Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 13, 2012 on DAYS

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

Monday, August 13, 2012

by Mike

In the aftermath of the explosion, Bo and Hope found Roman wandering around Horton Town Square. Hope and Bo took Roman to the Brady Pub, where Kayla and Will had started a makeshift triage unit.

"The paramedics and the rescue workers can't get in there -- into the square -- because all the roads are torn up," Kayla reported, as she checked Roman's injuries. Bo theorized that some sort of underground gas leak had caused the explosion. Bo and Hope were relieved to learn that Ciara, Caroline, Abe, and Theo were all right. Bo told Kayla that Victor, Maggie, Doug, and Julie were also okay.

Bo and Hope announced that they were going to return to the ballroom to see if anyone else needed help. Will agreed to stay at the pub so that he could assist Kayla. After Hope and Bo left, John, Marlena, and Kate entered the pub. John was carrying Lucas, who was injured and unconscious. Kayla and Will started to take care of Lucas' wounds.

John quickly exited the pub, assuring Marlena that he would be careful. Kate asked about Ian, but she was dismayed to learn that no one had seen him. Lucas started to regain consciousness, and he wondered if Sami was all right. Lucas wanted to return to the warehouse to look for Sami, but Kate and Kayla refused to let him leave the pub. Will offered to search for Sami, and he rushed off before anyone could object.

In the tunnels under Salem, Chad told Gabi that Andrew had escaped. "Before, when I asked Andrew where Melanie was, he said to ask you. Why would he say that?" Chad wondered. Gabi stammered as she tried to think of a response, and she explained that she had been with Melanie earlier. Gabi told Chad that she and Melanie had gotten separated after Gabi had injured her ankle.

Gabi was eager to leave the tunnels, but Chad refused to leave without Melanie. Chad rushed off to look for Melanie, and Gabi reluctantly followed. Elsewhere, Brady lifted a wooden beam that had fallen on Melanie's leg, and he realized that she was bleeding. Melanie gasped as Brady wrapped his shirt around her leg to stop the bleeding.

Melanie was worried that another explosion would occur, so she anxiously told Brady that they needed to escape. "I don't mean to scare you, Mel, but...I don't know how that's gonna happen. The tunnel caved in on both sides -- we're trapped in here," Brady said, as he surveyed the area. Brady assured Melanie that Chad would find them, and he promised that Andrew would never hurt her again.

Melanie tried to act casual, and she jokingly wondered if Brady had any news that he would like to share. Brady laughed and admitted that he had recently been in rehab. Melanie was stunned, but Brady assured her that he was all right. Melanie waited for Brady to elaborate, but he abruptly changed the subject. "I'm getting married -- tonight, like around midnight," Brady announced.

Melanie groaned as she realized that she had ruined Brady's wedding day. Meanwhile, Brady heard a distant rumble. Brady was worried that the tunnels would continue to collapse, so he decided to try to dig through the debris to create an exit. Melanie abruptly stopped Brady when she noticed a crack in a nearby pipe.

In the ballroom, Jack, Jennifer, and Cameron tried to help Abigail, who was stuck in an elevator. As Cameron and Jack tried to pry the door open, an aftershock occurred, causing more debris to fall. A small fire ignited in front of the elevator door, and Abigail panicked as smoke started to fill the elevator. Cameron grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and attempted to put out the flames.

Meanwhile, Jack started to shake violently. Jennifer tried to calm Jack down with some breathing exercises, and she assured him that Abigail was going to be all right. "Everywhere was smoke. There was so much smoke. I'm burning -- it's burning, it's burning. It was like a bomb. A bomb -- the shaking and the burning," Jack muttered.

Cameron announced that the fire had been extinguished, and Jack started to regain his composure. Jack and Cameron tried to pry the door open again. Jack's surge of adrenaline made the task easier than it had been before, and he and Cameron managed to open the outer elevator door. Jack grabbed a nearby board and used it as a lever to partially open the heavier inner door.

Jack managed to squeeze through the opening that he had created. Jack rushed to Abigail's side and assured her that everything was going to be all right. As Cameron struggled to keep the door open so that Jack and Abigail could escape, another tremor occurred, and the elevator cable started to weaken.

Elsewhere, Daniel tried to rescue Nicole, who was trapped under a large pile of rubble. "Daniel, I think I'm going into labor!" Nicole shouted, as she winced in pain. Daniel tried to calm Nicole's fears, and he pointed out that she could be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions. Nicole seemed unconvinced, and she begged Daniel to keep talking to her.

Bo arrived, and Daniel quietly made it clear to Bo that they needed to rescue Nicole right away. "Help! Daniel, please...make it stop, please. I can't lose this baby...not again," Nicole tearfully stated, as she recalled the moment when Brady had informed her that her previous child had died. Daniel urged Nicole to stay strong, and he added that her strength was one of her most admirable qualities.

Nicole joked that she had always assumed that her strength was one of her most infuriating qualities. As Daniel and Bo continued to clear the debris, Nicole groaned as her pain intensified. Daniel called out to Nicole, but she was unresponsive.

Meanwhile, in another section of the ballroom, Ian regained consciousness. Ian tried to rouse Madison, who was lying on the ground a few feet away from him. When Ian pulled his hand away from Madison's head, he noticed some blood on his fingertips.

Ian assured Madison that she was going to be all right, and she muttered something unintelligible in response. "Help is on the way. I'm here with you. We're gonna be together. We're gonna be happy, Madison -- like we were in the beginning. You're my girl. You're my sweet, sweet girl. You're the only woman that I've ever loved," Ian tearfully stated, unaware that Kate was standing behind him.

"I never thought I'd live a life of regret, but I regret the way I've treated you. You deserve better. You deserved a better man. I'm gonna be a better man -- I'm gonna be the man that you deserve. I love you -- only you. I don't love Kate -- I was just using Kate...just as a way to get close to the DiMera fortune. It's only gonna be you -- just you and I -- so please, my darling, you can't leave me," Ian begged Madison, as Kate quietly listened.

Ian admitted that he had realized that he was lucky to have Madison in his life. Ian wondered if Madison could ever forgive him. "Br -- Brady, I love you," Madison muttered weakly, as she went limp in Ian's arms. Kate closed her eyes and sighed. Ian cradled Madison in his arms and tearfully begged her not to leave him.

At the warehouse, E.J. desperately tried to pull Sami back up to the catwalk. Meanwhile, sparks ignited on the ground below, threatening to start a fire. Sami started to slip out of E.J.'s grasp, and she begged him to let her go so that he could save himself.

Will entered the warehouse and rushed up to the catwalk. Together, Will and E.J. managed to pull Sami to safety. After hugging Will, Sami wrapped her arms around E.J. and laid her head on his chest as she started to sob.

A short time later, the group exited the warehouse. Will assured Sami that Roman and Lucas were all right. Will added that Lucas had told him where to find Sami. Will informed Sami and E.J. that some sort of underground explosion had occurred earlier. E.J. insisted that he had to help the rescue crew, and he started to excuse himself.

"E.J., have you lost your mind? The police will arrest you! No matter what's happened, you have to -- you have to get out of town," Sami firmly stated. E.J. believed that the police had more important things to worry about, but Will agreed with Sami. Will confirmed that the police were still looking for E.J., and he explained that he had overheard some cops talking about the search earlier.

Will urged E.J. to stick to the original plan, and Sami agreed. "Will is right, and you know he is. My dad almost caught you tonight. If he does that, we'll never find out -- we'll never be able to clear you. E.J., you saved my life tonight, and Johnny and Sydney are gonna know that their dad is a hero, but like you said to me -- for your kids, you have to do this. You have to go," Sami insisted.

E.J. turned to Will and quietly stated that Sami was always right. E.J. hugged Will and thanked him for his help. E.J. sighed as he looked at Sami. "I guess this is goodbye," E.J. said, and he turned to leave.

"No, it's not. I'm coming with you," Sami announced, as Will and E.J. stared at her in disbelief.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

by ChickenGrrl

In the ballroom, Bo and Daniel worked tirelessly to move rubble off of the spot where they believed Nicole had been buried. Daniel was frantic because Nicole had said she'd felt like she was having contractions, and she hadn't answered him for several minutes. Hope tried to reassure Daniel that the rescue squad would be there any minute, but Daniel refused to stop working. Suddenly, some debris fell from the ceiling and hit Daniel on the head.

Hope tended to Daniel's head wound, but he was adamant about returning to trying to dig Nicole out, so he and Bo resumed moving debris with Hope's assistance. After much digging, Bo and Daniel removed the last piece of rubble from where Daniel thought Nicole had been -- but Nicole was not underneath it. "Where the hell is she?" Daniel wondered aloud.

Out in the hallway, Jack and Cameron finally managed to pry open the doors to the elevator where Abigail was trapped. While Cameron struggled to hold the doors open, Jack darted inside to be with his terrified daughter -- but then the doors snapped shut, trapping Abigail and Jack inside. While Jack comforted Abigail, Cameron and Jennifer worked to try to open the elevator doors again. Cameron grew frustrated because everything he had used to pry the doors open had broken. Jennifer offered words of encouragement.

Abigail blamed herself that she and Jack were trapped, but Jack reassured her that her heart had been in the right place in trying to return Theo's book. Jack tried to jump up to reach the escape hatch in the roof of the elevator, but it only served to weaken the cables above the car. As they felt the elevator shake, Jack promised not to try that again, and tried to encourage his daughter not to be scared. She began to cry anyway, so he hugged her tightly and promised that she would have a long and happy life.

Abigail thanked Jack for being such a great dad. He admitted that he had made some lousy decisions in his life that he deeply regretted -- but the greatest thing that had ever happened to him was getting to see what a spectacular young woman his daughter had become. Abigail apologized for all the hurtful things she'd said to him when he'd returned to her life, and Jack admitted that he never should have left in the first place.

"I still want to be a reporter like you," Abigail confided. She recounted all the things she had learned from her dad, including listening, patience, and forgiveness, and declared that she was very grateful to be his daughter. Jack shared some stories of when Abigail had been a baby.

At last, Jennifer found a crowbar, so Cameron began to pry the elevator doors open. Unfortunately, at the same time, the cables above began to snap further. Abigail began to hyperventilate, but Jack shouted through the doors that he and Abigail were all right. When Abigail started to sob, Jennifer firmly encouraged her daughter to stay strong. After some whimpering on Abigail's part and some strong words of encouragement on her parents' parts, Abigail finally declared, "I can do this."

Just then, the elevator cables frayed even more, and the car began to shake and groan. Determined to get his daughter out of the elevator before the cables snapped completely, Jack commanded Cameron to work harder to pry the doors open. As Jack worked from the inside, Cameron used the crowbar on the outside, and at last they were able to inch the doors open enough for someone to squeeze through.

Jack helped Abigail to the opening, where Cameron and Jennifer pulled her through. No sooner had Abigail gotten to safety than the last cable snapped -- leaving Jack trapped inside the elevator.

At the triage center in the Brady Pub, Roman slowly regained consciousness while a concerned Marlena and Kayla tended to his injuries. Roman groggily remembered that Sami had been in danger, but the women forced him to lie back down on the gurney. Kayla was frustrated to learn from Marlena that Lucas had gone off in search of Sami, because he had lost a lot of blood from a gash on his arm.

Marlena tried to reassure Roman that Sami would be all right, but Roman informed his ex-wife that Sami had stepped in the way and refused to let him arrest E.J. Roman was worried that Sami could be in serious trouble if his men found E.J., because the cops had orders to arrest E.J. on sight -- using force if necessary.

Abe was a bit frustrated because Theo wouldn't let his dad out of his sight, and because the explosion had happened on the night of the benefit to honor Lexie. Kayla believed that Lexie was watching over all of them, especially since more people weren't badly injured. Abe offered to do what he could to help Kayla out, so she sent him into the kitchen to retrieve some cases of water.

While Abe was gone, Theo noticed a little girl sitting by herself and crying. He asked what was wrong, and the girl said that she couldn't find her mommy. Theo offered gentle reassurances to the girl, Molly. Abe returned and questioned the girl, but she was too young to offer much help about where her mother might be. Kayla checked her list of patients, and confirmed to Abe that Molly's mother was not at the pub.

While Theo played quietly with Molly, Abe made a few phone calls, but was unable to locate the girl's mother. Kayla was impressed with how well Theo was able to keep Molly calm. Theo took the little girl's hand and reassured her he just knew that they were going to find her mommy. Abe and Kayla began to gently question Molly again about what her mother had been wearing at the gala. Molly couldn't remember much, including her telephone number.

Suddenly, Abe looked around and realized that Theo had disappeared. Abe ran outside, calling for his son. After several minutes of frantic searching, at last Theo appeared in the doorway -- holding the hand of Molly's mom. Molly ran ecstatically into her mother's arms. The grateful woman explained that she had fallen behind some cars where no one could see her, but then Theo had appeared and escorted her into the pub where her daughter was waiting.

Abe asked how Theo had known where to look for Molly's mother. "I listened to what Molly said. I wanted to be a detective like you," Theo declared proudly. Abe hugged his son tightly.

At the warehouse, Sami announced that she was going with E.J., but he refused to let her accompany him. Will agreed that his mom should go with E.J. and offered to look after the kids until Sami got back. Sami pointed out that the police were on their way, so she and E.J. had to go before they were caught. She bade her son a tearful, heartfelt farewell, and then left with a reluctant E.J.

After Will left the warehouse, he found Lucas unconscious on the ground outside Horton Square. Will helped his dad up, but Lucas's only concern was finding and helping Sami. Although Will lied that he hadn't seen his mom, he reluctantly followed his dad to the warehouse. Lucas was worried that Sami had fallen from the catwalk during the explosion, and started digging through the debris in case she was buried beneath it.

Seeing how weak his dad was, Will finally admitted that Sami had left with E.J. Lucas was furious both with Sami and with Will for not admitting the truth. Will swore that he had no idea where Sami and E.J. had gone. Lucas demanded to know where Sami had taken E.J. "I'm sorry; she's not just taking him anywhere. Dad, she's going to go with him," Will confessed. Lucas worried what someone who had murdered his father in cold blood like E.J. had would do to Sami. Will insisted that whoever was trying to frame E.J. was a bigger threat to Sami. Lucas was livid and heartbroken about what a huge mistake Sami had made by choosing to be with E.J.

Sami let herself and E.J. into John and Marlena's townhouse so they could count E.J.'s stash of cash and regroup for a moment. Sami admitted that it hurt her to go off and leave the children, but she felt she had to help E.J. -- and she believed that the two of them would be unstoppable against whoever was trying to frame E.J. E.J. asked if Sami had considered whether she could say goodbye to Lucas.

Sami acknowledged that Lucas would not be happy, but all she was doing was helping E.J. prove his innocence, because he had no one else in his life to help him. Sami and E.J. then discussed where they should go next. As they bantered back and forth, suddenly E.J. announced that he knew the perfect place.

A bit later, E.J. led Sami into one of Stefano's safe houses. Sami joked that the somewhat modern dcor wasn't exactly Stefano's style. E.J. offered his sincere thanks to Sami for helping him.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

by ChickenGrrl

In the tunnels, Melanie worried that there would be another explosion -- and she fretted about what had become of the buildings and everything above them. Brady admitted that his wedding reception was supposed to be far above their heads, in Horton Square, and became more determined than ever to dig them out of where they were trapped. Suddenly, there was another cave-in, and Brady threw himself protectively on top of Melanie.

After they lay there unconscious for a time, Melanie regained consciousness first, and picked rubble off of herself and Brady before getting up. When she realized that Brady wasn't breathing, she flung the rest of the debris off of him and began administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. When Brady finally came to, he immediately joked, "Melanie, was your tongue just in my mouth?" He thanked Melanie for saving him, but she made him lie still while she began to try again to dig them out. They heard dirt and rocks falling around them, and Brady warned Melanie to be very careful.

While the two of them worked, Brady and Melanie tried to make light of their situation. Melanie wanted to hear why Brady had been in rehab, but he refused to talk about it. Melanie began to freak out about what might have happened to Chad and Gabi. She was ready to give up digging, but Brady thought that he could see light.

Nearby, Gabi warned Chad that she thought they were going the wrong way. Chad found an opening where there had been a cave-in and ordered Gabi to help him dig. Gabi thought it was a bad idea, in case there was another explosion, but Chad anxiously pointed out that the kidnapper could still be down there and after Melanie. After some prodding, Gabi reluctantly began to help Chad move debris away from the opening.

As the ground around and above them began to rumble, Gabi somehow convinced Chad that if they died in another cave-in, they would be no good to Melanie or Brady. The two of them hurried away together. Chad stopped at one point and declared that they were going to keep searching until they found Melanie and Brady.

Chad suddenly stopped and insisted that he'd heard voices nearby. Gabi followed as he ran off in the direction of the sound.

After a final shove of some rocks and beams, Brady and Melanie could see a way out above them. They threw their arms ecstatically around one another -- just as Chad and Gabi rounded the corner and spotted them.

In the wrecked ballroom, Daniel was alarmed when he and Bo finally moved the debris from where Nicole had been, but Nicole was no longer there. As he plopped down exhaustedly on the floor, he bewailed how both Melanie and Nicole had disappeared on him. Bo discovered an opening in the wall behind where Nicole had been and guessed that she could have escaped down the exposed hallway. Hope got on the phone to contact Kayla at the Brady Pub to see if Nicole had made it to the triage center set up there.

After Bo and Daniel had searched a while more for Nicole, Daniel asked Hope if she'd heard anything from Kayla about Nicole or Melanie, but Hope had not. Bo heard a muffled voice from under some debris, so he and Daniel began carefully moving wreckage aside -- but another woman, not Nicole, was trapped underneath. Daniel quickly determined that the woman had a broken leg, and promised to take good care of her. Bo and Hope left in search of a paramedic with a stretcher, while Daniel assessed the woman's injuries.

A little later, the EMTs arrived and got the woman strapped to a gurney, then wheeled her out. Hope decided to go along in the ambulance, to see if she could help out at the pub. A determined Daniel headed out in search of Nicole, and Bo followed.

After searching for a while, Daniel and Bo found a dazed, disoriented Nicole wandering near Horton Square. The men helped Nicole to a bench, and Daniel determined that she was going into shock. While Bo called for an ambulance, Daniel took off his jacket and wrapped it around an almost unresponsive Nicole. As Daniel held Nicole, he promised that she and the baby would be just fine -- but he warned Bo that the contractions were spaced very closely together.

Outside the ballroom, Kate watched as a devastated Ian cradled Madison's lifeless body in his arms. "You're the only woman I ever loved," Ian declared to the deceased Madison. Kate made her presence known, just as John appeared in the hallway. Kate was unmoved as Ian blamed himself for what had happened to Madison. He declared that destroying Stefano had been more important to him than Madison had.

John informed Kate that he was going to get help for Madison, but Ian advised him that it was too late. Disgusted, John asked if Ian had any idea where Brady might be. Ian insisted that he'd had nothing to do with whatever had happened to Brady, and vowed to make Brady pay for Madison's death. John tried to order Ian to let the rescue workers clear the debris to look for survivors, but Ian refused to leave Madison.

John blamed Ian for Brady not showing up to his own wedding, but Ian clamed that he'd had nothing to do with it. "Madison...took her last breath believing that Brady didn't love her -- believing that nobody loved her," Ian sneered. John argued that it was Ian's own fault for keeping Brady and Madison apart -- and for getting Brady hooked on drugs again.

The EMTs arrived just as John was leaving. John encouraged Kate to go, as well, and then left in search of Brady. Kate continued to watch silently as the rescue workers gently took Madison's body away from Ian.

In the elevator, Jack managed to help Abigail to safety before the cables snapped in two, leaving Jack trapped inside as the car plummeted. "I love you!" Jack yelled as the doors shut him in the elevator car. Jennifer and Abigail shrieked in terror as they heard the crash. Abigail sobbed in Cameron's arms while Jennifer pounded on the elevator doors, each woman begging desperately for God to help Jack.

After Cameron tried unsuccessfully to pry the doors open again, he gave up and left to find help, just as Roman arrived in the corridor. Jennifer and Abigail quickly filled Roman in on what had happened. Roman ordered the women to stay put while he radioed for help, but he was unable to get an answer. He directed the women to stay where they were, and headed downstairs to check on Jack.

While they waited for Roman to return, Abigail blamed herself for whatever had happened to her dad. Jennifer firmly admonished her not to think like that. After a long wait, Roman finally returned and broke the news: "Jennifer, Abigail: I'm so sorry. The paramedics said he died instantly." Abigail began to wail inconsolably, and Jennifer tried to keep her daughter from collapsing to the floor.

A woman ran up and asked for a doctor as Abigail and Jennifer sobbed in each other's arms. Roman enlisted Cameron, who reluctantly left the crying women to do what he could to help. "This can't be happening! We just got him back!" Abigail cried as her sobbing mother held her. Jennifer recalled the times she'd said goodbye to Jack before when he'd returned from the dead afterward. She encouraged Abigail to remember how much her father had loved her.

Cameron returned and did his best to comfort Abigail. Jennifer asked if she could see Jack; Cameron didn't know if it were possible, but offered to check for her. Jennifer noticed a nasty wound on Abigail's arm, so Cameron took Abigail to the triage area to get it checked out.

As Abigail and Cameron left, Justin and Adrienne arrived. The relieved couple hugged Jennifer, and asked about Jack. Jennifer gently broke the news that Jack was gone.

Kate tailed Ian as he stumbled through Horton Square on his way to Madison's hotel room. After picking up a bottle of Scotch, Ian let himself into Madison's room and poured himself a drink without bothering to close the door behind him. Kate showed up as Ian was mournfully sniffing an article of Madison's clothing. "You're an evil son of a bitch," Kate pronounced. She warned Ian that drowning his sorrows was not the answer, but poured herself a drink, and toasted to Ian getting what he deserved.

Kate tossed her drink in Ian's face, and he ordered her to get out before he threw her out. Furious, Kate berated Ian because Stefano had died despising her because she had slept with a "worthless piece of trash" like Ian. She then berated herself for allowing Ian to use her. She vowed to make sure Ian suffered so much that the death of Madison would seem like one of the better days in his life. Ian made a snide remark about how Stefano had blackmailed Kate into marriage without even having to pay her for her services.

Kate slapped Ian with all of her might, but he only chuckled. Ian then shouted at Kate for her unforgivable behavior to harass him on the night that Madison had died. "Not as unforgivable as what you did to me!" Kate retorted. Ian admitted that he had, indeed, used Kate -- just like every man in her life had used her, since the first man had left a twenty-dollar bill on the nightstand for her.

"Just like Stefano has used you -- twenty-four hours a day, every day, for the past three years," Ian snarled. Kate asserted that Stefano had loved her very much -- and Ian knew nothing about love between adults. Kate and Ian sniped at each other, and Kate shouted that Ian was nowhere near Stefano's equal in the boardroom or the bedroom. A drunken Ian blurted, "Stefano was the scum of the earth. You should be happy to be rid of him. You should be down on your knees, grateful, thankful that I killed him!"

Thursday, August 16, 2012

by Mike

In the tunnels under Salem, Gabi watched enviously as Melanie and Chad finally reunited. Melanie was horrified to learn that Andrew had managed to escape. A distant rumble interrupted the reunion, and Brady urgently instructed everyone to follow him.

At the Horton Town Square, Daniel assured Nicole that everything was going to be all right, but she wasn't convinced. Nicole recalled that a group of doctors had once told her that she would never be able to carry a baby to term. Daniel countered that Nicole's doctors had also claimed that she would never be able to get pregnant again.

Bo rushed off to Daniel's car to retrieve a medical bag. When Bo returned, Daniel told Nicole that he was going to give her a mild sedative. "The last time, they -- they couldn't stop the contractions. They couldn't stop it last time, Daniel," Nicole fearfully recalled. Daniel promised that he wouldn't let history repeat itself.

Shortly after Daniel administered the sedative, Nicole gasped, and he wondered what was wrong. Nicole happily stated that she was no longer having contractions. Using a stethoscope, Daniel confirmed that the baby's heartbeat was much stronger than it had been before. Daniel was optimistic, but he warned that he was still going to send Nicole to the hospital so that an obstetrician could verify that everything was all right.

Bo excused himself so that he could see if anyone else needed help. After Bo left, Nicole shook her head in disbelief. "You saved my baby's life, Daniel. I mean, you promised that everything was going to be okay, and I'm so used to broken promises and nothing going right for me. Daniel, when you told me I was pregnant, it was a miracle, and you just gave me another one," Nicole tearfully stated.

Before Daniel could respond, sirens started to blare as an ambulance approached. Daniel was reluctant to leave Nicole, but he wanted to continue to look for Melanie. Nicole thanked Daniel for his help and assured him that she would be okay. After Daniel left, Nicole clutched her stomach and started to sob.

Elsewhere, Chad, Melanie, Gabi, and Brady ran into Daniel. Brady excused himself so that he could look for Madison. After Brady left, Melanie told Daniel about everything that had happened. Daniel was frustrated to learn that Andrew had disappeared. Daniel told the group that they were each going to have to give a statement to the police. Gabi smiled nervously and tried to hide her fear.

Daniel blamed himself for Melanie's ordeal. "I should've been paying more attention to you. I promise you, I will never, never leave you behind. You will be my first priority," Daniel vowed. Melanie seemed confused, but she assumed that Daniel was just being overprotective. Daniel ignored Melanie's comment and insisted that he was going to take everyone to the hospital to confirm that they were all right.

At the hospital, Bo entered Nicole's room. Nicole was surprised to see Bo, who explained that he had been asked to take a few injured people to the hospital. Bo added that he had wanted to make sure that Nicole was all right before he returned to the town square. Nicole thanked Bo for his concern and confirmed that she was okay.

Bo received a text message. After reading the message, Bo abruptly excused himself. Nicole wondered if everything was all right. Bo informed Nicole that the police were looking for E.J., who had disappeared after Sami had posted his bail. Nicole thanked Bo for letting her know, and he quickly exited the room.

"Did you hear that, honey? Oh, my God, what a night. You know what I really hope? That you never find out that your father exists. And with E.J. out of the picture, I hope that Rafe doesn't have to keep pretending so hard to be your father. I know that he has been so good to us, but...he's hung up on someone else -- maybe a few someone elses. You know what we need? We just -- what we really need is someone to make us happy. Oh, baby...when we get out of here, we're gonna have a brand new start and a brand new life, and I have never felt this sure about anything," Nicole said.

At the ballroom, Justin comforted Adrienne. "Jack disappears. Jack goes on adventures, and he always comes back. He doesn't -- he can't be dead," Adrienne tearfully stated, as Julie entered the room. Julie's jaw dropped when she heard the news, and she sighed heavily as she approached Jennifer to offer her condolences.

"Oh, Jen. I remember he danced with me...on the cruise -- on the Loretta, that dreadful cruise. The only good thing about it was the two of you were together. You know, once...when we were working together on the newspaper, he came to me and he said he wanted to cut back on the hours -- had to cut back on the news beat -- and I thought, 'Well, Jack -- typical, typical, typical, irresponsible Jack.' But then he told me why he wanted to -- he wanted to spend more time with his baby girl. Gram was always his biggest fan. They're together now, Jennifer," Julie said, as she struggled to contain her emotions.

Later, Jennifer, Julie, Adrienne, Justin, Abigail, and Cameron entered the Brady Pub. Kayla could tell that something was wrong, and she wondered if Jack was all right. Julie gently explained that Jack had died earlier. Adrienne excused herself so that she could call Steve, and Kayla offered to accompany her. Meanwhile, Jennifer called J.J.

Abigail wondered how Jennifer was going to tell J.J. that Abigail was responsible for Jack's death. Cameron reminded Abigail that Jack's death had been accidental, but Abigail insisted that Jack wouldn't have died if she hadn't gotten stuck in an elevator. Jennifer ended her phone call, and Abigail wondered if J.J. was going to return to Salem. Jennifer admitted that she wasn't sure.

Jennifer explained that J.J. was still in shock. Jennifer said that she had wanted to give J.J. some time to process the news, and she had promised to call him again later. Julie agreed to notify Hope, Maggie, Jo, and the rest of the family, and Cameron convinced Abigail to follow him outside so that she could get some fresh air.

After Julie, Cameron, and Abigail left, Adrienne, Kayla, and Justin emerged from the back of the pub. Jennifer asked about Steve, and Kayla reported that he was devastated. Justin announced that Jack's body had been taken to the hospital morgue, and he offered to take Jennifer there later. Justin handed Jennifer an envelope that contained Jack's personal effects.

Jennifer sighed heavily as she opened the envelope. After retrieving Jack's pen, Jennifer found his wallet, which contained an old photograph of the couple. Jennifer struggled to maintain her composure as she looked at the photograph. Jennifer reached into the envelope again and retrieved Jack's cell phone. When Jennifer turned the phone on, she found herself staring at another image of her and Jack.

Finally, Jennifer upended the envelope and watched the remaining items spill out -- including Jack's wedding band. Jennifer sobbed uncontrollably as she placed the ring on her index finger, and Adrienne and Kayla rushed over to comfort her. Meanwhile, outside, Bo greeted Abigail and Cameron, and he quickly realized that something was wrong. Abigail hugged Bo and tearfully explained that Jack had died earlier.

In Madison's hotel room, Ian tried to take back his confession, but Kate refused to forget what she had heard. Ian claimed that Kate was just hearing what she wanted to hear. "What I want to hear? That you murdered my husband? Because that's the last thing I want to hear! You can't take it back, Ian. It's written all over your face, and I just can't believe that I never saw it," Kate said.

Kate retrieved her purse and started to leave. Ian demanded to know where Kate was going, and she replied that she was going to tell Roman everything. Ian angrily shoved Kate onto the bed. Kate reached for a nearby bottle to defend herself with, but Ian grabbed it first.

"Do you think I care if you go to Roman? Let's see...you have a history with the commissioner. Who don't you have a history with? How did that end for you, Kate? Well, let's see. Do you think he'd believe you? It's your word against mine. There was a conversation I had -- you overheard. I said to Madison that I loved her and not you. And there was a witness to the conversation -- the very noble John Black...who you also have a past with," Ian reminded Kate.

Kate insisted that Roman would believe her, but Ian wasn't convinced. Ian smashed the bottle against a table and waved the broken end in the air. "If you really think I'm capable of killing...you'd better watch your step, lady," Ian warned, as he approached Kate and kissed her. Kate pushed Ian away in disgust, and he threw the bottle on the floor and stormed out of the room. After Ian left, Kate started to sob.

Later, Brady entered Madison's hotel room, and he was surprised to find Kate inside. Brady demanded to know where Madison was. After a moment of hesitation, Kate sighed and told Brady that she was sorry.

At the DiMera safe house, E.J. considered returning to Salem. "Are you serious right now? Because if we go back to Salem, you're gonna be arrested for murder, and I will be arrested for...accessory to...something," Sami pointed out. E.J. was concerned that Sami might have made her decision too impulsively. E.J. offered to claim that he had forced Sami to accompany him, but she firmly refused his offer.

Later, Sami heard a noise. Before E.J. could react, someone entered the darkened room and pointed a gun at him. After a tense moment, the man apologized and turned on the lights. E.J. identified the man as one of his employees, Silvio, who had obviously assumed that an intruder had entered the safe house. E.J. conceded that he should have warned Silvio that he would be using the building.

Silvio offered to gather some supplies for E.J. and Sami, including some clean clothes. Before Silvio left, he reached into a desk drawer and retrieved a laptop. Silvio explained that he had added Internet access to the safe house at Stefano's request. After Silvio left, Sami eagerly reached for the laptop so that she could check Facebook, but she quickly remembered that the police could track her location if she used her account.

E.J. rummaged through another desk drawer. "Not if we have one of these. It scrambles the signal so they can't track us. You can read anything you like, but Samantha, if you're going to send an email, please be careful what you write," E.J. warned Sami, as he plugged the scrambling device into the laptop. Sami agreed, and she explained that she just wanted to know if her family was all right.

"I know Will told us my dad was okay, but I haven't heard anything about my mom, and I'm not exactly 'friends' with her, but I can maybe find her through Will's page. Oh...she's obviously okay, because she just played the next round of her stupid word game with Will. And she -- she let the kids have a food fight at dinner tonight. The pictures are so cute, I could just kiss 'em. You know what? It just makes me feel better, though, because...they're okay -- they're happy -- and that's okay, you know? And now I'll feel better about being away from them," Sami said, as she stared at the computer screen.

Later, Sami and E.J. enjoyed a meal that Silvio's wife had cooked for them. As E.J. opened a bottle of wine, Sami noted that the person who had framed E.J. had probably also murdered Stefano. Sami wondered if E.J. had any suspects, and he noncommittally stated that he had a few.

Sami hoped that E.J. didn't suspect John or Marlena. Sami acknowledged that John and Marlena were not her favorite people, but she insisted that they couldn't have killed Stefano. E.J. agreed, and he admitted that he was indebted to John and Marlena for looking after the kids. E.J. eyed the clothes that Sami was wearing, which had apparently once belonged to Marlena, and he added that Marlena had great taste.

Sami, who was wearing jeans and an oversized shirt, wondered if E.J. had consumed an extra bottle of wine while she had been changing her clothes earlier. E.J. noted that Sami had never been very good at accepting compliments. Sami wasn't fooled, and she insisted that she looked like a mother of four who could use forty-eight hours of sleep to recover from the particularly horrible day that she had just experienced.

"You have no idea, do you? When I see you, Samantha, I see the mother of my children. I see a businesswoman. I see a woman who's not afraid to roll up her sleeves and, uh, do a little bit of finger-painting, get in a food fight, or dangle from a ledge," E.J. said, as he stroked Sami's hand. Sami admitted that the latter activity had scared her. Sami pulled her hand away and told E.J. to focus on proving his innocence.

Sami started to question E.J.'s true agenda, but he insisted that he was taking the situation seriously. "I can assure you that when we decided to come here, I had absolutely no intention of seducing you," E.J. claimed. Satisfied, Sami started to walk away, but E.J. grabbed her hand. "But that was then. Now it's just the two of us. We're here...alone, and we have been fighting this for a very long time," E.J. said.

"And I give up," E.J. added, as he leaned in to kiss Sami, who wrapped her arms around him as she also gave up.

Friday, August 17, 2012

by Spalding

In the safehouse, E.J. pulled Sami close and reminded her that they were alone. "We've been fighting this for a very long time, and I give up," E.J. said before he kissed Sami. Confused, Sami halfheartedly asked E.J. to stop. When E.J. asked why, Sami pulled away and said that what they were doing was wrong. Sami argued that the day before, she had been making dinner for Lucas.

With a shrug, E.J. countered that Lucas was "a distraction." Sami admitted that she had feelings for Lucas and that she was torn. "Things have changed between the two of us. I know that, and I know that you know that. It's like we've finally been able to put the past behind us," E.J. said. Sami agreed that they should want what was best for one another because of their children. Sami reminded E.J. that they were on the run in order to clear his name and not to spend the night together.

As E.J. gently caressed the sides of Sami's face, he leaned in for another kiss. Sami pulled away and suggested they wait for information and stare at the walls instead. "I'd much rather stare at you," E.J. whispered as he sat next to Sami on the couch. Breathing heavily, Sami began to kiss E.J. As E.J. pulled Sami onto his lap, his laptop began to beep. Sami urged E.J. to check his computer.

Grudgingly, E.J. released his grasp of Sami and went to check his email. The message was from one of E.J.'s contacts asking E.J. to meet with a person with information that could clear E.J.'s name. Sami asked to go with E.J., but he refused, citing the contact's instructions to go alone. When Sami wondered aloud whether it was a trap, E.J. noted that if he was walking into a trap, then Sami should stay behind.

"Don't you talk like you're not coming back," Sami said. With a grin, E.J. remarked that there had been a time when Sami would have been thrilled if he had never returned home. "Like you said, things have changed," Sami said. E.J. kissed Sami goodbye. With a grin, E.J. noted that when he returned to the safe house, they would pick up where they left off. "I'll be waiting," Sami said softly. E.J. waggled his eyebrow and left.

While E.J. was gone, Sami looked at photos of her children on the computer. As Sami reached for her cup of tea, she spilled it on her pants and shirt. With nothing left to wear, Sami grabbed the little black dress from the couch and went into the bathroom to change. In the hallway outside the apartment, a hand reached for the doorknob.

When Sami returned to the living room, she heard the doorknob to the hallway rattling. Worried, Sami grabbed a wine bottle and held it aloft as she slowly approached the door and unlocked it. As Sami braced herself, someone grabbed the bottle in her hand. Sami uttered a cry and turned to find Rafe standing behind her.

E.J. paced nervously, waiting to meet with his contact. As E.J. looked around, a gloved figure crept up behind him and hit him over the head with a lead pipe.

In the hospital, Nicole dreamed that Daniel was at her bedside, but when she awoke, she was alone in her hospital room. As Nicole took a deep breath, Father Matt stopped by to see how she was feeling. When Father Matt offered his congratulations to Nicole's husband, Nicole explained that E.J. was not the father of her child. Nicole admitted that the trauma of almost losing her child had shown her what was important.

Nicole explained that she had taken someone for granted. Father Matt urged Nicole to focus on her child. Nodding, Nicole noted that she intended to give her baby the life it deserved. After Father Matt left, Nicole talked to her baby and admitted that she was ready to tell Daniel that she wanted a family with him.

In the emergency room, Maxine checked over Melanie while Daniel reviewed her chart and Chad and Gabi watched. Maxine was thrilled that Melanie had been found. A tearful Maggie rushed into the room and hugged Melanie fiercely. Daniel urged Melanie to stay in the room while he and Maxine checked on other patients. As Maggie, Melanie, and Chad discussed what they would do to Melanie's kidnapper, Gabi stared solemnly into the distance.

"I just wish I knew why he kidnapped me," Melanie said. Gabi thought about her fight with Andrew about Melanie. Roman entered the room, and it snapped Gabi back to reality. Roman swore to find Andrew. Melanie agreed to answer Roman's questions, and they went down the hallway to talk. Chad stayed behind to ask Gabi what was wrong.

Bursting into tears, Gabi cried out that everything was her fault. Gabi argued that if Chad knew who she really was, then he would hate her. "I could've stopped it, but I didn't," Gabi confessed. As Chad urged Gabi not to blame herself for Andrew's actions, Melanie returned to the room and agreed with Chad. Maxine entered with a gurney and asked Melanie, Chad, and Gabi to clear the room to accommodate another victim from the explosion.

Chad left with Maxine to help her clear out the rooms for incoming patients, and Melanie asked the paramedics for the patient's chart. As Melanie looked up from the chart, she was startled to see that the unconscious victim on the gurney was Andrew. Gabi peeked around Melanie's shoulder as Andrew woke up.

Maggie met up with Daniel at the nurses' station and asked him how he was feeling. Frustrated, Daniel admitted that he was upset that he had failed to notice that his daughter had been missing. Daniel yelled that he was too self-involved. Maggie reminded Daniel that Melanie was safe and that he should stifle his anger.

With a sigh, Daniel explained that he was worried that he had pushed Nicole into a serious relationship because he did not want to be alone. "I tried to pressure her into a relationship that she doesn't want, she doesn't need," Daniel confessed. Daniel worried aloud that he had failed to be a friend to Nicole.

"Since I learned that my career as a surgeon was over, I've done probably everything possible to avoid the emptiness," Daniel said. Daniel admitted that he did not want to use anyone to fill his emptiness and that he wanted to be someone that his daughter would be proud of. Fighting tears, Maggie told Daniel that she was already proud of him.

Daniel checked on Nicole and informed her that she could go home at the end of the day. Nicole thanked Daniel for saving the lives of her and the baby. As Nicole started to talk about her relationship with Daniel, Dr, Knapp, Nicole's obstetrician, entered the room. Daniel started to leave, but Nicole asked him to stay.

Dr. Knapp informed Nicole that the baby was healthy and that she did not need to be on bed rest. Shifting uncomfortably as she looked at Daniel, Dr. Knapp informed Nicole that Nicole should abstain from sex for the remainder of her pregnancy. After Dr. Knapp left, Nicole joked that the doctor was a buzzkill. Nicole added that she knew that Daniel cared about her and the baby.

Daniel admitted that he cared deeply for Nicole and the baby, but that removing sex from their relationship was a good thing. Confused, Nicole asked if Daniel was permanently ending their romantic relationship. Daniel admitted that he was not proud of how he had pressured Nicole into a relationship. As Daniel began to ramble, Nicole urged Daniel to listen to her.

Brady rushed over to Madison's hotel room and found Kate sitting alone in the room. Scared, Brady demanded to know what had happened to Madison. Fighting tears, Kate apologized and hugged Brady. Stunned, Brady asked for details. Kate informed Brady that Madison had been killed in the explosion. "She was gone before the paramedics got there," Kate whispered. When Brady asked about his family, Kate assured him that John and Marlena were fine.

When Kate mentioned Ian, Brady's grief turned to rage, and he demanded to know what Ian had done to Madison. Kate explained that Ian had been with Madison when she died. As Brady yelled at Kate, John entered the room and accused Kate of attempting to whip his son into a frenzy. When Kate refused to leave, John grabbed her arm and argued that he would not let Kate use Brady's anger to exact her revenge against Ian.

Kate pulled her arm free and tearfully apologized to Brady. Kate told Brady that Madison's final words were, "Brady, I love you." Sniffling, Kate marched out of the room and slammed the door. Brady swore to kill Ian, but John pushed Brady away from the door. John assured Brady that Ian had not killed Madison. Unfazed, Brady screamed that Ian had broken Madison because he was jealous that she loved Brady. Brady cried out that he needed to kill Ian.

John told Brady that Madison would not have wanted Brady to throw his life away over Ian. "You've got to find a way to let it go," John counseled Brady. Brady admitted that he felt guilty that he had not been there when Madison needed him. John reminded Brady that Madison's last thoughts were about him. "That is what you hold on to," John said.

At the coffeehouse, Lucas sipped a coffee as Kate walked in. Kate asked Lucas if he needed help with the kids since Sami had skipped town. "I guess I'm used to it," Lucas said. When Kate informed Lucas that she needed to talk to Roman, Lucas asked her why. Kate thought about Ian's confession, but she did not tell Lucas. Lucas asked if Roman knew where Sami was hiding out. Kate shrugged and admitted that she would be thrilled if Sami never returned.

When Lucas made a disparaging remark about Sami, Kate was intrigued. Lucas noted that he would no longer protect Sami. "I'm sorry it took me so long to see Sami for who she really is," Lucas said. Pleased, Kate told Lucas that he deserved better than Sami. Lucas admitted that he wanted Sami to be happy and to find someone that loved her.