The inescapable truth that Nile Jarvis will never escape the psychopath label is a given; the question at the heart of "Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely" is whether Aggie can help him navigate this maelstrom. A secondary query looms: does he even care? Since his wife's murder allegations, Nile's life has been a smooth ride, still perched at the pinnacle of his profession, inexplicably wealthy, and wedded to a siren (who, as fate would have it, was his late wife's executive assistant and confidante…yikes). His only incentive to fret is that his tarnished reputation is bad for business. In this era of self-branding, his name evokes eyebrow-raising whispers. His ongoing development project in Manhattan, Jarvis Yards, is under protest from environmentally conscious New Yorkers and Councilwoman Olivia Benitez (Aleyse Shannon), with aspirations of mayorship.
Aggie dives into this quandary when she ventures to Central Park to meet with Abbott. However, a myriad of events unfold before she can hit the Long Island Expressway, so let's explore the immediate aftermath of Teddy's demise. That morning, Aggie drives to where Teddy's car was discovered. The police found a suicide note, but Mrs. Fenig isn't convinced. She tells the officers on the scene that Teddy had travel plans with his girlfriend and appeared to be in high spirits. She nearly loses her composure when she sees Aggie standing there. "You're happy now," she cries out, "This is what you wanted, isn't it?" Aggie literally flees from this accusation, which hits too close to the truth. However much Aggie might want to believe that the Fenigs are nefarious and she is their victim, she is now connected to Mrs. Fenig through bereavement: both have lost a son.
Meanwhile, Nile jogs through the unpaved woods, which, if I may say so myself, look temptingly joggable (the hazardous roots will be a bigger deal later in the episode, but for now, Nile seems to be an expert cross-country runner). Aggie catches up with him outside his driveway as she's returning home, and his nonchalant attitude about the Teddy news only solidifies Aggie's conviction that he's involved. When he asks how she's feeling about it, she says it's complicated. "Is it?" He shrugs. Claire Danes's mouth trembles here – it's like Nile can read her darkest thoughts. When she gets home, she calls the New York FBI office seeking Abbott, who is not at work. Instead, he's in bed with married Special Agent Erika Breton (Hettienne Park). When he picks up her call, Abbott implores Aggie to forget he ever knocked on her door, but she can't. Not only that, she believes Jarvis might be involved in "something that happened." He tells her they can't talk on the phone and texts her a meeting place in the park. To Erika, he lies that he's meeting with a source from a different case.
Under a bridge, Aggie fills Abbott in on her history with Teddy. But Abbott already knows it all, even the things she's not ready to share herself, such as when she threw a brick through the window of the restaurant where he worked. In light of this information, Mrs. Fenig's restraining order seems less irrational. Aggie draws an explicit connection between Teddy and Madison Jarvis's missing bodies, even admitting that she told Nile she wanted Teddy to suffer. But Abbott – who, supposedly, doesn't know about the jogging path and isn't convinced by Aggie's impression that Nile seemed to want to be thanked for something that morning – doesn't see any reason why Nile would be motivated to kill Teddy. Besides, he intends to keep his job. He warns that "anyone who hears this is going to think you listen to too many podcasts." But a journalist and an FBI agent share a commonality: once hooked on a story, there's no unhooking. When he gets to his office, Abbott looks up Teddy Fenig with renewed interest.
Before returning to Oyster Bay, Aggie makes a detour to the Jarvis Yards protest, where Benitez advocates for affordable housing—a policy threatened by the development—and reminds her constituents that Nile “has enough blood on his hands.” Back in town, Aggie encounters a memorial for Teddy outside the restaurant where he worked, triggering a brief flashback of her throwing the brick. While not intrusive, these flashbacks are slightly grating; however, Danes masterfully conveys Aggie's torment through her facial expressions and body language. Her inability to restrain herself from screaming or crying at any moment reveals the haunting memories of the past.
More intriguing is the way Aggie keeps remembering Nile's words about his story being fit for a bestseller as she tries to work on her book. In a sense, her developing relationship with Nile forms its own unlikely bond. The idea of writing about him galvanizes her enough to visit Carol in her Manhattan office, a rare occurrence. She admits to lying about having 200 pages—she actually has none—which angers Carol until she gets excited about the Nile idea. “What if I could get him to talk to me on the record?” Aggie asks. Besides the literal access of being neighbors, Nile has also given her some personal access: He is obviously intrigued by her and “practically pitched [her] the idea.” (Unsaid but thought: He might even have killed my son’s killer!) Aggie can tell he’s eager to talk. And it’s a great deal for the publisher: Nile has never spoken on the record before, and in this age of true crime, between the movie options and the book sales, his story could be a goldmine. Carol is encouraged by the twinkle in Aggie’s eye, though worried for her friend’s safety. Wouldn’t it be scary to spend so much time with a murderer? “It scares the shit out of me,” Aggie admits. “That’s why it’ll be good.”
When Aggie goes to Nile’s to float the idea, he is eating a whole chicken with his hands while standing over the counter, a totally regular thing to do. She starts to work him by bringing up the Jarvis Yards protest and Benitez, wondering why he’s not putting up more of a fight. He says it’s not that simple, “because I killed my wife…I mean, that’s what everyone thinks.” Aggie asks him openly whether he killed Madison, and he denies it, alleging that he doesn’t care what people think. But she knows that’s not true. If he talked to her for the book, she argues, he would have the chance of telling his side of the story. “The less you say,” she points out, “the more people will invent.” By keeping silent, he is letting people like Benitez—people who have a reason to crucify him—define him. He must have read Janet Malcolm, because he smartly questions her motives. But she’s open with him: Her book is stale, and she needs something fresh to work on. He promises to think about it. As she walks home, Aggie looks pleased with herself; she obviously struck a chord. But as she approaches her house, she sees someone running out in the wake of breaking glass. They jump into a car that almost runs her over as it speeds by, yelling out, “Bitch!” Inside, she sees they have thrown a brick through her window. Could it be Teddy's friends?
The next morning, Nina Jarvis turns up with a pie she brought from upstate, making up for the wine. She invites Aggie—notably shaken by Nina’s niceness and good looks—to walk with her in the woods. After some hesitation, Aggie agrees. As she’s changing, Nina looks around the house and notices a painting by Shelley in the living room. Nina is an art gallerist and is impressed by the work. Aggie says that Shelley doesn't have representation; she’s not “that serious.” As they leave the house, one of the Jarvis security guards watches them.
As Aggie struggles to keep up with Nina's brisk walking pace, Nina admits to a surprising revelation: Nile's consideration of her proposal. She wonders if she should feel nervous, despite knowing Aggie's ethical disposition. Nina acknowledges that the book people crave salacious content, a thought that clashes with Aggie's disdain for the jogging path. Amidst their stroll, Aggie stumbles over a root, injuring her ankle. Nina offers to examine it, but Aggie's discomfort with her touch is palpable. Unprompted, Nina reveals that Nile is not a monster, having done everything in his power to safeguard Madison's memory and her family, including Nina herself. The truth is that Madison was "unwell," a fact they kept hidden from the press. Nina clarifies that there was no relationship between her and Nile before Madison's passing, and she accepts that Nile will never love her as much as he did Madison. "I loved her too," she says with sincerity.
Despite Nina's demeanor exuding honesty, there's an underlying calculation in her actions. The timing of her walk with Aggie and her gaze when Nile calls to inform Aggie of his decision suggest she holds real bargaining power in this relationship. Rick's snooping at home is almost discovered by Aggie, but he manages to sneak out unnoticed.
That night, Erika informs Abbott of her decision to split with her husband, Frank. Her decision has nothing to do with him, and he offers his presence if she needs someone to talk to. However, there's a sad remove in their relationship. Abbott considers ending the call when he sees Aggie calling, but he decides to stay on the line. Aggie begins with, "You're going to want to hear this." Outside, Rick pulls up in the SUV next to Erika. He inquires about Frank and the kids, then instructs her to get in the car. She protests that she's "done with you people," but when Rick says "get in the fucking car, Erika," she complies.
