Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of December 29, 2014 on DAYS

Chad had Rafe fired. Will learned Sonny had used all their savings for the new club. Daniel told Paul he would never pitch again. Daniel left Nicole high and dry for New Year's Eve. J.J. broke up with Paige and told her he'd been with someone else. Melanie and Brady kissed. Paul and Will had a moment.

Monday, December 29, 2014

by Mike

Chad woke up in Jordan's bed and thought about how she had reacted to the gold necklace he had given her as a Christmas gift the previous night. Chad received a text message from an unidentified source -- "It's done. Letter delivered" -- just as Jordan started to stir next to him, thinking about her charity project's anonymous donor. "You made Christmas really special for me. Maybe I can do the same for you today," Jordan said before kissing Chad. After having sex with Chad, Jordan went to take a shower so she could get ready for work. "How's your day shapin' up, Rafe?" Chad muttered with a knowing grin after Jordan left the room.

Abigail went jogging with Ben but was freezing when they returned to his apartment afterward, so he offered to warm her up with a different form of exercise. After having sex, Ben and Abigail talked about how they had missed each other the previous day. Ben optimistically suggested that he and Abigail might be able to spend the following Christmas together instead of apart, and Abigail confidently assured him that they would.

Ben had spent some time with Jordan the previous day but was pretty sure she had also spent time with Chad. Abigail thought Jordan would be able to figure out on her own whether Chad could be trusted or not. Ben agreed that Jordan was smart but feared Chad might still be able to fool her. "He's a DiMera, and you know better than anyone that he's always working on an agenda. Most people don't realize that until it's too late -- until the damage is already done," Ben pointed out.

Later, at the hospital, Abigail noticed and commented on Jordan's necklace. Jordan expected a lecture, but Abigail maintained that she was going to let Jordan make up her own mind about Chad. Abigail admitted, however, that Ben was still worried. Jordan argued that Ben and Chad had simply gotten off on the wrong foot, and she wished they could start over because she believed Chad had been nothing short of perfect lately.

Jordan added that Chad had not had an agenda when they had first met, since he hadn't even known about her connection to Ben at that time. Jordan could tell that Abigail didn't find the argument particularly convincing. "I just -- I -- I think that...in my experience, the DiMeras are exceptionally good at twisting the truth so that they can get what they want," Abigail warned.

Over breakfast at Club TBD, Clyde surprised Kate with the revelation that he had made a sizable but anonymous donation to a University Hospital charity program. Feigning concern, Kate raised a hand to Clyde's forehead to make sure he wasn't feverish. Kate pointed out that Clyde wouldn't receive respect or recognition for his generous gift if he donated it anonymously. "Well, you know, it's been said it's the thought that counts," Clyde reminded Kate.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure you've heard the phrase 'win-win,' as well," Kate countered. Kate admitted that Clyde had at least picked the right beneficiary, since the townsfolk were crazy about the hospital because all the right people had either been cured or died reasonably comfortable deaths there. Kate added that the hospital board members usually talked about anonymous donors with reverence, although they also usually managed to figure out each donor's identity in the end due to someone's sloppiness. Clyde laughed as Kate suddenly realized his endgame.

"So, you were telling me all of this so I would be the one who 'accidentally' leaks your name to the board?" Kate guessed. Clyde confirmed the suspicion but stressed that he would need Kate to hold off on that part for a while, since he had to play things carefully because the charity happened to be one Jordan had started. Kate wished she could be a fly on the wall when Jordan learned Clyde had made a major contribution to the charity. Kate admitted she liked the way Clyde operated -- and she thought he might have missed his true calling as a politician. "Yeah, but what I do pays better," Clyde muttered after Kate left.

Later, Clyde gave Ben a Christmas gift -- a watch Clyde's grandfather had worn throughout World War I. Touched, Ben fastened the watch to his wrist as he mused that Clyde had been on a roll lately with the good deeds and kind gestures. "It's like I told you -- I got a lot of making up to do [to] you and your sister, so if I can help people that need the help, make your sister's dream come true -- man, that's a win-win, right?" Clyde reasoned.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad bragged to Kate that he had just finalized the deal for the Dewitt acquisition. "Am I supposed to be impressed? ... Harold could've closed that deal while setting the table. ... You know, honey, if you're going to expect applause every time you do your job right, you should really ask your girlfriend, because that dull-as-dishwater slut should be good for something," Kate dismissively replied.

Chad warned Kate to watch her mouth when talking about Jordan. Kate wondered if Chad had fallen for Jordan's "little lost lamb" act the same way Rafe had. Chad insisted that Jordan wasn't a victim. "Oh, yeah. You see, well, I agree with that a thousand percent. She is not a victim -- she is a schemer, and she's very resourceful. I mean, she did make it all the way from churning butter in the Ozarks to beguiling the richest young fool in Salem. She's no victim -- but Rafe was, and now you will be, too," Kate predicted.

Rafe was in a good mood when he entered Roman's office, but Roman was all business, formally instructing the detective to take a seat. Roman explained that he wanted to talk to Rafe about an anonymous letter that had been delivered to the police station that morning. Roman handed over the letter and watched as Rafe read it.

"I was hoping what I read wasn't true, but the look on your face tells me it is. So you knew that Gabi hired the man that kidnapped Melanie Jonas? ... And you sat on it?" Roman asked incredulously. Rafe quietly confirmed that he had kept quiet because he had promised his mother and his other sister, Arianna, that he would always look out for Gabi. "Really? How'd that work out? If you had come forward then, your little sister would have served a short sentence, would have never gotten involved with Nick Fallon. Instead, she's in prison -- for murder!" Roman pointed out.

Rafe argued that he wasn't a psychic and therefore hadn't thought things would have ever gone as far as they had. "No! No, damn it! You did not think, Rafe! Not at all!" Roman angrily shouted in agreement. Rafe assured Roman that there was no reason to open an internal investigation, since no one else in the police department had known about the cover-up.

Roman said the matter went far beyond internal investigations and rubber-stamp punishments. Rafe nodded and sadly turned in his gun and badge. "Rafe, you not only broke your oath, you broke the law. ... Get a lawyer -- a good one," Roman advised. After Rafe left, Roman angrily pounded his fist against his desk in frustration.

Later, Daniel ran into Rafe at the Brady Pub and was stunned when Rafe revealed what had just happened. Daniel started to stress that he hadn't revealed Rafe's secret, but Rafe had never suspected Daniel or Melanie as the culprit, anyway. "These are the kind of lies that, uh...catch up with ya. All you can do is just figure out how to live with them," Rafe reasoned with a shrug.

Will was prevented from making a payment online due to insufficient funds. Alarmed, Will grabbed his cell phone as Sonny emerged from Arianna's bedroom and happily announced that her fever had broken. "There's something wrong with our account -- our bank accounts, Sonny. I -- I think we've been hacked. There's -- there's no money. It's gone," Will worriedly informed Sonny.

Realizing Will was about to report the matter to their bank, Sonny seized the phone and assured Will they hadn't been hacked. "Sonny, it's not just the checking account -- the business account is at zero balance, also. Someone took our money," Will stressed. Sonny admitted he had used the money to pay for the development of the new club, explaining that he had gotten a call from the contractor and had been forced to act fast. Sonny added that he had been planning to tell Will about the withdrawal sometime that morning.

Confused, Will wondered what had happened to all the money Chad had set aside for the club's development. Sonny explained that those funds had already been depleted. Sonny added that he hadn't meant to catch Will off guard and that it was simply taking a lot of money -- more than originally anticipated -- to get the new club ready. "But what are we supposed to live on while we wait for this business to get ready, Sonny? How -- how are we gonna pay the rent, or get groceries, or -- or a babysitter? Sonny, that was our money, and you used it for your club," Will protested.

"'Our' money? Really, Will?" Sonny incredulously countered. Sonny went to the laptop, where Will was still logged in to the bank's website. "Let's look in the account history, Will. Let's look and see how long you've been putting money into it, because before that --" Sonny started to say, his voice trailing off as he navigated the site. "Before that, I was living off of you?" Will concluded for Sonny.

Sonny protested that he didn't want his husband to put words in his mouth. "You're the one who wanted us to have a joint bank account, Sonny. I work now; I contribute. So I don't get to know where the money goes, just because it took me longer to level the playing field?" Will asked incredulously. Will pointed out that, while he had supported the development of the new club, there was a chance it might not turn a profit. "Just because you got lucky with TBD --" Will started to say. Sonny interrupted to protest that it hadn't been about luck -- he had actually worked really hard on Club TBD.

Will agreed and clarified that Sonny had misunderstood. Will explained that he was simply trying to understand why Sonny had sunk all their money into the development of the new club instead of asking Victor for a loan. Will guessed that Victor probably would have just given Sonny the money outright without expecting it to ever be paid back. "But now, because you were too proud to ask for help, we're gonna have to juggle our finances just to pay the bills," Will worriedly pointed out.

"Damn it, Will, I went to my Uncle Vic, and he said no. Victor doesn't think my new club is a viable project. But I'm gonna prove him wrong," Sonny vowed. Will started to point out that it was never a good sign when an experienced businessman like Victor believed a project was doomed to fail, but Sonny looked like he might crumble to pieces if Will finished the sentence. "You know what? He's -- he's not in your business. You know your business a lot better than him, and a lot better than I do," Will conceded instead. Sonny promised his husband he wasn't going to waste their money, and he apologetically admitted he should have told Will about the withdrawal sooner.

Changing the subject, Sonny reminded Will that they needed to finish getting ready so they could take Arianna to see Gabi. Will had obviously forgotten about the plan to visit Gabi, and he said he wouldn't be able to go because he had to meet with someone about the article he was working on. Sonny sighed but agreed to cover for Will, who hurriedly prepared to leave while asking if they could continue their conversation about the finances later that night. Sonny nodded and assured Will that everything was going to work out. "I know that," Will replied with a smile before rushing off, but once the husbands were alone on opposite sides of the apartment door, uncertainty set in for both of them.

Paul was sitting alone in a hospital examination room, reading a sports magazine, when Daniel entered and greeted him. "Do you see what they're giving pitchers these days in the free agency market? Whew. Could be a great year. So when can I start throwing again?" Paul wondered as he tossed the magazine aside.

Daniel recapped that the surgery he had done to repair Paul's shoulder had involved stitching up the damaged tendon and shaving off some of the bone to make room for improved movement. "Just as long as you left enough for me to hit a hundred again on the gun," Paul replied without concern.

Daniel regretfully explained that the latest MRI scan had made it clear that Paul's shoulder would never be able to handle the same amount of stress again. "What we can expect from your shoulder is within the range of normal...but what you're not going to be able to do are things out of the range of normal...like throwing a baseball at a hundred miles an hour," Daniel concluded.

"Are you saying...I won't be able to pitch anymore? Wait, but you can't know this yet -- my arm is still healing. ... Look at this range of motion. I mean, it's almost a hundred percent pain-free," Paul protested as he slowly rotated his right arm to demonstrate his point. Daniel maintained that it would be a different story if Paul ever tried to throw a high-speed pitch again -- in which case Paul would likely suffer another injury that would be even worse than the original one had been. Paul wanted to undergo another surgery to get a better result, but Daniel said that wouldn't help.

"Okay, Dr. Jonas, let me explain something to you about my business. Now, I am currently a free agent, which means I'm unemployed until someone signs me. And my agent was gonna get me twenty million dollars for a year. Now, all I need is one more year, and you're telling me that you can't do that for me? ... Then what am I supposed to do with my life? 'Cause baseball's all I've got!" Paul shouted with frustration. Daniel gently offered to talk Paul's agent through the details of the injury, but Paul insisted that no one else could know about the development until he'd had some time to figure things out.

Daniel hoped Paul would continue physical therapy. Paul failed to see the point, so Daniel pointed out that Paul still had a lifetime of use to get out of the repaired shoulder. Paul lamented the dismissive attitude he'd taken toward his pitching coach's advice, since the man -- Bernie -- had blown his own arm out and had warned that Paul would do the same without the proper rest and maintenance. Paul said he hadn't cared because he had just wanted to do whatever it had taken to get his opponents to strike out. Daniel reminded Paul that Bernie still had a career in baseball, but that didn't seem to comfort Paul at all. Paul left after thanking Daniel for being honest.

At Statesville Prison, Gabi received an unexpected visit from Melanie. Gabi assumed Melanie was just back in Salem for the holidays, but Melanie clarified that she was back for good -- and that, in a way, Gabi had made that possible, since Gabi had killed Nick. Gabi guessed that her imprisonment had also made it easier for Melanie to return to Salem.

"I didn't come here to taunt you, Gabi -- I came here because I felt like I needed to see you. I was at the Horton house for Christmas, and they hung an ornament for Nick, and I realized that even though we have bad history, we share something. You and I both know the kind of person Nick could really be -- what he was capable of, what he could make you feel and think. So I just wanted you to know that had it been me in your position, with a child to protect, I would have pulled the trigger, too," Melanie admitted.

Melanie pointed out that Nick had played her, too, since she had been given an opportunity to stop his parole from being granted but had allowed him to convince her he had changed and deserved a second chance. Melanie knew that what had happened afterward wasn't her fault, but she mused that it was still only natural to reflect on past decisions and the consequences of those decisions -- such as her decision not to tell anyone about how Gabi had hired Andrew.

Gabi stressed that if she could take back only one decision she had made in her life, it would be that one. "When the truth came out, it was -- it was such a relief. All the damage had been done. The mistakes I'd made couldn't hurt anyone anymore," Gabi recalled. Melanie assured Gabi that she had gotten past Gabi's involvement in the Andrew ordeal and didn't want it to stand between them any longer.

Sonny soon arrived with Arianna. Melanie had let something slip about Arianna's fever, so Gabi was quick to ask Sonny about it, but he assured Gabi that it had broken. Sonny vaguely explained -- with a bit of uncertainty he hid from Gabi -- that Will had been unable to accompany him to the prison that day but wouldn't let anything keep him away again. Gabi introduced Arianna to Melanie and even let Melanie hold the child. Gabi also encouraged Melanie to tag along sometime when Arianna's godmother, Abigail, went to visit Arianna.

When it was time for Gabi to return to her cell, she stressed that she didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her, since moments spent with her daughter made everything feel all right -- as all right as possible, anyway -- and even made her feel lucky. After Gabi left, Melanie admitted she didn't know how Gabi could remain that strong in such a place. "I don't think any of us knew how tough she is. Makes you feel kind of small when you can't get on top of your own problems," Sonny mused with a sigh.

Paul paced his hotel room as he tried to reach Sonny at Club TBD, but he declined to leave a message when he was informed that Sonny wasn't there. Meanwhile, Will arrived, and when he saw Paul, he immediately guessed that something was wrong, but Paul claimed he had simply forgotten they'd had an interview scheduled for that day. Will promised to make it a short one, and he hurriedly started asking Paul questions about the new baseball season, for which preparations would begin in just a few short weeks. "Will, just stop! Please, just -- just stop," Paul snapped when the barrage of questions grew to be too overwhelming.

Paul quickly apologized, but Will offered his own apology and excused himself, promising not to bug Paul anymore. Will said he already had more than enough material to get the article into great shape, anyway, and it was clear he had arrived at a bad time. Will grabbed his stuff and started to leave. "Will, wait," Paul called out, his eyes brimming with tears.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

by Spalding

Hope approached Rafe in the pub about a case and he informed her he was no longer a cop. Rafe explained that someone had send an anonymous letter to Roman, informing him that Rafe had withheld the evidence that Gabi had hired Andrew to stalk Melanie. Upset, Hope vowed to talk to Roman. With a shrug, Rafe stated that Roman was following the rules and talking to the district attorney.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad defended Jordan to Kate, who insisted that Jordan was manipulating him. Kate warned Chad to keep his distance from Jordan because he tended to be clingy with women. Kate urged Chad to have self-respect and not chase after women that were beneath him. When Kate mentioned that she knew that Chad had faked a brain tumor, Chad warned Kate to stay out of his business.

Clyde went to Aiden's office to discuss structuring an anonymous donation. When Aiden asked why, Clyde explained that his stepdaughter was too proud to accept help. While Aiden took notes, Hope called him to ask for a favor. After talking to Hope, Aiden hung up the phone and apologized to Clyde. Aiden promised to finalize the donation before the end of the year. With a shrug, Clyde said there was no rush. After Clyde left, Aiden raised an eyebrow.

At the hospital, Abigail warned Jordan to be careful with Chad. Jordan said she could protect herself. Jordan told Abigail that she had taken Ben when they'd been teenagers, and they had struggled to live on the streets for years. As Abigail stared quietly at Jordan, Jordan assured Abigail that she had survived worse situations than anything Chad could do to her. Nodding, Abigail said she finally understood why Jordan wanted to start the program at the hospital and that it would be a success.

At Sonny and Will's apartment, Sonny and Melanie chatted in the living room about Gabi while Arianna napped in the bedroom. Sonny was frustrated, and when Melanie asked him what was wrong, Sonny explained that he was worried about the new club. Melanie suggested that Sonny talk to his business partner, Chad. Sonny countered that Chad was busy with DiMera Enterprises and Jordan. Melanie was surprised to learn that Chad was dating Jordan because Chad had not said anything about a girlfriend.

When Sonny mentioned that Jordan was Ben's sister, Melanie shook her head in confusion. Melanie shrugged and wished them well. Sonny said he thought Chad would treat Jordan well. Unsure, Melanie asked Sonny if Chad had changed. Sonny said he believed Chad had learned his lesson. When Melanie mentioned that Chad had said he would never be taken advantage of again, Sonny grinned and reminded Melanie that she had dumped Chad. Melanie nodded. Sonny added that Chad had been supportive of Sonny during the renovations at the new club. Melanie cautioned Sonny to watch his back.

In Paul's hotel room, an emotional Paul asked Will to stay and talk to him. "It's over. It's all over," Paul said with tears in his eyes. Paul paced the room and rambled. When Will asked Paul to clarify, Paul admitted that he would not be able to pitch in the major leagues again. Paul explained that his shoulder would not hold up under the stress of pitching at 100 mph. When Will asked if Paul had talked to his family, Paul shook his head sadly and said that Will was the first one to learn the truth.

Will promised to kill the story. When Paul asked if it would hurt Will's reputation to kill the story, Will smiled and said that he would be convincing with his editor. Paul lamented not listening to his mother, who had cautioned him to stay with his team rather than be a free agent. Will suggested that Paul could finesse the story to put Paul in a better light. Will added that Paul could control the press after the story was printed. Nodding, Paul said he would talk to his family. Paul joked that Will was too nice to be a journalist. Smiling, Will told Paul that he seemed to be the kind of guy who could be successful at whatever he wanted.

After Will left, Paul started to call his mother in Japan, but then he changed his mind and called Sonny at Club TBD. Paul asked Sonny to meet. Sonny reluctantly agreed to meet with Paul, but he refused to meet at the hotel. Sonny agreed to meet with Paul in the park.

In the town square, Marlena met with John to talk about their relationship. John asked Marlena out on a date for New Year's Eve. With a grin, Marlena accepted John's invitation. When John admitted that he was shocked that Marlena had said yes, Marlena said that they had both made mistakes. John and Marlena agreed to make 2015 their best year yet.

After talking to Marlena, John went to the pub and ran into Hope. Hope excitedly hugged John, and they chatted. Hope told John about Aiden. Hope said that she was worried that John would not be interested in meeting Aiden because Bo was John's friend. "You're my friend. We've been through a lot. I know that you had a choice to make. I'm just glad that you're happy now," John said.

At Club TBD, Chad saw Abigail sitting at a table alone and he sat down across from her. Chad said he was surprised that Abigail was sitting alone when Ben had taken the day off from work. With a shrug, Abigail stated that Ben was at his college, working with an advisor. Chad stressed that he had no problem with Ben. Chad added that Ben hated him. Changing the subject, Abigail said that she was no longer worried about Jordan dating Chad. When Chad asked why, Abigail said that she was not worried about Jordan getting hurt.

When Chad asked what had changed, Abigail said that she had talked to Jordan and that Jordan had convinced her that she could take care of herself. Abigail said that she hoped Chad would not make the same mistakes with Jordan as he had made with Abigail. Defensive, Chad promised he was not manipulating Jordan and that he was taking things slowly. When Abigail teased Chad about his mistakes, Chad said the situation was different because there was no other man in the picture.

"Really? What about Rafe?" Abigail said with a twinkle in her eye. Chad said that Rafe was not a factor. Concerned, Chad asked Abigail why she had mentioned Rafe. Abigail explained that Rafe was not a "cheap tricks kind of guy." With a smirk, Chad countered that Rafe had attempted to dig up dirt on him and had found nothing.

At the hospital, Melanie reported for work with Maxine. Maxine handed Melanie a folder of paperwork, and smiling, Melanie thanked Maxine for running interference with Anne. Jordan stopped by the nurses' station to say goodnight, and Maxine introduced Jordan to Melanie. Melanie was taken aback when she saw Jordan.

After Maxine left for rounds, Melanie talked to Jordan about Chad. Melanie explained that she had been engaged to Chad. Jordan shifted uncomfortably. Realizing that Jordan did not know about the engagement, Melanie apologized for blurting it out. With a shrug, Jordan said that everyone had a past. When Jordan asked Melanie if things had ended badly with Chad, Melanie was hesitant. Jordan told Melanie to say what she wanted to say because she was used to having people trash Chad.

"Do you think maybe there's a reason for that?" Melanie asked. "Sure. I think people make assumptions about the name. He is a thoughtful and decent guy, and he treats me really well," Jordan said. "That sounds like Chad. He's wonderful. Until he is not," Melanie responded. Melanie warned Jordan that Chad had a dark side, but Jordan said that Chad had no dark side with her. Nodding, Melanie cautioned Jordan to be careful.

Rafe met with Aiden in his law office. When Aiden asked Rafe why he had resigned from the police force, Rafe said that he had admitted to Roman that he had withheld evidence in Gabi's case. Rafe explained that he had lied to protect his sister. Rafe added that his lie had not protected his sister because she had then murdered Nick and gone to prison anyway.

"I'm done playing God, deciding when to tell the truth. I'm gonna tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may," Rafe said. Aiden said Rafe was brave. Rafe shook his head and said what he had done was stupid. Aiden promised Rafe to help him, but he added that Rafe's confession had likely sealed Rafe's fate. Aiden warned Rafe that whomever had sent the anonymous letter was angry and might still be after Rafe.

In the DiMera mansion office, Chad stared into the fireplace as Jordan walked into the room. Jordan told Chad that she had talked to Melanie. Chad's eyes went wide, unsure of what to expect.

Paul met with Sonny in the park. With a grin, Paul said that he was happy that Sonny had called him at Christmas, because it had helped him get through the holiday. When Paul asked Sonny if he still cared about him, Sonny admitted that he did. Paul said that since he had arrived in Salem, he had realized that he had never stopped loving Sonny. Sonny sighed. Paul promised to keep his distance unless Sonny asked for Paul to reenter his life.

"I think we can finally, truly be together, the way you always wanted. No secrets. No hiding. It can happen now. We can have it all," Paul said. Sonny reminded Paul that he was married. "I love my husband. I didn't marry him because I couldn't have you," Sonny said. Sonny told Paul that if he wanted to "come out of the closet," he should do it for himself and not for Sonny. Sonny told Paul that Paul would someday find the man he should be with and that he would be happier admitting the truth.

Kate and Clyde walked through the town square and discussed his meeting with Aiden. Kate promised to make sure that Clyde received credit for his donation. When Kate cheerfully hoped aloud that she could see the look on Jordan's face when she learned that Clyde had donated the money, Clyde cautioned Kate to make sure that no one knew about Kate's part in the scheme. Kate promised to be careful.

Marlena went to visit Will at his apartment. With a sigh, Marlena told Will that she planned to spend New Year's Eve with John. Changing the subject, Marlena asked Will about his plans. Will said that Sonny would likely be working that night. Concerned, Marlena asked Will if everything was okay. Will admitted that there had been misunderstandings with Sonny but that he was hopeful for the future. Talk turned to Will's article, and Will hesitated to say much about the piece. Will confided that he believed his subject had a secret.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

by ChickenGrrl

Jordan arrived in the DiMera mansion study to see Chad -- and inform him that she'd just met Melanie Jonas at the hospital. Correctly guessing that Melanie had revealed a little about their past relationship to Jordan, Chad admitted that everything Melanie had said was true. Jordan wanted to know why Chad had never mentioned his engagement to Melanie. Chad claimed that he hadn't wanted to seem as if he were trying to justify his past actions by telling Jordan himself.

Chad confessed that he hadn't told Melanie that Gabi Hernandez had hired the guy who'd kidnapped and nearly killed Melanie -- ostensibly because he'd been trying to protect Melanie, when the truth was that he'd been trying to control her. Chad related the whole story, ending with the agreement he had signed with Nick to keep quiet Gabi's role in the kidnapping in exchange for Nick not pressing charges against Chad for beating Nick up. "By then, I really wanted to tell Melanie, but I couldn't, so I just became more and more obsessive and needy -- exactly like I was with Abigail," Chad said.

"Melanie said you had a dark side," Jordan noted. Chad admitted that had been true with both Melanie and Abigail -- but getting shot and almost dying had changed him. Jordan admitted that it was a lot of new information to process, and she noted that she had been warned repeatedly about Chad. Chad asserted that he had learned from his mistakes, and that was why he had tried not to pressure Jordan into doing anything. He added that he would respect whatever she decided, but he would understand if she walked out the door and never returned.

Jordan surprised Chad by closing the door and staying in the room -- then kissing him passionately. After they'd had sex on the couch, Jordan explained that she hadn't left because she admired Chad for his honesty and because he hadn't made excuses for his actions. "You know, you have been the polar opposite of needy and possessive with me," Jordan pointed out. Chad playfully confessed that he was feeling very possessive at that moment.

At the Horton house, J.J. answered a call from Paige, who was furious with him for ignoring her messages. Paige demanded to know why J.J. had told her that things were over between them. Jennifer descended the stairs, unseen, behind J.J., just as Eve entered the living room of her apartment. Each mother listened in on her offspring's conversation. J.J. didn't want to discuss things with Paige, but she threatened to show up on his doorstep until he answered the door and gave her an explanation. J.J. reluctantly offered to meet Paige in the park.

Jennifer asked what was going on with J.J. Without going into much detail, J.J. explained that Paige was back because her grandfather hadn't really been sick. Jennifer was happy and optimistic that Paige and J.J. could work things out, but J.J. maintained that their relationship couldn't be repaired. Jennifer was a bit taken aback, but J.J. pointed out with annoyance that most of his friends didn't have girlfriends, and he agreed with them that he was too young to be so serious about one girl.

A suspicious Jennifer asked if J.J.'s problems had to do with Eve, but J.J. insisted that they did not. Jennifer vowed that if she found out otherwise, she would give Eve a piece of her mind. Reiterating that it had nothing to do with Eve but refusing to discuss it further, J.J. headed out. "Somehow I don't buy that," Jennifer muttered to herself.

Meanwhile, Eve gently asked what was happening with Paige and J.J. Irritably noting that Eve had to be thrilled that J.J. and Paige were having problems, Paige insisted that she and J.J. would be fine. She stomped out.

J.J. arrived at the park, and as he paced around in the snow, he remembered the first time he and Paige had professed their love for one another. When Paige showed up, J.J. apologized for not returning her messages. Brushing off the apology, Paige asked J.J. why he'd dumped her with no explanation after everything they'd gone through. J.J. expressed regret for just blurting out that they were over. "That wasn't right. That's not what I wanted to say, and I really wish that I could take it back," J.J. said.

A relieved Paige threw her arms around J.J., assuming that he hadn't meant to break up with her. J.J. tried to interrupt, but Paige kept going on and on about how happy she was that things were back to normal. J.J. finally explained that he'd only meant that he had been too harsh, and he shouldn't have broken up with Paige without an explanation. When no clarification was forthcoming, Paige started rattling off the possible reasons that J.J. could have broken up with her. "I'm just not good enough for you... And once you hear what I have to say, you'll know why," J.J. admitted finally.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Melanie and Maggie were preparing to shop for a New Year's Eve dress for Melanie. As Maggie left the room to retrieve her purse, Melanie's gaze fell on a photo of Brady. She was daydreaming about how he'd put his arm around her in the park when Brady walked in and caught Melanie off guard, since she had thought he was at work. Brady admitted that he had left early because they'd been serving Champagne at the office party.

Brady observed that Melanie didn't seem very happy to see him. Melanie insisted that she was merely a little anxious because she and Maggie were supposed to go shopping, and Melanie was worried that it was so late there wouldn't be any good things left. Brady wasn't convinced. Maggie returned just then, but she had to back out of the shopping trip because she had gotten a call from someone in A.A. who needed her.

After Maggie had gone, Brady offered to go shopping with Melanie, but she declined rather emphatically. She quickly apologized for overreacting, but Brady assumed that she was mad at him for something. Melanie insisted that wasn't the case, and she launched into a rapid-fire, senseless explanation about how much she'd been looking forward to spending time with Maggie. "The bottom line is it has nothing to do with you," Melanie concluded. As Melanie rushed out the door, a baffled Brady wished her a happy New Year. "What just happened?" he asked himself after Melanie had gone.

Maggie returned and said that her friend had simply needed someone to talk to, and Brady declared that Maggie was the best person to talk to. He asked if Melanie had said anything to Maggie about being mad at Brady. Maggie pronounced the very idea that Melanie could be mad at Brady "ridiculous" because Melanie adored him.

Eve was having a glass of wine in Horton Square a little later when Melanie tapped her on the shoulder. Holding out Eve's purse, Melanie explained that it had fallen off the back of the chair, and she hadn't wanted someone to take it. As Melanie walked away, a grateful Eve noted that Melanie looked very familiar. Melanie said that she'd just moved back to town after being away for a while. She introduced herself, and Eve said that she'd seen Melanie's picture at Daniel's place. Introducing herself, Eve shook Melanie's hand.

"So you're the hateful woman who sued my best friend's mom," Melanie said. She added that Abigail had filled her in about how Eve had also gotten Daniel mixed up in the whole mess. Deeming Melanie smug and superior, Eve asserted that Melanie knew nothing about the situation and suggested that Melanie leave. "That won't be a problem, because if you're anything like your sister, then I don't want anything to do with you," Melanie declared as she walked off. "God, I hate this time," Eve grumbled to herself.

When Eric arrived unexpectedly at Serena's hotel room, she answered the door, wearing nothing but an old Green Bay Packers T-shirt that had once belonged to him. She admitted that she'd been napping in it -- but only because it was extremely comfortable, not because it reminded her of him. Serena spied the box in Eric's hands and asked about it. Eric informed her that it was a pie from his grandmother, who also wanted to make sure Serena knew she was invited to the New Year's Eve party at the pub.

Eric noticed the orchid on Serena's desk. Serena said that it hadn't been necessary for Nicole to apologize, but Eric was glad that, for once, Nicole had taken the high road. Serena served herself a slice of pie and sat in the middle of the bed to devour it. Suddenly uncomfortable, Eric kept his back to her, and Serena asked what was going on with him. Eric sheepishly admitted, "This is all a little too -- too tempting." Serena noted quite pointedly that he had never run from temptation when they'd known each other before. After promising to pick Serena up later, Eric left.

As Eric waited for the elevator, Derrick was training a new employee. Eric overheard Derrick describing the "drama" that had ensued when he'd allowed a woman to enter the guest's room behind him to deliver a flower. Eric asked Derrick to tell him exactly what had happened. Derrick sent the other employee away, and Eric explained that he was a friend of the guest in the room to which Derrick had referred.

"Lucky her," Derrick said, staring Eric straight in the eye. Derrick explained that the woman in question had seemed very trustworthy, so he had permitted her to enter the room to compose a note for the guest and leave it with the flower. Doing his best to hide his incredulity, Eric left.

Daniel met Nicole at Club TBD and presented her with tickets to the mayor's New Year's Eve ball. Positively giddy, Nicole asked, "Are you saying we're finally going on our first date?" Daniel confirmed that they were. Nicole was impressed about the strings that Daniel had obviously pulled in order to get the difficult-to-obtain tickets. They agreed that they were looking forward to a fresh start and to seeing what the future held.

Daniel wondered whether Nicole were really ready to move forward and let go of Eric. Nicole insisted that she wouldn't have asked Daniel out if she weren't ready to move on. Satisfied, Daniel promised to get in touch with Nicole about their date after he finished up some work at the hospital. Nicole confided, grinning, "You know, I thought this was going to be another one of those grim New Year's Eves where I have to fake being happy, but now I can't wait!"

Jennifer was printing out some reports at the nurses' station, and Maxine observed that Jennifer seemed distracted. With her jaw set, Jennifer replied that she simply needed to set someone straight. "Well, you're little and you're nice, and I pray you never see a need to set me straight," Maxine admitted. As Maxine left to distribute the reports for Jennifer, Daniel arrived. He pulled Jennifer aside to inform her that he and Nicole were going out on a date that night.

Jennifer admitted she wasn't surprised, but she was grateful to Daniel for telling her. She and Daniel wished one another a happy 2015, then Jennifer advised him not to wear a tie that she'd secretly always hated. After Jennifer headed back to her office, Maxine asked Daniel if he could cover for a doctor who'd called in sick. Maxine added that she had tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with Dr. Wedret. Daniel asked Maxine to keep trying, but he promised to cancel his plans if she were still unable to reach the other doctor.

Eve was at home when Jennifer showed up on her doorstep. "I want to know what's going on between your daughter and my son," Jennifer demanded. Eve suggested that Jennifer should talk to J.J. Jennifer countered that after she'd asked, she'd followed up with a question about whether Eve were involved -- and J.J. had completely shut down on her. "So now I'm here asking you if you had anything to do with this breakup," Jennifer added. "I didn't have to do anything, because your son knows how to screw things up all on his own," Eve asserted before throwing Jennifer out. On her way out, Jennifer warned Eve that she would be very sorry if she'd done anything to hurt J.J.

Nicole was just about to leave Club TBD when Eric arrived. "I want to know what you were doing in Serena's hotel room," Eric declared. He accused Nicole of going through Serena's things, but Nicole insisted she had simply dropped off a gift. Eric angrily pointed out that Nicole could have had the flower delivered. "There is a big difference between searching someone's name on the Internet and breaking into a room," Nicole countered indignantly. Hinting that Serena could press charges, Eric ordered Nicole to stay out of his life -- and Serena's.

After Eric stormed out, an incredulous Nicole muttered, "I can't believe Melanie ratted me out, the little twit! I'm going to kill her."

After changing into a red party dress, Serena called Eric and told him that she was actually going to be on time, so he didn't have to give her the usual extra half hour to get ready. Eric's brusqueness caused Serena to ask what was wrong, and he revealed that Nicole had been in Serena's hotel room. Stunned, Serena lied that someone was at the door and abruptly hung up. "What a mess," Eric muttered. Meanwhile, Serena wadded up Nicole's card.

Melanie was back at Daniel's when Nicole showed up. Nicole declared reproachfully, "You backstabbing little snake! You promised me that you wouldn't tell anyone that I was in Serena's hotel room, but you just couldn't help yourself, could you?" She playfully tweaked Melanie's nose, but it was clear that Nicole was furious. Nicole accused Melanie of telling Eric, but Melanie swore that she hadn't told anyone. "Really? How did he know that I was in Serena's room that night?" Nicole demanded -- just as Daniel walked in and overheard.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

by Soap Central

Due to the New Year's holiday, Days of our Lives did not air. This was a planned pre-emption, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result.

Regular programming resumed on Friday, January 2, 2015, and picked up where the Wednesday, December 31, 2014, episode concluded.

Friday, January 2, 2015

by ChickenGrrl

In the park, Paige wanted to know why J.J. thought he wasn't good enough for her. J.J. explained glumly that he'd done something very bad while Paige had been gone, but he refused to say more, except that it hadn't been illegal. Paige demanded to know what J.J. had done. J.J. maintained that knowing wouldn't help; all she needed to know was that it wasn't her fault. Paige insisted that she deserved the truth, but J.J. asserted firmly, "Trust me -- you don't want to know."

Paige cried that she couldn't accept that it was over without knowing why, because she knew J.J. still had feelings for her. Finally, J.J. admitted, "While you were gone, I thought that we were done, so I hooked up with someone else." Paige refused to believe J.J., but he reminded her that she had essentially broken up with him when she'd gone to California. Paige insisted that J.J. knew she would rather have been in Salem with him. "Was I just supposed to wait forever?" J.J. demanded. "Forever? It was only a couple of days!" Paige countered, incredulous.

"Do I know the slut you slept with?" Paige demanded. J.J. wouldn't look her in the eye, so Paige assumed that she did know the girl. Rory and a bunch of his rowdy friends showed up just then on their way to stake out a spot from which to watch the fireworks. Rory asked if J.J. were going to the party. "Yeah, I am, but Paige was just leaving. Right, Paige?" J.J. said with a pointed look at Paige. Devastated, Paige left without another word.

Rory gave J.J. a hard time for being cold with Paige, but J.J. urged Rory and his friends to go to the party -- and leave him alone. Rory and the other guys shuffled away. J.J. stayed in the park while the fireworks started, but he closed his eyes against the bright explosions. Meanwhile, a miserable Paige trudged home through the empty streets.

As John and Marlena were strolling, arm-in-arm, through Horton Square, Marlena spotted Paul and said hello. Recognizing the ballplayer, John declared enthusiastically, "Oh, hey! I know you -- you're Paul Narita!" Paul retorted, "Yeah, I am. Who the hell are you?" Marlena introduced John and explained that he was a huge baseball fan, but she reassured Paul that John could be trusted.

Paul apologized for being rude, and he explained that he and Marlena had met at the hospital. Marlena asked how Paul's physical therapy was going. "Perfect. You can't tell? I'm a brand-new man," Paul said. After Paul had gone, John asked Marlena, "What's his problem?" Marlena replied cryptically, "I really can't say."

While John and Marlena were getting a table at Club TBD, he was still talking about Paul. John finally stopped himself and admitted that he had really missed Marlena. With tears in her eyes, Marlena confessed that she had missed him a great deal, too. At midnight, they went outside to watch the fireworks. "Happy New Year, Doc," John said, gently tilting Marlena's face toward his and kissing her softly.

Sonny arrived at home and excitedly announced that his mom had agreed to keep Arianna, so the guys could celebrate New Year's Eve together. Just then, Sonny's phone rang. "What emergency? The roof? No, I paid in full. Now it could cost twice as much?" Sonny asked incredulously. He instructed the caller to find out and call back, no matter how late it was. Will overheard and asked what was wrong. Sonny insisted that it was a minor problem with the new club, but Will didn't buy it.

When Will pressed, Sonny finally admitted, "I could lose everything tonight." He explained that if the roof needed repairs, it could cost around $25,000 -- in addition to what he'd already invested -- and that money was gone. When Paul called Will just then, Will said that he had to take the call because it was work. Paul said, "I've been thinking. I want you to write the story about my career being over. Can you talk tonight?"

Will tried to postpone because he had New Year's Eve plans, but Paul threatened to give someone else the story. Will reluctantly agreed to meet. When Will hung up, he pointed out to an irked Sonny that they needed the paycheck, and he might lose the assignment if he didn't go. Will added that he thought the story would be huge, and he promised to be home before midnight so they could talk. "Just go," Sonny said curtly before heading into the bedroom. Will got his bag and left.

Derrick arrived at Paul's door with a bottle of Champagne -- "complements of the management" -- with two glasses and offered to enter the room to open it for Paul. Will showed up just then, so Paul simply took the Champagne and glasses from Derrick and escorted Will inside. After Paul had confided in Will about the end of his baseball career, Will pointed out that Paul didn't have to leave the sport completely. Paul was worried that he would only be remembered for "the tragedy of lost potential" instead of his accomplishments.

Paul admitted that he didn't even know who he was without baseball. "Maybe it's time for you to find out," Will suggested, adding that if Paul stopped putting pressure on himself to be a superstar, he might find that "regular life" wasn't so bad. Will realized that it was nearly midnight and rose to leave. Paul proposed that the two of them open the bottle of bubbly that Derrick had delivered. Will protested that he couldn't stay, but Paul opened the bottle anyway.

As he filled two glasses, Paul pointed out that if Will left then, he would be ringing in the new year alone on University Boulevard. "You came all the way out here; the least that I can do is give you a glass of Champagne," Paul said, handing Will a glass. After they toasted to 2015, Paul said, "Thank you for helping me see it's going to be a whole new beginning for me." Moving much closer to Will, Paul added, "Maybe for both of us."

Alone at the apartment, Sonny opened his tin of new year's resolutions and read a couple aloud: "2012: Get Will Horton to fall in love with me. 2014: Marry the man I love." Sonny wrote down his resolution for 2015 and put it in the tin. The contractor called just then, and Sonny's face fell when he heard what the man said. He hung up and gazed glumly at the bottle chilling in the ice bucket and at a photo ornament of himself and Will on the Christmas tree. "Happy New Year's, Will, wherever you are," Sonny said. He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.

In her hotel room, Serena dropped the orchid Nicole had given her into the wastebasket, muttering that Nicole was clearly still obsessed with Eric. Serena flipped through her files and emails and realized that Nicole had to have gone through everything. Suddenly even more anxious, Serena rushed over and unlocked her safe. "Thank God she didn't look in there," she murmured with a sigh of relief.

Eric arrived a little later and acknowledged that Serena had to feel violated because of what Nicole had done. "There's only one thing I want to know about Nicole Walker... Is that woman completely out of her mind?" Serena demanded. Eric admitted that Nicole was tenacious and resourceful. Serena believed that either Nicole wanted Eric back or she didn't want anyone else to have him. Eric suspected that Nicole had merely been trying to protect him, but he offered to call his Aunt Hope so Serena could press charges against Nicole.

Serena vowed to leave clear instructions at the front desk not to allow Nicole into her room. She suggested that they should try to forget that it ever happened, at least for the night. She explained that she could sympathize with Nicole because Serena knew from experience how painful it was to lose Eric. "Enough about Nicole... This is our New Year's, and I intend to make it a memorable one," Serena declared.

Daniel returned to his apartment just in time to overhear Nicole admitting that she'd been in Serena's hotel room. He demanded to know what Nicole had been doing there -- and how Melanie knew about it. Worried that her dad would be angry with her, Melanie explained that she had found Nicole in Serena's room but had agreed not to say anything. A furious Daniel strongly suggested that Melanie should head out to her New Year's party so that he could talk to Nicole. Melanie reluctantly grabbed her things and hurried out.

Daniel accused Nicole of not really being over Eric. Nicole insisted that she was, indeed, over Eric, and that Eric had caught her doing online research on Serena. Nicole told Daniel the same story that she'd told everyone else about getting the orchid to apologize to Serena and getting the bellhop to let her into Serena's room so she could take her time to compose the note. Daniel crossly voiced his suspicions that Nicole had constructed the elaborate apology scenario just so she could snoop through Serena's room.

At last Nicole admitted that she had been curious, pointing out the supposed coincidence that Serena had made friends with Melanie in Europe after having a past with Eric in Africa. Daniel gave Nicole permission to stop explaining, which she took as his willingness to drop the subject so they could attend the mayor's ball. Instead, Daniel held the door open and coldly wished Nicole a happy new year. Nicole pleaded with Daniel to give her a chance. He asserted that he just had, but she was lying to him as well as to herself about her feelings for Eric.

Nicole insisted that she was over Eric. Fed up, Daniel called Maxine and informed her that he would be able to go in to work, after all. After instructing Nicole to lock up on her way out, Daniel left, slamming the door behind him. Nicole broke down. Sitting dejectedly in front of the fire by the Christmas tree, Nicole tore up the tickets to the mayor's ball. She sadly recalled the previous New Year's Eve when she had kissed Daniel on the cheek after bandaging his forehead.

"You know what? No, I'm not going to sit here and mope away the final hours of the old year. I should be with Daniel, ringing in the new," Nicole declared determinedly. She dialed Daniel's number but got his voicemail, so she decided that she needed to see him in person to convince him that she was over Eric.

Eric and Serena arrived at the Brady Pub, which was decorated with silver and gold balloons for New Year's Eve, and the crowd wore matching party hats. Caroline produced a bottle of Champagne and reminded Eric that he had gotten it in Paris for her birthday years earlier. "That was you, wasn't it?" Caroline joked. She explained that she had been saving the bottle for a special occasion.

As Caroline started opening the bottle, she recited an old Irish toast for Serena and Eric, but, distracted, she pricked her finger on the cage over the cork. Eric insisted on taking his grandmother to the kitchen to tend to the injury. Leaving the bottle with Serena, Eric promised to return before midnight. Although Serena had appeared concerned for Caroline and touched by Eric's care of his grandmother, she muttered to herself, "I hope I won't be drinking it alone."

Serena was sitting unhappily at the bar later when an inebriated man said hello, his intentions pretty clear. "Maybe next time," Serena said as politely as she could before getting up, pulling on her coat, and heading out.

Outside, Serena and Nicole ran right into one another. After both women apologized, Serena wished Nicole a happy new year. Nicole returned the sentiment and started to leave, but Serena stopped her. "You're not going anywhere," Serena said, the note of warning evident in her voice.

When Melanie ran into Brady in Horton Square, she brushed him off and tried to continue on her way, but he wanted to know why she seemed so upset. Melanie admitted that she wasn't mad at Brady -- but she was furious with Nicole for getting Melanie in hot water by making her keep the truth from Daniel. Brady assured Melanie, "You're talking to a guy who eloped with a psycho who almost killed my dad -- so if he can forgive me, I don't think you have anything to worry about with Daniel." Brady tried to convince Melanie that Nicole really wasn't that bad.

Melanie didn't really want to hear it, so Brady left to get some hot chocolate to cheer her up. Just then, Daniel showed up on his way to the hospital. Melanie tried to apologize, but Daniel assured her that it wasn't necessary, since she had actually stayed out of his private life as she'd promised. He explained that he hadn't told Melanie about his date with Nicole because he'd wanted to see how things went first -- but that was no longer relevant.

After Daniel left, Brady returned with the hot chocolate, but instead of taking the cup, Melanie threw herself into Brady's arms. After she was a little calmer, Melanie explained that she wasn't happy that her dad was unhappy, but she didn't think he and Nicole were right for each other. Brady pointed out that Daniel's bad mood probably wasn't all about Melanie. Melanie thanked Brady for listening to her. "Come with me... We're going to go start 2015 off right," Brady declared, taking Melanie's hand and leading her out of the square.

When Daniel got to the hospital, Maxine offered to keep trying to find someone to work for him. Daniel snapped that they should stop discussing his personal life and focus on doing their jobs. A little later, Daniel returned and apologized to Maxine for taking his bad mood out on her. He surprised her with a bottle of sparkling cider and two festive paper cups. "To good friends -- and better judgment," Daniel toasted as they tapped their cups together.

On the front steps of the Kiriakis mansion, Brady explained to Melanie that they secretly had the best view in town for the fireworks. As the pyrotechnics reverberated in the air and illuminated the night sky, Brady told Melanie that he was glad she was back. He wished her a happy New Year and kissed her lightly on the lips. Hesitantly at first, Melanie put her arms around Brady and pulled him to her then kissed him passionately.