Bo and Hope later arrive at Maggie’s house and inform her that they are there on official business. Maggie invites them in and assumes they are there for Melanie. Hope confirms this and says they need to speak to Nick as well. Maggie calls for Nick and Melanie, but they don’t answer. Hope asks why she allowed Melanie to move in there with her. Maggie shares how worried Nick is about Melanie all the time and admits how agitated Nick has been, revealing that he’s been on painkillers since he was shot in Marseille. Hope recalls how Nick’s mother, Jessica, took painkillers when she started having problems. Maggie adds how Jessica had a split personality. Hope cautions how Nick is especially sensitive to Melanie. Maggie is appalled that she let Melanie move in there and worries about Nick taking his painkillers. Hope asks if she has any idea where Nick and Melanie might’ve gone. Maggie mentions Cheatin’ Heart, but Bo says they were just there. Hope asks to use the bathroom. Maggie admits how scared she is. Bo tries to assure her that they will find Nick and find out what’s going on. Hope reemerges and reveals that Nick and Melanie’s stuff is gone. “She’s left town and taken Nick with her,” she concludes.
Airport Hotel
Nick and Melanie enter their room, where Melanie notes how he stopped talking to her earlier. He apologizes, claiming he had a lot to think about. He insists that there’s a way to keep them safe. “Tonight, we stay here and tomorrow we fly to Vegas,” he proposes. Melanie questions why they’re going to Vegas. “To get married,” he replies. Nick insists that if they’re married, it will solve everything because they can’t testify against each other. He embraces Melanie and assures her that he’ll take care of everything. She looks over at the bed and looks unsettled.
Nick later suggests that she take a hot bath and get ready for bed while he makes some drinks. Melanie declines a drink, but he insists that it’s a special occasion. He then takes an ice pick and stabs the ice in the bucket. Melanie flashes back to the night of Trent’s murder and recalls hitting her head on the gravestone, then seeing Nick stabbing Trent. Back to reality, Nick hands a daunted Melanie a drink.
Police Station
Marlena bumps into John and asks how he’s feeling and what he’s doing there. He mentions working with the bounty hunter to track down the mayor’s killer. She asks for a moment of his time and brings up Brady, suggesting how difficult it must be for John not to even recognize his own son. Marlena believes John’s response to Brady was dumb. John notes that she normally doesn’t use words like that. She says she was trying to get his attention. “Brady is your son,” she affirms. John admits that he has no feelings for Brady. Marlena deduces that John is afraid that Brady will evoke some feelings in him. She notes how he ran away from Brady and now he’s even running away from a conversation about Brady. John claims he was detached and talking to a stranger.
John later enters Roman’s office. “Well I was having a bad enough day as it was. Did you come to make it worse?” remarks Roman. John informs him that he hired a private investigator to find the mayor’s killer. Roman believes John is doing this in order to try and convince Marlena that he’s back to his old self. He predicts that Marlena will see right through John’s motives. John states that Marlena thinks a P.I. is a very good idea because she’ll do anything to get Samantha back, even if it means going outside prescribed channels. “You let me think about my daughter. You think about your son,” implores Roman. John basically tells him to mind his own business. Roman recalls how John and Brady had an incredible relationship once upon a time. John wishes him luck with finding an assassin and leaves.
Marlena’s Townhouse
E.J. comes over and wants to talk about Brady, who is over at the mansion talking to Nicole. “And you came to me because?” asks Marlena. “Because I’d like to know if I should be worried about Nicole,” he replies. E.J. tells Marlena how Brady just appears at his doorstep without calling, mentioning how Nicole seems uncomfortable about her past. Marlena advises E.J. to just have some faith in Nicole. “Now him, that’s another matter,” he grins. Marlena smiles and states how obviously smitten E.J. is. She advises him to ask Nicole how she feels about Brady. E.J. wonders why he would want to do a silly thing like that. Marlena brings up the honesty thing. He thanks her for her time and asks to keep their conversation between them. As Marlena opens the door, she’s delighted to find Brady standing right there and hugs him. She leaves and Brady thanks E.J. for letting him spend some time with Nicole. E.J. wants to get a couple of things straight with Brady.
DiMera Mansion
John later arrives and asks what’s going on. Nicole reveals that she talked to Brady, who wants more than anything to have some sort of connection with him and was upset about this morning. She encourages John to have some sort of relationship with Brady, reminding him that his son just got out of rehab. John fixes a drink as Nicole implores him to at least try and talk to Brady. “Why the hell do you care so much?” questions John.
