Alison found Casey, who was mopping floors is the hospital, and paid him back for a movie ticket, and teased him about whether there would ever be a "next time" movie date for them. Margo and Tom arrived to talk with their son. They wanted to make amends to Casey, who was furious with his mother for arresting him and not believing in his innocence in the recent murders in Oakdale. After Margo and Tom left, Alison approached Casey and attempted to convince him to listen to his parents.

Tom and Margo went to Al's Diner, where Margo expressed disappointment that their bright son was pushing a mop instead of using his brain. Tom was more laid back, however, and considered Casey's friendship with Alison Stewart a plus. Margo was not convinced that anyone from the Stewart family could be thought of as a good role model.

At Java, Dusty asked Meg to dinner after her hospital shift was over, but Meg wanted to spend time with her baby. Dusty said he was happy to take both of them out; he admitted they were the only sane people in his life. He missed Johnny terribly, and even Lucy, and he told Meg he had not heard a word from Lucy. They shared a kiss, and Dusty walked Meg to her floor at Memorial, where they ran into Lucy, who ignored them. Dusty remarked that Lucy had cozied up to Craig for Johnny's sake and thrown Dusty to the wolves. Lucy eavesdropped on the conversation, as Meg said she did not understand why Lucy was shutting Dusty out. Meg told Dusty she really cared for him.

Emily went to Fairwinds, where Paul surprised her by brandishing a large butcher knife that frightened her. He handed her the knife and asked her to use it on him. He suggested a simple flesh wound, nothing serious, but something that looked nasty. Emily refused to participate, so Paul reminded her that at one time, she had no compunction about shooting him in the back. Emily questioned Paul's sanity and motives, and he told her that Meg had lied when she had said there was nothing going on between her and Dusty. He asked Emily again to stab him, but Emily still demurred. Then Paul said he would do it himself, and Emily ran out. Paul set up the knife and leaned his hand against it, drawing blood.

Tom and Margo waited at Al's, hoping that Casey would relent and join them. He finally did and sat with them. Margo apologized for not believing him while she was investigating the drug dealing, and Casey complained that his folks always believed the worst about him. He was tired of feeling like a constant disappointment to them. Margo denied that, but she said they would never give up on wanting the best for him. They believed Casey could still do something worthwhile with his life besides push a mop. That infuriated Casey, who got up and walked out. Tom left to go after him, leaving Margo at the table, agonizing over her failure as a mother. Alison came in, and Margo asked the girl to speak to Casey on their behalf.

Meg approached Lucy at the hospital and asked if Dusty was still important to her. Lucy said she realized how important Johnny was to Dusty, but there was nothing she could do about the situation with Craig at that moment. Meg asked Lucy to speak to her father on Dusty's behalf, but Lucy said her father would never consider a change in his rules. Craig was fearful that Dusty would take the boy and run, and Lucy said she was helpless.

Casey went home and began packing his belongings. Tom came in and the two of them argued. The doorbell interrupted them, and Casey let Alison in. Tom left the two of them and went back to the diner. Casey was unhappy and got further agitated when he learned that Margo had asked Alison to intervene again. The girl told Casey to stop jumping to conclusions without listening to what his parents were really saying. She suggested he go back to the diner and talk to his mother.

Lucy approached Dusty in the lobby of the Lakeview and asked to speak with him somewhere private. They decided to go to Dusty's room, but Emily spotted them getting on the elevator and she followed. Lucy said Meg had asked her to speak on Dusty's behalf with Craig, but she explained how her dad would cut her off from her brother instantly if she did that. Dusty was unhappy, but he understood what Lucy was saying. He let her out of his room, and the two of them hugged. Then Lucy called her mystery contact and said she was on her way. Emily was lurking around the corner and followed Lucy.

Paul, bleeding heavily from his hand, rushed into Memorial and Meg ran to help him. He asked for a doctor to treat him, not her, so Meg put him in a treatment room and tried to stop the bleeding before she summoned a doctor. Meg recognized the wound as self-inflicted, and she went off on Paul. He declared there was no way he would allow Dusty to get anywhere near his daughter. He continued to make threats and then walked out.

Lucy went to the docks, with Emily following closely behind. Emily overheard Lucy tell the dockworker that her father would have his first shipment of vodka the next week. The man explained that Craig would never know that anything had been added to his load, and Emily watched Lucy leave the docks.

Casey went back to Al's and told Margo he forgave her; he initiated a hug. He agreed to join them for lunch at home and promised not to move out. Tom told Margo that Alison had changed their son's mind.

Alison was waiting for Casey in Old Town, and she asked how things had gone with his mom. Margo called Casey and asked him to invite Alison to join them for lunch, which Casey dubbed the "Hughes Family Psycho Drama." He admitted to Alison that he had gone to talk with Margo because Alison had convinced him. Alison was reluctant to join the Hughes family for lunch, but Casey told Margo the girl would come.

Emily went back to Fairwinds and found Paul with his hand bandaged. She reported that she had seen Lucy and Dusty together and that they had gone to his room for a brief time. Then she told him about the episode at the docks and that she had surmised that Lucy was adding something to Craig's shipment without his knowledge. Paul suggested he ask Lucy herself, and he gave Emily a kiss, then left.

Dusty found Meg at work and told her he had spoken with Lucy, and she had promised to speak to Craig for him. That surprised Meg, who told him about Paul's injured hand and said she was very worried about his mental state. Dusty said that Paul was just playing her, and Meg confessed she was mostly worried about what Paul might do to Dusty.

Paul showed up at Lucy's hotel room in the Lakeview and bluffed that he knew "the whole deal" about her father. Lucy feigned ignorance and lied about being in Dusty's room, but Paul told her she had been seen. Then Paul mentioned the "little deal" she had going on at the docks and said he knew what she was doing. Lucy asked what he wanted, and Paul gave her a choice: either Paul could notify the cops and put Lucy in jail, or she could do exactly what he told her.

Lucy asked what he wanted from her, and Paul said he wanted her to get Dusty back for herself and away from Meg. Lucy said she couldn't do that, so Paul threatened to tell Craig about his daughter's extracurricular activities at the docks. Paul gave the girl 24 hours to make her decision.

When the Hughes family lunch finished, Casey walked Alison out. Margo admitted that she thought Alison was good for Casey. Tom told her it was good to see her smile again, and suggested they forego the dirty dishes and take a nap. Margo grinned and agreed. Outside, Casey and Alison concluded a pleasant conversation.

At his foundation, Luke told Noah and Lily that he and Noah were not the only gays who had tried to rent apartments that had suddenly become "unavailable." Luke thought the foundation could do a lot of good for the gay community. They discussed offering a reward and going public by appearing on WOAK with their story.

Jack came into the diner while Janet was working the morning shift. The air was very frosty between them, as they argued about what to do with Parker and Liberty. Janet said she thought Jack cared more about being right than the welfare of their kids, and she wanted no part of that.

At Java, Parker counted their pocket change, and the results were dismal. Mr. Schenk, Parker's lawyer, arrived, so Parker immediately asked when he could get his hands on his trust fund. The attorney explained there was no guaranteed access to the money just because of the boy's marriage to Liberty. He guessed it would take about six months for Parker to get the money, if things went smoothly. Parker asked what they could do in the meantime for cash, and Schenk suggested they both get jobs. Parker was willing to dump school, but Liberty was not. Parker considered applying for work at Java, but the manager told him that he was already turning away experienced college help.

Carly went to the Lakeview looking for her son. When she found the newlyweds' room empty, she asked the clerk if he had seen them. She argued with the clerk when he called the teens, "Mr. and Mrs. Snyder," and she also denied that they were on any sort of a honeymoon. Craig came up and got the information from the clerk that the kids had gone out. He suggested that Carly leave them alone and let them face reality. He offered to help look for them, however, and they split up to go search.

Carly went to Al's and spoke with Janet. Neither mother had heard from the kids, and both were worried sick. They agonized over how to keep their young people from making such terrible mistakes. They decided Jack did not need to know that the kids had a hotel room courtesy of Craig Montgomery. Carly said she would call Janet when she located the missing two.

At WOAK, Kim was flabbergasted that the discrimination Luke described was rampant in Oakdale. She found the story worthy of being on the air, but the fact that Lily and Luke were working together as mother and son was even more fascinating to her. They agreed that an interview was in order, and Kim suggested they do it live right then, since she had a hole in the programming from a cancellation.

At the police station, Craig asked to see Margo, but Jack told him that she was in court. Craig asked if Jack had heard from Parker, because no one had seen the teens since they left the hotel. He explained how he had plucked them off the street and gotten them a hotel room, and Jack came unglued. He accused Craig of continuing to try to look like a hero for Carly, but he also warned Craig not to interfere further with Jack's family. Craig also told Jack that both Carly and Janet knew about the hotel arrangements, and Jack was stunned. He threw Craig out of the station and then headed for the diner.

On the television interview, Luke and Lily talked about raising awareness about gay rights in the community and going so far as to file a class action suit. Kim asked about funding, so Luke explained that his birth father, Damian Grimaldi, had funded the foundation with ill-gotten money, and Luke had chosen to use it for philanthropy. Lily discussed how she had not handled Luke's coming out well, and she wanted to help other families deal with similar challenges. Lily was an articulate and effective spokesperson against discrimination of any kind. Kim applauded them when the segment finished and thanked them for their inspiration. The phones began ringing at the station switchboard.

Craig spotted Parker and Liberty in Java, so he called Carly and told her where they were. He went inside and greeted the kids warmly. Carly arrived almost immediately and asked to speak with Parker. She wanted to know what he was going to do about school, but Parker replied that she and Jack had thrown him out of their house, so therefore Carly had no more say in his life. The newlyweds walked out, and Carly was crushed. Craig noticed that Liberty did not look happy, and he revealed that to Carly. He offered to buy her lunch, and she accepted, as long as a very large glass of wine was included.

The teens went to the diner, followed by Jack, who immediately jumped on Janet for not telling him that Craig had paid for a hotel room for their kids. They took the argument outside, while Liberty covered for Janet in the diner. Parker noticed that the cash register drawer was not completely closed. Outside, Jack and Janet argued loudly until Janet defended herself by yelling at Jack that she didn't tell him where the kids were because she didn't think he cared. She also resented that Jack made decisions that affected her daughter without Janet's approval. Liberty heard the yelling and came outside to defend her mother.

Inside the diner, Parker cleaned out the cash drawer and stashed the money in his pocket. He then went outside and pulled Liberty away, telling her they had to leave. Jack and Janet went back into the diner where Janet apologized to her husband. Then she discovered that the money in the till was gone, and told Jack. Jack took off after Parker and Liberty. He caught them on the street and demanded the money back. Parker denied taking it, but Jack found it in the boy's pocket, which terrified Liberty.

Jack marched them back to the diner, where he returned the money to Janet. Parker claimed he had won the money in a poker game, but that did not fly. Jack was furious that, after being caught stealing the money, the boy continued to lie. Janet claimed no harm had been done and she wanted Jack to forget about it, but Jack said Parker needed to admit what he had done. Jack cuffed his son, read him his rights, and marched him to the police station.

At the television station, Kim was excited that the phone responses were heavily positive. They were all shocked when Mr. Reese, the homophobic landlord, walked in and offered Luke and Noah the apartment they had wanted to rent. They each stated their terms and reached a fair deal. The boys promised to go sign the lease later, and everyone at the station rejoiced. Kim asked Luke and Lily for periodic updates on their progress, and they agreed.

At lunch, Carly hit the wine heavily and became melancholy. Craig said Jack really went over a cliff with his behavior over the kids' issue, and Carly sarcastically called Craig "the father of the year." He offered to keep the teens in the hotel for another week, and Carly expressed her gratitude. Craig said it was only money, and besides, he loved having her in his debt.

At the police station, Jack arranged for Parker's booking for robbery as an adult. Liberty and Janet protested, but Jack's point was that the boy wanted to be treated as an adult, so he would get a good look at how that worked for him. Liberty begged Jack to do something, and Janet called Carly.

Carly was still at the Lakeview with Craig, who was arranging for the room for the kids when Carly received Janet's call. Janet told her Jack had arrested Parker, so Carly and Craig hustled to the police station. Jack explained that Parker had robbed the cash drawer at the diner. He was also resentful that Craig was involved with his family yet again. Carly told Jack he was out of control, but Jack wondered aloud why he was the only one concerned about Parker's following the rules.

Liberty got a minute to speak with Parker alone, and she called him as stubborn as Jack. Parker reminded her that Jack was not his real father. He claimed Hal Munson would never have arrested him. Liberty disagreed, so Parker questioned whether she still loved him. She replied that, of course, she still did.

Carly begged Jack to let Parker go, but Jack lit into her for being half-drunk. He smelled the booze on her breath and told her to sober up if she wanted to talk with him further. Craig offered to call his lawyer, so at least Parker could get out of jail.

Luke, Lily, and Noah went home and continued to make proactive plans for the foundation. There was a knock at the door, but when Lily answered, there was nothing there but an unmarked package. Luke joked about its being a bomb, but Noah was hesitant about his friend's opening it. Inside, Luke found only a note, which warned him to stop defending perverts and sinners, or he would live to regret it. Noah and Lily wanted to call the police, but Luke felt they were overreacting.

Craig's lawyer bailed out Parker, so he was free until his trial. The lawyer also said that it was up to the diner to pursue or drop the charges against the boy, so Janet said she would talk with Henry and Vienna. Parker told Liberty that Craig had arranged for them to stay longer at the hotel, so they left with Janet. Craig took Carly home, but not before she screamed at Jack to fix it.

Except for Jack, they all went to the Lakeview to drop off the kids. Craig handed the key card to Parker and told him to use room service and not to go hungry. The kids thanked him and disappeared into the elevator. Craig announced that he needed a drink, but both Janet and Carly declined to join him. Craig took Carly home, and they hugged.

At the farm, a tearful Janet sat on the porch as Jack arrived home. He sat with her, and Janet confided that she hated what was happening. She thought Jack had made a bad situation worse, but she was still his wife and would stick by him. Jack thanked her, and they embraced.

After finishing his shift at Java, Noah was excited to go shopping for household items for his new apartment with Luke. Luke, however, arrived and said he wanted to postpone their expedition and, instead, he wanted to show Noah something. He led Noah to Metro and asked what his friend thought about having the Luke Foundation sponsor a rally there that evening to support gay and lesbian rights. Luke wanted to move quickly in order to capitalize on the enthusiasm generated from his television appearance with his mother. Luke asked for Noah's help.

At Lily's, Margo checked out the hate mail that Luke had received and suggested that he and Lily keep a low profile until she could be sure they were safe. Holden returned home as Margo was leaving, and he wanted to know why she had been there and why Lily needed to be careful. When Lily explained about the anonymous note, Holden was concerned.

Luke and Noah entered the house, and Luke told his parents about the rally. Lily promised her son another rousing speech, but Holden thought the rally was not a good idea. He was worried and told Luke to fly under the radar for a while. Luke told his father there was no way to stop the rally at that point. Holden did not want his family to be targets, and Noah agreed.

Luke promised to take every precaution possible, and he urged Holden not to worry. Luke and Noah left to make more arrangements, as Holden tried to call Carly to get her to shut down Metro to stop the rally. Lily stopped him, however, because of how excited and so like his old self Luke was acting. She understood why Holden wanted her to back off, but she felt she had no choice. She felt she owed it to her son after how she had acted when she first learned that Luke was gay. She had allowed Damian to browbeat her into almost agreeing to send Luke away to a military camp. Holden finally gave in and agreed to go with her to the rally.

Margo had an urgent message from Brad and Katie, so she stopped by their house. Katie told her sister the happy news that they were having a baby. Margo was overjoyed and assumed Katie was pregnant. Katie had to rein in her sister's enthusiasm, however, and she explained they were using a surrogate mother and Brad was the biological father.

Margo was encouraging until she learned that Vienna was the biological mother. She asked them if they were out of their minds. When she realized they were serious, Margo urged them to protect themselves by having Tom draw up a contract spelling out the rights of all parties. The three of them left for Tom's office.

At Metro, Vienna told Henry she had her first prenatal appointment with Dr. Howell at Memorial. She was very excited to see what the baby looked like and hoped they would do a sonogram. Henry said he already knew what the little tyke looked like: a tadpole. Henry begged off going with Vienna, and he used preparations for Luke's rally as an excuse. He was particularly worried about the sound system, but Luke's sound engineer reassured him that he could handle it all. An unhappy Henry left with Vienna.

At Memorial, Henry tried to avoid going into the exam room with Vienna, but she insisted he accompany her. He suggested that Brad and Katie should also be there, and Vienna was regretful that she had forgotten to include them in the appointment. She called Katie but had to leave a voicemail when a nurse called her into a room. Henry went with her reluctantly, and the doctor began the ultrasound. Vienna was full of questions about the baby, its sex, its size, and many other queries, while Henry said it looked like bad television reception to him. The doctor was very quiet, but finally he looked at Vienna and told her he was very sorry; there was no baby.

At the rally, Luke greeted his guests and talked about the prejudice he and Noah had encountered while they were trying to rent an apartment together. He called for acceptance of gay rights as a matter of course, instead of an exception. Lily and Holden arrived, and Luke introduced his mother. She took questions from the floor, but when someone asked about any negative reactions to her television appearance, Lily handed the microphone to Luke. He told everyone about the hate note and further said that he had researched past gay rights initiatives, but he had left his notes in his car. He said he would go out and get them and handed the mike back to Lily. On his way out, he thanked Holden for coming, and he went outside.

Luke got his paperwork from his car and closed the car door. As he turned around, a car sped by, knocking Luke onto the hood and bouncing him to the pavement. The car tore off, leaving a bloody and unconscious Luke on the street. An unknown man soon appeared and picked up Luke and carried him away.

Brad and Katie came home from Tom's with a multi-page contract, but Brad was afraid that Vienna might be offended by all the rules, and she would call off the whole deal. Katie got Vienna's message from her voicemail and told Brad they had to get to the hospital immediately so they could see the sonogram. Katie suggested Brad bring along the contract.

Vienna was heartbroken at the doctor's news and could not understand how a baby could be there one minute and gone the next. Henry reminded her that the doctor had also suggested that her pregnancy test could have been a false positive. Vienna said she still intended to keep her promise to Brad and Katie, who walked in the door just then. Brad asked to see the sonogram, and Vienna lied and said the printer was not working, so there was no photo. She smiled, however, and told them everything with the baby was perfect.

Henry was befuddled by Vienna's words, but he kept quiet. Brad invited everyone to lunch, and Vienna and Henry accepted, but said they would meet Brad and Katie there. After Brad and Katie left, Vienna said she had to deal with her own disappointment before she told the others the bad news. At Al's Diner, Katie brought up the contract, telling their friends it was just a formality, but Vienna burst into tears and ran out.

At Metro, Lily told Noah how happy she was that he and Luke were back together. Holden commented on how long Luke had been outside and went to check. He found Luke's car and noticed the research papers all over the street. He also found a pool of blood there. Noah and Lily came out, and Holden told them something had happened to Luke and Noah called 9-1-1.

Luke's mystery man left the boy outside the emergency room at Memorial, and the staff admitted him. While Luke was unconscious in his bed, the man left a note with Lily Snyder's name and cell phone number on Luke's chest. A doctor and nurse entered and found the note, so the doctor asked the nurse to call Mrs. Snyder immediately.

At the scene of the accident, Margo examined the blood on the street. She sent samples to be tested to determine if it was Luke's, and she asked if anyone from the club had followed Luke outside. They also discussed whether the hate letter might have any connection with Luke's disappearance. Margo asked her patrol officer to look for skid marks in the vicinity. Lily's phone rang, and she learned her son was in the hospital, unconscious, and possibly the victim of a hit and run.

In Old Town, Henry found Vienna on a bench. She was afraid she could never get pregnant, but Henry consoled her. They went back to the diner, and Vienna signed the contract.

At Memorial, Lily, Holden, and Noah stood by Luke's bed. Noah spoke to Luke and urged him to wake up. Luke opened his eyes and looked up, wondering what had happened. His last memory was of looking for the papers, but then his head hurt too much to think. He could not believe that the accident was connected to the rally, however.

At home, Vienna still felt she had let down her friends. She also accused Henry of wanting to tell Brad and Katie the bad news right away, so that the whole thing would be over. Henry picked up a copy of The Man from Oakdale and read from page 295. It was his description of how he felt about having children. Henry could not bear to see Vienna so miserable, however, and he began to get sad. Vienna offered to make love with him, and Henry did not have to be convinced. She did remind him that she was still going to keep her promise to Brad and Katie.

Margo came to the hospital and talked with the Snyders. Luke was reluctant to lose any momentum his cause had created, but everyone urged him to keep out of the limelight. The doctor arrived and told Luke he needed rest and 48 hours of observation. All the visitors left, and the doctor turned out the light in Luke's room. Margo agreed to put a guard on Luke's door for protection.

The mystery man came into Luke's room from the bathroom and held the boy's hand. Luke thought it was Noah, but when he opened his eyes, he was looking at his birth father, Damian Grimaldi.

Luke was shocked when he awoke to find Damian standing over his hospital bed. He was also upset when his father said he wanted to make peace. Luke reminded Damian how they had parted the last time Damian had come to town when Damian made it crystal clear how he felt about Luke's being gay. Damian asked who Noah was, and Luke explained that Noah was his boyfriend. He ordered Damian to "get the hell out."

Damian, calling the boy his pet name, "Luciano," said he hated himself for the mistakes he had made with his son. He deeply regretted how he had reacted to the news that Luke had chosen a lifestyle so different from the way Damian had been raised. Luke yelled that his lifestyle was not a choice, but how he had been born. He asked what Damian wanted, and the man replied that he only wished a chance to get to know the young man that Luke had become. Luke assured his father that was not going to happen.

Craig and Carly were having a drink at the Lakeview, and he told her there was no way a robbery charge would stick on Parker. Carly felt she had lost her son; Parker had completely turned his back on her. Craig said Parker still loved his mother and always would. He commented that it could really hurt to see yourself through your child's eyes, but he thought Carly would get her son back. Carly smiled bitterly and said it was shocking that Craig Montgomery was doling out advice on parenting.

Parker got a call from the District Attorney's office asking him to go to the police station to answer some questions. Liberty was upset that the authorities were going to charge her new husband with robbery, but she hoped Jack would not allow Parker to go to jail. She felt they needed some adult help, and she said she had someone in mind. They both left to go to the station.

At Al's, Jack talked with the District Attorney, Erica, on his cell phone, and then he told Janet that Erica would be questioning Parker in preparation for the preliminary hearing. Janet reminded Jack that Henry and Vienna had agreed not to press charges, but Jack said Parker still took $150 that didn't belong to him. Janet defended the boy, but his father said Parker needed to learn that his actions had consequences. Jack also admitted that he and the District Attorney were going to put Parker through the motions to scare him, but they would go easy on him if he did the right thing. Janet was afraid the plan might backfire, but Jack said Parker only had to admit that what he had done was wrong and be truly remorseful.

Lily, Holden, and Noah arrived at the hospital and were discussing Luke's accident. They heard Luke yelling for someone to get out of his room, so they all ran in and were stunned to see Damian standing over Luke. Holden grabbed Damian and threw him out, while Luke reassured his mother and Noah that he was all right. Luke told Noah who Damian was, and Noah was speechless. Luke said he wanted nothing to do with the man, and the boys wondered if the foundation money had anything to do with Damian's surprise return.

In the hospital corridor, Lily and Holden confronted Damian. Holden asked why he was there, but Lily realized that it was Damian who had found Luke after the accident and had saved his life. Damian said he was glad he could help, but Holden was more interested in why Damian was in Oakdale in the first place. Lily asked if Damian had seen the accident, and he told them it was a hit and run, and he had noticed nothing except Luke.

Damian explained how he had brought Luke to the hospital and written Lily's number so the hospital would know whom to call. Holden asked why Damian had been in Luke's room, and Damian answered that he had just wanted to see his son. Holden resented Damian's calling Luke his son, and reminded him of the pain he had caused the boy previously.

Damian explained that he was in Oakdale only to make amends and asked for time with Luke. Holden was still hostile, but he left Lily to deal with Damian as Holden went to sign Luke's discharge papers. Damian tried to call Lily "Cara," but she cut him off and told him he was not welcome there. She accused him of capitalizing on people's weaknesses and vulnerability for his own purposes. Holden returned and told Damian to get lost.

Craig and Carly waited for an elevator in the lobby of the Lakeview as Parker and Liberty walked out of it. Parker said he needed to speak with Craig, so Liberty left on her own errand. Parker ignored Carly and asked to talk to Craig in private, but Craig demanded that they include Carly, or he would not speak with Parker. Parker said the District Attorney wanted him to answer questions at the police station, so Carly began calling Jack until Parker stopped her. Carly said the boy needed a lawyer, but Craig said he would handle the situation.

After Jack left the diner, Liberty entered and asked Janet to get Jack to back off going after Parker. Liberty said they would soon have Parker's trust fund and then she wanted to pay Janet back, perhaps even buy her a house, to pay her back for all the sacrifices her mother had made for her. Janet said she only wanted Liberty to be 17 years old and to make good life choices. Janet considered what the girl wanted, and she grabbed her by the arm, and they dashed out of the diner.

Lily and Holden went to Luke's room, where Luke was dressed and ready to leave. He could not find the watch Noah had given him, however, and he wondered if it had come off at the scene of the accident. Noah went to Java, but promised Luke he would come to see him as soon as he could. The boys said they loved each other and shared a kiss, as Damian watched from the hall.

At the Oakdale Police Station, Jack discussed Parker with Erica, the District Attorney, and he urged her to be plenty tough on his son. Craig, Carly, and Parker walked in, and Parker became combative with Jack. Craig intervened, telling Jack that Parker had asked for his help and he intended to give it. Jack reminded Craig that Parker had $150 in his pocket after leaving the diner, but Craig said he had given Parker that cash because the kids had nothing to live on.

Jack asked Parker to tell the truth, as Janet and Liberty walked in. Parker backed up Craig, so Jack asked Janet to tell Erica where Parker gotten the money, and Janet said she thought he had taken it from the open cash drawer, but she had not actually seen him take it. Erica asked to speak with Jack alone.

When Jack came out of the conference room, he said that he was not arresting Parker because the boy had gotten away with his crime. Parker had won. Jack knew that Craig had not given Parker a dime, only an alibi. He explained how he and Erica had cut a deal, and Parker would never have gone to jail if only he had admitted he was at fault.

At Java, Noah was cleaning tables when Damian walked in. Damian introduced himself and handed Luke's watch to Noah. Noah then realized that it was Damian who had taken Luke to the hospital, and the two shook hands before Damian left.

At the station, Liberty thanked her mother for her help, but Janet said she had only told the truth. Janet told Craig he wasn't helping things, but Craig said he thought her new son-in-law would disagree. Craig and Carly walked out.

Noah took Luke's watch to him, as Holden was leaving to go to the farm. Lily was running an errand elsewhere, so the boys could talk freely. Noah said he had gotten a much better impression of Damian when he spoke to him at the coffee shop, but Luke warned him not to be fooled by Damian's lies.

Lily called Damian and met him at the Lakeview. She asked him to leave town and to stay away. Damian said he could not do that because he was Luke's father. Lily accused him of forcing her to help him push Luke away from being gay, but Damian scolded that she felt that way herself long before he had come into the picture. Lily said Damian gave up the right to call Luke his son years before, but that infuriated her former husband.

Lily asked if he was going to force his way back into Luke's life again, but Damian denied that. He vowed that he was no threat to Lily's family, so she asked if he was unhappy that Luke was using the Grimaldi fortune in his foundation to champion gay rights. Damian denied that charge, too, and Lily begged him not to undermine Luke. Damian pled for a chance to prove he had changed. Holden interrupted the conversation and suggested that Damian be on the evening flight to Malta. Lily and Holden left, as Damian muttered to himself that he was not going anywhere until he got what he wanted.

Janet came back to see Jack and apologized for opening her mouth. Jack said she had done what he had asked; she told the truth. Jack was not upset with her, but he was fearful it was too late to make things right with Parker.

Liberty asked Parker if Jack had told the truth about a deal with the District Attorney, and Parker answered that his dad did not lie, so he probably did. He said when he got his trust fund, they would never have to rely on anyone again.

Carly poured herself a glass of wine, as Craig lectured her how Jack was verbally abusing her. He said Jack was preventing her from moving on with her life without him. Carly said to hell with Jack, and she drank her wine.

Noah asked Luke if he was not being a little hard on Damian, but Luke came back with a remark about Colonel Mayer, Noah's crazy father, and Noah dropped the subject. Luke agonized about why Damian had returned to Oakdale.

Paul went to see Lucy at the Lakeview and warned her that her time was up. He said if she didn't get Dusty to sleep with her, then he would tell Craig what Lucy was up to. Lucy protested that seducing Dusty would be impossible, because Dusty was seeing Meg. Paul reminded Lucy that although her father was dangerous, Paul himself was crazy. Paul left.

Lucy called someone and told them about Paul's threats to reveal whatever he knew about Lucy's involvement with Craig's vodka shipment. She assured the person she was speaking to that she wouldn't let everyone down.

Dusty and Meg ate breakfast together in the restaurant at the Lakeview. Meg was concerned about Paul's recent odd demeanor. Paul came downstairs, and Dusty went over to speak to him. Dusty told Paul not to threaten Meg anymore. Paul said that he had not threatened Meg to date; he had simply made his position clear.

Paul said no one was going to take Eliza away from him. Dusty stated that no one was trying to do that, and that Meg wanted Paul to be a father to Eliza, as long as he followed the rules. Paul sarcastically thanked Dusty for granting him access to his own daughter, and then made it clear that he didn't follow anyone's rules anymore.

Dusty asked what Paul intended to do, but Paul said he had nothing further to say to Dusty. Dusty went back to his table with Meg and told Meg that she was right--Paul was acting weirder than usual. Meg said she'd lost her appetite. Dusty suggested they go somewhere else to eat, and they left.

Craig went to Carly's and told her that he wanted her to go with him to the docks to watch their first shipment of Midnight Sun be loaded onto the ship for export. Carly declined, saying that she wanted to go talk to Jack and that she was worried about the kids. Craig told Carly not to worry about Parker and Liberty, because he would know if they tried to leave town. Carly was surprised to learn that Craig was essentially spying on the kids, but Craig said it was just his way of making sure his business partner could concentrate on the business.

Once Carly and Craig arrived at the docks, Craig called Lucy to ask if she could pick Johnny up from school. Craig told Lucy where he was and that he wasn't sure what time his business there would be finished. Lucy assured her father that she would pick up Johnny. Carly and Craig went over the manifest and told Cesar, the dockworker, that everything was ready to go.

Lucy walked up, and, when Cesar said hi to her, Craig asked if the two knew each other. Lucy said no, and Cesar said he was always friendly to pretty girls. Cesar then asked for the manifest, and Carly gave it to him. Craig asked Lucy why she was there. Lucy told him that she had been selected to present a paper at a symposium in Chicago the next day, and she wanted to know if she could take Johnny with her. Craig said absolutely not, but Carly encouraged him to rethink his answer, saying the little trip might be nice for Johnny.

Carly reminded Craig that he was supposed to be trying to trust Lucy again. Craig asked how he could be sure Lucy was really going to Chicago. Carly asked Lucy if Bob Hughes knew about her trip, and Lucy said Bob had recommended her for it. Lucy told Craig he could check on that or hire a private investigator to follow her. Craig said he would do something better, by having Johnny equipped with a microchip so that Craig would know his whereabouts. Craig then told Lucy it was a test for her, and Lucy said she would pass it. Lucy thanked her father and Carly and left to go get Johnny.

Carly and Craig drank some of their vodka to celebrate their first shipment, and Carly told Craig she thought it had been his plan to get her drunk all along. When he asked why she thought that, she pointed out that he had arranged for a car service to give them a ride home from the docks and for Lucy to pick up Johnny. Carly said that home reminded her of Parker, which made her sad, so Craig picked up the box of vodka and suggested they take the party home with them.

When they arrived back at Carly's house, they were both quite drunk. Craig plopped down on the couch next to Carly, accidentally sitting on her, which caused Carly to break out in a fit of laughter. They kissed, and, after a moment, Craig stood up and took Carly's hand, saying, "Let's go." She asked, "Where?" and he replied, "To bed." Carly laughingly agreed, and they headed upstairs.

At the farm, Jack let Janet know that Tom thought Parker's chances of becoming an emancipated minor were much better because Parker had gotten married. Jack blamed Craig, but Janet tried to make Jack see that they needed to focus on the kids, not on Carly and Craig. Janet said Jack was upset with Parker because Parker reminded him of Carly, in that he had lied to Jack and disappointed him.

Janet told Jack she wished that Carly didn't get to him anymore, but she understood why it was so. Janet then said they needed to teach the kids responsibility by backing off and letting them fend for themselves. Jack thought that was what he had done when he had kicked Parker out of the house, but Janet said that hadn't been teaching responsibility, it had been punishment. Jack said he had blown it.

Janet reminded Jack that Parker and Liberty had four parents between them, and she thought she, Jack, Brad, and Carly needed to present a united front. Jack agreed they should all discuss it, but he said Craig absolutely could not be there for the discussion.

Jack and Janet arrived at Carly's. Jack knocked but didn't get an answer. He pushed on the door, and when it opened, he and Janet walked in. Jack called Carly's name. Janet said she would put some coffee on while Jack went upstairs to find Carly. When Jack got upstairs, he opened the bedroom door and found Carly and Craig on the bed, kissing.

Carly and Craig asked what Jack was doing there; he said he had knocked, but no one had answered. He saw the vodka bottle lying on the floor and asked if Carly was drunk. Then he asked what Carly would have done if Sage had come home. Carly said Sage was at school, but Jack said school was over. Carly said Sage had an after-school play date, and that Carly wouldn't be up there with Craig if Sage had been around. Craig said, "Jack, you don't live here anymore, so get out."

Jack stormed off downstairs and told Janet they were leaving. She asked why, but then Carly came downstairs, followed by Craig, who was still putting his clothes back on. Janet quickly understood the personal nature of what Jack had interrupted; she told Carly that she had made some coffee, then she left with Jack. Craig reminded Carly once again that Jack had moved on with his life, and Carly deserved the opportunity to move on with hers. Craig wondered when Jack would finally realize that he had no more claim on Carly.

Craig then asked Carly when Sage was going to be home from her play date, and Carly said Sage was having dinner at the friend's house. Craig suggested they go back upstairs and finish what they started, and Carly agreed. This time, however, she locked the door first and went upstairs with less enthusiasm than she had earlier.

Back at the farm, Janet asked Jack if he was really upset because one of the kids could have walked in on Carly and Craig, or because Carly had been with someone else. Jack said he didn't care who Carly slept with, but "the thought of that guy in my bed ..."

Janet pounced and said it wasn't Jack's bed anymore. Jack said it was a force of habit to think of that house as his, but Janet said Jack still thought of Carly as his, too. Jack told Janet he had a right to be mad at Carly, but Janet shouted, "What gives you the right?" She then stormed upstairs, after telling Jack that she had the right to be mad at him.

Lucy ran into Dusty outside Java and told him about her overnight trip to Chicago. She asked Dusty if he wanted to go. Dusty jumped at the chance and said he would meet Lucy at the Lakeview five minutes later. Lucy called Paul, who was at the hospital to have the stitches in his hand removed. She let him know what she had planned and that she was fulfilling her end of their agreement. Paul was impressed by how quickly Lucy had worked.

Paul hung up and saw Meg. He asked her to remove his stitches, but she said she would get someone else to do it. Meg said she wasn't going to play his games, so Paul said he supposed that meant she didn't want to know where her boyfriend was going that day. Meg said he was probably at the office, but Paul said he had heard that Dusty was going to Chicago with Lucy and Johnny. He suggested Meg call Dusty to find out if Paul was telling the truth. Meg agreed to call, just to get Paul off her back; she got Dusty's voicemail, which said he was out of town for the day.

Dusty called Meg to let her know about his sudden trip to Chicago with Lucy and Johnny. Meg thanked him for telling her, and then she told Paul what Dusty had said. Paul was surprised that Meg was okay with it, but Meg said that was what trust was all about. Paul wondered if he should call Craig to find out if he knew about the trip, since Craig was trusting Lucy to keep Dusty away from Johnny.

Meg asked why Paul would do something so vindictive, except to try to intimidate her. Paul said he didn't want intimidation; he wanted cooperation. He said that since Meg had no problem with Dusty having access to Johnny, he wanted access to Eliza. Paul suggested that Meg bring Eliza to Fairwinds as soon as her shift ended, and Meg reluctantly agreed.

When Meg arrived at Fairwinds with Eliza, she soon realized there was no social worker at the house. Paul said that was because the social worker was only needed for scheduled visits, and this visit had been unplanned. When Meg tried to take Eliza back, Paul threatened to call Craig and tell him about Dusty's trip with Lucy and Johnny.

Meg wondered why Paul didn't just ask if he wanted to spend more time with Eliza, rather than resorting to threats. Paul said it was much easier to get Meg to say "yes" if he made sure she couldn't say "no." He then told her that she was welcome to spend the night with him, if she wanted to make sure he was treating Eliza right.

At the hotel in Chicago, Lucy told Dusty that Johnny had fallen asleep after his big day. Dusty was reading Henry's book, "The Man From Oakdale," and Lucy said it was uncanny how accurate much of what Henry had written about her was. Dusty asked Lucy why she had risked everything by inviting him to join her and Johnny on the trip to Chicago. Lucy said she owed Dusty for having taken Johnny away in the first place.

She said she'd been young and hadn't known whom to trust. She apologized for having been so confused about Dusty before. Dusty said maybe he could have a chance to make up for the time he'd lost with Johnny, and Lucy asked whether she and Dusty might also be able to make up for the time they'd lost.

Dusty asked Lucy where that was coming from. Lucy said she had loved Dusty for a long time, and that didn't just go away. She said that they were both free. Dusty said he was seeing Meg, but Lucy said that had just started. Dusty said it had started years before, when he and Meg were teens.

Lucy said that being there with Dusty and Johnny made her feel at home for the first time in a long time. Dusty said he felt the same way and that the day had been wonderful, in part because he had spent it with her. However, when Lucy moved in closer, Dusty said he was going to go lay down with Johnny. He stopped, though, and first told Lucy that he would always be there for her.