Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of May 20, 2013 on DAYS

Jensen kidnapped Gabi and Nick. While trying to save Nick's life, Jensen shot Will. Sonny delivered Gabi's baby on Smith Island. Kristen and John had second thoughts about going forward with their plans for fear of hurting Brady, but they moved on regardless.

Monday, May 20, 2013

by Mike

At the hospital, Kate wanted to visit Rafe, but Maxine apologetically refused the request. Kate assumed that she was being denied access to Rafe's room because she wasn't a family member, but Maxine clarified that Kate simply needed to wait until the technician who was performing tests in Rafe's room was finished.

Surprised, Kate thanked Maxine, who revealed that Gabi had fought to have Kate's name added to the list of approved visitors. Later, Maxine gave Kate permission to enter Rafe's room. Before Kate left, Maxine noted that it was obvious to her that Rafe possessed not only good looks, but a good soul as well. Kate agreed, adding that men like Rafe were hard to find.

Elsewhere, Stefano's henchman, Ricardo, who had previously informed Stefano that Kate had gone to the hospital to visit Rafe, arranged for Stefano to gain access to Rafe's room. While Kate was in Rafe's room, Stefano secretly eavesdropped from an empty adjacent room. Kate tearfully urged Rafe to fight his way back to her and the rest of his loved ones.

"You should know, Hernandez, that, um, you kind of turned my life around. You were not only my perfect lover. You gave me back my soul. You gave me back my conscience. So I wish I could do the same thing for you. I wish I could kiss you and wake you up...but I can't. All I can do is sit here and hold your hand. And I don't care if anyone sees, because people who love you told me that I made you happy, and I hope that's true," Kate tearfully stated. Stefano scowled as he listened to Kate's heartfelt monologue. Stefano quietly walked away, and Kate gently kissed Rafe's forehead before leaving the room.

At Common Grounds, Chad gave Abigail a personalized motorcycle helmet, explaining that he had purchased it with the earnings that she had refused to accept when she had covered a barista's shift the previous night. "When we start riding again, I don't want to hear you complain about helmet hair like you did all the way up to Chicago that one day," Chad said.

Abigail recalled that Chad was the person who had been concerned about his hair, but he claimed that he didn't know what she was talking about. Abigail seemed pleased to learn that Chad wanted to take her out on his motorcycle again, and he announced that he would also be willing to teach her how to drive the vehicle herself, if she wanted to learn how to do so. Abigail thanked Chad for the gift with a kiss on the cheek.

Cameron entered the coffeehouse and interrupted Chad and Abigail's conversation, acknowledging the helmet and launching into a lecture about the dangers of motorcycles. Meanwhile, one of the baristas informed Chad that she was having trouble with the espresso machine. Chad excused himself, jokingly assuring Cameron that emergency room horror stories were always a good way to lighten the mood.

Abigail laughed as Chad walked away, and Cameron wondered if she thought that Chad was funny. Abigail replied that Cameron certainly wasn't being the least bit funny, and she accused him of being jealous. Aware that he and Abigail had not made any sort of commitment to exclusivity, Cameron claimed that he simply didn't like to think about the possibility that someone whom he cared about could be riding on the back of a motorcycle.

Cameron received a phone call from the hospital and abruptly excused himself. After Cameron left, Chad told Abigail that he was glad that he hadn't told Cameron about the two VIP tickets to Whoopee World -- the new amusement park on Crystal Lake -- that he had received, since Cameron probably hated roller coasters just as much as he hated motorcycles.

Chad explained that the tickets granted special access to the amusement park on the day before its grand opening, allowing the ticket holders to enjoy the place without being forced to deal with huge crowds and long lines. Chad casually added that Garrett, the friend whom he had originally planned to go to the amusement park with, would be missing out, since he had bailed on Chad in favor of a girl whom he had grown obsessed with.

Abigail said that she loved roller coasters, and Chad wondered if she was trying to hint that she would like to accompany him to the amusement park. Abigail confirmed Chad's suspicion, and he asked if she wanted him to pick her up on his bike so that they could make it a thrill-seekers' day. Abigail excitedly accepted the offer, but she soon grew suspicious of Chad's true motives.

Abigail recalled that she had talked to Chad about the amusement park when the construction had started one year earlier, but he claimed that he didn't know what she was talking about. Unconvinced, Abigail theorized that Chad was trying to get her to go on a date with him, and she started to remind him that they were just friends. The barista interrupted and said that she would love to accompany Chad if Garrett was still planning to bail on him.

Abigail quickly informed the barista that Chad's extra ticket had already been claimed. After the barista walked away, Abigail apologized for questioning Chad's true motives, and he assured her that their day at the park would not be any more of a date than it would have been if he had gone with Garrett instead. Abigail thanked Chad for the invitation and the helmet before exiting the coffeehouse.

Elsewhere, Sami questioned E.J. about the phone call that Gabi had reported to Hope earlier. After admitting that Gabi had been telling the truth, E.J. joked that Sami needed to stay away from caffeinated drinks for a while, since she seemed edgy. Unamused, Sami insisted that E.J. needed to take the situation seriously, since Hope and Gabi were convinced that he was guilty.

E.J. dismissively stated that he didn't care about Hope and Gabi's opinions, prompting Sami to wonder if he cared about her opinion. Sami urged E.J. to tell her the truth about the phone call. "Here's what I will tell you -- go to hell," E.J. snapped before exiting the coffeehouse. Sami followed E.J. to the DiMera mansion, where she insisted that she had every right and a million reasons to question E.J. about the call.

"You hate Rafe Hernandez! You have always hated him! That is motive. You have people at your disposal who will do whatever you want them to do. That is means. You knew where he was gonna be, you knew when he was gonna be there -- that is opportunity," Sami summarized. E.J. reminded Sami that they had previously agreed to trust each other. Incredulous, Sami wondered if E.J. really expected her to trust someone who was refusing to answer a simple question.

"Yes, I do. So you can yell, and you can scream, and you can hold your breath until you turn blue in the face for all I care. I'm not going to tell you who I was talking to, nor am I going to tell you what we were discussing or whether or not it had anything to do with your ex-husband being attacked, but I'll tell you this -- you are right about one thing. I do -- I hate Rafe Hernandez. I always have, and I always will," E.J. replied.

E.J. said that he had been under the impression that Sami had decided that she wanted to build a life with him, and she confirmed his belief. "Well, here we are! We're heading towards the same train wreck, Samantha. Well, I'll tell you what -- you can ride this one on your own, 'cause I'm done," E.J. said before turning to leave. Sami chased after E.J., shouting that she just wanted him to tell her if he was responsible for Rafe's attack.

E.J. refused to answer the question, encouraging Sami to remove her engagement ring and leave the mansion right away if she doubted his innocence. Shocked, Sami summarized that E.J. was kicking her out, but he clarified that he was simply giving her a choice. Sami wondered if E.J. was really prepared to lose her, and he countered that he had already lost her if she didn't believe him.

E.J.'s comment seemed to cause Sami to have a sudden change of heart, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that he hadn't attacked Rafe. Sami chastised E.J. for being too stubborn to answer her question when she had initially posed it. E.J. impatiently interrupted Sami, picking her up, lifting her onto a nearby table, and passionately kissing her.

When E.J. pulled away, Sami wondered why he had kissed her. "Because you wouldn't shut up!" E.J. shouted with frustration. Offended, Sami started to lash out at E.J. again, so he kissed her a second time, picked her up, and carried her upstairs.

After E.J. and Sami made love, Sami apologized for doubting E.J., who admitted that it could take a while for them to forge an unwavering trust with each other, since they had a long history of lies between them. Reasoning that it would be best to start working on that goal right away, Sami tried once again to persuade E.J. to tell her who had called him on the night of Rafe's attack.

In Hope's office at the police station, an officer assured Hope that he had placed the prisoner release notification on her desk a few days earlier. The officer recalled that he had also asked Ciara to inform Hope that the notification was important, but Ciara claimed that he was lying.

Hope asked the officer to give her some privacy, adding that she needed him to find out everything that he could about Jensen, a murderer who had just been released from prison on a technicality. Hope said that she also wanted the officer to ask the forensics team to determine if the footprint that had been found at the scene of Rafe's assault matched the prison-issued footwear that Jensen had been given.

"I wanted to see the panda at the zoo! You work all the time, and Daddy's gone," Ciara defensively stated after the officer left. Hope reached for Ciara's backpack, assuming that the notification was what Ciara had been hiding in there, but Ciara protectively wrapped her arms around it and pointed at the location where she had hidden the notification.

After reading the paperwork, Hope placed a phone call to someone and arranged for them to watch Ciara for a while. Ciara pouted about the change of plans, and Hope sighed and gently scolded her for hiding the notification. A short time later, Hope received confirmation that the footprint that had been found at the crime scene matched the footwear that Jensen had been given,

Hope went to St. Luke's, where she showed Vargas a photograph of Jensen. "I met a lot of scum when I was inside, but this piece of garbage here -- he was the worst. If any man belongs in a cage, it's him. I mean, why the hell would they let him out in the first place?" Vargas asked.

Hope explained that Jensen's conviction had been overturned because a corrupt cop had arrested him. All of the cop's old cases had been revisited, and the district attorney had discovered that the search warrant that had allowed the cops to seize the evidence that had incriminated Jensen had been obtained illegally, which meant that the evidence had also been obtained illegally.

Vargas admitted that he was surprised that Rafe was still breathing, since Jensen usually liked to finish what he started. Vargas suspected that Nick might know where Hope could find Jensen. Vargas explained that Jensen had targeted Nick the moment that Nick had entered Statesville. Vargas vaguely stated that Nick had been smart enough to find someone to protect him.

Vargas added that Nick had eventually gotten revenge on Jensen, arranging for Jensen to be sentenced to three months of solitary confinement. Jensen had vowed to eventually retaliate, but since he had been serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole, no one had taken the threats seriously. Hope wondered if Jensen had assaulted Nick the same way that he had assaulted Rafe.

"Uh, yeah. Both before...and after," Vargas replied, implying that Jensen had also assaulted Nick in other ways. Hope understood the implication and tried to contact Gabi and Nick, but both of their cell phones were going straight to voicemail. Assuming that Jensen was somehow involved, Hope urged Vargas to try to think of something that could help her locate Jensen.

At the Horton Town Square, Jensen continued to threaten Nick and Gabi. Meanwhile, Will and Sonny arrived and quietly observed the scene from a nearby location. Jensen instructed Gabi and Nick to follow him to a private place where he and Nick could get reacquainted with each other. After Jensen, Nick, and Gabi left, Will and Sonny tried to figure out what they had just witnessed.

Will had been unable to hear the conversation that had taken place, but he noted that Gabi and Nick had both looked really scared. Sonny agreed and offered to call the police, but Will pointed out that they didn't really have anything concrete to report to the authorities. Will and Sonny followed the group, determined to find out what was really going on.

Jensen took Nick and Gabi to Smith Island, where Jensen had hidden some cash before he had been sent to prison. Jensen was upset about the fact that Nick had never bothered to call or write to him after Nick was released from prison, and he guessed that Nick had also failed to tell Gabi about him.

Nick reluctantly revealed that he and Jensen had shared the same cellblock in prison. Jensen bitterly added that Nick had always believed that he was too good to associate with someone like Jensen. Meanwhile, Will and Sonny arrived and hid behind some nearby trees, quietly observing the scene.

"Do you have any idea what solitary confinement was like? How small the cell was? Maybe that baby in there understands. It's dark, cramped. You can barely turn around. At least your baby has a warm place, can hear your heartbeat. All I could hear was the cold silence. You know, I've been counting the seconds, minutes, hours, until this beautiful day, out here in the open by the woods. You're lucky, because you picked a good day to die," Jensen said as he removed a gun from his jacket pocket and pointed it at Nick and Gabi.

As Gabi started to hyperventilate, Sonny held Will back, preventing him from getting involved. Unable to get cell phone reception on the island, Will insisted that he had to help Gabi, but Sonny reasoned that they needed to formulate a plan first. Meanwhile, Nick begged Jensen to let Gabi go. Jensen struck the back of Nick's head with the butt of the gun, reminding Nick that he hated hearing people beg.

Jensen ushered Gabi and Nick into a nearby storage shed, where he tied each of them to a leg of a heavy tool table that was anchored in the middle of the room. Jensen recalled that he had once been a Smith Island dockworker, and he pointedly added that he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Nick asked Jensen to refrain from hurting Gabi, who had nothing to do with Jensen's grudge against Nick.

"That's funny, Nick, because the way I see it, you would always bring a third person into something that I told you would just be between the two of us. I don't want to hurt Gabi -- I really don't -- but she's seen my face now, just like her cop brother. They can both [identify] me now, and that's just something that I just can't live with," Jensen said as he tightened the restraints.

Outside, Will and Sonny crouched under an open window and eavesdropped. Realizing that Jensen was Rafe's assailant, Will quietly apologized for stopping Sonny from calling the police earlier. Sonny whispered that he had devised a plan, and he quickly explained it to Will. After promising to be careful, Sonny went to create a distraction so that Will could enter the shed and rescue Gabi and Nick.

Meanwhile, inside the shed, Jensen promised to make Gabi and Rafe's deaths quick. Gabi wondered why Jensen had chosen to attack Rafe in the first place, and he replied that it was all Nick's fault. On the day of the attack, Jensen had been enjoying a drink at the pub when he had overheard Gabi mention Nick's name during a phone conversation.

Using the information that he had obtained from Gabi's end of the phone conversation, Jensen had gone to the bakery to wait for Nick, unaware that she had actually been talking to Rafe. When Jensen had spotted a man who was carrying one of the bakery's distinctive bags, he had attacked the man, and he hadn't realized that it was the wrong man until after he had landed four or five direct blows.

Knowing that he had made a mistake, Jensen claimed that he would have been willing to leave Rafe alone if Rafe hadn't opened his eyes during the attack and stared directly at Jensen's face. Nick told Gabi that he was sorry, and Jensen cryptically stated that Nick was sorry about a lot of things. Before Jensen could elaborate, he heard a noise outside, and he went to investigate.

Jensen quickly returned and reported that he had spotted someone running across the island. After gagging Gabi and Nick, Jensen left to search for and kill the uninvited guest. Will rushed into the shed and started to remove the gags and bindings. "I've never been happier to see anybody in my whole life," Nick admitted. As Will continued to work on removing the restraints, Sonny entered the shed and urged him to hurry.

Will freed Gabi's wrists and told Sonny to take her to safety. Sonny didn't want to leave without Will, but Will begged Sonny to protect Gabi and the baby. Nick agreed with Will's request and urged Gabi to go with Sonny. Sonny and Gabi rushed out of the shed, and Will returned his attention to Nick's bindings. "Will, here's your chance. Leave me to die -- nobody will ever know. Just go," Nick encouraged Will.

Nick warned that if Jensen returned and discovered Will in the shed, he would kill Will. Nick added that the fight against Jensen wasn't Will's fight to engage in, but Will disagreed. "He pointed a gun at Gabi and my unborn child, so as soon as he did that, it became my fight," Will firmly stated. Will heard a noise outside, so he quickly hid in a blind spot near the door. Jensen entered the shed and demanded to know where Gabi was.

Meanwhile, Sonny and Gabi neared the docks, where he asked her to wait so that he could go back to the shed to check on Will and Nick. "Oh, my God, the baby. She's coming -- now," Gabi blurted out before Sonny could leave.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

by Spalding

In the Kiriakis mansion, Abigail stopped by to drop off a hand mixer she had borrowed from Maggie. Daniel thanked Abigail for offering to babysit Parker so that he could attend Brady's wedding. Changing the subject, Daniel asked Abigail if J.J. was happy to be home in Salem. Unsure of how to answer, Abigail sighed. Abigail noted that J.J. had loved boarding school and had not been home since his father's death.

Abigail noted that she had helped her mother clear out her father's things and that J.J had not been there to share in the experience. Abigail theorized that J.J. was finally confronting the fact that his father was gone.

In the Horton living room, Jennifer asked J.J. if he still had Daniel's MP3 player. With a smirk, J.J. thought about when he had returned the broken MP3 player to Daniel. When Jennifer asked J.J. if he had spoken to Daniel, J.J. admitted that the MP3 player had stopped working while J.J. was using it. Upset, Jennifer wondered aloud if she could get the player fixed for Daniel. Before J.J. could say anything, Jennifer received a text message from her assistant.

Annoyed that his mother was reading her text message instead of talking to him, J.J. stood up and started to leave. Jennifer stopped J.J. and demanded to know where he was going. When J.J. said he wanted to get out of the house, Jennifer told J.J. that he needed to stay out of trouble. J.J. swore that his roommate had been the one to drink and do drugs. Jennifer reminded J.J. that no matter what had happened in school, J.J. had been the one to be expelled.

Jennifer's phone rang, and she noted that she needed to take the call. Jennifer told J.J. that he could not leave until they talked. Annoyed, J.J. sat on the couch and waited. After Jennifer's phone call, she sat down next to J.J. and told him that she loved him. Jennifer asked J.J. to talk to her. As J.J. looked at his mother, Abigail entered the house with Daniel. Jennifer kissed Daniel hello.

As Jennifer told Daniel that she would have his MP3 player fixed, J.J. interrupted to explain that the player could not be fixed because it was smashed. Stammering, Jennifer noted that J.J. would earn the money to replace Daniel's MP3 player. Daniel shook his head and noted that J.J. did not need to replace the player. Sighing, J.J. admitted that in addition to breaking the MP3 player, he had also broken Parker's toy train set.

When Jennifer asked what had happened, J.J. explained that he had left the train set running for a couple hours and burned out the circuits. Furious, Jennifer ordered J.J. to get a job so that he could pay to replace the MP3 player and the train set. J.J. apologized to Daniel, and Daniel told J.J. not to worry about replacing the items.

While Jennifer and Daniel talked in the living room, Abigail walked with J.J. to Horton Town Square. Abigail asked J.J. to give Daniel a chance because he made Jennifer happy. Upset, J.J. argued that Jennifer had moved on with Daniel before Jack had died. J.J. admitted that he missed Jack, and Abigail noted that she felt the same way. Abigail told J.J. that she had felt responsible for Jack's death, but she had realized that Jack's death had not been her fault.

J.J. confided that he had not felt like Jack had died but was instead off on one of his adventures. "I kept waiting for him to show up," J.J. said. Abigail assured J.J. that the family would help him grieve for Jack and move on. As J.J. nodded, he looked across the square. Abigail turned and asked J.J. about the man across the square. J.J. explained that he had met the man at registration for school and he excused himself to talk to the guy.

In the Horton living room, a frustrated Jennifer worried about her son. Jennifer noted that she should have pulled J.J. out of school after Jack's death so that he could have mourned with her and Abigail. Jennifer swore that J.J. was not himself and she hoped that J.J. would be able to get past his anger and start fresh with Daniel.

After Sami and E.J. made love, she asked him to tell her about the phone call he'd had in the pub. When E.J. resisted, Sami asked him to tell her the truth. Sighing, E.J. said he did not want to defend himself. Sami noted that she believed E.J. had not ordered the beating but that she was concerned that E.J. did not want to talk about a phone call that made him look guilty. When E.J. refused to talk about the call, Sami asked him why she was engaged to him if he felt he could not tell her the truth.

E.J. noted that he loved Sami and that he was not being dishonest with her. "If it doesn't have anything to do with Rafe then why can't you tell me? Is it illegal?" Sami asked. Smiling, E.J. noted that if he told Sami the truth, she would keep asking questions. E.J. promised that he would never do anything to hurt or disappoint her. Smiling, Sami kissed E.J.

Outside the pub, Justin asked Kate about Rafe. Kate informed Justin that she believed the DiMera family was to blame. When Justin asked if Stefano had ordered the beating, Kate shook her head. Kate said that she believed E.J. had ordered the beating. Not buying Kate's theory, Justin reminded her that E.J. did not need to remove Rafe from Sami's life. Shaking her head, Kate noted that E.J. had ordered the beating in order to assure that Rafe would never be an issue in his relationship with Sami again.

After talking to Justin, Kate walked to the coffeehouse and ran into Sami. When Sami noted that she was looking for Will, Kate said that she was waiting for Will as well. Sami said that she had not spoken to Will since Rafe's beating. With an accusing smirk, Kate asked Sami if she meant when E.J. had ordered Rafe's beating.

When Sami defended E.J., Kate countered that Sami was blind. Narrowing her eyes, Sami said that it was clear that Rafe had dumped Kate. Shocked, Kate asked if Sami was accusing Kate of ordering someone to beat up Rafe. As Sami glared, Kate called her insane and walked away. Sami chased Kate and noted that Rafe was in a coma just as Chloe had been after Kate had exacted her revenge. Kate slapped Sami and called her a bitch.

In the park, E.J. met with Justin to talk. E.J. explained that Hope and Sami knew about his phone call with Justin the night of Rafe's beating. When Justin asked why, E.J said that Gabi had overheard the call and told Hope, who had suspected the call was about Rafe's beating. With a raised eyebrow, Justin asked E.J. if he had been involved in Rafe's beating. E.J. grew upset.

"You're indignant with your track record?" Justin joked. E.J. swore that he had not been involved in Rafe's beating, and he did not believe Stefano had been involved either. When Justin asked E.J. if he needed to tell Hope that the phone call had been with him, E.J. shook his head and noted that he did not want anyone to know about their working relationship. E.J. said that he was innocent and that he did not need Justin's help to clear him with the police. E.J. handed Justin three envelopes.

In a shed on Smith island, Will frantically worked to undo the plastic zip tie around Nick's wrists. When Will had almost worked through the tie, he heard Jensen outside, and Will ran to the corner to hide. Jensen returned to the shed and demanded to know where to find Gabi. When Nick asked Jensen to leave Gabi alone, Jensen theorized that someone had helped Gabi escape. Jensen snarled that Gabi was too big to get very far.

Crouched in the corner, Will remained hidden. Jensen told Nick that the next ferry to the mainland would not be for two hours, so he had time to track down Gabi. When Nick renewed his plea to leave Gabi out of Jensen's revenge scheme, Jensen disagreed. Jensen reminded Nick that he had beaten Rafe because he had mistaken Rafe for Nick. When Jensen said that he planned to finish killing Rafe after he murdered Nick, Will struggled to remain quiet in the corner.

Nick urged Jensen to start a new life. Jensen agreed, but added that he planned to start a new life after he cleaned up the loose ends from his old life. As Jensen started to leave, Nick pleaded with him to leave Gabi alone. With a grin, Jensen said that Gabi was alone in the woods and that he would find her. As Nick begged, Jensen asked Nick if he had told Gabi about Nick's history with Jensen in prison.

"Do I have to remind you how close we were?" Jensen asked. Furious, Nick yelled at Jensen to shut up. Jensen asked why Nick had turned on him in prison. Jensen reminded Nick, "You were my bitch!" In the corner, Will gently picked up a wrench. Jensen noted that it was time for Nick to die, and he leveled the gun at Nick's head. Jensen added that he would tell Gabi about his relationship with Nick before he shot her and the baby.

Seizing the opportunity, Will burst from the shadows and hit Jensen over the head with the wrench. Jensen dropped the gun but managed to recover from the blow in time to fight with Will. Nick reached out with his leg to pull the gun closer, while Will and Jensen traded punches. As Nick's shoe brushed the gun, Will and Jensen fell to the ground and both reached for the gun. Will and Jensen rose to their feet, the gun between them, and the gun fired.

Near the dock, Gabi told Sonny that her water had broken. In an attempt to calm Gabi, Sonny reminded her that there was plenty of time between Gabi's water breaking and the birth of the child. Panicked, Gabi informed Sonny that she had been having contractions all day. Sonny told Gabi that he would get her to safety and to trust that Will would untie Nick.

Sonny escorted Gabi to an abandoned cabin and sat her down. When Gabi asked Sonny if he knew anything about childbirth, Sonny admitted that he had watched part of a video in health class but that he had covered his eyes. Scared, Gabi called out for Nick. Sonny timed the contractions and noted that they were two to three minutes apart. As Gabi fretted, Sonny attempted to distract her by joking that it was hard to imagine that the two of them would be working together to deliver her baby.

Gabi growled that she did not want Sonny to pretend that he did not hate her because if she had been in Sonny's position, she would have hated her. Ignoring Gabi's comments, Sonny grabbed a package of clean drop cloths from the corner and opened them up to place under Gabi. As Sonny looked for something to cut the umbilical cord, Gabi apologized for her part in hurting Melanie.

Sonny held Gabi's hand and told her that he would be by her side. As Sonny noted that Gabi would one day tell her daughter about the night of her birth, he mispronounced Arianna's name. Gabi shouted out the correct pronunciation of Arianna and continued to breathe through her contractions. Gabi cried out that the baby was ready, and Sonny urged Gabi to push.

In the rectory, Hope asked Vargas if he had any information that could help her track down Jensen. When Vargas noted that he had no information, Hope blamed herself. Vargas assured Hope that it was not her fault. Shaking her head, Hope explained that she had received a notice from the prison and had failed to see it in time. Hope begged Vargas to tell her everything he knew about Jensen.

Struggling to remember, Vargas noted Jensen had talked about working on the docks of Smith Island. Hope thanked Vargas for his help and left for the island. Hope and two police officers jumped in a police boat and headed out to the island. Once there, they split up and searched for Jensen. Hope heard Gabi screaming and ran toward the sound.

In the cabin, Gabi ordered Sonny to look and see if the baby was crowning. Sonny reluctantly looked under the blanket and noted that he could see the baby's head. Sonny pulled the baby out, but the baby did not cry. Panicked, Gabi asked what was wrong with her daughter.

In the shed across the island, Will collapsed to the ground from a gunshot wound as Nick cried out in horror. "You killed him, you son of a bitch!" Nick yelled. Nick argued that though Jensen had destroyed his life, he had been in prison when it happened. Nick added that Will was an innocent person and had not deserved to be shot. Annoyed, Jensen leveled the gun at Nick's head, and Nick growled that Jensen would pay for what he had done. As Jensen leaned forward, Hope kicked in the door and shot him.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

In a shed on Smith Island, Jensen had just shot Will, who lay motionless on the floor. Sobbing, Nick excoriated Jensen, "You're not even human! You're a piece of scum who preys on innocent people! You destroyed me, you humiliated me, but I was in prison like you. Will was an innocent. He hadn't even started his life." An aggravated Jensen aimed the gun at Nick -- just as Hope kicked in the door. Jensen whirled around and pointed the gun at her, but Hope was quicker and fired off a single shot.

Nick gaped in surprise as Jensen dropped to the floor like a fallen tree. "He shot Will!" Nick cried out while Hope checked Jensen for a pulse. Hope quickly rolled Will over, saw the gunshot wound, and quickly called for a MedEvac helicopter. Hope applied pressure to the wound while a worried Nick, still tied to the tool table, could only watch helplessly.

When the uniformed officers showed back up, Hope instructed them to untie Nick and verify that Jensen was dead. As soon as Nick was free, he joined Hope in urging Will to hang on. Will regained consciousness long enough to choke out, "Where's Gabi and Sonny?" After learning that Sonny and Gabi had escaped, Hope sent the other cops to search for them.

After Sonny delivered Gabi's baby in an abandoned cabin nearby, Gabi freaked out when the baby didn't cry. "Sonny! What's wrong with my baby?" Gabi exclaimed. A panicked Sonny anxiously reminded her that he didn't know what he was doing as he listened to the baby's chest. Gabi begged him to do something. With trembling hands, Sonny lifted the infant, swaddled in a tarp, to his chest and delivered two sharp slaps to her back. Suddenly, baby Arianna cried out, and a breathless Sonny looked at her with amazement.

Gabi began to cry when Sonny gently placed the baby in her arms. "She's perfect," Gabi declared with wonder as she gazed at her newborn. She thanked Sonny, who was beaming. "Wait until Will meets you!" Sonny told Arianna. Gabi wondered why Nick and Will hadn't caught up with them yet. Sonny tried to reassure her that Will and Nick were probably fine, but Gabi was still worried that something had happened.

Just then, they heard an officer outside shouting, "Salem PD!" Sonny banged on the window and called out to the cops. A little later, Sonny wrapped Gabi and the baby in an emergency blanket that the officers had given him, and informed her that the cops were sending a medical helicopter to take them to Salem -- and Nick and Will were apparently out of danger. Gabi said that she thought she'd already heard a helicopter.

When the paramedics arrived at the shed, Hope informed them about Will's condition. The paramedics tended to Will and determined that he would need surgery, and they wouldn't have time to stabilize him before transporting him to University Hospital. The cops reported in by radio to Hope that they had found Sonny and Gabi.

Hope told Nick that he would have to fill her in about what had happened. Never taking his eyes off Will, a shaken Nick declared, "He saved my life." After the paramedics loaded Will onto a gurney and took him away, Nick couldn't stop staring at Jensen's sheet-draped corpse. Hope had to call his name several times, but finally Nick followed her out to the chopper.

At Common Grounds, Sami accused Kate of putting Rafe in a coma after exacting revenge because he'd dumped her. Kate dealt an open-handed blow across Sami's face, leaving a startled Sami clutching her cheek in pain. "You rotten bitch!" Kate spat, adding furiously that Sami had no idea what Rafe meant to Kate. Sami's eyes widened with recognition. "You love him!" Sami exclaimed with surprise.

Kate and Sami took their discussion into the alley. Sami asserted that Rafe deserved better than Kate, but Kate argued that Sami had "spit on" Rafe's love and devotion by jumping into bed with E.J. The women continued arguing and hurling insults at one another until a phone call from Hope to Sami interrupted them. Sami's eyes and voice filled with fear, which Kate immediately picked up on.

Lucas had just exited the Brady Pub when Marlena arrived out front. As they greeted each other with an affectionate embrace, Marlena explained that she was meeting Sami there. Lucas shared his theory with Marlena that Sami was marrying E.J. because she was a bit traumatized about becoming a grandmother. Marlena admitted that although she tried to support all of Sami's decisions, her decision to marry E.J. "defied analysis." Lucas and Marlena concurred that a happy Sami was, at least, far better than an unhappy Sami.

In the park, E.J. gave an envelope to Justin and declared that the papers inside were the final three nails in Stefano's coffin. Scanning the documents, Justin noted that Stefano would be left with nothing. "These are three of the most respected names on Wall Street... And you got them to sign over their proxies to you," Justin surmised.

E.J. explained that it hadn't been difficult to learn that Stefano had been shorting his own stock -- which meant that when it was time to vote, they would be "putting the old man out to pasture once and for all." E.J. added that the next board meeting was in two months, and Stefano was so distracted that he wouldn't know what was approaching.

Justin asked, "Distracted how?" E.J. informed him that Kate had been having an affair with Rafe, and that news had seriously displeased Stefano. Just then, a crying Sami called E.J. and told him that Will had been shot and was on his way to the hospital. She asked E.J. to meet her there as soon as possible.

At the third-floor nurses' station of the hospital, Daniel and Maxine discussed how there had been no change in Rafe's condition. Maxine took an emergency call and then informed Daniel that the MedEvac would be arriving soon with a gunshot victim.

Soon, the paramedics arrived with Will; Hope and Nick were right behind them. As Daniel directed the paramedics to an operating room, Maxine reassured Nick and Hope that Will was in good hands with Daniel. She also informed them that Gabi had given birth and was on her way in a second helicopter.

An orderly arrived with Gabi and the baby in a wheelchair a few minutes later. Maxine met them at the elevator and took the baby from her very reluctant mother to have her checked out. Nick was sitting next to Hope in the waiting area, his head in his hands. Gabi called out to her husband, who rushed over and embraced her. After telling a very relieved Nick that Sonny had delivered the baby, Gabi asked where Will was.

When Nick didn't answer right away, Sonny became very worried and demanded to know what had happened. Hope spoke for her speechless cousin, "Will's in surgery.... He was shot." She added that they wouldn't know more until they heard from Daniel. Sonny and Gabi were alarmed when Gabi spotted Will's blood on Hope's clothing.

Maxine then took Gabi away so Dr. Knapp could examine her. In the exam room, Gabi fretted about where her baby was, but Maxine reassured her that a neonatal nurse would deliver baby Arianna to Gabi as soon as they were through. Gabi wanted to know more about Will's condition. Although Maxine couldn't tell her, she wrapped Gabi in a comforting embrace.

When Sami and Kate got off the elevator, Sami spotted Sonny first and rushed over to him, frantic for news about her son. As Sonny was informing the women that Dr. Jonas had just started surgery, Lucas arrived. "Who would do this? Who would shoot my son?" Sami wanted to know. "It was some guy! He was sick!" an emotional Sonny cried.

"He's dead. It was the same man who attacked Rafe," Hope explained succinctly. Sonny added that the man had known Nick in prison. Will's family was incredulous that someone had gone after Rafe and Will in order to get at Nick. Sami's mood changed instantly from worry for her son to fury at Nick. She accused Nick of arranging the attacks to keep Will and Rafe away from the baby.

Nick didn't bother to argue or fight back as Sami assailed him, pummeling him while she hurled accusations at him. "It's my fault," he admitted weakly. Just then, E.J. arrived, and when he saw what was happening, he rushed over and dragged Sami away from Nick. Sami was still shrieking at Nick, so Hope loudly interjected, "That guy was a lunatic! He was after Nick. He was trying to kill Nick, and your son -- he saved his life, Sami! Your son saved his life!"

Nick couldn't make eye contact with anyone, even Hope, who was trying to comfort him. Hope explained to the group that Sonny and Will had shown up to help Nick and Gabi. A little calmer, Sami asked where Gabi was. Hope said that Gabi was getting checked out -- and she surprised them all by telling them that the baby was in the neonatal unit. When Sonny managed to say that the baby hadn't been born in the hospital, E.J. asked Hope to start at the beginning.

After examining Gabi, Dr. Knapp assured her patient that everything looked fine -- and Will was in good hands with Dr. Jonas. Gabi asked about Rafe. Although Dr. Knapp was a bit taken aback to learn that Gabi was Rafe's sister, she promised to get Gabi an update about Rafe's condition.

Hope explained, "Nick knew the attacker from prison, and apparently he came to Salem to go after Nick. Nick was the target. Rafe -- that was a mistake." Hope expressed her sympathy to Sami and Lucas, adding, "I think you should know Nick was tied up, and Will wouldn't leave him, even after Gabi got out. That's who your son is." She informed Justin, who had arrived with E.J., that his son had delivered Gabi's baby. Hope declared that Sonny was a hero. "That I already knew," a stunned Justin agreed.

E.J. suggested to a still-crying Sami that they go meet her granddaughter. Kate proposed that all of them go together, so Sami, E.J., Lucas, and Kate headed toward Gabi's room, where Gabi was gazing adoringly at her tiny daughter, with Maxine looking on. Sami opened the door and stepped quietly into the room, Kate and Lucas behind her. Gabi welcomed them in to meet Arianna. Sami burst into tears again, while Lucas and Kate grinned from ear to ear.

"The doctor said that she was fine: seven pounds, twenty inches," Gabi announced. Lucas told Gabi that she had done a great job, but she insisted that she couldn't have done it if it hadn't been for Sonny. "Oh, Arianna Grace -- she is the most beautiful baby!" a beaming Sami proclaimed. Gabi handed the baby to Sami to hold. Lucas and Will cooed over the newborn while Sami tenderly told Arianna, "You are so loved."

Outside, Hope admitted to E.J. that she had been wrong, and he made a snide remark about what passed for a police work in Salem. That chafed Hope, but E.J. maintained, "The only thing I'm thinking about is that man through there who's fighting for his life -- a man who, for the last few months, has had his life made a living hell by your cousin. I just hope William makes a full recovery and gets to spend some time with his daughter soon."

Justin informed Sonny that Adrienne would be on a plane and would be home later that night. Sonny expressed his remorse for leaving Will for "that lunatic" to shoot him. Justin pointed out that if Sonny hadn't left, he wouldn't have been there to deliver Gabi's baby -- Will's daughter. He asked how Sonny had known what to do. Sonny admitted that he hadn't; Gabi had done all the work while he had freaked out.

The worry briefly melted away from Sonny's face as he recollected how amazing it had been to hold the baby for the first time. "I looked at her face and I saw Will," Sonny confided. Justin embraced his son proudly and assured him that Will would be all right.

Meanwhile, Daniel was working diligently to save Will's life in the operating room, despite Will's falling blood pressure and severe blood loss.

Nick remained rooted to the same chair while Sonny paced in the waiting area behind him. Finally Sonny sank to the floor, folded his hands, and raised his eyes heavenward in prayer. Later, Justin took Sonny into a private waiting room and tried to comfort his distraught son. Sonny confided that sometimes, albeit rarely, when something about Will annoyed him, he forgot about Will's kindness and everything they shared. "Will's an extraordinary guy," Justin declared. He added that he knew Will felt the same way about Sonny, and that would make him fight to return to Sonny.

Vargas arrived and made a beeline for Hope. "Is it true? Jensen really is dead?" Vargas asked. Hope confirmed that it was true, but added that things might have been very different if she had gotten there a minute later. "So it all worked out. You see? You don't have to blame yourself," Vargas asserted.

Vargas sat next to Nick, who was still staring numbly at the floor. "I hope you know that this doesn't change anything between us. You still keep your mouth shut," Vargas warned. Nick only looked up when Vargas commanded him to, but didn't respond verbally.

Marlena had arrived by the time Daniel and a nurse entered Gabi's room and informed the group that Will was going to be all right. "The bullet's out, the bleeding's stopped, and his vitals are good," Daniel declared, much to everyone's relief. He added that Will probably wouldn't wake up until the next morning, but they expected him to make a full recovery. Sami asked if they could go in and see Will, but Daniel needed Sami and Lucas to join him in his office first to go over a few things. As Daniel left with Lucas and Sami, Gabi asked the nurse to please find Nick.

Meanwhile, Maxine informed the others in the waiting area that Will was going to be okay. An elated Sonny asked if he could see Will. E.J. exited the elevator just then and watched curiously. "Oh, I'm sorry, Sonny. I can't let non-family members..." Maxine began reluctantly, then firmly declared, "You know, that is one stupid rule. He's in recovery. Go." A very grateful Justin thanked Maxine as Sonny hurried off. Maxine wryly asked E.J. if he was going to report her to the board. "Absolutely. I'll recommend they give you a raise," E.J. replied.

"Hell of a break, right?" Vargas asked Nick. Nick dazedly said that it was great news. Vargas gently reassured Nick, "Hey, listen. Jensen's gone now. He's not gonna be able to touch you anymore. What he did to you before -- well, that's in the past, okay? You should just leave it there. Look, it doesn't make you any less of a man." Again, Nick didn't respond; he merely shuffled away.

On his way out, Vargas observed that although she was obviously relieved, Hope still looked sad. Hope began to point out, "None of this would have happened if I hadn't --" Vargas cut her off, assuring her that she had done everything that she could, and advised her to stop beating herself up.

After Vargas had gone, Hope called Roman and happily reported that Will was going to make a full recovery. Meanwhile, Justin left a message for Adrienne, asking her to call him as soon as she landed. "Our son's a hero," he added with pride. After E.J. hung up from instructing someone to send a fax to the Hong Kong office, Maxine advised him what recovery room Will was in.

E.J. was grateful, but noted, "Samantha's in there with William's father at the moment. It's probably best I step back." As she walked away, Maxine declared, "That's decent of you." E.J. exchanged a meaningful glance with Justin, then noted to himself, "Decency is fleeting."

In Gabi's room, Marlena held Arianna while Kate introduced herself to the baby. "I'm your great-g-- your grand... Your -- oh, heck, you can call me Kate!" she finally decided, bursting out laughing as Marlena joined in. After getting Gabi's permission, Kate took some pictures of Arianna to send to Billie -- along with everyone else in her address book. The nurse returned and informed Gabi that although she had looked everywhere, she hadn't been able to find Nick. Marlena returned the baby to Gabi, who declared that Nick's heart was going to melt when he met Arianna.

A miserable Nick, meanwhile, was wandering alone in the park. Leaning against a wall, he slid to the ground and let out a dejected sigh.

Sonny closed the door behind him when he entered Will's room. He took a chair next to the bed and stroked Will's hair, then took his hand. Lucas and Sami arrived and paused in the doorway when they saw Sonny tenderly addressing their son. "I should have stayed with you. Why'd I have to listen to you, huh? From now on, we are together -- no matter what, okay?" Sonny declared tearfully, kissing Will's hand.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

by Mike

At the Horton house, Jennifer and Abigail showered Daniel with praise for saving Will's life, leaving J.J. clearly irritated. J.J. forced a smile and expressed his gratitude, feigning sincerity.

Daniel and Jennifer left, and J.J. wondered if he and Abigail were going to be expected to watch Parker the entire night. Abigail explained that Parker had a nanny. "Glad Dr. Dad's got his priorities straight," J.J. muttered. Abigail wondered if J.J. was grateful that Daniel had saved Will's life. J.J. confirmed that he was glad that Will was going to be all right, but he added that saving lives was Daniel's job.

J.J. criticized Abigail and Jennifer for acting like Daniel was God, prompting Abigail to wonder why he was acting like Daniel was the enemy. Ignoring the question, J.J. wondered if Jennifer even cared about the fact that Daniel had ruined Lucas' marriage. Abigail started to defend Daniel, but J.J. interrupted and added that Daniel had also abandoned his own child.

Abigail rushed to Daniel's defense again, prompting J.J. to note that she seemed to have an answer for everything. Abigail shook her head and said that she simply wanted to know what was causing J.J.'s animosity. "God, don't you get it, Abs? He thinks he's better than --" J.J. started to say, but he stopped himself before finishing the sentence.

J.J. claimed that he had been trying to say that Daniel believed that he was better than everyone else, but Abigail wasn't convinced. "Daniel had this brilliant idea that he and Dad would have a date-off...with Mom as the grand prize. Daniel might think he won, but he will never be better than Dad. Never," J.J. asserted. Abigail said that Daniel had only won Jennifer because Jack had died.

J.J. wasn't convinced, recalling that Jack had sounded miserable every time that J.J. had talked to him during the last few months of his life. Abigail blamed herself for that misery, admitting that she had been really hard on Jack when he had returned to Salem. Abigail explained that she had been angry because she had missed her father, whom she loved.

Abigail assured J.J. that Jennifer had also never stopped loving Jack, something that would have been clear to J.J. if he had been in Salem at the time of Jack's death. J.J. wondered if Abigail was trying to imply that it was his fault that Jack was gone. Abigail insisted that it wasn't anyone's fault, adding that Jack would not have wanted J.J. to torture himself with regrets.

J.J. wondered what Jack would have wanted. J.J. asked if Jack would have wanted everyone to just move on with their lives like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. Abigail insisted that it had not been easy for anyone in the family to move on. "No? No? You know what? Why don't you go hang out with your own Dr. Feelgood. I wouldn't want to hold you back from moving on," J.J. replied, and Abigail angrily walked away.

Later, J.J.'s new friend, Rory, arrived and asked if J.J. was ready to have some fun. J.J. wondered if Rory had managed to get the stuff that J.J. had requested earlier. Rory nodded, and he and J.J. quickly left the house.

At the hospital, E.J. informed John that Will was going to be fine. John declined the invitation to visit Will, stating that he didn't want to intrude. John asked about the incident that had landed Will in the hospital, and E.J. quickly surmised that John had not talked to Marlena recently. E.J. and John went to the Horton Town Square, where E.J. recapped the events that had occurred on Smith Island earlier that night.

E.J. wondered why John hadn't talked to Marlena about the situation, since it was obvious that John was still in love with her. E.J. suspected that he would probably never believe that John and Marlena's relationship was truly over, but John shrugged and simply stated that it was a fact. Changing the subject, E.J. reminded John that Brady and Kristen were getting married the following day.

John sarcastically cheered, and E.J. replied that, while he felt the same way about the marriage, he would always put Kristen first. E.J. encouraged John to take the same approach with Brady, but John asserted that he was already doing exactly that. After predicting that John would eventually be forced to accept Kristen and Brady's relationship for what it was, E.J. walked away. "Well, what it is...is over," John quietly muttered after E.J. left.

At the Brady Pub, Marlena listened as Hope reported that she had managed to convince Caroline to wait until the following day to visit Will. Hope was concerned that Caroline wouldn't be able to handle seeing Will in his weakened state, so she was hoping that his condition would improve before Caroline's visit.

Changing the subject, Hope wondered if John was aware that Will was in the hospital. Marlena said that she had tried to contact John, who had not accepted her call. Marlena revealed that John had asked for a divorce, explaining that he apparently believed that their marriage could not be salvaged. "If Gran were here, you know what she would say. 'Where there's great love, there's always hope,'" Hope mused.

Marlena didn't share Hope and Alice's optimism, since she had never seen John give up before -- not even when he had been faced with things like amnesia and paralysis. Before Hope could respond, Ciara and her babysitter entered the pub. After greeting Marlena and Hope, Ciara wondered where Johnny was. Hope reported that Johnny was with Caroline in the kitchen.

Ciara started to leave, stating that she needed to talk to Johnny, but Hope stopped her. Hope said that she and Ciara needed to go home and have a talk of their own. After Hope and Ciara left, Johnny emerged from the kitchen and walked over to Marlena's table. Marlena informed Johnny that he had just missed Ciara and Hope. Johnny was pleased to hear the news, since he didn't want to talk to Ciara anyway.

Intrigued, Marlena wondered why Johnny wanted to avoid Ciara. "Me and Ciara were kind of fighting before," Johnny revealed. Marlena feigned discomfort and covered her ears, stating that Johnny was hurting them. Understanding what Marlena was doing, Johnny quickly rephrased his previous statement, using proper grammar to prevent further damage to her ears.

Before Johnny could elaborate, E.J. arrived and greeted him. Johnny rushed off to find the cookie that he had helped Caroline make for E.J. earlier. After Johnny left, Marlena observed that he didn't seem to know that Will and Rafe were in the hospital. E.J. said that he and Sami were planning to tell Johnny the following day, since they were hoping that Rafe would exhibit signs of improvement before they revealed the news to Johnny.

Changing the subject, E.J. explained that Allie and Sydney were each at a sleepover. Citing concerns about Johnny's seemingly superhuman ability to eavesdrop on hushed conversations through two floors of separation, E.J. started to ask if he could impose on Marlena, but she interrupted and said that he was not allowed to do so, because she was going to volunteer to watch Johnny instead.

E.J. laughed and thanked Marlena, assuring her that Johnny didn't need to attend the wedding the following day. "I don't want to talk about the wedding. Will is going to be all right. That's all that matters to me right now," Marlena replied. After E.J. left, Johnny looked at the photograph of Kristen and Sy while Marlena was taking a phone call nearby. When Marlena ended the call, Johnny quickly stuffed the picture in his backpack. Curious, Marlena wondered what Johnny was trying to hide, and he admitted that he had done a bad thing.

At Common Grounds, Hope said that, while she understood that Ciara missed Bo and wished that Hope had a less demanding job, it had still been wrong for her to hide the prisoner release notification from Hope. Ciara protested that she wasn't the only person who did bad things, explaining that Johnny had stolen one of her belongings earlier. Hope asked Ciara to elaborate, but Ciara evasively stated that it didn't matter.

At the DiMera mansion, Brady reasoned that there was no need to postpone the wedding simply because Will was in the hospital, since most of Brady's family members had already decided to skip the event anyway. As Stefano entered the room, Brady excused himself so that he could place Kristen's wedding dress in her car. Kristen warned Brady to refrain from taking a look at the dress, which was safely hidden inside a garment bag.

Stefano laughed as Brady exited the mansion. "Bad luck? Brady Black is to weddings like -- well, like his stepsister is to weddings," Stefano joked. Ignoring the comment, Kristen wondered how she had ever managed to fall in love with someone who was as stupid as John was. Stefano shrugged and suggested that John's stupidity might have been part of the charm. Kristen vowed that John would soon get exactly what he deserved.

Later, Brady escorted Kristen, who was planning to spend the night at a hotel, to the front door. Kristen observed that Brady seemed happy, and he replied that when she married him the following day, he would be happy for the rest of his life. Kristen kissed Brady and declared that he was the best thing that had ever happened to her. After telling Kristen to have a good night, Brady closed the front door, leaving her alone outside. With a hint of finality, Kristen quietly said goodbye to Brady before walking away.

Meanwhile, Brady informed Stefano that he and Kristen would probably start looking for a place of their own after they returned from their honeymoon. Stefano took the news in stride, surprising Brady, who knew that Stefano preferred to keep his family members under his roof. Stefano asserted that Kristen's happiness was more important than anything else, and he claimed that if she wanted to move out of the mansion, he would support that decision.

Later, Daniel took Brady to the batting cages to celebrate Brady's last night as a free man. Afterward, Brady and Daniel went to the town square, where Brady started to rant about John's inability to be happy for him. Brady knew that John had always believed in the sanctity of marriage, so he hoped that after he and Kristen exchanged their vows, John would be forced to accept the fact that he would never be able to end their relationship.

In Kristen's hotel room, Kristen composed a text message for Brady, asking him to meet her at her hotel room right away. Kristen saved the text message so that she could quickly send it to Brady later. Kristen removed her wedding dress from the garment bag and placed it on the bed, fantasizing about marrying Brady and adopting a child with him.

Kristen coached herself to stay strong and remember that the whole ordeal would end later that night. Meanwhile, at the town square, John called the Salem Inn to confirm that Kristen had checked into her hotel room. After ending the call, John muttered that the whole ordeal would end later that night. Later, someone knocked on Kristen's hotel room door.

Kristen was surprised to find Jennifer standing in the hallway, holding a pizza box and a bottle of champagne. Jennifer hoped that Kristen hadn't already made plans for the evening. Kristen vaguely stated that she had some chores to do later that night, but she added that there was room in her schedule for an impromptu pizza party. Kristen joked that it would be nice to celebrate the fact that she actually had a friend for once.

Jennifer said that Kristen deserved to be happy. Jennifer added that she and Daniel were going to proudly stand up for Kristen and Brady at the wedding, and she assured Kristen that it was going to be perfect. Struggling to maintain her composure, Kristen asked Jennifer to stop talking. Kristen quickly apologized, claiming that she was simply stressed out because of her last wedding debacle.

Changing the subject, Jennifer revealed that J.J. had recently returned to Salem. Recalling that J.J. had originally been scheduled to arrive in town at a later date, Kristen asked if everything was all right. Jennifer said that she didn't want to talk about it. Jennifer wondered if Kristen and Brady had ever discussed the possibility of raising kids together.

Kristen revealed that Brady had offered to adopt a child with her, but the topic quickly caused her to lose control of her emotions. Kristen apologized and claimed that she was just a mess because of her pending nuptials. Agreeing to give Kristen some privacy, Jennifer left, and Kristen started to sob.

At the Horton Town Square, John composed a text message, asking Brady to meet him at Kristen's hotel room right away. John saved the message so that he could quickly send it to Brady later. John spotted his wedding band, and he sighed as he slowly removed it from his finger.

Elsewhere, Jennifer spotted Brady and Daniel and went to join them. When Brady realized that Kristen was alone, he decided that he simply couldn't resist the chance to see her one last time before the wedding. Meanwhile, someone knocked on Kristen's hotel room door. Kristen opened the door and found John standing in the hallway.

In Will's room at the hospital, Sonny continued to talk to Will, unaware that Sami and Lucas had entered the room. "Dr. Jonas said that, um, you're gonna be getting out of here in no time. And you're gonna be very happy, because I have some amazing news -- you're a dad. Arianna Grace was born tonight. And she is the most beautiful baby girl that I have ever seen. I know I might be biased, but I think...she looks just like you. She needs her dad. She needs you to be there for her, so...don't keep her waiting long, okay?" Sonny gently urged Will.

"Do you -- uh, do you remember the day we met? I don't know if you paid any attention to me, but I sure noticed you. And then, watching you struggle with who you were...just having to stand there and let you figure it out on your own...that was so hard for me...because I knew that I loved you, and -- and I know -- and I knew that there was nothing I could do except...be there for you. Like I am right now. The first time that you told me you loved me...that was the best day of my life, Will. So far. And I'm saying 'so far' because...I know that we're gonna have the best days ahead of us, right? Right, Will? I just love you so much," Sonny tearfully whispered as he softly kissed Will's lips.

Lucas cleared his throat to announce his presence, and Sonny stood to greet him and Sami. Sami hugged Sonny tightly, confidently stating that Will loved him, too. Sami and Lucas thanked Sonny for everything that he had done earlier that night. Sonny humbly claimed that he hadn't done that much, but Sami insisted that he had done a lot for Will's daughter. Sonny smiled and admitted that Arianna Grace was a very cute baby.

Sonny excused himself so that he could check on Arianna Grace. After Sonny left, Lucas took a seat next to Will's bed. "I heard you were a real hero today. Despite everything that Nick did to you, you still put your life on the line for him. You proved tonight what I've known for a long time -- you're a better man than I'll ever be, and I couldn't be more proud of you," Lucas said.

"Sonny was right, you know? Arianna Grace is definitely your daughter. I mean, from her eyebrows to the tips of her toes. And I want, more than anything, for her to follow in your footsteps, okay? Not mine, and definitely not your father's. I figure you have learned what not to do...from the very best. And, um, I know we've let you down and done things wrong in every imaginable way, and some pretty unimaginable ways, too," Sami admitted.

Lucas agreed and said that Will would be a fine parent as long as he always did the opposite of what Lucas and Sami would have done. "We're so happy for you. We're so happy for you to have a wonderful, healthy, stable relationship with a guy you love. And he loves you...and Arianna Grace. Will, Sonny's face is the first thing Arianna saw when she came into this world. Now she just has to see yours," Sami tearfully stated.

Later, in the waiting area, Sonny told Sami and Lucas that Arianna Grace was fine. Sonny wondered if he could sit with Will for a while longer, and Lucas encouraged him to do so. After Sonny left, Lucas assured Sami that Will was going to be okay, adding that he was also going to be a terrific father to a terrific kid. Sami poured two cups of coffee and proposed a toast to the fact that she and Lucas were officially grandparents.

In Will's room, Sonny took a seat next to Will's bed and grasped his hand. "I love you more and more every day. And I know that we're gonna have an amazing life together. You, me, and Arianna Grace," Sonny assured Will. Later, Sonny returned to the waiting area to let Sami and Lucas know that Eric had arrived. Sami explained that she had asked Eric to do an Anointing of the Sick for Will.

After Sami left, Lucas apologized for all of the crazy things that he had said and done to Sonny and Will during the early stages of their relationship. Sonny said that was ancient history. Lucas stated that he had known for a while that Sonny was good for Will, but the things that he had witnessed earlier had made him realize just how much Sonny truly loved Will. "I do. I love him like I've never loved anybody," Sonny confirmed.

"Which is why there's no one in this whole world -- and I mean no one -- I would rather see with my son than you," Lucas sincerely stated, leaving Sonny visibly moved. Meanwhile, in Will's room, Sami said that it was hard to believe that Will was a father, because he would always be her perfect little baby boy. Sami sobbed as she kissed Will's forehead and lovingly stroked his cheek.

Friday, May 24, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

At the Brady Pub, after Johnny hid the picture of Kristen and Sy in his backpack, he confessed to Marlena that he'd done a bad thing. Marlena gently grilled her grandson, who finally admitted that he had taken something of Ciara's. Marlena asked to see what it was that Johnny had stolen.

While Johnny was still contemplating whether to comply with his grandmother's request, Abe arrived and asked how Johnny was. "I've been better," Johnny grumbled. Abe assumed that Johnny was referring to Will being in the hospital, but Marlena signaled to Abe with her eyes that Johnny didn't know about Will yet. After Johnny took his video game to another table to play, Abe and Marlena chatted.

Abe revealed that John had visited him a few days before. "Then you know. I suppose everybody knows," Marlena said. Later, Abe filled Marlena in, "Theo is back to testing where he was on the spectrum before...well, before Lexie passed away." Marlena declared that Abe was doing a fine job with his son. Abe noted that when they'd seen each other, John had hinted that things weren't going well between Marlena and John.

Abe added that he'd gotten a "bizarre" text message from John, asking Abe to look out for Marlena -- as if John had felt that he wouldn't be there. "Well, there it is," Marlena said sadly, adding, "John won't be around. We're getting divorced." Abe was stunned. Marlena stated that she had tried to convince John that they needed to try to work things out, but instead, he had jumped off the metaphorical cliff she felt they'd been standing on.

Marlena noted, "Looking at it, it must all seem so cavalier to you." Abe admitted that he would give anything for the luxury of an argument with Lexie. Marlena expressed her regret that she and John hadn't been a strong enough team to prevent Kristen from getting to them. "But you are," Abe asserted confidently, reminding Marlena of everything that she and John had survived to get back to each other. "And Kristen isn't bigger than that," Abe declared. "Unless you let her in," Marlena countered.

Abe maintained that he was betting on John and Marlena. Marlena thanked him for his friendship, and he promised that he would always be there if she needed a shoulder. After a warm embrace for his old friend, Abe left.

Marlena joined Johnny, who was clutching the photograph to his chest. She guessed that it was what he had stolen from Ciara, and Johnny admitted that it was. "You know it's wrong to steal, and she must be pretty upset that she's missing her -- thing," Marlena chided. "I don't think it's hers, either... I think it's Aunt Kristen's," Johnny said. Marlena asked why Johnny thought that. "Because she's in it. It's a picture," Johnny explained as he handed the photo to Marlena.

Eric was hanging up the phone in his office at St. Luke's when Nicole rushed in and anxiously asked what had happened -- and if it had anything to do with Rafe or Will. After assuring her that Will and Rafe were fine, Eric maintained, "It's not a big deal." Nicole asserted that Eric was looking at her as if she'd done something wrong and demanded that he tell her what it was. Eric insisted that the phone call hadn't had anything to do with her.

Nicole reminded him how angry he'd been. Eric admitted that it had been stupid, and he was embarrassed -- and he knew that Rafe and Will were what mattered. Nicole pointed out that Eric had already visited and prayed for Will and Rafe. Eric asserted that he shouldn't have gotten angry, adding, "It's things like this that really make me question my own vocation." Shocked, Nicole asked, "But this is your thing! Don't you sign up for life?"

Eric explained that he hadn't expected the priesthood to be so political. He clarified that he had cut through a lot of red tape to get all the right permits for the new school, only to be learn that he was out of his jurisdiction and all the permits were in limbo -- indefinitely -- so when the bishop arrived to consecrate it, the building wouldn't be finished. "I really wouldn't blame the bishop if he just decided that I wasn't cut out for this, after all," Eric declared.

Nicole asserted that it would "stink" if the bishop thought that, because Eric had been working so hard to make sure that the school would be ready. Eric complained that he had been pushing papers while other people had been doing God's work and deserved to see the bishop honor and bless what they had been working so hard on.

"And what? You don't matter? You don't think you deserve a little honor yourself?" Nicole asked. Eric insisted that he only wanted to see the school up and running. Nicole declared that the people were lucky to have Eric because he was the perfect priest. Ignoring Eric's protests, Nicole left to run some errands.

J.J. and his friend Rory walked through the park, where Rory was excited to spot a bottle of vodka under a bush. "Forget that, man. Vodka's poison," J.J. declared, so a clearly inebriated Rory giggled and hurled the bottle away. "Ah, you're so baked!" Rory pronounced, laughing. J.J. concurred that he was "roasted." The boys tried to figure out what they were going to do with the rest of their night.

At the caf in Horton Square, Brady told Daniel and Jennifer that he wanted to see Kristen one last time before they got married the next day, so he was going to her hotel room. Jennifer said that she didn't think that was a good idea, but Brady believed that Kristen was just being coy. Jennifer tried to convince him that Kristen truly did not want guests that night. A suspicious Brady assumed that something was wrong and demanded to know what Jennifer wasn't telling him.

Jennifer reassured him that Kristen merely seemed to be feeling a little overwhelmed. J.J. and Rory entered the square just then, and J.J. hung back to watch when he saw his mom with Daniel. Jennifer explained that when they'd been hanging out earlier, Kristen's mood had suddenly changed, and she had requested some time alone to gather herself. Brady was worried that his fiance was having second thoughts, but Jennifer was sure that wasn't the case.

Jennifer guessed that Kristen simply couldn't believe her good fortune about what was happening with Brady -- not to mention the possibility of adopting a baby. Brady admitted he felt the same way; he just didn't like to be separated from Kristen. Jennifer reminded him that after the following day, they would never have to be apart again.

J.J. scowled as he watched Daniel put his arms around Jennifer. Rory complained that he was bored, but J.J. shushed him. Jennifer invited Brady and Daniel to join her when she went to the church to talk to Eric about a project she was working on. Daniel accepted, but Brady declined. "Eric is not going to be at my wedding," Brady explained, but he assured Daniel and Jennifer that it was fine. On their way out of the square, Daniel pulled Jennifer into a secluded area of the square so he could kiss her -- while an angry J.J. watched.

Daniel and Jennifer went to St. Luke's to discuss a program the youth group was doing at the hospital. Eric thanked Daniel for saving Will's life, but Daniel humbly asserted, "Will's still alive because of Will." When Daniel stepped outside to check his messages, Jennifer expressed her wish to Eric that he and Brady would find a way resolve their differences before the wedding. Eric noted that Jennifer surely knew what the problem was, and she guessed that it involved John and Marlena. "It's no secret how my mother feels about what's going on," Eric stated.

When J.J. and Rory returned to the park, Rory asserted that the guy who'd been with J.J.'s mom had a "sweet ride." J.J. got a text message from Jennifer letting him know where she was. Observing that J.J. wouldn't have to be home for a while, Rory asked what J.J. wanted to do. "I think I know where to find some fun," J.J. declared. A little later, they arrived back at the park, whooping noisily. "That was awesome!" Rory proclaimed. "Nothing to it," J.J. agreed, laughing.

Daniel and Jennifer said goodbye to Eric, but just a few minutes later, they returned to the rectory. Daniel asked if he could use the phone because he hadn't been able to get a signal on his cell phone. Eric acknowledged that there were a lot of dead spots in the area, and offered the church's landline to Daniel -- who asked if there were an emergency tow service the church liked to use.

Later, Daniel and Jennifer arrived at the Horton house. Daniel shrugged off what had happened, but Jennifer was furious that someone had vandalized Daniel's property. J.J. was watching television with the volume too high in the living room, and Jennifer ordered him to turn it down. She quickly apologized, explaining that someone had slashed Daniel's tires in the church parking lot.

"Who would do something like that?" J.J. wondered, shutting off the TV. When Jennifer moved away to take a phone call, J.J. told Daniel, "Sorry about your car, man." Daniel seemed dubious of the teen's sincerity.

Eric lit a candle in front of to the statue of the Virgin Mary in his office. "Brady, I'm sorry. I'm not taking sides. And one day you'll understand that. I am praying for you tonight, hoping that you find happiness and peace that you deserve," Eric said.

Kristen was sipping a glass of wine in her hotel room when there was a knock at her door. She rose and was not surprised to find John in the hallway. Her face and voice impassive, Kristen asked what John was doing there. "You know why I'm here," he replied. Feigning incredulity at his presumptuousness, Kristen started to close the door, but John held it open. Kristen threatened to call security. Holding out her phone, John challenged her to make the call.

Finally Kristen turned away from the door with a sigh. "This is so twisted," she declared. While her back was turned, John entered the room and closed the door behind him, but intentionally left it ajar. Kristen reminded John that she was supposed to be getting married the next day. "That's tomorrow. Tonight, it's just us, and all we have to do is be honest. It's gotta be about what you want tonight, Kristen."

"What if I don't know?" Kristen asked as she gazed down at her wedding dress and veil spread out on the bed. Refusing to meet John's eyes because hers had filled with tears, Kristen ordered him to get out. John asked if her anger were real. Kristen whirled around and declared that the next day, she was supposed to be marrying the man of her dreams, a man who actually loved her, and John couldn't care less.

"I'm not like you. I can't just feel nothing," Kristen declared. John admitted that he didn't know what they were supposed to feel. He reached around Kristen and picked up Jennifer's sapphire necklace. When Kristen confirmed that she planned to wear the necklace the next day, John produced Kristen's strand of pearls from his pocket.

"I thought you said that you were going to wear these for the right man -- our wedding," John stated. Kristen couldn't believe that he had taken the pearls. As John fastened the pearls around Kristen's neck, he confessed that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her and that necklace. He turned Kristen around, arranged the pearls and her hair just so, and admired her. Kristen tentatively asked if it was how he'd pictured it.

"Not exactly. The picture in my mind -- you were wearing those pearls and nothing else," John declared, making Kristen uncomfortable. Frowning, she tried to take the necklace off, insisting that it was too heavy, but John wouldn't let her remove it. Kristen snapped that the pearls had been for a wedding that had never happened. John apologized and declared that he never should have abandoned Kristen.

John added that they should start over and finish what they'd started. Kristen tearfully wondered, "And then everything that's happened since then just never happened?" John asserted that nothing would get better until he helped Kristen -- but until then, things wouldn't be right for either of them. "And isn't that why you really came back to Salem? Isn't that what we both need?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"You think you know what I need?" Kristen asked. John replied, "I think we both know." He leaned closer to Kristen, poised to kiss her, but a man from room service knocked on the door. The man let himself in when he found that the door was open, and set a bucket of champagne on the desk. As John took care of the bill, the man noticed the wedding dress on the bed and congratulated John and Kristen. While John was distracted, Kristen prepared to send a text message to Brady that read, "Brady, please come to my hotel room as soon as you get this message."

After the man from room service had left, John announced that he had hung the "do not disturb" sign on the door. "Where were we?" John asked, closing the distance between him and Kristen. She asserted that the waiter had arrived just in time to prevent them from doing something really stupid. Ignoring her, John planted a deep, passionate kiss on Kristen.

When Brady ran into Nicole near the caf, she was surprised that he wasn't at a strip club for his bachelor party. Brady informed her that he had gone to the batting cages instead. Nicole whistled. "You are a party animal," she declared. Brady offered to buy her a drink, since it might be the last time the two of them would get to hang out -- and she looked like she needed the company.

Soon they were seated at a table, Nicole with a glass of wine and Brady with a bottle of water. Brady urged Nicole to talk to him about whatever was bothering her. Insisting that she was fine, Nicole reminded him that he was getting married the next day amid a lot of "controversy." Brady didn't want to talk about John and Marlena -- or Eric. "He didn't say 'no' lightly," Nicole pointed out.

Brady maintained that Eric was being hypocritical, but Nicole argued that Eric put everyone else first and bent over backwards to see others' points of view. Brady contended that Eric had chosen sides when being a priest meant he wasn't supposed to. "You will never meet a better man in your life, okay? So please don't talk about him like that," Nicole said firmly.

Recognition dawned in Brady's eyes. "Oh, my God," he exclaimed. Nicole tried to hurry off before Brady could confront her. As Brady rose to keep her from leaving, he didn't notice that he'd knocked his cell phone to the ground -- so he did not see Kristen's text message. Brady deduced that Nicole had feelings for Eric, but she denied it. "You want Eric!" Brady said incredulously.

"Don't be ridiculous! He is so taken. What do you think I am?" Nicole argued. She insisted that she and Eric were just friends, but Brady questioned whether that was all she wanted. "Yes. Why are you interrogating me?" Nicole demanded. Brady maintained that he was worried about Nicole, but she suggested that he worry about himself instead. "I don't need to worry about myself. My life is good. After tomorrow, it's going to get better. I am getting everything I've ever wanted," Brady declared.

Meanwhile, Kristen began to kiss John back. She pressed the "send" button on her cell phone, then dropped it. While she peeled off John's jacket and removed his belt, he deftly moved her onto the bed -- on top of her wedding gown.