Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 10, 2009 on DAYS

Comprehensive daily recaps for Days of our Lives, dating back to 1996.

Monday, August 10, 2009

by NBC Daytime

Sami poured her heart out to Nicole about Rafe. He had left her because she couldn't believe in him after Meredith's letter.

Nicole expressed her distress to Stefano about what they were doing to Sami. Stefano told her she would lose everything if she didn't go along with the plan to keep Rafe off the trail of the baby switch. Later, Nicole convinced EJ her concern about Grace's death was about her and Sydney having been sisters and sharing the same birth date. Nicole and EJ bonded over their love for each other and Sydney.

Rafe was confused after overhearing EJ's message to Nicole about her concern over Grace's death. EJ goaded Rafe and the two nearly came to blows. Rafe told Arianna he was leaving town, but wouldn't tell her the details of why he and Sami broke things off. Arianna went to Sami and realized the reason. She told Rafe he was giving up love so he wouldn't have to tell Sami the real truth. Meanwhile, Sami, after Arianna and Nicole's visits, wondered with Allie if she should ask Rafe to forgive her for not believing in him.

Chad saw Will and Mia kissing and interruedts. When he mentioned his transfer to Salem High, he realized Mia never told Will. Later, Will wondered why Mia didn't tell him about Chad's transfer. Mia claimed it was because Will had enough to worry about with his family situation, and told him not to worry about Chad. Meanwhile, Chad told Kinsey something was up with Mia, and he intended to find out what it was.

Abe, Lexie and Theo visited the DiMera mansion for Sydney's half-birthday. Theo became upset when he lost his toy dog, Charlie, and con't convey to his parents where he might have left it. They returned to the Brady Pub, and, with Rafe's help, found Charlie. Their mention of Sydney's half-birthday to Rafe made him think of Grace. When he went to Grace's grave, he remembered Nicole crying there and became twigged

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

by ChickenGrrl

Victor arrived at Daniel's jail cell just as Daniel was being released. Daniel thanked his godfather for paying his bail, but asked again what Victor knew about whether Kate had poisoned Chloe. Daniel was worried about what Kate would try to do to Chloe, and wanted Victor to put a guard on Chloe's door. Victor declared that he would do everything he could to prove that Daniel was innocent, but he wouldn't help Daniel prove Kate was guilty.

Daniel was appalled, but soon realized that Victor was only trying to protect Philip, who was devoted to his mother. Victor confirmed it, adding that he'd gotten a lawyer for Daniel who knew how to go for the jugular. He maintained that their only focus should be on Daniel's defense.

Kate was sitting at Chloe's bedside, gloating that with any luck, Chloe would be dead by the end of the day. Maggie arrived, happily conveying to Kate that there had been an increase in Chloe's brain activity-and Chloe had even spoken. Kate feigned relief: "I can't tell you how that makes me feel." Maggie was positively giddy to have that renewed hope.

Lexie entered and cautioned Kate and Maggie that some neurologists believed that such a surge in brain activity indicated that the system was shutting down. Maggie burst into tears, but Lexie reminded both women that there was always hope.

At the police station, Bo and Hope discussed the case against Daniel, and agreed that it just didn't add up. Bo wanted to re-interview the people who had been at the TV station the day Chloe collapsed. The district attorney, Charles Woods, was on his cell phone nearby and overheard. He hung up and declared that the Jonas investigation was closed because they had an airtight case, and he didn't intended to waste more taxpayers' money trying to find additional suspects.

Bo and Hope argued that they weren't convinced that Daniel was guilty. Woods pointed out that Bo's family relationships created a huge conflict of interest, so any further investigation would not involve Bo. Bo asserted that as commissioner, he was involved in all police department cases. They argued some more, and finally, Woods declared that if either Bo or Hope disobeyed his order to stay off the case, they would be suspended.

Daniel went to the hospital and tried to enter Chloe's room, but Maxine stopped him. Desperate, Daniel begged Maxine to at least tell him how Chloe was doing. Maxine told him about the increase in brain activity, but the other doctors thought it was not significant. Daniel disagreed, insisting that he needed to go into Chloe's room to save her. He added that Maxine could even accompany him if she wanted. "If I am right, Chloe will pull through," he pleaded. "Just give me this chance, please." Maxine simply walked away.

Daniel saw his chance, creeping to Chloe's door and trying to open it quietly. Suddenly Lexie arrived, a police officer running behind her, and they quickly stopped Daniel. Lexie pulled Daniel aside, informing him that the D.A. had ordered that there be a guard posted outside Chloe's room at all times, so Daniel couldn't harm her. Daniel was incredulous, certain that Lexie knew he would never hurt Chloe. Lexie agreed, but warned that if the D.A. learned that Daniel tried to go into Chloe's room, he could revoke Daniel's bail. She urged Daniel to go home, and he left reluctantly.

At the Brady Pub, Kate told the D.A. that Chloe might not survive the day. Mr. Woods declared that if Chloe died, he would increase the charges against Daniel Jonas to premeditated murder. He then informed Kate that Dr. Jonas was free on bail, thanks to Victor Kiriakis' intervention. Kate was livid, and warned that Victor would try anything to convince the D.A.'s office of Daniel's innocence. She was pleased to hear how confident Woods was that he would prove Jonas' guilt, but worried that Lucas would be upset when he learned Daniel was out of jail. Woods assured her that he would see to it personally that Jonas was sent back where he belonged.

Later, Daniel approached Lexie in the park and pleaded for her help.

Bo and Hope went to the Kiriakis mansion to see Victor. Bo asked about the sixty million dollar bail Victor had posted to free Daniel, noting that Victor must be really certain of Daniel's innocence. Victor replied, "Not only do I back Daniel 100%, I expect every member of this family to do the same-which means, Bo, that I expect you to do everything you can to keep this case from going to trial."

Bo reluctantly stated that all investigations had to follow the same rules and regulations, so the public would see the department as impartial. Victor scoffed, noting that Bo hadn't cared about the public when he saved Philip. Hope pointed out that Bo had nearly been fired because of that.

Bo and Hope assured Victor that neither of them believed Daniel was guilty. Victor argued that if that were true, they should be pursuing other suspects. "You mean like Kate?" asked Bo. Victor got quiet, as they pointed out that Daniel was convinced that Kate had set him up, and although she was a viable suspect, they had no evidence. They asked how he-and Philip-would feel if Kate went to jail. "I'm sure Philip would be very sad to see his mother in prison," Victor hedged. "But if that's where she belongs..." Bo surmised that Victor wanted them to nail Kate and free Daniel, but keep Victor's hands clean. Victor's silence provided his answer.

Victor was furious when he learned that the D.A. had ordered Bo and Hope off the case. Bo urged Victor not to pressure Woods because it would only backfire, and apologized for not being able to do more. "If you don't agree to help Daniel, then I have nothing more to say to you!" declared Victor. "Fortunately, I've got someone coming who knows where he stands with the family." Just then, Victor's nephew, Justin, walked in the door.

At the Brady Pub, Arianna tried to persuade Rafe that there had to be a way for him to stay in Salem. Rafe argued that Sami would never let it drop until she knew all the details about Emily's death, and since he couldn't stand to lie to Sami about it, he had to leave town. Arianna didn't want him to leave, because she would miss him. "It's my fault," she declared. "It happened a long time ago, and it'll never be over." Rafe insisted that she shouldn't blame herself.

Arianna knew that it had almost killed Rafe when he lost Emily, and she didn't want to see the same thing happen again. Rafe pointed out that neither of them could ever tell Sami the truth, and Sami couldn't stand that he was keeping a big part of his life a secret from her. "Love isn't always enough," he noted. "I learned that a long time ago." "Yeah, I guess I did, too," Arianna admitted. "I'm sorry, Rafe. I really am," she added sadly, shaking her head.

Rafe warmly declared that he was glad Arianna was back in his life. She wasn't sure, because if she hadn't been there, the whole thing with Emily might never have come up again. Rafe put his hand on hers, pointing out that the death of the love of his life would have been a major issue regardless. "You did what you did, and I did what I did, and Emily died because of it," he maintained. "We can't make it go away. There's nothing we can do to change what happened-and we can never, ever talk about it."

At the townhouse, Sami left a message urging Rafe to call her, because she wanted to hear his side of the story about Emily. As she hung up, Lucas arrived to pick up Allie. Sami wasn't exactly thrilled to see him at the door, so he asked if she were expecting someone else. Sami changed the subject, asking how Chloe was. "She's a lying, two-faced bitch-that's how Chloe is," Lucas replied. Sami noted that she could read Lucas, and knew he still cared about his wife, but Lucas was only interested in spending the afternoon with Allie. Lucas asked if Sami had been expecting to see Rafe at the door. "Things must not be going too well," he observed. "What'd you do to him this time?"

Sami was insulted, insisting that it wasn't her fault. After swearing Lucas to secrecy, she told him the whole story about Emily's accident, and showed him the letter from Meredith. Lucas scanned it, while Sami pointed out that Meredith had no proof to back up her accusations. Lucas believed it was very possible that Rafe had killed his fiance, and asked how Rafe had reacted when Sami confronted him. Sami admitted that Rafe had left because he hadn't wanted to talk about it. Lucas thought that proved Rafe's guilt, but Sami didn't agree.

Lucas urged her not to let her love for Rafe blind her to the truth. Sami argued that she knew Rafe well, because they had been through a lot together. Lucas countered that she usually made mistakes when she followed her instincts instead of logic, and it put everyone around her in danger-including their kids. "Do you really want your kids living with a murderer?" he asked.

Rafe returned to the townhouse just then. Lucas got Allie from the bedroom, and promised to return her that night. Sami kissed Allie goodbye, but Lucas brushed past Rafe when he tried to do the same. After Lucas had gone, Sami admitted that she'd shown the letter to Lucas, because she needed someone to talk to about it.

Although Rafe hadn't heard Sami's message, he'd gone to see her because he thought they had unfinished business. Sami agreed, noting that Lucas had advised her to stay away from Rafe. She loved Rafe, and knew he loved her, but that meant they had to be honest with each other. "I need you to tell me your side of the story," she implored him. "Tell me that Emily's death was an accident, and that Meredith is wrong." Rafe asked, "And if I tell you that?" Sami assured him that she would believe him, and she wouldn't ask any more questions about Emily or his past.

When Maggie found Lucas playing with Allie in the park, Lucas sent Allie off to play with a friend. As soon as the child was gone, Lucas lit into Maggie, furious that she had lied to him. He angrily told her that he remembered everything that had happened the night he'd started drinking again: she'd told him about Daniel and Chloe's affair, and after the gas explosion had caused his amnesia, she'd lied to his face. Maggie tried to explain her reasons, but Lucas cut her off. "How could you do that to me?" he demanded. "How could you be so damn cruel?"

Maggie urged Lucas to hear her out. She explained that Chloe had sworn never to see Daniel again, and Daniel had agreed to accept her wishes. Maggie hadn't wanted to destroy everything for Lucas, especially after she'd seen how the news had devastated him the first time. Maggie tried to apologize, but Lucas declared that he couldn't trust Maggie anymore, so he didn't want her to be his AA sponsor. He ordered her to stay away from him, and when she began to cry, he ordered her to leave.

Kate arrived after passing an upset Maggie, and asked Lucas what had happened. Lucas replied that Maggie had known about Daniel and Chloe, but hadn't said anything-and Kate had known, too. Kate pointed out that she couldn't say anything because she'd only had suspicions. Lucas was furious when she informed him that Daniel was out on bail. Kate told him about her meeting with the D.A., adding that a capital murder conviction meant that Daniel would either spend the rest of his life in prison or be executed.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

by ChickenGrrl

As Nicole and E.J. cuddled on the sofa, she showed him photos from Sydney's six-month birthday party on her digital camera. Nicole observed that her husband wasn't really paying attention, and assured him that it was perfectly normal if he were thinking about Grace, since it would have been her half-birthday too. E.J. stated that he'd made a promise to himself to move on.

Nicole apologized for having been jealous of Sami, even though E.J. professed to loathe her, because Nicole believed they should all try to get along for Johnny's sake. E.J. agreed to be civil. Nicole stated that she felt sorry for Sami. "First she lost Grace, and now she's losing..." She stopped herself before she finished the sentence and covered, claiming that she'd overheard a bad argument between Sami and Rafe and sensed they were about to break up.

As Nicole carried Sydney out to take her upstairs to bed, her cell phone rang. She was irked to see Dr. Baker's number. "What part of 'never call me again' don't you understand?" Nicole snapped, but Baker only chuckled, asking why she would treat the man who gave her Sydney with such hostility. Nicole demanded to know what he wanted. "I'll give you one guess," he replied.

After a sarcastic comment about Gamblers Anonymous, Nicole declared that she would not give Baker any more money. He cheerfully argued that unless she did, he would tell her husband about the baby switch. Dr. Baker asked how the two babies were doing, just as E.J. called to Nicole from the living room. Nicole hung up on Baker, claiming to E.J. that it had been a telemarketer.

E.J. informed Nicole that it was their night with Johnny, who was eating dinner with them and spending the night. Nicole noted that the cook was making a spicy fish dish that night, and offered to pick up something more "kid-friendly" from the Brady Pub for Johnny.

At the townhouse, Sami asked Rafe to just tell her that Emily's death was an accident, and what Meredith said wasn't true, so they could move on. Rafe replied that he couldn't tell Sami what she wanted to hear, because there were holes in his story that he couldn't fill. Stung, Sami asked, "That you can't fill, or that you won't?" Rafe declared that he could never tell her the truth, and because of that, she'd lost faith in him.

Sami swore that she trusted him--and her kids worshiped him--but Lucas and E.J. were a different story. Rafe argued that Lucas and E.J. had nothing to do with it. Believing that Sami no longer trusted him, Rafe asserted that they really didn't know each other, after all. "This isn't going to work, Sami. We're over," he declared, shaking his head.

Sami repeated that she trusted Rafe with her life, and her kids' lives. "I love you, and I know that you love me," she told him, firmly adding, "I am not letting you do this." She took his face in her hands and kissed him. Rafe kissed back, but then pushed her away. He went into the bedroom to begin packing.

As Rafe packed the last of his things in the living room--including the painting of dogs playing poker--they heard Johnny coughing in the bedroom. Sami went to check on the boy, noting that she'd have to figure out how to tell him why Rafe was gone. Sami returned with a snapshot of her and Rafe with Grace, and offered to let Rafe keep it to remember Grace by. They shared memories Grace's birth and christening, and then Rafe quietly left. Sami watched him go, then suddenly strode across the room and slammed the door after him.

Will returned home to find Sami sobbing on the couch. He comforted his mom when she explained that Rafe had left and wasn't coming back. E.J. arrived to pick up Johnny, and was annoyed to learn that Sami had already put Johnny to bed because he still had a cough. Sami offered to take Johnny to the mansion the next morning, and then went to check on her son. E.J. noticed the boxes Rafe had left, and asked Will about them. Rafe tersely replied that Rafe was moving out, but declared that further details were none of E.J.'s business. E.J.'s annoyance vanished, and he strolled out with a smug grin.

Nicole had just arrived outside the Brady Pub when Dr. Baker called her again. They exchanged barbs, during which Baker informed Nicole that although he was broke, he was in paradise. "Good!" Nicole replied. "Then stay there and rot, because I have nothing left to say to you, Dr. Baker--understood?" Rafe showed up just in time to overhear, his eyes widening with curiosity.

In the park, Kate fantasized about running into Daniel, and kissing him to show him what he was missing. But even in her fantasy, she promised to make him pay. When she snapped out of it, Kate vowed that if the state didn't send Daniel to the electric chair, she would take care of him herself.

Near the water, Daniel implored Lexie for help. He gave her a vial of medication, and instructed her to administer it to Chloe in two-milligram doses every three hours. Lexie noted with alarm that it was the same drug that had put Chloe in a coma, but Daniel believed it would bring her back out of it. He pleaded with Lexie that without the drug, Chloe would die. Although she trusted Daniel, Lexie was unsure.

As Daniel was pressing the vial into Lexie's hand, Abe arrived and demanded an explanation. Lexie tried to calm her irate husband, explaining that they hoped administering a tiny dose of the drug would strengthen Chloe's immune system to help her body heal itself. When Daniel jumped in, Abe only became angrier, declaring that Daniel was in violation of his bail agreement. Lexie reminded Abe that he wasn't on the police force anymore. "Yeah. I'm the mayor," Abe agreed. "The First Citizen of Salem--and I am hereby making a citizen's arrest."

At the Kiriakis mansion, Hope and Bo greeted Justin with warm hugs and handshakes. Justin explained that Victor had sent the company jet for him, but when he saw the look on Victor's face, Justin got right down to business. He told Victor that after reviewing the case against Daniel, he feared that Daniel was in need of a miracle. Victor declared that it was Justin's job to get all the circumstantial evidence against Daniel thrown out.

Justin confessed that he'd never tried a criminal case before, but Victor's only concern was that Daniel had a lawyer he could trust. Justin asked about other suspects, and Bo and Hope informed him that the evidence kept pointing them to Daniel. Hope assured both Kiriakis men that she and Bo only wanted the truth. "Then you should be looking at someone other than Daniel!" Victor snapped. Bo and Hope said their goodbyes, and left.

The tension had not been lost on Justin, who demanded that Victor him tell everything he knew. Victor refused to answer, but told his nephew he was furious that Bo and Hope had disregarded family loyalty to investigate Daniel. Justin wanted to know whom Victor suspected if he were so certain that Daniel hadn't done it. Just then, Kate strolled in. She hugged Justin, but after realizing why he was there, she became angry.

Victor took a brief phone call, and then he ordered Justin to head to the police station. "There's been an incident," was his only explanation. As Justin rushed out the front door, Kate confronted Victor about bringing in his nephew to defend Daniel. Victor reminded her that he'd vowed to keep Daniel out of jail, and had only promised not to do anything to hurt or help her. Kate was worried what would happen when Justin turned the spotlight on her, but Victor contended that she had no one to blame but herself.

At the Brady Pub, Bo made a phone call, ordering an officer to recheck the fingerprints on the vial of drugs from Daniel's apartment. Hope was surprised, since the D.A. had ordered them off the case, but agreed that it was odd that Daniel's had been the only prints on the vial. They discussed how both Daniel and Victor had told them Kate was the real culprit, and they couldn't ignore their allegations, despite what the D.A. wanted.

Bo declared that he couldn't only side with the family when it was convenient for Victor. Because of Victor's war with the DiMeras, Bo also sensed that something bad was going to happen, and he didn't want it to spill over into his own family. Ciara emerged from the kitchen with a surprise for her mommy and daddy: a cake thick with pink frosting, laden with colorful but messy flowers.

Later, Bo and Hope took Ciara to the waterfront. They pointed out the Fancy Face, the boat on which they'd sailed around the world with her brother, Shawn-Douglas, when he was a baby. Hope excitedly suggested that they do the same thing with Ciara someday, and Bo added that they could visit Shawn, Belle, and Claire. "And my brother, Zack?" asked Ciara. They reminded her that Zack was gone, but they were glad he was special to Ciara, even if she didn't know him. "I know Zack!" she declared. With a hug, Hope replied, "Of course you do, because you remember him in your prayers every night, don't you?"

Hope got a phone call, and then announced that she had to get back to work. Bo volunteered to drop Ciara off, and meet Hope at the station later. Hope gave her daughter a goodbye hug and kiss, with reminders not to talk to strangers, and to stay close to her friend's mom. After Hope left, Bo picked Ciara up, enthusiastically telling her about all the fun she would have at the carnival. As they walked away, a mysterious man emerged from the shadows.

Justin arrived at the police station as the D.A. was taunting Daniel about having to return to a jail cell. Abe and Lexie were happy to see Justin back in town. D.A. Woods grilled Lexie about what Daniel wanted her to do. After Lexie described the procedure, Justin wanted to know if she thought it could save Chloe's life. "Possibly," Lexie answered reluctantly. "Well, for God's sake, Lexie, do it!" Daniel demanded. "Please, do it!" Lexie apologetically replied that because it was experimental, she would have to get the approval of Chloe's husband, Lucas. Daniel didn't think even Lucas was heartless enough to let Chloe die, just because Daniel suggested the treatment.

The D.A. then announced that he would have an officer escort Dr. Jonas back to his cell. Justin politely demanded to know what the charges were. Woods recounted all the ways Daniel had violated his bail agreement, but Justin handily shot down every one of the arguments. Justin then asked if Abe thought there was enough evidence to put Daniel back in jail. Abe grudgingly admitted that perhaps he'd overreacted to what he'd thought was a violation, and that Dr. Jonas was not a threat. Woods was livid, vowing that it wasn't over.

Once attorney and client were alone, Daniel thanked Justin. Justin cautioned Daniel that he looked guilty from almost every angle, so they had to find some new evidence. Daniel surprised Justin with his assertion that Kate had set him up. Justin knew that it would be difficult to prove a smart woman like Kate guilty. "Then you have got to find a way, Justin," Daniel stated. "Because it is the only way that I am allowed to help Chloe, and if it doesn't happen soon, the woman I love is going to die."

Hope entered the conference room after Daniel had left, and found Justin on the phone with Adrienne, his wife. "We need to talk about this now," he said, but then his call was dropped. Justin hung up in frustration, and Hope asked if everything were all right.

At the carnival, Bo presented Ciara with a stuffed unicorn he'd won, explaining that maybe it could be a replacement for Tommy Bear. He reviewed the rules with her: "Listen to what Tracy's mommy says. No wandering off on your own, no talking to strangers, and no eating too much ice cream!" He promised that he and Hope would pick her up early the next morning. Tracy's mom, Ellen, assured Bo that the girls were always careful and stayed close.

After Bo left, Tracy asked Ciara, "How's my bear?" Ciara unzipped her backpack and showed her friend the stuffed bear. Ellen announced that they were going to meet another friend's mom near the rides, and began herding the two girls, plus her other three children, in that direction. Suddenly, Tracy exclaimed, "Oh, look, ponies!" and took off running. Ellen called after her, grabbing one of the children by the hand, and told Ciara to follow her. Ciara lingered, trying to zip up her backpack. After the others had rushed off, the mysterious man sat down next to her, extending a lollipop. "Remember me?" he asked, and Ciara smiled.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

by LaDaisia

Stefano asked E.J. whether Johnny was home, but E.J. said he was still with Sami because Johnny had a cold. E.J. asked if Stefano had seen Nicole, and he said she went to the Brady Pub to pick up some food. E.J. thought that she was taking too long. He was frustrated that Nicole was not answering her phone. Stefano inquired about whether something had happened at Sami's place, but E.J. didn't want to talk about it.

Stefano asked if Rafe was at Sami's house. E.J. asked why his father wanted to know. Stefano said he knew that E.J. and Rafe had butted heads over E.J. changing Grace's tombstone. E.J. said that Sami and Rafe broke up, but he didn't get a chance to talk to Sami to find out why. Stefano thought that E.J.'s reaction was rather low-key. E.J. said he was certain he would find it satisfying on some level, but for the time being, he was still processing the news. Stefano thought E.J. would be happy about Sami and Rafe's misery, given that they had kept Grace's identity from him.

Outside the Brady Pub, Rafe overheard the conversation Nicole had on the phone with Dr. Baker. Nicole told the doctor to go to hell, but Dr. Baker said if she didn't send more money to cover his gambling debts, he would reveal the baby switch and her part in it. Nicole went into the Brady Pub to pick up her order, and Rafe thanked her for telling him and Sami about E.J. changing Grace's headstone. Rafe was determined to find out what was going on with Nicole and Dr. Baker.

After Nicole left, Raf e told Arianna that he still planned to leave town, but he wanted to stick around a while longer, because he had a feeling that Sami might need him. He told Arianna how he persuaded Dr. Baker to leave town after he found him working at the Salem hospital. He realized that Dr. Baker delivered Sami's baby and Nicole's, so he planned to stay in town to make sure Sami wasn't hurt.

When Nicole got home, she asked where E.J. Was, because she got Johnny some dinner. Stefano said Johnny was sick, so E.J. Had agreed to let Johnny stay at Sami's place, then E.J. went back out again. Nicole realized that E.J. had learned about Sami and Rafe's breakup, and she assumed that Sami was crying on E.J.'s shoulder. Nicole asked Stefano if E.J. still had feelings for Sami.

E.J. went to the graveyard to visit Grace's grave. Lexie saw E.J.'s car and decided to stop and talk to him. She asked if he still had feelings for Sami. E.J. said he regretted that he had to share Johnny with Sami, but other than that, Sami was out of his mind. Lexie said he sounded like he was trying to convince himself that he didn't have feelings for Sami. E.J. said he needed to remind himself that he hated Sami.

E.J. told Lexie how much he appreciated Nicole and Sydney, and he got defensive when he thought that Lexie was suggesting his feelings for Nicole were based on gratitude and not love. Lexie asked if something had happened recently between him and Sami. E.J. told her about Sami and Rafe's breakup, and he realized that he was conflicted over his feelings for Sami. Lexie said she wanted E.J. to have peace of mind about Sami.

Meanwhile, Nicole told Stefano about Dr. Baker's phone call. She urged him to give Dr. Baker the money he requested, but Stefano refused to give him one penny, because he thought that Dr. Baker wouldn't stop asking for money. Nicole warned him what would happen if E.J. found out that Sydney was Sami's daughter instead of hers. Stefano agreed to give the doctor the money, but Stefano told Nicole to warn Dr. Baker that there would be no more money after that--and it wasn't good for Dr. Baker's health to blackmail a DiMera.

At the police station, Hope walked in on the tail end of Justin's conversation with Adrianne and asked if everything was alright. Justin said things were fine. Bo called Hope to tell her that he noticed Ciara left her water bottle in the car, so he went back to the park to give it to her.

Meanwhile, Ciara was talking to the strange man, who had given her candy at her birthday party. He offered to buy her toys and tried to lure her away with a lollipop. Ciara zipped up her backpack and ran off. Bo gave Ciara her water bottle and said goodbye to Ciara as the man watched from the bushes.

At the police station, Bo asked Abe to keep an eye out for Ciara when he and Theo went to the carnival. Meanwhile, Ciara left her backpack with her bear inside it on the bench while she rode carnival rides with the other kids.

Hope told Justin how much she missed spending time with Ciara, and Justin said he understood how she felt and that kids grew up fast. Hope asked if all of Justin's kids were living on their own. He said that his son, Jackson, was still living at home. He said he was not as anxious for them to leave home as he once was. Hope wasn't looking forward to Ciara leaving home, either, especially because of Zack's death. After Justin, Bo, and Hope were finished with business, Justin suggested they go to the pub to get something to eat.

When Ciara returned to the bench where her backpack was, she noticed that her bear was gone. Tracy's mother, Ellen, was busy with the other kids, and the strange man approached her again asking what was wrong. Ciara told him that her bear was gone, so he offered to help her look for it if she went with him. She told him she couldn't go, so the man offered to look for the bear and then give it to her when he found it. The man went back to the bushes where the bear was.

Theo and Abe saw Ciara at the carnival. Lexie joined them, and she told him that she saw E.J. at the cemetery, and that he was going through a rough time. Tracy hurt herself, and while Ellen and Lexie tended to her, Ciara walked back over to the stranger. He showed her that he had found her bear, and Ciara was grateful.

E.J. returned home, and Nicole asked if he was with Sami because he heard about Sami and Rafe breaking up. E.J. said he wasn't with Sami, and Nicole asked if he wanted to be with Sami. E.J. said he thought about it, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought about his marriage. Nicole said that all she ever wanted was for E.J. to love her the way E.J. loved Sami.

E.J. told Nicole that while he was concerned about Sami, he loved Nicole more than anything he had ever experienced before. He pledged his commitment to Nicole. Meanwhile, Stefano made a call to someone asking them to take care of someone.

Arianna offered to let Rafe use her computer to do research on Dr. Baker. At first Arianna didn't think that Sami's Dr. Baker and the one Nicole was talking to were the same person, but Rafe's instincts told him that they were. Rafe called a former colleague of his and asked for help accessing some classified websites. Rafe thought of another place to search for information on Dr. Baker, so he closed up Arianna's laptop and left.

When Hope, Bo, and Justin arrived at the pub, Hope wanted to call Ellen to see how Ciara was, but Bo told her to relax and trust that Ellen would take care of Ciara. Hope agreed to stop obsessing, but then she changed her mind and decided to call anyway.

Meanwhile, Ciara thanked the man who found her bear, and the man lied and said that Bo told her to go with him. The man said that Bo told him that Hope had an accident and was in the hospital, so Ciara agreed to go with him, thinking that they were going to see her mother. Lexie examined Tracy's injury and went off to get some ice to reduce the swelling.

Justin visited with Caroline at the pub and then apologized to Bo for not being able to return to Salem for Shawn's funeral. Hope tried to reach Ellen again by phone, because she wasn't able to reach her the first time. She assumed that Ellen was driving and wasn't able to talk on the phone, so she agreed with Bo to call later. Bo had another vision of Ciara. Meanwhile, Ciara walked off with the strange man and accidentally dropped her bear.

Friday, August 14, 2009

by Spalding

On a remote tropical island , Dr. Richard Baker was surprised to find a sullen-looking man standing in his hotel room with a gun. The man urged Richard to give him the money he owed him, but Richard pleaded for a couple of days to get the money. After Richard convinced the man that he was worth more alive than dead, the man agreed to give Richard two more days to settle his debt.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Arianna surprised Brady with a present as he was getting out of the swimming pool. Pleased by the visit, Brady eagerly opened the box to find a gift certificate for a picnic basket from the Brady Pub. When Brady asked why she had given him the present, Arianna commented that she had so much fun with Brady on their first picnic that she wanted to make sure there was a second one.

Brady invited Arianna to join him for a swim, but citing a commitment to close the pub that night, Arianna declined. Noting the disappointed look on Brady's face, Arianna offered to return later that night for the swim. Smiling, Brady joked that the Kiriakis pool had a ban on swimsuits. With a soft kiss goodbye on Brady's lips, Arianna headed back to the pub.

Inside the Kiriakis living room, Philip made arrangements on the phone to provide for the education of Carlo's children. When Victor overheard what Philip was doing, he angrily interrupted the phone call. Philip said that he wanted to help Carlo's family, but Victor chastised Philip for getting involved in the shooting in the first place.

Angered by Victor's words, Philip asked whether it bothered his father that a man died while working for them. "Should it?" Victor snarled. "Do you even have a heart?" Philip wondered aloud. Narrowing his eyes, Victor reminded Philip that Carlo knew the risks of the job and that it was just business. "Bad stuff happens. Get used to it," Victor huffed.

At Sami's apartment, Stephanie arrived for her girls' night out, only to find a tired-looking Sami. With a faint smile on her face, Sami asked whether they could order in, since Johnny was still sick with a cough. While Sami flipped through the take-out menus, Stephanie spotted the boxes stacked in the corner. When Stephanie asked Sami about the boxes, Sami admitted that she and Rafe had broken up.

After Stephanie did her best to cheer up Sami, Maggie arrived to babysit Johnny. Sami apologized for forgetting to call Maggie to cancel, but invited her to join them for dinner. Stephanie and Sami informed Maggie about their conversation, and Maggie advised the women that the pain of their heartache would go away once they met their soulmates. Still wounded, Sami wondered aloud whether the pain would go away if they already lost their soulmate.

At Salem Hospital, Rafe walked up to an empty nurse's station and plugged a flash drive into the side of an unattended computer. Hoping to extract information about Dr. Richard Baker, Rafe went through the hospital files on the computer. No sooner had Rafe started to scan the records than Melanie walked up to Rafe and questioned what he was doing. Turning on the charm, Rafe explained that he was interested in a nurse named Anita and was using the computer to find out her last name.

Suspicious of Rafe's smooth charm, Melanie warned Rafe that the records were confidential, and asked him to leave. Rafe good-naturedly agreed to go, and he apologized for trying to use the computer. Melanie watched Rafe get onto the elevator and, as the doors closed, she walked away. At the last second, Rafe stuck his hand in the doorway and stopped the elevator. With the nurses' station vacant once again, Rafe rushed over the computer and copied the files he needed. Just as he was walking away, he ran into Sami.

Surprised to see his ex, Rafe asked what she was doing at the hospital. Sami explained that she had taken Johnny in to have a nurse examine his cough. Curious, Sami asked Rafe whether he had decided not to leave Salem. Rafe countered that he was going to leave, but that he needed to tie up some loose ends first. Sami started to ask questions, but noting Rafe's evasiveness, Sami stopped. "I will miss you," Sami said, then rushed off down the hall. "I'll miss you too," Rafe whispered after her.

At the Brady Pub, Hope, Justin, and Bo were having a drink together when Bo had a vision of finding Ciara's teddy bear in the woods. Panicked, Bo called to check on Ciara and learned that she had just disappeared. Frantic, Bo grabbed Hope and Justin and headed over to the carnival.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Melanie met up with Nathan for drinks. Smiling, Nathan noted that Melanie's sweater was buttoned incorrectly. Embarrassed, Melanie went to the bathroom to fix her clothes. While Melanie was away, Stephanie walked into the bar and stopped by Nathan's table to say hello. Nathan explained that he was having a drink with a friend, and that he was looking forward to spending more time with Stephanie. From the hallway, Melanie overheard their flirty conversation and became jealous.

Stomping over to the table, Melanie barked sarcastically, "You were acting all cute and flirty while stupid, unsuspecting me was off in the bathroom buttoning my shirt?" Confused by Melanie's anger, Stephanie and Nathan laughed nervously. "We're done. So he's all yours, princess," Melanie growled before heading out of the bar.

Stephanie apologized to Nathan for ruining his night, but Nathan protested, saying that he was not on a date with Melanie, though she might have thought they were. After some light conversation and a couple of beers, Nathan and Stephanie toasted to "having fun."

Down on the pier, a haunted Philip stared at the spot where he had found Carlo dying. Spotting Philip across the dock, Melanie called out "hello" to Philip, startling him. When Philip inquired about her evening, Melanie admitted that she had a bruised ego and that she was in a bad mood. Philip confided that he could not stop thinking of Carlo, and, trying to console Philip, Melanie said, "He wasn't even family."

"Shut up! You sound like my father!" Philip screamed. Wounded, Melanie protested that she did care about Carlo's death and that she had only said that to try to make Philip feel better. Melanie assured Philip that she knew he was a good person, and, grateful for the vote of confidence, Philip thanked her. Unsure what to do, Philip asked Melanie for advice. Eager to help, Melanie offered her assistance.

When Sami returned from the hospital with Johnny, she found that Maggie had set aside the boxes of Rafe's stuff so that Sami would not have to stare at them in her living room. Sami thanked Maggie for the gesture, and she made her a cup of tea. As they sat on the couch chatting, Maggie assured Sami that it would get easier. Sami wondered aloud why love was so hard. "It feels like I'm making the biggest mistake of my life. I can't help but wonder if Rafe feels the same way," Sami said.

At the Brady Pub, Arianna met with her drug connection in the closed restaurant. The dealer noted that he was out of cocaine but that he should have more drugs ready for her soon. Pleased with Arianna's ability to move drugs quickly and quietly, the dealer informed Arianna that the people he worked for were taking notice of her work.

As the dealer was leaving, Rafe rushed into the pub in the hopes of borrowing Arianna's computer again. Rafe plugged his flash drive into the computer and looked through the hospital files that he had downloaded earlier. Noticing a list of appointment cancellations with Dr. Baker, Rafe wondered aloud whether Nicole had known Dr. Baker prior to his residency at Salem Hospital. When Rafe saw the name of Dr. Baker's clinic in Brookville, he theorized that Nicole most likely met Dr. Baker at that clinic.

Back at the Kiriakis mansion, Arianna returned in a skimpy swimsuit. After a quick swim, Arianna got out of the pool because she was cold. Brady put a towel around the shivering Arianna and then kissed her.

At the carnival, a frantic Bo and Hope arrived and asked Abe for an update on Ciara. Abe asked Theo if he had seen Ciara, but Theo would only say, "Seen Ciara." Lexie took Theo home, and Abe made some calls to the station to start a search for Ciara. Justin attempted to keep Bo and Hope calm, but in full panic mode, they dismissed him.

Hope found Ciara's water bottle, and Bo received word of a tip from a witness claiming to have seen a car speeding away from the carnival. With the make and model of the car on record, the police were able to identify a car meeting the description abandoned down the road. Bo rushed to the scene of the abandoned car and found Ciara's teddy bear in the woods nearby. "Ciara!" Bo called out to the night sky, just as he had done in his vision.