2004
Gus and Harley's wedding plans were marred by his loyalty to his newfound family, the Spauldings. The couple set a wedding date, but Alex was embroiled in the Antimonium drug scheme. Gus let a dead man take the blame for the crime, a fact that he kept secret from Harley. On their wedding day, Harley viewed a security video of Alex and Gus discussing the crime; she called off the nups. Weeks later, Harley told Gus that if he gave up his Spaulding connection, she would get back together with him. She returned his ring when he refused. Then, Phillip came up with a plot to close down the Cooper family diner, Company. Gus, who was working for Spaulding, tried to stall his brother; he and Beth ended up saving Company by learning that an endangered bird migrated in the area. Later, Gus came into contact with Phillip's new assistant, a middle-aged woman named Ruth. Turns out, it was really Harley in disguise; she was trying to take down Phillip. Phillip kidnapped his younger children, promising to return them at a certain time if Harley met him. That night, Phillip was shot and presumed dead.

2005
Gus made himself sick as he tried to prove that Harley was innocent of Phillip's murder. The estranged couple grew close again, but Harley was sent to prison for the crime and they broke up. In prison, Harley ran into her ex-husband, Mallet, who was the warden, and she had to confront her past with him. Alan orchestrated Harley's transfer to a dangerous prison, but on the way, the bus crashed and Mallet let Harley escape with Gus. The reunited lovers fled Springfield in an ice-cream truck. They headed to New York City and searched for a witness to prove Harley's innocence. With Mallet's help, the couple managed to prove that Alan killed Phillip. However, they still didn't have a happy ending, even though they were engaged again. Alan insisted that Phillip was still alive. Harley became obsessed with proving whether it was true, so she teamed up with Mallet; Gus pleaded with her to focus on their wedding. Mallet and Harley rehashed their failed marriage, but ultimately, Harley returned to Springfield (she and Mallet had been in Florida following a lead) and married Gus in a lovely wedding that was officiated by Ross (Jerry verDorn). Gus and Harley settled into domestic bliss with only a few bumps. Mallet moved to town and became Gus's partner on the force. Meanwhile, Harley became CEO of Spaulding. By the end of the year, Gus grew more and more paranoid about Alan's imminent release from the sanitarium. On New Year's Eve, Alan was set free, but Gus kidnapped his father and drove off in a limo.

2006
With Gus gone, Harley had to stay strong for her children, Zach (Nicholas Art) and Jude (Aaron Hart), while trying to find her husband. Harley and Mallet joined forces to track down Gus and Alan. Harley freaked out when signs pointed to Gus dying, and she leaned on her ex-husband for support. Gus, meanwhile, was alive in a snowy wilderness with Alan.