Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of September 24, 2018 on DAYS

Jennifer told Eric about Nicole. Eric fought with Brady. Eve told Brady about her part in the custody case. Lucas secured Bonnie's release from prison. Hattie blackmailed John into marrying her. Will told Paul he wanted to be with Paul. Sami begged Stefan for information about E.J. Abigail feared Gabby was back. Kristen found Marlena and woke her from her coma.

Jennifer tells Eric the truth about Nicole

Monday, September 24, 2018

by Mike

Hope found Ciara in a garage near the loft apartments, polishing Bo's motorcycle. "Helps me feel closer to him," Ciara explained with a hint of sadness that prompted Hope to ask if everything was okay.

Shrugging, Ciara replied, "I just keep thinking about the last few months -- all those times that I stood up for Ben and defended him to you and my friends..." Hope insisted there was no reason for Ciara to feel embarrassed about wanting to give people the benefit of the doubt. "You have a big, beautiful heart...[but] unfortunately, the bad guys will take advantage of that, [so] sometimes it's really hard to know who you can trust," Hope added.

Ciara still trusted Hope's claim that the evidence against Ben hadn't been planted; however, Ciara also remained convinced that Ben could have started the cabin fire without intending to do so. Scoffing, Hope argued that intent didn't matter. "[The bottom line is that Ben's] a threat. He'll always be a threat," Hope stressed. "I'm not quite sure I see it that way," Ciara countered, shrugging again. They agreed to disagree on the matter.

Ciara wondered if a public defender was going to be handling Ben's case while Ted was missing in action. Hope didn't know the answer to that question but doubted that Ted would be eager to resurface to continue representing Ben, since Ciara was no longer willing to foot the bill. Hope guessed that Ben's plan of defense for any lawyer would be to claim that the evidence had been planted. Hope wished that Rafe, like Ciara, could see that as a ridiculous accusation. Ciara could tell that Rafe's doubts about the legitimacy of the evidence had hurt Hope. "To the core," Hope confirmed with a sigh. Ciara advised Hope to forgive and forget.

At the police station, Shawn joined Rafe in one of the conference rooms and revealed concerns about the legitimacy of the evidence that had linked Ben to the cabin fire. Rafe reluctantly admitted to having the same concerns. Shawn and Rafe both acknowledged that it wasn't like Hope had never broken the law before. "[And] you can be damn sure [that Ben's] gonna pass [his theory] on to his attorney, [who's] gonna use it for all it's worth at trial," Rafe added. "[By going] after my mom [and digging up dirt] to discredit her," Shawn worriedly guessed. "Which is exactly why we need to get ahead of it before it blows up in [her] face," Rafe concluded.

"[But the] last thing that I want to do is make things worse with her [just as we're] finally getting back on track..." Rafe noted with a sigh. "Then let me investigate it. I mean, forensics is my thing," Shawn replied.

At the hospital, John tried to suggest that it might be best to hold off on a second wedding attempt until Marlena was out of the hospital and feeling better. "I feel fine! [And] we have the license, we have the wedding rings, and we have each other, [so] what else do we need?" Hattie replied, flashing another mischievous grin. "Well, for starters, we need an officiant," John countered, chuckling nervously.

Without missing a beat, Hattie turned to Belle and requested, "Please get on the horn and call Abe [and] tell him to put on his marryin' shoes [and] come on down here, 'cause there's about to be a weddin'!" Belle laughed, assuming that Marlena had adopted an exaggerated accent for comedic effect. John claimed that Abe was going to be busy with meetings for the rest of the day, but Hattie refused to back down, agreeing only to postpone the new ceremony until the following morning. Excited, Belle rushed off to start making all the necessary arrangements, ignoring John's desperate protests.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Why are you pushing me to marry you? I thought you were all into Roman!" John asked through gritted teeth once the coast was clear. "I'm taking care of number one right now, because if your precious Marlena happens to survive, then I know that you and Roman will put me right back in the slammer!" Hattie explained.

John tried to insist that wasn't true, but Hattie wasn't convinced. "You're trying to use me, like you always do! [And] if you try to put me back in the slammer, I will tell everybody that has ears that Roman and Kayla cooked up this whole plan [and] forced me to impersonate Dr. Marlena Evans so [the hospital] wouldn't pull the plug on her!" Hattie warned.

Sighing, John admitted to having underestimated Hattie. "What else is new?" Hattie grumbled. John tried to negotiate, but Hattie wasn't interested in entering the Witness Protection Program once Marlena recovered, since that wasn't exactly a fun lifestyle. "You're gonna marry me, or I'm gonna blow the whistle!" Hattie unapologetically reiterated.

At the Salem Inn, Brady and Eve lounged in bed together and excitedly discussed the future, believing that only good things were on the horizon. Then a cell phone rang.

Meanwhile, at the Horton house, Jennifer hesitantly began to tell Eric the real reason that Nicole had abruptly left Salem the previous year. Eric was skeptical at first but eventually realized that Jennifer was quite certain that the story was true. "How do you know this?" Eric wondered. "I just do," Jennifer evasively replied.

"[And] I'd really rather not say [who blackmailed Nicole]..." Jennifer added. Eric started to protest but soon paused, suddenly remembering that Brady had once confessed to having trashed Eric's room at the Martin mansion in a jealous rage. Jennifer reluctantly confirmed that Brady was the one who had found the amulet in Eric's room and had used it to blackmail Nicole. "He's not proud of what he did," Jennifer stressed.

"How long have you known about this?" Eric asked. "Two months," Jennifer quietly admitted. "Two months? You sat with this for two months?" Eric incredulously repeated. "And I didn't know what to do because I was afraid [to] lose you --" Jennifer began to explain. "You know what? I can't even deal with this right now!" Eric snapped, standing to leave. "Two months!" Eric grumbled while storming out of the house.

"That's it. I've lost him. I've lost him forever," Jennifer sadly mused while staring at her engagement ring. She quickly dialed someone's phone number and tearfully informed the person, "I need you."

Meanwhile, at the Salem Inn, Brady was fuming as a result of an earlier phone conversation with Theresa. "The plan [was for Theresa and Tate to] come back [to Salem] when Kimberly [got] better, [but] Kimberly has gotten better, and [Theresa doesn't want to] come back. [She says] Tate loves his school, and [she has friends, and] they're settled [in California] or something. [And] she was very quick in pointing out that [she has] sole custody [and] can do whatever [she wants]," Brady explained to Eve. "None of this would be going on if those damn drugs hadn't been planted in J.J.'s [apartment]! That's what cost me my son!" Brady complained.

"This is all my grandfather's fault!" Brady spat. "He was really just trying to help --" Eve began to explain. Interrupting, Brady wondered why Eve was always so quick to defend Victor lately. "I just want you to be happy..." Eve evasively replied. "It's gonna be hard for me to be happy when I don't have my boy with me!" Brady angrily insisted.

Sighing, Eve guiltily suggested, "Maybe [Theresa] would come back to town if you and I broke up. [I mean, I am] the reason that there was a custody battle between you [two in the first place]..." Brady refused to accept that as a solution to the problem, telling Eve, "You're everything to me, [and] literally the only woman I can trust right now."

Just then, someone started pounding on the hotel room door. "I know what you did," Eric said in lieu of a greeting when Brady opened the door. Eve gulped nervously as Eric glared at Brady.

Eric attacks Brady

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

by Spalding

In the hospital, Will sat beside a sleeping Paul. Will thought about his breakup with Sonny. As Will shook off the memory, Paul woke up. Will told Paul that John was with Marlena but would return. When Will said that John wanted to help Paul through his recovery, Paul scowled.

"How? I'm paralyzed," Paul muttered. Will reminded Paul that his prognosis was not set in stone. Will encouraged Paul not to give up hope. "You're going to walk again. Period. End of story," Will stressed. Paul asked if Will was still committed to him, since he had recovered his memories of Sonny. Will said he was still committed to Paul. Unsure, Paul asked about Will's recovered memories of Sonny. Paul asked if his injury had impacted Will's decision to stay with him.

"Is this what you really want, or is this just pity? I need to know. Before Kayla gave me the news about my legs, did you still want to be with me?" Paul asked. Will said he was sure that he wanted to be with Paul and had no doubts. Will recounted happy memories he had of his time with Paul. Paul beamed.

"I remember waking up in your arms in the morning and just feeling safer and more peaceful than I've ever felt in my life. So, all of those memories are in my head, too. But how I feel about you is not a memory. It's here. It's right now. And I promise I would not give that up for anything," Will said. Paul asked if Will would feel the same way if Paul never walked again. Will told Paul he was strong enough to overcome his injuries. "This is a temporary setback that we will get through together," Will said. Paul told Will that he loved him and his amazing heart.

"I'm so damn lucky to be with you," Paul said as he fought back tears. Will said he felt lucky, too. With a smile, Will said he wanted to see Paul get well so that they could see what was next for their relationship. With a chuckle, Paul talked about when Will had written the article about him. Paul said he was excited to have a relationship without secrets. As Will hugged Paul, the smile fell away from his face.

In the Kiriakis living room, Sonny stared at a wedding photo of him with Will. Adrienne walked into the room and told Sonny the news about Bonnie's baby and Lucas' request to drop all charges against Bonnie. Adrienne admitted that she had not felt like she could say no to Lucas.

Adrienne asked Sonny about Paul. Sonny explained that Paul might never walk again. "He needs the love and support from all of us, so that's why Will and I just had to forget the idea of having a future together," Sonny said. Adrienne was opposed to the breakup, but Sonny stressed that the best thing for Paul was for Will to stay with Paul. Sonny noted that it was a miracle that Will had regained his memory.

"We couldn't add to [Paul's] pain. It just felt wrong, especially given how I had already hurt him" Sonny explained. Adrienne noted that Paul did not hold anger at Sonny for leaving him at the altar. With a shake of his head, Sonny said he was ashamed that he had dumped Paul at the altar, and he could not let Will do the same thing to Paul. Adrienne asked Sonny about his feelings.

"Paul's body is broken. How can we also break his heart?" Sonny said. Adrienne suggested that Sonny had made a mistake in giving up Will. Sonny explained that he was unhappy, but he did not believe his breakup with Will was a mistake. Adrienne reminded Sonny that she had made that mistake with Lucas after her release from prison. Sonny disagreed. Sonny reminded Adrienne that Lucas had fallen apart after the breakup, and he could not bear to see Paul fall apart.

"My heart goes out to Paul, but honey, it is breaking for you and Will. My God, not only does he get his memory back, his memory of his love for you, he feels it, and you two finally have a chance at the future that you always wanted," Adrienne pleaded. Sonny stressed that he needed to give up Will for Paul's sake. Adrienne hugged her son and told him that she supported him.

Will left to retrieve frozen yogurt for Paul from the town square. Will called to ask Paul what flavor yogurt he wanted. With a grin, Paul said he did not care what flavor Will bought him as long as Will did not eat it all before he returned to the hospital. Will chuckled. As Will ended the call, he saw Sonny approach him from across the square. Sonny asked about Paul. Will told Sonny that Paul had been relieved to learn that Will still wanted to be with him.

"Sonny, I hated lying to him," Will said. Will added that he understood why he needed to lie to Paul. "Part of me will always love Paul, but he is not you," Will said. With a nod, Will turned and walked away.

At the police station, Lucas thanked Justin for his help with Bonnie. Justin asked Lucas if he was sure that he wanted to get involved with a schemer like Bonnie. Bonnie sauntered in and asked why Justin was disparaging her. With a raised eyebrow, Bonnie sat down at the table.

"You have done nothing but hurt the people that I care about, so as far as I care, you can spend the rest of your life behind bars," Justin growled. Bonnie warned Justin that Lucas would never see his daughter again if Justin did not help her. Bonnie asked about Adrienne. Lucas admitted that he had talked to Adrienne. Justin added that the D.A. intended to drop the case, since Adrienne had refused to cooperate. Pleased, Bonnie asked about the time that remained for her murder sentence.

"There's a new mandate ordering the state to reduce the prison population. So even though you've been convicted of murder, you could still be eligible for the early release program for inmates who served a certain percentage of their sentence," Justin said. Justin told Bonnie that she was eligible, and he presented the paperwork for her to sign. As Bonnie reached for the papers, Justin cautioned that they would not file the paperwork until she told him where to find the baby.

Bonnie refused to tell Lucas where to find their baby until she had the paperwork signed and filed. Lucas refused, but Bonnie called his bluff. Justin stepped outside of the interrogation room to talk to Lucas. Justin advised Lucas to proceed carefully with Bonnie, but he supported Lucas' decision. Lucas returned to the interrogation room and told Bonnie that he would file her release papers. Lucas added that Bonnie would regret it if she did not let him see his daughter when she left prison.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Adrienne called Justin's phone and updated him on Sonny's decision. Adrienne asked about Bonnie. Justin told Adrienne about Bonnie's demand. "Bonnie Lockhart is being selfish and uncooperative? What a shock," Adrienne said.

At the Horton house, Jennifer told Kayla that she had told Eric the truth about Nicole. Breaking down in tears, Jennifer said she felt like she would fall apart. "What have I done?" Jennifer marveled. Jennifer told Kayla that after she had confessed the truth to Eric, he had stormed out of the house. Jennifer admitted that she had never seen Eric so hurt. With a sigh, Kayla stressed that Eric had been over Nicole, but Jennifer countered that Eric had not had the full picture about the loss.

Jennifer told Kayla that Brady had ordered Nicole to leave town and break Eric's heart, or Brady would make sure that Nicole lost custody of Holly. Kayla gasped in surprise. Kayla and Jennifer understood that Nicole's priority had been to protect her daughter. Jennifer worried aloud about how Eric would deal with the pain. Jennifer blamed herself for being a coward. Kayla assured Jennifer that Eric would forgive her. With a gasp, Jennifer wondered aloud if Eric had gone to look for Nicole. Jennifer added that Eric might go after Brady.

At Eve's apartment, Eric punched Brady. "Don't lie to me, you sick son of a bitch!" Eric screamed. Eve asked Eric why he had attacked Brady for no reason. Eric grabbed Brady and threw him against the wall. Eve threatened to call security. When Eve reminded Eric that Brady had been through a lot with Kristen and Marlena's health, Eric countered that his anger was about Brady's actions.

"You are the reason why I lost the love of my life! I lost Nicole because of you!" Eric yelled. Brady asked to explain, but Eric cut him off. "How? How are you going to explain how horrible you were to Nicole? Making her choose between me and her daughter?" Eric asked. Eric asked Brady if he was that vindictive of a person.

"Yes. I am," Brady said. "No denial? No excuse?" Eric asked in surprise. Brady argued that he had been broken by Nicole's affair after his heartbreak with Kristen and Theresa. "You destroyed my life!" Eric screamed. Brady apologized for hurting Eric. "I'm not that guy anymore. I'm not angry anymore," Brady said. Brady said his love for Eve had changed him.

Eric asked why Brady had not told him about Nicole. Brady explained that he had attempted to tell Eric the truth but had decided against it because he and Eric had agreed to set aside their differences. Brady added that he had not wanted to ruin Eric's relationship with Jennifer or expose Nicole to criminal charges. Eric told Brady that Brady was full of crap.

"I thought we were brothers again, but this whole time, you knew about it, and you said nothing. You ruined the chance that Nicole and I could have happiness. And you said nothing," Eric stammered. Brady apologized. Eric told Brady he was pathetic. "You and I are no longer brothers," Eric growled. Eric left and walked over to the Brady Pub. Emotional, Eric poured a drink. Eric sniffed the glass of liquor and fought back tears. With a sigh, Eric clutched the glass and threw it against the wall.

In Eve's apartment, Brady wondered aloud who had told Eric about Nicole. Eve placed an ice pack on Brady's eye, but she did not say a word. There was a knock at the door. "Brady? Are you in there?" Jennifer's voice asked from the hallway. A look of guilt washed over Eve's face.

Justin helps Sami get released from jail

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

by Mike

Roman, having just heard glass shattering in the main section of the Brady Pub, rushed out of the kitchen with the tired demeanor of a bar owner who had grown accustomed to breaking up fights. He was surprised to see that, in this case, the rowdy patron was his own son -- and the only opponent in sight was a bottle of whiskey.

"Better ice that hand. It's gonna swell," Roman advised, realizing that Eric had recently thrown a punch. "Don't care," Eric numbly replied. "Who'd you hit?" Roman asked, concerned. "Somebody who had it coming," Eric vaguely answered, scowling. Eric soon elaborated, however, telling Roman everything -- except the specific details of what Brady had been holding over Nicole's head, of course. Roman curiously noted that it wasn't like Jennifer to keep secrets. "She must have been afraid [of something]," Roman guessed. "Of losing me," Eric confirmed. "Is that what's gonna happen?" Roman wondered. Eric shrugged in response, clearly conflicted.

At the Salem Inn, Eve tried to convince Brady not to talk to Jennifer while upset. Brady seemed to be ready to take that advice -- until Jennifer knocked on the hotel room door again and called out, "Brady, please, I need to talk to you! It's about Eric!" Curious, Brady let Jennifer in before Eve could voice an objection. Jennifer deduced, after seeing the bruise on Brady's face, that Eric had already paid Brady a visit. Nodding, Brady guessed that Jennifer knew about Eric's recent discovery. "He heard it from me," Jennifer admitted. "How did you find out?" Brady asked, confused. Eve gave Jennifer a subtle shake of the head, hoping to prevent more damage.

"I, uh...I own a newspaper, Brady," Jennifer evasively explained. "[I found out the truth a couple months ago and verified it, but] I couldn't bring myself to tell [Eric] right away, because I love him, and I knew that I would probably lose him...but I also knew that I couldn't plan a life based on a lie, because the truth is [that] Eric and Nicole deeply loved each other, and if you hadn't done what you did, he would be with her right now [instead of me]," Jennifer continued. Brady sincerely praised Jennifer's selflessness, declaring it a true act of love. "[But] what do you mean, you 'verified' [this story] -- how did you do that?" Brady asked, still confused.

Jennifer remained evasive, citing a longstanding policy of protecting sources, but Brady refused to drop the matter. "[I mean], it's not that tough of a mystery [for me to figure out on my own] -- there were only three people in the world that knew what I did to Nicole, and I didn't tell you, [so] that only leaves Victor...and..." Brady added before turning to Eve. "[So] it was Victor, right?" Brady quickly concluded, turning back to Jennifer again. Eve breathed a sigh of relief as Jennifer confirmed Brady's suspicion that the truth about Nicole had been revealed when Jennifer had confronted Victor about planting drugs in J.J.'s studio apartment.

"That old man is gonna answer [for this]...as well as all the other things that he's ever done to the people that I love! I'm so sick of his crap!" Brady spat before starting to storm out of the hotel room. Realizing that Brady would soon learn the truth one way or another, Eve reluctantly called out, "Jennifer didn't hear about [this] from Victor...[and I know that] because she heard about it from me."

Stunned but skeptical, Brady returned to the hotel room and accused Eve of taking the blame in an effort to protect Victor. "No. It was me," Eve quietly reiterated. "It's true," Jennifer confirmed.

Brady was confused at first but soon decided that Eve, who hated Jennifer, had spitefully revealed the truth for the sole purpose of ruining Jennifer's relationship with Eric. "[No, Jennifer] was trying to turn you against me, so I had to do something to keep her quiet," Eve vaguely clarified before beginning to lash out at Jennifer for having told Eric the truth. "You said that you wouldn't [do that], and you're always calling me a liar, [but now you're the liar, so] don't you ever call me a liar [again], you bitch!" Eve shouted at Jennifer, who was also shouting in an effort to clarify that Eric still didn't know about Eve's involvement in the matter.

Brady eventually began shouting, as well, but only to silence Eve and Jennifer. "You're dancing around something, and I would like to know what it is. What in the hell are you two talking about?" Brady demanded to know. "If you don't tell him, I'm gonna tell him, because Eric already knows [the truth about Nicole, so] I have nothing to lose [now]," Jennifer warned Eve. Realizing that Jennifer wasn't bluffing, Eve sighed and asked for some time alone with Brady. "If he's gonna hear [this], he's gonna hear it from me," Eve added, glaring at Jennifer. Nodding, Jennifer left after stressing, "I just came to see Eric. I really didn't mean to hurt either one of you."

At the police station, Sami overheard Justin wrapping up a phone conversation with Adrienne. "You told [Lucas] to do what he thought was right, and he chose to cave, [so] Bonnie is now a free woman," Justin revealed with a sigh. "And I better damn well be the next one!" Sami snapped. Chuckling mirthlessly, Justin said goodbye to Adrienne then ended the call and pulled Sami into one of the conference rooms for a private conversation.

"If you're not happy with me as an attorney --" Justin began. Interrupting, Sami tiredly snapped, "Oh, cut it out! You are the best attorney in town, Justin! That is my problem! I need you to focus on me and my case! You have to get me out of here!" Justin pointed out that Sami had been denied bail. "Oh, come on! My mom woke up! She's not dead! [Which means] they can't charge me with murder!" Sami dismissively countered. Justin patiently clarified, "But they can still hold you for attempted murder -- or, at the very least, assault with a deadly weapon -- [so] you're not going anywhere." Outraged, Sami insisted that wasn't fair.

"Did you explain to the judge that Kristen had drugged me [and] had been holding me hostage for weeks [at the time of the shooting]?" Sami asked. "Yes, but by the time [your] blood was drawn, the drugs were out of your system," Justin explained. "But that's not my fault! Hope and Rafe -- they took me away from the hospital [and] brought me here [then] interrogated me for hours [before having my blood drawn]!" Sami countered.

"[Look, Kristen] is out there somewhere, and somebody has to do something before she hurts someone else, and that somebody's gonna be me! I'm gonna find her, and I'm gonna stop her, and I'm gonna make her sing like a canary to the police, and then she's gonna tell me where E.J. is!" Sami added before opening the conference room door and storming out of the police station, still in handcuffs and standard jail clothes.

Although the bold move surprised the police officer who had been waiting to take Sami back to her holding cell after her meeting with her lawyer, she didn't get very far before the man found her and dragged her back inside. She made note of the man's badge number and warned that her father, the former police commissioner, wasn't going to be happy with him. The man ignored her threats and calmly returned her to the conference room.

"You didn't even come after me!" Sami said to Justin, almost sounding hurt. "I knew you wouldn't get far," he explained with a shrug. "Yeah, well, I'm going crazy, okay? You have to get me out of here!" she insisted.

Sighing, Justin gently advised Sami, "I know how much you loved E.J., [but] for your own good, it may be time for you to accept that he's gone." Playing along, Sami calmly countered, "What if it was Adrienne? What if you had lost her, and then, after years, someone told you that she was out there -- what would you do?" Justin conceded, "I would fight like hell to [get her back]." Sami was satisfied at first, but Justin was quick to stress that Kristen -- one of the most manipulative human beings on the planet -- was the person who had claimed that E.J. was still alive, and the claim therefore needed to be taken with a grain of salt, if not a whole shaker.

"I know that! I know who she is!" Sami assured Justin, getting worked up again. "But I believe her, because I have felt all along that he is alive, and that he's waiting for me to find him," Sami continued, fighting back tears. "I have to get out of here! I have to find Kristen, and I have to make her tell me where he is!" Sami insisted.

Justin tried to point out the absurdity of the claim that someone could be revived after having died, but Sami was quick to remind Justin that Will was walking around Salem as proof that it was indeed possible. "[And] if Dr. Rolf was willing to make that serum up for Stefano's grandson [by marriage], I don't see why he wouldn't do the same thing for Stefano's son," Sami added. Justin remained skeptical, arguing that Will -- a strangulation victim -- might have simply been on the brink of death, as opposed to being truly dead, when Rolf's serum had been administered. Justin found it much harder to believe that anything, including Rolf's serum, could have saved E.J., who had been shot in the back and had been pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, long after the shooting had occurred.

"[But even though] I don't believe what Kristen told you, [I do believe that] you've been through enough -- [and that] it is inhumane to keep you locked up in here. And I'm gonna say that to a judge," Justin promised. Relieved, Sami tearfully thanked Justin, who warned that there were no guarantees. "[But] I am gonna do my best to make the case for granting you bail," Justin added before rushing off.

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen lounged in a room in the secret tunnels, happily reading an online article about Sami's bail denial. Stefan soon arrived with a plate of food. "Prison tat?" Stefan jokingly asked Kristen, noticing for the first time that she had a tattoo on her right shoulder blade. "Please! I don't do prison! [Actually, I got this] in a little tattoo parlor in Trastevere after my recovery from the fall out the window. I wanted to celebrate my physical and spiritual rebirth," she clarified. "Okay, that's great, Phoenix...[then after] you enjoy one last meal under my roof, [maybe] you can fly the hell out of my house," he tiredly replied, giving her a dismissive wave.

"Father's house," Kristen pointedly countered. "[And] the police have already come and searched it, and Sami's in jail, so she can't come after me, so I don't see [any problem with] me hanging out a little while longer," Kristen added. Stefan warned that the police would surely be back eventually -- with a warrant to search the tunnels. "[And] I don't need that right now!" Stefan worriedly stressed.

"[Now, look, you] had your fun -- you crashed John and Marlena's wedding, the bride's in a coma, the groom's son is paralyzed... What else do you want? I mean, that's a hell of a day's work, [so why do] you want to stick around here? Go back to Italy!" Stefan continued. Kristen grumbled that the plan had been for Marlena to die, not slip into a coma. "[And] I haven't accomplished everything I came to do!" Kristen added. Confused, Stefan wondered what else Kristen wanted. "Oh, God -- it's not what I want; it's who," Kristen tiredly clarified. "I am not leaving [Salem] without Brady Black," Kristen vowed.

Scoffing, Stefan reminded Kristen that Brady was in love with Eve. "Yeah, well, Brady and I were on the verge of making love when [Eve] barged in, and he wanted me as much as I wanted him, [and he won't forget that night]. Whatever he thinks he's found with Eve, it will pale in comparison to those memories, [and soon] he's gonna be crawling back to me -- you just wait and see," Kristen confidently countered.

Stefan insisted that Kristen was delusional. "[And] immoral, [and] vindictive, [and] homicidal, [and] --" he continued. Interrupting, she wondered why he was trying to hurt her feelings. He scoffed and guessed that she was actually impervious to insults. She admitted with a chuckle that she was impervious to insults -- from people she didn't care about, at least. "[But] you're family, [and] I'm vulnerable with you, [and] I do get hurt by your callous remarks, [because] I care deeply what you think of me," she stressed. "Don't you care what I think about you?" she added. "Not in the least," he claimed. "You will...once we start to bond," she predicted.

Stefan insisted that Kristen was only proving his earlier point that she was delusional. She countered that he was only proving her initial assessment of him, which had been that he was emotionally detached and unable to feel love -- at least for anyone who actually existed. "Don't go there," he warned. "Just trying to point out, little brother, that you shouldn't be so quick to pass judgment on my love for Brady when you have some rather eccentric tendencies yourself [when it comes to] love," she explained with a shrug. He maintained that her plan to reconnect with the love of her life was doomed, but she dismissively insisted that he was just being negative.

Sighing, Stefan changed the subject, asking Kristen if E.J. really was alive and well. "You're a corporate raider, so you know that knowledge is power...[and you should therefore] understand that I see no advantage in sharing what I know about E.J.," Kristen evasively replied. "Okay, look, here's the bottom line -- I've been letting you stay here without asking for anything in return, [so] you either tell me right now if E.J. DiMera is dead or alive, or you can go take your chances on the streets of Salem. It's up to you," Stefan impatiently countered. Nodding, Kristen gestured toward a chair and said, "Sit down, little brother, [and] let me tell you a story."

Victor and Maggie were at the Kiriakis mansion, having brunch, when Eli interrupted. "Who the hell are you?" Victor demanded to know. "Victor, it's Eli Grant -- Valerie's son," Maggie explained with a patient smile. "So?" Victor asked. "Julie's grandson," Maggie further clarified. "Ah. Well, make it fast," Victor ordered Eli. Maggie gave Victor a shake of the head then asked if Eli wanted anything to eat or drink. "[Actually], I'm here on police business," Eli revealed. Maggie immediately turned to Victor for an explanation. "I'm not here about Mr. Kiriakis. [This is actually about] both of you," Eli vaguely clarified. "You may be harboring a fugitive," Eli added.

Just then, Susan entered the living room, planning to steal a few of Victor and Maggie's brunch goodies. "This fugitive," Eli continued, eyeing Susan suspiciously. Susan quickly realized that Eli was looking for Kristen. "I am so sick of that woman [impersonating me]. Whatever you need -- blood, hair, winky-tink in a cup..." Susan told Eli before seizing one of Maggie's tea cups and rushing off to the nearest bathroom.

Horrified, Maggie chased after Susan, not wanting the precious heirloom to be used for that purpose. "But this is an emergency!" Susan protested. "What you have in mind won't be necessary," Eli interjected while donning a pair of gloves. Confused, Susan handed the cup back to Maggie then turned to face Eli, who reached into Susan's mouth and tugged at the upper row of teeth to confirm that they were real.

"That's it? [I mean], you don't want [a sample of] my hair, or...? You know, you'll see that it's not a wig [if you check it]," Susan told Eli. "Good God, it's not?" Victor asked incredulously. "Victor!" Maggie protested.

After Eli left, Victor tiredly chased Susan back to the guest suite. Once the coast was clear, Victor complained that Maggie had been disturbingly quick to believe that he had done something to get the police department's attention. "I wouldn't be so indignant if I were you. I mean, after all, you and Eve were the ones that planted drugs in J.J.'s apartment, [so] can you blame me for wondering what else you may have done that you haven't told me about?" Just then, Eric arrived to see Maggie. "I need your help. I have to find Nicole," Eric breathlessly explained. Meanwhile, at the Brady Pub, Roman informed Jennifer that Eric was already gone.

At the Salem Inn, Eve struggled to think of a way to confess to Brady. "You know I love you, right? [And] I can't think of anything [that you could tell me] that would change the way I feel about you," he gently assured her. "Well, we're about to find out, aren't we?" she numbly replied. "It's, um -- it's about the custody case... [See, Victor's responsible for] the drugs that were planted in J.J.'s apartment, [but] doing something drastic to sway the case -- that was my idea," she regretfully admitted.

At the police station, Justin rejoined Sami and announced, "I, uh, somehow convinced the judge to grant your bail, and your bond has been posted...[but] you are not to interfere between Kristen and the police, [and if you] violate those terms, you're going back to jail." Sami nodded and thanked Justin for the help then rushed off. "What have I done?" Justin worriedly muttered.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan finished listening to Kristen's story then emerged from the secret tunnels and glanced at Stefano's portrait. "Nobody warned me this family was so full of surprises," Stefan mused with a shake of the head. "I love surprises," Sami raved. Startled, Stefan turned and found Sami standing in a corner of the living room. "How'd you get in here?" Stefan wondered.

"Oh, I've been breaking into this place for years," Sami replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Now that I'm here, why don't you tell me about your surprise?" she added.

Abigail fears her alter Gabby has returned

Thursday, September 27, 2018

by Mike

At the Salem Inn, Brady struggled to stay composed as Eve confessed to having played a part in the sabotage of the custody hearing. She was apologetic at first, but when he started lashing out, she responded in kind.

"You know, somebody had to do something, 'cause you certainly didn't! You lost custody of your son [because] you weren't willing to fight for him! [Nicole] meant more to you than your own son!" Eve spat. Brady tried to object, but Eve forged ahead. "I tried to convince you to turn over [that recording of Nicole confessing to Deimos' murder, but you refused...so] I decided to do it for you, [because] I love you, [and I could tell that] you were on the ropes! Theresa and her attorney were trying to make it look like you had murdered Deimos, [and it was clear to me that they had] convinced the judge, [and] I was just trying to help you keep [Tate]! How could I [have known] that Theresa was actually gonna come around and be reasonable for [once] in her life? [And when] she did, Brady, it was too late," Eve continued, gradually softening.

Brady was surprised and confused to learn that Victor had planted drugs in J.J.'s studio apartment as a backup plan because the recording of Nicole's confession had been missing at the time that Eve had requested help. Unable to think of any other explanation, Brady ultimately decided that Victor had probably lied to Eve about that part. Sighing, Brady complained about being sick of liars, including Eve. "I don't know if I can forgive you. [I mean], I thought you were different, [but now you've] betrayed me, just like all the other ones. I don't know why I'm surprised --" Brady continued. Interrupting, Eve incredulously countered, "You're talking to me about betrayal? After what you just did to your brother, [not to mention] how you betrayed me? You're gonna lecture me about lying after you lied to me for months?"

Fighting back tears, Eve pointed out, "You know what, Brady? I forgave you all that -- all of it! And now you're saying you're never gonna forgive me, [even though] I was just trying to help you?" Shrugging, Brady unapologetically maintained that it was going to be hard to move on and build a life with the woman who was responsible for Tate's absence.

"Where are you going?" Eve worriedly asked as Brady started to leave their hotel room. "To see Paul -- the last brother I have left," Brady replied from the hallway. Eve flinched as Brady slammed the door shut.

J.J. passed by the Brady Pub just as Jennifer was exiting it. He immediately realized that something was bothering her. Nodding, she sadly provided him with a few basic details about what had happened earlier.

"I know you, [so I know that] if you lied to Eric, you probably had a good reason," J.J. guessed at the end of Jennifer's tale. "I had a reason, all right...[but] it was a terrible reason," Jennifer vaguely clarified. J.J. predicted that, in any case, Eric would eventually forgive Jennifer, since Eric was a forgiving person. "Not this time. I don't even know if he could," Jennifer quietly admitted.

Jennifer started to say goodbye to J.J., eager to continue searching for Eric. J.J. thought it might be best for Jennifer to give Eric some time to cool down first, but Jennifer doubted that Eric would cool down anytime soon. "And he shouldn't have to go through what I put him through [on his own]," Jennifer added. Nodding, J.J. offered Jennifer a few words of encouragement then walked away.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie wondered why Eric suddenly wanted to talk to Nicole again, months after having moved on with Jennifer. "Because everything that I believed about why [Nicole] left Salem turned out to be a lie. [See], she was forced to leave -- by the man I once called my brother," Eric explained, scowling. Maggie assumed that Eric was talking about Brady and had no desire to get into the details of the matter. "I haven't heard a word from Nicole, [and] I have no idea where she is," Maggie apologetically informed Eric. Sighing, Eric apologized for having bothered Maggie then rushed off.

J.J. arranged a meeting with Gabi in the Horton Town Square. "I wanted to talk to you about Abigail," J.J. explained when Gabi arrived. "She told me that you two talked...and she also admitted to me that you, uh -- that you still resent her for what she did when she wasn't in her right mind," J.J. continued. "Well, J.J., she did get on the stand [and tell] everybody that I killed Andre, and I got sent to prison for that. I mean, is that something I should just let go?" Gabi asked with a hint of bitterness. "No...[but] I was just hoping that maybe now that you've told her how you feel, [you two] could work things out [and] try to be friends again. [I mean, I know] that my sister would like that. How 'bout you?" J.J. replied. Gabi forced a smile and assured J.J. that the resentment was already gone, and the friendship was already back on track.

Jennifer arranged a meeting with Eric in the park. "I saw Brady...[and] for you to go after him like that --" Jennifer began when Eric arrived. "He had it coming," Eric insisted, still wearing a scowl. "I'm not saying [this] to judge you," Jennifer quickly clarified. "[I'm just saying that made it clear] what this has done to you, [so] I've been looking for you ever since [because I was worried]," Jennifer continued.

Jennifer was saddened but not particularly surprised to hear that Eric had already gone to the Kiriakis mansion to see if Maggie knew how to reach Nicole. "Now that you know the truth, you want [Nicole] back again. It's over between us, isn't it?" Jennifer guessed. "You don't have to explain [anything] to me. I can see [that] you never stopped loving [her]," Jennifer added as Eric tried to respond.

"That's why I was afraid to tell you the truth -- because I knew [that] once you found out, you would want to find Nicole. [I mean], why wouldn't you?" Jennifer continued. "I want you to be happy. And I know that you would never ask me to do this...so I'm gonna do it myself," Jennifer concluded. Eric watched silently as Jennifer sadly removed her engagement ring and offered it to him.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie dialed a phone number. "It's me. Um...Eric was just here... You and I -- we have to talk..." Maggie began when Nicole answered the call.

Alone at the Horton house, Abigail contacted Chad and apologized again for having ruined the planned picnic. Gabi lurked outside, spying on Abigail through a window. Gabi flashed a wicked smile as Abigail sipped a drink.

Chad, who was at Doug's Place, still seemed concerned -- and perhaps also a bit annoyed -- about the picnic fiasco but told Abigail that it wasn't a big deal. Kate entered the club as Chad was ending the call. Chad told Kate about the failed picnic and curiously noted that it was weird that Abigail had missed the event in favor of a nap, of all things. Kate innocently agreed that it didn't make any sense.

Chad was quick to acknowledge that Abigail had apologized profusely for the slight. "[And she says] she's been...'tired'...lately..." Chad added with a dismissive shrug. "Well, I mean, that goes along with being pregnant, you know...[and] how far along is she now -- what, five...[or maybe] six...months?" Kate began to reply. "Sorry -- that's a sore subject," Kate concluded when Chad started squirming. "It's fine. Everything's -- everything's great," Chad claimed, forcing a smile. Unconvinced, Kate tried to assure Chad that everything would work out in the end. "Well, if you say it, then it must be true," Chad skeptically replied.

Gabi waited until Abigail was passed out on the couch then sneaked into the Horton house and joined Abigail in the living room. Gabi found Abigail's cell phone and pressed Abigail's right thumb against the fingerprint scanner to unlock the device. With another wicked grin, Gabi began composing a text message to send to Stefan from Abigail's cell phone. While waiting for a response from Stefan, Gabi received a text message from Kate.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan wondered if Sami had broken out of jail -- perhaps with the help of a shiv that had been fashioned from a bar of soap. Chuckling, she clarified that she had simply made bail. "[And then you] came here -- to the Chez DiMera. Obvious question: why?" he asked. "Obvious answer: I'm looking for [your sister]," she replied, adding that it was quite literally a matter of life and death.

Stefan claimed to have no idea where Kristen was, but Sami thought that was a lie. "DiMeras are the best liars, [you know]. It must be in the DNA," Sami mused. "From what I've heard, you're a pretty prolific liar yourself," Stefan countered. Sami was quite flattered but insisted, "I'm not up to DiMera standards; I'm just a gifted amateur."

Nodding, Stefan maintained that, in any case, the claim about Kristen wasn't a lie. "If you need proof, just ask the police. They searched the entire property and found nothing," Stefan added. Chuckling, Sami dismissively countered, "Do you know how many times the Salem P.D. has searched this place and come up empty-handed? A lot." Sami looked around the living room and wistfully added, "Memories..."

"[Look], you haven't been a part of this family very long, but I've known them for a very long time, and things are very often not as they seem [when DiMeras are involved]. Take your father, for example -- even with matters of life and death, [he always had his own set of rules]. He came back from the dead more times than I can remember. [And then there was the time that] I identified my son's body in the morgue. He was declared dead, and I know it was him...but now he is back; he is alive. Kristen says that E.J. is alive, too," Sami continued.

"Stefan, E.J. is the love of my life. We have two children together. I am not going to stop until I find him, and Kristen is the only one who can help me do that," Sami stressed. "I'm not here to mess with you. [The police] don't have to know that you helped me; no one has to know. [And] if you want me to beg, I will beg. This is me begging -- if you have Kristen here somewhere, please...let me talk to her," Sami concluded. Unmoved, Stefan coolly maintained that Kristen hadn't visited the DiMera mansion at any point since returning to Salem. Sami still wasn't convinced.

On a hunch, Sami rushed toward the nearest entrance to the secret tunnels, but Stefan easily caught up with her. He picked her up and carried her outside then slammed the front door in her face, ignoring her protests.

A few minutes later, Stefan exited the mansion in a hurry, having just seen the text message that Gabi had sent from Abigail's cell phone earlier that night. Sami, who had never actually left the property, waited until the coast was clear then emerged from a hiding place and reentered the mansion, using an old key. "Should've changed the locks," Sami mused with a shake of the head, almost sounding disappointed that Stefan had been so careless. Sami rushed back into the living room and started to open the false panel that led to the secret tunnels -- just as Harold was passing through the halls.

"Mrs. DiMera?" Harold called out, stunned. "Harold! Hi! Oh, it's so nice to see you!" Sami declared with a nervous laugh. "It's been a long time. How are the children?" Harold asked curiously. "Oh, growing -- fast. You wouldn't even recognize them," Sami reported. Nodding, Harold changed the subject, wondering what Sami was doing near the entrance to the secret tunnels. "Are those still there?" Sami innocently replied. Forging ahead, Sami claimed to be waiting to meet Stefan for the first time. Nodding again, Harold started to send a text message to Stefan to announce Sami's arrival.

"Okay, you caught me -- [I'm actually] looking for E.J.," Sami admitted. "[See], Kristen said that he's alive, and I believe her, and I'm not gonna rest until I find him," Sami elaborated. "I miss him, too, but..." Harold skeptically began. "[Well, you also] missed Will, and now he's back...[which is why] I can't give up on E.J. [And] I'm not just doing [this] for me; I'm doing it for Johnny [and] Sydney, [too]. I just want to find E.J. so that we can all be together -- be a family -- again. [And] if I do that, you know he'll come home...and maybe kick Stefan out of this house -- once and for all," Sami continued.

"An attractive thought..." Harold conceded. After a moment of consideration, Harold walked away, leaving Sami free to search the secret tunnels.

Gabi entered Doug's Place and approached Kate's table. "I got your text. What's up?" Gabi asked while claiming a seat. "[I just talked to Chad]. I assume you're responsible for Abigail turning into Sleeping Beauty," Kate replied. Gabi admitted that Kate was right. "[Look], I know that you're not crazy about what I'm doing..." Gabi started to add. "You're drugging a pregnant lady," Kate dryly stressed.

"What I'm using is not gonna hurt the baby. I checked," Gabi dismissively clarified. "[And] if my plan works, Chad is gonna have his baby, and Stefan is gonna be so devastated that he's gonna probably leave town. [So], come on, Kate -- I mean, are you still on board, or what?" Gabi added. "As long as Chad and the baby aren't hurt. But don't think that you can push me around. I will be watching you very, very carefully," Kate replied.

Abigail was still asleep when Stefan arrived at the Horton house. When he started knocking on the front door, she awoke and groggily stepped into the foyer. She was surprised to see that he was her visitor.

"You texted me [and] said you needed to see me," Stefan reminded Abigail. She insisted that wasn't true, but he showed her the text message on his cell phone to prove that it was, and a quick check of her cell phone confirmed that the text message truly had originated from that device. Confused, she wondered what was going on. He gently and somewhat optimistically suggested that she might not be the person who wanted to see him. Realizing the implication, she scoffed and shot down his theory, claiming that she had meant to send the text message to her brother, whose name was also filed under the letter D in her contact list.

"[See], Thomas' tricycle was broken, and [Thomas] was crying, [so] I wanted J.J. to come fix it, [and] now I know why [my brother never showed up]," Abigail quickly elaborated. Stefan was willing to take a look at the tricycle, but Abigail refused the offer. "Go. Now," Abigail demanded. Stefan gave Abigail a suspicious look then sighed and reluctantly exited the house.

As soon as the coast was clear, Abigail sent J.J. the same urgent text message: "Please come over! I really need you!"

At the DiMera mansion, Sami continued searching the secret tunnels. Stefan soon returned home and greeted Harold. "Anything happen while I was gone?" Stefan asked. "No, sir -- it's been very quiet," Harold replied. "Yeah..." Stefan agreed with a hint of skepticism. Meanwhile, Sami arrived at one of the secret rooms and took a peek inside. "Damn it!" Sami grumbled, finding the room unoccupied.

The heavy door swung shut behind Sami, seemingly on its own. "Talk about your bad memories..." she mused while starting to reopen it. "Oh, come on!" she grumbled, suddenly remembering that the door couldn't be opened from the inside. "Again?" she added with a groan while desperately tugging on the door.

J.J. entered the Horton house and joined Abigail in the living room. "What's wrong?" he asked as she seized a hug from him. Fighting back tears, she worriedly explained, "My alter Gabby -- I think she's back!"

Kristen finds Marlena

Friday, September 28, 2018

by Spalding

At the loft, Tripp stopped Ciara as she rolled a suitcase through the living room. Ciara explained that the items belonged to Ben. "I am an idiot, and I'm so sorry it took me so long to understand the truth about Ben," Ciara said. Tripp reminded Ciara that Ben's behavior was not her fault. Ciara apologized for forcing Tripp and Claire to let Ben move in. As Ciara talked about Ben, the fire alarm went off in the kitchen. Ciara rushed over to the toaster while Tripp turned off the kitchen alarm. Shaken, Ciara grabbed the toaster and went to throw it away. Tripp stopped her and held her hands in his. Ciara was shaking.

"I kind of flashed to waking up in those flames and the heat and the smoke," Ciara said. Tripp assured Ciara that she was safe. With a nod, Ciara said she believed him. The oven buzzer went off, and Ciara eagerly took her quiche out of the oven. "It's nice to see you smile again," Tripp said. Ciara said she was happy to share her life with Tripp. Tripp countered that Ciara could talk to him about anything.

"Of course, I went all in [in trusting] a serial killer. What is wrong with me? Why would I do that?" Ciara asked. "Maybe because I hurt you?" Tripp asked. Ciara insisted that she had pushed Tripp away first. Ciara added that she had never picked Ben over Tripp. Tripp reminded Ciara that Ben had fooled many people, including Abigail. Tripp lamented that he had not been more understanding with Ciara, but Ciara told Tripp he had been patient with her.

"Nobody can be tough all the time," Tripp said. Tripp added that Ciara had never needed Ben to save her. "You are brave, and you are strong as hell," Tripp said. "But the way I feel for you, if you would have given up on me for any reason, it would have broken my heart," Ciara countered. "I couldn't give up on you, and I never will," Tripp said. Ciara told Tripp that the only thing she had felt for Ben was gratitude. Ciara passionately kissed her boyfriend.

"I pushed you away to protect myself. All part of wanting to be tough so I couldn't get hurt, so I couldn't get my heart broken," Ciara said. "After Chase, I was afraid of falling for anyone ever again. I'm not anymore. Because of you. I trust you, and that is an amazing feeling," Ciara said. Tripp smiled at Ciara. "Will you take me to your room?" Ciara asked.

At the police station, Rafe called Shawn to ask about the accelerant evidence. Hope overheard Rafe on the phone. "Tell Hope what?" Hope asked. Rafe said he had been talking to Shawn about a case. Suspicious, Hope reminded Rafe that Shawn did not work for the Salem Police Department. Rafe lied and said it was a case he had forgotten to tell Hope about. Hope pushed Rafe to tell her about the case. Rafe admitted the case was about Ben. Rafe said he wanted to get ahead of Ben's defense attorney.

"This case is solid. The evidence speaks for itself," Hope argued. Rafe said he wanted to make sure. Hope asked Rafe if he still believed she had planted the evidence. Rafe stressed that he wanted to protect Hope. Hope was adamant that she had not planted the evidence. Rafe countered that someone else could have planted the evidence and that it would boomerang against them.

"I swear on my life, I did not plant that evidence," Hope said. "I believe you," Rafe whispered. Rafe apologized for doubting Hope. "We're cops. That's what we do," Hope joked. Rafe asked Hope to join him for breakfast on the condition that they not discuss work. Hope eagerly agreed. As the duo turned to leave, Rafe's phone rang with a call from Shawn. Shawn told Rafe that the evidence appeared to have been planted.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan delivered a plate of food to Kristen's room in the tunnels. Stefan was shocked to find Sami sitting on the bed instead. "You were expecting someone else?" Sami asked. Stefan told Sami to get out of his house. Sami asked about the breakfast. Stefan threatened to call the police, but Sami countered that she would rat Stefan out for harboring a fugitive.

"[Kristen] was the one who locked me in last night," Sami said with a shrug. Stefan said he would not have delivered breakfast to Kristen if he'd known she was gone. With her suspicions about Stefan confirmed, a panicked Sami ran out in search of her family and Kristen.

In Marlena's hidden hospital room, John set photos of their family on the table at the foot of Marlena's bed. John talked about how excited everyone was about Marlena's recovery. "And I look at you, and you are so far away, and all I feel is my heart breaking," John said. John promised to do whatever it took to give Marlena enough time to recover. "I just hope I'm not making a terrible mistake," John whispered. Roman walked in.

"Kayla took the specialist in to see Paul," Roman said. John thanked Roman for the good news. John asked Roman if he had done the right thing ignoring Marlena's wishes on her advance directive. "I can't imagine that she would wish for me to do what I'm about to do," John said sadly. John explained that Hattie had blackmailed him into marrying her as an insurance policy.

"I got a plan. Marry her," Roman said. Roman explained that the wedding would not be legal because Hattie's name would not be on the wedding license. John sighed in relief. "Even with a way out of this, having a woman other than Doc put this [ring] on my finger, saying vows to Hattie... damn it, I feel like I'm betraying Doc," John said. Roman told John that Marlena would understand that John had acted out of love.

Across the hospital, Hattie hummed the wedding march as she looked over the wedding license. Kristen appeared in the doorway. "What do you want?" Hattie asked as Kristen closed the door. Hattie reached for the call button. Kristen leveled a gun at Hattie and told her that she was there to finish the job that Sami had started. Hattie pleaded for her life and explained that she was Hattie Adams.

"Marlena did not make a miraculous recovery when they pulled the plug on her," Hattie said. Hattie told Kristen that the real Marlena was still in a coma. "Roman Brady broke me out of Statesville, then he and John Black brought me here and made up this whole story," Hattie said. Kristen complained that the story sounded pathetic. Hattie agreed. Hattie added that the real Marlena would have stood up to Kristen.

"If you're not her, where is she?" Kristen asked. Hattie confessed that she believed Marlena was hidden in the hospital. With a satisfied smile, Kristen told Hattie it was her lucky day. Kristen added that Hattie would be dead if Hattie told anyone about her visit.

At the Brady Pub, Belle asked Abe if he was available to marry John and Marlena. Abe agreed, but he asked about the timing of the wedding. Curious, Abe wondered aloud why Marlena had changed her mind from a big wedding to a small affair in a hospital room. With a shrug, Belle suggested that Marlena would want a bigger ceremony later. Abe told Belle that she was a great daughter. "I'll feel even better if you say yes," Belle said with an eyebrow waggle. Abe agreed to officiate.

John entered Hattie's room at the hospital and saw her hiding under the covers. Hattie lied and said she was excited to get on with the wedding. John offered to postpone, but Hattie said she was ready. Hattie handed the marriage license to John and asked him to sign it. John said it was not necessary to sign the license because he already had one. With a shake of her head, Hattie said she was insulted that John had thought he could put one over on her. Reluctantly, John took the pen and signed Hattie's new marriage license.

"You should be grateful that I didn't ask for a prenup," Hattie said. John raised an eyebrow in annoyance. Belle returned with Abe. Abe offered to get Val, and Hattie was confused. John reminded Hattie that Val was her friend Valerie. Hattie made a joke about Belle wanting to pull her plug. "At least I know you love me, unlike some daughters," Hattie added. With a slight groan, John put the rings on the table.

"This just doesn't feel right. Don't you think the rest of the family should be here?" John asked. Belle noted that everyone was busy. John asked about Sami, but Hattie objected. "Although I have completely forgiven her for apparently accidentally trying to kill me, I just don't want to take a chance on jinxing things," Hattie said. John hesitantly walked to Hattie's side as Abe started the ceremony. Hattie urged Abe to jump to the "I do" part because she was anxious to be married. Sami walked in.

"Ah! Don't shoot!" Hattie yelled. Surprised, Sami said she did not want to shoot anyone. Sami explained that she wanted to make sure that Kristen was not there to hurt anyone. Confused, Sami asked what was happening. Belle chirped that John and Marlena were getting married. Sami muttered that she was used to being excluded. As Sami turned to leave, John begged Sami not to look for Kristen. Sami was adamant that she needed to find the woman that had "shot my mother."

"You mean you?" Hattie quipped. With her mouth hanging open, Sami walked out. Hattie urged Abe to continue with the vows as she hurriedly threw on her veil. Abe pronounced "Marlena" and John, husband and wife. As Hattie clapped, John closed his eyes and sighed.

Sami returned to the DiMera mansion and demanded that Stefan tell her everything that Kristen had told him about E.J. At the hospital, Roman sat next to Marlena and told her not to worry about the wedding to Hattie. "The wedding will be null and void from the start," Roman said quietly. Roman's phone beeped with a message from Paul's specialist. Roman promised to check back soon. After Roman left, Kristen crept into the room.

"I have been looking all over for you," Kristen said. Marlena's eyes flew open.