Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 20, 2012 on DAYS

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

Monday, August 20, 2012

by Mike

At the hospital, Melanie and Gabi were horrified to see Andrew. Melanie quickly fled, urging Gabi to follow her. Before Gabi could escape, Andrew grabbed her arm.

In the waiting area, Melanie found Maggie and fearfully announced that her kidnapper was in the hospital. As Maggie searched for Daniel, Melanie wondered what had happened to Gabi. Meanwhile, in Nicole's room, Nicole admitted that there was something that she needed to tell Daniel. Before Nicole could elaborate, Maggie interrupted and informed Daniel that Melanie needed his help.

Elsewhere, Gabi begged Andrew to let her go. "I'll tell them, Gabi, that it was your idea. You wanted Melanie out of the way. You thought your secret died with me, right?" Andrew asked. Before Andrew could say anything else, he started to cough and abruptly lost consciousness. Gabi turned to leave, but Chad was blocking her path. "You bitch," Chad muttered, as he grabbed Gabi's arm and dragged her out of the room.

A short time later, Melanie escorted Daniel, Maggie, and a security guard into Andrew's room. Daniel checked Andrew's pulse and announced that he was dead. Melanie continued to worry about Gabi, who was not in the room.

Meanwhile, Chad pulled Gabi into an empty hospital room and demanded an explanation. Chad warned that he was only going to give Gabi one chance to tell the truth. "It was just supposed to be a prank, okay? That's all it was supposed to be. Nothing was supposed to happen, okay? I was the one who wrote the first note, and I pulled off the doll's head. I just wanted you to remember how it was when we were together," Gabi explained.

Gabi insisted that she had never intended to kidnap Melanie. Gabi explained that she had been forced to hire Andrew because Chad and Melanie had been determined to find her nonexistent stalker. Chad reminded Gabi that friends were supposed to look out for each other. Gabi agreed, and she swore that she had never meant to hurt Melanie.

Seething with rage, Chad listened as Gabi tried to justify her actions. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just feel like everyone is leaving me, Chad. Look, my sister died, and then Will and I break up...and he's gay. And you were the first one who left me," Gabi said. Gabi started to explain that she had convinced herself that reuniting with Chad would have fixed everything, but he interrupted her.

"Can you hear how sick that sounds?" Chad asked incredulously. Gabi nodded and said that she didn't blame Chad for being upset. Gabi added that she hated herself. "Is that supposed to shut me up? You know what? You -- listen, look at me, all right? You are the most selfish, deluded, dangerous person I've ever met -- and I'm a DiMera!" Chad shouted, as he stared at Gabi in disbelief.

Gabi tried to apologize, but Chad was unmoved. Chad warned that Melanie would soon know exactly who and what Gabi was. Gabi conceded that she probably deserved that. Chad countered that Gabi deserved a more severe punishment. Gabi predicted that she was going to lose everything, and she wondered if that would make Chad feel better. Chad ignored the question and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Chad entered the waiting area and greeted Melanie, who rushed over to hug him. Melanie started to tell Chad that Gabi was missing, but before she could finish her sentence, Gabi cautiously entered the room. Chad quietly watched as Melanie embraced Gabi. Daniel wondered if Gabi was all right. Chad insisted that there was no need to worry about Gabi.

Chad hesitated for a moment before adding that he had found Gabi in Andrew's room earlier. Chad claimed that Gabi had been freaked out about her brief encounter with Andrew, but he assured everyone that he had managed to calm her fears. Chad glared at Gabi as he hugged Melanie again. A cop approached Melanie and announced that he was ready to take her statement.

After Melanie left, Daniel excused himself so that he could check on a few patients, and Maggie followed him out of the waiting area. Gabi thanked Chad for keeping her secret. "Look, Melanie's upset enough right now. She didn't need to hear that her best friend nearly got her killed. Stay away from her, Gabi -- stay away from us. If you even try to see her -- if you even try to make it up to her -- you won't like what happens," Chad warned Gabi.

Gabi realized that Chad was still planning to tell Melanie the truth at a later date. Before Gabi could say anything else, Melanie returned and announced that the cops were ready to take Gabi's statement. Melanie offered to wait for Gabi, who declined the offer and urged Melanie to get some rest. As Chad escorted Melanie to the nearby elevator, he glanced over his shoulder and glared at Gabi with contempt.

Meanwhile, Daniel informed Nicole that Andrew was dead. Nicole admitted that she was happy to hear that. Nicole revealed that she was going to be released soon, and she invited Daniel over to her hotel room for dinner later that night. Daniel wasn't sure if he would be able to leave the hospital at a decent hour, but he tentatively accepted the invitation. After Daniel left, Nicole beamed with delight.

At the DiMera safe house, Rafe waited for E.J. to return. Rafe tried to ask Sami some questions, but she refused to cooperate. Sami insisted that E.J. was innocent, and she vowed that she would not let him go to jail for a crime that he hadn't actually committed. Sami noted that it was ironic that Rafe was trying to stop her, because he would have done exactly the same thing if he had been in a similar situation.

Sami reminded Rafe that he had also expressed some doubts about the case. Rafe revealed that he no longer had any doubts about E.J.'s guilt, because an innocent person wouldn't have tried to disappear. Sami insisted that the Salem Police Department would have never given a DiMera a fair chance. Rafe countered that E.J. was also the mayor, which meant that he would have been guaranteed a fair investigation.

As Sami and Rafe continued to argue, Sami theorized that Rafe was pursuing E.J. because Rafe was still upset about the fact that she had slept with E.J. after Johnny's disappearance. Rafe reminded Sami that she had trashed their marriage, and he insisted that he had every right to be upset. Sami scoffed and countered that Rafe was the one who had given up on their marriage the day that Carrie had returned to Salem.

Sami conceded that she had made a terrible mistake, but she refused to take responsibility for everything that had happened. "What you did with Carrie -- that was the ultimate betrayal. You know what? I get it. She's pure, good, and everything that's right in the world, and I am not. But you know what? She's gonna dump her husband the second she thinks she has a chance with you. I know Carrie. I know what she's done in the past. I know right now she's giving you this whole, like, 'Oh, I can't leave my husband' thing, but no -- when she decides that's what she wants, she'll dump him in a heartbeat," Sami insisted.

Rafe, who had been trying to interrupt Sami, finally cut her off and revealed that Carrie and Austin had moved back to Switzerland. Sami was stunned, and she quickly asked for details. Rafe refused to elaborate, but Sami was undeterred. Sami wondered if her name had been mentioned during Rafe's final conversation with Carrie.

Rafe silently recalled his conversation with Carrie -- particularly the part where she had accused him of still being in love with Sami -- but he claimed that Carrie hadn't mentioned Sami's name. "When you lie, it's weird, Rafe. It's like the whole world tilts on its axis," Sami joked. Rafe wasn't amused, and he insisted that he was done discussing the subject.

Sami said that she was sorry that Carrie had hurt Rafe. Rafe ignored Sami's comment and started to search for something to drink. While Rafe's back was turned, Sami tried to escape, but he stopped her before she could reach the exit. Sami locked eyes with Rafe as he held her tightly.

In an undisclosed location, E.J. demanded to know what was going on. A black hood was covering E.J.'s face, and he was tightly bound to a metal chair. Someone removed the hood, and E.J.'s eyes slowly adjusted to the light as he stared at his captor's face. "You contacted me. How did you get into the network? Only my family -- oh, let me guess. Your lover, Kate -- what, did she whisper it across your pillow?" E.J. asked Ian.

Ian angrily clarified that Madison was the true love of his life, and he tearfully revealed that she was dead. Ian cryptically stated that his original timetable was useless, because he no longer had a reason to wait. E.J. struggled with his bindings and speculated that Ian had consumed too much alcohol. Ian advised E.J. to worry about his own predicament.

Ian reiterated that his timetable had been moved up, and he added that E.J. had to do his part to help. E.J. apologetically stated that he was preoccupied with his own problems, and he explained that someone was trying to frame him for Stefano's murder. Ian said that he was aware of E.J.'s legal problems, and he referred to E.J. as his co-conspirator.

"We both wanted him dead, didn't we? Didn't everybody want him dead? Oh, was I just the lucky one who got to do the honors?" Ian asked. E.J. realized that Ian had murdered Stefano, and he demanded to know why Ian had framed him for the crime. Ian shrugged and said that E.J. had made the task incredibly easy.

"It is unbelievable; sometimes we can be our own worst enemies. You practically just set yourself up. You cleared the way...for me to get my due. Now, I am so happy we've had this opportunity to clear the air," Ian said, as he held up the gold coin that John and Hope had obtained in Alamainia. Ian explained that he had devised a plan to make Madison fall in love with him again, but he added that his plan would not have worked unless he had first removed E.J. from the equation.

"With Madison gone...I don't have to wait, and you can give me what I want. And once you do...I'll have the great pleasure of getting rid of you...once and for all," Ian said. E.J. pointed out that he had no reason to help Ian. "Is that a dare? Are you daring me to give you a reason to help me? I accept your dare," Ian said. A curtain was hanging on the wall in front of E.J., and his jaw dropped as Ian revealed what was behind the curtain.

At the Brady Pub, Sonny wondered if Justin had seen Will recently. Justin recalled that he had last seen Will before the first explosion had occurred. Sonny admitted that he was starting to get worried about Will, who hadn't responded to any of the text messages that Sonny had sent him. Justin called Bo, who reported that he had seen Will helping someone after the explosion.

Sonny was still worried, and he pointed out that there had been multiple explosions. Sonny theorized that Will might have gotten trapped in the tunnels during an aftershock. "You really care for Will, don't you?" Justin asked, as Sonny tried to call Will again. Sonny confirmed Justin's suspicion and sighed with frustration as he announced that his call had gone straight to voicemail again. Justin offered to help Sonny search for Will.

At the Horton Town Square, Will was surprised to see T, and he wondered how long T had been back in Salem. "Long enough to hear that you're a fairy," T bluntly stated, and he demanded to know why Will had suddenly turned gay. Will tried to explain that he hadn't been sure about his sexuality until recently, but T refused to listen. T theorized that Sonny had turned Will into a gay person.

"Okay...wow, there are a couple things wrong with that sentence," Will said, as he shook his head in disbelief. T wondered if Gabi had not been hot enough for Will, and he pointed out that Will could have switched to a different girlfriend instead of switching to a different team. Will insisted that he hadn't switched to a different team, and he explained that he had always been gay. Will added that he and Gabi were still friends.

"That doesn't mean much, does it? Being your friend. How many years, supposedly, I was your best friend? Turns out I didn't know the most important thing about you, but everybody else does. Hell, you came out on the front page of the paper," T noted. Will said that he had never intended to make T feel like he had been left out, and he wondered if that was why T was upset.

T scoffed and insisted that he wasn't the one who had a problem. T wondered if Will really believed that everyone was okay with Will's new lifestyle choice. Will conceded that some people had initially been surprised to learn that Will was gay, but he added that everyone had eventually given him their full support.

"Yeah...to your face. What do you think happens when you leave the room? Yeah. This is what a real friend does, Will. I'm telling you the truth. Everybody wants to be okay with it -- they want to act tolerant and accepting -- but the second they think of the mechanics of things...trust me, it makes them sick to their stomach. Not just me -- everybody, Will," T confidently stated.

Will refused to apologize for being himself. T countered that his best friend had turned into a complete stranger, but Will insisted that he was still the same person. T disagreed, and he pointed out that Will was going to different places and hanging out with different people than he had before. Will said that was just part of growing up, but T ignored the comment.

"You turned on a dime. You found this new 'fad,' you found yourself, changed, doing different things in your life -- whatever you want to call it, but you left your real friends in the dust," T said. Will clarified that being gay wasn't a fad, and he reiterated that he had never intended to make T feel like he had been left out. T countered that Sami had never meant to hurt Will, either.

T's comment confused Will, who wondered if T was trying to suggest that Will was just like Sami. T shrugged and told Will to forget about the comment. T added that he no longer wanted to have anything to do with Will, and he abruptly walked away. Will sighed heavily, struggling to contain his emotions.

Later, Justin and Sonny entered the town square and quickly found Will, who was kneeling behind a cement barrier. Justin silently excused himself so that Sonny could have some privacy. After Justin left, Sonny greeted Will and wondered if he was all right. Will's head was lowered, and he didn't acknowledge Sonny right away. Sonny repeated Will's name, and Will slowly raised his head and forced a smile.

Will's face was red, and Sonny wondered what had happened. Will vaguely stated that he was a bad person who had only taken care of himself. Sonny assumed that Will was talking about the explosion, and he assured Will that people always felt helpless during a disaster. Sonny confidently stated that he knew who Will really was, and he insisted that Will was a good person. Sonny hugged Will tightly.

"I was worried about you. You have no idea," Sonny said, as he leaned in and kissed Will.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

by Spalding

A cheerful Maggie visited Jennifer at her house. When Maggie noted that Jennifer looked sad, Jennifer informed Maggie that Jack had died. Maggie comforted Jennifer and offered her help. When Abigail entered the living room, Maggie hugged her and gave her condolences. Maggie told Jennifer that she was not alone, then left. Outside on Jennifer's porch, Maggie called Daniel and left him a voicemail stating that she was on her way to talk to him.

Inside the house, Abigail read the galley for Jack's book. When Jennifer returned to the living room, Abigail wondered aloud how Jack's words could be so vivid and alive, when Jack was not. Abigail read a passage aloud from Jack's book galley about how the thought of Jennifer and Abigail had helped him survive his captivity.

A candy striper named Diane dropped off a package for Nicole in her hospital room. When Diane noted that all the women in the hospital were swooning over Daniel, Nicole worriedly looked at her reflection in her compact. Smiling, Nicole asked if she could borrow Diane's lipstick.

Nicole put on the dress from her package and gussied herself up. As Nicole finished her makeup, Daniel walked into her hospital room. Nicole asked Daniel if he was still up for dinner, and he attempted to back out. Nicole noted that she wanted to talk to Daniel about their relationship and the baby. Nodding, Daniel agreed to have dinner with Nicole.

Daniel went back to work and was at the nurses' station when Maggie arrived. With a heavy sigh, Maggie informed Daniel that Jack had been killed in the explosion. Shocked, Daniel reached for his phone then stopped himself. Noticing Daniel's movement, Maggie asked Daniel why he had decided against calling Jennifer. Daniel noted that he did not want to bother Jennifer.

As Daniel worried about Abigail, Nicole exited her hospital room and overheard Daniel talking to Maggie. Worried about Jennifer, Daniel asked Maggie to make sure that Jennifer was okay. "You don't fool me. I see it in your eyes. You still love Jennifer, don't you?" Maggie asked. In her room, Nicole gasped, "Jack is dead."

Maggie urged Daniel to visit Jennifer and Abigail. Daniel protested and noted that his relationship with Jennifer was over and that he was not a part of her life. Daniel explained that he had resolved his feelings for Jennifer and that he had moved on. When Jennifer called Maggie's phone, Daniel said that Jennifer needed Maggie, not him, and then he walked away.

Inside her hospital room, Nicole noted that she felt terrible for Jennifer's loss. Nicole rubbed her belly and said that Daniel was their future, not Jennifer's. "Maybe Jennifer just needs a reminder of how things are supposed to be," Nicole said.

In the park, Sonny was relieved to see Will. "I was so worried about you. You have no idea," Sonny said said before gently kissing Will on the lips. Surprised, Will pushed Sonny away. When Will bristled and accused Sonny of taking advantage of him, Sonny countered that he did not kiss every guy he ran into.

"You think I was coming on to you? Cause I wasn't. You just saw what you wanted to see, because I didn't want you to kiss me," Will stammered. Upset, Sonny accused Will of hiding from his homosexuality. "You really don't know anything about me," Will said. Sonny noted that after Will had talked to him about his sexuality, he had never mentioned it again.

"It's like you have no feelings," Sonny said. Sonny told Will that he was his friend and encouraged Will to talk to him. Chuckling, Will asked Sonny if they were friends. Sonny argued that he was Will's friend but that Will had overreacted when Sonny kissed him. Will countered that he did not kiss his friends.

As Will and Sonny argued, Will blurted out, "Maybe I don't want..." When Will stopped himself and stared at Sonny, Sonny finished his sentence. "Maybe you don't want to be gay?" Sonny asked. Shaking his head, Will walked away.

Marlena sat in Sami's living room after the grandchildren went to bed and talked to John on the phone. Johnny woke up and ran into the living room to ask Marlena about his mother. After Marlena put Johnny back to bed, Will returned home. Seeing Will's face, Marlena asked Will what was wrong. Sighing, Will asked Marlena, "How can I figure out who I am if everyone else already thinks that they know?"

Marlena told Will that it did not matter what people thought about Will. Marlena counseled Will to be himself. Nodding, Will noted that he felt alone. Smiling, Marlena said that everyone felt alone but that Will would find someone that would make those feelings disappear. Will informed Marlena about his argument with Sonny.

At the coffeehouse, Sonny was working behind the bar when his friend Brian stopped by and offered his condolences about Sonny's Uncle Jack. Brian noticed that Sonny appeared upset, so he asked Sonny if he wanted to talk. As Brian and Sonny talked over lattes, Sonny appeared to perk up. Brian wiped foam off of Sonny's nose as Will walked into the coffeehouse. As Sonny smiled at Brian, Will cocked his head in confusion.

In the safe house, Sami attempted to run away from Rafe, but he stopped her at the front door of the apartment. Rafe pinned Sami's arms behind her back and handcuffed her to a chair. Rafe warned Sami to get comfortable because he would not leave the apartment without E.J. As they waited, Rafe wondered aloud whether E.J. was as loyal to Sami as she was to E.J. Sami argued that E.J. would not leave her in the lurch.

When Rafe asked Sami if she was sure about E.J.'s loyalty, she grinned and said that E.J. had left her and was not returning. Sami argued that Rafe should return her to Salem and stop acting like a jealous ex-husband. Rafe scoffed at the idea. Settling back on the couch, Rafe warned Sami that E.J. would look out for himself and leave Sami behind.

Sami argued that Rafe was upset that Carrie had left town. Rafe countered that Carrie had left town with her husband, not her ex-husband. When Sami continued to argue about Carrie, a frustrated Rafe yelled that the situation was about Sami and not Carrie.

"Look at you, you just do whatever you want, whenever you want, you don't give a damn about the consequences. Look at the latest victim, poor Lucas, that sap," Rafe said. Furious, Sami argued that Lucas was fine. Shaking his head, Rafe asked Sami how her bad choices had affected her children. Narrowing her eyes, Sami noted that her children were fine.

Rafe accused Sami of dumping her kids off with Will in order to run off with a killer. Angry, Sami argued that she did not want her children to grow up without their father because he was imprisoned for a crime he had not committed. Eyebrows raised, Rafe asked Sami if running had been her plan. When Sami shifted her eyes away, Rafe lectured Sami for her reckless plan to run from the police.

Changing the subject, Sami asked Rafe if he was the father of Nicole's baby. When Rafe hesitated, Sami looked thoughtfully at Rafe, studying his face. Rafe grabbed the plate of food and placed it in front of Sami. As Rafe rearranged the handcuffs so that Sami could eat, she complained that Rafe was hurting her. Sami struggled with Rafe as Silvio burst through the front door with a gun.

Rafe and Silvio struggled to get control of the gun. As they fought, the gun fell to the floor, and Sami struggled to reach it. Silvio lunged for a knife on the table and stabbed Rafe as Sami looked on in horror.

Locked in a basement, E.J. struggled to free himself from the ropes. As Ian paced and growled, he pulled back a curtain to reveal Stefano, unconscious in a wheelchair and wearing a bite mask like that worn by Hannibal Lechter. Shocked, E.J. denied that the man was Stefano because he had seen Stefano after he was shot.

Ian explained the man who had been shot was Paolo and that the unconscious man across from E.J. was Stefano. Shaking his head, E.J. smiled and noted that he knew a fake when he saw one. Ian nudged Stefano, and Stefano slowly opened his eyes. When E.J. looked into Stefano's eyes, his smile faded.

As E.J. stared in disbelief, Ian rambled on about being in love. Ian noted that when Madison died, his feelings had as well. Ian pulled out a dagger and noted that Stefano had a high tolerance for pain. As Ian held the dagger up to E.J.'s throat, he wondered aloud whether E.J. also had a high tolerance for pain.

When Ian approached Stefano with the dagger, E.J. turned Ian's attention back to him and away from Stefano. Ian held up the half of the gold coin and explained that his mother had worked for Stefano's father, Santo, and that her name had been engraved on the other half of the gold coin. As Ian stared at the coin, he stated that Santo would have done anything for his mother, Yvette, and that Santo intended to give her half of the coin to signify half of everything he owned.

With a grin, Ian said that he was Yvette's only heir. E.J. asked Ian if he had implied that he was a DiMera. As Ian removed the mask from Stefano's face, Stefano bellowed that Ian was not a DiMera. "He's a bastard. Nothing more," Stefano muttered. Ian noted that he did not know who his father was but that Santo had acted as his father his entire life.

Ian argued that Santo had wanted Ian to inherit his empire and that Ian would do whatever he had to in order to fulfill Santo's wish. With a smirk, Ian noted that Stefano might have loved E.J., but he had not trusted him enough to give him the code for the golden coin. Narrowing his eyes, E.J. suggested that Ian let him go, since he had nothing to offer Ian. Ian said that though Stefano was resistant to torture, he wanted to see whether Stefano would be as resistant if a loved one were tortured in the same manner.

Ian grabbed E.J. by the hair and exposed E.J.'s throat to his dagger. As E.J. struggled, Ian looked at Stefano and noted that if E.J. did not make Stefano talk, then he would round up Chad. Ian held the dagger against E.J.'s neck. When Stefano remained silent, Ian slowly withdrew the dagger.

"Why would you think that my well-being is going to matter to him? If you're waiting for some latent paternal protection to rise up, you're going to be waiting a very long time and I'll be long dead," E.J. bellowed. Ian laughed. "You think that letter from Alice was authentic? How difficult do you really think it is to switch blood types?" Ian asked. Ian explained that E.J. was Stefano's son.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

by Spalding

At Jennifer's house, Melanie and Chad visited Abigail to offer their condolences for the loss of her father. Abigail was upset that she had wasted time pushing her father away. As Abigail began to sob, Melanie hugged her tightly. Chad answered the door when the doorbell rang, and he was angered to find Gabi on the front porch with a casserole.

Maggie was passing through the hallway and invited Gabi into the house. As Maggie took the casserole into the kitchen, Chad pulled Gabi aside in the front hall and explained that he did not want to see Gabi near anyone that he cared about. Gabi apologized, but unfazed, Chad ordered Gabi to follow his orders, or he would tell everyone what Gabi had done.

Chad told Gabi that he did not want Melanie to know what had happened. Chad ordered Gabi to give her condolences and then go home to pack and move out of his apartment. When Gabi protested that she had not known that Andrew was mentally unstable, Chad countered that when Andrew kidnapped Melanie, Gabi should have told the truth.

Before Gabi could respond, Melanie wandered into the hall and asked Chad and Gabi what they were talking about. Gabi lied that she had been talking to Chad about their modeling careers. Chad announced that he had quit his job at Countess W. Curious, Melanie asked Chad why. Chad noted that he wanted to give up the superficial world of modeling. When Chad asked Gabi if she agreed with him, Gabi nodded.

After Melanie went to the kitchen, Gabi asked Chad what other punishments he had in mind for her. Chad told Gabi that he wanted her to leave town so that he never had to look at her again. When Melanie returned to the hall, Chad informed Melanie that Gabi was on her way out to pack and move. Gabi said goodbye, then left.

In the living room Bo and Hope comforted Jennifer. As Bo hugged Jennifer, he said that he had never seen Jack happier than he had been in the months before his death. Jennifer stared at a photo of Tom and Alice, and she told Bo that if not for Alice, she and Jack might never have been married. Chuckling, Bo said that without Alice, Sierra might never have been born.

"Mrs. H had a way of seeing things that the rest of us were too stubborn to admit," Bo said. Jennifer noted that Jack had suggested that Abigail be named in honor of Alice. As Jennifer stared across the room at Abigail and smiled, Hope carried in a plant that someone had left on the front porch. Smiling sadly, Jennifer noted that it was a jade plant.

As Bo and Hope sat on the couch with Jennifer, Bo read the dedication page to Jack's book: "For Jennifer Rose: contra mundum." With a smile on her face, Jennifer explained that the quote meant "you and me against the world." Jennifer thanked Bo and Hope for supporting her.

When Abe arrived, he thanked Jennifer for her and Jack supporting Lexie in her final days. Abe remarked that he had been lucky to have time to say goodbye to his wife, and that he felt sad that Jack had been taken from Jennifer so suddenly. Jennifer wished that neither she nor Abe had lost their loved ones. Abe noted that his friends and son got him through the day. Jennifer looked across the room at Abigail and smiled.

Will entered the coffeehouse as Brian was wiping latte foam off of Sonny's nose. Surprised, Will turned and briskly walked away. Will ran into Tad on the sidewalk. When Tad made a comment, Will warned Tad to keep his comments to himself and stay away from him.

Will ran to Horton square, wiping tears from his eyes. Lucas approached Will and asked him why he was not at Jennifer's. Concerned, Lucas asked Will what was wrong. Will noted that he did not feel comfortable talking to Lucas. Nodding, Lucas asked Will if he was referring to Will's love life.

"What love life?" Will said sullenly. Lucas noted that he wanted to support Will but that he managed to always say the wrong thing. "Maybe you should stop trying then, right?" Will said as he turned away. Lucas grabbed Will's arm and stressed that no matter how Will felt, it was Will's duty to go to Jennifer's house and show his support for the family.

When Lucas told Will to be a man, Will took offense. Will asked Lucas if he was disappointed in his son. Lucas argued that Will had shown his loyalty to E.J. but had given short shrift to his family. Will apologized. "Disappointment doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about you!" Lucas yelled.

When Will's face fell and tears spilled from his eyes, Lucas stressed that his disappointment had nothing to do with Will's sexuality. Will argued that Lucas was embarrassed about his son's sexuality. Lucas denied the charge, but Will was in emotional turmoil from his conversations with Sonny, T, and Lucas. Hurt, Will ran off.

At the coffeehouse, Sonny told Brian that he had the wrong idea. With a grin, Brian asked Sonny if he was having guy troubles. Sonny explained that the guy he was interested in did not feel the same way. As Tad sat on a couch in the corner listening, Brian surmised that Sonny was interested in Will. Sonny nodded sadly. Brian asked Sonny if he was willing to take himself off the market to wait for Will.

Smiling, Sonny admitted that he believed Will was worth the wait. Brian wished Sonny well, but added that Sonny might be waiting a long time for Will to reciprocate. After Sonny cleaned and closed up the coffeehouse, Brian apologized for what he said about Will. Sonny said he understood but that he needed to give Will a chance. Touching Sonny's face, Brian noted that he would be around if Sonny changed his mind.

After Brian left, Sonny was alone in the coffeehouse when Tad marched in from the back room. Tad demanded to know what Sonny had done to make Will gay. When Sonny suggested that Tad leave, Tad threatened Sonny. Sonny asked Tad why he was afraid. When Sonny turned his back to walk away, Tad grabbed him and punched him in the face.

Lucas stopped by Jennifer's house and hugged Abigail. When Abigail asked about Will, Lucas admitted that he did not know what was going on with his son. Lucas walked over to Jennifer and gave her his condolences.

Across the room, a suspicious Melanie asked Chad what was going on between him and Gabi. Chad explained that Gabi understood that he and Melanie needed time alone. Worried, Melanie wondered aloud if Gabi was okay. Frustrated, Chad said he did not want to talk about Gabi.

Outside the Brady Pub, Will ran into Gabi as she was moving out of Chad's apartment. Upset, Gabi yelled, "Nothing matters!" Will followed Gabi up to her apartment in the pub and asked Gabi what she was going to do. When Gabi noted that Chad had kicked her out of his apartment and quit her job for her, Will asked Gabi whether Chad's reaction was related to Gabi's attempts to split Chad and Melanie up.

Gabi admitted that she had done something stupid and that Will was right when he warned her not to go after Chad. "I can't have anybody else hating me," Gabi cried out as she lay on her bed. Will sat next to her and stressed that he did not hate Gabi. "If I hate anybody, it's probably myself," Will said. Shocked, Gabi begged Will not to think poorly of himself because he was a good guy. Will said that he hurt the people he loved.

"You know I think I know who I am. I think I know what I want. I can't make up my mind. I make a decision, and it's always the wrong one, you know? And instead of learning from those mistakes, I keep making the stupid ones over and over again. Does that remind you of anybody?" Will asked. Crying, Gabi noted that what she had done could have killed people but that Will could not say the same about his mistakes.

Curious, Will asked Gabi what she was talking about. Shaking her head, Gabi said that she did not want to talk about what she had done. Gabi said that she wished she could go back to when she and Will were together. With a sad smile, Gabi said that Will was her best friend. Touched and confused, Will leaned forward and gently kissed Gabi. When Gabi looked at Will in confusion, he kissed her again and leaned back against the bed with her.

While Stefano and E.J. were tied to their chairs, Ian explained that the letter from Alice was a fake and that E.J. was Stefano's son. E.J. struggled against the knots of his ropes and told Ian that he was a liar. With a sigh, Stefano noted that Ian was telling the truth about E.J.'s parentage. Ian threatened to kill E.J. if Stefano did not tell him the code for the coin.

As the rope on E.J.'s left hand loosened, E.J. challenged Ian to kill him because Stefano only cared about himself. As Ian turned toward Stefano, E.J. freed his other hand and he leaped from his seat. E.J. charged at Ian and kneed him in the stomach. Ian punched E.J., knocking him across the room. Ian grabbed the knife from the floor, held it to Stefano's throat, and ordered Stefano to give him the code.

E.J. grabbed Ian and beat him. Once Ian was unconscious, Stefano said, "Well done, my son." Stefano added, "You are a true DiMera. You are my son." "Don't you ever call me that again! Ever!" E.J. said angrily. When Stefano argued that family was important to E.J., E.J. retorted that Stefano had made it clear that E.J. was not family. E.J. yelled that Lexie was the only person that loved E.J. for who he was. "You are responsible for her death!" E.J. bellowed.

Stefano protested that his heart was in pain. "I hate you as much now as I did when I stood in that house, I took out that gun, I pointed it at you, and I pulled the trigger. Let me tell you something, that is not going to change," E.J. said. E.J. argued that Ian and Stefano were the same person. E.J. pulled the half a gold coin out of Ian's pocket, and he asked Stefano whether murder was worth the gold coin.

Using Ian's phone, E.J. called the police and asked them to trace the call. E.J. explained that the police would want to talk to Ian about a kidnapping. When E.J. hung up the phone, Stefano relished the idea of watching Ian's downfall. E.J. nodded and asked Stefano about the coin. Stefano told E.J. to keep it because it would be his someday.

E.J. put the coin in Stefano's pocket and noted, "If it means something to you, it means nothing to me." "Are you telling me that you don't care about your inheritance?" Stefano asked. E.J. said that he did not want anything from Stefano. "There is only one thing that I care about, and I'm on my way to find her right now," E.J. said as he crossed to the door, leaving Stefano alone with Ian in the dark.

Back at Jennifer's house, Bo received a call from the station informing him about E.J.'s anonymous tip regarding Ian. Bo told Hope, and they left to investigate. When they arrived at the basement, they found Ian unconscious on the floor and heard a familiar voice in the dark. Bo turned on the lights and was startled to find Stefano sitting in a wheelchair, smiling at him.

At the safehouse, Sami was horrified as she watched Silvio attempt to stab Rafe. Rafe grunted as he held the knife back from sliding into his abdomen. While handcuffed, Sami struggled to reach the gun and succeeded. Sami leveled the gun at Silvio and ordered him to drop the knife. When Silvio failed to listen to Sami, she fired the gun and grazed Silvio's arm.

Sami apologized to Silvio for shooting him. When Rafe argued that Sami should not apologize, Sami explained that Silvio was protecting her. Rafe grabbed the gun from Sami and lead Silvio into the bathroom. When Rafe returned to the living room, Sami asked Rafe if Silvio was okay. Rafe noted that Silvio was fine. With a small smile, Rafe thanked Sami for saving his life.

"I forgot what a good shot you are," Rafe joked. With a sigh, Sami asked what the next step was in Rafe's plan. Rafe noted that they would wait for E.J. "I know you're thinking that he's not coming, because that's what I do, right? I push people away," Sami said. When Rafe asked Sami to prove him wrong, Sami countered that she and E.J. had been following a lead on the real murderer.

In the heat of the moment, Sami accidentally mentioned that E.J. had received a message. Her mouth gaped open in shock at her foolishness, Sami leaned toward the desk drawer with the computer, but Rafe got there first. As Rafe popped open the laptop, Sami reached over and typed on the keyboard, causing a critical error.

Annoyed, Rafe asked Sami why she did not want him to see evidence that could clear E.J. Sami explained that she did not know what was on the computer and that since it was E.J.'s property, it was none of Rafe's concern. Rafe was able to reboot the computer, but he learned that E.J. had deleted his emails.

Rafe pulled up photos of the kids on the computer and showed them to Sami. Sami admitted that she missed her children. With a sigh, Sami thanked Rafe for saving her life when she was in witness protection and suggested that shooting Silvio was karmic payback for Rafe's protection. With a smirk, Rafe reminded Sami that stopping Silvio had not been the first time she had saved his life.

Rafe and Sami both thought about when Sami had cared for him in witness protection after he had been stabbed. Smiling at the thought, Rafe and Sami looked at one another across the room. His smile fading, Rafe warned Sami that nostalgia would not convince him to uncuff her from the desk. Sami noted that she had hurt her wrist when she reached for the gun. Reluctantly, Rafe looked at Sami's bruised wrist then left the room.

When Rafe returned from the bathroom, he had a jar of ointment. Rafe transferred Sami to the couch, but he kept her handcuffed as he rubbed the ointment on her wrist. As Sami joked that Rafe would never trust her again, he shrugged and asked Sami if she promised not to do anything stupid. Sami smiled, and Rafe uncuffed her.

"I loved you so much. Why'd you have to throw it all away?" Rafe asked. Sami admitted that she did not understand why she did half the things she did in her life. "You said it best. Everything I touch, I ruin, and that's just who I am. It's who I am and who I'm always gonna be," Sami said. As Sami started to cry, Rafe put a comforting hand on her shoulder as E.J. returned to the apartment.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

by Mike

At the hospital, two paramedics helped Bo and Hope discreetly move a gurney into an unoccupied room. Daniel caught a glimpse of the patient who was strapped to the gurney, and he noted that the patient resembled Stefano. Hope quietly confirmed that Stefano had risen from the dead -- again.

Hope stressed that the patient's identity needed to remain a secret, and she and Bo excused themselves. Later, Bo and Hope emerged from Stefano's room and asked Daniel to examine Stefano. Hope explained that Ian had faked Stefano's death, and Daniel realized that the charges against E.J. would soon be dropped. Hope and Bo confirmed Daniel's suspicions and returned to Stefano's room.

Daniel tried to call Nicole, but the call went straight to voicemail. After completing the examination, Daniel told Bo and Hope that Stefano was going to be all right. Hope and Bo wanted to question Stefano, and Daniel assured them that Stefano could probably handle a few questions. Daniel added that the ordeal had rattled Stefano, and he joked that Stefano might actually answer the questions truthfully.

At the Horton house, Jennifer found a visitor standing on her doorstep, holding a bouquet of flowers. "Look, Jennifer, I know we've never been best friends, but I've always liked your husband. He's always -- he was always so full of life, and I'm -- I'm genuinely sorry for what happened to Jack," Nicole said, as she hugged Jennifer. Jennifer skeptically thanked Nicole and started to close the door, but Nicole stopped her.

As Nicole tried to offer additional words of encouragement, Jennifer received a text message from Daniel. "I'm so sorry about Jack," the message read. Nicole could tell that Jennifer was upset, and she wondered who had sent the message. Jennifer gave Nicole a vague answer and thanked her for the flowers. Nicole took the hint and left, and Jennifer leaned against the doorframe and sighed heavily.

Meanwhile, Kate told Roman that Ian was the person who had killed Stefano. Roman called the Salem Police Department and learned that Ian had already been apprehended. Kate was pleased to hear that, but Roman warned that there was more to the story. Roman revealed that Stefano was alive.

Kate wondered if Roman was playing some sort of cruel game, and she reminded him that she had seen Stefano's corpse. "The man you saw wasn't Stefano. McAllister has been holding him captive since the night of the murder," Roman explained. Kate struggled to process the news, and she demanded to know when she could see her husband.

Later, Jennifer and Abigail prepared to leave Salem for a few days so that they could spend some time with J.J. Jennifer noted that J.J. had decided that he wanted people to start calling him Jack. Abigail wished that Cameron could go with her, but she understood that he needed to stay in Salem so that he could help the disaster victims.

An airport taxi honked its horn, and Cameron helped Abigail carry the luggage to the car. Jennifer passed a portrait of Jack on her way out of the house, and she paused for a moment to look at it. "You handsome devil. I will miss that smile. Goodbye, my love," Jennifer tearfully stated.

Back at the hospital, Daniel found a file that had his name on it. The contents of the file stunned Daniel, who quickly rushed out of the waiting area. Later, Kate entered the hospital and demanded to know where she could find Stefano. "Your old man made it very clear he doesn't want to have anything to do with you," Bo said. Kate pointed out that Hope and Bo had never listened to Stefano before.

Kate noticed that a guard was standing in front of a nearby room, and she guessed that Stefano was being held there. Bo and Hope ignored the observation, and Kate vowed that she would not forget about their refusal to help her. Kate stormed off, and Hope sarcastically told Bo that Kate had scared her. Later, Bo and Hope went to get Ciara. Kate returned and found the door to Stefano's room temporarily unguarded. Kate was dismayed to learn that the room was empty.

At the DiMera safe house, E.J. demanded to know what was going on. Sami rushed over to greet E.J., who quickly noticed the bruises on her wrists. E.J. noticed that Rafe was holding a pair of handcuffs and realized that Rafe planned to arrest him. "You're a little bit behind the times, Rafe. Stefano's alive -- the whole thing was a setup. You can't charge me with murder if a crime hasn't been committed," E.J. said.

E.J. quickly explained everything, but Rafe was still skeptical. E.J. assured Rafe that the Salem Police Department would confirm the story, but Rafe's cell phone was not able to locate a signal inside the safe house. As the group continued to argue about their next move, two officers barged into the safe house and pointed their guns at E.J.

The officers confirmed E.J.'s story, but Rafe pointed out that E.J. had committed a number of other crimes recently. As Rafe handcuffed E.J., the officers escorted Silvio out of the safe house. E.J. was shocked to learn that Sami had saved Rafe's life earlier.

Later, E.J. thanked Sami for her help. "Listen, uh...I was hoping when all this nonsense is over...maybe you and I could go back to where we left things. Unless, uh...something's changed," E.J. said. Before Sami could respond, Rafe interrupted and announced that it was time to leave. E.J. warned Sami to keep her mouth shut, and he assured her that he'd hire a lawyer for her -- unless she wanted to hire Carrie.

Sami feigned amusement and explained that Carrie had returned to Switzerland. The news seemed to concern E.J., but he didn't say anything. As the cops escorted E.J. out of the safe house, he turned and watched Rafe casually interact with Sami.

In Sami's apartment, Marlena wondered why Brady had convinced John to omit Madison's name from the list of victims who had been killed in the explosion. "Marlena, I don't -- I don't need people coming over with angel food cakes and -- and telling me how sorry they are. All people want to do is come over and see if Brady's still sober. That's what they want to see," Brady said.

Marlena guessed that Brady was talking about Maggie and Victor, and she wondered if they knew that Madison was dead. Brady said that he couldn't talk to Victor and Maggie about Madison. "Brady, if you keep this pain bottled up inside you, it will tear you to shreds, and the only way to get over it is for you to go through it," Marlena advised, but Brady insisted that he just wanted to be left alone.

Later, at the Horton Town Square, Nicole received a message from Daniel, and she sighed happily as she assured her baby that Daniel was going to take care of them. Nicole spotted Brady nearby and rushed over to greet him. Brady hugged Nicole and abruptly excused himself, vaguely stating that he was late.

Nicole stopped Brady and jokingly asked if he was going to receive a medal for rescuing Melanie. Brady downplayed the situation and started to walk away, but Nicole stopped him again. Nicole guessed that Brady was busy with wedding preparations, and she joked that a little explosion wasn't going to be enough to stand in the way of true love.

Brady informed Nicole that there wasn't going to be a wedding. Nicole assumed that Madison had freaked out about something, and she assured Brady that Madison would eventually get over it. Nicole was certain that Madison and Brady would be able to work things out. Brady revealed that Madison was dead. Before Nicole could respond, Brady stormed off.

Later, Brady entered the Kiriakis mansion. Nicole was close behind, and Brady wondered why she had followed him. Brady said that he had a lot of work that he needed to catch up on, but Nicole didn't take the hint. Nicole wondered why Brady hadn't called her. "Because vodka isn't going to fix this, Nicole," Brady replied, ignoring the fact that Nicole was pregnant.

Brady said that he wanted to be left alone, but Nicole refused to accept that. Nicole insisted that Brady needed to give himself some time to grieve. Nicole wondered if Brady had talked to John or Victor about Madison's death. Brady confirmed that he had talked to Marlena and John, but he added that Victor didn't know that Madison was dead. Nicole reminded Brady that he and Victor lived in the same house.

Brady told Nicole that it was none of her business, but she insisted that he was her business. "I know how you feel. You just -- you wanna close your eyes, stick your fingers in your ears, and wish the world away, but you can't, because no matter where you go, Brady, this will follow you. Please, just -- I'm your friend. Let me help you," Nicole begged Brady. Daniel entered the mansion and urged Brady to listen to Nicole.

Brady was surprised to see Daniel, who explained that he had been asked to sign Madison's death certificate earlier. Daniel noted that Brady had saved Melanie's life, and he insisted that he would always treat Brady like a family member. Daniel wondered why he hadn't seen Madison's name in the newspaper. Brady shrugged and pointed out that Madison no longer needed the publicity.

Daniel knowingly stated that keeping Madison's name out of the newspaper also made it easier for Brady to pretend that she wasn't really dead. "You know, when my first wife died, I wouldn't even get rid of her clothes. I wouldn't file the life insurance claim. No, I just shut down and -- well, I just waited for her to come back," Daniel revealed, as Brady sighed heavily.

Nicole recalled that she had once watched Madison put Brady in his place, and she said that was the moment that she had realized that Madison was the right woman for Brady. "That's cute. She did not take any of my crap, that's for sure. I'm just worried about who's gonna put me in my place now," Brady admitted, as Nicole hugged him.

Brady thanked Nicole and Daniel for their support and admitted that he was exhausted. Brady excused himself and retreated to his room. After Brady left, Nicole sighed and hoped that he would be all right. Nicole asked Daniel about the message that he had sent her earlier. Daniel revealed that Stefano was alive. "I thought that old cat used up all his nine lives," Nicole muttered.

Nicole quickly realized that E.J. would soon be a free man again. Nicole admitted that she had been looking forward to watching E.J. go to jail for murdering Stefano. Daniel abruptly excused himself, explaining that he needed to return to the hospital to check on a few of the disaster victims. Daniel assured Nicole that everything would be all right, but she predicted that E.J. was going to start asking questions again.

"You know, if this gets out, Sami and E.J. are gonna draw straws to see who gets to kill me and take my baby," Nicole jokingly stated. Daniel promised that wouldn't happen, and he reminded Nicole that she had a signed report that confirmed that the baby was Rafe's. After Daniel left, Nicole quietly told her baby not to worry about the fact that Daniel had just treated her like nothing more than a buddy. Nicole assured the baby that Daniel would eventually join their family.

In Gabi's room above the Brady Pub, Will and Gabi started to have sex. Afterward, Will stared at the ceiling, unwilling to look at Gabi. Will abruptly excused himself and started to get dressed. Will awkwardly searched for his clothes, putting his shirt on backward and almost putting Gabi's belt on in his haste to leave. Will couldn't find one of his shoes, so he told Gabi that he'd just return for it later.

Before leaving, Will quickly asked Gabi if they were going to be okay. Gabi assured Will that they were still friends, and he bolted out of the room. After Will left, Gabi sighed heavily. Later, Gabi started to unpack her belongings, and she found a framed modeling photograph from her photo shoot with Chad. Gabi sighed and wondered what she had done.

Later, Marlena entered the pub and greeted Gabi, who was standing near the bar. Marlena noted that Gabi had been through a lot recently, and she promised to listen if Gabi ever needed to talk about anything. Marlena wondered if Gabi had seen Will recently. Gabi confirmed that she had, and Marlena said that Will had also been dealing with a lot lately. Marlena added that she was glad that Will and Gabi were friends.

At the Horton Town Square, Lucas bumped into Will, who wondered why Lucas wasn't with Jennifer. Lucas informed Will that Jennifer and Abigail were already on their way to the airport. "Okay, so I missed saying goodbye. You know what? Let's add that to the list of things you can be disappointed in me about," Will said with a sigh.

Lucas apologized for his earlier comments. "Which part are you talking about? Are you talking about when you implied that I was selfish or when you said you were disappointed in me for being gay?" Will wondered. Lucas explained that he had been upset earlier, and he stressed that he hadn't meant any of the things that he had said. Will wondered if that meant that he needed to just get over it.

Lucas said that Will shouldn't have helped Sami and E.J. leave Salem. "Since when does anybody stop Mom from doing something she wants to do? You know -- you know, what's funny is that you were always the parent I could count on. What happened?" Will wondered. Lucas insisted that Will could still count on him, but Will seemed skeptical.

Lucas received a phone call from Marlena, who revealed that Sami and E.J. were being taken to the police station. Will started to leave, but Lucas took a seat on a nearby bench and insisted that he didn't want to see Sami.

At Common Grounds, Sonny writhed on the floor in pain. "Aw, did I break your nose, Sonny? I really hope I did. Maybe Will will come to his senses and see you're not so pretty anymore," T said, as he kicked Sonny's leg and abruptly exited the coffeehouse.

Later, Justin entered the coffeehouse and found Sonny lying on the floor, apparently unconscious. Justin managed to rouse Sonny, who was surprised to see Justin. Justin explained that he had received a call from Sonny earlier. Justin said that Sonny had not responded when Justin had answered the call, which had worried Justin. Sonny theorized that he had pocket-dialed Justin.

Justin helped Sonny to his feet and wondered what had happened. Sonny claimed that he had tripped, but Justin wasn't convinced. Justin started to call the police, but Sonny stopped him and insisted that he would handle the situation himself. Justin wondered how Sonny was feeling, and Sonny replied that he felt like he was going to have a fat lip the following day.

Justin pointed out that Sonny had lost consciousness, and he wondered why Sonny had refused to call the police. Sonny told Justin to drop the subject. Justin wondered if Sonny was thinking about taking matters into his own hands. Sonny evasively joked that he wasn't really the vigilante type. Justin gently asked if Sonny had been the victim of a hate crime.

Sonny took a deep breath and said that the situation was more personal than that. "Sonny, look at me. Sonny...you know how proud I am of you. You've already traveled around this world on your own. You've started this business all by yourself. Obviously, you don't need my help, but I am still your old man. Humor me, all right? Whatever this is...don't go through it alone," Justin said.

Justin hugged Sonny, who forced a smile and tried to avoid eye contact.

Friday, August 24, 2012

by ChickenGrrl

Sami surprised Will when she arrived home at her apartment. "Have I got a story for you," she declared. Sami explained that Roman had pulled some strings to get her an early bail hearing -- and that Stefano was still alive. Sami privately recalled the intimate moments she'd shared with both E.J. and Rafe, and was clearly conflicted about how she felt, but only admitted to being irked about Rafe throwing her in jail.

Sami pointed out that neither she nor E.J. had committed crimes, since Stefano wasn't really dead. She expressed her sincere thanks to Will for looking after the kids while she'd been gone. Will then said he was leaving to check on Gabi. Sami was glad that Will and Gabi were still friends. Sami worried about how she would talk to Lucas about what had happened with E.J. Will wished her luck.

Once Johnny and Sydney were awake, Sami enjoyed a happy reunion with her children. Afterwards, Caroline dropped by the apartment to help Sami with the kids' laundry. Caroline chided her granddaughter about helping a criminal escape from jail, but Sami shut down that argument. Caroline wanted to know if Lucas knew that Sami had spent the night in jail, but Sami wasn't sure. Caroline urged Sami not to continue to do things that she had to lie about. Sami insisted that her new motto was "no more drama."

In Horton Square, Rafe pulled up Sami's number on his phone and dialed it, but hung up before she answered. Meanwhile, Sami was frustrated when her phone rang but no one was on the other end.

Later, Rafe left his keys on a table at the caf in the square moments before Sami arrived and sat at the same table. She wondered whom the keys belonged to, just as Rafe returned to retrieve them.

Julie and Lucas met in Horton Square, where she informed him that Nick Fallon had a parole hearing soon. Lucas was worried about how Melanie would take the news, but Julie informed him that the parole board had sent a letter to Melanie about it. Julie hoped that, as a nurse, Melanie might plead Nick's case to the parole board, but Lucas wasn't so sure that would happen.

Julie asserted that Nick -- like Melanie -- had changed. Lucas thought it would be asking a lot of Melanie -- and that Julie wasn't being realistic about how Melanie might react. Julie maintained that Melanie had become part of their family, but Lucas warned her that Melanie had just been through a similar experience.

At the Brady Pub, Maggie learned from Victor that Madison had died in the explosion and that Brady had known about it for a while. Maggie was surprised to hear that Brady hadn't informed anyone about it. Maggie was worried that the news of Nick's parole hearing would blindside Melanie. The Kiriakises left for the mansion together.

Melanie dropped by the Kiriakis mansion to express her heartfelt condolences to Brady about Madison. Melanie was angry that Brady hadn't told her, but he pointed out that she had already been through a lot -- although she insisted that she was fine. Brady admitted that he had pulled some strings to keep Madison's name off the official death list from the disaster because he hadn't wanted to deal with offers of sympathy from strangers.

Melanie agreed that denial wasn't such a bad thing. She added that she'd had terrible nightmares after Nick had abducted her, and she was worried that they might return. Brady took her comfortingly into his arms, but Melanie blamed herself that Brady had been with her during the explosion instead of with Madison. Brady reassured her that none of it had been her fault.

Maggie and Victor arrived home after Melanie had gone, and mildly chided Brady for not having told them about what had happened to Madison. Brady informed them that Melanie had just said the same thing, but she'd returned to work at the hospital. Maggie wanted to know if Brady had been taking care of himself. Brady assured her that he intended to keep his promise to Madison that he would at least stay sober.

Victor warmly embraced his grandson, and the two men agreed that Ian McAllister deserved to pay for what he'd done. Maggie suggested that it would be healthier for Brady to focus on the happier times he'd had with Madison, and Brady agreed. Victor walked Maggie out as she left for the hospital. Maggie was worried that the news about Nick would upset Melanie, but Victor assured her that Melanie was as tough as her grandmother.

Victor then advised Brady that it would be very easy to arrange for Ian to meet with an accident in prison. Brady declined the offer, noting that he wanted Ian to live the rest of his life, knowing that Madison's death was his fault. Victor assured Brady that he was there if Brady needed to talk. Brady mentioned that he was thinking about visiting Madison's sisters to see if they wanted to arrange a memorial service. Brady wondered if he would ever stop reaching for Madison when he woke up in the morning.

Melanie arrived for work at the hospital and warned Maxine not to treat her any differently. Maxine agreed -- after declaring how much she had missed Melanie. The women exchanged a warm embrace.

Julie found Melanie at the hospital and asked if the two of them could speak privately. Julie began speaking about how Abigail needed her whole family around her since her father had died, and a clueless Melanie agreed. "Good. I'm so glad to hear you say that. So you won't stand in his way?" Julie asked. Melanie asked what Julie was talking about. "Nick -- at his parole hearing," Julie explained. "Nick's up for parole?" asked a horrified Melanie.

Kate visited Chad at his apartment to inform him that Stefano was actually still alive. Chad initially refused to believe it, but Kate produced a letter that Stefano had written to Chad. Kate quickly filled Chad in on the details of how Ian had abducted both Stefano and E.J. After reading the note, Chad explained that Stefano had left town for a while to "regroup" and had warned Chad to stay away from Kate. Although obviously disappointed that Stefano had mentioned nothing further about her in the letter, Kate left.

Kate met Lucas and Billie at Common Grounds and informed her children that Stefano was still alive. Lucas joked, "Why is it never anyone you like who comes back from the dead?" Kate admonished him that it wasn't funny. Kate admitted that she'd been happy to learn her husband was still alive until he'd left town after making it clear that she was permanently a part of his past.

Billie complained about the lousy way that Stefano had treated Kate, but Kate maintained that she was still in love with her husband and always would be. Lucas pointed out that Stefano hadn't married Kate; he'd bought her. Kate demanded to know if it made her a whore if she returned to Stefano. She declared, "As God is my witness, I will be with Stefano again." Kate then stormed out.

At her apartment above the Brady Pub, Gabi recalled how she'd had sex with Will the night before. Suddenly, Rafe banged on the door to check on his sister. Gabi was as relieved to see him as he was to see her. They professed their love for one another, and Rafe admitted that he'd had to arrest Sami the night before.

Rafe was angry with himself that he hadn't been there for Gabi while she'd been in danger, but she shrugged it off and said that she didn't want to talk about it. Gabi asked if it had been weird for Rafe to have to arrest Sami, but he insisted that he'd just been doing his job. Rafe informed Gabi that Carrie and Austin had moved back to Switzerland -- but it was all for the best.

Rafe and Gabi were downstairs in the pub when Will arrived a short time later. Will informed Rafe that Sami had gotten out of jail. Rafe was miffed about Will and Sami's role in E.J.'s escape, but declined to pick a fight with Will about it. After Rafe had gone, Gabi and Will tentatively began to discuss the previous night. They agreed that it never should have happened. Will blamed himself for what had happened, but Gabi took responsibility, as well.

After talking about it, they were both able to laugh about the whole situation -- and agreed to remain friends "with no benefits." Gabi appreciated that Will had been looking for her to apologize and discuss the situation, and noted lightheartedly, "What they say is true: all of the good ones are either taken or gay." Gabi asked if Will had possibly been rethinking his sexuality, but he assured her that he was "completely gay." They joked easily with one another.