Abe took Lani to the Brady Pub for dinner -- and they eventually started talking about Paulina, who hadn't been seen or heard from since leaving Salem two weeks earlier.

Lani warned Abe that Paulina -- who had a tendency to move from one interest to another at the drop of a hat -- might never return to Salem to follow through with the plan to revamp the town square. "I just figured that she was very busy..." Abe argued. "Too busy to text or call?" Lani countered. "Yeah, you're right -- it is a bit concerning..." Abe admitted.

As if on cue, Abe received a phone call from Paulina just then. "Looks like we spoke too soon," Abe mused before answering the call, using the speakerphone setting for Lani's benefit. "It's been awhile since we heard from you," Lani noted. "I know, and I apologize -- it's just that some stuff came up in my Miami office, and it's just kept me all too busy," Paulina -- who seemed to be sitting in an office at that moment -- explained. "[But] you are coming back to Salem...right?" Abe wondered. "Wild horses couldn't keep me away," Paulina insisted.

Paulina wrapped up the phone conversation after thanking Lani -- and, by extension, Eli -- for having agreed to let Chanel stay with them for the time being. "See? All your concerns were unfounded!" Abe said to Lani, who admitted that, for once, it was actually nice to have been proven wrong. Meanwhile, Paulina unfolded some blueprints and studied them with a hint of guilt. "Not what you had in mind, Abe -- I do know that -- [but...there's] no turning back now..." Paulina muttered with a shrug.

At Julie's Place, Claire and Tripp took turns warning Allie about Chanel's penchant for scamming people out of money. Allie eventually silenced Tripp and Claire and revealed that Chanel was actually an old friend from London. "I don't need you two saving me -- nothing weird is going on here," Allie insisted. "Oh, really? Well, then, how come she was kissing you before?" Claire countered.

"Tripp was here earlier -- he saw the whole thing!" Claire elaborated. "Were you spying on me?" Allie incredulously challenged Tripp. "No, I wasn't 'spying on' you -- I ran into your grandfather, and he said you were here, [and] I just...I wanted to see you, that's all. But when I got here, you were...busy...and so I left," Tripp responded. "[And] how is what Allie and I do any of your business?" Chanel snapped at Tripp. "DuPree...that guy I told you about -- this is him," Allie explained. "You've got to be kidding! This cheapskate is the guy you're into?" Chanel protested, embarrassing Allie and intriguing Tripp.

Allie forced a smile and pulled Tripp outside for a private conversation, leaving Chanel alone with Claire -- who soon mentioned Theo. "You know him," Chanel realized. "Yeah, I do -- [so] I have a pretty good idea of how you treat your 'friends'!" Claire snapped. "Maybe if I use little words, this will get through your head -- I don't want anything from Allie except her friendship!" Chanel countered. "Right -- and a little roll in the hay..." Claire guessed. "What is wrong with you people? Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss!" Chanel stressed.

"It doesn't matter what kind of kiss it was -- and, just so you know, Allie has never been into girls!" Claire argued. "You've led a pretty sheltered life, haven't you?" Chanel concluded. "What's that supposed to mean?" Claire wondered. "It means I'm done listening to you," Chanel answered before starting to storm off. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Claire called out, stopping Chanel. "Allie said she would pay for the drinks...but if you don't believe me, call the cops," Chanel responded. "Maybe I will!" Claire warned.

Meanwhile, Allie started to say something to Tripp about the earlier kiss with Chanel. "You don't owe me an explanation," Tripp acknowledged. "I know, but I just don't want you to get the wrong idea -- not that it would be 'wrong,' [but]... I just mean... I'm not gay or bi -- Chanel and I are just really good friends," Allie clarified. "With benefits?" Tripp translated. "No, not at all -- just...one second, we were reminiscing on all of our great times, and then the next, she kissed me... But it's really not a big deal -- it was totally a one-time thing," Allie elaborated.

"There's nothing going on with Chanel and me -- and I want you, of all people, to know that," Allie stressed. "Why?" Tripp wondered. "Because...I just wanted you to know," Allie claimed with a shrug. "Right..." Tripp responded. "And...now you do, [so]..." Allie added before starting to head back inside the restaurant.

"Look, maybe I shouldn't say this..." Tripp awkwardly began, stopping Allie. "Say...what?" Allie prodded Tripp. "Chanel asked if I was the guy you were 'into' -- or, technically, the 'cheapskate' you were 'into' --" Tripp continued. "No, you're not -- at all!" Allie insisted. "Oh... Okay... I'm sorry -- I just thought I kind of felt a vibe between us..." Tripp concluded. "I meant you're not a 'cheapskate,'" Allie clarified. "Oh! Okay -- so...I am the guy you're 'into'?" Tripp translated.

"I don't know... I mean, I do know, but... It's complicated, obviously," Allie responded. "Does that have to be a bad thing?" Tripp wondered. "How could it not be? [I mean], I screwed up your life in so many ways -- and I know you forgave me, but...for months, you had people hating you and judging you, and that was all because of my mistake, so...how can there ever be anything between us?" Allie argued. "I thought we agreed that everything in the past was behind us," Tripp countered. "That's what I want..." Allie admitted.

"[But]...I don't know how you could just let it all go -- how you could ever see me as anything more than just a friend," Allie explained. "I do know -- 'cause I have let all that go," Tripp declared. "Maybe I should just stop talking," Tripp realized before giving Allie a kiss -- just as Chanel exited the restaurant, having apparently found a way to end the earlier standoff with Claire. "Fast work!" Chanel raved, prompting Allie and Tripp to pull away from each other. "Oh, keep doing what you were doing!" Chanel encouraged Tripp and Allie. "We'll have drinks again -- my treat -- as soon as I get a job," Chanel assured Allie before rushing off.

"That one is something else..." Tripp mused with a shake of the head. "Yeah, she really is...but in a good way -- you just have to get to know her," Allie stressed before starting to say goodbye to Tripp, having just received a text message from Roman. "I could go with you [to pick up Henry], if you want..." Tripp offered. "No, it's okay -- [but]...talk later?" Allie responded. "Sure, yeah..." Tripp agreed with a smile as Allie walked away.

Gabi entered the DiMera mansion with a sigh and joined Jake in the living room then started complaining about unreliable vendors. "That's exactly what I need -- could you pour me one of those?" Gabi begged Jake, who was holding a glass of whiskey. "Make it yourself," Jake snapped. "Nice mood -- what's the matter with you?" Gabi wondered. "Kate's gone," Jake grumbled.

Gabi was stunned to hear that Kate had abruptly left Salem for parts unknown earlier that day. "I can imagine her dumping you, but I can't see her walking away from DiMera and her precious Chad -- [and besides], why would she all of a sudden want to leave town when all her family is here?" Gabi mused. "I don't know...[but] her parting shot was that you and me, we should team up and run DiMera together -- that we're a match made in heaven," Jake responded. "Funny -- that's what you said you and Kate were," Gabi noted. "Yeah, well...I was wrong -- it's happened before, [but] not very often," Jake explained.

"I was wrong about me and Gwen [and] about me and Kate...but you and me -- maybe I wasn't wrong [about us, after all]..." Jake declared before suddenly trying to kiss Gabi -- and earning a slap for the effort. "You rejected me because you were so crazy about Kate -- [and] you're not gonna come crawling back to me two seconds after she walked out that door, [because] I do not want to have Kate's sloppy seconds!" Gabi snapped at Jake before storming upstairs.

Later, Jake personally delivered a martini to Gabi's bedroom as a peace offering of sorts. "Just the way I like it," Gabi observed, eyeing the three olives in the drink. "You think I'd forget?" Jake responded before starting to leave. "Wait," Gabi called out, stopping Jake.

"Look, I know that you're hurting -- I mean, I was hurting, too, when you told me you wanted to spend your life with Kate and not me -- but, just so you know, that pain doesn't last forever," Gabi advised. "[So], it was easy for you to get over me," Jake translated before admitting that was a somewhat hurtful thing to hear. "That's not even what I'm saying, [actually] -- I'm just saying...I loved you, and then you loved Kate...and before that, you loved Gwen, and I've loved other men, including your brother --" Gabi tried to clarify. "Who do you love now?" Jake wondered. "Can we please just stay on track?" Gabi snapped, and Jake nodded in agreement.

"We grow up believing these fairytales that we have this one true love -- that the glass slipper's gonna fit, and the prince's kiss is gonna wake us up, and we're all gonna live happily ever after -- but that's a load of crap! [Look], I believe in making your own fairytales, [so]...just don't give up on love, and you'll be fine. [Plus, who knows] -- maybe there's somebody out there [who's even] better for you [than Kate was]," Gabi concluded. "Maybe I'm looking at her," Jake suggested.

Kristen continued driving while yelling at Kate for having almost caused them to get into a potentially deadly accident with another driver -- someone who had seemingly managed to swerve their vehicle then continue on their way. Meanwhile, Brady's vehicle ground to a halt after hitting a tree somewhere within the woods surrounding the road.

"How are you even awake? I gave you enough sedative to knock out an elephant!" Kristen grumbled before attempting to inject Kate with the needle of a second syringe that had already been prepared at some point for just such an emergency -- but, at that same time, Kate was trying to strangle Kristen, who was still driving in the midst of all the chaos. "You're gonna get us killed!" Kristen snapped before finally managing to plunge the needle of the syringe into Kate's left wrist, ending their struggle.

"We are almost to the airfield -- and then you will be out of my hair for good!" Kristen spat as Kate slumped toward the rear passenger-side door -- but then, to Kristen's dismay, Kate opened the door and rolled out of the vehicle. Annoyed, Kristen parked the vehicle on the side of the road then started searching the area for Kate. Meanwhile, Brady regained consciousness and shakily reached for a nearby cell phone then called for an ambulance -- but passed out again while telling the 9-1-1 operator about what had happened.

At the hospital, Lucas squirmed as Chloe accused Sami of having posed as Dr. Dunn earlier. "What? Oh, that's ridiculous -- isn't it, Lucas? [I mean, Chloe's] obviously upset -- she's going through the five stages of grief [because] she can't come to terms with your diagnosis, [and] this is denial...right, Lucas?" Sami protested with a nervous laugh. Lucas played along, but Chloe wasn't convinced.

"'Dr. Dunn' was Stan -- and 'Stan' is you!" Chloe snapped at Sami, who scoffed and feigned ignorance while again looking to Lucas for help. "Wait a minute -- didn't you tell me that Dr. Dunn's first name was 'Michael'?" Lucas challenged Chloe, prompting Sami to insist that Dr. Dunn's visitor badge had indeed featured that first name. "Oh, stop it -- you did not run into Dr. Dunn [earlier, Sami]! You disguised yourself, [just] like you did, like, 15 years ago, [and pretended to be Dr. Dunn]!" Chloe maintained.

"Oh, wow -- I had totally forgotten all about that [disguise]..." Sami claimed with a wistful shake of the head. "Oh, the hell you had!" Chloe argued before seeking confirmation from Lucas that "Dr. Dunn" had borne a striking resemblance to Sami's old alter ego, Stan. "Eh, maybe a little, sure..." Lucas responded with a shrug. "Oh, come on -- 'Dr. Dunn' was a dead ringer for Stan! You had to have seen that...unless... Wait a minute -- are you in on this with Sami?" Chloe challenged Lucas.

"Lucas, if you care about me, you're gonna tell me what's really going on here!" Chloe demanded -- just as Kayla exited a nearby elevator. "Oh -- Sami... You're here..." Kayla observed before Lucas could give Chloe an answer. "So, you must have heard about Brady, [then]..." Kayla concluded. "No -- what about him?" Sami responded. "He was in a car accident [on] Route 9," Kayla elaborated. "Is he gonna be okay?" Chloe wondered. "The EMT just said that he had swerved off the road and crashed, [so]...I don't know," Kayla admitted before rushing off to get ready for Brady's arrival.

Chloe started to follow Kayla -- and Lucas tried to tag along for emotional support. "No -- you have been lying to me this entire time, so just stay the hell away from me!" Chloe spat before storming off -- and Lucas shot Sami a glare as soon as the coast was clear. "I knew she would recognize you -- or should I say 'Stan'!" Lucas grumbled. "Oh, my God -- who cares, okay? Brady might actually be dying!" Sami fretted. "Listen, I care about Brady, [too]...but what are we gonna do about Chloe [now that] she knows we want to get her out of town?" Lucas wondered. "You tell me, since you're the one who told Chloe you were dying in the first place!" Sami snapped. "You're the one who pulled Stan out of your bag of tricks -- that's what tipped her off!" Lucas countered.

"The next time I'm alone with her, I am gonna tell her everything," Lucas decided before changing the subject, advising Sami to fill John and Marlena in on the situation with Brady. "I think [they're] having dinner at the Bistro," Sami recalled while retrieving a cell phone -- which started ringing just as Lucas headed off in search of an update on Brady's condition.

"Look, I don't have time to talk to you right now -- I'm at the hospital --" Sami began after answering the call. "You know what? If you don't do exactly as I say right this second, I'm gonna hang up, and I'm gonna call E.J. --" Kristen warned. "You don't understand --" Sami continued. "Do you think I'm playing a game, Sami?" Kristen snapped.

"Kristen, listen to me! I'm at the hospital -- and they just brought Brady here!" Sami concluded. "What happened?" Kristen stammered, fighting back tears. "I'm not exactly sure, but his car went off the road somewhere on Route 9," Sami clarified. "Route 9?" Kristen repeated with a gasp of horror, connecting the dots. "He's alive...but that's all Kayla would tell me," Sami elaborated. "I'm on my way!" Kristen stressed. "Bring your dentures, okay? You can't just go walking around here like --" Sami advised before realizing that Kristen had already ended the call.

Meanwhile, Kayla examined Brady with the help of a nurse. "Pupils are even, so no brain injury --" Kayla observed. "Blood pressure's dropping!" the nurse reported. "Poor capillary refill -- possible internal injuries --" Kayla noticed -- just as Chloe entered Brady's room and requested an update. "Not now, Chloe!" Kayla snapped -- just as a flatline alarm started blaring. "We're losing him!" Kayla fretted as the nurse prepared a defibrillator. "Please, you can't let him die!" Chloe begged, fighting back tears.

Lucas rejoined Sami at the nurses' station and started to provide an update on Brady's condition -- but Kristen approached just then, disguised as Kate, and begged Sami to reveal whether "he" was all right. Lucas assumed that Chloe had told Kate about the brain tumor, and Sami agreed that Chloe was the type of person who didn't know how to keep a secret. Lucas started to set the record straight, but Kristen tiredly interrupted as Kate then stormed off. "That was weird..." Lucas mused. "Super weird -- [I mean], where could she possibly be going, and what would be more important to Kate than finding out that her son is dying?" Sami responded.

Kayla eventually managed to get Brady stabilized. "How bad is it?" Chloe wondered. "I won't know until I take him to surgery," Kayla answered before rushing off to schedule the procedure. "Please, Brady, hold on -- Rachel needs her daddy; we all need you. I need you to hang in there, okay? I need you to pull through," Chloe stressed while grasping Brady's left hand.

Brady suddenly stirred then looked at Chloe. "Kristen..." Brady began with great effort. "No -- it's me," Chloe clarified, somewhat hurt, before explaining why Brady was in the hospital. "No, Chloe -- 'Kristen'..." Brady tried to continue. "What?" Chloe prodded Brady. "'Kristen' -- she's not Kristen," Brady managed to conclude, leaving Chloe confused -- but Kristen, who was still disguised as Kate and had arrived in time to hear the statement but had not yet been noticed, seemed to understand exactly what it meant.

Meanwhile, Kate slowly crawled through the woods surrounding Route 9 while weakly whispering for help from Jake -- who was still at the DiMera mansion and seemed to be seconds away from trying to kiss Gabi again.