Massimo tells Heather what he thinks of Deacon.

Heather drops by Massimo's office to toast Deacon's falling off the wagon. Heather says she thought it would take longer, but Mass is surprised it took this long. He was sure a weak man like Deacon would only need a tiny push to send him over the edge. And now that they launched the ship, its course will be charted... By a drunken captain, Heather says. Mass predicts a wild ride. Especially for Jackie, Heather adds, since seeing the real Deacon won't be pretty. It's just a matter of time, Mass agrees.

Heather points out the danger of being loved by Massimo.

Heather asks Mass if he's protecting Jackie by showing her the real Deacon before she gets too close. She admits she once wished Mass would fall for her, but she sees now that being loved by him is a dangerous proposition. Mass says Jackie isn't in any danger. He feels Deacon was always a monster and was just able to hide it better. But he saw the true Deacon when he was trapped in a wheelchair, forced to endure Sharpe's taunts, and now he's allowing Jacqueline to see that man so she can get out. IF she can get out, Heather suggests, since Deacon could drag her down.

Jackie is alarmed that Deacon has taken a drink.

Deacon arrives home in a good mood; he strolls into the kitchen and kisses Jackie, who guesses his A.A. meeting worked wonders. She's the one who works wonders, he says. He doesn't know why he was upset before, since he sees what a wonderful life he has, and he can't believe he got so stressed over nothing. Jackie says it wasn't nothing, since he's a recovering alcoholic who craved a drink. He says that's true, but he's craving something else right now. Jackie asks if he's been drinking. He admits he had one drink, but he's sure he can handle it. But an alcoholic can't have even one drink, she frets. Deacon says it's OK, because he's been thinking, and maybe he's not an alcoholic after all. He took one drink and feels great, so he wonders if maybe he used alcohol as an excuse for all his problems.

Deacon can't resist the lure of the bottle.

Jackie doesn't understand how Deacon can be acting so casual about his problem when he was so worried about it before. Deacon suggests that he was just using alcohol as an excuse to run from his responsibilities. But he doesn't think he needs that crutch anymore, since took one drink and feels great. Because he's drunk, Jackie says. Deacon doesn't see anything wrong with a little buzz; in fact, he thinks it would be a shame to waste that buzz, so he reaches over to Jackie and pulls her close. Jackie tells him to stop, but he tells her to stop acting like an English school marm and come over to him. Frightened, Jackie orders him to let go! Deacon says he just wanted her close to him. Jackie says she wants that too, but she's not in the mood. He tells her to relax, but she doesn't know how she can when he's acting like this. Deacon apologizes: he doesn't know why this is happening again. Jackie offers to get him help, but he says he wants to be alone. She hesitates, so he bands his fist on the table and shouts at her to get out! Feeling the force of his words, Jackie leaves.

Alone and depressed, Deacon takes the vodka bottle from his pocket. He goes to the sink and is about to pour it down the drain, but after pouring just a tiny bit, he stops and drinks some more instead.

Serge objects to Clarke's party fare.

At Spectra, party planner Serge - pronounced "Sir Gay," we're reminded, last seen planning Brooke and Nick's almost wedding - lays out a spread of vegetables as a worker hangs a sign congratulating Thorne. Clarke comes in with a tray of pigs in a blanket, and Serge freaks; he won't have that next to his tray of organic, raw crudite. Sally tells him to stop fretting over his vegetable tray, since pigs in a blanket are a Spectra party tradition. But this is a Serge party, he insists, and the only thing in a blanket he'll serve is a man who's 6' 2" and built - like Clarke. No thanks, Clarke says. Sally reminds Serge that she's paying him to serve all her guests, so she suggests he go spruce things up before the guest of honor arrives. Serge leaves in a huff.

Clarke sees Sally is nervous and asks what's wrong. She reminds him that she's giving up half her legacy. But she knows Thorne will be a great partner, so she guesses she should get this party started and make it official. She calls Serge in and tells Clarke to call the troops. Clarke reaches for the microphone, but Serge asks if he can do it. Knock yourself out, Sally says. Serge pulls up his collar, turns on the mic and does a really bad Elvis imitation, so Sally suggests he get their guests personally. Once he's gone, she tells Clarke that something doesn't feel right, since Thorne and Darla should have been back by now. Clarke guesses Eric and Stephanie are trying to talk Thorne out of selling his shares. Maybe they already have, Sally suggests, so she better get over there pronto!

Eric and Stephanie plead with Thorne to reconsider.

Over at Forrester, Eric pleads with Thorne to come back to Forrester. He feels like he's lost his motivation without his family around, so he wants his sons back here to make this a family business again. Thorne says he wants the family to heal as much as Eric does, but it's not that simple. Thorne reminds Eric how he started this company with a dream, a vision that he eventually brought to life. Now Thorne has his own vision, one that he needs to fulfill. Stephanie says he can do that here, with his father. When they offered him the presidency of Forrester, she recalls, she thought they were doing him a favor. Now, the table are turned, and he can do them a favor by coming back. They saw what he accomplished at Spectra and want him to do the same thing here for them, with them.

Darla weighs in on Thorne's choice.

Outside, Darla peeks in the door and listens to Stephanie's plea. She knocks on the door. Thorne invites her in and asks how much she heard. She says she heard his mom tell him that Forrester needs him. Eric asks Darla if she understands that he's trying to reunite his family, a family that needs Thorne. But Spectra needs him, too, Thorne says. But they're not family, Eric says. Thorne says they are, just like the people here at Forrester are family to Eric. But what about blood ties? Stephanie asks. Thorne says the people at Spectra have given their blood, sweat and tears for that company, and he wants to do the same for them. But he's risking everything, Eric says, gambling with Alexandria's legacy. Stephanie asks Darla if she's willing to put their family's future on the line for Sally, who Darla knows better than anyone? Darla reminds Stephanie how her own parents took a chance on Eric to help them found this company. She sees this as a similar chance for her and Thorne to start something of their own at Spectra. As incredible as the opportunity Eric's offering is, she thinks it will be better at Spectra, where Thorne will be in charge with Sally. Here, he'd have to share that with Eric AND Ridge, and Eric would be forced to side with one of his sons any time there's a disagreement.

Sally gives Eric and Stephanie her two cents.

Darla thinks Spectra is the best place for Thorne, since he's energized there - and more importantly, he's happy there. Eric and Stephanie think Thorne can be happy here, too. And besides, Sally only wants him at Spectra to use their family's name, and it will only cost her half her profits. Sally comes in and asks, "Is that so?" Eric says they were only trying to advise Thorne of the risk he's taking. Sally says she's not worried. She's not even here to cause trouble. She's just here to see the look on their faces when Thorne chooses her over them. Darla says she means Spectra over Forrester. However you want to put it, Sally says, she was there for Thorne when his own family turned on him. She recalls all the names Ridge called Spectra over the years and even admits some of them were deserved. But all that changed when Thorne came over to them. They took a chance on Thorne and he turned them into winners, and now he wants to take a chance on them. If Eric and Stephanie really respect what he's done at Spectra, Sally adds, they'll let him take that chance.