Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of February 11, 2019 on DAYS

Jack confided to Eve about J.J.'s problem. Brady worried about Chloe's move. Sonny and Will spent the night together. Sarah and Eric ate dinner together on Valentine's Day. Jordan framed Ben, and he escaped custody in time to save Ciara from a fire. Ted kissed Hope. Jordan attacked Ben.

Jordan urges Ben to return to Bayview

Monday, February 11, 2019

by Mike

Haley's kiss with J.J. ended almost as abruptly as it had started.

J.J. apologized while backing away from Haley, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable. "You're just trying to help me, and I, uh...I took advantage," he said to her once they were on opposite sides of his apartment. "Maybe you didn't notice, but...I kind of kissed you back," she told him before walking over to the refrigerator, seemingly aware that their moment had passed.

Haley fetched a bottle of water and handed it to J.J. then began probing for more information about Charlotte's disappearance. J.J. told Haley that Ben Weston -- the Necktie Killer -- seemed to be the most likely suspect. While on the subject of family, Haley revealed that Trask had stopped by earlier -- and had been horrified to learn that Haley had decided to confide in J.J. about being an undocumented immigrant. "[But I] explained to her that you swore you'd never tell anybody...[and that] I trust you, J.J. -- 100%," Haley stressed. "Haley, you should know that, uh --" J.J. began to admit, feeling guilty. Just then, Haley noticed the time and rushed off to work.

At the Salem Inn, Eve pressed Jack for more details about J.J.'s friend's "immigration problem." Jack was reluctant to elaborate, but Eve persisted, arguing that Jack, like J.J., clearly needed to confide in someone about the matter. "Trust me. Come on. Let me be here for you. Come on," Eve urged Jack. "Eve, I know you want to help...but J.J.'s friend is so afraid, and he is all about keeping her safe right now," Jack replied.

"Is J.J. involved with her?" Eve asked curiously. "Not romantically," Jack answered. "They're friends," Jack began to clarify. "She's the girl that he was with [on] New Year's Eve," Jack suddenly blurted out. "That pretty Asian girl?" Eve recalled. "She's staying with him right now," Jack continued. "Let me guess -- she didn't have any place to go, [so] J.J. and that big heart of his gave her a place to land," Eve said with a groan.

"That...sounds about right..." Jack confirmed with a hint of surprise. "I don't like it," Eve dramatically declared, groaning again. "I mean, maybe... For all we know, she could have an ulterior motive here," Eve suggested. "Your son is a good guy [who's] from a great family here [in Salem] -- a very substantial family -- [and] he has a great job. If he puts a ring on that girl's finger, her problems go away," Eve continued.

"They're just friends, Eve," Jack reiterated. "So were Abigail and Dario once," Eve countered, confusing Jack. "Dario Hernandez was in this country illegally, [and] he was so desperate to avoid deportation [that] he convinced his 'good friend' Abigail to marry him. She obliged...[then] nearly got herself killed [after Dario] double-crossed his business partner," Eve clarified, horrifying Jack. "You weren't there to protect your daughter, [but] you're here now, and you can protect [your son]. Immigration [is] a big issue, [and if] you do nothing and this girl gets caught, J.J. could be made an example of [for] harboring her," Eve concluded with a shrug.

"I want to help my son...but J.J.'s a grown man. I am not going to interfere in whatever decisions he makes. [I mean], I tried to help Abigail [and] only made everything worse. I am steering clear of this," Jack insisted. "[Besides], it's not like I can just make that girl disappear from [J.J.'s] life," Jack added. "Maybe you can. [And] J.J. never has to know. You make one quick phone call, and the whole problem goes away," Eve countered.

Kate went to the Horton house to check on Chad and Abigail, having heard about Charlotte's disappearance. Abigail wasn't particularly happy to see Kate -- and guessed that the unexpected visit was basically just another one of Kate's attempts to make amends with Chad. "I know how devastating it is --" Kate began, ignoring Abigail's accusation. Abigail interrupted Kate with a scoff of outrage. "No, you don't!" Abigail insisted.

"Actually, I do," Kate calmly maintained. "Billie and Austin were taken from me by my first husband, and he let me believe that they were dead, so...for years, I grieved them," Kate explained, fighting back tears.

"So, I do understand; I know how devastating it is," Kate repeated. "You feel like your whole world has just been pulled right out from underneath you," Kate continued, drawing a nod of agreement from Abigail. "But you got them back, Kate. Your world is fine," Abigail tearfully noted. "What am I supposed to do if [Charlotte] never comes back? How am I supposed to move forward with my life?" Abigail wondered.

Kate started to respond, but Chad entered the foyer just then, and Abigail took that as a perfect opportunity to end the conversation. "She's upset," Chad apologetically explained to Kate after Abigail retreated to another room. "I don't blame her," Kate assured Chad before changing the subject, asking for a summary of the events that had led to Charlotte's disappearance. "[Abigail] said that she, uh...she went to put Charlotte and Thomas down for bed, and then Jordan came by --" Chad began. "Jordan Ridgeway?" Kate asked incredulously. "Yeah," Chad confirmed. "Do you think Jordan did it? I mean, she's a lot of things, but I don't think she's a psychopath like her brother," Kate mused. Chad shrugged in response. "[Ben's] at the top of my list," Chad added.

Abigail soon returned, and Kate took that as a cue to leave. "I owe you an apology. [I mean], you came here out of genuine concern, and...I don't forgive you, and I'm not gonna forget what you've done, but...it wasn't fair of me to attack you the way I did, so...I'm sorry," Abigail said to Kate. "Your child is missing. You're entitled," Kate empathetically replied. "I'm here for you," Kate added before exiting the house.

At the police station, Ted overheard Hope's end of a phone conversation with Rafe -- one that didn't last very long, thanks to poor reception on Rafe's end. "Apparently, Rafe is sitting on a runway in Iceland. The plane had mechanical issues. That's all I could make out," Hope told Ted with a sigh of frustration after the call got dropped. "You must be glad [he's] coming home," Ted guessed. "Yes, I am," Hope confirmed. "I know Johnny needed him..." Hope began to add. "[But] you need Rafe, too," Ted concluded for Hope. "Yes, I do," Hope admitted. "Perhaps a friend can fill in until he returns?" Ted offered. "I appreciate your support, Ted," Hope replied.

Just then, Eli joined Hope and Ted in the conference room. "Lani's at the airport now, reviewing license plate images from every car that left the garage during the time in question --" Eli began to report. "Weston doesn't own a car, so he had to have rented one. [Tell Lani to] check all the car rental companies," Hope requested. Eli nodded in response. "In the meantime, I'm gonna connect with the FBI and find out if I can reach Jordan Ridgeway," Eli continued reporting. Hope was surprised to hear that Jordan was back in town and had expressed concerns about Ben's state of mind. Excited about the new lead, Hope encouraged Eli to make finding Jordan a priority.

Ben was surprised to see Jordan in his motel room. "I heard you were in town," he said as she seized a hug from him. "I'm happy to see you...but you got some serious explaining to do, sis," he added, pulling away from her. "What do you mean?" she asked innocently. "I'm sure you've heard that I've been accused of kidnapping Ciara Brady...[and] if that isn't enough, now the cops are after me because they think I took Chad and Abigail's baby Charlotte -- thanks to you," he clarified. "Why would you put that idea in Abigail's head? [I mean], I thought we had each other's backs. Why would you throw your own brother under the bus?" he asked.

"I didn't throw you under the bus; I just [voiced] some concerns," Jordan told Ben. "If you were concerned, why didn't you come to me first?" he wondered. "Well...I'm here now, and I want to help," she evasively stressed. "I don't think I need any more of the kind of 'help' you're offering," he insisted. "I want to believe that -- I really do -- but..." she began. "But...?" he repeated expectantly. "Do you really think it was the best idea, after you were released from the hospital, to come back here, with all those memories, and the ghosts, and all those people that hate you?" she continued. "Thank you for reminding me," he bitterly replied.

"All I'm saying is that I think coming back here has caused you to regress," Jordan clarified for Ben. "No, I haven't 'regressed,'" he dismissively insisted. "I haven't done anything wrong, Jordan! I haven't done any of the things that I'm being accused of doing!" he added, raising his voice to stress his point. "Then who did?" she skeptically countered. "I don't know who took Charlotte -- or Ciara. I just know it wasn't me," he maintained.

"You're awfully upset," Jordan observed. "Because the woman in my life is missing. Because I'm being accused of crimes I didn't commit. Because my own sister doubts me," Ben explained. "Okay. Why don't we go talk to Dr. Evans?" Jordan suggested. "Not a chance in hell. [See], the whole 'doctor-patient confidentiality' thing -- [Dr. Evans] blew that up. She told Ciara's mother that I missed a couple doses of my medication," Ben replied.

"You're off your meds?" Jordan asked Ben dramatically. "I'm back on them [now]. Never gonna happen again," he clarified. "Okay, Ben, I understand how dedicated you are to the idea of being healthy --" she skeptically began. "No, I am healthy again, and I didn't do anything wrong," he maintained. "Or...maybe you don't remember. [I mean], if you've been off your meds, can you be 100% sure?" she argued.

"Why are you doing this? Why don't you believe me?" Ben asked Jordan. "There is nothing I want more than to believe you, okay? I've always taken care of you, and I always will. [But] I think the best thing that you could do right now is to check yourself back into Bayview -- [you know], to make sure that you're well. And you'll be safe there," she replied. "I'll be safe? Or everyone else will be safe from me? Is that what you mean? Well, you can forget it, Jordan, because there isn't a chance in hell I'll ever go back to that place. [I mean], volunteer for a padded cell? I can't believe you just suggested that!" he incredulously countered.

Jordan changed the subject, asking Ben to recap the series of events that had led to Ciara's trip to South Africa and subsequent disappearance. "You knew Ciara was in South Africa?" Ben asked curiously. "Abigail told me," Jordan claimed. Ben nodded then proceeded to tell Jordan about the fight with Ciara that had started the whole ordeal. "Somebody is setting me up," Ben insisted at the end of the tale. "You do have a lot of enemies in this town, [so] I guess it is possible that someone could be framing you..." Jordan innocently conceded. "No, they are framing me...and when I find them --" Ben angrily began to stress before stopping abruptly. "[Actually], all I care about is finding Ciara. I promised her I would," Ben added after calming down.

"Wait -- you saw Ciara? You spoke to her?" Jordan asked, stunned. "No, it's not like she was here..." Ben began to explain. "What does that mean? You hallucinated her?" Jordan assumed. "No, I...just imagined her," Ben hesitantly clarified. "You 'imagined' her?" Jordan incredulously repeated. "Don't make it sound like something like that!" Ben defensively replied. "We just got very close, you know? I...we just get each other, [and] I feel like she was reaching out to me [for help], and I told her I would," Ben explained.

"Look, I know you thought you did the right thing, going to see Abigail... I mean, hell, you haven't seen me in...what, over a year? You had every right to think that maybe I...cracked up again. But now...you came here, [and] you see that I'm in a good place. I'm not trying to hurt anyone -- least of all Ciara and Charlotte," Ben assured Jordan. "There's nothing more that I want than to believe you...but all I have is your word, and in the past, you have been really good at telling people what they want to hear," Jordan countered. "I'm gonna find Ciara -- and Charlotte, too. I'm gonna prove to you -- I'm gonna prove to this whole damn town -- that I'm innocent...and sane," Ben vowed. Jordan nodded skeptically then rushed off.

At the Horton house, Chad and Abigail did a television interview to plead for Charlotte's safe return.

Jordan did some shopping in the Horton Town Square then contacted Eli, who had called while Jordan had been with Ben earlier.

"Thanks for calling me back. I have a few questions I wanted to ask you about your brother. [For starters], Abigail told me that you warned her about Ben, [so does that mean] you think he kidnapped Charlotte?" Eli asked. "Well, uh...I know my brother, and [I know] how he thinks, and when he was released from the psych ward, you know, he could have gone anywhere, but he came back to Salem -- to Abigail," Jordan replied.

"But do you have any proof that links Ben to Charlotte?" Eli wondered. "No...but I see the pattern -- first, he kidnapped Thomas, and now it's Charlotte," Jordan reasoned.

"I need more than just a theory," Eli stressed, getting a bit frustrated. "I just saw Ben, and he was really upset and agitated, like he was hiding something. [And] I was asking him to get committed voluntarily -- you know, get himself checked out -- and he swears that he's sane, [but when] I asked about Ciara, [he] got really upset [and] said something really strange -- [that] he talked to her last night. [And] I don't know if he meant [it] literally or not, but I asked him if maybe it was a hallucination, [and] he swore that it wasn't, [so] you can see why I'm concerned," Jordan revealed, relieving Eli's frustration at once.

Jordan bumped into Kate while passing through the park a short time later -- and dropped a shopping bag in the process. "Well...what do we have here?" Kate asked curiously, eyeing the spilled items.

Ben dialed Ciara's cell phone number again, hoping for a different result than he had gotten on each of his previous attempts -- and was stunned when a phone started ringing somewhere in his motel room at that exact moment, in unison with his own phone. He followed the ringing to his dresser and found a cell phone hidden in one of the drawers -- just as the police began knocking on his motel room door.

Hope and Eli have some questions for Ben

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

by Spalding

At Doug's Place, Brady informed Chloe that he had hired a security team to watch Chloe and her family. Chloe declined. Brady urged Chloe to accept that she needed protection. "I know we do. We're moving in with Stefan DiMera," Chloe explained. In disbelief, Brady asked how that had happened. Chloe noted that Stefan had offered, and she was low on options.

"Under the circumstances, I think I made the best choice I could," Chloe said. Brady argued that he did not trust Stefan. "He has an ulterior motive," Brady said. When Chloe argued that there was no ulterior motive, Brady reminded Chloe that Stefan tended to obsess over women. Brady added that Stefan was lonely.

"You are the void that he wants to fill his life with," Brady warned Chloe. "He saved my life and saw how scared I was, and he made a nice gesture," Chloe said. Brady argued that Stefan was his business opponent and that Stefan was using Chloe to get to him. Brady promised to make Victor change his mind about Chloe moving into the Kiriakis mansion.

"No, Brady. I don't want to live with you!" Chloe countered. With a sigh, Chloe said she was defensive because she was upset. "I'm so glad that we've become friends again. In fact, you're my best friend in the world right now," Chloe started. Brady agreed.

"Recently, we had a moment, and it got me thinking. I've been down this road before with Lucas," Chloe said. Chloe said her breakup had reminded her that she needed to prioritize her kids in her life before she started another relationship. Chloe said she wanted to prevent both her and Brady from future heartbreak. Chloe reasoned that if they lived together, it would only be a matter of time before they got involved again.

"I want to be friends for life. I can't lose you!" Chloe pleaded. Brady agreed. "I need to protect you and your kids," Brady added. When Chloe argued that Stefan's security was great, Brady clarified that he meant from Stefan.

In the DiMera mansion, Gabi sauntered into the living room and asked Stefan for his signature on a contract for Gabi Chic. Stefan said he did not care. Gabi reminded Stefan that her brand was valuable to DiMera Enterprises. "I don't think that is what the company needs at all," Stefan said dismissively. Gabi asked Stefan if he was on pain medication. Stefan raised an eyebrow at Gabi.

"Too bad that guy didn't hit you where he could do real damage," Gabi lamented. "Wishing me dead, that's a little rough," Stefan said with a chuckle. Gabi said she had danced when she had heard the news the Stefan had been shot. Stefan noted that the shooters were from Mexico. With a smirk, Stefan asked Gabi if she had hired the men. Gabi assured Stefan that if she had hired the men, Stefan would be dead.

"You think you're a real badass, yet here you are, asking me to sign a piece of paper," Stefan said. Gabi argued that she did not want to bother Chad but that she would talk to Chad if Stefan refused to sign the paper. Stefan reminded Gabi that Chad did not care about Gabi Chic, either. Gabi countered that she was looking out for the company. When Gabi argued that she did not want to put undue pressure on Chad, she urged Stefan to reconsider. Stefan argued that Gabi did not care about Charlotte, because if she had, she would not have doctored the paternity results.

"I was never going to sit on that secret forever. Just long enough to ruin your life like you had ruined mine," Gabi said. Stefan countered that Gabi had successfully ruined his life when she had made him fall in love with Charlotte. Stefan accused Gabi of not caring about Charlotte or her disappearance.

"You seem to get off on making Abigail suffer. Her pain appears to be your only joy in your life in this moment," Stefan grumbled. Gabi countered that Stefan felt the same way about Chad. Gabi argued that Stefan was lying about his concern for Charlotte. Gabi suggested the Stefan wanted to use the situation to pitch himself to Mr. Shin as the sole CEO.

"How can he fulfill his CEO duties when he is such a wreck?" Gabi said mockingly. Stefan glared at Gabi. With a flip of her hair, Gabi walked out. Stefan craned his neck to watch Gabi walk away.

In the park, Kate ran into Jordan, and she knocked the grocery bag out of Jordan's arms onto the ground. "What do we have here?" Kate asked as she looked at the items on the ground. Jordan shoved the items back in the bag. "Isn't this for babies?" Kate asked as she grabbed a box of diaper rash cream from the items. Jordan lied and said that diaper rash cream was also useful for cuts and scrapes. Jordan started to walk away, but Kate stepped in front of her.

"Where are you headed with all that stuff?" Kate asked. Suspicious, Kate asked Jordan if the items were for Ben. When Jordan said the items were for her own use, Kate responded that she did not believe Jordan. Jordan argued that Kate had always been suspicious of her motives. With a nod yes, Kate asked if Jordan knew anything about Charlotte's disappearance.

"Why are you coming after me like this?" Jordan asked defensively. Kate said it was curious that Jordan had returned to town at that moment. Jordan asked Kate if she was free to leave. Kate demanded to see the scrape on Jordan's arm that Jordan had said required the diaper cream. Jordan attempted to walked past Kate, but Kate stopped her again.

"You are Ben's accomplice in kidnapping that baby," Kate accused Jordan. With an exasperated sigh, Jordan countered that she would not have told Abigail about Ben if she were involved in the kidnapping. Kate ordered Jordan to tell the truth or else she would call the police. Jordan begged Kate to leave her alone, but Kate whipped out her phone and started to dial. Jordan injected Kate in the neck with a needle, and Kate slumped into Jordan's arms.

"I told you not to make that call," Jordan said to Kate. With Kate barely on her feet, Jordan put Kate's arm around her neck to support Kate's dead weight. Jordan shuffled through the square, supporting the weight of a limp Kate. Gabi spotted them.

"Jordan? What's going on?" Gabi asked. Jordan lied and said Kate was drunk. Gabi asked Jordan if she needed help getting Kate home, but Jordan declined. Gabi raised a suspicious eyebrow as Jordan stumbled off with Kate.

In Ben's motel room, he called Ciara's phone. Ben was alarmed to hear Ciara's phone ringing in his room. Ben rushed over to his dresser and fished out the phone. "What the hell?" Ben wondered aloud. Hope knocked on the door. "Police! Open up!" Hope yelled. Ben hurriedly hid the phone in his pocket, and then he opened the door to admit Hope.

"We're not done, and we won't be until we find Ciara," Hope said. "I don't know where Ciara is!" Ben yelled. Ben stressed that he would help find Ciara. Eli ordered Ben to calm down and answer Hope's questions. Ben said he had not seen Ciara since she had returned to town.

"Then why did your sister tell us you have?" Hope asked. Eli told Ben that Jordan had said that she was concerned about Ben's emotional state. "She said that I saw Ciara? Because that's not what I told her," Ben said. Ben explained that he had felt a connection to Ciara and had talked to a vision of her. Hope asked Ben if he had hallucinated his vision of Ciara reaching out to him. With a shake of his head, Ben argued that he had a genuine connection to Ciara. Hope reminded Ben that the last time he had gone off his medication, he had had no memory of whether he had set the fire or not.

"It is possible that you lost time and you blocked it out," Hope reasoned aloud. Hope suggested that Ben could have blacked out again and taken Ciara. Eli started to look around, and Ben noted that Hope had already searched the place. As Eli searched a dresser, he found Charlotte's baby blanket. Ben protested that he did not know why the blanket was in his dresser.

"You're under arrest for kidnapping," Hope told Ben. Eli handcuffed Ben as he protested his innocence. As Eli patted down Eli, he pulled the phone out of Ben's pocket. Hope realized that the second phone was Ciara's phone.

"Where is she?" Hope whispered. Ben told Hope that he had found the phone in his dresser right before Hope had arrived. Ben said he had panicked when they had banged on the door. Hope suggested that Ben had forgotten about the phone when he had been off his meds.

At the police station, Hope told Eli that she was confident there was enough evidence to convict Ben or send him back to Bayview. "I hope you're right," Eli said, unsure. In the interrogation room, Ben whispered to himself, "Hope is wrong. But what if she is not? Could I have blacked out and actually hurt Ciara?"

Brady returned to the Kiriakis mansion and complained to Maggie about Chloe's plan to move into the DiMera mansion. Brady asked Maggie if she was okay with Chloe's decision. Maggie shrugged. "What I say is irrelevant," Maggie said. Maggie reminded Brady that Chloe was the children's mother and had the right to decide where to live. Brady argued that Victor had been unwelcoming. When Maggie asked if she should talk to Victor, Brady suggested that Maggie convince Chloe to move into the Kiriakis mansion instead. "Is it the kids you are so worried about or that Chloe will be living with another man?" Maggie asked pointedly.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan greeted Chloe when she arrived. Chloe told Stefan she was grateful for the help but that she felt like she was imposing. Stefan said he was happy to have kids and another adult around the house. Stefan told Chloe about the large screening room for movies and TV.

"You're not imposing in the least bit. I wasn't being so noble when I asked you stay here. I'm kind of counting on you and the kids to bring some cheer into this old house," Stefan confessed. Stefan encouraged Chloe to enjoy her time living in the house. Stefan handed a toy robot and piano to Chloe for the kids.

"I would love to hear you sing sometime. I hear you are pretty good," Stefan said with a grin. Chloe said she would love to sing for Stefan. With a smile, Chloe thanked Stefan for his generosity. "While you're here, let's try and make it a good time for all of us, eh?" Stefan asked. Chloe nodded in agreement.

After checking on the kids, Chloe returned to the living room. "We are beyond grateful. Really. I know that this was the right thing to do," Chloe said. "So do I," Stefan countered.

At the cabin, baby Charlotte cried. Ciara attempted to assure Charlotte that she was okay, but the baby would not stop crying. Ciara appealed to Jordan for help, but there was no answer. "Jordan, where are you?" Ciara asked aloud. Someone knocked on the door. "Come in! We're here! Help us!" Ciara called out meekly.

"The baby is fine," Ben said. Ciara looked over at Charlotte and saw Ben standing next to the crib. Ben assured Ciara that Charlotte was fine. Ciara told Ben that Jordan had kidnapped and drugged her to protect her from Ben. "She's wrong. Jordan is the one that's dangerous," Ciara said.

Ciara woke up and called out for Ben. Ben was not there. "It wasn't real. I was just hallucinating from the drugs Jordan gave me," Ciara whispered. Ciara wondered aloud how she would escape.

Ben reaches a shocking conclusion

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

by Mike

Diana met with John at Doug's Place and immediately made a point of noting that it was Valentine's Day.

John awkwardly began to respond to the observation, but Diana quickly interrupted. "Don't worry -- I'm not so nave to think you had some sort of romantic rendezvous planned [for us]," Diana assured John. "[This is] strictly business, isn't it? You want to ask me more questions about my son," Diana guessed. "And his father," John confirmed.

"I'm not sure what you think you know about him, but I assure you, it's a dead end," Diana claimed. "[And] if that is why you have invited me here -- [to get information you can use] as leverage to get Sonny out of his marriage with my son -- [then] you are going to be very disappointed, John. Matthew -- 'Leo' -- has not always been the perfect son; in fact, he's done many things that...have shamed me... But I love him, [and] I will not betray him. I am the only family he's got, [you see]. My husband -- he died years ago," Diana continued. "Richard Cooper?" John recalled.

"I read an article about his death when I was tracking you down," John revealed. "But what I want to know is...was he actually Leo's biological father?" John continued. "What a very strange question. Who else could have gotten me pregnant, if not my own husband?" Diana asked innocently. "Oh, come on, Diana -- you know damn well it could've been me," John impatiently replied, having done the math after checking Leo's birth certificate.

"I suppose I could deny it -- tell you you're absolutely wrong -- but I know you, John, [and] this isn't something you'll let go of, [so] I'll save you the trouble [of getting] a sample of my son's DNA, [and just tell you that] the answer is yes -- Leo is your son," Diana claimed. "How could you keep this from me?" John demanded to know. "We didn't part on the best terms. I felt so guilty for accidentally shooting you [that] I left town, and by the time I found out that I was pregnant, I had met somebody else -- Richard Cooper -- and he agreed to raise my son as his own," Diana explained with a shrug. "And after all these years, it never occurred to you to contact me?" John asked incredulously. "What for? I never thought I'd see you again. We were so young when we were together, John, [and] I just assumed that, like me, you moved on. Turns out, you did," Diana replied, shrugging again.

"When I showed up to your door the other day, and we were finally face to face after all these years, why didn't you tell me then?" John wondered. "How could I tell you that your own son [is the one who is] making life very difficult for Marlena's grandson?" Diana innocently reasoned. "Does [Leo] know?" John asked. "He has no idea. He's always believed that Richard Cooper was his father. And I want it to stay that way, please," Diana replied.

"I know this is a lot to take in, John. Let's have a drink [and] talk about it some more," Diana sweetly added, grasping John's hands. "I need to think about this -- alone," John replied before exiting the club.

At the Salem Inn, Jordan drugged Kate again. "Sorry, but this is your own fault, Kate. You just had to interfere, didn't you?" Jordan grumbled. "You've always been such a nosy busybody! Well, I am gonna make sure that you don't bother me -- or anyone else -- ever again!" Jordan added. "Now, I know it's not in your nature, but don't fight it, all right? Just go to sleep," Jordan advised before exiting Kate's hotel room.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Rafe ran into Gabi, who was quick to admonish him for having failed to inform her that he was back in town. "I just got in," he explained, forcing her to let him off the hook.

Changing the subject, Gabi wondered if Rafe had heard that Ben had been arrested for kidnapping Ciara and Charlotte. "Yes. And, with any luck, Hope's getting some answers out of him right now," Rafe replied. "Well, if Ben doesn't talk to Hope, maybe his sister can help," Gabi suggested. Rafe was surprised to hear that Jordan was back in town -- and even more surprised to hear that Gabi had seen Jordan with Kate, of all people. After Gabi rushed off to the Kiriakis mansion to pick up Arianna, Rafe called Hope and left a voicemail message -- "I'm about to head to the station, but there's something I need to check out first. It's, uh...well, I'm not exactly sure what it is, but somehow, uh, my gut is telling me it has something to do with Ben's case" -- then rushed off to the Salem Inn to talk to Kate.

Rafe knocked on Kate's hotel room door several times and also called out a few greetings but never received a response.

Just as Rafe was about to give up, a sudden thud made it clear that something was amiss. Concerned, Rafe forced open the door and found Kate passed out on the floor, next to an empty prescription pill bottle.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny entered the living room and quickly noticed a Valentine's Day card that had his name on it.

"Will, how did you manage to sneak this in here?" Sonny wondered, opening the card with a wide grin -- one that faded with the realization that the card contained only an image from Leo's collection of blackmail material.

"You got my card!" Leo cheerfully observed, joining Sonny in the living room. "You know what? I am sick and tired of your threats!" Sonny spat, shredding the card and tossing the remains at Leo. "I'm starting to think it's a good idea to get a lawyer to make the case that this evidence is fabricated -- that you doctored those photos!" Sonny continued. "Any expert will tell you --" Leo began to respond, but Sonny interrupted. "With the resources at my disposal, I [can] get more [experts] to say it's impossible to know for sure, and I'm starting to think that's a really good idea!" Sonny warned. "You want to put your future -- not to mention your beloved Will's -- in the hands of twelve people who are too stupid to get out of jury duty? Because that is exactly what you will be doing if you don't consummate this marriage -- right now," Leo countered.

"It's not gonna happen. It's never gonna happen," Sonny insisted. "Oh, come on, Sonny -- it's Valentine's Day! If you ask me, you're getting off easy. I'm not asking for hearts or flowers; I just want one thing -- and you know what it is...so either you give it to me, dear husband, or I will have no choice but to send you and Will to prison," Leo warned while groping Sonny, who cringed and pulled away with obvious disgust.

"It would break my heart to see them take you away," Leo sweetly claimed. "And we both know it would break yours to see them lock up Will...so don't make me do it," Leo coldly added before heading upstairs.

Gabi entered the mansion a short time later. "You look like a man who's being led to the gallows," Gabi curiously observed, joining Sonny in the living room. "What's going on?" Gabi asked. "[Leo] has made it very clear that he wants me to fulfill my 'husbandly duties,' [and] if I don't, he's gonna make good on his threats," Sonny explained with a heavy sigh of defeat. "And I am not letting that bastard send Will to prison...so I'm just -- ugh, I'm just gonna go upstairs and get this over with," Sonny added before starting to walk away, looking sick. "There is no way in hell that I'm gonna let that happen!" Gabi insisted, stopping Sonny.

"There's nothing you can do," Sonny told Gabi with another sigh of defeat. "No! I don't accept that!" Gabi protested. "I have spent a long time wanting what you and Will have -- wanting to feel loved -- [and] if you two are lucky enough to love each other the way that you do, I will be damned if you can't spend Valentine's Day together, and I'm gonna make that happen, [and] I'm not gonna let that sleazebag come between my daughter's fathers!" Gabi added. Just then, Leo returned and impatiently wondered if Sonny had made a decision yet. "I'll be right there," Sonny reluctantly assured Leo, who rushed back upstairs with a grin of triumph.

At the Brady Pub, Will released a sigh of frustration while staring at a Valentine's Day card that had only two words -- "Dear Sonny" -- written on the blank inner panel.

"'Dear Sonny' what? How -- how am -- how am I supposed to fit everything I feel for you on one card?" Will mused. After pondering the matter for a few more seconds, Will closed the card and tucked it in a backpack -- just as Marlena entered the pub. "Something wrong?" Marlena asked, taking a seat at Will's booth. "Valentine's Day," Will replied with a shrug, as if that explained everything.

"Hey, I heard, um, Ben Weston was arrested," Will added, eager to change the subject. "Yes, that's true," Marlena confirmed. "So, does that mean he's, uh -- he's gone psycho again?" Will wondered. "Ugh. You know I don't care for that word. And I have not evaluated Ben, so I don't know how he's doing. But even if I had, I couldn't discuss his mental health with you," Marlena replied. "I know. I'm sorry," Will said. "I'm just..." Will began to explain. "Concerned?" Marlena concluded for Will. "I know. I am, too. But, like everybody else I work with, I wish him the very best," Marlena continued. Will nodded in response.

Marlena soon steered the conversation back to the matter of Will's Valentine's Day depression. "I know this is taking longer than you would have liked, but that doesn't mean that Diana won't reveal something [at some point]," Marlena pointed out. "Believe me, I -- I was -- I was optimistic at first, um...but the more I think about it, I -- I don't know how John's gonna be able to get through to her. [I mean], why would she sell out her own son to someone she just met?" Will replied. "Well, they...they didn't 'just' meet," Marlena clarified before proceeding to tell Will about John's past involvement with Diana.

Will was surprised -- and wondered if the unexpected development had caused John to rethink the idea of investigating Leo and Diana. "No, not at all. [John and Diana's] relationship ended over 30 years ago. And you know John -- he's so fond of you. I'm sure he will get to the bottom of whatever's going on [with Diana and Leo]," Marlena assured Will, who was grateful for the help but remained doubtful that the investigation would ever reveal anything useful. "As much as I would [just] love to believe that Sonny and I are -- are gonna be together...I'm starting to lose hope, you know?" Will reluctantly admitted.

"I've been carrying around this Valentine's Day card all day, [and] I haven't written a thing on it, [and] I think I've figured out that it's -- it's -- it's because...[I mean], what's the point of writing something special to someone you love if you're -- if you're never gonna be able to be with them?" Will mused with a sigh before starting to rush off, not wanting to depress Marlena.

"You're not going anywhere," Marlena insisted, stopping Will. "And I am not going to let you give up on being with Sonny," Marlena added.

"You must know that John and I have had our share of challenges, [but] we survived, partly because we did not allow ourselves the thought of being defeated, [and] partly because we faced every challenge together, because we knew -- we understood -- how special [and] how magical our relationship was, and that it was worth fighting for. [Look], honey, the love that you and Sonny share -- Leo can't do anything about that; it's already yours. So, own it, [and] keep fighting for it, [because] it's worth it. And I know [that] one day, you and Sonny will be together again," Marlena assured Will.

After saying goodbye to Will, Marlena met up with John outside the pub. "Well? How'd it go with Diana, huh? Did you learn anything about Leo?" Marlena asked hopefully as John squirmed.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Leo sprawled out on a bed, naked except for a heart-shaped pillow that had been strategically placed, and waited for Sonny's arrival -- but Gabi was the one who ultimately joined Leo in the bedroom. "Where the hell is Sonny?" Leo demanded to know while hiding under a blanket. "Sonny? Oh, he's downstairs. I told him to stay there a while so that you and I could get better acquainted," Gabi replied with a shrug.

At the Brady Pub, Will finally finished Sonny's Valentine's Day card -- and received a phone call seconds later.

"Will, will you be my valentine?" Sonny asked when Will answered the call. "On this day and every day after," Will promised. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear," Sonny admitted. "Um, Leo's a little...occupied...at the moment. Can you meet me at the mansion?" Sonny added. "I'm on my way," Will replied before ending the call and rushing out of the pub.

At the police station, Eli discovered that Ben had been leaving voicemail messages for Ciara. Hope didn't think that proved anything, but Eli disagreed. "Something about this just...is not adding up. [I mean], Ben didn't expect us to find Ciara's phone, [so the message isn't for our benefit...and did you not] hear his voice? Dude sounded really worried about her. [Plus], when we found that blanket in his room, he seemed genuinely shocked," Eli pointed out. "He admitted to being off his meds, [so] it is entirely possible he is delusional [and] genuinely [doesn't] know what he [has] done," Hope dismissively countered before walking over to the window of Ben's conference room to see what was happening in there. "Look at him -- he's talking to himself right now!" Hope told Eli dramatically, unaware that Ben was simply imagining another conversation with Ciara at that moment.

"You're not really real, are you?" Ben realized. "Sorry. I'm [just] here for you, like I was last night," Ciara confirmed. "I must be really losing it, if I keep imagining you," Ben mused. "I think it's proof that you're not. [I mean], you know the difference between what's real and what's imagined -- that's pretty much the textbook definition of sanity," Ciara argued. "So, you're saying...if I know you're not really here, that means I didn't kidnap you -- or the baby?" Ben asked, and Ciara nodded in response. "But, Ciara, I could've just done it and blocked it out," Ben pointed out, still not entirely sure what to believe anymore.

"I think you care way too much about me to do that," Ciara countered. "I do. My God, I swear I do," Ben confirmed. "But how do I explain your phone and the baby blanket in my room?" Ben wondered. "Easy -- somebody else put them there," Ciara reasoned with a shrug. "You think somebody framed me? But who?" Ben asked before suddenly getting some ideas.

The police were at the top of Ben's list, since Hope, Eli, Lani, and even Ted had been at the motel recently, but Ciara argued that Hope would never even consider planting evidence, especially in such a personal case, after what had happened a few months earlier, when Ben's fingerprint had been planted on a can of accelerant. Ben conceded the point and quickly thought of another suspect -- Tripp -- but Ciara shot down that theory, too, arguing that Tripp would never go to the extreme of involving an innocent baby in a plan to frame Ben. "Was anyone else in your room when you weren't there?" Ciara asked, causing Ben to tense.

"My sister came to see me, and I found her in my room...but Jordan wouldn't do that to me. She cares about me. [She's] taken care of me my entire life," Ben said. "And I know you believe she wants to protect you, but didn't Eli say that she was the one who told Abigail that maybe you were the one who kidnapped Charlotte?" Ciara argued. "She did. I was nowhere near that baby, [but] she was. She went to go see Abigail. She could have easily taken that little girl. [And] she was the one who told the cops that I saw you, [even though] I made it crystal clear to her that I was just imagining you, just like I am right now," Ben realized.

"And she convinced Hope and Eli to go to my room to find that evidence," Ben continued. "It's almost as if Jordan twisted everything around, just to make it seem like you were guilty," Ciara observed. "[But] why would she do this to me?" Ben wondered. "I think you know why," Ciara replied. "Because she has Charlotte -- and you," Ben concluded with a shake of the head.

"How could Jordan do this? How could she kidnap you and Charlotte and then set me up to take the fall?" Ben wondered. "Ben, I'm so sorry," Ciara replied, unable to provide any more answers.

"I can't believe this," Ben muttered. "Can't believe what?" Eli asked curiously, snapping Ben back to reality. "Nothing," Ben replied.

"Time to go. [We're] booking you on two counts of first-degree kidnapping," Eli announced while unlocking Ben's handcuffs.

Jordan returned to the cabin and happily informed Ciara that Ben had been arrested for kidnapping. "How could that happen?" Ciara asked, stunned. "Simple. I planted your phone [and] Charlotte's blanket in his motel room, and then I led the police right to it," Jordan proudly explained. "Look, I hate what I had to do to my brother, [but] it was the only way to make sure that you're both safe. [You know], I was so afraid for so long, until I finally faced the awful truth -- my brother grew into a very dangerous man, just like Clyde. [But] now, thankfully, they are both behind bars, where they both belong, and they can't hurt anyone ever again," Jordan added, shrugging.

"So, now that we're all safe from Ben...you can let us go, right?" Ciara asked hopefully. "No. I'm sorry. I can't. [See], I may be able to trust this little baby not to say anything...but I can't trust you," Jordan replied.

"I gave you every chance to believe that Ben was dangerous, but you would never [listen]. You will go running back to Salem, [and] Ben will be released, [and] everybody's lives will be put back in danger because of your stupid crush," Jordan explained. "It may be too late to save you, [but] at least it's not too late to help other people," Jordan cryptically added.

"How?" Ciara asked, confused. "Well, that's simple -- you need to die," Jordan clarified, shrugging again.

Horrified, Ciara begged Jordan to reconsider. "What other choice do I have?" Jordan reasoned, producing Ben's framed photograph of Ciara as proof of an obsession that meant trouble for everyone in Salem. "If I let you go, [then] you're gonna end up putting yourself in danger all over again by running back to Ben, [so] you've consigned yourself to die by the hands of my brother either way, but at least this way, your death is gonna mean something, because I'm gonna use it to make sure that Ben stays locked up for the rest of his life," Jordan explained while producing a box of matches.

"Yes, this will work -- a fire again, and then everyone's gonna blame Ben, [and] this nightmare will finally be over," Jordan mused, ignoring Ciara's desperate protests.

At the police station, Ben emerged from the conference room with Eli's gun and pointed it at Hope, who had been listening to Rafe's voicemail message. "Do not alert anyone, or I will shoot you," Ben warned Hope.

Will and Sonny finally make love again

Thursday, February 14, 2019

by Mike

John and Marlena decided to order something from the Brady Pub before heading home.

While waiting for Roman, John vaguely informed Marlena that the situation with Diana and Leo was complicated. "Either she told you something about Leo that would help Sonny and Will or she didn't -- that's not really complicated," Marlena argued as John continued squirming. "You know that there's some history between [Diana and me]..." John tried to explain. "Yes, I do. That's why I appreciate what you're doing for Will," Marlena replied. "I just wish that Sonny were rid of that terrible Leo," Marlena added with obvious disdain. Sighing, John began another awkward attempt to admit the truth to Marlena, who received a phone call just then.

Marlena stepped outside to take the call. A short time later, Roman emerged from the kitchen and asked if John had talked to Diana about Leo's paternity yet. "Oh, yeah...[and] she confirmed that Leo's my son," John replied. "And you believe her?" Roman assumed. "Well, she didn't want to admit it; in fact, I had to pull it out of her, and after I did, she [said] she wants me to keep quiet about it," John explained with a shrug.

"[But] you're gonna break the news [to Marlena]," Roman guessed. "Tonight," Roman pointedly added. "That's the plan," John confirmed. "I mean, come on, Roman -- I can't keep that from Doc," John reasoned. "No, of course not...but that doesn't mean you gotta tell her tonight. It's Valentine's Day. [Really], what's the harm in saving the news for tomorrow?" Roman argued, but John wasn't convinced.

"I don't know how I've kept it from Doc this long," John admitted. "Kept what from me?" Marlena curiously wondered, having just reentered the pub. John started to respond, but Roman quickly interrupted. "John wanted this to be a surprise. He asked me to shut down the pub for your own private Valentine's Day celebration. [And], uh...guess the cat's out of the bag," Roman explained. "That's it? That's the big secret?" Marlena asked skeptically. "What, you thought business was this slow?" Roman defensively countered, acknowledging the otherwise unoccupied pub. "Thanks," John said as Roman rushed off.

"You know me -- I just love to make you happy, Doc," John explained with a shrug once the coast was clear. "If you want to make me really happy, find a way to get rid of Leo so Sonny and Will can be together," Marlena replied. "Hey, you know what? You never, uh -- you never answered me. What did Diana tell you about Leo?" Marlena added. "She told me...nothing that's gonna help either one of them right now," John evasively reported. "I'm sorry to hear that," Marlena said with a sigh. "Yeah... Well, we're both gonna try to find a way to help Will and Sonny, [but] there's nothing we can really do about it right now," John declared.

"So, why don't we just try to live in the moment?" John suggested, eager to change the subject. "I do believe that I can do that," Marlena agreed as John fetched a bottle of Champagne and a plate of strawberries and whipped cream. While enjoying the snack, John and Marlena exchanged Valentine's Day gifts. John received a wedding album, and Marlena received a personalized coffee mug that had a wedding picture on it.

Later, John and Marlena shared a dance and a tender kiss.

Sonny fetched a bottle of Champagne then met Will outside the Kiriakis mansion.

"Is this for real? Do we actually get to spend Valentine's Day together?" Will asked excitedly. "It's for real," Sonny confirmed, equally excited. "What'd you do with Leo? You -- you -- you tie him up or something?" Will wondered. "I brought some backup. Gabi heard about our situation and offered to help," Sonny explained. "Oh. Leo might have finally met his match, then," Will joked. "You know what? I don't want to talk about him anymore. I want to spend every single moment of tonight with you," Sonny insisted. "Like this?" Will asked before kissing Sonny passionately. "That'll do," Sonny said with a sigh of contentment after Will pulled away.

"Come on -- let's get out of here," Sonny added before leading Will away from the mansion.

Will and Sonny ended up in a room at the Salem Inn. "I cannot believe you checked us in under the name 'Justin Bieber,'" Will said with a laugh. "I panicked," Sonny admitted, obviously a bit embarrassed about the not-so-smooth move. "Look, as long as Leo doesn't know where we are, that's all that matters," Sonny reasoned with a shrug. "Well, maybe not all that matters..." Sonny clarified while starting to undress Will. "Like I said, I want to make every moment count," Sonny added before kissing Will passionately. "Wait," Will said, pulling away from Sonny. "What's wrong?" Sonny asked, concerned. "Oh, nothing -- nothing," Will assured Sonny.

"It's just...uh, we were moving so fast, it -- it sort of just hit me...how long it's been since we were...together...like this," Will explained. "Yeah. The last time was, um..." Sonny began to recall. "Before you left for Paris -- and, uh, after I cheated on you," Will concluded for Sonny with a sigh of regret. "Yeah, well, it's, uh -- it feels like a hundred years ago, honestly," Sonny said, and Will agreed.

"You know, I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but that was the worst one," Will admitted. "We're past that now, okay? We're past the hurt and the betrayal. I mean, at least -- at least...I am," Sonny assured Will. "Yeah..." Will agreed. "[But] it's just...I was -- I was such an idiot to have taken you for granted. If I had known how much time we'd lose --" Will began to add. "No, you're not the reason we lost time; Ben Weston is," Sonny insisted. "But we're here now -- you and I -- and he's locked up, so he can't hurt us -- [or] anyone -- ever again," Sonny pointed out while leading Will over to the bed.

"I'm sorry if I, you know, moved too fast..." Sonny began. "Oh, no -- [I mean], I don't blame you, [considering] all we've been through, and you being stuck in the house with Leo all day. [You just] don't want to waste a second," Will acknowledged. "Yeah -- never again," Sonny confirmed, grasping Will's hands. "Because losing you -- believing that you were actually dead -- nearly killed me. And I -- I don't even know if I can explain to you, like, what it was like to find you again," Sonny continued. "Really? Even though I -- I didn't remember you, and I rejected you?" Will asked. "I mean, it hurt...but I don't -- I don't care about any of that anymore, because when I look at you -- when I look in those eyes -- I see you looking back at me -- the real you -- [and I know that] the love of my life has come back to my life," Sonny replied, beaming at Will.

Will produced Sonny's Valentine's Day card and handed it over. "I -- I -- I didn't get you a card. I -- I was afraid that Leo would find it," Sonny apologetically admitted. "Oh, please -- you escaped from Leo for the night. That's way better than a card," Will replied, dismissing the concern. "Open it," Will encouraged Sonny, who excitedly complied.

"Dear Sonny, this year with you has been the best year of my life," Sonny began reading aloud. "Wait, what?" Sonny asked Will, confused. "You might want to check the date at the top of the card," Will advised with a laugh. "February 14...2020? Oh, so this -- this card's from the future?" Sonny realized. "Yeah. You know, it must have come through one of those wormholes or something," Will explained, shrugging. Sonny laughed then continued reading Will's note aloud: "And I never want to spend another Valentine's Day without you. I know it was hard getting here -- I know there were times it seemed bleak, like it would never happen -- but we did it...together. I love you, and always will, my love -- my husband. Happy Valentine's Day 2020. Love, Will." Touched, Sonny told Will the note was beautiful.

"I think we've waited long enough," Will said before kissing Sonny passionately.

Later, while Will and Sonny were lying in bed together after making love, they agreed that it was definitely the best Valentine's Day ever. "[But], you know, Valentine's Day 2020 sounds pretty cool, too," Sonny noted. "Yes, it does," Will agreed. "It's right up there with the day that you told me you would marry me. Remember? And then you gave me that photo album?" Sonny continued. "Yeah, with the blank pages, uh, to fill with photos of our lives," Will recalled. "Do you happen to have any photos from the future?" Sonny asked jokingly. "I'm working on it," Will replied with a laugh. "But, um...it's gonna happen. We're gonna have that life, [Sonny]. I believe we'll work it out. I believe Leo won't be in our lives for much longer," Will added. "I believe you," Sonny replied before kissing Will passionately.

Rafe followed an ambulance to the hospital and filled Kayla in on Kate's supposed overdose. "Sedatives, right?" Rafe guessed, handing a prescription pill bottle to Kayla. "Yeah. It was just filled. It should be full," Kayla confirmed after reading the label. "Do you think she did this on purpose? Do you think she was trying to kill herself?" Kayla asked. "I don't know," Rafe replied with a shrug.

After Kate's stomach was pumped, Kayla assured Rafe that there was probably no reason to continue worrying. "Even if she took the whole bottle, she should [be okay]," Kayla predicted. "Even if she were drinking?" Rafe asked. "[You know, something about that] just doesn't add up, [so] I ordered a tox screen and a full blood workup," Kayla replied before going to check on the status of the tests, leaving Rafe alone with Kate, who had not yet regained consciousness. "You've done some pretty messed-up things, but you don't strike me as the kind of person that would take your own life," Rafe mused while sitting at Kate's bedside.

"You've got a lot of people that care about you, Kate -- people that are counting on you -- so you need to hang in there," Rafe added. Just then, the machine that was monitoring Kate's vital signs started beeping rapidly.

At the Horton house, Chad tried to contact Hope, who didn't answer the call.

"She's probably [busy] interrogating Ben," Abigail guessed. "One minute alone in a room with him, and I'd have some answers," Chad grumbled. "I'm just gonna go there," Chad spontaneously decided. "To the police station?" Abigail asked, surprised. "Yeah. I'm tired of waiting," Chad explained with a shrug. "Okay. I will go with you," Abigail offered, knowing that Jennifer was available to watch Thomas. "You can't. Somebody needs to be here to watch the news and answer the phones in case someone calls with a tip," Chad argued. "By the end of the night, Charlotte's gonna be back in your arms," Chad promised Abigail before rushing out of the house.

Jordan produced a bottle of lighter fluid and began dousing the cabin as Ciara continued protesting.

"No one is gonna believe that [Ben] set the fire! He's in prison right now!" Ciara pointed out. "They'll think that he set it before they arrested him," Jordan predicted. "But there are forensic tests --" Ciara began. "I don't care! All that matters is that Ben stays behind bars [so] no one else gets hurt!" Jordan dismissively insisted. "This is wrong, and you know it, [Jordan]! I know how badly Clyde hurt you [and] your brother, [and] I know how being traumatized like that can change the way you think about the world, [because] it happened to me when I was raped, [but] this is not the answer!" Ciara frantically objected. "I'm sorry. It's the only one I have left," Jordan said.

"No -- I can get you help! Marlena can help you!" Ciara argued. "Marlena? Dr. Marlena Evans, the same [doctor] that declared my brother sane?" Jordan asked with a dismissive scoff. "No, thank you!" Jordan spat before striking a match and tossing it to the floor, where it immediately ignited the lighter fluid. "Goodbye, Ciara," Jordan said without a hint of emotion before rushing off with Charlotte, ignoring Ciara's screams.

At the police station, Ben pressed the barrel of Eli's gun against Hope's back. "Start walking -- slowly, like you're escorting me out of here," Ben ordered Hope, who reluctantly complied.

A short time later, Ted entered the police station and found Eli passed out in one of the conference rooms. "What happened?" Ted asked after rousing Eli, who had obviously suffered a blow to the head. "Ben Weston -- he took my gun..." Eli groggily explained. "Hope -- she was right outside..." Eli continued while stumbling out of the room. "You need to sit down," Ted insisted, helping Eli get settled in a chair. "I'll go after her," Ted assured Eli.

Ben stopped Hope in the middle of the park. "I don't care what you do to me -- just don't hurt Ciara, please," Hope begged. "For the last time, I don't have Ciara. I didn't take her, and I didn't take Charlotte," Ben insisted. "Then why'd you have [Ciara's] phone and Charlotte's blanket in your room?" Hope asked skeptically. "Because I was framed," Ben explained. "By whom?" Hope wondered. "My sister. Jordan has Ciara," Ben clarified.

"That doesn't make any sense. That's crazy," Hope insisted. "Well, it's true, Hope, okay? Jordan came to visit me, [and] she could've easily planted that baby's blanket and the phone in my room," Ben maintained. "Why?" Hope asked, still not convinced. "Because Jordan's troubled. I think [she] believes that she's doing something good," Ben explained as Ted caught Hope's attention. Hope tried to keep Ben talking so Ted could pounce, but Ted proved to be no match for Ben, who landed a few punches then rushed off, still armed with Eli's gun. "What you did just now was incredibly...stupid...[but] thank you," Hope said after making sure that Ted was okay.

"I found Eli, [and] when I realized Ben had his gun, I was worried for you," Ted explained. "Is Eli okay?" Hope asked worriedly. "Yeah, he's fine -- just a little fuzzy from Ben hitting him on the head," Ted reported.

"I heard Ben talking about his sister. Do you really think that she has Ciara and the baby?" Ted wondered. "Honestly, at first, I thought he was just telling another lie...[but] he could have taken off as soon as we got out of the station," Hope reluctantly admitted. "So, maybe he wanted your help to track her down," Ted concluded for Hope. "We need to find him," Hope insisted before rushing back to the police station, still skeptical of Ben's claim.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Chad spotted Ben, who quickly explained that Jordan was the one who had kidnapped Charlotte and Ciara. "Why should I believe you?" Chad angrily demanded to know, upset that Ben was no longer in police custody. Ben revealed Eli's gun and removed the clip as a response to Chad's question. "Even playing field," Ben explained, handing the empty gun to Chad while keeping the clip.

"Where is she?" Chad asked after studying Ben for a moment. "I don't know," Ben admitted. "All right, well, if I were gonna frame you, I know where I'd go. My car's around back. Let's go," Chad said to Ben.

Chad sped over to the cabin, which had filled with smoke but was not yet fully engulfed in flames. Chad and Ben burst in and found Ciara passed out on the bed. Ben roused and untied Ciara as Chad grabbed a blanket and began beating back the flames with it. "Where's Charlotte?" Chad asked Ciara while keeping the fire under control. "Jordan...took her...to see Abigail," Ciara explained between coughs. "Go!" Ben encouraged Chad.

At the Horton house, Abigail caught Jordan sneaking into the living room with Charlotte.

"I found out where Ben was keeping her. She's okay now. She's safe," Jordan said before beginning to hand Charlotte over to Abigail -- just as an alert popped up on the television. "Ben escaped?" Jordan read aloud. "Ugh! Damn him!" Jordan spat before starting to rush back out of the house, still holding Charlotte. "Can I have my daughter?" Abigail begged, chasing after Jordan. "I'm sorry. I can't do that," Jordan insisted.

"Ben is after her, okay? I have to protect her," Jordan explained. "I can protect her. I'm her mother," Abigail pointed out. "No, no, no -- she's not safe with you!" Jordan maintained. "Chad and I -- we will protect her with our lives," Abigail promised. "No, you're no match for Ben, okay? He hates you, [and] what better way to get back at you than to do something terrible to your little girl?" Jordan reasoned.

"I will use this on you if you take one step closer," Jordan warned Abigail, producing a filled syringe.

Just then, Chad entered the house. "Jordan...Ben -- Ben isn't gonna be able to -- to hurt anyone anymore," Chad began to assure Jordan, improvising. "I ran into him, and he tried to attack me, so I -- I -- I -- I killed him," Chad continued, showing Eli's gun to Jordan. "He was a menace, but he's not gonna be able to hurt anybody anymore," Chad concluded. "I wanted Ben to be locked up, but...you -- you killed him?" Jordan asked incredulously, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry. I know how much you loved him. [But] I didn't have a choice. He was a murderer," Chad explained with a shrug.

"Abby and I appreciate everything that you've done for us, and everyone is safe for now, thanks to you, [so] can we please have our daughter back?" Chad added.

Jordan handed Charlotte to Chad then fled the house in tears. "Oh, Chad -- thank you!" Abigail said as Chad handed Charlotte over. "I promised you I'd put her back in your arms," Chad replied with a shrug.

At the police station, Hope and Ted tended to Eli's head wound as Eli insisted that it wasn't a big deal. "I'm starting to think [Ben] might be telling the truth," Eli admitted to Hope after finding out about Ben's claim that Jordan had kidnapped Ciara and Charlotte. "Either way, we need to find my daughter -- now," Hope replied, still skeptical. Hope soon saw a report about a fire and realized that it was in the same general area as the cabin that Ben had used a couple times. "Can't be a coincidence," Hope decided before starting to rush off. "I'm coming with you," Eli said. "Stay right where you are and get your head checked out," Hope insisted, taking Ted instead.

As the cabin continued burning, Ciara and Ben rested outside, a safe distance away from it.

"[Jordan's] lost it. She said she had to do all of this to stop you. She's convinced that you're gonna start murdering people again, [and] she said she had to kill me to convince people that you were guilty," Ciara explained to Ben. "Did [she] hurt you?" Ben asked. "When I tried to escape, she -- she drugged me with something," Ciara recalled. "Okay. We're gonna get you checked out," Ben assured Ciara. "You kept calling me. Every time my phone rang, it gave me hope, because I knew that you were looking for me," Ciara told Ben. "Just glad I found you when I did. If I lost you... I don't even want to think about it," Ben replied with a shake of the head.

"I don't even have my phone on me to call your mom and tell her that you're all right..." Ben suddenly realized. "She must be pretty worried about me, huh?" Ciara guessed. "Yeah, you could say that," Ben confirmed. "Think you can walk? [Let's] get you out of here [and] get you checked out at the hospital, okay?" Ben added while helping Ciara up. "Get the hell away from my daughter!" Hope snapped, storming toward Ben with a gun drawn.

Jordan's plan falls apart

Friday, February 15, 2019

by Spalding

At the hospital, Kayla confirmed to Rafe that Kate had overdosed on an unknown substance. Kayla's phone beeped. The text message was from Abigail. Kayla promised to return as soon as she examined Charlotte. After Kayla left, Kate roused awake. Groggy, Kate asked how she had ended up at the hospital. Rafe told her she had overdosed on a sedative.

"She stabbed me with a needle. Jordan Ridgeway. I think that she was trying to kill me, so you need to stop her before she hurts somebody else," Kate said. Rafe's eyes went wide with shock. Rafe told Kate what Gabi had told him in the square. Kate said that Jordan had drugged her because she had discovered that Jordan had kidnapped Charlotte. Rafe called in to the station then told Kate everything the police had learned about Jordan.

In Eric's apartment, Rex frowned over the cake he had burned. Rex explained to Eric that he had set the oven to broil because he had been short on time. Eric suggested that Rex get ingredients for his grandmother's blueberry pie. With a nod, Rex said he was off to pick up supplies for the recipe. Rex asked Eric to set the table for his dinner with Sarah and keep her company until he returned.

Outside the pub, a shaken Jordan thought about Chad's confession that he had shot and killed Ben. "No. I can't believe it. Ben, you can't be dead," Jordan whispered. Rex noticed Jordan crying, and he asked her if she was okay. Wiping away tears, Jordan said she was used to being alone.

"My baby brother, he is all the family that I have. He died today," Jordan said. Rex sat next to Jordan on the bench and asked about her brother. When Jordan said her brother had been killed, Rex told Jordan he was sorry. "It's probably for the best," Jordan whispered. Jordan explained that though she had been close to her brother, she and Ben had suffered a terrible childhood.

"Slowly, Ben started to turn into Clyde," Jordan explained. When Rex asked if Ben had hurt people, Jordan said he had hurt people, and she had been forced to intervene and stop him. Rex asked Jordan if she had killed Ben. Jordan said no.

"He is really nice. When he wants to be. He can trick people, like Clyde," Jordan said. When Jordan said she had been forced to do things she had not wanted to do, Rex asked for details. Jordan advised Rex not to ask that question. Rex asked if there was anything he could do to help. Jordan declined the offer. As Jordan lifted her hair to pull it back, Rex noticed the jagged scar across her neck. Rex asked about the scar.

"I was in a really bad car accident last summer. Nothing has gone right for me since," Jordan explained. Rex's phone rang with a call from Kayla. Kayla told Rex that Kate was in the hospital. Rex told Jordan about his mother, and Jordan realized that Rex was Kate's son. Rex confirmed that his mother was fine but that he had to go see her. With an apology, Rex said he was headed to the hospital.

Jordan thought back to when she had set up Kate to appear as if she had overdosed on pills. "This is just like you, Kate. Messing things up for me again. Why couldn't you just die?" Jordan growled.

Outside the burning cabin, Ciara asked Ben to give her a moment to breathe before they left for home. Ben lamented that he did not have a phone to call Hope and tell her the good news. As Ben helped Ciara to her feet, Hope showed up, gun drawn. Hope ordered Ben to get away from her daughter. Ciara stepped in front of Ben and pleaded, "Mom! Please don't!" Ciara explained that Jordan had kidnapped her and Charlotte.

"Jordan would never do that," Hope responded in confusion. "The Jordan you know," Ben countered. Ciara stressed that Jordan had set fire to the cabin and had left her to die. Hope lowered her weapon, and Ciara rushed into her mother's arms. After a brief hug, Hope called Chad on the phone, and he confirmed Ben's story. Hope told Ben, Ciara, and Ted that there was no information on Jordan's location yet. Worried, Hope asked Ciara if she was okay. Ciara said she felt fine. Ciara warily looked at Ted.

"[Jordan] had it in her mind that Ben was dangerous. She framed him. She thought it was the only way to have him committed again," Ciara said. "Ben, I'm sorry. I really am very sorry for not believing you," Hope said. "Don't worry about it. If I were you, I don't think I'd believe me, either. The important thing is that Ciara is okay," Ben said quietly.

"Thanks to you," Ciara said as she fell into Ben's arms. Ciara started to cough. Concerned, Hope told Ciara that she needed to go to the hospital. Ben scooped Ciara up into his arms and carried her to the car.

When Sarah arrived at Eric's apartment, Eric answered the door with flowers. "These are for you. From Rex," Eric clarified. Sarah chuckled nervously. Eric placed the flowers in a vase, and he explained that Rex was out on a "dessert emergency." Sarah said she was glad she had a moment alone with Eric.

Sarah asked Eric if he had meant his apology. Eric confirmed that he had meant what he had said about being friends. Sarah and Eric shook hands and agreed to forget the night they had fought. As Eric fussed with the flowers, Sarah told Eric he was a good brother to help Rex. Eric told Sarah that Rex wanted to impress Sarah to make up for the past.

"For what it's worth, I think he has learned his lesson," Eric added. Eric and Sarah talked about past Valentine's Days. With a laugh, Sarah called Eric a dork after he told her a story about Jennifer. Sarah asked Eric if he could make a relationship work with Jennifer. With a shake of his head, Eric said it was best if he and Jennifer remained friends.

"You're not over Nicole. I hope that when you are ready, that you'll let another woman into your heart. You're a really, really great guy, and you deserve to be happy," Sarah said. Sarah advised Eric to be ready, or he could miss an opportunity to be with a woman he loved. Frustrated, Sarah wondered why Rex was not back. Sarah started to joke that she hoped Rex had not met someone, but she trailed off.

While Eric checked on the dinner, Rex called Sarah on her phone. Rex explained that Kate was in the hospital. Rex encouraged Sarah to eat the dinner with Eric. Sarah looked over at Eric, and she agreed.

At the Horton house, Abigail clutched Charlotte to her chest and wondered aloud what had driven Jordan over the edge. Chad told Abigail that Ciara was okay. When Kayla arrived to check on Charlotte, she gave the baby a clean bill of health. Kayla wondered aloud why Jordan had changed so drastically since they had last spoken. Abigail and Chad shrugged. With little Charlotte sleeping peacefully, Kayla left.

"I was so scared," Abigail admitted. "I think Eli is getting anxious for us to make a statement," Chad suggested. When Chad said he would call Eli, Abigail asked Chad to hold off for a moment. "You've been my rock, and I never would have gotten through any of this without you," Abigail said. Chad told Abigail that she was tough and would have been fine. Chad promised to watch out for Abigail and the kids, no matter whether he was living with them or not.

"This whole traumatic experience has really given me some perspective," Abigail said. "I'm saying I forgive you, Chad," Abigail added. Chad asked Abigail if she was sure. With a nod yes, Abigail said she had been touched that Chad had offered to give up his legacy for her. Abigail said she wanted to face the world as a united front.

"I know you had your reasons for acting the way you did. I had two breakdowns," Abigail said. Chad cautioned Abigail not to blame herself. Abigail said she needed to take responsibility for her actions. "When you put Charlotte back in my arms, all of that anger, it just fell away. I want us to be together again. I want us to be a family," Abigail admitted.

"I was starting to think that we would never find our way back to one another," Chad whispered. Abigail said that though she had been angry, she had never stopped loving Chad. Chad and Abigail told one another that they loved each other, and they kissed.

When Kayla returned to Kate's hospital room, Rafe told Kayla that Jordan had injected Kate to drug her. Kate explained that she had run into Jordan and spotted the diaper rash cream. Kate added that once she'd threatened to expose Jordan, Jordan had injected Kate with a needle. With a nod, Kayla said she would take the new information into account and adjust Kate's treatment. Kayla told Kate to thank Rafe for saving her. With a coy smile, Kate thanked Rafe.

"How did you know I was in trouble?" Kate asked. Rafe explained that he had found it odd that Jordan had helped Kate when she'd been "drunk." Rafe told Kate to get better because the world would be less interesting without her. Rex rushed in and hugged his mother. Kate told Rex that Rafe had saved her life.

With a grateful smile, Rex shook Rafe's hand and told him it was a pleasure to meet him. After Rafe left, Rex asked what had happened. "I ran into the wrong person at the wrong time," Kate explained. Outside Kate's room, Jordan watched Rafe exit and walk away. Jordan, dressed in scrubs, crept closer to Kate's room.

Down the hallway, Hope hugged her daughter as Ciara sat in a hospital bed. Hope told Ciara that she did not want to argue with her daughter anymore. Ciara asked Hope if she understood that Ben had done bad things in the past but that he was better. Ben walked in. Hope excused herself to tend to paperwork. Ben stopped Hope and told her that he understood if Hope wanted to press charges against him for attacking Eli.

"Okay. We'll talk about this later. All of it," Hope said to Ben and Ciara. Hope asked Ben to stay with Ciara then she left. Ben sat next to Ciara's bed. Ben apologized for the fight they had had before she had left Salem. Ciara said she was sorry about the fight and that she had returned home early to make up with Ben.

"We have a lot of things to work out, but I want to try. I want us to be together," Ciara said. "You do? Are you sure?" Ben asked. When Ciara nodded yes, Ben kissed her. Kayla walked in and checked Ciara's vital signs. Ciara told Kayla that Ben had saved her life. Ben lamented that he had not been able to help his sister. Ciara reminded Ben that Jordan was sick. Ciara cautioned Ben to not beat up on himself and to work to have a better life.

"If we didn't get to you in time," Ben started. Ciara interjected that Ben had saved her. "Face it, Ben Weston. You're good for me," Ciara said. "I'm a lucky guy," Ben countered as he kissed Ciara. Jordan cracked Ben over the head with a bedpan, knocking him out. Jordan's eyes flashed with anger as she stared at a shocked Ciara.

In the waiting area of the hospital, Hope told Ted that she needed to get to the station. Ted encouraged Hope to let Eli take the lead on the case and to stay at the hospital with her daughter. "You're the strongest woman I've ever known. I've never met a woman like you," Ted said. Ted kissed Hope. Hope pushed Ted away. "Don't ever do that again!" Hope said. Rafe called out Hope's name. Surprised, Hope turned to find her husband walking toward her.