Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 23, 2012 on DAYS

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

Monday, July 23, 2012

by Mike

In Nicole's hotel room, Nicole lit a few candles and placed some food on a table. As someone knocked on the door, Nicole winced in pain. Nicole took a deep breath and assured herself that everything was going to be all right.

Daniel entered the room and surveyed the scene. Daniel lashed out at Nicole for trying to seduce him with a romantic dinner while Melanie was missing. Nicole assured Daniel that he had misunderstood, and she explained that she had called him because she needed a doctor. Nicole guessed that Daniel hadn't eaten anything recently, and she stated that the dinner was her way of taking care of him.

Daniel apologized, and he wondered if Nicole was all right. Nicole claimed that she was fine, but Daniel could tell that she was lying. After conducting a series of tests, Daniel assured Nicole that she and her baby were perfectly healthy. Nicole wasn't convinced, and she observed that Daniel seemed concerned about something.

Daniel said that he knew how much Nicole's baby meant to her, and he guessed that every single cramp was going to terrify her. Daniel reiterated that everything seemed fine, and he promised to carefully monitor Nicole's condition. Nicole thanked Daniel, and she begged him to eat something.

Later, Daniel excused himself. Daniel urged Nicole to call him if her pain worsened, and he reminded her that everything was going to be all right. Nicole agreed, but after Daniel left, she shook her head sadly as she placed her hands on her stomach.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami angrily slapped E.J. "You are a bastard. The whole time, you were saying to me, 'Oh, I would never kill my own father,' and you knew he wasn't your father? You played me for a fool," Sami realized. Before E.J. could respond, Roman, Rafe, and Spencer escorted him out of the mansion.

Sami assured Lucas that she could explain why she had gone to the DiMera mansion to talk to E.J. "Don't explain, Sami -- make a decision. Once in your life, make a decision -- do you want to be with me, or do you want to be with E.J.?" Lucas wondered. Sami remained silent as she helped herself to a glass of E.J.'s whiskey. Lucas repeated the question, but Sami ignored him.

Sami wondered how the police had figured out that E.J. wasn't Stefano's son. Lucas told Sami about Alice's letter. Lucas pointed out that Sami still hadn't told him why she had gone to the mansion to talk to E.J. Sami told Lucas about the security footage, and he sarcastically wondered if she had joined E.J.'s legal team. Sami explained that she had wanted to help E.J. because she had once been framed for murder.

Sami added that she had also wanted to help E.J. because he was Johnny and Sydney's father, and because she wanted to protect Will. "You know, it's one thing to lie to me, Sami, but it's a whole different ball game to lie to yourself. That's scary," Lucas said. Sami insisted that she wasn't lying, but Lucas wasn't convinced, and he reminded her that he had heard that line before.

Recalling Einstein's definition of insanity, Lucas wondered why he was still willing to believe that Sami was capable of changing. Lucas declared that Sami hadn't changed at all, but she insisted that he wasn't being fair. Lucas conceded that Sami might be right, and he admitted that it didn't matter either way, because he still loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"It's either me or E.J. -- let me know when you've made up your mind," Lucas said, and he abruptly exited the mansion. Sami tried to stop Lucas, but he ignored her. Sami chased after Lucas, and she cryptically shouted that she was going to prove that he was wrong about everything.

At the police station, Roman reluctantly agreed to let Will talk to E.J. Will insisted that he wasn't the one who had told the police about E.J.'s secret. E.J. guessed that Lucas had found Alice's letter. Will confirmed E.J.'s suspicion, and he apologetically conceded that he should have been more careful.

"Oh, it's okay. You never know when that Brady incompetence is going to kick in," E.J. dismissively stated. E.J. told Will about the security footage, and Will agreed to deliver the evidence to E.J.'s attorney. Later, E.J. impatiently paced around Rafe's office as he waited for his attorney to arrive. Sami barged into the room.

"I am sick and tired of you ruining my life. I lost Lucas because of you. I lost Rafe because of you. And now...Lucas is furious with me -- you know that, right? He is this close to breaking up with me, and why? Because of you! You sucked me back into your life, and I should have known better, yes, but I am not falling for it again. I take one step toward you and my entire life blows up, and it is all your fault!" Sami snapped.

E.J. reminded Sami that he had been arrested for allegedly murdering someone. "Oh, who hasn't?" Sami asked dismissively. E.J. smugly pointed out that Sami was with him instead of Lucas, and he leaned in to try to kiss her. Sami dodged E.J.'s advances, and she firmly stated that he had used her for the last time. E.J. maintained his innocence, but Sami refused to believe him, and she abruptly exited the room.

At Titan, Brady reminded Madison that he had just been released from rehab. Brady suggestively stated that he was eager to spend some time alone with Madison, and he wondered why she had dragged him into a Titan conference room. Madison explained that she was looking for her tablet computer so that she could read a few books.

Kate and Ian entered the room. Kate noted that Madison had missed a lot of work while she had been taking care of Brady in rehab. Kate wondered if Madison really believed that she was going to have time to read. "Yes, Kate, I'm going to be reading lots of books on the beach with my new husband -- beach books, in fact -- on our honeymoon," Madison replied.

Ian asked Madison to repeat her statement. "I think you heard her. We're going to get married...tomorrow," Brady announced. Ian assured Madison that it would be a mistake to marry Brady, but she made it clear that she didn't want Ian's advice.

"You tried to screw us up. You gave it your best shot -- didn't work. You ever come and do something like that to us again, you're the one that'll need rehab, Ian, I swear to God, 'cause I'll put your ass in traction, I promise you," Brady vowed. Kate quietly listened as Ian stated that Brady's threats were ineffectual. Brady cautioned that a few of the residents of Salem would probably disagree with that assessment.

Madison recalled that Ian had taught her to never underestimate her enemies, and she noted that he needed to take his own advice. Ian smirked and assured Madison that it was impossible to underestimate Brady. Madison told Ian that a real man wouldn't need to resort to drugging a recovering addict to prove a point. Ian maintained his innocence, and he claimed that he was being blamed for Brady's weaknesses.

"And yet...what Brady went through in rehab -- do you have any idea how much strength it takes to kick an addiction like that? Ian, you wouldn't have lasted twenty seconds in rehab, but you know what? I just -- I want to thank you. I do, because you had me mesmerized for such a long time, and now I finally...can see you for who you truly are, and that makes me feel free," Madison said, as Kate continued to listen.

"And if you don't stay away from us, it'll be your funeral, Ian," Brady added. Lucas entered the room, and he wondered if everything was all right. Brady and Madison explained that they were getting married the next day, and they excused themselves. After Madison and Brady left, Lucas announced that E.J. had been arrested for Stefano's murder. Ian quietly listened as Lucas explained the details.

Kate was shocked to learn that Stefano wasn't E.J.'s father. Lucas explained that Sami was convinced that someone was trying to frame E.J. "Apparently, she has a problem with people framing other people, you know, for murders they didn't commit. I guess I have you to thank for that, Mom," Lucas pointedly stated. Kate groaned impatiently. "You know, whatever. That girl never gets over anything," Kate said with a sigh.

Ian probed Lucas for more information about Sami's theory that E.J. had been framed. Lucas explained that Sami and E.J. had apparently found some security footage that proved that someone had retrieved E.J.'s gloves after he had tossed them in a dumpster. Ian abruptly excused himself, claiming that he needed to make a business call. Kate teased that Ian also needed to purchase a wedding gift.

After Ian left, Kate deduced that Lucas was upset about Sami. Kate observed that E.J. was -- for some unknown reason -- the sun in Sami's orbit, and she guessed that it would probably always be that way. Kate wondered why Lucas was still willing to give Sami another chance. Lucas said that he loved Sami, and he hoped that she felt the same way about him.

Kate warned that E.J. wasn't going to forget that Lucas had revealed E.J.'s secret to the police. Kate hoped that Lucas had done the right thing, and he confidently assured her that he had. Lucas explained that he had been protecting his family. Kate wished that Sami would follow suit and sever her ties with E.J. Lucas pointed out that Sami would always be tied to E.J., since he was Johnny and Sydney's father.

Kate could tell that Lucas knew that Sami and E.J.'s connection was deeper than that. Kate theorized that Lucas had helped the police build a case against E.J. because he wanted to get E.J. out of Sami's life for good. Kate mused that prison might be enough to sever E.J. and Sami's relationship, but she added that with those two, it was hard to tell.

In Madison's hotel room, Madison could tell that something was bothering Brady. Brady admitted that he was worried that he and Madison had made their pending nuptials sound vengeful during their confrontation with Ian. Brady stressed that he and Madison were getting married because they loved each other, and he insisted that Ian didn't matter at all. Madison happily agreed with Brady.

At the DiMera mansion, Sonny greeted Will. "Okay, you know what? I don't know if I'm ever gonna get used to just dropping in to the DiMera mausoleum. Like, I'm hanging out with you in the Temple of Doom -- you know that, right? It's even worse, 'cause I'm trying to help you clear a DiMera from a murder charge. Do you see something wrong with this picture?" Sonny asked.

After watching the video, Sonny pointed out that it didn't prove that E.J. was innocent -- it only proved that someone had retrieved E.J.'s gloves from the dumpster. Will said that the mystery person had obviously planted the gloves in E.J.'s apartment so that he would look guilty. Sonny countered that E.J. looked guilty because he had tried to get rid of his gloves, which proved that he had something to hide.

Sonny tried to get a better image of the mystery person's face. When Sonny was certain that he would not be able to further enhance the image, he decided to run it through a facial recognition program. Before Sonny could load the software, the security footage disappeared. Sonny tried to retrieve the footage, but he quickly realized that someone had deleted it.

Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, Ian promised to make someone an extremely wealthy man. "Now disappear...just like that footage," Ian added, as the man exited the room.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

by Spalding

At the Brady Pub, Kate hugged her son Austin goodbye. When Kate asked Austin why he was leaving, Austin explained that if he did not leave town, then he might lose his wife. "We're going back to Switzerland and we are going to find what we used to be," Austin said. Austin worried aloud whether Carrie would change her mind and stay in Salem to be with Rafe. Austin admitted that if Carrie stayed, he would still leave town.

When Kate grumbled about Carrie, Austin asked Kate to promise that she would not intervene. Kate nodded, then hugged her son goodbye. "You have brought me nothing but joy in my life, you know that?" Kate asked. Austin smiled and hugged Kate.

Rafe picked up his plane ticket to pursue a lead from the ISA, and then ran into Carrie in the park. Carrie told Rafe that he was the best person she had ever known. "Knowing you has changed me forever. And because of you I feel like I know what real friendship and real love is supposed to be," Carrie said. Rafe hugged Carrie goodbye.

"I know how furious you are with Sami. I also know that she still loves you," Carrie said. Rafe noted that he had gotten over Sami and that he was happy to put her behind him. Shaking her head, Carrie noted that Sami was still under Rafe's skin and that she wanted him to think about what would make him happy in life. Carrie kissed Rafe softly on the lips then walked away.

At the Brady Pub, Austin sipped his coffee and shifted nervously as he waited for Carrie. With a sigh, Austin went to the bar to pay his bill. As Austin turned around, he was surprised to see Carrie standing behind him, smiling. "I hear Switzerland is beautiful this time of year," Carrie said. Austin asked Carrie if she was sure that she wanted to move back to Switzerland. "Only if it's with you," Carrie said. Carrie and Austin told each other that they loved one another, then they left for the airport.

In Horton Town Square, Rafe thought about what Carrie had said about Sami being under his skin. Rafe thought about kissing Sami, then gruffly said, "Under my skin. Yeah, right."

In the underground tunnels, Melanie was knocked unconscious by debris from the ceiling. Andrew found her on the ground, and he was upset when she failed to wake up. "Please wake up. I didn't mean for this to happen," Andrew begged as he held Melanie in his arms. When Melanie came around, relieved, Andrew promised that he would do anything to protect her.

Melanie assured Andrew that except for a headache, she was fine. "Are you crying?" Melanie asked. Andrew wiped his eyes and explained that he had believed Melanie was dead when he could not wake her up. Andrew explained that he had tied Melanie up because he was afraid she would leave him. Noting the blood running down the side of her face, Andrew pulled some napkins out of his bag and wiped the blood off of her face.

When Andrew said that he wanted to take care of Melanie, she played along and said, "No one has ever said that to me before." "You saved my life. I should at least know what you look like," Melanie said sweetly. Shaking his head, Andrew mumbled that he was "not much to look at." Melanie gently urged Andrew to reveal himself, and when he remained silent, she slowly lifted the mask from his face.

"I think you're very handsome," Melanie said with a smile. Melanie thanked Andrew for returning for her, then doubled over in pain. When Andrew asked what was wrong, Melanie explained that she was feeling nausea and dizziness. Melanie explained that she had a concussion and needed Andrew to take her to the hospital. When Andrew promised to get Melanie to a car, she thanked him and hugged him tightly. Melanie slowly reached for the cell phone protruding from Andrew's pocket.

Melanie carefully slipped the phone out of Andrew's pocket. "No girl has ever hugged me like that before," Andrew said quietly. "You just wait until you get me out of here," Melanie said lightly. Andrew started to leave for the car, but worried about leaving Melanie alone in the unstable tunnels, he turned back. Melanie urged him to go for help, and reluctantly, Andrew ran off.

At the police station, Chad asked Bo and Hope for an update on Melanie's disappearance. Bo explained that he was going to question Gabi again and see if she remembered any additional details. As Chad nodded, he saw a police officer lead E.J. in handcuffs into an interrogation room. Worried, Chad followed E.J. into the interrogation room.

E.J. asked Chad about Melanie, and Chad informed E.J. that there was no news on her whereabouts. Chad asked about the handcuffs, and E.J. asked the officer for some privacy. Once alone with Chad, E.J. said that he had been charged with Stefano's murder. Chad argued that the charges were ludicrous and asked E.J. about the evidence. With a small chuckle, E.J. noted that Chad had not asked E.J. whether he had killed Stefano.

"You're the only person in this town who actually believes me," E.J. said with a grin. Chad noted that he did not believe E.J. could have hurt Stefano. When Chad added that Stefano was their father, E.J. interrupted to explain that there was evidence that Stefano was not E.J.'s father. When Chad asked about details, E.J. responded that there was a letter from a reliable source who had learned the truth from E.J.'s mother.

E.J. explained that he had learned about the letter when Lexie had become ill, but that Stefano had learned the information prior to that. Fighting his emotions, Chad asked E.J. if the police knew that E.J. was not Stefano's son. E.J. nodded. Sniffling, Chad told E.J. that he did not care about the truth and that he still thought of E.J. as his brother. As Chad promised to help him, E.J. smiled.

"When I listen to you I can hear your father," E.J. said. E.J. urged Chad to go look for Melanie. As Chad rose to leave, Hope entered the room and asked for Chad to follow her down the hallway. Chad was reluctant to leave, but E.J. told him to go.

In the main room of the police station, Bo and Hope asked Gabi about her fingerprints on the note they had found in the basement where Melanie had been held captive. Gabi said that she had no new information to offer to the police. When Bo asked Gabi to recount what had happened before she passed out, Gabi stuttered and said that she believed she had touched the note before she passed out on the bed. As Bo shifted his eyes in disbelief at Hope, Hope urged Gabi to take a break. Bo and Hope stepped aside to the corner and agreed that Gabi knew more information than she had admitted.

After losing the surveillance camera footage online, Will continued to work on the computer while Sonny slept on the couch. When Sonny awoke, he asked Will for an update. Will explained that he had not been able to recover the lost footage. While Sonny was in the kitchen, Sami walked into the DiMera mansion and demanded to know why Will had not told her about Alice's letter.

When Will lamented that Lucas had taken the letter from him, Sami suggested that Lucas had seen the letter as an opportunity to pry Will out from underneath E.J.'s control. "I don't need my absentee father trying to protect me from E.J.," Will responded. Sami urged Will to remember that Lucas had acted in Will's best interest and that Will had thought of E.J. as a horrible person for years.

When Will explained that he had grown to understand E.J., Sami joked that Will had no idea how many times she had said the same thing. After Will defended E.J. to Sami, she wondered aloud if Will blamed her for everything. Will responded that both E.J. and Sami were to blame, but that ultimately, Stefano was the worst person because Will had watched how poorly Stefano had treated E.J.

When Sami asked Will if he felt sorry for E.J., Will explained that he understood how E.J. had felt when Lucas had treated Will like a child by taking the letter to the police without consulting with him. "E.J. can't use me because I choose to be here. Right? I believe in his innocence and right now he needs my help because the whole town, thanks to dad, thinks that he murdered Stefano," Will said. When Sami asked if Will had ever contemplated whether E.J. had murdered Stefano, Will noted that he believed in E.J.'s innocence because E.J. was desperate for Stefano's approval.

Will countered that E.J. was smart enough to build his own empire without needing to resort to taking Stefano's empire for his own. "I mean, no matter all the terrible things that Stefano has done to him, for some reason, he still loves him," Will said. Uncomfortable, Will turned his attention to the computer and explained to Sami that he was looking for surveillance footage.

With a shrug, Sami casually asked Will if he was referring to the footage of E.J. dumping his gloves in the dumpster. Will explained that a hacker had deleted the footage and that the deletion was proof that E.J. had been set up. Smiling, Sami pulled a flash drive out of her bra and noted that she had a copy of the footage. Sami explained that she had been reviewing the footage with E.J. and had decided to download it to a drive.

Grinning from ear to ear, Will urged Sami to plug the drive into the computer. Once Will confirmed that the footage was on the flash drive, Sami yanked it out of the computer and headed for the front door. Will begged Sami not to take the drive to the police like Lucas had done with the letter. Sami asked Will what he wanted to do with the drive. Will explained that he needed Sami to trust him.

With a sigh, Sami grabbed her purse and marched out of the mansion. Confused, Will chased after Sami and called out to her to stop. Unsure what to do, Will went back to the computer to work. As Will stared at his laptop, Sonny sat on the couch and stared at Will. When Will cried out in frustration, Sonny asked Will why E.J. needed Will's help. Will explained that he wanted to be the one that cleared E.J. of the crime.

Alone in the interrogation room at the police station, E.J. sat down and sighed. As the door behind him opened, E.J. announced that he would not speak without his lawyer. "You don't need a lawyer," Sami said from the doorway. Bo warned Sami not to say anything stupid, then closed the door and left Sami alone with E.J.

Sami explained that she had talked to Will and learned that Will saw E.J. as a misunderstood martyr. With a shrug, E.J. noted that he did not care how Will felt about him. When Sami complained that E.J. had lied to her, E.J. was irritated.

"Do you think I like the fact that everybody in this town who hated my family is absolutely loving this? They're all speculating about how I'm going to act now that I'm nothing," E.J. argued. Stunned, Sami asked E.J. if he felt like he was nothing. "What else is there to think? It's true," E.J. said sadly. Sami noted that Will had said that he related to E.J. because he felt that Stefano mistrusted E.J. the way Will's parents seemed to mistrust him.

E.J. noted that Stefano had spent his final months undermining E.J. With a smirk, Sami asked E.J. if Stefano had shown him the letter. Shaking his head, E.J. admitted that he had found the letter on his own. Sami pointed out that rather than torture E.J. with the letter, Stefano had kept it from him.

"E.J., you're not nothing and Stefano did love you. He never stopped," Sami said softly.

When E.J. joked that he could not influence Will from prison, Sami countered that Will had stayed up all night, looking for the surveillance footage. Sami explained that a hacker had deleted the files. Furious, E.J. knocked over the easel in the corner and paced in angry silence. Hearing the commotion, an officer rushed into the room. Sami explained that she had knocked over the easel and was just about to leave. Nodding, the officer returned to the hallway.

Once the officer was gone, E.J. yelled that the deleted footage showed that someone was framing him. With a smile, Sami noted that she had already thought of that and that she was going to help E.J. Sami reached into her bra and pulled out the flash drive. When Sami confirmed that the footage was on the drive, E.J. pulled Sami into his arms and hugged her.

"Something is finally going my way!" E.J. screamed in joy. E.J. pulled Sami away and quickly kissed her on the lips. "Last night, you said you would never believe another word I said. Do you believe it now? Do you believe I'm innocent?" E.J. said. Sami asked E.J. what he wanted her to do with the drive.

Before E.J. could answer, the officer returned to the room. E.J. asked Sami to give the drive to his lawyer. "I can't tell you how much it means to mean that you're on my side. Whatever the reasons," E.J. said as he held Sami's hand. Sami left the police station and headed for E.J.'s lawyer's office. After Sami concluded a phone call while walking through the park, a man jumped out from behind a bush and grabbed her.

In the main room of the police station, Chad sat by Gabi's side as Bo and Hope questioned her about the basement. Flustered by the question of where she had passed out in the room, Gabi started to talk about her stalker. Coming to her defense, Chad asked Bo to back off and noted that Gabi's memory was fuzzy because she had been drugged. Hope suggested that Gabi undergo hypnosis to recover her memories. Gabi declined the request, but Hope assured Gabi that Marlena could be trusted.

After talking to the police, Chad and Gabi walked over to the town square. Chad received a call from a restricted number. When Chad answered the phone, he was shocked to hear Melanie on the other end of the call.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

by ChickenGrrl

At the Brady Pub, Cameron asked for Abigail's help with the seating arrangements for the autism benefit. Abigail said that she wouldn't be very much help because she was worried about Melanie, but agreed to help, since the event was in Lexie's honor. Once the seating chart was finished, Cameron tried to find something else for Abigail to work on. She assured him that he didn't have to look for busywork for her just to keep her mind off of Melanie.

Jack and Jennifer arrived as Abigail was declaring that she wanted to be out searching for Melanie. The Deverauxes cautioned their daughter that it was far too dangerous -- plus Bo and Hope had ordered Abigail to let the police handle things. Jennifer said that she had the programs for the fundraiser in her car, so Cameron went with her to take a look at them.

Once Jack and Abigail were alone, Jack asked how Abigail was holding up. She admitted that she was a mess, but Jack was confident that she -- and Melanie -- would be fine. "It seems this Cameron is providing quite the diversion," Jack noted. Abigail lightheartedly asked Jack not to be an overprotective father for a change. After promising not to intentionally embarrass Abigail, Jack confessed that he sometimes felt overprotective because he'd missed so much of his daughter's life.

As Jennifer and Cameron headed back into the pub, she declared that his sister would be very proud of him -- not just for continuing Lexie's work at the hospital, but also for keeping an eye on Abe and Theo. Cameron confessed that those weren't his only reasons for staying in Salem.

Cameron and Jennifer entered the pub, and Jennifer announced that she needed Abigail's help merging two lists on the computer. Jack asked Cameron for help getting some coffee while the women worked. Abigail was dismayed, but an amused Jennifer maintained that Cameron would be able to handle Jack just fine. Abigail knew that, but worried that Jack would be too protective. She also felt that he didn't really trust her after what had happened with Austin.

Jennifer countered that she and Jack knew that Abigail had learned from her mistake. She assured Abigail that her dad wouldn't embarrass her; Jack and Jennifer only wanted to get to know Cameron a little better. Abigail hoped that her parents would see how dedicated Cameron was to his job and his family. Jennifer declared, "If a guy is smart enough to see how incredible you are, he is amazing in my book."

Jack noted that Cameron had been spending a lot of time with Abigail. "If you're wondering whether I have feelings for Abigail, the answer is I do. I hope you're cool with that," Cameron said. Jack replied that he wanted his daughter to find someone who would look after her -- someone who was nothing like Jack. Cameron said, "In that case, we're a no-go, because like you, Mr. Deveraux, I happen to think your daughter is pretty damn special." He added that there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for Abigail.

When Cameron and Jack returned, Cameron was carrying two coffees in to-go cups, and asked if Abigail would help him deliver the programs to Abe. Abigail happily agreed, so the two left together. Jack then confided to Jennifer that he thought Cameron was "okay." Jennifer surmised that meant Jack thought Cameron was better than "okay." Jack admitted, "I think he actually might be in love with our daughter. He had the look... It's the same look I had when I looked in the mirror and realized that I was in crazy love with you." He added that he felt like a very lucky man, and it was all because of Jennifer.

Outside, Abigail hoped that Jack hadn't said anything "weird" to Cameron. Cameron pointed out that Jack adored Abigail. Abigail expressed her gratefulness that her dad was back in her life, which was what she'd wanted since she was a little kid. She kissed Cameron to thank him for taking her mind off of Melanie for a little while.

At the police station, a uniformed officer led E.J. into a conference room where Will was waiting. Will explained that E.J.'s attorney was going to meet him at the courthouse -- and Sami was supposed to have given the flash drive containing the security footage to the attorney. E.J. reminded Will that they needed to identify the person who had set E.J. up, which the footage didn't do.

E.J. cautioned Will, "You and your mother are going to take a tremendous amount of heat for supporting somebody who's accused of murder." Will maintained that he was ready. E.J. was touched that Will wanted to help, but assured Will that he was under no obligation to do so. Will asserted that he was there because he wanted to be, because E.J. was more than just a boss; Will felt that the two of them had become friends. He urged E.J. not to give up without a fight.

E.J. quietly stated that Will and Sami had become like the only real family E.J. had, besides Johnny and Sydney. Will said that he knew E.J. hadn't killed Stefano, because he had loved Stefano. E.J. agreed that he had, and added that he kept half-expecting Stefano to show up and fix everything. Will was confident that E.J. would do that himself. The cop returned to take E.J. to the courthouse for his arraignment.

The cop led a dejected E.J. back to the conference room a short while later. E.J. divulged that his lawyer had sent some young kid to handle E.J.'s arraignment, plus E.J.'s bail had been set so high that he couldn't even afford to post a bond. Will realized that E.J. no longer had access to the DiMera money, but wondered if E.J. had a stash hidden somewhere for emergencies. E.J. replied that it wasn't enough. Will vowed to find a way to bail E.J. out.

A bloodied and bruised Sami arrived at her apartment and banged on the door until Lucas answered, then fell into his arms. "Oh, my God, Sami! What happened to you?" Lucas asked, concerned. He gently cleaned and dressed Sami's injuries, then insisted that she let him take her to the hospital. Sami refused, but Lucas maintained that she at least needed to file a police report and asked what the mugger had taken.

Sami admitted that all the man had taken was the flash drive, and she reluctantly explained about the security footage that had been on it of E.J. throwing away the gloves and someone retrieving them from the garbage. Lucas pointed out that E.J. had ditched the gloves in the first place because there had been gunshot residue on them. "Has it ever occurred to you that you're only helping him get away with murder, Sami?" Lucas demanded. Sami insisted that E.J. hadn't killed Stefano.

Lucas declared that whoever had planted the gloves in E.J.'s apartment had finally given E.J. exactly what he deserved. Sami vowed to do what she could to help E.J. so she never had to see the looks on Johnny and Sydney's faces when they heard that their daddy was in prison. She pointed out that Lucas wouldn't want Allie to know that he'd been in prison for shooting E.J. Lucas argued that it was different, because he'd been protecting Will, while E.J. had killed Stefano in cold blood.

Sami reiterated her vow to help prove E.J. was being set up. Lucas declared, "I think you're making a big mistake -- for you and our future." Sami argued that she would do the same thing for Lucas. Lucas argued that he was the only one of Sami's "baby daddies" who didn't take advantage of her. Sami insisted that she wasn't choosing E.J. over Lucas. "The man I want to be with is you, okay? I promise," she declared. Lucas urged her to let the police handle things, but Sami pointed out that Rafe and Roman wanted to see E.J. fry.

Will called Sami from Horton Square to inform her that E.J. couldn't make bail, and asked for her help. Sami replied that she couldn't get her hands on that kind of money, but promised to see what she could do. After Sami hung up, Lucas accused her of choosing E.J. over Lucas again. "Actions speak louder than words. I can tell I'm not going to be able to change your mind," a fed-up Lucas said, then he stalked out the door.

E.J. was outfitted in jail garb when the cop escorted him back to the conference room -- where Sami was waiting. "I've come to bail you out," she declared.

Beneath Salem in the tunnels, Melanie used the cell phone she'd swiped from Andrew to call Chad, who was in Horton Square with Gabi. Chad asked anxiously where Melanie was. "I'm in the tunnels!" Melanie shouted, then repeated it several times, but unfortunately the connection was bad, and Chad had a hard time making it out. Suddenly Andrew appeared. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, hurling the phone against a rock wall.

Chad yelled Melanie's name, but the call had ended. By then, Brady had joined Chad and Gabi. Chad mentioned that it had sounded like Melanie had said something about tunnels. Gabi and Brady thought that they should go to the police, but Chad insisted there was no time for that. Brady remembered that there were tunnels that ran under Salem that had been used to smuggle alcohol during Prohibition.

Brady used his tablet computer to access city records and pull up schematics for the tunnels. Chad guessed that Lexie had been held in those same tunnels, and the toxic gases down there had caused her brain tumor. As the men headed out of the square, Gabi stayed behind to call the police, but she dialed Andrew instead. Since Andrew had smashed his phone, Gabi got no answer.

A furious Andrew confronted Melanie about her betrayal and demanded to know whom she had called. She appeared sheepish, so he deduced that she had called Chad. "It doesn't matter what I do...you'll always try and leave me. Well, that's not going to happen!" Andrew declared, grabbing Melanie by the arm and dragging her through the tunnels, despite her pleas to let her go.

After a while, Melanie complained that she was too weak to walk any further, but Andrew ordered her to keep moving. Melanie noted that the gas odor had gotten stronger, and Andrew pointed out that the sooner they moved from that area, the better it would be. He shoved her through the tunnel in front of him.

Soon, Brady and Chad were in the tunnels, armed with flashlights and the map on Brady's tablet. They both noticed the smell of gas. As they moved through the tunnels, they ran into a frightened Gabi. She explained that she had left a message for Bo, Hope, and Rafe, but she wanted to help search for Melanie. Gabi said that she thought she had seen Melanie and Andrew, and pointed Chad and Brady in the wrong direction, while she went the opposite way.

Brady realized that the smell wasn't just fumes; it was from a gas leak, and he worried that the whole place could blow up. He declared that they had to get out of there, and shouted for Gabi to do the same, but she was no longer behind them.

Andrew finally acknowledged that the gas fumes were getting stronger, and stopped under a light to check his map. While Andrew was preoccupied, Gabi tiptoed around the corner. Melanie spotted her, but Gabi held a finger to her lips to keep Melanie from saying anything. When the light bulb above Andrew went out, Gabi scurried over to help Melanie up, but he turned and saw them -- and pulled out a lighter to illuminate the tunnel.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

by Mike

At the Horton Town Square, Will was on the phone with Roman. Will noted that he had just felt some sort of tremor a few moments earlier, and Roman stated that he was already investigating the situation. Roman informed Will that Sami had paid E.J.'s bail.

In the tunnels under Salem, Chad and Brady felt the impact of the explosion, but they were relatively unscathed. Chad worried about Melanie, and he wondered if her abductor had caused the explosion. "There's dozens of gas pockets down here. One more goes off, nobody's getting out of here alive," Chad told Brady, and the duo rushed off to continue their search for Melanie.

Elsewhere, Melanie and Gabi slowly started to regain consciousness. Gabi was eager to escape before Andrew could reveal her secret, and she urged Melanie to hurry. Melanie was still slightly groggy, and she wondered why Gabi was in the tunnels. Before Gabi could respond, Andrew crawled over and grabbed her ankle.

Andrew greeted Gabi, and Melanie wondered how they knew each other. Gabi quickly explained that Andrew was her stalker, conveniently omitting the fact that she had hired him to play that role. Gabi tried to convince Andrew that he still had time to escape before the cops arrived. Melanie assured Andrew that she would claim that she had never seen his face, but he wasn't convinced.

Andrew pointed out that the cops never would have agreed to let Gabi wander through the tunnels alone. "See, I don't care what happens to me, because I'm a lunatic! Be careful about this one -- keep your distance. She's not your friend. You think she's here to rescue you, but she's not," Andrew warned Melanie, emphasizing his final words in a singsong voice.

Confused, Melanie asked Gabi for an explanation. Gabi shrugged and reiterated that Andrew was a lunatic who had been stalking her for weeks. Andrew was disappointed that Gabi had failed to think of a better lie. Rubble started to collapse in the distance, and Andrew wondered what was happening. Gabi claimed that the cops were getting closer to finding Andrew. "Yeah, and my real name is Brad Pitt," Andrew muttered.

Andrew decided to investigate the situation. Andrew used a pair of handcuffs to secure Melanie and Gabi to a pole, and he took Gabi's cell phone. After Andrew left, Gabi tried to assure Melanie that everything was going to be all right. Gabi started to tell Melanie about all of the things that Chad had done to try to rescue her. Meanwhile, a nearby cluster of exposed wires started to spark.

Elsewhere, Chad and Brady tried to follow Gabi's footprints through the tunnels, but they reached a dead end. Unable to think of a better option, the duo returned to the town square. As Chad desperately tried to call Gabi, Brady received a text message from Madison. Chad guessed that Madison was wondering where her groom was, and he advised Brady to call her. Before Brady could respond, Chad announced that Gabi's phone was ringing.

In the tunnels, Andrew tossed Gabi's phone in a puddle of water. A short time later, Andrew rejoined Gabi and Melanie, and he announced that Gabi's boyfriend had called. Gabi insisted that Chad was not her boyfriend. Andrew wondered what Gabi would have told Chad if she had been able to answer her phone. Gabi claimed that she would have informed Chad that she was trapped with a lunatic in the tunnels.

Andrew chuckled and calmly noted that Gabi had called him a lunatic again. Andrew knowingly stated that Gabi didn't really want Chad to search the tunnels, but she claimed that she didn't know what Andrew was talking about. Melanie gasped as the wires started to spark again.

"Okay, stop it! Whatever game you're playing with Gabi, you just stop it now -- stop! If that lights up, we die -- do you understand that? So if you have something to say, say it to her now, so we can get out of here!" Melanie shouted. Andrew laughed, and he agreed that Melanie deserved to know the whole story.

Elsewhere, Chad and Brady resumed their search. Barely audible voices echoed in the distance, but Brady and Chad found it difficult to determine where the sound had originated. Chad impatiently reminded Brady that the tunnels were dangerous, and he insisted that they had to find Melanie right away.

Outside the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie greeted Nicole. Maggie hoped that Nicole's presence meant that the cops had found Melanie, but Nicole regretfully clarified that Victor had summoned her to the mansion. Maggie sighed and admitted that she had accidentally blurted out that Daniel and Nicole were a couple, and that Victor hadn't handled the news well. Maggie tearfully added that she supported the relationship.

Inside the mansion, Victor assured Daniel that Melanie was going to be all right. Victor added that he would gladly donate money to the rescue effort, so that the cops could offer a reward for information or hire additional search teams. Daniel replied, somewhat bitterly, that it would be great if writing a check could automatically end the nightmare.

Victor conceded that throwing money around was one of his strongest talents. Daniel thanked Victor and promised to mention the offer to Roman. Victor admitted that he also wanted to talk to Daniel about Nicole. Victor demanded to know if Daniel had lost his mind.

"Look, Daniel, I know you're distraught -- I know not knowing what's going on with Melanie makes you crazy -- but Nicole? I mean, she makes Medea look like the Tooth Fairy," Victor dryly stated. Victor was worried that Nicole was going to use Daniel's grief to her advantage. Daniel noted that it was none of Victor's business, but he assured Victor that he had started sleeping with Nicole before Melanie had disappeared.

Victor countered that sleeping with Nicole was incontrovertible proof of insanity. Daniel warned Victor to back off, but Victor refused to listen. As Victor continued to rant about Nicole, she and Maggie entered the room. Nicole dryly stated that Victor had forgotten to call her a harlot. Maggie apologized for accidentally revealing Daniel's secret, and she quickly started to chastise Victor for his actions.

Victor refused to apologize, and he insisted that someone needed to take control of the disaster. Victor started to forbid Daniel from seeing Nicole, but instead of uttering her name, he paused so that he could think of the perfect insult. Daniel warned Victor to choose his words very carefully, and Maggie folded her arms as she looked at Victor expectantly.

Admitting defeat, Victor shrugged and made a vague reference to the fact that Nicole had called herself a harlot earlier. Daniel said that he understood that Victor was upset about Melanie. Daniel added that he knew that Victor had a tendency to act a certain way when he felt like he couldn't control a situation. Maggie offered Daniel a few adjectives -- idiotic, overbearing, and interfering -- and he agreed with all three choices.

Daniel insisted that Nicole was a great friend, and that she had somehow managed to make it slightly easier to handle Melanie's disappearance. Daniel's endorsement failed to sway Victor's opinion. Victor pointed out that Nicole had once tried to kill him. "I'm beginning to understand how that could happen," Maggie dryly stated.

Victor insisted that Nicole hadn't changed at all. Daniel impatiently wondered if Victor was trying to issue an ultimatum. Daniel calmly stated that he was prepared to choose between Victor and Nicole if he was forced to do so. Before Daniel could continue, he received a phone call, and he quickly exited the room. Maggie followed Daniel, hoping that someone was calling to announce that Melanie had been found.

After Daniel and Maggie left, Nicole shrugged and stated that it was always a pleasure to see Victor. Nicole started to leave, seemingly convinced that Daniel had been moments away from breaking up with her earlier, but Victor stopped her.

"Let's suppose that Daniel's right -- you have changed. Seen the light, turned over a new leaf, crossed the Rubicon -- you and Daniel are as happy as you can possibly be together. What are you gonna do when that baby finally pops out and E.J. DiMera comes over after it? Daniel is gonna end up in the middle of that whole mess," Victor pointed out. Nicole revealed that Rafe was the baby's father.

"Let me get this straight. You get a divorce from E.J. Before the ink is dry, you're jumping in the sack with Salem's own Dudley Do-Right. You end up getting pregnant by him. Before the second trimester is over, you're making whoopee with Daniel. Fruit flies have longer relationships than you do, Nicole!" Victor exclaimed. In response to Victor's statement about fruit flies, Nicole shrugged and admitted that she had never taken a biology course.

"Oh, but you're so good at it," Victor retorted. Victor admitted that Daniel was right -- Nicole had changed, just not in a positive way. Maggie silenced Victor as she and Daniel entered the room. Nicole asked about the phone call, and Daniel regretfully informed her that Melanie was still missing. Daniel excused himself so that he could get some air, and he invited Nicole to join him.

After Nicole and Daniel left, Victor defensively stated that he felt that he had done the right thing, and he insisted that he wasn't sorry. "You will be, trust me," Maggie replied. Maggie acknowledged that Victor was just being Victor, but she added that he couldn't bark orders at Daniel. Maggie cautioned that Victor was going to lose Daniel if he continued to treat Daniel that way.

Victor explained that he was just trying to prevent Nicole from sinking her hooks into Daniel. "Victor, stop it -- just stop it. I know you think you're looking out for Daniel, but you're not. It's just making it worse -- for him and for me. The fact that you could do this when Melanie is out there somewhere with that -- that person," Maggie said. Victor realized that Maggie was right, and he apologized. Victor hugged Maggie, who hoped that someone would find Melanie soon.

Outside the mansion, Daniel wondered if Nicole was all right. "Come on, Daniel, you know me -- I could give a Flying Wallenda about Victor and what he thinks about me," Nicole replied. Daniel acknowledged that Victor was upset about Melanie's disappearance, and he hoped that everyone could agree to just forget about the whole argument. Nicole had no objections, but she admitted that she wasn't sure if Victor would feel the same way.

At the police station, E.J. realized that Sami had used Countess Wilhelmina as collateral to post his bail. Roman entered the room and demanded to know why Sami had bailed E.J. out of jail. Sami replied that Roman had taught her to do the right thing. Sami insisted that someone had framed E.J. Roman suggested that E.J. was manipulating Sami, but she refused to believe that.

Roman noticed that Sami had a scratch on the side of her forehead, and he wondered what had happened. Sami claimed that she had tripped over a crack in a sidewalk. Roman reluctantly announced that E.J. was free to leave. "I hope you like jewelry, E.J., because this ankle bracelet is gonna tell us where you are twenty-four hours a day," Roman added, as he strapped the monitor to E.J.'s ankle.

Later, Roman called someone and asked for an update on the tremor that had occurred earlier. Meanwhile, Will entered the police station. Roman informed Will that E.J. had already left, and he wondered why Sami and Will, who had been at each other's throats for months, were suddenly in complete agreement that E.J. had been framed. Will ignored Roman's question, and he wondered where he could find E.J.

Roman explained that E.J. and Sami had left the station together. Roman bitterly summarized that Sami was with the man who had destroyed her marriage, along with everything else that he had ever touched. A phone call interrupted Roman's rant. Roman strained to hear what the caller was trying to tell him. After listening for a moment, Roman asked for the caller's identity, and the caller abruptly ended the call.

Roman asked Will to leave. Will ignored Roman's request, and he wondered if the call had been about E.J. Roman refused to answer, and he pulled an officer aside as he ordered Will to leave the station. Will reluctantly started to exit the room, but he slipped into a blind spot on the other side of the door while Roman's back was turned.

Will listened as Roman told the officer that he had received an anonymous tip about E.J. Roman quickly placed a phone call to someone to verify the information. "The airport confirms the jet is being fueled as we speak. That son of a bitch thinks he's going to Uruguay. Leave it to E.J. to know that country's record is pretty spotty when it comes to extradition," Roman said, as Will continued to eavesdrop.

The officer noted that E.J.'s ankle monitor indicated that he was at the DiMera mansion. Roman guessed that E.J. hadn't finished packing yet. Roman planned to take E.J. back into custody at the mansion. Will rushed off to warn E.J.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami told E.J. that she had been mugged earlier. E.J. insisted that Sami had to stop helping him, but she refused to listen. Sami assured E.J. that she wasn't scared, and she added that he needed her help. E.J. acknowledged that he didn't deserve Sami's help, but before she could respond, Will dashed into the room.

"Don't do it -- don't get on the plane," Will breathlessly stated. Will told E.J. and Sami about the phone call, but E.J. insisted that he wasn't foolish enough to try to leave the country. E.J. was surprised that Roman had actually believed the caller's story. Sami agreed, and she wondered why Roman hadn't bothered to confirm the anonymous tip before jumping to conclusions.

"But wait, wait, wait -- that's what I'm telling you guys, though. The -- my grandpa called the airport and -- and confirmed it. The -- the jet has been fueled up, the flight plan has been filed, and it's sitting on the runway for you to get on it so it can take off," Will explained. E.J. admitted that the person who was trying to frame him had managed to think of everything.

Will warned that Roman was on his way over to the mansion to take E.J. back into custody. "Look, E.J., you have to run," Sami insisted, and Will agreed. E.J. reminded Sami that he was wearing an ankle monitor, and he defeatedly assured her that he wasn't going to be able to leave Salem. "You know what? You could, though, if -- if I hack into the police server and disable the GPS," Will noted.

Sami wondered if Will could really do that, and he assured her that he could. Sami urged Will to get started, and he rushed over to E.J.'s laptop. E.J. protested that Sami and Will needed to stop the insanity. Sami countered that it would be insane to sit around and wait for the saboteur to make another move.

"You are E.J. DiMera, for God's sake! You are the person who has done anything, said anything, and manipulated anyone to get what you want, or to save your butt, or whatever the situation calls for, so do it now. The only way you're gonna help yourself -- prove you're innocent -- is if you are not in jail," Sami urgently stated, as Will studied her. E.J. wondered why Sami was helping him.

Sami replied that she believed in E.J., and she urged him to hurry as she hastily formulated a plan. After escorting E.J. to the airport, Sami intended to return to the mansion and feign shock when she learned that he had managed to escape. E.J. reluctantly agreed, and he and Sami rushed out to the terrace. Meanwhile, Will continued to work on disabling the ankle monitor.

Outside, Sami and E.J. waited for Will to disable the monitor. Meanwhile, Roman started to pound on the front door, and Will frantically tried to finish his task. The light on E.J.'s ankle monitor faded, indicating that Will had successfully disabled the device. E.J. gave Sami one last chance to change her mind. Back inside the mansion, Will closed the laptop and stepped away from the desk as Roman entered the living room.

"Where is he, Will?" Roman asked, and Will shrugged innocently.

Friday, July 27, 2012

by ChickenGrrl

At the townhouse, John and Marlena were getting ready for Madison and Brady's wedding. John pretended that he had failed in his best man duties and lost the rings, then confessed that he was only joking. Marlena playfully raised her fists at him. John and Marlena looked forward to watching Brady and Madison get married -- and to their own future wedding.

Madison emerged from the bedroom and sheepishly asked for help with the zipper of her wedding dress, a short but elegantly chic white gown that was sleeveless on one side with a long, flowing dolman sleeve on the other. Madison confessed that she was very nervous, and Marlena reassured her that it was normal. When Madison mentioned that she had been married before, Marlena asked if Madison were feeling "gun-shy."

Madison admitted that she hadn't heard from Brady for hours despite the numerous messages she'd left. John and Marlena tried to reassure Madison that Brady was just taking care of his lengthy to-do list. Madison related a funny story about how she and her little sister had played "wedding" when they were kids. Madison regretted that she had let her old life slip away after she'd married Ian, but Marlena asserted that Madison had been a victim.

Madison declared that Brady was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and thanked John and Marlena for welcoming her into their home and letting her get ready there. Marlena said that she had the perfect necklace, which could be something old and something borrowed, to go with Madison's gown. Before the women could leave the room, John formally told Madison, "Welcome to the family, daughter." She hugged him gratefully.

Madison said that she had always wanted to be a part of a real family, and John happily declared that was what she was getting. He added that he was pleased that Madison made his son so happy. Madison admitted that she had made Brady miserable some of the time, and promised never to let him down again.

Roman and some uniformed police officers were at the DiMera mansion, looking for E.J. Will insisted to his grandfather that he had no idea where E.J. was. As he worked on a tablet computer, one of the officers announced that E.J.'s ankle monitor had been deactivated, and Roman ordered the cop to fix it.

Meanwhile, Sami and E.J. were hiding in the garden while E.J. tried to remove his anklet. Just as Roman gave the order to the cops to search the grounds, E.J. managed to unfasten the monitor and remove it. E.J. and Sami slipped quietly out of the garden as the officers began their search.

Roman got on the phone and put out an APB on E.J. One of the cops quickly found the ankle monitor outside. Roman asked Will where E.J. had gone, but Will said that he did not know.

At the police station, Daniel and Nicole were dressed for the autism benefit and then Brady's wedding, but Daniel admitted to Bo and Hope that he found it hard to celebrate anything while his daughter was missing. Bo and Hope encouraged Daniel to take a break and go to both events. Daniel agreed to stop by the fundraiser because Lexie had been such a good friend. Bo and Hope left for home to change clothes.

Daniel began to freak out about what Melanie was surely going through, but Nicole managed to calm him down a little.

Abe led Theo through a ballroom filled with people dressed to the nines at the fundraiser for the autism research foundation that Abe had set up in Lexie's honor. The crowd cheered as the Carver men stepped up to the podium, where a large, framed photograph of Lexie stood on an easel. Abe kicked off the benefit with a speech about the need to raise money for autism research, and his desire to honor his late wife.

Abe introduced Theo as a boy with autism who had benefited from the work that had gone before him, and stated that with further research, children just like Theo could be assured a full and productive future. Abe toasted to Lexie's memory, and the crowd all raised their champagne glasses to the late Dr. Carver. As Abe was about to step away from the podium, Theo whispered that he would like to say something, so Abe lowered the microphone to the boy's level. "I love my mommy, and I want to make her proud," Theo bravely declared to the crowd.

Once the speeches were finished, Ian grumbled to Kate about the "grueling" evening that lay ahead of them and the other guests, with Brady and Madison's wedding scheduled for right after the fundraiser. Kate asserted that Brady and Madison deserved a happy ending, but Ian only grimaced.

Kayla praised Abe for a job well done, while Cameron and Abigail took Theo off to get something to eat. Jack and Jennifer were impressed with how Theo had spoken in front of the audience, and Abe gave credit to the play therapy that Theo was enrolled in.

Maggie fretted to Victor that she shouldn't be at the benefit while her granddaughter was still missing. Victor believed that Melanie would want Maggie to be there.

Lucas and Kate discussed Austin and Carrie's sudden departure from Salem. Kate thought it was a good idea for Carrie and Rafe to be as far apart as possible. Kate wondered where Sami could be. Ignoring Kate, Lucas noted that Ian was drinking a great deal of champagne and wondered if it were to numb the pain of Madison marrying Brady. Kate retorted that Lucas knew nothing about the situation. Lucas said that he was worried about Kate. "Don't be, because I'm just fine," Kate insisted.

Kate approached Ian and chided him, "Darling, if you keep drinking like that, you're going to have more to worry about than Madison's wedding." Ian snapped that he didn't give a damn about Madison's wedding and then strode away.

Bo and Hope arrived at the party and greeted everyone with hugs. Abe told Maggie that he wished they had postponed the event until after Melanie was found, but Maggie insisted that Melanie would have wanted the important night to go on as planned. Kayla hoped that Daniel would at least make an appearance for Lexie's sake, even though he had to be very worried about Melanie.

Victor privately told Maggie that he hoped Daniel didn't show up with "that floozy," Nicole. Maggie admonished him for the remark, and reminded him that no one else knew that Daniel and Nicole were seeing one another. Victor reiterated his earlier apology, but Maggie wasn't buying it. "I wouldn't be surprised if Daniel decided he doesn't want to be in the same room with you tonight," Maggie declared. She added that she only wanted her son to be happy -- and if Nicole could help Daniel through such a difficult time, "Then God love her."

In the tunnels, Andrew refused to remove Gabi and Melanie's handcuffs until he had told Melanie everything. Melanie impatiently ordered Andrew get on with it so they could get out of there before there was another explosion. The light fixture nearby sparked and spat flames. Realizing that Melanie was right, Andrew agreed to take the handcuffs off.

In another part of the tunnels, Brady and Chad tried to follow the sound of the voices they heard, but because of the echoes underground, they couldn't tell from which direction the sound originated. When the voices stopped, Chad began to shout for Melanie, but Brady quickly shut Chad up. Brady pointed out that if the kidnapper knew that someone else was down there, the guy might harm Melanie and Gabi, so their best bet could be the element of surprise.

Brady was about to lead the way down another tunnel, but Chad pointed out that Brady was supposed to be getting married that night. "Melanie is one of my best friends in the world. I want her at my wedding -- so we're going to find her," Brady insisted.

Just as Andrew got the handcuffs off of Melanie and Gabi, another explosion rocked the tunnels. A large beam fell on Andrew, while Gabi and Melanie were knocked to the ground. Nearby, Chad and Brady ducked for cover.

In the ballroom, everyone wondered if there had been an earthquake. Bo and Hope each got calls from the station, so they stepped away to answer their phones. Doug and Julie wisecracked that they had been in a lot of disasters -- natural and otherwise -- but they had managed never to be in an earthquake.

Daniel and Nicole exited the elevator outside the ballroom, but Daniel didn't think he could go inside. He repeatedly pushed the button to call the elevator back. They both felt the ground shake, and Nicole pointed out that if there had been an earthquake, it would be safer to take the stairs than the elevator. Daniel agreed, and started determinedly for the stairwell.

As Lexie's favorite song began to play, Kayla asked Abe to dance, and he accepted. As Victor and Maggie watched the other swaying couples, Victor asked Maggie to dance. She declined but asked him instead to just hold her. He put his arm around her and pulled her tightly to him.

Bo and Hope pulled Lucas aside and said they needed to talk to him about Sami. Although he was admittedly not that surprised, Lucas couldn't believe it when he learned that E.J. had skipped town. Hope asked if Lucas knew where Sami was, and Lucas said that he had absolutely no idea.

As Cameron and Abigail chatted with Theo near the punch bowl, Theo grabbed Abigail by the hand and placed her hand in Cameron's. Kayla arrived to take Theo to the Brady Pub, where the other kids were hanging out. As Cameron walked Kayla out, Jack and Abigail shared a warm father-daughter moment. Jack noted that Abigail was no longer a little kid, so he shouldn't treat her like one. "Dad, even though I may be all grown up, I'll always be your little girl," Abigail declared, and hugged Jack affectionately.

As Sami and E.J. arrived at a DiMera Enterprises warehouse, Sami called Will to ask for his help. Afterward, Sami fretted that if they stayed there, they could get caught. E.J. refused to leave without seeing his kids. Soon, Will arrived with Johnny and Sydney, who ran across the warehouse to hug their daddy.

E.J. then explained to the children that he was going on an adventure, but they couldn't go with him because he needed them to look after their mommy. Once Will sensed that it was time to go, he led the kids out with the promise of ice cream.

Sami and E.J. were alone in the warehouse when they heard noises outside. They hurried upstairs to the catwalk and hid while the police entered and began to search the place. Lucas showed up right behind Roman, who was none too thrilled to see Lucas and ordered him to stay out of the way. Roman explained that he'd followed Will to the warehouse, because he'd known that Will would eventually lead them to E.J.

Madison arrived at the ballroom, carrying her bouquet, and looked around for Brady. Maggie enthused that Madison looked ravishing, but Madison only fretted that she hadn't heard from Brady. "Maybe he's decided not to attend his own wedding," slurred Ian, who'd overheard the conversation. "Why don't you take a hike, pal, before I get angry," John warned Ian.

Madison noted that Brady was over an hour late to the party. John guessed that perhaps Brady had gone ahead to the church, but Madison said that the two of them were supposed to walk to the church together to take photos. Marlena offered to call the priest to let him know they would be delayed a bit, but a tearful Madison didn't think Brady was going to show up. She rushed off in the direction of the ladies' room. John was confident that Brady was not going to stand Madison up.

Sensing that Daniel was about to lose it again, Nicole declared that she thought he needed a hug, and pulled him gently into her arms. Daniel accepted the embrace gratefully. Nicole wanted to leave with Daniel, since she didn't think he should be alone. Daniel said he didn't think that was a good idea, but she followed him to the stairwell anyway. "I'm sorry -- I am not going to let you shut me out again, because right now you need me," Nicole declared firmly.

Daniel argued that the pregnant Nicole should not be out helping in the search for Melanie, but Nicole just wanted to be there for Daniel any way she could. Daniel realized that he needed to find Brady and Madison to give them his regrets, so he headed into the ballroom.

Abe told Bo and Hope that he was going to the pub to check on Theo. As Doug and Julie walked Abe out, they ran into Daniel, who quickly found Maggie and Victor. Daniel was surprised that Brady hadn't shown up yet. Daniel apologetically explained that he was going to head back out to search for Melanie and promised to call Maggie the minute he heard anything. "But first, I'm going to take Nicole home. And you aren't going to say a word," Daniel said to Victor.

While Daniel tried to phone Chad, Nicole headed toward the ladies' room. She paused in the hallway outside and inhaled sharply as she rubbed her belly.

Abigail informed her parents that she and Cameron were going to the pub to drop off a book that Theo had forgotten, but they promised to return shortly. As they moved toward the door, Abigail realized that she'd left her shawl behind, so Cameron offered to retrieve it and then meet her at the elevator.

Ian caught up to Madison and apologized for what he'd said. Madison blamed Ian for Brady being a no-show, but Ian insisted that he'd had nothing to do with it. "I don't believe you, Ian. I know Brady would be here if he could. He loves me," Madison declared. "Darling, if he loved you, he would have called you," Ian countered.

As Will arrived at the party, Sami called him from the catwalk of the warehouse. Whispering, she urged Will to get a cab to meet E.J. at the Brady Pub right away. Will agreed. As Roman ordered the cops to search upstairs, E.J. decided to try to sneak down from the catwalk, and Roman spotted him. Roman drew his gun, but Sami stepped in front of E.J. to keep Roman from shooting. Roman ordered one of the cops to call for backup. Lucas begged Roman to lower his gun, and Roman ordered Sami to move out of the way. Sami hissed to E.J. behind her, "Run!"

Underground, once the dust had settled, Chad was more determined than ever to find Melanie and Gabi before the place blew sky-high. Brady suggested that they split up so they had a better chance of finding the girls.

Gabi and Melanie stood and dusted themselves off. Seeing Andrew pinned under the beam, Gabi faked a broken ankle, and urged Melanie to go and get help. Melanie reluctantly agreed. As soon as Melanie had left, Gabi tried to move the pillar off of Andrew, but it was too heavy, so she poked at him and yelled his name to try to wake him up. Gabi was terrified when the light fixture began to spark again.

As Melanie stumbled through the dark tunnels, she ran right into Brady. The two embraced tightly with utter relief. "Listen, we have to get the hell out of here," Brady declared to a sobbing Melanie, who refused to leave, since the injured Gabi was still down there. The two headed off in Gabi's direction.

As Chad hurried through the tunnels, he found Gabi. "Where's Melanie at?" Chad asked after determining that Gabi was unharmed. He spotted Andrew under the beam, and realized that he was the kidnapper. "I'm going to kill him," Chad declared. He moved the beam off of Andrew, then grabbed the man by the shirt and shook him, shouting, "Where is she, you son of a bitch?" "Ask your friend," Andrew replied weakly, indicating Gabi.

Melanie and Brady had almost reached the chamber where Gabi, Andrew, and Chad were, when suddenly the light fixture sparked again -- and set off another explosion.

The blast shattered the windows in the ballroom and sent people flying across the room. Abigail tumbled into the elevator, and as the doors closed behind her, the cables above the car began to snap. As people scrambled for cover, flames and broken glass tore through the ballroom. A chandelier fell from the ceiling and columns toppled.

In the tunnels, Brady threw himself protectively on top of Melanie, while dirt and debris covered them. Flames shot up around Chad, Andrew, and Gabi, as rocks and dirt fell from the ceiling. At the warehouse, Sami fell from the catwalk, but E.J. caught her by the arms before she tumbled to the floor below. Shrieking, Sami frantically clutched at E.J. as she dangled over the edge, many feet above the ground.