Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of February 28, 2011 on DAYS

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

Monday, February 28, 2011

by LaDaisia

Kate advised Melanie to decide whether she wanted Parker. Melanie said she did, and Kate warned her that they needed to do things Kate's way or risk losing Parker as well as Melanie's unborn baby.

When Chloe woke up, Philip was in her hospital room. She chastised herself for not taking the pills for postpartum depression like Daniel had advised. Philip said it was because she was depressed. Someone from social services stopped by and informed her that Parker was being taken away for his protection. Philip introduced himself to the social worker as Parker's father, so the social worker assumed that Philip was Daniel, because Daniel was listed as the father on the birth certificate.

Philip said that they had planned to change the birth certificate, and the social worker said that for the time being, he would have to take Parker into custody. Philip spoke to Justin about getting custody of Parker while Chloe got better, but Philip wouldn't be able to take Parker until the next day. Chloe worried that Parker had to spend the night with strangers. Philip chided Kate for plotting to take Parker from Chloe, but Kate said she and Melanie weren't trying to take Parker away -- they were trying to save him.

Jennifer wheeled Parker in his stroller towards Daniel. Philip asked Daniel to take Parker for the night. Daniel said he couldn't take Parker, so Jennifer offered to help Daniel take care of Parker through the night. Philip thanked Jennifer, and after he left, she apologized to Daniel for overstepping her bounds. Daniel said she did not need to apologize, because she was saving him from being a jerk. Daniel said it wasn't about him -- it was about what was best for Parker. Jennifer suggested that they take Parker to Maggie's, since Parker was comfortable there. First, Jennifer thought they needed to take care of something else.

Jennifer wheeled Parker into Chloe's room so she could see her son. Chloe thanked Jennifer. Daniel told Chloe that he had agreed to take Parker for the night. Jennifer picked Parker up so that Chloe could hold him. Chloe looked at Parker's smiling face and told him that she loved him and would do everything she could to get him back.

Maggie stopped by to see Chloe and reassured her that she would get better. Chloe worried that she wouldn't get better. Maggie told Chloe about a mother who had lost her child and didn't think she could go on, because she had blamed herself for that loss. Maggie said that mother had felt inadequate and had started drinking instead of committing suicide. Chloe realized that Maggie was talking about herself. Maggie said that as bleak as things seemed, they would get better, but Chloe would have to work for it and it would all be worth it.

Kate suggested that Philip wouldn't be happy that Melanie was involved in trying to get Parker taken away from Chloe. Philip overheard them talking and confronted Melanie for telling Kate that Chloe had left Parker alone with the oven on. Melanie said she was just worried about Parker, but Philip said that Melanie should have been trying to help Chloe instead of working against her with the woman who had it in for Chloe. Kate said she had only tried to help. Philip said it was insane for Kate to claim she was helping by manipulating Chloe into not taking her postpartum depression medicine. Philip said that Melanie had given Kate the ammunition, which made Melanie just as guilty.

Taylor asked E.J. if he had been thinking about her since they first met just like she had been thinking about him. E.J. looked up and saw Nicole. Then he lied and said he hadn't thought about Taylor at all. Taylor walked away. Nicole questioned E.J. about Taylor. E.J. told Nicole that there was nothing going on between him and Taylor, because they had just met.

Nicole was determined to get the truth out of Taylor. Lexie told E.J. that she had figured out that Taylor was the woman that E.J. had been searching for. E.J. denied it, but Lexie didn't believe him. He said even if Lexie's theory was true, it wouldn't work out between him and Taylor. Lexie asked how he knew that, and he said because a woman like Taylor wouldn't fall in love with him.

Nicole told Taylor that she had figured out that E.J. was the mystery man that Taylor had been so taken with. Taylor said she didn't fall in love with random guys who gave her scarves, and she said that E.J. wasn't the mystery man Taylor had spoken of earlier. Nicole asked Taylor to explain the "wedding-stopping moment" Taylor had experienced with E.J. during the ceremony. Lexie reminded Nicole that it was time for her to throw the bouquet, but Nicole announced that she had decided not to throw it and instead gave it to Taylor, saying she was proud of Taylor and hoped that Taylor would find true love someday.

E.J. kissed Nicole on the back and told her they needed to go home and start their honeymoon. They kissed, thanked their wedding guests, and left. Lexie told Taylor that she knew what was going on between Taylor and E.J. because when she had spoken to E.J., it was obvious. Taylor confirmed Lexie's suspicions. Abe told Lexie it was time to go, and they offered Taylor a ride home, but she wanted to find her own way.

In the bedroom, Nicole and E.J. toasted to their great future. Nicole told E.J. how happy she was, but E.J. seemed preoccupied. E.J. told Nicole that their wedding day had made him happy, and he reassured her that he was sincere. E.J. said it meant a lot to him that she was his wife. Nicole asked him if things would work out this time around, and he agreed.

Sami found Allie's favorite doll while cleaning up and realized it had been left out of the suitcase they had packed. Sami left the room to inform Lucas, and while she was gone, Fake Rafe thought about when he had beaten up the real Rafe, and Fake Rafe pulled the doll's head off. Sami asked what Fake Rafe was doing, and he explained that the doll's head had fallen off and he had tried to fix it. Sami apologized for snapping at him. Then she admitted that she had sent Allie away because of Rafe, because he and Allie hadn't been getting along lately. Fake Rafe said it was because Allie had turned on him. Sami assumed that Allie had been reacting to Sami's feelings.

Sami explained that she was having trouble adjusting to the way that Rafe had changed. Fake Rafe said that by the time Allie returned from visiting Lucas, he would be back to his old self. Fake Rafe offered to take Sami out for beer and burgers.

At the Java Caf, Stephanie ran into Nathan. He asked how she was doing and how Caroline was doing. Stephanie started to argue with Nathan, but he didn't feel like arguing. Stephanie sensed that there was trouble between Nathan and Melanie. Stephanie reminded him that Melanie was nothing but trouble. She assumed that Melanie hadn't left Philip. Melanie walked in and hugged Nathan.

Nathan thought that Philip had hurt Melanie, but she explained that it wasn't Philip, it was her. She told him that it was her fault that Kate had bullied Chloe into trying to kill herself. Nathan was comforting Melanie when Philip walked in. Philip ordered Nathan to stay away from Melanie, but Nathan said that Melanie would be staying with him. Philip asked Melanie to leave, but Nathan refused to let her go with Philip. Philip said that Melanie was his wife, and Nathan said she wouldn't be for much longer.

Nathan reminded her that Philip hated Melanie for what she had told his mother. Philip couldn't believe that Melanie had confided in Nathan, and he said he was trying to tell Melanie that he was sorry. Nathan said it was too late for that. Melanie tried to stop them from arguing. They began fighting, and Melanie started cramping and said there was something wrong with her baby. They stopped arguing and tended to her.

At the Brady Pub, Caroline hugged Sami and Fake Rafe. He got a phone call and went outside to answer it. Caroline asked Sami if everything was okay, but she said it wasn't because he wasn't himself. Fake Rafe told Stefano on the phone that if Sami got out of line, he knew how to take care of her. Caroline urged Sami to be patient and that the injury had affected his memory. When Fake Rafe returned, Allie called Sami on the phone, so Sami went outside to talk. Fake Rafe asked Caroline what she and Sami had been discussing, and Caroline said they were talking about him and how he had memory loss, and Sami had noticed other changes in Rafe.

Stephanie walked into the pub, and Fake Rafe offered her a seat. Stephanie thought that Fake Rafe was a nice guy and that Sami was lucky to have him. Stephanie updated Fake Rafe on the drama between Melanie and Nathan. Fake Rafe offered her a hug. Sami saw them hugging through the window and was suspicious.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

by Spalding

As she stood in Chez Rouge, a heartbroken Taylor thought about her conversation with E.J. at the reception. Taylor thought about when E.J. had said he had not been thinking about her, and she sighed. Brady walked into the reception and noticed Taylor standing in the corner. "I think you feel the same way about their marriage as I do," Brady said to Taylor. As Taylor sat down at a nearby table, Brady jokingly asked about the wedding and whether anyone had been shot during the ceremony. Taylor rolled her eyes and theorized that Brady was upset that Nicole had married E.J.

Brady admitted that he was upset that Nicole had married E.J. because Brady believed that E.J. would dump Nicole as soon as he finished "screwing with Sami's head." With a grimace, Brady noted that E.J. would blindside Nicole and that she would run to Brady, asking for help. Taylor noted that Brady did not seem to like the DiMeras. Brady jokingly begged Taylor not to tell him that E.J. had a sensitive side. As Taylor smiled, she noticed the drink in Brady's hand.

Concerned, Taylor ordered Brady to give her his car keys and $20 for a cab. When Taylor mentioned the last time she had called a cab for Brady, he sheepishly apologized and noted that he did not remember much of that night. "And that doesn't tell you anything, Brady? I think you should stop worrying about Nicole and look in the mirror," Taylor said. After cracking a couple of jokes, Brady offered to take Taylor out and buy her a drink. Taylor noted that there was plenty of champagne left over from the wedding.

"You're rational, you're even-tempered, you drink frugally; are you sure you're related to Nicole?" Brady joked. With a smile, Taylor grabbed a couple of glasses of champagne and commented about how nice it was to be drinking pricey alcohol. When Brady suggested that Taylor could follow in her sister's footsteps and marry for money, Taylor admitted that she would be less worried about Nicole if she believed Nicole had married E.J. for his money.

"You're not telling me something I don't already know. Nicole has talked herself into believing that they are star-crossed lovers and that this is not just another E.J. DiMera manipulation," Brady said. Brady assured Taylor that he would not tell anyone about Taylor's fears for Nicole. Holding up his glass of champagne, Brady toasted to Nicole "who just married the biggest jerk in the world." Taylor worried aloud that Nicole was in love with E.J. "Worse than that, she thinks she is going to get him to love her back," Taylor said.

Brady urged Taylor to forget about E.J. and Nicole and to worry about Taylor's career instead. With a chuckle, Brady asked Taylor to work with him at Titan. Leaning in closer, Taylor asked Brady whether he was pushing her to work at Titan to push E.J.'s buttons. With a smile, Brady noted that Taylor was right to question his motives.

"I will give you the bottom line truth about this particular subject. I want you to come work for me because I think you're honest, I think you're trustworthy, and I think you'd be a great asset to my company. Period," Brady said earnestly. "And it would drive E.J. crazy," Taylor added. "And it would drive E.J. crazy," Brady agreed. Taylor agreed to think about Brady's offer but added that she did not want to make things difficult for her sister.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole curled up next to E.J. in bed and commented on how distant he seemed. With a solemn expression, E.J. remarked that Nicole's lingerie was "unbecoming." Shocked, Nicole's mouth gaped open until she realized that E.J. was jokingly asking her to get undressed for him. With a grin, Nicole kissed her husband and the two made love.

After making love, Nicole asked E.J. if he had any regrets about getting married. With a sigh, E.J. admitted that he had one regret. Before E.J. could explain what he meant, Nicole received a text message from the photographer about the wedding photos. Excited, Nicole grabbed the laptop and asked E.J. to look at the pictures with her. As Nicole scrolled through the photos, E.J. stared at the photo of Nicole with Taylor and noted, "the most beautiful girl in the world." When Nicole asked about Taylor, E.J. noted that he was too busy looking at Nicole to notice her sister.

With a sigh, Nicole said that she had talked to her sister before the wedding and that it had felt weird having Taylor back in her life. Nicole admitted that she had talked to Taylor about her feelings. E.J. noted that it was a good thing that Nicole had her sister to talk to. Hungry, E.J. changed the subject to food, and Nicole offered to go get some food from the kitchen. "I'm very happy you're my wife," E.J. said sincerely. "You are a very lucky man," Nicole teased.

Once Nicole was gone, E.J. thought about his conversation with Taylor. When Nicole returned with food, E.J. announced that he was going to check on the children. Giggling, Nicole happily grabbed her cell phone and showed E.J. a photo of the children sleeping. "Thank you for sharing them with me, and thank you for helping me be a part of their life. And just think, Sami is with Rafe, and I have you, and I think the right people ended up with each other," Nicole said. "Samantha has just the man she deserves," E.J. said before kissing Nicole.

At the Brady Pub, faux Rafe hugged Stephanie for an uncomfortable length of time. Outside the pub, Sami looked through the window and stared in disbelief at her husband clutching on to Stephanie. Back inside the pub, Stephanie broke from the embrace, but faux Rafe continued to hug her tightly and tell her that she should not be so sad. As faux Rafe relinquished his grasp of Stephanie, Sami marched into the pub and demanded to know what was going on.

Faux Rafe explained that he was comforting Stephanie. When Sami asked Stephanie if she was okay, Stephanie explained that she had a "meltdown." Feeling awkward, Stephanie excused herself and went into the back room. Jealous, Sami noted that faux Rafe was "all over" Stephanie. Faux Rafe argued that Stephanie was like a sister to him. Annoyed, Sami argued that Stephanie was her family. With a grin, faux Rafe said that Sami was jealous. Sami noted that she was not jealous but that she was worried about Rafe's health. Frustrated, faux Rafe commented that Sami was hounding him and following him.

With a sigh, Sami explained that prior to the accident, she could predict what Rafe would do. Annoyed, faux Rafe argued that it was odd that Sami was mad at him for comforting her cousin when she was upset. "If you and Stephanie were ever close, I sure didn't know about it," Sami said. Faux Rafe shook his head and explained that he was still grieving the loss of his sister and that he must have switched into "big brother mode" when he saw Stephanie crying. "I didn't think about it like that," Sami said quietly. "I don't like feeling like I'm being watched all the time," faux Rafe said.

Faux Rafe offered to take Sami home, but she declined his offer, explaining that she wanted to check on Stephanie first. Faux Rafe said he hoped Stephanie felt better, then left the pub. As Sami sat at the table, lost in thought, Stephanie returned to the main room of the pub. Sami asked Stephanie how she was feeling, and Stephanie apologized for dumping her problems on Rafe. "I'm gonna ask you to be honest with me. Was Rafe coming on to you?" Sami asked.

When Stephanie stammered in surprise, Sami noted that she was not mad at Stephanie or Rafe but that she was worried about Rafe's health. Sami pointed out that Stephanie's reaction to Sami's arrival was awkward. Stephanie denied that she had been uncomfortable, but Sami countered that she did not believe Stephanie was okay. "He was holding on a little too close. That wasn't really just a hug. I tried to pull away, and he pulled closer," Stephanie said. With a shrug, Stephanie noted that her judgment had been off lately and that she might have misread Rafe's intentions.

"But it just didn't seem like him, right?" Sami asked. "You're right. It really didn't," Stephanie said with a relieved sigh. Sami noted that when Rafe had mentioned he was dealing with his grief over Arianna, she had realized that Rafe was processing a lot of emotions on top of his head injury. Shaking her head, Stephanie asked Sami to repeat what she'd said about Arianna. Sami explained that Rafe felt brotherly toward Stephanie.

When Stephanie's eyes widened with awkwardness, Sami softly said, "that didn't feel brotherly, did it?" Sami said that she was attempting to be patient, but Stephanie urged Sami not to wait any longer. Stephanie cautioned Sami to take Rafe in for a checkup just to make sure he was all right. Nodding, Sami agreed to talk to Rafe.

Down on the pier, faux Rafe met with Stefano to tell him about Sami's jealous reaction to Stephanie. When faux Rafe explained that he was not a one-woman man, Stefano reminded faux Rafe that he was "not being paid to be you." "Aren't I supposed to be screwing up this marriage? Why not do it the old-fashioned way?" faux Rafe asked. Faux Rafe noted that Sami was suspicious of him and he felt that they should use that to his advantage to break up the marriage.

"I wouldn't mind Hernandez's reputation as a Sir Galahad to be a little tarnished and Samantha being insulted all over town," Stefano said with a chuckle. As faux Rafe joined in the laughter, Sami walked onto the pier. Stefano noted that he was working to get along with Rafe at Sami's request. Suspicious, Sami argued that she had witnessed more than politeness between faux Rafe and Stefano. With a spring in his step, Stefano walked away.

Turning toward Sami, faux Rafe said, "I'm getting really tired of you charging in and humiliating me in public." Annoyed, Sami suggested that they head home so that she could tell him "off in private." Once faux Rafe and Sami arrived back at the loft, Sami yelled at him for laughing with Stefano. "I'm going to bed. I've had just about enough fun for one night," faux Rafe announced as he walked into the bedroom. Still fuming, Sami called Stephanie and asked her for a favor.

In the Java Caf, Melanie clutched the countertop as she began to experience severe abdominal cramps. Philip put his arm around Melanie to support her as Nathan coached Melanie to squeeze his hand and tell him what she was feeling. Nathan and Philip helped Melanie to a chair as she continued to experience cramps. When Philip began to panic, Nathan warned him to calm down or leave. As the pain dissipated, Melanie noted that she was still feeling pressure on her stomach.

At Maggie's house, Daniel talked to Parker about all the people that loved him. As Parker gazed up at Daniel, there was a knock at the kitchen door. Daniel opened the door to find Kate standing on the porch. Annoyed, Daniel slammed the door in Kate's face. Unfazed, Kate opened the kitchen door and sauntered into the house. Kate explained that she had heard about Chloe's suicide attempt and wanted to check on the safety of her grandson Parker. Angry, Daniel countered that he was Parker's legal guardian, and that he would call Bo and get a restraining order against Kate if she persisted.

"Unlike you, I am family," Kate noted. Furious, Daniel reminded Kate that she had framed him for murder, and Daniel added that he had many reasons to keep Kate away from Parker. When Kate said that Chloe had abandoned her son, Daniel remarked that Kate had pushed Chloe when she was vulnerable, and Kate had convinced Chloe to throw away her medication. Daniel told Kate that he would make sure that Philip and Melanie kept Kate out of the lives of her grandchildren.

Kate warned Daniel that since she was related to Parker by blood, she would outlast Daniel in a fight. "I can see why you wouldn't want to face me because finally Chloe has done to you a version of what she did to Lucas and to Philip. And I told you she would," Kate said. As Daniel's phone rang, he ordered Kate to leave. Kate stood her ground as Daniel answered his phone. On the line was Maxine informing Daniel that Melanie had been admitted to the hospital for cramping.

At the hospital, Nathan checked Melanie's vital signs. Philip offered to send the Titan jet to pick up Carly at her medical conference, but Melanie declined the offer, noting that she wanted to remain positive about the health of her baby. When Philip was alone with Melanie, he apologized and noted that he felt responsible. "I don't really want to talk about that," Melanie said tearfully.

When Daniel arrived, Melanie broke down into tears, and Daniel enveloped her in his arms. Philip quietly slipped out of the room to leave Daniel alone with his daughter. "I can get through this if you're here," Melanie said tearfully. Daniel went to the lab to check on Melanie's test results, and Nathan sat on the edge of Melanie's bed. When Nathan noted that Melanie would "get through this," Melanie worried aloud that she was not strong enough to deal with losing her baby.

Out in the waiting room, Kate asked Philip how he was doing. "If Melanie loses this baby, it's your fault," Philip said sternly. Kate assured Philip that she was looking out for her family. "You have a funny way of showing it," Philip countered.

Back in Melanie's hospital room, she was smiling and holding Nathan's hand as Daniel returned with the test results. Daniel sat on his daughter's bed and gently gave her the news about the baby. Realizing that she had lost her baby, Melanie began to cry in her father's arms. Down the hallway, Kate told Philip the news.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

Nathan found Philip in a waiting room at the hospital, and asked how Melanie was. After Philip replied that Melanie was sleeping, Nathan stated sincerely, "I'm really sorry about your loss." Philip didn't buy it, pointing out that Melanie's miscarriage opened the door for Nathan to make his move on her.

Meanwhile, Daniel was sitting at the bedside of a very sad Melanie. He tried to comfort his daughter, who admitted, "Yesterday I thought I was going to have two babies, and this morning I have none. I just feel so empty." She noted that she hadn't really understood what Daniel had felt when he'd lost Parker until she'd lost her baby. Daniel acknowledged that they had to shelve the plans they'd made for their respective children, but added that Melanie still had to heal physically, and urged her to get some rest. Daniel gently stroked his daughter's hair as she settled down to try to sleep.

Philip and Nathan's discussion was about to escalate into an argument when Daniel entered the waiting room and ordered them to stop. After Nathan left, Philip confessed that he and Nathan had been arguing when Melanie's pain had started. Daniel reluctantly admitted that Melanie didn't blame Philip for the miscarriage, adding, "I'm sorry to say the only person she seems to blame is herself."

The man from social services presented Chloe with papers to sign, which would give custody of Parker to Philip, and name Philip as Parker's father on the birth certificate. Chloe first wanted to know what rights the papers gave to Philip's wife, Melanie. The man advised her that if Philip and Melanie lived together, it would also give physical custody -- the right to care for Parker and tend to his needs -- to Melanie. Chloe was just glad that Parker would be with people who loved him instead of strangers, and signed the papers.

Chloe was startled later to look up and find Melanie in the room -- also wearing a hospital gown. She immediately asked what had happened to Melanie, and Melanie replied simply but sadly, "I lost my baby." "Melanie, I'm so sorry," Chloe declared softly. Melanie asserted, "You don't have to say that. I tried to take your baby; now God took mine." Chloe assured Melanie that wasn't why it had happened, but Melanie countered that she'd had no right to do what she'd tried to do to Chloe.

Chloe understood why Melanie had been so angry, and she didn't blame Melanie, especially since Kate had been working both of them. "I still love Parker," Melanie stated, adding, "And I want him to have a good life. And the best life a child can have is with a mother who loves him, so I want you to get better, so that you can give him that life." The women exchanged heartfelt apologies, and then shared a tearful embrace.

Chloe then divulged that she had just made sure that Philip was Parker's legal guardian, because otherwise Parker would have gone into foster care. She tearfully explained for a puzzled Melanie, "They don't think that I'm stable enough right now to take care of him, which is pretty much true." Since the man from social services didn't know when or if Chloe would ever get Parker back, Chloe pleaded with Melanie to help Philip take good care of Parker.

The man from social services informed Daniel and Philip about the papers that Chloe had just signed. They briefly discussed whether the baby's name would remain Parker. Philip asked if Daniel was really okay with leaving it that way, but Daniel responded by signing the papers where the man instructed him.

Philip was surprised when he went into Chloe's room and found Melanie there. Melanie explained that she'd just wanted to apologize to Chloe. That pleased Philip, but he suggested that Melanie should be in bed. Melanie agreed, but first turned back to Chloe and said, "You sucked it up and signed those papers, and put Parker's need in front of yours. And despite everything that's happened -- all of the terrible things I've said about you -- if you can do that for your son, you can do anything." Chloe managed a smile.

When Philip escorted Melanie back to her room later, she was dressed to go home. He was worried that it was too soon, but she assured him that the doctor would not have signed the release form if Melanie weren't ready. Philip praised Melanie for what she'd said to Chloe. Melanie replied softly, "When I found out Chloe tried to kill herself, I realized I had to forgive her for sleeping with you. I have to find a way to try and forgive you, too." A thrilled Philip asked if Melanie forgave him, where they should go from there. Melanie admitted that she'd been thinking a lot about that, and Philip might be surprised at what she'd come up with.

Hope arrived at Maggie's, where Maggie and Jennifer greeted her enthusiastically. Jennifer and Maggie had cared for Parker overnight, and both were glad that the baby had slept through the night. Maggie then left for the hospital, because Daniel had been called in on an emergency the night before. Hope informed Jennifer that Bo had gone back to work that morning. Jennifer expressed her regrets that Hope had lost her job, but Hope was cheerful about it.

While Hope and Jennifer were chatting, Abigail called Jennifer, ostensibly from London. "Where are you?" Abigail demanded, noting worriedly, "I called the hospital, and they say you've been released, so I called Great-Gram's house, where you said you'd be staying, and there's no answer -- all night long." Jennifer apologized for not telling her daughter where she had been, and explained that after being released from the hospital, she'd spent the night with Maggie. Abigail was just relieved that her mom sounded like she was back to normal again.

Later, Abigail surprised and thrilled her mom by showing up at Maggie's back door. "What--you're in London!" Jennifer exclaimed as she embraced Abigail excitedly. As the two of them were catching up, Hope returned from checking on Parker, and she was just as astonished to find Abigail there as Jennifer had been. Hope hugged Abigail, and remarked about how grown up Abigail had become. Hope then made an excuse about something she needed to do, so mother and daughter could have some time alone.

After Hope had gone, Abigail explained that she'd decided she wanted to spend her long spring break in Salem. Although clearly delighted to have her daughter home, Jennifer asserted that Abigail should be spending her break with her friends. Abigail wanted to know if Jennifer had heard from Jack, and when Jennifer said no, Abigail pronounced her father a jerk. Jennifer chided her, but Abigail pointed out, "You could have died, Mom! And he's so busy trying to be twenty years old again that he never even called you to find out what happened or how you were. He never even called me or J.J.!"

Abigail seemed disappointed to realize that her mother still loved Jack. Jennifer asserted, "I am angry with your father, but that is between him and me." Abigail pointed out that it wasn't the first time her dad had abandoned Jennifer. Jennifer maintained that she had known what kind of man Jack was when she had married and had children with him, but she had done it, anyway, because she had loved him -- and still did.

Abigail noted that she had spent her whole childhood trying to get her parents back together, but since she'd grown up, she'd become sick of Jennifer covering for Jack. Abigail wanted her mom to do something about Jack's disappearance from all of their lives, but Jennifer maintained that there wasn't much she could do about it. Abigail declared, "You're still totally hot -- and if Dad thinks that you're just going to sit here and wait for him to decide to come back, he's dreaming!"

A bit appalled, Jennifer stated that she wasn't ready for anything like that at the moment. Abigail acknowledged, "Okay, but you will be -- and when it happens, it'll be Dad's loss."

Abigail was out of the room later when Daniel dropped by to check on Parker. Jennifer assured him that Parker was doing well, but noted that Daniel seemed upset. Daniel explained, "The reason that I didn't take Parker was because my daughter, Melanie, had a miscarriage last night." Jennifer expressed her sincere sympathy. Daniel then admitted that earlier, he had signed papers that said he was no longer Parker's legal father. An understanding Jennifer put her arms around Daniel comfortingly. Just then, Abigail returned, and seemed to approve of the embrace.

Maggie met Nathan at the Brady Pub because she wanted to talk to him about Melanie. "She blames herself for the miscarriage, and she really doesn't know where she wants to go from here," Maggie explained. Nathan informed her that Philip had already accused Nathan of being glad about Melanie's miscarriage, and of trying to take advantage of the situation. Maggie cautioned her grandson that Melanie would need space and time to grieve when she got out of the hospital, but Nathan asserted that it was the last thing Melanie needed.

Maggie was taken aback. Nathan pointed out, "I love you, but I listened to you before, and everyone else who told me I should stay away from Melanie -- and look what Philip Kiriakis did to her life!" Nathan continued that Melanie should have been with him all along, and he didn't want to blow what might be their last chance at a life together. He kissed his grandmother and left.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano informed E.J. that he'd left the wedding early because there had been another incident with Rafe. "He somehow got a hold of Ted's cell phone, and he called Roman Brady," Stefano elaborated, and then asserted, "I believe that our friend downstairs has outlived his usefulness, so it's time for us to move [on to] the next phase of the plan." E.J. blew up, and Stefano suggested that it was time for Rafe to leave Salem for good.

E.J. reminded Stefano that they had agreed to keep Rafe around until the imposter had alienated Sydney, Johnny, and Samantha. He added that after that, he and Samantha would take control of their children -- without any interference from Rafe. Stefano was worried that E.J. was getting "soft" -- which had usually meant that E.J. was trying to impress "some good woman." E.J.'s thoughts turned to Taylor, but he maintained that he was not going soft.

Johnny scampered into the room just then, and ran up for a hug from his grandfather. Johnny announced that he and his daddy were going to have pancakes. As they discussed their "power breakfast," E.J. scooped up his son and carried him out the front door. Stefano muttered to himself, "You take care of your son, Elvis, and I'll take care of mine."

In the dungeon, Rafe pulled his necklace out of the bed frame, and vowed to find a way to escape and return to Sami. He remembered spying the doppelganger making love to Sami, and told himself that he had to put the image out of his mind, or he would never make it.

Over pancakes at the Java Caf, E.J. asked if Johnny's new eye were causing him any problems. Johnny admitted matter-of-factly that before he'd gotten it, he hadn't been able to sleep because he'd seen something outside his window. E.J. asked what it had been, and Johnny replied, "I saw Rafe." E.J. reminded his son, "Do you remember when the doctor said that your brain might tell you it was seeing things from your old eye?" Johnny replied, "You mean Rafe wasn't really there? I wish he was there. I miss him."

E.J. wanted to be sure that Johnny knew he could talk to E.J. if he ever had a problem with Nicole. E.J. added that he didn't want what happened to Allie to happen to Johnny, and explained, "Rafe wasn't being very nice to her, and she was afraid to tell her mother." Johnny assured his dad, "Rafe was always nice to me. I love him!"

When Hope and Julie met for coffee at the Java Caf, Julie asked what Hope wanted to talk about. "What do I do with my life now that I can't be a cop?" Hope asked bluntly. Julie suggested that Hope should use it as "personal time" to do things like catch up with friends, and soon Hope's future would become clear to her. Hope noticed E.J. having breakfast with Johnny, and Julie pointed out, "Grizzly bears care for their young, too."

Hope noted, "Not so easy to point the finger anymore when you have your own rap sheet." She continued that most of the women she'd met in prison had been abused, and had no family to turn to. "Why do I deserve to be so lucky?" Hope mused after recounting all the things she had that the other women didn't. "Because you are you," Julie asserted. Hope remarked, "Me. I'm not so sure who 'me' is anymore -- that's the problem."

After Julie left, Bo called Hope to cancel their lunch date. Hope reassured him that it was all right, and promised that she would order a fabulous dinner for them.

When Stefano went to the dungeon, Rafe asserted that E.J. wasn't enough of a man to deal with Rafe himself. "He had to lock me up in here, and send a sock puppet in to take my place," Rafe added. Stefano taunted Rafe that Samantha hadn't been able to tell the difference even when she'd had sex with Rafe's replacement. Rafe refused to take the bait. Stefano then declared, "I am going to reward you for all your problems. I am going to make you a very happy man."

Stefano continued that Rafe was going to have lots of time to take up a new hobby. Rafe wanted to know where he was going that he was going to have so much free time. Stefano explained, "It's not a place; it's more a -- how do I say it? It's more a frame of mind. See, one stick of the needle and you will forget Samantha Brady completely. Now, there is a little side effect: you will not remember anything about the man you are now."

Rafe wanted to know who would "be the brains of the robot" if Rafe had no memory. Stefano replied that he disagreed with Elvis, who thought they needed Rafe to supply them with information. "So who wins?" Rafe asked, and Stefano replied, "Who do you think?"

Thursday, March 3, 2011

by Mike

At the hospital, Julie greeted Nathan and told him that she had heard that Melanie was being discharged from the hospital. Julie wondered why Nathan wasn't with Melanie. Nathan explained that Melanie had suffered a miscarriage, and he didn't feel that it would be appropriate to try to push himself on her while she was grieving. Julie said that Nathan was a good man, and she noted that Philip probably didn't have any qualms about using Melanie's vulnerability to his advantage. "Nathan, do not let Philip take her away from you again," Julie warned Nathan.

At Maggie's house, Jennifer comforted Daniel after she learned that Daniel had signed documents that named Philip as Parker's legal father. Abigail walked into Maggie's kitchen and saw her mother embracing Daniel. Abigail interrupted and asked Jennifer for an introduction. Jennifer told Abigail that Daniel was the doctor who had saved Jennifer's life. Abigail hugged Daniel and thanked him for taking care of her mother.

Daniel insisted that he didn't deserve all of the credit, and noted that Jennifer was "very strong-willed." Daniel said that it would be Abigail's responsibility to make sure that Jennifer remembered to rest and take things slowly while she was recovering. Daniel jokingly added that it wouldn't be an easy task. Daniel wondered how long Abigail was planning to stay in Salem. Abigail admitted that she wasn't sure, and added that she was thinking about transferring to Salem University.

Jennifer was shocked to hear Abigail's news. Daniel excused himself to give Jennifer and Abigail some privacy. After Daniel left, Abigail reiterated that she was only thinking about transferring to Salem U. Abigail quickly changed the subject and wondered if there was anything going on between her mother and Daniel. Jennifer smiled, and Abigail took that as confirmation that her suspicions were correct.

"I'm smiling because you think that you know everything, and you are so wrong," Jennifer insisted. Abigail wondered what it was that she was wrong about. Jennifer asked her daughter to describe the way she had felt about seeing Jennifer in another man's arms. "I was wishing it was Dad walking in instead of me," Abigail admitted. Jennifer surmised that Abigail wanted Jennifer to start dating another man because it would be a way to get back at Jack for the way he had been treating his family.

Abigail insisted that she wasn't trying to use Jennifer as a way to hurt Jack. "No, you were hoping that I would hurt him the same way that you think he's hurt me," Jennifer said. Abigail wondered if Jennifer was trying to deny that Jack had hurt her. "That is between me and your father, but if he's hurt you, then you need to tell him that," Jennifer said. Abigail claimed that Jack wasn't interested in knowing how Abigail felt, but Jennifer wasn't convinced.

"Come on, Mom. We get the same blog posts that he sends to his golf buddies. You had heart surgery, and he never even tried to get in touch with you. I'm so over him," Abigail stated. Jennifer insisted that Jack loved his children "in his own way." Abigail remained skeptical, but before she could respond, Parker woke up from his nap and started crying. While Jennifer went to feed him, Abigail went for a walk to check out Salem.

Philip was thrilled to learn that Melanie had forgiven him for the mistakes that he had made. Melanie told Philip that she had made a decision about their future. Melanie assured Philip that he was going to be surprised by her decision. Philip was eager to hear what Melanie had to say, but Melanie asked him to wait until after she had been discharged from the hospital. Philip agreed to meet Melanie at the Brady Pub later.

At the Brady Pub, Philip assured Melanie that he had never stopped loving her. Philip said that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Melanie. Melanie told Philip that her pregnancy wasn't the only reason that she had chosen to stay with Philip. Melanie admitted that she had made her fair share of mistakes, but she insisted that she had always been committed to her marriage to Philip. Philip told Melanie that he wished that he could take back "that one stupid night."

Melanie tearfully told Philip that he couldn't change the past, and she noted that Parker would always be a reminder of Philip's infidelity. Melanie admitted that she had gone "a little crazy" and tried to prove that Chloe was an unfit mother because she had thought that it would repair the damage that Philip had done to their marriage. "I figured that if I could take Chloe out of the equation -- if you and I raised Parker -- then it would be like what happened never really happened," Melanie explained. Melanie told Philip that she had wanted to hate him, but being pregnant had changed things.

"It reminded me of how I felt when we were in love, and I thought if I could remember those feelings, then I can forgive you," Melanie said. Philip smiled and assured Melanie that things would be different this time. Philip started to get excited and impulsively suggested that he and Melanie should just "leave all this behind." Melanie was taken aback by Philip's suggestion when she realized that he was talking about leaving Salem. Melanie asked Philip, "Where does your son fit into all of this?"

Philip assured Melanie that he had not forgotten about Parker. Philip stated that he would work out "some sort of custody agreement" with Chloe. Melanie reminded Philip that Chloe had lost custody of Parker. Philip insisted that he wouldn't neglect his son. Melanie sighed and said, "You're asking me to mother the child you had with my father's wife...the baby he just signed over to you. Yes, we love each other, but sometimes...Philip, love is just not enough."

Philip wondered if he had done something to change Melanie's mind. Melanie assured Philip that she was the one who had done something -- she had lost their baby. "You change a little bit after that," Melanie softly added. Melanie explained that Chloe had asked Melanie to help Philip raise Parker. "But I can't...because Parker's not mine. And I can't be in the middle of you and Chloe anymore," Melanie said.

Philip reiterated that he would set up some type of custody agreement with Chloe after she had recovered from her illness. Melanie reminded Philip that he had been talking about leaving Salem earlier, and wondered, "Are you just kind of making this up as you go along?" Philip shrugged his earlier comments off as a daydream, and he assured Melanie that he knew that they couldn't do that. "There are a lot of things we can't do," Melanie said, then added, "I can't expect to have my father in my life if I'm helping you raise the son he thought was his. I love you; I forgive you. But I can't be the mother to the child you had while we were married. There's just no -- there's no place for me there."

Philip insisted that Melanie still had a place in his heart. Melanie tearfully asked Philip to "be a real father" to Parker. Philip nodded and gently kissed Melanie's hand, and he promised that he would never give up on Melanie. As Philip walked out of the Brady Pub, Melanie softly whispered goodbye to him. Later, Melanie bumped into Nathan as she was leaving the Brady Pub; meanwhile, Philip arrived at Maggie's house to take Parker home.

Chad watched as E.J. and Johnny shared a cup of hot chocolate at the Java Caf. E.J. invited Chad to join them, but Chad wasn't sure if that would be a good idea. Johnny said that he wanted Chad to sit with them, but Chad wondered if E.J. felt the same way. Chad explained that he didn't want to interrupt while E.J. was spending time with his son. E.J. quipped that he and Johnny were finished with the "top secret" part of their breakfast, and insisted that Chad should join them.

While one of the employees showed Johnny how to make a cappuccino, E.J. took the opportunity to thank Chad again for being his best man at the wedding. Chad shrugged it off as "no big deal," but E.J. insisted that it was a big deal to him. E.J. told Chad about Tony's death. "We weren't really that close. I mean, we didn't grow up together. In fact, honestly, I thought I was adjusting rather well to his death until...I was about to get married. And then I wanted my brother standing beside me," E.J. said. Chad joked that E.J. was lucky enough to have a "spare."

E.J. mused that the wedding had probably been an awkward and painful experience for Chad. Chad nodded and said, "I watched your family at the wedding and I thought to myself, 'The DiMeras are way, way weird.' Then I said, uh, 'But they love each other, and there's no pretending there. They really, really love each other.'" E.J. agreed, then asked Chad what his plans were for the rest of the day.

E.J. was startled by Chad's answer. "Well, it's my birthday," Chad said, then added, "My real one...the one on my original birth certificate. So I thought I'd spend today getting used to being a Pisces. Apparently, we're aggressive and opinionated, but we approach life from a dreamer's perspective." E.J. nodded thoughtfully and asked Chad if that meant that he didn't have any plans. When Chad confirmed E.J.'s suspicion, E.J. assured Chad that they would have to fix that.

A short time later, one of the employees presented Chad with a chocolate cupcake, topped with blue icing and a single candle. E.J. apologized for not giving Chad something more elegant, but Chad assured him that the gesture was appreciated. "Happy first birthday," E.J. said. Johnny was shocked to hear Chad's "age," so E.J. clarified, "This is his first birthday as a member of the DiMera family." Chad's voice cracked as he asked Johnny to help him blow out the candle. E.J. asked if Chad had remembered to make a wish; Chad quietly said that he had.

While Fake Rafe was in another room of their apartment, Sami called the hospital. Sami whispered that she was calling to confirm an appointment for Rafe. Maxine couldn't understand what Sami was saying, so Sami tried to explain that she had to keep her voice hushed because the appointment was supposed to be a surprise. Fake Rafe entered the room and wondered what Sami was talking about. Sami admitted that Fake Rafe wasn't going to like her surprise.

Sami told Fake Rafe that she had been on the phone with Roman. Sami explained that Roman had told her that Rafe would need a complete physical before he could return to work. Fake Rafe wondered how "complete" the physical would be, and Sami shrugged and told him that it would probably involve blood tests and "other" stuff. Sami insisted that it would be worth the trouble if it got Fake Rafe back to work more quickly. Fake Rafe agreed and told Sami that he would take the physical.

After they had arrived at the hospital, Sami admitted to Fake Rafe that he wasn't really there for a physical. Sami told Fake Rafe that she wanted him to get an MRI. Fake Rafe angrily refused to go through with the procedure. Sami apologized for lying about the test, and reminded Fake Rafe that she was impulsive and that he had always accepted that in the past. Sami insisted that Fake Rafe had not been acting like himself since the accident.

"That's funny coming from you, considering you're the one who caused the accident that left me this way," Fake Rafe snapped. Fake Rafe told Sami to give him more time to recover, but Sami claimed that she had already given him plenty of time. Sami told Fake Rafe that he was getting worse instead of better, and an MRI could prove that something was wrong. Later, Fake Rafe called E.J. and told him what had happened. E.J. calmly told Fake Rafe not to panic, and he assured Fake Rafe that the DiMeras had a contact inside the hospital who would ensure that the MRI provided the desired results.

Back at the Java Caf, E.J. explained that he had some urgent business to attend to, and he asked if Chad would be willing to take Johnny home. After Chad agreed, E.J. asked if Chad's car was safe. Chad assured E.J. that he was a safe driver, and gave E.J. his license plate number so E.J. could place Johnny's car seat in Chad's car. E.J. wondered if Chad felt that E.J. was being overprotective. Chad replied, "No. I think you love your son, and I know he's been through a lot. But I really care about him, too, and I'm not gonna let anything happen to him."

As Chad prepared to take Johnny home, Abigail entered the Java Caf and noticed him. Abigail casually bumped into Chad and pretended that it was an accident. Abigail apologized, but before she could introduce herself, one of the Java employees returned with Johnny. Johnny told Chad that he was taking something home with him so that he could "give it to Mommy," and Abigail sighed as she assumed that Johnny was Chad's son.

Chad didn't correct Abigail, and played along by telling Abigail that he wasn't married to Johnny's mother. Abigail blurted out that Chad and Johnny's mother had probably had Johnny while they were still in high school, then wished Chad luck. Chad noted Abigail's judgmental tone and observed that it was probably a huge burden for Abigail to be perfect all the time. Abigail assured Chad that she wasn't perfect -- she just wasn't stupid, either. After Abigail left, Johnny told Chad that he didn't like "that girl;" Chad agreed and wondered, "Who would?"

At the pier, Gabi noticed that Will seemed distracted. Will admitted that he had something that he wanted to tell Gabi, but he said that he didn't think the pier was the place to talk to her about it. At Gabi's insistence, Will relented and gave Gabi a small, gold box. Gabi opened the box and found a pair of diamond earrings inside. Gabi was shocked by the gift and told Will that she couldn't accept it.

Will said that he had believed that Gabi would love the earrings because he had seen her looking at them at a store earlier. Gabi insisted that the earrings were too expensive. Will assured Gabi that he had been saving his money and he could afford the gift. Gabi wondered why Will would choose to spend his money on her. "You really have to ask me that?" Will wondered as he admitted that Gabi had not given him the reaction that he had expected.

"Will, you have money and I don't, but that doesn't mean that you have to buy me expensive things just because I can't afford it," Gabi said with a sigh. Will told Gabi that he had felt that they were more than just friends. Gabi agreed, but she continued to protest, "These earrings, they're something you give someone you --" Will interrupted her and said, "Care about? Someone that you can't stop thinking about? I mean, when you want everyone to know that you and this girl are...." Will's voice trailed off, and Gabi observed that he wasn't even able to say the words himself.

Will admitted that he wasn't very good at talking about his feelings. Gabi agreed and told Will that she understood what Will had been trying to say to her when he had given her the earrings. "And you should know that...I feel the same way," Gabi said. Will sighed with relief and kissed Gabi, unaware that someone was watching them from the distance.

As Sami waited for Fake Rafe to cool off, she confided in Daniel and explained that she was worried about Rafe's personality changes. Sami said that she had done some research on the Internet and she had learned that drastic personality changes could indicate a brain tumor. Daniel assured her that the previous scans had not shown any signs of a tumor. Sami asked Daniel to promise that he would review the MRI results himself. Fake Rafe interrupted their conversation and announced that he had changed his mind and he was willing to allow the MRI

Later, E.J. arrived at the hospital. E.J.'s contact informed him that there had been a complication with the MRI. Meanwhile, Daniel entered the waiting room to give Sami and Fake Rafe the MRI results. As E.J. hid around the corner and listened, Daniel said, "According to this MRI, you weren't even in an accident."

Friday, March 4, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

Nathan ran into Melanie at the Brady Pub and noticed that she had been crying. Melanie insisted that she was all right, and tried to leave, but Nathan refused to let her go. He declared that he had loved her since the day they had met, and he knew she felt the same way -- and the two of them belonged together. Nathan acknowledged that Melanie had just suffered a terrible loss, and she was still married, but he wanted to help her get through it if she would let him.

When Stephanie entered and saw Nathan and Melanie together, she lashed out sarcastically at them. Melanie tried to leave, but became woozy and stopped to steady herself by grabbing onto a table. Nathan rushed to her side to make sure she was all right. "Oh, that's right -- poor, pregnant Melanie," Stephanie snarled. Nathan tried to order her to shut up, but Stephanie kept sniping until he informed her that Melanie had lost the baby.

Stephanie apologized, but Nathan warned her not to attack Melanie again. When Stephanie referred to Melanie as Nathan's "two-faced little girlfriend," he said that Melanie was going to be his wife. Stung, Stephanie remarked nastily that she was sure the two of them would be very happy -- for about five minutes. She stormed out.

Nathan returned to Melanie, who wanted to know what he and Stephanie had been talking about. Nathan was only concerned about how Melanie was feeling. She assured him that she felt better, and she was grateful to him for tending to her. Nathan declared that he would do anything for Melanie, because he loved her -- and he was not going to give up on them. Melanie clearly did not want to talk about it. When she rose to leave, she nearly collapsed again, but Nathan caught her.

As Chloe prepared to leave the hospital, she gazed sadly at a snapshot of her and Parker, and admitted to her absent son that she didn't know what to do. Brady arrived, and Chloe informed him that Philip had full custody of Parker while social services reviewed her case. Chloe blamed herself for everything, but Brady urged her to stop beating herself up. A grateful Chloe pronounced Brady the best ex-husband anyone could ask for. Brady hugged her reassuringly, and then declared that he was going to take Chloe to see her son.

After Philip and baby Parker arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor tried to express his sympathy to Philip about Melanie's miscarriage. Philip didn't want to discuss it with Victor. Victor believed that raising Parker together would heal the rift between Philip and Melanie, but Philip asserted that his marriage was over. Victor urged his son to fight for Melanie, because she was a more suitable mother to Parker than Chloe, whom Victor deemed a "suicidal lunatic" and unfit to even be around Parker.

Fed up, Philip took Parker upstairs. He recalled telling Melanie that he had grown up a lot since meeting her, because she had changed him.

Victor was stewing about Brady's takeover of Titan when Philip returned. Victor tried to apologize, but an angry Philip wouldn't hear it. He pointed out that all Victor had ever done to Chloe was insult her. Victor was trying to defend himself when they heard Parker crying over the baby monitor, and Philip excused himself to check on his son.

As Brady and Chloe arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, she fretted that Victor would not be happy to see her. Brady assured Chloe that he was in charge. When Victor overheard Brady and Chloe in the foyer, he reminded Brady that Victor still had control of the house -- and Chloe was not welcome there. He continued that he would not allow Chloe anywhere near her son, because she had endangered the boy one too many times.

Philip returned just then, and announced that he and Brady had agreed that Chloe should move into the mansion. Victor was furious, but Philip calmly stated that he and Parker would move out if Victor didn't let Chloe stay. Victor grudgingly agreed to have Henderson ready a room for Chloe. Philip then took Chloe upstairs to see Parker.

Victor told Brady that he was only putting up with Chloe because it was what Philip wanted, and because he didn't want Philip to abandon him. Brady snidely remarked that everything had to be about Victor. Victor retorted, "It sure as hell isn't about you -- because you, dear boy, are dead to me."

Upstairs, Philip placed Parker in a grateful Chloe's arms. He asserted that Parker needed both of his parents, so he would make sure that Chloe was always part of her son's life.

Outside the DiMera mansion, Taylor hesitated before knocking on the door. She started to leave, but Nicole suddenly threw the door open, and pulled Taylor inside. Nicole boasted that she'd just had a great wedding night, but Taylor didn't really want to hear the details. Nicole explained that it had reminded her of how things had been when she and E.J. had first fallen in love, and she sensed that E.J. had felt the same way.

Taylor wanted to know where Nicole's groom was if their wedding night had truly been so wonderful and romantic. Nicole informed Taylor that E.J. was taking care of some business after having gone to breakfast with Johnny. Nicole added that she'd known what she was getting into when she married E.J., but the two of them really understood each other -- and perhaps they would even fall in love again someday.

Although admittedly skeptical, Taylor hoped that E.J. would return Nicole's feelings. Nicole guessed that Taylor was hiding something, and Taylor confessed that Brady had offered her a job at Titan. Taylor added that she knew that E.J. would be furious if she went to work for the competition, so she intended to refuse, but Nicole encouraged Taylor to take the job. Taylor didn't want to make things difficult for Nicole, but Nicole insisted that she could handle E.J.

In the dungeon, Rafe was trying to think of a way to escape, when Stefano arrived with Ted. As he held up a syringe, Stefano declared that its contents would help Rafe forget his troubles -- as well as everything else. The two men went into Rafe's cell to administer the memory-erasing injection. As he struggled with his captors, Rafe warned Stefano, "Junior's not gonna be very happy that you disobeyed him."

An unconcerned Stefano maintained that he was the one who called the shots. Rafe managed to kick the syringe out of Stefano's hands, but Ted quickly knocked Rafe unconscious. Stefano hesitated for a moment, noting that there was no turning back once the drug had been injected. Ted wondered if his boss were having second thoughts.

At the hospital, E.J. eavesdropped as Sami demanded to know how Rafe's MRI could indicate that he had never been in an accident. Daniel stated that the test only showed no signs of previous head trauma, and faux Rafe joked that it was because he had such a thick skull. Sami insisted that it had to be a mistake, and asserted as she pointed to the imposter, "This isn't my husband." Fake Rafe deduced that he had fully healed since the accident, and Daniel admitted that while unlikely, that might be true.

Imposter Rafe was offended that Sami still thought there was something wrong with him. Sami argued that his insistence that he was better only proved her point, and asked to speak to Daniel privately.

As soon as Daniel and Sami walked away, E.J. emerged from his hiding place. Faux Rafe confronted E.J. about the test results, and E.J. calmly explained that his contact had been "compromised." When the impersonator started to flip out, E.J. pointed out that faux Rafe had claimed that things had been going well. Imposter Rafe admitted that he might have overestimated his performance, because Sami was smarter than she looked.

E.J. ordered phony Rafe to calm down. The imposter argued that with a clean MRI, it was harder to sell brain damage from the accident. He said that if he could talk to the real Rafe and get some private information that only Rafe and Sami would know, it would help to convince her. E.J. agreed to arrange a meeting -- but he hoped Stefano hadn't done anything stupid. E.J. stepped away to call Stefano.

Rafe was once again locked inside his cell, unconscious on the cot, when Stefano answered the phone. E.J. stressed that it was vitally important not to inject Rafe with the drug, but Stefano reluctantly stated that it was too late. A furious E.J. demanded to know whether it could be reversed. Stefano stated that sometimes the drug did not "take," and it was possible that Rafe still had his memory. E.J. hoped that was the case, because otherwise everything they had worked for would go up in smoke.

In a waiting room, Sami explained to Daniel that she had hoped the tests would give a medical reason for why Rafe had been so different. Daniel said that they couldn't do more tests without Rafe's consent. Sami stated that the old Rafe would not have stopped until he figured out what was wrong, but since the accident, he didn't even seem to care -- about anything. "It's like I married a complete stranger," she added with bewilderment.

Daniel asked Sami to describe what was different about Rafe. She detailed how Rafe had been short with her and impatient with the kids, and even the way he looked at her was completely different -- and when she confronted him, he became defensive and touchy. Sami added that she had tried to ignore it, but it was getting worse instead of better. Daniel asked what she was looking for.

Sami replied, "A sign. Something from him -- a gesture, a look, a touch -- something to let me know that the man I love is still inside him somewhere." Daniel encouraged Sami to look at things from Rafe's point of view, and suggested that Rafe might not want to have more tests because he was frustrated, as well. He urged Sami to be "less confrontational," and she would have the old Rafe back before she knew it. A more relaxed Sami announced that she'd thought of a plan to get her husband back.

E.J. told faux Rafe that they had to make some adjustments to the plan, and the imposter needed to demonstrate less hostility and aggression for a while. "Try being a little bit more like Rafe, a little bit less like you," E.J. suggested. The imposter wanted to know if he could still talk to Rafe, but E.J. said that it wasn't going to happen.

Before E.J. could explain why, Sami returned, and E.J. pretended to have run into Rafe after a board meeting. Faux Rafe apologized to Sami for overreacting. Sami told him that Dr. Jonas had helped her see that she was putting too much pressure on Rafe, so she wasn't going to make him have any more tests. Daniel joined them, and reassured Sami and Rafe that the clean MRI was a good sign that Rafe would be back to normal very soon. After Daniel and E.J. had gone, Sami assured Rafe that everything was going to work out.

When E.J. returned to the DiMera mansion later, Taylor was just leaving. They nearly bumped into each other in the doorway, and then stood and stared at one another for a long moment.

As Sami and faux Rafe arrived at the loft, he apologized again for how he'd behaved at the hospital. He offered to return for more tests, but Sami replied that wasn't what she wanted. After kissing him passionately, she declared softly, "I want you to make love to me -- the way you used to."

Rafe stirred in his cell, and Ted told Stefano that their prisoner was waking up. Stefano ordered Ted to leave, and then waited for Rafe to awaken. When Rafe finally opened his eyes, he looked around in confusion, and asked Stefano, "Where am I? Who the hell are you?"