The entire back party room erupted into chaos as Will ran off with little more than a teary-eyed glance. Parents of Ari's friends burst into gossip. Family members shook their head at Will's antics, forgetting Sonny's reveal not five seconds ago.

Sonny told Will to sleep with someone else.

So he could get a job.

Paul could see it now. See Sonny telling Will, choosing his words, oh so carefully so Will would have no other choice. Pretending he didn't tell Will at all, walking away with an innocent look on his stupid, self-serving face. Putting on a suit-and-tie, ever so proud of what he forced his already fragile boyfriend to do.

Paul was going to murder Sonny Kiriakis. He was going to take his time, make it hurt. Pay Sonny back for all the pain he ever put Will through, put Paul through.

But, not now.

Paul's concern for Will was stronger and less homicidal. He almost barreled into innocent bystanders in his quest to catch up to a running Will.

Marlena, torn between following Will and giving Sonny a piece of her mind, turned to Ari instead. She grabbed Ari's hand, attempting to lead her away from the circle forming around Sonny.

"Sweetheart, why don't you show me all your presents, hmm?"

"Where did Daddy go?" Ari asked, looking in the direction Will ran.

"He's going to take care of his nose. He'll be right back. Everything's okay."

"Grandma Marlena?" Ari asked as Marlena guided her away from the adults and back to her pile of presents. She looked up at Marlena with wide, innocent eyes and a familiar little wrinkle to her nose. The same wrinkle Will always had when he couldn't quite figure something out.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"What's 'fucked' mean?"

Marlena was going to kill Sonny Kiriakis.

John knew the moment Will left Paul wouldn't be far behind. Paul wouldn't be his son if he didn't chase after the person he loved.

It was up to John then to take out the trash. A task he would relish after the past few days.

"What the hell is your problem?" John asked, glaring in Sonny's direction. Drawing up to his full height before a loud voice started yelling in something that wasn't English.

No one knew what Isak was shouting but it sounded threatening and impressive. As did his much taller form looming over Sonny, long arms gesticulating, narrowly missing smacking into Sonny's face.

John couldn't tell if the near misses were on accident or on purpose.

"Would you speak English, huh?" Sonny asked, trying not to look as intimidated as he felt with a giant towering over him.

John didn't fail to note Sonny edged closer to Justin Kiriakis, though.

"You're idiot," Isak said between Swedish phrases. "You're snuskhummer."

"What the hell are you saying?" Sonny shouted. "Why are you even here? What? I let Will sleep with you once and now you can't stop hanging around?"

Isak crossed his arms, looking at down at Sonny with well over half a foot of height difference between them.

"You are awful, awful person. If you think I gave job because sex with Will you are even worse."

"That's the only reason he went to you that night. Do you really think he would have looked at you twice without me telling him to? The only reason he was ever interested in you is because of me. In fact, why don't you tell everyone all about? How good was my boyfriend anyway?"

Isak grabbed Sonny by his shirt collar and yanked him to his toes. Getting in his face and speaking so only the remaining people around them could hear – John, Brady, Justin, and Sonny.

"You might tell Will to go but not why he slept with me. I told him what I say to you. I tell him to go. He kissed me instead. Over and over and over because you're awful boyfriend. Just like I fuck him over and over and over because you're awful boyfriend. Is why he call me other day to pick him up, why we fuck in my car. He wanted me, not you, never you.

"Do not talk about Will again, ever."

Isak tossed Sonny to the side, literally. Justin had to grab Sonny so he wouldn't tumble to the ground.

John watched as Isak adjusted his shirt and took a few steps away.

When Sonny, attempting to gather his dignity, tried to walk away John tapped him on the shoulder.

John crossed his arms and gave Sonny a sharp smile.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Will didn't know what he was doing but he had to get away. As far away as possible while he still could. Before someone forced him to go back and he wouldn't. Will wouldn't. He couldn't and he wouldn't, not anymore, never again.

Will hated Sonny. He hated him.

He couldn't believe he ever felt guilty for going to Isak in the first place. Felt guilty for enjoying someone else while he was with Sonny when Sonny wanted him to do it.

Sonny spent the past few days acting like he didn't know what Will did. Acting like he didn't plan it, knew the exact words to say to make Will go along with it. Even if Will chose to sleep with Isak in the end, Sonny didn't know that.

Sonny wanted Will to have sex with someone so he could get a job.

Sonny, who once berated Will for whoring himself out to get Paul's coming out story, literally tried to whore Will out.

When Isak told Will about what he told Sonny, Will gave Sonny the benefit of the doubt. Sonny never flat out told Will to do anything. But he mentioned what he wanted Will to do, which Sonny knew Will couldn't ignore.

Sonny knew and he did everything he could to get Will near Isak. He knew the right words to say and what words to omit.

Sonny planned it all. Then he told everyone.

Soon enough, all of Salem would know. It would be just like before when he slept with Paul while married to Sonny. The disparaging looks would return, the hypocritical judgment.

Everyone knew. Everyone hated him again. The only way they'd ever forgive him, look at him with anything other than disgust in their eyes, would be if Will died and came back to life.

Will couldn't live that way, not again.

"Will!" Paul yelled, a few steps behind Will now. "Will, wait."

Will shook his head, blood smeared along his face and neck. He couldn't stop. He wasn't far away enough.

Oh, god, Paul heard. Paul knew what Will did. Knew Will slept with someone that wasn't his partner, again.

Paul was going to hate Will again too.

Will skidded to a stop, panting.

"Will, please," Paul said, almost running right past him. He yanked Will into a hug, blood and all.

Will shook his head before collapsing in Paul's arms again. He needed to take advantage of it for as long as he could. Before Paul pushed him away at last.

"It's okay," Paul mumbled into Will's hair, faces pressed tight together. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," Will argued, shaking his head. "Everyone heard. Everyone heard and they know. They know what I did. You know."

"It's okay," Paul repeated.

"It's like before and everyone's going to hate me and I can't do this again. I can't. No one was supposed to know. Everyone's going to hate me again."

"No one is going to hate you," Paul argued. "Will, we heard what Sonny said. He told you to go. He made you go. This is his fault. I know what happens when you try to tell him no. This isn't your fault."

Will made a face, shoulders heaving.

He had to tell Paul the truth. He always told Paul the truth.

"It is my fault," Will confessed around a sob.

It took several moments for Will to even get the words out. He was crying too hard to say anything.

"I went because Sonny told me to go. But, Isak said I could leave. I didn't want to leave, Paul. I didn't want to leave. I slept with Isak because I wanted to. I wanted to and I did, over and over. Everyone's going to know and it's my fault. Everything's my fault. It's always my fault."

Paul pulled Will against him tighter, shushing him when Will started bawling.

Paul didn't want to admit it but he was relieved Will made the choice to sleep with Isak himself. If Will had been forced or coerced, Paul would have had to kill Sonny and Isak both. He couldn't imagine the type of pain Will would have suffered if it wasn't his choice. He didn't even want to think about all the other things Sonny must have forced Will to do in the months of Paul's absence.

But, this situation, right now, Paul was reassured.

Will willingly cheating on Sonny was a relief. A relief and a deep, dark part of Paul couldn't help but feel smug about it.

Sonny kept Will so dissatisfied Will cheated, again.

It shouldn't make him smile but it did. For a small moment before Paul refocused on the situation at hand. On the fact that Will was falling apart in his arms, again.

"Will, it's okay. I promise. It's okay."

"You're gonna hate me and everybody knows and you're gonna hate me. You're gonna hate me. You do hate me. I hurt you. I hurt you and I ruin everything and I'll ruin you again. I ruin everything. I hurt you and I broke your heart. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Will wouldn't stop crying and shaking. Even though his nose stopped bleeding, he couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe and everything was going dark.

Paul eased Will down to the ground and focused on getting him to breathe.

"Come on, in and out," Paul urged. He sat behind Will with his knees on either side of Will's body, holding Will close. "There you go, breathe when I breathe. It's okay. It's alright. I don't hate you, remember? I told you earlier. I love you. I'm in love with you. I'll always love you."

Will's breathing evened out as Paul continued murmuring in Will's ear his love over and over. Paul moved from behind Will to sit in front of him, needing Will to look at him.

"See, it's okay. It's okay."

Paul cupped Will's face, holding his gaze.

"Hey, look at me, listen to me. This isn't your fault."

Will shook his head, face a mess of tears and blood.

"No, Will," Paul argued in a soft tone, like he was speaking to a spooked animal. "Remember what you told me before? You said you didn't want to leave me but you had no choice? That you didn't understand what was happening to you? The nosebleeds, how you do things even when you don't want to? I know why it's happening to you. I don't know everything yet and I don't know if I can prove it but I know. It's not your fault."

"You love me?" Will whispered, staring at Paul with big, watery eyes.

Paul let out a short chuckle and gave Will a fond smile.

"Yes, I love you. I told you earlier. I know you didn't want to leave me."

"But, I hurt you," Will said, blinking away a new round of tears. He couldn't get his emotions under control. "I hurt you and I don't deserve you. I don't deserve you and I never did and why would you love me? I'm awful, Paul. I don't listen and I'm stupid and I won't support you and I'll pressure you to do things around the house and I'll cheat on you because I'm a whore. You can't love me. You can't love me. I'm not good enough for you."

It took all of Paul's control to stay with Will. To not turn back around and smash his fist into Sonny's face for the insecurities and doubts he drilled into Will.

Paul wasn't sure how much longer he could resist.

"Will, no," Paul shook his head, hands slipping behind Will's neck. "None of that is true. That's not even you talking. It's not."

Will shook his head too, over and over and over until Paul had to tighten his hold on Will's neck to stop him.

"This is not you talking. This is months of someone filling your head with this garbage. This isn't you, Will. The Will I know is still deep inside you. Don't you remember, huh? When you came back to Salem and you were chasing after me? You didn't let anything get in your way because you felt something for me. No memories, in a foreign town, strangers wanting something you couldn't give them. But you felt something for me. Me, not anyone else, not Sonny, me. You fought for that connection Will, even when I didn't want to see it.

"That's when I fell in love with you. You, Will, beautiful and headstrong and stubborn. You didn't let anything or anyone get in your way, even me. You didn't care if anyone told you to stay with Sonny. You did what was best for you, you did what you wanted. I know you're still in there. I know you are."

Will tried to shake his head again but Paul's grip wouldn't let him.

"Do you remember when you didn't have your memories? And Belle told you I was the one you cheated on Sonny with? Do you remember?"

"Mmm hmm," Will hummed, eyes focused on Paul.

"And you asked me if the sex was good?" Paul flashed Will a wide smile.

Will's face couldn't turn any redder from the crying and panicking and blood. But, it would if it could.

"You said you wanted us to be friends someday and not five seconds later you kissed me. You kissed me and I was helpless to do anything but kiss you back. That's us, okay? That's you and me. You and your brilliant, blunt, beautiful mouth and me helpless to stay away.

"Even years ago, in that hotel room, the first time I opened a door for you shirtless,"

Paul smiled when Will let out a surprised peal of laughter.

"I took one look at you, Will Horton, and I knew you were someone special. I know you felt the same way. Things were complicated then and we weren't ready to be together for real, not yet. But we both felt that draw, that pull toward one another. You almost died, you had a completely new, repressed, life and you still felt it. You felt it and I felt it and I feel it right here, right now. And I'm not letting you go, do you understand me?

"I don't care how many Jack Skellington lookalikes you slept with. I don't care what Sonny ever made you do. I don't care that I've spent the past months wondering every second of every day what I did wrong to lose you. None of that matters, now. I didn't fight for you before. I didn't fight for you or for us and I should have. I should have known something was wrong. I should have been here to stop any of this from happening.

"I'm here, now. I'm here and I'm not leaving and we're going to stop this. We're going to fix this, together."

Will licked his lips tasting salt and the tang of leftover blood.

"Ari said she didn't want me around you anymore."

Will wrapped his arms around Paul, clinging. He loved his daughter. He did. He'd do anything for her but he wasn't sure he could do that, could stay away from Paul.

Even if he did feel a slight tingle inside his nose.

Paul sighed, long and deep, holding Will just as tight.

"We'll figure things out with her. Somehow. But I'm sorry, Will. I'm not letting you go."

"I already ruined her birthday," Will argued in a weak tone.

"You didn't ruin anything."

"She saw us kissing."

"She's seen us kiss before."

"You don't understand how much she loves Sonny. How happy she's been with the three of us living together. How do you think I've survived these past months? Because it made her happy. That's all I've ever wanted. My childhood was crap and now, I'm doing the exact same things. Only I'm my mom cheating on my dad left and right and Ari is me. Oh my god, she's gonna shoot you."

"Well, you certainly get your dramatic flair from your mother," Paul commented. Letting out a pleased huff when Will pinched him and gave him an incredulous look. "See, I knew the real you was somewhere in there."

Paul cupped Will's cheeks again, giving Will a small but sincere smile.

"She's six, Will. She's going to say a lot of things now that she won't mean later. And trust me, when you ran off she did not look happy and it wasn't because of you or me. And I know how much she means to you. I do. You weren't as close without your memories but I remember when she was a toddler. How protective and loving you were. I'm sure it's the same now. You've dealt with months of hell just to keep her happy. Most importantly, you're not your mother, you're not Sami."

"My daughter saw me cheating on her father with another man. I am my mother. My mother is her mother. I can't escape the cycle."

"Okay," Paul wasn't going to argue about this now. "But, didn't you tell me you cared about EJ later on?"

"After I tried to kill him! And do you know how many years it took for my mom to like John? Do you? Because I sure don't."

"Will," Paul let go of his face to grab both hands in his and squeeze. "The important thing is Sami does love my dad and my dad loves her. You cared about EJ, were friends with him for a long time and he cared about you. So, if there is a family cycle, eventually it will run its course to Ari getting along with me.

"Now," Paul gave Will's hands another squeeze. "If you're worried about that, does it mean you believe me when I say I love you?"

Will lifted one shoulder, giving Paul a bashful smile.

"I know things have been awful for you for a long time but we're gonna fix them, together."

"Even if we can," Will's smile turned forlorn and tentative. "I don't know how to leave Sonny. I've tried. I've tried so many times and I can't. I mean, I physically can't. I can't do anything he doesn't want me to do, not unless he doesn't know about it."

"Well, how does it work then? Ari told you to stay away from me but you're here."

"My nose has been tingling the whole time," Will admitted. "She's also smaller, younger. She isn't as commanding, I guess. Maybe it only works if you're really forceful. I don't know. Whenever Sonny tells me something I have to do it. Sometimes other people, sometimes I just do it because I learned it's easier than arguing."

"We need to find out everything so we can figure out a way to fix this."

"You said you knew what was wrong with me. How? Why?" Will asked, giving Paul an odd look.

"After the other night at the restaurant, I knew there was something wrong. I knew it deep in my bones. I wasn't going to rest until I found out what. Dad and I have been investigating."

"Investigating me?"

"Yeah," Paul nodded. "You and Sonny. It was the only way to pinpoint what happened and when things started changing."

Will blinked several times, mind whirling.

"What's wrong with me?"

"I'm not sure I can prove it," Paul admitted with no small amount of reluctance. "But I know someone who can."

Will wouldn't budge once Paul confessed Will needed to go to Isak's building. That they all needed to speak with Isak's scientists. As much as Will wanted to know the truth, as much as he wanted to get better, he made a promise.

Ari was going to get the best birthday of her life even if it killed him.

Despite everyone's disapproval, something Will was used to dealing with, Will refused to go anywhere until Ari's birthday was over. No one was too keen on forcing Will into anything at the moment either so they didn't argue.

After Paul helped clean Will up, they entered the party again. In Will's absence, Marlena supervised the piñata and passed out party favors to the little guests.

Sonny was no longer there. John insisted Sonny wouldn't be bothering anyone for a while. Adrienne, Justin, and Victor also disappeared. Will assumed they all went back to their mansion to soothe Sonny's wounded ego and tell him how nothing in life was ever his fault.

John, Marlena, and Paul helped dismantle the party decorations once the last of the guests left. Will dealt with many less than subtle looks from parents and even more obnoxious looks from his own family members.

Again, something Will was used to.

Ari, after giving Will a much-needed hug, played with her gigantic pile of toys with Isak of all people.

Afterward, Will wasn't sure what else he could do with Ari that wouldn't bring attention to the strange group of people who wouldn't let him out of their sight.

Then, he remembered.

Across the street from the Starbucks parking lot he had sex in the other day – a carnival.

Paul sat on a bench in front of a carousel watching Will, Ari, Marlena, and even John go around and around. Ari and Will sat on matching unicorns with pink hair while John and Marlena rode white gleaming horses behind them.

The carnival was rather busy but Ari didn't care. She yanked on Will's hand and dragged him from ride to ride. Thankfully for Will's sake, she was only interested in the kiddie rides.

Everyone enjoyed cotton candy and deep-fried Oreos as they wandered the carnival, winning Ari prizes at the games and watching Will and Ari go on rides. With the carousel, she begged Marlena and John with her big doe eyes until they came on too.

As much as Paul was reluctant to admit it, Will made the right decision. Ari deserved a wonderful birthday and Will wouldn't be the man Paul loved if he didn't provide it.

Plus, watching Will's face light up whenever Ari laughed was a nice change of pace from how miserable he's looked.

Isak flopped onto the bench beside Paul, dropping an armful of cheap carnival prizes beside him. Somehow it fell onto Isak to hold everything. Mostly because Ari was so enthralled with him. Something that caused Will a lot of exasperated amusement and Paul a lot of resentment.

Paul wasn't sure why the man was still there. He wasn't needed.

"Why are you here?" Paul asked Isak but never took his eyes off the carousel.

Isak shrugged, putting his hand in Ari's bag of cotton candy and taking a chunk.

"Will is friend. Ari likes me. You need me to get information anyway."

"Right," Paul scoffed. "He's your friend."

"Jealous?" Isak asked.

"Why would I be?" Paul asked, crossing his arms. "I know Will's still in love with me."

"Love and lust not too far apart," Isak commented, tongue and lips turning blue from the cotton candy.

"Will can sleep with whomever he wants when he's not with me," Paul said. "Sex doesn't equate feelings. Why? You have feelings for Will?"

"Mmm," Isak shrugged again. "No, not really. Maybe one day. Will is beautiful and stubborn and strange. Makes time in Salem fun. But, no. I like sex with him very much but like friendship too."

Paul couldn't fault Isak for that. He too once slept with Will when Will was involved with someone else. He knew the allure Will offered, knew more than anyone how thrilling sex with him could be. He also couldn't begrudge Will for sleeping with someone else. After months of what amounted to servitude with Sonny, Will must have been desperate for someone, anyone who could interest him.

Isak wasn't Paul's type but he wasn't ugly. And Paul slept with other men in the past few months too.

"You know," Isak said, interrupting Paul's thoughts. "When I get interview with Will, I did not see point. Then I look up Will and I saw it. Him sleeping with you during interview was good motivation for me to meet him."

Paul rolled his eyes.

"I flirt with him lots and made offers. But, I would not have slept with him to give Sonny job. I did not. Will and I together because we both wanted."

"That's what Will said," Paul admitted.

"It was fun to throw in Sonny's face, though."

Paul let out a sharp bark of laughter.

"Are you gonna fire him? He was yelling at you earlier."

"Have to talk to lawyers about it. See if worth breaking contract. If not, I make work life hell."

Paul was beginning to like this guy.

By the time they left the carnival, Ari was exhausted but thrilled. She rode every ride she wanted twice. Stuffed herself with candy, soda, and deep-fried foods. Got her face painted and won so many prizes Isak's car almost couldn't fit them all.

Ari rambled for the first half of the car trip back to Salem about how amazing the carnival was and how much fun she had. She sat in the back seat of Paul's car with Will and Marlena. This late into the night she didn't even complain Paul came with them. Something she did almost the whole car-ride to the carnival.

When she fell asleep, Ari was holding Will's hand and telling him how much she loved him.