Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of March 15, 2004 on DAYS

Comprehensive daily recaps for Days of our Lives, dating back to 1996.

Monday, March 15, 2004

by Soap Central

Celeste predicts another member of Alice's family will be lost to the killer. Alice tells Celeste of her conversation with Tom's ghost. Celeste tries to get a handle on which member of the Horton clan will be killed and she fears it could be Hope. Marlena once again turns to Father Jansen in the confessional and she says she fears she may kill again. Outside in the graveyard, Alice tells Celeste she wishes she could have an opportunity to face the killer before she takes another life. Celeste suddenly shudders and tells Alice the killer has heard her and we see Marlena arrive. Upset over the thought that she could kill a Horton, Marlena breaks down and Celeste and Alice hear her crying. Father Jansen arrives looking for a woman who just left the church and Marlena thinks her cover is blown when Celeste points out Marlena. Knowing it couldn't be Marlena, Father Jansen asks for her help - whoever the confessor was needs help. Celeste gets a vibration and states the identity of the killer is being revealed as they speak.

Desperate for a lead, Hope urges John to think back to the night Doug was killed. John remembers seeing the figure fleeing the scene of the crime but he refuses to believe it could've been his beloved. Thinking John might be suppressing the killer's i.d. in his mind, Hope wants him to talk to Marlena. John refuses and Hope brings in Tek to put John under hypnosis. John's fears are confirmed as he remembers seeing Marlena.

Bonnie and Julie face off over Mickey giving Bonnie an agreement to run Tuscany.

Philip and Brady discuss Nicole's capability of murder. Brady points out that Nicole is innocent until prove guilty and Philip isn't happy to hear this defense. Later in the park, Brady and Philip continue the discussion until Philip is distracted when he sees Belle.

Nicole and Jan face off over the evidence Jan stole incriminating Nicole in Colin's death. Nicole paints a terrible scenario and Jan promises to give Nicole the evidence once she has Shawn. Nicole and Jan witness Philip checking out Belle and Nicole realizes stealing Belle from Shawn will be easier than she thought.

Shawn takes Rex to Grandpa Shawn for some advice. Grandpa Shawn gives his new grandson something sacred: two Irish woolen rings that were his and Caroline's first engagement rings. Rex must ask Bonnie for permission to marry Mimi and Rex is shocked when Bonnie flat out says no.

In anticipation of Rex proposing, Mimi and Belle go to Gloriane's day spa. Belle shares her fantasy wedding proposal from Shawn. Belle runs into Shawn, who, moved by Rex's plan, appears to be asking Belle to marry him.

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

by Joan

Rex left Brady's Pub with his hopes dashed by Bonnie who wouldn't give her blessing to marrying Mimi. Catching on that lack of money was the reason, Rex was told he'd be stopping Mimi from getting an education. From outside, Mimi watched without interrupting them. But she was on Cloud Nine welcoming Patrick home and anticipating Rex's proposal that evening.

Patrick joined Bonnie in the Pub, still interested in retrieving the money she'd bilked from him. Showing him the Tuscany Management document signed over to her, Bonnie plotted with Patrick over her new financial prospects. Recognizing Tuscany as one of Salem's finest establishments, Patrick was interested in Bonnie's plans for a Country Western Club and getting his money back. Outside the Pub, Patrick concluded a call saying, "It's done. You'll hear from me when I have specifics."

In Salem Park, Brady saw Philip watching Shawn and Belle talking. While Phil accused Brady of having "the hots" for Nicole, Brady said Phil was "lusting" after Belle. Overhearing them, Shawn misunderstood who was being discussed. Excusing himself, Philip approached Belle who embraced him. Feeling guilty about lying to Shawn, Belle shared her feelings and was consoled by her friend.

At the Salem PD, Hope and Tek panicked, as John was unable to come out of the hypnosis. As his subconscious recalled Marlena in the Cemetery, John went into convulsions. Instead of waking, his mind reverted to past intimate moments with Marlena, their marriage and their honeymoon in Hawaii.

As Hope feared they were losing him, John saw himself in a small, white room with two doors. Asking where he was John heard a voice saying, "the point of no return. Which door will you choose?" Torn between the two doors, John pulled away challenging the voice. "Who are you?" To which the voice replied, "You can return to your life and confront the fact that your wife is the Killer" John angrily reacted, "Doc is not the Salem Slasher! There's no way she could have murdered all those people. There's just no way!" But the voice continued, "Or, if you choose the other door, you can stay silent forever." Against a wall, John cried out that the choice was impossible. "No way I could send the woman I love to prison."

As Hope and Tek watched John's head drop lifelessly, the voice continued, "Which door will you choose? Choose, John." John said, ."..Marlena's the mother of my child. She can't be the Killer." Seeing the light coming from beyond each door, John heard once more, "Choose!" And with that, John came out of the hypnosive state. Tek believed that John's mind had shut down due to ISA training, but John added that was strictly for classified information during torture. When Hope asked if he'd seen the Killer's face, John recalled Marlena's face, but he said nothing.

Rex had sold his watch to pay for the expensive dinner, as Mimi eagerly anticipated the proposal. Now conflicted, Rex pulled the wool rings from his pocket. Encouraged by Grandpa Shawn's story of giving them to Caroline when he was flat broke, Rex recalled Bonnie's refusal. A disappointed Mimi called Belle twice, first for encouragement and later, with bad news that dinner ended without a proposal. Finding her mother in the Loft, Mimi grew suspicious when Bonnie referred to the date as "horrible." Asking about Rex's conversation with her at Brady's Pub, Mimi learned that her mother had spoiled the proposal plans. At that moment, Mimi began strangling Bonnie.

And at the Salem PD, Tek prepared to view surveillance photos from cameras set at the Cemetery in hopes the Killer returned to the scene of the crime. As the file downloaded, John's mind began putting the clues together. From the Saleswoman identifying Marlena, to Shawn's frantic accusations about the designer suit button to John seeing Marlena's flight and her muddy prints at home. The camera's results showed three women at the Cemetery after Doug's death. Alice, Celeste, and Marlena. John watched Marlena's picture in silence, as Hope asked, "Who is it? Who is the Serial Killer?"

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

by Soap Central

Belle is finally ready to tell Shawn that she lied about Marlena's alibi but Shawn is called away. Belle decides to visit her mother to explain what she's about to do, hoping she can provide Shawn with an actual alibi. Unfortunately, Marlena can only say she was home alone. Marlena tries desperately to talk Belle out of telling Shawn the truth, but after Marlena and Belle go for a walk and run into Shawn, it appears Belle is going to do just that. Marlena eavesdrops, vowing to kill Shawn if Belle rekindles Shawn's suspicions.

At the police station, John wrestles with the incomprehensible notion that all signs point to his wife as the serial killer. Marlena calls John, trying to feel out whether he remains convinced of her innocence. She tells him she loves him and he says the same but Marlena remains wary, terrified that she will have to kill the man she loves. Tek, aware John seems to be protecting someone, begins to hone in on Marlena. Hope remains skeptical and Brady tells Hope and Tek that Marlena has an alibi she was with Belle when Doug was killed. John reveals to Brady that this is a lie and Brady is flabbergasted. John says he doesn't know who the murderer is but he vows to stop her.

Mimi lashes out at her mother, furious that she refused Rex her hand in marriage. Bonnie is only looking out for her daughter and suggests she go after Shawn instead.

Rex powwows with Shawn and Philip at the Cheatin' Heart. Rex is shocked to learn that Mimi knew about the possible proposal. Shawn calls her and Mimi finds Rex. She tells him to ignore Bonnie and this propels her to get down on one knee and ask Rex to marry her.

Philip runs into barfly Madison, who almost spills to Rex and Shawn his interest in Belle. Philip fantasizes that he's playing pool with Belle.

Thursday, March 18, 2004

by Joan

Making things right after Bonnie's damage, Mimi proposed on one knee to a shocked Rex. Disappointed twice in one evening, Mimi was embarrassed when Rex turned her down. Claiming Bonnie was right, Rex said he wasn't the man for her. Upset that he wouldn't commit, Mimi broke off their relationship. Begging her to wait until he could build a future for them both, Rex convinced a tearful Mimi to wait for his proposal.

At the Salem PD, Brady defended Marlena to his father. But John couldn't help Brady's concern about Victor's Estate. Brady worried that Nicole wouldn't release the funds to complete the Concert Hall Victor had planned.

Meanwhile, at the Kiriakis Mansion, Nicole was unaccustomed to Henderson's sarcasm about her drinking. Her demand for respect only brought an apparition of Victor predicting, "When Hell freezes over." Nicole was undaunted by warnings that she would have to contend with Victor's heirs. Threatening to sell the Concert Hall materials for scrap, Nicole realized Brady found her talking to the empty air. As Victor ridiculed her as a pathetic loser, Nicole told Brady loneliness was to blame for talking to herself. Recalling he was the only person who gave her benefit of the doubt, Nicole signed over the Concert Hall to a grateful Brady. Playing a new game, she gleefully told Victor that Brady would tear his family apart for her. And while Brady called Chloe with the news, Nicole burnt the model of the Concert Hall saying, "Poor Brady, your precious Chloe is never coming home, not ever."

Hope arrived home finding a tired Bo determined not to rest until the Killer was found. Begging him not to go, Hope argued that Bo might end up dead as well. Leaving a sleeping Bo at the Brady House, Hope left alone in the night. "I won't let the killer destroy the man I love or anyone else in my family. Whoever you are...I'm coming after you."

In Salem Park, Marlena thought she heard Belle admitting she wasn't with her during Doug's murder. Marlena emerged admitting she was the Killer and then shooting both Shawn and Belle. She revived from her fantasy of two more murders, relieved that Belle never really told Shawn anything.

Returning to the Penthouse, Marlena found the door ajar. Angry at seeing John's jacket, Marlena withdrew a revolver from her purse. John had arrived moments before her, finding the letter opener, and recognizing it as a possible murder weapon. Recalling her in the Cemetery, John now faced Marlena, saying "Oh, my God. It is you." Denying his suspicions, Marlena told John that his hypnotherapy was not an exact science. But she was curious if John had mentioned his recollections to Tek. Thinking she had murdered again, John confirmed Belle's safety when Marlena said she had just left her. After John 's call, Belle told Shawn she had lied to him, but when she turned around she found Shawn had fallen asleep.

Marlena's indignant protests at being treated like a "common criminal" no longer phased her husband. John replied, ."..You're not a common criminal. You're a cold-blooded murderer, and I think it's time you confess!" Hearing John's questions, as he named her victims, Marlena said it couldn't be real but a dream. Reaching for the letter opener behind her, Marlena tearfully replied. "John, I'm sorry. I love you. And if you believe that I could kill all those people, there's only one thing left for me to do."

Friday, March 19, 2004

by Joan

Arriving at Sami's to pick up Will for Doug's wake, Lucas was surprised to learn Sami wouldn't be going. Fearful of Celeste's predictions, Sami worried that her mother would be the next to die. Will's request for Sami to come as moral support for Lucas couldn't change her mind.

At Alice's, Julie mourned her husband together with Alice, but recalling happy years as Hope grew up. Remembering the sad and the silly times in her marriage, Julie told Will about their travels around the world. Saying she wanted to be there for Will, Sami arrived after all. Sami's ramblings about Doug and Julie bringing the tiger to town didn't help. But when Sami's called the Williams' marriage a love for the ages, Julie corrected her. Calling the observation uncharacteristically beautiful, Julie reminded her they were married three times. Sensing something between Sami and Lucas, Julie suggested they give way to what they were feeling. As she observed the two argue, Julie offered the advice that love is hard work.

At the Penthouse, Marlena concealed the letter opener as she plied John with questions. John recounted seeing Marlena running away in the Cemetery but kept it from Police until he was sure. "You're the love of my life, Marlena, but you're a Killer." John stood back defensively as Marlena now placed the letter opener in plain view. "John, if you really believe that I'm the Serial Killer, there's only one thing left to do." Dialing the Salem PD, Marlena offered him the phone as an officer's voice answered. "Do it, John." But John was unable to report his wife, and he hung up the phone.

Saying he didn't want to believe it, John spoke of what he saw during the hypnotherapy. Marlena nervously watched John lean near her purse containing the gun. ."..I was fighting the truth with my whole body, but it was right there, Doc, and I couldn't ignore it anymore. I remembered seeing the Killer's face just as she turned and disappeared into the woods. It was you, Doc..." Calling it post-hypnotic suggestion, Marlena tried to persuade John otherwise. Saying she was that "dark, heartless Killer", Marlena claimed Stefano had planted the idea in John's mind.

Playing the psychiatrist, Marlena went on about the subconscious control Stefano had over John. Describing turbulent nightmares in which John rebelled aloud against love, goodness and relationship, Marlena said she was the refuge from Stefano's bondage. As John begged Marlena to stop, she continued brainwashing him. Begging not to let his mercenary side take over, Marlena said, "please don't let Stefano win." As John succumbed to Marlena's arguments, he apologized for suspecting her. A tearful John embraced Marlena asking forgiveness for doubting her. Victorious, Marlena smiled as John continued. "I'm so relieved that it's not you. Now I can concentrate on catching the real Killer. And I'm going to stop that witch before she strikes again."