Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of September 27, 2010 on DAYS

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

Monday, September 27, 2010

by LaDaisia

A relieved Sami told Rafe that Will was safe and they didn't need to worry about him anymore. She explained that Kate had informed her that Stefano didn't suspect Will of shooting E.J. anymore, but Rafe didn't consider it good news if Will really did shoot E.J. Rafe said that even if Kate felt like she knew how Stefano felt, Rafe believed that a police investigation would lead to Will being the prime suspect unless someone else took his place. Rafe said that Will's alibi wasn't strong, and he had been nervous, defensive, and edgy about what had happened, which usually meant someone was "not innocent."

Ian was telling Stephanie that Daniel hadn't switched Chloe's paternity test results, when Kayla walked in. Stephanie introduced Ian to Kayla, and then Ian left. Kayla asked Stephanie what test Ian was referring to, and Stephanie asked her to let it go, but Kayla wouldn't. Stephanie said she wished she was "in the dark like Daniel." Stephanie told Kayla that Chloe had engaged in an affair with Philip, the baby she was carrying was Philip's, and neither Daniel nor Chloe knew the baby's real paternity.

Stephanie told Kayla that she and Ian had hacked into the computer system at St. Mary's hospital to look at the test results. Kayla said it was not only wrong, it was illegal. Stephanie explained that she'd needed to know because Philip and Melanie's marriage would be ruined over Chloe's affair. Kayla asked what that had to do with Stephanie. "Because if that had happened, then Nathan would feel like he had to run to Melanie and help her, and once again, she ruins my life," Stephanie said.

Stephanie explained that the test results had been changed from the first time that she and Ian had looked at them. Stephanie said she had suspected that Philip or Chloe had done it, but Ian had determined that neither of them nor Daniel had done it. Kayla said it didn't matter who had switched the results or why. Kayla said that the test results needed to be fixed, because everyone involved deserved to know the truth, no matter how painful it might be.

"Don't you understand what that would do to me?" Stephanie said. "Stephanie, this isn't about you. This is about the paternity of a baby. This is about a very serious deception with very serious repercussions. Why don't you get that?" Kayla said. Stephanie asked, "What about the serious problems in my life?" Kayla was frustrated with Stephanie's selfishness.

Stephanie begged Kayla not to tell the truth, because she feared she would lose Nathan. Kayla pointed out that Stephanie didn't know that, and she said if that was the truth, Nathan wasn't worth keeping. Kayla asked how Stephanie could be so desperate and insecure, and she asked if Stephanie really wanted to be with a man who didn't want to be with her. "I am not desperate! I am in love, and if you don't understand that, then you can just go back and leave me alone," Stephanie screamed, and she stormed out.

Carly called Chloe to see if things with Nicole were under control, but Chloe was busy telling Nicole that she didn't want her friendship anymore. Nicole begged Chloe to forgive and forget, but Chloe wasn't sure she could do that. Nicole asked Chloe to think about it, and she urged Chloe not to turn her back on Nicole like Brady had. Chloe said that was inevitable. Chloe told Nicole that Brady was a good guy, and Nicole wasn't good enough for him.

Nicole asked if Chloe wanted to end their friendship, and Chloe said she wanted to remain friends, but she didn't feel safe anymore with Nicole and couldn't trust her again. Nicole apologized. Chloe said Nicole was probably alone because of all the things that she had done. "So what are you saying, nobody loves me? That's a lie," Nicole said, crying. Chloe pointed out that Nicole had pushed her own family out of her life.

"And when it comes to your friends in Salem, I don't mean to be mean, but I can't think of one," Chloe said. "No, that's not mean, of course not. Thank you for your candor. That's so generous of you, but you know something, there is someone who loves me and always will, and I'm gonna go be with him right now," Nicole said and stormed off.

Outside the Brady Pub, Nathan walked up as Carly left another message for Chloe. Carly and Nathan talked about Chloe's pregnancy. Carly said that Daniel felt like "the luckiest man in the world." Nathan said he didn't think Daniel was the luckiest man in the world. Daniel overheard them talking. Nathan tried to explain, but Daniel said there was no need to, because everyone was entitled to their opinions. Carly left to look for Melanie. Daniel asked Nathan what he had against Chloe, because he had noticed that Nathan had been hostile towards Chloe before.

Nathan said he didn't have anything against Chloe, and he didn't even know her that well. Daniel said he owed Nathan a lot for helping him out when Chloe had been in a coma. Daniel said he knew what had happened with Nathan and Melanie, and he was able to keep his protective feelings about Melanie separate from his working relationship with Nathan, and even supported Nathan professionally. Daniel insisted on knowing why Nathan disliked Chloe. "It's not that I dislike Chloe. It's what she did," Nathan said, before catching himself.

Daniel assumed that Nathan was upset because Chloe and Daniel had been involved in an affair while she was engaged to Lucas, and Nathan led Daniel to believe that was why he didn't like Chloe. Daniel said he wasn't proud of what he'd done, but he felt that Chloe and Lucas were wrong for each other. Daniel felt that Nathan had judged Chloe for something that she was not to blame for. Nathan apologized for what he had said about Chloe, but Daniel thought that Nathan was sorry that Daniel had overheard him.

Carly stopped by Daniel and Chloe's apartment to make sure that Nicole wouldn't blurt anything further out about Chloe's affair. Chloe said she had told Nicole that she didn't think she could ever trust Nicole again, and Nicole swore she would never do it again. Carly was relieved. Chloe was worried about how much Carly had risked keeping Chloe's secret. Carly said she wanted Chloe and Daniel to be happy, and she felt that they were meant to be together, since the baby was his. Chloe told Carly that she was glad that they had become friends.

Chloe asked who had interrupted Carly when Carly was leaving Chloe a message. Carly said it was Nathan, and Chloe was irritated at hearing Nathan's name. Carly told Chloe that Nathan didn't think she was good enough for Daniel. Carly assumed that Nathan was the guy Chloe had slept with, because she remembered seeing Nathan leave Chloe and Daniel's apartment once.

Brady visited Vivian at the mausoleum and told her that her prediction about him being sent to jail for Vivian's imprisonment was wrong. He predicted that he would be celebrated instead of ruined. "Hell, I might even be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize," Brady said. "The only problem with your little fantasy is that I am ultimately invincible, and I will find a way to turn the tables, and then what'll you do with me, kill me?" Vivian asked.

Brady assured Vivian that he wasn't like her, because he didn't kill people. "You practically are. You're starving me to death," Vivian said. She complained about the "gruel" that he had fed her through the tube in the sarcophagus. Brady reminded her that she was getting exactly what she was going to do to Maggie. Vivian wanted to know what he was going to do to her. "It's all about you, isn't it? It's always about Vivian," he said, adding that his plans for her could wait, but there was something that couldn't.

Vivian was having a hard time understanding what Brady was saying, and she blamed it on the lack of oxygen. "It's such a convenient time for dementia to kick in, Vivian," he said. Brady said that many people's lives had improved since Vivian was trapped in the sarcophagus. Brady said the only person he was unable to protect from being "sacrificed" on Vivian's "altar of sickness" was Isabella. Vivian said that Isabella was lying comfortably in the pet cemetery and was "probably just a collection of musty bones."

Brady told Vivian to shut up. "You know, you lowlife bitch, I should open up this coffin right now and just finish you off right in here," Brady said. Vivian dared him to do it. "You don't think I'm that stupid, do you -- that I would lift this off and let you scream for help?" Brady asked. Vivian promised that she wouldn't do that, but Brady insisted that the lid would stay on the sarcophagus while he worked on getting Isabella's body.

Nicole visited Pookie at the pet cemetery and cried about all the people she had lost. She apologized to Pookie, who had died of a broken heart while Nicole was in prison. "But my punishment is far worse, because now I'm all alone, and I always will be," Nicole said. The pet cemetery funeral director startled Nicole while she was grieving. He introduced himself to her and tried to comfort her. Nicole wanted to be alone. Then she had a meltdown because she couldn't find her sunglasses.

Brady told the director at the pet cemetery that he wanted "Sparkles," his pet orangutan, dug up and moved, because she was never supposed to have been there in the first place. The director tried to convince Brady to let "Sparkles" stay, but Brady insisted. Nicole overheard them talking.

E.J. woke up from his coma and called for Sami. Arianna tried to calm him down. Lexie ran into the room. E.J. complained that his head was in pain. Lexie tried to calm him, but he demanded to see his "wife," Sami. Arianna called Rafe to tell him that E.J. had woken up, and Rafe told a nervous Sami the news.

Lexie asked E.J. if he knew who she was, and he did. E.J. started freaking out and asking what had happened. Lexie tried to calm him and asked what he remembered. He said that he and Sami were getting married, and he asked for Sami again. Lexie informed Rafe, Sami, and Arianna that E.J. was out of the coma and wanted to see Sami immediately. Sami was reluctant to see E.J., but Lexie told her to just stay as calm as possible while she in the room with E.J., so that E.J.'s blood pressure didn't go up.

Rafe asked Arianna if she had talked to E.J., and she said that E.J. had asked for "his wife," Sami, when he woke up. Rafe went in to see E.J. and demanded to know what kind of game E.J. was playing. E.J. asked what Rafe was doing there and why E.J. was in the hospital. Before Rafe could tell E.J. what had happened to him, Lexie burst into the room and stopped him. She ordered Rafe outside. Arianna stayed behind. "He can't stand the fact that Samantha and I are married, could he? Is that it?" E.J. asked. Arianna said that Sami should explain everything. E.J. urged Arianna to go get Sami.

Lexie told Rafe that if he upset E.J., it could cause a "dangerous rise" in E.J.'s blood pressure. Lexie urged Sami to stay as calm as possible while visiting E.J., but Sami didn't want to, because she was worried that E.J. would be upset when he saw her. Lexie asked why she thought that would happen. Sami said that all she and E.J. did was fight, but Lexie felt that seeing Sami might be the only thing that kept him calm.

Arianna agreed with what Lexie said, "Lexie's right. He's asking for you, and apparently, he only remembers up to a certain part in the ceremony." Sami asked how Arianna knew that, and she said that was what E.J. had said. Rafe didn't believe it. Lexie said there was only one way to find out, and she told Sami to go into E.J.'s room. Rafe told Sami that she didn't need to go in there if she didn't want to. Lexie said to let Sami decide that, and Sami agreed to see E.J. Lexie asked Sami to take off the engagement ring that Rafe had given her. She took it off and kissed Rafe, then went in to see E.J.

At the pier, Nathan tried to reach Stephanie on the phone to tell her that he needed to see her because he'd "screwed up pretty bad." "Me too," Stephanie said, walked up from behind after overhearing Nathan leave her a message. She was crying.

Daniel stopped by Stephanie and Nathan's apartment, and Kayla answered the door. Daniel assumed that Kayla was in town for Hope, but she said that wasn't the only reason she was there.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

by Spalding

At the hospital, after struggling with the decision to talk to E.J., Sami decided to visit him. Sami took her engagement ring off, and went into E.J.'s room. No sooner had Sami laid eyes on E.J. then she thought about shooting him. "I'm so happy to see you," E.J. said weakly. When Sami asked E.J. if he was truly happy to see her, he smiled in surprise. "I'm always happy to see you. I love you. You're my wife," E.J. said with a chuckle. E.J. added that he was anxious to leave for their honeymoon as soon as he was able to travel.

With a look of concern, Sami asked E.J. what he remembered about their wedding day. Frowning, E.J. said that he remembered the judge arriving and some of the ceremony. His face falling, E.J. said, "And then something happened." E.J.'s monitors started to beep wildly as he struggled to remember what had happened. "Who did this?" E.J. asked as he put his hand on his head. Sami urged E.J. to calm down, but he grabbed Sami's wrist and continued to plead with her to tell him what had happened to him.

In the hospital hallway, Lexie looked over E.J.'s test results, and she became emotional. When Rafe asked Lexie if she was okay, Lexie smiled wanly and said that she was thrilled with E.J.'s latest test results. "It's a miracle! I mean everything is pointing toward a full recovery," Lexie explained. When Rafe did not respond to her news, an annoyed Lexie asked Rafe whether he was disappointed with the test results. Rafe noted that he did not want E.J. to die, but that he was worried about how E.J.'s recovery would affect Sami.

When E.J.'s monitors started to beep, Lexie sent Sami out of the room and gave E.J. a sedative. Barely awake, E.J. begged Lexie to let him finish his conversation with Sami. Noting E.J.'s high blood pressure, Lexie told E.J. that he needed to rest. Still unnerved, E.J. attempted to pull the monitors off of his head, and Lexie promised to send Sami back into the room if he agreed to stay in bed.

Out in the hallway, Sami paced nervously and told Rafe that E.J. seemed to believe that he was married to her. "I'll tell you what I'm not doing. I'm not going in there and pretending that I am married to E.J.," Sami said firmly. As Lexie exited E.J.'s room and overheard Sami, she noted that Sami would have to talk to E.J. again. Lexie explained that E.J. could only recover if he remained calm. When Sami asked about E.J.'s memory, Lexie said that she did not know whether E.J. would be able to recover his missing memories. "Right now, there's no way to know what is going on inside his head," Lexie said. Lexie explained that telling E.J. the truth could cause a deadly spike in his blood pressure and would be "the same as murder."

Shocked by Lexie's choice of words, Sami's mouth fell open, then she slowly walked into E.J.'s room. As Sami sat by E.J.'s bedside, he apologized for yelling at her. "I hurt your wrist?" E.J. asked. With a smirk, Sami assured E.J. that she could take it. E.J. explained that he was upset because he had "started seeing spots." E.J. said that he understood that he had been shot in the head, but Sami urged E.J. to rest and not talk about what had happened. When E.J. asked Sami to sit with him until he fell asleep, she smiled and held his hand. As E.J. stroked her hand, he realized she was not wearing her wedding band or engagement ring.

Agitated, E.J. asked Sami why she had taken her rings off. "What's going on? Did I do something wrong?" E.J. worriedly asked. Sami assured E.J. that he had not done anything wrong and that she had removed her rings when she gave Sydney a bath. Sami added that she had hurried over to the hospital when she heard about the shooting and had not been home since then. Calmed, E.J. became quiet again and apologized to Sami for putting her through so much stress. E.J. asked about Johnny and Sydney and asked Sami if the children could visit him.

Sami returned to the hospital hallway to inform Lexie and Rafe about her conversation with E.J. Sami expressed her reluctance to have the children visit E.J. When Sami mentioned that E.J. had asked about her rings, Lexie offered to call someone to locate the rings. "How long is this going to go on? There is only so much role-playing that I'm prepared to do here," Sami yelped in frustration. Lexie asked Sami to play along for another day, and Sami reluctantly agreed.

After Lexie left to check on another patient, Sami hugged Rafe and admitted that her role-playing with E.J. made her feel like she was betraying Rafe. Rafe told Sami not to worry about him. Though Sami did not want the children to visit E.J., she admitted that she had no choice.

Down on the pier, Stephanie saw Nathan and cried out, "I've screwed up everything!" As the tears overwhelmed Stephanie, she fell into Nathan's arms. Worried, Nathan asked Stephanie what was wrong. Stephanie thought about her conversation with her mother earlier about the paternity test, and she told Nathan that she'd had a fight with her mother. "She's just really disappointed in me," Stephanie said quietly. Nathan asked if Kayla was upset about Nathan moving into Stephanie's apartment. Shaking her head, Stephanie corrected Nathan and noted that Kayla was upset with how Stephanie felt about Nathan.

Nathan offered to speak to Kayla, but Stephanie asked him to let her deal with her mother on her own. "My mom wants me to be a certain person," Stephanie said cryptically. "I need you even if I don't deserve you," Stephanie told Nathan. Nathan chuckled and told Stephanie that she more than deserved him. Stephanie softly kissed Nathan goodbye, and then headed back to her apartment.

At Stephanie's apartment, Kayla told Daniel that she needed to talk to him about Chloe. When Daniel guessed that Kayla was upset that Daniel had not emailed her with the news, Kayla assured him that she understood why he could not keep her up-to-date on his life. Daniel talked about how happy he was that Chloe was pregnant and that he had his other child, Melanie, back in his life. When Kayla appeared less than thrilled by Daniel's mention of Carly, Daniel asked Kayla why she seemed displeased with Carly.

With a groan, Kayla reminded Daniel that Carly had broken up her brother's marriage to Hope. When Daniel noted that Carly was responsible for providing him with a "wonderful" daughter, Kayla reminded Daniel that Melanie had suffered through a painful childhood because of Carly. "She thought she was protecting Melanie's life by giving her away, not to mention my life," Daniel said. Daniel talked about how much he loved being a dad, and that he was excited to be a dad a second time. When Kayla groaned under her breath, Daniel asked Kayla what was bothering her about Chloe.

Daniel assured Kayla that he loved Chloe and was deliriously happy. When the topic of conversation turned to when Kayla and Daniel had first met, they laughed about how he'd walked in to the wrong surgery on one occasion. "Hospitals make mistakes. Even the best-run places make errors, need correcting," Kayla said quietly. After receiving a call from the hospital, Daniel invited Kayla to his wedding the following week, then left for work.

Kayla was sipping a cup of tea, when Stephanie returned home to her apartment. Stephanie apologized for running out of the apartment earlier. Kayla assured Stephanie that she was not mad at her daughter. "I was wrong. Daniel should know he's not the father," Stephanie said. Kayla informed Stephanie that she had talked to Daniel, but she had not told him about the paternity test. Kayla told Stephanie that she wanted to make sure that the test results had not been changed due to a hospital error.

Kayla explained that it was possible for a lab tech to put in the wrong results, then go back and change the original entry later after the error was spotted. "I think the best thing we can do, you and everyone else, is to not say anything," Kayla said. Kayla informed Stephanie that she wanted to make sure that the test results change was just an innocent mistake.

At Daniel's apartment, Carly asked Chloe whether the man she'd had the affair with was Nathan. Confused, Chloe asked Carly why she would think that the affair was with Nathan. "Nathan's hostility toward you would make perfect sense," Carly said firmly. Chloe thanked Carly for her help and added that she was also thankful that Carly had not asked about the man from the one-night stand. "At the time, his identity seemed meaningless," Carly said. Shaking her head, Carly explained that her feelings had changed.

"I took your word for it that this was no one special, that this person was totally out of your life and not connected to Daniel," Carly said. Chloe denied that the man she'd had the affair with was connected to her or Daniel. As proof, Chloe showed Carly a permit to hold her wedding in the park. When Carly said she was confused about why Chloe was offering the permit as proof, Chloe explained that she would not marry Daniel out in the open if she were not sure about her love for him. "I don't want to look back anymore. Ever. And I need you to help me with that," Chloe said. Carly agreed to drop the issue, and not talk about the affair ever again.

At Maggie's house, Melanie and Philip returned from house hunting. Melanie lamented that none of the houses they'd looked at were right for them, but Philip assured her they would find the perfect house for them soon. After making love upstairs, Philip received a text message from their realtor about a house. Smiling, Philip noted that the house was two blocks from Maggie's place.

After looking at the house with Philip, Melanie went over to the Brady Pub. Melanie saw Nathan standing at the bar and thought about how he had mumbled in his sleep that he loved her. When Nathan turned around, he waved to Melanie. With a wide smile on her face, Melanie said hello and told Nathan about the house she and Philip were going to buy. Carly arrived at the pub, and Nathan walked away when she said hello. When Carly asked Melanie if she was okay, Melanie informed her mother about what she'd heard Nathan say in his sleep.

Carly asked Melanie how she felt about what Nathan had said. When Melanie talked about how happy she was with Philip, Carly asked Melanie if she was sure. Melanie adamantly confirmed that she was happy with Philip and that she was buying a house with him. With a sigh, Carly told Melanie that she was happy that Melanie had chosen Philip, since she believed Nathan had "issues." "Marrying Philip was the right choice," Carly said.

Down on the pier, Philip called his realtor and informed her that he wanted to buy the house near Maggie's place. As Philip hung up the phone, Chloe approached him and asked him about his new house. Making small talk, Chloe said that she would probably be in the market for a house soon as well. Chloe informed Philip that the wedding was set to happen in the park, and he responded that he would be there with Melanie. When Chloe admitted that she was relieved that everything was working out, Philip asked her if Carly was still willing to keep Chloe's secret. "She doesn't know who you slept with?" Philip asked.

Chloe assured Philip that Carly did not know whom she'd had the affair with. Chloe explained that Carly suspected the man was Nathan, but that Chloe had gotten Carly to give up on discovering the man's identity. "I didn't deny it was Nathan, but I didn't say it was either. I figured if I start ruling out this guy and that guy, eventually she's gonna narrow it down and we'd be stuck," Chloe said. "She's never going to know it was you," Chloe said firmly.

After picking up the children from Caroline's, Sami took them to the hospital. Lexie stopped Sami outside of E.J.'s room and handed her the wedding rings. Sami quickly put on her rings, and marched into E.J.'s room with the children. Elated by a visit from his children, E.J. smiled. E.J. explained to Johnny that he had injured his head, and Sami added that E.J. would get better quicker thanks to Johnny's visit. E.J. thanked Sami softly. "I'm just glad that this is helping," Sami said sincerely.

Sitting on his dad's bed, Johnny asked when E.J. was going home. "I am coming home really, really soon, and we are all going to be a family really, really soon," E.J. said as Sami averted her eyes. When E.J.'s eyes started to droop, Sami announced that she was going to take the children home so that E.J. could rest. E.J. thanked Sami, noting, "Thank you for coming. I feel much better for seeing you." With a faint smile, E.J. turned to Johnny and asked, "Is it lonely in that big house?" When Johnny said no, E.J. asked why. "Because we don't live there anymore. We live with mommy and Rafe now," Johnny said. The blood drained from E.J.'s face, and he looked up at Sami, who was smiling at him.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

by ChickenGrrl

At the mausoleum, Victor addressed the sarcophagus, and told Isabella how much he missed her. "My precious daughter. You brought so much love into my life-into so many lives." Inside the coffin, Vivian cried out for Victor to hear her and rescue her. On her monitor inside the sarcophagus, she saw him looking in the direction of the hidden camera, and called out to him hopefully, but Victor saw and heard nothing. "Don't go!" Vivian moaned as Victor left.

At the pet cemetery, Nicole eavesdropped while Brady arranged for his pet orangutan's remains to be moved. Keith, the funeral director, tried to change Brady's mind, but ultimately agreed to take care of it. As Keith left to start the paperwork, Brady whispered, "I am sorry about this, Mother. I am going to have you out of this hellhole, and back where you belong, I promise."

Nicole strained to hear what he was saying, without success. Moving a little closer, she hid behind a bush as Brady took a swig from a flask. He muttered angrily to himself, "You know, Vivian, a pet cemetery would be too good for you," he declared. "You disrespectful, lying woman. I hope you burn in hell." Nicole still couldn't hear what Brady was saying. Brady continued drinking from the flask.

Keith returned with a clipboard, and expressed his regrets that Brady didn't want to keep "Sparkles" at that pet cemetery. After Brady signed the papers, he gave Keith the address to which he wanted the remains delivered.

When Brady left, Nicole popped out of her hiding place, and flirtatiously re-introduced herself to Keith. She noted how compassionate he had been while dealing with Brady. She expressed her surprise that the cemetery dealt with animals as large as an orangutan, and Keith began telling her about an elephant who was buried nearby.

Nicole steered the conversation back to Brady and the orangutan, and wondered why he wanted to move the animal's remains. "He's a creep," Keith replied, and then realized that he recognized Nicole as a TV reporter. Nicole insisted that she wasn't a reporter. "I get that a lot; I have one of those faces," she said with a smile. After Keith left, Nicole wondered, "What the hell is going on here? Brady never had a goldfish, much less a pet orangutan!"

Brady went to the mausoleum, stuck the Bluetooth headset into his ear, and asked Vivian if she were still there. Vivian spotted his flask, and asked, "Again with the booze?" She stated that the toxic fumes in the sarcophagus were getting to her. "If Victor doesn't come and find me here, and I die, he's going to have your head," Vivian warned him weakly. Laughing sarcastically, Brady declared that Vivian's departure had given Victor "a new lease on life."

Vivian retorted that it was only a matter of time before Victor rescued her, adding, "Your half-baked scheme's gonna go up in flames... When he hears what I did with your mother's remains, he won't believe it. He'll think you've gone back to drugs and alcohol, and he'll just put you right back in rehab." Brady reminded Vivian that he had proof of what Vivian had done, and Victor would kill her when he found out-and no one would care or even notice.

Victor entered the parlor of the Kiriakis mansion, and was irked to find Nicole there, making herself a drink. Ignoring his order to leave, Nicole joked that she should send Vivian a congratulatory gift basket for leaving Victor. She then wondered, "Did Vivian have any pets? Like maybe an orangutan, one that Brady was especially fond of?" A bit taken aback, Victor replied sarcastically, "Yes, we've got several orangutans in the mansion-a couple of wombats, too." As he left to take a phone call, he warned Nicole to be gone when he got back.

After he was gone, Nicole muttered, "What the hell is going on here? This is like some kind of Fellini nightmare!" Henderson entered, and informed Nicole that Brady wasn't in the mansion. He added that Brady had been spending a lot of time at the mausoleum.

Vivian vowed to take Brady down when Victor found her, but Brady ordered her to shut up. Vivian pleaded with him to have some compassion, because she couldn't breathe. Nicole arrived outside as Brady was slurring, "What about the compassion that you showed to Melanie Layton? Or me? Or Carly Manning? How about my mother?"

While Nicole hid behind some shrubbery, Brady maintained that Vivian had only herself to blame for her predicament. Taking a swig from the flask, he took out the earpiece and tried to put it in his pocket, but it fell to the floor. He then snapped off the monitor and stalked out. Nicole watched him walk past, and wondered, "Who was he talking to?"

Nicole went inside, and inspected the sarcophagus curiously. She guessed that Brady had been talking to his dead mother, but then had a theory: "Maybe the orangutan was Isabella's pet. That has to be it! And he was digging it up so he could put it in here with his mom. Ew, creepy! And kind of sad."

Nicole figured that Brady had to be losing it if he were hanging out at the mausoleum so much. She then spotted the earpiece on the floor, and picked it up, presuming that it was Brady's. In the sarcophagus, Vivian was moaning and complaining weakly to herself, "If help doesn't come soon, I'm just going to die a hideous death. Oh, my God, somebody... somebody... Please, help me!" Nicole heard the voice emanating from the headset, and held it curiously up to her ear.

Brady returned home to the mansion, and headed straight for the bar in the parlor. Victor informed him that Nicole had been there, looking for Brady. Brady scowled suspiciously.

At the hospital, Lexie called to inform Stefano that E.J. had regained consciousness, but cautioned that she had more to tell Stefano once he got to the hospital. An elated Stefano shouted for Kate, and promised Lexie that he would be there as soon as he could.

Rafe arrived, and Lexie refused to allow him to enter E.J.'s room. "If his heart rate goes up for any reason, it could kill him!" she reminded Rafe firmly.

In E.J.'s room, Johnny climbed up higher on the bed so he could hug his daddy. E.J. asked the little boy, "What do you mean, you live with Mommy and Rafe?" Sami tried to dodge the question, but E.J. was insistent. Before the conversation could become heated, Lexie entered to run some tests on her brother. Sami scooped up Johnny, and promised E.J. that she would return so they could finish their conversation.

When Sami left E.J.'s room, Rafe could immediately tell something had happened. Sami carried Johnny to the nurses' station, and asked if Nurse Maxine could look after Johnny for a few minutes. An agreeable Maxine took Johnny by the hand, and the two of them left to look in on Sydney. Sami told Rafe, "Johnny told E.J. that we're living together."

Exiting from E.J.'s room, Lexie overheard and flipped out. She ordered Sami to "fix it." "You have to convince E.J. that everything is all right between the two of you," Lexie asserted. "Just for now, he has to believe that you two are married-at least until he's recovered enough to handle the truth."

A perturbed Rafe maintained that it was unfair to Sami-and everyone else-to make her keep up the pretense. Lexie argued that E.J.'s life was at stake, and held up E.J.'s test results to prove it. "Dr. Walters concurs with me one hundred percent," Lexie declared. "If E.J.'s blood pressure rises, it will most likely cause a brain hemorrhage."

Sami dragged Rafe away by the hand, and then apologized to him. Rafe assured her that there was nothing to apologize for, because he loved her. Sami heaved a sigh of resignation, and returned to E.J.'s room.

Kate entered the DiMera parlor just as Stefano hung up from talking to Lexie, and he giddily told Kate the good news. Kate promised to join him at the hospital after she made a business call. Stefano kissed her goodbye-twice-and then practically skipped out the front door.

Chad arrived at the hospital to deliver some coffees from the Java Caf. As Lexie signed for the order, Chad inquired about E.J.'s condition. "I can't even imagine having a brother or sister, how I'd feel if one of them got shot down and was fighting for their lives," Chad noted.

Chad returned a few minutes later with some pastries he'd forgotten, and tried to refund the tip Lexie had given him. Lexie waved it off, insisting, "Everyone makes mistakes." Stefano strode in and asked to speak to Lexie alone. "I just want you to know, I'm praying for your son, Mr. DiMera" Chad stated politely. Stefano pronounced that it was none of Chad's business. An apologetic Lexie tried to intervene, but Chad took the hint and left. Lexie chided Stefano for being "mean" to Chad, and then said that she had something to tell him before he saw E.J.-and Stefano should sit down first.

When Sami returned to E.J.'s room, he demanded to know why, if the two of them were married, Sami was living with Rafe. Sami claimed that she and the children were staying with her grandmother at the pub, and that Johnny was probably just confused because Rafe was often there to visit his sisters. She reminded E.J. that she hated the DiMera mansion, especially since E.J. hadn't been there, but he didn't buy it.

"I want to know why, the moment that I get hospitalized, my wife decides to move out of our house!" he demanded angrily, as the machines began to beep more quickly, and his blood pressure reading increased. Sami begged him to calm down, and reassured him gently that everything would be fine-and they would be together-once he got out of the hospital. E.J. took several deep breaths, and the beeping slowed again.

"I do want to get better," E.J. said with a smile. "I want to be back with my wife, my family. You know, you are what I live for, Samantha." He told Sami that he loved her, but she couldn't say it back. She merely urged him to get some sleep, and as she was kissing him goodbye, Rafe entered the room, slamming the door behind him.

E.J. became agitated and suspicious that the two of them were keeping something from him, and ordered Rafe to leave. Rafe refused, but before the men could begin seriously arguing, Stefano arrived. Sami excused herself so that E.J. and Stefano could have some time together, but promised to return soon. When E.J. repeated that he loved her, Stefano rolled his eyes, but this time, Sami replied, "I love you, too."

Outside, a frustrated Sami asked Rafe, "How can I keep this up?" Rafe reminded her that Lexie had said the stress could kill E.J., and added, "You had the chance to take his life before, and you took it." He explained that he meant when Sami had made the decision to disconnect E.J.'s life support, but Sami pointed out there had been no hope that E.J. would even survive at that point.

Sami then became furious about having to pretend to be E.J.'s wife after he had betrayed her in so many ways. Yanking off her wedding and engagement rings, she cried softly, "I don't want anything to do with him! I just want to be with you." She pulled Rafe's engagement ring from her pocket, and put it on her finger. "This is the life I want," she whispered. "It's what you're gonna have," Rafe reassured her.

Sami and Rafe then went to the Brady Pub, and she was still fuming about having to pretend to be married to E.J. A concerned Caroline noted how upset her granddaughter was, but Sami said that it was too complicated to explain right then. Caroline urged Sami and Rafe to sit down and have something to eat, and as they obeyed, she told them that Gabi was looking after the kids upstairs. Caroline left to get Rafe and Sami's food.

Sami wanted to go up and see her kids, but only after she'd had a chance to calm herself a bit. Rafe hinted that he had a surprise that might cheer her up. He pulled Sami into his lap, and actually got her to smile a little.

Alone at the DiMera mansion, Kate worried what would happen if E.J. remembered who had shot him, and the culprit turned out to have been Sami. "Then Stefano can find out that I drove her to it. Dear God," she fretted. Pacing, she agonized about how Stefano would never forgive her, and poured herself a drink. She mused, "Perhaps this is the time to tell him he has another precious son. Then he would be indebted to me no matter what." She remembered, however, that Stefano had made it abundantly clear that he hated Chad.

Chad entered the room just then, and apologized for startling Kate. "What did you want to see me about?" he asked. Kate offered him a part-time job at DiMera Enterprises. Chad didn't think Stefano would like that idea, but Kate asserted that Chad was perfect for the job. She listed his good qualities, and declared, "I think Stefano would be foolish not to hire you. And as for me, I'd like to see more of you."

Chad misinterpreted that as a come-on, and, grinning embarrassedly, stammered out an awkward rebuff. Kate laughed about the misunderstanding, and assured him that she was not making a pass at him. She added kindly that she just wanted to be there for Chad after everything he'd been through-and she hoped Stefano would one day want to, as well. She reiterated the job offer, and urged Chad to consider it. Chad agreed to think about it, and then left. "I will make this work," Kate told herself. "I will make this happen-come hell or high water."

In E.J.'s room, Stefano expressed his joy and relief at seeing his son looking so much better. E.J. credited Samantha: "She's been my savior, my angel... She's what's kept me going through all of this." Stefano asked if that meant E.J. would have no reason to live if she weren't around. E.J. reassured his father that everything would be just fine.

"You're not going to lose me, and I'm not going to lose Samantha," a noticeably tired E.J. declared confidently. "Not as long as she keeps believing that I think she and I are still married." With a wink, he clarified for Stefano, "I remember, father. I remember everything."

Thursday, September 30, 2010

by LaDaisia

Brady wondered why Nicole was asking Victor about him, and Victor wanted to know why Brady cared, since he wasn't interested in Nicole anymore. Brady noticed that he had lost his Bluetooth headpiece. Victor told Brady to just buy another one.

Nicole put on Brady's Bluetooth headpiece, which she had found in the mausoleum. Nicole heard Vivian's voice asking for help. Nicole looked around for Vivian, and Vivian directed her to the sarcophagus. Nicole thought she was going crazy thinking that Vivian was in the coffin, because she knew that Vivian had left town, and it was Isabella's tomb. Nicole tried to leave, but Vivian begged her not to go. "No, don't go. Nadine, stay, please save me," Vivian said. "I'm Nicole," Nicole said, correcting Vivian.

Vivian assured Nicole that she wasn't losing her mind. Nicole asked if Isabella was in the sarcophagus with Vivian, and Vivian said no. Nicole asked where Isabella was, and Vivian said she would tell Nicole everything once Nicole got Vivian out. Nicole had trouble opening the lid, and Vivian instructed Nicole to pull the lever on the back. Brady walked in as Nicole was trying to help Vivian and demanded to have his earpiece back.

Brady asked why Nicole was messing with Isabella's tomb, and Nicole told him that Vivian was in there instead of his mother. She noticed that Brady wasn't surprised by Nicole's news and realized that Brady had put Vivian in the sarcophagus. Brady assured Nicole that Vivian wasn't in the sarcophagus. Nicole didn't believe Brady, and she assumed that Victor had instructed Brady to put Vivian in the sarcophagus.

"How could he get the most decent, loving man in the world to do something like this? How did he turn you into someone who would help him bury his own wife alive?" Nicole asked. "Victor didn't turn me into anything. If I've changed at all, Nicole, the credit all belongs to you," Brady said. Nicole assumed that Brady was covering for Victor, and she tried to talk Brady out of it. Victor walked in after hearing Nicole refer to him as a "sick son of a bitch." "Well, Nicole, I suppose that makes you my mother," Victor said.

Vivian hoped Victor would rescue her. Victor admitted he'd followed Brady. Victor asked Nicole if she was sober yet, and he told Nicole to leave. Nicole realized that Victor didn't know about Vivian being in the coffin instead of Isabella. She tried to correct him, but Victor said, "You say one thing against Isabella, you're going to be crawling around here on your hands and knees looking for your teeth."

Brady told Victor that he and Nicole were still in each other's lives. Victor got angry, said Brady and Nicole deserved each other, and he stormed out after telling "Isabella" that he was glad she wasn't there to see "what an idiot" her son had become. Brady thanked Nicole for not spilling the beans to Victor, but she said, "Don't thank me yet."

Will went to the DiMera mansion to pick up the rest of his stuff, and Kate told him that E.J. had regained consciousness, much to Will's chagrin. Kate cautioned Will not to voice how much he wished E.J. had died. Will said he wasn't the one who'd shot E.J. -- he just wished he were. Kate warned Will that if Stefano found out he had shot E.J., he wouldn't stop until he got even. Will vowed that if Stefano or E.J. tried to hurt Sami or take Sydney or Johnny away from her, no one would be able to keep Will quiet, not even Kate.

Kate told Will that she would never let E.J. take the kids. Will feared that if the child custody issue was settled in court, as a lawyer E.J. would be able to "game the system." Will warned Kate to make sure E.J. did not know about the phone call that Kate had made to Sami. Kate said the only way E.J. would find out about that would be from Sami, and Kate didn't think Sami would tell him. Will worried that something might happen to Kate or Sami.

Rafe surprised Sami, Johnny, and Allie with their new apartment, which was fully furnished. Allie told Sami that Sydney had her own room and a rocking chair. Rafe said that he had arranged for the apartment all along, and Sami realized that Rafe had never stopped believing. Sami told Rafe that she wanted to live with Rafe, but she was worried about what E.J. would say when he found out. E.J. didn't get a say in whether Rafe and Sami lived together or not, Rafe said. Sami pointed out that E.J. could get a brain hemorrhage and die.

Sami hated that it felt like E.J. was running her and Rafe's lives again. Sami said she wanted to tell E.J. the truth in the hospital and watch E.J. have a stroke. Rafe said Sami didn't want to be responsible for that. Sami thought about E.J.'s shooting. Rafe was worried that Will could possibly face murder charges if E.J. died. Rafe thought that E.J. would get better, and she could rub Sami and Rafe's relationship in E.J.'s face.

Sami wanted to tell everyone that she was with Rafe, and Rafe felt that the sooner E.J. found out about their relationship, the better. Sami reminded Rafe that E.J. would try to take the kids from her. Rafe said the truth about Sydney's kidnapping would be revealed as well as E.J.'s role in it. Sami worried that her past would be used against her. Rafe said that it was in the past, and none of the DiMeras would be able to pass themselves off as good Samaritans. Plus, he thought that the social worker would see their new apartment and realize that she could offer the kids a better life.

Will met Sami at the apartment Rafe had bought for her, and Will told Sami privately that E.J. was awake. Sami assured Will that E.J. only remembered the wedding starting. She said if the alcohol hadn't wiped out E.J.'s memory, then the bullet had, and E.J. would never remember what she'd done. Rafe asked what she was referring to. Will lied, saying that Sami was worried that E.J. would go crazy if he found out that Rafe had proposed to Sami the same night that E.J. had gotten shot. Rafe told Will that he would worry about E.J. "when the time comes."

Rafe felt bad that he'd never talked to Will before he proposed to Sami. Will said he'd given Sami grief for being with E.J. instead of Rafe. Rafe was happy to hear that. After Sami left the room, Rafe assured Will that he had nothing to fear from the DiMeras and that Rafe would protect the kids. Will wasn't worried about himself -- he was worried about Sami. Rafe told Will that E.J. would never lay another hand on Sami.

Rafe told Sami that their apartment reminded him of the safe house, and he promised to protect her like he had then. Rafe told Will that he had his own room in the apartment. Will said he was taking the kids to get ice cream and then to the Brady Pub to check on Sydney. On his way out, Will thanked Rafe. After Will left, Sami told Rafe that she loved being with Rafe, but she needed to tell him something "pretty big" if they were going to live together.

Sami worried that her kids were traumatized by her decisions concerning her love life. "One second, I'm about to marry Johnny's dad, and the next I'm wearing your ring," Sami said. "Except when you're not," Rafe interjected. "Now we're living in sin here," she said. Rafe pointed out that they were engaged. Rafe mentioned how he was inspired by Daniel's love for Chloe and their plan to get married right away. Rafe said he wanted to marry Sami as soon as possible.

E.J. informed Stefano that he was faking his memory loss, that he knew that he wasn't married to Sami, and that he remembered everything that had happened. Stefano was happy to hear it and said E.J. could get justice. E.J. said he had to be careful about how he got justice. E.J. said he had overheard Lexie talking to Arianna about E.J. being at risk for brain hemorrhage if his blood pressure got too high. E.J. declared that if Sami thought she could walk out of his life with E.J.'s kids, she had "another thing coming."

Stefano asked E.J. who had shot him. E.J. recounted how Sami had been moments away from marrying E.J. when Rafe had showed up. E.J. got frustrated thinking about how he'd fallen in love with Sami after plotting to take the kids away from her, yet she'd still left him at the altar. E.J.'s blood pressure went up, and Stefano sought medical help for E.J.

Nathan examined E.J. and adjusted his medication, so E.J.'s blood pressure was going back down. Nathan warned Stefano not to upset E.J. until the doctors could find a permanent solution to E.J.'s blood pressure issue. Stefano said that the reason E.J. was upset was because of Sami, and he wondered where the "real doctors" were. "I am a real doctor," Nathan said, and he said Stefano could talk to Lexie about calling in a specialist if Stefano wanted to. Nathan said that E.J. needed to rest, relax, and recover.

Nathan checked E.J.'s vitals and told him to change the way he lived. Nathan asked E.J. questions to test his memory. E.J. said the last thing he remembered was his wedding. E.J. got frustrated with Nathan's questioning and threw him out of the room.

Kate went to the hospital to be with Stefano, and he told her that E.J.'s blood pressure went up and he needed to avoid stress. Stefano confided in Kate that E.J. had suffered a temporary memory loss, but E.J. remembered everything. Stefano told her not to tell anyone. Stefano told Kate that Sami had let E.J. believe they were still married so that E.J. wouldn't get upset and that E.J. was about to tell Stefano who'd shot him.

Kate swore she would never tell anyone that E.J.'s memory had returned. Stefano reminded her that they had agreed to a new beginning and no more secrets, and he assured her that he was standing by his promise. He asked if Kate was doing the same, but before she could answer, Nathan informed them that E.J. was feeling better. Nathan said E.J. could have visitors one at a time, so Stefano told Kate he would see her back at home.

E.J. told Stefano that he was determined to take control of his life again -- and of Sami. E.J. pledged to never "cede power" over his life to anyone again. E.J. planned to let Sami continue to believe he had no memory after they'd said their vows and then "quietly work out" some way to get custody of Johnny and Sydney. "It's sad, really. You know. I mean I really wanted them to have their mother in their lives, but if she wants Hernandez to be a part of hers, then that can't be the case," E.J. said. Stefano was overjoyed, and he offered his help. Stefano asked E.J. if he knew who shot him. "Yes, I do," E.J. said.

Friday, October 1, 2010

by ChickenGrrl

While Vivian watched and offered running commentary from inside the sarcophagus, Nicole tried to convince Brady that his entombing Vivian alive had been very, very wrong. Vivian moaned that she would never get out alive if her fate rested in the amoral Nicole's hands. Unmoved, Brady asserted that Vivian had everything she deserved.

Nicole suddenly realized that for the first time in their relationship, she had the upper hand. Brady only wanted to know whether Nicole planned to turn him in. She admitted that it pained her to see him "go down the tubes." After pointing out all of the life-sustaining features of the sarcophagus, Brady informed Nicole that Vivian had planned to put Maggie in it. A horrified Nicole agreed that Vivian deserved to have been locked inside the sarcophagus-but she also knew that the guilt would eat Brady alive.

Brady argued that he was a lot less "fragile" than he had been. Nicole urged him to reconsider and let Vivian out, but Brady asserted that Vivian would get revenge by going after the people he loved. He also didn't think Nicole ever would turn him in, because she knew what prison was like. Nicole insisted that he would never go to prison, because people would understand his motives for burying Vivian alive.

Brady stated persuasively, "We had a really good thing going for a brief time, even if only one night, but I blew it because I was judgmental. And if Vivian here has taught me anything, it's to not be so quick to judge people and what they do when they're pushed too far." Vivian called out, unheard, for Nicole not to fall for Brady's manipulations, as he purred that in a way, Vivian had given the two of them a second chance. He leaned in and kissed Nicole, and she kissed back for a moment, then she pushed him away and slapped him.

"You son of a bitch," she hissed. "That was a page from my playbook. You were stupid to use it on me." Brady admitted that maybe part off him had been trying to play Nicole, but her fighting for his soul had reminded him of the fire between them. He kissed her again, and Vivian was sure that Nicole wouldn't fall for his games again. Nicole pulled away, but then ripped his shirt open, and they began kissing passionately. "Oh, no," Vivian complained disgustedly as they made out against the sarcophagus. "Hello, I can see you!"

At Maggie's, Melanie showed Maggie online pictures of the house that Melanie and Philip were purchasing. Melanie was positively giddy with excitement, because she loved the house and because it was only a couple of blocks from Maggie. Melanie's joy made Maggie happy.

A scowling Philip entered the kitchen, and informed Melanie that someone had "trounced" the bid they'd made on the house-and the owners had sold it without allowing Philip to make a counteroffer. A determined Melanie grabbed her purse and strode out the back door, and Philip followed. Maggie wondered why a house that had been on the market for eight months had suddenly inspired a bidding war.

On the phone at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor barked orders at his realtor about closing on a house. After he hung up, he remarked to himself, "So, Philip, it's not as if you and Melanie aren't perfectly happy at Maggie's. And who knows, I might even make a little money on the house when the market comes back." Frowning, he added, "Somehow, I feel...guilty. Damn you, Maggie Horton!"

Over coffee at the Brady Pub, Melanie complained to Philip that it was almost as if someone didn't want them to buy a house, since deals on two houses had fallen through. Philip concurred that something didn't add up about the situation.

Victor stopped by Maggie's to see Philip and Melanie, and pretended to be disappointed when Maggie told him that they weren't home. She invited him in to wait for them. Maggie then acknowledged that agreeing with Victor to remain just friends had been stupid.

Victor obviously thought she meant that she wanted to be more than friends, but she quickly set him straight: "If I told you that you couldn't go to Tripoli and stand on your head, in thirty seconds you'd be on your way to the airport with a yoga mat under your arm!" She asserted that he was as "oppositional" as a toddler. He countered lightly, "I'm young at heart!" She argued that he would do anything to get what he wanted, no matter whom it hurt. Victor admitted that he could be ruthless, but because of Maggie, it had begun to weigh on his conscience.

Fed up, Maggie rose to leave the room, but Melanie and Philip returned just then. Before Philip could confront his father, Victor had to step outside to take a phone call. Philip teasingly asserted that it was all Maggie's fault that Victor was buying up all of the houses that Melanie and Philip wanted. With a couple of quick phone calls to realtors, Philip confirmed, "Victor is on a house-buying spree. Oddly enough? Only interested in houses we have a bid on."

Melanie explained for Maggie, "He's buying houses so that he doesn't lose his built-in excuse to come see you." Maggie left the room so Philip and Melanie could discuss how to handle the situation. Melanie declared that since they couldn't move out of Maggie's when Victor was buying all the houses they wanted-the solution was to move in with Victor. Philip balked at the idea at first, but finally seemed to agree, so Melanie called Maggie back in, and shouted out the back door for Victor to return.

Melanie and Philip divulged that they were moving in with Victor, though not the reasons. Maggie and Victor were both taken aback. "Here you are, rattling around that big ol' house, all by yourself, and we need a place to live," Melanie explained cheerfully, taking her father-in-law by the arm. "So I'm glad that somebody keeps buying all the houses we're interested in, because now, Victor, you and I are really going to get to know each other!" Victor left to have Henderson get things ready at the mansion.

Maggie insisted that Melanie and didn't have to move out because of her. Philip countered, "I don't think he would stop bothering you until we move. I mean, you do want him to stop bothering you, right?"

Outside, Victor muttered determinedly to himself, "Think they're so damn smart. Well, this isn't over. Not by a long shot."

At their new apartment, Rafe declared that he wanted to marry Sami as soon as possible. As he rushed excitedly over to the computer, Sami followed, and he showed the Green Mountain Lodge's website to her. Sami initially seemed a bit anxious about it, but then stated that she only wanted to look forward to their future together. Rafe urged her to remember that she could trust him not to freak out if there were anything she might want to tell him. "I can't," Sami replied softly. "Not about this." Rafe pushed her a little to come clean, but when she asked him to, he backed off.

Sami and Rafe were happily kissing on the couch when Roman knocked on the door. He informed them that he was on his way to question E.J. about the shooting. Sami cautioned her dad that E.J. didn't remember anything about that night-and even believed that he and Sami were married. A skeptical Roman suspected that E.J. might be faking the amnesia. He assured Sami that he wouldn't upset E.J. by telling him that Sami knew the truth about the kidnapping, at least, "Not until I've figured out what that worm and his old man are up to."

After Roman left, Rafe cautioned Sami that Stefano wouldn't let it go if he believed Sami or Will had shot E.J. He urged Sami to tell him what she knew so that he could protect her and Will. "I'm sorry, Rafe, but I can't!" she cried. Rafe gently reminded her, "We're in this together. You know I love you, right? And I would do anything for you. So just tell me." At last, Sami confessed, "All right. I know who shot E.J."

At the hospital, Stefano asked E.J., "I want to know, before you talk to the police, do you know who did it?" E.J.'s monitors began beeping rapidly as he told Stefano that he did know. An alarmed Stefano begged his son to calm down, but E.J. was intent on answering the question. "I shot myself," E.J. declared, gasping for breath.

E.J. pointed out that he had just lost Samantha and his children, and described for his horrified father how he had put the gun to his head. Stefano maintained that E.J. could not have shot himself, because the forensic evidence had proven otherwise-and the gun used to shoot E.J. had never been found. Stefano added that it had to have been an "inside job," and the timing-the same night Samantha had learned E.J. was responsible for Sydney's kidnapping-hardly seemed like a coincidence.

E.J. suspected that Nicole had been the culprit. Stefano quickly shot down that theory, because Nicole had an FBI-confirmed alibi. "I think I know why you have brought her up," Stefano asserted. "Because you are trying to steer me away from the two most obvious suspects." E.J. concluded grimly, "Will and Samantha."

Stefano informed his son that he had performed his own tests, which had eliminated Will as a suspect. E.J. reminded Stefano that Samantha had an alibi. Stefano argued that the manipulative Samantha had not only had the motive and opportunity, but she had tried a second time to kill E.J. E.J. became utterly enraged, and demanded to know what Samantha had tried to do to him while he'd been in a coma. "She had your living will," Stefano reminded E.J. "You put her in charge of your life, and she decided to pull the plug."

Stefano asserted that Samantha was trying to cover for herself or her son-and he knew how E.J. could pay them back. "I think that you are in the position to either put Samantha or William in jail. Now we just have to decide what would hurt Samantha the most," Stefano proposed. Just then, Roman entered. "Let's talk about the shooting," Roman said. "I need to know exactly what happened."