Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of October 31, 2011 on DAYS

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

Monday, November 31, 2011

by Mike

At the Brady Pub, Rafe wondered why Sami was questioning John's innocence. Sami explained that Stefano had changed John into a completely different person a few years earlier. Rafe pointed out that John had eventually regained his memories, and Sami confirmed that everyone had assumed that John had fully recovered.

"But who's to say? I mean, maybe there's still a part of him that's like that. Maybe that's who's responsible for this," Sami suggested. Rafe disagreed, and Sami sighed as she realized that she and Rafe were on opposite sides. Rafe assured Sami that he would always be on her side, but Sami wasn't convinced.

"That's the way it always is -- my mom would always choose John's side, no matter what. And, look, she was right most of the time -- I mean, I get it, I did horrible things to them. I just wish she wouldn't blindly choose him every single time," Sami admitted. Rafe reiterated that he would always be on Sami's side. Rafe suggested that he and Sami could just agree to disagree about John's case, and Sami nodded.

At the Horton Town Square, Marlena warned John that E.J. was nearby. E.J. greeted Marlena, and John quietly excused himself. After John left, E.J. tried to assure Marlena that the lawsuit wasn't personal, but Marlena wasn't convinced. Marlena insisted that the lawsuit was extremely personal, and she added that it was also vindictive. E.J. claimed that he didn't want the lawsuit to affect Johnny and Sydney.

"Your concern for the children is a bit late in coming, and your attitude is decidedly condescending, so you can take your peace offering and go straight...to Graceland," Marlena said, as she eyed E.J.'s Elvis costume. Marlena knowingly stated that E.J. was just using the lawsuit as a way to manipulate voters. Marlena added that E.J. was just a thug in a silly suit.

E.J. claimed that he was standing up for John's victims, and he insisted that he was going to make John pay for his crimes. Marlena reminded E.J. that he wasn't beyond reproach. "You belong behind bars for what you've done to my daughter. Sami's lucky to have left you with her sanity intact," Marlena pointed out. E.J. reminded Marlena that Sami had shot him in the head.

Marlena recalled that E.J. had shot John, and she wondered what the difference was. E.J. didn't respond, and Marlena smiled and said that she was done talking to E.J. Marlena turned to leave, but E.J. stopped her. E.J. warned Marlena that she was going to live to regret the fact that she had rejected his olive branch.

"Let me share something with you, too, E.J. I'm home -- I'm not leaving. I'm gonna be right here. Let me tell you one more thing. You keep taking on my family, I will consider that a threat, and I will fight you. And you will find that I am a very powerful enemy -- you can just ask your daddy about that. He'll tell you," Marlena warned E.J. After E.J. left, John returned, and he wondered if Marlena was all right.

Marlena assured John that she was fine, and she warned him that he needed to leave before someone recognized him. John agreed, and he and Marlena started to exit the town square. Meanwhile, Abe approached Marlena, and he incredulously asked if John was with her. Marlena tried to assure Abe that John was not her companion, but John stopped her. John knowingly stated that Abe was not a fool.

Abe wondered what had happened to John's ankle monitor. John dryly stated that his ankle monitor was probably watching television at the townhouse. Marlena stifled her laughter, and John apologized for putting Abe in a tough position. Abe urged John and Marlena to go home, and he warned John not to let anyone else spot him. John and Marlena quickly rushed off.

Back at the Horton Town Square, Brady introduced Nicole to Madison. Nicole was shocked when she realized that Madison and Brady were working together. Later, Madison excused herself so that she could get a drink. After Madison left, Nicole questioned Brady about his relationship with Madison. Brady insisted that he and Madison were just friends.

"Yeah, we were friends, too...with benefits," Nicole pointed out. Brady wondered if Nicole had already decided that she was going to hate Madison. Nicole insisted that she didn't hate Madison yet. "She's smart, confident, beautiful...it's so sad that you're looking for someone just like me, and I'm standing right here," Nicole jokingly stated.

Brady joked that Nicole was also insane and egotistical. Nicole dryly stated that if Madison wasn't insane and egotistical, then she would not be a worthy replacement for Nicole. Brady shrugged and conceded that no one was perfect. Nicole laughed, and she said that she was glad that she and Brady were still friends. Brady agreed, and he wondered if it was true that Nicole was working for E.J.

Nicole nodded, and Brady wondered why Nicole had agreed to help E.J. Brady insisted that E.J. was just using Nicole. Nicole assured Brady that she knew what she was doing. "How many times have I heard that? How many times have I had to pick up the pieces after E.J. has blindsided you, Nicole? Tell me why this time is gonna be different from every other time," Brady demanded to know.

Nicole assured Brady that her relationship with E.J. was strictly professional. Brady wondered if E.J. felt the same way. "I swear to God, if that guy hurts you again, I will break that son of a bitch in half," Brady vowed. Before Nicole could respond, E.J. called out to her from across the town square. Nicole abruptly excused herself, and Brady sighed as he watched her walk away.

Later, at the Brady Pub, Brady tried to talk to Madison about something. Meanwhile, Madison's phone started to ring, and she apologetically excused herself so that she could take the call. Brady gleaned from Madison's end of the conversation that Madison had approved the packaging for Mad World's new wrinkle cream.

After Madison ended the call, Brady reminded her that they had agreed that the wrinkle cream wasn't ready for the urban markets yet. "No, no -- that was you. You agreed that it wasn't ready for urban markets; I knew that it was fine, so I gave the approval," Madison corrected Brady. Brady said that he was Madison's boss, but Madison disagreed.

Brady pointed out that he owned Mad World. Madison reminded Brady that he had agreed to let her run the company without any interference. Brady insisted that the agreement did not mean that Madison could just completely ignore his instructions. "Actually, that's exactly what it means," Madison said, and she abruptly exited the pub.

Back at the Horton Town Square, Jennifer tried to enjoy her evening with Daniel, but she kept seeing the masked figure lurking nearby. Jennifer excused herself, and she rushed off to confront the person. Jennifer cornered the person who had been following her, and she demanded to know if it was Jack. Before the figure could respond, Abe called out to Jennifer, and the mystery person slipped away while Jennifer's back was turned.

Elsewhere, Melanie was thrilled that Maggie was Daniel's mother. Melanie noted that she had always felt a bond with Maggie, and Maggie agreed. "I mean, even though you kind of drove me crazy when we first met," Maggie added. Meanwhile, Victor arrived, and Maggie happily greeted him. Victor noted the expression on Maggie's face, and he wondered if she was okay.

"I'm better -- I'm so better than okay. It seems like we found my child. I have a son -- a grown son, and a granddaughter, and they're here. They live in Salem. And we know them -- in fact, you know my son better than I do. Victor, it's Daniel. Daniel's my son," Maggie tearfully announced. Victor pointed out that he had known Daniel's parents, Lilian and George Jonas, and he wondered if it was possible that there had been some sort of mistake.

Bo and Hope explained everything to Victor. Bo admitted that Maggie and Daniel would still need to do a DNA test to confirm Bo and Hope's suspicion. Melanie realized that Daniel still didn't know the truth, and she urged Maggie to talk to him. Maggie nervously asked Bo and Hope to accompany her.

Melanie, Maggie, Bo, Hope, and Victor approached Jennifer and Daniel, and Daniel and Jennifer wondered if everything was all right. "Um...this may sound strange -- I don't know, maybe not -- but I recently found out that I have a child -- a grown child -- that I didn't know about. It's a long story, and I'll explain how it happened, but Bo and Hope -- they've been incredible. And now, because of them...well, it seems like I've found my son," Maggie explained.

Daniel and Jennifer were shocked by the news, and Daniel congratulated Maggie. "No, no -- you don't understand, Daniel. The reason that I'm telling you this is because I have reason to believe that...that you...are my child. That I'm your mother," Maggie added. Daniel assumed that everyone was playing some sort of Halloween prank on him, and he insisted that his parents had died in a car accident.

Bo and Hope told Daniel about their investigation. Melanie pointed out that she and Maggie had always shared a strong bond, but Daniel still wasn't convinced. "I know you all have the best of intentions here, but there is -- there really is some kind of mistake here. You...are not my mother," Daniel told Maggie. Daniel insisted that his mother would not have lied to him about something like that.

"Daniel, I know that we don't have any irrefutable proof -- not at this time, anyway -- but I believe in my heart that you're my son. I just feel it...right now, holding your hand...that you are my son," Maggie tearfully stated, as she grasped Daniel's hand. Daniel turned to Victor, and he wondered if Victor believed that Maggie was right. "From what I've heard here tonight, Daniel...yes, I believe Maggie is your mother," Victor stated.

Daniel told Maggie that he wanted to schedule a DNA test, and Maggie agreed. "But I really do believe that you're my son. And after finding you after all these years, and not knowing you were out there...it's a miracle. Daniel, you're my miracle," Maggie tearfully stated.

Later, Bo said that he was proud of Hope for finding out the truth. Bo added that it was great that all of Alice's hard work had finally paid off, but Hope wasn't convinced that they had really solved the whole mystery. Hope reminded Bo that they still didn't know who was withdrawing the monthly payments from Alice's bank account.

Bo agreed that there was more to the story. "Exactly! And we need to figure out what it was. Brady, this is an adventure," Hope enthusiastically insisted.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

by Spaldin

After talking all night, Daniel and Melanie feel asleep on Jennifer's couch. Jennifer woke them up in the morning with a fresh pot of coffee. Daniel announced that he wanted to take a DNA test before he accepted Maggie as his mother because egg donation had been uncommon at the time he had been conceived. Melanie urged Daniel to reach out to Maggie, but Daniel remained cautious.

Jennifer suggested that Daniel talk to Victor and see if Victor knew anything, since he had been so close to Daniel's parents. With a sigh, Daniel promised to talk to Victor again if the DNA test showed he was Maggie's son. When Melanie noted that she needed to talk to Victor about wedding plans, Daniel groaned as he realized that Victor might become his stepfather. Smiling sweetly, Melanie reminded Daniel that he had encouraged her to let Carly into her life. Nodding, Daniel agreed to talk to Maggie.

After Melanie left, Jennifer assured Daniel that no matter who his parents were, Daniel was the same man. Jennifer informed Daniel that his lineage would not change his love for the family that raised him. Daniel was upset that his parents would not tell him about a donated egg, but Jennifer urged Daniel to remember that he was not losing a family but gaining a second mother. Daniel marveled at Jennifer's ability to remain positive.

Daniel told Jennifer that his concern was not about Maggie but about the upheaval in his life. "Sometimes the most wonderful news can be really hard to take. You know, because of what it does to your life," Jennifer said. Daniel assumed that Jennifer was referring to Jack, and he thanked Jennifer for standing by him while she continued to deal with her ex-husband. "There is no other place I'd rather be," Jennifer whispered.

Jennifer asked Daniel if his parents had had friends other than Victor, but Daniel could not recall any. "Why would he keep anything from you?" Jennifer said about Victor. With a grimace, Daniel remarked that he could remain calm in the operating room but that news like his parentage made him nervous. Daniel told Jennifer that he was glad that she was with him and that he wanted her in his life forever.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie called Melissa and Sarah and informed them that Daniel might be her long-lost son. With a glow on her face, Maggie greeted Victor at her bedroom door when he stopped by to wish her good morning. Maggie admitted that she was anxious to learn the truth about her son. Maggie added that she had always had a strong connection to Melanie since the moment she met her.

"She helped me see that it was okay to love again after Mickey," Maggie said with a smile. Maggie asked Victor if he'd had any idea that Daniel's parents had used an egg donor, but Victor shook his head no. Victor admitted that Daniel's parents had lived out of town, so he had not seen them too often. Nodding, Maggie announced that she was going to back off of Daniel and give him time to process his feelings.

Maggie said that she was lucky to have the son that she had always wanted and to be able to marry Victor. Victor hugged Maggie, but over her shoulder, his face betrayed his guilt. Victor and Maggie went to the living room as Melanie stopped by. Victor headed off to the kitchen to leave Maggie and Melanie alone to talk about the wedding.

After Melanie noted that the caterer needed a head count for the food, Maggie asked Melanie how Daniel was doing. Melanie admitted that her father was "not great." Looking for privacy, Melanie and Maggie went up to Maggie's room to talk. Maggie assured Melanie that she was going to give Daniel space. With a grin, Melanie noted that she did not need any time to process the news because she was thrilled to have Maggie as her grandmother.

Downstairs in the living room, Victor checked his email on his phone as Henderson delivered a letter from a courier. Henderson informed Victor that he had spotted a glass of antacid in the kitchen and wondered if Victor was feeling all right. Henderson suggested that Victor was upset that he had not informed Maggie that Victor had arranged for Maggie's eggs to go to Daniel's parents. When Henderson suggested that Victor tell Maggie the truth, Maggie entered the living room and asked, "Tell me what?"

Victor covered by explaining that he had told Henderson how happy was to marry Maggie. After Melanie left, Victor told Maggie that he was not upset that he was not the love of Maggie's life. "But you're one of them," Maggie responded. Victor swore that he would not spoil his life with Maggie.

At the Brady Pub, Abigail studied for her history exam but the thought of Chad kissing Melanie kept distracting her. Frustrated, Abigail slammed her pen down on the table. Chad entered the pub and greeted Abigail, but she remained cold. When Chad asked Abigail if she was upset, Abigail reminded him of his kiss with Melanie. Abigail noted that Chad had seemed too intimate with Melanie.

Chad swore the kiss had been a mistake, but Abigail persisted and asked Chad how he would feel in her shoes. Chad said he would hate what had happened, but he would believe Abigail if she said it was a mistake. "Do you have a thing for her, Chad?" Abigail asked. Chad denied that he had feelings for Melanie, and he told Abigail that he was tired of defending himself to her.

With a sigh, Abigail apologized and admitted that she was upset about Jack and that her frustration was making it difficult for her to study for her test. Chad offered to help Abigail, and he quizzed her out of her textbook. Anxious to spend time alone, Abigail asked Chad for a preview of their time together later. Pulling Chad close, Abigail passionately kissed him in the middle of the pub.

In the town square, E.J. and Nicole were passing out election literature to voters when they ran into Quinn. Surprised to see him, Nicole asked Quinn where he had left Taylor. Quinn explained that Taylor was working in Paris and traveling so much that it had impacted their relationship. When Quinn noted that he and Taylor had broken up, Nicole scoffed and commented that Taylor had dumped Quinn.

Concerned, E.J. asked Quinn why he was back in Salem. Quinn noted that he had returned to town to settle down. When E.J. reminded Quinn that the police had ordered him to leave town, Quinn responded that his lawyer would handle the arrangements with the police. As Nicole went to make a phone call, Quinn hinted that the dirt he had on E.J. had been easy to find and that it would make E.J.'s bid for mayor more difficult if the media discovered what Quinn had learned.

Realizing that he was being blackmailed, E.J. asked Quinn for his terms. Quinn offered to keep quiet in exchange for assistance in getting his new business launched. E.J. agreed to Quinn's offer but E.J. stated clearly that he was not a man to cross. When Nicole returned to usher E.J. to lunch, Quinn invited himself along. Quinn noted that he would meet them at the outdoor cafe.

Shocked, Nicole asked E.J. why he would let Quinn join them for lunch. E.J. noted that he would handle Quinn. E.J. and Nicole walked to the cafe and joined Quinn. Quinn announced that he was a small business owner interested in taking advantage of the perks that E.J. was touting in his mayoral platform. When Nicole joked about Quinn's experience with prostitution, Quinn countered that he had a background in martial arts and planned to open a wellness center in the town square.

Nicole noted that Quinn had no money to finance his plan, but Quinn countered that money was no object, thanks to E.J. As Nicole looked at E.J. in stunned silence, E.J. explained that the business was a good opportunity to show the DiMera family as job creators. Nicole wanted to use the business for PR purposes, but Quinn declined to publicize his business as part of E.J.'s campaign.

As Quinn left to see about a space for rent, Nicole asked E.J. why he would bankroll Quinn's venture. E.J. noted that Quinn's business was a good investment. Not fooled, Nicole reminded E.J. that he had promised to tell her the truth. "What does he have on you?" Nicole asked. E.J. assured her that he had the situation under control. Across the square, Quinn texted someone and informed them that he was back in town and ready to "help one another."

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

At the Brady Pub, Bo and Hope complained to Abe and Lexie about how much time and resources the police department was wasting by investigating John. The Carvers agreed, but understood the point of view of the bilked investors, as well. Bo asserted that Rafe had done the right thing by bending the rules to make sure John was treated fairly. Abe advised Bo against going too far out on a limb to help a friend, and cautioned, "Be careful, Bo... One misstep could cost you your job."

Bo and Hope then filled in Abe and Lexie about how Maggie was probably Daniel's mother -- and Melanie's grandmother -- and related a bit of the story of how they'd found out. Lexie and Abe were excited for Maggie, and intrigued by the story of the bank statements. Abe took a quick phone call, and then informed Bo and Hope that it had been from his new publicist, Jennifer.

Hope was thrilled to hear that her cousin was working on Abe's campaign. Abe and Lexie then excused themselves because Stefano and Kate had invited them to have lunch at the DiMera mansion. Bo and Hope were very suspicious of Stefano's motives. Abe agreed, but noted that it might at least give him the opportunity to find out what the DiMeras were up to.

In the living room of the DiMera mansion, Kate paced back and forth, complaining about "that bitch," Madison James. She vowed to get revenge on Madison, as well as on Victor and Brady, who had allegedly stolen Kate's business plan. Stefano cautioned his wife not to let her opponents get the better of her -- or to tip her hand. They plotted the best way for Kate to get back at Victor, Brady, and Madison, and then drank a celebratory pre-lunch toast to their deviousness.

Once the Carvers arrived for lunch, Abe, Lexie, Stefano, and Kate sat in uncomfortable silence until Abe demanded that Stefano divulge what the real reason for the luncheon was. Stefano admitted that there were two things he wanted to discuss with Abe and Lexie. "First, I had absolutely nothing to do with John's predicament," Stefano insisted, and then suggested that they move to the dining room for the next course.

After lunch was over, Stefano praised his wife for selecting a delicious sugar-free dessert, but then Abe reminded Stefano of the two things DiMera had wanted to discuss. Stefano asked Abe to drop out of the race for mayor. Lexie was livid, but Stefano implored her to hear him out. Stefano explained that he had always respected Abe's stellar public service, and he thought that Abe would make an excellent governor.

Stefano pointed out that the increase in salary would help pay for Theo's special needs, but a furious Lexie accused her father of manipulating them because he knew that E.J. could never win the mayoral election. Stefano asserted that he only wanted to do what was best for his family -- and that included helping to keep Abe employed. Lexie declared that Stefano didn't care about anyone but himself. Stefano claimed that as soon as E.J. had announced his intention to run for mayor, Stefano had immediately realized that it would upset Abe and Lexie, and that was why he had suggested that Abe run for governor.

Stefano continued that money, power, and prestige meant nothing; the only thing that mattered was family. "If what you are saying is true -- if family means everything to you -- know this: undermining my husband will make you extremely unhappy," Lexie warned. As Lexie and Abe stormed out, Lexie shouted at Stefano, "Don't call me!" Privately, Stefano and Kate hoped that Lexie and Abe would get over it eventually, and then headed to the kitchen for another helping of dessert.

Sami was rushing around the messy loft, wearing only one shoe while trying to get ready for work. Rafe found his panicked wife's other shoe in the refrigerator, where they both guessed Allie had put it. Sami expressed her gratitude to Rafe for taking the kids to school, plus rounding up everything she needed for work. Rafe was planning to stay home and look for a job, and his resentment toward the gainfully employed Austin began to show just a little. Then Sami and Austin found that Austin had put an empty milk container in the refrigerator, and left an damp towel on the back of a chair. Sami offered to help clean up the apartment, but Rafe urged her to go to work and let him take care of it. She wished him luck on his job search, and hurried out the door.

Bo and Hope returned to the Horton house to look through Alice's boxes one more time. Hope was sure that there had to be a clue somewhere in the house about the mysterious bank statements. Bo found a pile of old photographs, including an embarrassing one of him, and wondered about the point of going through the boxes yet again, but agreed to continue if Hope wanted.

Once he was alone in the apartment, Rafe used the classified ads in the paper to call around and inquire about jobs. He started with jobs that involved security, but worked his way through construction and even nanny jobs before giving up in frustration. Bo called Rafe to see how the job search was going, and to offer to write Rafe a letter of recommendation. Rafe was clearly discouraged, so Bo offered some words of encouragement before hanging up.

Later, Rafe was so desperate that he even asked a telemarketer how he liked his job. The man hung up on him. Conceding at least temporary defeat, Rafe grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and headed for the sofa -- but tripped over Austin's suitcase. Beyond irritated, Rafe kicked the offending object across the room, and sank onto the couch with a dejected sigh.

Hope spotted the photographs that Bo had found earlier, and took them from him. In the stack, she found a picture of a baby whom neither she nor Bo recognized. Bo guessed that it might have been one of the children that Dr. and Mrs. Horton had cared for in the pediatric ward. With a shrug, Hope agreed that Bo was probably right. She set aside the photo -- the same photo that was also framed and in the bookshelves at the DiMera mansion.

At the Titan offices, Brady watched as Madison typed an email to someone he knew, and offered her some advice. Madison reminded him that she didn't need Brady's help running her company, and asked why he was always around to annoy her if he knew that, as he claimed. She suggested that he could apply for the job as her assistant if he really wanted to be involved in the day-to-day operation of her company.

The two bantered a bit, and just as the tension built and Brady leaned over Madison's chair and noted softly that she was blushing, Sami burst loudly through the office door. Sami quickly apologized for interrupting, but Madison and Brady assured her that she hadn't interrupted anything. Sami delivered a report to Madison, who then had to leave to meet with a contractor at the showroom.

When they were alone in the office, Sami bluntly asked Brady if he were sleeping with Madison. Taken aback, Brady insisted that he had just been giving Madison some advice, and keeping an eye on his investment. "That's not the only thing you're keeping an eye on," Sami asserted. Brady maintained that nothing was going on between him and Madison. Sami said that she had witnessed the sexual tension between the two of them, and pleaded with Brady not to get involved with Madison -- because Sami really needed that job.

Brady was incredulous, but Sami pointed out that his relationships with women usually ended in disaster, and she didn't want to see Mad World Cosmetics destroyed when that happened with Madison. Madison returned, and from outside the door, she overheard Sami asserting, "Madison is not good for you, and you are not good for Madison." Brady reiterated that his and Madison's relationship was strictly professional.

Madison opened the door then, and asked to speak with Sami privately, so Brady made a hasty exit. Assuming that Madison was upset because Sami was a little late, Sami began to apologize, but Madison interrupted. Madison declared that although the two of them had known each other since they were little girls, she'd hired Sami to be a junior executive -- not to meddle in Madison's private life. Sami apologetically explained that she'd just been trying to look out for Madison with Brady, but Madison insisted that she could take care of herself. She ordered Sami to keep her opinions about Madison's personal life to herself.

Moving on, Madison asked Sami to drop off a contract at the showroom, and Sami eagerly agreed. On her way out the door, Sami quickly blurted, "One more thing, and then I promise I really will butt out of your personal life: Brady breaks women's hearts. He'll break yours." She hurried out before Madison could say anything. Meanwhile, in his office, Brady was admiring a photograph from the Halloween party of him and Madison in their costumes.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

by Mike

At the Kiriakis mansion, Hope told Bo that Maggie and Melanie had gone to the spa for the day. Hope explained that some packages were scheduled to be delivered to the mansion later. Hope added that she had volunteered to sign for the packages.

As Bo and Hope waited for the packages, they discussed Victor and Maggie's wedding preparations. Bo noted that Victor and Maggie's engagement supported the theory that opposites were attracted to each other. Hope reminded Bo that a lot of people had said the same thing about them. Hope added that she would marry Bo again in a heartbeat.

Hope excused herself so that she could grab something from one of the other rooms. After Hope left, Bo looked around the living room with a conspiratorial expression on his face. When Hope returned, Bo surprised her with champagne and dessert. Hope wondered what was going on.

Bo noted that Hope had never received a fancy proposal. Bo presented Hope with a homemade ring that he had made out of pipe cleaners and wedding favors. Bo pointed to the oversized plastic diamond that was on top of the ring, and he wondered if Hope had ever heard of the Hope Diamond. Hope pointed out that some people believed that the Hope Diamond was cursed.

"Well, this is a different Hope Diamond. This one is named after the most beautiful woman in the world -- the woman that this undeserving man wants to marry," Bo explained. Hope handed the ring back to Bo, and she started to remove one of her necklaces. Bo noticed that Hope's wedding band and engagement ring were hanging off of the necklace.

"I actually prefer these. Would you do me the honor? Put them back where they belong?" Hope asked. Bo eagerly agreed, and he asked Hope if she would marry him again. Hope tearfully stated that she would marry Bo over and over again, and Bo slipped her engagement ring back on her finger.

Bo said that he was glad that Hope had agreed, because he had already booked the minister. Bo walked over to the fireplace, and he removed a piece of linen that had been covering a stone bust. Hope jokingly greeted the minister, and she claimed that he looked like the minister who had married her and Bo in New Orleans.

Bo handed Hope a small bouquet of flowers, and Hope wondered what he was up to. Bo said that his favorite wedding had been the Oak Alley wedding. Bo asked Hope to choose her favorite wedding. Hope contemplated the question for a moment, then she decided that she couldn't choose a favorite. Hope explained that it would be like asking her to choose her favorite child.

Bo urged Hope to reconsider her decision. "Okay...I still have to pinch myself, because I still can't believe that we had a royal wedding in London -- in London! At Westminster Abbey. It was amazing. And I still melt when I think about the love in my dad's eyes...when he walked me down the aisle at our Christmas Eve wedding. So, choosing a favorite wedding...it's really tough, but you know what? If you had asked me which is my favorite marriage, that's easy -- our marriage right now, because this is the marriage that will last forever," Hope said, as she kissed Bo.

"I told you at Oak Alley that I would always love you, and that we'd always be together. I feel very, very lucky to be where we are right now. Every morning, when I wake up next to you, I look forward to the day we're gonna spend together. It really doesn't matter what we're doing -- you know, working on a case, hanging out with Ciara -- the day is better because I spend it with you, and the happiness I feel, it doesn't diminish. It just gets bigger and bigger. All I have to do is look at you, and my heart is filled with joy. You know, someday...when we're in those rockers, watching our grandchildren play -- our great-grandchildren play -- I will feel fulfilled, because I couldn't have picked a better partner to spend my life with," Bo said. Bo slipped Hope's wedding band back on her finger.

"You said something to me at our wedding in England...during our vows, and it still stands today. I look into your eyes, and...I see all I need to see. I love you, Brady. I've never -- I've never loved another man, and I never will love another man. Thank you for everything wonderful you brought to my life -- especially our beautiful children. And I'm so grateful...not just for the passion that we share, but for our great friendship. I love you, Beauregard Brady," Hope whispered, as she hugged Bo. Bo gently wiped a tear away from Hope's cheek, then he asked her to dance with him.

Hope thanked Bo for her surprise wedding. Bo wished that he could take Hope on a romantic honeymoon. Bo suggested that he and Hope could settle for a romantic wedding night, and Hope eagerly agreed. Bo picked Hope up, and he quickly carried her out of the room.

At the Brady Pub, Chad and Sonny told Will about the problems with the website. Chad suggested that someone was trying to use the site for booking purposes. Sonny wondered how his family would react if he was arrested for racketeering. "Well, that's a no-brainer -- your father will probably disown you, and Uncle Victor will probably disinherit you," Chad dryly stated.

Sonny wasn't amused, and he pointed out that Stefano and E.J. would probably treat Chad the same way. "No, my father will probably be proud of me, and E.J....not so much, only because it'll probably screw up his campaign for mayor," Chad said. Will sighed as Chad and Sonny continued to theorize about the aftermath of their arrests.

"Can you guys chill out for one second, please?! I'm trying to work. I'm on to something. I used a reverse directory to find out GotGame48's IP address, and it's coming from a dorm at Salem University, so whoever this GotGame48 guy is, we can probably find him there," Will announced. Chad, Will, and Sonny rushed over to the dorms to confront the hacker.

Outside the hacker's dorm room, Sonny, Will, and Chad prepared themselves for the confrontation. "All right, remember -- whoever's misusing our website, he's probably a linebacker, and he weighs more than all of us combined," Sonny warned, as he knocked on the door. Someone opened the door, and Sonny was surprised when he realized that the dorm belonged to a guy who looked more like a preppy than a linebacker.

Chad, Sonny, and Will barged into the guy's dorm room. Chad demanded to know why the guy was messing with their website. The guy claimed that he didn't know what Chad was talking about, but Chad wasn't convinced. "Listen, the number we found posted on the site was an IP address we traced back to this room," Chad explained.

Will said that he would be happy to unleash his entire family of cops on the guy, and he demanded some answers. The guy insisted that he had been spending all of his time working on his thesis, and he added that he was studying quantum theory. "I'm a DiMera -- does that ring any quantum bells? So unless you want my family coming down on you, I suggest you level with us right now," Chad warned the guy.

"The police, the DiMeras -- this is too much. Okay, I'll tell you what I know, but you have to understand that I'm not the guy you're really looking for. You've got a lot more to worry about than me -- I'm just a pawn in a much bigger game, and a lot more dangerous than you know," the guy cryptically stated. Chad, Will, and Sonny gathered around the guy's computer, and the guy clicked on a hidden link on the website.

An animated graphic of a bouncing basketball appeared in the center of the screen, with a flashing font that invited Salem University students to enter for a chance to win fifty thousand dollars. Will noted that it was a backdoor to another website. Will told the guy to click on the basketball, and the guy acknowledged that Will was good at solving puzzles.

The link redirected to an error page, and Chad noted with relief that it looked like a dead end. "It is a dead end...unless you know the password," the guy explained, as a login prompt appeared on the screen. The guy entered a password, and the page redirected to a gambling site called Casino Dujour. Chad, Sonny, and Will stared at the page in disbelief.

On the front page, there was a list of odds and numbers for all of the college football teams, and there were links to pages for other sports, as well. Sonny estimated that there had to be at least one thousand sporting events around the world that people could bet on. "Exactly -- your site is now a portal for a multimillion dollar gambling operation, and the guys running it? Trust me...they play for keeps," the guy said.

At Sami and Rafe's apartment, Gabi entered as the fire alarm started to beep. Rafe explained that he was trying to make dinner for Sami and the kids. Rafe panicked as he realized that he needed to pick up the kids at school, but Gabi quickly assured him that she would take care of the kids. Gabi told Rafe to focus on something else, and she added that he needed to choose something that didn't involve housework.

Later, Gabi asked Rafe if he had heard about the storm forecast, and she wondered if he needed to stock up on groceries. Rafe insisted that the storm wasn't going to hit Salem. Gabi reiterated that Rafe needed to find something else to work on. Rafe reminded Gabi that he had been fired.

Gabi suggested that Rafe could continue to work on John's case. Rafe realized that Gabi was right, and he thanked her for the idea. Gabi urged Rafe to get started right away, and she assured him that she would clean the kitchen while he was gone. Rafe quickly left the apartment.

At John and Marlena's townhouse, John and Marlena greeted Carrie. John started to ask Carrie about her trip, but he could tell that something was bothering her. Carrie admitted that she was worried about the witness that she had found in Switzerland. Carrie explained that the witness had not answered any of her phone calls.

John wondered if Stefano could have gotten to the man. Before Carrie could respond, the witness returned her phone call, and he explained that he had accidentally turned off his ringer. Later, Carrie told John and Marlena that she wanted to hide the witness from the prosecution for as long as possible. Marlena optimistically insisted that the witness would be enough to give the jury reasonable doubt.

"Well, unfortunately, without irrefutable evidence, the public also has reasonable doubt. Therefore, even if I am found innocent, the public's always going to wonder, 'Did he steal that money?'" John pointed out. Before Marlena could respond, Rafe arrived at the townhouse. Rafe explained that he was willing to help with the investigation.

Carrie quickly announced that she wanted to hire Rafe as her private investigator. Carrie explained that she needed an investigator, and she noted that Rafe needed a job. Marlena added that Rafe was familiar with the case, and that he knew just how ruthless Stefano was. Carrie assumed that Rafe would want to talk to Sami about the idea first.

Rafe insisted that he didn't need to talk to Sami, but John was skeptical. "There's a reason why you don't want to run this by Sami, isn't there? Roman, Austin, Rafe, Carrie -- it's like a revolving door of visitors around here, but Sami's been keeping her distance. Come here, Doc...I know that something else has been eating at you lately, and now...I just figured out what it is. Sami's like everybody else in this town, isn't she? The reason she's staying away is because she thinks I'm guilty, doesn't she?" John asked.

Rafe tactfully stated that Sami had a unique way of looking at things, and Marlena agreed. "She knows about Stefano, and all the terrible things that he's done to you, and she was wondering...if you've done the things you're accused of doing, and don't remember them," Marlena explained. Rafe added that Sami didn't want to upset John with her concerns, and he said that was why she was avoiding John.

Carrie promised John that she and Rafe were going to find enough evidence to clear his name. Carrie and Rafe excused themselves so that they could get to work. Later, at the Brady Pub, Carrie told Rafe that she was glad that he had agreed to help her with John's case. Rafe suggested that he and Carrie needed to go over every detail of the case again, and he theorized that they might be missing something crucial.

Back at the townhouse, John admitted that he needed evidence to prove to himself that he didn't steal the funds. "I don't care what Austin or Sami think. Sami has issues that cloud her judgment. I know in my heart you would never hurt anybody, and you know that, too. And Rafe is gonna get the evidence we need, and Carrie will tell the jury what's happening, and you will be exonerated, and that's the way it's going to be," Marlena firmly stated.

Marlena excused herself so that she could grab some milk for her coffee. After Marlena left, John had a memory of himself in the caf in Paris. Marlena returned to the living room, and she wondered what was wrong. "Doc...I've been having these thoughts. Almost subliminal, like I'm remembering something -- it's just very vague and fleeting...I can't grasp it, it's like a dj vu. I never said anything before, because I didn't know what it meant, but...when I just looked at this picture, it hit me -- I have been there," John admitted.

Marlena pointed out that John's memory did not prove that he had used his phone to steal the funds. John agreed that he would never do something like that. "But that robot Stefano created -- that John would do that, so what if Sami's right? What if I am guilty?" John asked.

Friday, November 4, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

When Jack arrived to pick up Jennifer for their date, a day of cross-country skiing, she irritably accused him of having been the one who had stalked her and Daniel on Halloween night. Jack insisted that he'd spent Halloween with J.J. in London, but Jennifer wasn't buying it. Jack pointed out that he was trying to win back the love of his life by proving that he had changed, and wondered if Jennifer really believed that he would risk that by doing something as silly as following her around a party, wearing a mask. Jennifer conceded that the old Jack would have done that, and decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Jennifer then informed Jack that she'd accepted Abe's offer to work on his campaign. Jack was a little dismayed to hear that Daniel had helped Jennifer make the decision, but insisted that he wanted to hear the whole story. When he heard that Daniel had set up a meeting for Jennifer with a political consultant, Jack noted that the old Jack might think that Daniel had only done it to curry favor with Jennifer. Jennifer declared that they'd better stop discussing the subject and head out for their date, before she changed her mind.

Carrie washed dishes at the loft while the others got ready for work. When Austin complained that he had been cold the night before, Rafe suggested, "Maybe you should try sleeping with some more clothes on." Sami and Carrie kept bumping into each other in the kitchen, so Carrie joined Austin on the sofa. In a whisper, Carrie noted that because things had gotten a bit crowded since her return, they should look harder for somewhere else to stay, but Austin pointed out that there weren't many other options. Sami overheard, and suggested that they should all talk about why the Reeds were so anxious to leave.

Carrie expressed her gratitude to Sami for offering Austin and Carrie a place to stay, but noted that the four of them might continue to get along well if they didn't all live together. Carrie had to leave for a meeting, and Austin offered to drive her. Sami graciously wished Carrie and Austin luck in finding someplace else to stay. When Carrie and Rafe mentioned that they were meeting at John and Marlena's later, Austin and Sami flipped out a little. Carrie promised Austin that she would explain.

As soon as the door closed behind their houseguests, Sami demanded to know why Rafe was meeting Carrie. He informed his wife that Carrie had hired him as lead investigator on John's case. Rafe and Sami then went to the Brady Pub for breakfast. Sami was irked that he hadn't discussed the job with her before accepting it, but Rafe pointed out that she had done the same thing with her job. He reminded her that they had four kids to feed and clothe, and needed the money that Carrie's law firm would be paying him.

When Jack and Jennifer stopped by to pick up a to-go order on their way out of town, Caroline thanked Jack for helping with the Halloween cookies. Jack and Jennifer then greeted Sami and Rafe, who both offered any help they could give to Abe's campaign. Sami offered to get Jennifer some free samples from Mad World Cosmetics, and Jack sat with Rafe while they waited for the women to return. Rafe offered his support to Jack by stating simply, "Heard about your adventures in Afghanistan. Had a similar experience myself in South America."

Rafe asked if counseling was helping Jack, but Jack insisted he didn't need it. Rafe cautioned Jack that in his experience, all former hostages handled their "reentry" in different ways, but they all suffered some long-term effects from their captivity. "Just because you are free from being a hostage or being tortured, just because that door has flung wide open, it doesn't mean you are free," Rafe asserted. Jack maintained that he would rather put the past behind him and focus on the future. Sami and Jennifer returned then, so Jack and Jennifer left for their date.

His brow furrowed with mild worry, Rafe watched Jack leave. Sami asked what was wrong, and Rafe replied, "Probably overreacting. Been a lot of that going on lately." Sami put on her coat and left for work, quietly declaring that she didn't want to fight with Rafe in front of her grandmother.

As Rafe walked Sami to work through the square, she remarked about how nice it was to be indoors when it was snowing outside, since the new town square was covered. Rafe asserted that Sami was angry with him not because he'd taken a job without telling her, but because he'd taken a job working with Carrie to prove John's innocence -- and Rafe wanted to know why Sami felt that way. Sami explained that it was just that things were getting ugly, because everyone was taking sides.

Rafe asserted that he believed that John was innocent -- and John was family. "If I can find something that proves his innocence, isn't that a good thing?" Rafe asked gently. Sami acknowledged that she didn't want to fight about it anymore, but she was thankful that Rafe had a paying job. A concerned Rafe recognized that something was really bothering his wife, and asked her to please tell him what it was. Sami insisted that it was nothing; she'd just been caught off-guard. She had to hurry off before she was late for work, but Rafe was clearly not satisfied with her answer.

At the penthouse, Marlena asked John why he suddenly seemed to think the accusations against him might be true. Before John could answer, Roman knocked on the door. He asked how John and Marlena were holding up, but instead of answering, John went into the kitchen to get Roman a cup of coffee. Roman and Marlena talked about how neither Brady nor Sami had been by to see John, and Marlena guessed that Sami would have a hard time hiding her true feelings if she did visit. After John returned, Roman expressed his regrets for what John was having to endure. He bade John and Marlena goodbye, and then left.

As Carrie and Austin arrived at the police station, she explained that she had hired Rafe to work on John's case. Austin was miffed that Carrie hadn't told him about it ahead of time, but she pointed out that he worked for the prosecution, plus she hadn't planned on keeping it from him. After some bickering, they agreed not to fight about it anymore. Austin noted that Sami wouldn't be happy to learn about Rafe's new job, but Carrie countered that proving John's innocence should be important to Sami.

When they began to argue again, Austin remarked that the two couples were in similar situations in that Carrie and Rafe believed in John's innocence, but Austin and Sami weren't so sure. Austin and Carrie agreed that they hated fighting with each other. Austin admitted that he'd forgotten to tell his wife how glad he was that she was back, or how much he'd missed her.

Roman entered, and overheard Austin declaring that they should vow never to talk about the case anymore. "That might be the smartest suggestion I've heard all day," Roman declared. He asked about Carrie's trip, but she pointed out that it wouldn't be prudent for her to discuss the details. Carrie then kissed her dad and husband goodbye, and left for John and Marlena's.

Roman expressed his hopes that Austin and Carrie could keep the case separate from their personal lives. Austin admitted that it would be difficult -- for the two of them, as well as for Rafe and Sami. Austin then divulged that Rafe and Carrie seemed to think the photograph of John in the caf had been doctored.

Roman's interest surprised Austin, who realized that Roman didn't believe John was guilty. Roman guessed that Austin didn't want to believe it, either. Austin confirmed it, but he had evaluated the evidence objectively and had reached the conclusion that John's story just didn't add up. "If there was one thread that I could pull on that would somehow make John look innocent, I would pull on it until the whole thing unraveled -- but there's nothing," Austin maintained.

Roman advised Austin to trust his heart for a change, instead of his head. He explained that good cops knew that there were times when it was best to forget the facts and trust gut instincts. "Look at the person involved. Who is that person as an individual? And if something's telling you that person didn't do it, even if you can't explain it yet, odds are you're onto something," Roman declared. He added that Carrie had seen the same evidence Austin had, and she had reached the opposite conclusion, because she trusted both her head and her heart.

Marlena pleaded with John to let her try to help him, and admitted that Sami's reasoning might not be wrong. "Just because I can't remember, doesn't mean it didn't happen. It's kind of the story of my life, isn't it?" John pointed out. He reminded Marlena that there would always be portions of his life that he couldn't remember, times that he might have done almost anything. "If I'm not fully sure of who I am now, how can I be so damn positive that I'm innocent?" he posited. Marlena wanted to know why John insisted on blaming himself for things he'd had no control over.

John began to explain, but Carrie's arrival interrupted before he could get very far. Carrie immediately sensed that something was wrong. John at last got the story out: the memories or dj vu that he'd been experiencing about the caf in Paris had begun before he'd seen the security photo of himself in the caf, and the details in his head had been identical to the ones confirmed by the picture. "If I wasn't there, if I wasn't captured on film using my cell phone to steal and transfer those funds, why the hell do I remember it so vividly?" John demanded.

John asked how he could possibly make things right when he had no way to repay the money, because he didn't know where it was. Marlena declared that even if John had taken the money, he wasn't responsible; Stefano was. John was skeptical, but Carrie pointed out that Stefano could have bought his way into almost anything. John still refused to believe that anyone else had committed the crimes. Marlena proposed that if John believed the memories were real, he should let her hypnotize him to find out the truth.

As Jack and Jennifer burst through the door of an empty cabin, they were shivering from the cold and complaining that the weatherman had forecast "intermittent snow," not a blizzard. The power was out in the cabin, but Jennifer found some matches and candles, and Jack discovered a hand-crank radio. A news bulletin announced that there was a weather advisory in the area, and several roads had already been closed because of the snow. Jennifer worried that they would be stuck there for a long time, and lamented not grabbing the bag of food from the car when they got out.

Jack began to have flashbacks of his captivity in Afghanistan, when he had been chained with his arms over his head, beaten, and tortured with live electrical cables. Meanwhile, Jennifer searched the cabin, and returned with a couple of cans of peaches. She quickly realized that Jack was not all right. But when she asked, "Jack, are you okay?" what he heard was the language of his torturers.