Marlena advises Ava to take responsibility for what she did if she wants to get over the intense feelings of guilt. She has a brief daunting flashback to being on the plane as it was quickly descending. Ava insists she’s done that and knows she was wrong. Marlena offers to give Ava a referral for counseling. “You can’t help me?” assumes Ava. Marlena is afraid she wouldn’t be able to stay objective. Ava resents how her father took away so many years of her life which she can’t get back. Marlena speculates that Ava may never get the understanding and closure which she’s searching for. Ava admits that the worst part about starting over is that she doesn’t know who she is or what she wants anymore, which scares her.
Ava later recounts how obsessed she was with getting back Patch back, but now that she’s off the medication, she believes she may not love him anymore. Marlena asks her how that feels. Ava admits it scares her because her reason for living is gone. She predicts she may end up going to jail. Marlena is warmer towards Ava as she advises her to go into therapy with an experienced therapist, then she may find what she’s looking for. Ava thanks her and expresses how E.J. was right about her. Marlena offers to give her a phone number for a therapist, but Ava says she’ll call her office in the morning. Ava thanks her again for listening and proceeds to see herself out.
Steph approaches Max at the pub and wants to know why he ran out of Chez Rouge. Max claims he was a mess and Chez Rouge is a nice place. Plus, he had to get to work. Steph wonders if he left because he was angry, since the Dean had some really nice things to say about Nick’s work. She asks if he left because he was jealous of Nick. “Yes. Now can we please change the subject?” answers an annoyed Max. Steph refuses to let go of the issue and accuses him of lying to her about who he really is. Max insists she knows who he is. “Now I do,” she says. An incredulous Steph wonders why he didn’t tell her that he was a mathematical genius. Max denies being a genius. Steph keeps pushing and demands to know how he changed Nick’s work. Max blows it off as no big deal, but Steph keeps persisting. He insists that she knows everything about him.
“You’re not welcome here!” exclaims Steph to Ava as she walks in. Steph demands for her to leave. Ava asks if there’s any news on the baby, but Steph says no. Ava asks her to tell Steve and Kayla that she’s thinking about them. After Ava leaves, Max notes that she was pretty harsh. “Yeah, well she deserved it! And so will you if you don’t start telling me the truth!” she threatens. Max refuses to argue with her. Steph asks if anyone else knows he’s good at applied physics. Max doesn’t want to discuss it anymore and suggests going to visit her parents at their new place. A pouty Steph agrees to head over there when he’s done working.
John paces around in the interrogation room before Abe enters. Abe implores him to admit that the drugs on the ship are his, since they have proof. John insists that he was set up and tells Abe to go to hell. Abe asks why John did it. John asserts that Philip Kiriakis framed him and planted drugs on his ship. Abe warns him that they have a lot of evidence against him. John advises him against dragging his name through the dirt. “You go out there and you do your job, and catch the bad guy!” admonishes John. After Abe exits, John flashes back to Roman arresting him.
An unsettled John continues to pace around in the interrogation room. Marlena visits him and asks how he’s doing. “Well I couldn’t be better. You know how much I love confined spaces,” quips John. Marlena had no idea he could be so claustrophobic and wants to help. John lashes out at her for sedating him. Marlena says she was afraid someone would get hurt. “And you were afraid that someone would be Roman,” assumes John. “I was afraid that someone might be you,” counters Marlena. John assumes that Abe and Roman wanted her to get a confession out of him and wonders if she thinks he’s guilty. She asks him if he brought those drugs to Salem. “No I didn’t!” he asserts. John remains adamant that was set up by Philip. Marlena is dubious that Philip would be involved in drug trafficking and doesn’t know what John’s capable of anymore. John states how everyone in the business community knows Victor will do anything to seal the deal. Marlena affirms that used to be true, but Victor’s changed. A furious John insists that he’s being set up and demands to know why she won’t believe him. “Because ever since you’ve come back, you’re acting like a criminal,” she accuses. “Since when is a person guilty until proven innocent?” questions a stunned John. Marlena brings up how Abe and Roman have evidence against him and is hoping he can persuade her that he’s innocent. John, however, believes she came there hoping to find the old John. Marlena admits she wants the old John back, but isn’t sure it’s possible anymore. She finally admits that she thinks he’s innocent of trafficking drugs. An officer interrupts and tells Marlena that her time’s up. A moved John takes her hands and thanks her. “I love you,” she professes. “I know,” he responds. They stand up and exchange longing glances before she leaves. John looks as though he’s about to cry.
