Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of January 4, 2010 on DAYS

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

Monday, January 4, 2010

by LaDaisia

Melanie received a call telling her that Nathan and Philip had been arrested. While in lockup, Nathan and Philip argued about Melanie. Philip was happy that he had assaulted Nathan, but Nathan said that Philip couldn't stop Nathan from telling Melanie that Nathan thought she was making a big mistake. Philip told Nathan that Melanie wasn't interested in Nathan. Nathan asked why Philip was so afraid of Nathan talking to her, if Philip was so confident that Melanie was only interested in Philip.

Philip encouraged Nathan to tell Melanie how wrong Philip was for her. Nathan said that Philip would ruin Melanie's life, and Nathan was determined not to let that happen. Philip told Nathan to remember that Stephanie would get hurt in the process. Philip asked Nathan how Stephanie fit into the equation, and Nathan said, "She doesn't."

Philip called Nathan a "heartless bastard," for stringing Stephanie along. Nathan didn't think he was playing with Stephanie's feelings. Philip pointed out that Nathan was dating Stephanie while pining away for Melanie. Nathan said that his situation with Stephanie was new and Philip was "one to talk." He said Philip had been engaged to Stephanie but it ended because she wanted him to stop working for his "criminal" father.

Nathan predicted that Melanie would get sick of "the Kiriakis way of life" and Philip would get rid of her rather than do the honorable thing. Melanie and Stephanie walked in while they were arguing in their cell. Melanie told them to "stop it." Stephanie went to see about posting bail. The officer told Philip that his attorney had posted bail, and he had to fill out some paperwork by himself first. Melanie and Nathan were left alone.

Nathan warned Melanie not to marry Philip. Stephanie asked Philip what had happened between him and Nathan, but he didn't want to talk about it. Philip said that Nathan was trying to "hijack" Philip's fiance. Philip told Stephanie that Nathan was using her, dating her as a way to to get his mind off of Melanie.

After Philip was ready for release, Stephanie sat at the table, staring at the paperwork for Nathan's bail. Stephanie tore up the papers for Nathan's release and said that Nathan could ask his grandmother to pay his bail. Melanie asked Nathan what was wrong with him. Nathan tried to convince Melanie not to rush into marriage with Philip, and she said that he couldn't tell her what to do. She said that she didn't have feelings for Nathan anymore. "Are you sure about that?" Nathan asked, and he grabbed her hand.

Nathan told Melanie to tell him that Philip was the one who she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Philip overheard as Melanie told Nathan that she loved Philip and wanted to marry him.

Bo told Carly that the hospital where she had given birth to her daughter had a flood, and her files were never updated in the computer's mainframe. Therefore, Vivian's contact didn't get very much information. Carly was relieved and hugged Bo. She apologized for getting emotional. She knew that she couldn't let her guard down with Vivian. Bo said that the news meant that they had time, and Carly felt that she could concentrate on her work for a while as well.

Carly asked why Bo wasn't with his family on New Year's Eve. Bo said that Hope and Ciara were at Victor's place, and Justin was there too, so he didn't feel comfortable being around Justin, who was making "not-so-subtle moves" on Hope. Carly said she didn't know that Bo knew about that. "Knew about what?" he asked. Carly said she was sure that Justin had feelings for Hope, but Bo wasn't surprised.

Carly asked if it would matter to Bo if Justin had acted on his feelings. Bo said it "would change everything" if Hope and Justin were involved. Carly got a page from the hospital. Bo gave her some 2010 glasses, and Carly was reminded of the time they had spent New Year's Eve on the boat. At the hospital, Carly thought about the New Year's Eve that she and Bo had spent together.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Hope tried to open the puzzle box in Vivian's bedroom, but Vivian had returned home with Victor and was approaching the room. Hope tried to cover by kissing Justin. Vivian and Victor got an eyeful of Justin and Hope, and Victor angrily told both of them to get out of his house. Justin tried to explain himself, but Victor didn't want to hear it.

Victor told Justin that he wouldn't allow Justin to make a move on Hope, Bo's wife, especially in Victor's house. "And especially in my bedroom," Vivian said. Hope spoke up and told Victor that it was her fault, and she begged him to listen to her. She told him to think about Ciara. Hope explained that she ran into Justin in the hallway, and she and Justin had been feeling sorry for themselves so one thing led to another.

Justin told Victor that it was an impulsive moment, and they both realized that it was wrong. Vivian demanded to know why they were kissing in her bedroom. Hope said that they thought they heard someone walking down the hallway, so they ducked into Vivian's room. Victor said that what they told him was excuses. Victor ordered Justin to leave the mansion. Justin acquiesced, and Victor asked for time alone with Hope.

Victor asked what was going on with Hope. He said that she wasn't the woman that he knew, cheating on her husband and not concerned whether her daughter woke up and saw it. She apologized for disappointing Victor. He wanted to know what prompted such behavior, and Hope told Victor about how she saw Bo and Carly kissing. Hope said that if she hadn't thought her marriage was over before, she was sure it was after seeing Bo and Carly together.

Justin told Vivian that Bo had moved on with Carly. "I knew that whore would cause trouble for the two of you the minute she stepped foot in Salem," Victor said. Hope didn't think that Victor was being fair. Victor said that Hope didn't know the meaning of the word. Victor asked what Hope would have done if Ciara had walked in on her. He said that what Hope did was "egregiously" irresponsible. Hope said that Victor was right.

Hope said that she felt ashamed. Victor accused Hope of betraying Bo, making a fool of Victor's nephew, Justin, and not protecting Victor's granddaughter against what could have been tremendous psychological damage. He said that he wasn't going to let her off the hook.

Hope didn't blame Victor for resenting her. Victor said that it was "a lot more than resentment." She said that Victor had always been an advocate for her and Bo. Hope didn't think it was "in the cards" for her and Bo. "Nothing is in the cards. That's how it works. It takes dedication and commitment. You can't just sit around, waiting to be dealt a winning hand -- you have to take control of the situation."

Hope asked Victor to stay out of her problems with Bo, because Victor's anger was fueling the fire. Victor refused to stay out of it. Hope said that she couldn't live there anymore, and she and Ciara would be out first thing in the morning. Victor tried to convince Hope to stay. He said that Carly was worse than Chloe, Sami, and Nicole all rolled up into one. He said that Carly was like poison, and he challenged her to figure out why Bo was so blinded by Carly.

Justin told Vivian to inform Victor that if he needed Justin to check for him at the Salem Inn. Justin told her that what was going on between Justin and Hope was none of Vivian's business. She said it was her concern, because she was very protective of Victor. Justin felt that Victor would get over it and would be shocked to learn what Bo had been up to.

Vivian wanted to know what was going between Bo and Carly. Justin told her that Hope saw Bo and Carly kissing. Vivian called Carly a "duplicitous little tramp. Lawrence's ashes are barely cold, and she's trying to lure Bo into her sticky little web." Justin said that Carly didn't have to do too much luring.

Brady visited Nicole in jail. He was concerned, because a guard told him that Nicole hadn't been sleeping or eating. Brady reminded her that her hearing was the next day, and she needed to get ready for it. Nicole didn't see the point. She felt like she had lost everything. Brady told her that she was a "good, loving, strong woman," and her life was "not nearly over."

Nicole said that she had no more fight in her. Brady explained that he had hired a lawyer and demanded that she fight for her life. Nicole wished that she had chosen Brady over E.J. Brady told her that it wasn't too late for the two of them. Brady said that he had wished he could whisk Nicole away from the DiMera mansion the moment he returned to town. He told Nicole that she was beautiful and wonderful and the toughest woman that he knew.

Nicole told Brady that she would do what she had to do, which Brady interpreted as meaning that she would fight to get out of jail. Nicole called her lawyer to tell him that she wanted to throw herself on the mercy of the court.

Outside the Brady Pub, Vivian told Bo that his "indiscretion" had driven Hope into Justin's arms . Hope called Justin as he was checking into the hotel to tell him that she had threatened to move out of the mansion, but Victor had stopped her from doing so. Justin was glad, because he was certain that Hope would find Carly's secret. Hope said that the kiss that she and Justin shared was wrong. Justin said that their kiss worked, because Victor and Vivian didn't suspect why they were in Vivian's room.

Justin thought about their kiss again. Carly ran into Justin, and he told her that he was going to check into a hotel, because Victor had kicked him out. Carly asked if it had to do with Hope.

Vivian told Bo that she saw Hope and Justin kissing passionately. Bo didn't believe her, but Vivian said that Victor witnessed it too. She told Bo that it was his fault because he kissed Carly. Bo was upset upon hearing the news.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

by Spalding

Standing in the Kiriakis mansion foyer, Hope apologized to Justin for getting him kicked out. Justin told Hope everything was fine and then he headed upstairs to pack while Hope answered the front door. Bo arrived to pick up Ciara, and when he looked at the bags in the foyer, he asked who was moving. Justin descended the stairs and announced that he was moving out. Justin explained to Bo that he would be staying at the Salem Inn, and then he left.

Alone in the foyer, Hope told Bo that Victor kicked Justin out. When Bo asked why, Hope admitted that something had happened but that, judging by the look on Bo's face, he already knew. Hope wondered whether the news hurt Bo, and he countered, "You know it did." Bo explained that Vivian told him about the kiss. Shaking her head, Hope insisted that "it wasn't what you think." Angry, Bo argued that Justin had been after Hope since he returned to Salem. Hope explained that she kissed Justin and it was not Justin that kissed her. Before Hope could explain why she kissed Justin, Bo urged her to tell him whether Hope had feelings for Justin.

Hope admitted that she was not sure what she felt about anyone or anything. "I have been one half of Bo and Hope for most of my life and now I'm just supposed to be Hope, and how did we get here?" Hope said. Bo reminded Hope that she was the one to move out and that she gave up when Carly moved back to Salem. Hope argued that if Carly had not returned to town, they still would have had a lot of problems to work through in their marriage. "What would I have had to do? What should I have said? 'Cause you know damn well that I would have done anything, said anything," Bo countered. "You walked out on us," Bo said quietly.

As she approached Bo, Hope explained that she would have asked Bo to promise her that he would "never ask me to go against my instincts again." Hope added that she wanted an apology from Bo for risking Ciara's life in order to stand firm against the kidnappers. Bo reiterated his concern that if they had paid the ransom, the kidnappers would have murdered Ciara. Hope shook her head quietly and looked into Bo's eyes.

"I really wanted to hear you say that you didn't still have feelings for Carly, but I never heard those words," Hope remarked. Noting the look on Bo's face, Hope added that she did not think she ever would hear Bo say those words. "The reality is that a part of you always belonged to Carly," Hope said with tears in her eyes. Hope warned Bo that if Carly became a part of his life, her secret had better not hurt Ciara. "You know damn well that I would give my life before I let anything happen to our daughter," Bo stressed. As Ciara ran downstairs and hugged Bo, Hope wiped her eyes and put on a smile for her daughter. Bo carried Ciara out of the house, and Hope told the girl that she loved her.

Sad, Hope sat down in the living room with her head in her hands. Justin returned from the Salem Inn and asked Hope how things had gone with Bo. Hope informed Justin that Bo knew about their kiss, and that she did not tell Bo the reason for the kiss. Hope apologized again for hurting Justin, and he lamented not being around the house to assist Hope in her investigation of Vivian. Justin urged Hope to call him if she needed anything.

When Hope talked about not being able to think of another cover story for being in Vivian's room, Justin joked, "Was kissing me so bad?" Surprised by Justin's jest, Hope assured Justin that her only worry was that in light of Justin's confession about his feelings, she felt guilty for using a kiss with him as their cover story for Vivian. Smiling, Justin said he understood why they kissed and that he understood it was not something she wanted to do. "Who knows? Maybe someday you will," Justin said sheepishly.

Over at her house, Maggie apologized to Bo for pushing so hard on New Year's Eve to get him and Hope back together. Bo told Maggie not to worry, since he knew her heart was in the right place. As Maggie poured two cups of coffee, she told Bo that she and Mickey were going on a cruise together. Maggie continued that her and Mickey's new year's resolution was to make more time for each other. Maggie suggested that Bo make a resolution to figure out how to fix his marriage.

Sighing, Bo noted that his marriage issues were complicated. Maggie reminded Bo that there was a time when she and Mickey were nearly finished, but that they had become closer than ever. "You've got a terrific marriage," Bo commented. "So do you and Hope," Maggie returned. Maggie advised Bo to start small and let his marriage rebuild slowly.

At Sami's apartment, Rafe hurriedly rushed to the front door to answer the doorbell. Rafe opened the door to find Brady, who was looking for Sami. As Rafe started to walk toward the bedroom, Brady noticed a note by the front door from Sami. Confused, Rafe stared at Sami's note as Brady told Rafe that he visited Nicole at the jail. A visibly upset Rafe noted that he was tired of hearing about all the things that Brady was doing to help Nicole. "If my sister gets hurt, I'm coming after you. We clear?" Rafe groused.

After Brady left, Rafe's friend Sam from the FBI stopped by to tell Rafe that he had big news about Sydney.

Down on the pier, Troy gave instructions to a man for a hit on Arianna. "You want it quick, you want it clean, you want it final. Hey, it's what I do," the man said ominously. Troy gave the hit man a photo of Arianna., "Here's your target.... Make it look like a simple robbery," Troy stressed. Troy added that he wanted the man to leave Arianna's body wherever she died.

Arianna entered the Brady pub and hung a sign in the window that read, "SORRY - Closed Until Noon." As Arianna headed over to the bar, Gabi arrived downstairs to say good morning. Arianna reminded Gabi that she had promised to help Arianna with the inventory. As Gabi turned to head to the back room, she received a call on her cell phone from Chad. Giggling, Gabi told Chad that she was free. Once Gabi hung up the phone, she explained to Arianna that she was meeting Chad for coffee at the Java Caf. Gabi begged Arianna to let her start count on the inventory a little late. When Arianna paused before answering, Gabi thanked her and ran out the front door of the pub to meet Chad.

As Arianna counted supplies behind the bar in the empty Brady Pub, Brady entered and noted that the front door was open. Brady was annoyed that Arianna was alone in the pub with the door unlocked, but Arianna assured Brady that she was fine. Arianna updated Brady that she'd almost learned the name of her cartel boss from Troy's phone, but that the phone was wiped clean prior to her gaining access to any information. Arianna explained that Roman helped her divert Troy's attention from her as the phone thief, and that she was confident Troy did not suspect that she was the one that had been in possession of his phone.

Arianna asked Brady about his New Year's Eve, and Brady informed Arianna that he had visited Nicole in jail. Outside the pub, the hit man called Troy to tell him that Brady was in the pub with Arianna. Troy gave the hit man instructions on how to proceed.

Inside the pub, Brady explained to Arianna that he went to visit Nicole in order to encourage her to fight and remember more information about the kidnapper. With a shrug, Arianna told Brady that she was hoping Brady got through to Nicole for Sydney's sake. Brady suggested to Arianna that they have their own, private New Year's Eve party together. Thrilled with the suggestion, Arianna agreed to the date and began to kiss Brady passionately as Gabi walked in. With a smile, Gabi headed into the back room, and Brady said goodbye to Arianna and reminded her to lock the door.

As Brady left the pub, the hit man peered in through the window and looked at Arianna. "Alone at last," he said to himself. While the hit man watched Arianna, Gabi returned from the back room. Thwarted in his plan, the hit man walked away from the pub. Inside, Gabi showed Arianna a King's cake that their mother sent to them for Epiphany. Gabi suggested that they have people over in order to enjoy the cake, but Arianna seemed sad. When Gabi asked why Arianna was feeling down, Arianna reminded Gabi that for Epiphany the year before, she was in jail. Gabi assured Arianna that she had her family for the new year.

After shaking away her blues, Arianna smiled and told Gabi that she wanted to talk about Chad. Before Arianna could say anything, Troy called and asked Arianna for a meeting. Arianna agreed to meet, and asked Gabi to give her some privacy so that she could handle something for work. Smiling, Gabi agreed and headed out. As Gabi walked away, the hit man approached the Brady Pub. Inside the pub, Arianna worked on the inventory while she listened to music. The hit man quietly crept in through the unlocked pub door and circled behind Arianna.

At the Java Caf, Brady typed on his computer as Gabi walked over to say hello. Surprised to see Gabi, Brady asked why she was not with Arianna. Gabi explained that Arianna asked her to leave the pub so that she could handle some issues for work. Brady appeared worried, but remained quiet as Gabi wondered aloud whether Chad was working.

At Salem Place, Sami met up with E.J. and he showed her a new letter from the kidnapper. The note read, "Dear mom and dad, follow these instructions to the letter or number if you ever want to see your daughter again." When Sami realized there were no additional instructions, she started to panic. E.J. calmed Sami down and informed her that he deduced that the numbers at the top of the letter were referring to a meeting at 8:15 a.m. that morning. Noting the numbers at the bottom of the page, a frantic Sami and E.J. attempted to decode the meeting location. Frustrated, Sami attempted to call Rafe for help, but E.J. stopped her.

Sami argued that since the note was addressed to both "mom" and "dad," the kidnapper was aware that Sami knew about the first letter. E.J. ordered Sami to calm down, and he forbade her to contact Rafe. Worried, Sami pleaded with E.J. to let her tell Rafe in case he knew what the code at the bottom of the letter meant. "What if they kill her?" E.J. asked. "What if they meant it when they said 'tell nobody,' Samantha? And they kill our daughter because you insisted on involving your bloody boyfriend?" E.J. growled. E.J. refused to discuss Rafe anymore, and Sami changed the subject to the code at the bottom of the letter.

After examining the code, E.J. wondered aloud whether the numbers were coordinates. E.J. plugged the coordinates into the GPS on his cell phone and determined that the meeting place was an area down by the river. Down at the pier, E.J. and Sami found a yellow ribbon tied to a post. Tied to the end of the ribbon was a prepaid phone in a plastic bag, which rang as they removed it. When E.J. answered the phone, Anna, in a distorted voice, asked to speak to Sydney's mother. E.J. put the call on the speakerphone, and Anna informed Sami that Sydney was safe. E.J. whispered to Sami and encouraged her to keep calm.

Anna explained, "I would like to speak to you, woman to woman, mother to mother." On those words, Sami bristled and questioned how a mother could kidnap a child. "Well how could you do some of the vile, disgusting things you've done in your life?" Anna countered. Sami assured Anna that she had changed and only wanted to get her daughter back. "She will never come home to you unless you do something for me," Anna added.

Embracing the role of a protective mother, Sami gripped the phone tightly and swore that she would do anything to get Sydney back. Anna told Sami that the first letter went to E.J. because he had money. Anna continued that because Sami had carried Sydney for nine months, she would only negotiate the return of Sydney with Sami, not E.J. Sami agreed to be the contact for Anna, and she agreed not to tell anyone about the ransom. Sami's phone began to ring, and, noting that it was Rafe calling, Sami reiterated that she would not tell anyone about the ransom. As Sami sent Rafe's call to her voicemail, Rafe left a message that he had important news about Sydney.

Anna warned Sami that she was aware that Sami's boyfriend, Rafe, was a former FBI agent, and that she did not want Sami to tell Rafe anything about the ransom. "If you break your promise, Sydney will no longer be in your life. She will disappear forever," Anna said. After Sami agreed not to tell Rafe anything, Anna demanded that E.J. pay five million dollars as the ransom for their daughter. "You'll get further instructions once the money is ready," Anna said before noting that they had 24 hours to secure the ransom money.

Frantic, Sami demanded to hear Sydney's voice as evidence that she was okay. Unplugging the voice modulator, Anna held the phone up to Sydney's ear as Sami and E.J. gently talked reassuringly to their daughter. Sydney cooed in return, which prompted Sami to cry and E.J. to pull her into his arms. "She's healthy, she's safe," E.J. reassured Sami. "I'm going to get our daughter back," E.J. said.

Looking tired, Sami returned to her apartment and stared at a photo of Sydney. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm sorry that it's my fault that you were kidnapped. I lied to your father and now I don't know if I can trust him. I have to put your life in his hands," Sami whispered. Rafe entered the living room and noticed that Sami was crying. Rafe asked Sami where she had been, but Sami apologized and explained that she was lost in thought. Rafe told Sami that he had important news, but before he could continue, he received a call on his phone. As Rafe talked on his cell phone, Sami muttered under her breath, "Oh, Rafe. There's something I've got to tell you too."

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. was working to arrange the ransom for the kidnapper when he received a phone call. "What? How? That's impossible," E.J. exclaimed.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

by ChickenGrrl

As Philip and Melanie arrived at the front door of the Kiriakis mansion, he surprised her by picking her up and carrying her across the threshold. Giggling, she protested that they weren't married yet. He replied that he was practicing for when they were - which would be very soon, since the assault charges against him had been dropped. Philip kicked the door closed behind them, as Melanie ordered him to put her down. When he informed her that they could take the Titan jet to Las Vegas, she excitedly pulled him by the hand up the stairs to pack his bag.

Melanie sat on the bed, playfully bossing Philip around as he put clothes into a suitcase. He teased her right back, then jumped on the bed next to her, kissing her and throwing her back onto the pillows. After they made love, Melanie confessed that she was excited about leaving, so Philip returned to packing. Melanie drifted off to sleep, and dreamed that it was Nathan instead of Philip in bed next to her.

Melanie awakened when Philip returned from the bathroom. She asked if they could go to Europe for their honeymoon, and afterwards she could show him all the places she had lived - and conned guys out of money. "Because I want you to know all about me...I mean, the real me," Melanie explained. "That doesn't scare me," Philip assured her, even though she warned him that it might take months.

Stephanie was surprised to see Nathan at the hospital, since she'd left him in jail. He informed her that Maggie had bailed him out - and the charges had been dropped. Stephanie was still furious that Nathan had asked her out for New Year's Eve, then promptly got into a fight with Philip over Melanie. Nathan admitted he'd screwed up, and apologized sincerely. He explained that he had done a lot of thinking while he was in that jail cell, and planned on making a lot of changes - which started with her.

Nathan admitted that he hadn't been honest with Stephanie, or with himself, about what he really wanted. He'd realized that it wasn't Melanie that he'd been chasing, but a fantasy - and he was finished with that. "So, now what?" asked Stephanie. "If you're the kind of person who gives second chances," Nathan replied, "then you know where to find me."

Nathan was surprised to see Melanie in a break room later; she was filling out some forms on a clipboard. She informed him that she and Philip were still getting married, after which they were going on a long honeymoon in Europe. Nathan pointed out that she was supposed to start nursing school in a couple of weeks. "That's why I'm giving my notice," Melanie replied. "I'm dropping out." Nathan shook his head with disappointment.

At the nurses' station, Philip explained to a curious Stephanie that he and Melanie were there so Melanie could drop off some paperwork, because they were on their way to Las Vegas and then an extended honeymoon. Philip wondered if Nathan would go ballistic about Melanie again, but Stephanie didn't think so. "I think that little fight that you guys had sort of knocked Melanie out of his system," she maintained. "He finally realized that Melanie's not the girl he thought she was, that she was just some sort of fantasy, and he needed someone more real." Philip was skeptical. "Like you?" he asked. "Anything's possible," Stephanie replied.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. got a phone call that clearly displeased him. He grabbed his keys and charged out the door.

At the townhouse, Sami tried to work up the nerve to tell Rafe about the ransom demand, but before she could, Rafe informed her that he'd gotten his job back with the FBI. Sami congratulated him with all the enthusiasm she could muster. Rafe explained that the supervisor who had fired him had retired, and the man's replacement had been impressed with Rafe's work uncovering the baby switch. The FBI wanted Rafe to stay in Salem and continue working on Sydney's kidnapping case.

Rafe then broke the news that Nicole's sentencing hearing had been moved up to later that day. Sami and Rafe quickly donned suits, and as they were preparing to leave, Will entered. Will was excited to hear about Rafe's reinstatement, and asked to accompany the two of them to the hearing. While Will got ready, Rafe told Sami that Nicole had been so depressed that a guard had notified Brady, who'd then visited Nicole in jail. "You keep a secret like that from someone, who cares?" Rafe declared. "As far as I'm concerned, a secret's the same as a lie. Don't lie to the people you love."

Nicole met with her lawyer, Marcus, in her cell before the sentencing hearing. Marcus tried to convince her to let him present a "diminished capacity" defense, but Nicole refused. Marcus argued that otherwise, she could end up spending the rest of her life in prison. Nicole admitted she didn't want that, but she was guilty and didn't deserve mercy for what she had done.

While Troy waited at the Java Caf, the hit man he'd hired to kill Arianna silently opened the door to the Brady Pub. The man tiptoed toward the bar, where Arianna was listening to loud Latin music while she did inventory, her back to the door. The hit man pulled out a pistol and cocked it, but quickly stuffed it back into the pocket of his jeans when Brady entered. "Hey! I thought you locked the door," Brady shouted at Arianna over the music.

Arianna was stunned to see a stranger in the restaurant, and quickly turned off the music. Brady demanded to know what the guy was doing there, and the man claimed he just wanted some coffee. Brady and Arianna pointed out the "closed" sign on the door, and the man left.

Brady said that he'd run into Gabi, who'd told him that Arianna was alone at the pub. Arianna explained that Troy had asked to meet with her, so she'd asked Gabi to leave. Arianna's face fell when Brady told her that he'd canceled a meeting to attend Nicole's sentencing. He asked Arianna to go with him, and she declined, but promised to stop by the courthouse after she finished inventory. As Brady left, Arianna remembered how she'd accused him of being addicted to Nicole.

The hit man met Troy in front of the Java Caf. Troy was furious to learn that the job wasn't finished, and ordered the man to return to the pub - and kill Brady, too, if he had to. Troy realized that he had to get to the Brady Pub right away, because he was afraid Arianna would be suspicious if he never showed up for the meeting he'd called.

Troy then went to the pub, and claimed that the next drug shipment would be late again. Arianna was irked, but told Troy to call her as soon as it arrived. After she let him out the front door, she tried to return to doing inventory, but found she couldn't focus. "To hell with this," she declared. "I'm going."

Gabi hung out at the Java Caf while Chad worked. Gabi admitted she was a little nervous about starting at Salem High the next day, and Chad promised to help her get through it. Mia entered and scowled when she saw them together. When Gabi left her table for a few minutes, Mia approached Chad and told him that she was about to testify at the hearing to sentence Nicole. Chad wanted to testify as well.

As Chad hurried away to ask for the time off, Gabi returned and asked Mia what was going on with him. Mia asked Gabi to go with her to the courthouse, because Chad would probably want her support when he testified. Shrugging, Gabi agreed.

Sami and Rafe found E.J. already in the courtroom when they arrived. E.J. believed that Nicole had gotten the hearing rescheduled, and Sami agreed that Nicole hadn't wanted anyone else to get the chance to testify. Just then, a guard led Nicole through the rear door of the courtroom.

Gabi and Mia arrived as Chad's father, District Attorney Charles Woods, tried to talk him out of testifying against Nicole, but Chad's mind was made up. Gabi was confused about why Chad was there, since the woman was being sentenced for kidnapping. Mia replied, "It's hard to explain. I think it's better if you just listen." The two of them found seats behind Chad.

When Rafe stepped into the hallway to take a phone call, Sami whispered to E.J., asking if he'd gotten the money yet. E.J. replied that he was working on it, but worried that Sami had told Rafe about the ransom note. Sami swore she hadn't, although she felt terrible about it.

The bailiff called the courtroom to order, and Judge Goldberg took his place behind the bench. He read the felony charges against Nicole - illegally adopting an infant, switching that infant with another, and kidnapping Sydney DiMera from her rightful parents - and asked what the prosecution's sentencing recommendation was. D.A. Woods asked for three consecutive sentences, for a total of 70 years. Marcus tried to protest, but Judge Goldberg stopped him and argued that they should get on with the proceedings, since he already knew what the lawyer's objections would be.

E.J. took the witness stand first and described how Nicole had allowed him to mourn the death of a child who wasn't even his; she had also lied that she'd adopted Sydney, and then allowed him to reject his own daughter. He stated that Nicole had made a mockery of what he had thought was their perfect family by basing it on lies.

An emotional Sami then testified about Grace's death, and how Nicole had grieved for her as well - but had never told Sami the truth. Sami attested that if Nicole had never taken Sydney from the DiMera mansion, Sydney would never have been kidnapped. "We don't know if we're ever going to see her again," Sami declared angrily, "and it is all because of Nicole!"

Mia testified that she hated herself for allowing Nicole to make her lie to the people she cared about. Chad went next, stating that Nicole's lies had deprived him of ever getting to know his daughter. An astonished Gabi glanced at Mia, who simply closed her eyes and nodded her affirmation.

The judged thanked the witnesses for their testimony, but noted that no one had testified on Nicole's behalf. Brady surprised the group when he spoke up from the back of the courtroom that he would, and then took the stand. Brady told the court about having to tell Nicole that she'd suffered a miscarriage, asserting, "It was as if the pain cut right through her mind, and through her heart. I think on some level, Your Honor, she went insane." Nicole wept quietly throughout Brady's testimony.

Arianna entered as Brady attested that Nicole loved E.J. and Sydney so deeply that she seemed to believe she'd truly given birth to Sydney. "Your Honor," he stated, looking up at the judge, "there's no sentence that you could hand down today that would be any worse than what she's feeling right now. And it is my hope that you realize that she's suffered enough. I only ask that you be kind, please. She deserves mercy." A glowering Sami scoffed incredulously, while Arianna's mouth fell open in disbelief.

Nicole then took the witness stand, and addressed the judge and the gallery. "I want everyone to know that there's no excuse for what I did," Nicole stated tearfully. "What I did was terrible, unforgivable, and I hurt so many people." She continued that all of her decisions had been disastrous, and she deserved the stiffest sentence the judge could order, even if it meant life in prison. "All I care about is Sydney, and bringing her home!" Nicole wailed. "Because she is the sweetest, most precious-" She broke down in sobs, apologizing.

Gabi followed Chad back to the Java Caf, and ripped into him for not telling her about his and Mia's baby.

Judge Goldberg noted that Nicole was probably the most remorseful defendant he'd ever seen. An indignant E.J. stood up and declared that everything Nicole had said was a lie. The judge pointed out the absurdity of a DiMera demanding justice in a court of law. That only incensed E.J. further, and as he railed against the judge, Sami added her piqued assertion that Nicole's were merely crocodile tears.

Judge Goldberg ordered silence before he jailed them both for contempt, so Sami sat down in a huff. The judge stated that after reading the case file, he knew about Sami's past crimes, and that she was hardly blameless in what had happened with Sydney. Sami started to protest, but stopped herself. Judge Goldberg then proclaimed, "Be it known that I have reached a verdict in the sentencing for Nicole Walker DiMera."

Thursday, January 7, 2010

by LaDaisia

The judge told Nicole that she was "as repentant and remorseful as any defendant [he had] ever encountered." He said that he understood why Nicole had kidnapped Sydney, because she was grieving over her miscarriage. The judge decided to reduce Nicole's sentence. Sami objected, and the judge ordered Sami to be quiet. Rafe convinced Sami to sit down.

The judge sentenced Nicole to 20 years, including time served, instead of the maximum 70 years. Nicole passed out, and Brady jumped up to catch her. Brady looked back and saw Arianna sitting in the courtroom behind him. E.J. applauded sarcastically, and Nicole told the judge that she wanted to say something.

The judge ordered Brady to step away from Nicole, so Brady sat down. Nicole said she wanted to say something about Sydney, so the judge allowed Nicole to speak. Nicole asked everyone to keep searching for Sydney.

Anna received news that Nicole was being sentenced, and Anna decided that she could never go through that, that she would rather die than go to jail. She heard a door and discovered that it was just a tree branch hitting the door.

At the Java Caf, Gabi asked Chad why he didn't tell her that he and Mia had given birth to a baby. Chad said he thought that everyone knew. Gabi pointed out that she had only recently arrived in town, so she was unaware. Chad thought that Gabi's sister and brother might have told Gabi. When Chad went back to work, Mia approached Gabi and expressed regret that Mia didn't tell Gabi about Mia and Chad. Mia volunteered to tell Gabi the "real story" about them.

Mia said that Mia and Chad were more than friends -- they were soul mates, and Mia swore Gabi to secrecy. Mia said she didn't want to see Gabi get hurt. Will called Mia and told her that Nicole only received 20 years behind bars. He asked to meet Mia at Maggie's house later. Mia told Chad about Nicole's sentence, and he was outraged. Chad said that Nicole would still be "miserable" for the rest of her life -- with no husband or child.

Chad's supervisor called for him to get back to work, and Chad asked Gabi to stay until he got off work soon. "Wow! He wants you to stay until he gets off of work, like you have nothing better to do," Miaremarked to Gabi. Gabi clarified that Chad said he would be finished soon. Mia called Chad's behavior "controlling" and said that he used to treat Mia the same way. "'Mia, stay at your house so I can come over whenever I feel like it. Whatever you do, don't leave,'" Mia said, pretending to quote Chad.

Gabi was surprised to hear that Chad spoke that way to Mia. Mia said that she got used to it and that it was Chad's way of showing her that he still had feelings for her and always would. Mia warned Gabi not to say anything. Mia said it felt good to have a friend she could trust, and she predicted that she and Gabi would be best friends.

Chad returned to the table when Mia left, and he told Gabi that he would be done in 15 minutes, but Gabi told him to stay away from her. Chad stopped Gabi from leaving and asked why she was acting so strangely. Gabi asked Chad to figure it out, but he was confused. He admitted to being irresponsible by getting Mia pregnant, but he said that his relationship with Mia was in the past. Gabi didn't believe him. He asked if Mia had said something to her, and Gabi said it didn't matter, because Gabi and Chad were not supposed to be friends.

At the hospital, Maggie assured Chloe that she would do fine filling in for Maggie at the hospital while Maggie went on vacation. Chloe said that Maggie would be missed. Lexie interrupted their conversation to tell Chloe to check out what was going on at Nicole's trial. Chloe thought that there would just be preliminary motions, but Lexie said that there was "nothing preliminary about it."

Sami told Will that Nicole's sentencing would probably give Mia closure. Sami thought that Will would help Mia get through it. Sami assured Will that it wouldn't be long before they got Sydney back. E.J. told Sami that they needed to get back to looking for Sydney. Rafe said it would be easier for him to search for her, because he had been reinstated at the FBI. Rafe got a phone call and left the room.

E.J. told Sami that it might have been a mistake to keep the ransom note a secret from Rafe. Sami wondered why E.J. had changed his mind when he was so set against telling Rafe. E.J. said it was because Rafe might be able to help them since he was back with the FBI. Sami wanted to run off and tell Rafe, but E.J. stopped her. He wondered whether the kidnapper would cut off communications with them if the kidnapper knew that Rafe was reinstated at FBI.

E.J. said that the most important thing for them to do was to get the ransom together. Sami was frustrated that they had to wait for the kidnapper to tell them what to do. E.J. decided that it was too risky to let Rafe in on it, and he tried to convince Sami, but Rafe was standing in the doorway. Rafe asked what they had been talking about, and she said that they were discussing Nicole's sentencing. Rafe knew that wasn't what Sami and E.J. were talking about.

Rafe said he heard E.J. ask Sami if she agreed, and Rafe wondered how that could be about Nicole. E.J. said that they had agreed not to give the press a statement about Nicole, because they wanted to concentrate instead on searching for Sydney. Rafe apologized for seeming suspicious. E.J. accepted Rafe's apology and decided to go home to see if there was any news on Sydney. Rafe and Sami wanted to go home too.

At Maggie's house, Mia told Will that she would be all right as long as she had him. They hugged. Mia kissed Will and said that she needed him. Will heard the backdoor shut and assumed it was Maggie returning home. Mia didn't care. She pulled him in for a kiss. Someone knocked on the door, but she didn't want to answer it. Will told her to get the door, because the person probably wouldn't stop knocking, and it could be Mickey or Maggie.

When Mia answered the door, it was Gabi, who was there to return Mia's scarf. Gabi realized that she had interrupted something between Mia and Will. Mia asked Will to get a drink for her while she talked to Gabi. Gabi asked why Mia was kissing Will. Mia denied that she was kissing Will. Gabi asked why Mia and Will were "red in the face" and why Mia's lipstick was smeared. Gabi questioned Mia for saying that Mia and Chad had something special. Mia said that Chad was her soul mate and always would be.

Maggie returned home with Lexie, and Lexie marveled at the pictures Maggie had of Mickey and the rest of the Horton family. Maggie felt blessed to be married to Mickey. Maggie said that she and Mickey would fight and yell and throw pillows at each other. Lexie was surprised, because she thought of Mickey and Maggie as the "happily ever after types." Maggie reminisced about her wedding day.

Lexie said that Maggie set a good example for Lexie and Abe. Lexie hoped to be as happy with Abe when she got older as Maggie was with Mickey. After Lexie left, Will went into the kitchen to get a drink for Mia, and Maggie told Will that Mickey was upstairs packing, and Maggie needed to do the same. She asked Will if he and Mia could water the plants. Maggie asked Will to have Mia turn off the lights if they were going out.

Gabi thought that Mia was being mean and immoral for "stringing Will along." "You say you want Chad, and here you are going at it with Will. Am I supposed to think that's cool?" Gabi said. Mia didn't feel the need to explain herself to Gabi. Mia apologized to Gabi and said that Gabi had stopped by at a bad time. Gabi told Mia that if Mia really cared about Chad, Mia needed to leave Will alone and "stop leading him on." When Mia shut the door, Will was standing behind her and asked what Gabi meant by that.

Maggie, looking stunned, entered the kitchen. She sat down at the kitchen table and cried.

At the Brady Pub, Arianna told Brady that she didn't think she would ever understand him. Brady didn't understand why Arianna considered him to be a "mystery" just because he provided "a couple minutes of testimony." She asked if he thought that she wouldn't see it. Brady said he thought that Arianna would have been compassionate towards Nicole, because of everything that Nicole went through.

Arianna said it wasn't about compassion -- it was about him wanting Nicole to be free after everything that Nicole had done to his sister. Arianna asked Brady what he would do if Nicole didn't go to jail. He didn't know. Arianna told Brady to go say goodbye to Nicole, and they would talk about it later. Arianna realized that Brady was still in love with Nicole. Arianna imagined Nicole telling her that Nicole would always be in Brady's heart. Arianna vowed to prevent that from happening.

Chloe spoke to Nicole after the sentencing and asked if Nicole could file an appeal, but Nicole didn't want to, because it was what Nicole deserved. Nicole couldn't remember anything more about the woman who kidnapped Sydney beyond a feeling that Nicole knew her. Nicole asked the police officer guarding her for some time alone with Chloe. After he left the room, Nicole told Chloe that they had spent too many years fighting and only a few years being friends, but Nicole wished that it was the opposite.

Chloe told Nicole that they would still be friends, and she promised to visit and write to Nicole. Nicole advised Chloe not to be like her and take Daniel's love for granted. Nicole regretted wasting so much time pursuing E.J. when real love with Brady was staring her in the face. Nicole wished that she hadn't thrown Brady's love away. Chloe said she would always be there for Nicole.

Brady wanted to see Nicole one last time before she was sent to prison to serve her sentence. "Even now you come, still in my corner," Nicole said. Brady was upset that Nicole was going to jail, and he felt like he could have protected Nicole. She said that none of it was his fault, because he did everything he could to protect her.

"All the mistakes I made were in spite of you, not because of you," Nicole said. "You're the only one who really cares, who ever cared, and that's why I don't want you to be hurt. You don't deserve it," she said. Nicole warned Brady to be careful with Arianna. She said she'd overheard Arianna and Gabi talking and learned that Arianna was a drug dealer. Brady said it was a misunderstanding. Nicole told him to be careful anyway and not to let Arianna or anyone else hurt him like Nicole did "over and over."

Nicole told Brady not to call, write, or visit her, because she wouldn't take his calls, see him, or write him back. She said it would be too hard for her, and she wanted to give him the gift of letting him go for real. Brady tried to tell Nicole that he couldn't just walk away from her. The officer returned and told Nicole that it was time to go. Brady tried to beg Nicole to reconsider, but she interrupted him. "Even though I'll never see you again or hear your voice, you'll always be with me, Brady, forever," she said. Nicole kissed him one last time, and the officer led her away.

When Rafe and Sami returned home, she noticed that he had been quiet ever since they had left the courthouse. She asked what was wrong, and he said, "You tell me." Sami said that she had nothing to tell him, and she didn't know why he was being suspicious. He said that when he interrupted her and E.J., Rafe didn't think that she was being honest with him. He asked if he was right and if there was something that she wanted to tell him.

When E.J. got home, he received a phone call, panicked, and rushed out the door.

Anna gave Sydney her doll and then heard a noise at the front door. She grew nervous, thinking someone was there. Anna had put on her coat and grabbed her purse. She held Sydney in her arms and opened her front door, only to find E.J. standing there.

Friday, January 8, 2010

by ChickenGrrl

In Maggie's living room, Will asked Mia, "What did Gabi mean, that you should leave me alone and stop leading me on?" Mia insisted that Gabi had overreacted when she'd learned that Mia and Chad had a baby, but Will knew that things between Mia and Chad were "ancient history." A skeptical Will didn't buy it, and declared that he would find out the truth from Gabi. As he stalked out, Mia nonchalantly maintained that she didn't care, then chased after Will.

Mia caught up with Will at the Java Caf, and asked why he believed Gabi -- a virtual stranger -- instead of her. "Because Gabi never lied to me!" Will retorted. "And you have. And I'm not going to let that happen again." Mia didn't understand why Will was treating her so harshly. Will reminded her that she had accepted two dates to the dance, and he couldn't get past it.

Mia complained, "Will, that's not fair. I've been through hell. My head is completely messed up right now; you know that." Will angrily pointed out that he was also going through a rough time, because his little sister was missing. Mia begged him not to leave her, because they needed each other. "I can't do it," Will stated. "We're done, Mia. It's over." He left, and Mia could only sigh dejectedly as she slumped into a chair.

Hope let herself in the back door at Mickey and Maggie's, to drop off some star charts for the two of them to use on their cruise. She was surprised to find Maggie sitting, dazed, at the kitchen table. Seeing the stricken look on Maggie's face, Hope gently asked what was wrong. Maggie explained that Mickey had been upstairs packing, and she'd gone up to check on him. He had been excited for their trip, Maggie said, and to spend time alone with her. "Maggie, what happened?" Hope asked.

"I tried CPR," Maggie began tearfully. "I kept trying and trying the compressions, over and over and over..." Her voice broke, and she stopped for a moment to compose herself. "I knew before I got to him that it was too late," Maggie continued, then added, weeping, that she hoped Mickey had gone quickly, without any pain.

Hope asked Maggie for permission to go upstairs. Maggie gave it willingly, but said she couldn't accompany Hope. "I've already held him in my arms, and I already told him that I..." She stopped again, her voice thick with emotion, and then asked if Mickey would be upset with her for not having the courage to return upstairs. "No, of course not," Hope reassured her, and then rose and slowly walked out of the kitchen.

When Hope returned, she told Maggie quietly, "I called 9-1-1. Everything's been taken care of." Maggie thanked her. Hope added that she had said goodbye to her Uncle Mickey, then finally she wrapped her arms around Maggie, and the two women wept together.

The ambulance arrived, and Hope and Maggie watched as the attendants rolled the stretcher carrying Mickey's body through the living room. "Wait!" Maggie exclaimed. The men stopped, and Maggie approached her husband's sheet-covered form. She sobbed softly as she took Mickey's hand in hers, kissed it tenderly, then noticed that he wasn't wearing his wedding ring. She spotted it on a side table, next to his glasses.

"You must have taken it off while you were working," she noted, lovingly slipping the ring back onto his finger. "You never leave the house without it." Hope's face dissolved into tears as she watched. "I love you, my darling," Maggie addressed her husband adoringly. "I always will." She kissed his hand again, and then allowed the attendants to take Mickey out the front door. Hope placed a comforting hand on Maggie's shoulder, and Maggie fell into Hope's arms, and wept inconsolably. "What am I going to do?" Maggie cried.

Back in the kitchen, Hope made a cup of tea for Maggie, who was grateful that Hope was there. Hope promised that she would stay as long as Maggie needed. Maggie suddenly thought about Alice. "She's so frail now, and if she finds out about her son-Hope, we can't tell her! She'll never be able to take it." Maggie began to sob again. Although Hope said she would defer to Maggie's wishes, she thought Alice needed to know. Maggie agreed, so Hope called and asked if she could pay her grandmother a visit.

As Hope hung up, she saw Bo's picture on her phone, and had to take a deep breath to keep herself from sobbing aloud. She told Maggie that it would be better to break the news to Alice in person, but she didn't want to leave Maggie. Maggie reassured Hope that she really did want to be alone, plus she needed to call Melissa and Sarah. "I love you," Hope said, caressing her aunt's hair. "I love you too," Maggie replied fondly. Hope reluctantly left, as Maggie gazed at a picture of her and Mickey.

Bo was getting coffee at the Brady Pub when Justin walked in. Bo congratulated Justin sarcastically for finally winning Hope away from him. Justin played dumb, so Bo lit into him about kissing Hope. Justin grudgingly admitted it, but argued he was through being the good guy, especially since Bo had clearly moved on with Carly. He maintained that he had encouraged Hope to give Bo and their marriage another chance, but Bo didn't buy it.

Justin divulged that Hope had asked him to file legal separation papers a while back, but he had refused. "If you really loved her with all your heart and soul," Justin declared quietly, "you might have waited a few days before you turned around and kissed Carly Manning. So don't blame me that you gave up on your marriage. Don't blame me that you have no idea what you want." He turned and left without waiting for a reply.

At the townhouse, Rafe guessed that Sami was keeping something from him. Sami swore that she loved and trusted Rafe, and she never wanted there to be secrets between them. Rafe believed that E.J. wasn't happy about Rafe's reinstatement at the FBI, but Sami assured him that E.J. was glad to have more people looking for Sydney. Rafe maintained that E.J. thought he was above the law - and that Sydney might already be home if not for E.J.

Rafe noted that it was odd that there hadn't been a ransom demand, because the kidnapper had to have a motive for taking Sydney. Sami started to tell him about the ransom note, but Bo's arrival just then stopped her. Bo stated that he'd heard that Rafe had been reinstated, and wanted the two of them to coordinate their efforts to get Sydney home.

After Sami went into the bedroom to make a phone call, Bo informed Rafe that the leads had practically dried up. Rafe was discouraged, because he knew that their chances of finding Sydney decreased with each passing minute.

At the cabin, Anna wrapped Sydney in a blanket and opened the front door - and was stunned to find E.J. on the doorstep. "What in God's name do you think you're doing?" E.J. demanded. After taking Sydney from Anna, E.J. chastised Anna for disobeying his instructions not to leave the cabin, stressing, "You do exactly as I tell you or our deal is off. Understand?" He was even more furious when Anna told him that she'd been investigating a noise outside.

Anna insisted she hadn't known what to do, because E.J. hadn't shown up when he was supposed to. E.J. stated that he'd been making sure that no one knew where Anna and Sydney were. Anna pointed out that she was taking excellent care of Sydney, and reminded him that she had reached out to him when Tony died - and when she'd learned that Nicole had kidnapped Sydney.

E.J. countered that Anna was being handsomely rewarded for her efforts, but Anna maintained that the money should have been Tony's in the first place. E.J. argued that she would get her money if the plan went off without a hitch.

E.J. cuddled Sydney in his lap and reassured her that he loved her, until Anna took the child into the bedroom for a nap. E.J. then called Sami, and informed her that there had been no further contact from the kidnapper. "You are doing your best to put Rafe at ease, make sure he feels he's still in the loop?" E.J. asked.

Sami was worried what would happen without Rafe's help if the kidnappers really wanted revenge against the DiMeras instead of the ransom money. E.J. pointed out that the DiMeras' enemies knew better than to double-cross them, but added that it was Samantha's decision whether to tell Rafe. An emotional Sami maintained that she only wanted what was best for Sydney.

After E.J. hung up, Anna returned with Sydney. She claimed that the girl hadn't been able to sleep, and confessed that she'd overheard E.J.'s conversation with Sami. Anna scoffed that Sami had become an "ingrate," especially since Marlena was the best mother Sami could have asked for. Anna commended E.J. for turning his back on Sami and his "evil father." E.J. urged Anna to keep the angry words to a minimum in front of Sydney.

Anna affectionately noted that Sydney would miss her "Auntie Anna" when Anna returned to Bora Bora, and E.J. teased that the house Anna and Tony had built there was hideous. Anna asked if E.J. had an idea when everything would be over - or if he could at least tell her what the next step was. Holding Sydney in his lap, E.J. replied that Anna only needed to know that she would be paid when the job was done. He softly sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to Sydney while rocking her gently in his arms.

When Sami returned to the living room, Rafe told her that Bo had left to track down a potential lead at the hospital. He asked what Sami had been trying to tell him before they were interrupted. Sami reassured him, "I was just going to say that you're not missing anything. You're doing everything humanly possible to try to find Sydney." She added that he had to believe his own words that they would get Sydney home soon. Rafe just wanted Sydney back because he wanted to see Sami happy again.

As Carly, looking down at her clipboard, boarded an elevator at the hospital, she did not notice that Vivian was already on it until the doors had closed. Carly tried not to show her panic as she began pushing the buttons anxiously. Vivian taunted her, pointing out that the small, enclosed space must remind Carly of the time Vivian had buried her alive. "You're so proud of that, Vivian!" Carly scornfully retorted. "Like it's your crowning achievement." Vivian admitted cheerfully that she had regretted her actions ever since, because, "I should have just buried you good and dead."

Vivian continued gleefully goading Carly, until Carly snapped. "Stop with the mind games!" she snarled, breathing heavily. "You want me to admit I killed Lawrence? Fine, I did: I killed him - and I would do it again." Carly maintained that Lawrence had become a sociopathic monster by the end, because he'd learned from the master: Vivian.

Vivian replied that Carly's confession meant nothing without remorse. The elevator bell chimed, and as the doors slid open, Vivian ordered Carly to get off unless she wanted to end up dead. Carly refused. Vivian believed that Carly would eventually self-destruct, and coldly added, "I'll see you in hell, Carly Manning."

After Vivian stepped off the elevator and the doors closed again, suddenly the car lurched and made whining noises, and the lights flickered. Carly completely lost control, punching buttons frantically as she shrieked, "Oh no! Get me out of here! Somebody help me!" Sobbing and hyperventilating, she sagged against the wall as she flashed back to being trapped inside the casket Vivian had buried her in years earlier.

While Carly pounded weakly on the doors and whimpered pleas for someone to help her, a workman tried to calm her as he worked to open the elevator from the outside. Vivian strolled casually past, munching on some chips. "Mission accompli!" she trilled to herself.

Bo arrived and asked what all the pounding and yelling was about. The workman told him, "There's somebody freaking out in here!" Bo helped the man pry the doors apart, and Carly lurched out, gasping, into Bo's arms.

Bo took Carly back to her room at the Salem Inn, where he opened beers for them, and asked her to tell him what had happened. Carly filled him in about what Vivian had done, adding guiltily, "I admitted that I killed Lawrence." She worried that Vivian would succeed in her attempts to drive Carly crazy, because Carly wasn't a strong person anymore, not after what Vivian and then Lawrence had done to her. Bo assured her, "You're the same Carly Manning I fell in love with." Carly was grateful that Bo had been there when she'd needed him. Bo nodded reassuringly, then took her face in his hands and kissed her.