Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 4, 2011 on DAYS

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

Monday, July 4, 2011

by Mike

At the Brady Pub, many of the Salem residents waited for a particularly nasty storm to pass through the town. The storm had knocked out the Internet service in the area, and it had also caused two major streets to be closed. Occasional power outages were also a concern, and the younger crowd of Salem citizens -- Chad, Abigail, Gabi, Will, and Kinsey -- had started to get extremely bored.

Bo, Hope, Ciara, and Maggie grabbed a nearby table. "You know, I had to beg Roman to go on that trip for me, so I could be here, and see Ciara in the Fourth of July parade; wouldn't it be just terrible if we were all there in California as a family?" Bo sarcastically wondered. Hope tried to comfort Ciara by claiming that the following year's parade would be even better. "Mother, a year is forever in this business!" Ciara said with a sigh. Ciara looked at the ballerina costume that she was wearing, and she sullenly stated that she resembled a drowned duck, instead of a swan.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, California, Roman was standing under the famous Hollywood sign, talking to someone on the phone. "I'm out here consulting on a case; some TV writer snapped, went on a killing spree. Yeah, I know -- finding a deranged writer in L.A. is like finding a thin person in Paris," Roman joked. Roman added that he wasn't sure when he would be back in Salem. Roman explained that he wanted to pitch an idea for a screenplay while he was in Los Angeles; he added that the screenplay would be about a cop who was a bit of a loner, and that it would take place in a small, seemingly innocent town.

Back at the pub, Chad, Will, Abigail, Gabi, and Kinsey tried to think of ways to combat their boredom. Will remembered that he had downloaded several Academy Award-nominated films onto his laptop earlier; unfortunately, his laptop battery was dead. Abigail assumed that everyone had already seen each of the films, but several of her friends quickly corrected that assumption. Chad said that there was one film that he had not seen, but he neglected to name the film. Kinsey revealed that she had not seen "that stupid computer mogul movie," and Will admitted that he had not seen the western remake.

Chad assured Will that the latter film was worth watching. "What I really liked was the girl. She was...well, it's kind of hard to explain what she was like. It turns out the girl had true grit," Chad said, as Melanie walked into the pub. Chad briefly imagined Melanie as the girl in the film -- complete with pigtails, and a cowboy hat.

In Chad's version of True Grit, Melanie entered a small cabin; inside, she found Bo, an old man who wore an eyepatch over his right eye. Melanie offered to pay the old man fifty dollars if he agreed to help her find the man who had killed her father. Melanie described her father's killer to Bo, and Bo refused to help her; he explained that he didn't want to die. Melanie pointed a gun at Bo, and she threatened to kill him herself, unless he agreed to help her. As Bo got dressed, he guessed that Melanie didn't know how to fire a gun; Bo wondered if Melanie's gun was even loaded.

Melanie fired a warning shot, to prove that the gun was loaded. "You have to help me; otherwise, we two companions will not be able to teach one another life lessons," Melanie said. Bo grunted, and he sarcastically wondered if the inevitable violence that they were going to encounter along the way was supposed to be uplifting. Melanie explained that the violence would just make the adventure more memorable. "Well, little sis, let us remake movie history," Bo said, as he escorted Melanie to her horse.

Chad grinned as he recreated the film in his head. Abigail complained about the fact that the girl had needed a man's help to solve all of her problems. Abigail glanced at Hope and Ciara, and she insisted that women were capable of doing the same things that men were capable of doing -- especially if the women had strong mothers supporting them. Abigail started to imagine Hope as a skater, with faded paint covering her face.

In Abigail's version of Black Swan, Hope's demanding mother, Maggie, entered Hope's room, carrying a large cake. Maggie glanced at Hope's skating costume, and she said that it reminded her of when she had trained for the Olympics. Hope muttered that everything reminded Maggie of her Olympic training, but Maggie didn't hear Hope's comment. "I was working with the great Russian coach, Olga Florina Kaburkinshack...I think. Anyway, she said -- what did she say? Oh, my axels were music, my lutzes were poetry; nothing could stop me from winning gold -- nothing...but you. Couldn't you, my precious little princess? You're worth eleven gold medals, but I did everything. I did everything for you!" Maggie shouted, as Hope flinched and quietly thanked her mother.

Maggie took a closer look at Hope's costume, and she noted that Hope had chosen a daring hemline. "So brave of you...to draw attention to your thighs. But, you know, skaters are so muscular now; they're so huge in beefy girls like you. Well, I mean, in my day, skaters were like ballerinas; they were delicate, and graceful, and fragile," Maggie added. Hope's confidence started to fade away as she listened to her mother's words. Maggie offered Hope a piece of cake; Hope declined the offer, and she reminded her mother that she was on a strict diet, because she was training.

"You don't like my cake, do you? Hmm! You don't like anything I do to try to take care of you. Fine...three hours of my life for nothing, but if you don't want cake, you don't want cake!" Maggie exclaimed, as she tossed the cake into the trash can. Maggie held the trash can in front of Hope's face, forcing Hope to look at the splattered remains. Hope reluctantly reached into the trash can; as Maggie watched, Hope shoved a handful of cake into her mouth. Hope looked up at her mother, and she quietly wondered if Maggie was happy. "Oh, honey...I hope that doesn't go...you know where," Maggie said, as she slapped Hope's thighs.

At the end of Abigail's fantasy, Kinsey insisted that the mother in the film had been sweet. Gabi suggested that Hollywood was one of the most bizarre places in the world. Will wondered how Roman was doing in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Roman continued to pitch his screenplay to the person that he was talking to. Roman's spirits were crushed when the other person suggested that he should rewrite the script for Lindsay Lohan.

Back at the pub, Chad, Abigail, Gabi, Will, and Kinsey started a spirited, rambling discussion that involved films, philosophy, Galileo, Ken dolls, and gray shoes. As the group continued their meandering discussion, the rest of the pub's occupants started to lose their patience; Justin finally interrupted the group, and he told them to stop talking. After everyone had managed to calm down, Kinsey wondered what had happened to the subject of the film that they had been talking -- loosely -- about. Chad said that the guy had turned into a "gazillionaire."

In Chad's version of The Social Network, a team of lawyers was questioning Chad's integrity. Adrienne was representing Will, who claimed that Chad had stolen his idea. Chad claimed that Will had not had an original idea since he had learned how to use a remote control. Will admitted that he had assumed that Chad was his friend. "You ignorant, moronic, uneducated, sentimental, provincial parasite...you're my best friend in the world," Chad stated, without a hint of irony.

Later, Johnny and his twin brother explained their demands to Chad's lawyer, Justin. The brothers believed that they were entitled to Chad's fortune. "And we want everyone to hate him; he's not as cute as we are," one of the brothers added. Next, three women lodged their own complaints against Chad; finally, Chad was accused of stealing Theo's ideas. After Chad had listened to all of the complaints against him, he announced that he was ready to exhibit a rare moment of compassion and vulnerability.

Abigail interrupted Chad's fantasy, and she wondered if Chad was thinking about the main character's moment of vulnerability and compassion. Chad said that he was thinking about all of the money that the main character had. "So, like I keep saying, that movie was boring, but...at least it was about real people, not a bunch of Brits," Kinsey said, as E.J. listened. Kinsey insensitively claimed that having a stutter was not a big deal, and she explained that she had found it difficult to sympathize with the main character in the British film. Abigail assured Kinsey that speech impediments could be a very big deal.

In Abigail's version of The King's Speech, Abigail imagined E.J. and Nicole in the DiMera mansion. E.J. was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, and Nicole was wearing a black wig. In the background, Roman's voice prompted the couple to say their lines. Nicole started to speak in a Southern accent, as she greeted imaginary neighbors, but E.J.'s speech remained decidedly British. Roman reminded E.J. that the Witness Protection Program would only work if he was able to blend in.

E.J. sighed and said that he wasn't willing to butcher the language of Shakespeare; he added that he didn't want to sound like Roman. Nicole tried to reason with E.J., and she explained that his accent wasn't the only problem -- his attitude was also decidedly British. Roman bluntly explained that E.J. didn't know when to shut up. "All right...sometimes, American men, they just...grunt," Nicole said, but E.J. still refused to lower his standards to such barbaric levels. Roman was ready to give up, but Nicole begged him to be patient with E.J.

As Roman started to gain E.J.'s trust, E.J. admitted that his childhood nanny had been very strict. "One time, we were over at my friend Reginald's house. We were watching those American gangster movies, you know, as us chaps did...and afterwards, we had tea in the nursery, and there was treacle. Well, it just sort of slipped out, you know? She put it in front of me, and I shoved it away, and I said, 'I ain't eatin' that slop!' I mean, goodness, I knew I'd be punished, but for three days, she made me watch nothing but Robert Donner movies. It was hell -- it was absolute bloody hell," E.J. said, as Roman grinned.

As Abigail's fantasy ended, Gabi sighed wistfully. Gabi claimed that the film's story was inspirational, but Kinsey said that the film was boring. Kinsey insisted that violence was the heart of movie-making; meanwhile, Brady glared at E.J.

In Kinsey's version of The Fighter, Brady was a boxer, and Nicole was the woman who loved him. Brady's mother, Adrienne, was the erratic matriarch of a rather large family. As trashy, blonde versions of Maxine, Ciara, Hope, Gabi, Abigail, Kinsey, Maggie, and Melanie piled into Maggie's kitchen, Adrienne started to lecture Brady. Adrienne quickly transitioned away from her lecture, and she begged Brady not to turn his back on his drug-addicted brother. Adrienne assured Brady that she would always take care of him; meanwhile, she picked up her phone and tried to book a spot on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

At the end of Kinsey's fantasy, Abigail complained about the film's portrayal of women. Will pointed out that the men of the film had looked just as bad as the women. Kinsey wondered which film had made the most money; she reminded everyone that money was more important than artistic achievement. Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, Roman was wrapping up his screenplay pitch. Roman said that he had a "killer ending" in mind.

As Salem's recreation of True Grit ended, Melanie and Bo were standing outside the Brady Saloon. Melanie pointed out that Bo's eyepatch was on his left eye, and she reminded him that it had been on his right eye earlier. Bo laughed, and he admitted that he was wearing the patch because his best friend had worn one. Bo added that he had always considered the patch to be a cool accessory. Melanie agreed, and the two friends parted company.

As the Black Swan fantasy ended, Hope was lying on the floor of an ice rink. Hope's mother was offering her some cake, and a foreign critic was congratulating her for her splendid performance. As Hope gasped for breath, she realized that she had delivered a performance that everyone -- including her mother -- was proud of. Hope closed her eyes, as she drew her final breath; a few seconds later, her eyes opened again, as the fantasy concluded.

At the end of Chad's version of The Social Network, Kinsey said goodbye to Chad, and she wondered if he would be all right on his own. Chad admitted that he didn't have a choice, and he continued to type furiously on his computer as Kinsey turned out the lights in the room. Meanwhile, as Salem's recreation of The King's Speech reached its conclusion, E.J. was sitting at a bar, convincingly portraying himself as a true American man -- complete with loud belches.

Finally, in the last scene of Kinsey's version of The Fighter, Brady and his brother, E.J., tried to talk to each other in a bar. E.J. kept repeating the same things that he had already said, so the brothers decided to heed their mother's advice -- they stopped talking, as updates for the characters started to appear. "Mickey retired from fighting, and now operates a macram shop. Icky has been clean and sober for eleven years, but is still a blithering idiot. Their mother has had eight more children -- all girls. They have a reality show in the works...for daytime TV."

After the storm ended, the citizens of Salem eagerly left the pub so that they could return to their normal lives. Outside, Ciara pointed out that a rainbow had formed in the sky. "You know what? When it started to rain, and the parade was cancelled, and I couldn't see your swan dance, I was disappointed...but maybe it took an act of God to slow us all down, so we could come together, reminisce, remind each other what it's like to be neighbors...and, on this day, Americans," Bo stated, as the crowd dispersed.

Chad and Abigail were the last people to leave the pub; as they walked out, Chad wondered if they would remember the day's events for the rest of their lives, and if they would eventually tell their kids about it. Abigail smiled and shook her head, and she said that she didn't think that they would remember anything about their rainy afternoon in the pub.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

by Mike

At the DiMera mansion, Lexie questioned Stefano about Fay's death. Lexie demanded to know why Rafe had been inside the DiMera mansion, and why he had attacked Fay. "He was in an accident, and he lives with Samantha; good God knows what that would do to any man," Stefano joked, but Lexie wasn't amused. Lexie pointed out that Stefano had hired extra security for the mansion, and she guessed that he was worried about Rafe.

Stefano changed the subject, and he announced that E.J. had decided to propose to Taylor. "And you object, and are thinking of interfering. How new and unusual; how out of character," Lexie sarcastically observed. Stefano said that he had never liked sarcasm. Lexie wondered what Stefano hoped to accomplish by interfering with E.J.'s proposal. "It gives me the right to say, 'I told you so,' when it all blows up in his face," Stefano stated.

Stefano pointed out that women had always been E.J.'s Achilles' heel. "But this is different; I mean, here we have Samantha -- she's an ambitious schemer, huh? Nicole is a money-grubbing slut...and, uh, Taylor...she's a decent, moral woman; she is the most dangerous of them all," Stefano muttered. Lexie realized that it would be futile for her to try to convince Stefano to listen to her advice about E.J.

Stefano agreed, and he insisted that marriage wasn't in the cards for E.J. and Taylor. Stefano pointed out that Taylor didn't want to have anything to do with the DiMera lifestyle. Lexie suggested that E.J. might give up that lifestyle for Taylor, but Stefano said that it was too late for that.

At the police station, Bo and Hope called Rafe. Bo explained that he had devised a plan that would put more pressure on the DiMeras. Rafe eagerly agreed to help Bo and Hope. Later, Bo told Hope that one of his undercover cops had reported that E.J. was not at the DiMera mansion; he added that Stefano was talking to Lexie at the mansion.

In the park, E.J. waited for Taylor to respond to his marriage proposal. Taylor reluctantly refused E.J.'s offer. "E.J., did you think about this? I just found out that my mother was murdered, and the man that did it...he is at large. You were just out of the hospital, your father has banned me from his house, and...oh, yeah -- you're married to my sister. It's not exactly the ideal circumstance for a proposal," Taylor said.

Taylor said that it wasn't the right time for them to be making a decision about their future. Taylor suggested that they should wait until after things had settled down. "No, I disagree, Taylor; I think that we should make a decision when these things are up in the air -- when they're mixed up, when it would be illogical, or irrational, or impulsive, or romantic! I think we should just agree to get married...and if we're not going to get married, I think we should call it a day," E.J. said.

Taylor warned E.J. that she really didn't like ultimatums. E.J. assured Taylor that he was not trying to trick her into accepting his proposal. E.J. told Taylor that things were never going to calm down, and he added that there would always be differences between the two of them that they could not easily resolve. Taylor realized that E.J. was asking her to take a leap of faith. "Look, I love you...and I do have faith in you, so...yes, I will marry you," Taylor said.

As Taylor and E.J. kissed, Stefano lurked quietly in the background. Stefano congratulated the couple on their engagement, and he asked to talk to E.J. privately. After Taylor left, Stefano said that Taylor was a lovely girl, and he dryly asked if Nicole was going to host a bridal shower for Taylor. As E.J. started to lose his patience, Stefano told E.J. about the note that fake Rafe had sent him earlier. Stefano sighed and said that he could have taken care of fake Rafe earlier, if E.J. had not insisted on handling the situation himself.

Outside the DiMera mansion, Bo and Hope managed to incapacitate Stefano's security guards. Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Mary heard the doorbell ringing. When Mary answered the door, she was shocked to find Rafe standing on the other side; Johnny was perched on Rafe's shoulder, pretending to fly like a superhero. Rafe explained that he had decided to surprise Johnny by picking him up at school.

Mary offered to tell Stefano that Rafe had stopped by, but Rafe pointedly informed Mary that he was aware that E.J. and Stefano had stepped out of the mansion. "Hey, listen, buddy...will you give them a message for me, since I missed them? 'Cause I care about them so much? Just tell 'em, next time they come down those stairs, I want them to be really, really careful," Rafe told Johnny, as Johnny nodded eagerly.

At the pier, Melanie greeted Abigail, and she noted that Abigail seemed to be frustrated about something. "Yeah, this is just...this is how I look after dealing with Chad. Correction -- this is how I look after dealing with Chad DiMera," Abigail said. Abigail explained that Chad was completely convinced that he could handle being a DiMera. Abigail admitted that she did not share Chad's confidence. Melanie said that she had been married to a Kiriakis for a while, and she added that she understood Abigail's concerns.

"You know what I think? I think that we should raise boys in laboratories, with no influence from their families, until they are old enough for us to date them," Abigail said; Melanie agreed, and she added that they could personally train the boys. Melanie wondered if anything else was bothering Abigail -- like the fact that Daniel was dating Jennifer. Abigail reluctantly confirmed Melanie's suspicions, and she admitted that she still fantasized about the possibility that her parents might get back together eventually. Melanie said that she had fantasized about her parents doing the same thing.

At the Brady Pub, Quinn greeted Vivian. Quinn wondered why Vivian had returned to Salem. Vivian was surprised that Quinn had not figured out the answer to that question on his own. Quinn said that he had heard that Vivian had married Victor Kiriakis after she had returned to Salem, and he dryly stated that his invitation had apparently gotten lost in the mail. "Now, that was a lovely day; all the people I despise the most, in one little room," Vivian recalled. Quinn noted that the marriage had not worked out, and he added that Victor had been upset about the fact that Vivian had locked Maggie in a sarcophagus.

Vivian was impressed, and she noted that Quinn had done his homework. "So, why don't you just level with me? Come on, Ma, open up -- let's start building that bridge. Okay, here's what I think...I think you came back here for the same reason you think I did -- revenge. You came back to get Carly Manning...and failed miserably," Quinn said. When Vivian didn't respond, Quinn wondered if he had managed to hurt Vivian's feelings.

"Carly Manning murdered my sweet Lawrence in cold blood...and, as a result, your cousin Nicholas is totally traumatized, and she...she put a bullet through her daughter, and she walked away scot-free; and yes, I want her to pay for it, and yes, I failed miserably, and it torments me. And you fling it in my face, and are surprised that it hurts my feelings?" Vivian asked incredulously. Quinn wondered why Vivian had given up so easily. "You don't know who this woman is; she's made of Teflon. Carly Manning will do anything, to anyone, and no one has the guts to stop her," Vivian insisted.

Quinn told Vivian a story about one of his friends from boarding school. Quinn explained that his friend's father had always had a rocky relationship with his son, but he added that their relationship had changed after they had bonded during a summer sailing adventure. "My point is, they really got to know each other by sharing an adventure. Now, I have absolutely no interest in sailing, but I am quite keen on revenge. What if we teamed up to pay Carly Manning back? What if it was our own little family project?" Quinn asked. Vivian grinned wickedly, and she admitted that she had never felt closer to Quinn.

At the hospital, Jennifer tried to talk to Carly. Before Jennifer could say anything, Carly abruptly excused herself; she claimed that she was headed back to her hotel room, because she had accidentally left her cell phone there earlier. After Carly left, Daniel asked if Jennifer was free for a date later that week. Jennifer was distracted by her concerns for Carly; instead of answering Daniel, she excused herself, and she quickly followed Carly out of the hospital.

Later, Carly entered her hotel room, and she was surprised when Jennifer followed her inside. Jennifer blurted out that she was staging an intervention for Carly. "You are an addict...and I'm not guessing; I know you are. Carly, the white powder that you told me was aspirin -- I had it analyzed. You are doing drugs, and you are lying about it, and I am not going to let you keep on doing that," Jennifer firmly stated.

Carly was shocked when she realized that Jennifer had broken into her hotel room earlier. Jennifer reminded Carly that she could lose her license for writing prescriptions for Katerina Von Leuschner. Carly claimed that Jennifer would not be able to prove her allegations. "That's what you're concerned about -- whether or not I can prove that? You're lying to Daniel, you're lying to your daughter, you're lying to me, you're risking the lives of your patients," Jennifer said.

Carly insisted that she had always been in control around her patients. Jennifer pointed out that addicts always claimed that they had everything under control. Carly shouted that she wanted Jennifer to stop calling her an addict. Jennifer asked Carly to stop being an addict. Jennifer wondered what Carly would have done if someone else had learned the truth.

Carly admitted that she had made a big mistake; she assured Jennifer that she was going to be fine, but Jennifer wasn't convinced. "I love you...I look up to you; I want my daughter to be like you. I am so mad at you, that you are doing this to yourself, but...look at me, right now; I am going to do whatever it takes to help you through this," Jennifer vowed. Carly insisted that she had stopped taking the medication. Jennifer refused to believe Carly, and she said that Carly needed to face reality.

"I don't face reality? The reality of my life is that I lost Bo, I lost a patient, I lost my son, I lost...I was overwhelmed, okay, and I screwed up. I'm not overwhelmed anymore; I've faced reality," Carly tearfully stated. Jennifer realized that Carly was the person who had been stealing drugs from the hospital. Carly confirmed Jennifer's suspicions, and Jennifer noted that Carly would not have done something like that unless things had been really bad.

Carly said that she understood that Jennifer was trying to be a good friend. Carly added that it had been extremely difficult for her to stop taking the medication, and she said that Jennifer's scrutiny was not making the situation any easier to deal with. Jennifer begged Carly to talk to her about everything that had happened. Jennifer promised that she would never try to judge Carly. Carly assured Jennifer that there was nothing to talk about, but Jennifer wasn't entirely convinced.

Carly asked Jennifer to give her some privacy. Carly explained that Jennifer's confrontation had been extremely upsetting, and she said that she needed some time to collect herself. Jennifer reluctantly agreed, and she reiterated that she wanted Carly to talk to her about the problems that she had been dealing with.

Back at the hospital, Taylor greeted Lexie, and she proudly showed Lexie the engagement ring that E.J. had given her earlier. Taylor tearfully admitted that her first instinct had been to call her mother. Taylor wondered why Fay's killer was still walking around Salem as a free man.

In the waiting area, Jennifer ran into Daniel. Daniel invited Jennifer to accompany him on a weekend trip to San Francisco. Jennifer recalled her earlier conversation with Carly, and she apologetically refused Daniel's offer. Meanwhile, at the pier, Carly tried to clear her head, but she was plagued by visions of Lawrence. Lawrence taunted Carly, and he assured her that she would never be able to conquer her addiction.

At the safe house, Bo and Hope tuned in to the radio frequency that the DiMera security guards had been using earlier. Rafe recorded some of the voices that were being transmitted over the frequency. Rafe assured Bo and Hope that the voice-altering program that he had obtained was extremely realistic, and he added that the guards would never suspect that they were being tricked. Later, Bo received a phone call from someone, and he cryptically informed Hope and Rafe that they had a huge problem that they were going to have to deal with.

Back at the park, E.J. received a phone call from Mary, who told him about Rafe's earlier visit to the mansion. Stefano was furious when he heard the news. E.J. admitted that Rafe was still listed as Johnny's stepfather at the school. "You were supposed to take care of that, but instead, you were out looking for a ring for your insipid little bookkeeper. This has to be done now; we do not have a choice, all right? We have to eliminate Rafael," Stefano insisted, unaware that Taylor was standing nearby.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

In the park, E.J. and Stefano were fuming about how Rafe had picked Johnny up at school. Just as Stefano proclaimed that Rafael had to be eliminated, Taylor returned to retrieve her purse. E.J. cautioned her not to take what she'd heard out of context. Taylor jokingly pretended to be disappointed that Stefano wasn't planning to give her Rafe's head on a platter as an engagement gift. E.J. filled Taylor in on what Rafe had done, but promised that he and Stefano would not do anything illegal. Taylor agreed to trust him, and then left.

Stefano demanded to know how E.J. proposed to remain on the right side of the law while still keeping their Rafe imposter from telling the world what he knew about the DiMeras. E.J. insisted that his promise to Taylor had been sincere, but it would have to take effect after they were finished with Rafe.

As Stefano and E.J. entered the front door of the DiMera mansion, E.J. called out frantically for Johnny. Mary appeared in the foyer with the little boy, who ran into his dad's arms. E.J. gently questioned Johnny about Rafe, and then warned the tot that he couldn't see Rafe anymore, because Rafe had done some bad things and was no longer even working for the police. Johnny insisted that Rafe was nice, and explained, "He said was worried about you and Grandpa. He said to make sure you were both careful on the stairs."

Stefano and E.J. then went into the living room, and E.J. vented his anger about how the Rafe imposter had used Johnny to threaten them. While E.J. called Johnny's school, Stefano left after stating that he had something he needed to take care of in person.

In the basement, Bo warned Hope and Rafe that the police were about to have to release Nicole from custody. As Bo and Hope hurried out to try to prevent that from happening, Rafe called Sami to give her a heads-up. Sami was just returning home to the loft, and wanted to know if Rafe had dropped Johnny off at the DiMera mansion. Rafe informed her that he had, and he was sure that Mary had already called E.J. After Rafe filled Sami in about Nicole, Sami fretted about what would happen if Bo couldn't convince Nicole not to run to E.J. and Stefano with what she thought she knew. Rafe reassured Sami that everything would be fine, and asked her to meet him in the park in a few minutes.

Rafe then went in to talk to his doppelganger. Faux Rafe begged Rafe for something to eat, so Rafe found a frozen pizza to heat up. The impersonator complained of the DiMeras, "They screw with your life, and get off scot-free." Rafe vowed that wouldn't happen, because he was going to take the DiMeras down, but the imposter asserted that Rafe would die trying.

In the conference room at the police station, Nicole complained about her wrongful imprisonment to Officer McCarthy, and threatened to file a formal complaint. Aggravated, McCarthy held her head and begged Nicole to shut up. When Brady walked in, Nicole demanded that he get her out of there. Although Brady asked why Nicole hadn't been charged with anything, he joked that his life was much more peaceful with her locked up.

Abe entered then, and asked what was going on. After McCarthy left, Nicole asserted, "Your police commissioner is using his authority to hold people in custody, not because they've done something wrong, but because it interferes with his personal plans." Abe wanted to know how Nicole was interfering with Bo's plans, and she replied that she knew things that Bo didn't want her to tell anyone else. When Abe had to step outside to take a phone call, Brady asked what it was that Nicole knew. Nicole whispered that it was big -- and it was about E.J.

Before Nicole could tell Brady anything more, Bo arrived, and Abe walked in right behind him. Abe revealed that Internal Affairs had just called him about how Bo was holding Nicole without filing charges. He ordered Bo to either charge Nicole or set her free. Bo agreed on the condition that he be allowed to speak with Nicole for a few minutes first.

After Abe and Brady left, Bo cautioned Nicole that if she told her sister what she knew, Taylor would tell E.J. He urged Nicole to keep her mouth shut for a little while longer so they could all see the DiMeras pay for what they'd done -- or he'd make sure she regretted it.

Outside, Brady asked Hope what was going on, but she wouldn't divulge anything. She warned Brady, "You need to keep a lid on what happened. We need everyone, especially E.J., to believe that Rafe was the one who attacked him." She explained that they were trying to take down the DiMeras, but cautioned him that Nicole was a loose cannon.

Just then, Nicole and Bo exited the conference room, and Nicole asked Brady for a ride to the nearest bar. After Brady and Nicole had gone, Bo admitted to Hope that he wasn't sure if he had gotten through to Nicole.

After Nicole had changed clothes, Brady went with her to the Cheatin' Heart. Nicole wanted him to stay and drink with her, but he declined. "I'm not the guy who's going to cheer you up right now, Nic," Brady noted. Nicole reminded him that she hadn't chosen E.J. over Brady; she had chosen Sydney. Brady asserted that it was a good time for Nicole to take a "romantic time-out," and urged her not to let E.J. win.

Brady ran into Taylor outside, and warned her that not to go in, because Nicole was inside. But when he spotted the engagement ring on Taylor's finger, he got angry. He informed her that Nicole was miserable and drunk, and if Taylor married E.J., the two sisters would have a lot in common. "Go ahead. Go in there and take a look at your future," Brady hissed as he walked off. Taylor watched Nicole drinking from outside for a long moment. Finally she removed her engagement ring, slipped it into her purse, and walked inside.

Taylor tentatively approached her sister, who greeted her with snide displeasure. Taylor asked what Nicole had wanted to say when they'd been at the police station, but Nicole only made a crack about E.J. liking his shirts with light starch. When Nicole returned to her drink, Taylor blurted that she and E.J. had just gotten engaged. "Well, I wanted something bad to happen to you. I guess my wish came true," Nicole replied, and then asked Taylor to go away. Taylor had almost reached the door when Nicole shouted after her, "I am glad Mom's not here to see what you turned into!" Once she heard the door close behind Taylor, Nicole wept bitterly.

After Taylor left the bar, she recalled how E.J. had asserted that if she had doubts, they didn't have a chance. Abe's arrival interrupted her thoughts, but she was happy to see him. Abe gently asked how she was doing after finding out that Rafe had killed her mother, and Taylor vowed never to forgive the man responsible for her mother's death. Abe divulged that he'd just learned from Lexie that Taylor and E.J. were engaged. Taylor declared that she knew what Abe was going to say, and she didn't really want to hear it. "Because E.J.'s changed, right? Do you really buy that?" Abe asked. After Abe had gone, Taylor told herself, "People can change. I have no doubt about it."

Brady ran into E.J. on the pier, and warned E.J. to leave Taylor alone. He asserted that Nicole and Sami were tough enough to handle E.J., but Taylor was not, and E.J. would destroy her. E.J. sarcastically stated that it was wonderful to get relationship advice from an expert. Brady turned to leave, but first snarled, "You go to hell, you son of a bitch." When Brady had gone, E.J. spotted a wristwatch on the ground, and picked it up to examine it. He shut his eyes as he recalled a moment from the night when he'd been beaten: a man was viciously kicking him while shouting, "You son of a bitch!"

Disguised in a baseball cap and big sunglasses, Rafe waited for Sami in the park, pacing worriedly because she was late.

Sami was headed out the door to meet Rafe when Stefano showed up. Stefano informed Sami that her husband had picked Johnny up from school, and she feigned worry for her son's safety. Stefano asked if she knew where Rafael was. Sami insisted she had no idea, but Stefano was skeptical. Sami swore that if she knew where Rafe was, she would tell her dad and her Uncle Bo. Just as Sami was ordering Stefano to leave, Rafe called her cell phone, so she pretended that it was her grandmother when she answered. Sami pointedly blamed Stefano for her tardiness. Stefano took the hint and left, after which Sami assured Rafe that their plan had worked -- and Stefano seemed ready to blow.

As Will and Gabi worked together at the Brady Pub, they joked about how tough it had been for him to interview with his great-grandmother for his summer job. Will teased that he was almost jealous of how much Caroline liked Gabi -- and he might actually be jealous if Caroline were a "young, hot guy." Gabi pointed out, "The only young, hot guy who seems to be into me is you."

Will immediately noticed that she'd said "seems to be" and not "is," but Gabi insisted that she hadn't meant anything by it. Will reminded her that she'd said something similar when she'd been in the hospital. Gabi assured him that she'd just been feeling needy then, but she really wanted the two of them to take things slowly. Reassured, Will kissed her. They agreed that they were looking forward to working together for the rest of the summer. Will declared that Gabi was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

When Stefano walked into the pub, Gabi offered to wait on him, but Will insisted on doing it himself. Will managed to remain civil as he began to take Stefano's order. Stefano politely asked to speak with Caroline, but Will informed him that his great-grandmother had taken Sydney for a walk. After Will went to get Stefano's order started, Stefano wondered where Samantha had really gone.

As Gabi poured a glass of water for Stefano, he asked if she'd seen her brother. Gabi replied that she hadn't, and Stefano needled her a bit about the accusations that Rafe had attacked E.J. Gabi calmly asserted that not everything printed in the newspaper was true. Bo and Hope entered just in time to witness Will warning Stefano to leave Gabi alone. Bo asked what was going on, and Stefano apologized if he'd hurt Gabi's feelings. Stefano then took a very brief phone call, and quickly left.

Will explained to Bo and Hope that Stefano had been asking about Sami and Rafe. Hope worried privately to Bo that Stefano might be onto them, but added, "E.J. thinks the Rafe imposter was the one who attacked him. That's got to make him even angrier, more likely to slip up." Bo was still worried because they were counting on Nicole to keep quiet -- and he didn't think they were going to get another chance for their plan to work.

Sami was also disguised with a hat and sunglasses when she showed up to meet Rafe. She wondered if it had been strange for Stefano to show up in person at the loft, although she didn't think there was any way he could have figured out what was going on -- and she was sure Rafe would get the confession he was after. Though Rafe wasn't quite so confident, he reassured Sami that it would all be over soon. After a kiss goodbye, they left in opposite directions.

Back at the DiMera mansion, Stefano questioned two of his henchmen. "Let me get this straight -- you are two highly paid, professional security men. And you both got knocked out, and neither one of you know who did it," Stefano said. "Or why," one of the men added, but he pointed out that the attackers had not gotten into the house. Stefano asserted, "That's because there's a plan afoot. At least we now know that Mr. Hernandez is not alone. Somebody else is helping him -- but why?"

Bo and Hope met back up with Sami at the loft. Sami was a little freaked out that Stefano had shown up at the pub, so she called Will to find out what had happened. Will described how Stefano had asked to talk to Caroline, but Will had told him that Caroline had taken Sydney for a walk. After Will hung up, he and Gabi compared notes. Gabi maintained that Stefano had been after something, and she thought it involved Rafe.

Sami anxiously asserted to Bo and Hope that Stefano had shown up at the pub to check her story. Bo tried to convince her that wasn't the case, but Sami insisted, "We have to pull the plug on this whole thing!" Bo urged Sami not to panic, because Stefano didn't know what was going on. Hope added that Stefano was desperate, and that was exactly how they wanted him. Sami argued that Rafe was the one risking his life, but Bo asserted that Rafe would never stop trying to make the DiMeras pay for what they'd done to all of them. Hope put her arms around Sami and tried to reassure her that everything would be all right.

In an alley near the Cheatin' Heart, Rafe told someone on the phone, "I'm on my way to check on our friend... Well, I got one more question for that bastard before I go in." Nicole staggered into the alley just as Rafe was walking away. Squinting after him in disbelief, she muttered to herself, "Rafe Hernandez is on the loose? Where the hell does he think he's going?" With angry determination, she followed after him.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

by Mike

At the Sapphire Club, Kate told Quinn that she was tired of waiting for him to deliver solid evidence that she could use against Chloe. Kate insinuated that she was going to stop paying Quinn. "Actually, after tonight, I would have had more to give you on Chloe Lane than you'd even need. But, since we seem to be severing ties here...goodbye," Quinn said, as he started to walk away.

Kate took the bait, and she apologized for being impatient. Kate eagerly asked for details about Chloe's next appointment. Quinn confirmed that he had found another client for Chloe to entertain. Quinn added that Chloe was going to be very sorry if the customer was not completely satisfied.

At the Brady Pub, Sonny and Justin greeted Chloe. Chloe thanked Justin for all of his help, and she wondered when she would be able to see Parker again. Justin explained that the social worker was ready to move forward with Chloe's evaluation; Justin added that Chloe still had some problems that she would need to take care of. Justin pointed out that Chloe was living in a hotel. Justin added that Chloe did not have a steady job.

Justin explained that the social worker was going to need to be convinced that Chloe could provide a stable environment for Parker. Sonny wondered if Victor's guesthouse was still empty. "Hmm. Thanks, but I think that Victor would rather burn the mansion down than let me live there...and honestly, I think I'd rather die than live anywhere near that man," Chloe said. Justin wondered if Chloe's parents might be able to help her out. Chloe pointed out that taking money from her parents probably wasn't the best way to prove that she could provide for her son.

Chloe admitted that she needed to find a way to handle the situation on her own, and she assured Justin that she would think of something. Chloe thanked Justin again for his help, then she excused herself. As Chloe was exiting the pub, she ran into Quinn. Quinn told Chloe that he had another client lined up for her. Quinn warned Chloe that he expected her to ensure that the client was satisfied, delighted, and fulfilled.

Quinn added that he was aware that Justin Kiriakis was her lawyer -- not her agent, as Chloe had previously claimed. Quinn warned Chloe that he would terminate their agreement if she ever tried to lie to him again. Chloe agreed to meet with the client. "But on one condition -- no more of this 'exclusive for the night' business; I'm gonna get in, I'll get out, and I'll get the job done. You'll never hear another complaint -- I promise," Chloe said.

Back at the Sapphire Club, Chloe waited for the client. A man walked up to her and introduced himself as Randy. Chloe offered to share a drink with Randy, but he suggested that they should just go straight to his hotel room. Later that night, Kate greeted Randy in the club's restaurant, and she wondered how his night had been. Randy assured Kate that his night had been wonderful.

Kate grinned and said that she was happy to hear that. Meanwhile, Chloe finished getting dressed in Randy's hotel room. "I did it for you, Parker...all for you," Chloe muttered, as she received a phone call from Quinn. Chloe assured Quinn that the client had seemed happy, and she wondered when she was going to get paid for her services.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. received a phone call from Sami, who asked to speak to Johnny. Sami told Johnny that she needed him to do something for her. Sami stressed that she didn't want Johnny to tell anyone about their conversation. Meanwhile, E.J.'s cell phone started to ring; when he answered it, Taylor asked E.J. to meet her at her hotel room. E.J. agreed to do so, and he quickly left the mansion.

Sami asked Johnny about Kate, Chad, and Taylor; Johnny told Sami that each person had left the mansion earlier. Sami asked to talk to E.J. again. Johnny informed Sami that E.J. had left the mansion, and he handed the phone to Stefano. Sami offered to watch Johnny for the night, since E.J. was busy, but Stefano refused to accept Sami's offer. After Stefano abruptly ended the call, Sami told Bo and Hope that they had a big problem.

"There's no way I am sending Rafe in there, guns blazing; what if my son gets caught in the crossfire?" Sami asked. Bo pointed out that the DiMera mansion was huge. Bo assured Sami that Johnny would probably be in his bedroom the entire time, but Sami wasn't convinced. Bo reminded Sami that Stefano was already looking for fake Rafe. "We can't wait a day, we can't wait an hour -- hell, we can't even wait ten minutes, or it might be too late," Bo said.

Sami changed the subject, and she wondered why Bo and Hope had asked her to find out if Taylor was at the mansion. Bo and Hope told Sami about E.J. and Taylor's engagement. Hope reminded Sami that Taylor did not know the truth about E.J.'s connection to Fay's death.

In Taylor's hotel room, Taylor slipped into some lingerie. When E.J. entered the room, Taylor was sprawled out on the bed. E.J. was relieved to learn that Taylor was all right. Taylor apologized for worrying E.J., and the couple started to kiss passionately. After making love, E.J. assured Taylor that they were going to have a wonderful life together.

At the pier, an inebriated Nicole tried to spy on Rafe, but she accidentally bumped into a stack of crates. Rafe was suspicious when he heard the noise, but he quickly shrugged it off. Nicole breathed a sigh of relief, as Rafe walked away. "I could really use a martini right now; that would really hit the spot. But if I go back to the pub, I...I can't follow Mom's killer...so that martini's just gonna have to wait," Nicole muttered, as she rushed to catch up with Rafe.

At the safe house, Rafe offered fake Rafe one final chance to cooperate, but fake Rafe refused the offer. Meanwhile, Nicole hid behind some barrels in the hallway, and she waited to see what Rafe would do next. "Well, I'm cozy now, and I'm not going anywhere until I find out what that son of a bitch is up to," Nicole muttered, as she pulled a flask out of her purse. Later, Nicole watched as Rafe left the safe house.

"Okay, you homicidal dirtbag...you've got a secret...and I'm gonna find out what it is," Nicole muttered, as she attempted to pick the lock on the storage room door. When Nicole entered the storage room, she was shocked to see Rafe; Nicole realized that she was probably seeing double. Nicole removed Rafe's gag, and fake Rafe quickly gave Nicole his version of the story. "You know who did this? E.J. DiMera. I think he did this to me. He screwed me; he screwed you, right? I mean, we're on the same side...for once," fake Rafe added. Nicole nodded and yawned, as she continued to consume the contents of her flask.

"You know, I, um...I thought they brainwashed you, but it turns out, there's two of you; it's bad enough there's one of you. Hey, you...he killed my mom," Nicole drunkenly muttered. Fake Rafe nodded, and he added that the other Rafe needed to pay for killing Fay. Fake Rafe asked Nicole to untie him. As Nicole struggled to loosen Rafe's bindings, she told Rafe about the things that the other Rafe had been doing to the DiMeras. "The other you has been causing so many problems for them. Beating up E.J. -- even though he really didn't, but they think he did, or you did -- you did," Nicole explained, as she managed to free Rafe.

After fake Rafe was freed, he thanked Nicole for her help. Fake Rafe cryptically apologized for what he was going to have to do to Nicole. Nicole wondered what Rafe was talking about; as she waited for an explanation, she sat down at a nearby table, and she immediately fell asleep. Fake Rafe muttered that Nicole really needed to get her act together, then he quickly rushed out of the safe house.

Back at the pier, Sami, Bo, and Hope waited for Rafe to arrive. Bo assured Sami that her nightmare was almost over. "Yes, you're right -- it is gonna end. I would love for it to end with E.J. in prison, where he belongs, but even if he doesn't, he's gonna get exposed, and everyone will know what a sadistic bastard he is, and no one's gonna want to have anything to do with him ever again, let alone marry him. My kids are gonna end up knowing that they do have two parents; Johnny and Sydney are always gonna have me and Rafe there for them...no matter what," Sami vowed.

After Rafe arrived, the team prepared to use the voice-altering program that Rafe had acquired to confuse the guards. Sami announced that she had a better idea. "I've been thinking -- they want your head on a platter, right? Why serve yourself up? Why not make him do it; make the creature do it," Sami suggested. Rafe reminded Sami that fake Rafe was a loose cannon, and he pointed out that they couldn't risk the possibility of fake Rafe ruining the entire plan. Bo said that he needed Sami to keep Taylor away from the mansion; Sami reluctantly agreed to do so.

Meanwhile, E.J. and Taylor returned to the mansion. Stefano greeted Taylor, and he congratulated her on her engagement to E.J. Stefano admitted that he had not been thrilled about the news at first. Taylor claimed that Stefano had managed to hide his disappointment. "I see -- you are being sarcastic, are you not? Now I know why you get along so well with my son; you're both wonderful, you're entertaining, you're, uh...wry, sardonic," Stefano said, but E.J. wasn't convinced that Stefano was being sincere.

E.J. pointed out that Stefano had repeatedly mentioned that he despised sarcasm. E.J. insisted that Stefano needed to treat Taylor with respect. "Hmm. You know, you're getting all funny in the face," Stefano said, as E.J.'s temper flared. Stefano added that he was certain that Taylor understood that he had just been trying to make small talk earlier. Taylor nodded, and Stefano claimed that she was going to be a wonderful addition to the family.

"You know, something you should prepare yourself for, Taylor, is drama, because we are a very passionate people, we DiMeras. We're unpredictable; as a matter of fact, surprises are a way of life for us around here," Stefano warned, as he toasted the couple. Later, Johnny ran into the living room. Johnny said that he had missed Taylor, and Taylor wondered if Johnny would enjoy spending more time with Taylor. Johnny nodded enthusiastically, then he escorted Taylor up to his room so that he could show her his train collection.

Outside the DiMera mansion, Bo tuned in to the DiMera radio frequency, and he used Rafe's voice-altering program to distract the guards. "Okay, everybody, listen up -- I need you to move to the outer perimeters; once there, stay put until you hear from me directly. Stay off your radios; our security has been breached. I repeat -- our security has been breached," Bo announced over the frequency.

As Bo and Hope waited for Rafe to make his move, Bo received a phone call from Sami. "Look, I know my job is to try to find Taylor, and make sure she stays away from the mansion, but I can't find her anywhere, and you are not keeping me away from that mansion for one more second; I'm coming, Uncle Bo -- there's no stopping me," Sami said, as she abruptly ended the phone call.

Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Rafe calmly walked into the living room. Stefano demanded to know what fake Rafe wanted. "Well, what do you think I want, huh? The rules have changed, get it? I'm not your little bitch anymore. You're gonna give me a raise," Rafe said. Before Stefano could respond, the terrace door opened -- and fake Rafe stumbled into the DiMera mansion.

Friday, July 8, 2011

by ChickenGrrl

At the Sapphire Club, Quinn raised his champagne glass to toast his and Vivian's "joint endeavor," but she was skeptical about his motives. Quinn claimed that he wanted them to have another chance to be mother and son. He asked if she was going to let him help her with Carly Manning, and Vivian warned him that he shouldn't underestimate the woman who'd killed Lawrence. "Everyone's got an Achilles' heel -- even you," Quinn asserted.

Quinn called his man, Phelps, on the docks. Phelps promised that he would dig up the information his boss had requested on Dr. Manning just as soon as he wrapped up another project that Quinn had given him. When Quinn hung up, Vivian asked whom he had been talking to. "You know your man, Gus? Well, Phelps is my Gus," Quinn explained. He assured Vivian that he would let her know if he found out anything they could use on Carly. After indicating that she doubted her son's competence, Vivian left.

Carly greeted Daniel as he arrived for his shift at the hospital, and immediately picked up on his bad mood. Daniel admitted that Jennifer had turned down his invitation to go to San Francisco for the weekend, and he didn't know why. Carly offered to talk to Jennifer for him, but Daniel politely declined.

Abigail joined Jennifer at a table in the Brady Pub, and excitedly showed her mom some pictures of Scotland that J.J. had posted online. Abigail soon noticed that her mom seemed to feeling a bit glum. Jennifer admitted that she had declined Daniel's offer to take her out of town for the weekend because she had just realized that Carly was in love with him. A skeptical Abigail pointed out that Jennifer had tried to get Daniel and Carly together, but neither of them had gone for it.

Jennifer stated that she didn't like feeling as if she were flaunting her relationship with Daniel. Abigail wanted to know if Carly was still popping pills. Jennifer seemed to defend Carly's behavior by pointing out that Carly had lost Bo and surely felt like she'd missed her chance with Daniel. "Mom, Carly doesn't need a boyfriend; she needs help!" Abigail asserted. She pointed out that Carly was a surgeon who was doing drugs -- and Jennifer breaking up with her boyfriend wasn't going to fix things.

Jennifer maintained that Daniel could probably get through to Carly more effectively than she could. Abigail asked if Daniel even knew what was going on with Carly, and Jennifer confessed that he didn't. "So you're breaking up with Daniel, and you're not telling him why, and you'll hoping he'll fix Carly without knowing what the problem is?" Abigail noted dubiously.

Just then, Carly walked in. Abigail quickly made an excuse, and left. Carly apologetically admitted that she'd been a little defensive the last time they'd talked, and reassured Jennifer, "What I did was stupid, but it's over with, and you don't have to worry about me." Carly swore that if she thought she was addicted to prescription drugs, she would get professional help. Jennifer was relieved.

Carly then asked how Jennifer and Daniel were doing. Jennifer confided that she'd decided to "put the brakes on" for a while, because she was worried that things were moving too quickly. Carly was surprised, because she thought Daniel and Jennifer got along well. Jennifer pointed out that she and Daniel had a lot in common -- such as being on the rebound. Carly had to step away to take a phone call from the hospital.

Daniel entered just as Carly walked away, and tentatively asked to join Jennifer. He apologized if he'd rushed her by asking her to go away for the weekend. Jennifer gently insisted that he hadn't done anything wrong. As Daniel was suggesting to Jennifer that they take things more slowly, Carly returned. She witnessed the chemistry between Daniel and Jennifer, so she quietly slipped out the front door.

Outside, Carly berated herself for getting her hopes up about Daniel. Vivian appeared from around the corner and asked why Carly was so upset. Carly tried to order her to leave. Vivian insisted that Carly surely needed someone to talk to, since she'd either killed or driven away everyone she cared about. "Well, I guess there's one consolation: There's nothing left for you to take away from me," Carly spat, and stormed off.

Jennifer confessed to Daniel that it was the first time since she was a teenager that she hadn't been dependent on a man. Daniel pointed out that she had been emotionally dependent on Jack for most of that time, and Jack was obviously an idiot for leaving a woman like Jennifer and a daughter like Abigail. Daniel admitted that after his wife had died, he had mostly been drawn only to women who were guaranteed to ruin his life, probably because he was afraid of getting close to someone who would remind him of what he'd lost -- but Jennifer was different, and so was the way he felt about her. Daniel urged Jennifer not to walk away from what they had just because she was scared. He encouraged her to tell him what was going on with her, but she got up and ran out of the restaurant.

Vivian returned to the Sapphire Club, where Quinn was still sitting alone, drinking champagne. Vivian informed him that she had run into Carly Manning. "There was something a bit off about her," Vivian declared. Quinn knew that she wanted to know what that something was. Vivian asserted, "I think I can get her this time." Quinn offered Vivian another glass of champagne, and the two clinked glasses.

Phelps was finishing up a deal on the docks when Carly strolled by. After the customer left, Phelps asked Carly if he could help her. Carly replied that she didn't need anything, but Phelps pointed out, "People only come to this part of the pier for two reasons, and you don't look like a hooker... You're looking to score, right? It's okay, honey. You came to the right place."

In the basement storage room, a drunk Nicole lifted her head off the table where she'd passed out. Remembering that she'd untied one of the two Rafes, she hoped aloud that she'd done the right thing. When she tried to stand up to leave, she moaned in pain, hand to her forehead, and put her head back down on the table.

When Melanie met Brady at the Cheatin' Heart, she was surprised to find him drinking club soda. "I kinda wanted to do this sober," Brady admitted, and then explained that he'd had an epiphany about the two of them. Dario entered from the back room, and observed them for a moment, unseen, before heading back behind the bar. Brady explained that he kept thinking about how Melanie had covered for him after he'd attacked E.J., and how she was probably the only person in the world who would have done that for him.

Melanie said that she'd done it because she cared about him, and he replied that he cared about her, too. Before the conversation could progress any further, Nicole called Brady's cell phone. "Oh, Brady, thank God you picked up," Nicole declared when he answered. Brady asked where she was, and she admitted she didn't know. "Can you ping my phone and find out?" she asked. Brady promised to be right there, and hung up. He apologized to Melanie for having to leave, but asked if she would wait for him there until he returned. She agreed.

The minute Brady had gone, Dario approached Melanie. He confessed that he wanted to tell her the same thing that he suspected Brady wanted to tell her. Dario stammered that Melanie meant a great deal to him, and he knew that he might never get another chance to tell her how he felt. Melanie maintained that she and Brady were just friends who had each other's backs, but Dario believed that Brady wanted more.

Brady found Nicole in the storage room, and asked how she'd gotten there. She explained, "I followed Rafe here. But when I got here, there was another Rafe, and he was tied up." She continued that the first Rafe had left, and she'd untied the other one when he'd asked her to. Brady recognized that Nicole had been drinking -- a lot -- and helped her up and out the door.

Dario asked what it was that Melanie wanted. Melanie replied pensively that she wanted to start over. "Alone or with someone new?" Dario asked. Melanie said that it would have to be the right person, and Dario wanted to know if she had met him yet. Melanie coyly said that she thought she had. Dario noted that Melanie's "someone" was very different from her. Melanie stated that it was what she liked about him. "Do you know what he likes about you? Everything," Dario declared. He leaned across the table to kiss Melanie -- just as Brady walked back in.

Sami called Bo, who was stationed with Hope outside the DiMera mansion, and declared that he couldn't keep her away. She hung up abruptly before he could persuade her otherwise. Hope then turned up the volume on her transmitter so Bo could hear that Rafe had found the DiMeras in the living room. Just as Rafe was demanding more money from the DiMeras, his double entered through the terrace door.

Indicating the real Rafe, imposter Rafe complained, "This guy, he's been pretending to be me. They're going after your whole operation. Him and Sami, they've been playing games with you while I've been tied up -- for real!" Just then, Taylor entered from the kitchen, and stopped cold when she saw the doppelgngers. "There's two of them?" Taylor asked E.J. shakily, before continuing, "What's going on? Do you know about this?" E.J. tried to get Taylor to wait for him in the kitchen, but she demanded to know what was going on.

Rafe answered her first, "You're right -- there are two of us. Well, there are now, anyway. Suffice to say, I'm the original, and this one here... Well, he's the one who killed your mother, Taylor." Taylor demanded to know if the two Rafes were the reason that E.J. had asked her to take a leap of faith. Stefano shouted that the DiMeras didn't owe anyone an explanation. Just then, Sami entered from the foyer. "No, but you sure as hell owe me," Sami declared. She walked right up to E.J. and punched him in the face, and before he could recover, she punched him again. "You are going to pay for what you did to me!" she roared.

E.J. tried to get Taylor to go upstairs to check on Johnny, but Sami urged E.J. to let Taylor stay. "Don't you think you should explain why you locked Rafe up in your dungeon? Why you gave him drugs to make him lose his memory? Why you tortured him and tried to kill him? Why you put that creep in my house with me and my children -- our children?" Sami demanded, then added to Taylor, "He made sure I was living with the creep who murdered your mother. You heard him admit to it."

Interjecting that he would have said anything after they'd injected him with drugs, faux Rafe swore he hadn't killed "that lady." He announced that he was leaving, but as he reached the side door, Bo and Hope stopped him. "Oh, God, I should have known this was a Bo Brady operation," Stefano groaned. While Hope held a gun on the imposter, Bo sat phony Rafe down in a chair. Faux Rafe watched the ensuing argument as if it were a tennis match. Stefano demanded to see some evidence against them, and Sami declared that the impersonator was evidence. Bo pointed out that creating doubles and inserting them into other people's lives to destroy the lives of those people was "the DiMera M.O."

E.J. asserted that nothing they were saying was admissible as evidence. Rafe noted that the DiMeras had kept him prisoner, gave him drugs to erase his memory, and sent him to a mental institution. Stefano maintained that the Bradys had hired the imposter to frame the DiMeras. Sami wondered aloud whom a jury would believe -- Rafe, the former FBI agent, or E.J., the "resident lowlife." Fed up, Taylor demanded that Sami leave E.J. alone. E.J. thanked Taylor for defending him, but his conscience was clean.

Sami admitted that she had spent a lot of time wondering about the imposter and why he would have subjected himself to all the plastic surgery -- not to mention giving up his whole life -- just for money, but then she'd realized that E.J. was far worse for having plotted the whole thing. Sami continued that because she loved her husband so much, she had been willing to do anything to get him back -- and that included having sex with the imposter. Bo noted that Sami would never have consented to have sex with the ringer if she'd known the truth, and Sami clarified, "Which means there's a legal definition for what happened to me."

Bo finished, "It's called rape." He added that because the DiMeras had orchestrated it, that made them accessories to rape. E.J. calmly insisted that none of it had anything to do with him. Bo theorized that the DiMeras had killed Fay because she had figured it all out. Taylor bristled at Bo invoking her mother's name to solve his case. Bo reminded Taylor that she'd heard the imposter confess to murdering Fay, and Hope guessed that Taylor wanted to know why. Taylor replied angrily that she wanted to know a lot of things, adding, "Can someone please explain to me why Sami was lying on the floor that night wearing my mother's cameo?"

Rafe divulged that he'd found the cameo in phony Rafe's possessions. The imposter denied it. Sami declared that she would never fall for E.J.'s act again, but Taylor had a decision to make: "If you want to marry him and then find out that he created Frankenstein's monster over here, the man who murdered your mother." Taylor was convinced that E.J. hadn't had anything to do with her mother's death, because she had seen no proof.

Exasperated, Sami acknowledged that she had been in Taylor's shoes, and she understood how persuasive E.J. could be. Sami continued that she had overheard E.J. promising God that he would change his ways when Johnny had been ill with cancer. "If he can look God in the face and pull a scam, you gotta know he'll do the same thing to you," Sami contended. Taylor turned to E.J., and begged him to tell her that what Sami and the others were saying was not true.