Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of October 7, 2013 on DAYS

J.J. learned that Jack had raped Kayla many years before. Kristen hired a thug to attack Marlena and steal back the flash drive, but Nicole chased him off before he could get it. E.J. and Sami were all smiles at their engagement party until a revenge-minded Marge burst in with a loaded gun.

Monday, October 7, 2013

by Mike

At the Brady Pub, Gabi asserted that, while the recent rekindling of her physical relationship with Nick had felt good at that particular moment, neither of them had really bothered to consider the consequences of their actions at that time. Nick excitedly guessed that Gabi was trying to tell him that she was pregnant, but she quickly clarified that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion and reminded him that they had used a condom.

"I already have a baby that I didn't plan for. And I love Arianna to death -- I love her so much -- but she's not even six months old yet, and honestly, I don't -- I'm not ready to do this again for a long time. I'm not," Gabi added. Nick shrugged and dismissively assured Gabi that they would be more careful the next time, but she replied that there wasn't going to be a next time. "Nick, as much as I missed being with you, I didn't miss how -- how complicated it made my life, and -- I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, but I can't handle being anything more than just...friends," Gabi explained.

Instantly placing the blame on Will and Sonny, Nick insisted that Gabi couldn't let them control her life, but she assured him that they weren't trying to do that. Nick quickly shifted the blame to the entire town of Salem, reminding Gabi that she had previously observed that it seemed like no one was willing to support their relationship because of everything that had happened in the past. "Okay, that's -- that is part of it, okay? With everything that's going on in my life, I just -- I don't have the energy to deal with people judging and lecturing me, okay? And it's better if we just move on, like you said. You live your life, and I live mine," Gabi reasoned.

Gabi apologized, hoping that she hadn't inadvertently led Nick on, and she assured him that she still wanted to be his friend. Gabi confidently stated that things would eventually get better for Nick, and she promised that she would always be there for him if he needed her. Nick nodded and quietly thanked Gabi, and he sadly watched as she exited the pub. "Gabi, you have no idea how happy we can be. Just have to get out of this damn town. I promise you, I'm not giving up on us. I'm gonna make all of our dreams come true," Nick vowed.

In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Sami said that she was sorry about everything that Marge had been through lately. "Stop lying! You're not. You won't be sorry until I make you sorry," Marge countered. E.J. warned Marge to refrain from threatening Sami in the future. E.J. started to leave, assuming that Sami would follow him, but she stopped him and explained that she wanted to say something to Marge first.

Sami conceded that she was, and had always been, a liar, and she admitted that she had lied about knowing Bernardi in order to protect herself. Sami guessed that everyone, including Marge, had done something similar at some point, but Marge countered that she had never shot anyone. Ignoring the comment, Sami reasoned that Marge was really just upset because, like Sami, Bernardi had also lied to her.

Marge insisted that E.J. had planted the evidence that had proven that Bernardi had been a dirty cop, but when E.J. asked her to explain why he had waited months to procure that evidence, she was unable to think of a response. E.J. urged Marge to accept the truth about her husband, for her sake and for Timmy's sake. The mention of Timmy's name caused Marge to get even more upset, and she started to sob as she talked about the fact that Timmy, who had idolized his father, had recently started hearing people refer to Bernardi as a murderer.

E.J. wanted to leave while Marge was distracted, but Sami once again stopped him, choosing instead to comfort Marge. As she literally cried on Sami's shoulder, Marge explained that she had sent Timmy to live with her parents so that he wouldn't have to see the newspaper headlines or hear his friends talk about the recent revelations about Bernardi. Marge admitted that she missed Timmy terribly, prompting Sami to urge her to join him at her parents' house.

E.J. encouraged Marge to take Sami's advice, reasoning that it would be best for all of them to take some time to heal. "Heal? That is never going to happen. Do you think this is gonna get any better? Hmm? My husband is gone -- forever. His reputation is ruined -- forever. And it's all because of you. And thanks to [you], [Sami] got away with murder. And nobody gives a damn -- nobody but me," Marge tearfully stated before walking away.

Later, at the DiMera mansion, Sami glared at Stefano's portrait as she wished that Marge could understand that he was the person who was ultimately responsible for Bernardi's death. E.J. pointed out that no one had forced Bernardi to work for Stefano, but Sami asserted that it was hard for anyone to turn down a request from the Stefano DiMera, who had made a living out of ruining people's lives.

E.J. passionately kissed Sami as she continued to complain, prompting her to protest that he wasn't allowed to interrupt her when she was in the middle of a rant. E.J. shrugged and unapologetically explained that he loved seeing Sami's feisty side. Sami wondered when she had ever hidden that side of her personality, and E.J. replied with admiration that she had managed to keep it suppressed during their earlier encounter with Marge.

Later, while E.J. and Sami were lying in bed together, they discussed their engagement party, which had been scheduled for later that day. E.J. suggested that he and Sami could cancel the party so that they could stay in bed all day, but she jokingly refused to miss her party. E.J. reminded Sami that Stefano was going to be at the party, but she reasoned that Eric's good karma would cancel out Stefano's bad karma. Meanwhile, at the Bernardi residence, Marge opened a safe deposit box and eyed the gun that had been hidden in it.

At the hospital, Kate approached Jordan and demanded to know why Rafe, who was supposed to be in an aqua therapy session, was instead sleeping soundly in his room. Jordan explained that Rafe was recovering from an earlier session that he had attended that day, prompting Kate to conclude that Jordan had once again allowed him to overexert himself. Jordan clarified that Rafe had received some enervating guests the previous day, but she declined to elaborate, instead encouraging Kate to probe him for additional details.

When Rafe woke up later that day, he found Kate sitting at his bedside. Kate observed that it looked like Rafe had gone more than a few rounds with Nurse Ratched. Rafe laughed at the One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest reference and jokingly replied that he was still standing -- sort of. Kate revealed that she had talked to Jordan earlier, adding that, in addition to praising his performance in their most recent physical therapy sessions, "the taskmaster" had also mentioned that Rafe had received some visitors the previous day.

Rafe reluctantly told Kate about E.J. and Marge's earlier visits. Kate was sorry to hear that Marge had forced Rafe to think about the night of Bernardi's shooting again, but he dismissively reasoned that the night in question had been far more traumatic for Marge than it had been for him. Rafe added that he was planning to focus on the future instead of looking back at the past -- an attitude that Kate wholeheartedly approved of.

Rafe wondered why Kate -- who had mergers, acquisitions, and a new great-grandchild to focus on -- was instead choosing to waste her days with him at the hospital. Rafe said that, while he had always enjoyed Kate's company, he didn't want her to feel obligated to stay with him all of the time. Kate assured Rafe that she was choosing to support him and that she would continue to do so until he was finally released from the hospital.

Meanwhile, Jordan entered the room and pointed out that she had previously asked Kate to give Rafe some time to rest. Rafe joked that part of Kate's charm was the fact that she never listened to other people. Kate took the hint and left the room. A short time later, in the waiting area, Kate ran into Gabi, who wondered how Kate's earlier talk with Rafe had gone.

Kate was confused, so Gabi clarified that Kate had previously stated that she was going to tell Rafe that she was in love with him. When Kate started to protest, Gabi conceded that Kate hadn't used those exact words, but she added that the true meaning of Kate's statement had been pretty obvious. Kate asserted that Rafe needed to focus on his rehabilitation, but Gabi reasoned that knowing how Kate truly felt about him would give him more motivation to get better.

While Rafe was doing some strength-training exercises in his room, Jordan announced that, due to the excellent progress that he had recently made, she had determined that he was ready for the next step of his recovery process. "I would like to extend your rehabilitation to real-world experiences -- some short excursions outside the hospital. With appropriate supervision, of course. And you will be moved to the rehab floor," Jordan elaborated.

Rafe excitedly wondered if that meant that he would soon be able to leave the hospital for good and return home. Jordan predicted that it would take Rafe approximately two years to get to that point. Rafe started to protest, but he quickly realized that Jordan had been messing with him. Jordan shrugged and explained that she had simply been trying to give Rafe some extra motivation. Jordan added that Rafe was the only person who could determine when he would be ready to be released from the hospital.

Elsewhere, Theresa pointedly demonstrated to Kayla that she was actually working for a change, but Kayla barely acknowledged the feat. Theresa assumed that Kayla was upset because her attempt to ship Theresa back to Los Angeles had failed, but Kayla replied that, while she had a lot of things on her mind, Theresa's place of residence wasn't one of them. Theresa guessed that Kayla's preoccupation had something to do with J.J.

The statement momentarily concerned Kayla, but when she realized that Theresa hadn't heard from J.J. recently, she abruptly excused herself and instructed Theresa to get back to work. Later, Theresa overheard Daniel talking to a nurse, Karin, about his missing bracelet. After promising to let Daniel know if she found the bracelet, the nurse walked away, and Theresa seized the opportunity to ask him to fill out some paperwork for his new identification badge.

As Daniel started to complete the paperwork, Theresa feigned remorse for the poor job that she had done as Jennifer's assistant. Theresa innocently claimed that she hoped that Jennifer's problems with J.J. would soon be resolved, and Daniel agreed. Later, as Karin returned, Theresa apologized for the way that she had flirted with Daniel during her initial weeks in Salem. After assuring Theresa that there was no need to apologize, Daniel excused himself so that he could take care of a patient.

After Daniel left, Karin wondered if something was going on between Theresa and Daniel. Recognizing an opportunity, Theresa invited Karin to join her for a cup of coffee. Later, at Club TBD, Theresa and Karin gossiped about Daniel's relationship with Jennifer. Theresa suggestively stated that she had lifted Daniel's spirits after Jennifer had dumped him. When Karin reached the logical conclusion, Theresa innocently clarified that she and Daniel were just friends. Theresa begged Karin not to tell anyone about their conversation, since that was how rumors usually got started.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Adrienne declined J.J.'s offer to help her clean up the shattered pieces of the coffee cup that she had dropped earlier. J.J. apologized for upsetting Adrienne and wondered if she was all right. Adrienne assured J.J. that she was clumsy, but otherwise fine. Satisfied, J.J. urged Adrienne to talk to him about what had happened between Jack and Kayla years earlier.

Adrienne sighed sadly as J.J. claimed that he already knew the truth. Adrienne didn't believe that it was her place to talk to J.J. about what had happened, but he asserted that he couldn't discuss the matter with Jennifer or Abigail because his relationship with each of them was still strained, and that, for obvious reasons, he also couldn't discuss the matter with Kayla. Adrienne suggested that J.J. could talk to Jennifer about everything after their relationship had been repaired, but he insisted that he couldn't wait that long.

Predicting that the release of Jack's book would give reporters an excuse to dig into his past, J.J. reasoned that he simply wanted to prepare himself for anything that might be uncovered. "Look, the only thing you need to know is that your father deeply regretted his actions, and he regretted them till the day he died," Adrienne informed J.J., who wasn't surprised.

Adrienne vaguely added that the incident had made Jack believe that he wasn't worthy of love, and that Jennifer had struggled to convince him otherwise. Adrienne was glad that Jennifer had been persistent, since J.J. and Abigail -- two people who had immeasurably blessed each of their family members' lives -- had each been a result of that persistence. "I don't feel like much of a blessing right now. I don't know -- may -- maybe I take after him?" J.J. suggested, and Adrienne confirmed that he had taken all of Jack's good qualities.

Adrienne assured J.J. that he would never do what Jack had done, but he wasn't convinced. "You have to understand where he was coming from. Your Grandma Jo gave up your father and Uncle Steve so that they could have a better life. Jack grew up with every privilege -- every privilege -- except for love. That's not how it is for you. Look, I'm not making excuses for what your father did -- I could never do that -- but -- but he would be the first one to tell you that. And when your mother -- during Lawrence's trial, when your father had to testify -- when he had to admit that he --" Adrienne said, pausing as she grew more emotional.

J.J. impatiently urged Adrienne to tell him what Jack had been forced to admit, prompting her to realize that he didn't really know what she was talking about. J.J. tried to deny Adrienne's suspicion, but she wasn't fooled. Insisting that it would be more appropriate for J.J. to talk to Jennifer about the matter, Adrienne reached for her cell phone, but he grabbed his backpack and bolted out of the mansion before she could contact his mother.

At the park, Jennifer begged Rory and Bev to tell her where J.J. was, but they swore that they didn't know the answer to that question. Bev and Rory summarized everything that J.J. had said and done at the Brady Pub earlier that day. As the teenagers concluded that they didn't know where J.J. had gone after he had exited the pub, Jennifer received a phone call from Adrienne, who told her to head over to the Kiriakis mansion right away.

When Jennifer arrived at the Kiriakis mansion a short time later, Adrienne summarized her earlier conversation with J.J. Adrienne assured Jennifer that she had stopped discussing the matter with J.J. when she had realized that he had been fishing for information all along, but she added that she was afraid that it would only be a matter of time before he figured out the truth.

J.J. used a credit card to break into the Horton house. Rory and Bev followed J.J. into the living room, where he searched for and soon located the key to a locked cabinet that contained, among other things, a transcript of Lawrence's trial. "He attacked my mom, but it happened before I was born, and my parents always told me that they would talk to me about it when I was older," J.J. explained to Bev and Rory as he located the transcript.

As J.J. skimmed through the transcript, his eyes fell on something that shocked him. Rory and Bev wondered what was wrong, but J.J. declined to comment and told them to leave. Confused, Bev and Rory continued to ask questions. "I said get the hell out of here!" J.J. impatiently snapped at his friends. After Rory and Bev reluctantly left the house, J.J. turned his attention back to the transcript, muttering that it couldn't possibly be true.

Later, after receiving a phone call from a concerned neighbor who had seen J.J. break into the house earlier, Jennifer returned home and found that he had already left. Jennifer sighed as she spotted the trial transcript, which J.J. had left laying on the living room couch, and realized that he had learned the truth about Jack's past.

At the hospital, J.J. found Kayla sitting in one of the break rooms. "Um -- Aunt Kayla, uh -- I know...wha -- what my dad did, but I, uh -- I want -- I need to hear it from you," J.J. quietly stated. Kayla evasively urged J.J. to discuss the matter with Jennifer instead, but he argued that Jack's actions had been done to Kayla, not Jennifer. "Aunt Kayla, I know that this must be so hard for you, and I'm sorry to ask you this, but I need to know from you, because it doesn't make any sense," J.J. asserted.

"I read the transcript from Lawrence Alamain's trial, and it said that my dad had to admit that -- it's -- it's not true, right? He just did it to put Lawrence away so he would never hurt my mom again. Come on, Aunt Kayla. He's my dad. I have to know the truth," J.J. insisted. Kayla regretfully admitted that everything that Jack had said during Lawrence's trial had been true. "He -- he raped you?" J.J. quietly asked.

"Yes, Jack Deveraux...raped me," Kayla whispered. J.J. sank into a nearby chair as he struggled to process what he had just learned. "J.J., listen to me. You need to know that this was a really long time ago, and I -- I did something to hurt your dad. And I would never -- I could never -- justify what he did, but you need to understand that he was a very different person then. This was long before you or Abigail --" Kayla started to say, but J.J. stopped her and snapped that he didn't want to hear anything else about the matter.

Daniel entered the room in time to witness J.J.'s outburst, and he demanded to know what was going on. Kayla assured Daniel that everything was fine, but J.J. disagreed and stormed out of the room. Daniel questioned Kayla about the matter, but she would only reveal that J.J. had received some upsetting news and that she was worried about how he was going to react to it. Daniel chased after J.J., promising to handle the situation.

At the Horton Town Square, J.J. ran into Rory. Rory tried to find out if J.J. was all right, but J.J. angrily snapped that he didn't want to talk about the matter with Rory. Concerned, Rory made another attempt to talk to J.J. "I said I don't want to talk about it!" J.J. furiously reiterated. As Rory walked away, J.J. spotted a display for Jack's book that had been set up in the window of one of the town square's stores, with a photograph of Jack prominently displayed in the center of the display.

Seething with rage, J.J. picked up a nearby chair and hurled it directly at Jack's photograph, shattering the window in the process.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

by Spalding

In his bedroom, Brady dreamed that he had made love to Kristen. Afterward, Eric appeared in the bedroom and warned Brady that marrying Kristen was a terrible idea. Kristen smiled and agreed with Eric. Brady woke up and wondered aloud about the meaning of his dream.

In the church rectory, Nicole informed Eric that she had decided to take the reporting job and leave her position at the church. Eric noted that he was selfish and wanted to keep Nicole at the church. Eric stressed that he wanted Nicole to be certain that she was not running away from anything. With a smile, Nicole explained that she wanted to move on with her life and that her absence would be good for Eric. When Eric asked why, Nicole said that Eric would be able to do more work with a better assistant.

Nicole informed Eric that she had set up interviews with an agency and that she would interview applicants for the assistant position. When Brady arrived for his Pre-Cana meeting, Nicole grumbled and left. Confused, Brady asked Eric what was wrong with Nicole. Eric shrugged. Brady told Eric that he was waiting on Kristen.

In the Brady pub, Nicole conducted interviews for her replacement at the church. The first candidate was a former nun, and a displeased Nicole sent her on her way. The second candidate was blind, so Nicole politely declined. When the third candidate arrived, Nicole read off the woman's rsum without looking at her. Nicole appeared to be impressed by the rsum, but when Nicole looked up from her tablet and saw that the woman was a stunning blonde, Nicole firmly told the woman no.

At Club TBD, Kristen sat at a table with a cup of coffee and waited for Marlena to meet her there. Kristen used her phone to call the cell phone of a man at the bar in the club. Kristen instructed the man to stick to the plan to steal Marlena's purse. When Marlena arrived, Kristen greeted her and noted how pleased she was that they could be civilized with one another and plan the engagement party.

Kristen and Marlena took subtle verbal swipes at one another, and they discussed plans for the party while they joked. Kristen's phone rang, and she answered it. The man at the bar was on the line, and he urged Kristen to make her move soon. After hanging up the phone, Kristen stared at it then cried out in surprise. Kristen explained that she had forgotten that she had a Pre-Cana meeting scheduled for that afternoon and that she needed to leave. Kristen asked Marlena to wait for Sonny and give him the check to rent the club for the party.

After Kristen left, Marlena waited for Sonny, but he did not arrive. Marlena started to leave when she realized that her makeup had leaked in her purse. As Marlena started to wipe down all the items in her purse, the mugger walked outside and called Marlena on the phone. The mugger posed as a deliveryman with a package from John. Marlena told the man that she would meet him in five minutes.

After cleaning up the items in her purse, Marlena walked out of the club, and the mugger accosted her on the sidewalk out front. The mugger grabbed the bag and ran off, and a furious Marlena chased after him. Running while looking over his shoulder, the mugger ran into Nicole in the park and dropped Marlena's purse, spilling the contents on the grass. As Nicole berated the man for running into her, he repeatedly told Nicole to shut up.

Close behind the mugger, Marlena called out to Nicole to stop the man because he had stolen her purse. The mugger ran off, leaving the purse behind. When Marlena arrived in the park, she dropped to the ground and started to pick up the items that had spilled out of her purse. The USB flash drive with the video of Kristen and Eric having sex had fallen next to the bench, out of sight.

When Kristen arrived for the Pre-Cana meeting in the rectory, she apologized for her lateness and noted that she had been with Marlena. Kristen, Brady, and Eric sat down and continued their counseling session. When Eric asked if either Brady or Kristen had any secrets or hesitations, Kristen admitted that she had been keeping a secret. Kristen explained that she had gone to a doctor for an examination to discuss new advancements in infertility treatments.

With a sigh, Kristen explained that it was almost impossible for her to conceive a child with Brady. Kristen stressed that she wanted Brady to understand what that meant before they married. With a hopeful smile, Kristen explained that Brady had helped her learn to trust and had changed her life. Brady noted that he would be content to adopt a child if they could not have one. With a smile, Brady said that if they did not have any children, he would be happy because all he wanted was Kristen.

At the hospital, Hope stopped by to talk to Kayla and found her at the nurses' station. Kayla stammered out that J.J. was upset and that she needed to leave. Hope escorted Kayla to the Horton house.

Outside the pub, Daniel spotted Rory and demanded to know if Rory had seen J.J. Reluctant to talk at first, Rory admitted that J.J. had been behaving strangely and that Rory had last seen J.J. yelling in the town square.

In Horton Town Square, a confused and enraged J.J. threw a chair through the window that held a display of Jack's books. On a rampage, J.J. broke several more windows and then punched a bystander when he attempted to stop J.J. from inflicting any more damage on the town square. Daniel arrived in the square and tackled J.J. to the ground. J.J. swore that he would kill Daniel if Daniel did not release him. The police arrived on the scene and arrested J.J.

In the Horton living room, Abigail arrived home and found her mother sitting on the couch, staring at the transcripts from the Alamain trial. Jennifer informed Abigail that J.J. had learned about Jack's rape of Kayla from the transcript. Jennifer was terrified for her son. When Kayla and Hope arrived, Kayla apologized to Jennifer. Jennifer told Kayla she did not need to apologize for anything.

Kayla informed Jennifer that J.J. had confronted her at the hospital and had forced Kayla to admit that Jack had raped her. Kayla said she was upset that J.J. had become another victim. Jennifer blamed herself for not telling J.J. about the rape earlier in J.J.'s life. The police station texted Hope, informing her of an incident in the square, so she left.

Abigail checked her phone and saw a string of tweets about a teenager in the square, destroying a display of Jack's books. Jennifer and Abigail exchanged a look, and they left with Kayla for the police station.

When Justin arrived home at the Kiriakis mansion, he found a distracted Adrienne sitting on the couch. Justin asked Adrienne what was wrong. Adrienne explained that J.J. had visited her and pressed her for information about Jack. Adrienne admitted that she was worried she had inadvertently told J.J. something that he was not meant to know. Justin comforted Adrienne and calmed her down. Justin's phone rang, and when he answered it, he heard Jennifer on the line. Jennifer asked Justin to meet her at the station because J.J. had been arrested.

At the police station, Hope seated J.J. in the corner and asked him off the record what had happened. J.J. stewed in silence and glared at Daniel across the room. Hope asked Daniel what he had seen, and Daniel explained that he had arrived late and had not seen what had happened in the square. A witness interrupted to say that he had seen everything and that J.J. could have seriously injured or killed someone with his reckless behavior.

When Jennifer, Abigail, and Kayla entered the police station, J.J. yelled at Daniel and goaded him to tell Jennifer what had happened. Justin arrived with Adrienne and counseled J.J. not to speak, which spurred on J.J.'s anger, and he lashed out at everyone in the police station. J.J. called everyone liars and hypocrites for letting him believe that Jack was a hero. J.J. turned to Kayla, and softening his voice, he apologized to her for his father's actions. Frowning, J.J. told Kayla that he hoped Jack was burning in hell. Hope led J.J. downstairs to book him.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

As Jennifer was leaving the Horton house, Daniel was on the doorstep, about to ring the bell. Daniel apologized for showing up without calling first, and asked Jennifer if she needed anything. She explained that Justin had warned them not to talk to anyone who might later be called to testify. Daniel assured Jennifer that he would never say anything to hurt J.J., on the witness stand or otherwise. "He's already been hurt by me, and I'm never going to get him back," Jennifer admitted.

After Jennifer politely asked Daniel to leave, she thanked him for keeping her son from hurting other people and himself. Daniel protested, but Jennifer interrupted, tearfully insisting that she had to try to fix things with her son. "From now on, my children are my only priority," Jennifer said as she hurried away.

In a police station holding cell, J.J. became enraged when he remembered how he'd felt when he'd learned the truth about his father. J.J. picked up his bunk and violently flipped it over. A guard showed up immediately and ordered J.J. to calm down.

J.J. was sulking on his bunk when Jennifer arrived with his jacket. She explained that Hope had said that the cells could get cold, and she assured J.J. that Justin would do everything he could to help J.J. J.J. refused to make eye contact with his mom. Jennifer asked if there were anything he needed. "What I need is for you to tell me why -- why you never told me, why you thought that I didn't deserve at least that much," J.J. said coldly.

Jennifer admitted that J.J. had deserved to hear the truth about his father long before then, but at first J.J. had been too young, then Jack had disappeared in Afghanistan. When Jack had returned home, J.J. had been at boarding school. Jennifer had wanted to talk to J.J. about it in person, but then Jack had died suddenly, and J.J. had been very angry when he'd returned from boarding school. J.J. hotly accused his mom of making one excuse after another.

Jennifer maintained that wasn't the case, but J.J.'s view of his dad had been very idealized, and she hadn't wanted to ruin that when J.J. had been grieving after Jack had died. "It wasn't about right or wrong; it was about protecting my son!" Jennifer insisted. "Who cares? It's not like I'm important, like I'm a real member of the family," J.J. spat, asserting that Jennifer had made that very clear. He lashed out at her for allowing him to live in a fantasy about his dad.

J.J. vented his anger about how both Jennifer and Abigail had lied to him when he'd trusted them. "You make it sound like we are deliberately hurting you, like we deliberately didn't want to tell you," Jennifer countered. "We can stop pretending like we're a family, 'cause we're not. We're done. I'm done," J.J. declared, slamming into his bunk as he sat back down. "I love you, and we are going to make this right," Jennifer vowed. She knelt down to place J.J.'s jacket on the floor of his cell, assured him once more that she loved him, and then left. A furious J.J. kicked the jacket against the cell wall.

Kate arrived at the hospital and asked about the visits outside of the hospital Jordan had approved for Rafe. "Supervised trips," Jordan clarified. She stated her belief that Rafe seemed to need to prove something to people other than himself. "He's angry, which is good. If you can find a way to channel anger, it can work wonders. It could be a lifesaver. It can make you whole," Jordan added, a faraway look in her eyes.

Kate noticed and wondered if Jordan were talking about herself, since what Jordan had said seemed personal. "If I didn't take my job personally, I wouldn't be very good at it," Jordan curtly stressed before walking away.

Roman was in Rafe's hospital room when Sami called Roman to find out where he was. When he informed her that he was at the hospital, she promised to meet him there. After Roman hung up, Rafe congratulated him on being reinstated as police commissioner. Roman admitted that he was looking forward to Rafe returning to work. Rafe said that he was making good progress with his physical therapist.

Sami found Roman by the nurses' station a little later. "Congratulations, Mister Police Commissioner," Sami said happily, hugging her dad. She explained that she'd wanted to see him because she knew he'd have a harder time saying no to her in person. Sami invited Roman to her engagement party, but he wasn't interested in celebrating her marriage to "Junior." "Now, Sami, I can't talk you out of marrying into that miserable family, but you can't expect me to stand here and be excited about it. No, Sami. You enjoy your little party," Roman said crossly as he left.

Sami wiped her eyes and marched into Rafe's room but found the room empty except for Kate. The women traded barbs for a few minutes, but neither managed to get much of a rise out of the other. As Sami was leaving to look for Rafe, Kate asked, "Do you still have that gun, Sami? Hopefully the police gave it back to you, because living in the DiMera dungeon, sooner or later, you're going to need it."

Jordan observed while Rafe did bicep curls in the physical therapy room. When he was finished, Rafe reminded Jordan that she was supposed to give him feedback like a coach. "I'd score that a positive C," Jordan said. Rafe was disappointed. Next, Rafe prepared to lift himself out of his wheelchair to use the parallel bars to assist him in walking. Jordan cautioned him that she didn't think he was ready, but he was determined to prove her wrong -- and he refused her help.

Rafe grabbed hold of the bars and slowly lifted himself out of the chair. Sami arrived outside just then, but when she saw what was happening, she paused in the hallway to watch through the window, unseen. Rafe's balance was shaky at best, but he managed to take a step, then another. While Jordan moved the wheelchair from one end of the rails to the other, Rafe fought to take more steps, most of his body weight supported by his arms.

Rafe's foot slipped, and he fell to one knee, still holding himself up with the parallel bars. Alarmed, Sami rushed in to help, but Jordan ordered her to stop. Sami demanded, "What are you doing? You're not helping him! He's falling!" Rafe growled at Sami to leave. Flustered and upset, Sami complied. She watched from outside again as Jordan asked Rafe if he were strong enough.

Drenched in sweat, Rafe pushed himself back up and fought the remaining few feet to his wheelchair. Sami smiled proudly. "There. Took a little rest in between, but I made it," Rafe declared, panting. Jordan admitted that he had proven her wrong. Observing Jordan's brusque manner, Sami walked away, shaking her head.

Back in Rafe's room, Jordan suggested that her patient start thinking about where he wanted to go on their supervised outing. Rafe wanted a grade for his work in the physical therapy room. Jordan rated it a B-plus. After Jordan had gone, Sami entered Rafe's room and asked how he stood "that woman." Rafe calmly replied that Jordan was helping him get better.

Sami tried to remain cheerful even when things got testy between her and Rafe -- even when he referred to her impending marriage to E.J. as a "nightmare." She asked Rafe to be happy for her that she was happy. Rafe assured Sami that he had moved on. "I know, with Kate. And she's been a very good helicopter girlfriend," Sami admitted, smiling.

Rafe clarified, "I was not talking about Kate. I was talking about me, my legs, my life -- which obviously I am very grateful that you saved. And hopefully one day I'll be able to pay you back, even if it's just something small." Rafe acknowledged that what Sami did was no longer his business. Sami admitted that perhaps stopping by had been a mistake, but she assured Rafe sincerely that she hoped he continued to get better.

Outside, Sami ran into Kate. The two women made eye contact but didn't speak before Sami left.

At St. Luke's, Brady and Kristen eagerly asked if Eric would marry them. Eric admitted that he had been a little distracted because he'd been thinking back on the night he'd gotten ill. Kristen tried not to appear anxious as Brady reassured Eric that they understood. Asserting that Brady and Kristen deserved an answer right away, Eric declared that he would be happy to perform the ceremony. Overjoyed, Kristen and Brady embraced him.

Eric asked them to please not tell anyone yet so as not to detract from Sami and E.J.'s engagement celebration that night. When Kristen left, Brady stayed behind to talk to Eric. Brady confessed that he'd wanted to do Pre-Cana with Eric because he'd wanted Eric to see Kristen the way Brady saw her. Eric said that he was very happy to be able to bless Brady and Kristen's marriage.

When Dr. Chyka met Kristen in the park outside Horton Square, she expressed her concern about how worked-up "the patient" got when talking about the night he'd gotten sick. She admitted she was worried that something might jog his memory. Chyka assured her that would only happen if the patient were presented with physical evidence to remind him of what had happened, such as photos or video. Kristen said there was no longer any danger of that happening.

After Eric visited a parishioner in the building, he stopped by to see Daniel and Parker. Eric asked if Daniel knew anything about J.J.'s arrest, since Eric had left a message for Jennifer but hadn't heard back. Daniel gave Eric a quick synopsis of what had happened and cautioned Eric that Jennifer might not call back for a while. Daniel had gotten but not opened a letter from the clerk at the hotel where Eric had stayed. The letter contained the name of the dark-haired woman Eric had seen checking into the hotel that night. Eric took the letter and left for the rectory.

Back at St. Luke's, Eric opened the letter and read that the only woman who had checked in alone the night he'd been there had been named Fay Taylor. Eric mused, "Fay Taylor. Why does that name sound so familiar to me?" He paused as he remembered. "Nicole?" Eric wondered.

In the park, while Nicole praised herself for stopping Marlena's purse-snatcher, Marlena did a quick inventory of everything that had fallen out of her handbag. Marlena thought that she'd retrieved everything until she realized that her keys were missing. Meanwhile, the flash drive was on the ground next to a bench nearby, partially hidden by some leaves. Nicole helped Marlena search and found the keys under a bush.

A couple of uniformed police officers arrived, responding to Nicole's call to 9-1-1, and Nicole took credit for stopping the mugger. After learning that Marlena had gotten her purse back, the cops asked if the man had hurt her. Marlena admitted that she was shaken up, so one of the officers led her away to take her statement at the police station. Nicole followed so she could give a description to a sketch artist, while the other cop stayed behind to canvass the area.

The purse-snatcher whom Kristen had hired lurked behind some bushes while the officer interviewed people in the park. As soon as the coast was clear, the mugger emerged to grab the flash drive, but before he could pick it up, the cop and a witness returned. The officer assured the witness that they had the park secured, and it would be full of police for a while.

Kristen called the mugger from outside the Brady Pub and asked if he'd retrieved the flash drive. He assured her that although there had been complications, he would get it soon. "You'd better make it soon if you know what's good for you," Kristen warned him. Brady walked up and overheard the tail end of the conversation. He asked Kristen what was wrong, and she claimed that she was talking to her marketing people.

Brady stepped away so Kristen could finish her phone call. The thief informed her that he'd found the flash drive and pointed out that at least the woman didn't have it anymore. After Kristen hung up, Brady declared that he wanted to celebrate Eric agreeing to marry them -- but there were a few things he wanted to do first. He kissed Kristen to demonstrate what he was talking about.

At the police station, Marlena recounted that she had met with Kristen DiMera at Club TBD, then after Kristen had gone, Marlena had gotten a call from a delivery service. The man had snatched her purse when she'd stepped outside to meet the deliveryman, so she didn't know if the packaged had ever arrived. Marlena concluded, "I must have been at the wrong place at the wrong --" She stopped in the middle of her sentence.

Marlena announced that it didn't make any sense for her to look at mug shots, but Nicole could stay behind to work with the sketch artist. Marlena hurried out, and Nicole tried to follow, but the cop asked her to stick around while he got the mug books. As soon as he was gone, Nicole muttered, "She knows something -- about Kristen." She ran out in pursuit of Marlena.

Marlena was in Horton Square, surveying the damage that J.J. had done, when Nicole caught up with her. "You remembered that Kristen had a connection to what happened to you. You think she set you up, don't you?" Nicole asked. Although Marlena was annoyed, Nicole pressed on, wondering why Kristen would have Marlena attacked when Kristen was about to have all her dreams come true by marrying Brady. "That's what I mean to find out," Marlena said.

Marlena divulged, "When Brady and Kristen announced their engagement, I overheard Kristen talking on the phone. She told somebody she'd had an affair -- and later on, she'd lied to Brady and said she hadn't seen anybody." Marlena admitted that she knew neither to whom Kristen had been speaking that day nor with whom Kristen had slept. Nicole guessed that it had been Stefano, because she had overheard Kristen telling her father that there was something that could destroy her and Brady.

Marlena admitted that after thinking about how she'd gotten the phone call and then had been mugged after Kristen had left their meeting at the club, she was starting to believe that maybe Kristen was onto her. Nicole agreed but she still didn't understand why Kristen would have hired someone to steal Marlena's purse. Marlena maintained that there was nothing in her bag that Kristen would want.

Nicole asked why Marlena had been trying to get Kristen's purse the day Nicole had played drunk. Marlena explained that Victor had given her a spy tool that looked like a flash drive so she could download the information on Kristen's phone so they could ultimately figure out whom Kristen had been having the affair with -- but before Marlena had been able to use it, Kristen had seen her. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. A flash drive? Oh, my God!" Nicole exclaimed.

The frustrated purse-snatcher watched from behind the bush while one of the cops paced around the area where the flash drive was. Finally, he left the park and sent Kristen a text message. Kristen and Brady were in bed when her phone chimed, alerting her to the text. "Mission accomplished," it read. After she read it, a relieved Kristen declared, "Finally, my marketing people got something right!"

Meanwhile, Daniel was playing in the park with Parker, whose ball got away from him and rolled over to the bench, on top of the flash drive. When Parker bent over to retrieve the drive, he spotted the shiny blue flash drive and picked it up curiously. Daniel took the item from Parker, remarking, "What do you got there? What is this, buddy? Looks like somebody lost something."

Thursday, October 10, 2013

by Mike

In Daniel's apartment, Parker started to play with the flash drive that he had found in the park earlier, but his babysitter soon took it away from him. Later, the babysitter placed a phone call to Daniel and promised that she would deliver the flash drive to him at the hospital later.

In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Kristen met with the man whom she had hired to steal Marlena's purse. The man claimed that he had been forced to toss the flash drive into the river after a cop had started following him earlier. The man assured Kristen that no one had seen him dispose of the flash drive. Frustrated, Kristen ordered the man to get out of her sight and forget that he had ever met her. After the man left, Kristen assured herself that no one would ever be able to find a tiny piece of plastic that had sunk to the bottom of the river.

At the park, Nicole recalled that she had once caught Kristen staring at a flash drive and talking to herself. Nicole told Marlena that, while Kristen had tried to act casual, being seen with the flash drive had obviously unnerved her. Nicole theorized that Marlena might have accidentally retrieved Kristen's flash drive instead of her own look-alike device when she had dropped the latter in Kristen's purse during her attempt to locate Kristen's cell phone.

The theory made sense to Marlena, who realized that she and Nicole needed to locate the flash drive so that they could find out why Kristen had been desperate enough to hire someone to retrieve it for her. Later, armed with flashlights, Marlena and Nicole searched the area where the mugger had bumped into Nicole and dropped Marlena's purse.

After a fruitless hunt, Marlena was eventually forced to give up so that she wouldn't be late for Sami and E.J.'s engagement party. Nicole dryly assumed that her invitation had gotten lost in the mail. Realizing that Kristen was going to be at the party, Nicole wondered how Marlena could stand to socialize with the person who had hired a man to attack Marlena. "Well, that will not be easy. Part of me will be struggling to keep her from finding out that I'm onto her; the other part will be desperate not to put my hands around her throat and kill her," Marlena replied, prompting Nicole to admit that she had clearly underestimated Marlena.

At the hospital, Cameron placed a phone call to someone who was involved with the experimental treatment that Chad had reported that he was receiving for his brain tumor. After confirming that no one outside of the Los Angeles area was participating in or conducting that particular trial yet, Cameron ended the call and found Gabi standing behind him. Cameron, who had contacted Gabi earlier to let her know that he wanted to talk to her about something, invited her to be his date to E.J. and Sami's engagement party.

Will and Sonny had already procured a babysitter for the night so that they could attend the engagement party, so Gabi was free for the evening. Gabi had previously agreed to go to an on-campus "open mic night" event, but she was more than happy to abandon her original plan so that she could spend the evening partying with Cameron instead. Gabi thanked Cameron for the invitation and arranged to meet him at Club TBD later.

At St. Luke's, Eric tried to assure himself that it was just a coincidence that the name of the woman whom he had encountered during his first trip to the Capitol Plaza Hotel -- Fay Taylor -- was a combination of the first names of two women who were important to Nicole -- her mother, Fay, and her sister, Taylor. Meanwhile, Brady arrived to retrieve his tablet computer, which he had inadvertently left behind during his and Kristen's earlier Pre-Cana session.

Eric casually asked Brady for the correct spelling of Nicole's mother's first name, and Brady reported that it had been spelled without an "E" at the end. Brady wondered why Eric had asked such a random question, prompting Eric to claim that he was planning to do something in honor of Fay's memory and wanted to make sure that he spelled her name correctly. After Brady left, Eric guessed that the mysterious Fay Taylor knew what had really happened to him at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

As Eric started to do an online search of the name Fay Taylor, Nicole entered the room. Eric discreetly closed his laptop as Nicole promised that she would soon find the perfect person to take over her role as his secretary. Eric observed that Nicole seemed to be in a hurry to leave her job at the church, and she confirmed his suspicion. After grabbing a folder that contained some personal files, Nicole started to leave, but before she could do so, a photograph slipped out of the folder.

Eric recognized the woman in the photograph as Nicole's mother, Fay. After reminiscing about Fay for a while, Nicole admitted that the pain of losing her mother had caused her to do some really stupid things. Nicole vaguely added that, while she had already shared the details of most of those things with Eric, she had done some things that she couldn't even tell him about.

Nicole mused that she and Taylor had actually grown closer after Fay's death and that they still kept in touch with each other. "I never told anyone this, but...if the baby I lost would have been a little girl, I wanted to name her after my mother and my sister -- Fay Taylor. Classy, huh?" Nicole revealed. The news left Eric visibly shaken, but he quickly recovered and claimed that he had simply been thinking about how difficult and painful it had undoubtedly been for Nicole to lose two babies. Nicole admitted that it had been even more difficult and painful to accept that she would never have a Daniel Rafael or Fay Taylor in her life.

Nicole guessed that something else was bothering Eric, but before he could share his true concerns with her, he received a phone call. After ending the call, Eric reported that one of his parishioners -- a recent high-school graduate -- had just been in a motorcycle accident. The parishioner had been placed on life support after suffering a massive head injury. Eric abruptly excused himself so that he could join the parishioner's family at the hospital. After Eric left, Nicole suspiciously wondered why he had seemed unusually interested in hearing about her mother.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. and Sami sipped martinis as they mused that they would soon be partying with Stefano at an event that her mother and E.J.'s sister -- who hated each other -- were co-hosting at a club that her son's boyfriend and E.J.'s brother co-owned. E.J. dryly stated that it was going to be a family affair. "A family that makes the Manson family look like the Waltons," Sami jokingly added.

Sami wistfully wondered what had happened to the portrait of her and E.J. when Stefano had moved back into the mansion and replaced it with his own. E.J. led Sami over to a nearby laptop, and she nearly choked on a mouthful of her martini when she realized what he was trying to show her. "He's selling it on eBay?!" Sami asked incredulously. E.J. reported that Stefano was apparently planning to donate the proceeds to a charity, although he doubtfully added that the only charity that Stefano was usually willing to recognize was his own.

At the Horton Town Square, Caroline approached Stefano, who was surveying the damage that J.J.'s earlier outburst had caused. Stefano claimed that he was delighted to see Caroline, who wished that she could return the sentiment. Ignoring the comment, Stefano mused that it was terrible that someone had vandalized the town square. "Oh, come on. What's a little broken glass compared to the things that you've done to people's lives? It's just a mere nothing," Caroline dismissively reasoned.

Stefano suggested that he and Caroline could bury the hatchet for one night, since her granddaughter and his son were going to be celebrating their engagement later. Ignoring the suggestion, Caroline observed that Stefano seemed to think that he was on top of the world again, and he happily clarified that he knew that he was on top of the world. "Don't kid yourself. With the revenge you've taken and the violence that you've done, that scream you hear in the night will be the banshees coming for you," Caroline cryptically warned before walking away.

At Club TBD, Abigail greeted Chad, who was getting the place ready for Sami and E.J.'s engagement party. Chad could tell that Abigail was upset about something, and he guessed that it had something to do with J.J. Abigail promised to talk to Chad about the matter the following day, and he vowed to help her figure out how to repair her relationship with J.J.

Assuming that she might not be in a particularly festive mood, Chad gave Abigail a chance to back out of her prior commitment to attend the engagement party as his date, but she was determined to enjoy the evening with him. Changing the subject, Abigail wondered if Chad had managed to adapt to his new life at the DiMera mansion yet. "It's okay. I mean, the entire family living under one roof is -- is -- how can I put it? Uh --" Chad said, pausing as he struggled to think of a way to finish his sentence.

"Unadulterated bliss," Stefano helpfully suggested as he approached Chad and Abigail. After kissing Abigail's hand and telling her that she looked lovely, Stefano admitted that he was thrilled that Chad had finally agreed to move back into the DiMera mansion. Stefano mused that nothing was more important than family, and Abigail agreed before abruptly excusing herself so that she could get a glass of water from the bar.

Stefano watched as Abigail walked away, wondering if he had somehow managed to upset her. Chad shook his head and assured Stefano that Abigail would be fine. Satisfied, Stefano changed the subject, proudly stating with seemingly genuine sincerity that each new visit to Club TBD had left him feeling even more impressed than he had felt the first time that he had laid eyes on the place.

Chad insisted that Sonny deserved all of the credit, and to satisfy Stefano's curiosity, he reported that the club was turning a profit and was already solvent. After Stefano reiterated that he was very impressed, Chad excused himself so that he could check on Abigail. Chad joined Abigail at the bar, where she assured him that Stefano's earlier comment about the importance of family hadn't bothered her. Abigail reasoned that everyone in Salem already knew that her family was "basically a train wreck" anyway.

Chad pointed out that he and Abigail had already had their obligatory chat with Stefano, which meant that the worst part of the night was already behind them. As if on cue, Cameron entered the club, and he and Chad locked eyes with each other. Cameron approached Chad and Abigail and explained that E.J. had invited him to the party. Cameron started to say that he wanted to speak to Chad privately, but before he could do so, Gabi arrived.

After engaging in some small talk with Cameron and Gabi, Chad and Abigail excused themselves. Later, Gabi tried to share a silly story about Arianna with Cameron, but his attention was focused on Chad, who was with Abigail on the opposite side of the club. Elsewhere, Stefano watched as Marlena and Caroline entered the club. A short time later, Kristen and Brady arrived, and Sami and E.J. were close behind them.

As E.J., Kristen, and Chad shared a drink together, Kristen mused that it was amazing that the club hadn't imploded as a result of having all of the DiMeras under one roof at the same time. Chad admitted that he had purchased extra insurance earlier, just to be safe. After Kristen excused herself, Chad demanded to know why E.J. had invited Cameron to the party. E.J. reasoned that he had wanted Cameron to see Chad and Abigail together as a couple. E.J. urged Chad to trust him, confidently insisting that he knew what he was doing.

Elsewhere, Caroline mingled with Cameron and Gabi, observing that they seemed like a really cute couple. Gabi was surprised to learn that Caroline and Cameron knew each other. "Know him? I stuffed a ten-dollar bill down his pants," Caroline clarified before excusing herself so that she could order a drink. Gabi warned Cameron that he was never going to be able to escape his past as a male stripper, and he assured her that he was already painfully aware of that fact.

Cameron watched as Chad and Abigail exited the club, and he quickly asked Gabi for a favor. A short time later, Gabi and Cameron followed Chad and Abigail outside, where Gabi reported that she had a lot of pictures of Arianna that she wanted to share with Abigail. Noting that it was chilly outside, Gabi quickly led Abigail back into the club, leaving Cameron alone with Chad.

Chad started to follow Abigail and Gabi inside, but Cameron stopped him. Cameron revealed that he was onto Chad, who demanded to know what Cameron was talking about. "You've been lying about the treatment you're supposedly getting. You're lying because you're lying about having a brain tumor. Your medical condition is all one. Big. Lie," Cameron confidently declared.

Sami thanked Marlena for her support and for planning the party -- with Kristen, of all people. Marlena said that she simply wanted Sami to be happy, since it was the least that Sami deserved after everything that she had been through. After Sami walked away, Marlena turned around and found herself face-to-face with Kristen, who observed that it seemed like Marlena was upset about something.

Marlena claimed that she was fine, but Caroline overheard and disputed the claim, revealing that Roman had informed her that Marlena had been robbed earlier. Marlena brushed off Caroline's concerns, reporting that she had managed to recover her purse and all of its contents. Feigning innocence, Kristen happily noted that it seemed like Marlena had been extremely lucky that day, and Marlena sweetly agreed.

Elsewhere, Sami informed E.J. that Will and Sonny were on their way to the club, adding that Will had first wanted to put Arianna to bed himself instead of letting the babysitter have the joy of doing so. Meanwhile, Kristen and Brady approached E.J. and Sami. Brady, who had been instructed to follow Kristen's lead, remained silent as she apologetically explained that they were going to have to leave early so that she could attend to a few pressing work-related matters.

Kristen wanted E.J. to inform Stefano that she had left the party early, but he refused to do so. Kristen shrugged and quickly decided that she would just let Stefano find out about her departure after the fact, since she didn't want to hear a lecture about the inappropriateness of finding ways to get out of family obligations. "Especially when you are, in fact, getting out of a family obligation -- not that I'm stopping you," Sami dryly replied.

Kristen pointedly countered that she hoped that Sami and E.J. continued to enjoy the party that she had thrown for them. Once he and Kristen were a safe distance away from E.J. and Sami, Brady pointed out that Kristen had already taken care of her pressing work-related matters earlier. Kristen shrugged innocently and said that, while the party was swell, she would much rather spend some time alone with Brady. Marlena watched as Brady and Kristen discreetly left the club through the back exit.

At the Bernardi residence, Marge eyed the gun in her safe deposit box, muttering that Sami had left her with no other options. After scribing a letter to her parents -- "Dear Mom and Daddy, I don't know how to say this. All I know is...I can't go on -- not without Joe; not after what they all did to him...and to us. I know you'll take good care of Timmy, and some day, when he's old enough, maybe you can tell him what really happened...and maybe he can forgive me for what I had to do" -- Marge sobbed as she loaded some bullets into the chamber of the gun, picked it up, and pointed it at herself.

Meanwhile, back at Club TBD, E.J. grabbed everyone's attention and made a toast to Sami, who, along with their children, made life worth living.

Friday, October 11, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

At Will and Sonny's, an anxious Will made sure that the babysitter had every phone number she could possibly need. As the sitter went to check on a crying Arianna, Sonny emerged from the bedroom and asked for help with his bowtie, which Will happily provided.

At the hospital, Rafe complained to Kate about how bored he was being stuck in the hospital. Kate offered to find something for Rafe to watch online, but he declared, "I'm breaking out of here -- tonight." Kate took Rafe's hand and recalled how she'd had to let her immune system recover after her battle with cancer, and she'd hated waiting to start her life again. She tried to reassure Rafe that he was making progress, but he countered that it didn't feel like it when he'd fallen down while trying to walk.

Kate reminded Rafe that she'd said she would pay for home care if he wanted to return to his loft. Rafe declined. Just as Kate cracked a joke comparing Jordan to a tough trainer on a reality television show, Jordan walked in. Rafe apologized for Kate, but Jordan said that she didn't find what Kate had said insulting. Kate informed Jordan that Rafe was going stir-crazy and urged the physical therapist to authorize the field trip they'd talked about.

Rafe admitted that even though he hadn't enjoyed testifying against Sami, it had been great to get out of the hospital. Jordan reminded Rafe that she would have to accompany him if he left the hospital. "Okay, great, let's do it. I'll buy you a beer," Rafe enthused as Kate grabbed her tablet to leave. Jordan was a bit surprised that they wanted to leave right then, but Kate said that she liked the idea of the three of them having a beer together.

With Kate by their side, Jordan pushed Rafe's wheelchair past the shattered storefronts in Horton Square, where the caf was just closing. Rafe asked Jordan to let go of his chair, then demonstrated how he could turn the chair around unassisted. Kate applauded. Jordan said, "That's very impressive, and it's good you keep building your upper-body strength, just in case." Rafe guessed that she'd meant in case he was in a wheelchair the rest of his life.

Kate was upset with Jordan, who explained that her job required her to consider every possibility, no matter how remote. Jordan assured Rafe there was no reason to believe that he would be confined to a wheelchair. She apologized. Rafe declared that Jordan could prove she was sorry by buying him a beer.

At Sami and E.J.'s engagement party in Club TBD, E.J. made a toast to his fiance, declaring that she and their children made life worth living. Afterward, Sami informed the crowd that they would be serving cake soon, at which time the couple would announce their wedding date -- but in the meantime, Sami quipped that she didn't want to set a bad precedent by allowing E.J. to have the last word.

Sami acknowledged that she and E.J. had been through a lot over the years, especially over the previous couple of months, and E.J.'s love and support had only made her love him more. With a pointed look toward Stefano, Sami continued, "I have learned that E.J. DiMera is a real man, a real man capable of incredible, unbearable sacrifice to protect the people he loves from anything and anyone." She clinked E.J.'s glass with hers, and the crowd applauded enthusiastically.

Sonny and Will arrived with apologies for being late. Sami reassured them that she understood, since they were parents of an infant, and E.J. thanked Sonny for letting them use the club for the party. Will was pleased that his mom had put Stefano in his place.

As Marlena and Stefano took champagne from the same waiter, Stefano declared, "Well, well, well. If it isn't the Queen of the Night." Marlena responded with icy calm. Unfazed, Stefano said that since they would soon be family, Marlena should stop by for dinner some night and catch up. Marlena declined and walked away, leaving Stefano chuckling.

Will was disappointed when Sonny stepped away for a minute to check on the cake and make sure things were running smoothly -- but as soon as he was alone, Will made a quick phone call to the babysitter to make sure everything was all right. She assured him that she and Arianna were fine. As Will hung up, Stefano approached and commended Will for his devotion to his daughter.

Sonny returned as Stefano was extending an invitation for Will, Arianna, and Sonny to stop by the mansion anytime. Stefano told Sonny and Will how lucky they were to have each other, but added, "Of course, your father and my son, it doesn't work out too well, does it? Well, enough is enough. We might as well just bury the hatchet." After Stefano left, Will remarked to Sonny, "I just hope he doesn't bury the hatchet in your dad's back."

When Abigail started to leave Gabi's side to find Chad, Gabi informed her that Cameron had asked Gabi to detain Abigail so he could talk to Chad alone. Sami approached the girls and thanked them for attending, especially when Sami had been married to Gabi's brother and Abigail's family was going through so much. Sami looked around and realized that both Chad and E.J. were missing.

Outside the club, Cameron accused Chad of lying about the brain tumor. Cameron explained that he'd learned that the drug trials that Chad was allegedly participating in were only being done in Los Angeles. Arms folded defiantly, Chad declared that it was none of Cameron's business. Cameron was ready to tell Abigail the truth and started to head inside, but E.J. strolled outside just then and asked what was going on.

When E.J. learned what Cameron had accused Chad of, E.J. said indignantly, "How dare you? You come here to a party that I invite you to, and you accuse my brother of lying about something that outrageous?" Cameron pointed out that he had spoken to the hospital in L.A. that administered Chad's supposed protocol. E.J. countered that the doctors in L.A. would never admit that they'd taken money from a wealthy, well-known family to give preferential treatment to Chad.

Grasping Cameron by the back of the neck and pushing his face menacingly close to Cameron's, E.J. warned that he would personally end Cameron's medical career if Cameron pushed things. Once he was certain that Cameron understood, a concerned E.J. asked if Chad were feeling all right. Chad muttered, "Yeah," but rubbed his temple a little for effect.

E.J. berated Cameron for putting undue stress on Chad and possibly jeopardizing Chad's treatment. Cameron apologized and went inside. "I actually believed every word you said," an impressed Chad told E.J. The two men headed back inside.

Caroline and Marlena beamed from across the club as they watched Will and Sonny together. They agreed that it was wonderful that Will had such a good partner in life.

Cameron returned to Gabi, who was still chatting with Sami and Abigail, and said that they should leave because he had an early morning the next day. Sami was disappointed but she understood. After Sami had gone, Chad walked up and encouraged Cameron and Gabi to stay. "I know this is my brother's party, but I would like my friends here, too," Chad explained. Cameron reluctantly agreed to stay.

When Gabi and Cameron walked away, Abigail asked Chad what he and Cameron had talked about. Chad lied that Cameron had wanted to discuss how Theo was doing, because neither Cameron nor Abe had thought it was a good idea when Chad had moved back into the DiMera mansion.

Sonny apologetically informed Sami and E.J. that the cake still had not arrived. E.J. assured him, "It's fine. There really isn't anything at all that could spoil this evening." Suddenly, Sami's eyes widened and fixed on the front door -- as did Stefano's across the room. "What the hell is she doing here?" Stefano growled to himself.

Kate led the way as Jordan wheeled Rafe into the club, then the trio noticed that all eyes were on them. E.J. strode across the club to shake Rafe's hand and welcome him to the party. E.J. knelt in front of Rafe's wheelchair so the two men could see eye to eye more easily. Incredulous, Kate asserted that they hadn't known about the party, but E.J. urged them to stay for a drink.

At E.J.'s signal, Sami joined her fianc and echoed his invitation, but Rafe told Kate and Jordan, "Come on. Let's get the hell out of here." When Jordan spun Rafe around, he spied Stefano across the club and decided to stay, after all.

Privately, Sami expressed her concern to E.J. about inviting Rafe to stay while Stefano was still there. "I have to live in his house, and I may have to do his bidding, but Rafe can say whatever he wants to the old...gentleman," E.J. said mischievously.

Gabi joined her brother at a table with Kate while Jordan got drinks for everyone. Gabi didn't think Rafe's being there was a good idea, but he cheerfully maintained that he just wanted to let bygones be bygones. Marlena walked over and said that she was very happy to see Rafe out and about, then asked to speak to Kate in private.

As the women stepped a few feet away, Sami joined them. "I don't recall seeing your name on the guest list," Marlena said to Kate. Sami hissed anxiously, "Kate, don't you think you should get Rafe out of here?" She reminded Kate of what Stefano had done when he'd learned about Kate and Rafe. Kate informed the others that it had been Rafe's idea to stay. Sami was just glad that Rafe didn't know what Stefano had tried to do to him -- although at that moment, Rafe was remembering E.J. divulging what Stefano's true plans had been when he'd sent Bernardi into Rafe's hospital room.

Sami returned to E.J. and fretted, "E.J., I think something awful's going to happen. I just know it." E.J. reassured her that no one could ruin their happiness.

Rafe was alone when Will stopped by the table. Admittedly worried about Rafe, Will suggested that they take their beers outside for some fresh air. Rafe declined. Will said that he genuinely believed his mom was happy, but Rafe didn't buy that E.J. had changed. Rafe explained that he, too, was concerned about Sami's happiness, because he felt like he owed her for defending him when he had been unable to defend himself. "Unfortunately, I can't do that for her now," Rafe added.

Will followed Marlena when she stepped outside to take a phone call. Will apologized for being busy with the baby and not being in better touch but assured his grandmother that things were great at home. "It makes me so happy to see you so happy," Marlena said. Will asked how things with Marlena and John were and if Marlena still loved John. Marlena asserted that sometimes, love wasn't enough.

"Now it seems, rather than being a team, we seem to have become separate individuals," Marlena added. When Will suggested counseling, Marlena pointed out that counseling worked much better when one party wasn't living on another continent. Will was sorry that things seemed to be over between his grandmother and John.

While Kate, Jordan, and Gabi were at the bar, Sami stopped by Rafe's table to say hello and tell him how good it was to see him outside of the hospital. As Sami was leaving, Rafe said, "Good luck -- to you and the kids. I mean it." After Sami had gone, Stefano strolled over to Rafe's table. Stefano remarked that Rafe had lost a lot -- and looked a little pathetic.

Rafe countered nonchalantly, "You look like a broken-down equipment manager, jealous of the guy who can still swing the bat." He reminded Stefano, "I told you I wasn't going to rest till I was on my feet and coming after you." Stefano said he wouldn't be holding his breath.

Observing that Abigail's mind was elsewhere, Chad asked what he could do for her. "Nothing. You're doing it," she assured him.

Caroline approached Stefano and started to remind him of their earlier conversation, but he interrupted. "I know, I know. They'll all come back to haunt me. I know," Stefano replied grouchily. "Haunt you? They're gonna bite you in the ass!" Caroline warned as she walked away.

Kate returned to Rafe and asked what Stefano had wanted. Rafe replied that Stefano had wanted to get under Rafe's skin but hadn't succeeded. When Jordan sat down, Kate announced that they were leaving. Jordan began to push Rafe's wheelchair, but he insisted on rolling himself out.

Before Jordan, Kate, and Rafe could leave, E.J. announced that he had a little more to say. Marlena and Will returned from outside just then. With Sami by his side, E.J. acknowledged that his and Sami's relationship had been volatile at times, but they had gotten better at resolving their differences. He continued that no matter what obstacles life put in their way, they always found their way back to each other. "Let's go before I hurl," Rafe whispered to Jordan, who wheeled him out, and Kate followed.

E.J. declared that it was the happiest day of his life. A blissful Sami kissed him. Raising his glass, E.J. toasted, "To Samantha Gene Brady, the love of my life. This time, there's nothing and no one that will tear us apart." Across the room, Marlena raised her glass and said, "To Sami and E.J." The crowd shouted, "Cheers!" and raised their glasses, as well, while E.J. and Sami kissed.

At the Bernardi house, Marge loaded her pistol. She gazed sadly at the photographs of her son and late husband. "My two boys. My world. I'm so sorry," she whispered before aiming the gun at her head. "No, I can't," she cried, placing the gun back on the dining table. Marge looked at an online article about Sami being cleared and declared that Sami and E.J. should know what it felt like to lose what Marge and Timmy had lost. She put the gun in her purse and left.

As Marge walked through Horton Square, she paused to check her gun before continuing determinedly on her way. She went to the DiMera mansion and rang the doorbell. When Harold answered, Marge asked if E.J. and Sami were home. Harold informed Marge that Mr. DiMera and Ms. Brady weren't at home. He stepped away to answer the phone, leaving the door open.

On the phone, Harold said, "Ah, the cake for the engagement party... No, no, it's going to Chad DiMera's club, Club TBD... That's where the party's being held." When Harold hung up and returned to the door, Marge had gone.

As Marge exited the square into the park, she was looking at a photo of her late husband on her phone. "I'm sorry it's come to this, but if the law won't make Sami Brady and E.J. DiMera pay for what they did, I will," Marge said. She got a call from her son, Timmy, just as she was about to put her phone back in her purse.

"You were a good boy, Timmy. You always have been. But I need you to listen to Grandma and Grandpa now. And I want you to know, no matter what anyone says, I loved your daddy and you more than life itself," Marge told her son. She hung up and broke down in sobs.

Rafe, Kate, and Jordan returned to the square and grabbed a table. "Sorry, I just had to get out of there. I just couldn't listen to that phony bastard ramble on any longer," Rafe explained. Kate apologized for suggesting that they go to the club. Rafe said that it had been good to see his old friends again -- and to let Stefano and E.J. know that he would be back on his feet soon. Jordan remarked that Rafe seemed to have a very complex relationship with his ex-wife, and Kate burst out laughing.

Gabi returned to Will, Sonny, and Cameron after checking in with the sitter and informed the others that they'd gotten lots of phone calls from family asking about Arianna. "Just imagine her life when she starts dating," Will remarked.

The cake had arrived and was on a table near Sami and E.J. when Chad clinked his glass with a fork to get the crowd's attention. He said that he hadn't quite known how to react when he'd learned that E.J. was his brother.

Chad continued, "In the last few weeks, E.J. has really proven what his -- what our father always talks about: how important it is to have family on your side. Now, E.J. was there for me for some tough times the last month, and in a way, he sort of became my best friend. So I'd like to raise my glass to you, my brother, and your beautiful bride."

Suddenly, Abigail shouted, "Oh, my God, she's got a gun!" Near the doorway, Marge raised her gun and opened fire.