Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of March 17, 2014 on DAYS

Abigail was relieved that she was not pregnant. Liam turned to his dark side over his obsession with Jennifer. Eric wondered if he could still have a future with Nicole. Daniel and Jennifer's dinner party did not go as planned. Hope and Aiden called a truce. Nick continued to draw Gabi into his world.

Monday, March 17, 2014

by Mike

In Jennifer's office at the hospital, Jennifer received a phone call from Kayla, who revealed that the fake photograph of a bikini-clad Jennifer with two shirtless men had been posted on the main page of the hospital website and had also been sent in duplicate to each of Jennifer's bosses. After ending the call, Jennifer shared the bad news with Eric as she went to her computer to check the damage.

Eric disapprovingly observed that Allie could have done a better job of making the photograph look genuine, and he concluded that the person who had created the image obviously wasn't trying to fool anyone into believing it was real. Jennifer fumed that the act had been extremely petty, and she informed Eric that someone had also been posting nasty messages about her on the hospital website.

Eric wondered who would do that sort of thing to Jennifer, who vaguely replied that she had a few people in mind. Jennifer assured Eric that she could handle the smear campaign, which was nothing compared to what he had recently been forced to deal with. Jennifer hoped that Daniel hadn't seen the image, since she didn't want him to have to worry about it.

Later, Jennifer went to the waiting area, where Maxine helped her shred numerous copies of the fake photograph as Liam hid around a corner and watched them. Meanwhile, Anne arrived and angrily accused Jennifer of setting her up. "I just spent the last ten minutes being grilled like a T-bone! Yeah, Seth Burns and Kayla Brady, they have been all over me like the cheap suits they are, while here you are, the center of the universe yet again. And you only wish you would look this good," Anne snapped as she held up a small stack of the pictures.

Maxine muttered that she believed that Anne was projecting, but Anne ignored the comment. "You know what this is? You know what this is? This is the work of a lazy, untalented hack! And since I have taken over H.R., the only one of those on this hospital's payroll is you. If I wanted to make you look bad, I would not need to stoop to these sloppy shenanigans. Trust me, you do a fine job of that on your own," Anne concluded before tossing the stack of photographs at Jennifer and storming off. Intrigued, Liam followed Anne and innocently asked her what the drama with Jennifer Horton had been about.

Meanwhile, back in the waiting area, Maxine scoffed and wondered if Jennifer could believe what had just happened. Jennifer thoughtfully replied that she unfortunately could believe it, and she wondered if Maxine knew where Theresa was. Maxine reported that Theresa had mentioned something earlier about going to the Brady Pub for lunch. Jennifer thanked Maxine for the information and abruptly excused herself.

Later, Liam entered Jennifer's office so that he could inform her that he found the smear campaign sickening, but when he realized that she wasn't there, he lingered for a moment to stare at one of the fake photographs that was laying on her desk. Meanwhile, Eric entered the office and demanded to know what Liam was doing. Liam introduced himself and innocently explained that he worked at the hospital and was a friend of Jennifer's.

Eric suddenly recognized Liam as the man Jennifer had briefly dated, and Liam confirmed the connection. Eric revealed that he also worked at the hospital. Liam asked if Eric had seen the fake photograph yet, and Eric confirmed that he had. Liam complained that it was sickening, and he wondered what inspired certain people to be cruel to others. Eric replied that he wished that he knew the answer to that question.

Liam shrugged and explained that he had simply gone to Jennifer's office to check on her. Eric revealed that Jennifer was out of the office at that moment, and he promised that when he saw her later that night, he would tell her about Liam's visit. Liam probed for additional details, so Eric elaborated that Jennifer and Daniel were hosting a party later that night. Liam claimed that he was glad to hear that Jennifer wouldn't be spending the night stewing about the smear campaign, and he abruptly excused himself, pausing for a moment in the hallway to brood about what he had just learned.

Elsewhere, Sami assumed that E.J. had been in a meeting with the men she had just seen funneling out of the break room she had found E.J. sitting in, since there was clearly only one way to enter or exit it. Sami hadn't recognized any of the men as hospital board members, so she curiously wondered what the meeting had been about. E.J. evasively replied that the meeting had been confidential, prompting Sami to argue that the point of getting married was that doing so allowed them to share each other's secrets. E.J. jokingly warned Sami that he would one day remind her that she had said that.

Changing the subject, E.J. wondered what Sami was doing at the hospital. Sami explained that she had gone there to check on Abigail earlier, although she added that their conversation had been cut short because E.J. and the other men had needed the break room for their mysterious meeting. Sami suddenly noticed the flier that E.J. was holding, and before he could stop her, she grabbed it and read the headline about erectile dysfunction.

"Oh, my God -- is -- is this what you didn't want to tell me? Did I do this to you? If I did something -- if I hurt you, kicking you out of our bed -- if I hurt your pride or your manhood --" Sami worriedly started to say, but E.J. interrupted and assured her that his manhood was fine and intact. Sami conceded that it was apparent that E.J.'s manhood was intact, but she continued to assume that he was seeking help -- or possibly even medication -- for some sort of problem that she might have inadvertently caused. As Sami tried to apologize for the supposed issue, E.J. uncomfortably blurted out that he wasn't at the hospital for himself.

Sami was momentarily confused, but she quickly realized that she knew exactly what was really going on. E.J. nervously started to assure Sami that he could explain everything, but she interrupted and guessed that he had gone to the erectile dysfunction meeting for Stefano's sake. "I mean, obviously, Cecily hasn't been around lately, and he's not getting any younger. I mean, I -- I don't really even want to have the mental picture that is in my head right now. Ugh!" Sami disgustedly stated as she handed the flier back to E.J., who muttered that she wasn't the only one who wanted to get rid of that particular mental image.

"You are a really good son, though, to not make him admit that he is not only not omnipotent, but --" Sami started to joke, but E.J. interrupted and reminded her that Stefano was also an extremely proud man who wouldn't want Sami to know about his private medical issues. Sami assured E.J. that she wasn't going to say anything to Stefano and that she would prefer to drop the subject entirely. Relieved, E.J. happily agreed that he would also like to drop the subject, but Sami quickly forgot her own request and admitted that she was surprised that Stefano hadn't just talked to his own doctor about the problem instead of enlisting E.J.'s help.

E.J. claimed that the hospital was conducting a drug trial that specifically targeted diabetics, and he reiterated that it would probably be best to drop the subject. Sami agreed and admitted that she was glad that E.J. was okay. E.J. was ready to leave, so Sami grabbed her purse and jacket, the latter of which she used to hide the stack of art books that she had left behind earlier. Meanwhile, E.J. casually wondered how Abigail had seemed when Sami had seen her earlier. Sami reported that Abigail was a wreck, and she revealed that she had offered to be at Abigail's side when Abigail took the pregnancy test.

"And do what, exactly -- shout encouragement through the bathroom door?" E.J. asked. Taken aback, Sami explained that she had simply been trying to be nice. E.J. assured Sami that he understood that, but he added that people usually didn't want to take a pregnancy test with a virtual stranger holding their hand. Sami reminded E.J. that she had been in Abigail's shoes before -- three times, in fact -- and that she just wanted to help Abigail because she didn't want Abigail to go through the process alone.

Sami explained that Abigail was reluctant to confide in her own family members because she didn't want to be labeled the black sheep of the Horton clan. Sami added that the guy who had possibly fathered Abigail's child obviously didn't care about Abigail's needs at all, but E.J. protested that Sami was making assumptions about the guy. In an effort to prove her point, Sami wondered where the guy was, and when E.J. defensively replied that he didn't know the answer to that question, she clarified that it had been a rhetorical one. Sami bragged that the point was that she and Abigail had been doing a lot of bonding lately.

E.J. skeptically wondered what Sami and Abigail had been bonding over. Sami vaguely replied that Abigail had been helping her with something, but when E.J. tried to probe for additional information, she evasively concluded that it was a secret. E.J. reminded Sami that she had previously stated that they weren't supposed to keep things from each other, prompting her to concede that they could each have a few secrets.

At the Brady Pub -- which, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, was greener than usual -- Brady surprised Theresa with a gift -- the expensive designer purse that he had seen her admiring in the town square a few days earlier. "Oh, Brady, thank you so much. I love it. You know, I'm gonna take better care of this baby than Sami takes care of her kids. Now, this is how every day should be -- a handsome guy showering me with gifts," Theresa happily mused. Brady held up a glass of wine as he jokingly pointed out that he was also wining and dining Theresa in her grandmother's elegant pub.

Theresa laughed but opted to save her own Irish toast for the end of her miserable workday. Theresa thanked Brady for making her feel appreciated for the first time in recent memory. Theresa suggestively stated that she wanted to make Brady feel appreciated, too, and she grasped his hand as she added that she hoped that they would soon get to finish what his father had rudely interrupted earlier.

Meanwhile, Jennifer arrived and approached Brady and Theresa's table, insincerely stating that she hoped that she wasn't interrupting anything. "You are. You know, I think I'll go powder my nose...about a hundred times until she's gone," Theresa told Brady before walking away. Jennifer started to compare Theresa to Kristen as a way of warning Brady about getting involved with Theresa, but he interrupted and asked Jennifer to refrain from saying anything that could jeopardize their friendship. Brady added that Jennifer didn't know anything about his relationship with Theresa.

"No, I don't, but I know you, and you are a great guy. And I know Theresa, and if you haven't learned your lesson, you will, because she wants three things out of life -- besides making my life miserable -- and that is sex, money, and drugs. And I only hope that damaging your bank account is the worst thing that she could do to you," Jennifer replied before changing the subject and inviting Brady to attend the casual dinner party that she and Daniel were planning. Brady declined the offer, guessing that Eric had also been invited to the gathering.

Jennifer started to protest that Brady couldn't keep blaming Eric forever, but Brady interrupted and informed her that he already had a date lined up for that evening. Brady pointedly added that if being at Jennifer's party would really mean that much to her, he would be willing to attend with his date -- Theresa. Jennifer replied that she would love to have Brady at the party and that he was welcome to bring anyone except Theresa as his date. Brady once again declined the offer, prompting Jennifer to wonder why he was distancing himself from everyone who cared about him.

"Because he couldn't possibly prefer to spend more time with me than you? That's beyond your comprehension, isn't it?" Theresa asked as she returned from the bathroom. Theresa reclaimed her seat and dismissed Jennifer, but Jennifer remained stationary and revealed that she needed to talk to Theresa about a work-related matter. Theresa said that she was off the clock, prompting Jennifer to counter that Theresa needed to get back on the clock and meet her in her office in less than fifteen minutes. Theresa wondered what would happen if she ignored the request, and Jennifer replied that Theresa didn't want to know the answer to that question.

After Jennifer left, Brady wondered what the exchange had been about, and Theresa guessed that she would find out soon enough. After arranging to spend some more time with Brady later that night, Theresa kissed him, thanked him again for making her day, and left the pub with her new purse. Brady drained his glass of wine -- at least his second since arriving at the pub -- and started to pay the bill, but he decided that it couldn't hurt to have one more glass of wine first.

In Nicole's hotel room, Nicole wondered why Daniel had rummaged through her desk. Daniel explained that he had been looking for a piece of paper so that he could leave a note for Nicole about the casual dinner party that he and Jennifer were planning. Daniel demanded an explanation for the shredded document that he had found. Nicole remained silent, so Daniel impatiently repeated his question.

Nicole burst into tears as she sank to the bed. "I can't -- God, I can't take this anymore. After today -- after what Marlena tried to do -- I am done. I will tell you the truth, but you -- you have to swear that you won't breathe a word of this to Eric," Nicole requested, explaining that she had decided that Eric could never know the truth because it would break his heart. Refusing to promise anything, Daniel continued to interrogate Nicole until she finally agreed to tell him everything without conditions, reasoning that she trusted him and his judgment.

Nicole took a deep breath and wiped a tear from her cheek as Daniel stared at her expectantly. Nicole hesitantly stated that she had found the document while going through some fan mail at the television station. Nicole reported that an intern had apparently discarded the envelope that had contained the document, leaving her unable to prove who had sent it or why it had first been shredded. Daniel observed that the document wasn't really enough to link Chyka to Stefano or Kristen, and Nicole added that, more importantly, it wasn't enough to prove that they had worked together to drug Eric.

In response to Daniel's inquiry, Nicole theorized that Stefano -- who had visited her earlier that day -- had sent her the document as a way of taunting her with an otherwise useless reminder that she had nearly died trying to obtain evidence that he had possessed all along. Daniel conceded that Nicole's theory was plausible, but he pointed out that it didn't explain why she was desperate to prevent Eric from finding out about the document. Daniel guessed that Nicole was afraid that the document could lead Eric to believe that Marlena had been right about Nicole all along, but Nicole claimed that she was worried about Eric, not herself.

Nicole summarized that, in addition to the fact that Kristen had violated Eric in the worst possible way, he also had to deal with the fact that his twin sister was marrying Kristen's brother, as well as the fact that his mother was in cahoots with "Daddy D," the one person who could clear Eric's name. Nicole argued that Stefano was never going to part with the rest of the evidence that could prove Eric's innocence, since Stefano wanted Eric to spend the rest of his life, looking over his shoulder, second-guessing himself, and reliving all of the pain that Stefano and Kristen had inflicted on him.

Nicole insisted that she would never let anything happen to Eric, whom she loved with all of her heart. Nicole reasoned that the DiMeras had already hurt Eric enough, and she tearfully vowed that she wasn't going to let that continue. Nicole predicted that showing Eric the document would cause him to engage in a fight with Stefano that Eric wouldn't be able to win. Nicole worriedly added that Stefano might find a way to convince Eric that she had let Chyka go and was the reason that Eric couldn't clear his name.

Daniel interrupted and assured Nicole that he wouldn't say anything to Eric. Daniel reasoned that telling Eric about the document wouldn't accomplish anything, anyway. Nicole gratefully hugged Daniel and thanked him for understanding. Daniel reminded Nicole that he hated keeping secrets, but he conceded that revealing that particular secret would probably do more harm than good. Daniel stressed that he might change his mind if any additional evidence surfaced, and Nicole assured him that, while she wasn't optimistic about the chances of that happening, if it ever did happen, she would take the new evidence straight to Eric and the police.

As Daniel took another look at the document, Nicole tried to change the subject, asking for more details about the dinner party that he had mentioned earlier. Daniel distractedly replied that he and Jennifer were planning to start the gathering around six o'clock that evening, and Nicole assured him that she and Eric would be there. Daniel's focus was still on the document, so Nicole asked if something was wrong.

Daniel shrugged and suggested that, while Nicole's suspicion that Stefano had sent her the letter was probably correct, there was still a chance that someone else had stumbled on the information and was trying to help. Nicole said that she didn't know how that could have happened, and she added that even if it had happened, there wasn't really much that she could do about it unless the hypothetical person tried to contact her again. Daniel conceded the point and handed the document back to Nicole before excusing himself.

After Daniel left, Nicole chastised herself for being unable to tell Daniel the truth, and she wondered how she would be able to face Eric or Marlena if the truth were ever revealed. Meanwhile, Nicole received a voicemail message from Eric, who just wanted to let her know that he loved and was thinking about her. Nicole sighed and stared at the document for a moment before turning her eyes toward the ceiling. "I did the right thing. Okay, I did the wrong thing for the right reasons. All right, fine -- I did the wrong thing for the wrong reasons. But Eric and I love each other, and we deserve this, damn it! And I'm gonna -- I'm not gonna let anything -- not even the truth -- get in my way -- not ever again," Nicole vowed.

At the hospital, Daniel received a message from someone on his cell phone, revealing the fake photograph to him. Meanwhile, Theresa entered Jennifer's office. "Wow. That's obviously not you," Theresa observed when Jennifer showed her a copy of the picture. "Cut the crap. I know that you did this, and whatever it is you want from it, you're not gonna get it," Jennifer replied.

At the Horton Town Square, Abigail ran into Adrienne, who noted with concern that Abigail looked really pale. Abigail claimed that she was fine and had simply been working a lot lately, but Adrienne knowingly stated that work wasn't all that Abigail had been doing lately. Abigail was confused, so Adrienne clarified that Sami had revealed Abigail's secret while Sami and Adrienne had been planning Will and Sonny's wedding earlier.

Adrienne promised that she wouldn't share the secret with E.J., since she knew that Sami didn't want him to know about it. Confused, Abigail wondered why Sami had discussed the secret with Adrienne in the first place. "Well, you know Sami -- I asked her one question, and she just blurted out everything," Adrienne explained. The news upset Abigail, but Adrienne didn't understand why. Adrienne mused that, while she had misgivings about E.J. and knew that the secret was obviously going to take up a lot of Abigail's time, it was still sweet that Abigail was helping Sami with the secret -- Sami's attempt to learn more about art, one of the many subjects she knew little about.

Abigail breathed a sigh of relief as she realized what Adrienne was really talking about. Adrienne wondered if there was another secret that she could have been referring to, and Abigail claimed that there was not. Adrienne noted with concern that Abigail seemed a bit edgy, and Abigail innocently dismissed the observation, reiterating that she was simply tired because she had been working a lot lately.

Satisfied, Adrienne advised Abigail to keep herself in good health. "For one thing, I'm gonna need a sane voice when I'm planning a wedding with Sami Brady. God help me," Adrienne added with a nervous laugh. Abigail assured Adrienne that the wedding was going to be beautiful, and Adrienne somewhat skeptically agreed. Adrienne mentioned that she had found a beautiful bridesmaid's dress that would look perfect on Abigail's "cute little figure," and she promised to send Abigail a picture of the dress later.

Later, after Adrienne left, Abigail met with E.J. in a secluded section of the town square. Abigail was shocked to learn that E.J. had climbed out of a window to escape detection earlier, since they had been on the fifth floor of the hospital. "It was fine -- there was a ledge, you know? Yeah, and I thought about throwing myself off it several times, but fortunately, eventually that interminable meeting ended," E.J. explained.

E.J. confirmed Abigail's fear that he had encountered Sami on his way out of the hospital, and when Abigail wondered what he had said to Sami, he vaguely replied that it was a long story. E.J. assured Abigail that Sami was not yet suspicious about anything, but he also pointed out that if Abigail was indeed pregnant with his child, they weren't going to be able to keep that a secret from Sami for much longer. Abigail sighed and apologized for the mess that she had gotten E.J. into. E.J. assured Abigail that it wasn't her fault, but she disagreed, insisting that she shouldn't have been foolish enough to sleep with him in the first place.

E.J. reminded Abigail that he was just as responsible for what had happened as she was, and he begged her to let him do his part to help her. Abigail said that, while she appreciated the offer, she had given the matter a lot of thought and had decided that she wanted to formulate a plan to deal with her pregnancy before she found out if she was actually pregnant or not. That logic confused E.J., but Abigail reminded him that he had once suggested that she could go to Europe because he knew people there, and she revealed that she also had a lot of friends there. "And if I am pregnant, then I could leave before anyone knew about it. You could stay here [and] marry Sami, and I could go to Europe, have the baby, and give it up for adoption, and then no one would ever need to know about it," Abigail concluded.

At Club TBD, Adrienne told Sami that Victor had been delighted to learn that he had won the "wedding host tug-of-war," adding that he had generously offered to pay for the whole thing. Sami agreed that it had been nice of Victor to offer to do that, but she insisted that she could afford to pay for her own son's wedding. Adrienne explained that Victor loved Sonny very much and had always been supportive of Sonny, and she concluded that Victor just really wanted to cover the expenses himself. Sami reluctantly agreed to accept Victor's offer before changing the subject and suggesting that the menu could be the next order of business for her and Adrienne.

As Sami started to flip through some documents pertaining to the wedding, Adrienne casually mentioned that she had talked to Abigail earlier about the secret that Abigail and Sami shared. Sami feigned indifference, reasoning that it wasn't a big deal that Adrienne had revealed that she knew that Abigail was helping Sami learn about art, but Adrienne curiously noted that Abigail had actually made it seem like a big deal. Adrienne wondered if Sami and Abigail also shared some other secret that Adrienne wasn't aware of.

Sami wondered what had prompted Adrienne to ask such a question. Adrienne reasoned that she deserved to know if Sami was doing something that might harm Abigail. Sami defensively clarified that she was helping Abigail. "I thought she was helping you. Uh-huh. There is something. What are you helping her with?" Adrienne demanded to know.

Sami evasively predicted that Abigail would talk to Adrienne about the matter herself if she ever decided that she wanted Adrienne to know about it. Adrienne reasoned that the situation had to be serious, since Abigail had chosen to confide in Sami, of all people. Sami was slightly offended, but she dismissively stated that the situation wasn't a big deal. Adrienne wondered if Jennifer knew what was going on with Abigail, and when Sami shrugged in response, Adrienne grabbed her cell phone and announced that she was going to contact Jennifer and ask her about the matter.

Sami stopped Adrienne and reluctantly agreed to tell her what was going on. Sami claimed that, while she couldn't get into the details, the bottom line was that Abigail was having trouble dealing with her breakup with Chad. Sami explained that Abigail didn't really want to broadcast the problem to the entire world. "So she decided to come to you?" Adrienne asked, quickly adding that she hadn't meant for the question to sound judgmental. Sami skeptically nodded as Adrienne clarified that she just meant that Abigail and Jennifer were very close to each other.

"Of course they are, but there are some things that you don't want to talk to your mother about. You know -- mistakes that you make with a guy or being in love with a DiMera," Sami reasoned. Conceding the point, Adrienne summarized that Sami had turned into a mini Marlena, prompting Sami to clarify that she was just listening, not offering advice. Adrienne wondered why Abigail hadn't talked to someone who was closer to Abigail's own age instead. Sami protested that she wasn't that much older than Abigail, and Adrienne remained silent as she gave Sami a knowing look of disbelief.

Sami sighed and clarified that she and Abigail had bonded a lot lately, and Adrienne skeptically guessed that the bonding had occurred during art lessons. Sami reminded Adrienne that Abigail was very close to Sami's kids and was also one of Will and Sonny's biggest supporters. Sami concluded that she and E.J. wanted to do everything that they could possibly do to help Abigail.

In Nicole's hotel room, Nicole grabbed a lighter as she placed the shredded document on top of an empty glass bowl. "I'm gonna burn this one...and all the rest of them," Nicole muttered, but before she could do so, she received a phone call from Eric, who wondered how she was doing. Nicole said that hearing Eric's voice had made everything better, and she added that she had listened to his voicemail message earlier and just wanted him to know that she loved him, too.

"More than anything," Nicole added as she held the lighter to the edge of the document and proceeded to watch it burn.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

by Spalding

In her office, Jennifer confronted Theresa about the Photoshopped picture of Jennifer that was circulating the hospital. Theresa denied any involvement with the prank. When Jennifer asked about the nasty posts on the message board, Theresa commented that any statements calling Jennifer a bitch were accurate. As Jennifer stewed, Theresa leaned forward and reminded Jennifer that if she broke the agreement, Theresa would ruin J.J.'s life.

Jennifer countered that she had evidence that Theresa had attempted to embezzle money from the hospital and that she would call Theresa's bluff. Annoyed, Theresa stormed out of Jennifer's office. As Theresa left, Jennifer warned Theresa not to harass her at the hospital.

At the nurses' station, Anne told Daniel that she was not responsible for the Photoshop prank. When Daniel asked about Theresa, Anne directed Daniel to Jennifer's office. Daniel walked to Jennifer's office, and she informed him that the hospital was investigating the prank. Furious, Daniel insisted that he would talk to Theresa and get her to confess. Jennifer begged Daniel not to fight her battle for her and to let her deal with Theresa. Nodding grudgingly, Daniel agreed.

In the Brady Pub, John said hello to Brady at the bar. Brady invited John to join him for a drink in order to bond, but John declined. Brady bought John a glass of wine, and when John refused to drink it, Brady eagerly claimed both glasses. When John told Brady that he was concerned, Brady swore that he was fine. Brady said that John was a good dad some of the time.

"It's better to have a dad who is just M.I.A. than to have a dad that is just hanging around trying to screw with your life," Brady groused. John argued that he had attempted to save Brady's life. When Brady rose to leave, John grabbed his arm and ordered Brady not to drive when he was intoxicated. As Brady yelled at John to leave him alone, Hope entered the pub and asked what was wrong.

Brady cautioned John that if John touched him again, Brady would take out a restraining order on him. As Brady walked toward the door, Hope asked Brady if he was driving home. Brady promised to walk. After Brady left, John asked Hope how she was feeling. Hope told John that she had informed her children that Bo was remaining undercover longer than expected. With a sigh, Hope said that Ciara was heartbroken by the news.

Outside the Brady Pub, Brady sat on a bench and breathed in the air. Aiden walked by and accidentally ran into Brady as he stood up. When Brady warned Aiden to watch where he was walking, Aiden remarked that Brady reeked of alcohol. As Brady grew more belligerent, Hope exited the pub and offered to take Brady home. Brady swore he did not need a babysitter and walked away.

When Aiden muttered that Brady was a jerk, a defensive Hope said that Brady was a good friend of hers. Aiden cautioned Hope to find a new friend. Hope asked Aiden to have compassion for Brady. Shaking his head, Aiden urged Hope not to enable Brady and his reckless behavior.

Lucas dropped off a box of photos at the DiMera mansion for Allie's genealogy project for school. Sami informed Lucas that she and E.J. had agreed on a wedding date in May. When Lucas joked that there was plenty of time for things to go wrong, Sami stressed that she was happy with E.J., and nothing would stop them from marrying.

Lucas changed the subject to Will's wedding, and he mentioned that Jennifer had offered the Horton house for the wedding. With a grimace, Sami noted that she had fought with Adrianne about the location, and Sami had agreed to have the wedding at the Kiriakis mansion. When Lucas asked if Will and Sonny approved, Sami nodded.

Lucas and Sami talked about Jennifer. When Sami slyly asked about Abigail, Lucas noted that Abigail was healing from her breakup with Chad. Lucas muttered that he would deal with anyone that attempted to hurt his niece like Chad had done. Changing the subject, Sami asked Lucas if he had a date for Will's wedding. When Lucas shrugged, Sami explained that Will had mentioned that Lucas had been spending time with Sheryl from work. Lucas denied that he was involved with Sheryl.

When Sami teased Lucas about Sheryl, he bristled. Laughing, Sami remarked that Lucas constantly joked about her love life, but he could not suffer through one remark about his love life. Lucas said that Sami could give him grief about his love life when he had one. Sincere, Sami said that she wanted Lucas to be happy. Lucas nodded and agreed that he wanted the same for Sami.

Sami and Lucas looked through the box of photos, and they laughed when they found their wedding photo. Sami and Lucas fondly reminisced about their wedding day. When Lucas joked that the marriage had been short-lived, Sami's face fell. Lucas apologized and asked Sami what she was thinking about.

"That you were my first real friend. Ever. And the fact that we're still friends. Most days," Sami said. "Nothing short of amazing isn't it?" Lucas agreed. Fighting tears, Sami noted that she could not imagine her life without Lucas in it. Lucas agreed, and he apologized to Sami for teasing her earlier. Lucas cautioned Sami to be careful if she planned to marry E.J. because E.J. had "a talent for screwing things up."

After Lucas left, Sami called E.J. and left him a voicemail. "I was just calling cause I wanted to say I love you. I love you so much, and I am so proud to be the mother of your children, and I just can't wait to be your wife," Sami said.

In the park, Abigail suggested that she should move to Europe and give up her baby for adoption. E.J. said adoption was not an option because he refused to turn his back on his child. When Abigail asked about Sami and whether she could forgive E.J. for fathering a child with another woman, E.J. responded that he would live with the consequences of telling Sami the truth. E.J. stressed that he would not give up on his child.

Shaking her head, Abigail wondered about E.J.'s other children. E.J. countered that Abigail needed to stop speculating and determine whether or not she was pregnant. E.J. asked Abigail to accompany him to the doctor's office. Abigail agreed, and he escorted her to the doctor. After the doctor interviewed Abigail, E.J. encouraged Abigail to review the consent form before she signed it.

As Abigail read the consent form, E.J. looked at a photo of his children and Sami on his phone. The doctor took the consent form and left E.J. and Abigail alone in the exam room. E.J. held Abigail's hand to calm her down. A nurse entered the exam room, and after she took blood from Abigail's arm, E.J. reminded Abigail that they were in it together.

"It's my body, but it's our baby. If I even am pregnant. But I can already tell how much you would love him or her," Abigail said. "You have to understand that both Samantha and Nicole tried to deprive me of the opportunity to be a father. I grew up without a father. I don't want that for my child," E.J. said. Abigail nodded and admitted that she was scared to be a mother. With a smile, E.J. said that Abigail would be a wonderful mother.

While E.J. went to get a glass of water for Abigail, she imagined being a mother. In her fantasy, Jennifer was happy for Abigail and supported her. Jennifer told Abigail that she was a good mother. As the fantasy continued, Sami stormed into the Horton house and called Abigail a "lying slut." Sami told Abigail that she had ruined the lives of Sami's children.

E.J. roused Abigail from her daydream when he returned. Abigail admitted that she had been thinking about the future. E.J. assured Abigail that everything would work out. The doctor returned to the room and announced that she had the test results.

J.J. cleaned in the town square, and he sheepishly looked away when he saw Paige. Paige apologized to J.J. for her friend Mary Beth's comments. With a nod, Paige returned to work. Rory visited J.J. while he was cleaning and asked to hang out after work. When J.J. asked about Paige, Rory noted that Paige had posted an anti-drug message on her feed on PalPage. J.J. reminded Rory that he no longer used drugs. With a shrug, Rory wondered aloud if Paige had posted that message on the feed to send a message to J.J.

While on a break at his community service, J.J. looked at Paige's post on her feed on PalPage. It read, "Don't just say no to drugs. Say no to being around anyone who uses." J.J. grumbled that if Paige felt that way, then he did not want to be around her. As J.J. stood up, he knocked over trash from his lunch. Paige joked that J.J was supposed to pick up trash. Annoyed, J.J. told her she was not funny. Defensive, Paige warned J.J. not to leave the mess for her to clean up, and then she walked away in a huff.

Anne and Theresa talked in the town square about the Photoshop prank. When Anne warned Theresa to cover her tracks, Theresa smiled and wondered aloud why everyone believed that she had pulled the prank. Smiling, Anne told Theresa to take a long break. As Anne walked away, Daniel walked up to Theresa. Nervous, Theresa took off into the park.

Daniel caught up with Theresa in the park. When Daniel asked Theresa about the Photoshop prank, she denied any involvement. Daniel reminded Theresa of his promise to destroy Theresa if she hurt J.J. or Jennifer. Daniel offered to talk to the judge in Los Angeles who was in charge of Theresa's probation. Worried, Theresa asked Daniel not to make the call. Theresa promised that she had not pulled the Photoshop prank on Jennifer.

"And I should believe you why? You screw around with people's lives, and then you lie about it, Theresa. And then you get caught, and you swear you'll never to it again. But lo and behold, you know what you do? You do it again. I never want to hear another word out of your lying mouth. And right now, I would do just about anything to never see your lying face again," Daniel said. Theresa promised to steer clear of Jennifer, Daniel, and J.J. After Daniel left, Theresa stared in confusion, while behind her, Liam crept into view.

As Theresa started to walk away, Liam bumped into her. Liam introduced himself as a pharmaceutical representative at the hospital. Liam suggested that he and Theresa should get to know one another.

J.J. visited Jennifer in her office at the hospital, and he complained about his community service job and the people he worked with. With a knowing smirk, Jennifer advised J.J. to control what he could control and do his best with the job. After talking to his mother, J.J. returned to his house and met up with Rory and Bev. Bev apologized to J.J. for what she had said to J.J. When Rory noted that J.J. had looked at Paige's feed on PalPage, a curious Bev remarked that Paige did not seem to be J.J.'s type.

J.J. called Paige a snob. Changing the subject, J.J. went into the kitchen to find food to eat. While J.J. was gone, Bev suggested that they play a prank on J.J. Bev grabbed the tablet computer and typed on it. When J.J. returned to the living room, he noted that Bev and Rory seemed off. They shrugged in response.

In the town square, Paige talked on the phone to a friend about an article on PalPage. After hanging up, Paige logged into PalPage and saw that there was a friend request from J.J. "You're awesome. Let's be friends," the request read. Paige muttered that J.J. was a jerk.

At Daniel's apartment, Jennifer arrived for dinner with flowers. Daniel informed Jennifer that he had spoken to Theresa. Daniel apologized for not holding his tongue as he had promised Jennifer. When Jennifer groaned, Daniel said that he hoped Theresa would not bother them again. While Jennifer and Daniel talked, Hope and Aiden left voicemails on their phones, stating that they would not be able to join them for dinner.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady woke up from a nap on the couch, and he muttered that he would drink less next time. Brady grabbed files for work, and when he looked through the desk for a pen, he found a photo of him with John. Angry, Brady ripped up the photo and threw it in the trash. Brady looked across the room at the bar.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

by ChickenGrrl

As Bev, Rory, and J.J. binged on potato chips in the Horton living room, J.J. suspected that Bev and Rory were obviously up to something, but they insisted that nothing was going on. On her way out the door, a fed-up Bev complained that J.J. had become too uptight. Rory followed Bev out after urging J.J. to lighten up. J.J. sat down to study for a test but realized that he'd left his book in his locker, so he headed out to retrieve it.

At Salem High, a disgusted Paige showed Marybeth the friend request she'd gotten from J.J. Marybeth suggested that Paige should report J.J. for stalking -- which, if they were lucky, might even get J.J. expelled. Before Paige could protest much, Marybeth had to rush off to band practice.

When J.J. arrived just then, Paige called him a creep and informed him that she'd gotten his message. J.J. asked what she was talking about, and Paige accused him of playing games. Finally, she said, "That message you sent, how I was awesome, was totally lame, okay? If you don't like me, that's fine, but seriously? You had to go and be all mean about it?" J.J. insisted that he hadn't sent Paige a message, but she didn't believe him. After telling him that he couldn't be her friend, Paige left. A confused J.J. pulled out his phone and quickly pieced together what had happened. "Those bastards," he muttered.

Later, J.J. confronted Bev and Rory with the evidence on his phone as they exited the Brady Pub. Rory assured J.J. that they'd meant it as a joke. "I'm not laughing," J.J. snapped. Bev pointed out that J.J. had once been a fun guy. She reminded J.J. that he'd called Paige a loser, but she seemed to be all he could think about. As Bev and Rory walked off, J.J. called after them, insisting that he didn't care about Paige.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady ran across a picture of himself and John, then promptly ripped it up and threw it away. After eyeing the crystal decanters on the bar for a long moment, Brady picked up the bottle of vodka. With shaking hands, he began to pour himself a drink then he slammed down the decanter and the tumbler, shattering them against the bar. "I don't need it! I don't need it," he tried to convince himself. As he cleaned up the mess a little bit, Brady repeated, "I don't need it, not one single drop."

In the park outside Horton Square, after Liam suggested that he and Theresa get to know one another, she told him that his pickup lines needed some work. Liam insisted that he wasn't trying to pick her up. He explained that workplace relationships were a bad idea -- something he'd learned the hard way after dating Jennifer Horton. Intrigued, Theresa admitted that she had worked for Jennifer, though Theresa's life had improved considerably since then.

Theresa confided that Jennifer had been under a lot of stress when they'd worked together because of J.J. Liam admitted that he'd met J.J., adding, "There's a problem that's just going to keep on evolving. He made it clear he didn't want his mommy having any kind of social life." Chuckling in agreement, Theresa put a hand on Liam's shoulder.

Brady arrived just then and asked, his jealousy apparent, if Theresa had made a new friend. Theresa explained who Liam was, and Brady made a snide remark. Amused, Liam made an excuse about work and left. When she realized that she'd made Brady jealous, Theresa giggled and said, "That is so cool!" Annoyed, Brady said that he would leave so Theresa could go hit on some more guys. Theresa assured him that she had only been talking to Liam.

Brady didn't buy it when Theresa said that she hadn't gotten his text messages. At last he admitted that he'd overreacted and apologized to Theresa. To get Brady out of his "weird" mood, Theresa suggested that they stop by a liquor store on the way to her apartment. Brady asked if they could do something besides drink, since that was what they always did. Theresa said that she had an idea of how they could get out of their rut, if Brady were interested.

Theresa looked around appreciatively when Brady took her to the Kiriakis mansion. Brady said that they had the place to themselves because he'd sent the butler home. Theresa put her arms around Brady to show him how she intended to get them out of their rut. "You don't want to drink, which is cool, but when it comes to you and me, what would you like to do for fun? You know, I can be very accommodating -- in every way," Theresa said seductively, kissing Brady.

Brady responded by grabbing Theresa's hand to lead her to his bedroom -- but she encouraged him to stay in the living room. Brady pulled Theresa onto the couch with her on top of him and they began to kiss even more fervently.

As Kate sat alone at the Brady Pub, a distracted woman ran right into Rafe as he walked in. Unfazed, Rafe merely picked up the woman's purse and returned it to her. After the woman had gone, Kate said that Jordan would be as impressed as Kate was about how Rafe had handled the encounter without losing his balance. Kate was stunned when Rafe informed her that Jordan had decided to keep her job at the hospital and remain in Salem. Kate guessed that Jordan was sticking around because of Rafe, not because of any job.

Kate remarked that Jordan had softened up a great deal since arriving in Salem. After proclaiming that she was very happy for Rafe, Kate kissed him on the cheek and left. Outside, Kate wondered what Jordan was really up to.

Jordan went to Club TBD to tell Ben that she was staying in Salem. Ben believed that she had taken his advice, but Jordan insisted that wasn't the case -- although it would have been easier if he hadn't shown up. "I can't make you leave, but understand this: this time, I do what I want, when I want, how I want," Jordan warned, adding that things weren't like the last time.

"You're staying because of him. You won't walk away no matter how many times --" Ben began. Jordan cut him off but agreed that Ben was right about her not walking away. Ben warned Jordan that he was the only one he could trust -- and Jordan was lying to herself if she believed otherwise.

In the doctor's office, Dr. Garcia informed Abigail that she was not pregnant. As E.J. let out a huge sigh of relief, the news rocked Abigail so much that she began to cry. E.J. asked Dr. Garcia if he and Abigail could have a moment alone, so the doctor left the room. E.J. asked Abigail if she were all right. She explained that she was relieved because being pregnant would have been a disaster -- for everyone. "It's finally over. It's finished, all of it. There is no us anymore," Abigail said.

When Dr. Garcia returned, she said that stress plus a mild stomach virus could explain all of Abigail's symptoms. Abigail thanked Dr. Garcia. As Abigail headed out, E.J. expressed his gratitude to Dr. Garcia for her discretion.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano and Sami discussed her and E.J.'s upcoming nuptials. Sami declared that they did not need Stefano's approval -- and nothing could stop the wedding. Stefano maintained that he was thrilled about the wedding because all he wanted was for his children to be happy. Sami suggested that if that were true, Stefano should let them move out of the mansion. Stefano said that he felt as if Elvis wanted to live there. Stefano got a phone call just then, so Sami left the room.

As E.J. walked Abigail through Horton Square, he seemed about to say something to comfort her, but she stopped him. She reiterated that a pregnancy would have been a disaster -- but they should both be glad that they'd made it through it. Before he left, E.J. told Abigail tenderly, "When you find someone -- and you will -- when you fall in love, let me meet them, will you? I would like to tell that young man how lucky he is."

Abigail was wiping her tears and fixing her makeup in a compact mirror when Jordan showed up. Jordan quickly realized that something was wrong and asked if Abigail was all right. Insisting she was fine, Abigail asked Jordan about her new job, and Jordan explained that she was staying in town. Jordan pressed Abigail to talk about whatever was bothering her. Abigail admitted that the previous couple of weeks had been a "roller coaster," but she'd gotten lucky, and her problem had resolved itself -- much to her surprise.

"New beginnings," Jordan remarked. Her expression turned dreamy when she spotted Rafe across the square. As he walked over to the women, Abigail guessed that he was the real reason Jordan was staying in Salem. After Abigail had gone, Rafe playfully said that he needed help showing someone how much her sticking around meant to him. Jordan suggested that he keep things simple and kissed him to demonstrate. Abigail watched them wistfully from across the square. Jordan agreed that she and Rafe could get together later, but first she had to check on some patients at the hospital.

After Jordan had left, Ben appeared from behind the Horton tree and glared after the departing Rafe.

As Kate arrived at Club TBD, she was pleasantly surprised to get a call from Chad. Kate admitted, "No, I haven't done that yet... I know that I promised you... Okay, look -- I understand that it's very important to you... Fine, I'll do it tonight."

On the phone, Dr. Garcia greeted Stefano, who seemed pleased to hear from her. After they'd talked, Stefano purred, "You've been most helpful, doctor." Just as Stefano was hanging up, a chipper E.J. returned home and eagerly asked his father, "Have you seen my bride-to-be anywhere?" Stefano pretended he didn't know whom E.J. was talking about.

Stefano wondered why E.J. was so anxious to be with Samantha. Just then, Sami bounded down the stairs. E.J. greeted her with a passionate kiss and pulled her into the foyer so he could kiss her some more. Stefano crossed his arms and stroked his beard as he watched them from the doorway.

Later, Stefano was pleased when Kate called him. She got right to the point: "When would be a good time?" Stefano suggested, "How about tonight? I am going to be free." Kate cautioned him, "I'll come by -- but I wouldn't be so gleeful. I don't think you're going to enjoy this the way you think."

E.J. whisked Sami upstairs and pulled her, giggling, onto the bed. As they began to undress, Sami mentioned the erectile dysfunction drugs E.J. had gotten for Stefano. E.J. reiterated that Sami should never mention that she knew about Stefano's problem. Sami wondered why E.J. was suddenly so "frisky," but he insisted that he only wanted to show her how much he loved her. Sami squealed when E.J. became even more playfully amorous. After they'd had sex, Sami wondered aloud if E.J. had sampled his father's pills. E.J. assured her that he didn't need drugs to make love to her.

E.J. announced that he wanted to take Sami on a date that night. Sami was a little taken aback but otherwise excited at the idea. She watched appreciatively as E.J. got out of bed to take a shower.

As Abigail walked home, she spotted a couple with a baby carriage. Remembering how Sami had been there for her about the possible pregnancy, Abigail dialed Sami's number. When she learned that Abigail wasn't pregnant, Sami acknowledged, "You must be so relieved." She apologized if she'd frightened Abigail by suggesting that she could be pregnant. Sami kept asking questions after Abigail said that she'd gone to a doctor instead of taking a home test, so Abigail made an excuse about having to get to work. She thanked Sami for everything she'd done.

E.J. got out of the shower just as Sami was hanging up. She informed him that Abigail wasn't pregnant. "She's super-relieved... I mean, seriously, what kind of loser did she hook herself up with?" Sami mused.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

by Mike

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady unbuttoned Theresa's shirt and started to carry her upstairs, but she stopped him and teased him for being too scared to have sex on the living room couch. Taking the bait, Brady returned Theresa to the couch and started kissing her again as they continued undressing each other. "Really?" Maggie asked disapprovingly as she entered the living room.

Brady was surprised to see Maggie, since he had expected her and Victor to be gone for a while longer. As Brady and Theresa started to button their respective shirts, Maggie explained that her evening with Victor had been cut short because there had been a fire at Titan's Indonesian factory. Maggie reported that Victor had tried contacting Brady but had eventually given up and decided to handle the crisis on his own.

As Maggie pointed out that Theresa had missed a button, Brady checked his messages and abruptly excused himself so that he could deal with the emergency. After Brady left, Maggie vowed that she wasn't going to let any of her loved ones get hurt because of Theresa's destructive behavior. Maggie promised that Theresa's latest campaign to get her claws into Brady was going to fail, just like her previous campaign to ruin Jennifer's life had failed.

"You know, Maggie, I realize that you sunk your teeth into the richest man in ten states, but that doesn't mean that everybody else is a gold-digger, too," Theresa innocently countered. Maggie clarified that she and Victor were in love with each other, and Theresa sarcastically agreed that the love practically oozed out of the married couple. Theresa added that she and Brady, on the other hand, were simply having fun, which was what life was all about, anyway. Maggie disagreed and accused Theresa of destroying Brady.

"You remember that term 'lower companion' from the A.A. meetings? Of course, you didn't go to that many. It's someone who brings out the worst in a person who's struggling. You are Brady's lower companion. You're dragging him down to your level. You're helping him wreck his life, just like you're out to wreck your own. And you know what? I'm not gonna stand by and watch you do it," Maggie vowed, unaware that Brady had returned in time to hear the latter half of her statement.

Brady apologetically informed Theresa that he was going to be busy dealing with the Titan crisis for at least the next two hours, and she agreed to take a rain check on their date. Theresa gave Brady a kiss before turning to face Maggie. "You know, Brady and I, we've been hanging out a lot, so...off and on, I'm just gonna plain be here. But I'm pretty easy to get along with, seriously, so I do hope that you'll at least try," Theresa innocently stated before exiting the mansion. Brady sighed and said that he and Maggie needed to get something straight, but she countered that what he needed to do was sit and listen to her.

Maggie advised Brady that he was no longer able to handle his alcohol consumption, which was making him a person who was irresponsible at work, prone to picking fights with everyone who loved him, and willing to hook up with a woman who was certainly going to destroy his life. Brady told Maggie to dial the lecture back a bit, and he approached the bar as he reminded her that he had already been involved with the woman who was "the worst of the worst." Brady asked Maggie to trust him, but she insisted that it was impossible for her to do so at that time.

Brady insisted that he was fine and that Theresa was like a breath of fresh air, since she didn't judge him. Maggie laughed and knowingly informed Brady that Theresa was judging the size of his wallet and waiting for the right time to pounce. Brady sarcastically agreed that no one could possibly be interested in his mind, his emotions, or the rest of his being. Maggie wondered if Brady was truly interested in Theresa's mind and her great depth of emotions or if he was instead just using her as a distraction while he continued to run away from his problems.

Unwilling to answer the question, Brady insisted that he and Maggie were done. "Good. 'Cause I can't stand talking to a liar, and I won't stand around and watch you destroy yourself. I'm done," Maggie countered before exiting the living room, slamming the door behind her. The move seemed to surprise Brady, who remained frozen in place for a moment, contemplating what had just happened, until he received a phone call from Theresa, which he chose to ignore. "No, he's just busy. He still wants me...and I'll still get him," Theresa assured herself as she ended the call.

Daniel took Parker to the Horton house so that Abigail and J.J. could watch the boy while Daniel and Jennifer hosted their dinner party. When Parker greeted Abigail, she immediately thought about the negative pregnancy test result that she had received earlier. Meanwhile, Daniel received a phone call from Hope, who regretfully informed him that she wouldn't be able to make it to the party. Daniel was disappointed to hear that, especially since Kayla and Aiden had also backed out of attending the gathering, and he wondered if Hope was absolutely positive about her cancellation. Hope suddenly decided that she could go to the event after all.

After ending the call, Daniel asked Abigail to let him know just how upset Jennifer had really been when the fake photograph had surfaced. Abigail reported that Jennifer had been upset at first but had beautifully handled the fake photograph and the nasty messages that had been posted on the hospital website. Daniel hadn't heard anything about the latter incident, so Abigail explained that someone had accused Jennifer of being useless and prejudiced, among other things.

Later, after Daniel left, Abigail watched as J.J. checked PalPage for what she estimated to be the tenth time in the previous thirty minutes but he guessed it was only the third or fourth time. Abigail wondered what was going on, and J.J. replied that he had been hoping to hear from someone but had reached the conclusion that he probably wasn't going to get his wish. J.J. wondered if he could ask Abigail a question about a girl. Abigail nodded and assumed that J.J. was talking about Bev, but he clarified that he was actually talking about a girl he had recently met.

J.J. revealed that he didn't know much about the girl but would like to remedy that issue, and he vaguely added that, due to circumstances that had been largely out of his control, he had not yet been able to get through to her. Abigail advised J.J. to try talking to the girl directly instead of attempting to contact her via social media, but he explained that he and the girl were from two different worlds. "Oh. Oh, J.J., then it's -- it's -- it's not meant to be. Just -- just drop the whole thing. Forget about it," Abigail recommended before turning her attention back to Parker.

Confused, J.J. questioned Abigail's advice, pointing out that she didn't know anything about the girl in question. "J.J., you just said that -- that you guys are from totally different worlds. If you're already sensing that it isn't going to work, then you should just give up. I mean, if -- if it seems impossible from the beginning, then it is," Abigail reasoned. J.J. refused to accept that argument, citing Jennifer and Daniel's relationship as an example of a seemingly impossible situation that had worked itself out in the end.

Abigail wondered if J.J. really wanted to put himself through the same kind of torture that Daniel and Jennifer had recently endured. Abigail advised J.J. to play it safe and end his pursuit of the girl in question before things got worse and he ended up making a mistake that he would live to regret. Abigail was relieved when J.J. confirmed that he understood what she was trying to tell him. "But you're not talking about me -- you're talking about you," J.J. knowingly added.

Meanwhile, someone rang the doorbell, and when J.J. opened the door, he found Liam standing outside. Liam offered J.J. a friendly greeting and asked to speak to Jennifer for a minute. Abigail entered the foyer and informed Liam that Jennifer wasn't there. Feigning surprise, Liam claimed that he had apparently misunderstood what Jennifer had told him earlier, and he explained that he was actually just looking for his cell phone charger, which he believed that he had left at the Horton house during his previous visit.

Meanwhile, Parker entered the foyer and approached J.J., who guessed that the boy needed to use the bathroom. J.J. escorted Parker out of the foyer, and Abigail offered to check for Liam's cell phone charger in the family's kitchen junk drawer. Liam asked if he could use the bathroom while Abigail was searching for the item, claiming that he had been on the road for the past six hours. Abigail pointed Liam toward the upstairs bathroom, and once he was upstairs, he sneaked into Jennifer's bedroom and started snooping through the dresser drawers.

When Liam returned to the foyer a short time later, J.J. and Parker were waiting there. J.J. wondered what Liam had been doing upstairs, and Liam innocently explained that he had needed a bathroom break. Meanwhile, Abigail emerged from the kitchen and apologetically informed Liam that she had been unable to locate his cell phone charger. Liam thanked Abigail for trying and abruptly excused himself.

J.J. asked if Abigail had been aware of the fact that Liam had gone upstairs earlier, and she confirmed that Liam had requested to use the bathroom. J.J. thought that was kind of weird, especially since Liam had also seemed kind of glad to hear that Jennifer wasn't around, but Abigail disagreed, reasoning that it was hard to get dumped and that it had probably been humiliating for Liam to return to the Horton house to look for his cell phone charger. J.J. wondered if Abigail was speaking from experience because she had also recently been dumped, but she dismissively told him to forget about the matter. "I don't want to forget it. You're my sister -- why can't I care if some guy walked away and broke your heart?" J.J. asked.

As Abigail, J.J., and Parker returned to the living room, she insisted that she hadn't gotten her heart broken, adding that she had simply done something stupid with a guy. Abigail claimed that she was glad that the relationship was over for good, and she admitted that she was really lucky because things could have been much worse than they had ended up being. J.J. seemed skeptical, but Abigail maintained that she just wanted to forget about the whole ordeal. "That's the only thing you can do when you know that something is over, is just -- just forget about it and move on," Abigail reasoned.

Aiden tracked Jennifer down at the hospital so that he could give her some probation report forms for J.J. to fill out. Jennifer thanked Aiden for the delivery and wondered if he was certain that he wouldn't be able to make it to her and Daniel's dinner party later that night. Jennifer thought that the event would be a great opportunity for Aiden to make some new friends, but he regretfully confirmed that he wouldn't be able to attend because he had too much work to do. Jennifer understood but was disappointed to hear that, especially since Kayla and Hope had also backed out of attending the gathering. Aiden suddenly decided that he could go to the event after all.

Later, Maxine reported that no new comments about Jennifer had been posted on the hospital website after the initial batch had been removed. Maxine admitted that she was excited about attending Jennifer and Daniel's dinner party later that night, and Jennifer thanked Maxine for being perhaps their biggest supporter. Meanwhile, Abe arrived and confirmed that he would also be at the gathering.

After Jennifer left, Maxine told Abe that she would see him again at the dinner party, although she added that she might be a bit late, since she had loaned her vehicle to a fellow nurse earlier, and the nurse had not yet returned to the hospital. Abe offered to give Maxine a ride to and from the event, and she gratefully accepted the offer.

In Daniel's apartment, Jennifer was preparing for the dinner party when Daniel returned and revealed that Abigail had told him about the nasty messages that had been posted on the hospital website. Daniel wished that Jennifer had told him about the messages so that he could have done something about them himself, but she insisted that he needed to let her fight her own battles because she was more than capable of doing so. Jennifer stressed that, while she appreciated Daniel's support and protectiveness, it wasn't necessary for him to protect her from everything that life tried to throw at her. Daniel conceded that he could be a bit overprotective at times, and at Jennifer's urging, he reluctantly agreed that he wouldn't try to intervene in the future unless she specifically requested his help.

A short time later, Daniel and Jennifer's first round of guests -- Maxine, who was carrying a bottle of wine; Abe, who was carrying a six-pack of beer; and Hope, who was carrying a box of baked goods -- arrived together, and the hosts happily greeted them. Jennifer was pleasantly surprised that Hope had decided to attend the event after all, and Hope explained that she had simply been unable to let Jennifer down. As the guests started to get settled, someone else knocked on the apartment door, and Hope offered to greet the new arrival herself, unaware that it was Aiden. Hope and Aiden were equally surprised and dismayed to see each other.

Daniel took the bouquet of flowers that Aiden was holding, and when he offered to get drinks for Aiden and Hope, she asked for a glass of red wine and Aiden asked for a diet soda. As Daniel walked away, Jennifer approached Aiden and Hope and happily declared that she was thrilled that they had both been able to make it to the party. Aiden started to say that he didn't think that he could stay for more than a few minutes, but Jennifer dismissed his concern and helped him out of his coat.

Oblivious to the tension between Hope and Aiden, Jennifer said that she had recently realized that Ciara and Chase were the same age and therefore shared classes at St. Luke's Academy. Hope confirmed the suspicion and tried to add that Ciara and Chase weren't really friends, but some loud laughter from Abe, Maxine, and Daniel overlapped her statement, making it unclear if Jennifer had managed to hear it.

Daniel returned with Hope and Aiden's drinks and asked them about the recent bake sale. Daniel had heard that it had been a big success, and Jennifer guessed that Aiden and Hope had made a great team, but they assured her that she was wrong. Jennifer teasingly informed Daniel that Hope and Aiden were probably just saying that because they didn't want to get picked to run the bake sale again the following year. Aiden insisted that he and Hope would never, ever work together again, and she hopefully wondered if that was a promise.

Nicole opened a bottle of wine, turned on some soft piano music, and dimmed the lights before opening her hotel room door to greet Eric, who wondered if she was ready to go to Daniel and Jennifer's dinner party. Nicole warned that arriving at Daniel's apartment too early might be a bad idea because it had been a long time since he had last entertained guests. Eric suggested that he and Nicole could kill some time with a walk in the park, but she wanted to relax with him for a while in the hotel room instead.

As Eric removed his coat, Nicole poured two glasses of wine and proposed a toast to their relationship. As Nicole and Eric talked about how much they had missed each other that day, she turned away from him so that she could adjust the volume of the music, and he noticed that the back of her blouse was unbuttoned. Nicole flirtatiously explained that she had been counting on Eric to help her fasten it, and he started to oblige before noticing that her bra was also unhooked. Eric quickly fastened both articles of clothing.

Nicole turned back around to face Eric, and as she leaned in to kiss him, she purposely spilled her wine on his shirt and undershirt, making it look like an accident. Nicole apologized and quickly started to remove Eric's shirts so that she could wash them before the stain set in, but after she removed his outer shirt, their eyes met, and they shared a kiss. Nicole turned Eric toward the bed and gently pushed him onto it as they started to kiss more passionately.

Nicole whispered that she loved and wanted Eric and knew that he felt the same way about her, and he confirmed her suspicion but halfheartedly objected that they couldn't let things progress further. Undeterred, Nicole continued to kiss Eric, who wavered between responding to her kisses and objecting that they needed to stop. Eric finally pulled away from Nicole and stood, but she remained on the bed and caressed his chest as she worked her way down to his pants, which she started to unbutton.

Eric stopped Nicole and firmly insisted that they couldn't continue. Nicole didn't understand why, so Eric reminded her that they had already talked about his desire to wait until marriage to consummate their relationship. Eric guessed that Nicole had never really meant what she had said during that earlier conversation, since she hadn't even been able to honor his request for one whole day before trying to change his mind. Nicole protested that what she and Eric had been about to do wasn't wrong, since they weren't living in Victorian England and he was no longer a priest, but he countered that he still followed the church's teachings regardless.

Eric realized that Nicole had been trying to seduce him, but she feigned innocence, insisting that he needed to get over himself and stop being paranoid. Unconvinced, Eric countered that Nicole needed to stop being selfish for once, and he started to say something else, but she impatiently interrupted and told him to answer his cell phone, which had started ringing but was being ignored. Eric answered the call and greeted Daniel, who wondered if Eric and Nicole could hurry over to the apartment. Daniel vaguely explained that Nicole and Eric's presence was desperately needed, and Eric assured Daniel that they would be there shortly. After ending the call, Eric and Nicole stormed out of the hotel room, barely saying a word to each other in the process.

When Nicole and Eric arrived at Daniel's apartment a short time later, Nicole handed Daniel a bottle of white wine and told him to consider it a backup bottle, since she planned to drink all of his first. True to her word, Nicole headed straight toward the liquor and poured herself a glass of white wine. Meanwhile, Jennifer greeted Eric and commented on the red wine stain on his shirt, offering to work her magic on it to remove the stain. "Well, don't try to take it off, because he'll accuse you of God only knows what," Nicole warned Jennifer.

Nicole noticed a face that she didn't recognize, so she rushed over to introduce herself to Aiden, observing that he looked like he needed a drink just as much as she did. Aiden wasn't amused, so Nicole wondered what she had done to upset him. Hope explained that Aiden didn't approve of much of anything. Maxine tried to crack a joke about the Chicago Cubs, but it failed to lighten the mood.

As Nicole refilled her glass, Eric quietly asked if she thought that she might have already had enough to drink. "Oh, I don't think, remember? I'm all instinct. That's why I'm always wrong, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong!" Nicole irritably replied before walking away. Daniel uncomfortably muttered that he wished that he knew why it was taking such a long time for the pizzas to arrive, and Jennifer suggested that the group could play a game while they waited for their food. Nicole groaned, and when Eric gave her a disapproving look, she unapologetically explained that she didn't like games. "Strange -- I thought that was your specialty," Eric countered.

Nicole informed Eric that she did like wine, and she asked Abe to refill her glass. As Abe complied, Nicole wondered if Aiden was ready to change his mind about the alcohol, and Aiden declined the offer. Eric once again tried to tell Nicole that she had already had enough to drink. "You know, I don't know what it is. Maybe I should have read my horoscope or something -- 'steer clear of men, because today, they're all judgmental.' Come on, people, this is a party! Let's have some fun!" Nicole urged everyone as she walked away from Eric again.

Meanwhile, someone knocked on the apartment door, and Jennifer happily announced that the pizzas had finally arrived. When Jennifer opened the door, she was shocked to find Rory standing in the hallway, holding three boxes of pizza. "[Ms.] Horton, hey! Didn't expect to see you here. Don't worry -- we didn't put any pot in the pizzas," Rory quietly assured Jennifer. Unamused, Jennifer walked away without saying anything to Rory. Daniel approached Rory to pay for the pizzas, and he wondered what Rory had said to Jennifer. Rory claimed that he had simply been apologizing for the cold pizzas, and he explained that he had gotten bogged down with deliveries.

After Rory left, Jennifer thanked Daniel for intervening, admitting that, while it was contradictory to what she had just lectured him about earlier, she was appreciative of the gesture in that particular case. Daniel apologetically announced that the pizzas were a bit cold, and Aiden and Hope simultaneously attempted to excuse themselves. "Oh, stop it, you two. The pizza didn't die -- it just got cold. I'll heat it up. Stick around," Maxine urged Hope and Aiden, and Abe offered to help Maxine.

Nicole approached Daniel to tell him something, but she misjudged the distance between them and ended up bumping into him, accidentally spilling her wine on his shirt in the process. Nicole apologized profusely and went to grab some napkins so that she could help Daniel clean up the mess. "Are you trying to get his shirt off, too?" Eric quietly asked Nicole, who loudly replied that his comment had been completely uncalled for. Daniel tried to assure Nicole that the accident hadn't been a big deal, but she ignored him and encouraged Eric to go ahead and tell everyone all of the juicy details of their earlier fight. Daniel sighed and quietly asked Jennifer if the night could possibly get any worse.

Liam followed Theresa into Club TBD and took a seat at her table. Theresa accused Liam of stalking her, but he denied the claim and explained that he had simply spotted her and assumed that she might be interested in hearing some really juicy gossip about Jennifer Horton. Liam proceeded to tell Theresa about the smear campaign, but she informed him that he wasn't telling her anything that she didn't already know. Liam wondered if Theresa had been involved in the smear campaign.

"God, you know what? I am so sick and tired of everybody accusing me of crap that I didn't even think about, let alone do!" Theresa snapped in response. Liam apologized for hitting a nerve, and Theresa walked away after concluding that she was happy for the person who had actually masterminded the smear campaign, since "sweet little Jenny" really had a way of "pissing people off."

Later, Liam stretched out on his bed and retrieved from his briefcase a black nglige he had smuggled out of Jennifer's bedroom earlier. As Liam traced his hands over the article of clothing and raised it to his nose, he imagined Jennifer slipping into his bed while wearing it. "Soon. Very soon," Liam quietly muttered.

Friday, March 21, 2014

by ChickenGrrl

As Sami and E.J. walked through Horton Square during their date night, Sami remarked that it almost seemed as if they were celebrating something. Pulling his fiance into his arms and onto a bench, E.J. reminded her that it had been almost a year since he'd proposed to her. They were both glad that they had managed to find their way back to one another, despite the rough times they'd been through.

Before they left the square to get a drink, Sami cautioned E.J. that Stefano was up to something. She explained that Stefano had claimed to be "delighted" that they had set a wedding date. Cutting her off, E.J. declared that he didn't want to talk or even think about his father. E.J. added that he only wanted to concentrate on Sami, and he kissed her to prove it.

When Gabi met Nick at the Brady Pub, she seemed nervous about being there with him. Nick said that he had a soft spot for the pub because it was the first place he'd seen her -- and he still thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Over Gabi's protests, Nick snapped a picture of Gabi with his phone and said that he was going to make it his wallpaper. He added that it had been her loyalty, not her looks, that had made him fall in love with her. Nick quickly apologized for going too far.

Gabi admitted that he was one of the few people who made her feel good about herself, because most people made her feel pretty stupid. Acknowledging that he was the reason, Nick expressed his regret for everything Gabi had gone through because of him. When Nick cited Heathcliff and Cathy, and Romeo and Juliet as couples who were destined to be together, Gabi pointed out that things hadn't worked out well for them. Nick continued that the two of them also belonged together -- and Gabi was the only person who could convince him that he was wrong.

"Nick, what you said, it was very sweet and romantic, but I'm just not there yet," Gabi said. Nick explained that he'd just wanted to be completely up-front with her. When Gabi complained that she wanted some more coffee but the waitress had disappeared, Nick went into the kitchen to get more. E.J. and Sami arrived just then, and Sami almost immediately deduced from Gabi's discomfort that Gabi was there with Nick.

After confirming that Sami had been right, Gabi declared that she felt better about herself than she had in a long time -- and it was because of Nick. Sami guessed that Nick had told Gabi that he wanted her back. Gabi verified that, as well, but insisted that Nick had made it clear that it was up to her whether or not they got back together. Sami pointed out that Nick was holding a virtual gun to Gabi's head by showing them Percy's photos. Gabi maintained that Sami had forced her to help dump Nick's body in the river. An incredulous Sami asserted that Nick would say anything to get what he wanted -- and what he wanted was Gabi.

E.J. waited for Nick to exit the kitchen and demanded that the two of them have a chat outside. E.J. maintained that although Nick might have snowed Gabi, both Sami and E.J. knew that Nick hadn't changed a bit. Nick didn't want to listen to anything E.J. had to say, but E.J. prevented him from going back inside. "Who exactly is it that you think you're dealing with?" E.J. asked as a warning.

Nick countered that E.J. was smart enough to know why he couldn't follow through on his threats against Nick. Nick warned that E.J. was dealing with someone who was likely much smarter than E.J. was. When Nick went inside, E.J. muttered, "Yeah, but not smart enough to know when you've met your match."

When Sami joined E.J. outside, she was fit to be tied about what Nick was doing to Gabi. E.J. revealed, "Nick just told me something -- without knowing it -- and it's going to come back to haunt him." E.J. wouldn't divulge any details, but he emphasized the importance of Nick remaining overconfident. E.J. then led Sami away so they could finish their date.

Nick walked Gabi to the door of her apartment -- and she didn't protest when he leaned in to kiss her goodnight.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano admired the table for two that was set up in the living room. "Perfect! The stage is set," he said. Kate arrived just then and seemed dismayed at the romantic setting. While the opera music swelled, Stefano offered Kate a glass of her favorite champagne, so she reluctantly took it. He urged her to make a toast. "Here's to sitting down with you for the very last time," Kate said, raising her glass. Stefano chuckled.

During their meal, Stefano stated that there were two sides to every story. "You sent a man to Rafe's hospital room with orders to neuter him with a straight razor. What's the other side to that?" Kate asked. Stefano laughed and said that he'd thought Kate had better taste when she suggested that Rafe threatened Stefano's manhood. Kate said that she had tried to love Stefano, but he had turned on her. "What was I supposed to do? Become a nun?" she wondered. "Better than a puttana," Stefano growled.

Stefano quickly added that the night was all about Kate, so she could say whatever she wanted to say. Kate said that she had once believed that they'd genuinely cared for one another, but she had since learned that Stefano didn't know the difference between love and possession. Stefano asked if there had ever been a time during their marriage that Kate hadn't felt that he loved her, or if she'd ever thought that she hadn't loved him. "That's ancient history," Kate said. She got up and walked out.

When Sami and E.J. arrived home, Sami asked why Stefano was dining alone at a table for two. "Well, my friend did not have much of an appetite," Stefano explained on his way out of the room. Noticing the type of champagne in the bucket, Sami said that it had been the only kind that Kate would drink. "If your father's not up to something, why is he drinking pricy champagne with a woman he claims to hate?" Sami asked E.J.

Liam lay in bed, caressing the piece of black lingerie he'd swiped from Jennifer's dresser. He fantasized about having sex with Jennifer -- but even in Liam's imagination, Jennifer murmured, "I love you, Daniel." Liam balled up the fabric in his fist then let it drop to the floor. He muttered that nothing would happen for him and Jennifer with Daniel in the way.

Liam imagined Jennifer placing a photo of Daniel next to the one of Jack on the mantel. She told the pictures that, after losing both of them so tragically, a miracle had happened, and she had found true love again with Liam. Returning to reality, Liam retrieved the lingerie from the floor and told himself, "There's got to be another way."

At Daniel and Jennifer's dinner party, the other guests were visibly uncomfortable as they watched Nicole and Eric's argument. Finally, Maxine grabbed a wine glass and loudly proposed a toast: "To love that triumphs in the end." Eric muttered that he was leaving, but Maxine barred his way and announced that no one was going anywhere.

Maxine continued that some people were behaving like spoiled brats and preventing her and the others from celebrating Daniel and Jennifer's reunion. She suggested that they start the evening again when she got the reheated pizzas out of the oven -- and if she didn't see smiles on everyone's faces, there would be consequences.

Hope apologized to Daniel and Jennifer for her part in ruining the evening, but they assured her that it wasn't ruined. After Hope expressed her happiness that Jennifer and Daniel had gotten back together, she quietly slipped out of the party. A moment later, Aiden made an excuse and left, as well.

Hope was still at the elevator when Aiden left the apartment. He offered to buy her a cup of coffee -- right then. A little while later, Aiden and Hope were sitting at a table in Horton Square. Aiden apologized for making things difficult earlier. Hope reminded Aiden that he didn't like her, but he countered that the feelings were mutual -- and he wondered why she'd agreed to join him for coffee. Hope explained that she was confused about Aiden's behavior: she'd thought they'd declared a cease-fire after their kids' fight, but later he'd made it clear that he didn't approve of how she'd handled Brady.

Aiden said that he didn't think Hope was a bad person, but they obviously looked at the world in different ways and were never going to be friends. They acknowledged that since they were going to run into each other, they had to find a way to tolerate one another. As Hope and Aiden departed to pick up their children from their respective sitters, they shook hands civilly.

While Eric pulled on his coat, he told Jennifer that he hadn't seen Nicole behave that way since he'd gotten back. Jennifer offered an explanation -- Nicole only acted like that when she was really hurt -- but Jennifer was confident that they would work things out. Meanwhile, Nicole was quietly apologizing to Daniel for spilling wine on him and for making a scene. Daniel asked if she'd been upset because of Stefano and Marlena.

Nicole replied, "No, this is a mess of my own making, and somehow I have to figure out how to get out of it." Eric approached Nicole and offered a hand to help her up. She took his hand and allowed him to help her on with her coat.

After Eric and Nicole had gone, Daniel and Jennifer sat down to enjoy the pizza with Abe and Maxine. The others praised Maxine for speaking her mind. When Maxine suggested that Daniel and Jennifer needed some time alone before picking up Parker, Abe offered to pull the car around. As soon as Abe had gone, an excited Jennifer asked Maxine, "You and Abe came together?" Maxine explained that Abe had given her a ride because she'd lent her car to a coworker.

Daniel thanked Maxine for being in his and Jennifer's corner. As Maxine headed out a moment later, she hinted, "By the way, I expect to be seated in the front pew at the wedding." Daniel and Jennifer tried to ignore the remark as they straightened up, but finally Daniel blurted out that he did want to marry Jennifer. She agreed that she wanted to marry him, as well. Both were relieved when they qualified the sentiment simultaneously: "Just not right now."

Jennifer and Daniel agreed that they wanted to be together, but they also needed to be careful. "But the thing is -- I can't even imagine my future without you in it," Jennifer reassured him. They kissed and began peeling clothes off of each other. A little later, after they'd had sex, they had to search the living room and kitchen for their clothing. Daniel thought that the party had been a disaster, but Jennifer asserted that the night had turned out great.

Back at Nicole's hotel room, Eric and Nicole agreed they should discuss things. Nicole apologized for embarrassing Eric, and he apologized for being a "self-righteous jerk." Nicole explained that she hadn't thought Eric had been serious when he'd said that he wanted to wait until they got married to have sex. "Marriage -- that's a long way off, isn't it?" she asked hesitantly. Eric admitted that he still had a lot to work through, but he was certain that he loved Nicole.

Eric acknowledged that he knew it was asking a lot of Nicole. Nicole assured him that she could wait, although she wouldn't like it. She explained that it hadn't fully hit her until then that the man of her dreams loved her as much as she loved him and actually wanted to marry her. Eric declared that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Nicole, but he hadn't let himself make any promises until he was sure that it was impossible for him continue as a priest.

Nicole wanted to know if the reason Eric wanted to remain celibate until marriage was that the priesthood was still on the table. "It can't be... Kristen saw to that," Eric said. Nicole asked softly, "Eric, how long? How long until we can express our feelings to each other in every way? How long before we can finally make love?" Eric admitted that he was in a place he'd never expected to be -- but he was happy. He suggested that they take things slowly and just enjoy what they had. Nicole agreed.

Eric remarked, "When we do [get married], we're going to have one hell of a honeymoon." When Nicole suggested that they could discuss setting a wedding date, Eric admitted that talking about dates had suddenly made it all seem real. Acknowledging that he wanted Nicole as much as she wanted him, Eric kissed her goodnight and left. Once she was alone, Nicole tried to convince herself that everything would work out. "We love each other, and that's all that matters," she told herself.

As Eric walked through the square on his way home, he left a message for Father Louis: "I wanted to talk to you about Nicole. I've caused her so much pain. If there's no future for her and me, I just have to know that now."

Later, at the Horton house, Daniel kissed Jennifer in front of the fireplace. They agreed that they were looking forward to the day that they didn't have to say "goodnight" at the end of an evening. Meanwhile, Liam stood outside the living room window, spying on them.