Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of February 25, 2013 on DAYS

Brady gave in to to Kristen's charms and agreed to move into the DiMera mansion with her. Nick blackmailed Will and forced him to give up his parental rights. Chloe and Abigail came to blows in Horton Square. Jennifer told Daniel that she wanted to break up with him. Nicole almost told Eric the truth about her feelings for him.

Monday, February 25, 2013

by Mike

At St. Luke's, Eric was thinking about the earlier mugging when Nicole entered his office. Nicole started to urge Eric to get some rest, but he interrupted her with an unexpected hug.

As Eric pulled away from Nicole, Marlena cleared her throat and entered the office. Eric hugged Marlena, who explained that Roman had told her about the attack. Eric started to recap the incident for Marlena. Marlena seemed upset when she learned that Nicole had refused to give the mugger a necklace, but she softened slightly when Eric explained that the necklace had once belonged to Nicole's mother.

As Eric concluded the tale, Marlena summarized that it seemed like he and Nicole had been through a terrifying ordeal together. "Yes, but we were really lucky. Eric's fine, but if anything happened to him, I --" Nicole started to say, but she stopped herself and abruptly exited the room so that Eric and Marlena could have some privacy. After Nicole left, Eric told Marlena that Sami had made two attempts to contact him earlier.

Marlena told Eric about everything that had happened at the hospital earlier, and he was relieved to hear that Gabi and the baby were each fine. Marlena wished that the same thing could be said about Sami and Brady, who were each dating a DiMera. Marlena wondered if Eric was all right, adding that she had always assumed that he would be the child that she would never have to worry about.

Eric assured Marlena that there was no reason to worry about him, but she seemed skeptical. Changing the subject, Eric wondered if John had tried to contact Marlena recently. Marlena shook her head and repeated the question to Eric, who said that he had only received a couple of emails from John. Eric optimistically suggested that John's silence might be an indication that he would soon be returning to Salem, and Marlena hoped that Eric was right.

Nicole returned to the room to offer Eric and Marlena a pitcher of water. Meanwhile, Eric received a phone call from Father Matt, and he abruptly excused himself. Marlena started to follow Eric, but Nicole asked her to wait. Nicole assured Marlena that there was no reason to worry about anything happening between Nicole and Eric. Marlena pointedly replied that she wasn't worried, since she knew exactly what kind of man and priest her son was.

Before Nicole could respond, Marlena walked away. Nicole shook her head in disbelief, but she quickly admitted that Marlena was right. Later, Eric returned to the office and realized that something was bothering Nicole. Nicole claimed that the attack had triggered a lot of painful memories about her abusive father, adding that she was also upset because the mugger had tried to steal her mother's necklace.

Nicole said that she hated knowing that the attacker was still out there somewhere, and she announced that she had decided to leave Salem for a while so that she could spend some time with Taylor. Eric protested that Nicole couldn't leave, reminding her that they would each need to identify the mugger once he was apprehended. Before Nicole could respond, Eric received a phone call.

After ending the call, Eric explained that a parishioner was waiting to talk to him, and he wondered if he and Nicole could continue their conversation later. Ignoring Eric's question, Nicole silently left the room. Later, at the Horton Town Square, Nicole asked God to do something to set her free from Eric. Meanwhile, back at St. Luke's, someone approached Eric from behind and wrapped a garrote around his throat.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Kristen admitted that she had been keeping a secret from Brady for months. "It's my father. He's...very, very ill. In fact, he's -- he's living on borrowed time," Kristen claimed. Kristen explained that Stefano had asked her to hide the truth about his condition from everyone -- including E.J. and Chad. Kristen added that she had finally decided that Brady -- the only person whom she truly trusted -- needed to know the truth.

"He has the diabetes, you know, and it's affecting everything in his body, really, from his heart to, uh, just overall numbness...all over his body, and Lexie was monitoring his condition, but then...when she passed away, nobody was there, and he just really started to deteriorate," Kristen claimed, adding that Stefano's prognosis wasn't very good. Kristen said that Stefano's doctors had placed her father's care in her hands, meaning that she would need to stay at the DiMera mansion so that she could monitor his condition.

Brady informed Kristen that he would not be changing his mind about moving into the mansion with her. Kristen nodded sadly and admitted that she should not have tried to pressure Brady into moving in with her and Stefano. Kristen theorized that she had behaved selfishly because she had wanted someone to help her handle the unfortunate situation.

Kristen feigned nervousness as she realized that she was going to have to deal with the situation on her own. Brady wished that he could give Kristen a different answer, and she echoed his sentiment. "My father needs me. I'm not gonna let him down. I have to stand by him. That's why I was kind of hoping you would stand by me," Kristen added with a sigh.

Brady assured Kristen that supporting her was his top priority, but he added that if he moved into the DiMera mansion, it would drive a knife through John's heart, cause Marlena to go berserk, and disgust the rest of his family. Kristen said that she understood, but she reiterated that she wasn't going to abandon her father. Kristen sighed and decided to dismiss her desire to live with Brady as nothing more than a fabulous fantasy.

Kristen started to leave, but Brady stopped her. After taking a deep breath, Brady agreed to move in with Kristen. Kristen squealed with delight as she hugged Brady. Kristen offered to help Brady pack, but he informed her that he had some things that he needed to take care of first. Brady stressed that he wanted to reveal the news to his loved ones on his own terms, and Kristen promised that she wouldn't say anything to anyone.

Brady predicted that the information was going to convince everyone that Kristen had him wrapped around her little finger. Kristen shrugged and dismissively stated that those opinions were irrelevant, since she and Brady knew the truth. Later, after Kristen left, Brady ran into Marlena outside the Kiriakis mansion. Marlena said that she wanted to talk to Brady about something, and he echoed her statement.

Marlena told Brady about Eric and Nicole's mugging, as well as Gabi's premature labor. Brady wondered why no one had tried to contact him to let him know about those developments. Marlena explained that everyone had assumed that Brady would ignore their calls. Brady said that was an inaccurate and unfair assumption, and he insisted that he would have taken anyone's call. Changing the subject, Marlena tried to find out what Brady had wanted to talk to her about earlier, but he evasively stated that it was nothing important. After assuring Brady that his family still loved and needed him, Marlena abruptly excused herself.

In Kristen's hotel room, Kristen placed a phone call to Stefano, who was seated at a restaurant somewhere in Italy. Stefano said that he wasn't sure when he would be returning to Salem. As Stefano stared across the table at his beautiful young dinner companion, he vaguely stated that he had encountered a pleasant delay.

Kristen explained that she had finally convinced Brady to move in with her, and she impatiently stated that she needed Stefano to leave Italy right away. Stefano snapped that he might never return to Salem. Kristen sighed and muttered that Stefano was extremely annoying. Stefano's temper continued to flare as he learned that Kristen wanted Brady to move into the DiMera mansion.

Kristen encouraged Stefano to imagine how John and Marlena would react to the news. "Ah. Well, you know -- well, yeah, that would be like a dagger in their hearts, wouldn't it? Knowing that one of theirs now belongs to us? Listen, a friend of mine tells me that John is still in Rome, hmm? Perhaps I'll take this little bit of information to him personally," Stefano said with a laugh. Kristen wished that she could reveal the news to Marlena.

Kristen hesitantly revealed that she would need Stefano to pretend that he was deathly ill when he returned to Salem. Stefano kissed his female companion and insisted that he felt amazing. "I'm aware of that, but the only way that I could convince Brady to move into your house with me was to tell him that you had one foot in heaven...or, you know, wherever," Kristen said. After apparently convincing Stefano to go along with the plan, Kristen ended the call, and Brady angrily slammed the door to announce his presence.

In a break room at the hospital, Sami assured Nick that she had never meant to hurt Gabi or the baby. Sami promised that she was going to strive to ensure that she would never upset Gabi again. Sami started to add that she was simply trying to protect Will's child, but Nick interrupted her. "Do you even hear yourself at all? Because you say one thing -- you're sorry about this, you're sorry about that -- and then a second later, you're back to your same selfish agenda," Nick said.

Sami scoffed and reminded Nick that they were talking about Will's child, adding that she was simply trying to prevent Nick from shutting Will out of his daughter's life. "You want the God's honest truth, Sami? I think the best thing that could happen would be for Will and his whole family to be shut out of this baby's life -- for good," Nick snapped.

Sami vowed that she would never let that happen, adding that Nick's threats weren't the least bit intimidating. "I don't deal in threats; I deal in facts. Some facts are really ugly -- so ugly that people want to keep them buried forever," Nick cryptically replied. Sami smirked and wondered if Nick was talking about the ugly fact that he was a murderer.

Nick shrugged and said that he had paid for his crimes, adding that a lot of other people had never been punished for the crimes that they had committed. "Hmm. I have no idea what you're talking about, but what I do know is that you are not gonna keep that child away from Will or his family. Why? Because Will is the father -- not you. So the sooner you can accept your role in all of this, the sooner we can all just move on," Sami said before calmly walking away.

In the waiting area, Rafe feigned ignorance when E.J. questioned his relationship with Kate, but E.J. wasn't fooled. "See, I watched the two of you together, and as somebody who has himself known Kate, I don't think it could be more obvious. You do know that forming an alliance with Kate is a little bit like a frog jumping on the back of a scorpion," E.J. warned Rafe.

Rafe claimed that he was simply relieved that Kate had behaved like a rational human being after she had learned that Will was the father of Gabi's baby. E.J. laughed and wondered if Rafe was talking about the same rational woman who had been married to Stefano for a number of years. E.J. theorized that the pain of losing Sami was clouding Rafe's judgment, and he said that could end up being detrimental to Gabi and Will.

"I suggest you check your facts there, counselor, 'cause it was Sami's clouded judgment which landed my sister in this hospital to begin with. Demanding a paternity test? Stressing her out? Classic Sami Brady, isn't it? Then again, I guess you shouldn't be surprised, because it's the same woman who kept your own child a secret from you, and held a gun to the side of your head and then pulled the trigger. Congratulations -- that's quite a prize," Rafe countered.

After conceding Rafe's point, E.J. claimed that his latest attempt at a relationship with Sami was being built on solid ground, but Rafe wasn't convinced. E.J. warned that he would support Sami and Will regardless, especially if a custody battle ensued. E.J. started to say something about Gabi's reputation and Nick's history, but before he could finish his statement, Rafe interrupted and told E.J. to go to hell -- and to take Sami with him.

Sami entered the waiting area and tried to apologize to Rafe, but he responded coldly. Sami started to ask Rafe to let her know if Gabi or the baby's conditions changed, but he interrupted and said that he would contact Will instead. Sami nodded, and she and E.J. exited the hospital. Later, Nick approached Gabi's examination room, but Rafe stopped him and pointed out that the doctors had not yet given them permission to visit her.

Rafe wondered how Nick was doing. Nick said that he was fine, adding that everything was under control. The comment, as well as Nick's refusal to elaborate on it, alarmed Rafe, who pointed out that Nick was still on parole. Nick said that wasn't going to stop him from protecting Gabi and the baby. Rafe continued to probe for additional information, but Nick dismissed the questions and retreated into Gabi's room.

When Gabi woke up, Nick apologized for failing to protect her earlier. Nick vowed that he was never going to let anything happen to Gabi or their baby again. Later, Gabi woke up again and found Rafe sitting nearby. When Gabi asked about Nick, Rafe shrugged and explained that Nick had said that he needed to take care of something.

In Sami's office at Countess Wilhelmina, E.J. insisted that Gabi's earlier ordeal had not been Sami's fault. Changing the subject, E.J. noted that it had taken Sami a long time to rejoin him at the hospital earlier, and he wondered what had caused the delay. Sami told E.J. about her encounter with Nick, including the cryptic comments that Nick had made.

When E.J. learned that Nick had made a veiled threat about paying for past crimes, he quickly grabbed his phone so that he could call Nick's parole officer. Sami stopped E.J., predicting that Will, Gabi, and the entire Horton family would blame her if Nick were sent back to prison. Later, Sami decided to send a bouquet of flowers to Gabi. Sami hoped that the gift would ease the tension between her and Gabi, adding that if Gabi agreed to forgive her, Nick might follow suit. E.J. insisted that Sami didn't need Nick's forgiveness. Sami realized that E.J. was right, and she confidently stated that there was nothing that Nick could do to keep Will out of his daughter's life.

At Common Grounds, Will sighed as he realized that Sonny had discovered the card that Will had planned to give to Sonny on Valentine's Day. Will explained that the card was something that Sonny had not been meant to see, and Sonny replied that it was too late for Will to worry about that. Sonny offered to return the card to Will, but he added that he would not be able to pretend that he hadn't read it.

Will hoped that Sonny would refrain from making a big deal about the card, since that would only add to Will's embarrassment. Sonny wondered if Will had written the note after he had received the MP3 player from Sonny on Valentine's Day. Will sighed and tried to grab the card, but Sonny pulled it away as he continued to question Will.

Sonny guessed that the note that had been attached to the MP3 player had led Will to believe that he was being given a second chance. Sonny wondered if that was why Will had visited him at the coffeehouse that day. "Yes, that is, but now I know that the new beginning you were talking about was just mo -- us moving in together, and -- I mean, I get it. I get it. There's no new start. There's no fresh start. There's no new beginning for us because of the lies I told you, and -- and you're with Brian now," Will sadly stated.

"Look, I'm really sorry with the mix-up with the MP3 player, but this thing with Brian -- you have to know...it's not even in the same league as you and me," Sonny sincerely replied. Will nodded as he grabbed his backpack and prepared to leave, stating that he understood that his old relationship with Sonny could never compare to Sonny's new relationship with Brian, who was great, cool, a genius, a med school student, and a jock.

Before Will could think of any other positive ways to describe Brian, Sonny interrupted and summarized that Brian wasn't Will. Will agreed and said that was the point that he had been trying to make. Sonny recalled that Will had previously stated that he just wanted to be Sonny's friend. Sonny said that was the only reason that he had been hanging out with Brian.

Will explained that he had said that because he had not wanted his drama to weigh Sonny down. Sonny admitted that he had once felt the same way about Will's drama. Sonny added that he had realized that he couldn't be Will's friend. Will sighed and said that he understood, guessing that the things that he had written in the Valentine's Day card had freaked Sonny out.

"No, no -- you're not getting it. You're not getting it. After reading this, I just realized that even if we try, we can never be just friends," Sonny said. Sonny wondered if Will still wished that they could start over. Will swallowed hard and gave Sonny a barely noticeable nod, seemingly unwilling to allow himself to get his hopes up yet. "Then I'm glad I sent you this Valentine's Day present," Sonny said as he passionately kissed Will.

Later, Will and Sonny continued to kiss as they entered Will's dorm room. Sonny and Will removed their jackets and fell onto the bed, but before things could progress further, Will reluctantly stopped Sonny. "I really wanna do this with you, but, um, there's something else that -- I just -- I -- I kept a secret from you before, and it cost us everything, and I don't wanna make the same mistake again," Will explained.

After Will revealed that he had attempted to kill E.J. years earlier, he offered Sonny a chance to leave, admitting that he wouldn't blame Sonny for choosing to do so. Sonny confirmed that Will didn't want him to leave, and he pointed out that Will could have continued to keep the secret about the attempted murder to himself. Will shook his head and explained that he had told Sonny the truth because he wanted their new relationship to be different than their old relationship had been.

Sonny promised that things would be different. "I hope so, man. I mean, if this is gonna be a new beginning for us, I don't wanna make the same mistakes that I did before," Will said. Sonny was certain that Will wouldn't make the same mistakes again, and he added that he also wouldn't make the same mistakes that he had made in the past. Will laughed, finding it hard to believe that Sonny had made any mistakes at all.

"Just -- I made everything that you were going through all about me, you know? I didn't stop to think what this meant for you. And I want to be there for you when your daughter's born, and I want to see you hold her hand for the first time," Sonny said, smiling as he pictured the moment. Will said that he couldn't wait to see Sonny hold Will's daughter for the first time. Sonny stated that he loved Will, and Will echoed the sentiment.

Later, after making love, Sonny pointed out that he and Will were going to need to get a bigger place, especially if Will's daughter was going to be staying with them regularly. Will caressed Sonny's chest as he reiterated that he loved Sonny, who kissed the back of Will's hand in response.

Nick started pounding on the door, insisting that he needed to talk to Will right away.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

by Spalding

At the Brady Pub, Abe met with Marlena and informed her that John was returning to Salem. Noting the dark tone that Abe used, Marlena asked what was wrong. Abe explained that John had learned that Brady was moving into the DiMera mansion.

In the church rectory, the junkie, Kevin, attacked Eric again. Eric managed to free himself from the man's grip. Kevin held a knife to his own throat and warned Eric to stay away from him. As Nicole watched helplessly from the doorway, Eric pleaded with Kevin to think about what he was doing. Eric said that Kevin would have a rough road to sobriety but that Kevin would not be alone because he had God by his side.

Eric promised to help Kevin get through the rough time. Kevin fell to his knees and wept. When Nicole gently called out to Eric, it startled Kevin. Eric said that Nicole had been given a second chance and understood that Kevin was hurting. Eric explained that Nicole would call the police and that Eric's father was the head of the Salem Police and would help Kevin. Kevin apologized.

Shaking his head, Eric said that Kevin was taking his first steps toward turning his life around. When Roman arrived, Eric informed his father that he had promised that the police would show Kevin compassion. Roman nodded and promised that he would help Kevin.

After the police left with Kevin in custody, a visibly shaken Nicole asked Eric how he had been able to show kindness to the man that had almost killed him. Eric responded that everyone deserved love because everyone was imperfect. Nicole reminded Eric that she had received multiple chances and that she still had ruined her life. Eric urged Nicole to stop lying to him and talk.

At the pub, Marlena received a text message about the arrest of the man that had attacked her son. Relieved, Marlena informed Abe of the news. Marlena told Abe that she was worried about him since Lexie's death. Shaking his head, Abe swore that he was fine. Abe said that he was worried about Marlena because she missed her husband. Abe confided that in his last weeks with Lexie that he had learned to seize the moment. Abe urged Marlena to reach out to John. As Marlena looked down at her phone, she noted that the battery was dead.

In Italy, Stefano summoned John to his house. With a chuckle, Stefano informed John that Brady was moving in with Kristen at the DiMera mansion. John refused to believe Stefano. Stefano noted that John had lost his son and wife. "May you stay this miserable for all the days of your life," Stefano said with a grin. After Stefano left the room, John called Marlena's phone. When the call went to her voicemail, John hung up the phone and then called his pilot to order him to fuel up his jet for the return to Salem.

In Kristen's hotel room, a furious Brady yelled at Kristen for lying to him about Stefano's illness. Brady accused Kristen of maneuvering him into the DiMera mansion in order to upset John and Marlena. Angry, Brady barked that everyone in Salem had been right about Kristen. Brady stormed out of the hotel, and Kristen chased him to the park. When Kristen caught up with Brady, she explained that she had lied to Brady because she was worried about her father.

Kristen said that Stefano blamed himself for Lexie's death and that it had taken a psychological toll on Stefano. Shaking his head, Brady said that Kristen was lying. Brady noted that he would have made peace with Stefano but that he did not want to be pushed into living with Stefano. Kristen countered that Stefano had demanded that she move into the mansion and that she had no choice.

When Brady asked Kristen if she was afraid of Stefano, Kristen answered that Stefano would not physically hurt her. Kristen explained that when she had left Salem before, she had been Stefano's sworn enemy. Kristen added that it had taken years to reconcile with her father. Sighing, Kristen said that she was concerned that if she defied her father again that she would lose Stefano forever. Feeling anxious, Kristen started to have a panic attack.

Brady escorted Kristen back to her hotel room to calm her down. Once Kristen felt better, Brady sat her on the bed. Kristen asked to talk. Brady pulled up a chair and looked into Kristen's eyes. Nodding, Kristen said that she wanted to tell Brady what had happened to her when she left Salem.

At Will's apartment, Nick was upset about Sami. Will promised to make his mother back off of Gabi. Upset, Nick noted that Will did not have the ability to keep Sami under control. Nick asked Will to give up his parental rights to the baby. Shocked by the request, Will refused. Nick noted that he had been happy to have Will be a part of the baby's life until Sami had almost killed the baby. Will protested that Sami was not all to blame, as Gabi had been dehydrated.

Nick warned Will that if Will did not give up his parental rights then Nick would have the court declare Will an unfit parent. Upset, Sonny stepped forward and asked if Nick was threatening Will because he was gay. Shaking his head, Nick argued that he wanted what was best for the baby, and that might mean moving out of town. Sonny argued that the court would not place the rights of a felon ahead of the rights of the biological father.

"I pad for my crime. Did you? Or did someone pay it for you?" Nick asked Will. Nick said that Will had attempted to murder E.J. and that Lucas had taken the blame. Smiling, Nick informed Will that he knew everything. Nick threatened to tell Gabi the truth. Will denied Nick's charge.

As proof, Nick quoted from the private conversation between Will and T in the park. "It was you," whispered Will as he realized that Nick was the one that had sent the threatening text message. Nick warned Will to forfeit his rights, or else he would end up dragging his family into court to testify about the shooting. "I will tell the world," Nick said.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

by Mike

At St. Luke's, Eric wondered why Nicole had made the seemingly sudden decision to leave Salem earlier. Nicole was surprised that Eric hadn't already figured out the answer to that question on his own.

Before Nicole could elaborate, Rafe entered the room and said that he needed to take her and Eric's statements about the earlier mugging. Noting the tension between Eric and Nicole, Rafe wondered if he had interrupted something. Simultaneously, Eric confirmed Rafe's suspicion and Nicole contradicted Eric. Rafe apologetically informed Nicole and Eric that he could not postpone their interviews.

Eric revealed that he was not going to press charges against Kevin. "Do you think you could be even a little less perfect?" Nicole asked incredulously. Nicole reminded Eric that Kevin could have killed both of them, and she urged him to act like a regular human being for once. "I thought you understood, Nicole -- this is my vocation. This is who I am now," Eric replied. Nicole assured Eric that he had made that abundantly clear.

Nicole told Rafe that she would be happy to provide him with a statement. Eric protested that he and Nicole needed to finish the important conversation that Rafe had interrupted, but she insisted that giving a statement to the police was important. Eric sighed as Nicole and Rafe exited the room. Later, Abe met with Eric, who asked for Abe's help with a special project.

Abe wasn't convinced that he would be able to help Eric, since he was no longer the mayor of Salem. Abe suggested that Eric might want to ask for Roman's help instead, but Eric predicted that Roman would hate the concept of the project. Eric explained that he was interested in starting a prison ministry program. Abe wondered if Eric had worked with felons in the past. "Well, no -- I mean, besides my twin sister," Eric jokingly replied.

Abe warned that Eric had no idea what he was going to be getting himself into, but Eric was undeterred. Eric's determination reminded Abe of Lexie, so he reluctantly agreed to make a few phone calls on Eric's behalf. Eric thanked Abe, who stressed that he couldn't make any promises yet.

At the hospital, Kate gave Marlena an update on Gabi's condition. Marlena seemed distracted, so Kate asked if everything was all right. "Oh, I -- I've had better days. No, I've actually had better weeks. Wait -- I've actually had better months," Marlena admitted. Kate was sorry to hear that, and she assured Marlena that things would get better eventually. Marlena hoped that Kate was right.

After hearing Marlena's concerns about Brady, Kate promised that she would do everything that she could possibly do to help Marlena. "I had to suffer through that smug bitch delivering Stefano's divorce papers, so personally, I would like to see Brady leave Kristen's heart in a bloody pulp on the floor," Kate added. Marlena admitted that she liked Kate's vindictiveness.

At Common Grounds, Nicole gave Rafe her statement, complete with several rants about Eric's saintly behavior. In an attempt to calm down, Nicole excused herself so that she could splash some water on her face. After Nicole left, Rafe started to call Kate, but when her phone rang, he realized that she was already in the coffeehouse. Kate took a seat at Rafe's table and informed him that she had also been thinking about calling him.

As Rafe and Kate continued their conversation, Nicole returned and wondered what was going on. Kate claimed that she had been talking to Rafe about Gabi's condition. Nicole realized that she had forgotten to ask Rafe about Gabi and the baby earlier, and she apologized for her oversight. After informing Nicole that the doctors had managed to stop Gabi's premature labor, Kate excused herself.

Nicole cringed and offered Rafe her sympathy, since he was going to be forced to deal with Kate for the baby's sake. Nicole felt sorry for Gabi and Will's daughter, who was going to have Kate as a great-grandmother. Rafe seemed unamused, so Nicole reminded him that she was talking about Kate -- the one woman in Salem whom everyone hated more than they hated Nicole.

Rafe ignored Nicole's comment and changed the subject, wondering if Nicole was going to stay in Salem so that she could testify at Kevin's trial. With a hint of hesitation and uncertainty, Nicole confirmed that she would be available to testify at the trial. Nicole said that she had realized that she couldn't leave until the situation had been resolved, but she seemed to be referring to something other than the mugging.

In Daniel's apartment, Daniel warned Chloe to stop playing games with Jennifer. Chloe feigned ignorance, guessing that there had obviously been some sort of misunderstanding. "The problem isn't a misunderstanding; the problem, Chloe, is you," Daniel insisted. Chloe tried to find out what Jennifer had told Daniel, but he asserted that the details weren't important.

Daniel hoped that Chloe still wanted what was best for Parker. Chloe insisted that she did, prompting Daniel to advise her to stop messing with Jennifer's head, since Parker was the person who was going to be hurt the most if Chloe continued to play games with Jennifer. Chloe made another attempt to figure out what Jennifer had told Daniel, but before he could respond, she received a phone call from the nanny whom she and Daniel had been planning to interview later that day.

After ending the call, Chloe informed Daniel that the candidate had asked for the interview to be rescheduled. When Daniel realized that he no longer had a reason to remain at the apartment, he said goodbye to Parker and abruptly excused himself. Chloe reminded Daniel that they had been in the middle of a conversation earlier, but he insisted that he had already said everything that had needed to be said.

After Daniel left, Chloe groaned as she took a seat next to Parker, who was playing with some toys. "Oh, honey, your daddy's so mixed up...'cause he's been listening to that wench. Gotta figure out what she told him. But don't you worry -- you, your mommy, and your daddy are gonna live happily ever after. I promise," Chloe assured Parker. Later, Anne arrived at the apartment, and Chloe asked her to watch Parker for a while.

Chloe explained that the witch, Jennifer, had said something to Daniel that had caused him to turn against Chloe, who was determined to find out all of the details. "Oh, good luck -- good luck getting something out of Mary Poppins. Let me tell you something -- she might be stupid, but she knows how to keep those lips locked in that -- you know, that tight little contemptuous smile," Anne said, mockingly mimicking Jennifer's expression. Chloe agreed, adding that she had also seen that smile on someone else -- Jennifer's equally gullible, judgmental, not-so-bright daughter, Abigail, whom Chloe was planning to talk to.

At the Horton house, Abigail learned that Jennifer had not heard from Daniel recently. Jennifer feared that her earlier ultimatum might have pushed Daniel away for good. Jennifer admitted that it had been cruel of her to ask Daniel to stop talking to Chloe, since Jennifer didn't want Parker to be raised in that kind of environment. Abigail countered that it would be cruel to let Chloe break Daniel, Jennifer, and Parker's hearts as a result of Chloe's games.

Abigail encouraged Jennifer to stand up to Chloe, who would otherwise seize every opportunity to walk all over Jennifer. Abigail said that Jennifer deserved to be happy, and Jennifer replied that Abigail deserved the same thing. Jennifer wondered if Abigail was feeling optimistic about seeing Cameron again. Abigail nodded and said that she was simply waiting for her phone to ring, but she wasn't certain that it would.

Jennifer insisted that if Cameron didn't call Abigail, it would be his loss. Later, after Abigail left, Jennifer received an unexpected visit from Daniel, who informed her that he had talked to Chloe earlier. Daniel said that he would not be able to completely eliminate Chloe from his life. Daniel explained that he couldn't do that to Parker, who would eventually be old enough to realize that Daniel and Chloe were interacting through mediators instead of making an effort to be civil with each other.

Daniel insisted that it had to be possible for him and Jennifer to find some sort of middle ground. Daniel promised that he wasn't going to let Chloe interfere with his relationship with Jennifer, adding that he believed that he and Jennifer were strong enough to handle any obstacle. Jennifer confirmed that she felt the same way, and she and Daniel shared a passionate kiss.

At the Horton Town Square, Abigail reluctantly met with Chloe, who claimed that she had realized that, during their earlier conversation at the Kiriakis mansion, she had neglected to mention that Daniel had moved out of his apartment. Chloe apologized for inadvertently omitting such an important part of the story.

"Oh, cut the sweet and innocent act, okay? You and I both know that you're neither one of those. Now, what are you up to, Chloe?" Abigail impatiently asked. Abigail knowingly stated that Chloe had purposely implied that Chloe and Daniel were living together because Chloe had wanted to see Abigail's reaction to the news.

"Don't you get it? When Daniel divorced you, he meant it. He's not taking you back, Chloe; my God, who would? And quite frankly, I'm sorry that I won't be there to see the expression on your face when Daniel tells you that you're history, that he wants zero contact with you...because you are a lying, manipulative bitch," Abigail added.

Abigail blurted out that Jennifer had asked Daniel to stop interacting with Chloe directly, and she confidently stated that he would grant Jennifer's request, since Jennifer was the woman whom he was actually in love with. Chloe refused to believe Abigail, who pointed out that spreading false information was Chloe's game, not Abigail's. Abigail started to walk away, but Chloe grabbed Abigail's arm and insisted that she wasn't ready to end the conversation yet.

In Kristen's hotel room, Kristen said that she was about to tell Brady something that only one other person in the world -- Stefano -- had ever heard her talk about. "I actually never thought I would share this with you, and if you don't want to hear it, I understand...but if you do choose to stay and listen to what I have to say, I hope you'll believe me when I tell you that the lies I told were never about you, Brady. It was all about me -- the things that I've done, the things that were done to me, and the things I have to pay for forever," Kristen stated.

Kristen reminded Brady that she had originally been presumed dead when she had disappeared from Salem years earlier. Kristen mused that her funeral had probably been the biggest party that the town had ever had. Kristen admitted that there were times when she wished that she had died. Brady recalled that Kristen had previously mentioned that she had been living on an island, and he struggled to understand how that could possibly be a bad thing.

"I was being held prisoner...and, um...horrible things were done to me. I can't talk about it right now, please, but -- I mean, what made it even worse, if that's even a possibility, is that I brought it on myself, you know? Every person who ever cared about me -- I alienated them all. Do you know what's worse than being hated? It's being completely forgotten," Kristen tearfully stated. Brady wondered if Kristen had somehow managed to escape from her captor.

"No. Somebody set me free...but I had to pay a price. I had to pay a huge price," Kristen said as she wiped a tear from her cheek. Brady offered Kristen a box of tissues and urged her to elaborate. Kristen explained that Stefano had eventually visited her, despite the fact that he had previously disowned her. Kristen theorized that Stefano had felt sorry for her.

"I was so desperate to get out of there. I was so desperate...to get away from those people. I was grateful. I would've done anything. I would've done anything...and I did. I made a pact with the devil. My father bought and paid for my freedom, and I went from being in hell to being in a five-star hotel in Paris. And I saw a therapist every day, trying to learn how to cope with all the things that I had done...and all the things that had been done to me. And suddenly, one day...I was a different person, Brady. I was able to go out in the world. Nobody knew me. Nobody knew my past. I felt free. Never -- I never thought I would have to show my face in this town again," Kristen tearfully explained.

Kristen said that Stefano had eventually decided to collect on the debt, instructing her to return to Salem so that she could help him rebuild the DiMera family. "My first few weeks back, I mean, all I wanted to do was just scream and run away, you know? But I couldn't. I was just...trapped. And then the most...amazing thing happened to me -- you happened to me. I never in a million years thought that something as wonderful as you would come out of this deal I'd made with my father, so...you see, you're in my life because of him, and I could lose you because of him. He wants me in that house, and I owe him. That's why I lied," Kristen said, struggling to contain her emotions.

Kristen predicted that Stefano would never stop asking for favors. Kristen knew that Stefano couldn't be trusted, which was why she had always felt like she was alone in the world. Kristen sobbed as she admitted that she didn't feel like she could trust anyone at all. Brady wrapped his arms around Kristen and assured her that she could trust him.

Brady said that he was sorry that he had forced Kristen to relive some of her most painful memories, but she insisted that she was glad that she had told him the truth. Kristen claimed that she would never keep another secret from Brady. Brady assured Kristen that she would not have to face Stefano alone when Stefano returned to Salem, since Brady would be moving into the DiMera mansion as well.

Kristen hugged Brady and thanked him for supporting her. Brady suggested that he and Kristen could go for a walk to clear their heads, but she declined the offer, stating that she wanted to get some rest. After leaving Kristen's hotel room, Brady went to the Brady Pub, where he ran into Marlena. Marlena invited Brady to join her for a cup of coffee, but he apologetically informed her that he was going to be busy for the rest of the day.

Brady cautiously revealed that he was making arrangements to move in with Kristen. Marlena silently absorbed the news, and her reserved reaction surprised Brady. Marlena admitted that she had feared that Brady had been about to announce that he and Kristen were getting married. Marlena assumed that Brady and Kristen were going to move into an apartment together, but he clarified that they were moving into the DiMera mansion.

Marlena remained silent, but Brady guessed that he had managed to upset her. Marlena warned that John was the person who was really going to be upset. Brady knew that Marlena was right, and he insisted that he didn't want to upset John -- or anyone else, for that matter. With a sigh of frustration, Brady apologized to Marlena and abruptly walked away.

Back in Kristen's hotel room, Kristen was curled up on her bed, tightly hugging a pillow. Kristen received a phone call from Stefano, who informed her that he would soon be returning to Salem. When Kristen responded to Stefano's announcement, he sensed that something was wrong.

Kristen explained that she was simply exhausted, adding that she had made the mistake of letting her guard down earlier, which had almost caused her entire plan to fall apart. Kristen assured Stefano that she had managed to get everything under control again, although it had taken a lot of effort to do so. Stefano laughed, guessing that Kristen had plenty of tricks that she could use to keep a sap like Brady placated.

"Yeah, but I had to use something I never thought I would -- the truth," Kristen said before ending the call and slamming the phone down on the bedside table.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

by Mike

At St. Luke's, Nicole informed Eric that she had given Rafe her statement earlier, adding that she hoped that Kevin would soon be in jail. Eric conceded that Nicole was entitled to her opinion, and he predicted that she wouldn't be the only person who felt that way.

Eric wondered if Nicole was aware that the United States, despite housing less than five percent of the world's population, housed over twenty-four percent of the world's prisoners. "Seriously? That's what you do when you've been attacked by some psycho? You -- you Google numbers?" Nicole asked incredulously. Father Matt entered the room and interrupted the conversation, announcing that he had received Eric's email about the prison outreach program.

Eric's latest plan disturbed Nicole, who sarcastically stated that she was happy that Eric was making it more convenient for the criminals to find him whenever they wanted to threaten his life. Nicole insisted that Eric's idea was insane, but he countered that he was simply doing his job. Eric abruptly excused himself so that he could attend a meeting elsewhere. After Eric left, Nicole wondered how Father Matt felt about Eric's idea.

Father Matt acknowledged that a prison outreach program would be a challenging and demanding responsibility for Eric to accept. Nicole summarized that Eric had reached a death-wish level of craziness. Father Matt guessed that something else was bothering Nicole, and he pointedly informed her that he would be hearing confessions later. Nicole declined the offer, jokingly assuring Father Matt that she hadn't committed any crimes recently.

Father Matt said that Nicole could find him in the confessional if she changed her mind. After Father Matt left, Nicole quietly theorized that he would probably throw her out of Salem if she told him about the dreams that she had been having about Eric. Despite her earlier protests, Nicole realized that she was actually considering Father Matt's offer. Nicole shook her head in disbelief and said that she needed a drink.

Later, Nicole entered the confessional and took a deep breath. "Bless me, Father, for I sin...a lot. What I'm thinking, what I'm feeling -- it's totally wrong. Completely out of bounds. So wrong," Nicole admitted, unaware that Eric was the priest who was hearing her confession.

At the Horton house, Jennifer and Daniel continued to kiss as they fell onto the couch. Jennifer started to remove Daniel's shirt, but he stopped her. Daniel wasn't comfortable with the way that the situation was progressing, since he believed that Jennifer deserved something that was more meaningful than a spontaneous romp on the living room couch. Daniel declared that Jennifer was a treasure, and he urged her to let him treat her accordingly.

At the Horton Town Square, Abigail asked if Chloe truly believed that she was going to be able to compete with Jennifer. Abigail examined Chloe's outfit and wondered if Chloe had expected her provocative look to make her irresistible to Daniel. "God, how obvious do you have to be? Just a hint, Chloe -- this look doesn't work outside of a trailer park," Abigail advised Chloe.

After referring to Chloe as trash, Abigail started to walk away, but Chloe grabbed her arm to stop her. Chloe countered that Abigail was the person who was truly trashy and disgusting, and she guessed that, deep down, Abigail knew that Chloe was right. Jennifer's behavior made sense to Chloe, since it was easy for Chloe to understand why someone who was Jennifer's age would be desperate to find a man before it was too late, but Chloe said that there was no excuse for Abigail's behavior.

Chloe accused Abigail of being a hypocrite, adding that Abigail's behavior was appalling. Abigail countered that Chloe was the most evil, conniving, appalling woman who had ever walked the earth. Chloe shook her head sadly and wondered what Jack would have said about Abigail's behavior. After warning Chloe to back off, Abigail confidently stated that Jack would have been proud of his daughter for standing up to a snake like Chloe.

Chloe expressed her doubts, prompting Abigail to reiterate that Chloe needed to shut up. "Hey, I liked the guy, all right? You're the one who's being horribly disloyal to him and trashing his memory. That's what you're doing, Abigail -- you are betraying your dad," Chloe insisted. Abigail warned that Chloe had crossed a line, but Chloe refused to relent.

"Jack was the love of Jennifer's life -- everyone knows that. He's barely in the ground, and you're out here...pushing me around and pushing your mom to move on, like she should already be over your dad?" Chloe incredulously observed. Abigail protested that Chloe was making cruel comments that were sick, twisted, and completely inaccurate, but Chloe guessed that Abigail was getting defensive because she knew that Chloe was right.

Abigail insisted that she was simply supporting Jennifer, who was trying to move on with her life, and who, like everyone else in the world, deserved to be happy and loved. Still skeptical, Chloe questioned the timing of Jennifer's actions. "It is too soon, which makes it disrespectful and kind of icky, frankly. And here you are, egging her on, like, 'Come on, Dad's been dead -- what, two or three months? It's time for you to move on with the man of your dreams.' I mean, what kind of daddy issues are you covering up?" Chloe wondered.

Chloe continued to ignore Abigail's protests, suggesting that Abigail was stomping on Jack's grave. Chloe wondered if Abigail had secretly hated Jack, if she was trying to replace him with a new father, or if she was simply trying to get back at him for abandoning her in the past. "You vicious slut! You take that back! Take it back right now!" Abigail snapped, her temper flaring as she wrapped her hands around Chloe's throat.

Abe quickly intervened, and Daniel and Jennifer arrived moments later. As Chloe gasped for air, she dramatically informed Daniel that she had simply been trying to apologize to Abigail, who had responded with a lot of childish insults that had made Chloe feel like they were still in high school. Meanwhile, Abigail told Jennifer that Chloe was a disgusting woman who had used Jack to attack Abigail. Abigail watched in disbelief as Daniel comforted Chloe with a hug.

In Sami's office at Countess Wilhelmina, Sami fumed as she recalled the things that Nick had said to her at the hospital earlier. Sami grabbed her jacket and started to storm out of the room, but when she opened her office door, Lucas was standing on the other side. Lucas wondered what was going on, and Sami replied that Will couldn't lose his daughter.

Sami told Lucas about her earlier encounter with Nick. Lucas wasn't surprised that Sami had angered Nick, since she usually had that effect on men. Unamused, Sami insisted that there wasn't time for them to trade insults with each other. Sami revealed that Nick had threatened her.

"He wasn't mad, and it wasn't what he said -- it was the way he said it, like he has something. I'm serious -- it set off alarm bells. I think -- I think he has something that could back up those threats," Sami added. Lucas insisted that Sami needed to let him handle the situation, assuring her that he would figure out if her concerns were warranted or if they were simply the result of her overactive imagination.

Later, after Lucas left, Sami suddenly remembered that Gabi had committed some sort of serious crime the previous summer. Sami smiled as she realized that Nick wasn't the only person who had leverage. Sami left a message for E.J., who was in a meeting, to let him know that she would be at the hospital, and she quickly exited the office.

In Gabi's room at the hospital, Nick was having a nightmare about Vargas, the man who had stabbed Nick in prison. Nick gasped as he woke up, sweating and visibly shaken, and Hope apologized for disturbing him. Nick and Hope exited the room so that they wouldn't wake Gabi. In the waiting area, Hope guessed that Nick had been having a nightmare. Nick claimed that Hope was wrong, but she wasn't convinced.

"I saw you catch it. You were about to yell, but you stopped yourself...so you wouldn't draw any attention from the guards, because that would only make your life worse. Nick, I've been there. You do what you have to to survive," Hope knowingly stated. Nick claimed that he had never been able to remember his dreams, and he evasively suggested that if he had been having a nightmare, it had probably been about Sami.

Hope was certain that Sami had never meant to hurt anyone. "Well, I'm sure Will didn't mean to get Gabi pregnant, either. The whole family's trouble. How many people in this town have been the victim of something that they didn't mean to do?" Nick asked. Meanwhile, a nurse approached Nick and announced that Gabi had requested to see him. Hope watched as Nick walked away, clearly concerned about his comments and behavior.

In Gabi's room, Gabi noticed that someone had sent her a bouquet of flowers. As Nick opened the attached card, Gabi wondered if the flowers were from Rafe. Nick confirmed Gabi's suspicion, but she could tell that he was lying, and she realized that the flowers were from Sami. Nick offered to get rid of the bouquet, but Gabi told him that she only wanted him to destroy the card.

As Nick tore the card into several pieces, he assured Gabi that she would never have to worry about Sami or Will again. Nick told Gabi that things needed to go back to the way that they had been before, when the baby had been theirs, and Will and Sami had not been involved in the situation at all. Gabi didn't want to cut Will out of the picture, and she wondered why Nick had even tried to suggest that course of action.

"All I'm saying is...it should be up to you. You should be able to decide who gets to be around and when. And then, after the baby is born, if everybody calms down...you know, you can have Will around...if you want. But nobody can force you to do anything," Nick said. Gabi found it hard to believe that Nick could just magically make that happen, and she begged him not to do anything stupid.

Nick assured Gabi that he wasn't going to do anything stupid or illegal, adding that he was simply going to convince Sami and Will that removing themselves from the equation would be the best move for everyone. Later, Nick rejoined Hope, who offered to stay with Gabi for a while so that Nick could get some rest in one of the break rooms. Nick reluctantly accepted Hope's offer.

After Hope left, Nick placed a phone call to someone. "Yeah, hi. Uh, this is Nick Fallon. Uh, are the papers drawn up? Yeah, I -- I know. Do you have a notary in your office? Good. Uh, here's what I need -- I need the notary sent with the papers to University Hospital. Yeah, I need them signed and filed with a judge today," Nick said. As Nick walked away, Sami exited the elevator and followed him into an empty break room.

Sami slammed the door to announce her presence, stating that it was time for her and Nick to get some things straight. Sami refused to let Nick keep her and Will out of Will's daughter's life. Nick said that Sami had a lot of nerve, since she had almost killed her granddaughter the previous night. Nick vowed to keep Gabi and their baby safe.

"Will's baby, right? Gabi and Will's baby. The sooner you get that through your thick skull --" Sami started to say, but Nick impatiently interrupted her and demanded to know why she had returned to the hospital in the first place. Sami reiterated that she and Nick were talking about Will and Gabi's child, and she promised to ensure that Will's parental rights were respected. Sami added that it was up to Will to decide how much access Nick would have to Will's daughter, not the other way around.

"I love Gabi and that baby, and there's no way I'm gonna let a bitch like you ever hurt them again," Nick vowed, prompting Sami to angrily slap him. Nick feigned remorse and said that he shouldn't have called Sami a bitch, adding that she simply had a way of pushing his buttons. Nick impatiently demanded to know what it was that Sami wanted. Sami replied that she wanted Nick to stop trying to cut her and Will out of Will's daughter's life.

Sami recalled that Nick had made a lot of threats -- or, as Nick had referred to them, facts -- earlier, and she guessed that he had been bluffing. Nick said that he wasn't scared of Sami, adding that he also didn't owe her any answers. Nick insisted that, since he had paid his debt to society and had not violated his parole, Sami would not be able to use his record against him.

"Uh, yeah, actually, I can in family court, but that's not even what we're here to talk about. You have a bigger problem than your record. Maybe you have paid for your crimes, but Gabi hasn't. Yeah. Yeah, so you're gonna let me and Will be with the child. Will will have complete access to his daughter without interference...or I will call my family -- you know, the entire Salem Police Department -- and I will make sure that they know what an unfit mother Gabi is. Yeah, we can say it together -- I know what she did last summer, so she stands to lose not just the baby, but her freedom, 'cause she will go to prison," Sami warned Nick.

Elsewhere, Eric told Hope about his desire to start a prison outreach program. Recalling that Hope had spent some time in prison herself, Eric asked for her advice. Hope liked Eric's idea, but she predicted that it could take months for the program to gain approval. Hope also warned that working with the prisoners would not be easy. Hope recommended that it would be best for Eric to ease his way into the role.

Hope suggested that Eric needed to start with one prisoner who was about to be released, since that person would be far more likely to accept Eric's help without resistance. Eric wasn't worried about getting resistance from the prisoners, but Hope insisted that he was being too ambitious and nave. Hope offered to help Eric find someone who was about to be released from prison. Meanwhile, at the prison, Vargas crossed another day off of his calendar, leaving only fifteen days until his release date.

In Will's dorm room, Will woke up and realized that Sonny had allowed him to sleep for a few extra hours. Sonny said that he had decided that Will needed to rest for a while. Sonny wondered if Will was feeling better than he had felt the previous night. In response, Will asked if Nick's earlier visit had been nothing more than a bad dream, and Sonny shook his head apologetically. Will was surprised that he had managed to get any rest at all.

Will realized that he was going to have to figure out how to handle Nick's threats. Will theorized that Nick might not be able to legally use the information about Will's past against Will. "No, I just looked that up. Statute of limitations is still running. Even though you were a minor, you can still be prosecuted, so you need to get a good lawyer...now," Sonny advised Will.

Sonny wanted to call Justin, but Will was reluctant to do so. "I'm -- I'm -- I'm not -- I'm so grateful for your help, Sonny, but I'm not ready to tell your dad that I shot somebody, okay? What is he gonna think?" Will wondered. Sonny pointed out that Justin's job involved hearing similar confessions daily, but Will countered that hearing about a crime that a random person had committed was different than hearing about a crime that Sonny's boyfriend had committed.

Sonny said that Justin loved Will because Sonny loved Will, which meant that Justin would work twice as hard to help Will. Will was still uncertain, so Sonny suggested that Will could talk to Gabi instead, since, as Will's supposed friend, she would presumably not be pleased to learn that Nick was blackmailing Will. Will guessed that if he told Gabi about Nick's scheme, Nick would probably deny everything.

Before Sonny could respond, Lucas arrived and rudely instructed Sonny to leave. Lucas explained that he had an important matter that he needed to discuss with Will right away. Will firmly stated that Sonny wasn't going anywhere, adding that if Lucas wanted to talk about Nick, Sonny could stay because he already knew everything.

Lucas demanded to know why Will had revealed his secret to Sonny. Will claimed that Nick was the person who had revealed the information to Sonny, who had been with Will when Nick had issued an ultimatum to Will earlier. After recapping the events that had transpired the previous night, Will guessed that Nick had somehow overheard Lucas and Will's earlier conversation about the shooting.

Lucas pointed out that if Nick had recorded the conversation, it would be inadmissible in court, but Will didn't think that rule would apply in civil or family courts. Lucas wondered if gaining sole custody of Will's daughter was Nick's endgame. "Well, yeah. He wants to be the -- the only father that my -- my daughter ever knows," Will confirmed. Lucas assumed that Nick's goal had always been to get Will out of the picture, but Will wasn't convinced.

Will said that Nick had seemed fine earlier, recalling that Nick had acted supportive during Gabi's first ultrasound appointment. Lucas wondered what could have caused Nick's attitude to change. "Do you really have to ask? Mom. All this behavior started with the paternity test, which I had -- wouldn't even have asked for if Mom didn't push me to do it in the first place," Will explained.

Will added that Sami had later sent Gabi into premature labor, and he admitted that he understood why Nick was trying to do everything in Nick's power to stop something like that from happening again. "No, we're not gonna say anything good about Nick at the moment. He is trying to cut you out of your baby's life and send you to prison. We're not giving him the benefit of the doubt," Sonny protested, unable to hold his tongue any longer.

Will said that he was simply stating that, since he had been to the breaking point with Sami on numerous occasions in the past, he could understand Nick's reaction to her behavior. Lucas assured Will that Sami had promised to back off, but Will wondered if Lucas really expected Nick to believe that.

Will sighed and admitted that Nick was holding all of the cards. Lucas wondered if Will was really planning to give in to Nick's demands. Will acknowledged that Lucas had been there for Will many times in the past, even going to prison for Will at one point. Lucas insisted that he didn't need Will's gratitude, because he would do anything for Will.

"I know. Just let me finish, though. What I'm saying is, I should have owned up to what I did, and I did not. I didn't do that. So the price that I have to pay now is this. I gotta -- I'm gonna have to give up my own daughter," Will defeatedly stated.

Friday, March 1, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

Believing Father Matt to be on the other side of the screen, Nicole stepped into the confessional at St. Luke's and began pouring her heart out about how the things she was thinking and feeling were so very wrong. After she admitted that it was difficult to talk about, Nicole heard Eric's voice gently encouraging her, "Go ahead, please." Horrified when she realized to whom she'd almost confessed, Nicole fled the booth.

Eric followed Nicole back to the rectory and explained that he had stepped in when Father Matt had been called away on a last-minute emergency. Eric assured Nicole that she could still talk to him outside of confession about whatever was wrong. Nicole snapped that it was none of his business.

Nicole quickly apologized, but maintained that there were some things that she simply couldn't talk to him about -- as a priest or a friend. Eric agreed not to push, but admitted that it had been momentarily gratifying for him to see Nicole in the confessional. Eric then had to leave for a meeting about the prisoners' outreach program. Alone in the office, Nicole expressed her disbelief that she'd nearly confessed to Eric, "I want to rip your clothes off!"

Sister Margaret stopped by a little later, looking for Father Eric. Nicole informed the nun that Eric was in a meeting but would return soon. Nicole somewhat uncomfortably asked Sister Margaret if it was weird to open up in the confessional to one of her bosses. Chuckling, Sister Margaret assured Nicole that a priest's job was not to judge but to listen, and for those in the confessional, opening up about what was bothering them could help them clear their heads and shed new light on their problems. A relieved Nicole said that made sense.

Sister Margaret was alone in the rectory when Eric returned. He asked where Nicole was, and the nun replied simply that Nicole had gone out.

Nicole sat on a bench and tried to convince herself that Eric wouldn't judge her for her feelings. She told herself, "But he's so committed to God now, he doesn't see the way I look at him or understand the way I feel about him. And since I'm the only one who's aware of this problem, I'm the only one who can make it go away. And I will. I have to."

In Horton Square, after Chloe had provoked Abigail into choking her, Jennifer comforted Abigail while Daniel attempted to do the same for Chloe. Rafe arrived with a uniformed officer and asked Chloe what had happened. "Abigail attacked me!" Chloe cried. Abigail was stunned that Chloe had called the police, but Abe admitted that he had been the one who had called them.

When Rafe questioned Abigail, Chloe admitted that they had both been at fault. Rafe asked if Chloe wanted to press charges, but she said that she didn't. Daniel thanked her, and then led her away to look at the shoulder that she claimed had been injured. Abigail tearfully apologized to her mom, and Jennifer took her weeping daughter into her arms. Once Abigail had calmed down a little, Rafe asked to take her statement.

After Daniel determined that Chloe's shoulder would be fine, she declared that she just wanted to go home. Daniel offered to take Parker for a while if Chloe wanted to be alone. Chloe said that sounded good, so Daniel could pick Parker up whenever he was ready.

Daniel approached Abigail and Jennifer just as Rafe was leaving. Daniel apologized for whatever had happened, but Jennifer didn't seem to want to hear it. She put her arm around Abigail and said that they needed to leave. Daniel watched in frustration as they walked away.

As Abigail and Jennifer returned home, Abigail again apologized for losing control with Chloe, but she said Chloe had provoked her. Jennifer wanted to know what Chloe had said. Abigail reluctantly replied, "She said that Daddy was barely cold in his grave, and I was already pimping you out to Daniel." Abigail tearfully added that she was ashamed of her actions. Jennifer firmly pointed out that Chloe had been cruel, and Abigail had just been defending herself and her father.

Abigail didn't think her dad would have approved of her behavior, but Jennifer insisted that Jack would have understood -- just as Jennifer did. Jennifer added that she was very proud of how Abigail had stood by her mom, and she knew Jack would have been, too. Jennifer regretted that Abigail was in the middle of everything, but Abigail was sorry that Jennifer had to deal with someone as despicable as Chloe. Jennifer attempted to justify Chloe's actions by stating that Chloe was probably desperate because she felt cheated out of the love of her life.

An incredulous Abigail reminded her mom of all the men whose hearts Chloe had broken. Abigail didn't know how Chloe could live with herself, but Jennifer believed that Chloe could somehow justify everything she had done. Abigail was worried about what would happen when Cameron found out what she'd done. Jennifer asserted that Abigail merely had to tell the truth, that Chloe had provoked her by saying horrible things about Abigail's dad, and Cameron would understand. Agreeing that Jennifer might be right, Abigail grabbed her coat and rushed out to talk to Cameron.

Chloe and Parker were playing on the floor when Daniel arrived at the apartment. Daniel asked Chloe what exactly had happened in the square. Chloe claimed, "I just went to Abigail to talk to her about why I was staying here so that she'd understand and not make up some nasty story as to why it was happening, and she just freaked out on me. First it was with words, and then eventually it just went downhill from there." Daniel noted that it seemed really out of character for Abigail, but Chloe was just glad that it was over.

Chloe informed Daniel that the nanny Chloe had wanted to hire had already taken another job, but Chloe had a great idea that would keep them from having to go through the whole interview process again. While Daniel and Parker roughhoused, Chloe suggested that her mom head to Salem for a few weeks to help out with Parker. Daniel agreed to think about it.

Chloe pointed out that having her mom there could even help Daniel out with Jennifer, since Chloe had learned from Abigail that Jennifer wanted Daniel to cut off all contact with Chloe -- and Nancy could be a good go-between. Daniel informed Chloe that he'd never agreed to cut off contact with her. Chloe asserted that it would be nice for Parker to have his grandmother around for a while, and reminded Daniel that he and Nancy had always gotten along well.

Daniel asked for some time to think about it. He offered to take Parker off Chloe's hands for a little while, but she said that her son had made her feel better. When Chloe stepped into the other room for a minute, Daniel pulled Parker into his lap and declared that he just wanted to do right by Parker, who was very precious to Daniel.

After Daniel had gone, Chloe excitedly informed Parker that his grandma would soon be there. Chloe showed Parker a picture of Nancy on her phone. "Maybe things will finally start to go our way," Chloe declared hopefully.

Daniel went to the Horton house to see Jennifer, and as soon as she opened the door, he apologized. After inviting Daniel in, Jennifer declared that she didn't want to talk about what had happened between Abigail and Chloe. "I just hate that you had to worry about your kid. I know that feeling, and it's the worst," Daniel stated sympathetically.

Jennifer agreed, "Yeah. My daughter was hurt, and that breaks my heart. And she did not deserve what happened." Jennifer understood that Daniel was sorry, but she asserted, "We can't keep doing this." She explained that it was painful for both of them, as well as for Abigail, so Jennifer thought that she and Daniel should take a break and not see each other for a little while.

At University Hospital, Cameron checked on a sleeping Gabi. Gabi was dreaming about celebrating the birth of her daughter with Nick until Sami arrived and yanked the baby out of Gabi's arms. Gabi begged Sami to give the baby back, but Sami spat, "You think I would let you keep her after what you did to Will?"

In the waiting room, E.J. walked in on Sami and Nick's confrontation and demanded to know what was going on. Nick explained that Sami had threatened to send Gabi to prison, but Sami countered that Nick had threatened Will first. E.J. asked Nick for some privacy. Nick agreed, and urged E.J. to explain the facts to Sami.

Sami reminded E.J., "The facts are simple: Gabi did something that she deserves to go to prison for, and you actually know what it is." E.J. confirmed that he did, but he couldn't tell Sami. He then led her to the park so they would have even more privacy. E.J. informed Sami that Chad had signed an agreement not to testify against Gabi, otherwise Chad would go to jail for assaulting Nick.

Sami began to flip out because she knew she had just made things worse. She wanted to warn Will, but she couldn't find her phone in her purse or her pockets. E.J. tried to calm her down, but Sami pointed out that Gabi would not approve if she knew what Nick was doing. E.J. pointed out that if Sami pointed fingers at Nick, it would only make things worse for her and Will. Conceding, Sami insisted that she was just trying to make things right. As E.J. put his arm around her, Sami asked what she should do. "You're going to do nothing, Samantha," E.J. said soothingly.

In Will's dorm room, Lucas expressed his regret that Sonny knew about Will shooting E.J. because it put Sonny in a position of having to lie for Will. Will believed that the only chance he had was to turn himself in for shooting E.J. Lucas didn't think that E.J. would press charges, but Sonny cautioned the Hortons that there was no statute of limitations on attempted murder. Will added that even though he'd been a minor, he would still do time, and Lucas could face perjury charges. Nick sent Will a text message just then, requesting Will's presence at the hospital, and Sonny insisted on accompanying Will and Lucas, so the three men headed out.

In Gabi's room, Nick promised his sleeping fiance that he would always take care of her and their baby.

A little later, Cameron was checking on Gabi again when Rafe stopped by to see his sister. Cameron warned Rafe that Gabi needed to take better care of herself, and Rafe promised to see to it. As Cameron left, Rafe pulled a chair next to the bed. The noise awakened Gabi with a start, and she admitted that she'd just had a nightmare about Sami taking the baby away. Rafe pointed out that it had only been a dream, and besides, Sami had no say in the situation.

Rafe then called his and Gabi's mother to check in. When he hung up, he informed his sister that their mom was lighting candles and praying for Gabi, the baby, and for Arianna's angel. Gabi admitted that she had been thinking about Arianna a lot, and she wanted to name the baby after Ari -- and Grace. Gabi explained that she knew Rafe had practically raised Grace as his own, and Gabi could see that Nick already loved her baby as much as Rafe had loved Grace. A moved Rafe declared that "Arianna Grace" was a beautiful name.

Abigail arrived at the hospital and asked a nurse where Dr. Davis was. The nurse pointed Abigail in the direction of a supply room, so Abigail headed down the hallway. Abigail let herself into the supply room, but initially there was no sign of Cameron, so she stepped further inside -- where Cameron was in his boxer shorts, changing out of his scrubs. Startled and then mortified, Abigail gasped and quickly turned her back.

Nick was back in the waiting room when Will arrived with Lucas and Sonny. Lucas demanded to know what Nick wanted. "Will knows what I want. And as soon he understands what's at stake, I think he'll do everything in his power to help me get it," Nick replied. Lucas maintained that there was no way Will would give up the rights to his child. Nick revealed that he had all the incriminating information about the shooting on tape, which would be admissible in civil court.

Nick asserted that all of the members of Will's family in law enforcement would have to testify, and people would wonder why the Salem Police Department hadn't checked for fingerprints on the evidence. Lucas pointed out that he had confessed, so there had been no need. Nick countered that the courts would suspect the department of a cover-up, since Will's grandfather was the police commissioner. "I'll just turn myself in for shooting E.J. Is that what you want me to do? And if I don't do it, you're gonna do it, right?" Will asked.

Sami and E.J. returned just in time to overhear Will's words. "Over my dead body!" Sami exclaimed. As Sami reminded Nick that Lucas had shot E.J. and had gone to prison for it, she spotted her phone on the table and picked it up. Nick informed Sami and E.J. that he had the entire confession on tape, and he knew about the fingerprint evidence that would tie Will to the crime.

Although floored, Sami remained calm as she reminded Nick, "Will has given you the benefit of the doubt since you got out of prison." Nick countered that he'd had no problem with Will until Will's family had gotten involved. Sami reminded Nick that he and Will were family. "How could you threaten him with prison?" she demanded. Nick asked if it had been better when Sami had done the same thing to Gabi.

When E.J. stepped outside to make a phone call, Nick snidely suggested that E.J. was going to call a hit man. "If Gabi knew what he was -- " Sami began, but stopped herself. As if she had proven his point, Nick looked accusingly at Will. "Do you see what she's doing? You understand now what Gabi would be facing for the rest of her pregnancy? And after the baby was born, it would just get worse. Do you understand now why you need to give up your rights, Will?" Nick demanded.

Sonny finally spoke up for Will, but Sami contended that Gabi would never go along with what Nick wanted. Nick concurred that he never could have convinced Gabi to do it until Sami's constant badgering had sent Gabi into early labor and given her nightmares. "You know, Sami, if anybody is responsible for Will losing his rights to the baby, it's you," Nick asserted. Sami and Lucas were furious. Nick maintained that the only constant over the previous six months had been the love that he and Gabi shared. "You have no right to punish our son because we happen to be screw-ups!" Lucas declared.

Nick pointed out that it was the baby who would suffer at the hands of an "utterly dysfunctional family." He reminded everyone how Sami and Rafe had lied about Sydney's paternity, and how many times Sami and Lucas had battled for custody of Will. Sonny argued that Will wasn't responsible for his parents' behavior, but Nick retorted that it was none of Sonny's business. Will ordered Nick not to talk to Sonny like that again, because he and Sonny were back together and in love.

Nick scoffed at that idea, since Sonny and Will kept breaking up and making up, but Lucas noted incredulously, "What -- your time in prison has given you the right to pass judgment on all of us?" Nick contended that he had learned to stand up for what was right, and he believed that Sami's obsessive behavior would put Gabi and Will's daughter through hell. "You've got a choice here, Will: You can either turn yourself in for shooting E.J. and hurt a lot of people in the process, or you can give up the rights to your daughter and not only protect the people you care about but give your daughter a fighting chance at having a stable life. That's what it boils down to," Nick concluded.

E.J. returned with a glum expression on his face. Sami looked at him imploringly and pleaded, "E.J., there has to be something," but he shook his head. Lucas warned Nick about how the family would react when they found out what Nick had done. Nick countered that the only thing that the family would know was that Will had made "a very brave sacrifice" for his daughter.

A man arrived just then with some papers for Nick. Nick explained that he'd asked an attorney to draw up a standard agreement for relinquishing custody with Will's name on it. Nick handed the form to E.J. to review. E.J. read over the forms while Sami and Lucas voiced their protests to Nick, who tuned them out. When E.J. was through, he silently handed the papers back to Nick, who then presented them to Will for his signature.