Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of June 25, 2018 on DAYS

Lani and Eli said goodbye to their son. Hope realized Ciara was with Ben. Ciara confided in Ben about her rape. Judge Duncan denied Theresa's request for full custody of Tate. Abigail returned home and discovered she was pregnant. Stefan hired Gabi to run Gabi Chic. Will recovered a second memory. Stefan gave Kayla the bionic eye in exchange for proof of Kate's involvement with Leo. Leo asked Sonny to marry him.

Gabi lashes out at Stefan

Monday, June 25, 2018

by Mike

At the hospital, Valerie reminded Abe that Lani, as a healthy and strong young woman, still had plenty of time left to get pregnant again. Abe understood that Valerie was saying that not to minimize Lani's loss but instead to put it in perspective. Abe agreed that it was comforting to know that Lani would have other chances to experience the joy of raising a child.

Eli soon emerged from Lani's room and informed Abe and Valerie that Lani wanted to see the baby. "[Clearly] she's not thinking rationally, [because if she were], she'd know that's the last thing she needs right now," Abe argued, but Valerie disagreed. "Of course she wants to say goodbye to her baby. We shouldn't deprive her of that," Valerie reasoned. Nodding, Abe conceded that Valerie was probably right.

"I want to see him, too. I want to be there for Lani...and my boy," Eli decided after Valerie went to get the baby. Eli took a deep breath then headed back to Lani's room, with Abe in tow, to wait for Valerie to return.

Lani wasn't surprised to hear that Valerie, unlike Eli and Abe, had been okay with the idea of letting a mother see her stillborn child. "[Valerie knows what it's like to have a] baby inside you, to feel him move and kick... You start to picture what his little face will look like, and what it will be like to hold him and to nurse him... You start to love him. And I love my boy so much," Lani tearfully stressed. She felt responsible for the baby's death, believing that she should have taken her cramps more seriously the moment they had started, but her father was quick to assure her that the stillbirth had simply been one of life's unexplainable tragedies.

Valerie soon returned with the baby, whom Eli handed to Lani. Valerie and Abe left the room as Eli took a seat at Lani's bedside. "He needs a name," Lani told Eli while staring lovingly at the baby. "Did you have anything in mind?" Eli asked. "Well, I was planning, if it was a boy, to name him David, after your father and your grandfather, but..." Lani began. "I like it," Eli assured Lani. "I was gonna suggest Abraham, but..." Eli started to add. "Well, how about David Abraham Grant?" Lani suggested. "It's a strong name," Eli agreed. Nodding, Lani said hello to David Abraham Grant then gave the boy a kiss and assured him that he would never be forgotten.

Later, Abe and Valerie returned with Father Louis, who led a brief memorial service for David Abraham Grant. Abe and Valerie were both surprised and moved when they heard the baby's name for the first time.

Brady and Eve went to J.J.'s studio apartment to confront Theresa, who refused to apologize for preemptively suing for full custody of Tate. "[You] threatened to do the same exact thing to me," Theresa reminded Brady. "You're right -- I did. [But] I didn't mean that; I was [just] upset [at the time]. I think you need to take a breath [here]. And once you relax and think this through, you're gonna see [that] this is foolish," Brady countered.

Theresa insisted that wanting full custody of Tate wasn't foolish. "[But], you know what, you could [put a stop to this if you'd] just break up with Eve [so we can] be a family again," Theresa told Brady, who refused to do that. "Because you love Eve more than you love your own son," Theresa bitterly concluded. Eve guessed that Theresa didn't truly believe that. "I know how upset you are, [but] don't take it out on Tate and Brady when the person you're really mad at is me," Eve advised Theresa. "It's not about you; [it's] about protecting my rights as Tate's mother [against a man I no longer trust to respect them]," Theresa claimed.

Eve started to defend Brady as someone who would never really try to cut Theresa out of Tate's life, but Brady quickly interrupted, advising Eve not to waste time trying to reason with Theresa. "She's made up her mind, obviously. [And] I think she's actually convinced herself that she's [only] doing this out of motherly concern. But we all know that she's [really] doing this just to get back at me," Brady added.

Brady disgustedly concluded that Theresa was a bad mother, prompting J.J., who had been listening quietly, to get involved in the conversation. "[Theresa] loved her kid enough to give him up, and even though it [almost] got her killed, she walked away from him to protect him -- and you -- so maybe you should cut her a little bit of slack [and] be a bit more grateful for everything she's done," J.J. told Brady, who was quick to remind J.J. that Theresa's actions had nearly gotten John, Paul, and Chloe killed. "She was scared. She made a mistake," J.J. reasoned with a shrug. "Well, now, that's the understatement of the century," Eve interjected.

"Come on, Eve -- we've all done things we are not proud of," J.J. dismissively countered. "[And] honestly, Brady, if you hadn't judged [Theresa] so harshly and kicked her out -- [if you had instead] treated her with a little bit of respect -- [then] maybe she wouldn't have resorted to such drastic measures. [So], if you are going around and looking for someone to blame, you gotta look in the mirror," J.J. added before ordering Brady and Eve to leave. "You're not gonna get away with this," Brady warned Theresa before following Eve out of J.J.'s apartment. Theresa fought back tears while thanking J.J. for the support. "I meant every word," J.J. assured Theresa.

At the Horton house, Chad received a phone call from Kate. "I already told you [that] I'm not gonna tell Sonny that you were conspiring with Leo. [Now], just hold up your end of the bargain and get that lawsuit dropped, okay?" Chad told Kate before ending the call. Meanwhile, someone approached the guest bedroom and knocked on the door. "Come in, Jennifer," Chad called out.

"Surprise!" Abigail replied, joining Chad in the bedroom. Thrilled, he greeted her with a hug and a kiss then stammered as he wondered what was going on. She explained that she had wanted to surprise him, and her mother had been happy to help out. She wanted him to catch her up on everything that had happened while she had been gone, but he wasn't ready to let her go just yet. He continued kissing her as they moved over to the bed, where he suddenly pulled away from her. He claimed, when asked, that he was fine, but she guessed that there was a very specific reason that he had stopped kissing her -- one that he just didn't want to share with her.

"The night that I realized that I killed Andre... [Anyway], we made love [that night], and I didn't really feel like you were with me. And I didn't know why, but then I was told that a few days prior, you had found me in bed with Stefan," Abigail began. Chad was quick to clarify that Gabby had slept with Stefan. "Right, but, um...[Gabby] and Dr. Laura are a part of me now," Abigail replied. "[And I] remember almost everything that they did, and that's been very difficult, reliving all of that -- especially hurting you," Abigail continued. Chad assured Abigail that he still loved her and that, together, they would find a way to get past everything that had happened.

At the DiMera mansion, Gabi lashed out at Stefan and vowed to make him pay for framing her for murder. He feigned innocence and dismissively insisted that even if he had framed her for murder, she would never be able to prove it -- and would therefore never be able to have him prosecuted for the crime. "[Besides], what's the big deal? [I mean], so you spent a couple of months in prison. It's not like you haven't done that before. No harm, no foul," he added with a shrug. "Are you kidding me?" she incredulously countered, scoffing in outrage.

"I was nearly beaten to death, okay? I had broken bones and internal bleeding! But you know what is [even] worse? [That] my daughter -- my own daughter -- rejected me! [I mean], I have been gone for months, and you know what she told me this morning? She told me she hated me for leaving her. That is all on you, you son of a bitch!" Gabi spat before grabbing a glass from the nearby bar and hurling it at Stefan.

"You know, you could have really injured me with that," Stefan told Gabi after the glass shattered against a wall behind him. "I was a star pitcher in high school. I missed on purpose," she clarified, glaring at him.

Stefan tried to assure Gabi that her daughter was simply upset and didn't truly hate her, but she countered that he wasn't exactly an authority on the matter, since he didn't have kids of his own. Conceding the point, he claimed that he would love to be able to somehow make up for everything that had happened to her. "Really? [Then] give me my company back," she requested. He insisted that he couldn't do that because he had just signed a deal with Basic Black that was directly linked to Gabi Chic. "[Then] thank you for nothing," she replied before starting to storm off. "Wait -- I have an idea," he called out, stopping her from leaving.

"Come back to DiMera and run Gabi Chic," Stefan suggested. Gabi immediately questioned the sincerity of Stefan's offer. "[Look], I'm serious. I want to help you. [I mean], I happen to like you -- I always have -- [and] I think you are a very smart, very strong businesswoman with very good instincts. I'd be very lucky to have you back in charge of Gabi Chic, [and] I don't think the company will be nearly as profitable as it can be without your influence," he stressed. "[And] there it is. I knew this offer had to benefit you somehow," she countered. "Well, of course...[but] I think it can be mutually beneficial," he replied with a shrug.

Gabi gave the matter some thought then reluctantly agreed to accept Stefan's offer. "[I mean], you've left me with no [other] options, because even though I was exonerated, people are still gonna have doubts about me," she acknowledged. Satisfied, he rushed off to contact his legal team and start the process of having a contract drawn up. "Make sure they add a twenty-five percent increase from my previous salary," she demanded.

Once the coast was clear, Gabi turned to Stefano's portrait. "Your son's a fool. He didn't just offer me a job; he offered me the perfect opportunity to destroy him...from the inside," she mused, tipping over a king on the nearby chessboard.

At the Horton house, Chad and Abigail chatted about various topics, including Stefano's ring and Gabi's delayed release from prison. Chad squirmed as Abigail congratulated him on his new job as Titan's CEO and insisted that he had no reason to feel guilty about benefiting from his best friend's legal woes. Chad soon stepped out of the guest bedroom to take a phone call, grateful for the interruption.

Abigail, eager to mend fences, started looking at a calendar in search of a good day to invite Gabi over for lunch. "Wait, that can't be right... Oh, my God -- could I be pregnant?" Abigail muttered, stunned.

Abigail worries she is pregnant

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

by Spalding

In the quiet of his room, Will filled a syringe with the serum he had stolen from the hospital. Paul called out to Will from the hallway. Will hid the syringe in his bedside table then answered the door. Will lied and said he had been on the phone for a story. Paul asked Will about the story he was working on, but Will was evasive. Paul asked if Will was hiding anything from him. As Will shifted his eyes away, Paul told Will that he did not need to be depressed about the serum. Paul added that Will could still have a memory.

"I've already had one," Will admitted. Paul asked for details. Will explained that, after Sonny had hugged him, he had remembered a moment in the past with Sonny. Paul asked why Will had not told him sooner. With a shrug, Will said he had remembered his attraction to Sonny, and he had been afraid to share that revelation with Paul. Hesitantly, Paul asked if Will had remembered falling in love with Sonny.

"No. It was just like a glimmer. Just a moment," Will said. Paul asked if that was the full truth. Will promised that that had been all he had felt. Will added that he was hoping to recover more memories. Paul admitted that the situation was difficult, but he wanted Will to remember his life.

"I want to believe that when you get your entire memory back and you had to choose between me and Sonny, I want to believe that you'd choose me," Paul said. Smiling, Will confided that he had stolen a second dose of the serum. "Are you crazy?" Paul asked. Will assured Paul that he had left behind a fake vial for the lab to destroy. Paul said he was more worried that Will was acting rashly without medical supervision. Will accused Paul of acting in his own interests.

"I just told you that I wanted you to get your memory back! I want to know that when you say you love me that it is your choice and not by default because you don't remember what you had with Sonny. Injecting yourself again with a serum that could do God knows what to you, I just can't let that happen!" Paul exclaimed. Will asked if Paul planned on telling the hospital. Paul instead asked Will to destroy the serum. Will refused.

Will removed the syringe from the drawer in the bedside table. Will admitted that he was not sure what would happen if he took the serum, but he knew that he needed to inject it. Will said Paul could stay and watch, or he could leave. As Will went to inject the serum, Paul offered to do it for him.

In the Kiriakis living room, Sonny yelled at his father for offering a settlement to Leo. Justin said he had not wanted to hurt Sonny. With a shrug, Justin noted that the scheme had backfired on Victor and emboldened Leo. Sonny lamented that he had behaved stupidly.

"You're not stupid, and you did nothing wrong. You are my son, and I love the hell out of you, and I will do everything in my power to defend you. Always," Justin said. Justin added that the company would be fine once Victor appointed a new CEO. Sonny broke the news that Victor had named Chad as the new CEO. Justin was flabbergasted. Sonny explained that Chad was anxious to demolish Stefan.

"Are you okay with your best friend taking your job?" Justin asked. Sonny said he trusted Chad. After Justin stepped out of the room to take a call. Sonny stared at the phone then called Leo. As Leo walked through the square, he hesitated before answering his cell phone.

"Why are you calling me?" Leo asked tersely. "Can you meet me? It will be very worth your while," Sonny said. Leo agreed to meet.

Ted met up with Kate in her hotel room. "I need you," Kate said. "I feel the same way," Ted responded. Kate slapped Ted across the face. Kate reminded Ted that she wanted to keep their relationship professional. When Ted asked what Kate wanted, Kate said she needed Ted to drop the case. Ted was resistant. Kate explained that there had been an unexpected development in that her brother-in-law was the new head of Titan.

"There is no reason to continue the lawsuit because we would be working at cross purposes," Kate said. Ted asked Kate why she was giving up her plan. Ted said he did not believe Kate was the kind of person that would set aside her agenda for anyone. Ted asked about Kate's new plan. Kate admitted that with Chad's plan, she would regain her old job.

"Your endgame was to run Titan the exact same way you ran DiMera. Now you want to play second fiddle to your brother-in-law?" Ted asked. Ted said he did not believe Kate would take a back seat for long. Kate asked Ted what he was after. Ted told Kate that he wanted to know everything about her. Ted leaned in for a kiss, and Kate did not stop him.

In the pub, Steve asked Kayla what was wrong. Kayla said she was distracted. Steve cautioned Kayla not to take on everyone's pain. When Steve grasped his wife's hand, she pulled it away. Kayla brightly changed the subject to books on tape.

With a grin, Steve said he was more interested in the mystery story about "the wife who keeps her husband in the dark rather than tell him what is going on with her." Kayla's cell rang with a call from Stefan. Stefan said he was ready to talk. Kayla lied and told Steve that she had an emergency with a patient. "I love you," Kayla said as she left.

While Stefan paced his living room, he informed Mr. Shin via phone that he had rehired Gabi to run Gabi Chic. Mr. Shin was concerned about Gabi's legal problems, but Stefan explained that Gabi had been exonerated.

In her bedroom, Abigail studied her calendar and mumbled, "It can't be right. I must have counted wrong." Abigail thought about when Gabby and Stefan had confessed their love to one another the night they had made love. "Oh, please, God, no," Abigail whispered. Chad entered the bedroom and asked Abigail if she was okay. Abigail said she was sad she had missed so much time with Chad and Thomas. Chad assured Abigail that she had done the right thing by spending time with Laura.

"I wish that everything could go back the way it was," Abigail said. "We can't go back in time. We have to focus on the future," Chad said. Chad added that there was nothing that could change his love for Abigail. With a nod, Abigail excused herself to take a shower. As Abigail reached the door, Chad asked Abigail, "Is this about Stefan?" Chad expressed his worry that he had made Abigail feel terrible.

"What Stefan did to you was unspeakable, but if we let it take over our lives, then we're giving him power. And I don't want to give that son of a bitch any power," Chad said before breaking down in tears. Abigail embraced Chad to comfort him.

At the DiMera mansion, Kayla met with Stefan. Stefan teased that he had been fielding offers for his bionic eye technology. Kayla warned Stefan to stop threatening her. When Stefan asked for information, Kayla informed Stefan that Kate had met with Ted Laurent, Leo's lawyer in Leo's case against Titan. Kayla explained that Justin suspected that someone had been manipulating Leo. With a shrug, Stefan said Kayla's information was a weak offering. Kayla urged Stefan to hire a private detective to confirm her information, but Stefan said he wanted Kayla to be the one to find evidence against Kate.

"I am going to get you the proof that Ted and Kate and Leo are in cahoots together, and then you are going to give that technology. And then we're done," Kayla said. Frustrated, Kayla stormed out.

After picking up an item at the pharmacy, Abigail stopped outside the pub and stared at the pharmacy bag. Steve exited the pub. Abigail called out to her uncle. Elated, Steve joked that he was happy to see Abigail. Abigail apologized to Steve for her behavior as Gabby. Steve assured Abigail that he understood that Abigail had not been able to control her actions.

"I just wish Chad would have gotten to me and Stefan sooner before anything happened," Abigail said. Steve warned Abigail not to blame herself for Stefan's actions because Stefan had taken advantage of her. Abigail swore that Stefan would not get anything else from her and Chad. Steve complained that Stefan had control of the bionic eye technology. Abigail was cheered by the news, but Steve stressed that he would never accept help from Stefan. Abigail urged Steve to reconsider, but Steve said he could never accept help from the man that had violated Abigail.

"Kayla understands that too," Steve said. Abigail said she felt like Stefan had won because he had blocked Steve's only chance at seeing again. Steve assured Abigail that he was fine with his decision. Abigail sniffled. When Steve asked Abigail if she was crying, Abigail lied and said she had a cold. Steve suggested that Abigail go to the drugstore. "I already did," Abigail said. After Steve ambled away, Abigail pulled a pregnancy test out of the pharmacy bag.

In the square, Justin congratulated Chad on his new position at Titan. Chad confirmed that he would help the company through the lawsuit and use Titan to destroy Stefan. With a nod, Justin presented legal paperwork for Chad to sign, including a clause that stipulated that Victor could remove Chad at will. Justin asked Chad if he had any problem with the clause. Chad shook his head no. As Chad signed the papers, Justin asked Chad if he needed a few days before he sent out a press release.

"No, this is for my family. This is about protecting them," Chad said. Justin asked about Abigail. Chad said Abigail was ready to move on with her life, and he was ready to take down Stefan. Justin pointed out that Chad was wearing Stefano's ring. Chad explained that he was taking his place as Stefano's son.

"Your father was a ruthless man, Chad. I like to believe that you're better than that," Justin said. "I'm my own man now," Chad countered. Justin warned Chad not to let his judgment be clouded by his thirst for revenge. Chad told Justin that he appreciated Justin's trust, but Chad nervously glanced at Stefano's ring as he returned the signed papers to Justin.

In the park, Sonny met with Leo. Sonny asked Leo what it would take to settle the case. Leo wanted to leave the conversation to the lawyers. Sonny said he had hoped that Leo had been reconsidering the case. Sonny said he had felt a real connection with Leo and that he cared about him.

"If you could just admit that this lawsuit is bogus, we could be together," Sonny purred. Sonny reminded Leo that Leo had hesitated at one point in their relationship, and Sonny admitted that he had not been able to stop thinking about Leo.

"I felt it. And you felt it too," Sonny said. Sonny leaned in to kiss Leo, and Leo reached into Sonny's pocket and removed his phone. With a scoff, Leo warned Sonny not to be so obvious about recording a conversation. Leo cautioned Sonny that the evidence against him was adding up. With a grin, Leo said, "I cannot wait to live large on those Kiriakis millions." Leo waved goodbye as he walked away.

As Leo walked through the square, Kayla spotted him. Kayla pursued him to investigate. At Kate's apartment, Ted's attempt to kiss Kate was thwarted when Leo knocked on the front door. Kate angrily opened the door and reminded Leo that he had broken the rules by visiting her at her apartment. Leo happily told Kate, "You will never believe what Sonny just tried to pull." Down the hallway, Kayla took photos of Kate talking to Leo. Kate pulled Leo into her room, but she did not see Kayla lurking nearby.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano looked on his tablet at the press release that announced Chad as the new head of Titan. "When asked about his loyalty to his former company, Mr. DiMera said, 'My brother stole DiMera from our family, and I plan to use my new position to make sure he regrets it,'" Stefan read aloud. "You clever son of a bitch," Stefan muttered with a smile. Stefan turned and saw Chad standing in the doorway.

Gabi has an unexpected encounter with Abigail

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

by Mike

At the cabin, Ben began loudly chopping a carrot, startling Ciara in the process. "Hope you don't mind -- I made an executive decision at the store. Carrots were always my favorite as a kid. I mean, I'd drown 'em in ketchup, but still..." he told her as he continued preparing their meal. "You should be careful with that knife. Don't want to cut yourself," he added, noticing that she was absently tightening her grip on her own knife.

Ben wondered if Ciara was starting to have second thoughts about staying with him, of all people. She insisted, as she set aside the knife, that she wasn't. "Okay," he replied, taking her at her word. "But...someday, you'll be ready to go [back home, right]? I mean, I don't mind taking care of you 'til you recuperate, but, you know, spending all your time cooped up with a serial killer -- ex-serial killer -- may not be the best way to regain mental health," he added, prompting her to note that he was starting to sound like a shrink. "If you had as much therapy as I've had the past few years..." he started to explain with a shrug. "Right," she conceded.

Ciara reminded Ben that it wasn't like she could do much with a broken leg, anyway. "[Although] there is [one thing] I can take care of right now..." she added.

After spending some time handing out missing-person fliers, Tripp returned home to rehydrate and see if Claire wanted to join him for the second round. He grew concerned when he realized that she had been crying.

"Grandma Hope heard from Ciara. She's okay...[but] she's not coming home, and it's all our fault," Claire informed Tripp. "Well, hey, at least we know [she's] okay, right?" Tripp reasoned, relieved. "Yeah -- that is the most important thing," Claire agreed. "I just wish that we could go back in time, you know -- [back to] before things went so wrong," Claire added with a sigh.

Claire admitted to Tripp that she envied the people who knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they were truly decent, honorable people who always made the right choices in life and therefore never had to struggle with regret. He was quick to point out that those people were typically arrogant, self-righteous, obnoxious, and downright boring. "Okay, I guess anyone who thinks they're right all the time can't be too wonderful...[but I'm just saying that] it would be nice -- say, when you're in an argument with someone -- to not always wonder if you're the one who screwed up," she clarified.

Tripp wondered if that was how Claire usually felt during arguments with Ciara. "I mean, I go back and forth; sometimes, I think that I was really insensitive with her -- about Theo, and the Bella contest, and a lot of [other] things -- but then, other times, [I think it's all her fault] -- because she's just impossible sometimes, and kind of angry at the world [due to always] thinking that she's gotten ripped off in life, and always competing with me..." Claire replied. Nodding, Tripp argued that, deep down, Claire and Ciara were both great. He predicted that the two women would eventually grow close again.

"I hope so -- I [really] do -- because I miss her...I mean, not who she is now, with the way she hates me and everything, but...you know, I miss the person she was when she was my best friend," Claire admitted.

Just then, Claire received a phone call from an unidentified number. Curious, Claire took the call. "Hey, Claire. It's me," Ciara began. "Ciara? Oh, my God! Are you okay?" Claire asked, stunned. "I'm fine," Ciara vaguely replied. Relieved, Claire seized the opportunity to try to set the record straight with Ciara. "Tripp and I did not sleep together," Claire stressed. "But you would have if I hadn't shown up," Ciara countered.

"[Look], I don't want to talk about [that] right now, okay? I just [called to ask] you to give Eve and Brady a message for me [because I don't have their number]," Ciara continued. Claire was surprised to hear that Ciara no longer wanted to be a model. "Truth is, I never [wanted to be a model]...but I know how much it meant to you, so...if Eve and Brady agree, you can have [the job]," Ciara told Claire. "I'm low on minutes, [so] just say yes and be happy. Somebody should be," Ciara added as Claire tried to refuse the offer. Tripp could only hear Claire's end of the conversation but sensed that Ciara wasn't going to let it last much longer.

"Wait, Ciara -- please, don't hang up!" Tripp begged, seizing Claire's cell phone. "Tripp, I have to go," Ciara insisted, struggling to stay composed. "Just hear me out, okay?" Tripp requested, undeterred. "Look, Claire and I feel terrible about what happened, and we've been looking for you 24/7, and we just -- we just really want you to come home, okay? Look, I -- I am so sorry about what you walked in on, but I thought you had rejected me, and if I had known the whole story about what happened, I would have waited until you were ready; I would have waited forever," Tripp quickly added, hoping that Ciara was still listening.

"So, it's my fault?" Ciara incredulously concluded. "No! No, I'm just saying...I understand why you didn't feel comfortable talking about it, you know, but now that I know the whole story about what Chase did --" Tripp started to clarify. Interrupting, Ciara angrily pointed out that Tripp only knew that story because Claire had forced it out into the open. Tripp tried to assure Ciara that Claire had simply been trying to help.

"Yay for Claire! Let's just -- oh, let's give her a merit badge for butting in where she doesn't belong!" Ciara sarcastically replied. "It was my story to tell, [and] I shouldn't have had to say anything until I was ready!" Ciara added through gritted teeth. "Claire just wanted me to understand..." Tripp tried to explain, still hoping to fix things. "[Understand] how screwed up I am? So she could have you all to herself?" Ciara bitterly concluded.

Tripp tried to assure Ciara that he only wanted to be with her, but she argued that he deserved better. "You deserve to be with some nice, normal girl -- someone who's never been raped," she tearfully continued, adding that it wasn't like his relationship with her had ever really been all that serious, anyway. "So...what, that's all that counts -- [how many dates we went on]? What about all the times that we talked? I -- I opened up to you, Ciara! I've -- I've told you things I've never told anybody else! I mean, doesn't any of that matter?" he incredulously countered. "I'm sure Claire would be happy to listen," she replied before abruptly ending the call.

Sighing, Tripp informed Claire that Ciara had hung up on him. "Sorry you had to hear that," Tripp added. "Oh, no, no, no -- I mean, I know that there's nothing between us anymore," Claire replied.

Meanwhile, Ben wondered if Ciara was okay. "I'm fine," she claimed while wiping away tears, but he wasn't convinced. "I couldn't help overhearing, [and] now I get why you've been feeling so overwhelmed, [and why you've decided] to put your whole life on hold. Nobody in their right mind would trust a serial killer...[but] you don't trust anyone," he mused. "You can't hurt me worse than I've already been hurt," she confirmed.

"I'll never hurt you -- ever," Ben assured Ciara before trying to change the subject, knowing that it was a painful one for her to dwell on. "I think that's why I'm supposed to talk about it," she admitted, adding that she had tried therapy in the past, but it hadn't helped. "Maybe you just weren't there long enough," he suggested. "Maybe," she conceded. "Sometimes, I think [that] if I just hop on my bike, I can get away from all my problems if I go fast enough...[but] I'm starting to think I'm never gonna get away from this," she added, prompting him to wonder if she was staying with him because she had a death wish. "No!" she insisted.

Nodding, Ben guessed that, in that case, Ciara was probably just staying with him because, ironically, she felt safe around him. "[After all, you know] you'd never fall for a guy like me," he joked. Chuckling, she admitted that, on some level, he was probably right. "[I mean, I was starting to think that] I could just be normal -- you know, go on dates, have a boyfriend -- but when Tripp started kissing me...it was too much," she continued, sighing.

"I am really sorry that happened to you," Ben told Ciara. "Did they get the guy who did it?" he asked curiously. "[It was] my stepbrother," she revealed. "Your stepbrother?" he incredulously repeated. "A guy that would hurt his very own sister -- that's a special kind of sick," he mused, shaking his head in disbelief. "If somebody even tried to lay a finger on my sister, I'd kill him," he continued, angrily chopping another carrot.

"I didn't mean, like, literally kill him," Ben quickly added, assuring Ciara that had simply been a figure of speech. Changing the subject, he mused that she, too, was trying to escape the past and get a fresh start -- but the difference was that she hadn't done anything wrong. "Doesn't matter, does it? I'm still damaged goods [either way]," she argued. "I don't see you that way," he replied before turning his attention to the carrot again.

Meanwhile, Tripp contacted Rafe to report that Ciara had just called Claire. "Hey, when Ciara talked to you, did she mention anything about being with someone?" Tripp asked Claire after finishing the conversation with Rafe. "No. Why?" Claire replied. "Uh...it's just...Rafe said [that] wherever [Ciara] is, she's not alone; she's with some [mystery] guy," Tripp hesitantly explained, seemingly unsure if that news was supposed to concern or upset him.

At the police station, Hope learned that other police departments were starting to call off the search for Ciara. "Who would sign off on this?" Hope wondered, furious. "That would be me," Rafe admitted, joining Hope in one of the conference rooms. Rafe reminded Hope that, technically, Ciara was an adult who had made contact and could therefore no longer be considered a missing person. "I know that this is hard..." Rafe began to add.

"No, you don't know, because you don't have a child!" Hope blurted out before quickly apologizing to Rafe, who understood that she was upset and hadn't meant to say that. He pointed out that one of the benefits of being the commissioner of a police department was being able to decide when to call off a search for a missing person. "[If] you want to work around the clock, [this department will] work around the clock," he stressed. "I say we work around the clock," she replied. "Then I guess I'd better make some more coffee," he concluded before heading off to take care of the task.

A short time later, Rafe returned and informed Hope, "Forensics just finished with the boot print from the crash site, [and] it turns out that the boots are not commercially available; they are supplied by a company that manufactures solely for state workers." Rafe handed over a list of the facilities that used that boot-manufacturing company then went to check on the coffee.

Hope flipped through the pages of the list and soon noticed that sanitariums used that specific type of boot. "Oh, my God -- please don't let Ben Weston have my daughter," Hope worriedly muttered, remembering that Chad had driven Ben out of Salem on the night of Ciara's crash -- and had dropped Ben off somewhere near the crash site.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad warned Stefan to stay away from Abigail, who had just returned to Salem. "You know, for a man who wants nothing to do with me, you sure do spend a lot of time obsessing over me," Stefan mused. "I mean, let's face it, Chad -- if you really wanted me out of your life, you wouldn't have taken over a rival company, [keeping us] constantly in each other's faces," Stefan continued, clearly amused.

Chad vowed to eventually take back everything that Stefan had stolen. "Idle threats make you look weak," Stefan dismissively advised, doubting that Chad had what it took to make good on that claim. "Because I'm too law-abiding?" Chad guessed. "Too afraid," Stefan clarified. Scoffing, Chad insisted that Stefan wasn't the least bit intimidating. "You may have given yourself our father's name, [but] I knew the man, [and] I learned from him. [And while] I may not have emulated him or followed blindly in his footsteps, [he still] respected me [and] wanted me as his heir. I swear, on his life, that I will have everything that's mine," Chad added.

Stefan wondered how Abigail would feel about Chad's decision to fight for the DiMera legacy. "How is she, by the way?" Stefan asked. "Abigail...or Gabby?" Chad replied, tauntingly adding that the latter had never been a real person -- and was gone for good, in any case. Stefan delighted in arguing that Gabby would always be a part of Abigail, and Chad would therefore have to live the rest of his life with the day-to-day knowledge that there would always be a part of his wife that would rather be with his brother. "That's why you showed up here, demanding that I stay away from her," Stefan concluded, guessing that Chad felt threatened.

Annoyed, Chad resisted the urge to punch Stefan. "You know, I used to think that Ben Weston was the worst thing that could ever happen to Abigail...until I met you. [I mean], at least he had an excuse -- he was psychotic -- [but] you, besides being evil as hell, appear to be relatively normal," Chad mused. "I'm a DiMera, through and through -- just like you," Stefan replied, shrugging.

"May the best brother win," Stefan added with a grin as Chad exited the mansion.

Gabi ran into Abigail outside the Brady Pub. "I can't believe [that] your therapy took no longer than the amount of time I had to spend in jail for the second crime I didn't commit," Gabi bitterly mused. Abigail tried to apologize to Gabi for everything that had happened, but Gabi didn't want to talk about the past. Nodding, Abigail agreed that Gabi deserved to look ahead to the future -- with Arianna.

Chuckling mirthlessly, Gabi revealed that Arianna hated her. Abigail tried to assure Gabi that Arianna would soften eventually, but Gabi took that as Abigail's way of saying that her problems weren't important. Abigail, struggling to make it clear that Gabi had gotten the wrong idea, offered to help Gabi get back on her feet. Gabi revealed that she didn't need any help because she had already secured a job.

Stunned, Abigail tried to talk Gabi out of working for Stefan. "[Gabi Chic is] my company, [and] as much as I may want to cut ties with [Stefan], I can't," Gabi replied. Abigail started shaking in response to Gabi's comment -- and Gabi noticed. Abigail claimed, when asked, that everything was fine, but Gabi wasn't convinced.

Realizing that Abigail was holding a bag from the pharmacy, Gabi snatched it out of Abigail's hand and peeked inside, assuming that Abigail was trying to hide an illness. "I think I'm pregnant -- with Stefan's baby," Abigail admitted with a sigh. Stunned, Gabi wondered if there was any chance that the baby could be Chad's. "Well, there was one time..." Abigail hesitantly confirmed. "So, there's a fifty percent chance that it could be Chad's," Gabi reasoned. "And just as much chance that it could be Stefan's," Abigail countered. Gabi urged Abigail to take the pregnancy test right away -- and offered to wait with her.

Abigail followed Gabi into the Brady Pub and went to take the test. A few minutes later, Abigail returned and shakily informed Gabi, "It's positive. I'm pregnant."

Stefan finalizes a deal with Kayla

Thursday, June 28, 2018

by Mike

At the cabin, Ben assured Ciara that their meal would be ready soon. "It already smells so good...unlike me," she acknowledged, feeling gross because she hadn't had a shower since before the crash. "I have an idea," he began while filling a bowl with water. "You can give yourself a sponge bath," he continued, dropping a sponge into the bowl. "I'll wait outside," he assured her while carrying the bowl and a towel over to her bed.

"While you're waiting, would you mind washing my shirt?" Ciara asked Ben, eager to wear clean clothes again. Nodding, he offered her one of his shirts so she would have something to wear while hers was drying. He kept his back turned while she removed her shirt and tossed it at him. He blindly caught it then left the cabin without looking back at her. Once the coast was clear, she began her sponge bath, making sure to keep her splint dry.

"You can come in now," Ciara eventually called out to Ben. "I'm pretty much done; it's just...I couldn't reach my feet [because] it hurt too bad," she continued as he reentered the cabin. "Okay. Well...I could help you, if that's okay with you," he offered. "Uh...okay, yeah -- I, uh...I guess that'd be okay," she agreed with a shrug. "You can hang onto [this], if it makes you feel safer," he suggested, handing her the knife he had given her earlier.

Ben knelt beside Ciara and removed her socks then began gently cleaning her feet with the sponge. "Okay, this is officially bizarre," she eventually mused, chuckling awkwardly. "I can't believe I'm getting a sponge bath from..." she started to add. "The Necktie Killer?" he concluded for her. "If my mom saw this right now..." she continued. "Oh, she would not be happy -- at all," he guessed with a laugh. "No," she agreed.

As Ben continued cleaning Ciara's feet, he noticed that she was holding her breath. "[I'm] really ticklish," she explained, struggling to maintain her composure. He apologized and offered to stop, but she assured him that she would be fine. "I, uh -- I never actually, uh, thanked you for rescuing me off the side of the road, so...thanks," she told him as he began cleaning her feet again. "You don't have to thank --" he started to reply.

Ciara suddenly kicked Ben in the face, sending him stumbling backward. "Oh, my God -- Ben, are you okay? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to kick you -- it was just a reflex," she stressed as he slowly recovered from the blow. He assured her that he was fine. "You weren't kidding about being ticklish. I'm gonna quit while I [still] have all my teeth," he added, chuckling in spite of his pain. He grabbed a towel and dried her feet -- carefully.

"Turns out you were the one who needed protection," Ciara teasingly pointed out to Ben. "Maybe I don't need [this] anymore. I'm starting to think I can trust you," she added, setting aside the knife. "Well, I won't be offended if you want to hang onto it," he assured her. "[I mean], after everything I've done, I know it's gonna be awhile before anybody can trust me...or [even just] be around me without being completely terrified. I just hope it isn't that way forever," he admitted with a heavy sigh of regret. Changing the subject, he told her that their meal was finally ready. Before serving her, he took his medication -- and realized that was his final dose.

At the police station, Hope worriedly informed Rafe that Ciara was likely with Ben. Hope started panicking after Rafe confirmed, during a phone conversation with Ben's doctor, that Ben had been given a pair of boots upon release -- boots that would have made the same kind of print that had been found at the crash site. "Why would [Ciara] willingly stay with a psychopath?" Hope wondered.

Rafe was quick to remind Hope that Ciara had sounded fine during phone conversations with them and during phone conversations with Tripp and Claire, but Hope didn't find that particularly comforting. "Maybe Ciara was trying to tell me something [during our conversation]..." Hope fretted, fighting back tears. "You wouldn't have missed it," Rafe assured Hope, who wasn't convinced.

Hope paced around a conference room as Rafe made a few more calls in an adjacent room. Rafe soon rejoined Hope. "[I've called] Statesville [and] Jordan, [so] if Ben tries to contact his father or sister, we will know [right away]," Rafe assured Hope. "[Plus], Ben needs to check in with his doctors periodically, and he needs to do that soon, so when he calls, [they'll] find out exactly where he is -- [and in the meantime], he needs medication, [so he'll] need to get his prescription filled [soon, and we'll know the minute he does]," Rafe added. "[And don't forget that] Marlena evaluated Ben," Rafe continued.

Again, Rafe's words failed to comfort Hope, who soon decided to put out an APB on Ben.

At the Horton Town Square, Steve overheard Chad's end of a phone conversation, during which Titan was discussed. "Is that Chad DiMera I hear wheelin' and dealin' over there?" Steve asked after Chad ended the call.

"You must be one happy dude [now that] Abigail's back. I just ran into her," Steve continued as Chad joined him on a bench. Chad happily reported that Abigail had apparently made a lot of progress in therapy and seemed to be doing much better. "You don't think so?" Chad guessed, noticing an odd reaction from Steve. "Well, she seemed, uh...good for the most part...[but] it just seemed like something was upsetting her -- [and] she may even have been crying," Steve replied. "But she did say she was coming down with a cold, [so] that might have been it," Steve quickly added, not wanting to worry Chad too much.

Changing the subject, Steve asked about Chad's earlier phone conversation, eager to hear how a DiMera had managed to secure a job as Titan's newest CEO. "Well, it wasn't an easy sell, [but] with a lot of help from Sonny, [I was] able to convince [Victor] that I was the right man for the job -- and, besides, nobody wants to take down Stefan more," Chad explained. Chad squirmed as Steve complained about the obviously bogus sexual harassment lawsuit that had led to Sonny's termination. "You sure you don't want to rethink [this] gig? Revenge is a dangerous business," Steve advised Chad, who remained determined to make Stefan pay for inflicting pain and suffering on numerous people -- including Steve, who was being denied access to Visionary Bionics' technology because DiMera Enterprises owned the company. "[Then just] be careful," Steve warned Chad.

At the Brady Pub, Abigail wondered how to tell Chad that she was pregnant -- and that his brother might be the baby's father. "[Just] keep this a secret until you find out who the father is," Gabi reasoned with a shrug. Abigail hated the idea of lying to Chad but knew that paternity tests could be performed during relatively early stages of pregnancy, meaning that she wouldn't have to wait much longer to find out the identity of the baby's father.

Chad soon entered the pub, having received a tip from Steve that Abigail might still be there. Chad quickly sensed that something was wrong, just as Steve had suspected. Chad assumed that Abigail and Gabi had been talking about Ben, but they were both surprised -- and quite alarmed -- to hear that Ben had recently been released. Chad assured Abigail and Gabi that Ben had left Salem and was hopefully gone for good.

Confused, Chad wondered what else could have driven Abigail to tears earlier. Trapped, Abigail reluctantly began to admit the truth to Chad. "I'm gonna go to work for Stefan again," Gabi blurted out, stopping Abigail. "[And] Abigail knew that you weren't gonna be happy about it, [but] Gabi Chic is my company, and I'm not gonna [let Stefan] steal it," Gabi continued. Chad tried to object, but Gabi refused to reconsider.

Chad soon stepped aside to take a phone call. Once the coast was clear, Abigail thanked Gabi for intervening. "I can't tell you how much it means to me that you want to help me [after everything that's happened]," Abigail stressed. "I don't want you to go through this alone. You're my friend," Gabi replied. "You're not gonna tell anybody about this?" Abigail asked. "No. I think we should just keep [it] between us. It'll be our secret," Gabi replied.

A short time later, Chad returned and asked if Abigail was ready to leave. Nodding, Abigail said goodbye to Gabi, who forced a smile -- then scowled as Abigail followed Chad out of the pub.

Kayla went to the DiMera mansion to give Stefan the pictures that proved that Leo had recently visited Kate at the Salem Inn. "So, your hunch is correct," Stefan mused after taking a look at the pictures. "[You know], this Leo guy's been all over the news, [but I] never took a close look at him before. [I'm] pretty sure I've seen him before -- months ago, at, uh, Doug's Place. He was at the bar, talking to my mother, [and when] I asked her if she knew him, she told me she would tell me another time," Stefan recalled. "Of course, she never got that chance, because Kate murdered her [shortly afterward]," Stefan bitterly added, sighing.

"[So], is this enough proof for you?" Kayla wondered. "It's more than enough for now," Stefan confirmed, adding that Kayla had proven to be a very good private investigator.

Stefan started to contact Steve, but Kayla objected. "Isn't this why we made the deal in the first place -- to give your beloved husband the gift of sight?" Stefan asked, struggling to understand why Kayla was reluctant to deliver good news to Steve. "[The news] can't come from you," Kayla explained. "Then who should it come from -- Santa Claus? I own the technology," Stefan countered. "Steve would never take anything that you're offering," Kayla reminded Stefan. "This might be his only chance to get his eyesight back. Is he really gonna turn that down out of pride?" Stefan asked incredulously.

"This has nothing to do with pride," Kayla began. "Oh, God -- don't say it..." Stefan tiredly interjected. "You went after [Steve's] niece [and] took advantage of her in the most vile ways! Just the idea [of] being indebted to you makes [Steve] sick!" Kayla continued as Stefan released a groan of annoyance. "I hate lying to my husband, [but] he can't know that you were ever a player in this!" Kayla concluded.

Stefan gave the matter some thought then offered Kayla another solution, which she accepted. "I'll make the arrangements right away. Pleasure doing business with you, Dr. J," Stefan cheerfully stated. "None of this has been pleasurable," Kayla countered, feeling guilty. Stefan reasoned that Kayla's actions had really only hurt Kate, who was trying to ruin the reputation of one of Kayla's family members.

"[Kate] should pay for what she's done to Sonny," Kayla agreed. "But I'm guessing that you are thinking of [a] grander [punishment than I am, because] you're all about decimating Kate -- and in the meantime, Sonny, who is innocent in all this, doesn't even get exonerated...and that's really too bad [because], unlike you, [Sonny's] a really good man," Kayla continued.

"If Steve knew that I was letting Sonny suffer like this..." Kayla fretted. "Well, it, uh, seems as though we both have a vested interest in keeping this secret, [then], yes?" Stefan replied.

After leaving the mansion, Kayla went to the town square to meet up with Steve, who was pleasantly surprised when she revealed that Visionary Bionics had unexpectedly been sold to another company -- one that had no ties to DiMera Enterprises. "[And] it turns out that I have a contact there [who's] pretty high up the food chain, so I'm pretty sure I could get you on the short list for that bionic eye prototype," she continued.

"Is it really happening?" Steve asked Kayla, reluctant to get his hopes up. "Yes, my love. You now have a chance to get your sight back," she assured him.

At the Salem Inn, Leo struggled to understand why Kate suddenly wanted him to accept Titan's settlement offer and make the sexual harassment lawsuit go away. She explained that it was no longer in her best interest. She handed him a pen and waited expectantly for him to sign the documents that would make the settlement official, but he was reluctant to do so because he had originally been promised a much larger payout.

Leo threatened to turn Kate in if she went ahead with her plan to drop the lawsuit, but she coolly pointed out that he wouldn't get any money then -- and would surely face charges for his part in their scheme. She added that he couldn't take the case elsewhere because he had turned over all of his evidence to his lawyer, who would never return it without her permission. She concluded that he had only one option available.

"I need time to think about [this]," Leo told Kate before starting to walk away, taking the legal document with him. "Think fast!" she irritably demanded.

A short time later, someone knocked on Kate's door then slid a manila envelope under it. Kate was thrilled at first, assuming that Leo had already caved -- but when she opened the envelope, she found a picture inside, linking her to her not-so-secret partner in crime. A note was attached -- "Let's talk" -- and Stefan's signature was at the bottom of the note. Kate shredded the picture with a sigh of frustration.

Meanwhile, Leo sent Sonny a text message: "We need 2 meet. I have something important 2 tell u."

Leo makes Sonny an offer

Friday, June 29, 2018

by Spalding

Eve prepared to take Tate to the park. When Brady hugged Tate goodbye, he had difficulty letting him go. Reluctantly, Brady released his son from his embrace. Eve and Tate left. Brady returned his attention to paperwork for the custody suit. When Eve returned after dropping Tate off with Maggie, she was concerned to find that Brady was still looking at the custody papers. Brady wondered aloud whether he should have reached an agreement with Theresa out of court. Eve told Brady that she believed that the judge would not side with Theresa. Brady thanked Eve for her faith in him.

"I didn't want to let go of my son because I don't know when I'm going to be able to...how am I supposed to wake up every morning and not have that hug?" Brady said. Eve countered, "Once the courts see what I know, what everybody knows, you've changed. You are an amazing father. And Tate belongs with you."

In J.J.'s apartment, Theresa looked at a photo of Tate. J.J. returned home with coffee, and he helped a nervous Theresa with her bracelet. "Are you ready for what is ahead?" J.J. asked. Theresa said she was upset that she needed to sue Brady for custody. With a sigh, Theresa wondered aloud if she had a shot at gaining custody of her son. J.J. told Theresa that she could count on him for support. Theresa thanked J.J. for all he had done for her.

"I'm going to the hearing with you," J.J. said. "I can't ask you to do that," Theresa said. J.J. explained that he had felt like he had lost a child after Lani had told him the truth about her baby. J.J. noted that the situation was different for Theresa, but he did not think Theresa deserved to lose her child after sacrificing two years of her life to protect Tate. Wiping away tears, Theresa asked J.J. if she looked okay.

"I think you look beautiful," J.J. said sweetly. J.J. grabbed the coffees, and they headed over to the courthouse. Once seated in the courtroom, Theresa's jaw dropped open as Brady walked in with Eve. Brady asked why J.J. was there. "He's a friend. What's she doing here?" Theresa asked as she jerked a thumb at Eve. Eve reminded Theresa that she would be Tate's stepmother.

"You've got the wicked part down. And there is no way that I'm going to let an evil bitch like you be in my son's life," Theresa growled. Eve countered that Theresa was stupid. When J.J. defended Theresa, Theresa cut him off. Theresa yelled that Eve's own daughter had hated Eve for having sex with Paige's boyfriend. With a pause, Theresa apologized to J.J., then she turned her ire back on Eve.

Eve pointed out that Theresa had been a drug addict. As the women bickered, Justin walked in with Ted. Justin yelled out for everyone to calm down before Judge Duncan arrived. Right on cue, the judge walked in behind Justin. The group settled into their chairs.

"So, we're clear, a child's future is at stake here. So, any lapse in judgment by either side will be taken into full account when I make my final decision," Judge Duncan announced. The judge asked Theresa to address the court first. Theresa talked about how her son had changed her life. Theresa then explained about why she had left Salem for Mexico.

"I was a prisoner for almost two years. I was humiliated and degraded, but what helped me survive was the dream of coming home to my child and coming home and sweeping him up in my arms and hearing him call me mommy again," Theresa said. When Ted noted that it sounded like Theresa really loved her son, Theresa looked at Brady and said, "I do."

On cross examination, Justin noted that he did not dispute Theresa's love for her son. Justin argued that Theresa's past bad decisions had threatened her family. Theresa explained that she had been young and not a mother when she had been involved with El Fideo. Judge Duncan interjected to ask Theresa why she was seeking full custody. Theresa explained that she needed to rebuild her relationship with her son without the interference of Brady and Eve.

"I am not unmoved by your situation, but in order for me to justify full custody, which will restrict the father's access to his child, you must provide proof to this court that Mr. Black is an unfit parent. Now, your plight and the pain you've suffered as a mother being separated from her son, though tragic, is not sufficient grounds to take away a father from his child," Judge Duncan announced. The judge adjourned the court and left. Eve walked over to Theresa and told her that Brady had shown the world that he was a good father.

"And I'm a great mother," Theresa growled. "Yeah? Prove it. If you really love your son as much as you say you do, you will continue to let Brady do what he has been doing the whole time you've been gone, and that's being a great father to a little boy who thinks he hung the moon," Eve said. After everyone left and Theresa was alone with J.J., he hugged her tightly.

Ted returned, and Theresa asked what they should do next. Ted explained that Theresa would need to prove that Brady and Eve were unfit to raise Tate. Ted offered to provide a detective to dig up dirt on Brady. Once Ted left, J.J. asked Theresa if she was sure she wanted to drag Tate into her fight with Brady. Theresa said after all she had been through, she could not let Brady and Eve win.

In the square, Brady complained to Eve that the custody hearing had been a disaster. Eve reminded Brady that despite Theresa's tears, the judge had not granted Theresa full custody. Brady worried aloud that Theresa would destroy their lives.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny yelled to Justin about the falling price of Titan stock. Sonny worried aloud that the company would fail because of his stupidity. Justin told his son that he was confident that they would expose Leo's lies in court. After Justin left, Sonny's phone pinged with a text notification.

"We need 2 meet. I have something important 2 tell you," Leo texted. Sonny called Leo and agreed to meet. When Leo arrived at the mansion, Sonny asked him if he was ending the lawsuit. Leo asked for Sonny's phone, and then he patted him down to search for a wire. Convinced that Sonny was not recording him, Leo smiled. Sonny asked for Leo's phone in return to make sure that he was not recording either.

"No recordings, no lawyers, no court, just you and me. Let's hear it," Sonny said. Leo claimed he had not planned for things to go as far as they had. Leo added that the settlement offer was a joke. Furious, Sonny said he was looking forward to seeing his father rip Leo apart in court over all Leo's fabricated evidence.

"You look nervous. Did you not think this through when you decided to target me and Titan?" Sonny teased. "That's just it. It wasn't my decision. This whole lawsuit, it was not my idea," Leo said. After Leo explained that the idea had been Vivian's scheme, Sonny reminded Leo that Vivian was dead. Leo said that someone else had taken over Vivian's scheme. Sonny demanded answers. Leo shook his head no. Sonny asked Leo to leave.

"The lawsuit is working. It's doing what it was intended to do, driving down the price of Titan stock to the point that the company could go under," Leo said. Leo offered Sonny a way to save his family's legacy. Sonny asked what Leo wanted. Leo said he still felt a connection to Sonny, and he wanted Sonny to marry him. "Today," Leo added.

In the DiMera living room, Stefan stared at the photo of Leo meeting with Kate. Stefan texted the photo to Kate. Kate cursed in the town square at the caf as she looked at Stefan's text, and Ted asked if she was not a morning person. Ted told Kate he was concerned about her, and he asked why she was upset. Kate lamented that she had been "so close" to taking down Titan. Ted offered to call Stefan, but Kate noted that she preferred to take care of Stefan on her own. Ted reminded Kate that Stefan was dangerous.

When Kate arrived at the DiMera mansion, Stefan asked her why she had been working with Leo. Kate lied and said that Leo was a masseur that Vivian had recommended. With a grin, Stefan asked if Leo had provided a couples massage with Ted. Kate warned Stefan that there was nothing to expose. Kate added that no one would believe Stefan anyway. Smiling, Stefan argued that Victor would hurt anyone that harmed the Kiriakis family.

"I'm not going to let you or any man hold a threat over my head, Stefan. Besides, you have no idea what you're talking about," Kate said. Kate urged Stefan to call Victor. Calling her bluff, Stefan took out his cell phone and called Victor. After a couple rings, Stefan ended the call. Stefan said that turning Kate over to Victor was too easy. Stefan explained that Kate was his secret weapon against Chad.

In Paul's room, Will woke up and found Paul staring at him. Paul said he was concerned whether Will had suffered any side effects from the second dose of the serum. When Will made a comment about Paul hogging the covers, his face clouded over. Eager, Paul asked Will if he had remembered anything. Will shook his head no.

"If you decide to choose me and then you know everything there is to know about Sonny, then that means that this, us, it's what you really want. I know that there is a possibility that this could go the other way and could swing in Sonny's favor," Paul said. Paul added that his priority was Will's happiness. Paul told Will that he loved him. As Paul sighed in disbelief over what he had admitted, Will's eyes widened.

Will remembered when Sonny had first told Will that he had loved him. Paul correctly guessed that Will had remembered something. Will told Paul about his memory. "It was just a flash," Will said quietly. Paul encouraged Will to make an attempt to remember more. Will struggled to think about the memory. Paul asked questions, but Will shook his head, dismayed.

"You're risking everything for these memories, Will, so you need to try harder," Paul encouraged. Will suggested that he and Paul go to the lake and make new memories. Paul raised an eyebrow in disapproval. With a sigh, Paul offered to go get coffees. When Will grabbed Paul's wrist to stop him from leaving, Will recovered another memory of when he had grabbed Sonny's wrist after Sonny had told him that he loved him. Will remembered telling Sonny that he had loved him, too. Paul sat down next to Will and told him it was okay, whatever he had remembered.

"I said it back. I told Sonny that I loved him, too," Will said quietly. Paul noted, "This is good. This is progress." Paul asked Will what it meant for their relationship. Before Will could answer, Paul offered to give Will space. Will asked Paul not to go.

"I am the odd man out. Again. I guess I should get used to this," Paul said sadly. When Will asked Paul to stay, Paul reminded Will that he had made a promise to step aside if Will remembered his love for Sonny. Will grabbed Paul and kissed him. Will said he had remembered loving Sonny, but "it was only a memory. Something that happened in the past. But it's not how I feel now. What I feel now, in this moment, is that I love you," Will said. Will kissed Paul tenderly.

After Will and Paul made love, Will joked, "That was a new memory that I will never forget." Paul said he wanted to make more. Paul suggested that they order in food, but Paul's phone rang. Paul talked to John on the phone and told him that they would meet him right away. Paul told Will that John had found dirt on Leo.