'Chance' Conversation Changes Adam's Plans - and Kyle Breaks Bad News to Harrison

As Nick is looking at his phone at Newman Enterprises, Chance appears as he is throwing down his file. Ashland's death hasn't leaked yet if that's what he's looking for. The problem is that Chance cannot reach Victoria. This nightmare was Nick's earlier, but he is now far away from it. Kyle worries about telling Harrison about Ashland to Jack at the Abbott house. Jack's grandson loved him so much that it breaks his heart.

Kyle reflects that the lack of goodbye made it worse - knowing how that feels, it kills him to think how much loss his son has endured in his short life. In Jack's opinion, he has also gained. In an agonizing moment, Kyle tells his son that he would give anything not to have to break the news to him. Harrison remembers Jack telling him about Diane... that's how he knows he will never forget it.

At Crimson Lights, Adam greets Sharon and orders a black coffee with espresso. In preparation for Tessa's procedure today, Sharon is putting together a care package for her. That's nice, Adam says. A person calls him and thanks him for booking his flight to Vegas. He steps aside to take the call. It occurs to Sharon that he might be going out of town alone.” Assuming that he and Sally couldn't work things out, she assumes that they didn't work things out.

Adam wonders why she would even think that was possible. Sally confided in Sharon that she was confused about him giving her one reason for the breakup and her another. Her most striking impression is that Sally seems to love him, and accepts him despite his flaws. In Adam's opinion, she is supposed to hate him, not love him. His life would be easier if he did that, Sharon thinks.

Their priorities for Sally seem out of whack to Adam. Adam disagrees with Sharon's view that he shouldn't decide. Especially when his relationships are destined to crash and burn, he isn't about to let Sally lose this opportunity. Sharon hints that she might be the one he was meant to spend the rest of his life with. Before he and Sally meeting, she was one of the few people he could count on in town.

She insists she can be objective about this. There will be no more responsibility placed on her by Adam. There is no need for him to be with anyone at the moment. Sally was a good addition to his life, and Sharon encouraged her not to give up. Adam reveals she threatened to quit Newman and came to him. That must have opened his eyes, and Sharon wonders if he's hardened his heart to her.

Mariah gives Tessa a pep talk about the procedure and the doctor at the park. She muses that surgery is still surgery, and these are her vocal cords. When Mariah asks her wife what she's most concerned about, she receives an answer that makes her feel better. There's no way Tessa wants to jinx it. Tessa admits she can't help but wonder what will happen if something goes wrong and she loses her one true talent. Mariah pushes and Tessa admits she can't help but worry.

She asks, "What if my music career is over?” While Mariah assures her wife that singing isn't her only talent, she also reminds her that she's a talented songwriter and lyricist. She will spend the rest of her life reminding Tessa of that and vows the procedure will go smoothly. Her voice will be sharper than ever after she emerges from the process. Taking all of Tessa's fear and anxiety, she will hold on to it. Their kisses are followed by embraces.

The day after Victoria's husband died, Chance finds it odd that she would bolt Newman Enterprises. Nick explains that there was no bolting involved - she just went to pick up her kids from camp and had to tell them their stepfather had died in a car accident. Chance wonders if she has considered having Billy grab them instead since an investigation is underway. He points out Victoria hasn't done anything wrong and that Billy is out of town. To understand Ashland's mindset, Chance wanted more information.

As Nick recalls, Locke was enraged. He wonders if he was in a state of mind to take his own life. Nick is unsure if he was suicidal, but when he attacked his sister and then turned on him, he was homicidal. The most confusing thing about this is that I didn't know he could breathe, let alone drive a car." Chance muses, "That's the most confusing part of this." Nikki listens as Nick tells Chance that he wishes he could tell him what happened after he and Victoria left Ashland for dead.

At Crimson Lights, Adam confesses his feelings for Sally. The past tense doesn't make sense to Sharon and she asks him why he is cutting out someone who cares about him. Adam insists that it's complicated. He needs a break, and this is what's best for everyone. When Sharon finds out he's going to Vegas, she asks why he'd want to go back. When she asks how long he will be gone, Adam doesn't answer. Adam wishes Tessa a successful procedure before leaving with Mariah and Tessa.

Despite Tessa's nervousness, Mariah has been a soothing presence. Tessa gets a care package from Sharon when she gets home, and they gush over how thoughtful she is. Tessa takes it upstairs, and Sharon realizes Mariah is acting brave. She admits that her daughter is scared to death about today. Seeing Tessa's fear made Mariah afraid, too, as Sharon is taken aback. Tessa reappears and Sharon hugs her. Her hand is kissed by Mariah. 

Jack offers to help Kyle with what he needs to do, but he feels he and Summer should tell Kyle about Harrison. Jack will go up and ask him to give them a minute to prepare. When Kyle is alone with Summer, he tells her he has dreaded this - he wonders what it will do for him long-term. As a child, you suddenly realize there is no such thing as forever after losing a parent. He wonders if his mother ever considered what she was putting him through, the way he worries about Harrison now. Summer is assured that he is capable of doing this.

Jack returns with Harrison and Kyle and Summer clasp hands and looks miserable, but determined. Summer replies, "We can do this.".Nikki strides into the Newman Enterprises office and thanks Chance, while reminding him of the terrible toll this has taken on Abby's siblings. She would like to spend some time alone with Nicholas. Chance asks Victoria to call him and leaves. Nikki hugs Nick and apologizes for everything he went through. After realizing he's blaming himself, she decides they need to talk somewhere.

She wants Nick to say it's not his fault Ashland died and that it's not Nick's fault. Nikki stops Nick from recapping what happened. The rest is all known to her. Because she thought she killed JT to defend Victoria, she understands how he feels. She is so grateful he intervened, otherwise they might be planning his sister's funeral. In Nick's mind, Ashland lies on the hearth, and he can't get rid of the image. It was Ashland who walked out; Nikki insists he isn't at fault. "You are not responsible for his death."

Kyle tells Harrison that accidents sometimes happen, which is sad and frightening. Summer asks the boy if he knows what an accident is, and he nods in agreement. Kyle reminds him of a friend whose father passed away, so he couldn't see her grow up. Unfortunately, Father won't be able to visit us anymore." Just then, Diane knocks on the door. They're dealing with something right now, so Jack says it's not a good time. Harrison hears and shouts, “Dee Dee!” 

Kyle grabs Harrison and asks if he understands that Father died as Diane walks in and Jack closes the door. He won't be able to visit us anymore." Harrison shakes his head, "Father told me he would return." Summer leads Diane outside. Summer informs Diane that the police found Ashland's car in the ravine and believe he died instantly. Diane is so sorry for any inconvenience. She thinks she should go - Harrison has a lot to process, and Kyle is having a hard time processing this. Diane nods and sighs. The reason I should stay is precise because I realize that. I would like to go back inside."

Diane and Summer reenter the mansion. Harrison tells her that it must be hard to believe Father will not return. At the park, Ashland told her how much he loved him and she remembered seeing them together. Sometimes plans change, but he said he would return from a trip. Father would have been there with him had he been able, but this is one of those times when something bad happened and he could be there. Harrison shows Diane where his heart is, and Kyle says all the people he loves are still in there, including Father.

Nick greets Sharon at Crimson Lights, who informs him that Mariah and Tessa are on their way to the procedure. Flowers will be sent by him. She thinks he is preoccupied. After running into Sally instead of Nick last night, Nick admits he came to see her. Now that Sharon is there, she is ready to listen. After telling her Ashland died last night, Nick blurts out, "This hasn't gone viral yet." At the bottom of the ravine, he was found in his car by the police. Adam runs into Chance in the park and he relays that he will be playing poker for him in Vegas.

He is surprised his family has not told him about Ashland, and guesses he doesn't know anything about it. Adam is permanently out of the loop and wonders what Locke has done. “Well, he died.” Chance replies. As a result of an accident. For now, that's the official version."

Sharon told Nick offscreen that he believed he killed Ashland at Crimson Lights. The possibility exists that he could be certain someone died, and yet he did not. Nikki believed she killed JT, and he only believed he killed Ashland. Lucky for him, he didn't have to wait months to find out it wasn't true. The Abbotts' living room is filled with Diane hugging Harrison and telling her to leave.

In response, she suggests that they go outside and look for leaves. In Summer's opinion, the boy would benefit from some time spent with his friend at this time. As Kyle moves closer to his son, he tells him Dee Dee is more than a friend, she's his mother. The two of them are very happy she's there to help them on this difficult day, as she loves him very much. A moment between Diane, Kyle, and Harrison.

Nick struggles to understand how Ashland got up and left Crimson Lights so quickly. He had no pulse, I'm telling you. Sharon says, "I've been there." But if he was there when they went out for air and he wasn't there when they came back, he wasn't dead. He wants to believe it, but something about the sequence doesn't feel right. “Like what?” Sharon asks.”

Nick says, "My dad showed up at Victoria's just after we discovered Ashland had disappeared. It doesn't make any sense. With my dad there, the simple explanation is probably too simple. I'm trying to fight the feeling, but it's hard. Things tend to get complicated when Victor Newman is involved." He asked him, but he still doesn't know what happened because he can't trust his dad.

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