Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of January 28, 2013 on DAYS

Nicole's plan to frame Kristen backfired and destroyed her friendship with Brady. E.J. and Sami got back together. Daniel and Jennifer left town for a romantic getaway. Billie left Salem to accept a job in Europe. Nick planned to use Will's criminal past against him.

Monday, January 28, 2013

by Mike

At the hospital, Hope greeted Jennifer, who was forced to decline Hope's lunch invitation because she had already agreed to have lunch with Daniel. Hope wondered if Chloe's return had impacted Jennifer and Daniel's relationship. Jennifer claimed that everything was fine, but Hope wasn't convinced.

Jennifer speculated that Chloe was determined to rekindle her relationship with Daniel. Jennifer admitted that she could understand why Chloe wanted to reconcile with Daniel -- for Chloe and Parker's sakes. Hope refused to let Jennifer talk herself into stepping aside so that Chloe could be with Daniel. Instead, Hope cryptically suggested that it was time for Jennifer to fight fire with fire.

Hope asked about Jennifer and Daniel's lunch date. Jennifer explained that she and Daniel would be eating at the pub. "Hmm. Okay, how do I put this? I love the pub. You know how much I love the pub. We all -- we all love the pub. It's just that, you know, there are certain things, Cuz, that cannot happen at the pub," Hope not-so-subtly stated, encouraging Jennifer to be proactive. Jennifer suggested that she could take Daniel to the park for a picnic instead, and Hope enthusiastically agreed.

In Daniel's apartment, Daniel reminded Chloe that they were no longer married, adding that he was in love with Jennifer. Daniel insisted that it wasn't realistic for Chloe to believe that they could live together. Chloe claimed that she did not have an ulterior motive, innocently assuring Daniel that she had made the suggestion for Parker's benefit.

Still skeptical, Daniel wondered if there was a part of Chloe that was still hoping that they would eventually get back together. Chloe sighed and agreed to be completely honest with Daniel. "I haven't been with Philip, or any other man, since I left Salem. But that's because I live to be a good mother to Parker, and no other man, and no other life, could possibly touch what I had then, so of course I want that back. I think about it every day," Chloe admitted.

Chloe speculated that Daniel had completely forgotten about the life that they had once shared together, but he insisted that she was wrong. Daniel added that Chloe wasn't the only person who had made some mistakes during their marriage. Daniel said that he and Chloe had hurt each other deeply, and he doubted that they would ever be able to undo that damage.

Chloe wiped a tear from her cheek and claimed that she was glad that Daniel had managed to move on with his life. Daniel predicted that Chloe would soon find someone who would make her as happy as Jennifer had made him. Daniel abruptly excused himself so that he could run some errands. Parker was sleeping peacefully, so Daniel invited Chloe to stay at the apartment until Parker woke up.

"Once upon a time, your daddy loved your mommy so much, and I promise you...he will again," Chloe quietly told Parker after Daniel left. Later, as Chloe was feeding Parker, Daniel's cell phone, which he had inadvertently left behind, started to ring. Chloe inspected the phone and realized that Jennifer had sent Daniel a text message to let him know that she had changed their lunch plans and would soon be meeting him at his apartment.

Chloe shrugged and muttered that the apartment was going to be empty, but she quickly realized that she might be able to take advantage of the situation. Chloe purposely smeared some of Parker's food on her shirt and hair, whispering to Parker that she was silly -- like a fox. Later, when Jennifer knocked on Daniel's door, Chloe greeted her, wearing one of Daniel's dress shirts -- and nothing else.

At Common Grounds, Brady dismissed Marlena's concerns about Kristen. Brady revealed that Eric had removed him from the church board, and he theorized that John's departure had been John's way of punishing Brady. Marlena tried to correct Brady, but he ignored her. Brady refused to let his family members scare him into ending his relationship with Kristen, insisting that she made him happy.

"It's like every relative of mine has lined up to take a number to tell me off," Brady added, sighing with frustration. Before Marlena could respond, Brady received a phone call from Eric, who wanted him to return to St. Luke's. When Brady arrived at the church, Eric asked him to sign a letter of resignation. Brady complied, assuring Eric that DiMera Enterprises and Titan would each continue to support the church's fundraising efforts.

In Kristen's hotel room, Nicole criticized Brady's taste in women, referring to Kristen as a phony bitch. "You just called me a phony bitch. I'm gonna have to rethink my entire existence," Kristen dryly stated as she munched on a piece of fruit. Nicole countered that Kristen needed to think about Brady, whose relationship with Kristen had caused him to lose John, Marlena, Eric, and Sami.

Kristen claimed that she was sorry that Brady had been fighting with his family members recently, but Nicole wasn't convinced. Nicole speculated that Brady had forced himself to forget about all of Kristen's past misdeeds so that he could sleep with Kristen. Kristen assured Nicole that Brady hadn't forgotten anything, adding that he had simply realized that Kristen had changed.

"Just like I know there's zero calories in vodka," Nicole dryly countered. Kristen said that she had never denied that she had made mistakes. Nicole pointed out that the same thing could be said about Stalin. Kristen recalled that Nicole had also made plenty of mistakes, helpfully summarizing those misdeeds to stress the point.

"Clearly, you have a past, I have a past...but there's one big difference -- my past is my past. See, I've changed. Wasn't that you wandering around Horton Square, knowing that your baby had died? Didn't you set the whole thing up so that Jennifer had to take the blame for it? It seems to me that you are still that woman who thinks that innocent little babies are just a means to an end," Kristen coldly stated.

Nicole, who had been trying to warn Kristen to back off, started to slap Kristen, but Kristen deflected the attempt. "You should never, ever raise your hand to a DiMera unless you're willing to pay the consequences, Nicole. You know what? I think I've been pretty tolerant of you, and you know why? I know you care about Brady. But you are so completely insignificant to me that you're not even worth the energy it takes to react. I'm gonna let go of your arm, and you're gonna walk out of here, if you know what's good for you," Kristen said, releasing Nicole's wrist.

"I never know what's good for me," Nicole replied as she shoved Kristen onto the bed. As the two women struggled with each other, Brady entered the room and pulled Nicole off of Kristen. Kristen shouted that Nicole had stopped taking her medication. Nicole countered that, while Kristen could say whatever she wanted to say about Nicole, the implication that Nicole had not loved her children had been completely unacceptable.

Nicole lunged at Kristen again, but Brady stopped her and pulled her into the hallway. Kristen eavesdropped as Brady warned Nicole that he would terminate their friendship if she ever tried to attack Kristen again. Nicole said that losing a friend would be nothing compared to losing a mother, father, and brother. Brady angrily insisted that everyone was wrong about Kristen. As Kristen listened, she quietly wondered what she was doing to Brady.

Nicole insisted that Kristen only cared about herself, but Brady reentered the hotel room and slammed the door in Nicole's face, refusing to believe her. Kristen declared that Nicole was certifiable, but Brady pointed out that Nicole had been through a lot recently, and he urged Kristen to cut Nicole some slack. Kristen incredulously asked if Brady was defending Nicole.

Brady reminded Kristen that Nicole had lost two children in a relatively short amount of time. Brady knowingly guessed that Nicole and Kristen had each done something to provoke the other person, and he suggested that Kristen simply needed to forget about the incident.

"So I was just supposed to stand there and take it? That's not who I am, and it never will be. Now, I'm aware that Nicole is clearly a basket case, but she doesn't deserve your protection or your sympathy, Brady. I think you just need to steer clear of her from now on," Kristen advised Brady. Brady grinned and wondered if Kristen was jealous of Nicole.

Kristen denied the accusation, insisting that she wasn't jealous of Nicole or Chloe. Kristen clarified that she suspected that Nicole's resentment of Brady's happiness had caused Nicole to spiral out of control, since she was alone and miserable. Kristen claimed that she was simply trying to protect Brady, but he assured her that he could take care of himself.

Kristen nodded and abruptly changed the subject, insisting that she didn't want to make Brady's day any worse than it had already been. Brady assured Kristen that he wasn't going to let anyone drive a wedge between them, and he excused himself so that he could get back to work. Before Brady left, Kristen handed him a hotel key card and told him to feel free to use it whenever he wanted to.

At St. Luke's, Eric informed Marlena that his earlier meeting with Brady had not gone well. Marlena assured Eric that she understood why he had forced Brady to resign from the church board, but she added that she hoped that Brady, who had already lost Madison, would not lose anyone or anything else.

Eric countered that Marlena had also suffered some losses due to Brady's actions, and he admitted that an unpriestly part of him had wanted to pummel Brady for hurting her. Marlena refused to blame Brady, conceding that she had made her fair share of mistakes recently. Meanwhile, in the hallway, Nicole eavesdropped as Marlena offered Eric a vague explanation for her previous statement.

Marlena excused herself so that Eric could get back to work. Nicole casually entered the room and apologized for interrupting. After Marlena and Eric left, Nicole started to snoop around his office. "It sounds like Kristen is the hot topic of the day...but it seems like you're giving up the fight, Marlena. Perhaps it's time to bring in the reserves. So you want the truth about Kristen to come out, huh? But you are too good and noble to realize, Doc, that sometimes...it takes a lie...to get at the truth," Nicole muttered as she flipped through some of the files that had been placed on Eric's desk.

Nicole found the letter of resignation that Brady had signed, as well as an unsigned letter of resignation for Kristen. As Nicole inspected the documents, which included Kristen and Brady's titles at their respective companies, she noted that Brady and Kristen were lovers and business competitors. Nicole rummaged through Eric's desk drawers and found a flash drive, and she quickly devised a plan.

When Eric returned, he told Nicole about his earlier encounter with Brady. Nicole said that she had noticed Brady's letter of resignation, and she wondered if Eric would need a similar document from Kristen. Eric confirmed Nicole's suspicion, and she offered to get Kristen's signature so that he wouldn't have to deal with Kristen. Eric eagerly accepted Nicole's offer, handed her the document, and excused himself so that he could take some aspirin.

Later, Eric informed Hope that John had left Salem earlier. Hope was saddened to learn that Kristen had managed to win. Eric said that Marlena had implied that she had done something that had angered John, adding that she had refused to elaborate.

At the Horton Town Square, Kristen stood in front of a jewelry store and inspected some of the necklaces that had been prominently displayed in the window. Kristen glanced at her bracelet and fondly recalled the day that Brady had given it to her. Kristen shook her head and quietly reminded herself that Brady was simply a means to an end. As Kristen turned to walk away, she ran into Marlena.

Kristen wondered if John had really left Salem earlier. Marlena confirmed the news and pointed out that Kristen no longer had a reason to torture Brady. Kristen insisted that she would never torture someone whom she loved, but Marlena refused to believe that Kristen loved Brady. "Don't be so sure about that. I do love him, and I'm hoping we're going to be together for a very, very long time," Kristen said before walking away.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Henderson escorted Nicole into the living room and excused himself so that he could locate Brady. After Henderson left, Nicole retrieved the flash drive from her purse. When Brady entered the room, Nicole started to apologize for her earlier behavior, but she abruptly stopped herself and winced in pain, feigning a headache. Nicole blamed her hormones, and Brady quickly offered to get her a cup of tea.

"Well, if you want to get rid of a man, talk about your hormones," Nicole muttered after Brady left. Nicole took a seat at the desk, opened the laptop, and placed the flash drive in one of the USB ports. Nicole quickly located some confidential Titan files, copied them to the flash drive, and closed the laptop. Meanwhile, Daniel entered the mansion and wondered what Nicole was doing.

Nicole claimed that she was waiting for Brady, but Daniel wasn't convinced, and he guessed that she was hiding something from him.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

by Spalding

In the town square, Kate complained to Billie that her plan to destroy Chloe had failed. When Kate groused that she had only secured limited visitation with Parker, Billie threw up her hands. Billie reminded Kate that she had not lost her grandson because Parker was not related and that Kate would still get to spend time with Parker. Billie argued that Kate would not be satisfied until Kate destroyed Chloe.

Frustrated, Billie told Kate that she was too stubborn for her own good. Billie explained that she could not support Kate's schemes to hurt other people. Fighting tears, Billie noted that she had hoped that Kate's revenge plots would stop when Kate's marriage to Stefano ended. Billie urged Kate to examine her relationships with the people that she loved and determine why those people walked out on Kate.

When Kate asked Billie why she was lashing out, Billie explained that she needed to take care of herself and get distance from Kate. Billie noted that Kate had taught her to be a fighter, but that she had learned that sometimes people needed to let go and stop fighting.

"If you cling to somebody so hard, you just lose them. And I don't want to do that anymore. I have to go. I don't want you to drag me down. I can't do it," Billie said as her voice cracked. Kate begged Billie to talk to her and work out their problems, but Billie countered that she did not want to put in the effort anymore.

At Daniel's apartment, Jennifer was shocked to find Chloe answering the door in one of Daniel's dress shirts. Suspicious, Jennifer demanded to know why Chloe was in Daniel's apartment. Chloe acted innocent and noted that Daniel was not there. When Jennifer raised an eyebrow, Chloe explained that after Parker's nap, she had fed Parker and he had made a mess. Chloe noted that she had taken a shower and changed into Daniel's shirt to answer the door.

Tilting her head, Chloe asked Jennifer why she was at Daniel's apartment when she was supposed to be meeting him for lunch. Jennifer explained that she had texted Daniel to tell him that she would meet him at home. Chloe shrugged, looked around the room, and pointed at Daniel's phone on the table. When Jennifer grabbed Daniel's phone and started to leave, Chloe asked Jennifer if they could finish their conversation.

Bristling, Jennifer asked if Chloe intended to accuse her of anything else. Chloe feigned surprise and said that she did not want there to be hostility between them because Chloe had mistakenly jumped to conclusions about Jennifer. Chloe said that she wanted what was best for Parker. Turning on her heel, Jennifer commented that she did as well and left.

Smiling, Chloe walked over to Parker and asked him if he wanted to spend time with Maggie. Chloe explained her plan to interrupt Jennifer and Daniel's lunch. "Who says blondes have more fun?" Chloe joked.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole deftly hid the USB key with the Titan business information in the palm of her hand when Daniel entered the living room. Suspicious from the look on Nicole's face, Daniel asked her what she was doing. Nicole explained that she was surprised to see Daniel, and it upset her. Shaking his head, Daniel countered that the look on Nicole's face was guilt, not turmoil.

Backed into a corner, Nicole became defensive and asked Daniel why he was harassing her when she was having a difficult time seeing Daniel moving on. Not fazed, Daniel pushed Nicole to tell him what she had done. Victor walked in the room and pitched a fit when he saw Nicole. Brady returned with the tea in time to hear Victor berate Nicole. Taking the opportunity to escape, Nicole noted that she was not wanted, and she left.

While Brady went into the other room to take a business call, Victor informed Daniel that he and Maggie were upset about Brady's relationship with Kristen. Brady returned to inform Victor that Victor was needed on the phone call. After Victor left the room, Brady apologized to Daniel for making Jennifer keep his secret about Kristen. Daniel waved Brady off and said he had no issues with Kristen. Daniel invited Brady and Kristen to join him on a double date with Jennifer. Brady happily accepted.

Curious, Daniel asked Brady why Nicole had been at the mansion. Brady explained that Nicole had stopped by to apologize for picking a fight with Kristen. Laughing, Brady noted that if Nicole had not backed down, then the war that could have erupted between Nicole and Kristen would have been explosive.

When Victor returned to the living room, Daniel left to meet Jennifer. Victor warned Brady to steer clear of Kristen. Brady was annoyed, and he reminded Victor of the family's reaction to Maggie's announcement that she was seeing Victor. Grunting, Victor noted that his relationship with Maggie was very different from Brady's sexual relationship with Kristen. Victor cautioned Brady that he was being nave.

Out in front of the pub, Kristen's phone rang. Brady called to inform her that he was running late. Smiling, Kristen noted that she would meet up with Brady at her hotel room. As Kristen hung up her phone, Roman exited the pub and asked Kristen what she was up to. Kristen noted that she was smiling because she was happy. When Roman accused Kristen of driving John out of town, Kristen explained that Marlena was to blame.

Kristen reminded Roman that she had previously rescued Roman and returned him to Salem. Smirking, Roman countered that Kristen had had ulterior motives when she had helped him. Kristen shrugged and noted that motives were irrelevant, since Roman was safe and happy back in Salem. Kristen said that she had returned to town to make amends, but Brady had made all her dreams come true.

After leaving Daniel's apartment, Jennifer rushed over to the pub and arrived there at the same time as Daniel. When Daniel asked Jennifer what was wrong, Jennifer shrugged and said that she was hungry. Daniel mentioned an email from work and reached for his phone. As a confused Daniel realized that he had left his phone at home, Jennifer reached in her purse and pulled it out. Stunned, Daniel asked Jennifer if she had been at his apartment.

Jennifer noted that she had texted Daniel to meet up at his apartment for a surprise. Chloe marched over to the table and interrupted. As Chloe apologized to Jennifer for surprising her earlier, Jennifer rolled her eyes in annoyance. Chloe explained to Daniel that Parker had made a mess when she fed him and that she had needed to take a shower to clean up. With an embarrassed grin, Chloe noted that she had answered the door in Daniel's shirt.

Before Daniel or Jennifer could respond, Chloe said that she was picking up her food and would leave them alone. After another apology, Chloe left. Daniel asked Jennifer why she had not told him what happened. Jennifer shrugged and explained that she had not wanted to talk about her run-in with Chloe. Jennifer asked Daniel to check his phone for her message. As Daniel read the text, he smiled. Daniel asked to make it up to Jennifer and make her dinner.

Smiling demurely, Jennifer suggested that they spend time alone together. When Jennifer suggested that she and Daniel go away together for a night, Daniel hesitantly asked her if she was ready to be with him. "I'm so sure. I really want this night to be special for both of us," Jennifer said. Jennifer suggested they leave that evening, and Daniel agreed.

At the hospital, Chloe walked up to the nurse's station as Anne fired an employee over the phone. When Anne turned to see Chloe, she apologized for her display. Anne explained that she did not like to fire people but when she imagined the person was Jennifer, then it was much easier. Anne grumbled that she could not fire Jennifer because Daniel protected her. Chloe told Anne that Daniel would get bored with Jennifer soon.

As Kristen typed on her laptop, there was a knock at the door. Kristen set her computer aside and rushed to the door in the hopes that it was Brady, but she was disappointed to find Nicole on her threshold. Nicole explained that she was delivering the papers from Eric to formalize Kristen's resignation from the church board. Suspicious, Kristen asked Nicole why she had not found someone else to deliver the papers.

Smiling, Nicole admitted that she had volunteered to deliver the papers because she wanted to continue her conversation with Kristen. Nicole explained that she had apologized to Brady because he appeared to be happy with Kristen. As Kristen commented that Nicole could not break up her and Brady if she wanted, Kristen's phone rang. The downstairs valet called Kristen to inform her that her car had been damaged. While Kristen screamed at the valet, Nicole deftly grabbed a nearby hotel key card and slipped it into her purse.

Kristen hung up the phone and ordered Nicole to leave. After Kristen left to talk to the valet, Nicole sneaked back into the hotel room. Nicole uploaded the Titan business information from the USB key onto Kristen's laptop. As Nicole chuckled to herself and grabbed her purse, there was a rustle at the door. Nicole rushed into the bathroom and hid as Brady let himself into the hotel room.

Brady dimmed the lights and spread rose petals across the bed. As Nicole cowered in the bathroom, Kristen returned to the room. Smiling, Brady swept Kristen into his arms and placed her on the bed. As Brady and Kristen kissed, a disgusted Nicole made faces in the bathroom. Unexpectedly, Kristen pulled away and leaped out of bed. Panicked, Nicole looked around the bathroom wildly.

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

As Will and Kate walked through Horton Square together, she asked how he was doing after what had happened at Nick and Gabi's wedding. Operating under the assumption that Nick and Gabi were trying to keep Will from his baby, Kate threatened to have Nick's parole revoked if the couple continued trying to shut Will out of the baby's life. Will informed his grandmother that he had agreed to the arrangement with Gabi and Nick because he'd thought that it would be best for the baby if he weren't involved -- but that after he'd seen the baby on the sonogram, he'd known that he would never be able to pretend that the child wasn't his.

Beaming with pride, Will informed Kate that he was having a daughter. An elated Kate hugged her grandson in congratulations. Will expressed his relief that he and Nick and Gabi were all on the same page, and urged Kate not to get Nick's parole revoked. Kate assured Will that she had only been trying to be protective of him, because all she wanted was for her children and grandchildren to be happy. Will observed that there seemed to be more going on with Kate than she was letting on. Kate admitted, "Billie and I had it out. You know, she's deeply disappointed it me." Kate added that she was sure they would work things out eventually.

Gabi was sitting with Nick at the Brady Pub when Rafe entered. An overjoyed Gabi assumed that Rafe was there to attend her and Nick's wedding that afternoon, but Rafe thought they should postpone the ceremony. He explained that he thought they should take some time so that it wouldn't seem like a reaction to what had happened during their wedding at the church. An unwilling Nick insisted that he and Gabi loved each other, and that would never change. After he'd calmed down a bit, Nick said that he and Gabi needed some time to discuss it. Rafe agreed. On his way out, he reassured his sister that he loved her very much.

Gabi asked Nick gently if waiting to get married would really be a bad idea. Nick worried that Rafe would continue asking them to postpone the wedding. Gabi asserted that Rafe simply didn't want them rushing to get married, especially after what they'd been through. She added that waiting might help everyone move past what had happened and be supportive -- plus Gabi really wanted their friends and family to be there when she married Nick. "So maybe waiting to get married isn't such a bad idea," Gabi suggested -- just as Kate walked in and chimed in her agreement.

Nick somewhat testily reassured Kate that the wedding wouldn't interfere with work. Kate said that she wasn't worried about that; she was only there to deliver something to Nick. Assuming that the envelope contained a severance package, Nick reminded Kate that they had a contract. Kate said that she had been prepared to get rid of Nick, but Will had convinced her that Gabi and Nick intended to include Will in the baby's life.

Nick asked Kate not to divulge to anyone that Gabi was having a girl because Gabi wanted to share that news. Kate pointed out that as the father, Will had just as much right to tell people as Gabi. Kate then told Nick that his parking pass and security badge for work were in the envelope, and she warned him that he would be very busy after he started and might not see much of Gabi.

After Kate had gone, Nick asserted, "There is nobody on our side but us, Gabi." He believed that Kate and Rafe had both demonstrated that they intended to keep Nick and Gabi on a short leash. Gabi insisted that wasn't the case with Rafe. Nick argued that Rafe should have been looking out for Gabi and helping her get what she wanted, but instead he was putting restrictions and conditions on his support.

When Nick saw how upset he'd made Gabi, he apologized. Gabi asserted that she didn't want to be caught in the middle between Nick and Rafe, and she pointed out that the end result would be the same whether they got married that day or in a couple of months -- and if they waited, they could have the wedding that they wanted. "If that is what makes you happy, then that's what we'll do," Nick agreed.

On the phone at Common Grounds, Billie was informing someone that she had given notice to her previous employer and therefore could start work immediately. A little later, Kate arrived, and Billie asked if she could join her mother. Billie said that Will had convinced her that Kate deserved to hear Billie's news in person. She explained, "That job I was up for, it came through... The position's in Europe, and I leave tonight."

Fighting back tears, Kate asked if Billie really hated her that much. Billie stated that her reasons for returning to Salem were no longer relevant, and it was time for her to move on. As Kate began to weep in earnest, Billie insisted that she didn't mean to hurt her mom, and assured her that they would still see each other often. "I don't want to say goodbye," Kate cried.

Billie replied tearfully, "You don't have to. I love you, Mom. I love you. I just wish you didn't make it so darn hard to be in your corner. Please just know that's where I'm always going to be. No matter what, I will always, always, always be there, even if you can't see me there." The two women shared a long, tearful goodbye hug. Kate wiped her eyes as Billie left.

When Marlena visited Hope at the police station, Hope said that she'd heard John had left town. Marlena confirmed that it was true, and explained that her husband needed time away from her to sort out his feelings because he didn't trust her anymore. Hope felt partly responsible, since she had been the one to suggest that Marlena wear a wire to try to incriminate Kristen. Marlena elaborated that John also knew that her worst fear had been that he would end up in Kristen's bed, and that was why he was so hurt. Hope offered to take Marlena out to cheer her up, but Marlena declined. As Marlena left, Hope embraced her friend comfortingly.

Rafe walked in a little later, just as Hope threw a nonworking pen across the room in frustration. "That about sums up my mood, too," Rafe said. Hope asked how Gabi was doing. Rafe divulged that Nick and Gabi had been planning to get married at the justice of the peace later that day, but he had asked them to put it off for a little while. Hope offered to talk to Nick for Rafe. Rafe replied that he didn't want Nick to feel like everyone was ganging up on him -- plus Hope obviously had a lot of other things on her mind, as lately she had seemed a little edgy.

Hope shrugged off Rafe's concerns, but he wondered if she were worried about when Bo was going to return. Hope reminded Rafe that Bo was merely spending some overdue time with Shawn, Belle, and Claire. Gabi called Rafe just then to inform him that after she and Nick had discussed it, they had decided to postpone the wedding. A relieved Rafe acknowledged that it couldn't have been an easy decision. Hope then left to pick up Ciara at school, but once she was alone in the hallway, she let out an anxious sigh.

Nick was gone when Will arrived at the pub a little later. Gabi informed Will that she and Nick had decided to delay the wedding on Rafe's urging. Gabi was confident that doing so would allow them to have even more of a celebration. She then produced a picture from the sonogram for Will. Touched, Will expressed his gratitude to Gabi. "Where's Nick, by the way? I want to thank him," Will asked.

In Gabi's room upstairs, Nick sat at the computer and typed, "Lucas Horton, prison sentence" into the search engine. "Time to play hardball, Will," Nick muttered. He was stunned as he read the search results, which stated that Lucas Horton had been sentenced to ten years in prison for the attempted murder of E.J. DiMera after Lucas had confessed to the crime. Nick quickly deduced that Lucas had taken the rap for Will. Chuckling, an astonished Nick remarked to himself, "The gay boy tried to murder E.J. DiMera!" Just then, Will stuck his head in the door.

Nicole hid in the bathroom of Kristen's hotel room while Kristen and Brady began to have sex. Kristen excused herself and dashed into the bathroom but didn't close the door, so Nicole concealed herself behind it. Suddenly, both women heard Brady's angry voice asking, "What is this?" Kristen emerged from the bathroom and found Brady looking at Kristen's open laptop on the nightstand. "These are confidential documents from Titan that are on your computer. How the hell did they get on here?" Brady demanded.

Kristen swore that she had no idea how the files had gotten there, but Brady didn't believe her. When Kristen innocently guessed that Brady had used her computer and had simply forgotten, it only made Brady more suspicious. An indignant Kristen stormed out of the room with Brady not far behind her. Nicole exited the bathroom and declared with satisfaction, "I guess my work is done here."

Brady followed Kristen into the park, determined to get to the bottom of what had happened. An upset Kristen pointed out that if she had stolen the files, she would never have been so stupid as to leave her computer open where Brady could see them. She maintained that it was far more likely that she had been set up -- and divulged that Nicole had returned to get Kristen to sign the resignation papers from the church board.

Brady guessed that Nicole had visited Kristen again after going to the DiMera mansion. Apologizing for jumping to the wrong conclusion, Brady put his arms reassuringly around Kristen. He admitted that they'd both been played -- but he thought he could prove it if Kristen would let him look at the files again.

Eric was at work in the church office when a chipper Nicole returned with Kristen's resignation letter. Almost as soon as Eric had left to deliver the letter where it needed to go, a dejected-looking Brady walked in. Nicole asked him what was wrong, and Brady admitted that Nicole might have been right about Kristen. He asked for Nicole's help in making sense of what had happened. Brady explained about finding the documents on Kristen's computer, and added that he couldn't be involved with someone he didn't trust. Nicole sympathized.

Brady continued that the documents had been new, with time stamps showing when they'd been uploaded to his computer; based on that, Kristen couldn't have stolen them. Her eyes beginning to dart nervously, Nicole suggested that perhaps Kristen had hacked into the system. Brady said no, but wondered if Nicole had seen anything when she'd been at the mansion. As she struggled to think of an answer, Brady pointed out, "I didn't do it. Victor didn't do it. Daniel certainly didn't do it."

Nicole desperately threw out Henderson's name, but Brady noted that she was the only other person who had been there. "What am I missing that would explain how documents that Kristen clearly couldn't have stolen from my computer wound up on her computer -- right after you left my place and went to her place to have her sign those papers for Eric?" Brady wondered. Nicole feigned incredulity that Brady would point the finger at her, and reminded him that Victor had plenty of motive. Furious, Brady grabbed Nicole by the arms and spat, "You lying little bitch!"

While Brady was reading Nicole the riot act, Eric returned and demanded to know what was going on. He intervened when Brady didn't immediately let go of Nicole, but Brady still continued to rail at her. "You put those documents on Kristen's computer, didn't you? You wanted me to think that she was stealing from Titan, that she was using me, right?" Brady demanded. Nicole tried helplessly to defend herself, but Brady declared that Nicole's attempt to break him and Kristen up had only made them stronger. "You crossed a line. I don't want to see you," Brady growled as he stormed out.

Eric turned to Nicole with disappointment and demanded, "My God, what have you done?" Nicole begged Eric to let her explain. "I was trying to help Brady -- and you," Nicole began. Eric didn't understand how. Nicole stated that although Eric had been trying to lead her down a better path, he couldn't turn her into a virtuous person overnight. She added tearfully that the things she had done were from the heart -- and even if she had lost her friendship with Brady, she would do it all again, because what she'd done had been the only thing she could think of to make him see the light about Kristen.

Eric acknowledged that it couldn't have been easy for Nicole to admit that, but he was glad that she had. "I'm sorry that it cost you your relationship with Brady. You know, maybe when things cool down, you can repair things, but in the meantime, I think you should prepare yourself, just in case," Eric cautioned Nicole. Nicole was confused, so Eric pointed out that she had broken the law by stealing the documents from Brady's computer and planting them on Kristen's laptop. He worried that Nicole could end up in jail if Brady or Kristen got mad enough to press charges.

Kristen was still in the park when Marlena arrived. After stopping short at the sound of Kristen's voice, Marlena tried to continue on her way, but Kristen blocked her path. Marlena calmly acknowledged that Kristen had to be proud of herself because she had made both John and Marlena suffer. Kristen retorted that Marlena thrived on self-pity but never took responsibility for her actions.

"Did you ever tell Brady what you tried to do to me?" Kristen asked. She answered her own question by guessing that Marlena hadn't said anything to Brady because it wouldn't allow her to continue playing the victim. "You're a hypocrite -- and what's worse, you don't own it," Kristen declared contemptuously as she walked away.

Brady was charging through Horton Square when Marlena stopped him and asked if he could give her a minute for something important. Marlena revealed that John's story about going to Europe on business was only partly true; he had also left because he'd needed a break from her. She explained that she had visited Kristen while wearing a wire to try to get Kristen to admit why she was involved with Brady. John had found out, and that was why he had left town.

Brady demanded to know why Marlena had chosen that moment to tell him about it. Marlena said that she had assumed Kristen had already told him about it. "She was on to me from the very beginning. She held up a note that said, 'I know what you're doing,'" Marlena added. Brady's expression darkened as he remembered Kristen's lame explanation about the note. Marlena asked him to let her tell him the rest of the story, but Brady announced that he had to go and hurriedly stalked off.

Kristen was celebrating with a glass of wine in her room when Brady knocked on the door. After greeting him affectionately, Kristen asked if Brady had confronted Nicole. Brady admitted that he had, and Nicole had confessed to everything. Kristen threw her arms around him exuberantly, but a cold Brady pushed her away and demanded to know why she had lied to him. Kristen reminded him that Nicole was the one who had lied. Brady clarified, "I'm not talking about the files. Why did you lie to me about Marlena?"

Thursday, January 31, 2013

by Mike

Outside Common Grounds, Sami placed a call to Will, but the call went to voicemail. Sami cryptically stated that one of her friends at City Hall had told her a nasty rumor, adding that it was something that would need to be handled right away for the sake of Will's child.

In Kristen's hotel room, Brady accused Kristen of lying about the torn note that he had found in her trashcan earlier. Brady incredulously recalled that it had been easy for Kristen to lie about the note, adding that she hadn't even blinked. Kristen dryly stated that psychopaths were natural liars, but Brady wasn't amused.

Brady reasoned that after everything that he and Kristen had been through, he deserved to hear the truth. Kristen agreed and summarized that she had written the note after she had realized that Marlena had worn a wire in an attempt to trick Kristen into revealing that she was simply using Brady. Kristen denied the accusation and added that she had lied about the note in order to protect Marlena, but Brady wasn't convinced.

Kristen pointed out that John and Marlena's marriage had been strained recently, and she claimed that she had not wanted to exacerbate their issues. Kristen added that she had also wanted to protect Brady, reasoning that revealing the truth about Marlena's stunt would have caused further tension in his relationship with Marlena.

Kristen said that she couldn't handle seeing Brady look at her the way that everyone else in Salem had been looking at her. "I told you from the very beginning, Brady, that it was gonna be you and me against the whole world. Man, if you don't have my back, then I just want you to go, 'cause I'd rather be alone," Kristen said, struggling to contain her emotions as she opened the hotel room door.

Brady closed the door and refused to leave, assuring Kristen that he was on her side, and she passionately kissed him. Later, after having sex, Brady drowsily repeated Kristen's earlier statement before drifting off to sleep, muttering that they only had each other. "The rest of the world can go to hell. It always does," Kristen whispered after verifying that Brady was asleep.

At the Horton Town Square, E.J. received a phone call from Sami, who asked him to meet her at her apartment later that night so that they could talk about something. After agreeing to do so, E.J. ended the call and ran into Rafe. E.J. wondered how Gabi was doing, and Rafe replied that, despite the fact that Chad had ruined her wedding, she was fine. E.J. conceded that Chad's announcement had been poorly timed.

E.J. suggested that revealing the truth about the baby's paternity had been in everyone's best interests, but Rafe seemed unconvinced. "Well, look, I mean, I realize it's sort of a rite of passage, really, for a member of the Hernandez family to keep a father from their child, but, uh, I would have thought by now you'd realize it doesn't work out very well for you," E.J. said.

"Unlike kidnapping and hiding babies from their real mothers, hmm?" Rafe countered. Rafe impatiently started to walk away, but E.J. stopped him. E.J. warned that Rafe and Gabi needed to stay away from Sami and Will. E.J. pointed out that Will and Sami were the baby's father and grandmother, respectively, which meant that they had every right to be involved in the child's life. Rafe wondered if E.J. was trying to argue the case.

"Me? No, no -- I took the liberty of hiring the best lawyer in Salem to do that for me...just to be ready to defend against any challenges that you, your sister, or that criminal that she's getting married to may throw in their general direction, so let's just be clear about one thing, Rafe -- if you interfere with William or Samantha in any way, you'll regret it," E.J. warned.

Rafe observed that E.J. seemed to be fighting Sami's battles for her, sarcastically adding that she had always loved being treated like she was helpless. E.J. dismissed Rafe's advice, gloating that he and Sami shared a bond that Rafe would never be able to understand. E.J. theorized that Rafe had lost Sami because he had never understood her the way that E.J. had. Rafe laughed as he listened to E.J.'s speculation.

"Is that what you think? I threw in the towel, you moron, which is really the only reason that you have a chance with her now. We were together. Yeah. I mean, we decided -- she was gonna tell you, but then, well, we decided it would be better to wait till after the wedding. But make no mistake, my friend -- you were out," Rafe said with a shrug, rendering E.J. speechless.

E.J. was skeptical, so Rafe encouraged him to obtain confirmation from some of the guests who had attended the wedding. Rafe sarcastically added that Sami would probably tell E.J. the truth herself, since she and E.J. supposedly shared some sort of incredible bond. Before E.J. could respond, Rafe calmly walked away.

In Gabi's room above the Brady Pub, Nick quickly minimized the browser on Gabi's laptop. Meanwhile, Will started to talk about Gabi's earlier ultrasound appointment, gushing about how incredible it had been to see his baby, hear her heartbeat, and feel her kick for the first time. Will showed Nick the sonogram image that Gabi had given him earlier, revealing that it was going to be his new screensaver.

Gesturing to the laptop screen, Nick dismissively stated that he and Gabi had already made the image their new screensaver. "Isn't this -- this is how it should be, right? You know, I mean, we all love this little girl, and we're all gonna raise her. And how awesome is it gonna be that we're -- you know, we're all gonna be good to each other at the same time?" Will asked, and Nick forced a smile and silently nodded.

Will confidently stated that he, Gabi, and Nick were going to be able to make the situation work for the baby's sake. Nick remained silent, so Will hugged him and exited the room. After Will left, Nick sneered and returned to the laptop to resume his earlier research.

In the main section of the pub, Sami approached Gabi, who was admiring an outfit that she had purchased for the baby. Sami announced that she had heard about Gabi and Nick's plan to get married. Sami referred to the marriage as the first part of Nick and Gabi's plot to get full custody of the baby, and she insisted that their scheme wasn't going to work. Sami pointed out that Nick was a convicted murderer who was on parole.

Gabi recalled that Sami hadn't cared about Nick's past when she had been helping them plan the wedding, but Sami bitterly countered that Gabi had been lying about some crucial details at that time. Gabi sighed and revealed that she and Nick had decided to postpone the wedding. Gabi insisted that no one was trying to take Will's child away from him, adding that he had attended her ultrasound appointment earlier that day.

Sami softened slightly and wondered if the baby was all right. Gabi said that the baby was perfect, adding that she and Will had felt their daughter kick. Sami smiled as she realized that the baby was a girl, and she quickly retrieved her phone so that she could start to schedule some future hospital appointments for Gabi. Gabi shook her head and insisted that Sami wasn't going to be involved in those decisions.

Gabi added that if Sami wanted to be a part of the baby's life, she was going to have to stop attacking Gabi. Sami took Gabi's statement as a threat, and she glared at Gabi as she warned that Gabi would never be able to keep her out of her grandchild's life. Before Gabi could respond, Nick interrupted and wondered what was going on.

Gabi dismissed the incident as a simple misunderstanding, but Sami disagreed, insisting that Gabi's threat had been quite clear. Nick impatiently urged Sami to leave Gabi alone, adding that stress wasn't good for the baby. Sami smiled sweetly and said that she had never meant to upset Gabi. Sami abruptly excused herself, stating that she was going to do some shopping because Will's daughter deserved to have the best.

After Sami left, Nick offered to make Gabi something to eat, but she said that arguing with Sami had caused her to lose her appetite. Nick suggested that he and Gabi needed to distance themselves from Will, but she insisted that Will wasn't the problem. Meanwhile, Rafe entered the pub and offered to treat Gabi and Nick to a nice dinner somewhere.

Noticing Gabi's body language, Rafe wondered what was wrong. Gabi claimed that everything was fine, but Nick quickly contradicted her, stating that Sami had been causing problems earlier. Later, Gabi excused herself so that she could get some rest. After Gabi left, Nick started to complain about the earlier encounter with Sami.

"I mean, you guys were -- you were so glad that the truth came out and everything, but this is reason number one we didn't want Will and his family involved. I mean, Sami's gonna make Gabi's life a living hell now," Nick told Rafe. Rafe assured Nick that Sami wasn't going to be a problem, vaguely stating that he would take care of the situation. After Rafe left, Nick returned to Gabi's room and continued his research while she was sleeping.

At Common Grounds, Sonny handed Abigail a cup of coffee, oblivious to the fact that it was not what she had actually ordered. Sonny apologized when Abigail pointed out the error, and she knowingly observed that he seemed absolutely miserable. Sonny defensively stated that he had made a mistake, insisting that it wasn't a big deal. Abigail pointedly agreed that mistakes could happen.

Recognizing the implication, Sonny insisted that Abigail was making an unfair comparison. Abigail conceded that Will's mistake had been much bigger than messing up a customer's order, but she added that he had made that mistake because he had been trying to do the right thing for everyone -- including Sonny. Abigail guessed that Sonny still loved and wanted to be with Will.

Sonny countered that loving and wanting to be with Will were two different things. Abigail sighed and encouraged Sonny to at least try to give Will another chance. "Look, I know that he lied, and that was wrong...but did you ever think that maybe the way you're acting now proves that he was right to keep it a secret?" Abigail gently asked.

Meanwhile, Cameron entered the coffeehouse and approached Chad, who was staring at Abigail. Cameron observed that Chad was acting like a stalker, and Chad countered that stalking was one crime that he had never been accused of committing. Chad admitted that, while he felt horrible about the fact that he had ruined his relationship with Abigail, the worst part of the situation was that he had destroyed Sonny and Will's relationship as well.

Later, Chad walked over to the bar so that he could eavesdrop on the conversation that Sonny and Abigail were having at a nearby table. Sonny sighed as he explained that he needed some space so that he could deal with what Will had done and figure out how he really felt about the situation. Abigail optimistically summarized that Sonny was saying that the relationship wasn't completely over yet.

Abigail urged Sonny to admit that he still loved Will. "Okay, I love Will. If I didn't, this would be easy. But can I live with what he did? Like, I don't know if I can trust him anymore," Sonny admitted, and Chad watched as Sonny walked away, ignoring Abigail's attempt to stop him. Meanwhile, E.J. entered the coffeehouse, and he asked Chad for some information about Sami and Rafe's behavior on the day of the wedding.

Chad recalled that some of the guests had speculated that Rafe and Sami might be the next couple to get married. E.J. seemed disappointed, so Chad added that the guests might have been jumping to conclusions. Chad asked about the status of E.J. and Sami's relationship. "A word to the wise, Chad -- don't ever be a woman's second choice," E.J. said without a hint of irony.

After E.J. left, Chad begged Abigail to tell him how he could repair their relationship, but she insisted that she didn't owe him an answer to that question. Abigail advised Chad to simply work on making himself a better person. Cameron, who had been standing nearby, exited the coffeehouse, and Abigail abruptly excused herself, following him outside.

At the hospital, Abigail greeted Cameron and noted that he hadn't even bothered to say hello to her at the coffeehouse earlier. Cameron claimed that he had not wanted to interrupt her conversation with Chad. Abigail explained that she had been trying to give Chad a chance to make amends, admitting that she could relate to his desire to do so, since she had also been guilty of toying with another person's emotions in the past.

After a brief conversation about Abigail's attempts to reunite Will and Sonny, Cameron started to excuse himself so that he could check on some patients. Abigail stopped Cameron and wondered if he would be interested in hanging out with her at a later date so that they could talk about what had happened between them in the past. Cameron eagerly accepted Abigail's offer.

In Sami's apartment, Sami greeted E.J. and revealed that she had something that she needed to tell him. After taking a deep breath, Sami admitted that she had been gravitating toward Rafe since the previous autumn. Sami added that she had kissed Rafe on New Year's Eve.

"After that, he asked me if we could try again...and I said yes. And he told me that I had to tell you...and I agreed. I -- but I could never do it. And I said it was 'cause I didn't want to hurt you, and I didn't want to get all upset before the wedding...blah, blah, blah. But it just -- I think, now, I was -- I was being selfish. I think there was some smart part of me that was trying to save me," Sami theorized.

Sami claimed that the wedding had allowed her to see Rafe for who he truly was. Sami wondered why she had kept trying to make her relationship with Rafe work, speculating that she might have pursued him so that she could earn her family's approval, or because she had convinced herself that he was the right choice because he was the good guy.

"There's another reason I didn't tell you...about Rafe. It's because I knew...that if I told you...I would be throwing away you. E.J., I have been such a coward. I have been so afraid...of how you make me feel. But this is right. It feels right. And I think losing you would be the biggest mistake of my whole life. And I deserve it -- I mean, I totally get that I deserve to lose you. But since when has that ever stopped me from asking for what I want? I want you. Am I too late? Do we still have a chance?" Sami asked hopefully.

E.J., who had been quietly listening the entire time, remained silent, and Sami admitted that her question had been unfair. "You have deserved better from me all along. There has been something between us...from day one. We danced around it, always letting something or someone get in the way, but no matter what we said, no matter what we did, no matter how angry I got...it always comes back to you. There is something in me that just can't stay away from you, and I'm tired of fighting it. You have been patient with me -- more or less -- so now it's my turn. You can tell me off, you can tell me to go to hell, but I'm not giving up. I'm not going anywhere. I am putting you on notice, E.J. -- I'm willing to do what I have to...for as long as it takes...until I get you to come around, because I believe we belong together," Sami tearfully concluded.

E.J. remained silent, prompting Sami to urge him to say something. "As usual, you, um -- you said everything. You may have patience for me, but I'm at the end of my patience with you," E.J. finally replied. Sami started to beg E.J. to give her a chance to explain her actions, but he interrupted and passionately kissed her. Meanwhile, in the hallway, Rafe started pounding on the door, insisting that he needed to talk to Sami. Sami and E.J. ignored Rafe as they continued to kiss.

At the Horton Town Square, Chad ran into Will, who curtly greeted him and continued walking in the opposite direction. Chad grabbed Will's arm and asked for two minutes of his time. Chad swore that if he had known that Will was the father of Gabi's baby, he would have taken Will's secret to his grave.

"Well, what -- what you did and, uh, how you did it...kind of sucked, but, you know, at least I've got this now," Will said as he handed Chad the sonogram image, adding that the baby was a girl. Chad grinned and confidently stated that Will was going to be an awesome father. Will thanked Chad and said that he was definitely going to try to be a good father.

Changing the subject, Chad urged Will to talk to Sonny. "I overheard him at the coffeehouse, and he's just been talking nonstop about how much he loves you," Chad revealed. Will joked that Chad needed to get out of the eavesdropping business. Chad conceded that Will was probably right, but he added that eavesdropping always allowed a person to hear the truth. Chad wished Will luck and excused himself.

At Common Grounds, Brian greeted Sonny, who quickly guessed that Brian had heard the news and was eager to gloat about the fact that he had been right about Will all along. Brian promised that he wouldn't do that, and Sonny recalled that Brian had once warned him that Will had a lot of baggage. "I just had no idea that included a diaper bag," Brian joked.

Sonny laughed and noted that he hadn't seen Brian recently. Brian joked that he had been leading a quiet, monastic life, adding that Sonny's rejection had shattered his world and caused him to start contemplating the emptiness of existence. Sonny smiled and admitted that he had always had that kind of effect on people. Sonny wondered if Brian's contemplations had led to any interesting insights.

Brian jokingly stated that he had realized that if existence was empty, he should at least be able to get a good cup of Italian espresso along the way. Later, as Brian sipped his espresso, Sonny closed the coffeehouse for the night. Sonny warned that the espresso was going to keep Brian awake for the entire night, but Brian wasn't concerned.

Brian reasoned that the alternative -- decaffeinated espresso -- was a ridiculous concept that removed the whole point of drinking espresso in the first place. "If you want something...just do it. Go big or go home, man," Brian added.

Brian noted that it had been nice to hear Sonny laugh earlier. Sonny admitted that it felt like it had been years since he had last laughed, and Brian insisted that Sonny deserved more than that. Brian locked eyes with Sonny and leaned in to kiss him.

Outside, Will approached Common Grounds and found the door locked. When Will peered through the window, he saw Sonny and Brian, who were still kissing each other.

Friday, February 1, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

Will arrived outside Common Grounds, but when he tried to enter, he found the door locked. He peered through the window and spotted Sonny and Brian making out inside. Brian suggested that they go someplace more private. When Sonny grabbed his coat, Will ducked around the corner to hide. As Brian was waiting for Sonny to lock up, he spied Will but did not acknowledge his presence. Sonny and Brian then left arm-in-arm while a dejected Will hung his head.

Will was slouching through Horton Square when Justin caught up with him. Justin said that he was on his way to the coffeehouse to see Sonny, but Will glumly informed Justin that Sonny had closed early. Justin asked if Will knew where Sonny was, but Will did not. Justin inquired about how Will was doing since they'd last seen each other at Christmas. Will acknowledged that the night they had all spent together had been really nice, but he'd obviously been keeping a big secret.

Justin flashed back to how Nick had asked him what it would take to prove that Will was an unfit father, and Justin asked if Will had a good custody lawyer. Will divulged that E.J. had put someone on retainer for him, and Justin was pleased when he learned that it was one of the best custody lawyers. Will maintained that he didn't think he would need the lawyer. Grinning, Will explained that Nick and Gabi had let him be at the sonogram -- and he was glad that he wasn't going to miss anything from then on.

"Now, did you really think you could?" Justin asked. Will admitted that he'd had a hard time imagining not being able to acknowledge his child or be a part of its life, but he'd agreed to it because he'd thought it was what would be best for the baby. "And I was afraid of what I might lose... What I did lose, anyway," Will said. Upset again, Will walked away.

At Brian's apartment, Brian raised his wine glass "to better days." Sonny agreeably clinked his glass with Brian's. Brian asserted that he found it very sexy that Sonny had always known exactly who he was. Sonny returned the compliment by saying that Brian had always seemed very confident, but Brian admitted that it had been a long road. When Sonny questioned Brian further about it, Brian declared that he had waited a long time for Sonny. He set both of their wine glasses down and kissed Sonny.

Soon, the two were on the bed, and Brian began removing Sonny's clothes. Suddenly, Sonny pulled away, apologizing as he got out of bed. "Brian, you know I like you, but I just need a little bit more time," Sonny explained. An understanding Brian offered to walk Sonny out.

Sonny had returned to the coffeehouse when Justin knocked on the door a little later. Justin remarked that Sonny had closed early, but Sonny unconvincingly explained that he had just gone out for a little while but had returned to catch up on some things. Justin asked how his son was doing, and Sonny recounted all the things in his life that were going great. Justin pointed out, "You're talking about everything except the one thing anybody means when they ask how you are."

Sonny admitted that everything in his life was perfect, yet it all seemed "screwed up." "Because you don't have Will," Justin concluded. Sonny reminded Justin that Will had lied to him. Justin admitted that he ran across all sorts of liars in his line of work, most of whom did so for somewhat nefarious reasons, but some of them lied because they were merely good people in lousy situations. Sonny pointed out that Will's lie had been huge.

Justin wanted to know if Sonny had asked why Will had been willing to give up all rights to his child. Sonny replied, "He said that he was doing what he thought was best for the baby." Justin asked if that had been all Will had said.

Will was doing homework at the Brady Pub when Brian walked in and said hello. Will ignored him, but Brian loomed over the table until Will was forced to acknowledge him. "You saw us, didn't you? Me and Sonny at the coffeehouse?" Brian asked. Will admitted that he had. "Then you know what I've been doing. It's been an incredible night. I guess you know what that's like, too," Brian gloated as he strolled out.

In Sami's apartment, Sami and E.J. were kissing deeply when Rafe began pounding on the door and ordering Sami to open up. Ignoring the racket, E.J. and Sami continued their liplock. Rafe persisted, but Sami only murmured to E.J., "I don't hear anything." When it became clear that Rafe wasn't going anywhere, Sami reluctantly pulled away, promising E.J. that she would get rid of her ex quickly.

Sami opened the door but did not let Rafe in. Rafe ordered Sami to leave his sister alone. Sami countered that all she had done was let Gabi know that sneaking away to get married would not help her get full custody of the baby. Rafe pushed past Sami into the apartment and scoffed when he saw E.J. in the kitchen. "Wow. That was a speed record, even for you two," Rafe remarked. He demanded to know if Sami had really confronted and threatened Gabi earlier.

Sami asserted that she had merely made clear that Gabi's tricks wouldn't work because Sami and Will weren't going anywhere. Rafe pointed out that Will had rights where the baby was concerned, but Sami did not. Sami calmly but firmly warned Rafe against telling her what to do in her own home. She added that once she'd realized that Gabi and Nick seemed to be including Will, she had left. Sami promised to be more understanding as long as Gabi respected Will's rights.

Satisfied, Rafe left, but E.J. followed him into the hallway and closed the door. Rafe needled E.J. about "coming in second." E.J. wondered why Sami had never gotten around to telling him that she and Rafe had gotten back together before the wedding. Rafe pointed out that Sami was a liar who had probably lied to both of them. "You and Sami deserve each other," Rafe declared. A confident E.J. ordered Rafe to stay out of Sami and E.J.'s lives. "Keep her away from Gabi, away from me -- she's all yours," Rafe said as he left.

E.J. returned to the apartment and told Sami that Rafe had gone and would not be returning. Over wine a little later, Sami assured E.J. that it was over with Rafe. She wondered aloud who had prevented Gabi and Nick from sneaking off and getting married earlier, and worried about Nick and Gabi blindsiding Will. E.J. reassured her that they would not let that happen. He offered to have the custody lawyer call Will and introduce herself.

When E.J. started rambling on about how Will needed a third party who wasn't emotionally involved to talk to, Sami asked, "E.J., where did you go?" She hesitantly asked whether E.J. wanted her. "Pretty much every waking moment for the last six years," E.J. replied. Sami asked what was wrong, then, if that were true. E.J. admitted that he was just waiting for the next crisis to interrupt them. They joked about it, but then E.J. realized that there was nothing standing in their way any longer. Sami confessed that was a terrifying thought since it had never happened before.

After Sami kissed E.J., she declared that she was glad she'd finally gotten up the nerve to ask him for a chance after wasting so much time worrying about making the right choice. E.J. pointed out that his feelings about her had never been a secret, adding, "It's always been you." Sami acknowledged that she'd always been able to see the good man inside E.J. when she saw him with their kids.

"But now, I look at you, and you have stepped into yourself. You are the man you were meant to be, and maybe you couldn't have done that if you had been with me," Sami said. "Maybe I did that because of you, in hopes of you," E.J. replied softly. He then noted that it was late and he should let Sami get to bed. Sami urged him to stay, and pointed out that before the last interruption, things had felt very right. E.J. seemed uncertain, so Sami kissed him passionately to demonstrate.

Hope dropped by the Horton house to borrow a sleeping bag from Jennifer for Ciara's sleepover. Hope immediately spotted Jennifer's overnight bag in the entryway and asked where Jennifer was going. Jennifer admitted that she and Daniel were going to spend the night together -- and it was thanks to Chloe. Jennifer explained that catching Chloe in Daniel's apartment, wearing nothing but Daniel's shirt, had been a wake-up call for Jennifer. "I looked at Chloe, and I saw her going after what she wants, so I have to do that, too," Jennifer declared.

Hope was proud of her cousin for taking the initiative and inviting Daniel. Jennifer asked if Hope thought it was too soon, but Hope wanted to know what Jennifer thought. Jennifer admitted that she would never stop missing Jack, but added, "I wouldn't even dream of moving on with someone else if it weren't for Daniel." Jennifer insisted that she didn't want to wait any longer -- and it wasn't about Chloe wanting Daniel back; it was about Jennifer's feelings for Daniel.

"If there is one thing that I learned this year, it that you should never take time for granted, especially not time with the people you care about," Jennifer asserted. Hope playfully yanked down the front zipper of Jennifer's dress a few inches, and told her cousin that she needed to loosen up a little. Jennifer laughed and hugged Hope.

Later, Rafe visited Hope at the police station. Rafe confided that Sami had been hounding Gabi, so a sympathetic Hope offered to play "good cop" to his "bad cop." Rafe declined. Hope was confident that Rafe and Sami would work it out, but Rafe maintained that it was over. Hope didn't believe that Sami and E.J. would ever get back together, but Rafe disabused her of that notion. "Sami told me right before the wedding -- her heart belongs to you," Hope asserted. Rafe contended that one couldn't believe a word Sami said, and added, "As for her heart, I'm not sure she has one."

At the Kiriakis mansion, Chloe told Daniel that she and Parker would have the house to themselves that night, but she would be happy to slip away if Daniel wanted to have some "boy time" with his son. Daniel said that he couldn't because he and Jennifer were going away for the night. He gave Chloe the phone number for the Green Mountain Lodge, since the cell service could be spotty. Chloe admitted that she had really hoped to have some time with Daniel to discuss her past and how Kate had tried to use it against her.

Chloe continued that it was difficult to talk about that dark period of her life, but she was consumed with guilt about what had happened. Daniel assured her that she didn't have to dredge that up again, because the only thing that mattered was that she had been an amazing mother to Parker. After glancing at his watch, Daniel announced that he had to leave. Chloe confessed that she was a little worried about Daniel because of how quickly things were moving with Jennifer.

Daniel politely hinted that it was none of Chloe's business -- and his relationship with Jennifer was solid, so Chloe didn't have to worry about Jennifer disappearing after Parker had bonded with her. "Jennifer is going to be a constant in his life," Daniel declared firmly. He grabbed his things and left. Chloe knocked over the tower of building blocks on the coffee table in frustration.

Daniel bumped into Maggie in the foyer on his way out. He explained that he'd wanted to say goodbye to Parker before he and Jennifer went away for the night. Maggie asked how the visit had gone, and Daniel acknowledged that Parker didn't really know him yet. Maggie assured Daniel that Parker would soon know that Daniel was his father.

Maggie went into the living room and greeted Chloe, who was picking up Parker's toys. Chloe grumbled that she was worried about what would happen to Parker if Daniel and Jennifer's relationship failed. An annoyed Maggie asserted that Jennifer and Daniel had a strong relationship. Chloe pointed out that Jennifer had been involved with Daniel before but she'd dumped him when Jack had returned.

"That's enough, Chloe," Maggie cautioned, and pointed out that Chloe hadn't been there during that time. Chloe argued that she was just worried about Daniel being hurt. Fighting to control her obvious anger, Maggie maintained that Daniel wasn't as delicate as Chloe seemed to believe. Maggie then headed upstairs.

"It's going to be a lot harder to get Daniel away from Jennifer if this night happens," Chloe fretted to herself, adding, "I have to figure out a way to stop it." She paced in front of the fire for a while, her phone in her hand, and then decided to call Daniel and "wing it." Before she could dial, however, she heard Parker crying over the baby monitor. Chloe immediately put down the phone to check on her son, but then had second thoughts and grabbed the phone as she hurried upstairs.

When Daniel arrived to pick up Jennifer, he admitted that he hadn't thought they would ever be in that situation again. "Thank God for second chances," Jennifer declared as she kissed Daniel. They then gathered up their bags and left.

A little while later, Daniel and Jennifer entered their room at the Green Mountain Lodge. Jennifer looked around and congratulated Daniel on making a great choice. Daniel informed her that their dinner reservations were in a half hour, but after they began kissing, Jennifer suggested that they order room service. As the two began to disrobe each other, Daniel stopped to ask Jennifer if she were sure that she was ready. Nodding, Jennifer unbuttoned Daniel's shirt to show him how ready she was.

Soon, Jennifer and Daniel had moved to the bed. When the bedside phone began to ring, they tried to ignore it, but Jennifer finally gave in and picked it up. Before she could even answer, Chloe's anxious voice blared from the receiver, "Daniel, it's Parker! I need you now!"