourself to blame. Because you drove him to this!" When Meg questioned how she could have been responsible for Paul's condition, Barbara said that Meg should have seen that something was wrong with Paul, that he wasn't responsible for his actions. Meg said that she had tried to help Paul, but he had fought her, and then she asked why Barbara hadn't been able to see that her own son was changing. Barbara admitted that she had also been at fault, but Meg said she didn't blame Barbara.
After Bonnie bailed Dusty out from jail, they found Damian in the lobby of the police station. Dusty approached Damian, saying, "You got off, and I didn't." Damian replied that he was there to help Dusty in any way he could. Dusty informed Damian that he didn't need Damian's help. Damian told Dusty that he wanted to eliminate the bad blood between them, and he offered to tell the police that Dusty had never meant for the bomb to go off. Dusty said that Damian was only there because of Meg, and Dusty again stated that he didn't need Damian's help.
Bonnie tried to get Dusty to accept Damian's offer, but Dusty told Damian that once Bonnie was finished with Paul, Paul would be going to jail, even without Damian's help. Damian said he doubted that, and he told Dusty and Bonnie about Paul's amnesia, saying that as a result, it was unlikely Paul would be able to testify in any legal proceeding. Dusty angrily declared, "Ryan will not get away with this," and he hurriedly left the police station.
Dusty went to the hospital, where he stormed into Paul's hospital room, waking Paul up by yelling at him. Dusty told Paul, "I should have known you'd never pay for what you did. They should have locked you up a long time ago." Paul replied, "Okay, I'm guessing we're not friends." Meg, Barbara, Bonnie, and Bob entered the room, and Meg yelled at Dusty to stop. Bob told Dusty that he needed to leave, and Bonnie took Dusty by the arm, saying, "Don't worry, he's leaving."
Damian approached Meg and apologized for not having been able to stop Dusty from going to the hospital. Meg told Damian that Paul's condition was "horribly real." When Damian asked how Paul could have lost his memory, Meg said that the doctors had found a microchip in Paul's head during the surgery, and they thought that James Stenbeck had implanted it there. Meg said she didn't know how long it had been there, but with it gone, everything that defined who Paul was, good or bad, was apparently gone, too. Meg wondered why she hadn't known that there must have been a "terrible reason" why Paul had gone from the man she'd loved to a man who terrified her, but Damian told her not to blame herself.
Damian took Meg and Eliza back home. Back at the farm, Damian offered to find a top neurologist to help Paul, so that Paul would be able to become a father to Eliza again. Meg was surprised that Damian would do that to help Paul, but Damian said he wasn't doing it for Paul.
Paul called "Mrs. Ryan" back into his room, to make sure she was okay after the incident with Dusty. Barbara explained that she had been scared for Paul, not for herself. Paul pointed out that his life seemed complicated, because his ex-wife appeared to hate him, and Dusty thought he should be in jail. Barbara agreed that Paul's life was complicated, but she said the important thing was that he was alive. She told him that they would find a way to restore his memory, and if they couldn't, they would start from scratch.
