Jason and Carly arrived at the footbridge with beers. Carly talked about how they were finally free from Jagger. Jason admitted that he wasn’t sure if he remembered how to be free and live his life. The only thing that he was sure about was spending time with Jake and Danny until Jake left for Barcelona. She wondered what his new life would look like, as he’d acknowledged that he couldn’t just try to pick up where he’d left off. He replied that he had to keep trying to get through to Sonny, as Sonny was in more trouble than he knew.
Tracy entered the stables and asked Cody if he would mind some company, as she couldn’t sleep. He offered her a beer, and she replied, “Beer me.” Amused, he got beers for them, and he wondered why she couldn’t sleep. She talked about the humming of air conditioning, but she figured not sleeping well would probably be the way it was for her. He offered to put her to work, and she declined. She talked about how making lists in her head would soothe her to sleep, but Cody didn’t know the feeling, as he usually bragged about not being a worrier.
Tracy wondered what was going on, and Cody told her about Mac. “What now?” she asked. He replied that he would usually move on, but he’d promised Maxie and Sasha that he wouldn’t leave. Tracy added that, as his friend as well as his employer, she refused to give him any kind of severance, health insurance, or recommendation if he didn’t give her at least 30 days’ notice. She advised him that family was comfortable, and he figured he’d give it a shot if he ever had a family. Just then, Tracy looked at the door behind Cody. “What are you doing here?” Cody asked when he turned around.
Dex arrived at the police station with dinner for Chase because he knew that Chase was working late. They caught up about Dex’s training, then Chase talked about his history as a cop in Maine and Boston. He advised Dex that it would take time, but Dex would earn everyone’s respect. He told a story about Gregory telling a young Chase to “be so good they have to accept you” when he’d been getting disrespect on a baseball team.
Chase suddenly saddened, talking about Gregory, and Dex assured him that grieving took time. Dex wished that he felt that way about anyone in his family, and he informed Chase that he wasn’t close to his family. He continued that, after he’d joined the Army right out of high school, things had felt right. He added that joining the PCPD, things finally felt right again, like home. Chase assured Dex that he was going to be a good cop, and they left together.
Brook Lynn arrived at Sonny’s, unhappy to also see Natalia there. Sonny revealed that he and Natalia had come up with a plan to salvage Blaze’s career, but they needed Brook Lynn. Natalia explained that she wanted Blaze to put music out on her own independent label, which Sonny would finance. “On one condition,” Sonny added, and he asked Brook Lynn to run the label. “Yeah, no,” Brook Lynn replied. She had a list of demands, including all print and media being managed by her and subject to her approval and that Natalia would get no say in where and when Blaze performed. Natalia wasn’t happy, but Brook Lynn stated that her offer was off the table once she walked out the door.
Natalia refused to be cut out over “one mistake” after getting Blaze to where she was. “It was a hell of a mistake,” Brook Lynn shot back. She declared Natalia’s “maternal authority” over. Natalia knew that Blaze trusted Brook Lynn, and she figured it was time to trust her daughter, so she agreed. As Sonny gave the women drinks for a toast, he told them that they could handle the music while he focused on Ava getting what she deserved. “Hear, hear!” Natalia exclaimed, but Brook Lynn looked worried.
Kristina and Blaze arrived at Crimson, and Nina immediately apologized profusely for her role in the Invader article. Just then, she made a phone call and told someone to get down to her office immediately. She explained to the women that her new editor in chief only cared about clicks and hadn’t thought past that. Kristina knew that it was mostly Ava’s fault, and Nina classed Adrian second-worst after Ava. Just then, Adrian arrived, and Nina introduced Kristina and Blaze to him. She figured it was a good time for him to apologize.
Adrian insisted that he was “truly sorry,” as he hadn’t realized what a big story it would become. He explained that he was under orders from Nina and his own conscience to fully support Kristina and Blaze when they were ready to respond. Nina ordered him out of her office, and he ran out. Nina wondered what she could do for them, as they were obviously there for a reason. Kristina explained that Brook Lynn had set up an interview for them with Perez Hilton, and they were hoping that Nina could coach them in preparation. Nina advised them to just be themselves and show the public that they were doing the best they could, like every other human. She agreed to help them — starting immediately.
