At Alan and Gus' crash site, Harley and Mallet are wrapping up an unofficial birthday "party" for Gus when a figure appears to be coming towards them. Both Harley and Mallet think it may be Gus and call out his name. It turns out to be Beth. When they question her about why she's there, she says she is there to mourn Alan and knew it was Gus' birthday. She tells Harley she wants to help her. When Harley asks how she thinks she can help, Beth reminds her they both lost husbands in the crash. Beth admits that while her relationship with Alan couldn't be compared to Harley's with Gus, she did have a rich history with Alan as a mentor, friend and husband in her own way. He had been a part of her life forever. When Beth offers her a tissue to wipe away her tears, Harley insists she is shedding no tears. Beth says it must be the cold wind causing tears in Harley's eyes and pulls out some tissue. When she does, a package of birthday candles falls from her purse.
Mallet picks up the candles and asks what she's doing with them. Beth begins to cry, saying she had them for Harley because of Gus' birthday. She says she came up to the crash site for Harley, to try to be closer to her. She needed to connect with Harley. She sobs more. Harley thanks Beth. Beth leaves.
At Spaulding Enterprises, Dinah argues with herself about calling Mallet, saying even though he's working late with his ex-wife she needn't worry about what he's doing. Frank comes in and tells her Mallet and Harley both clocked out from the precinct hours earlier. He's there to return some calls to Alan-Michael personally. Alan-Michael enters, saying he didn't place any calls to Frank. After Dinah excuses herself, Frank tells Alan-Michael he should not try to contact Marina while she's in California. Alan-Michael tells Frank that he cares about Marina. He thinks Frank should let Marina make her own adult decisions. Frank reminds Alan-Michael that in the past he ripped Frank's guts out by taking someone he loved, Eleni. When Alan-Michael says Marina is Frank's daughter and not his ex-wife, Frank tells him to watch it. Alan-Michael tells Frank that he's on Alan-Michael's turf. Frank responds that he thought the CEO office was Harley's turf. When Frank leaves, Alan-Michael mutters it won't be Cooper turf much longer.
Dinah finds Alan-Michael writing a press release about her. He tells her they need to put out the good stuff about her so that everyone feels comfortable with her working in Harley's absence. He's also included a small PR piece on him. She protests so he throws the release in the trash. After he leaves, Dinah takes the press release from the trash and decides to re-write it so it is more accurate. Outside the office, Alan-Michael looks pleased that Dinah has taken his bait.
Alan-Michael returns to the office. Dinah tells him she's just about finished up working. He sees that she has enhanced the press release and tells her it looks good. Dinah points out that she has mentioned she and Alan-Michael are there temporarily to see that Harley's policies are maintained. After Dinah leaves, Alan-Michael shreds the release that she wrote and replaces it with the one he wrote. Meanwhile in the office lobby, Dinah sees Mallet has left her no messages. So she decides she will not leave messages for him either.
Harley shows up in the CEO office, after her earlier encounter with Mallet and Beth in the woods at the crash-site. This is just after Alan-Michael has planted the false press release in the desk drawer. After Harley tells him briefly about her encounter, Alan-Michael suggests she leave a note for Dinah; she can find paper and pen in the drawer. Harley discovers the "press release."
Alan-Michael asks if she's sure it's a press release. Harley says yes. It is a release written by Dinah about herself. Harley asks Alan-Michael if he wrote one for himself. He says only a few sentences about how they were all looking forward to Harley coming back to Spaulding. Harley reads in 'Dinah's' press release about how suited Dinah is to running a worldwide conglomerate. She starts to tell Alan-Michael how it makes her sound so...Alan-Michael asks, "What?" Harley replies, "Nothing, I'm just tired." She turns down an offer of a drink from him and remains alone in the office. She takes out one of the birthday candles she retrieved from Beth, lights it, and says, "Gus."
At Company, Olivia storms in while shouting, "Why me?" She tells Buzz that Reva had asked to borrow the cabin at Cross Creek. Olivia was all for since that would leave Josh on his own in Springfield. But where does Josh end up being? In Olivia's words, "Okla-frikkin-homa!" Olivia tells Buzz she's decided to leave romance out of her life for a while and just jump into doing what she feels like doing at the moment. Just like the night she and Buzz spent at the inn. Buzz says he doesn't want her to include Frank in her new idea of "casual-sex land." Olivia says she feels that Buzz is judging her. Frank arrives and tells Buzz to back off.
Frank takes Buzz aside and tells him he's out of line. If Olivia wants to take it slow, he'll wait. Buzz counters that 'slow' isn't the problem. Frank says he doesn't want to end up alone with no one to go home to. Buzz says, "Like me." Frank apologizes to Buzz, saying it is only partially true. He asks Buzz when was the last time he really fell for a woman and felt like the luckiest guy in the world. Buzz tells him that is was more recently than Frank knew. Buzz tells Frank he had no right to come between him and Olivia and would butt out.
After Frank gets a call from police headquarters, Olivia approaches Buzz and tells him if he is uncomfortable with her pursuit of Frank, she will end it. Buzz says Frank's a good kid, be good to him. He says he has something he has to do and goes outside. He looks through the window into Company and watches Frank and Olivia laughing together.
At the cabin, Alan, after being drugged by Beth, comes to then passes out again. Gus stumbles back into the cabin, finding Alan collapsed. He tells Alan that he was not able to get to the road. He says they have to find a way to get out of there. He passes out. After he regains consciousness, Gus reaches in the drawer and takes one of the last of the pain pills which Alan had stashed. He tells Alan he has a plan to get them out of there. He props Alan up against the wall and tells him that when Beth returns, he needs to distract her so Gus can knock her out. They will then take her car to safety and call Harley to tell her they are okay. Alan mutters that Beth has left them to die. After moving him over to the bed, Alan loses consciousness again. As Gus looks over to a glass of water on the dresser, he too passes out.
When Gus and Alan regain consciousness, they are both tied up. Beth is circling them, hitting them with a stick. Alan says he knows she drugged him. To this, Beth replies it was with the same pills he had planned to slip her. Gus tells her this situation is insane. She asks them what the plan had been - knock her out, steal her car? Alan asks her to be realistic. Beth bends before him and asks, "How? By letting you go?" She seductively licks the side of his face. She tells Gus she saw Harley saying a very final goodbye to him. At Harley's side was Mallet, more than willing to take up where Gus left off. She tells Gus and Alan, "Life goes on. Well, hey, at least for some of us anyway." She leaves them.
At the hotel, after leaving Spaulding, Dinah is banging on Mallet's door as he arrives home. They share some awkward banter about what they had both been up to, when Mallet admits he had been with Harley for Gus' birthday at the crash site. Mallet told Dinah about how weird it was seeing Beth show up there. He says Beth "weirds [him] out." Mallet says Harley's his partner, what should he do? Dinah tells him grieving takes quite some time. She is glad she and Mallet have no emotional ties; they have no holds over one another. Mallet says, "Casual, yeah. Lucky." They kiss passionately.
Josh sits by an unconscious Reva's bedside in the hospital room she shares with Billy. He talks about their life together and all they've been through, and begs her to wake up. Billy tries to explain how the accident happened, but Josh cuts him short, revealing that he found the bottle of booze and knows that Billy had been drinking and driving. Billy swears he can quit booze and that he'll do anything to take care of Reva. He also accuses Josh of playing games with Reva, which leads Josh to realize that Billy is in love with Reva too. Josh says he hasn't revealed the fact that Billy was drinking to anyone, but it doesn't mean that he won't eventually. Jeffrey arrives and offers to contact Cassie and the rest of the family. When Josh leaves the room, Billy speaks to Reva, who responds to his voice.
Cassie shows up at Sandy's apartment. Sandy thinks she's there to enlist his help in separating Tammy and Jonathan. Cassie gets a call about Reva's accident before she reveals her true reason for the visit. Sandy tells Cassie he will travel to the hospital with her to see Reva.
Tammy and Jonathan show up at the hospital and run into Sandy who informs them that he came with Cassie. Jonathan gets agitated and tells Sandy to find his own family. Sandy seems ready to retaliate when he's approached by a man with an envelope. Turns out that Cassie has filed a restraining order to keep Sandy away from Tammy. Sandy is livid as he's escorted from the hospital by Jeffrey. Jonathan talks to Reva with no response. Jonathan leaves the hospital. When he returns, Tammy asks him where he has been, but he only answers that he needed to take care of business. Sandy arrives home to find his apartment trashed and blames Jonathan for the mess.
Lizzie tells Coop of her recent purchase of Quinn's penthouse. She explains that all of Quinn's items are being removed so there will be no "bad memories" and invites Coop to visit her there later. Coop hedges and Lizzie realizes it's too soon. Ava gets hit on by a handsome customer. Coop is suspicious of the guy, but Lizzie tells him not to worry. Ava agrees to meet up with the guy later. Outside Company, Lizzie meets up with the handsome stranger and pays him off. The stranger is no stranger, he's an escort hired by Lizzie to keep Ava and Coop apart. Coop spies Lizzie talking with the stranger, but Lizzie fakes giving the guy directions to explain the conversation away.
Alan-Michael is aggressively working out with a very determined look on his face: jumping rope, push-ups, sit-ups and working up quite a sweat! He dresses meticulously in a white shirt, dark grey suit and red tie as "Fortunate Son" by Credence Clearwater Revival plays.
Alan-Michael and Marina spend a few minutes together outside Company. They exchange notes about their day. Marina is surprised that Alan-Michael's day includes both the reading of Alan's Will and then a Press Conference. Today is the day that Harley will announce Alan-Michael's appointment as CEO of Spaulding temporarily and Alan-Michael is ready. He suggests that he and Marina meet up later. Later in the CEO's office at Spaulding as he places his briefcase on the desk, a Spaulding Enterprises scrapbook appears and is opened by Alan-Michael as a young boy in flashback. One of Alan's staff, Amy, welcomes Alan-Michael and tells him how happy they are to see him visit. When Alan-Michael asks after his father, Amy tells him that he's in a meeting but that perhaps one day people will write about him sitting in his Father's big chair. Young Alan-Michael looks at the chair and back in the present, Alan-Michael touches the chair as Alexandra comes in to the office. She asks if Alan-Michael is ready and he tells her he's been ready all his life.
At the Mansion, as Alan-Michael walks towards the library he sees a large vase on a table. His mind goes back to a telephone conversation he heard as a small boy between his father and his mother, Hope. Alan is upset that Alan-Michael is visiting as he had not agreed to have him for the week. He tells Hope he's a very busy man and even too busy for his son. Alan-Michael runs and deliberately knocks the vase off the table. Alan is angry and tells him he'll deduct the value of the vase from his salary once Alan-Michael starts working for the company.
At Company a happy Marina chats to Harley about her relationship with Alan-Michael. Marina admits that he has a past but that she really likes him and that his past doesn't worry her. She thinks it's fate that she met up with Alan-Michael the night of the blackout just when she was breaking up with Danny. Harley hopes that Alan-Michael works out better for Marina than Danny did.
Alexandra joins Alan-Michael in the corridor outside the library and tells him that after the events of the day, they need to sit and talk together about their places in the family. She counsels Alan-Michael that for the sake of appearances he needs to look as if he is mourning his father. She tells him that Alan did love him in his own way. Once in the library, Alan-Michael welcomes and consoles Hilda, Jeremy the Butler and his niece, Lizzie. Beth approaches him and tells him how she had hoped that Alan would come home but that she wishes Alan-Michael to know that he has her full support.
Marina and Harley continue to talk about Alan-Michael as Marina raises the question of his being a Spaulding and how she can convince her Dad to give him a chance. Harley tells her he's not like other Spauldings and that she feels bad about asking him to step in to help her run Spaudling Enterprises, even temporarily. Marina hopes that Alan-Michael becoming CEO won't turn him into a Spaulding and that perhaps the Bauer in him is what makes him different.
Back at the Mansion, the lawyer arrives to read Alan's Will. He's introduced to Alan-Michael, whom he hasn't met before. Alexandra explains that Alan-Michael was raised mostly in New York by his mother, Hope Bauer. The lawyer remembers how much family meant to Alan and how good he was with Phillip. Alan-Michael agrees with him as his mind goes back to an event in his childhood. He's playing with toy cars in the library and asks a pre-teen Phillip to join him. Phillip declines but Alan-Michael hands him a red car because it's the nicest one. Alan interrupts the two boys and asks who wants to go and watch him work. Alan-Michael begs to be taken along but Alan leaves with just Phillip, telling Alan-Michael that his turn will come.
Harley assures Marina that she won't allow the CEO'ship of SE to interfere with her life and relationship with Alan-Michael. She promises Marina that the appointment will be temporary.
Alexandra learns that Alan left her three large Spaulding properties. He couldn't leave her the Spaulding Mansion as it rightfully belongs to whomever is CEO of SE. Beth receives a trust from Alan to allow her to maintain her present standard of living. Beth sneers and refers to it as an allowance, wondering if Alan also left her a paper route. Alan-Michael remembers that Alan was giving. In his mind he recalls a time in his college years when Alan was unable to attend an award ceremony for him because he had to go to California with Phillip. As an alternative, Alan gives Alan-Michael a large sum of money and tells him to spend it wisely. His mind then drifts to a time when he wanted so much to join his father at SE. He suggests ideas for marketing and at each turn Alan puts him down and lets him know that he will never be as smart in business as Phillip. As a final indignity Alan tells Alan-Michael that he needs to wear a tie that suggests power rather than one that makes him look like a Prep school nerd.
Alan-Michael is brought back to the present by the arrival of Marina who has come to give him her support. The lawyer hands Alan-Michael a small, white envelope. When Alan-Michael opens it he finds what Alan has left him in his Will: one dime drops out into the palm of his hand. Alan-Michael's mind goes back, yet again, and this time to the night of the black out. Alan is waiting for him and is happy to see him. He begs Alan-Michael to help him with the Company and his fortune to keep it away from the Coopers. Alan-Michael reminds him that he only wants him now because there's no one else. Phillip is gone and Gus hates him. Alan says that it's his turn now and that he remembers how Alan-Michael always said that the Company ran through his blood. Alan-Michael assures him it still does but that he doesn't need Alan any longer but he agrees to toss for it with a dime. If Alan wins, Alan-Michael will help him. Alan calls out 'heads' and wins.
As the family is shocked by what Alan has left Alan-Michael, the Lawyer explains that there is an instruction. Alan-Michael is to be given the dime 'heads' up and asks if that means anything to him? Alan-Michael says that it does.
Marina tries to comfort Alan-Michael who tells her that nothing he ever did as a child was enough for his father. He was never enough because he wasn't Phillip. He tells Marina that sometimes when he went to the house, people didn't even know who he was. Marina tells Alan-Michael that she knows who he is. She tells Alan-Michael about all the little things that she's noticed about him that make him special and that she pays attention to him. She sees those things that she feels will make him a great man. She tells him he's going to be the best Spaulding ever as he doesn't need power to justify who he is.
Alan-Michael goes to the Spaulding family mausoleum and looks at Alan and Phillip's joint plaque. Alan-Michael comments that they were inseparable even in death. He takes a rose and leaves the dime in payment.
As he arrives for the Press Conference, Marina gives him a red car, telling Alan-Michael that it reminds her of the night they met.
At the Press Conference, to Alan-Michael's dismay, Harley appoints Dinah Marler as temporary CEO of Spaulding Enterprises. Alan-Michael tries to curb his anger when Harley tells him that he can thank her later for saving him from a job that she knew he didn't want anyway. Marina is overjoyed by Harley's decision and thanks her aunt. As everyone drifts away, Dinah asks Alan-Michael if he will stay on a little longer to help her. He agrees and as Dinah leaves with Alexandra, Alan-Michael is left standing alone at the podium.
Still seething from Harley's decision to name Dinah CEO, Alan-Michael resolves to get between her and Harley - by any means necessary, including Mallet. Alan-Michael tries to make Dinah jealous by talking about Mallet and Harley working undercover together, prompting them to tell a little white lie about their last job - leaving out the kiss they shared while pretending to be husband and wife. Later, Blake, who is looking out for Dinah, pumps Harley about her real feelings for Mallet, but Harley insists she has none. Blake leaves for D.C. to visit Ross, and Harley continues having lunch with Cassie - with neither woman realizing that Alan-Michael has planted a bug and is listening in. Which means that when Harley confesses about sleeping with Mallet - Alan-Michael is there to hear it all. Reva regains consciousness, and Josh urges Billy to confess that he was drinking when they got into their accident. Billy, however, makes a confession of another kind, and tells Reva he'd like her to give them another chance! Reva gently lets Billy down, insisting that Josh is her destiny, but Billy refuses to give up. As Reva is getting ready to leave the hospital, Josh suggests they get her a room at the Beacon next to his. Reva bristles that Josh thinks he always has to take care of her, but eventually agrees. Meanwhile, Billy confesses his drinking and driving to Frank. Cassie reveals to Tammy that Jonathan broke into Sandy's room and trashed it. Jonathan confirms and adds that he threatened the little weasel's life, too! Tammy points out that the restraining order will keep Sandy away from her, but Jonathan isn't budging - he's going to keep her safe from Sandy, and he's going to do it his way.
Josh is getting Reva settled into her room at the Beacon. Reva keeps trying to insist that she's fine, but Josh is adamant about her staying there while she recovers. When Reva asks if Billy's going to drop by later, Josh is noncommittal. Reva wants to call Billy but Josh keeps telling her that's not a good idea. Reva tells him that she's worried about Billy--the guilt over the accident could have driven him back to drinking. Josh isn't very concerned. When Reva keeps insisting on calling Billy and even gets up to do so, Josh blurts out that Billy's in jail since he'd been drinking the night of the accident. Reva doesn't believe it at first, so Josh tells her that he found a bottle of bourbon in the car the night of the accident. When Reva asks how the police never found it, Josh admitted that he pocketed the evidence. Billy is only in jail now because he confessed. This whole revelation upsets Reva and she insists that Josh has to do something to help Billy. Josh isn't very receptive and argues that Billy almost killed Reva. When Reva keeps pleading with Josh to help his brother, Josh finally gives in and goes to the jail.
At the prison, Billy is adamant that he wants to defend himself. Frank doesn't think that's a very good idea and tries to talk Billy into getting a lawyer. Billy responds that he doesn't want one--he wants to get this over with. Frank tells Billy that his previous record and the fact that someone was injured, Billy could be looking at stiff penalties. Frank's not successful in talking him out of it and informs him that Reva's been released from the hospital. He goes on to state that Josh took her home and suggested that this could get them back together.
At Company, Coop compliments Ava on the outfit, and perfume, she's wearing. Up close and personal, he asks what the occasion is and she admits she has a date after work. At that moment, Lizzie enters and is pleased to overhear that Ava has a date. After congratulating her, Lizzie sneaks off to call Brian--Ava's date. She promises him a big bonus if he keeps Ava busy all night.
Outside Company, Jonathan and Tammy are kissing and proclaiming their love for each other. Suddenly, Jonathan gets an idea and tells Tammy he has to leave in order to do something for her. Leaving a confused Tammy behind, he runs off and then calls Ava asking her to help him plan something for Tammy. At this point, Tammy has gone inside Company so Ava goes outside to speak with Jonathan. She tries to tell him that she doesn't have the time since she has a date tonight. However, he succeeds in talking her into it.
Cassie is at Cedars to visit Reva and is informed by Jeffrey that she's been released. After some awkward small talk, Jeffrey breaks the ice by inviting her to Farley's to hear his band. Before she can answer, Jonathan comes in and asks if either of them are doing anything tonight, he wants to invite them to something. He tells them that it's something for Tammy; it'd make her happy. Cassie doesn't seem too keen on the idea and Jonathan snaps that she can support her daughter and then walks off. Confused about what that was about, Cassie decides to check on Tammy.
Back at Company, Lizzie is telling Tammy that she saw Ava outside talking with Jonathan. Lizzie doesn't trust Ava and tells Tammy she thinks Ava and Jonathan were plotting something. A little later, after Lizzie unsuccessfully invites Coop to a movie, Ava approaches Tammy and Lizzie's table and suddenly asks Tammy's dress size. She tells Tammy that she'd gotten a part time job at a store and is conducting a survey. She then asks what kind of vacations Tammy likes. Suddenly there's a delivery for Tammy--fresh flowers from Jonathan. Lizzie deduces that Jonathan must be planning on marrying her tonight. Tammy scoffs but Lizzie goes on about how maybe he'll whisk her away like he did at her other wedding. Tammy thinks the idea is crazy but quickly warms to it and asks Lizzie to be a bridesmaid. Tammy quickly tries to dismiss the notion saying she couldn't do it without her family. At that point, Cassie arrives and asks if Tammy knows anything about Jonathan's invitation.
Billy wakes up in jail to find Josh watching him. Josh informs Billy that Reva's been released from the hospital and knows he's there. Billy seems disappointed and Josh accuses him of confessing just so Reva would feel sorry for him. At this point, Jeffrey arrives and tells Josh that his brother needs a lawyer. Josh tells Jeffrey and Frank that he's there to post Billy's bail. He goes on to tell them that Billy was confused the night of the accident, he wasn't drinking; there's no proof at all. He goes on to tell them that at some point soon, Billy's going to remember and recant his confession. Jeffrey asks how Josh can be so sure that Billy wasn't drinking that night and Josh says because he was there--Billy was sober and he will testify to that.
When Billy finds out what Josh did for him, he accuses Josh of playing hero. Josh explains that he's helping him because Reva asked him to. Billy thinks Reva feels sorry for him. Josh tells him that Reva loves him, maybe not the way Billy would want, but she loves him. He then warns Billy that if he hurts Reva again, he'll wish he never got out of that jail cell.
Jonathan visits Reva at the Beacon. Reva notices Jonathan's very good mood and asks him about it. Jonathan tells her that he confessed something to Tammy and she accepted him anyway. A very happy Jonathan tells Reva that he was always afraid that he'd wreck his good thing with Tammy, but now he doesn't feel like that anymore. Reva tells him she's happy for him but reminds him that he shouldn't stop from being a good person just because Tammy accepts him for who he is.
Jonathan then invites Reva to a celebration tonight. It's for Tammy, but he won't give any details. At first Reva agrees to help him, but then she gets a sharp pain and decides it's best if she rests for now. Jonathan tells Reva that tonight he's going to prove to everyone how much Tammy means to him.
At Company, Lizzie's left and Cassie spots the flowers Jonathan got Tammy. Cassie makes a comment that buying flowers is easy, showing you're worthy of love day in and day out is tougher. Tammy tries to convince Cassie that Jonathan is a good person. She then asks what if she and Jonathan were together forever. What if they had kids? Cassie would have to accept him them. Cassie immediately thinks Tammy's pregnant but Tammy assures her she's not. She admits that she thinks Cassie's invitation is to her and Jonathan's wedding and asks if Cassie will come. Cassie is shocked and tries to convince Tammy that she's too young to get married. Tammy points out that Cassie was fine with her marrying Sandy. Cassie tries another approach and reminds Tammy what Jonathan had done to her, but Tammy insists that she's gotten over that and can't figure out why Cassie can't. Cassie tells Tammy that she deserves better than Jonathan. Tammy harshly tells Cassie not to make her choose between her and Jonathan because she'd pick her husband.
