At Avalon Castle Spa, Craig helped Lily settle into her room, but Lily was still infuriated that Lucinda had set up Carlisle Fragrances to fail. Craig thanked Lily for allowing him to take her extra reservation at the spa, and he assured her that he had his own room on a different floor. He offered to help Lily maneuver her way through wresting Worldwide from her mother, but Lily was not interested. She claimed that she was more interested in freedom than revenge.
Craig hinted that he had a more "intimate" relationship in mind for him and Lily, but she suggested that he find Anthony Blackthorn on the property and pay back the money that he owed him. Then, Lily said, she would consider joining in a "celebration." Craig called the front desk and learned that Blackthorn had checked in, so Lily offered to help find him for Craig. Craig, however, nixed that idea and took off on his own.
Elsewhere on the Avalon grounds, Janet and Blackie walked through the lovely gardens. She was upset about how Dusty was taking the news that she was with Blackthorn, but Blackie assured her that Dusty was nowhere near the castle. In truth, Dusty was bound and gagged and riding in a car bound for the castle with two of Blackthorn's henchmen. Blackie assured Janet that Dusty had decided to give her some space, and he led her back to the spa, where he urged her to pamper herself and charge it to his room. Janet went into the spa eagerly, while Blackie touched base with his thugs to find out exactly where they had taken Dusty.
Jack was wandering the castle and was stunned to find Carly there. He attempted to lead her out to the parking lot to send her home, but Carly resisted. Jack was angry that she had, yet again, inserted herself into a dangerous situation. Carly wanted Jack to call off his G-man activities and go home with her, but he refused. Jack demanded to know why Carly was really there, and she replied that she was fearful that Jack was caught up in revenge against Ralph Manzo, the mobster who had been responsible for Brad's death. Jack appreciated Carly's concern, but he assured her that his business was with Anthony Blackthorn, not Ralph Manzo.
Craig literally bumped into Blackthorn in the castle, and he handed him a check for every cent he owed him. Jack and Carly overheard their conversation and then speculated on why Craig was paying off Blackthorn. Jack persuaded Carly to wait for him while he questioned Blackthorn, and then he walked in on Blackthorn and Craig. Blackthorn challenged Jack, who warned Craig that Blackthorn had ties to "the mob." Blackthorn got huffy and stalked off, as Craig revealed that the weasel who had brought down Carlisle Fragrances was not a member of Manzo's organization.
Jack was surprised to learn that Lucinda had sabotaged the perfume business, and then he turned the tables by telling Craig that Blackthorn was a member of Manzo's crew. Jack then lost his cool and grabbed Craig by the lapels as the two shouted at one another. Craig reminded Jack that he understood how Jack felt about Manzo because of Brad's death, but he reassured Jack that his business with Blackthorn was over because he had paid off all his debt.
In the spa, Lily sat in a lounge chair as she waited for a facial. She was surprised to find Janet also on one of the lounges, and they began to chat. Carly walked up behind the two women and listened to Lily's surprise when she learned that Janet was there with Anthony Blackthorn. Lily said she knew who Blackthorn was because he was "Craig's financier." Carly interrupted and warned the women that they had no idea with whom they were messing. Then she informed them that they were dealing with a gangster.
Janet taunted Carly about her obsession with the mob, and Janet finally got irritated enough to leave. Carly stopped her, however, by saying that Blackie carried the same burial society medallion that Ralph Manzo did. Janet shouted at Carly to "shut up" and leave her alone, and then she ran off. Next, Carly attacked Lily about her association with Craig, whom she accused of setting up the failure of their perfume business. When Lily admitted that it was her mother who had done that, Carly was shocked. Carly still cautioned her friend to end her relationship with Craig immediately, however. Lily resented that, and as soon as Carly began harping on how Lily should go home and rekindle her romance with Holden, Lily ended the conversation and her partnership with Carly.
Earlier in the day, Lucinda had a private conversation by phone with the governor, promising him that she would always remember him at election time in return for a favor he was doing her. Then she drove to Avalon Castle where she was surprised to learn that Lily had already claimed the room Lucinda had reserved for the two of them. She ordered her bags delivered there, and while she waited for the elevator, Craig approached her. He began blaming her for all the pain and heartbreak she had caused Lily, and he advised her to "give up." Then Craig thanked Lucinda for making it possible for him to get closer to Lily.
In her suite, Lily was amazed to see her mother and her bags arrive. Lucinda said it was her reservation and therefore her room, and she announced every intention of staying. Lily refused to share the quarters with Lucinda, and she began to gather her things. Lily walked out, but shortly thereafter, Lucinda heard a knock on the door. A bellman delivered a message that caused Lucinda to get agitated and shout out, "He's here?" She walked down the hall and opened the door to another room. Inside on the bed sat Ralph Manzo, and he thanked Lucinda for getting him out of prison. "You are a sight for sore eyes, Miss Mary Ellen Walters," he exclaimed.
Out on the croquet lawn, Blackie gave Janet some game pointers that involved putting his arms around her. He flattered her with compliments as Jack and Carly walked up. Janet was not pleased to see them, especially after Jack pulled her aside and cautioned her about Uncle Ralph and her own safety. Jack was distracted watching Blackie play with his burial society medallion until Carly pulled him away. Janet hesitatingly asked Blackie if he was part of "Ralph's crew," but Blackie denied it. She apologized for her earlier remarks about Ralph, and Blackie escorted her to her room and advised her to get off her feet.
Jack and Carly went to their room, but Jack was still worried about Janet, and he also wondered why Dusty had never shown up at the castle. At that moment, Dusty was still bound and gagged in a pantry off the kitchen of the spa. Blackthorn had joined them and he said he was willing to forget about Dusty if Dusty promised to disappear for good. Dusty indicated that he wanted to speak privately with Blackthorn, so the man leaned in closely. Dusty head butted him hard, and Blackthorn grabbed Dusty and barked how sorry he would be for doing that.
Carly gave Jack a backrub, and she talked about how Lily and Janet were both involved with dangerous men at the present time. She said how fortunate she was to have Jack, who asked if that worked both ways. He said he had a nagging fear that their differences would always keep them apart. Carly began kissing Jack's neck, and then it got serious. The pair collapsed on the bed, but Jack felt his back land on a foreign object. He reached under himself and pulled out several burial society medallions. Then Jack realized that Blackie had taken Dusty's medallion, and that most likely meant that Blackie had Dusty.
Janet wandered into the kitchen because she was starving, and the chef directed her to help herself in the pantry. She was just about to open the door when suddenly Blackthorn popped out with his forehead red from Dusty's headbutt.
Craig opened the door to his room and found Lily sitting on his bed. "How would you feel if I stayed here with you tonight?" she asked.
Craig was stunned that Lily had asked to spend the night with him, until he realized that she was referring to the fact that she was "temporarily homeless," since Lucinda had conscripted their room. He helped Lily with her bags, as she assured him that their arrangement was for only one night, and there was no way that she was sharing the bed with him. Lily was adamant that she would never forgive her mother for setting up the perfume business to fail, and Craig suggested that she remind herself of that frequently to keep herself strong. Lily wanted to have dinner in the dining room, so Craig offered to go down and reserve the best table in the house.
In Ralph Manzo's room, he asked "Mary Ellen" for a hug, but Lucinda was repulsed and asked him not to call her by her childhood name. Ralph poured himself a drink, as Lucinda asked him what pretext had gotten him out of jail. Ralph praised her "connection" with the governor, and he produced a phony furlough for the funeral of a family member. Ralph also said he was honored that Mary Ellen would ask for his help with her problem with Craig Montgomery. He assured her he was there to "save the day," so Lucinda began to explain the situation.
Lucinda wanted Ralph to use his influence to get Anthony Blackthorn out of Oakdale, but Ralph chose to wax nostalgic about the days of their youth in Peoria. Then he accused Lucinda of trying to "snow" him, and he asked her to tell him what she wanted done and why she needed him to do it. Lucinda asked Ralph to call off his men in a low-key manner and also to rescue a woman from Blackthorn's clutches. Ralph was disturbed to learn that Janet Ciccone was the woman to whom Lucinda was referring, but he did promise to take care of everything.
Lucinda left Ralph's room, and she wandered into the pool house to look for Lily. Craig, instead of reserving a table in the dining room, had been scouting for Lucinda, and he spotted her in the pool house. He went in and taunted Lucinda about Lily, telling her that her daughter was in room 313 with him, and he hinted broadly that he and Lily were already very well acquainted. That made Lucinda livid, and she could not believe that Lily had "given in" to the likes of Craig Montgomery. Craig told her to "face the music," because she had already lost Lily forever.
As Craig zinged Lucinda one last time and attempted to move past her, Lucinda moved quickly and gave a mighty shove, toppling Craig into the deep end of the pool. Craig began treading water and screaming for witnesses to "the assault." Lucinda spewed insults at him and walked out. Carly walked into the pool house and spotted Craig struggling in the water. She went to help him out, but at the last minute, she shoved him back under the water. "Too bad about your suit," she quipped, and she left him there.
Lily was the next visitor, and she was amazed to see a dripping Craig emerging from the water. She ran inside and confronted him, but she could not restrain her laughter. Craig told her that Lucinda had pushed him into the pool, followed a few minutes later by a shove from Carly. Lily laughed again, so Craig asked if she was going to dunk him, as well. Lily instead offered to "wade" back with him to their room.
Craig changed his suit, as Lily considered an earlier suggestion of his. She said she just might take on Lucinda and Dusty and make a run on Worldwide. Craig got excited and hinted broadly that the two of them form a "different kind of partnership," since they were both single. "You never give up," scolded Lily. "Never," replied Craig. Lily said she was only offering to be his business ally, nothing else, but Craig grabbed her and kissed her hard.
In their room in the castle, Carly asked Jack why he thought Ralph Manzo, of all people, had anything to do with why Dusty had not shown up. Jack was sure that Anthony Blackthorn was somehow involved with Manzo, and that made him dangerous to Dusty and Janet. Carly wanted to call the local cops to help Jack, but he made her stop. He lectured her about standing between him and his job, and that frightened Carly. They talked about Brad and how Jack had made some peace with what had happened. Jack was still worried, however, about Dusty's safety, so he called Margo for encouragement.
Margo agreed to have officers check the parking lot at the Lakeview to see if Dusty's car was still there. She was also not happy to learn of a possible connection between Blackthorn and Manzo. Carly was furious that Jack would not admit that Manzo was a personal issue for him, but Jack kissed Carly and they made plans to go downstairs for dinner. They sat on the porch before dinner and had a drink, and Jack obsessed about how to find Dusty. They decided to split up, and Jack went to get a map of the grounds, while Carly set out to chat up the hotel workers to find out if Blackthorn had any thugs with him.
Prowling outside the kitchen pantry, Janet ran into Blackie, who was sporting a red forehead from contact with Dusty's head. He gave Janet a tale about "low beams" in the castle, but Janet was hungry and wanted to continue into the pantry. Blackie stopped her roughly, while inside the pantry, a gagged Dusty tried to yell for help. Blackie took Janet by the arm and escorted her to her room with instructions to meet him there for dinner. After he dropped off Janet, Blackthorn placed a call to the state prison, trying to reach Ralph Manzo. When he said Manzo's name, Ralph himself spoke to Blackthorn from the other end of the room.
Manzo reminded Blackthorn that Lucinda Walsh had given Blackthorn money to leave Oakdale, but the punk had disrespected her by defying her. Also, Ralph reminded him that Janet Ciccone was like part of Ralph's family, something that had slipped Blackthorn's mind. Ralph ordered Blackthorn back to Chicago and told him not to say goodbye to anyone, just to leave. An angry Anthony Blackthorn had to agree with his boss.
Carly reconnected with Jack, but she had garnered no useful information from the staff. Jack said he was sure that Blackthorn had hidden Dusty somewhere on the grounds, so he and Carly pored over the map. Janet walked by, so Jack asked if she knew where Dusty was. She said she did not, nor did she care. Jack asked her to consider the possibly something bad had happened to her former lover, and that gave her pause. She took off to find Blackie, and Jack and Carly were surprised to see Blackthorn approaching. He taunted Jack about his being in Janet's life and therefore an influence over Jack's "kid," and then he left.
Jack asked Carly if he had noticed the bad bruise on Blackthorn's forehead, and then took a call from Margo. She reported that Dusty's car was still parked in the Lakeview lot, but the surveillance camera had picked up two tough men who had "escorted" Dusty into an SUV with a license plate that read ELVIS 18. Jack and Carly walked outside to the castle parking area and spotted the SUV with that license plate.
Blackthorn went back to the pantry and learned that Ralph had ordered his crew to turn Dusty loose. Blackthorn, however, called Manzo "an old man who was going back to prison," and he tried to get the goons to allow him to give the orders. He walked into the pantry and chased out everyone but Dusty, who was still bound and barely conscious. Blackthorn got in Dusty's face and promised him a "dramatic ending." He called back the thugs, who got Dusty to his feet and out the door just as Janet began prowling the pantry area again. She tried to open the door to the pantry, but suddenly Blackie burst out. Janet heard strange banging noises from inside, as Dusty kicked some shelving to get attention.
Ralph cornered Lucinda outside the castle, and she explained how she had devastated naïve Lily. He urged her to slow down and remember their humble beginnings in Peoria, but Lucinda was not willing to be linked to Ralph Manzo in any way. She reminded him that he would still be behind bars in the state prison if she had not made a phone call, and Manzo whined that his worst mistake had been letting her go. He was only half kidding when he proposed that if Lucinda could get him out of jail for good, the two of them could run away together. Lucinda giggled and called him a "convict," so Ralph reminded her that she had asked for and received help from organized crime for one of her ventures. Lucinda refused to consider going away with Ralph, but he asked her to "rethink" his offer and then threatened her with the Feds.
Holden was fixing Ethan's scooter at the farm, and Faith made them some lemonade. She stumbled over her words until she got up the courage to ask her father if he knew where Lily was. Holden said that Lily had gone to a spa with Lucinda, but Faith told him that her mother was at "some fancy hotel with Craig Montgomery." When Holden did not react, Faith got upset, but her dad explained that he had learned his lesson about interfering with his ex-wife's life.
Holden claimed that his interference had caused Molly to leave him, but Faith corrected him by saying that Molly had left because she had figured out that he was still in love with Lily. Faith asked what her dad was so afraid of that he was denying his life-long love of her mother. She suggested that Holden go to Avalon Castle and straighten out Lily. Holden admitted that he loved Lily more than anything else in the world, so Faith urged him to jump in his truck and go get her. He refused, however, and said he would wait for things to unfold the way they were supposed to.
At Avalon Castle, Lily pushed Craig away after his passionate kiss, and she told him to stop it. He pressed her and urged her to "go with the flow," but Lily was not in the least bit interested. She accused Craig of playing the "I Can Beat Lucinda" game, but he claimed that he had given Lily "a real kiss." Lily said Craig had been using Lucinda's betrayal of Lily all along as part of his master plan. Craig argued that he was not using her, but that goading Lucinda was just a "fringe benefit" of being crazy about Lily. Lily figured out, however, that Craig had said something to Lucinda in the pool house that made her think that he and Lily were sleeping together.
When Craig failed to answer that accusation, Lily berated him for stooping so low. Craig claimed that Lily was his primary concern, but he wouldn't mind it if they also were lovers. Lily wasn't buying Craig's line, and she refused to believe any of his lies until he mentioned that Lucinda had led Anthony Blackthorn to Oakdale to set Craig up and to threaten Johnny. Lily called both Craig and her mother "disgusting," and she said she wanted to leave the spa and go home. She told Craig that they were finished, and she began packing her clothes.
Away from prying eyes, Lucinda and Ralph Manzo walked the grounds of the castle, and Lucinda could not believe that he had just threatened to call the Feds on her. Ralph insisted on calling her "Mary Ellen," much to Lucinda's dismay, so she asked him to stop. She also reminded him that he was wearing an ankle monitor, and she wanted to know why he was threatening her. Ralph was serious about wanting Lucinda to go away with him and "just disappear." She called him "crazy," but when he realized that was her final answer, Ralph walked away saying that Lucinda would probably never get her daughter back. Lucinda stopped Ralph to ask if he was still planning on turning her in to the Feds, and he reminded her that it would only take one phone call to make her lose Lily forever. Lucinda asked Ralph not to make that call, if for no other reason than "old times' sake."
In the castle parking lot, Jack and Carly identified the SUV that had carried Dusty out of Oakdale. Jack approached the car, which had a chauffeur who was responding to a call on his cell phone. The driver pulled out in a hurry, and Jack yelled to Carly that something was "going down." The pair ran back to the castle.
In the kitchen pantry, Dusty screamed for Janet to run, but Blackthorn restrained her in the hall. When Janet did not calm down, Blackie pulled his gun on her and forcibly escorted her through the kitchen, while the goons in the pantry knocked Dusty unconscious. They then untied him in preparation for moving him, just as Jack and Carly entered the kitchen. They found the pantry door open, but they spotted a trail of blood from the room, which they began following.
Blackie hustled Janet outside and told her that she was going with him. They argued loudly, as the henchmen dragged an almost senseless Dusty from the building. Blackthorn shouted at them to "take care of" Dusty, so the men prepared to throw him into a dumpster. Suddenly Dusty stood up swinging and disabled one goon and clobbered the other with a punch to the jaw. Dusty ran towards Janet, but Blackthorn grabbed her and used her for a shield. Dusty yelled at him to release Janet, as the muscle men returned and got the order from Blackthorn to take Dusty down.
Janet thought fast and drove her heel into Blackie's instep, and the two punks took off at a dead run. Blackie also ran, with Dusty right behind him. Blackthorn stopped and pointed his gun at Dusty, ready to shoot, but Jack sneaked around the corner and got off the first shot. Janet got very upset and soon experienced difficulty in breathing. Blackthorn slipped out of Jack's grasp and ran, and Jack followed. Dusty grabbed Janet, who was in pain, as Carly called 9-1-1. An ambulance arrived shortly, but Janet's pains had dissipated and her vital signs were normal. The paramedics decided that it was not necessary to transport her, and then everyone heard the sirens of approaching police cars.
Blackthorn found one of his punks in a tunnel at the castle, and he began barking orders. The second punk appeared, and the two of them informed Blackthorn that they no longer worked for him. Meanwhile, Jack searched the castle for signs of Blackthorn, but he only spotted one thug leaving room 309 at the end of a hall. Jack drew his gun and then kicked in the door, where he found himself face-to-face with Ralph Manzo, who was sitting on the bed, drinking a glass of brandy. Manzo immediately began taunting Jack about the sad tale of a young man in the prime of life with a new baby who had lost his life suddenly, all details that applied to Jack's brother, Brad.
Jack flashed back on Brad's tragic death, but then he recovered and asked Manzo why he was really at Avalon Castle. Manzo said he thought Jack should be thanking him for taking care of Anthony Blackthorn, who was getting a bit big for his breeches and trying to take over Ralph's organization. He also assured Jack that "the problem was presently being disposed of." Manzo could not believe Jack's ingratitude, and he returned to reality by reminding Jack who had actually pulled the trigger the day that Brad died. Then Manzo told Jack to take his best shot and make himself feel better.
Jack raised his gun just as Carly opened the door to the room and stepped inside. She did not say a word as Jack made his choice and lowered his revolver. Two police officers then entered, and Jack turned Manzo over to them. Then he hugged a very relieved Carly, and they followed the police out the front door of the castle. Craig joined them and wanted to know what was going on. Lucinda also appeared, looking for Lily, so Craig told her that Lily was resting in their room following "an energetic afternoon."
After receiving an appropriate spewing of venom from Lucinda, Craig relented and told her that Lily had gone home on her own. Craig also called out to Jack and said that the cops might as well take the ringleader with them, and he pointed to Lucinda Walsh. Lucinda claimed she had never met Ralph Manzo in her life, so Craig yelled to Manzo to tell everyone who the leader was. Ralph said he had no idea who Lucinda was.
Dusty wanted to take Janet to the hospital, but she refused. She apologized for not listening to him about Blackthorn, and someone knocked on the door. Jack and Carly walked in and told them that Blackthorn and Manzo were both headed for prison. They left Dusty and Janet alone, because Janet said she had something important to say to Dusty. She told him that turning her back on him was the worst mistake she had ever made, and what had happened between him and Lucy Montgomery was not important. Dusty smiled and said it was time to go home.
Craig and Lucinda admired the view together on the castle grounds. Craig complimented her on "dodging another bullet," but Lucinda did not look happy. Inside the castle, Jack and Carly discussed when Jack had trained his gun on Manzo, and Jack said the thought of Carly and what she meant to him had stopped him from a senseless act of revenge. Jack admitted that he had finally stopped blaming himself for his brother's death, and they shared a loving kiss.
Back at the Snyder farm, Holden continued to work on the scooter, but he was surprised to see Lily drive up. She asked what Holden was doing, and he replied, "Fixing things." Lily smiled and asked to help, as Faith watched from the porch.
Reid asked Katie if she had used his toothbrush because the brush was facing the wrong direction. Katie remarked that he was even stranger than she thought, but she suggested that probably Chris had used the toothbrush by accident. Reid flipped the brush across the room when he realized that meant Chris had spent a night with Katie. He warned her that she should not have done that, but Katie did not understand his objections. She was even more confused when the doctor stated his opinion that Chris was not the right guy for Katie. Katie was hurt by Reid's words, as he tried to tell her that everyone had some secrets.
At the hospital, Luke approached Chris and asked him to stop putting Dr. Oliver in such an impossible position. Chris pulled Luke into a private room and asked him to repeat what he had said. Luke told Chris that Reid had shared the news of Chris's illness, and Chris was furious that Reid had violated the patient/doctor confidentiality code. Luke suggested that Chris tell his family and close friends about his condition and get the medical care he needed. Chris argued that he didn't want his friends and family to worry, but Luke didn't buy it.
Chris and Luke went to Katie's to find Reid, and Dr. Oliver began to lecture Chris about the danger he was in by not having his heart tested for damage. Katie wheeled Jacob through the living room, and Chris immediately joined her for a walk into Old Town. Reid told Luke that Katie could end up losing Chris, as the young men realized they were alone in the house. They began kissing and ended up on the couch until one of them screamed because one of the baby's toys was stuck in his leg. That broke the mood, and Luke and Reid agreed to continue later.
In Old Town, Katie stopped to look at brochures for the Old Town Preschool, and she and Chris got mistaken for husband and wife. The woman from the school asked Chris to help them move one of the heavy benches in Old Town for their display, and he agreed, but he struggled mightily trying to push it. Katie noticed that he was pale, so she ran to get him some water. Chris then took off in obvious distress.
Back at Memorial, Reid and Luke made plans to meet later, and after Reid left, Chris walked in, sweating and out of breath. He made Luke promise to let him know if Katie arrived, and he went into a private exam room and began breathing oxygen. Katie did appear, and she immediately asked Luke where Chris was, but Luke lied and said he was with a patient. Then Luke went to find Reid, who was dictating orders, and he told him that Chris was in a room pumping himself full of oxygen so he would not pass out. They commiserated together, and Luke suggested that Reed keep on helping Chris as best he could.
Katie searched for Chris and when she spotted him in the room taking oxygen, she flung open the door and cried, "What's wrong with you?" Meanwhile in his office, Reid Oliver picked up the phone and placed a long-distance phone call to well-known cardiologist, Dr. John Dixon, a former staff member at Memorial.
At Fairwinds, Emily found Hallie's missing bear and offered to let Gwen and Will stay with them longer. Gwen declined and said it was time they all got back to their own lives. Will joined them, but he was worried that someone might have moved up Iris' bail hearing, and he was concerned that the woman might be free again. Will also agonized that Iris might have recaptured Barbara, since Will could not reach his mom on the phone. Emily told them that Paul was also concerned about Barbara and had gone to the Lakeview to check on her.
Paul pounded on Barbara's door and was shocked to see his mother open it, clad only in a towel. He got embarrassed and turned away in disgust when he realized that Henry was in there, too. Henry exited the bathroom in a fuzzy white robe and had a good laugh with his lover over her son's reaction to what he knew was going on in Barbara's room. Henry said he wanted some breakfast, and then he wanted to "go public" with their relationship.
Back at Fairwinds, Gwen called the authorities and learned that her mother was still safely in custody. Will asked where Barbara could be, as Paul walked in and told them exactly where Barbara was and what she was doing. Will had a difficult time visualizing his mom having sex with Henry Coleman, and he decided that it was time for his little family to return to Peoria. Emily got the giggles and asked Paul why he was having such a hard time with the thought of Henry and Barbara together. Paul replied, "My brother is bumping uglies with my mother!" Even Emily admitted that was a bit much to get her head around, too. The phone rang, and after Paul agreed to something, he advised Will, Gwen, and Emily that Henry and Barbara were going to pay them all a visit.
Henry and Barbara arrived, beaming with joy, and Henry announced that he was "head over heels" in love with Barbara and had asked her to be his wife. He also said that he hoped they could have the ceremony at Fairwinds to make it even more special. Total silence greeted Henry's words, so a nervous Barbara joked, "Don't everybody speak at once." Emily recovered first and announced that she was thrilled. Paul, however, called the whole thing "weird," and Will declared himself speechless. Paul suggested that his mother and Henry live together in sin rather than doing something "formal." Will dashed out of the room, followed by Gwen, as Henry and Paul continued to argue.
Paul finally declared that if his mother married Henry, she would be repeating the Stenbeck cycle all over again. A tearful Barbara stormed out after realizing that her children were never going to sanction her marriage to Henry. Paul blurted out that Barbara would be "cursed" if she married someone of James's blood. Henry put his proverbial foot down and said that he and Barbara were getting married, and Paul could either get on board with that or "get the hell out of the way."
Emily stepped in and argued that Henry had misunderstood Paul. However, Paul said that he was not sure that his mother could ever be happy, but it was especially unlikely that she would be happy with Henry. Paul was fearful that Barbara would be hurt again, and he called the whole situation "a can of worms." Henry told Paul to take his can of worms and "shove it."
Will went to visit his half-brother, Parker, and they talked about their dad, Hal Munson. Will did not want to share his ideas about college with his brother, so Will did not push Parker. After Will left Parker, he met up with Gwen at Java, and they talked about Barbara's chances of having another failure and disappointment in marriage. Gwen thought things would go better this time because both Will and his mother had matured. They returned to Fairwinds to find Henry and Barbara gone. Will felt they had let their mom down by their "less than enthusiastic" response to Henry's announcement, but Paul could not bring himself to support another poor decision by Barbara.
Henry went to Barbara's room in the Lakeview and found her very sad. She apologized for her sons' behavior, and especially Paul's calling Henry a "spawn of James Stenbeck." Henry, however, told Barbara that he was withdrawing his offer of marriage.
At the Lakeview, Henry called off the wedding, and a devastated Barbara figured that her sons had gotten to him. She hysterically called herself crazy for thinking that he'd want to spend his life with her. She imagined that it would be horrible to watch her age, but Henry insisted that her aging and her sons weren't the reasons. He declared that he loved her too much to marry her.
Henry said he was James Stenbeck's son, which meant he was probably cursed. "You can't marry me because of bad DNA?" Barbara incredulously asked. She ordered him to polish up the rings, because they were forging ahead. She refused to let James take one more second of happiness from her, and she wouldn't live another second without Henry. Henry exclaimed that he wanted her, too, and he proposed all over again. He wanted to wed that very day, but she said they needed a license. "Honey, I got that the moment you said, 'yes,'" he replied.
Barbara called Judge Frankel to officiate, and since the couple couldn't count on Paul and Will, Henry decided to ask Katie and Chris to witness the ceremony.
At Fairwinds, Paul paced around, declaring his intention to ignore Barbara's engagement. "You're ignoring very aggressively," noted Emily, who'd decided to get along with Barbara. Gwen and Will tried to calm Paul down, to no avail. Will cited that they'd gotten married despite other people's opinions, and Paul couldn't tell their mother not to marry the man she loved.
Paul went to see his mother, but when he arrived at the Lakeview, he saw Judge Frankel, who announced that he was officiating Barbara's wedding that day. Paul called Emily to say that things had escalated, and he needed to take action.
At the hospital, Katie found Chris using an oxygen mask. Chris pretended to be embarrassed because moving the bench had left him winded. When he offered even more excuses for his breathlessness, Katie wondered what he was hiding from her. Bob interrupted to ask Chris to stop by his office to discuss a research project. After Bob left, Katie made Chris assure her that he'd admit it if something were wrong.
Henry called Katie about the wedding, and Katie and Chris agreed to attend. In the hospital corridor, she and Chris told Bob and Kim about the wedding. Kim exclaimed her happiness, but wished that Barbara and Henry hadn't forgone a big event. Just then, Kim received a phone call. Kim then told Chris, Katie, and Bob that there had been a change in plans.
Back at the Lakeview, Barbara and Henry had dressed for the ceremony. The judge had arrived, but they wondered what was delaying Chris and Katie. Henry planned to call a couple of bus boys up to witness the ceremony, if Katie and Chris didn't hurry up. With none of her own family in attendance, Barbara refused to let Henry be without his best friend, Katie, on his wedding day. Henry had assumed that Barbara was still furious with Katie for aiding Vienna, but Barbara said she'd chosen to get over it, because Henry loved Katie.
Katie and Chris arrived, and Katie decided that the wedding couldn't commence without music or flowers. Barbara said she would have demanded a big wedding if she'd wanted one, but Chris called the scenario pitiful. He suggested that they go downstairs to the lounge. "Come on. It'll be fabulous," Katie urged, prodding everyone out the door.
When everyone entered the lounge, they saw Will, Gwen, Paul, Emily, Bob, and Kim waiting. "Happy wedding!" Gwen said, offering Barbara a bouquet. Emily congratulated Barbara, and they hugged. Paul offered to give Barbara away, Kim asked to be the matron of honor, and Katie decided to fill in for Brad as the best man. "I think it's fitting that a cross-dresser like myself should have a gender-jumbled wedding party," Henry said.
Judge Frankel called everyone into place, and after walking Barbara down the aisle, Paul warned Henry not to mess up. Paul glanced at the judge and did a double-take upon seeing James in a black robe. When Paul looked again, he saw that it was actually Judge Frankel. Paul strode to Emily to ask if she'd seen that, but Emily didn't know what he was talking about.
Henry glanced at the judge and saw the same thing. Barbara asked if Henry were okay. He looked at Judge Frankel again. When he saw Judge Frankel, and not James, he chuckled that he was fine. The judge asked the bride and groom to exchange improvised vows. Before Barbara began, she looked at the judge and was stunned to see James Stenbeck grinning at her.
Barbara stammered, and Paul said he couldn't bear to look. James told Barbara that she couldn't do it. "Oh, yes, I can," she uttered, turning to Henry. He looked terrified as he stared at the judge. Barbara urged him to look at her, and he forced his eyes away from Judge Frankel.
Barbara told Henry that she'd been cruel and ruthless at times in her life. When she'd gotten cancer, she'd realized that she wouldn't live forever. Even though she'd survived, she'd felt damaged. Henry had entered her life and changed everything. She didn't care what people thought of her, because it was her life and her choices. She refused to judge others, because she wanted to spend her short time on the earth loving him.
Henry said that Barbara didn't have the monopoly on crazy. Though he'd strived to be a normal businessman and had given up his vices many times, he liked gambling and impulsiveness. Barbara had shown him that what might be wrong for others wasn't necessarily wrong for them. He felt that he could be reckless, overly dramatic, or even cowardly with her, because she'd taught him not to fear anything, especially his own nature. Neither of them was perfect, but together, they made "some kind of perfect something."
Barbara and Henry held hands and glanced at the judge. Both were relieved to see Judge Frankel, not James. The judge pronounced them husband and wife, and the newlyweds kissed.
During the reception, Paul told the bride and groom that the weirdest thing had happened to him during the ceremony. "You, too?" the Colemans asked in unison. Barbara was certain that James was gone. Just to make sure, Henry politely sent the judge on his way.
Chris found a happy but tearful Katie drinking champagne. She smiled, remembering the happiness she'd had with Brad. "I'd like to have it again," she uttered, and Chris kissed her. Across the room, Kim and Bob remarked upon the tender moment between Chris and Katie.
Paul called a toast to Barbara and Henry, the second happiest couple in Oakdale. Later, Barbara soothed the crying Gwen. Gwen still felt guilty about Iris, but Barbara said she didn't blame Gwen. Barbara told Will that Hal would be proud of the man that Will had become.
Barbara decided to throw the bouquet, and Emily and Gwen pushed Katie forward to catch it. Katie grinned shyly at Chris. Though she was the only single woman there, she said it was still fun to catch the bouquet. Nodding sadly, Chris asked if she were ready to leave, because he had something to tell her. When Katie said her goodbyes, she surprised the newlyweds by revealing that Paul had gathered everyone for the wedding.
Will and Gwen decided to head back to Carbondale, and their family saw them off and wished them well. Kim told Barbara that both Jennifers were there in spirit. Kim felt that Barbara's mother and Barbara's daughter were always near. As Kim and Bob exited, they saw a man signing in at the front desk. "John!" Bob called. Turning around, John Dixon chuckled and greeted Bob and Kim.
Back in the lounge, Henry and Barbara wanted to go upstairs, but Paul told them that they needed to follow him back to Fairwinds for an exorcism. At Fairwinds later, Paul handed pictures of James to Henry, Barbara, and Emily. Paul found it bizarre that he and the newlyweds had seen James that day. Henry stated that he knew how persistent ghosts could be.
In an effort to banish James, the foursome tossed the pictures into the crackling fireplace, and Emily told James to burn in hell. Barbara thanked Paul for making the wedding special, and he apologized for taking a while to come around. Before Henry and his wife left, he warned Paul not to call him "Dad."
Alone, Paul and Emily expressed pride in each other for being on their best behaviors. Paul said all the being good made him want to be bad. As they kissed, they fell onto the sofa.
Back at the Lakeview, Henry carried Barbara over the threshold of their room. Barbara said there would be no more divorces, because she'd reached her quota. He replied that she couldn't get rid of him if she wanted to. "Wanna dance?" he asked and flipped on "More than a Woman," by the Bee Gees. Barbara laughed, and they danced.
At Katie's house, Katie apologized to Chris for overreacting about the bouquet. Chris claimed that it wasn't the problem. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with Katie, but he just didn't know how long he had to live. "I'm sick, and I may not get better," Chris revealed.
