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

Will met with Sami and told her that he would accept Stefano's help to eliminate Nick. Nick was shocked to see Vargas in Salem. Kristen's past came back to haunt her. Chloe gave Jennifer an ultimatum: give up Daniel or else he would never see Parker again.

Monday, March 25, 2013

by Mike

In Rafe's apartment, Kate received a phone call from someone, but Rafe convinced her to ignore it. As Rafe started to kiss Kate, her phone rang again, and he reluctantly handed it to her. Kate's smile quickly faded as she stared at the phone.

Kate claimed that a business associate had been trying to contact her, but Rafe wasn't convinced. Kate agreed to let Rafe read the text message that she had received from Stefano, who had wanted to let her know that he had returned to Salem. Rafe offered to talk to Stefano, but Kate believed that it would be a bad idea for Rafe to try to rattle Stefano's cage.

Rafe countered that Stefano's text message had been an attempt to rattle Kate's cage, but she insisted that the attempt had failed. Kate assured Rafe that she no longer loved Stefano, adding that those feelings had been replaced with shame. Rafe found that difficult to understand, since he had always agreed with the clichd belief that it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Kate said that, generally speaking, she felt the same way.

"But the kind of love that Stefano and I had, you -- you know that he blackmailed me into marrying him, and I -- looking back, I think it was Stockholm syndrome. I think that my survival strategy was to be sympathetic to my captor, and eventually, I did fall in love," Kate explained. Rafe jokingly asked if that meant that he was going to have to make Kate his prisoner. Kate laughed and shook her head, stating that having Rafe in her life had made her a happier person.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano warmly greeted Sami, welcoming her to her new home. Surprised, Sami pointed out that E.J. wasn't nearby, which meant that Stefano didn't need to pretend to be nice to her. Stefano insisted that he was being sincere, stating that his house was Sami's house, too. Sami thanked Stefano for his hospitality, but he clarified that hospitality was reserved for guests, not family members.

E.J. entered the living room and greeted Sami and Stefano, announcing that breakfast was almost ready to be served. E.J. offered to ask the chef to prepare a plate of food for Stefano, who declined the offer. "This is your first morning here, so I want to leave you with your future bride here. I want you to both enjoy yourselves as much as you can," Stefano said before exiting the room.

Confused, Sami wondered why Stefano seemed to believe that she and E.J. were engaged. E.J. shrugged and reasoned that Stefano had simply been trying to give his blessing to E.J. and Sami, adding that Stefano had probably meant to imply that he hoped that E.J. and Sami's reunion would be a permanent one.

Sami said that Stefano needed to work on his delivery, since it had seemed like he had been handing her some sort of life sentence instead. E.J. hoped that Sami didn't really feel that way about their new arrangement, and she assured him that she did not. Sami explained that her conversation with Stefano had simply given her a creepy feeling, since he had actually treated her nicely instead of trying to blackmail her or insult her family.

"Samantha, that's just vintage Stefano. You know as well as I do, he can be incredibly charming to your face, but it's when you turn your back that you have to watch out," E.J. pointed out, inadvertently managing to leave Sami feeling even more unsettled than she had felt before. E.J. hugged Sami and promised that he would never let anyone hurt her -- including Stefano. Later, E.J. took Sami to their bedroom, where they had sex.

Elsewhere, Stefano received a phone call from Kate. Stefano offered Kate a pleasant greeting that didn't match the scowl on his face. Kate informed Stefano that his earlier text message had been unnecessary, since she had already heard about his return to Salem. Kate insisted that she didn't care about Stefano's whereabouts, prompting him to wonder why she had called him.

"To tell you to leave me the hell alone. You will never, ever be part of my life again. I've moved on," Kate snapped, ending the call before Stefano could respond. Stefano laughed, instantly curious about the identity of the person whom Kate had chosen to move on with.

In Cameron's apartment, Cameron received a text message from Abigail, disturbing his sleep. Cameron called Abigail and claimed that he hadn't forgotten about their date, confirming her assumption that he was simply running late. After ending the call, Cameron quickly stuffed some cash and a gun into the box that had been hidden under his bed. Cameron placed the box in the drawer of a bedside table before exiting his bedroom.

Later, Cameron arrived at the Horton house with a bouquet of roses, apologizing for his tardiness. Abigail, who had assumed that Cameron had been working at the hospital earlier, insisted that there was no reason for him to apologize, adding that they could easily turn their previous breakfast plans into brunch plans instead. Abigail reasoned that brunch was classier anyway.

As Cameron started to eat the meal that Abigail had prepared for him, she wondered if he realized that he could talk to her about anything. Cameron conceded that something had been weighing heavily on his mind. After showering Abigail with compliments and insisting that he enjoyed spending time with her, Cameron admitted that being around her often felt awkward.

Abigail didn't know how to respond to Cameron's statement, since she hadn't been feeling awkward around him until he had made that comment. Cameron assured Abigail that he knew how to fix the problem. As Abigail started to stammer out a response, Cameron interrupted her with an unexpected kiss.

In Gabi's room above the Brady Pub, Gabi told Nick that she had been unable to sleep the previous night, since she had been thinking about Will's earlier assertion that she didn't really know Nick at all. Nick tried to convince Gabi that Will was wrong, but she agreed with Will's assessment of the situation.

"Nick, there's still so much about you that I don't know. I mean, you've told me what you wanted me to know, and I get it -- I understand. You know, there were things about my past I didn't want to tell you, either, but then I did, and it made me feel so much closer to you. But with everything that's happened...and how quickly you've been able to shut Will out of the baby's life, I just feel like I -- I feel like I need to know more," Gabi said. Gabi said that she wanted to know what had happened to Nick in prison.

"When I walked into prison that first day, I was -- I was probably the least-prepared guy in the world for -- for what was to come. I had no idea that, even though everyone was there for breaking the law, that -- that world has its own very strict set of laws, and I broke one of those laws right away. It cost another inmate three years on his sentence, and it almost cost me my life. I didn't know, Gabi. I didn't get that...there are things that happen in that place that are just --" Nick said, his voice trailing off as his screams echoed in his mind.

"I wish you could understand, but there's things about life on the inside that you just -- you can't think about. You just -- you have to forget. There's a certain...order; there's a hierarchy with the inmates, and...I had to play all the angles. I had to figure out how to make all the right alliances," Nick explained. Gabi tried to ask Nick some questions, but he ignored her, absorbed in his own silent recollections of his prison life.

In prison, Nick had witnessed a courtyard fight. When the guards had questioned Nick about the fight, he had revealed that Vargas had started it. Presumably, Vargas had later retaliated, leaving Nick badly bruised. Vargas had also warned that he could have killed Nick, who had insisted that he had never meant to cause any harm.

Vargas had heard that Nick was a genius, and he had pointed out that Nick's brain wouldn't protect him in prison. Vargas had offered to protect Nick, stressing that the protection would not be provided for free. Later, Nick had received a hollowed-out book -- presumably from Vargas -- that had contained a large amount of pills.

Interrupting Nick's thoughts, Gabi wondered how Nick had managed to survive for four years in prison. Nick explained that a lot of prisoners used drugs as a way to cope with their situation. Nick claimed that he had not been one of those prisoners, since he had wanted to go back to being the person whom he had been before he had gotten addicted to pain pills.

"Statesville's -- it's run a lot like a -- like a small town. You know, there's just -- there's hundreds of -- hundreds of prisoners, and they each work in -- in different departments to help keep things going. I found ways to work that system to my advantage, and I traded on it for protection," Nick vaguely stated. Gabi assumed that Nick was saying that he had been an informant, which was what had led to the stabbing.

Nick clarified that someone had assumed that Nick had been planning to snitch. Nick claimed that the person had been mistaken, stating that he had learned his lesson the first time that he had revealed sensitive information about a prisoner. Gabi guessed that the prisoner had tried to kill Nick, but Nick corrected her, explaining that the stabbing had simply been a warning.

Nick said that Gabi was the reason that he was still alive. "When I got out of prison, and I was gonna start my new life, I didn't know what was gonna happen, but then I met you. I met you, and everything came together. It all came together, and it came together better than I ever could have imagined it. Thank you. Thank you, Gabi, for saving my life; for giving me the family I've always wanted," Nick tearfully stated as he hugged Gabi.

Later, after Nick left, Rafe entered the room, wondering why Gabi had sent him an urgent text message. Rafe was stunned to learn that Will had given up the rights to his daughter, which Gabi claimed was good news. "I don't mean to pry here, but a while ago, Nick, uh, made some sort of threat, saying that he was going to do anything that he possibly could to keep you safe. Is this a part of that?" Rafe asked.

Gabi deflected, claiming that the decision had been made because the baby had needed to be protected from Sami, who could no longer pressure Will into fighting for sole custody. Unconvinced, Rafe wondered if Will was okay with the arrangement. Gabi evasively replied that Will knew that she would never keep him away from his daughter.

Rafe wished that Gabi had talked to him about the situation before making a final decision, but she claimed that everything had happened very suddenly. Before Rafe could question her further, Gabi quickly excused herself, stating that she was late for a college class. Gabi pointed to some luggage and asked Rafe to carry it downstairs for her, explaining that one of Victor's employees would be retrieving it later.

Rafe was not pleased to learn that Gabi was going to be moving into the Kiriakis mansion later that day. Rafe warned Gabi that their conversation wasn't over yet, but she replied that it was no longer his job to protect her. Gabi dismissively added that the decision had already been made. Rafe shook his head skeptically as Gabi exited the room.

In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Sonny surprised Will with a cup of coffee, explaining that he had taken the morning off so that he could spend some time with Will. Will noticed that Sonny's hand was bruised, and Sonny evasively stated that he had probably banged it on something earlier. Will wasn't convinced, so Sonny reluctantly admitted that he had gotten into a fight with Nick the previous night.

Will was surprised to learn that Sonny was the person who had thrown the first punch. Sonny tried to get Will to drop the subject, but Will wasn't willing to do that. Will insisted that he had never intended for the animosity between him and Nick to end up hurting Sonny. Will wondered what Nick had done to provoke Sonny. "He called me a faggot," Sonny admitted.

The news didn't completely shock Will, who acknowledged that Nick was an ignorant homophobe. Sonny admitted that he might have pushed Nick's buttons a bit too hard, but Will insisted that nothing justified Nick's hateful language. Sonny suggested turning the tables on Nick, letting everyone see Nick for the homophobic jerk that he really was.

Will seemed hesitant, prompting Sonny to reason that they would only be telling the truth. Sonny demanded to know why Will wanted to protect Nick. Frustrated, Will insisted that he would love to tell everyone who Nick really was, but he reminded Sonny that if they did that, Nick might choose to retaliate, sending Will, Lucas, Roman, and Hope to prison in the process. Conceding Will's point, Sonny apologized for accusing Will of protecting Nick.

Will offered his own apology, admitting that he was angry, and Sonny insisted that Will had every right to feel that way. "Not at you, though, man. The only thing that you should have done was just, like -- just hit him harder," Will added. Sonny laughed and replied that he might do that the next time that Nick used pejorative words in Sonny's presence. "This is the guy who's gonna raise my little girl. Gonna fill her head with all sorts of ignorant nonsense," Will said with a heavy sigh.

Later, at Common Grounds, Adrienne greeted Sonny with a hug, explaining that she had a gift that she wanted to deliver to Will. Sonny said that Will was studying for a college examination, adding that Will might spend some time at the coffeehouse later that day. Slightly disappointed, Adrienne conceded that the gift didn't need to be opened right away. Adrienne excitedly revealed that the gift was for Will's daughter.

After explaining that Will had signed away the rights to his daughter, Sonny insisted that Adrienne couldn't give her gift to Will, who had been struggling to move on with his life after making a very difficult decision. "Sonny, I know you stand by Will no matter what, because you love him, but you can't honestly tell me that this is the best decision. I know it's none of my business, but really, for Will to give up the legal rights to his child," Adrienne said as Kate entered the coffeehouse.

Stunned, Kate refused to believe that Will had voluntarily signed away his rights to his daughter. Sonny claimed that Will had done exactly that, referring to the arrangement as a done deal. Still skeptical, Kate accused Sonny of talking Will into making the decision, but Adrienne defended Sonny, insisting that Sonny had simply supported Will's choice. Adrienne added that Sonny had been looking forward to being a part of Will's daughter's life.

Kate insisted that Will would never have chosen to abandon his daughter. Kate demanded to know when Will had signed the documents. Sonny remained silent, so Adrienne clarified that the arrangement had been made a few days earlier. Sonny tried to do some damage control, but Kate ignored him. "This is a travesty! I don't know why Will did it, but I am going to find out," Kate vowed before storming out of the coffeehouse. Kate went to the Brady Pub to confront Gabi and Nick, but before she could knock on Gabi's door, Rafe opened it. "You son of a bitch," Kate said as she angrily slapped Rafe.

At the Horton Town Square, Will tried to concentrate on one of his college assignments, but he was unable to do so. Will closed his notebook and removed the ultrasound image of his daughter from his jacket pocket, sighing as he stared at it. Later, Will placed a call to Sami, asking her to meet him right away. Will said that he wanted to talk about his baby.

At Common Grounds, Adrienne asked Sonny to be honest with her. "Is Will in some kind of trouble? Is that why he was so willing to give up his baby?" Adrienne wondered. Sonny apologetically stated that he couldn't give Adrienne any further information about the situation. Adrienne said that she understood, adding that she and Justin would be there for Sonny and Will if they ever needed anything.

After Adrienne left, Sonny quickly tried to contact Will to warn him about Kate's partial knowledge of the situation. Meanwhile, Sami arrived at the town square and nervously asked if something had happened to Will's daughter. Will wondered if Sami still believed that Stefano could help Will gain custody of Will's daughter. Somewhat shocked, Sami confirmed that she was convinced that Stefano could help Will.

"Okay. Good. Then I want you to make that happen. I want you to do whatever it takes to get Nick out of the way," Will stated without hesitation.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

by Spalding

In the Horton living room, Abigail and Cameron kissed over brunch. As the moment heated up, Abigail unbuttoned Cameron's shirt. Cameron stood up and led Abigail toward the staircase. Confused, Abigail stopped and noted, "We can't do this." Cameron apologized for assuming that Abigail was ready to have sex. Abigail countered that her issue was not with the loss of her virginity, but her problem was with Cameron. Before Abigail could elaborate, Cameron's phone rang.

Abigail begged Cameron to ignore the call, but he answered it. After talking to the hospital on the phone, Cameron told Abigail that he needed to leave. Abigail asked Cameron to talk to her first, but frustrated, Cameron noted that he did not have time. Cameron said that if he agreed to meet with Abigail in the future, then it would have to be in a public place so that they would not start kissing.

After Cameron arrived at the hospital, he regretted what he had said to Abigail, and he called her. Abigail apologized for her behavior, and Cameron apologized for what he had said. Cameron said that he did not want to pressure Abigail into having sex and that he was comfortable being friends with her. Abigail countered that she did not feel pressured. With a sigh, Cameron noted that he was the problem and hung up.

At the coffeehouse, Justin stopped by to check on Sonny. Worried, Sonny asked Justin to help Will, and he explained that Will had signed away his parental rights to his child. When Justin asked for details about how Will had been coerced into signing away his rights, Sonny stammered that the situation was complicated. Anxious, Sonny announced that he would not let Will suffer alone then he left the coffeehouse.

In the park, Will asked Sami to talk to Stefano on Will's behalf. When Sami asked what had changed, Will thought about when Sonny had told him about his fight with Nick. Angry, Will said, "Let's just say I know who Nick really is now, and there's no way I'm going to let him raise my daughter." Will begged Sami to talk to Stefano as soon as possible.

Sami explained that she would need to be strategic in her approach to Stefano. Sami urged Will to visit Stefano at the mansion and be nice to him. Sami added that Will should wait until the moment was right and casually tell Stefano the story about Nick's blackmail. As Will nodded, Sami stressed that Stefano needed to believe that it was his idea to help Will.

Will walked over to the coffeehouse in search of Sonny, but he only found Justin inside. Justin told Will that Sonny was looking for him. As Will nodded, Justin added that he had spoken to Sonny and that Justin was available to talk if Will needed to get anything off of his chest. Will said his issue was settled but that things might change in the future. Will thanked Justin then left in search of Sonny.

In Gabi's room at the pub, Kate knocked on the door and was surprised to find Rafe alone inside. Kate slapped Rafe's face and accused him of lying to her about Will. Rafe explained that he had not heard that Will had relinquished custody of his daughter until earlier that day. Rafe and Kate were both suspicious about why Will had given up custody. Rafe stressed that he cared about Will and that he believed Gabi would not let Nick dictate whether Will was a part of the child's life.

Rafe wondered aloud whether Will had given up his rights to the child because of Sami's increased threats toward Nick. Kate apologized to Rafe for slapping him. Smiling, Rafe suggested that if Kate was sincere then she would apologize on her knees. Smirking, Kate slid to her knees and asked Rafe to forgive her. As Rafe and Kate kissed, Sonny walked in. Shocked, Sonny excused himself. Worried, Kate chased after him.

Downstairs in the pub, Sami grumbled that she knew that Nick had done something horrible to Will and that she would not let Nick get away with it. As Sami looked around the pub, she spotted Sonny bounding down the stairs and toward the door. When Sami asked Sonny what was wrong, Kate walked down the stairs. As Sami smirked, Rafe walked down the stairs behind Kate. Upset, Sonny left.

Sami started to follow Sonny, but Rafe asked Sami to explain why she had not informed him that Will had signed away his rights to his daughter. Sami growled that the information was not Rafe's business. Nodding, Rafe theorized aloud that when he had caught Sami and Lucas in the evidence room, they had been looking for information on Nick. Kate rolled her eyes. Rafe argued that Will had signed away his rights because Sami had made the situation with the baby a horrible mess.

Frustrated, Sami noted that she did not have time to talk because she needed to unpack. When Rafe raised an eyebrow, a grinning Sami explained that she had moved into the DiMera mansion then she sauntered out of the pub. Worried, Kate explained that she would follow Sonny and talk to him about what Sonny had walked in on in Gabi's room.

In the town square, Brady ran into Marlena. Marlena attempted to explain to Brady what he had heard in the hotel room, but Brady did not want to listen to Marlena. Brady informed Marlena that he was engaged to marry Kristen. Upset, Marlena stressed that Kristen was deranged and incapable of loving anyone. Marlena said that she would not stop telling Brady that Kristen was a horrible person until it sunk in.

John interrupted and urged Brady not to marry Kristen. Brady yelled that if John would not accept Kristen, then Brady would not accept John. As Brady stormed off, John ordered Marlena to stay out of the situation.

After leaving the coffeehouse, Will walked to the town square and found Sonny there. Noting the pale look on Sonny's face, Will asked him what was wrong. Unsure what to say, Sonny thought about when he had walked in on Rafe and Kate kissing.

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen informed Stefano that she was engaged to Brady. Stefano asked Kristen if she would be able to hurt Brady when needed. Kristen argued that she had proven herself to the family and that she would be able to follow through on her plan. Kristen added that hurting Brady was a positive thing because it would permanently remove John and Marlena from Brady's life.

When Brady returned to the mansion, Kristen informed him that she was working on some ideas to redecorate their area of the mansion. Kristen rushed off to get the fabric samples. John called Brady's phone, and Brady grudgingly answered the call. As Kristen eavesdropped from the foyer, she overheard Brady tell John that he was tired of talking. Brady argued that John did not want him to be happy, and he told John to live with it. Furious, Brady threw his cell phone into a chair.

In the town square, John thought about when he had first held Brady as a baby. John said that he had vowed to Isabella that he would always care for Brady and that he would keep that promise.

Kristen walked into the DiMera living room with the fabric samples. Brady told Kristen of his conversation with John and Marlena and that they knew of Brady and Kristen's engagement. Stefano entered the room and congratulated Brady on proposing. As Brady shook Stefano's hand, Stefano asked Kristen to leave them alone for a moment. Kristen slipped into the foyer with Brady's phone and sent out a text to John and Marlena.

Alone in the living room, Stefano asked Brady to keep Kristen's best interests at heart. Brady promised to love and protect Kristen. Stefano reminded Brady that family was his top priority, and Brady promised to get along with the DiMera family.

When Brady joined Kristen in the foyer, he informed her that he had promised Stefano that he would love and honor her. Kristen noted that she had accidentally grabbed Brady's phone, and she returned it to him. In the living room, Stefano whispered, "I hope you know what you're doing, Kristen."

Brady and Kristen walked to the town square and found Marlena and John waiting for them. Brady was upset, but Marlena explained that Brady had texted her. When Brady denied the accusation, Kristen admitted that she had used Brady's phone to text John and Marlena. Kristen explained that she wanted to get Brady, John, and Marlena talking so that they could reconcile.

Marlena blamed Kristen and urged Brady to be smarter in his choices. Furious, Brady yelled that John and Marlena were no longer a part of his life, then stalked off with Kristen in tow. Livid, John ordered Marlena to back off.

When Brady and Kristen returned to the DiMera mansion, she stopped him on the front porch and apologized for orchestrating the meeting and making things worse between Brady and his father. From the bushes, someone watched Brady and Kristen talk.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

In Horton Square, Will observed that Sonny seemed a little disturbed and asked what was up. In the interest of complete honesty, Sonny began that something was troubling him, and it had to do with Rafe and Kate. Lucas arrived before Sonny could say anything more. Sensing that he'd interrupted something important, Lucas urged Sonny to divulge anything he might know that could help Will be a part of his daughter's life.

Sonny said that Gabi wanted Will to be able to see the baby, and Lucas asked if Gabi knew how Nick had gotten Will to sign away custody. "No, but she knows I didn't want to do it," Will replied. Lucas believed that one day, Gabi would find out the truth. Lucas' ringing cell phone interrupted them, so he left to take the business call. Will noted that it was obvious Sonny didn't want to finish what he'd been saying in front of Lucas. Sonny replied that it wasn't his place to tell Lucas, although Will needed to know. The two left the square together.

Rafe and Kate met at Common Grounds to wait to talk with Sonny about what he'd seen when he'd walked in on them kissing in Gabi's room. Rafe was nonchalant about it, but Kate was worried that if Sonny opened his mouth, it would all be over, especially if Stefano or Sami found out. "What's Stefano gonna do? Kill us?" Rafe asked lightly. Kate asserted that Will and Gabi didn't need Rafe and Kate's relationship to further complicate the situation with the baby.

Rafe thought that Will had too much else on his mind to be worried about Kate and Rafe's relationship, but Kate was obviously still worried about what Stefano might do. Rafe asserted that there wasn't much Stefano could do that he hadn't already tried, plus Stefano had divorced Kate and couldn't expect her to put the rest of her life on hold. "That's exactly what he expects," Kate maintained. She added that things had gotten so complicated that maybe they should end things.

Will and Sonny arrived before Kate and Rafe could continue their discussion about their future. Will announced that Sonny had told him that Rafe and Kate knew that Will had signed away his parental rights. Will apologized to his grandmother, but she assured him that she understood if he had made the decision because he'd felt it was the only thing he could do.

While Will and Rafe stepped away to speak privately, Kate expressed her relief to Sonny that he hadn't told Will about what he'd seen. Sonny quipped, "Who do you think I am? Perez Hilton?"

Will told Rafe that he knew Rafe had to be relieved, because after everything Will had done, he was surely the last person Rafe wanted around Gabi and the baby. Rafe reassured Will that they were family and always would be, and Rafe would hate to see Will torn out of his baby's life -- and he knew that Gabi felt the same way.

Before Will could explain that Nick didn't share Gabi's feelings, Kate interrupted to demand who had pressured Will into giving up his parental rights -- and what they were going to do about it. Will didn't think that there was anything they could do about it, but a furious Kate didn't understand why Nick would have a problem with Will being a part of his daughter's life. Will replied that Nick merely wanted Sami out of the picture before she went off the deep end again.

Kate was spluttering indignantly when Lucas arrived and pulled Kate away to discuss a multimillion-dollar business deal. After Rafe had also gone, Will fretted about how his grandmother would never back down. Sonny warned him not to tell Kate the truth, because she would fire Nick, who would then send Will to prison. Will hoped that Lucas could figure out a way to get Kate to back off.

Meanwhile, Lucas was imploring Kate to back off, but he refused to tell her why. Kate insisted that she could be more help than Lucas and Sami had been when they'd broken into the evidence room. Kate guessed that Nick was holding something terrible over Will's head, but Lucas warned that if Kate got involved, it would hurt Will even more. Chastened, Kate agreed that wasn't what she wanted.

A bit later, Sonny ended a phone call. He informed Will that T needed the two of them for a basketball game the next day. Will said that he wasn't feeling up to it. Sonny tried to reassure Will that Gabi would let him be part of the baby's life -- and that Nick wouldn't be able to control her as far as the baby was concerned. Will recalled telling his mom to use Stefano to do whatever it took to get Nick out of the way.

Kate called Rafe from outside the coffeehouse to assure him that Sonny wasn't going to say anything. She added, "It is harder and harder to keep on coming up with excuses when people see us together... When Sonny walked into the room and saw us, it just made me realize that ending this really is the right thing to do, before it gets too complicated." Although disappointed, Rafe agreed, "I guess...the only thing left to say is, 'goodbye.'"

At Daniel's apartment, Chloe flashed back to seeing Daniel and Jennifer having sex through the window of the Horton cabin. With steely determination, she grabbed her purse and began to hurry out the door, but bumped into the coffee table, knocking one of Parker's toy trains on the floor and breaking it. She picked up the pieces of the train and put them on a side table with an apology to her absent son, and trotted out.

A short while later in front of the Brady Pub, Chloe called Nancy to check in. After speaking for a moment to Parker, Chloe warned Nancy, "I hope you got some rest, because you're going to be busy. Text me when everything's ready?" Nancy asked Chloe if she were absolutely sure about what they were doing. "Mom, will you please stop asking me that? I need to know that I can count on you to do what needs to be done," Chloe said -- just as Nicole arrived and overheard.

"What needs to be done, Chloe?" Nicole asked suspiciously. Chloe hung up and basically told Nicole to mind her own business. Nicole guessed that Chloe was working on "another crazy scheme" to win Daniel back. Chloe accused Nicole of still obsessing over Daniel, but Nicole insisted that Daniel was her friend, and she didn't want to see him -- or Chloe -- get hurt. Chloe maintained that Nicole had kept Chloe from getting a spot on the music committee at the church because she was jealous of Chloe.

Nicole asserted that she wasn't jealous. Chloe sneered that she would never be "alone and pitiful" like Nicole because she had something that Nicole would never be able to have: a child. Chloe's words stung Nicole. Chloe accused Nicole of standing in the way and allowing Jennifer to move in on Daniel. "What does that even mean?" a bemused Nicole asked. Chloe defensively declared, "You're standing here saying that Jennifer's won and that I've lost. Well, you're wrong!"

Chloe added, "Daniel doesn't want you in his life, and that means that I don't want you in my life, either." Although obviously a little hurt, Nicole understood, declaring that she would enjoy the satisfaction of watching Chloe implode. She warned Chloe that she wasn't going to get what she wanted because Daniel was far too good for her. As Nicole walked away, Chloe shouted after her that Nicole was a loser. She pouted as the memory of watching Daniel and Jennifer together washed over her again.

As Jennifer slept in front of the fire at the Horton cabin, Daniel awakened her with a cup of coffee. Jennifer purred with pleasure as she awakened to the smell and sat up to take the cup. After Jennifer had drunk a sip, Daniel took the cup away and kissed her. They both agreed that they wished they never had to leave. After having sex in front of the fire again, Jennifer softly stated that she was really happy. Chuckling, Daniel remembered that he had never called to let the people at the conference know that he wasn't going to be there.

Daniel declared that there was one more thing he needed to do to make things right for them. As Jennifer and Daniel got dressed, she noticed that Daniel had a missed call on his phone. Daniel saw that the call had been from Chloe, who hadn't left a message. Daniel promised Jennifer that he would make absolutely sure that Chloe was aware of the boundaries, and he wanted to be on the next ferry so that he and Jennifer could start their lives together as soon as possible.

Later, Daniel and Jennifer walked through Horton Square as they returned from the ferry. They agreed to meet back at the Horton house after Daniel had talked to Chloe. They shared a passionate goodbye kiss before departing in separate directions. Daniel tried to call Chloe, but got her voicemail instead. He asked her to call him as soon as she got the message.

Chloe got Daniel's message a little later, after her altercation with Nicole. With a smug smile, she headed off in the direction of Daniel's apartment. On her way, Chloe got a text message from her mother, which read in part, "Everything done as you asked." Chloe replied, "This will all be over soon, and everything will be good again."

After Jennifer arrived home, she left a message for Abigail: "I just wanted to let you know that I am back, and I am great, and everything is so, so, so good." After she hung up, Jennifer took off the necklace that Daniel had given her to admire it.

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen apologized to Brady for ruining his day, but he insisted that wasn't the case. Noting that Brady seemed to have a headache from the tension with John and Marlena, Kristen offered to get her fianc an aspirin, but he pulled her into a kiss instead. Meanwhile, someone seemed to be watching them from the terrace.

As Brady moved Kristen to the sofa, something moving outside caught his eye, so he went out to investigate. Once outside, Brady said that he didn't see anything, so he went back inside and closed the doors. As he began passionately kissing Kristen again, she pulled away. She explained that she had asked the cook to make them something special -- and afterwards, the staff would be gone for the rest of the day, so Kristen and Brady would have the house to themselves.

Over lunch, Kristen playfully suggested that she and Brady should try to go to bed early. She then asked where Brady had gone the night before. He admitted that he'd gone to St. Luke's to have a brother-to-brother chat with Eric, who had advised Brady to do what he wanted and not worry about what anybody else thought. After Brady made Kristen taste a bite of his dessert, she climbed into his lap and began kissing him.

To Brady and Kristen's dismay, the ringing doorbell interrupted them. Kristen was surprised to find Daniel on the doorstep. He explained that he was there to thank Kristen for helping him to get his life back by cluing him in to the misunderstanding with Jennifer. Kristen quickly guessed that Daniel and Jennifer had done more than merely talking things out. Daniel hinted that the next thing he needed to do was clue Chloe in to the way things had to be from then on.

As Daniel rose to leave, he spotted the engagement ring on Kristen's finger. He congratulated Kristen and Brady heartily and declared that the four of them would have to go out to celebrate. Brady and Kristen were thrilled to accept, especially since the only reactions they had gotten to their engagement so far had been "abject horror."

When Brady winced in pain, Daniel noticed. Brady explained that he'd had a headache on and off for a little while, but he insisted that it was nothing. Since Brady had recently been hit pretty hard during a mugging, Daniel made Brady promise to make an appointment with a neurologist. After Daniel had gone, Kristen encouraged Brady to call the doctor. Brady insisted that there was no need because the headache was gone. He believed that the headaches had nothing to do with the mugging and instead were because of the stress he'd been experiencing about his dad.

As Kristen began massaging Brady's neck to relieve some of the tension, he pointed out that since Daniel knew that they were engaged, it might be time to tell other people -- like Victor. Kristen regretted that Brady had been forced to choose between her and his family, but he insisted that it hadn't been a choice, because he loved her.

After Brady left to talk to Victor, the doorbell rang. Kristen was stunned when she answered it and found Sy, the thug she'd hired to attack John who'd mugged Brady instead, at the door.

As Daniel let himself into his apartment, he called out to Chloe, but the place was empty.

Jennifer answered a knock at her door, expecting to see Daniel on the doorstep -- but instead, Chloe stood there.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

by Mike

At St. Luke's, Eric wondered if Nicole would be willing to share her office space for a while. "Don't we already? I mean, of course, yes. Of course I don't mind sharing, as long as you promise not to be a distraction. I mean, this is a workplace, you know," Nicole playfully replied, but Eric failed to understand the joke.

Eric clarified that Nicole wouldn't be sharing the room with him -- she would be sharing it with Vargas. Seemingly on cue, Vargas entered the office. Eric said that Vargas would probably only need the space for one day, since he simply needed a place to make a few phone calls. Vargas explained that he was going to be looking for a job, a task that had filled him with excitement and nervousness.

Nicole rolled her eyes as Eric cheerfully reminded Vargas to remain optimistic. After Eric left, Vargas started to contact various businesses, but most of the places on his list refused to talk to him. As Vargas vented his frustrations, Nicole abruptly exited the office, claiming that she needed to get some air.

At the Horton Town Square, Daniel and Nicole accidentally bumped into each other. After some small talk, Daniel revealed that he had been on his way to the Horton house to visit Jennifer, whom he was dating again. Silently recalling an earlier conversation with Chloe, Nicole realized why Chloe had been upset at that time. Nicole said that she was happy for Daniel, and she wondered if Chloe had heard the news yet.

Daniel evasively stated that he didn't want to discuss the situation with Nicole, offering only a vague assurance that things were being handled. After apologizing for prying, Nicole advised Daniel to talk to Chloe about his relationship with Jennifer right away. Nicole started to say something else, but she changed her mind and abruptly excused herself, leaving Daniel slightly confused.

Later, Daniel, who had made several previous attempts to contact Chloe, tried to do so again, but the call went to voicemail. Concerned, Daniel called Nancy, who said that she didn't know where Chloe was. When Daniel asked if Parker was enjoying New York, Nancy grew quiet, clearly hiding something.

At the Horton house, Chloe barged into the foyer, no longer interested in pretending to be nice to Jennifer. Chloe revealed that she had seen Jennifer and Daniel at the Horton cabin the previous night. Horrified and disgusted, Jennifer ordered Chloe to leave. "Oh, just get over it, would you? Please. It's not like I haven't seen it or done it myself with Daniel a thousand times," Chloe crassly stated.

Chloe refused to leave, explaining that seeing Jennifer and Daniel together at the cabin had made her realize that she had lost him for good, since he was obviously in love with Jennifer. "I swear, Jennifer, I never imagined that he could love anyone else -- not the way that he loved me. So I came back to Salem, hoping -- knowing -- that I was gonna get him back. I could feel it in my bones. But...then, when I looked in that window last night, and I -- and I saw the way that he looked at you, and his total love for you -- do you love him? I really -- I need to hear it from you. Do you love him? Truly love him?" Chloe tearfully asked.

Jennifer confirmed that she did love Daniel, realizing that she probably wasn't saying what Chloe wanted to hear. Jennifer urged Chloe to return to Daniel's apartment, where he was waiting to talk to Chloe about the situation, but Chloe refused to do so. Jennifer insisted that she didn't want to continue to argue with Chloe, suggesting that it would be best for both of them to simply move on with their lives.

"Move on? I don't think you've been paying attention. Did I ever say one word about moving on? No," Chloe replied. Confused, Jennifer noted that Chloe's earlier comments had seemingly indicated that seeing Jennifer and Daniel together at the cabin had finally convinced Chloe that she needed to move on with her life. Conceding Jennifer's point, Chloe claimed that she hadn't meant to imply that everything had already been worked out.

Chloe explained that she and Jennifer still had some very important matters to discuss -- like Parker. Chloe claimed that Parker hated being around Jennifer, whom he was actually completely terrified of. Chloe forbade Jennifer from ever going near Parker again, but Jennifer defiantly stated that she was going to be a part of Daniel's life, which meant that she was also going to be a part of Parker's life.

Jennifer tried to reason with Chloe, insisting that there had to be a way for them to work things out, but Chloe countered that she had already worked things out. "Here's the deal -- you willingly take yourself out of the picture and let Daniel be Parker's father, or you don't, and Daniel suffers the consequences. So...Daniel can either be with you, or he can be with Parker, but not both -- not ever," Chloe matter-of-factly stated.

At the Brady Pub, Eric greeted Marlena, who had left him an urgent voicemail message earlier, and he wondered what was wrong. "Well, I feel like I've destroyed everything. And everything I try to do just makes things worse. And John has never been so angry," Marlena explained. Eric revealed that Brady had told him about John's plan earlier. Eric advised Marlena to stop blaming herself for what had happened.

Marlena wondered if Eric was just saying that because she had already lost everything. "My marriage to John might be over, Brady might never speak to me again, and I've dug myself into such a deep hole, I can't even crawl out of it," Marlena summarized. Eric advised Marlena to ask God for help, but she seemed hesitant to do so.

Referring to the satanic possession that had occurred years earlier, Eric reminded Marlena that God had helped her once before, and he assured her that God would be willing to do so again. Marlena still wasn't convinced, admitting that she had been hoping to think of a more concrete method of resolving her problems. Eric was undeterred, and Marlena noted with apparent amazement that his faith seemed to be completely unwavering.

Eric received a phone call from Father Matt, who wanted to see Eric right away. Marlena assured Eric that she would be fine, and he reluctantly exited the pub. "I don't want to lose John. I want Brady back in our lives. I want everybody to know what I know about...that woman. Please," Marlena whispered once she was alone.

At St. Luke's, Vargas was still trying to convince potential employers to talk to him. Nicole entered the office as Vargas received another refusal, and he groaned with frustration, insisting that Eric's idea had been a complete failure. Scoffing, Nicole pointed out that Vargas had probably spent approximately one hour contacting people that day.

Nicole assured Vargas that he would be fine, adding that it often took time for a person to turn their life around. Nicole revealed that Eric was also trying to help her, and she admitted that it often felt like they were taking one step forward and two steps backward. Vargas wondered why Nicole needed Eric's help.

Nicole started to deflect, but after a moment of hesitation, she changed her mind, admitting that she had once been in prison herself. Nicole's revelation shocked Vargas. "Maybe we should get tee shirts made -- 'I'm an official Father Eric project,'" Nicole jokingly suggested, causing Vargas to laugh. When Eric returned to the church, he was pleasantly surprised to see that Nicole and Vargas seemed to be getting along with each other.

Eric asked about the job search, and Vargas admitted that he had not had any luck yet. Claiming that he didn't want to take advantage of Eric's hospitality, Vargas hinted that he would probably move out of the church unless he managed to find a job in the near future. Nicole reminded Eric that the church had been looking for a repairman, but he pointed out that she was referring to a part-time position.

Nicole argued that a part-time job would be better than no job at all, adding that Vargas, who had previously managed to fix the church's broken radiator, obviously possessed the necessary skills to handle the job. Vargas was willing to accept the position, so Eric agreed to hire him. After promising to continue to search for a full-time job, Vargas excused himself so that he could retrieve another list of potential employers from his room.

Impressed, Eric noted that Nicole's opinion of Vargas had changed quite suddenly. Nicole said that Vargas was obviously grateful for the opportunity that Eric had given him, which was something that she had been unable to argue with. Elsewhere, Vargas crumpled the list of business contacts, muttering that he no longer needed it.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Henderson greeted Brady, who wondered if Victor was at home. "Well, hallelujah! The prodigal grandson returns. Finally had enough of that sneaky little bitch, huh?" Victor guessed, laughing triumphantly as he entered the foyer. Beaming with pride, Victor started to offer Brady a celebratory drink, but Brady interrupted, clarifying that he and Kristen were still together.

Brady explained that he had some important news to share with Victor. "No, no, no. No, absolutely not. That is not going to happen. I won't allow it, damn it!" Victor insisted, guessing what Brady's next sentence was going to be. Victor pointed out that Brady was an addict, adding that Kristen DiMera was the worst addiction that Brady would ever have to face.

Victor believed that Kristen, whom he referred to as a slut, would ultimately destroy Brady. Brady insisted that Victor was no longer allowed to disrespect Kristen. Brady summarized that he was a man who was simply looking for happiness, and he hoped that Victor would want the same thing for him.

"You're going to be miserable. She's gonna suck your soul dry, and she's gonna love every minute of it. And when she's done, you're gonna think that drug addiction was a walk in the park," Victor confidently predicted. Realizing that visiting Victor had been a complete waste of time, Brady angrily started to exit the mansion, but Victor stopped him.

Victor admitted that he didn't want to fight with or lose Brady, who echoed the sentiment. "God knows that I want the longest engagement possible. Plenty of time -- I mean, the longest engagement in the world would be just fine with me. But, in the end, if this is still what you want...then you have my blessing," Victor added. Hoping that Victor was being sincere, Brady hugged and thanked him before exiting the mansion.

Later, Henderson said that he had been pleased to hear that Victor and Brady had managed to settle their differences earlier. Henderson acknowledged that Brady was a very important part of Victor's life. "Yes, he is. That's why I let him think that I was coming around. I'm not gonna lose that boy now, especially not to some psycho whore," Victor replied.

Henderson summarized that the things that Victor had told Brady earlier had simply been part of a ruse. "He has to have a place he can run to, Henderson. He has to know that his family's gonna be here when his world catches on fire. In the meantime, I have to hope that something or someone flips a switch for that boy -- shows him what kind of hell Kristen DiMera's got planned for him," Victor explained.

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen ordered Sy -- the man whom she had hired to mug Brady -- to leave, but he insisted that they had something very important to discuss. Sy respectfully explained that he had been having some financial difficulties lately, and he reluctantly asked Kristen to give him some extra money so that he could take care of some bills and, more importantly, his family.

"That's a sad story. You know, let me pay you what I owe you for the job you did, okay? Oh, wait -- I've already done that. Now get. The hell. Out!" Kristen impatiently replied. Sy remained respectful, explaining that his daughter was extremely ill. Sy laughed as he looked around the mansion, pointing out that the type of loan that he was asking for wouldn't even make a dent in Kristen's pocketbook.

Unmoved, Kristen advised Sy to get a job or rob a bank. Sy countered that he needed to spend some time with his daughter, which he wouldn't be able to do if he was working every day or serving a prison sentence. Kristen still wasn't interested in helping Sy, and she impatiently reiterated that she wanted him to leave immediately.

"I did a good job for you...and I went the extra mile. After me and Henry busted up that Brady guy, I went to the hospital to [see] how he was doing -- poke around a little. I seen his father, his wife -- oh, that psychiatrist lady. Uh...Evans, I think her name was? See? I'm a sharpie. I remember things," Sy pointedly stated.

"If you're as sharp as you think you are, you'd better start forgetting things -- like her name, like my name, like this address, and everything else," Kristen warned Sy. Undeterred, Sy offered to do another job for Kristen, stating that he would be willing to do anything. Sy assured Kristen that he would be a good guy for her to have in her corner, but she insisted that she didn't want him anywhere near her.

Sy made one final attempt to change Kristen's mind, but she still refused to help him. Finally giving up, Sy smiled and winked at Kristen before leaving. Later, as Kristen mockingly repeated some of Sy's earlier comments to herself, Brady entered the mansion and announced that Victor had agreed to support Brady's decision to marry her.

Shocked, Kristen decided that she and Brady needed to celebrate. Kristen kissed Brady and started to remove his clothes, foiling his attempt to tell her the rest of the story. As Kristen and Brady started to have sex, she received a phone call. Kristen impatiently answered the phone, and Sy explained that he had decided to give her one final chance to do the right thing. Sy reiterated that he desperately needed some money.

As Brady continued to kiss Kristen, she told Sy that after carefully considering his offer, she had decided to permanently reject it. Before Sy could respond, Kristen ended the call, claiming that the caller had been an annoying salesman. Meanwhile, Sy placed a phone call to someone else.

"Hi, Dr. Evans? My name's Sy. You don't know me, but I have a problem, and I think you're the one who can help me," Sy said.

Friday, March 29, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

Daniel spoke on the phone with Nancy, who assured him that Parker was doing great. Nancy hesitated when Daniel asked if Parker had gotten to see much of New York, but she quickly covered that they were having a wonderful time with Parker's grandpa and Aunt Joy. Someone from housekeeping knocked on the door to Nancy's hotel room, and Daniel heard the woman's voice in the background.

Nancy claimed that it was her Spanish-speaking neighbor, but Daniel pointed out that the woman had been speaking Portuguese. Nancy played dumb and pretended to be in a hurry to meet Craig and Joy in Central Park. Daniel looked a little unsettled, but almost immediately after he hung up, there was a knock at the door.

Maggie was surprised when Daniel answered the door, since she had thought he was in San Francisco. She explained that she had a gift for Parker, but Daniel informed her that his son had gone to New York with Nancy. When a smiling Daniel said that his trip to California had gotten "derailed," Maggie guessed that Jennifer had been the reason. Daniel declared that things couldn't have been better. Maggie was glad that Jennifer had taken her advice to talk to Daniel. Daniel said that it hadn't been quite that simple, but things had eventually worked out.

Maggie admitted that she'd been afraid that Chloe would try to ruin things for Jennifer and Daniel. Daniel assured her that he was going to make sure that Chloe knew she couldn't do so. Maggie asked if Daniel and Jennifer would join her and Victor for dinner at the mansion that week. Daniel said that he wanted to wait to tell people about him and Jennifer until he had broken the news to Chloe, because the two of them had to get along for Parker's sake.

After Maggie left, Daniel decided that he was tired of waiting around for Chloe to show up. "On my way, Jennifer," Daniel declared on his way out the door.

In bed at Rafe's apartment after having sex, Kate and Rafe joked that they should break up more often. Rafe maintained that he'd truly invited Kate there to talk, because he didn't think it was right for them to break up for no reason. Kate pointed out that there were many good reasons, but admitted that she was glad to be there with Rafe, and that she had felt sad after ending things with him. Rafe wanted to know, then, why they had to end things. "Stefano," Kate reminded him, adding, "If he knew about you, there would be war."

Rafe was confident that Stefano wouldn't find out, but Kate pointed out that Sonny had found out. Rafe maintained that they just had to be more careful. Kate glanced at the clock and saw that she was running late for a meeting with some distributors, so she kissed Rafe and got out of bed. They agreed to "break up" again later.

As Rafe was making the bed after Kate had gone, he found her bracelet in the sheets, so he called her to let her know. Kate was at Common Grounds, about to meet with her distributors, but agreed to meet Rafe in Horton Square in a little while.

As Rafe was waiting in the square a bit later, he absently examined the bracelet, recalling how Kate had been wearing it while they'd had sex. Daniel showed up with a bouquet of flowers for Jennifer and teased Rafe that the bracelet didn't go with his outfit. Rafe seemed pleased that Daniel had gotten back together with Jennifer. Daniel asked about the bracelet, and Rafe claimed that Gabi had left it at his apartment.

Daniel offered uncertain congratulations to Rafe about his sister's wedding to Nick. With a shrug, Rafe replied that the kids had really wanted to get married, but he didn't see what the rush was. Rafe said that he needed to find Gabi, but as he departed, he left the bracelet behind on the sofa. Daniel stopped him and picked up the bracelet to hand Rafe, but something about the bangle was familiar to Daniel. "Where have I seen this before?" Daniel wondered aloud.

Just then, Kate arrived, and Daniel quickly put the pieces together. As Kate greeted the two men nonchalantly, Daniel returned the bracelet to Rafe. Kate paled when she saw the bracelet in Daniel's hand. After Daniel left, Rafe and Kate realized that Daniel knew about them, so Rafe followed after Daniel.

Rafe caught up with Daniel in the park and tried to explain about Kate. "We don't want anyone to know. It's complicated," Rafe asserted. Daniel assured Rafe that he could keep a secret -- although he questioned Kate and Rafe being together. Rafe admitted that it had surprised the two of them, as well. Daniel warned Rafe to be careful. Rafe began to acknowledge the things that Kate had done when Daniel had been with Chloe, but Daniel cut him off. "I hope that she's happy. No, really, I do. She deserves a second chance -- because a happy Kate makes the world a much safer place."

Kate was pacing anxiously when Rafe returned. Rafe reassured her that Daniel would keep quiet, but Kate wasn't convinced. Kate fretted that they had been caught twice in the same day. She asserted that they needed to be more careful, and Rafe agreed. Grinning mischievously, Rafe suggested that he return Kate's bracelet later, in private. They agreed to meet at Rafe's place after work. Before Kate and Rafe could go their separate ways, Stefano strolled into the square and spotted them.

At the Horton house, Chloe declared that Daniel could either be with Parker or with Jennifer, but not both. Horrified that Chloe would use her own son like that, Jennifer started to call Daniel, but Chloe warned that if she did, Daniel would lose his son forever -- and it would be Jennifer's fault. Jennifer was confident that as soon as Daniel found out what Chloe was up to, he would simply go get Parker. Chloe informed Jennifer that Nancy had taken Parker not to New York but out of the country -- where Daniel would never be able to find him.

Jennifer accused Chloe of bluffing, so Chloe turned on her laptop and began videochatting with her mom, who was holding Parker in her lap. Chloe asked Nancy to divulge where she really was to Jennifer. "We're in Brazil!" Nancy announced cheerfully. Jennifer refused to believe it, so Chloe instructed Nancy to show what was outside. Nancy put Parker down and held the computer up to the window. Jennifer was dumbfounded.

Jennifer begged Nancy to return Parker home, and Nancy admitted that Parker missed his father. "I miss Daddy!" Parker shouted in the background. Chloe declared that she wanted Parker to be with his daddy -- and Jennifer knew how to make that happen. As Chloe shut down the computer, Jennifer began to call the police. Chloe informed Jennifer that Daniel had no rights to Parker, and produced Parker's birth certificate as proof.

Jennifer was stunned to see that the space for the father's name on the document was blank. Chloe explained the clerical error that had caused the omission but said the mistake had ultimately helped her. Jennifer reminded Chloe that Daniel could contest it because he had taken a DNA test. Chloe pointed out that the legal issues could take years to resolve -- and in the meantime, she could take Parker anywhere in the world. She added that Daniel's word about DNA tests wasn't exactly credible after what he'd done regarding Nicole's baby.

Jennifer expressed her horror and outrage that Chloe would take Parker away from his father. Chloe insisted that she wanted to raise her son with Daniel, but she didn't want Parker anywhere near Jennifer, even if it meant that Chloe had to raise Parker in another country. Jennifer couldn't believe that Chloe would be so cruel as to punish Daniel by keeping him from his son. "You are the one handing out punishments, Jen!" Chloe spat.

Fed up, Jennifer pointed out, "Okay, so I give up Daniel, and he turns around and you're standing there -- and suddenly it's you? That is not going to happen. He doesn't love you!" Stung, Chloe maintained that Jennifer was a toxic influence on Parker's life. Jennifer threatened to call Daniel so they could figure out a way to stop Chloe. Chloe asserted that she would be on the next flight to Rio if Jennifer did that and reminded Jennifer that Daniel had no rights to Parker in the eyes of the law.

Jennifer contended that Daniel would fight, but Chloe retorted, "Good luck with that. I'll be in Brazil -- or Madagascar, or Borneo, or somewhere." Jennifer skeptically wondered if Chloe intended to become a fugitive. Chloe argued that she and Parker wouldn't be fugitives; they would simply be living their lives. "My God, this is monstrous," Jennifer said disbelievingly. "Hey, it's the second-worst option. You've put me in a corner," Chloe contended. An incredulous Jennifer noted, "Wow -- and you have even figured out a way to be the victim here."

Chloe declared that it was up to Jennifer whether to give up Daniel or let him live with the consequences. Jennifer insisted that it wouldn't work because Daniel would never believe that she wanted to leave him. Chloe maintained that Jennifer could -- and would have to -- figure out a believable excuse. Jennifer's cell phone rang just then, but before she could answer it, Chloe snatched it up. "Oh, it's Daniel. He's on his way over," Chloe interpreted the text message.

After warning Jennifer to find a way to convince Daniel quickly, Chloe headed for the door. "I really hate you," Jennifer declared. "I know," Chloe replied.

Back at Daniel's apartment later, Chloe spoke to her mom. Nancy assured her that Daniel still believed that Parker was with Nancy in New York. Nancy wondered, though, why Chloe had wanted her to tell Jennifer the truth. "It's time for me to roll the dice," Chloe declared. She admitted that it had taken a while for the dense Jennifer to believe what was happening. Nancy wondered if Jennifer would really break things off with Daniel. Chloe replied that Jennifer knew what she had to do. "In any case, I've done everything I can. It's up to Jennifer now," Chloe declared.

Jennifer was sobbing miserably when Daniel rang the doorbell. She tried to compose herself before she answered it, but she was still wiping away tears when she opened the door to a beaming, flower-bearing Daniel.

As Gabi, Nick, and Hope arrived at the Kiriakis mansion to move Gabi in, Nick ordered his bride to sit down and let him move the rest of her things in. Although Gabi insisted that she was pregnant, not helpless, she reluctantly agreed. Hope and Gabi went into the living room while Nick carried a couple of boxes upstairs. Sensing that Gabi would prefer to have a place of her own with Nick, Hope reassured Gabi that Nick could live wherever he wanted as soon as his parole ended.

Nick returned from upstairs as Gabi was expressing her gratitude that Hope had gotten Nick to talk to someone about his time in prison. Nick stood outside the door and listened while Hope cautioned Gabi that he might not want to talk about his time inside with her. Gabi acknowledged that what little Nick had told her had broken her heart. Hope urged Gabi to let Nick talk to a therapist about it, since he likely wouldn't want to burden Gabi.

Hope rose to leave, explaining that Ciara was outside, helping Victor pick out hiding places for Easter eggs. Gabi found it hysterical that Ciara would know right where to look for the eggs on Easter morning. Chuckling, Hope noted, "In some areas, Victor's not a ruthless master of the universe. You know, honey, a word of advice: don't take what he says too seriously, okay?" As she embraced Gabi, Hope declared that Nick was a lucky man.

Nick entered just then and agreed with Hope, adding that Gabi was the best thing that had ever happened to him. After Hope had gone, Nick informed his wife that they had officially moved in to the south wing. Noting that Hope had been very sweet to her, Gabi wondered if Hope would continue to be so nice after she found out that Will had signed away his parental rights. Nick reassured her that he would tell everyone and take the heat for it.

Gabi said that she wished Nick had talked to her about it first, but Nick insisted that it had been the only thing he could think of to protect her and the baby. Gabi informed Nick that she had told Rafe, who had been shocked, but she believed that he would understand eventually.

As Maggie returned home, she apologized for not being there to welcome Gabi. After warmly embracing the young Mrs. Fallon, Maggie declared that the cook would be happy to indulge any of Gabi's cravings. Gabi was overwhelmed but thrilled. Maggie admired Gabi's wedding ring and asked if it had been a nice ceremony. Nick thanked his aunt for understanding. Maggie announced, "That's your one free pass -- and if you think for one minute that you're going to get out of having the most beautiful, most elaborate baby shower ever, you have another think coming." Gabi's eyes welled up with happy tears.

A little later, Maggie returned from the kitchen with a peanut butter, banana, and mayo sandwich for Gabi. "For real?" Nick asked, his eyes wide, as he poured Gabi a cup of tea. After Nick got a text message, he said that he had to go in to work for a while. When Nick had gone, Maggie asked Gabi whether Sami had been keeping her distance. To the latter question, Gabi replied, "Yes, Nick has made sure of that."

To encourage a reluctant Gabi to put her feet up on the coffee table, Maggie put her own feet up. The women giggled happily. Maggie declared, "Gabi, with the smile that you've put on Nick's face, you can do just about anything you want around here." Touched, Gabi countered that she was the one who felt lucky. "I feel very loved and safe," Gabi added. Maggie believed that Nick felt the same way. Gabi asserted that she and Nick had both been very lucky. "Well, maybe not luck -- because maybe this is just how you're life is going to be from now on," Maggie suggested reassuringly.

At St. Luke's, Eric apologized to Vargas that the job was only part-time, but informed the ex-con that he could go to St. Mary's if he had any medical needs. Vargas was grateful. He admitted that he hadn't been straight with Father Eric, but he promised to do better in the future. Vargas noted that Father Eric had obviously been sincere in his desire to help inmates, unlike many people who only went to prisons to make themselves look good to the community. Vargas wondered what would happen if he blew his chance. "Well, then that's on you, but I don't think you're going to let us down," Eric asserted, shaking Vargas' hand.

When Hope arrived at the church a little later, Vargas was cleaning his tools. Hope was glad to see that he was settling in. She revealed that Eric had really fought for the prison-release program, and Vargas assured her that he wouldn't give the priest any trouble. Hope revealed that she had been in prison, as well, so she understood how strange it felt to be on the outside again. Hope gave Marlena's card to Vargus, explaining, "She's the best. She helped me. You said you wanted someone to talk to."

Hope also gave her own card to Vargas and said that he could call her anytime if he ever felt bad habits returning and Eric wasn't around. Vargas was grateful, but he vowed not to blow the opportunity he'd been given.

Hope was alone in the office when Eric returned. Hope guessed that Vargas had left while she'd been on a call with the station. "He seemed okay... You're doing a good thing," she assured Eric. Eric said that he believed everyone deserved a second chance, and Vargas was trying to make the most of his.

Looking a bit edgy, Vargas wandered into Horton Square. He recalled how he'd warned Nick, "You need someone to protect you. I can do that, but you're going to owe me, boy."

On his phone in the park, Nick walked someone through a computer problem at work then suggested that they meet the next morning. As Nick hung up, Vargas showed up. "Hello, Nicky," Vargas said, displaying the pipe wrench he clenched in his hand.