Alan Proposes to Traci — and the Kidnapper Is Revealed

At the Club, Jack and Diane tell Traci she seems refreshed. Alan says she sparkles no matter what. He teases about the chemical reactions in his brain when he sees his girlfriend. He missed her very much. She missed him too. Jack and Diane ask what kept them apart for so long. He was in DC, and she was in New York. Alan wanted to sneak up to the Big Apple to surprise her, but it was a complete and utter disaster. Diane can’t believe it ended in disaster. Jack agrees and urges him to finish the story. Traci explains that her agent booked her on a last-minute book reading in Charleston, so she missed him. Then they arranged to meet back at home, but freezing rain canceled his flight. Jack tells his sister and Alan that they deserve all the happiness in the world.

Alan wants more time with Traci and offers to stop his speaking engagements so they can travel together. “If that’s what you’d like.” Traci teases about how much help he is while traveling, but she can’t ask him to give up such a big part of his life. Jack points out, “Maybe that’s what he wants.” Alan doesn’t want to crowd her. Traci tells him she would never feel that way. Diane thinks Alan is a contender for most romantic gesture. Jack is grateful his sister has Alan in her life. Alan says he’s the lucky one. They go over him losing his brother and being alone in Paris. He’s no longer alone because of her. Traci is more grateful for him. She’s completely happy. She accepts his offer. Alan is tragically in love and blurts that if he thought he had a shot, he’d ask her to marry him right now. Jack and Diane gawp. Traci teases, “What a person won’t do to get a free trip to Manhattan.” Alan can see the panic in her eyes, but she insists that’s not the case. Jack and Diane beat a hasty retreat from the table. Alan mocks, “I’m not very smooth, am I?” Traci asks, “Is there something that you wanted to say to me?”

Chance Supports Summer

At Crimson Lights, Chance shows Nick where Phyllis and Sharon were last seen. Sharon comes in and asks if there’s news. Nick says they have new information. Chance tells her they’ve been security cam footage of the van’s movements. Nick thinks they have the general vicinity… every step gets them closer to finding them. Summer worries that it might be too late, but Nick reminds her how tough Phyllis and Sharon are. They don’t know why they were kidnapped or even if they were. Chance says the security camera doesn’t show abduction. Summer asks, “You have instincts, right? What are they telling you.” Chance is forced to admit he has a bad feeling about this.

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Summer frets, “This is bad.” Chance doesn’t think Sharon and Phyllis left of their own volition. Nick assures his daughter that the cop will help bring them home. She asks, “What do we do next?” Nick suggests a door-to-door search. Chance mumbles about search warrants. This irks Nick, who says he’ll put the Newman team on it. Chance warns against it, but they look at a map and settle on an area to search that seems to be full of empty buildings. Summer doesn’t get this. Why would someone take the both of them. They clearly don’t want money or they would have reached out. Chance urges her to hang in there a little bit longer. Nick gets on the phone and says, “Get a full crew ready, I’ll meet you there.” He hangs up and promises to keep Summer posted. He’ll do his best to keep a cool head and she must do the same. Nick takes off and Chance wants Summer to eat. She can’t. She knew he was worried about her mom and Sharon. Chance is confident they’ll find them and bring them home. Summer can tell he means it, which is why she’s not a complete wreck right now. He knows this is hard after everything with Daniel. Chance says she can count on him. Summer knows this… he’s a good guy and a good cop. Chance assures her again they’ll find them and bring them home safely.

Sharon Dies

In the locked room, Phyllis asks the freak if he’s watching her as she tries to pick the lock. She taunts “The Voice” but gets no response. Over her shoulder, she tells Sharon to get up and help her. Sharon, asleep, on the sofa with a pillow over her face is unresponsive. Phyllis rushes over and begs Sharon not to freak her out. She tells her over and over to wake up, but she remains unconscious. Phyllis doesn’t feel a pulse and shouts, “What did you do to her?! What did you do to her?!” She frets, “Come on, Sharon, oh my God!” She hollers at the speaker, “What do I do to fix it?” She searches for the water bottle containing the antidote, but it’s empty. She yells, “Tell me what I do!” Just then, she finds a red envelope containing a heart-shaped card. Opening it whilst yelling threats, Phyllis reads, “I mark my time in blood, sweat, and tears.” She throws it and says, “Crazy freak.” She’ll find out who he is and will come for him. “I’m coming for you.” Returning her attention to Sharon, she continues trying to get her to come around.

Working on the riddle, Phyllis suddenly realizes something. She climbs on Sharon, saying she has to do CPR. She starts counting and pushing on Sharon’s chest. She pinches her nose and gives her mouth-to-mouth. Urging, “Come on, Sharon,” and begging her not to leave her there alone, she keeps trying to resuscitate her. Finally, Sharon lets out a huge gasp and opens her eyes. “What happened?” Phyllis tells her, “You died. You were dead! He murdered you and there was a card.” She rambles about the oxygen to her brain and asks, “How may fingers am I holding up.” Sharon’s head hurts. Phyllis says, “Because you were dead.” There was no way to fake that, “How the hell did he do that to you?” She asks The Voice, “Did I pass the test?” Sharon marvels, “You saved my life!” Phyllis had to do it. Sharon was right about her. Phyllis tells her not to make a big deal out of this… a few minutes ago she was a corpse. Sharon says, “I saved your life, and you saved mine.”

Billy Gives Nick a New Lead

At the ranch, Nick tells Chance by phone that they’ll be fast and thorough. Billy rings the doorbell and asks if there’s anything new. Nick updates him on the search in the old warehouse district. Billy has something too. “I got a text.” He got the number for Phyllis’ burner phone and called it once or twice. No one picked up but a text came through. “Click here for information on the Havenhurst Psychiatric Clinic.”

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Nick says it reads like a courtesy response. None of the rest of them got the text when they called the burner phones. Billy wonders if it was on purpose or a glitch. Nick wants to get it to Chance right away, but first checks to see if it’s a real place. Looking it up, he finds out it exists but is permanently closed… and it’s in the warehouse district they’re going to search. That can’t possibly be a coincidence.

Alan Pops the Question

At the GCAC, Alan tells Traci he was winging it when he mentioned marriage. They don’t have to have this discussion now if she doesn’t want to. Traci doesn’t want to set this aside and circle back to it later. Alan takes her hands in his. “I’ve spent a lifetime without you, Traci.” He was productive, but questions if he was really living. Now there’s a woman in his life who radiates humanity, with a generous heart. Being away from her made him realize his life before wasn’t enough. He wants to give her space but be closer to her. “I love you very much. Traci Abbott, will you marry me?” Traci cries, “Alan Laurent. Yes, I will marry you.”

Alan wants to hold onto this moment and asks Traci if it’s moving too fast. Traci doesn’t care what the rest of the world thinks. You come to a point that you convince yourself you don’t need this kind of love any more, that memories are enough. Alan knows her daughter passed away. Traci talks to her every day and has told her all about him. Finding this with him is like a bonus chapter in her story. Alan determines that he needs to get her a ring. Traci insists it can wait, but he won’t hear of it. “I’ll be right back,” he declares, as he rushes toward the door. Jack and Diane pass him and hope he’s not fleeing the scene.

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Pieces Start Falling Into Place

In the psychiatric hospital, Phyllis warns Sharon not to drink the water too fast. Sharon chides that it’s almost like she cares. It’s becoming clear to her that that’s what all this is about… getting past the hate, seeing the bigger picture. Phyllis can still hate her and not want her dead. Sharon tells her this situation has changed things, “It’s changed us.” Phyllis denies it’s that deep. It’s just twisted fun for the sick freak. Sharon says it’s true… The Voice is enjoying this and getting a sense of control and power. But there can be other layers. The Voice told them to think of this like an experiment. He or she was looking for some sort of result… like humanity can rise above darker emotions. Phyllis adds, “Or self-preservation trumps all.” Maybe they saved each other because they didn’t want to be left alone. Sharon needles her for being so contrary. This has cast a light on their relationship and has gone to the extreme of life or death. Phyllis looks up at the speaker on the wall and asks, “Did we dance to your tune?” Sharon muses, “The question is what happens next?”

At Crimson Lights, Chance assures Summer they’ll get through this. She says she’s going to go update Daniel. Just then, Nick and Billy come in with the news about the text mentioning Havenhurst. It’s a very specific clue, Nick explains, and wonders, “But is it the truth, or is it a trap?”

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At Havenhurst, Phyllis tells Sharon they have to take control. They had to get past everything. They saved each other’s lives and got past their history. They had to lean on each other and believe in each other emotionally and mentally. “That’s what it is. Oh my gosh. That’s the final riddle: We have to find an escape route together.” Sharon feels if it were that simple, they’d have done it already. Phyllis disagrees. They had the distraction of being there together and their loathing. Things are different now. They listen and don’t hear anything. Phyllis says The Voice is gone. Sharon thinks she’s saying this is their chance to get out. Phyllis nods. There is a way out. There has to be. Death is not an option. They agree teamwork will give them their freedom. Sharon holds out her hand and Phyllis takes it. They look into each other’s eyes.

At the GCAC, Jack and Diane join Traci and ask, “Any news?” Traci beams. She marvels that she’s about to be married and Alan has run out to get a ring. Jack and Diane are thrilled. Traci says it doesn’t feel real yet. Jack asks if she’s happy. She is. He asks if this is really what she wants. She cries, “More than anything.”

In the park, Alan looks at the engagement ring he’s bought for Traci. His phone makes a sound, so he takes it out of his pocket and looks at the screen, which shows a feed of Sharon and Phyllis holding hands in Havenhurst.

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Next on The Young and the Restless: Victor questions Adam’s decision making, Phyllis and Sharon fall into a trap, and Jack makes a confession to Diane.