Stephanie arrives at the pub and encounters Caroline, who asks how her internship is going. Steph briefs her on ordering lunch, installing a printer cartridge, spilling coffee on her shirt, and nearly walking into the men’s restroom. Caroline is amused. Steph asks a working Max to take a break, but he needs to close since Lisa called in sick.
Paul meets John at the pub. A smirking John notes that it’s kind of a dive, but the four alarm chili will bring tears to one’s eyes. Paul threatens to bring tears to John’s eyes if he doesn’t get him out of his legal mess. Marlena watches them from outside the pub. John tells him to relax, claiming that nothing’s going to happen to him. An agitated Paul asks John if he saw the front page of the Salem Chronicle, as this publication makes it sound as though he’s already been arrested and convicted. John warns Paul to keep names out of this mess. Marlena enters and approaches the two men. John invites her to have a seat, as “his friend” was just leaving. Marlena states her willingness to accept who he is, and there’s no sense in keeping her hopes up if there’s nothing there. John takes her hand and admits that he feels something, but she pulls away. He implores her to start over. “I don’t want to start over. I want my John back. I want the man I fell in love with,” declares Marlena.
Steph later agrees to take Caroline up on her apple pie and boy talk. She admits that she's worried about Max working a lot. She feels as though Max has shut her out since Grandpa Shawn died, and she’s trying to give him space. Caroline speculates that Max is coping by burying himself in his work. Steph admits she’s being selfish, but she wants the old Max back and wants to help him find a way to let loose. Caroline believes it would be good for Max to take some time off.
Caroline later encourages her agitated son to take break for a second and sit. Meanwhile, Steph sits at a table nearby. Caroline questions how many hours he put in last week. He figures about 55 or 60. She believes it’s far too many hours to put in for a part-time job. Max chuckles and deduces that Steph put her up to this. Caroline surmises that he’s trying to fill his father’s shoes and encourages him to take more time for his friends, especially the one sitting nearby.
After John and Marlena get more drinks from the bar, he implores “Doc” to loosen up. She tells him not to call her that, as the old John who used to call her that is gone. “If you give yourself half a chance you just might find something you like,” he suggests. “What is there to like?” questions Marlena. John cracks jokes, but Marlena is about to leave and doesn’t find him so funny. He asks for five minutes and proposes that she take him on as a project instead of as a patient. He invites her to turn him into exactly whom she wants him to be.
Max sits down with Stephanie and apologizes for being so busy. Steph urges him to get out and surround himself with people who care about him. “Isn’t that what Grandpa Shawn would’ve wanted?” asks Steph. Max notes that she sounds just like Ma. Steph agrees that Caroline is a smart lady and implores him to at least do it for himself. Max briefly excuses himself. Marlena approaches Stephanie and asks if everything was alright. Steph says she was going to come and say hello, but Marlena and John looked pretty intense. Marlena explains that they were trying to sort things out, which Steph can relate to.
Max announces to Caroline that he’s decided to take some time off, which delights her. Steph later fills Marlena in on Max’s working situation. Max tells Steph that he’s decided to take some time off. She hugs him in delight and expresses how it’s the best thing he could’ve done. Marlena observes Max and Steph and tells Caroline nice job. John then asks Marlena if she’s had time to ponder his proposition. She asks if he minds being a project, rehashing how Stefano turned him into one. John remarks that Stefano didn’t look half as good as she does in a dress, which makes Marlena chuckle. “You could roll out of bed in a house coat and curlers and knock my socks off,” smiles John, which amuses Marlena. He marvels how he loves her hair and admits that her gorgeous smile melts his heart.
Max and Steph go outside, where Max wonders how they should spend their one night of freedom. He senses something’s on Steph’s mind, but she doesn’t want to bother him with her worries. Max implores her to spill. Steph admits that she worried about her dad, since no-one’s heard from him.
At Chez Rouge, Nicole reiterates her question to EJ regarding her marriage to Victor. Maggie approaches Philip and admits that she’s less than thrilled to see Nicole back in town, noting that in ten minutes she’s managed to insult her busboy and one of her waiters. “Try living under the same roof with her,” responds Philip. Maggie is stunned to hear that Nicole is staying at the Kiriakis mansion. Philip rants how Nicole is claiming that she and Victor are still married and how she’s supposedly entitled to half the house. He receives a call from Chloe, who urges him to get home right away since two men from the Austrian Consulate have arrived. He urges her to stay calm and call the lawyer first, then quickly leaves.
Meanwhile, Sami tries to tell Nicole off again, but Nicole tells her to zip it. EJ warns Nicole that she won’t get very far with him if she tells his wife to “zip it.” “Well are you a lawyer or not? Where did you get your degree? Online?” jeers Nicole. Sami chuckles and advises her not to talk to EJ like that. EJ reveals that he got his degree from Cambridge University, which impresses Nicole. Nicole offers a very nice percentage on her proposed settlement if EJ agrees to take her on as a client. “There is absolutely no way that he would represent a gold-digging witch like you!” protests Sami, who tells Nicole to go back to her table and choke on another piece of bread. “Oh, ah, there is the Sami we all know and love!” applauds troublemaker Nicole.
