Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of January 10, 2011 on DAYS

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

Monday, January 10, 2011

by LaDaisia

Chad showed up at the DiMera mansion to see Stefano. Chad explained that he had gone out of town to clear his head, which was why Stefano hadn't seen him. Chad ordered Stefano not to call him anymore and said that he wanted Stefano out of his life for good. Chad said he had only showed up to tell Stefano that Chad was not giving up on school, but he didn't want any DiMera money and didn't want anything to do with the DiMeras.

Chad tried to leave, but Stefano ordered him to stop. He said that the reason why Chad was so angry was because Chad had never had a father who wanted Chad around. "And I never will," Chad said. After Chad left, Stefano looked at pictures of Chad. Then he called Lexie to talk about the extended family.

Victor asked Kate what had happened to Vivian, because none of his people could find her. Kate said that he didn't need to worry about Vivian and Gus anymore, because they would be gone long enough for Victor's lawyers to fix the mess at Titan. Kate credited Brady with orchestrating the whole thing. Victor said that with Vivian out of the way, he and Kate could concentrate on dealing with Parker and Chloe.

Victor felt bad for what Daniel was going through, while Kate felt he'd gotten what he deserved. They both agreed, however, that it was bad for Chloe to be the mother of Philip's child. They hoped that Chloe would move out of town, and they also agreed that if she left town, she couldn't take the baby with her. Kate said they couldn't pester Philip about it. She felt he needed to assert his rights as a father and maybe then he'd see Chloe for what she was -- a gold digger.

On the island, Vivian vented to Gus about how she planned to take revenge against everyone responsible for stranding her on the island. Gus wondered how she planned on them getting off the island. Vivian noticed a tanker headed toward the island, so she ordered him to light a signal fire, while she tried to get the tanker's attention by waving her arms. Gus gathered what he could to start a fire, but it was too late, because the ship had passed.

Vivian got angry with Gus and started to insult him, but Gus pushed her and ordered her to shut up. He detailed how he had risked his life for her. She called him a "disloyal lackey." He drew a line in the sand and ordered her to stay on her side of the island, and he would stay on his.

Vivian wondered to herself why everyone hated her. She thought that Victor should have been overjoyed for her seeking revenge on Carly and that Philip should have been happy that she had given him life. She thought about how Gus didn't want to be near her, and she had lost Lawrence. She was all alone. Vivian fell asleep and had a dream of a half-naked Brady trying to seduce her. She woke up and realized she was dreaming.

At the hospital, Melanie told Daniel that she had found a good divorce attorney for her to divorce Philip and for him to divorce Chloe. Daniel explained that he and Chloe were over, and Chloe was in the process of moving out of Daniel's apartment. Melanie was glad that she didn't have to face the fallout alone, and he assured her that she wouldn't.

Kayla showed up at the hospital, and Melanie demanded to know why Kayla was there. Kayla said she was there to see Caroline. Daniel tried to calm Melanie, saying that she needed to let stuff go, but she said she couldn't forgive anyone who was dishonest with her and Daniel. He said that being angry and blaming other people didn't work for him. "What does?" Melanie asked, and he said, "Maybe time."

Melanie asked if she could stay at Daniel's apartment for a while, and he said she could stay as long as she wanted. Melanie asked, "What about Carly?" Daniel ignored her question.

At Daniel's apartment, Chloe told the movers over the phone that she couldn't move at that moment, because her son was sleeping. The movers wanted to know when they should reschedule for, and she said, "How about never." There was a knock at the door. It was Carly, who asked for Daniel. Chloe said that Daniel wasn't home, so Carly started to leave, but Chloe told her to wait. "No matter what you think of me, I just hope that..."

"You want me to tell you what I think of you? Any given day, I'm so sorry that I met you," Carly said. Chloe was hurt by Carly's words, and she accused Carly of being the reason why Chloe had gotten pregnant by Philip. Chloe said that Vivian wanted to hurt Carly, so Vivian had used Chloe and tricked her into believing that Daniel was cheating with Carly. Carly reminded Chloe that she had kept Chloe's secret, because she believed that Chloe was carrying Daniel's child and to make up for how Carly had hurt Daniel by keeping Melanie from him.

Carly said she hadn't known that the man Chloe had slept with was Carly's daughter's husband, and she wouldn't have looked the other way if she had known that. Carly accused Chloe of using her, adding that Chloe would have used anyone else to keep her secret hidden. Carly said that she and Chloe were going to face the consequences alone. Chloe asked Carly to speak to Daniel about Chloe to help him get a better perspective, but Carly said that Chloe had killed her relationship. "I thought you said you were my friend," Chloe said. "I wanted to be your friend," Carly said.

Chloe was under the assumption that Daniel would forgive her and take her back, but Carly warned her that it wouldn't happen. Chloe said that being Melanie's mother didn't give Carly a "free pass." Carly didn't know what was going to happen, but they would find out because "from now on, you and I live in the real world."

Melanie went to Daniel's apartment, only to find Chloe still there. Melanie ordered Chloe to leave, and Chloe tried to use Parker as an excuse, but Melanie knew that Chloe was already packed and that Daniel found a place for Chloe. Chloe begged Melanie to let her stay, but Melanie told her never to ask for another thing. Melanie vented her hatred for Chloe and said she knew exactly how to make Chloe pay. Melanie said she would make sure that Daniel divorced Chloe. Melanie said she would see to it that Chloe moved her belongings out of the apartment in 60 seconds or they would go in the dumpster.

Chloe asked Melanie about Philip. Melanie said there was nothing to throw away with Philip because there was nothing to begin with. Melanie thought her relationship with Philip had just been a lie. She said that Chloe's relationship with Daniel had been a lie too. She also called Parker a lie. Chloe lunged for Melanie, but Melanie felt sick to her stomach, and she ran into the bathroom.

Melanie returned from the bathroom, suspecting she had the flu, but Chloe asked if Melanie had missed her period. Melanie said she wasn't pregnant, as it slowly dawned on her that she might be.

Carly ran into Daniel at the hospital and tried to explain why she kept the truth from him. Daniel said that for 20 years, Carly had kept him in the dark, and Melanie had suffered. It had happened again with Chloe's infidelity, and Melanie had suffered again, he said. Carly insisted that she'd never meant to hurt him or Melanie. Daniel said that what was worse than losing his marriage and a son he thought was his was that every time he tried to comfort Melanie for her failed marriage, he thought of himself as a "constant reminder of the mistake she made."

Daniel said he didn't blame Carly for what Chloe or Philip had done, he blamed her for not telling him and instead letting him marry a woman who had cheated on him. Kayla walked in to confront Carly. Kayla told Carly that she faced felonies for giving a paternity test under "false pretenses" using a false name and DNA unwillingly supplied by Daniel. Carly said she was ready to face the consequences. Kayla said that even if Carly didn't go to prison, she would face a disciplinary hearing at the hospital. When the charges were proven true, Carly would be stripped of her medical license, "and gosh darn it, Bo's shoulder isn't here for you to cry on," Kayla said. Carly assured Daniel that she would find a way to make things right.

Nathan tried to enter Stephanie's apartment, but Stephanie warned him not to walk in, because it was bad luck for him to see her in her wedding dress. He said their bad luck had already begun. He called Stephanie a liar. She pretended not to know what he was talking about, but he insisted on hearing the truth. He accused her of knowing about Parker's paternity all along. She admitted it, but she tried to say that she'd had no other choice.

Stephanie tried to explain that when she found out about Philip and Chloe was when she'd found out what Caroline had done. She said she'd tried to force Caroline to go public with what she had done, but Caroline was going through too much already with Bo and Hope, Sami getting her kids taken away, and Johnny having eye cancer. Nathan didn't believe Stephanie's lies. Stephanie told him to ask Caroline, and she would confirm it. Nathan felt that Caroline would lie for Stephanie.

Nathan said that Stephanie had known for months and had even tried to switch the results herself. Nathan pulled up Stephanie's email to Ian, saying "Ian, don't tell anyone what we did. You're the only one who knows." She said that didn't prove anything, and Nathan said he'd confronted Ian, and Ian had confirmed the truth. Stephanie lied, saying that Ian wasn't being honest, because he was jealous of Nathan.

Nathan didn't believe Stephanie. He detailed how Stephanie had used Ian to hack into the hospital computer to see the results and then later to change the results, only to find out her grandmother beaten her to it. He ordered her to admit the truth, and she did, saying she would do it all over again. He said that wasn't love, it was crazy, just like when she'd destroyed the letter that Melanie had written to him.

Stephanie called Nathan out on his feelings for Melanie. She said that he'd lied when he told her for over a year that he and Melanie were over. "You couldn't stop looking at her, and every time you talked about her, your voice did this slow, little soft thing, and I had to sit there and listen to that and hope to God that you would change, except you never did," she said. Stephanie said that Nathan would have left her "in a heartbeat" if Melanie asked him to.

Stephanie said that she was left with nothing as she'd worried she would be, and she predicted that as soon as Nathan walked out, he would go to Melanie. Nathan said he didn't know where he would go, but he couldn't stay with Stephanie. She apologized for the things she'd said, but she said that Melanie "ruins lives." "And you have been so good for me," he said, grabbing his keys and walking out. On her knees, Stephanie begged him not to leave her. Nathan picked Stephanie up off the ground and told her goodbye. She banged on the door, yelling "No!" after he left.

Kate ran into Chad at the Brady Pub. He told her about his visit with Stefano, who had mentioned that she and Stefano weren't together. He wondered why she and Stefano had been fighting a lot, and she said, "Mainly because of you." Kate said that Stefano was upset at her for not telling him that Chad was his son sooner. She hoped that Chad and Stefano would make peace. Chad said he would be fine with Stefano as long as Stefano left him alone. Kate warned Chad that he would never be free of Stefano.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

Chloe called Melanie to ask whether Melanie was pregnant. "Not that it's any of your business, but I took a whole bunch of pregnancy tests, and they all came back negative," Melanie retorted, and then hung up on Chloe. Chloe suspected that Melanie was lying, but before she could dial again, Daniel entered. He announced that the movers had arrived to take Chloe and Parker's belongings to their new place.

Sobbing, Chloe declared that she didn't know how she could go on without Daniel. Daniel told her that she had to figure it out and be strong for the baby, but Chloe asserted that Philip might not even want to raise Parker. When the baby began to cry, Chloe urged Daniel to go to his son. Daniel grimaced, and tried to hand Chloe the keys to her new place. She wouldn't take them, so he slammed them down on the table, and then asked for her keys to the apartment.

Still weeping, Chloe reluctantly gave the keys to Daniel. As Daniel tried to leave, she grabbed his hand and pleaded, "Daniel, please -- I love you so much!" Daniel wrested his hand away from hers, and left.

One of the movers later informed Chloe that they had finished packing the truck, and Chloe said that she would meet them at the new place. Holding Parker in her arms, she looked around the apartment sadly. "This isn't goodbye -- not forever," Chloe said quietly. As she pulled her keys out of her purse, inspiration struck. "That's how I'll do it," she told Parker. "I'm gonna get your daddy back, Parker. I'm gonna get him to love me again. I promise."

In Maggie's kitchen, Melanie looked at the readout on a pregnancy test, which read "POS." Just as she sank into a kitchen chair in shock, there was a knock at the back door. Melanie quickly hid the pregnancy test in a wastebasket, and threw open the door to find Nathan. "Stephanie and I are done," he declared. "It's over."

Nathan told Melanie that Stephanie had known all along that Chloe and Philip had slept together, and it had been Stephanie's idea to change the paternity test results, but Caroline had done it first. Stunned, Melanie wanted to know why. Nathan explained, "I think she figured that if you found out Philip cheated on you that you'd come to me for comfort. She has this idea in her head that I never stopped loving you, and that you never stopped loving me. And she's right, isn't she?"

Melanie couldn't answer, so Nathan reminded her of the conversation they'd had while in quarantine about their love for each other. "I'm so sorry -- I can't talk about this with you right now," Melanie stammered. She grabbed her coat and purse, and left.

Stephanie was sobbing when she answered the door at her apartment for her mother. "The wedding's off," Stephanie tearfully informed Kayla. "Nathan left me." Kayla tried to comfort her daughter, but Stephanie believed that Kayla thought it was Stephanie's own fault. Kayla gently insisted that wasn't true, and pulled Stephanie into a hug. "You were just insecure, and you made a couple of mistakes -- that's it," Kayla murmured. "If anybody's to blame for this, it is Carly Manning."

At the hospital, Carly looked over Caroline's chart, as Caroline prepared to check out. Caroline irritably hinted that Carly should stop harassing her, but Carly wanted to know, "Why couldn't you leave it alone?" Caroline maintained that she had only done what she had thought was right, and she blamed Carly for having kept quiet about Chloe's affair. As Carly turned to leave, Caroline stopped her to say: "We made our choices; now other people will decide our fate."

Rafe arrived at the loft just as Sami finished talking to her dad on the phone. Sami excitedly told Rafe, "My grandma's being released today! We can go get her whenever we want." Rafe reluctantly informed his wife that the district attorney planned to file charges against Sami's grandmother. Sami was incredulous. Rafe assured her that he had pulled some strings so that Caroline would only get the minimum bail.

Sami and Rafe arrived at the hospital to take Caroline home. Caroline started complaining about how Carly refused to take responsibility for her actions, and maintained, "I at least owned up to mine!" Reminding her that he was an officer of the law, Rafe stopped her before she said anything more incriminating in front of him. "Fine -- I just want to leave," Caroline said, and then asked if Sami could take her to Stephanie's right away.

When Sami and Caroline got to Stephanie's, Caroline was worried that she would get in Stephanie and Nathan's way. Stephanie divulged that Nathan had moved out. Caroline asked if it was because of what she had done, but Stephanie didn't want to talk about it. Sami hugged her cousin and expressed her sympathy, and then left.

Caroline asked Stephanie what had happened. Stephanie asserted that it hadn't been Caroline's fault that Nathan had left; it was because he had never stopped loving Melanie. Caroline felt terrible that it was over between Nathan and Stephanie, but Stephanie insisted, "It's not over!"

Back at the loft, Rafe asked Sami how her grandmother was doing. Pointing out everything Caroline had to worry about, Sami seemed impressed with how well her grandmother was handling things. Sami added that she was worried about Johnny adjusting to having to wear an eye patch. Rafe asserted that Johnny would be fine, because he had his mom's "indomitable spirit."

Sami noted that it had become harder, not easier, to be apart from Johnny. "I wish I knew that it was finite," she said. "Then I could hold on; I could get through it -- or at least I could try to be more patient. But not knowing is killing me. I just want something to change, Rafe."

Carly was pacing near the nurses' station, waiting for her ethics hearing to begin, when Melanie arrived. Melanie explained that she was there to see her dad, not to sit in on the hearing. Carly said that she had accepted that she might never get Melanie's forgiveness. "I'm just hoping you understand one day when you're a mom," Carly added. "Your priorities change -- forever. The happiness and well-being of your child, that takes precedence over everything."

Right after Daniel arrived at the hospital, a nurse informed Carly that the hearing was about to begin. The nurse also told Daniel that someone would let him know when they were ready for his testimony. Once Carly and the nurse had left, Melanie declared to Daniel, "I need to tell you something really important."

In a conference room, Lexie began Carly's hearing. "I have records here from St. Mary's that confirm one Dana Scott, a patient of Dr. Manning's, checked into that hospital for a paternity test," Lexie stated. "It has now been revealed that Dana Scott was, in fact, an alias for Chloe Jonas, who had privacy concerns regarding the paternity of said unborn child." She then asked a nurse to get Dr. Jonas.

Before Melanie could tell Daniel that she was pregnant, Nathan arrived. Melanie claimed to Daniel that she felt bad for Parker, because he was losing Daniel as a father. Daniel was skeptical that was what she had really intended to tell him, but the nurse interrupted just then to take Daniel to the hearing. Melanie promised her father that they would talk later.

After Daniel was seated in the conference room, Lexie asked him, "Did Dr. Manning ever take a DNA sample from you under false pretenses?"

Nathan found Melanie on the pier, and asked why she had seemed so upset at the hospital. "You mean aside from my husband cheating on me with my stepmom?" she asked. Nathan asserted that he could tell there was more going on than that. "Come on, Mel; I care about you," he urged. "Just tell me. Maybe I can help."

At the Brady Pub, Stefano announced to E.J. and Lexie that he had something very important to tell them. Assuming that it was going to be a lecture about his impending marriage to Nicole, E.J. started railing at his father. Stefano interrupted to insist that although he wasn't happy about Nicole joining the family, that wasn't what the meeting was about.

Stefano then began somewhat hesitantly, "I wanted you both here to tell you... You have another brother." He explained that, years earlier, he'd been involved with Madeline Peterson-Woods. E.J. laughed mockingly until he realized that meant Chad was the brother in question. E.J. assumed that Chad was after the DiMera money, but Stefano assured E.J. and Lexie, "He doesn't want anything to do with me or my money." Stefano continued that he hoped that Chad would eventually change his mind. "Chad Woods is a silly, insolent little brat," E.J. declared, adding that he couldn't care less if Chad didn't want to be a DiMera.

When Chad entered the pub later, Stefano invited Chad to join him, but Chad refused. As he headed for the door, Stefano commanded, "You will listen to your father." Chad sat down grudgingly. Stefano declared that if he had known about Chad, he would never have abandoned his son. Stefano assured Chad that from then on, Chad would always have a father who cared for him and wanted him to succeed. Chad snapped that he didn't want Stefano's money. Chuckling, Stefano noted that Chad was just like E.J.

Chad tried again to leave, but Stefano stopped him. "Chad, this is not about money," Stefano declared softly. "This is about love. I want you to be a part of my family." Chad argued, "I would prefer to be alone for the rest of my life than be a part of some criminal family whose entire raison d'tre is to get more for themselves -- and whoever gets in their way be damned. I would be ashamed to call myself a DiMera." Chad stormed out.

"Raison d'tre," Stefano repeated, chuckling. "He's smart as a whip." Stefano's cell phone rang just then. "No, I have not forgotten," he growled into the phone.

While Nicole waited in her wedding attire at the DiMera mansion, Johnny ran into the parlor to join her. Also dressed up and ready for the wedding, he sat on the sofa next to her. "I know that you miss your mommy, and I want you to know that I'm not trying to take her place," Nicole reassured Johnny. "I just want to be your friend, and to love you, and to be there for you." She seemed to notice something just then, and asked Johnny if his eye were bothering him, but he said it wasn't. Nicole tried not to look worried as she asked if she could take a look at Johnny's eye. He was annoyed, but agreed.

When E.J. returned home, Johnny had gone upstairs to his room. E.J. started telling Nicole about his father's announcement, but quickly realized that she wasn't paying attention. "E.J., I'm not sure how to tell you this -- and it could be nothing -- but Johnny's eye, his right eye..." she began reluctantly. "I think I saw a speck of white."

E.J. became angry, pointing out that Johnny had just had a normal checkup, and Nicole was not a doctor. Nicole apologized if she'd upset E.J., because she knew how hard Johnny's illness had been on him. Her voice breaking with emotion, she added that she hoped and prayed that Johnny was completely cured.

Later, Nicole watched, unseen, from the doorway, while E.J. looked at Johnny's eye. E.J. asked if the eye had been bothering Johnny, but the boy said that it hadn't. When E.J. sent his son off to the kitchen, Nicole entered the room quietly. After apologizing for losing his temper, E.J. acknowledged that he'd also seen something in Johnny's eye. He reiterated that Johnny had just seen Dr. Kim, who had said there was no sign of cancer. Nicole stressed that E.J. should take Johnny back to the doctor right away, because cancer could grow very quickly in children.

At the hospital later, E.J. paced anxiously while he and Nicole waited for Johnny to be examined. Finally, Dr. Kim emerged from the exam room. Frowning with concern, he informed E.J. grimly, "The cancer has spread to Johnny's other eye. I'm very, very sorry."

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

by Spalding

Jennifer called Warden Jane Smith and asked if she could stop by the prison to finish up some filing. The warden said that she would not be available because she would be out of the office. With a smile, Jennifer hung up the phone and walked into the Brady Pub. Jennifer waved hello to Will, and he invited her to join him. While Will was talking about his upcoming exam at school, he noticed Gabi entering the pub with Cory and stopped talking. Noticing Will's reaction to Gabi, Jennifer wished Will good luck with his exam and left the pub.

Upset, Will looked away, unable to watch Gabi laughing and flirting with another boy. Gabi spotted Will and walked over to say hello. Cory excused himself to take a phone call, and Gabi started talking about Cory as she sat down at Will's table. Noticing Will's face, Gabi asked him if he was jealous of Cory. Will denied Gabi's accusation. Gabi assured Will that she was not interested in Cory and that they were just lab partners. "Don't make this into something it's not, please?" Gabi asked. When Will sat quietly at the table, Gabi gently kissed him, and a smile broke out across his face.

Outside the Brady Pub, Jennifer ran into Ben. Noting the defeated look on Ben's face, Jennifer offered to buy him a cup of coffee inside the pub. Once seated, Jennifer stared at Ben's wrist and noticed that he was no longer wearing his walkabout bracelet. When Jennifer asked about the bracelet, Ben noted that he was hoping to spend time with Jennifer and that he was aware that the bracelet was a painful reminder of her husband. Ben added that he was confident in who he was and what he wanted, and he no longer needed the bracelet. As Ben's phone started to chirp, Ben grabbed his coat hurriedly and left.

On the boat, Bo and Hope were surprised by a knock at the door. Bo leapt to his feet, but Jane burst through the door pointing a gun. "I told you I'd get you, Hope. Here I am," Jane commented. As the warden shot Bo, Hope awoke from her nightmare. Hope rushed to the main room of the boat and told Bo about her dream. Bo promised Hope that he had formulated a plan to get even with the warden. Bo explained that he had hacked into Jane's email and learned that she was going to a secret meeting.

When Bo announced that he needed to leave for the meeting, Hope refused to remain on the boat by herself. Hope reminded Bo that he needed to take backup, and Bo countered that if he got caught, Jane would be less likely to shoot him until she found Hope. With a sigh, Hope agreed. Hope thanked Bo for standing by her side, and she urged Bo to "be safe."

When Bo arrived at Jane's secret meeting, he hid in the bushes and listened. As Bo attempted to creep closer to Jane and see who she was talking to, someone walked up behind Bo and knocked him unconscious. After tying Bo to a chair in a basement, Jane taunted his unconscious form. "Idiot. Guess you didn't know who you were dealing with," Jane said as Stefano shook his head in the corner of the room.

Ben returned to the Brady Pub and apologized to Jennifer for rushing out earlier. As Ben sat at Jennifer's table, his phone began to ring. Ben joked about whether he should answer the call and, as Jennifer urged him to answer the phone, she noticed the number that was calling. "Hey, isn't that the prefix to the prison?" Jennifer asked Ben. Surprised, Ben admitted that the phone call was from the department of corrections. Ben explained that he was volunteering at the prison infirmary.

At the loft, Ali asked Sami when Johnny would be feeling better. Unsure how to answer, Sami promised her daughter that Johnny would be feeling better soon. After Sami dropped Ali off at her piano lesson, Sami returned to the loft. Rafe assured Sami that he would dig up dirt on E.J.

At the hospital, Dr. Kim informed E.J. that he believed Johnny's cancer had spread to his other eye. Frustrated, E.J. grabbed the doctor by the shoulders and asked why he had not spotted the cancer the week before when Johnny was tested. Nicole rushed to E.J.'s side and attempted to pry the doctor loose from E.J.'s grasp. Once Nicole had wrenched the doctor free, Nicole pulled E.J. aside and begged him to calm down. Dr. Kim explained that the last films proved that there was no white spot in Johhny's right eye, so the rapid growth indicated that the cancer was aggressive.

After Dr. Kim prepared Johnny for the tests, he returned to the waiting room to tell E.J. that Johnny was asking for his mother. Stunned, E.J. stood there silently, so Nicole asked the doctor to tell Johnny that his mother was on her way. Once the doctor had left, Nicole urged E.J. to inform Sami about Johnny's condition. E.J. expressed his worry that Sami would add unnecessary drama to the situation. With a sigh, Nicole reminded E.J. that she had nearly ripped out Sami's hair the last time they'd met in the hospital but that despite that, Nicole felt that Sami needed to be by her son's side during his ordeal. Nicole urged E.J. to remember that he wanted Johnny to feel "safe and secure."

Convinced, E.J. took Nicole's advice and went with her to speak to Sami. When Sami opened the door to her apartment, she launched into a string of sarcastic comments while E.J. and Nicole stood silently in the doorway. When E.J. quietly urged Sami to shut up, Sami told him to get lost. As E.J. turned to walk away, Nicole ran to the door and stopped Sami from closing it. "You really need to hear what we have to say," Nicole said quietly. With a sigh, Sami invited Nicole and E.J. inside her apartment, then continued to make sarcastic jokes about how happy she was to have them over.

"Look, E.J. and I are not getting married today," Nicole started as Rafe entered the living room. "Rafe did you hear that? They're not getting married today. I'm so sad," Sami said in a mocking tone. "Wipe that smug smile off your face," E.J. growled. E.J. explained that Johnny was at the hospital for tests but then grew quiet. As a worried Sami asked E.J. to explain why Johnny needed more tests, Nicole noted that the doctor believed that the cancer had spread to Johnny's right eye.

At the hospital, Daniel testified at Carly's hearing. Daniel explained that he had not given Carly permission to test his DNA. When Lexie asked Daniel how Carly had obtained his DNA, Daniel thought about when Carly had swabbed his cheek. "With certainty? No I cannot say with any certainty how she got the DNA she used for that test," Daniel testified. Kayla jumped to her feet and demanded that Daniel explain why he was protecting Carly. When Kayla persisted in arguing with Daniel, Lexie ordered Kayla to remain silent during Daniel's testimony.

Unfazed, Kayla accused Daniel of covering for Carly. "I will add that Carly, Dr. Manning, has a habit of going off on her own. Making unilateral decisions that affect other people. Intervening in their lives and not telling anyone about it. Let alone consulting me. She's done it to me, my daughter, and to others. It is a pattern," Daniel said. "The purpose of this hearing is to establish certain facts. If your testimony is that you don't know how Dr. Manning obtained your DNA, then that's all there is," Lexie commented.

Furious, Kayla interrupted and argued that Caroline was under house arrest because of Carly's involvement in Chloe's paternity test. Kayla argued that her family was falling apart because of Carly, and she was worried that the medical board was only interested in whether Carly had obtained Daniel's DNA legally. Lexie explained that her obligation was to establish whether there was an ethical violation and whether Carly would be able to keep her medical license.

After Daniel's testimony was complete, Carly appealed to the board. Carly noted that she regretted assisting Chloe with the paternity test and that she would have told the truth if the paternity results had noted that Daniel was not the father. When Lexie asked Carly if she had any additional comments, Carly apologized to Kayla for all the pain she was suffering and then thanked Lexie for conducting a "fair hearing."

"This matter is open and shut. Lacking proof of malpractice or any ethical violations, there are no tangible grounds on which to recommend to the AMA that Dr. Manning's license be suspended, or to revoke her privileges here at University Hospital," Lexie said. As Lexie adjourned the meeting, Kayla stared daggers at Carly from across the room. Once Lexie was gone, Kayla tore into Carly and told her to leave town. When Carly countered that she could not leave Salem because her daughter was there, Kayla turned to Daniel. "Do you really think she's going to forgive you for what you just did?" Kayla asked Daniel in reference to Melanie.

Once Kayla was gone, Daniel asked Carly to behave herself so that he would not regret helping her keep her medical license. With a faint smile, Carly promised to follow the rules. As Carly exited into the hallway, Lexie called out to her. Lexie asked Carly if she had employed the Wallinger method in past surgeries. When Carly admitted that she had experience with the technique, Lexie asked Carly to assist in a surgery using that method.

Down at the pier, Nathan pressed Melanie to talk to him about what was bothering her. With a sigh, Melanie started to talk to Nathan, but feeling faint, she swooned. Nathan caught Melanie and kept her on her feet. Melanie explained that she was stressed and had not eaten. Worried, Nathan urged Melanie to talk to him. When Melanie met Nathan's gaze, he said, "I'm free. You're free. There's no reason that we can't be together."

"Yeah there is," Melanie said sadly. Melanie urged Nathan to go to Baltimore for his fellowship and forget about her. Nathan commented that he needed to think about whether to take the position, and Melanie countered that Nathan should not give up his opportunity in Baltimore for her. As Melanie's voice trailed off, Nathan received a text message stating that Carly was going to stay on staff at the hospital. Nathan informed Melanie of the news and noted that Daniel had not incriminated Carly. Confused, Melanie wondered aloud why Daniel had protected Carly.

"Obviously he forgave her, or at least he is trying to. If he can, who knows?" Nathan said. Hurt, Melanie excused herself and walked away. Once home, Melanie went to her computer and looked up the family planning website. "What are my options?" Melanie wondered aloud as she held her stomach.

Sami rushed over to the hospital with Rafe, E.J., and Nicole. Once there, Lexie and Dr. Kim informed Sami and E.J. that they had confirmed that Johnny's cancer had spread to his right eye. Daniel chimed in and noted that their top priority was to prevent the cancer from spreading throughout Johnny's body. Citing the complexity of the surgery, Lexie explained that Carly would need to assist with a laser procedure. Frustrated, Sami lashed out at the doctors, noting that she had promised her son that he would be able to see. As Sami broke down in tears, Rafe held her in his arms.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

by Mike

While Bo was tied up and unconscious, Jane and Stefano discussed what they were going to do with him. Jane assured Stefano that she had the situation with Bo and Hope under control. Stefano realized that Jane planned to kill Bo and harvest his organs. Stefano told Jane she was an idiot. "The biggest problem you have right now is Hope Brady," Stefano said, "and he is the only one on this earth who could take you to her. But...he has to be alive."

Jane insisted that Hope didn't know anything concrete about the organ harvesting operation, but Stefano wasn't convinced. Stefano reminded Jane that Hope would know how to track Jane down because Hope had been a cop.

Bo started to regain consciousness and realized he was tied up and blindfolded. When Bo asked who was in the room with him, Jane answered, "Your wife's worst nightmare." Bo told Jane that she didn't need to keep him blindfolded. "I recognize your dulcet tones," he said as Jane removed the blindfold.

Jane gloated that she had the upper hand in the situation. "Ex-cops don't do well in prison," Jane said. "Hope had to find out the hard way. Imagine what would happen to a stupidly arrogant commissioner. You tell me where Hope is, or your life as you know it...is kaput."

On the boat, Hope was worried about Bo's safety. Hope decided to distract herself by using Bo's laptop to try to find more evidence against Jane. After hacking into the warden's files, Hope realized that Bo had been captured. "Who the hell is she working with?" Hope wondered. Jane called Lee at the prison and asked Lee to purge all of the files from the infirmary's computer. Jane admitted that she was afraid that Hope might have had access to a computer. Lee tried to log into the computer using Jane's login information and realized that someone was already logged into Jane's account.

Later, Lee delivered a syringe and vial to Jane. Lee assured Jane that the "computer situation" had been taken care of. "And once we find Hope," Lee added, "she will be, too." Meanwhile, Hope tried to access another file on the computer and realized that she had been locked out.

Jane returned to Bo and informed him that she had decided to move on to "Plan B." Jane produced a syringe and injected its contents into Bo's neck. Bo realized it was sodium pentothal. "In just a couple of minutes, you're going to tell me exactly what I want to know," Jane taunted. "And there won't be anything you can do to stop it."

Stefano returned to the DiMera mansion, where Harold informed Stefano that E.J. was at the hospital with Johnny. Stefano called Lexie and was upset to learn that Johnny's cancer had spread. After speaking with Lexie, Stefano made another phone call. Stefano told the person on the other end of the call, "I need to see you. Now."

Stefano met with Ben on the pier to discuss Johnny's surgery. Stefano told Ben to find a donor eye for Johnny. Ben regretfully informed Stefano that an eye transplant wouldn't be possible. "Your grandson isn't eligible for a transplant, because we just -- we don't have the science for cases like his...not yet."

"We're talking about a little boy going blind here," Stefano said. Ben explained that he was only involved in the organ harvesting operation to save lives. "I am behind this operation, alright?" Stefano said. "And I can't even help my own grandson? Oh...I don't care about anybody else's motives."

Ben said he sympathized with Stefano. Ben explained that their demand for organs was much greater than their supply, and wondered what Stefano planned to do about the situation. "We are talking about human organs here," Stefano reminded Ben. "I cannot speed up production as if it was some kind of a -- a factory." Stefano explained that the operation was extremely personal to him because he had once needed an organ transplant himself. "And now you're telling me that my grandson is not 'eligible.' What the hell kind of word is that?"

On the pier, Gabi and Will shared a kiss before Gabi pulled away and reminded Will that they had a school assignment that they were supposed to be working on. Will assured Gabi that his paper was finished already, but Gabi suspected that Will was only saying that so that he could continue to make out with Gabi. Gabi reminded Will that they also had a biology quiz to study for. "I think we have got biology covered," Will said as he leaned in to kiss Gabi again.

At the hospital, Carly, Daniel, Lexie, and Dr. Kim discussed Johnny's cancer treatment options with Sami, E.J., Rafe, and Nicole. The doctors recommended doing a laser surgery on Johnny's eye. Carly explained to Sami that the surgery was more complex than his previous surgery, but that it was also necessary in order to save Johnny's eye from needing to be removed. Sami reminded them that Johnny only had one eye left, and wondered why the doctors had failed to notice the cancer earlier. Daniel admitted that retinoblastoma was a very aggressive form of cancer, and Johnny's previous tests had failed to catch it.

Sami recalled that she had promised Johnny that he wouldn't have to go through any more surgeries and that he would still be able to see. Sami wondered what would happen if they weren't able to remove the cancer from Johnny's remaining eye. As Sami broke down in Rafe's arms, E.J. silently watched them.

Rafe comforted Sami and reminded her that she needed to be strong for Johnny's sake. Sami apologized to the doctors for breaking down. Dr. Kim assured her that there was no need to apologize, but he reminded her that time was definitely a concern. E.J. and Sami wondered if there was any way to save Johnny's eyesight.

Daniel assured E.J. and Sami that it would be possible to save Johnny's eyesight if they proceeded with the surgery as soon as possible. "The malignancy in this eye hasn't been there very long," he explained. "The tumor is tiny and not nearly as invasive as it was in the first eye. But what you need to understand is that we won't know the whole situation until we go in there. Now, if this cancer is as pronounced as it was in the other eye...we may not have a choice but to remove it."

E.J. wondered what would happen once the doctors began Johnny's surgery. "So this decision about whether or not to remove it...you're not going to consult us? You'll just do what you think is best?" he asked. Lexie confirmed that E.J. was correct. Daniel explained that the doctors would need consent from both E.J. and Sami in order to proceed with the surgery.

Daniel explained Johnny's surgery to E.J. and Sami. "We're going to use the laser to pinpoint the exact site of the cancerous cells," Daniel said. "And if -- and that's a critical 'if' -- if that site is small and contained, we may be able to use the laser to eradicate them." Sami asked Daniel if he believed that the laser was going to work.

Daniel admitted that the doctors wouldn't have any further information until they started the surgery. Daniel assured Sami that he was optimistic because they had caught the cancer early. Sami and E.J. realized that their only choice was to do the surgery, and they each offered their consent. The doctors left to get the O.R. prepared in order to give E.J. and Sami some time alone with Johnny. Sami wondered whether she and E.J. had made the right decision. "It's like you said, Samantha," E.J. said. "We didn't have a choice."

Rafe tried to comfort Sami, but Sami told Rafe she wasn't going to cry -- she was determined to remain strong for her son. Rafe called Will and asked him to drive to the hospital with Allie. Rafe explained to Sami that he thought it would be best to tell Will and Allie in person about Johnny's surgery. Rafe asked Sami if there was anything that he could get for her. "How about a miracle?" Sami wondered.

Sami admitted to Rafe that she and E.J. had both done some terrible things and neither of them deserved any miracles. Rafe assured Sami that Johnny's disease wasn't her fault. "It's not some form of retribution," he said.

Nicole asked E.J. if there was anything that she could do for him. E.J. said that he wanted Johnny to be able to spend some time with his family before the surgery. E.J. asked Nicole to call the DiMera mansion and ask Mary to drive Sydney to the hospital. As Nicole left to make the phone call, E.J. added, "Nicole...look, Dr. Jonas says the best chance we have of beating this is the fact that we caught it early. You caught it, so...thank you."

Lexie returned to inform E.J. that Johnny was waking up. Lexie recommended that E.J. set aside his differences with Sami for the time being, "for Johnny's sake." E.J. realized Lexie was right, so he and Sami went in to see Johnny together. Sami and E.J. told Johnny that he was going to have to have another operation. Johnny insisted that he didn't want another operation. Johnny wondered if he was still going to be able to see and admitted that he was scared. E.J. said, "I know you are. We are too. But we're here for you, both of us...your mother and your father."

Johnny wondered if his parents were going to fight. E.J. assured Johnny that E.J. and Sami weren't going to fight. Sami said she remembered comforting Johnny when he was scared by making a list of every person that loved him. While E.J. and Sami helped Johnny list the names of every person in his family, Will walked into Johnny's room with Allie. Will asked Allie, "Why don't you tell Johnny what you told me in the car?" Allie said, "Johnny, if you can't see, I said 'I'll see for you.'"

As Sami and Allie played with Johnny, E.J. thanked Will for being a good brother to Johnny. "I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate how kind you've been to him...to both my children," E.J. said. "You're a very...caring and sensitive young man." "Right," Will scoffed. "Well, I know how much you value that -- sensitivity."

Sami stepped in to prevent an argument between E.J. and Will. Sami begged E.J. to understand that Johnny was going to need the support of his entire family after his surgery. "You don't need to explain to me how important family is, Samantha," E.J. insisted. "Well, I think she does," Lexie said as she entered Johnny's room. "She's absolutely right, E.J."

Lexie explained that Johnny was going to need to go into the operating room in the best emotional state he could possibly be in. "The best way to accomplish that is for him to have his entire family around him, okay? And for them all to get along." E.J. agreed that Lexie was right. Mary dropped Sydney off at the hospital. Nicole took Sydney up to Johnny's room. E.J. asked Sami to take Sydney into Johnny's room so that Johnny could see his sister.

Nicole and Rafe waited nervously outside Johnny's room. Nicole reflected on how brave Johnny was. "If I had to go through what he's already gone through, I guarantee I wouldn't be half as strong, and he's just a little boy," she admitted. Rafe realized that Nicole really loved Johnny.

Nicole was worried about Daniel's ability to perform Johnny's surgery in light of everything that Daniel had been through recently with Chloe and Parker. Carly thought Nicole was out of line for questioning Daniel's abilities as a surgeon, but Daniel said that he understood why Nicole was concerned. Daniel promised Nicole that his personal life wouldn't affect his ability to perform Johnny's surgery. Nicole apologized for questioning Daniel's surgical abilities and explained that she was just worried about Johnny.

Carly commended Daniel for handling Nicole's question gracefully. "I think she has a valid concern," Daniel said. "We both need to make sure we don't walk into that O.R. carrying any emotional baggage with us." Carly admitted that it would be difficult to do that with everything that had happened recently.

While Carly and Daniel prepared for Johnny's surgery, Carly wondered if Daniel would be able to trust her in the O.R. Carly offered to remove herself from the case, but Daniel insisted that he would be able to work with her. Daniel reminded Carly that one of the talents that they had as doctors was the ability to compartmentalize. Daniel said he had promised Johnny's family that Johnny would get the best care that the hospital could provide, and that meant having Carly on Johnny's surgical team. Carly wondered if that meant that she and Daniel could be colleagues, but couldn't be friends. "Different compartments," Daniel said.

Lexie returned to Johnny's room and announced that the doctors were ready to begin the operation. Everyone in Johnny's family offered words of encouragement and assured Johnny that they would be waiting for him when the surgery was finished. Johnny traced Sami's face with his hands, then did the same thing to E.J.'s face. "You know what I'm doing?" Johnny said. "I'm remembering you, just in case."

Sami reminded Johnny that she and E.J. would be waiting for him when he got out of surgery. After the doctors wheeled Johnny away, Sami finally broke down in E.J.'s arms.

Friday, January 14, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

As Kate arrived at the pier, she saw Stefano gazing forlornly out over the water. She started to walk away quietly without letting him know she was there, but he spotted her and called her name. Kate noticed that Stefano had been crying, and asked what was wrong. Stefano tried to dodge the question, but Kate pressed, so at last he reluctantly divulged that Johnny's cancer had returned in his other eye.

"He's in surgery right now, and if they take this eye, too, then he's going to be blind!" Stefano exclaimed, clearly beside himself with worry. Kate expressed her sincere concern and sympathy, adding that she cared a great deal for Johnny, whom she still thought of as a grandson. "Whether or not you and I are married, I'm always going to love Johnny," she told Stefano, "Just like I'll always love you." Stefano wanted to know why, then, Kate had betrayed him.

Stefano asked how Kate and Victor felt about having to take orders from Vivian. Kate took pleasure in informing Stefano that Vivian was no longer in charge at Titan. The topic returned to Johnny, and Stefano bemoaned his inability to help "Giovanni" -- or any of the people he loved -- despite his supposed powerfulness. Kate confided that things in her family were also complicated, and confessed how much she detested Chloe.

Stefano interrupted Kate's rant with a gentle touch on the arm, and a genuine, "I'm sorry." Kate admitted, "It's been so hard going through all this without you by my side. I didn't know I was going to miss you so much. Why are we doing this to ourselves, when we know that we're so much better together?"

Will and Gabi were playing with at the loft, when Chad knocked on the door to tell them that he'd decided not to take the semester off. Gabi and Will's somewhat lukewarm response disappointed Chad. Will explained that his little brother was having surgery at that moment, because the cancer that had taken one eye had returned in the other. "He could go blind," Gabi added. The news caught Chad off-guard, and he seemed genuinely concerned and worried for the "poor little guy."

While E.J. and Sami were saying goodbye to Johnny before his surgery, the boy surprised his parents by reaching up and touching each of their faces. "I'm remembering you -- just in case," Johnny explained. An orderly arrived then to take Johnny to the operating room, so E.J. and Sami promised they would be right there when he got out. As soon as Johnny was out of sight, Sami burst into tears, and E.J. put his arms around her, as if from instinct, to comfort her.

After a moment, Sami pulled away, slightly horrified, and went back into Johnny's room. When E.J. followed, Sami asked, "If my son ends up blind, are you going to make him go through this without me? Are you going to make him face the rest of his life without me in it?" E.J. accused her of manipulating him, but she tearfully pointed out that Johnny had run away from the DiMera mansion just to see her. "Nicole had to force you to tell me -- if it weren't for her, I wouldn't even be here!" Sami cried. "Is that really what you want for your son?"

When Rafe entered and found his wife sobbing, he reproached E.J. for upsetting Sami even more than she already had been. Rafe held a sobbing Sami as E.J. left the room. Outside, Nicole asked E.J. where he was going, and he replied that he was going to do what was best for his son.

Nicole called to offer some suggestions to Mary about how to get Sydney to eat. After Nicole hung up, Rafe thanked her for telling him and Sami that Johnny's cancer had returned. Nicole admitted that she'd done it for Johnny, "Just in case." Rafe then said that Sami had gone to the chapel, and Nicole suddenly realized that E.J. might have gone there, as well. "Oh, my God -- we have to get to the chapel before all hell breaks loose!" Nicole exclaimed.

E.J. went into the chapel, sat on a pew, and introduced himself to God. "You know that thing they say about there being no atheists in foxholes? Must be getting truer and truer," E.J. admitted. He told God that he wasn't there for himself, but for his son, who needed God's help. As E.J. was confessing his fear that he was being punished for things he had done, Sami arrived silently at the back of the chapel.

Sami listened while E.J. offered God a bargain: "You rid my son of this disease, you allow him to see again, and I will end my battle with Samantha. I'll let Samantha be a mother to Johnny and Sydney again." As E.J. rose to leave, he was surprised to see Sami in the doorway. He asked how long she had been there, and she asked if he had meant what he'd said. He irritably told her that his prayer was between him and God.

E.J. started to leave, but Sami assured him that it was all right if he wanted to hear her prayer, since she'd heard his. E.J. waited in the back of the chapel as Sami knelt at the altar. She, too, admitted to God that she was not there for herself but for her son. She prayed for God to make sure that Johnny would still able to see, and to let him have a long life. She explained that Johnny was very brave, smart, and funny, and he never complained, even with everything he'd been through, including his parents' constant fighting.

"He only once said to me that he wished we would just love each other more," Sami continued, and E.J. wiped at his eyes. "That's how I know he's going to grow up to twice the person that his father is or that I could ever dream of being." Sami acknowledged that she and E.J. were far from saintly, but she begged God to take care of Johnny. After Sami had finished praying, she and E.J. agreed to call a permanent truce if Johnny were spared.

Rafe and Nicole arrived just then, but they stayed in the doorway when they saw that E.J. and Sami were just talking quietly. E.J. then got a text message from Lexie that Johnny was out of surgery. Sami excitedly wondered if it were good or bad news that the surgery was over so quickly. As the two of them rushed out of the chapel, they were a bit taken back to see Rafe and Nicole.

When the foursome arrived outside Johnny's room, a pleased Daniel informed them, "We were able to save the eye." Relieved and overjoyed, Sami and Rafe embraced, as did E.J. and Nicole. Carly relayed what Dr. Kim had said: Johnny would probably need chemotherapy and radiation, but it appeared that they had gotten all of the cancer. Carly cautioned that since there had been pressure on the optic nerve, which surgery had corrected, they wouldn't know whether Johnny could still see until they took the bandages off.

Sami asked when they could see Johnny, who was still in recovery, and Daniel promised that someone would tell them as soon it was all right. Sami asked E.J. if he intended to hold up his end of the bargain, and he agreed that they could go and see their son together. Sami asked Rafe to call Will with the good news, and she and Rafe both thanked Daniel and Carly. After Sami and E.J. left for the recovery room, Nicole went into Johnny's room to wait.

Carly pointedly noted to Daniel, "Looks like E.J. and Sami are going to try to smooth things over for Johnny's sake. When a kid's going through a crisis, the last thing they need is their parents sniping at each other." Daniel asserted that it was up to Melanie to decide whether she wanted Carly in her life.

At the loft, Will hung up from talking to Rafe, and breathlessly announced to Gabi and Chad, "Johnny's out of surgery -- and he didn't lose his eye!" While Will and Gabi hugged, Chad looked almost as relieved as the two of them.

Rafe followed Nicole into Johnny's room, and found her pulling some toys out of a bag. Rafe wondered aloud to Nicole, "If Sami's back in the picture with the kids, where does that leave you?"

Lexie called Stefano to update him on Johnny's condition. A relieved Stefano wanted to go to the hospital immediately, but Lexie, concerned about his diabetes, urged him to go home and take care of himself until she called with more news. Stefano filled Kate in, and they celebrated the good news with an embrace.

When Stefano said that he was going to heed Lexie's suggestion, Kate asked if she could go home with him. She assured him, "I'm not talking about moving in; I just don't want to be alone. I don't think you want to be alone, either." With a sigh and a hint of a smile, Stefano conceded, "When you're right, you're right." He extended his arm, which Kate took, and the two of them strolled away together.

In Johnny's room later, Sami curled up next to her sleeping son, with E.J. on the other side of the bed, holding Johnny's hand. Sami thanked E.J. for letting her be there. "I just want what's best for my son," E.J. replied softly. "And that's you."

As Rafe and Nicole watched the family scene through Johnny's window, Rafe repeated his earlier question. "I just wonder what you might do to Sami if you feel threatened," he added. Nicole reminded Rafe that she had found the problem with Johnny's eye, so she didn't think E.J. would turn against her. "He owes me one now," she asserted.

On the phone at the Kiriakis mansion, Philip ordered Titan's CFO to either overturn the takeover or look for a new job. After Philip hung up, he vowed to a picture of Melanie, "It's not over." Just then, Nathan entered, and declared, "It's not up to you, you son of a bitch." Philip wondered why Nathan wasn't getting married, but Nathan informed him that there wasn't going to be a wedding.

Philip guessed dryly that Nathan was there to make a move on Melanie, and then asserted that he had only slept with Chloe because he'd seen Nathan "slobbering all over" Melanie. Nathan maintained that Philip had thrown away an amazing woman over a mere suspicion, but Philip countered that Nathan was doing the same thing to Stephanie just because he'd heard Melanie had moved out. Nathan retorted that he had broken things off with Stephanie because she had lied to him -- and Philip knew all about it.

Philip tried to deny it, so Nathan divulged that he'd overheard Philip promising Stephanie that he wouldn't tell anyone that she'd known all along about Chloe and Philip. Philip was skeptical. Nathan then related the whole story of how Caroline had overheard Stephanie talking to "this computer geek" about changing Chloe's paternity test results, and Caroline had beaten Stephanie to it. Nathan accused Philip of having been in on it with Stephanie from the beginning. Philip swore that although he had known about Chloe's paternity test, he hadn't learned that he was Parker's father until the christening -- and he'd known nothing about what Stephanie had been up to.

A dubious Nathan speculated that Philip had helped change the paternity test results because he didn't want to be a father -- which Philip had proven with Pocket. Philip ordered Nathan to leave, but Nathan demanded that Philip stay away from Melanie. Jabbing his finger into a furious Philip's chest, Nathan shouted, "I'm going to make sure that [Melanie] doesn't get hurt again by a pig like you!" Philip punched Nathan in the mouth.

Nathan calmly stated that he wanted Philip to watch while Nathan helped put Melanie's broken heart back together. Philip pointed out that Melanie was still his wife, but Nathan warned that Philip was a dead man if he even went near Melanie. Philip wondered, "Does Melanie know you're threatening me, ordering me to stay away from her?" Nathan replied matter-of-factly, "She hates you now. There's nothing in the world that you can do to make her take you back."

At Maggie's, Melanie reviewed some printouts about abortion services from Family Planning of Salem. "I'm young; I'm healthy; I can have other babies -- ones that don't have Philip as a father," she told herself shakily before dialing the clinic. She asked to make an appointment for the following week, but then asked if she could call them back.

Just as Melanie was hanging up, Stephanie pounded on the back door. Melanie tried to refuse to open it, but Stephanie demanded, "Damn it, Melanie, let me in!" Melanie quickly stuffed the printouts into her purse, and then reluctantly opened the door. As Stephanie stomped in, she announced, "You ruined everything, and now you're going to answer for it." Laughing derisively, Melanie wondered how she had ruined Stephanie's life, when Stephanie's grandmother had switched the paternity results after Philip had fathered Chloe's baby.

Stephanie maintained that Caroline had done it out of love for Stephanie, to keep Melanie from running into Nathan's arms if she'd learned that Philip had cheated on her. Melanie pointed out that even if that were true, Nathan hadn't been available, because he'd been engaged to Stephanie at the time. Stephanie asserted, "Things changed with me and Nathan after he was quarantined with you."

Melanie sarcastically agreed that a high fever and a hospital gown were all she needed to seduce a guy, then added seriously, "Did you ever think that things changed because he almost died?" Stephanie argued that she knew Melanie would never let go of Nathan, "And that's why I did what I did!" Melanie was incredulous that Stephanie had played with people's lives for such a "twisted" reason. Stephanie asked if Philip knew about the letter Melanie had written to Nathan on Philip and Melanie's wedding day, but Melanie didn't want to discuss it.

Choking back tears, Stephanie then asked, "Has he been here yet?" Melanie admitted that Nathan had been to see her, but only because he'd been so upset about learning that Stephanie was "a sneaky little liar." Melanie added, "I know you're trying to put this one on me, but if Nathan left you, you have only yourself to blame." Stephanie tearfully acknowledged that she had been insecure and jealous -- but at least she'd only wanted one man.

Melanie guessed that Caroline had found out about Philip and Chloe from Stephanie. "And instead of coming to me about it, or maybe going to Philip about it, you decided to play God -- with my life, with my dad's life, with a little baby's life -- all so you could hang on to a man!" Indignant and furious, Stephanie pointed out, "Oh, holy Saint Melanie! Have you forgotten that you slept with Philip when we were still trying to work things out, you turned Max against me, and then you couldn't stand the fact that Nathan fell in love with me! You had to mess that up, too, didn't you? Well, you've won."

Melanie demanded incredulously, "You call this winning?" She picked up her purse and tried to storm out, but Stephanie grabbed Melanie's purse strap to stop her -- and when the bag dropped to the floor, the clinic printouts fell out. To keep Stephanie from looking at them, Melanie took her by the arms and tried to shove her out the door, but Stephanie shoved back. Melanie landed on her backside, and then sat up, clutching her belly worriedly.