Inside Anita's cabin, the dark night is lit up by the roar of the fire. A late winter snow and wind whips past outside, but inside, the home is warm and comforting. Anita sits inside, curled up on her sofa, engrossed in a book. She stares down at the page through her reading glasses, perched on the tip of her nose, as the sound of footsteps emerge from the guest bedroom.

It's Brady.

Anita turns, surprised to see him finally up and out of his room.

ANITA: Good Lord! You're out of your room!

Brady looks at Anita, inquisitively.

BRADY: Yeah! I mean...well...the fire and all...

Anita pulls her reading glasses off, a smile on her face as she looks at Brady, amazed to see him out.

ANITA: I just...well...I knew you'd been moving around your room but...you've barely been out since you've been here.
BRADY: I...I know. I just...I'm glad you gave me the space to...you know...recover and...clear my mind.

Anita moves over slightly on her sofa, then pats the space next to her, encouraging Brady to sit down, he walks slowly over and sits down, though awkwardly, his legs weak from weeks of under-use.

ANITA: Sit, sit! Look...Brady, I...you know I don't mean to pry but...darling, what happened to you before I found you on the shore? Whatever it is...it's deeply troubling you, and...maybe I can help you with it?

Brady looks down, sighing, as his mind wanders back to the night of his accident. The memories flood back to him.

***
FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 39

Theresa pulls her little vial of cocaine out for Brady. He brazenly pours it out on the table in front of him and grabs his wallet to grab a credit card to cut it up with. Theresa is barely paying attention, as she uses her cell phone camera to try to get a good look at her makeup.

THERESA: I still look so good right now. Better than that bitch Chloe. God, her singing got on my nerves you know that?
BRADY: Stop talking about Chloe like that! She's...great.
THERESA: Sure, Brady. Whatever. I think I'm gonna take a selfie of this.

Theresa fumbles with her phone, trying to flip the phone around to use the flash, but ends up reversing which lens is in use, and begins recording a video of Brady as he does the line of cocaine from the table. Theresa, not sure why the camera isn't working, flips the phone back around in frustration.

THERESA: Ugh, this damned phone. Never...oh...
BRADY: What?
THERESA: Nothing. Stupid camera was on the wrong function, just...
BRADY: It didn't get a shot of me, did it?
THERESA: I can't even tell. Nothing's working right.

***
FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 41

As the car takes off, Brady is back at the club, looking for Theresa. Unable to see her, he sees Chloe and stops her to ask.

BRADY: Hey, uh...have you seen Theresa at all?
CHLOE: No, the last time I saw her she was heading out the door in a hurry.
BRADY: What?

***
FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 43

Brady opens the doors to the board room, overhearing Victor's announcement.

VICTOR: Then it is so...as of today, the 27th of July, 2014, Brady Black is temporarily relieved of his duties as CEO of Titan Industrie--
BRADY: NO!

The board turn around in shock at Brady's outburst...

***

FLASHBACK TO EPISODE 45

Brady's foot presses more and more on the accelerator, as the car pushes up towards 70, 75, 80mph. Theresa holds onto the grip on the door tightly.

THERESA: B...Brady, slow down.

Brady is looking straight ahead, barely even acknowledging Theresa's existence.

BRADY: Why?
THERESA: Well...well the speed limit, Brady is--
BRADY: Do you honestly think I care right now? Like...at all? Do you think what you want matters to me right now?
THERESA: Brady, you're scaring me.

Brady starts to pay closer attention to Theresa now, but it is mostly anger he shows her as he intermittently divides his attention between her and the road before him.

BRADY: Do you think I'm scared? Huh? Do you think I can feel anything right now?
THERESA: Brady, what are you talking about?
BRADY: What do I have now, Theresa? Think about it for a second, yeah? I just lost my job, my reputation is ruined, the woman I thought I was getting to know and care about, she double-crosses me because she's so damned insecure about me being able to be nice to my ex-wife. Every single woman I ever get involved in betrays me. My family hates me. Tell me, Theresa.What do I have to live for now? Tell me.
THERESA: Okay, okay, Okay--
BRADY:...TELL ME! Do you get it?
THERESA: Okay! I'm sorry, Brady, would you PLEASE slow down.

Brady takes his eyes off the road now entirely, and begins to lean in closer and closer to Theresa.

His speed is now reaching 85mph.

BRADY: Ohhhh no. You don't get it, do you? I want you to listen to me for once. No distractions. No one around to watch you to see the glamourous life you're living off my back. Just you, finally facing the person you are. The despicable, self-absorbed piece of street trash you really are--

Theresa looks away from Brady. 

90mph.

Theresa looks up and sees a sharp turn in the road ahead, she panicks and screams out.

THERESA: BRADY, LOOK OUT!

Brady looks up and tries to steer into the turn while slamming on the brakes.

Theresa, in a moment of quick thinking, pulls her door open and leaps from the vehicle, but due to the speed the car is travelling at, she is knocked unconscious and severely injured immediately upon impacting the ground.

Brady's car skids off the road and drives through the barrier, off the side of the embankment, into the lake below.

***

Brady snaps out of his haze, as he begins to breathe heavily, almost having a panic attack right in front of a very concerned Anita, who has wrapped her arm around Brady's shoulders.

ANITA: Brady! Brady! Are you alright? Talk to me!

Brady shakes his head, coming out of his state, he looks at Anita, swallowing heavily before answering her, still gasping for air.

BRADY: I...I can't, Anita. I just...I gotta...

Brady gets up from the sofa, and grabs a coat from the coat rack. He quickly darts toward the door and steps out, shutting it hastily behind him. Left behind in the house is Anita, looking at the door in shock. She settles back down on the couch, mouth left hanging open in shock.

---

Sheryl lies asleep in her bed, lying next to a wide-awake Lucas. Lucas stirs silently, unable to close his eyes.

He sighs as he turns to look at a dormant Sheryl, he breathes heavily, looking uncomfortably at Sheryl in bed. He swallows, as if gasping for air, as he turns away to get up out of the bed, trying not to wake Sheryl.

He sits quietly at the edge of the bed, as though trying to catch his breath. He looks up, standing up as quietly as possible, grabbing his boxers from the floor and hastily putting them on before turning to walk over to the window. Deep in thought, he looks out and sighs as he stares off into the night.

---

Nicole and Eric flop down, spent from the passionate sex they've just had. Breathing heavily, they look lovingly at each other in bed. Nicole turns back towards her new fiance and puts her hand on his chest, playing with his chest hair as she talks softly to him.

NICOLE: You know...if it's like this every time, I can't wait to be Mrs. Eric Brady.

Eric smiles, laughing a bit to himself as Nicole looks on, mock-offended.

NICOLE: What?!
ERIC: I just had a thought...

Nicole looks at Eric, inquistively.

NICOLE: And that is...?

Eric turns his head to face Nicole. He raises his eyebrow and replies casually to her.

ERIC: Are you gonna take me to Red Lobster now? 

Nicole punches Eric's arm playfully as he laughs, clutching his arm in pain momentarily through his laughter.

NICOLE: You're so WEIRD.
ERIC: (laughs) No, but seriously...I was thinking...why wait? Why don't we get married tomorrow?

Nicole looks at Eric, shocked by his suggestion.

---

Inside the living room of the Kiriakis mansion, Victor stands, sipping his drink slowly. While his family appears to unravel before his eyes in the garden, and his great-nephew is married to a woman he loathes, his stress is high. His glass of bourbon shakes in his hand as he simmers with rage.
Looking down after taking a sip, he sees a picture of Brady on his desk. Feeling emotional, Victor grits his teeth hard.

Suddenly, something appears to jolt Victor from within. He drops his glass of bourbon on the carpet, as he grabs his chest, the glass shattering on the ground.

---
 

---

Jordan and Jerome stand in Jordan's hotel room, a palpible tension between the ex-lovers. Jerome stands behind Jordan, waiting for an answer. Jordan turns, looks at Jerome, annoyed by his probing questions, and answers angrily.

JORDAN: My decisions and who I'm with now are no longer any of your concern, got it?

Jerome stares at Jordan a moment, before bursting out laughing. He shakes his head at Jordan, crossing his arms.

JEROME: That was a great performance, girl. I gotta hand it to you. But I'ma tell you something. Okay, you...you're in love with that dude. It's obvious. And you and I know damn well how dangerous that is when you're in town on a job. Especially when you in deep with a cop. 

Jordan turns away from Jerome again, now folding her arms, and rolling her eyes, not wanting to hear Jerome's advice. Jerome responds by stepping in closer to his ex.

JEROME: For God's sake, Kay! Have you looked this Hernandez dude up? He used to be an FBI agent! You know how much danger you're in if he figures out your ties to this EnerNext takedown? You have no choice but to leave town...and him.

Jordan turns back around, walking right past Jerome toward the door again, not even  looking him in the eye.

JORDAN: You're just trying to stir up trouble becuase you want me back. And as God is my witness, I am never EVER going back to you. You need to get that through your head, Jerome.

Jordan swings the door open to her suite, pointing the way out to Jerome.

JEROME: I'm not trying to stir anything up. I'm just looking out for you. Evidently something you aren't doing.
JORDAN: I am looking out for me. And I found a better way out. So whatever you and Sheryl have cooked up for tomorrow, I want no part in.

Jerome shakes his head as he steps toward the door.

JEROME: I got news for you. You're already too far in. There's no way out now.

Jordan snaps at Jerome, staring him down menacingly as her voice raises at him.

JORDAN: GET. OUT!

Jerome obliges, never taking his eyes off Jordan as he steps past the doorway. He turns before Jordan closes the door, and gives Jordan one last tidbit of advice.

JEROME: Alright! I'm out. But remember. There is no way out of this. Even if you do manage to worm your way out of this situation, your little detective friend is gonna find out all about your...extra-curriculars. And it ain't gone end well.

Jordan looks unmoved by Jerome's warning.

JORDAN: Goodbye, Jerome.
JEROME: See you tomorrow, Kay!

Jordan rolls her eyes as she slams the door shut behind him. Jordan leans against the door after its shut, the front of strength she put up against Jerome withering away, as she looks around, panicked by his stern warning.

---

Lucas looks intensely out the window of Sheryl's apartment. The night sky is dark, and the cloudcover means not a star in the sky. Looking out over the lights of the centre of Salem, he barely blinks as he thinks over what has just happened. 

Sheryl's words still linger in his head from earlier.

"You know....I never could understand...how a man....could still call himself a man...and not want to make love."
Lucas looks back at Sheryl, a bitterness in his eyes as she glares her way.

Wordlessly, he walks back over, puts on pants, and hastily throws back on his white t-shirt and dress shirt, barely managing to grab his suit jacket before he heads for the door.
On his way out, he takes one look back at Sheryl, before quietly closing the door behind him.

On the floor near the door, his tie has fallen in his haste to leave.

---

Nicole can barely choke out her reply to Eric about his offer to elope, as she lays in bed next to him, wide-eyed, and open-mouthed.

NICOLE: I...what? Eric, I mean...that's not what I had in mind for this wedding...at ALL!
Eric interrupts her just at the end, taking her hand in his as he speaks gently to her, trying to calm her nerves with reason.

ERIC: I...I know. Look, I would love to do it the traditional way and have a huge wedding with all our families there but...I mean...think about it, Nicole. That's really unlikely with my family.

Nicole shrugs, acknowledging the facts Eric's laying out.

NICOLE: Fair enough, I mean, your sister alone would probably try to drag me back up the aisle.
ERIC: ...Aaaaand not to mention my mother. I...I had a long talk with her and...I mean, we're just patching things up after what happened with Kristen and...(sigh) I just don't...I don't want another huge falling out. I'd rather just...quietly get married and...well, we can tell our families in our own time. Hopefully, without drama or any attempts to stop the wedding from happening.
NICOLE: Do you honestly think we can make that happen, though?

Eric thinks momentarily, sighing at the thought of having to hide his nuptuals.

ERIC: We stand a better chance of just making it to the altar this way. 
NICOLE: But we'll still have to face your family when we get back. I mean, Eric, I don't want our marriage to be this deep, dark secret, like we're ashamed of it. 
ERIC: I know. But...I'll make you a deal. We get married officially tomorrow. Just a simple justice-of-the-peace ceremony, and once my family gets used to the idea of us being together and..their opinion of you mellows a bit, we do a big ceremony, the right way. Okay?

Nicole smiles, nodding slowly in agreement to Eric's idea.

NICOLE: I think I can handle that.
ERIC: Good. I uh...I'll call Daniel in the morning, and we'll get this all organized?
NICOLE: And I guess I'll call Chloe, and...we head up to Chicago?

Eric smiles warmly at his soon-to-be-wife, raising a hand to gently stroke her cheek.
ERIC: You ever feel like a teenager?
NICOLE: Doing something BAD and rebellious?

Eric and Nicole giggle as they lean in slowly to gently touch each other's lips in a kiss.

---

Brady stands out by the lake, watching the waves crash against the shore. He stares straight ahead, barely even blinking as Anita walks over to him, wrapped warmly in her winter coat. She stands silently beside him for a moment, looking up at him with a piping hot cup of tea in her head.
Looking up, she offers him the tea.

ANITA: You took off in a real hurry.

Brady breaks his gaze, looking down at Anita, as he accepts the cup of tea.

BRADY: I had to get out of there.

Brady takes a sip of the tea, before raising the cup in a toast.

BRADY: Thanks for the tea, by the way.
ANITA: Anytime. I thought you'd be cold out here.
BRADY: Nah...it's not that bad. Besides, gives me some time to think. Some fresh air's good for the ol' brain.
ANITA: I would have thought you'd have plenty of time to think cooped up in that room all the time.

Brady laughs a bit at Anita's remark, still staring straight out at the water before him.

BRADY: Funny enough, I spend most of my time in there trying not to think. About anything, really...sneaks up on you sometimes.
ANITA: What do you mean?
BRADY: (sigh) Just...thinking about your family. What you left behind.

Anita stops a moment before responding. She hesitates even to say it, but eventually goes ahead anyway.

ANITA: Brady, don't you think you should eventually go back to Salem?

Brady looks back out at the water, shaking his head quickly.

BRADY: Nah. No way. If I do go back, my life in Salem is over, anyway. There's nothing left for me there.

Anita looks at Brady with a pained expression. Brady continues to look straight out for a moment, before turning to look at Anita.

BRADY: You know...you ever get the feeling that something terrible is about to happen, you just...no rhyme or reason to feel that way, it's just...your gut?
ANITA: Ohhh yeah. I've had that feeling a lot the last few weeks.
BRADY: Yeah...I'm feeling that now. And it feels like it's partly my fault.

Brady stares back out at the water. Anita joining him as the sound of the waves crashing against the shore mesmerize them.

---

Maggie, Alex, and Noelle stand in the kitchen at the Kiriakis Mansion. Maggie, still prepping dinner for everyone, turns toward the couple, who are stood together, with Alex embracing Noelle from behind. She smiles at them, loving their closeness.

MAGGIE: Well, you two. Dinner's almost ready. I'm just going into the living room to let Victor know and we'll be ready to start. Okay?
NOELLE: Alright, Maggie. We'll be in the dining room in a minute.
MAGGIE: Alright, but I don't want you two lovebirds to be late to the dinner table either, okay?

Alex and Noelle laugh as Maggie heads for the swinging door to the kitchen.

ALEX: Alright, promise.

Alex and Noelle hold up one hand, gesturing the promise to Maggie, who shakes her head while laughing at the happy couple.

After Maggie steps out of the room, Noelle quickly turns around to face her husband, kissing him quickly on the lips.

NOELLE: You know, I could really get used to being a Kiriakis.
ALEX: Now THAT is something I never thought I'd hear you say.
NOELLE: (laughs) It's true, though. Honestly, I'm grateful that Maggie's been so welcoming to me. It's really made a difference.

Alex takes both of Noelle's hands and looks her intensely in the eyes.

ALEX: Look, Victor will come around. Just give him time, and whatever misgivings he has about you are gonna fade away.
NOELLE: I'm...not so sure.
ALEX: Well, I am. So don't worry, okay?

Noelle smiles, leaning in to kiss Alex again. The couple wrap their arms around each other as their kiss evolves from a quick peck on the lips to a more passionate one.

---

Outside, in the Kiriakis garden, Justin puts a hand on Sonny's shoulder to try to get his attention, but Sonny shrugs it off immediately, aggravated by Justin and Adrienne's intense conversation at his and Will's expense.
SONNY: Don't...touch me right now, Dad. I'm serious. You two have seriously got to back off. All the way off. 

Adrienne pleads with her son, stepping towards him, and trying to take his hand, but Sonny will have none of it and lurches away.

ADRIENNE: Please, Sonny, just...you have to understand, I'm just trying to look out for yo--
SONNY: ...No! No, you need to stop doing that. Okay, your idea of looking out for me, which, by the way, I don't need because I am an adult...is smothering me, and it's toxic. It is starting to tear away at my relationship with the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, and we haven't even made it to the altar yet!

Adrienne stops, trying to choke out a response to Sonny while holding back tears.

ADRIENNE: I just don't want you to make a big mistake. And I'm sorry, Will, but I think that Sonny marrying you would be a huge mistake.

Will shakes his head, feigning cluelessness at Adrienne's reasons for not wanting he and Sonny to marry, knowing that her answer will sound absurd to Sonny.

WILL: But why, Mrs. Kiriakis. I mean, you know Sonny and I have been through a lot. And I've stood by him. So why are you so concerned now?
ADRIENNE: Because, Will, I know what your mother's like, and I've seen the way you look at--

Adrienne gets cut off by the sound of Maggie's shocked voice coming from inside the house.
MAGGIE: (from inside) OH MY GOD, VICTOR!

Everyone turns around suddenly, stunned by what they hear.

Sonny is the first to react, running quickly inside, as the others filter in.

Inside, Maggie kneels by Victor's limp body, sobbing as she panicks, trying to figure out whether Victor is alive or dead.
Sonny arrives first, followed by Alex, Will, Adrienne, and Justin, as Noelle slowly saunters in behind them all, arms folded, with a much different look on her face from the others.

Maggie looks up as Sonny rushes into action, pulling his phone out from his pocket. Maggie shouts out to the others.

MAGGIE: I think he's had a heart attack, call the ambulance.

Sonny dials 911 immediately, as the others are stunned, almost too stunned to react, as they observe Victor lying on the floor, struggling to breathe. Justin then jumps over, kneeling down with Maggie, as he grabs Victor's hand.

SONNY: (into phone) Yes, this is Sonny Kiriakis, we think my uncle's just had a heart attack...

---