Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of January 14, 2013 on DAYS

Will admitted that he was the father of Gabi's baby. Nick learned that Lucas had gone to prison for Will. John told Marlena that he was leaving town because he needed time to think about their marriage. Kristen continued to get the upper hand on Marlena. Chloe and Anne set up Jennifer to look bad in Daniel's eyes.

Monday, January 14, 2013

by Mike

At St. Luke's, Chad's claim that Nick was not the father of Gabi's baby stunned the crowd. Before anyone could respond, Doug and Julie entered the church and apologized for their tardiness. The tense atmosphere prompted Doug to mutter that it seemed like he and Julie had arrived just in time.

Eric tried to regain control of the ceremony, but Chad refused to be silenced. "Was that not the right time to object? I'm sorry, Father, but I'm a little new at this, okay? And really, you know, I was gonna let it go until we got into all of that 'live honestly' stuff, and that's just something I cannot swallow, so Gabi, I'm gonna need you to come forth and tell the truth for once!" Chad impatiently stated.

Rafe and Hope tried to escort Chad out of the church, but Chad stood his ground. Nick dismissively informed Eric that Chad was simply trying to ruin everyone else's happiness because Melanie had dumped Chad. Chad's temper flared, and he managed to evade Hope and Rafe as he insisted that Nick was wrong.

Chad referred to Gabi as a lying slut, and Rafe lunged at Chad and tackled him to the ground. Hope, Sami, Lucas, and Sonny stepped in and separated Chad and Rafe, and Hope quickly ushered Chad out of the room. Rafe followed Hope and Chad into the entryway of the church, where he chastised Chad for trying to ruin Gabi's wedding.

Hope placed herself between Chad and Rafe, warned Rafe to back off, and threatened to arrest Chad for assaulting a police officer if he moved a muscle. As Chad protested that Rafe was the person who needed to be arrested, Hope asked for Rafe's cell phone. Confused, Rafe reluctantly handed his phone to Hope, who explained that she was saving his career.

After arranging for an officer to be sent to St. Luke's right away, Hope ended the call and returned the phone to Rafe, who insisted that Chad needed to be arrested. Hope pointed out that Rafe was a police officer who had just attacked an unarmed, innocent man. Hope said that she was trying to prevent Chad from pressing charges against Rafe.

Chad impatiently asked if he was under arrest. Hope revealed that Chad was going to receive a citation for disturbing the peace. Chad scoffed and shook his head. "This doesn't change any of the facts, and I know you're just cops, but you all can do basic math, right? Nick Fallon was in prison when Gabi got knocked up. He's not the baby's father," Chad reiterated.

Rafe remained skeptical, so Chad revealed that he had been at the hospital when Gabi had admitted the truth to Cameron. Chad added that he had heard Gabi tell Cameron that Nick was aware that he wasn't the baby's father. Rafe angrily insisted that Chad was lying, but Hope's suspicions were aroused.

Hope pulled Rafe aside and reminded him that Nick and Gabi had originally given them two different dates of conception. Rafe pointed out that Gabi and Nick had explained the discrepancy. Rafe recalled that Gabi hadn't been dating anyone else at that time, adding that she had been staying at Chad's apartment so that she could hide from her stalker.

Rafe started to suspect that Chad was the baby's father, but Chad adamantly denied the accusation. Chad speculated that Andrew was the baby's father. "They knew each other. He worked as an assistant on some of our modeling shoots, okay? Maybe it's not like she said. Maybe she seduced him, then dropped him," Chad suggested.

Hope realized that Chad's theory could have explained why Andrew had started stalking Gabi, but Rafe refused to believe Chad. Chad shrugged and said that the only other explanation was that Gabi had slept with some random guy while she had been intoxicated. Rafe insisted that Gabi wasn't like that, but Chad disagreed, referring to her as a user and a slut. Rafe started to shove Chad, but Hope quickly intervened.

Meanwhile, in the main section of the church, Doug and Julie listened as Maggie recapped the portion of the ceremony that they had missed. Jennifer couldn't believe that Chad had interrupted the wedding, but Julie pointed out that he was a DiMera. Maggie theorized that Chad had been blaming Nick for the ruination of Chad and Melanie's relationship.

Elsewhere, Gabi started to hyperventilate, and Nick tried to calm her down. Will handed Gabi a handkerchief, and Nick assured them that everything was going to be all right. Seemingly unconvinced, Will sighed as he glanced at Sonny. Abigail approached Will and pulled him aside, admitting that she shouldn't have invited Chad to the wedding.

Gabi quietly wondered how Chad had learned the truth about the baby's paternity. Nick assured Gabi that Chad would never be able to prove anything, and he reiterated that everything was going to be fine. Meanwhile, Will insisted that Abigail wasn't responsible for what had happened, but she wasn't convinced. Abigail wanted to know why Chad had fabricated a story about the baby's paternity.

Will remained silent as he watched Sonny, who was having a conversation with Kate, Billie, and Lucas near the back of the church. Kate struggled to make sense of Chad's earlier behavior, asserting that, despite his resentment for Gabi, he would not have lied about the baby's paternity in order to ruin the wedding. Sonny suggested that Chad might not have been lying.

Before Sonny could elaborate, Eric gained everyone's attention and apologized for the earlier interruption. Nick was eager to restart the ceremony, but Eric apologetically stated that he would not be able to do so. Eric started to excuse himself so that he could talk to Nick and Gabi privately, but Nick insisted that there was nothing to talk about.

"Nothing has changed. A DiMera shot his mouth off -- it didn't mean anything. I -- I love Gabi, and she loves me, and -- and we want to raise this baby together. That's all we want, and -- and nobody's gonna stop us this time," Nick assured the crowd. Eric said that he wanted to be able to bless the marriage, and he urged Gabi to explain the situation so that he could do so.

Nick insisted that he and Gabi had already told Eric everything. Nick reiterated that nothing had changed, but Eric disagreed. As Nick struggled to change Eric's mind, Will interrupted and said that Nick's attempt to salvage the situation wasn't going to work. Nick said that he simply needed five minutes to convince Eric that everything was going to be fine, but Will refused to listen to Nick.

"I'm not going to keep doing this. The truth is going to come out," Will firmly stated. Nick warned Will not to ruin Gabi's wedding day. As Billie and Kate watched, Billie whispered that the wedding day had already been shot to hell. Meanwhile, Lucas wondered if Sonny knew why Will was in the middle of Nick and Gabi's baby drama. Sonny shook his head and remained silent, but he seemed eager to hear what Will was about to say.

Nick decided to try a different approach, finally agreeing to talk to Eric privately. Eric started to escort Nick and Gabi to one of the church offices, and he invited Will to join them. Nick insisted that Will didn't need to be present for the conversation, claiming that Will was simply worried about Gabi and Nick. Will, who had remained stationary, shook his head and reiterated that he wasn't going to keep lying.

Will sighed heavily as he glanced at Sonny. Will turned toward Gabi and quietly stated that he needed to tell the truth, acknowledging that they should have done that from the very beginning. "Chad was telling the truth. Nick's not the father of Gabi's baby -- I am," Will revealed, stunning the crowd. With another heavy sigh, Will turned to face Sonny, who seemed hurt, but not entirely surprised.

Gabi quickly exited the church, and Nick tried to chase after her, but Julie and Maggie stopped him. Meanwhile, Lucas wondered if Sonny had known the truth about the baby's paternity all along. Kate guessed that Sonny had been just as surprised as everyone else had been, but instead of responding, Sonny simply grabbed his jacket and silently walked away.

Will started to follow Sonny, but Sami grabbed his arm and wondered if he was really the baby's father. Will said that he was sorry that he hadn't told Sami the truth earlier, and he abruptly excused himself. Sami tried to stop Will, but he insisted that he needed to talk to Sonny.

Will grabbed Sonny, who was trying to exit the church, and pulled him aside. "Sonny...I am sorry that I lied to you. Somehow, I thought -- it doesn't matter what I thought, but I love you, and I don't want this to change anything between us, and it doesn't have to change anything between us," Will quietly stated.

"On what planet? This changes everything," Sonny angrily replied as he freed himself from Will's grip. Sonny stormed out of the church, ignoring Will's attempts to stop him. Will rushed off to grab his jacket so that he could follow Sonny.

Back in the church entryway, an officer arrived to assist Hope. Hope asked the officer to cite Chad for disturbing the peace. The officer seemed surprised to learn that he had been called to the church for a relatively minor offense. Hope shook her head and muttered that it had been a rough day, and she instructed the officer to keep Chad away from Rafe.

Hope approached Rafe, who was talking to Sonny. Sonny informed Rafe and Hope that Chad had been telling the truth earlier. Rafe sighed and walked back into the main section of the church, and Hope followed him. After Rafe and Hope left, Sonny glared at Chad and stated that Chad was a real bastard.

Chad defensively pointed out that Sonny also disliked Gabi. Before Sonny could respond, Victor entered the room and agreed with Sonny's assessment of Chad's character. "Your old man would have been real proud of you today. You proved yourself to be a DiMera through and through," Victor said, rendering Chad speechless. Sonny exited the church, and Victor followed him.

In the main section of the church, Lucas stopped Will and demanded to know what was going on. Will placed a hand on Lucas' shoulder and dryly summarized that Lucas was going to be a grandfather. Will congratulated Lucas and rushed off, insisting that he needed to find Sonny. Kate and Billie were standing nearby, and Billie gasped when she realized the implications of Will's statement.

"Oh, my God. If Lucas is gonna be a grandfather, that makes you --" Billie started to say, but Kate interrupted and warned Billie not to say another word. Meanwhile, Sami walked past Julie, Maggie, and Nick, muttering that she would take care of Gabi. Elsewhere, in the church's dressing room, Gabi sobbed as she stated that her wedding day should have been perfect.

In the church entryway, Abigail confronted Chad, who swore that his actions had not been premeditated. Abigail wasn't convinced, and she reminded Chad that he was supposed to be Will's friend. Confused, Chad wondered if Will was upset about what had happened. Abigail confirmed Chad's suspicion, adding that everyone had learned that Will was the baby's father.

Abigail's announcement stunned Chad, who suddenly realized why Will had rushed out of the church earlier. Abigail lectured Chad, noting that, while he had succeeded in lashing out at his intended target, he had also managed to hurt a lot of other people in the process. Chad explained that he had been unable to control himself. Unmoved, Abigail said that Chad's actions had sickened her.

Before Chad could respond, Jennifer entered the room and wondered if Abigail was ready to leave. Abigail nodded and exited the church. Chad started to apologize to Jennifer, who interrupted and stated that she didn't want to hear his excuses. Jennifer disapproved of Chad's actions, but she reasoned that the good news was that he had shown Abigail who he really was. Chad sighed as Jennifer walked away.

In the main section of the church, Rafe wondered why Nick had tried to claim another man's baby. As Hope joined Nick and Rafe, Nick insisted that he would do anything for Gabi. "Gabi told Will about the baby first, and he took her to go get an abortion because he didn't want to be the baby's father," Nick claimed.

Rafe was surprised to learn that Will was the baby's father. Eager to confront Will, Rafe started to walk away, but Hope stopped him. Nick said that he needed to talk to Gabi, but Rafe insisted that he was going to take care of Gabi. Ignoring Nick's protests, Rafe stormed off, and Hope prevented Nick from chasing after him.

Hope said that Nick and Gabi should have taken some time to think about the consequences of their actions. Nick claimed that he and Gabi had given the matter a lot of thought, and he insisted that they had simply been looking out for the baby's best interest. Nick added that everything would have been fine if Chad had kept his mouth shut.

Hope pointed out that, while Chad had handled the situation poorly, he had also told the truth. Nick snapped that Chad had missed the bigger truth -- that Gabi and Nick loved each other, and that they also loved the baby. Nick insisted that nothing else mattered. Nick added that he and Gabi were still going to get married and that they were still going to raise the baby together.

Kate and Billie approached Hope and Nick. Kate said that she had misjudged Nick, adding that she no longer believed that he was a good match for her company. Hope laughed and shook her head in disbelief, noting that Kate had chosen the perfect opportunity to slip into a pair of stilettos and kick Nick.

Nick confidently stated that Kate would have to pay him a large sum of money in order to end his contract prematurely. Nick invited Kate to do so, theorizing that he would be able to live off of the money for at least one or two years before he would be forced to look for another job. Kate wasn't intimidated, and she hinted that the situation might not work out the way that Nick was hoping that it would.

Meanwhile, Julie regretted her and Doug's recent decision to leave town to go on another cruise, but he knowingly stated that if she had been in Salem, Nick would have neglected to confide in her, just like he had neglected to confide in Maggie. Julie wasn't convinced, and she reminded Doug that Nick had known that she had been on his side all along. Julie pointed out that she had fought to get Nick released from prison.

"Not that you didn't," Julie quickly added when she remembered that Maggie was standing next to her. Julie apologized, explaining that she was simply feeling guilty about the situation, and she wondered what she and Maggie could possibly do to help Nick.

In the church entryway, Nick wondered if Chad had enjoyed the show. Chad disinterestedly confirmed that he had. "Good. Enjoy it. Remember this...as the last time you were happy without having to worry...because you won't even see me coming," Nick warned before walking away.

In the dressing room, Gabi sobbed as she added another crumpled sheet of tissue paper to a nearby pile. Sami entered the room, and Gabi tearfully apologized for ruining everything. Gabi started to add that everything had been working out perfectly, but Sami interrupted her.

"It was, wasn't it? It was working out for you, and for Nick, and this little family that you had created for yourselves at my family's expense. Don't play dense with me, Gabi -- you were trying to keep my son's child from him -- from me -- and I can guarantee you that that is not going to happen," Sami firmly stated.

Gabi claimed that Will was the person who had decided to lie about the baby's paternity, but Sami wasn't convinced. "I can't believe I didn't see you coming. You should have looked so familiar to me. You used my son -- you used me. How dare you take advantage of him? He had just come out. He needed you. He needed his friends to understand. You can't just make a play for a kid like that, who's -- who's vulnerable. I mean, what -- just because you were lonely some night?" Sami asked as she glared at Gabi.

Gabi sobbed as she insisted that Sami had misinterpreted the situation. As Rafe entered the room, Sami referred to Gabi as a manipulative, lying little bitch. Rafe interrupted and angrily warned Sami to back off, but Sami refused to do so. Sami continued to lash out at Gabi, ignoring Rafe's repeated attempts to silence her.

Gabi sobbed as she tried to explain that she had told Will the truth about the baby's paternity. Sami speculated that Gabi had only told Will the truth after Gabi and Nick had devised a plan to guilt Will into giving up his own child. Rafe scoffed and reminded Sami that Will had taken Gabi to an abortion clinic. "Face it, Sami -- your son wanted this baby gone!" Rafe insisted, and Sami stared at him in disbelief.

At Common Grounds, Sonny sighed as Victor took a seat at the bar, and he impatiently asked for Victor's order. After ordering a cup of coffee, Victor estimated that the earlier wedding had earned a seven on the scale of wedding disasters. "Nobody was blackmailed at the altar, nobody was shot on the terrace...although Chad probably should watch his back on the way home. It wasn't as bad as the one that Carrie broke up when she found out Sami was lying about Will's paternity. Heh -- I bet that's an inconvenient truth that Sami won't be remembering today. It was ironic to watch Sami's reaction -- history repeating itself," Victor noted.

Disinterested, Sonny handed Victor a grande double-shot Sumatra and started to walk away. Noting the size of the cup, Victor stated that, while he was fluent in four different languages, grande didn't mean medium in any of those languages. Sonny glumly pointed out that Victor's coffee had been complimentary, and he advised Victor to stop complaining.

Victor gently suggested that it was a good thing that Sonny had learned the truth about Will during an early stage of the relationship. "Before what? Before I fell in love with him? Before we moved in together? Before I started picturing the rest of my life with him? Before that? Well, it's too late," Sonny replied before walking away.

Back at St. Luke's, Caroline tried to comfort Eric. Eric recalled that he had suspected that Gabi and Nick had been hiding something, and he admitted that he should have trusted his instincts. Caroline leaned her head on Eric's shoulder, and he sighed as he noted that the situation was going to be difficult for Will.

In the church entryway, Hope dismissed the officer and handed Chad a citation. Hope warned that the citation was the least of Chad's problems, adding that his actions had hurt a lot of people. Chad sincerely stated that he was sorry that he had hurt Will, and he explained that he hadn't known that Will was the baby's father.

After Chad left, Doug and Julie approached Hope and wondered if Nick was all right. Hope reported that Nick was still convinced that his plan to marry Gabi and raise the baby as his own was going to work. Julie hoped that Nick was right. Julie added that she also hoped that Gabi was okay, noting that the stress of the situation was going to be difficult for Gabi to deal with.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor told Maggie that Will had recently moved in with Sonny. Maggie sighed and revealed that Nick was still determined to marry Gabi and raise Will's baby as his own. Sensing that Maggie was upset about something, Victor encouraged her to tell him what was wrong. Maggie vaguely stated that someone had implied that she had not given Nick enough guidance recently.

"I smell a distant in-law in cheap cruise wear," Victor dryly stated, but Maggie insisted that Julie wasn't cheap. Victor countered that Julie also wasn't right. Victor pointed out that Nick was a grown man who was capable of making his own decisions. Maggie agreed that Nick was trying to act like a grown man, adding that he seemed to love Gabi. Victor hoped that everything would work out well for Nick and Gabi.

In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Lucas managed to catch up to Will. Will insisted that he needed to talk to Sonny right away, but Lucas grabbed Will's arm and refused to let him go. "Will, this is not about you and your boyfriend anymore. This is about you, Gabi Hernandez, and the life that you created -- the life that you're responsible for now, all right? It's not about some -- some little technicality that's gonna mess you up moving in with Sonny Kiriakis," Lucas asserted, somewhat harshly.

Lucas wondered why Will had been willing to let another man raise his child. Will explained that he had been trying to look out for the child's best interest. Failing to understand Will's perspective, Lucas interrupted and insisted that Will's days of avoiding his fatherly responsibilities were over.

Lucas wondered if Will had thought about how difficult it would have been for Will to pass his child on the street and pretend that the child was a stranger. Will confirmed that he was aware that it would have been extremely difficult to do so, and he reiterated that he had been trying to look out for the child's best interest.

Lucas impatiently interrupted and demanded to know why Will had believed that it would have been in the child's best interest to let another man raise the child. Will started to stammer out a response, but he abruptly changed the subject and reiterated that he needed to talk to Sonny.

Lucas insisted that Will was going to listen to what Lucas had to say. Lucas said that his entire life had changed when he had learned that Will was his son. "But not for the better...right? Because of me, you and Mom fought -- all the time, my whole life," Will reminded Lucas, who ignored Will's point.

"You were everything to me -- you meant everything. You were my flesh, and my blood, and my responsibility, and I would have done anything for you -- I would have sacrificed anything. You know that, and you're gonna feel the exact same way when your baby's born. I'm telling you, man, when that kid's born, that kid's gonna be the center of your life for the rest of your life. I mean, you do know that, don't you?" Lucas asked Will.

Will and Lucas were unaware that Nick was lurking nearby, eavesdropping on their conversation.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

by Spalding

In the park, Will sat on a bench with Lucas and explained to his father that he had decided to keep the paternity of the baby secret because he had believed it was the best thing for the baby. Nearby, Nick eavesdropped on the conversation. Lucas gently informed his son that once the baby was born that his perspective would change. With a sigh, Will told Lucas that he had suffered nightmares about not being able to touch his son.

Lucas advised Will that it was a good thing that everyone had learned the truth because Will would not have to give up his son. "There is no way in hell that you could ever turn your back on your own kid," Lucas said. Will agreed but wondered aloud what kind of role model he would make as a father. When Will noted that he had been passed around to various homes as a child, Lucas countered that Will's family had stood by his side.

"What more do I have to do to prove how much I love you? Man, I went to prison for you!" Lucas bellowed as Nick listened from the shadows. Will apologized to Lucas and said that despite circumstances, Lucas had been a good father. When Lucas asked why Will had not told him about the baby, Will explained that he had worried that Lucas would believe Will was not gay.

Shaking his head, Lucas explained that he understood that Will was not gay by choice. Lucas promised to support Will. Thankful, Will hugged Lucas. Noting that he needed to find Sonny, Will said goodbye and left. After Lucas walked away, Nick crept out of the shadows.

In the office at the church, Sami and Rafe argued about Will. Rafe accused Will of pushing Gabi to have an abortion. Defensive, Sami reminded Rafe that Gabi had looked up the abortion clinic on her own computer. When Rafe asked Sami if Will was a victim, Sami countered that they did not know what had happened between Will and Gabi but that Gabi was likely the one making the decisions.

Rafe argued that Gabi would not have considered having an abortion unless Will had said that he had not wanted to be responsible for the baby. Sami countered that Rafe did not know what Will's intensions had been at the time that Gabi had gone to the clinic. Gabi begged Rafe and Sami to stop arguing. Unfazed, Rafe growled that Will did not want the baby.

Sami countered that Will had kept the paternity a secret because Gabi had pushed him to remain quiet. When Rafe said that Gabi had not done anything, Sami pointed out that Gabi had lied. Angry, Sami lashed out at Gabi for betraying her trust. When Rafe interrupted to say that the situation did not involved Sami, Sami reminded Rafe that Gabi was carrying her grandchild.

Rafe argued that if Will had wanted the baby then he would have taken responsibility for the child from the outset. Sami countered that Gabi had not given Will a choice. Wiping her tears, Gabi said that when she had learned she was pregnant, she had sought out Will to tell him about the baby. Gabi added that Will had suggested that they not tell anyone about the pregnancy until they had figured out what to do.

Nodding, Sami asked Gabi if Will had asked Gabi to have an abortion. Gabi said that Will had not asked her to have an abortion but that she had considered it because she had not believed that Will wanted the baby. Raising an eyebrow in disbelief, Sami asked Gabi if Will had said he did not want the baby. Gabi admitted that Will had not said that but that she had inferred it from Will because Will had been worried that the baby would ruin his relationship with Sonny.

"I think it's pretty clear that Will wanted this baby out of the way so that he could be with Sonny," Rafe said. Protective of her son, Sami warned Rafe not to blame Will because neither Will nor Gabi had told the truth. Gabi noted that Nick had suggested that they inform everyone that Nick was the father of the baby because he loved Gabi. Narrowing her eyes, Sami argued that Nick wanted to steal Will's son.

Gabi explained that Will had agreed with Gabi and Nick to keep the paternity a secret. Smirking, Rafe argued that Will had agreed because it left Will free to pursue Sonny and able to dump Gabi and the baby from his life. Furious, Sami warned Rafe not to make Will a villain in the story. When Sami cautioned Gabi not to keep Sami's grandson out of her life, Rafe grabbed Sami's arm and pulled her to the door.

As Rafe opened the door and yelled at Sami to leave, Eric walked in and asked what had happened. Sami walked away. With tears streaming down her face, Gabi hugged Rafe. Gabi assured Rafe that she was fine. As Gabi apologized to Eric, Nick entered the room and claimed responsibility for the situation. Gabi urged Nick not to blame himself because he had done what he thought was best for the baby.

Rafe interrupted to say that Nick's plan was not what was best for the baby. Confused, Gabi asked Rafe why he believed they were wrong when Rafe had claimed to be the father of Nicole's baby in order to protect that child. Concerned, Rafe explained that he had set a bad example.

"A lie like that, even with the best intentions, to pretend to be a father of someone else's child is just not right. I'm sorry," Rafe said. Rafe promised to stand by Gabi. Eric urged Rafe to join him in the rectory so that Nick and Gabi could talk privately. Once alone, Nick assured Gabi that they loved one another and that Chad could not hurt them. When Gabi commented that they should remove their rings, Nick noted that it would be temporary because he wanted to marry Gabi and build a family.

Gabi worried about the future, but Nick assured her that no one would separate them. When Gabi worried aloud about Sami, Nick thought about Lucas' exclamation in the park about going to prison for Will. Nick asked Gabi to have faith in him.

In the rectory, Eric stressed to Rafe that Nick and Gabi loved one another. Rafe paced and worried aloud about the bad example he had set for his sister when he helped Nicole. When Rafe noted that everyone's lives had improved after the truth about Nicole's baby had been revealed, Eric asked Rafe if he meant his relationship with Sami. Shaking his head, Rafe noted that things had improved with Sami until he saw "her true colors."

"I thought there was a chance that Sami and I could start over, reconcile if you will, but after today? The way that she attacked my sister?" Rafe said. Eric interrupted to remind Rafe that everyone was upset about what had happened at the wedding. Shaking his head, Rafe noted that he had seen a side of Sami that made him want to run away from her. "The way that she defended Will after what he did? No. No there is no way that Sami and I could ever get back together," Rafe said.

As Marlena stood near the nurses' station, a frustrated Abigail marched into the hospital and asked Cameron why he had not told anyone that Will was the father of Gabi's baby. Concerned, Marlena asked Abigail for details about what had happened at the church. When Abigail noted that Chad had learned about the baby's paternity from Cameron and Gabi's conversation, Cameron stressed that Chad had listened in on a private conversation between a doctor and his patient. Marlena sided with Cameron, and she added that Chad had crossed the line.

When Abigail offhandedly remarked that Marlena should have learned the news sooner, Marlena asked what Abigail meant. Abigail explained that Will was the father of Gabi's baby. In denial, Marlena refused to believe that Will was the father of Gabi's son. Abigail informed Marlena that Will had admitted the truth at the church. Concerned, Marlena ran out of the hospital. Abigail turned to Cameron and apologized for blaming him for not telling her the truth about the baby's paternity, then she ran out of the hospital.

In the coffeehouse, Sonny was furious to see Chad enter the establishment. Chad apologized and noted that he had not known. what would happen when he made his announcement at the wedding. Chad explained that he had not known that Will was the father of Gabi's baby, and he stressed that if he had known Will was the father then he would have kept quiet at the wedding.

"You stood in that church and you ruined people's lives, DiMera. You think your lame apologies mean anything to me? Or anybody else? The truth is out, and there is no going back," Sonny growled. Chad explained that he had overheard Gabi at the hospital tell Cameron that Nick was not the father of her baby. Nodding, Sonny asked if Nick was sure that Gabi had not mentioned Will to Cameron.

"There's no way that I could have known that Will got Gabi pregnant," Chad said as E.J. entered the coffeehouse with Johnny. Sonny offered to show Johnny how to make a hot chocolate so that E.J. and Chad could talk. E.J. asked Chad how he had learned about the paternity of the baby. Smiling, Chad explained that he had overheard Gabi telling someone that Nick was not the father and that Chad had interrupted the wedding to make the announcement.

Furrowing his brow, E.J. asked Chad if he had made the announcement to get revenge on Gabi. Chad glowed as he talked about the horrified look on Gabi's face. Concerned, E.J. asked Chad to explain what had happened. Chad noted that he had announced that Nick was not the father and that the truth that Will was the father had surfaced later. E.J. was worried that Sami was devastated. Chad admitted that he felt guilty for hurting Will, Sonny, and Abigail.

"She's not upset, is she? I can't imagine why. You only made a scene at her good friend's wedding and then probably ruined the lives of several of her friends," E.J. pointed out sarcastically. With a sigh, Chad announced that he needed to find Abigail.

When Will arrived at the coffeehouse, Johnny excitedly greeted him. Will grew quiet and nodded when E.J. said hello. Hoping to break the tension, E.J. joked that he had heard that Will had had a terrible day. Will smiled sadly. E.J. offered to help Will if he needed anything. Will nodded. E.J. hugged Will and advised him to remember that "these things work themselves out."

After E.J. left, Sonny returned to the bar and stared coldly at Will. Will asked Sonny to give him a chance to explain. Hurt, Sonny noted that he was not interested in hearing Will explain his lies. When Will pleaded with Sonny to listen, Marlena walked into the coffeehouse. Sonny pointed to Marlena and urged Will to talk to someone that could help Will.

As Sonny walked into the back room, Marlena asked Will if he was okay. "Not really," Will said sadly. Will's phone rang. When he noted that Sami was calling, Marlena urged Will to take the call. Sami said that she was checking on Sydney but that she wanted to meet with Will to talk.

Will declined his mother's offer and noted that he was too tired to talk. When Will mentioned that he was with Marlena, a hurt Sami softly agreed to meet with Will when he was ready to talk to her. Sami told Will that she loved him, and he responded in kind.

At her apartment, Sami wiped the tears from her eyes as she walked into her living room. Sami was startled to find E.J. waiting for her. E.J. poured Sami a glass of wine and informed her that he had spoken to Will. Concerned, Sami asked for details. E.J. explained that Will had appeared fine and that E.J. had offered Will help if Will needed it. E.J. informed Sami that the offer of help was open to her as well.

Grateful, Sami thanked E.J. As Sami grew teary-eyed, E.J. wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. Once Sami dried her eyes, she sat at the kitchen counter with E.J., drank wine, and talked. E.J. assured Sami that Will and Sonny would work through their problems and find their way back to one another. When Sami was skeptical, E.J. reminded Sami that he and Sami had put one another through hell and had managed to work through their differences.

As Sami walked to the couch and glanced at her phone, E.J. asked Sami to tell him what else was on her mind. Sami explained that Rafe had placed all the blame on Will. Smiling, E.J. noted that Will was a good man with a big heart and a conscience. Gritting her teeth, Sami agreed and noted that she had said the same to Rafe. Sami added that she was sure that Gabi and Nick had pressured Will into keeping the paternity of the baby secret.

"We are going to be there for Will. We are on his side, okay? We are going to fight for him, and he is not doing this alone," E.J. said. Touched, Sami told E.J. that it meant a great deal to her to know that E.J. supported her and Will. When Sami thanked E.J. for being there, E.J. exclaimed that he would always be there for Sami. Sami nodded as she curled up on the couch next to E.J.

At the coffeehouse, Will sat down with Marlena and talked. Marlena assured Will that she loved him and believed in his kindness and strength. When Will asked Marlena for advice, she reminded him that he had her support and the support of his parents. Will asked Marlena for advice about Sonny. Marlena urged Will to talk to Sonny about how he felt.

"Don't try to force anything. You know relationships are complicated," Marlena counseled. Marlena urged Will to be kind to himself, then kissed him goodbye. Once Marlena was gone, Will wiped the tears from his eyes and approached Sonny at the bar. Will said that he would remove his stuff from Sonny's apartment.

"I don't know how this is going to play out, but I don't want to lose you over this," Will said. Will told Sonny that he loved him, then left. Fighting tears, Sonny muttered under his breath, "I love you too, Will."

In the park, Chad sat on the bench and stared into space. Abigail hurriedly walked past, but Chad saw her and called out to her. Chad pleaded with Abigail to believe that he had not used her. Shaking her head, Abigail accused Chad of accompanying her to the wedding so that he could hurt all the people that she loved. Chad explained that he had not planned to interrupt the wedding. As Chad reached for Abigail, she ordered Chad to let go of her.

Cameron walked around the corner and ordered Chad to let go of Abigail's arm. When Chad ordered Cameron to back off, he countered that Chad would be sorry if he did not leave. "I wasn't going to hurt you," Chad said softly to Abigail. "Haven't you done that already?" Cameron added. Cameron warned Chad not to eavesdrop on his private medical conversations in the future.

Chad pleaded with Cameron to understand that Gabi's lie had needed to be exposed. Horrified, Abigail noted that Chad did not regret what he had done. Chad countered that he regretted how he had hurt Abigail and Will. Shaking his head, Chad slinked away. Frustrated, Abigail called Chad a jerk. Eyeballing Cameron, Abigail asked Cameron whether he had finished his shift at the hospital. Cameron admitted that he had left work in order to talk to Abigail.

Abigail apologized again for yelling at Cameron in the hospital. Cameron explained that he was not upset with Abigail and that he admired how protective she was of her friends. "Even if you came by just to yell at me, it was nice seeing you," Cameron said.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

When Chloe ran into Brady at Common Grounds, she noticed the healing cuts and bruises on his face and asked what had happened. As they exchanged an affectionate hug, Kristen walked up, so Brady introduced the two women, but used only their first names. Brady shared that he and Kristen had just started seeing each other, and Kristen said that she'd heard a lot of good things about Chloe from Brady. Chloe said that she was glad to see Brady looking so happy.

When Brady learned that Philip hadn't returned with Chloe, he asked what she was doing in Salem. Chloe admitted that it was a long story, but she and Brady could catch up later. Kristen assured Chloe and Brady that she had some other things to do, so it was all right if the two of them wanted to visit. When Chloe went to the counter to order a latte, Kristen noted that Chloe was very hot.

Brady kissed Kristen to assuage any jealousy she might have been experiencing. They both admitted that they were relieved to be able to be affectionate in public. "And we're not even the biggest scandal in Salem anymore," Kristen pointed out.

As Chloe returned, she overheard Kristen use the word "scandal." Kristen joked that "scandal" was her middle name, and Chloe noted that the two of them seemed to have a lot in common. Kristen produced her card and suggested that she and Chloe have lunch to trade stories. Kristen then kissed Brady goodbye and left.

Chloe looked at Kristen's card and exclaimed, "Oh, my God, Brady -- you're dating Kristen DiMera? ... Didn't she used to be your stepmother?" Brady pointed out that John and Kristen had never been legally married, but Chloe asserted that it was a technicality -- and reminded Brady that Kristen had once tried to kill Marlena. "I just remember the way that you used to talk about her," Chloe noted. Brady maintained that he had been wrong about Kristen.

"Let me guess: you're the only person in Salem who's discerning enough to see that she's changed," Chloe mused skeptically. She asked what John had said when he'd found out -- and quickly deduced that Brady and John had fought about Kristen. Brady admitted that he felt awful about what was going on with his dad, but Kristen was important to him, and he wasn't going to let anyone dictate how he should feel. Chloe asked how Victor had reacted. Brady confessed that Victor and Maggie didn't know yet because he thought they deserved to hear the news from him.

Brady wanted to know what was going on with Chloe. She replied that she would tell him the whole story on the way to the Kiriakis mansion. As they rose to leave, Chloe thanked Brady for everything he'd done for her, dating back to when she'd had leukemia years earlier up to his keeping her secret about selling her body. Chloe asked Brady if he thought Kate would ever tell anyone, but Brady doubted it, because if Kate did, she would also incriminate herself. "Lucky me, then. Wow. Maybe I finally have that bitch out of my life once and for all," Chloe said with a sigh of relief.

As Daniel and Jennifer got a table at the Brady Pub, she reassured him that Parker would love the toy they'd just gotten for him. Kate and Billie entered just then, and Kate approached Daniel. "I'm so glad that I ran into you...I need your help -- and so does Parker," Kate declared, and apologized to Jennifer for interrupting. Jennifer and Billie stepped away to give Kate and Daniel some privacy.

"I guess my happy news hasn't been so happy for you," Daniel acknowledged to Kate. Kate asserted that she loved Parker and had been the only grandmother he'd ever known. Daniel reminded her that Chloe's mom, Nancy, was also Parker's grandmother. Kate continued that Parker needed stability, and while she acknowledged that it was presumptuous of her to ask, she knew that Chloe would never let Kate be part of Parker's life. "Do you blame her?" Daniel asked.

Kate tearfully pointed out that Parker was too young to understand all the upheaval and changes in his life, and all she wanted was to be a small part of his life, to have supervised visits. Wiping away tears, Kate asked, "What's the harm in that, as opposed to having another person who loves him just ripped out of his life?" Daniel conceded that Kate was a good grandmother, and agreed to see what he could do -- but emphasized that he wasn't doing it for her. Kate expressed her gratitude. Daniel then gathered all of his and Jennifer's things and escorted Jennifer out.

Billie asked her mom how things had gone. Kate replied through happy tears that Daniel had agreed to try to let her see Parker but added somewhat ominously, "That's only half of the reason I came her." Billie demanded to know what Kate was up to, but Kate wouldn't divulge any details other than that she wanted Chloe to be "in a living hell." Kate added that the beauty of her plan was that she didn't have to get her hands dirty, because Daniel had plenty of other hands to go around. She kissed her completely befuddled daughter goodbye and then left.

While Maggie and Victor watched Parker play with blocks in the Kiriakis mansion living room, Victor reassured his wife that he was happy for Daniel and for her -- but he was especially happy for Parker. Although Victor knew that Philip was surely suffering over the loss of his child, at least Philip had escaped Chloe's clutches. Victor and Maggie concurred that Chloe might have set her sights on Daniel.

When Jennifer and Daniel arrived at the mansion, Daniel invited Maggie to join them in the square later. Maggie replied that she would love that, then she and Victor left Daniel and Jennifer alone with Parker. Daniel took the toy truck out of the box and gave it to Parker, who immediately began playing with it. After Daniel and Jennifer watched Parker play for a minute, Daniel went into the foyer to make sure that the diaper bag was ready for their outing.

As soon as Jennifer and Parker were alone, however, Parker began to cry. Jennifer followed Daniel into the entryway and offered to take care of the diaper bag, since Parker was obviously uncomfortable with her because she was a stranger.

A bit later, Maggie scooped Parker up to take him to the nursery and change his diaper. Daniel tried to reassure Jennifer that she wouldn't be a stranger for long and invited her to join him, Chloe, and Parker in the square. Jennifer didn't think Chloe would approve, but Daniel maintained that Chloe understood that Jennifer was part of his and Parker's lives. Noting that Jennifer didn't seem convinced about going with them to the square, Daniel kissed her.

Just then, Chloe walked in and scowled when she saw the passionate kiss between Daniel and Jennifer. Chloe went back into the foyer, opened the front door, and slammed it shut as she called out, "Anybody home?" When Chloe reentered the living room, Daniel asked if she would mind Jennifer joining them in the square. "Of course not," Chloe replied. Brady entered and greeted Jennifer with a hug. Spying the bruises, Daniel and Jennifer asked what had happened to Brady.

Victor and Maggie returned with Parker, and Victor declared that he'd like to hear the answer to that question, as well. Brady declined to answer right away since the others were obviously on their way out, but he congratulated Daniel on the news about Parker. Daniel, Jennifer, Chloe, and Parker then left together.

Maggie and Victor demanded to know where Brady had been and what had happened. Brady explained that he'd been lying low -- but he hoped Victor and Maggie would be happy for him once they found out why, because Brady was happier than he'd been in a long time. After Brady had told Victor and Maggie what was going on, Victor spat, "Kristen DiMera! Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse than Chloe Lane, Nicole Walker...you sure have outdone yourself this time, Brady!" Maggie assumed that Brady was still grieving for Madison, but Brady insisted that wasn't the case.

Victor asked about the bruises, and Maggie sucked in her breath. "Brady! You and John?" she demanded. Brady groused angrily that he didn't have to defend his actions, but Victor reminded him what "that wench" had done to Brady's family. Brady was adamant that Kristen had changed. When Victor and Brady began calling each other names, Maggie interceded. She assured Brady that they were just concerned about him, because his involvement with Kristen demonstrated the classic, self-destructive reaction of an addict.

Brady declared that Kristen made him feel good and alive. Victor asserted that Brady had deluded himself regarding Kristen -- and Victor knew the DiMeras better than anyone. "You're going to be very sorry very soon when you find out who the real Kristen truly is," declared Victor.

After Chloe, Parker, Daniel, and Jennifer had arrived at Horton Square, Daniel took Parker to get ice cream for the four of them. As the women watched them leave, Jennifer said admiringly, "Chloe, he really is beautiful." Chloe acknowledged that Parker was a little shy. Jennifer confessed that Parker had gotten a little upset when the two of them had been alone earlier. Chloe replied a bit sharply, "Of course he did. He's going through all these changes and upheaval. He has to see new faces, strangers -- I mean, I'm doing my best to make it less traumatic for him..."

After an uncomfortable moment, Jennifer excused herself to go to work. She left Chloe and then said her goodbyes to Daniel and Parker. A disappointed Daniel kissed her goodbye. Before she left, Jennifer took a picture with her phone of Daniel holding Parker.

Once Jennifer had gone, Chloe joined Daniel and Parker. "Gosh, I'm sorry she had to leave so soon," Chloe said disingenuously. A little later, after the trio had finished their ice cream, Chloe cleaned Parker's face with a damp napkin. Daniel said that there was something he wanted to talk to Chloe about. Chloe assured him that she could tell her anything.

After Chloe put Parker down for a nap in his stroller, Daniel noted that they both wanted what was best for their son. Chloe agreed. Daniel explained that Kate had asked him if she could continue being part of Parker's life. Chloe angrily reminded Daniel that Kate wasn't Parker's grandmother. "He thinks of her that way. You know that," Daniel pointed out, and explained that Kate only wanted supervised visits.

Chloe maintained that Kate was pure evil. Daniel agreed that Kate had done some horrible things, and Chloe blurted, "You don't know the half of it!" Taken aback, Daniel asked, "What is it that I don't know?"

When Jennifer arrived at the hospital for work, Kate was waiting for her. Kate asked if they could speak privately then led Jennifer into an exam room and closed the door. Kate began by saying that Daniel had been very generous in agreeing to talk to Chloe about Kate being a part of Parker's life -- but there was something that Daniel needed to know about Parker. Jennifer wondered why Kate didn't just talk to Daniel about it, and Kate replied that it just wasn't feasible. Jennifer didn't buy that, so Kate explained that Chloe had no business being around children, especially one as vulnerable as Parker.

"She's his mother," Jennifer pointed out firmly. Kate asserted that Jennifer had to be the one to talk to Daniel. Jennifer countered that even though Chloe was not Kate's or Jennifer's favorite person, Chloe loved her son. "Sometimes love isn't enough," Kate contended softly. She added that after having two of her own children ripped away from her, she would never do that to another woman -- unless she believed the woman was putting her child in harm's way.

Jennifer argued that if Kate were referring to Chloe's suicide attempt, it had been because Chloe had been in the throes of postpartum depression. Kate maintained that it wasn't about that, and explained, "While Philip was raising that sweet baby by day, Chloe was plying her trade as a prostitute by night."

From her office at the hospital, Marlena was leaving a message to let Will know that she was there for him and she loved him when Hope entered. Hope admitted that she'd just left a similar message for Nick. While Marlena made tea for the two of them, Marlena confided that she was heartbroken about the situation, which reminded her so much of when Sami had been pregnant with Will. Hope guessed that Marlena was also upset about something else. Marlena confessed tearfully that John had moved into a hotel -- and she didn't know if he would ever forgive her.

After hearing the story about John and Brady's fistfight, Hope sympathized with Marlena. Hope asked how John had found out that Marlena had known about Brady and Kristen's affair. A frustrated Marlena said that before she could tell John, Kristen had beaten her to it. Hope believed that John would soon realize that he was upset with Kristen and not Marlena, and Hope tried to reassure Marlena that she'd been put in an impossible position in that whatever she'd done or not done would have hurt John.

Marlena guiltily admitted, "[Kristen] made me see there was another reason that I stayed quiet. She said that a part of me was relieved that she was in bed with Brady and not John -- and she was right." Marlena added that she hadn't been able to tell John that. "Hope, I'm not sure there's any way out of this thing," Marlena fretted. With a devious glint in her eye, Hope declared that there was always a way out -- and with a little help, Marlena could beat Kristen at her own game.

A little later, Hope produced a flower brooch with a hidden microphone and a tiny remote to control it. Hope showed Marlena how to use it. Marlena didn't feel right about using it, but Hope assured her that Roman would likely understand their bending the rules so that Marlena could save her marriage.

Hope added that they were only trying to show Kristen's true colors to Brady, and once he and John heard the truth from the horse's mouth, they would have to believe it. Marlena still resisted, so Hope pointed out firmly, "You're dealing with Kristen DiMera. You don't play by her rules, you'll lose." Hope fastened the pin to Marlena's lapel as Marlena reluctantly agreed to wear the wire. At last Marlena declared, "I will seize the moment, and I will nail her skinny self to the wall."

Back in her hotel room, Kristen called Stefano to check in. Stefano voiced his disapproval of her affair with "John's idiot son," Brady. Stefano asked what Kristen's plan was and added that he'd heard that both John's ego and his face had taken quite a beating. Kristen reminded her father that what she wanted had never been just about John, so Stefano asked what else it was about. "Kristen, you promised me!" Stefano warned.

Kristen acknowledged that she had promised not to hurt Marlena but reminded Stefano, "She made my life a living hell, and I deserve to have some revenge. Even you can't deny me that." Stefano reluctantly concurred and asked if Kristen had gotten what she really wanted. Kristen replied that she had just gotten started where Marlena was concerned.

After Kristen had finished talking to Stefano, there was a knock at the door. Assuming that room service had arrived to retrieve her meal tray, Kristen opened the door and was startled to find Marlena on the doorstep. "Hello, Marlena," Kristen said brightly. She then demanded to know why Marlena was there.

Her arms crossed defiantly, Marlena stated that Kristen had caused John and Brady a great deal of pain by driving a wedge between them. "It's about time you and I had a conversation... You and I are going to get what's between us out in the open," Marlena declared then pushed past Kristen into the room. "I'm game if you are," Kristen agreed with a shrug.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

by Mike

At the Brady Pub, Nicole greeted Brady and quickly noticed the bruises on his face. Brady assured Nicole that his injuries were not as bad as they looked. Meanwhile, John entered the pub, and he and Brady glared at each other. As Nicole watched, Brady turned his back on John, who sighed and exited the pub.

Nicole realized that John was the person whom Brady had fought with. Brady insisted that he didn't want to talk about the matter. Changing the subject, Brady guessed that it had probably been difficult for Nicole to accept the fact that Daniel was Parker's father. Nicole sighed and acknowledged that she should have known all along that her hopes and dreams would never actually reach fruition, since that was the story of her life.

Nicole believed that Chloe deserved to be happy, and she predicted that Daniel was going to be an amazing father. Nicole added that she didn't want to take up any more of Brady's time, and she urged him to take care of himself. Brady returned the sentiment before exiting the pub.

In Jennifer's office at the hospital, Jennifer wondered how Kate had learned that Chloe had once been a prostitute. "Okay, do I really need to explain that? I was married to Stefano DiMera. We see all, we know all," Kate replied. Kate added that she had proof to support her claim. Kate said that she loved Parker and simply wanted to protect him from Chloe, whose history of poor judgment was placing him in imminent danger.

Kate stressed that she didn't have a problem with Daniel, who seemed capable of being a good father. Jennifer found it hard to believe that Chloe would ever endanger Parker's life, but Kate insisted that Chloe had already done so. Kate explained that she was desperate to save Parker, since she had been unable to do anything to save Austin and Billie from Curtis Reed.

Kate asserted that Jennifer was the person who needed to tell Daniel about Chloe's past, since he was unlikely to believe anything that Kate had to say about Chloe. Kate guessed that Jennifer probably blamed Kate for a lot of the pain that Jennifer had been forced to deal with as a child, but Jennifer shook her head and claimed that it was all ancient history.

Kate acknowledged that she had once been a call girl herself. "When I took money for sex, it was all about taking care of Lucas, but what Chloe did had nothing to do with her child. Philip had already taken Parker and left town. Chloe was just feeling lonely -- lonely and desperate," Kate reasoned, adding that she believed that Chloe was a very sick woman.

Jennifer insisted that there had to be more to the story, and she theorized that Chloe might have been desperate to prove that she could provide for Parker. Kate countered that Chloe could have found a singing gig or asked Brady or the Wesleys for help. Kate pointed out that Chloe had not even bothered to stop working as a call girl when an assailant had started targeting prostitutes.

Jennifer sighed as she realized that Chloe had been one of the assailant's victims. Kate hoped that Jennifer was finally starting to understand why it was imperative for Jennifer to tell Daniel the truth about Chloe. Citing Brady, Daniel, Lucas, and Philip -- twice -- as examples, Kate asserted that Chloe was a home wrecker who had a habit of ruining lives.

"Chloe is not the only woman I know who's wrecked a marriage or two, Kate," Jennifer countered. Without a hint of irony, Jennifer pointed out that it wasn't her place to get involved. Kate shrugged and wondered if Jennifer was really willing to let the story write itself. Jennifer failed to grasp the implications of Kate's cryptic question, prompting Kate to note that Jennifer was truly nave.

"While you have your haloed head in the clouds, Chloe is going to be laying groundwork -- and that's not the only thing she'll be laying," Kate warned Jennifer. Kate added that if Jennifer had found it difficult to deal with the accusation that she had killed an unborn child, she would find it much more difficult to deal with the ramifications of endangering the life of a living, breathing child that Daniel had actually fathered.

Jennifer continued to insist that she wasn't going to tell Daniel about Chloe's past as a prostitute. "You know, I really think he made a mistake when he transplanted that organ. Instead of a heart, you needed a brain," Kate dryly stated. Jennifer insisted that Daniel no longer loved Chloe, but Kate believed that was irrelevant.

Kate warned that Chloe possessed talents that Jennifer did not possess. Kate referred to Chloe as a lying slut who knew exactly how to push all of Daniel's buttons. Sick of listening to Kate's crude comments, Jennifer angrily ordered her to leave. Before exiting the room, Kate hoped that Jennifer would be able to live with herself if anything happened to Parker as a result of Jennifer's refusal to take action.

At the Horton Town Square, Chloe dryly offered to give Daniel a list of all of the things that Kate had done to Chloe in the past. Chloe wondered if Daniel wanted her to start with the things that had happened in the previous century. Daniel interrupted and stressed that he was simply trying to do what was best for Parker.

"What, you want our two-year-old to be a master of the dark arts of blackmail and bribery?" Chloe dryly asked. Daniel wondered if Chloe knew something about Kate that she hadn't shared with him. Chloe took a deep breath, prepared to tell Daniel everything, but before she could begin, he interrupted and excused himself so that he and Parker could say hello to Maggie, who was standing nearby.

After Daniel and Parker left, Chloe sighed and retrieved a small toy train from her purse. As Chloe stared at the toy, she muttered that it might be best to accept Daniel's proposal. A short time later, Daniel returned and informed Chloe that he had decided to give Maggie and Parker a few minutes of privacy. Chloe showed Daniel the toy and explained that it was one of Parker's favorite possessions.

"You want to know what his first word was? It wasn't 'da-da,' like other kids. It was 'choo-choo.' Actually, Kate is the one who gave him this train, and ever since then, it's been all about engines and coal cars, flatbeds, cabooses," Chloe revealed. Chloe admitted that, while she couldn't stand Kate, she also couldn't deny the fact that Kate had made an impact on Parker's life.

Chloe agreed to let Kate continue to interact with Parker on a limited basis. Chloe said that she trusted Daniel's judgment, adding that he had always been her better half. Daniel dismissively stated that Chloe was giving him too much credit. Daniel reached for the toy, and his hand lingered in Chloe's hand for a moment before he pulled it away. Daniel excused himself so that he could give the toy to Parker.

Later, Daniel ran into Brady near a vendor who was selling fresh flowers. Daniel, who had already purchased a bouquet, guessed that Brady was planning to surprise Kristen with some flowers. After confirming Daniel's suspicion, Brady apologized for forcing Jennifer to keep the relationship a secret. Daniel was shocked to learn that Jennifer had not told him about Brady and Kristen's relationship.

Before Brady could respond, Jennifer approached him and Daniel. Brady greeted Jennifer and abruptly excused himself. After Brady left, Daniel informed Jennifer that he had learned that she had known about Brady and Kristen's relationship for a while. Daniel assured Jennifer that he understood, but she insisted that she didn't want there to be any secrets between them in the future.

Daniel agreed, stressing that he wanted Jennifer to feel like she could talk to him about anything. Changing the subject, Daniel presented Jennifer with a bouquet of flowers. Jennifer forced a smile and thanked Daniel for the flowers, but he could tell that something was bothering her. Jennifer admitted that she needed to tell Daniel something about Parker.

Elsewhere, in a secluded section of the town square, Brady ran into John, who invited Brady to join him for a cup of coffee. Brady refused the offer, claiming that he was busy, and he urged John to quickly say whatever it was that John had been wanting to say. John acknowledged that Kristen was beautiful, funny, smart, and extremely good at making people think the way that she wanted them to think.

Brady interrupted and insisted that he wasn't stupid, wasn't a sucker, and hadn't been brainwashed. Brady added that Kristen wasn't the person who had given him the bruises that were on his face. John knowingly predicted that bruises were going to be the least of Brady's problems if he continued to date Kristen. Brady accused John of being jealous, but John firmly denied his son's accusation.

"I'm gonna tell you this one more time -- one more time. Kristen makes me very happy...when I never thought I'd be happy again, so do me a favor -- if you can't accept it, don't call me 'son,'" Brady said. John refused to accept the relationship, and he warned that the pain of losing Madison was going to pale in comparison to the pain that Kristen would eventually cause Brady. After telling John to shut up, Brady stormed off.

At St. Luke's, Chloe greeted Nicole, who was jokingly attaching a nun's habit to her head. Chloe enthusiastically stated that she and Parker had spent some time with Daniel earlier that day. Chloe bragged that it had taken her less than five minutes to get rid of Jennifer. Nicole was certain that Chloe would not be able to maintain that level of success for very long.

Nicole's negativity surprised Chloe, who wondered what was wrong. Nicole told Chloe to think about what had happened the last time that they had fallen for the same man. Chloe recalled that Nicole had infected her with a flesh-eating bacteria. Chloe realized that Nicole had slept with Daniel, prompting her to call Nicole a bitch.

Chloe insisted that Daniel had been her man, and she pointed out that they shared a child. "How dare you? How dare you throw that in my face after everything that I've been through, after everything you put him through? I am not apologizing to you or anyone else for loving Daniel," Nicole angrily replied. Nicole's declaration of love shocked Chloe.

"I love him enough to realize that he deserves much more than I could give him, and a million times better than you," Nicole added. Chloe's temper flared, and she insisted that Nicole's comment had been mean and nasty. Nicole countered that the statement had also been true. Chloe angrily wondered why lightning hadn't struck Nicole the moment that Nicole had walked into the church.

Nicole countered that she could say the same thing about Chloe. After glaring at Chloe for a moment, Nicole sighed and backed down, admitting that the truth was that lightning couldn't even be bothered to put either of them out of their misery. Nicole admitted that Daniel had never truly wanted her, and she insisted that he had never truly wanted Chloe, either.

Nicole confidently stated that there was only one woman whom Daniel had ever truly wanted -- the good, sweet, and honorable Jennifer Horton. Chloe said that, while Nicole might have a very good reason for wanting lightning to strike her, Chloe had a very good reason for wanting to live -- Parker, who had connected her to Daniel for life.

Nicole muttered that Chloe was delusional. Chloe countered that Daniel had probably only slept with Nicole because he had felt sorry for her. Chloe insisted that she was going to get Daniel back, but Nicole wasn't convinced. Nicole predicted that Daniel would inevitably choose Jennifer over Chloe. Nicole warned that she wasn't going to let Chloe cry on her shoulder when that happened.

Chloe pointed at the box of nun's habits. "You should try one of those on for size, 'cause there isn't a guy left in this town who hasn't taken you for a spin and then thrown you out like trash!" Chloe snapped before storming off.

Later, at the Brady Pub, Billie greeted Kate, who said that Billie was just in time to enjoy the fireworks. Kate predicted that before the day had ended, Daniel would know exactly who Chloe really was. Meanwhile, Nicole entered the pub and heard Kate inform Billie that Jennifer was going to tell Daniel about Chloe's sordid secret. Nicole walked away before Kate or Billie could see her.

At the hospital, Chloe greeted Anne, who apologetically stated that she was going to have to cancel their lunch date. Anne ranted about the amount of work that she was going to have to do that day, adding that she hated Jennifer, who received special treatment and only worked for twenty minutes each day. Chloe agreed, admitting that she had never understood how Jennifer had earned a reputation for being sweet and perfect.

Anne was pleased to learn that she had finally found someone who shared her opinion of Jennifer. "Between the two of us...I'm thinking we can figure out something to make the situation better...for everyone," Chloe said with a smile. Later, Chloe returned to St. Luke's to apologize to Nicole. Chloe claimed that she hadn't meant to lash out at Nicole earlier. "Yes, you did...but it doesn't matter. From what I just heard, Kate is the reason you'll never have a chance with Daniel again," Nicole revealed.

In Kristen's hotel room, Kristen wondered why Marlena had suddenly decided to visit her. "Well, because I finally have to concede that you have won. This time, you didn't have to feign a pregnancy, didn't have to kidnap me, didn't have to threaten murder -- all you had to do was bed John's son, and you put yourself right between John and me...and maybe this time it's forever," Marlena admitted.

Kristen said that Marlena had no idea how her admission had made Kristen feel. Marlena guessed that the word schadenfreude accurately described Kristen's feelings, adding that the word might have been invented specifically for Kristen. Kristen wasn't familiar with the word, so Marlena clarified that it meant that Kristen was a person who enjoyed watching other people suffer.

Marlena encouraged Kristen to gloat about the victory, reasoning that it would be therapeutic for Kristen to do so. Kristen smiled and reached for the lapel of Marlena's jacket, placing her hand dangerously close to the decorative brooch that concealed the wire. Kristen pinched the fabric and pulled her hand away, claiming that she had plucked a piece of lint off of Marlena's jacket.

Shaken, Marlena tried to resume the conversation, but before she could do so, someone started pounding on the door. Kristen opened the door and found Roman standing in the hallway. Roman started to say something to Kristen, but he stopped himself when he realized that she was not alone. Roman wondered why Marlena was wasting her time talking to Kristen.

Marlena made a not-so-subtle attempt to hide the brooch from Roman, raising a hand to her lapel as she assured him that she was fine. Seemingly satisfied with Marlena's response, Roman changed the subject, noting that Will had not been answering Roman's calls. Marlena informed Roman that Will hadn't said much about the situation yet.

Marlena randomly suggested that Will might feel more comfortable talking to Roman, and she urged him to try to find Will. Taking the hint, Roman excused himself, promising to return to talk to Kristen later. After Roman left, Marlena quickly tried to get the conversation back on track, recalling that Kristen had been about to make her victory speech earlier.

Kristen started to say something, but she quickly changed her mind and sighed as she apologized to Marlena. Kristen claimed that she had tried to deny her feelings for Brady, and she admitted that she had been too weak to do so. Kristen insisted that no man had ever had that kind of effect on her before -- not even John. Marlena was skeptical, noting that Kristen had been willing to lie, cheat, and kill to get John.

Urging Kristen to be honest with herself, Marlena asserted that Kristen had slept with Brady as a way to get revenge on John. Kristen adamantly denied the accusation, but she agreed with Marlena's suggestion that they needed to be honest with each other. Kristen wondered if it was true that Marlena had known about Kristen and Brady's relationship all along. Marlena impatiently stated that Kristen already knew that was true.

"That's right, but the only reason why you didn't go running to John with it is because you didn't want it to end. You were so happy that Brady was in my bed, because...to your everlasting relief, it would keep John out of it," Kristen summarized. Kristen added that she was pleased that Marlena had been able to find comfort in Brady and Kristen's relationship.

Kristen wished that she could convince Marlena that there was absolutely nothing to be worried about. Marlena shook her head in disbelief, and Kristen wondered if Marlena was in a bad mood because the conversation had not been going the way that Marlena had hoped. Marlena confirmed Kristen's suspicion, adding that it had been a mistake to visit Kristen.

As Marlena retrieved her purse, Kristen quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper. Marlena started to leave, but Kristen stopped her. With a devilish grin, Kristen held the piece of paper in the air so that Marlena could read it. "I know what you are doing!" the note read. Marlena glared at Kristen for a moment before silently walking away.

After Marlena left, Kristen laughed as she bounced around the hotel room, happily celebrating her victory. Kristen tore the note into several pieces and tossed them into a trashcan. Later, Brady greeted Kristen and presented her with a bouquet of flowers. After kissing Brady, Kristen excused herself so that she could change her clothes. Meanwhile, Brady noticed a torn piece of paper laying on the floor near the trashcan.

After picking up the piece of paper, Brady rummaged through the trashcan and found the remaining pieces of the note. Brady pieced the note back together and read it. Meanwhile, Kristen emerged from the bathroom and started to show off the lingerie that she had slipped into, but she paused when she realized that Brady had discovered the note. Confused, Brady stared at Kristen and waited for an explanation.

At Common Grounds, Marlena angrily tossed her purse, keys, brooch, and recorder on an empty table. Marlena tried to call Hope, but the call went to voicemail. Marlena left a message for Hope, thanking her for the help and admitting that the plan had been a complete disaster. Meanwhile, John entered the coffeehouse.

Unaware of John's presence, Marlena walked over to the bar to place an order, leaving the loose items on the table. While Marlena was at the bar, John approached the table and suspiciously inspected the recorder. John pressed a button and listened as a portion of Marlena and Kristen's earlier conversation started to play.

The recording revealed Kristen's theory that Marlena had kept Brady and Kristen's secret so that Kristen would remain too preoccupied to sleep with John. Meanwhile, Marlena received her order, turned away from the bar, and found herself staring at John, who was still holding the recorder.

John stared back at Marlena with a look of sheer disappointment.

Friday, January 18, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

Will was alone in his mom's apartment when Sami suddenly returned. The displeasure evident in her voice, she explained that she'd been on her way to work when she'd seen Will sneaking in. Sami also chided him about not returning any of her messages. Will tried to leave, but Sami refused to let him go until they had talked. "And you and I are going to keep talking until we figure out what you're going to do about that baby Gabi is carrying -- until you figure out what you're going to do about your child," Sami declared.

Will protested that he really didn't want to talk about it with Sami, because talking wouldn't change anything. Sami just wanted to understand what was going on in Will's life and asked if it had been his idea to take Gabi to the abortion clinic. Will shook his head. Relieved, Sami asked why he had done it,. Will explained that he had wanted to respect Gabi's wishes -- and he thought that Sami of all people should understand what Gabi had been going through.

Sami assured Will that she did empathize with Gabi, but Sami needed to understand why he had so passively agreed to let Gabi have an abortion and then to let Nick raise the baby -- and if Will were still prepared to turn his back on his child. Will insisted that he had only been trying to what was best for his baby, and that meant making sure that the baby would be a part of an actual family. Hurt, Sami pointed out that the baby was part of the Hernandez, Brady, and Horton families -- all of whom would have been not just willing but happy to help Will give the baby a wonderful life, but Will had turned his back on all of them.

With a shrug, Will apologized unconvincingly. Sami began to shout as she insisted that she wasn't judging Will, but she had hoped he might have learned from watching her mistakes that keeping secrets from loved ones only hurt them in the long run -- as he had witnessed firsthand. She emphasized that she could have helped Will if only he'd gone to her. Will stated that he had agreed not to tell anyone -- and if he had decided to break that promise, he wouldn't have told Sami, because the one thing he'd learned from her was that she just made everything worse.

Will pointed out that telling him that he had turned his back on his whole family and his child was judgmental, despite her assurance that she wasn't judging him. Sami acknowledged that he was right, but it seemed out of character for him to just give up. Will explained that he believed that the most important thing for his child was to live in a house with two parents who lived together and didn't hate each other, and there weren't any custody battles. "Because of how you grew up. Because of me," Sami said tearfully.

Sami acknowledged, however, that it wasn't about her; it was about Will and what he was going to do about his baby. She warned her son that soon that child would be born, and he or she would be aware of more than Will realized. Sami continued tearfully, "Ask me about how it feels to have secrets blow up in your face. Ask me how it feels to have your child look at you, and you know...that they are thinking about all the things that you did and why you did them. Whatever you decide to do about your baby, some day that child will grow up, and he or she is going to look at you -- and judge you. So are you going to be a father to this child or not?"

At Common Grounds, Marlena watched in horror as John listened to the part of the recording of her conversation with Kristen in which Kristen had declared, "You were so happy that Brady was in my bed because, to your everlasting relief, it would keep John out of it." John asked Marlena if it were true, and if that were the reason she hadn't told him about Brady's affair with Kristen. Marlena tried to get him to continue the conversation at home, but John wanted to know why she had been recording the conversation in the first place.

Marlena explained that she had trying to get proof of what Kristen had been up to because Brady didn't believe what Marlena had been trying to tell him. John guessed that Marlena's plan hadn't worked, since she hadn't shared the recording with him. Marlena maintained that Kristen had lied once she'd figured out what Marlena was up to. John angrily theorized that Kristen had spoken the truth about why Marlena hadn't told him about Brady and Kristen sleeping together.

"Or maybe you didn't want me to know how much you didn't trust me, or maybe you didn't feel that I loved you enough, or maybe I wasn't strong enough to stay out of her bed -- so you were happy that she was distracted by my own son," John growled. A peeved Marlena agreed to tell John the whole truth. She pointed out, "A woman who tried to kill me shows up in my life again, and my husband and my stepson believe her over me." All John wanted to know was if what Kristen had said on the tape was true. "Yes, it was," Marlena replied simply.

John reiterated that Marlena obviously didn't trust him -- even though he loved her and would never do that to her. Marlena posited that John had been so quick to believe that Kristen had changed because he wanted the woman he'd fallen in love with back, and demanded to know if he could honestly say that some part of him wasn't still attracted to Kristen. John was incredulous and disappointed that Marlena had asked that. He added that it was as if Marlena and Brady had both been replaced by complete strangers.

"I need to figure out what the hell is going on with us, what to do about my son...and what to do about our marriage," John stated. He added, "This place is so toxic. I think I need to step away from Salem for a while, find a place where I can get some space and think." Marlena asked where he would go, but John didn't know. As he rose to leave, Marlena begged him to stay and talk to her. "I can't talk about this," John declared with an exasperated sigh as he headed out.

In Kristen's hotel room, Kristen emerged from the bathroom and saw that Brady had pieced together her taunting note to Marlena that read, "I know what you're doing." Brady asked what it was. Kristen invented an explanation on the fly that she and E.J. had been negotiating with a vendor on speakerphone earlier. E.J. had been bluffing, so Kristen had written the note to let E.J. know that she knew what he was doing so they could then play "good cop/bad cop" with the vendor.

Brady didn't buy it, but as Kristen was trying to get him to just drop it, he suddenly became lightheaded. Clutching his head, Brady sank to the floor at the foot of the bed. Soon, Cameron made a house call to Kristen's room to examine Brady. Cameron determined that Brady's blood pressure was a bit low, and ordered Brady to go back in to the hospital for another checkup. Brady was resistant, but Cameron pointed out that Brady had recently experienced a head injury and another beating.

Kristen asked if Brady's problems could stem from the concussion he'd gotten during the mugging. Cameron couldn't be sure without more tests. Kristen looked guilty as she flashed back to paying off the mugger for attacking Brady. "That guy doesn't look like the description you gave me," the thug had said. "Well, it was supposed to be his father, but I think it's all going to work out for the best," Kristen had replied.

On his way out, Cameron made Kristen promise to take Brady to the hospital if he began to feel dizzy or faint again. Kristen then climbed into bed next to Brady and asked how he was really feeling. He reassured her that he was fine. "I just hate to see you hurting, and I hate that I came between you and your father," Kristen said anxiously. Brady declared that he wished John and Marlena could see how Kristen was looking after Brady; he explained, "They would know that you and I are the real deal."

Brady and Kristen began to kiss, but he pulled away and announced that he was going to take a shower -- and Kristen should join him. Kristen agreed to do so after she checked her messages. As the bathroom door closed behind Brady, Kristen started to pace. She crumpled up the torn pieces of her note to Marlena and tossed them back into the wastebasket. "You stay focused. Stay focused. Just gotta string him along a little bit longer, and then it'll all be over," Kristen told herself.

At St. Luke's, Nicole warned Chloe that Kate had told Jennifer about Chloe's past as a prostitute -- and Nicole had also overheard Kate say that she'd seen Jennifer and Daniel talking in Horton Square. Chloe started to hurry out to try to get to the square before Jennifer could tell Daniel, but Nicole stopped her. Nicole gently reminded Chloe that Daniel had moved on, and even though he and Chloe shared a son, Parker couldn't erase what Chloe had done in the past. "There's no way in hell you're going to get this guy," Nicole cautioned her friend, but a determined Chloe declared that she would do anything she had to in order to get Daniel back. Nicole shook her head sadly as Chloe left.

In Horton Square, Daniel asked Jennifer what she wanted to tell him about Parker. Jennifer quickly clarified that she actually needed to him about Chloe. Daniel declared that he didn't want to talk about Chloe. He assured Jennifer that Chloe couldn't say or do anything to break them up, but Jennifer reminded him that Chloe was the mother of his child.

Daniel maintained that other than the sharing of parenting duties, he intended to stay completely out of Chloe's life -- all that mattered was that she was a good mother to Parker. Jennifer asked Daniel if he thought Chloe was a good mother. Daniel was sure that Chloe was, because she had done so much to make sure that Parker adjusted as easily as possible to all the changes in his life. Jennifer was glad to hear Daniel say that.

Jennifer announced that she had to get back to work, and Daniel offered to walk her to the hospital. Just then, Chloe ran up, calling out for Daniel to wait -- but she realized that Jennifer hadn't told Daniel anything. Chloe began to stammer until Daniel pressed her to tell him what was going on. Finally Chloe claimed that she just wanted to make sure Parker had his stuffed bunny, since he was scheduled to get his booster shots later. Daniel assured her that he had given it to Maggie, who was taking Parker to the hospital. As Daniel continued escorting Jennifer back to work, she stared over her shoulder at Chloe.

Nicole arrived just then and asked what had happened. Chloe revealed that Jennifer obviously knew the truth but hadn't told Daniel anything -- and Chloe was relieved, because it would buy her some time. Nicole warned Chloe that although Jennifer seemed sweet, she could be a formidable foe -- which meant that Chloe was still not in the clear. Upon learning that Daniel had defended Nicole to Jennifer, Chloe realized that Daniel wouldn't approve if Jennifer were being malicious. "I'm going to turn what could have been a disaster into an advantage, but I have to act fast," Chloe decided, then rushed off before Nicole could find out the plan.

Nicole had returned to the church when Eric entered his office. She complained about doing his budgets, but he could tell that something else was bothering her. Nicole snidely shot back, "You know, Padre, since you made it very clear that you don't trust me with your problems, I'm just not going to burden you with mine, okay?" Eric reminded her that he hadn't opened up to her because it hadn't been his problem to share. Nicole divulged that Brady had told her the whole story, and she understood how John and Brady's fight had upset Eric.

Eric was worried that Brady and John would never again be as close as they had been because of Brady's relationship with Kristen. From the look on Nicole's face, Eric correctly guessed that Brady hadn't told her about Kristen. After spitting that Brady was really "scraping the bottom of the barrel," Nicole quickly, sincerely apologized to Eric when she saw how upset he still was. "It's tearing my whole family apart," Eric said sadly.

A little later, Nicole offered to take Eric out for a drink. Chuckling, he reminded her that he was a priest who couldn't just go out for a drink in the middle of the afternoon. Nicole insisted that she wanted to make it up to him for being "a total pain" while he was dealing with family issues. Eric suggested that Nicole simply apologize, so she did. Eric then asked if she would like to tell him what was really bothering her. Nicole admitted that she was worried about Daniel and Chloe, because she sensed that there was going to be trouble.

When Chloe met Anne at the Brady Pub, Anne agreed to help Chloe with her plan. "I would love to help wipe that prissy little smirk off Jennifer Horton's face," Anne declared, and she promised to get started as soon as she got back to the hospital. A grateful Chloe thanked Anne.

At the hospital, Anne handed a pink message slip to a nurse, who followed Anne's instructions and hurried off down the hallway. Anne then dialed Jennifer's office from the nurses' station. "I've run into a little problem. I need you to come to the nurses' station," Anne said. Jennifer reluctantly left her office.

After Jennifer had gone, the nurse crept into Jennifer's office and left the pink message slip on the desk, then slipped back out.

In an exam room, Chloe told Daniel that she had asked Maggie to stay with Parker while he got his shots. Chloe explained that she had something difficult to tell Daniel that she didn't want him to hear from anyone else. She continued with obvious distress that she had made a terrible, self-destructive mistake after Parker was born -- worse than her suicide attempt. "Before I left Salem, before I came to my senses, I was working as a prostitute," Chloe confessed.

As Daniel reeled from the news, Chloe continued that she had realized then that she'd gone as low as a person could go. After first clarifying that she wasn't trying to make excuses, Chloe divulged that she had been blackmailed into it. Daniel became furious and demanded to know who had blackmailed her. Chloe assured him, "If any good came out of that horrible time, it was that I was able to pull myself together on my own. I was able to make myself a person who'd be a better mother to Parker. I hope, now that you know, you believe that I am no longer that person."

Daniel reassured her that he was certain of that. With a sigh of relief, Chloe admitted that she hadn't wanted to tell Daniel, but she was really glad that he'd heard it from her and not from Jennifer. Daniel was stunned when Chloe explained that she'd overheard Kate saying that she was going to tell Jennifer -- and that she could tell that Jennifer had known when they had all been together earlier. Chloe added that Kate had obviously been counting on Jennifer using the information against Chloe, and it was nice to know that Jennifer was above doing something like that.

A bit later, Anne found Chloe making some tea near the nurses' station. "It's done," Anne said. "Thank you. Now we just have to wait and see," Chloe replied with an optimistic smile.

Jennifer had just returned to her office when Daniel knocked on the door. He explained that he had just talked to Chloe, who had told him about her life before she'd left Salem -- and Chloe had been pretty sure that Jennifer had known about it, too. Jennifer hedged that she wasn't sure what Daniel was talking about. Daniel began, "That she was, uh--" He stopped when he spotted the pink message slip on Jennifer's desk. When he saw what was written on it, Daniel demanded, "Jennifer, why do you have the number to Child Protective Services? Is this about Chloe?"