-Eric and Nicole return to their suite at the Salem Inn after their stay at Green Mountain. Nicole is still angry they left and reminds Eric of his promise to do everything he can to make sure they gain custody of the child they found. Eric tells Nicole he will do what he can but can't guarantee anything. He then checks his messages and is stunned to learn about Will missing and being found and about Carrie being found and her baby "dying." He is angry with himself for not checking his messages but he wanted a quiet vacation with her and with everything going on he just forgot to check his mailbox.

Nicole tells him it's ok. He also has a call from Kate, telling him he is needed at the office, which upsets Nicole yet again due to Eric having a job and she not having one. Eric says he needs to go see his family and then needs to stop by the office. Nicole tells him to go ahead. He asks if she wants to come with him but she opts not to, saying her presence won't help much and she wouldn't be of any help when he goes to the office. He kisses her goodbye and promises her everything will work out. They will have the life they dreamed of.

Eric leaves and, after he leaves, Nicole says:

Nicole: You bet we will, Eric. All I know is I already gave up my job to stay with you and now you have a job and I am sitting around. I want the life you promised me...the life we dreamed of and I am going to get it. That baby we found is meant to be our's and you can say all you want that you will do your best to make it happen but your best isn't good enough. We need help...I need help and I think I know who to go to. The question is, will he help me? Hell, it's worth a shot. I will do whatever I have to do to have that baby. He is meant to be our child and I won't stop until he is.

Nicole gets her coat and purse and leaves.

-At University Hospital, Roman goes over to Lexie and asks her what her father told her when she visited with him before he went up to the OR. Lexie, realizing that it still isn't clear what is meant by what her father said and that this is a very dangerous situation, says:

Lexie: Roman, he said nothing. He just told me he loved me.

Roman: Are you sure? You looked upset.

Lexie: I'm sure. Now, please, leave me alone. I am upset enough.

Roman walks away to talk to Shane as Abe and Celeste walk over to Lexie.

Abe: Are you that was it? You seemed really upset.

Lexie: Well, of course I am upset. My father was shot by this cloaked maniac and may die. What do you want me to be? Happy?

Abe: Lexie...

Lexie: Abe...just shutup. I don't want to answer anymore questions. I told you all what I know and I just want to be alone. Besides, I have no interest talking to a bunch of backstabbing traitors anyway.

Abe: Lexie...

Celeste: Alexandra, please. Don't push us away. We love you.

Lexie: You have a funny way of showing it. You both and all of my former friends here in Salem. You are united together and stood by as Theo was taken from me. Now, I can't even see him.

Abe: Lexie, you can always see Theo. I just want him around the Dimera influence or your father.

Lexie: Well, I am a Dimera and so is Theo. Stefano is his grandfather and I am not going to close Theo off from that side of his family. Mark my words, Abe. I will get my son back and he will grow up a Dimera heir, as he should. I will have my revenge on you and all of Salem. Consider yourself warned.

Lexie walks away as a stunned and horrified Abe and Celeste look on.

Meanwhile, Victor decides to go back the mansion and get the ball rolling on unraveling the MCF mystery. Victor tells Roman that he is leaving and tells him to call if there is any word on Stefano and if he says anything. Frankie, Greta, Jack, and Billie are nearby. Shane comes over to them and says they all four should go home. There is no sense them being there as Stefano could be in surgery for hours and they aren't supposed to be investigating anymore. Jack, Billie, Frankie, and Greta lie and say they know, even though they know full well they are still going to investigate on their own.

Frankie thinks leaving is a good idea. There is really nothing they can do now. Shane leaves. Frankie offers to take Greta home. She thanks him and both of them tell Jack and Billie to call them if there is an update. They remind them not to investigate on their own. The four of them are a team now. Jack and Billie agree to do all that and bid them good night.

-At the Horton house, Doug is sitting with Julie and Alice. They are getting ready to watch the late local news and are discussing the murders at the McCluer home.

Alice: It's so horrible. The McCluer's use to go to St. Luke's every Sunday. Caroline and I knew them well. Poor Renee went through so much pain when James was in jail all those years. She was so hoping things would get better when he was released and came home. Now...look at what's happened.

Julie: Do you think James killed his family, Grandma?

Alice: No, dear. I do think James was involved with the wrong people and those people may be behind it. James loved his family and sometimes that love drove him to make poor choices. He would do anything for his family and he may have been so desperate to give them a better life that he made the wrong choices and, sadly, here we are.

Doug: It's just so horrible. I mean, whoever did this is sick. To butcher a wife and mother along with her three children. What is this world coming to. That's why I thank God everyday for my blessings and that all of you, including you my lady (looks at Julie), are safe and sound.

Julie: I feel the same way.

Alice: I agree.

Doug: I worry about all of you everytime you are all out of sight. Like when you were gone, sweetheart. I mean, you were only gone for a day but it felt like an eternity. I couldn't help but worry about what could happen.

Julie: Doug, I only went away with a day with a few friends. It was nothing. Stop being such a worrier.

Doug: Oh, I know that. I need to relax but I can't help it. The worst case scenarios just pop into my head, especially after all our family has been through. Hey...by the way, you never did tell me what you did on your little trip, darling.

Julie is silent, not knowing what to say. She knows telling Doug that she learned Victor was alive and that she tracked him down to convince him to return to Salem would make him very angry, especially since he was so enraged over her support of Victor's relationship with Maggie and was clearly jealous of Victor due to her past relationship with him.

Julie decides she must lie so she tells Doug that she and a few friends just spent the day shopping at a fancy mall a few miles outside of Salem. They had heard good things about it so they went to check it out for themselves. Alice says she has heard of that mall. Julie says it was quite nice but there wasn't a whole lot of buys for her. Doug says he is sorry about that. Julie says it's fine and sarcastically says she saved money. They both laugh and embrace each other as Alice smiles.

The news then begins and the McCluer murders is the lead story. Alice, Doug, and Julie are focused on the TV when, suddenly, their faces turn to faces of shock when they see Victor, Stefano, and Lexie at the crime scene. Julie realizes Victor must have decided to return. Doug is wondering why Stefano and Victor are roaming free and worries about what will happen when Maggie learns Victor is back. Julie worries about the same thing and tells Doug she is going to head over there to make sure she is ok if she saw Victor on the news. Doug offers to go with her but Julie insists he stay with Alice. She can handle Maggie on her own.

Meanwhile, at Maggie's home, Maggie is pouring herself a a drink out of the vodka bottle that is on her living room table. She can't help but think of Victor and where he is right now. She misses him terribly. She knows he wouldn't be happy with her drinking, nor would Mickey who is probably looking down on her with shame. She just can't find another way to deal with the pain.

Maggie continues sipping her drink and turns on the TV. She turns to NBC to watch the news and sees the McCluer murders being covered. She is then stunned to see Stefano, Victor, and Lexie at the scene. She wonders why all three haven't been arrested and why they have come back. She wonders, in particular, about Victor and is happy he is back. She decides she must see him. She gets her coat and opens the door to find Julie right behind it, asking where she is going. Maggie is silent. Julie tells Maggie she already knows the answer...she is going to see Victor.

-At the Kiriakis Mansion, Victor arrives home and fills Nico in on the events of the evening. Nico asks if Victor thinks Stefano found out something about the MCF. Victor thinks Stefano learned something and that is probably why he was shot but they will see providing he wakes up. Nico tells Victor that the McCluer murders are all over the news and asks how they should handle James McCluer given that he worked for them on the side.

Victor tells Nico that he wants James found. He may know about about the MCF and could be the key to getting to the bottom of this mystery. Nico also asks him what he will do when Maggie sees him on TV, as she is bound to with so much coverage. Victor assures Nico that he knows he has to handle the Maggie situation and he already has a plan in mind to help deal with her. He doesn't want to hurt her but he has no choice.

The doorbell then rings. Nico tells Victor that Henderson went home for the evening. Victor agrees to answer the door. He answers it to find Nicole waiting for him.

Nicole: Hello, Victor. (walks in to the mansion without being invited in) I was with Eric at Green Mountain and heard you were alive when Eric was downstairs packing the car. Never thought you were dead but I digress. Look...I hate to ask this and I know it's a long shot based on our history but...I need your help.

Victor: You know what, Nicole? I need your help too. Perhaps we can make a deal.

Nicole looks at Victor with confusion, wondering what he could be thinking.

-Back at the hospital, Roman and Eric are catching up. Roman has filled Eric in on Will going missing and returning and on Carrie being found and her baby "dying.". Eric can't believe all that has happened and apologizes for not answering his phone or messages. Roman says it's fine. He says they really need him right now and Eric says he knows. He promises to be there for them to help them through all this. He then fills Roman in on the baby Nicole and him found at Green Mountain.

Eric tells Roman how Nicole thinks it was fate and how much she wants custody. Roman remarks that it's strange how they found a baby on the same night as Carrie's "died." he says if he didn't know any better, he would think the baby they found was Carrie's but that can't be the case. Roman gets paged and says he has to go. Eric tells Roman he will go visit his sisters. Roman thinks that is a good idea and he and Eric embrace before going their separate ways.

Nearby, Abe is with Celeste and he asks her if she thinks Stefano told Lexie more then she is saying. Celeste thinks he did but has no clue what. Celeste worries that if Stefano told Lexie something he knew about the MCF, she could be in great danger, especially if she pursues the MCF now that he shot her father. Celeste tells Abe she has this horrible feeling that there is great danger and tragedy in store for all of Salem thanks to this MCF.

Meanwhile, Lexie is by herself and thinking about Stefano's words. She wonders why the MCF would tell Stefano that he/she had something of his that he had been searching for for some time. Lexie contemplates the words and then comes to a shocking realization:

Lexie: Oh my...father had his people looking for him for so long and nothing. Could that be it? Could the cloaked figure have...Tony?

The scene the shifts to a secret hideaway and focuses on a cell. Tony and Anna are walking around the cell in frustration.

Anna: Why are we here? When will this be over?

Tony: I have no answers. I have been here for months. I was held held in a dungeon for years by my cousin Andre and then, I believe it was last summer since being imprisoned so long can confuse the time frame, these masked men broke into the dungeon. They blindfolded me and I ended up here.

Anna: And I had just finished work on a fashion show in Milan when I recieved a letter from Carrie. She hardly ever contacts me and she said she was in trouble and to meet her at a local restaurant. I knew she had gone missing in Salem so I figured she had tracked me down so I went to meet her. I waited for so long at the restraurant and she never showed. I was grabbed on my way to my car, blindfolded, and brought here. God...why is this happening? We have compared notes about all this so many times and none of it makes sense.

Tony: Anna, we will get out of here. We will find out what is going. I promise you.

They embrace, both having looks of worry on their faces.

-Frankie drops Greta off at her new apartment near the Salem Towers. He says the building is beautiful. She agrees. She admits to Frankie she is a little worried about what is to come. She really wants to get to the bottom of this mystery with the MCF because she took over The Spectator to make a difference. This is part of the territory. However, she doesn't want anyone else to get hurt. Frankie says there is no way of preventing that. There is no telling what this MCF might do. They just have to hope they or the police can break the case open before it's too late.

Greta thanks him. He always makes her feel better. She says she looks forward to working with him on the case, along with Jack and Billie. Frankie feels the same but warns they have to proceed with caution. Greta agrees and says they will all just have to watch each other's back. They both smile and say goodnight. Greta enters her apartment and closes the door, praying to God to help all of them stop this MCF.

-Jack is driving Billie and she mentions to him that she doesn't want to go home tonight. Her mother is there and she just can't deal with her after everything that happened. Jack tells her she is free to stay at his house tonight if she doesn't mind a screaming baby from time to time. She smiles and thanks him for the offer but refuses. Jack insists and she gives in.

They arrive at the Deveraux home. Jack pays the sitter and goes to call Abby to check on her. While alone, Billie thinks about JJ and Angel. She turns the news on and sees coverage of the McCluer murders. Tears well up in her eyes and begin to stream down her cheeks as Jack returns to the room:

Jack: Hey...no tears. Come on. I thought you were past this.

Billie (crying): It's my fault, Jack. JJ and Angel came to me for help. They wanted their father investigated. I should've known they would go off and do things on their own. I knew how dangerous the situation was. I should've told the police.

Jack: Billie...your a private investigator. Your job is to take on cases and...

Billie: But this was different. These kids...they didn't know what they were getting into. They meant well but they had no idea how dangerous and...I just handled it all wrong. Their poor mother and brother. They had to tell them the truth and that signed their death warrants too...GOD, JACK!!! I SCREWED UP!! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!

Jack (grabs Billie tightly): YOU DID NOTHING WRONG!!! YOU DID YOUR JOB!!

Billie: Yeah but...

Jack: No. No buts. There wasn't much evidence. We only had the little bit JJ and Angel told us and how they saw the cloaked person with Marlena and their father. Sure, we knew it could and probablt was dangerous but...we didn't know that something like this would happen...at least not this quickly. Plus, it may have happened anyway. This cloaked person seems to know everything. He or she would've known if we called the police and would've found some way to get to them and off them...

Billie: YOU DON'T KNOW THAT, JACK!! THOSE KIDS TRUSTED US!!! THEY TRUSTED ME!!! I FAILED!!! IT'S MY FAULT!!! WHY DIDN'T THEY KILL US!! WHY DID THEY KILL RENEE, JJ, JONATHAN, AND ANGEL AND LEAVE US!!! WE KNEW THINGS TOO!! DID THIS PERSON WANT US TO FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE I DO!!!

Jack: BILLIE...WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO WAY OF STOPPING IT!!! LISTEN TO ME!!! I HAVE NO IDEA WHY WE WEREN'T KILLED IN THAT HOUSE BUT I DO KNOW YOU DIDN'T FAIL. DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOU DIDN'T FAIL!!

Billie: YEAH I DID. IT'S ALL MY FAULT. I SHOULD BE DEAD!!!

Jack (grabs Billie tighter and tries to shake some sense into her): NO, DON'T SAY THAT. DAMNIT BILLIE!!! YOU HANDLED IT HOW YOU SHOULD AND THE BEST YOU COULD!!!

Billie: I WISH I HAD DIED!!! IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME!! THEY WERE ALL SO YOUNG AND THEIR MOTHER!!! IT'S MY FAULT, JACK!!! I DID THIS!!! IT'S MY FAULT!!!

Jack: NO!!! NO, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DIED!! STOP THIS!! JUST CALM DOWN!!! IT HAPPENED AND IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!!

Billie: YES IT IS!!!

Jack: DAMNIT, BILLIE (turns away from her and lets go of her in frustration)...JUST SHUTUP AND LISTEN!!!

Billie: NO!!! I KNOW THE TRUTH...I KNOW WHAT I...

Jack then turns back towards her, takes her in his arms and kisses her passionately. Billie then pulls away, her tear stroked face looking into his eyes, and then leans in and kisses him again as the screen slowly fades to black on an overhead shot of them kissing.

On the Next Salem Lives...

Celeste to Abe: I think I may have some answers that you are looking for.

Lexie to Stefano: You saved my life and I promise you I will catch the person that did this and make them pay.

Nicole to Victor: Ok, Victor. Let's hear what you have in mind.

Eric to Austin: Nicole and I found this baby...

Austin to Eric: wait, you found a baby on the same night Carrie's died?

Julie to Maggie: I think you and Victor should end things once and for all.

***DON'T FORGET TO READ THE EXCLUSIVE VENDETTA SNEAK PREVIEW CLIP BELOW THIS EPISODE!!!***