Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 25, 2008 on DAYS

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

Monday, August 25, 2008

by Diane P.

In Marseilles, France, Stephanie and Max remained in jail and tried to figure a way to get someone to post bail. Stephanie told Max that Melanie was responsible for their predicament. Out of desperation, Stephanie told Max that she had decided to seduce one of the male guards to encourage him to let her make a phone call. Stephanie adjusted her clothing so she looked more provocative, but Max teased her and bet her $100, that he did not have, that she could not pull off the ruse. Stephanie called for one of the guards to come forward. To Stephanie's surprise, a burly and overweight female walked in and asked Stephanie what she wanted. Max giggled at the sight of the female guard. Stephanie, embarrassed when the guard approached her, backed down and gave Max a dirty look after the guard left the cellblock. Stephanie yelled at Max and cursed Melanie for her part in their arrest.

The jail shift changed and a handsome guard named Sebastian, nicknamed Seb, entered the cellblock and immediately recognized Stephanie as a famous racecar driver. Stephanie smiled and took full advantage of the smitten guard. Later, Seb told Stephanie that he broke the rules for her and allowed her to make a call on her cell phone. Stephanie called her parents, but they were not home, so she left them a message. A few minutes later, Stephanie noticed that Nick had left a message on her cell phone and told her that he arrived in Marseilles. Stephanie and Max were thrilled to have a friend in town and immediately called Nick to help them.

Trent saw Nicole sitting at a bar and walked over to join her. In a sarcastic tone, he asked why she looked so sad. Nicole was not amused, but Trent told her that he never wanted to see his wife so unhappy. Nicole told Trent that she was having a bad day and his presence only made matters worse. Trent threatened Nicole and asked her to respect her husband or else he would tell Victor that she and Trent were still married. Nicole, angered at Trent, told him that she was sick of him ordering her around and refused to do anything else for him. Trent threatened Nicole again, and started to call Victor on the phone. Nicole agreed to do one last favor for Trent and asked him what he wanted her to do.

Trent asked Nicole to find out if Max had met a young woman named Melanie in Marseilles. Nicole quizzed Trent and rudely asked him if the woman was a mistress, student, or some other acquaintance from his past. She told Trent that she would not agree to spy for him unless he told her the identity of the woman. Trent seemed annoyed but then reluctantly admitted to Nicole that the woman was his daughter, and that she was a student in Marseilles. Nicole seemed surprised that Trent kept the identity of his daughter a secret for so many years, but realized that Trent seemed concerned that Max would tell Stephanie about Trent's evil ways.

John sat by Marlena's bedside as she slowly regained consciousness and asked her if she knew him. At first, Marlena seemed confused, but then assured John that she remembered her family and friends-and that he was her husband. However, Marlena seemed cold and distant toward John. John asked Marlena if she remembered that she had called Roman to tell him that Ava skipped town. Marlena admitted that she called Roman and then told John that she was calling him at the exact moment that a masked intruder broke into her room, pinned her down on the bed, and injected her with a combination of drugs that rendered her helpless. John told Marlena that he and Anna DiMera found her unconscious and rushed her to the hospital. Marlena said she vividly recalled that Stefano visited her in her room and admitted to her that he was responsible for her condition. She told John that Stefano tormented her and told her that it was her turn to feel the same horror and helplessness that he had felt for so many months before.

Marlena began to cry and became very emotional. John tried to comfort her and Marlena seemed surprised that John was concerned about her. Just then, Lexie walked into the room to examine Marlena. Marlena convinced Lexie that she had full control of her faculties. Marlena told Lexie that she wanted to go home. John agreed and encouraged Lexie to release Marlena, and said that he wanted Marlena to go home with him. Marlena asked John why he pretended to care about her and then became agitated. John told Marlena that she would still be lying in a coma if it were not for him. Lexie asked John to step out of the room and told him that he should not aggravate Marlena in any way because there could be residual effects from the toxins. John pushed Lexie, since she was Marlena's doctor, to make an educated guess about Marlena's condition. Lexie told John that she could not predict the future and that they would have to monitor her condition over time.

John went back to Marlena's room, apologized to her for his insensitive comments earlier, and assured her that he would protect her from Stefano and his associates. John asked Marlena to go home with him, but to his surprise, she refused the invitation.

Nick arrived in Marseilles and decided to visit the small caf that Max and Melanie mentioned to him during their phone conversations. Seated at a nearby table, Melanie and her friend, Michelle, discussed their financial plight and began to plot their next mark. Nick overheard their conversation and realized that one of the women was Melanie, Max's sister.

Nick decided to play along with Melanie and made her believe that he was a financial high roller. Melanie immediately took the bait and told Michelle that Nick seemed a likely target to hit up for some cash. Nick was reading the newspaper at the next table. Melanie put on a pair of glasses to look more intellectual, faked her interest in the business section of the paper, and asked Nick if she could borrow the paper. Nick knew Melanie's game and asked her to join him and said that he would gladly share his newspaper with her. Nick bought Melanie a drink and pretended to get to know her. While Nick and Melanie talked, Nick received a phone call from Stephanie and Max, who told Nick that they were in jail, courtesy of Melanie, and asked him to pay their bail.

Melanie asked Nick who was on the phone, but Nick did not tell her. Melanie and Nick flirted with each other to try to get more information from one another. Nick told Melanie that he wanted to get to know her better, but that someone stole his passport and the police just called him and asked him to stop by the station to claim it. Nick asked Melanie to join him and join him for a late lunch with him afterward. Melanie bought the story and she agreed to join Nick.

Nick and Melanie arrived at the jail and Melanie was shocked when she learned that Nick knew Max and Stephanie, and asked them if they set out to ambush her. While Nick and Melanie left the cellblock to post bail, Stephanie told Max that she wanted to go home. Max told her that he could not go home because he wanted to get to know his sister. Stephanie told Max that Melanie was a con artist, and called her a manipulative, spoiled brat, who would do anything to get her way.

At the DiMera mansion, Lucas told Sami and E.J. that he planned to get sole custody of Ali. E.J. reminded Lucas that his actions would constitute kidnapping in the eyes of the law. E.J. and Lucas started to argue and Sami stepped in and called for a truce. She asked Lucas if they could talk about this together, and he told her that they were no longer together. Lucas lashed out at Sami and told her that he only cared about Ali. Sami seemed shocked and upset, and tried to reason with Lucas. E.J. told Lucas and Sami that he felt that they should work out their problems privately; he left the room and went upstairs to check on Johnny and Ali. Sami asked E.J. to secure the room to ensure Johnny and Ali's safety. Lucas suspected that Sami feared for Johnny and Ali and surmised that Stefano was the cause of her fears. Lucas, angered by what had happened to him at the hospital, told Sami and E.J. that he planned to call Mickey to resolve the custody matter for the last time. Lucas said that Stefano was a threat to his family, and that Lucas was determined to protect his family.

E.J. returned and Lucas left the room, but Sami continued to worry about the safety of her children. E.J. admitted to Sami that he was upset about Stefano's return, but E.J. would protect her and the twins.

Maggie and Mickey arrived at the DiMera mansion. Lucas pleaded with Mickey to find a legal way for Lucas to win sole custody of Ali. Maggie asked Lucas if he wanted Ali to grow up without a mother, and Lucas admitted that he would deprive Ali of her mother as long as Sami was part of E.J. and Stefano's life. Maggie agreed and then Mickey told Lucas that he would talk to E.J. and Sami about the custody issue.

Mickey apologized to E.J. and Sami for the awkwardness of the situation, but told them that he thought Lucas might have a chance to win sole custody of Ali. E.J. told Mickey no judge or court would award custody to man accused of murder who also had a history of alcoholism. Mickey reminded E.J. that Stefano's return might be a factor to help Lucas overcome his past.

Outside the room, Maggie asked Lucas if he was sure that his relationship with Sami was over. Lucas assured Maggie that he planned to move on with his life. Maggie asked Lucas if he planned to move on with Chloe and challenged his decision.

Lucas told Maggie that he liked Chloe and that he planned to take things slowly with her. Maggie told Lucas she was proud of him, but to be careful of his choices.

E.J told Mickey that Stefano had nothing to do with the matter. Mickey told E.J. and Sami that Stefano could be a threat to the children and asked them if they had seen Stefano since he regained consciousness. Sami and E.J. lied to Mickey, but agreed to tell him if they saw Stefano.

Sami told Mickey that there was no way that she and Lucas would fight over custody of Ali the way they did over Will. Lucas walked into the room, screamed at Sami, and told her that if she wanted to go to court, he would agree-because there was no way that she would win.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

by ChickenGrrl

Chelsea stopped by the Brady Pub on her way to work to get some coffee and have a quick visit with her grandmother. Caroline was happy to see her and excited to hear about Chelsea's new job at the hospital. After Caroline had gone to get Chelsea's order, Victor came in with Henderson. Both of them greeted Chelsea warmly, and then Henderson got a nearby table for him and Victor.

At a table near the bar, Nicole pressed Trent for more details about why he wanted to keep Max and Melanie apart. Trent rather defensively refused to discuss it, and Nicole realized with a bit of glee that she'd touched a nerve. She taunted him about it until he threatened to go over to Victor's table and introduce himself. Nicole effectively dared Trent to go ahead and tell Victor their secret, but they were then interrupted by Trent's cell phone. Nicole listened as an exasperated Trent learned that one of his credit cards had been maxed out and then instructed the caller to cancel the card after paying it off. Nicole further got under Trent's skin by guessing it had been his daughter who'd run up the credit card bill because she loved to shop, adding, "A girl after my own heart." Nicole soon left for the ladies' room.

Caroline returned from the bar, dropped off Chelsea's iced coffee, and when she saw Victor, she informed him coolly that he was no longer welcome at the pub. Victor was taken aback. Henderson left to wait in the car while Caroline angrily accused Victor of knowing more about what had happened at Bo and Hope's wedding than he'd let on. Victor confessed that he did and invited Caroline to sit so he could explain. She complied, and Victor told her briefly how he had destroyed some incriminating evidence against Philip that Bo had given him, because they both believed Philip was innocent. Caroline became even more incensed, and excoriated Victor for manipulating Bo into risking his career and going against everything he believed in to protect Philip-who would likely get off scot-free. When Victor rose to leave, Caroline quietly but contemptuously asserted, "I wish Bo had never found out that you were his father."

Victor, completely floored, replied that learning Bo was his son had been very important to him. Caroline pointed out that Bo wouldn't be in trouble if neither of them had found out. She added that while she'd never approved of the way Victor did business, she'd always looked the other way because she knew she could never convince him to change his ways. Involving their son in illegal doings, she continued, was the final straw, and she refused to stand idly by and let Bo get blamed for Philip and Victor's wrongdoings. Pete interrupted just then to tell Caroline she had a call from Max. Before she left to take the call, she hissed at Victor, "I want you to be gone when I come back."

In the jail outside of Marseille, Melanie was surprised to learn that Max and Stephanie were Nick's friends, and that they were still in jail. A furious Stephanie explained to Nick that Melanie was the reason they were in jail, but Melanie played innocent. Max was just as angry with Melanie, but tried to get the women to stop arguing. Max and Stephanie told Melanie to bail them out. She claimed she couldn't and asked why their rich pal Nick couldn't do it. Nick clarified that hadn't yet received all his grant money and was merely a college professor.

Nick pulled Melanie aside and asked why she wouldn't help her brother. She swore she was just as broke as Nick, but he told her he suspected it was about more than the money.

Meanwhile, Stephanie tried again to call her parents, but once again had no luck. When Max saw how upset and worried she was, he offered to call his mother to check on things, though they agreed not to tell her they were in jail. Once he reached her at the pub, Caroline assured him that everyone was fine. Max informed her that Nick was also in France, but asked her not to tell Trent that they were all over there.

Nearby, Trent eavesdropped on Caroline's phone call with Max, and overheard her exclaim that Nick was in France.

Back at the jail, Sebastien came in and apologetically informed Max and Stephanie that their bail had been set at 10,000 Euros, and that if they couldn't pay it they'd be transferred to separate jails in the city. After Seb had gone, Melanie noted with a laugh that it was the equivalent of about 15,000 American dollars, but her laughter riled Nick. Max had finally had enough and began to dial Trent. Melanie flipped out and begged him not to, worried that her dad would never trust her again, and that her reputation would be ruined if she asked one of her friends for the bail money. The others were disgusted by Melanie's selfishness.

Philip was at Salem University Hospital so Daniel could have a look at his bullet wound. Daniel pronounced it to be healing nicely and said that Philip was free to go. Kate arrived and offered to drive Philip home. He initially refused, but Daniel pointed out that Philip was lucky to have a mom like Kate.

Chelsea was passing by with Erin, one of the children she worked with, when Philip emerged from his room. Chelsea introduced them, encouraging Erin to make eye contact and to respond appropriately to Philip's questions, and rewarding her with a hug when she did. A nurse came to take the child to get some stickers at the nurses' station while waiting for her mother, and afterward Philip complimented Chelsea on how well she seemed to be doing with the kids. Chelsea beamed, and then asked if Philip had seen Daniel. When Philip replied that Daniel was with Kate, Chelsea was surprised, and worried that her grandma might be sick, but Philip assured her everything was all right.

Chelsea then asked if Philip knew what was going on between Bo and Victor. Philip hesitated, which tipped Chelsea off that he did know something, so she demanded he tell her what he knew. At last Philip admitted that Bo had gotten rid of evidence that implicated Philip in a crime of which he was innocent. Chelsea was livid that her dad had risked so much for Philip and Philip didn't seem to care. Philip replied that he did care but he'd never asked for Bo's help. Chelsea wanted Philip to take some responsibility for his actions, but Philip swore he was innocent. Chelsea retorted that perhaps Philip was like his dad, who'd always been reputed to use "old-school tactics" in business. Philip began to storm off, but Chelsea stopped him and confided that every day she had to live with knowing she'd taken her little brother's life. She reminded him that if he let Bo take the fall for him, he, too, would have to live with what he'd done forever.

Kate confessed to Daniel that she'd been a little stressed lately, not to mention worried that Chelsea would find out about their affair. Daniel was angry that Kate was obsessing about it, because he'd already reassured her that Chelsea would never find out. Kate countered that secrets always came out, so Daniel accused her of resenting him for moving on from her. Kate snapped that being worried about Chelsea being hurt-again-was enough of a reason to not be able to let her fears go. Daniel was immediately remorseful, vowing to do everything he could to protect Chelsea. Kate wasn't buying it and tried to walk away, but Daniel grabbed her and apologized sincerely for lashing out and hurting her.

Kate maintained that she did not regret their ending things, and admitted her recent stress level had spurred her to worry more than usual about everyone in her family, including Chelsea. She then divulged that she knew about the evidence Bo had tampered with, and that she was involved, but what they'd both done was to protect the people they loved. She admitted that she tended to go overboard when trying to do the right thing and it usually just made things worse. Daniel offered his reassurances, followed by a hug. As Daniel held Kate in his arms, Chelsea showed up and witnessed with astonishment this tender moment between her boyfriend and her grandmother.

Bo and Hope anxiously waited for Roman outside the Brady Pub. Roman was clearly miffed when Bo asked for his help as a brother, not as the police commissioner. After some arguing, Roman agreed to hear Bo out. Bo confessed that the package Paul Hollingsworth had sent Morgan had contained a tape of Philip threatening to kill Paul. Bo then produced the original tape and gave it to Roman, explaining that only a copy of it had been destroyed. Roman demanded to know why Bo hadn't handed over the tape instead of allowing the whole fiasco at the church to happen. Hope jumped in to help Bo clarify that they needed more time to draw out the actual perpetrator, who they believed had set Philip up. Bo declared that their main suspect was "the new and rather strange John Black." Roman reminded Bo that regardless of his intentions, he'd still broken the law by withholding evidence. Bo and Hope begged for a little more time to find out what happened to Paul. Though very disinclined, Roman finally agreed.

Victor came out of the pub and asked to speak to Bo, so Hope reluctantly left them alone. Victor apologized for putting Bo in such an impossible situation, and then informed Bo that he'd told Caroline about what they'd done. After Victor had gone, Bo and Hope discussed their next move, which they agreed was to determine whether Paul were alive or dead. Hope wondered if John really could have killed him, but Bo only shrugged.

Philip called Bo just then and declared that things had gotten out of hand. Bo suggested they meet right away at the pub. Philip continued: "You and Hope risking your careers to protect me-it's not right. I want you to know that I'm not going to let you take the fall for this. That just cannot happen." Bo hung up, incredulous.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

by ChickenGrrl

Bo and Hope waited at the Brady Pub for Philip, debating whether two days was enough time to find out what had happened to Paul Hollingsworth. Bo was certain that John Black was behind Paul's disappearance, but Hope wasn't convinced. Each of them admitted to being worried about the other losing his or her badge over the case.

In front of the pub, Philip ran into Morgan, who wasn't exactly pleased to see him. Morgan wondered how Philip could threaten to kill Paul and then claim to care about her, even take a bullet for her. Philip reiterated that, despite the threat, he'd had nothing to do with Paul's disappearance. She reminded him that Kiriakis men did not make threats idly. Philip rationalized that he never would have told her about the tape if he didn't care about her. Morgan admitted she didn't know what to believe, except that she had been nave to trust him.

Philip went inside and joined Bo and Hope. He repeated what he'd told Bo on the phone about how things had gotten out of hand, adding that he wanted to take responsibility for his actions-even if it got him arrested.

Once Hope had left so the brothers could talk alone, Bo asked Philip not to come forward until he and Hope could figure out who was actually responsible for Paul's disappearance. Philip admitted he felt bad about how Victor had strong-armed Bo. Bo reassured him that he'd known about the possible consequences when he'd made the decision to hide the evidence. A process server interrupted to present Philip with a grand-jury subpoena.

At a table nearby, Hope expressed her sympathy to Morgan about Paul's disappearance, but assured her that she and Bo were doing everything possible to find out what had happened. Morgan was skeptical because she knew about Bo's withholding evidence. Hope insisted that, while Philip might sometimes do unethical things in business, he was no murderer. She added that Bo never would have broken the law if he hadn't believed in Philip's innocence.

Abe arrived and Bo privately filled him in about the subpoena. Abe stressed that Bo had to turn over the tape in 48 hours. Both men worried that the grand jury would file kidnapping and murder charges against Philip if they heard the tape, though Bo was sure that he and Hope could prove Philip's innocence before it came to that. Abe asked if Philip knew about the original tape's existence. Bo said he didn't, because, even though Philip was his brother, he was still a suspect.

Morgan was gazing over Hope's shoulder through the window. Suddenly Morgan bolted out the front door, shouting, "Daddy?" as she frantically searched for Paul. Hope followed her outside and Morgan swore she'd just seen her father looking in the pub window, but he was gone.

Hope rushed back inside and breathlessly told Bo and Abe that Morgan thought she'd seen Paul. Philip overheard and a look of astonishment crossed his face. Outside, Paul watched from the shadows while Morgan cried in frustration at not being able to find him.

Abe, Bo, and Hope went outside to question Morgan, but she swore it had been her father and not just a figment of her imagination. She begged them to find him, and Abe informed her that they'd already put out an A.P.B. After the three cops had gone, Philip tried to convince Morgan that he hoped Paul was all right-but for her sake, and that of their relationship, not his own.

In Marlena's hospital room, John promised to protect her from Stefano, and insisted that she come back to the mansion with him. Marlena replied that she couldn't, explaining that, while lying there paralyzed, she'd had a lot of time to think, and had realized that they barely knew each other. John countered that he'd also done some thinking, and he'd become aware that he truly did care about her and wanted them to be together. He was stunned when Marlena replied that she didn't want that. John tried to explain it away as the aftereffects of either the fumes during the lockdown or the toxins she'd been injected with, but Marlena maintained that she was lucid.

Roman came in and was thrilled to see how well Marlena was doing. John argued that she wasn't thinking clearly, but Marlena contended that she was thinking more clearly than ever. She explained to Roman that she finally saw things as they were, not as she wished them to be, and she'd decided she no longer wanted to be with John. When John continued to point out Marlena's supposed confusion, Roman noted that John, too, seemed to have had a change of heart. John didn't understand how Marlena could so easily move on from "the one great love of her life," but she reminded him that Roman had also been her great love.

John scoffed, but Marlena elaborated that they'd once believed John was Roman; when the real Roman had returned, she'd been able to get over him, and had then fallen in love with John on his own merits. She added that she didn't love the new John. John still wasn't buying it, maintaining that she needed to return to the mansion where she'd be safe from Stefano. Roman agreed that Marlena wouldn't be safe at her own home, but that the mansion wasn't safe either. The men began to argue in earnest until Marlena shouted for them to stop, so they stepped into the hallway.

John smugly assumed that Roman was going to make a play for Marlena, and commanded him to stay away from her. Roman refused to bite, insisting that he only cared about protecting Marlena, and that John hardly seemed the right person for the job. After some more macho posturing, the men returned to Marlena's room.

Roman apologized for upsetting Marlena. John also apologized if he'd hurt or angered her, but added that she had done the same to him by constantly expecting him to live up to her memories of the old John. He continued that he'd pushed her away while trying to establish his own identity, but he didn't want her to stop trying to get the man she loved back.

John and Roman were stunned when Marlena informed them there was no way to get the old John back, because Stefano had somehow stolen the broken disk with his memories from the I.S.A. John insisted that, regardless, he wouldn't give up trying, because she'd always told him the old John was still inside him somewhere. Marlena reminded him that they'd already tried therapy and hypnosis with no luck. Trying a different approach, John entreated her to reconsider moving back into the mansion so he could protect her. Finally she conceded that she'd think about it.

After John had gone, Marlena asked Roman for his honest opinion as to whether she was doing the right thing. Roman admitted that he was the wrong man to ask, but he believed she was wise not to move back in with John, because he wasn't the man she used to love. Marlena nodded with tearful, reluctant agreement. Roman then suggested that he stay with her at the townhouse, as a police guard, like he had when they'd first met. That memory tickled them both, and he assured her he would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

Roman made himself scarce when a nurse came to draw Marlena's blood, but returned with John after the nurse had gone. Though Marlena was clearly exhausted from the men's visits, John wanted to know her answer. She admitted she appreciated his wanting to protect her, but told him, "I'm afraid it's too little, too late." She suppressed a yawn, and Roman told John they should let her rest. John kissed a drowsing Marlena on the head, and Roman quietly promised to keep her safe before following John out.

In the hallway, John's cell phone rang, and he angrily told the caller, "He could not have escaped. Find him!"

At the hospital, Chelsea spied Kate and Daniel embracing, and then made her presence known. Kate covered, claiming they'd been discussing the lockdown and how upsetting it had been. Chelsea, clearly thrown, tried to be casual when she asked Daniel to have dinner with her later. Kate saw her opening and quickly left to take Philip home. Daniel gave Chelsea a key so she could meet him at his place when his shift ended.

A few minutes later, Daniel bumped into Kate, who informed him Philip had called a car to pick him up. She then told him she was sure Chelsea suspected something was going on. Daniel, exasperated, maintained that Kate was being paranoid, and reminded her that he and Chelsea hadn't even started dating when he and Kate had slept together. Kate was sure that if Chelsea ever found out, she'd never forgive either of them.

In Daniel's bedroom, Chelsea opened a bottle of wine, lit some candles, and put on some romantic music. She changed into a sheer black negligee and climbed into Daniel's bed, sipping a glass of wine while she waited for him.

When Chelsea heard Daniel come in the front door, she kicked off her shoes and tried to arrange herself into an alluring pose. He was surprised to find her in his bed, and stammered, "I thought we were going to have dinner?" Chelsea promised that what she had planned was far more fun. After she reassured him that she was, indeed, ready to sleep with him, Daniel finally relaxed and kissed her.

Daniel then excused himself to take a quick shower. When his cell phone beeped, Chelsea called out to him, but he didn't hear. Assuming it was a page from the hospital, she picked up his phone and read his incoming message.

When Daniel emerged from the shower a few minutes later, he found Chelsea getting dressed. He asked what happened, so she read him the text message: "Daniel, thank you for tonight, although I think it's best if we never speak of what happened between us again." Flinging the phone at him, she told him it was from Kate. Daniel tried to explain, but Chelsea interrupted him: "Don't. You're a son of a bitch." She then stormed out, leaving him stammering once again.

Kate found Chelsea at the hospital a bit later and asked why she'd summoned her. "I know about you and Daniel," Chelsea replied. Though Kate pretended not to know what Chelsea was talking about, a surprisingly calm Chelsea asserted that Kate and Daniel had been lying to her. Kate tried to stall for time, but Chelsea just wanted the truth. Daniel rushed in, full of apologies, and swore to Chelsea that things were over between him and Kate. Though Kate tried to keep him quiet, Daniel turned to her and said, "She saw the text you sent me. She knows that you and I slept together."

Thursday, August 28, 2008

by LaDaisia

Steve told Caroline about his decision to open a private investigation business. It was his way of finding something to do to keep from going crazy, he said. Steve had already been doing some freelance work for the Salem Police Department.

In France, Max pressured Melanie to call her friend Tiffany to get him and Stephanie released from jail. Melanie was resistant at first, so Max threatened to call their father, Trent Robbins, and tell him about the whole incident so Trent would bail them out. Melanie was frightened that once Trent knew of her involvement with Max landing in jail, she'd be in big trouble. Then she noticed Max's tone when he talked about Trent and figured that Max and Trent had some tension between them.

Melanie called Max's bluff about calling her father, but before Max could try to reach Trent, Tiffany showed up at the police station. Once Melanie explained to Tiffany that she wanted Tiffany to help Max get out of jail, Tiffany was ready to walk. Then Melanie told Tiffany that Max was a famous racecar driver, which made Tiffany interested. When Stephanie returned from the bathroom, Tiffany had agreed to bail Max and Stephanie - whom Melanie said was Max's cousin - out of jail in exchange for Max going on a romantic date with Tiffany.

Meanwhile, back in Salem, after overhearing Caroline talking to Max on the phone, Trent tried to reach Nick by phone to find out where he was. Nick was vague about his whereabouts and told Trent he got some professors to cover his classes because he had to leave town for a family emergency. Trent told Nick he made some changes to the prototype paperwork and needed to overnight the changes to Nick if Nick would just tell him where to send it. Nick made up an excuse as to why he couldn't tell Trent his exact location, and then he rushed Trent off the phone.

Trent went to Steve to hire him to find Nick, claiming that Trent was unable to reach Nick and was troubled by his sudden disappearance. Steve agreed to take the job. Trent told Steve that his friend Scott mentioned that Steve had a daughter named Stephanie. Trent tried to sound casual about his mention of Stephanie, but Steve's suspected something was up.

At the hospital, Daniel came clean with Chelsea about his previous involvement with Kate. He told Chelsea that he and Kate had a fling long before he got involved with Chelsea. During their conversation, Theo ran into Chelsea after running away from Lexie. Chelsea seized on the opportunity to get out of her conversation with Daniel and Kate, by offering to take Theo to his next therapy session. Lexie told her that wouldn't be necessary, and Chelsea was stuck.

Chelsea asked Daniel and Kate why they didn't tell her about their involvement sooner. Then, answering her own question, Chelsea commented that the reason they had said nothing was because they knew it was wrong.

Chelsea stormed off, and Lexie later offered a willing ear to Daniel, saying he had been there for her when she was going through her problems with Abe, so she was eager to return the favor. Daniel explained to Lexie that he'd slept with Kate and invariably ruined what could have been the best thing that happened to him in a long time. Daniel blamed himself for ruining Chelsea's life because the infection she picked up after the operation that saved her father's life made her infertile. Lexie convinced Daniel to give Chelsea time to calm down. Lexie was confident that Chelsea would be back once she had a chance to think things over.

Max agreed to go out on a date with Tiffany, much to Stephanie's chagrin. Stephanie told Max she knew Melanie was trouble. At the restaurant, Stephanie filled Nick in on what happened at the jail and how Melanie convinced Tiffany to drop the charges and encouraged Tiffany to go out on a date with Max. Tiffany and Max were seated nearby, and Tiffany admitted she knew that Stephanie was Max's girlfriend. Tiffany said she asked him out because she was hungry and it would help her reputation to be seen with Max. Nick started to tell Stephanie about his phone call with Trent, but Melanie interrupted them and asked to speak with Nick.

Trent tried to pump Steve for information about Stephanie and Max, and Steve said he disliked Stephanie and Max's relationship. Trent asked if Stephanie would know Nick's whereabouts, and Steve said he would question Stephanie about it when he talked to her. After Trent left, Caroline asked Steve about their conversation. Steve told Caroline he thought Trent was digging for information on Max. Caroline told Steve that Max was in France looking for his sister. Steve said he knew what Max was doing and played along with Trent by agreeing to take the case to keep an eye on him.

Trent tried to reach Melanie by phone, but she was busy cozying up to Nick. Melanie asked Stephanie to leave the table so she could speak to Nick alone. After Stephanie walked off, Melanie told Nick she was glad he convinced her to call Tiffany to get her to drop the charges. Stephanie called Steve and said she got word from her sorority sisters about the hospital lockdown. Steve said they were okay, but he filled her in on Trent's attempts to find Max and Stephanie.

Tiffany told Max how she and Melanie met. Tiffany told him that Melanie was a horrible person. Max said he and Melanie just met and he traveled all the way to France to meet her. Tiffany warned Max to leave France and get far away from Melanie. Tiffany told Max she really wanted to kiss him. Max told Tiffany he was sorry she felt that way because he had a girlfriend. Tiffany kissed him anyway as Stephanie watched from the window outside.

Steve told Stephanie that Trent knew Nick was with her and Max. Steve told Stephanie that he would go get her, but Stephanie was more concerned with what was going on with Max and Tiffany. Stephanie told Steve not to come to France, because she was taking the next flight home. Stephanie walked back inside the restaurant, and Tiffany told Stephanie that she was a lucky girl and then left. Max told Stephanie that Tiffany kissed him, and Stephanie said she wasn't mad. Max told Stephanie she was the only girl he wanted to kiss. Then he kissed her.

Kate and Daniel worried that Chelsea would never forgive them for keeping their romantic involvement a secret from her. Chelsea told Lexie she found her work rewarding. Lexie said she could tell that Theo interrupted something important earlier. Lexie advised Chelsea that there were two sides to every story, and she owed it to herself to hear both sides. Kate asked Daniel what they should do next, and Daniel said he would find Chelsea and get her to listen to him. Chelsea told them that after she met with her supervisor, both Kate and Daniel would tell her exactly what went down between them.

Trent told someone over the phone that Max might have already found Melanie. He told the person to relax and he would handle it.

Friday, August 29, 2008

by Spalding

At the hospital, Lexie tried to get a struggling Theo to go to his therapy session when a frantic John ran up behind her. Scared by John's gruff voice, Theo cowered against his mother, and Lexie rushed him in for his session. When Lexie returned, John explained that since Stefano was on the loose, Marlena was not safe. John then told Lexie that Marlena was missing and no one had seen her. While Lexie waited to hear from security, she tried to calm John. Unable to relax, an impatient John rushed off to find Marlena.

Down the hallway, Marlena slipped into the waiting room of her office and surprised her assistant who was not expecting her to stop by. Though all of Marlena's appointments were cancelled, her receptionist informed her that a walk-in had stopped by and was stifling her tears and collecting herself in Marlena's office. Marlena agreed to meet with the new patient, Dora, and entered her office to find Dora sitting on the couch, sniffling. Marlena sat with Dora and listened as Dora explained how she felt that her life was out of control. After taking in Dora's story, Marlena advised her to take control because, although Dora was not paralyzed, her fear could make her paralyzed. Marlena urged Dora not to blame others and to claim responsibility for her own happiness rather than look to others to supply it.

Just as Dora seemed to be calming down, John threw open the door and bellowed at Marlena to return to her room. Scared, Dora ran out, leaving a frustrated Marlena behind to deal with John. John curtly told Marlena that she should not go anywhere without a bodyguard, while an angry Marlena yelled back that she felt fine and just wanted to get on with her life. Although Marlena admitted she was terrified of Stefano, she explained, "I won't live in fear because then Stefano will win." She continued, "I don't need you to take care of me. In fact, I'm not even sure that I need you in my life!" Confused by Marlena's indifference to him, John questioned why she was pushing him away. Emotional, Marlena told him that she had almost died and that she had wasted months of her life and stopped living for the future. "I focused on you," Marlena sighed. Declaring her need to find her own happiness, Marlena demanded a clean break from John.

Desperate, John told Marlena that he had almost lost his mind watching her slip away, and that he had realized how important she was to him. Though John explained that he was not sure whether his feelings were love, he reminded Marlena that despite his memory loss, he had not forgotten a moment they spent together since she had rescued him from the lab. When John made an emotional speech saying how he thought he would never "hear your voice or see your smile," Marlena softened and fell into his arms, kissing him passionately. The two made love in her office, and despite the moment they shared, John managed to push Marlena away by saying "I knew I could win you back!" "Was this a challenge for you?" Marlena asked shocked. "Absolutely!" John said as he grinned wildly. Noting the look of horror on Marlena's face, John quickly said, "No that's not what I meant." With the awkwardness of the moment still hanging in the air, John received a cell phone call from E.J. advising him of a situation back at the mansion. Marlena hurriedly got dressed, and John quickly hung up the phone and insisted that she would stay with him while Stefano was on the loose.

As the Brady Pub, Daniel and Kate waited anxiously for Chelsea to arrive so that they could discuss their brief affair. Chelsea arrived and sat listening patiently as Kate explained how sorry they were that it had happened and that when it happened, Daniel was not dating Chelsea. Calm, Chelsea told them that she believed them, but that she was still having difficulty coming to terms with the fact that her boyfriend had slept with her grandmother. Curious, Chelsea asked Daniel if he had dropped her case because he was sleeping with Kate, but Daniel assured Chelsea that he had stopped being her doctor solely because he had developed feelings for Chelsea.

Kate continued to explain that Daniel had been drinking the night they slept together and that they were both feeling vulnerable when it happened. Confused, Chelsea noted that Daniel and Kate had slept together despite knowing how Chelsea felt about Daniel at the time. Daniel admitted that he had not told Chelsea sooner because it was a one-time thing with Kate and that there was no easy way to bring it up. "It's done, it's over," Chelsea said without emotion. "I don't want to lose you. I can't," Daniel pleaded, grabbing Chelsea's hand. Chelsea told Daniel that he was just "a player" as everyone had told her and, staring him in the eye, she said, "I don't think I can forgive you or my grandma." Daniel urged Chelsea to think it over and, choking back tears, Chelsea calmly rose to her feet and quietly left the pub.

Back at Salem Hospital, Chelsea ran into Lexie in the hallway. When Lexie asked if Chelsea had talked to Daniel, Chelsea turned to her and announced, "Daniel and I are over. We're finished." Looking for comfort, Chelsea sat down with Theo and the two played with toys. As Chelsea's eyes filled with tears, Theo gave her a hug.

At the Dimera mansion E.J. talked to Mickey on the phone regarding Sami's custody case with Lucas. Upon hearing a commotion in the front hall, E.J. hung up the phone and rushed out of the living room to investigate. In the foyer, E.J. found Anna and Tony arriving with suitcases and attempting to move in to the DiMera mansion. Anna grumbled that the move was a mistake, but Tony could not be swayed from staying. E.J. urged Tony to trust him and give him time to gain John's confidence in order to take him down, but Tony refused to wait any longer to reclaim his right to the DiMera Empire. While E.J. attempted to change Tony's mind, Anna answered the front door to find a delivery of champagne, cigars, Strega, opera CDs, and a DVD box set of "The Sopranos." E.J. immediately worried that Stefano's return was imminent, but Tony insisted that the delivery was merely a joke. Unnerved, Anna ran into the living room terrified, while Tony followed her.

On the porch of the DiMera mansion, Marlena told John that she felt making love was a mistake. Unfazed, John assured her that what they had could be as good as or better than what they had been in the past. Narrowing her eyes, Marlena warned him that she would only stay one night. John smiled happily at her and ushered her into the foyer of the mansion.

In the foyer, John was surprised to find the boxes of items that Stefano had sent. E.J. walked in from the back hall and told John that he had warned him there was a situation and added, "Tony's moved in." "Over my dead body," grumbled John.

In the living room, Tony attempted to calm Anna's fears, urging her to believe that Stefano would not be so foolish as to return to the mansion when the police were waiting for him. Tony reminded Anna that he would restore the DiMera's legacy and name, and would start with John. When Anna asked about E.J., Tony devilishly smirked and said, "I haven't forgotten about him. One thing at a time." Just as Tony seemed to convince Anna that Stefano would not be turning up anywhere in the mansion, the phone rang. Tony answered it to hear Stefano's voice growling, "Have my room ready. I'm coming home."