Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of July 1, 2013 on DAYS

The grand jury ruled in Sami's favor. Jennifer broke up with Daniel so that she could spend more time parenting J.J. full-time. J.J. just could not seem to stay out of trouble. Will worried about holding Sonny back. Eric collapsed again when his illness returned. Abigail found it difficult to choose between Chad and Cameron.

Monday, July 1, 2013

by Mike

At the Horton house, J.J. opened the front door, interrupting Jennifer and Daniel's kiss. J.J. apologized, claiming that he hadn't realized that Jennifer wasn't alone. Muttering that he had been finding ways to screw everything up lately, J.J. quickly went back inside the house, grinning with satisfaction as he closed the door behind him.

After saying goodbye to Daniel, Jennifer entered the house and found J.J. sitting in the living room. Jennifer started to say something to J.J., but he interrupted and assured her that no explanation was necessary, since he already understood why she hated him. Jennifer insisted that she could never hate J.J., but he acted like he wasn't convinced, sullenly reasoning that she hated him because Daniel hated him.

J.J. reported that Daniel had called him a criminal after Daniel had caught him with the prescription pad earlier. "He thinks I'm some kind of drug dealer, and he thinks that I trashed his car, but I didn't do any of that stuff, and I never, ever would. I don't know why he hates me so much, but he does, and from what I can see, he's trying to turn you against me, too," J.J. observed.

Jennifer stressed that no one could ever turn her against J.J., and she assured him that Daniel wasn't trying to sabotage their relationship. Still skeptical, J.J. guessed that Daniel had visited the Horton house earlier because he had heard about J.J.'s arrest and had been unable to resist the urge to tell Jennifer that J.J. was a loser. Jennifer clarified that Daniel had only visited the house to confirm that she was all right.

Jennifer insisted that Daniel wasn't the issue, but J.J. disagreed. "Do you want to know why I was shoplifting today? It was because of him," J.J. revealed. J.J. reminded Jennifer that Daniel had assumed that J.J. had been planning to steal the prescription pad and use it to write fake prescriptions. J.J. said that he had guessed that Daniel would have eventually convinced Jennifer that his assumptions about J.J. were correct.

J.J. claimed that was why he had decided to hang out with Cole and do some shoplifting in the first place. "I guess I figured, since you already think I'm a total loser, what difference does it make what I do?" J.J. reasoned. Jennifer pointed out that J.J. wasn't stupid, wasn't a baby, and had known exactly what he had been doing. Jennifer added that J.J. was responsible for his own actions and would have to pay for what he had done.

Jennifer told J.J. to go to his classes, instructing him to go to the store afterward and apologize to the owner for stealing her merchandise. Jennifer also wanted J.J. to ask the owner to tell him how he could make amends for his actions. Jennifer ordered J.J. to return home immediately after leaving the store so that they could discuss his punishment and try to think of some ways that he could start to regain her trust.

J.J. started to say something, but Jennifer stopped him and reiterated that she wanted him to go to his classes. J.J. grabbed his backpack and exited the house. "Yeah, I'll go to class after I make one quick stop," J.J. muttered once he was outside.

In Daniel's apartment, Maggie returned one of Parker's toys to Daniel, unaware that Parker was at the park with his babysitter. Maggie could tell that something was wrong, and Daniel confirmed her suspicion, adding that he was only making the situation worse. Daniel told Maggie about J.J.'s arrest and the kiss between Daniel and Jennifer that J.J. had interrupted earlier. Maggie failed to understand why the latter event was a big deal.

Daniel guessed that the kiss had made J.J. feel like Jennifer cared more about Daniel than she did about her own son. Maggie reasoned that J.J. was old enough to understand that Jennifer had enough room in her heart for Daniel and her children. "Well, maybe he's old enough, but I'm not so sure he gets that," Daniel replied. Maggie assured Daniel that J.J. was simply going through a phase that would eventually end.

Maggie could tell that Daniel was distracted, so she took the hint and excused herself. Daniel stressed that he did not want Maggie to repeat any of the things that he had told her, and she assured him that she understood. "Oh, sweetheart. I hope you won't be too angry with me," Maggie muttered after exiting the apartment. Later, as Daniel emerged from the shower, someone knocked on his door.

Daniel opened the door, wearing only a towel, and found J.J. standing in the hallway. J.J. wondered if Daniel had been expecting the visitor to be Jennifer. Daniel clarified that he had been expecting the visitor to be a delivery person. "All right, listen -- I know you think you can turn my mom against me, but you can't, so stop trying," J.J. advised Daniel before abruptly walking away.

At the Horton house, Jennifer received a visit from Maggie, who revealed that Daniel had told her about what had happened earlier that day. Jennifer blurted out that she wished that Daniel hadn't talked to Maggie about the situation. Jennifer quickly apologized and said that she knew that Maggie was simply trying to help. Maggie offered to lend her parenting expertise to Jennifer, who replied that she wasn't ready to talk about the situation yet.

After Maggie left, Jennifer sent Daniel a text message. "I need a little time to figure things out. In the meantime, please stop discussing J.J.'s problems with other people," the message read. In Daniel's apartment, Daniel sighed with frustration, tossed his phone on the couch, and angrily slapped a nearby wall.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. received a visit from Justin, who revealed that E.J.'s plan to seize control of Stefano's empire had hit a snag that could jeopardize everything. Justin explained that Mr. Shin had expressed some reservations about supporting the takeover. "Shin? His vote is critical, Justin. That little bastard can't just change his mind! Okay, I'll call him. I sold him on the idea once before; I will sell him on the idea again," E.J. replied.

Justin started to remind E.J. of the time difference in Tokyo, but E.J. snapped that he didn't care. E.J. refused to let his sole chance to destroy his father slip through his fingers. A short time later, E.J. ended a phone call, hoping that his message had instilled the fear of God in Shin. Changing the subject, Justin noted that he and E.J. needed to leave so that they could get to the courthouse before Sami's hearing started.

Ignoring Justin's advice, E.J. poured himself a glass of whiskey as he blamed Stefano for everything that Sami was being forced to deal with. Justin found it hard to believe that Stefano would really show such heartless disregard for Johnny and Sydney's mother, but E.J. assured Justin that Stefano would do so without even blinking. E.J. claimed that was why he was desperate to destroy Stefano.

At the Brady Pub, Hope took a seat next to Roman, who was drinking a glass of whiskey at the bar. Hope wondered if Roman was all right. "Well, let's see -- I've been relieved of a job I love, [and] my daughter may spend the rest of her life in prison for killing one of my own men. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I'm just dandy," Roman ruefully replied.

Roman was confident that, despite Sami's previous mistakes, she never would have shot an innocent man. Roman noted, somewhat bitterly, that he seemed to be one of the only people who believed that Bernardi had been a dirty cop, since Abe was apparently planning to honor Bernardi as a hero at a memorial service later that day. Abe, who had entered the pub in time to hear Roman's comment, confirmed the news.

"Look, the department is in a rough position. I mean, there's no hard evidence Bernardi was corrupt, and Bernardi's not around to defend himself. And the mayor and the department are taking a lot of heat to give him the proper service," Abe apologetically explained. Roman said that he understood, and Abe and Hope excused themselves so that they could get to the town square before the memorial service started.

At the Horton Town Square, Marge confronted Sami as a group of onlookers, including Abigail and Chad, watched. Chad started to step in to defuse the situation, but Abigail stopped him so that she could continue to eavesdrop. Marge said that Sami's claim that Bernardi had tried to kill Rafe was tarnishing Bernardi's reputation. Marge begged Sami to revise her original statement about the incident, but Sami refused to lie to the police.

"My heart goes out to you and Timmy, but I swear to you on the life of my children that that man had a weapon, and if I hadn't stopped him, he would have killed Rafe Hernandez," Sami insisted. Marge started to sob, begging Sami to change her story to spare Timmy from being forced to grow up believing that his father had been a dirty cop.

Meanwhile, Hope and Abe arrived and intervened, reminding Marge that Timmy was nearby and could probably see and hear what was going on. Marge calmed down and agreed to let Abe escort her back to her seat, but before leaving, she mentioned Sami's impending hearing and insisted that Sami was going to pay for murdering Bernardi. Deciding that he had seen enough, Chad walked away, and Abigail reluctantly followed him.

Sami asked Hope to make sure that none of their family members found out about Sami's hearing later that day. Sami was especially worried about Caroline, whom she didn't want to upset. Hope reported that she had not told Roman about the hearing when she had seen him at the Brady Pub earlier. Sami excused herself and went to the pub, hoping to spend some time with her loved ones before her hearing started.

Roman informed Sami that Caroline and Kayla had left earlier. Sami apologized for causing Roman to get suspended, guessing that he was probably sick of her uncanny ability to constantly screw things up. Roman firmly stated that if Sami didn't know how much happiness she had added to his life, he obviously wasn't doing a very good job as her father. Roman assured Sami that he knew that her latest predicament wasn't really her fault.

At the courthouse, a woman greeted Justin, noting that it had been a while since they had last seen each other. Justin introduced E.J. to the woman, Melinda Trask, and explained that she was the special prosecutor who was handling Sami's case. E.J. wondered why Sami's case needed a special prosecutor. "I'm sure you'd prefer a situation where your family and the Brady family could trample due process, but the judge thought otherwise," Melinda told E.J.

Justin offered a more straightforward summary -- Sami's case was a high-profile one, and Melinda loved being in the spotlight. Melinda countered that she had taken the case because she believed in justice, adding that the people deserved to have a representative who was capable of defeating a great attorney like Justin. After Melinda left, E.J. wondered if she had really defeated Justin before.

Justin explained that he and Melinda had each won a single case against the other person. Meanwhile, Sami arrived and told E.J. and Justin about her earlier encounter with Marge. Sami reported that Marge had somehow known about the hearing, despite the fact that it was not supposed to be public knowledge. A short time later, Melinda returned and announced that it was time for the hearing to begin.

In one of the courthouse conference rooms, Melinda reminded the members of the grand jury that they were not responsible for deciding if Sami was guilty or innocent. Melinda explained that the purpose of the hearing was to determine if the prosecution had enough evidence to charge Sami with second-degree murder. Melinda instructed Sami to begin her testimony, and Sami proceeded to recap everything that had happened the night of the shooting.

Melinda occasionally interrupted to question one of Sami's statements. Most notably, when Sami explained that hypnosis had helped her realize that Bernardi's knife had actually been a straight razor, Melinda wondered if a police psychiatrist had hypnotized Sami. Sami replied that her mother, who was a psychiatrist, had hypnotized her. Melinda smirked and repeated what Sami had just said, doing a poor job of hiding her skepticism.

"He had that razor open. I couldn't just stand there and watch him slit Rafe's throat with it. I had to do something. I had the gun in my hand, and I fired. I didn't have anything else that I could do. You have to believe me!" Sami insisted. Sami, who had remained calm for most of the interview, apologized for getting slightly emotional during her previous statement, explaining that it was difficult for her to talk about what had happened that night.

Melinda offered the members of the jury a chance to ask Sami some questions. One juror wondered why Sami hadn't screamed for help before shooting Bernardi. Sami replied that she had not had time to weigh her options carefully, adding that she had only been thinking about protecting her ex-husband in the split second that she'd had to react to the situation.

With another hint of skepticism, Melinda asked if Sami had shot Bernardi for some sort of personal reason. Sami reiterated that she had only shot Bernardi to protect Rafe. Melinda wondered if Sami had known Bernardi or had any sort of prior relationship with or animosity toward him before the night of the shooting. Sami remained silent for a moment, prompting Melinda to urge her to answer the question.

Meanwhile, outside the conference room, Justin assured E.J. that Sami would be fine as long as she simply told the truth. Back inside the room, Sami conceded that she might have occasionally seen Bernardi at the police station, where her father and aunt worked, but she added that she had never had any personal interactions with Bernardi. The same juror who had already asked Sami one question wondered if she had recognized Bernardi before she had shot him.

Sami said that she had been unable to see the man's face from her vantage point and hadn't learned his identity until later that night. "I didn't want to kill Detective Bernardi. I didn't even want to hurt him. The only thing I was thinking about was stopping him. My only motive that night was to protect my ex-husband," Sami firmly stated. Melinda glanced nervously at the juror, who smiled at Sami, seemingly satisfied with her response.

At the Horton Town Square, Abe conducted Bernardi's memorial service. Abe noted the various commendations that Bernardi had received, and several police officers took the time to praise Bernardi. One of the officers presented Timmy with an American flag.

At Common Grounds, Abigail told Chad that she believed that Marge had a right to know about the video of Sami and Bernardi's argument. Abigail didn't want Sami to go to prison, but she also felt sorry for Bernardi's son, since she knew what it was like to lose a parent. Chad insisted that he and Abigail needed to mind their own business, adding that the argument that had been captured on the video had not been Sami's fault.

Unconvinced, Abigail wondered how Chad could be certain that Sami wasn't responsible for the incident in question. "Because my son of a bitch father is behind all of it," Chad explained. Chad told Abigail that Stefano had sent Bernardi to kill Rafe, although he added that it would probably be impossible to prove that fact, since the great Stefano DiMera knew how to cover his tracks.

"I am disgusted to be Stefano DiMera's son, and I pray to God that I don't turn out like him," Chad said with a sigh. Abigail placed her hand on Chad's wrist and assured him that he was nothing like Stefano. "You sure? Maybe, no matter how hard I fight it, I'll always end up doing what Stefano would," Chad suggested. Abigail knew how Chad felt, since Jack's biological father, Duke, had been physically and emotionally abusive.

Chad laughed when he heard that the man's name was Duke, but he quickly apologized and urged Abigail to continue. "My dad used to always tell J.J. and me when he got angry that he was afraid he was turning into his father. But my dad was a good man with a good heart, and we were never scared of him. You aren't any more your father than my dad was his, and you never will be," Abigail assured Chad, gently grasping his hands.

At the courthouse, Sami told E.J. and Justin about some of the things that had happened during the hearing. Sami wondered if Justin knew how long it would take for the grand jury to reach a decision. "I doubt it'll take long. I'm sure that they looked at you, and they listened to you, and they came to the same conclusion I did -- that you deserve to rot in prison for the rest of your miserable life," Marge said as she approached Sami.

Marge took a seat in the hallway so that she could wait for the grand jury to make its decision. Justin advised Sami to try to relax, but she quietly replied that it was going to be difficult to do that while Marge was nearby. Justin approached Marge and urged her to go home, since it could take a while for a decision to be reached, but she refused to do so, stating that she wanted to be at the courthouse when justice was served.

Sami excused herself so that she could get some water. After Sami left, Justin told E.J. that he had just received a text message about Shin, who was apparently back on E.J.'s side. Justin optimistically suggested that the news could be a sign that things were going to work out well for Sami, but E.J. didn't seem to share Justin's optimism. Sami returned a short time later.

As everyone continued to wait, someone stepped out of the conference room and announced that the grand jury had reached a verdict.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

by Spaldini

At the courthouse, Sami stood breathlessly in the hallway with E.J. and Justin as they waited for the grand jury to make a decision. Sami fretted about how her family would react. A clerk delivered the verdict as Bernardi's wife, Marge, listened from the corner as Justin opened the envelope and read the verdict. Justin explained that the grand jury had decided not to indict Sami.

Upset, Marge accused Roman of helping Sami. "You're the commissioner's daughter, and you know you can get away with murder," Marge said. Upset, Marge swore that Sami would pay for her crime. A cop offered to escort Marge home and led her toward the exit as she complained that Sami had gotten away with murder. After Marge and Justin left, Sami confided to E.J. that she felt terrible for Marge and her son. E.J. comforted Sami and reminded her that Bernardi had been a dirty cop.

In her apartment, Gabi paced. Gabi was late for a meeting, and she texted Will and Sonny, asking where they were.

In the town square, Sonny talked to his mom. As Adrienne explained that the restaurant had been closed for a memorial service, Will interrupted and asked Adrienne if she was referring to the cop that Sami had killed. Adrienne apologized for mentioning the subject. Justin texted Will and informed him that the jury had not indicted Sami.

"What? Are you kidding me?" Adrienne said in disbelief. Covering, Adrienne said she was surprised because Justin had said that grand juries often leaned toward indictment in such cases. Defensive, Will reminded Adrienne that Sami had shot Bernardi in order to save Rafe. Adrienne countered that Will was recounting Sami's story. When Will and Sonny bristled, Adrienne swore she was not bad-mouthing Sami and that she was only surprised that Sami would not have to go to trial.

"What happened was she told the truth, and the grand jury, unlike some people in this town, believed her," Will said. Before Adrienne could respond, Will saw the text message from Gabi, and he and Sonny left for their apartment.

Victor and Ciara visited Eric at the rectory. Ciara showed Eric the cast on her arm and told Eric that he was a hero for saving the school. As Nicole entered the room, Eric noted that he'd had help. When Ciara asked about the new school, Sister Margaret offered to show it to Ciara. Once Ciara was gone, Eric said that Victor should congratulate Nicole because she had saved Eric's life and had convinced the board to fund the school.

Curious, Victor wondered aloud how Nicole had known that Eric was ill. Nicole explained that she had gone to the hotel to deliver Eric's notes for his meeting and had not known Eric was sick until she had arrived at the hotel. Eric's phone beeped with a text message from Justin, and elated, Eric announced that the grand jury had not indicted Sami. Eric excused himself to run an errand and left.

Victor asked Nicole what she was doing. Victor noted that the Nicole he had worked with at Titan was an uncaring woman and not like the person that had fought to save a school. Annoyed, Nicole answered that she wanted to determine how she could have been an ambitious idiot in the past. As Vargas approached the rectory in the hallway, he overheard Victor accuse Nicole of being an opportunistic liar. Nicole told Victor that he was wrong.

"People like you never change unless, of course, it helps them get something that they want," Victor said. Nicole walked across the room and said that she did not want to waste her breath attempting to convince Victor that she had changed. As Nicole turned to face Victor, she saw Vargas standing in the doorway and greeted him. Vargas apologized. Nicole introduced Vargas to Victor, and Victor remembered that Vargas had helped Hope catch the man that had kidnapped Gabi on the island.

Victor excused himself to find Ciara. As Victor started to leave, he advised Vargas to steer clear of Nicole if he planned to lead a respectable life. After Victor was gone, Vargas asked why Victor was hostile toward Nicole. Nicole shook her head. Vargas told Nicole not to worry what Victor had said because she had saved Eric and the school. Smiling in gratitude, Nicole asked Vargas where he had been recently.

Vargas explained that he had made arrangements to move along from his job at the church. When Nicole asked if Vargas was leaving thanks to legal means, Vargas smiled good-naturedly and reminded Nicole that she should stay out of his business. Vargas encouraged Nicole to confront her feelings for Eric. Nicole objected. Vargas advised Nicole to get past her feelings because if Eric learned about them, he would have to shut Nicole out of his life in order to keep to his vows.

In the DiMera living room, Kristen edited the footage on her computer tablet of her and Eric fooling around while he was under the influence of the drugs she had injected into him. Worried about the quality of the edit, Kristen looked around the room for inspiration. Seeing the portrait of Stefano in the corner, Kristen grinned and scrolled through the messages on her phone to find a name that Stefano had sent to her.

As Kristen walked into the foyer, E.J. and Sami returned home. Sami informed Kristen that she had not been indicted. "Terrific! I was afraid you were going to have to spend lots of time in the slammer," Kristen joked. Smiling, Sami noted that Kristen did not have to bake her a cake with a file in it after all. As Kristen and Sami's comments grew more mean-spirited, E.J. steered Sami into the living room.

Alone in the foyer, Kristen mumbled to herself, "It's too bad. I could have used you to get back at your mother. But then again, you don't swing that way. At least I don't think you do. It's too bad. It could have been glorious." As Kristen walked upstairs, there was a knock at the door. Kristen tossed her computer tablet on the table, opened the door, and saw Eric there. Eric asked for Sami, and Kristen directed him toward the living room. Eric apologized again for yelling at Kristen at the hospital, and Kristen said it was fine.

In the DiMera living room, E.J. and Sami toasted to her freedom. Sami talked about how hard it was to watch Marge suffer. Smiling, E.J. noted that Marge had attacked Sami and that Sami had felt compassion for Marge. "I don't care what anybody else says about you. You have a heart of gold. A big one," E.J. whispered.

Eric entered the room and happily hugged Sami and congratulated her. Worried, Sami asked Eric how he was feeling. Eric said he was fine. E.J. congratulated Eric on the new school, and Sami excitedly told Eric that Johnny and Sydney had made a video for Eric. Sami asked E.J. to retrieve her computer tablet from the other room. E.J. walked into the foyer and grabbed Kristen's computer tablet off of the table, mistaking it for Sami's tablet.

In her bedroom, Kristen called a woman named Sarah Smith and asked Sarah to edit some footage for her. As Kristen talked about the project, she remarked that she had the material on her computer tablet. Kristen reached for her tablet and realized that she had left it downstairs in the foyer.

In the DiMera living room, Sami handed the computer tablet to Eric and noted that the video on it would "change the whole way you see yourself." E.J. walked into the foyer as Kristen rushed down the stairs and grabbed Sami's computer tablet off of the table. Suspicious, E.J. asked Kristen which member of Sami's family Kristen was targeting.

In the living room, Sami unlocked the tablet with a password and told Eric to push the video icon on the tablet. As Eric attempted to find the video of the kids, Kristen's yelling echoed. Sami went into the foyer to ask Kristen to act normally in front of her brother. Kristen opened her tablet and was surprised to find rubber ducky wallpaper on the tablet. Laughing, Sami said that Sydney had added the wallpaper and that Kristen had her tablet.

Confused, Sami asked Kristen how she had unlocked the tablet. When Kristen noted that the password for her tablet was E.J.'s birthday, Sami said that she had the same password on her tablet. Sami commented that it was no wonder that Eric could not find the video of the kids, and Kristen realized that Eric was looking at Kristen's tablet. In the living room, Eric perused the video files and noted, "Here it is!"

In the Brady Pub, Kate spotted Nick handing an envelope to Vargas. After Kate made a snide comment to Vargas, he left. Nick handed Kate a USB key drive. When Kate asked what was on the drive, Nick explained that he had worked on a formula for a new product that would help Kate's product line. Kate said she would not rehire Nick. Shaking his head, Nick explained that he wanted to do the right thing and return the formula to Kate, since he had developed it while he had been Kate's employee.

Nick said that he wanted to thank Kate for hiring him. Narrowing her eyes, Kate asked Nick about the envelope he had given Vargas. Nick noted that Vargas was not Kate's business. When Kate jokingly asked Nick if Vargas had raped Nick in prison, Nick's face fell, and he explained that Vargas had saved his life.

Sonny and Will returned to their apartment and found an irate Gabi. Gabi reminded them that they had agreed to be home at a certain time so that she could meet a friend. Flustered, Gabi grabbed her purse, notified Will and Sonny that there was milk in the fridge, and then she left.

After checking on Arianna, Will told Sonny that he agreed with Gabi's point about being better parents. Sonny reminded Will that all three of them had been up at night with Arianna and that they were doing a good job raising the baby. Hungry, Will offered to order food, but when Will looked in his wallet, he realized he had left his credit card at the baby store they had shopped at earlier. Sonny shoved Will toward the door and ordered him to retrieve the card and pick up sushi on the way back.

Outside the Brady Pub, Will ran into Kate. Kate said that she'd had an upsetting meeting with Nick. Suspicious, Will asked Kate what Nick had done. Kate explained that Nick had attempted to make amends and that she had reacted poorly. Will invited Kate to see the baby, but she declined, noting that she was headed to the hospital because the doctors were going to revive Rafe.

Smiling, Will said that Kate could tell Rafe the good news about Sami. As Kate raised an eyebrow, Will explained that the grand jury had not indicted Sami. Kate told Will that she was happy for Will, but she was surprised. Kate asked about the living arrangements, and Will said that he was tired but happy.

Alone with the baby in the apartment, Sonny vaccuumed while cradling Arianna to his chest in a carrier. There was a knock at the door, and Sonny answered it and found his friend Brent. Brent asked Sonny if the rumors were true that Sonny was dating Will and raising a child. Beaming with pride, Sonny showed Arianna to Brent. Unimpressed, Brent asked Sonny if he was insane. Sonny smiled and showed off Arianna to a leery Brent.

Brent asked Sonny if it bothered him that the child was Will's, but Sonny explained that because Arianna was part of Will then it felt like Arianna was Sonny's child as well. When Brent spotted Gabi's clothes in the room, he remarked that it was a bad idea to live with Will's baby and the baby's mother. Sonny sat Brent on the couch and handed him Arianna. As Brent cuddled Arianna, he admitted that he did not think he could do what Sonny had done. Sonny noted that he loved Will and that Gabi was part of the family.

As Brent asked about Sonny's life before the baby, Will approached the front door. From the hallway, Will could hear Brent and Sonny talking. Brent remarked that Sonny had been a wanderer and had never stayed in one place. Sonny admitted that he had changed. "Are you sure this isn't just your latest adventure?" Brent asked. As Brent asked Sonny if he minded staying in one place permanently, Will leaned closer to the door to listen.

In the Kiriakis living room, Adrienne told Justin that she had run into Marge in the town square. Adrienne explained that she was pleased that Justin had won, but that she was empathetic to the pain that Marge was suffering. Justin commented that barring any new evidence, Sami would not go to trial.

In the park, Gabi and Nick strolled together and talked about the baby and Rafe. After the small talk, Gabi asked Nick what he wanted to talk about. Nick explained that he did not believe he was good enough for Gabi and that they should no longer be married. Nick asked for an annulment for "emotional fraud" so that Gabi could marry in the church later in her life. Nick promised that he would not leave town and that he was open to dating Gabi and starting over. Gabi nodded.

"I'll never forget this time together. I'll never forget the way you made me feel," Nick said. As Nick walked away, Gabi fought back tears.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

At the Horton house, Roman was visiting with Jennifer, who expressed her relief that Sami had been exonerated. Roman noted, "I'm just glad we're spared a trial. Been there; it's not fun. In fact, it's more devastating than you can imagine." J.J. wandered into the living room just then, so Roman said goodbye and left. "So how long is everyone in this town going to hate me? Forever?" J.J. grumbled. Jennifer assured him that no one hated him.

J.J. informed his mom that he had apologized to the store owner after class. Jennifer declared that J.J. was lucky that the owner hadn't pressed charges against J.J. for shoplifting. She proclaimed, "There will be no more video games in this house. There will be no movies. There will be no Wi-Fi." When J.J. asked how he was supposed to do homework, Jennifer told him that he could go to the library.

Jennifer continued that he could not send text messages, and he was only allowed to call her or Abigail, and Jennifer would keep an eye on his cell phone bill to make sure he was complying. When J.J. complained, Jennifer warned him that there was a far worse punishment: jail. Hanging his head, J.J. apologized and acknowledged that he had to prove to her that she could trust him again. Jennifer said that she wasn't finished because they hadn't even talked about Daniel yet.

J.J. contended that Jennifer was starting to believe it when Daniel called him a criminal. Jennifer reminded him firmly, "You are not the victim, J.J.!" J.J. asserted that Daniel needed him to be the bad guy, and J.J. was through taking that. "I let your boyfriend know that I wasn't going to let him turn you against me," J.J. declared. Jennifer reassured him that no one could tell her what to think, so there was no way that Daniel or anyone could turn her against J.J.

J.J. griped that Abigail was the "golden child" while Jennifer was always grilling him about something he didn't do. Jennifer insisted that she did not favor Abigail, adding, "I would be giving her just as much grief as I'm giving you if she were in trouble." J.J. pointed out that when Jennifer had wanted to talk to him, he'd been there, but she had been making out with Daniel. J.J. declared that he had homework to do, so he headed upstairs.

Frustrated, Jennifer grabbed her purse and hurried out determinedly. As soon as the door had closed behind his mom, J.J. left, as well.

When J.J. met up with Rory and Bev in the park, he explained why he hadn't responded to any of Rory's text messages. "[My mom] thinks the more she punishes me, the more she'll inspire me to do the right thing. Wrong," J.J. scoffed. Bev felt bad that J.J. had gotten arrested because Cole had been a jerk. J.J. asked if Bev and Rory had any ideas about what they could do while his mom was still out.

After Bev placed some cash in his hand, J.J. complained, "Twenty-six sixty? What the hell are we gonna do with that?" Rory suggested that they could smoke some weed, but J.J. thought they should sell Rory's stash and use the cash to do something "real." Rory pointed out that J.J. lived closer. J.J. pointed out that they had kept his stash of better stuff separate because they were saving it for themselves -- plus it would all be gone if his mom caught them.

After Bev and Rory obediently left for Rory's house, a young woman showed up and asked J.J., "So, tell me the truth: is it really that good?" She explained that she'd heard J.J. say that his stash was too good to sell, noting, "That means that there's only one other thing that it's good for." As the girl leaned in flirtatiously, J.J. concurred, "You're right -- and it's no fun doing it alone, is it?"

While Daniel was picking up a pair of Parker's forgotten sunglasses at the Kiriakis mansion, Brady asked if there was any news about what had made Eric sick. Daniel said that the blood work had been inconclusive, so they might never know what had happened. Brady admitted that he felt very guilty for giving Eric such a hard time when Brady had been with Kristen.

"How did I ever think I was in love with her?" Brady mused. When Daniel asked about Brady's feelings for Kristen since the breakup, Brady declared that the only thing he felt for her was "the urge to wring her scrawny neck." Daniel was dubious that Brady could simply forget his feelings for Kristen overnight. Daniel was concerned because Brady was his friend -- as was Nicole, with whom Brady had just been planning to run away.

Brady assured Daniel that he wasn't using Nicole to get over Kristen -- and besides, the trip had been canceled. Brady insisted that he was completely over Kristen and he never wanted to see her or even hear her name again.

In the foyer of the DiMera mansion, Kristen panicked when she realized that Eric was using her tablet instead of Sami's to look for a video that Sami's kids had made for him. Kristen charged back into the living room and shouted, "Stop!" Eric looked up, puzzled, and Sami and E.J. were equally bemused. Kristen gently took the tablet away from Eric. A suspicious Sami wondered what it was that Kristen hadn't wanted Eric to see. A defensive Kristen fired off a sarcastic retort, stressing that what was on her tablet was her personal property and no one's business but hers.

"If it's so personal, why do you have a video file with my name on it?" Eric demanded. Kristen claimed that she'd had a videoconference the day before with Eric Baker, Countess Wilhelmina's international marketing chief. E.J. backed her up. Kristen offered to let Eric watch the very lengthy video if he still didn't believe her. Eric declined.

While Sami walked Eric to the door, E.J. asked Kristen what was on her tablet. "You don't want to know," she asserted lightly. E.J. followed Sami and Eric into the foyer, where Sami was apologizing for Kristen. Eric confessed that he had snapped at Kristen earlier, so he felt that she'd been well within her rights to demand her tablet back.

Kristen was alone in the house a little later when a video editor stopped by to pick up Kristen's tablet. The woman assured Kristen that she could make sure that no one could tell that the video had been altered. Kristen handed the woman an envelope full of cash, with promises to pay the remainder when the editor was finished. After the editor had gone, Kristen decided that she needed to go shopping. "I'm going to buy myself something demure that I can wear to the premiere of triple-X production," Kristen declared as she grabbed her purse and headed out.

Eric was praying in an exam room at the hospital when Daniel entered. Daniel explained that he'd wanted to see Eric to make sure that whatever had made Eric sick was really out of his system. Daniel wanted Eric to reconsider letting Daniel run some more blood tests. "That's not necessary. I think I know exactly what happened to me at the hotel," Eric declared.

Citing some examples in the Bible, Eric asserted that there were simply some things that modern medicine couldn't explain. Daniel seemed skeptical that God had made Eric sick. Eric pointed out that while he'd been ill, Nicole had been inspired to save St. Luke's school. Daniel made Eric promise to call if he felt even the slightest bit sick again, and Eric agreed.

At St. Luke's later, Eric was removing his priest's collar and unbuttoning his shirt in preparation for a workout when Roman arrived. Roman was relieved to see his son looking so much better. Roman explained that he'd stopped by to continue an earlier discussion about a family matter. When Eric stepped back behind his desk to check his calendar, Roman somehow spilled Eric's soft drink on a file as well as on Eric's collar.

Grabbing a couple of fistfuls of tissue from Nicole's desk, Roman apologized as he helped Eric clean up the spill. Eric promised to call his dad after he found out what day the board meeting had been rescheduled for. He added that he might skip the workout and take a shower instead, because he'd lost some time earlier due to an appointment with Daniel.

In the shower later, Eric got dizzy and bits of memory flashed before him. He lost his balance and had to lean against the shower wall to steady himself.

At Daniel's, Jennifer apologized for snapping at Daniel for telling Maggie about J.J. getting arrested. Daniel apologized if he had made things worse by talking to his mom, but Jennifer assured him that it was all right. Jennifer stated that although she'd thought she had things under control with J.J., after his arrest, she'd realized that she had to pay more attention to what her son was saying.

Jennifer explained, "My son is lost. He has lost his father, and now he has lost his way -- and I can't make any more mistakes... He needs to come first." She asked Daniel if they could take a break for a little while. Daniel asserted that it would only show J.J. how much power he had over Jennifer, but she argued that it would show her son that she valued his feelings. "Breaking up with me is not going to fix your son," Daniel contended.

Brady literally bumped into Kristen as both were walking through Horton Square. Although she noted that it was kismet that they'd run into each other, Kristen continued on her way, but Brady stopped her. He asked why Kristen had gone to visit Eric in the hospital. Kristen maintained that she'd been there to deliver some papers for E.J.; while there, she'd seen Eric, and he had looked very sad and alone.

Kristen asked why Brady had hung up after calling her the night before. "Because I knew I was wasting my time," Brady asserted. "You sure you weren't calling to figure out a way to say you're sorry...for throwing me away?" Kristen countered. Brady was incredulous. "I am not sorry. You hear me?" Brady hissed. "You will be soon enough," Kristen said. Brady demanded to know if that were a threat. He started to walk away, but Kristen asserted that Brady would be sorry -- and so would everyone around him.

Will listened outside the open door of his apartment while inside, Sonny's friend Brent was holding baby Arianna as he asked Sonny, "Is this really what you pictured for yourself -- being tied down to this kind of life?" Grinning, Sonny admitted that it wasn't. Brent produced tickets to an all-night July 4th rave for him and Sonny. As Sonny took Arianna from Brent and placed her in the bassinette, he admitted that he wanted to go, but just then, Will's cell phone vibrated outside and interrupted Sonny.

Will fled down the corridor. Sonny asked if it had been Brent's phone, but Brent said that he hadn't heard anything. Sonny stuck his head out into the hallway to see if that was where the noise had originated, but the hall was empty. After declining Brent's invitation, Sonny declared, "There is no place that I'd rather be than right here." He explained that even though it wasn't the life he'd always imagined, one of the reasons he loved Arianna so much was that he loved Will so much.

On the phone at Common Grounds, Justin warned the person on the phone about the consequences of breaking a promise to E.J. DiMera. "I want you to call me when Mr. Shin has made a decision once and for all," Justin instructed firmly before hanging up. He sent an email to E.J. with the subject line "Bad News," which read, "Hong Kong back on the fence. Shin delaying vote till tomorrow at earliest. May be cold feet, could be more. Call me." With a heavy sigh, Justin left.

Outside, Justin ran into Will, who was heading inside. Will thanked Justin for everything he'd done to help Will's mom. Will invited Justin to drop by any time to see Arianna, and Justin replied that he was on his way to the apartment to see Sonny. Noting that Will looked a little tired, Justin assured Will that the sleep deprivation and exhaustion would get easier -- and it was all worth it.

Sami and E.J. went to the Brady Pub so that Sami could visit her grandmother. As they were headed out again, E.J. received the email from Justin. Sami observed E.J.'s reaction and asked what was wrong. E.J. made a rather unconvincing excuse but reassured Sami that everything was all right.

As Sami and E.J. were leaving the pub, they ran into Will outside. Will congratulated his mom and embraced her enthusiastically. Sami hinted for an invitation to go see the baby, and Will happily extended one.

Brent was leaving Sonny's apartment when Justin arrived. After Sonny reintroduced his dad and his friend, Brent explained that he hadn't been around for a while because he'd been studying in Europe for about a year. After Brent had gone, Sonny thanked his dad for representing Sami. Justin said that he'd just run into Will at the coffeehouse. A puzzled Sonny noted that Will had gone to retrieve his credit card from the baby store in Horton Square, on the opposite side of town.

When Sonny got a text message a little later from Brent, Sonny expressed his frustration to his dad about Brent. Sonny explained that it bothered him that Brent seemed to believe Sonny was missing out on the freedom to travel and have adventures because he chose to stay home with Will and the baby. "Sonny, I think the greatest adventure anyone can have is raising a child," Justin declared. He understood that Sonny was doing exactly what he wanted to be doing.

Justin was happily holding Arianna when Sami, E.J., and Will arrived. Will explained to Sonny that he had run some other errands while he'd been out retrieving his credit card. Sonny said that he had been making a playlist of Arianna's favorite songs for her bedtime. When Justin left, E.J. made an excuse to step outside, as well.

As Sami held Arianna, she thanked Sonny for not telling his dad about the video. When the baby began to fuss, Sonny volunteered to take her into the bedroom to change her diaper and try out the new bedtime playlist. Will fretted, "I hope I'm not asking him to do too much." Sami pointed out, "I didn't hear him ask. He offered. He wants to be here. Right?"

In the hallway, E.J. expressed his dismay about the delay of the vote in Hong Kong. He wanted to know why Shin was waffling, but Justin didn't know. E.J. was worried that Stefano had gotten to Shin -- and they were being set up. E.J. noted apologetically, "If my father has figured out what we're up to, I've borrowed you a world of hurt." Justin pointed out that he'd been well aware of the dangers when he'd signed on. E.J. asked what Justin thought they should do to prepare for the next day. Justin replied matter-of-factly, "I know what I'm going to do, and I'd advise you to do the same: sleep with the lights on and both eyes wide open."

Thursday, July 4, 2013

by Mike

In Daniel's apartment, Daniel tried to convince Jennifer that breaking up with him wouldn't stop J.J. from acting out. Jennifer assumed that Daniel wanted her to give up on J.J., but Daniel insisted that she was putting words in his mouth. Jennifer said that Daniel had just implied that nothing was going to stop J.J. from acting out. Daniel backpedaled, assuring Jennifer that J.J. was a kid who would eventually change his behavior on his own.

Jennifer reminded Daniel that he had recently called J.J. a criminal. Daniel claimed that he had simply lashed out at J.J. during a moment of anger and didn't really believe that J.J. was a lost cause. Daniel reasoned that J.J. would be fine because Jennifer was a great mother. Jennifer disagreed with Daniel's assessment of her parenting skills, regretfully admitting that she hadn't even been there for J.J. when he had needed her the most.

Daniel begged Jennifer to reconsider her decision to end their relationship, insisting that he wanted to help her. Jennifer asserted that Daniel's involvement was only making the situation worse. Jennifer asked Daniel to respect her choice, stating that she needed to do what was best for J.J. As Daniel continued to protest, Parker's babysitter entered the apartment, with the boy in tow, and Jennifer seized the opportunity to excuse herself.

Later, Parker laughed happily as Daniel played with him. Daniel hoped that Parker would continue to laugh like that for the following twenty years. Daniel promised that he would always be there for Parker, even if they didn't always get along with each other, because Parker would always be his top priority. Daniel shook his head as he realized what he was saying, suddenly understanding Jennifer's position.

In the park, J.J. invited a young woman to follow him to his place so that she could sample his stash of marijuana. J.J. suggestively assured the woman that they would have the place all to themselves. The woman studied J.J. for a moment before dismissively concluding that robbing the cradle wasn't her thing. The woman believed that the age difference between her and J.J. could get in the way. "Only if you let it," J.J. flirtatiously replied.

The woman observed that J.J. seemed to like older women. "I like women," J.J. replied, smiling as he introduced himself. Failing to offer her own name, the woman continued to exchange flirtatious banter with J.J. for a while before agreeing to accompany him to his place. Later, at the Horton house, the woman took a seat in the living room and propped her feet up on the coffee table as she waited for J.J. to retrieve his stash from his room.

Jennifer entered the house and wondered who the woman was. The woman challenged Jennifer to introduce herself first. Meanwhile, J.J. returned, and the woman quickly excused herself, claiming that she had a curfew to adhere to. After the woman left, Jennifer probed J.J. for information about the woman's identity. J.J. claimed that he had met the woman in one of his classes, but Jennifer refused to believe that the woman was still in high school.

Annoyed, J.J. shook his head and started to walk away, but Jennifer stopped him. Jennifer said that J.J. had pushed her too far, and she proceeded to lecture him about his recent string of poor choices. When Jennifer suggested that it wasn't appropriate for J.J. to associate himself with someone who was as old as the woman whom he had been hanging out with earlier, he interrupted her.

"You want to talk to me about appropriate? You want to lecture me after what you're doing with that sleaze?" J.J. asked, referring to Daniel. J.J.'s statement stunned Jennifer, who couldn't believe that he had dared to suggest that Daniel was sleazy. J.J. sarcastically agreed that Daniel was the perfect replacement father. "You want to forget about Dad? Fine, but I won't. I will never forget him," J.J. vowed.

Jennifer assured J.J. that she would always remember and love Jack. Jennifer said that, while she understood that it was hard for J.J. to see her with another man, that didn't give him the right to be disrespectful to her. J.J. sarcastically agreed that, unlike him, Jennifer was a very respectful person. "How long did you give it? You, what, mourned Dad for, like, eight months before you jumped in the sack with this guy?" J.J. asked.

J.J. assured a shocked Jennifer that he was simply saying what everyone else was thinking. "It's like you and Dad never existed. Mom, I know -- believe me, I know -- about all the stupid adventures that you used to go on, but that was just a part of the big love story, right? You want to forget about Dad? You want to replace him with this joke of a relationship? You know, fine, whatever. But don't ask me to respect it," J.J. said, and Jennifer sobbed as he walked away.

In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Chad ran into Theo and Cameron. Theo excitedly greeted Chad, who wondered if Theo had grown since the last time that they had seen each other. "Doubtful," Theo matter-of-factly replied. Oblivious to the tension between Chad and Cameron, Theo started to quote lines from Despicable Me 2, the newly released film that he and Cameron had just seen.

Theo raved that the sequel had been much better than the original film. Chad offered to take Theo to the movie theater in the near future so that Theo could either see Despicable Me 2 again or watch a different film. "Are we competing for him, too?" Cameron quietly asked Chad as Abe arrived. Abe apologized for his tardiness, noting that he had forgotten just how long it took to get the police force ready for the Fourth of July holiday.

Chad wondered if Abe and Theo had made any plans for the holiday yet. Abe revealed that he would be spending the day working, which unfortunately meant that he would not be able to fulfill Theo's request to watch the fireworks at the lake. Chad and Cameron simultaneously volunteered to take Theo to the lake.

Unaware of the awkwardness between Chad and Cameron, Abe thanked them for offering to spend the holiday with Theo. Abe admitted that being the police commissioner had taken its toll, but he suspected that it would soon stop being an issue. Chad was glad to hear that the grand jury had decided that there wasn't enough evidence to charge Sami with second-degree murder in the Bernardi shooting case.

Chad and Cameron agreed on a time to pick Theo up the following day so that they could take him to the lake. After Abe and Theo left, Cameron wondered if he and Chad would be able to get through the holiday without their mutual feelings for Abigail causing some sort of an issue. "Define 'issue.' Look, you want to be with Abigail, and so do I. I say we both have great taste. Doesn't mean we have to be enemies," Chad reasoned.

Cameron pointed out that there was no way that he and Chad could each get what they wanted. "Probably not. But I'm not gonna hate you for it. Look, if she ends up with you, I'll be happy for both of you. But...I've got to try," Chad replied with a shrug. Cameron conceded that it really didn't matter what he and Chad wanted, since it was ultimately Abigail's decision to make.

At the Brady Pub, Gabi told Abigail that, while she loved being a mother, the previous few days had been a nightmare. Gabi admitted that she really missed being able to sleep through the night. Abigail pointed out that Will and Sonny were helping Gabi raise Arianna. Gabi conceded that Will and Sonny were both extremely devoted to Arianna. "But at the end of the day, they're still guys," Abigail knowingly concluded.

Gabi observed that Abigail was making it sound like guys was a four-letter word. Abigail reminded Gabi that the word in question was four letters long, but Gabi could tell that there was more to the story. Gabi guessed that Abigail was having trouble with a guy. "Not a guy -- guys, plural. Two," Abigail clarified.

When Gabi learned that Cameron and Chad were both interested in Abigail, she advised Abigail to take a moment to enjoy the attention. Gabi believed that Abigail had no reason to feel guilty about the situation, since Chad and Cameron were each aware of the other man's interest in Abigail. As Abigail started to protest, she received a text message from Chad, who wanted to see her right away. Gabi encouraged Abigail to have fun.

"She's right. It's fun. No guilt, no pressure," Abigail quietly assured herself as she exited the pub. Abigail went to Common Grounds, where Chad informed her that the grand jury had decided that there wasn't enough evidence to charge Sami with second-degree murder. Abigail was certain that the grand jury would have made a different decision if she and Chad had presented the police with the video of Sami's argument with Bernardi.

Abigail's reaction surprised Chad, who said that he had assumed that the news would please her. Abigail pointed out that the news wasn't good for Bernardi's widow and son, but Chad disagreed. Chad reasoned that Bernardi's name would have been dragged through the mud if there had been a trial, since Sami's defense would have involved dragging all of Bernardi's skeletons out of his closet. Abigail conceded that Chad had a point.

Chad abruptly excused himself, but before leaving, he casually mentioned that he had talked to Cameron about Abigail earlier. "I, um, told him that no matter what happens, I want us all to stay friends. And I meant it," Chad summarized. Abigail smiled as she watched Chad walk away.

At the Brady Pub, Cameron found Gabi studying at one of the tables. Cameron noted with admiration that being a mother and a student was like having two full-time jobs, and he admitted that he didn't know how Gabi had managed to find the time for both roles. "Oh, I think you do. According to my Facebook wall, you recently had two full-time jobs yourself," Gabi knowingly replied.

Cameron groaned, guessing that Caroline had never removed the photograph of his alter ego, Apollo, that she had posted on her Facebook page months earlier. Gabi jokingly stated that she wasn't certain that being a doctor was Cameron's true calling.

At the Horton Town Square, Brady took one of Kristen's cryptic comments as a threat and wondered what she was planning to do to his loved ones. "What? Oh, what are you talking about, Brady? I'm not gonna have to do anything -- it's gonna be you. You're gonna be such a whiny downer that people are gonna cross the street to avoid you," Kristen innocently predicted.

Kristen believed that Brady would start acting like a whiny downer as soon as he realized that he had made a big mistake. Nicole arrived in time to hear Kristen's comment, and she incredulously wondered if Kristen really believed that Brady was eventually going to regret dumping Kristen. Kristen referred to Brady as Nicole's substitute boyfriend, suggesting that everyone knew that Eric was the man whom Nicole really wanted.

Nicole's firm denial of the claim failed to convince Kristen, who was certain that Nicole had been fantasizing about ripping off Eric's clerical collar. Kristen reasoned that Brady had to know that Nicole would always be glued to Eric's side. "Out of curiosity, are you gonna be working side-by-side with Father Eric at this school? Rubbing shoulders when you wish you were rubbing something else?" Kristen asked Nicole.

Nicole observed that Kristen had seemed obsessed with Eric lately, and Brady agreed. Kristen innocently replied that she and Eric had simply been running into each other everywhere lately -- including the DiMera mansion, of all places. Predicting that Nicole was going to hate the news and Brady was going to love it, Kristen explained that Eric had gone to the mansion earlier to congratulate Sami, whom the grand jury had chosen not to indict.

As Nicole whined about the fact that Sami had once again managed to avoid jail time, Kristen guessed that Nicole probably found it annoying that Eric -- whom Kristen referred to as Nicole's celibate boyfriend -- always seemed to be willing to defend Sami. Nicole started to stress that Eric wasn't her boyfriend, but Brady interrupted and assured Nicole that Kristen was already aware of that fact.

Brady dismissively advised Nicole to stop feeding the animal, referring to Kristen. Kristen wondered why she had never noticed Brady's vicious side before. Kristen mused that Brady was nothing like Eric, who was giving, loving, comforting, and forgiving. Nicole found it hard to believe that Eric had forgiven Kristen for her past misdeeds. Kristen replied that Eric had made more of an effort to forgive her than some people ever would.

After once again warning Brady that he would eventually realize that dumping her had been a big mistake, Kristen abruptly excused herself. Nicole cringed as Kristen walked away, summarizing that Kristen was like an old, rejected witch who enjoyed dispensing threats of impending doom. Nicole and Brady assured each other that Kristen's comments hadn't bothered them.

Brady and Nicole were each craving a cup of coffee, so he went to the coffeehouse to place an order. Meanwhile, Nicole noticed that Kristen had left a shopping bag behind earlier. Intrigued, Nicole started to snoop through the bag, but Kristen unexpectedly returned and snatched it out of Nicole's hands. Kristen stated that the bag, like many other things in life, wasn't Nicole's.

Nicole advised Kristen to get lost, since Kristen's continued interest in Brady's life seemed to contradict her previous claim that she no longer cared about him. "You know what's funny? You think you have what I want, but I really did have what you want. It was incredible," Kristen cryptically stated, whispering her final sentence. As Brady returned, Nicole urged Kristen to clarify the ambiguous comment.

Kristen innocently claimed that she had simply meant that she had already had Brady in a way that Nicole would never have him. Brady firmly reminded Kristen that they were done. "Where have I heard that before? Oh, right -- a while ago...from me. Have fun, you guys! Or, at least try to with your substitute. Just close your eyes real tight and pretend he's you-know-who," Kristen advised Nicole before walking away.

Later, at the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole told Brady that she was sorry about their earlier encounter with Kristen, but he replied that he wouldn't have traded that experience for anything in the world. Brady explained that Kristen's behavior was making it easier for him to get over her. Brady assured Nicole that she didn't have to worry about him, summarizing that Sami was free, Eric was getting better, and life was good.

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen received an unexpected visit from Chyka, who wanted to make sure that everything was still going as planned. "If everything was going as planned, Dr. Chyka, there would be no chance of my friend remembering what happened the night in question, correct?" Kristen shouted. Chyka meekly stated that shouting wasn't necessary, prompting Kristen to loudly warn him to refrain from telling her what to do.

Chyka reiterated the assurances that he had previously given Kristen about the aftereffects of the drugs that she had administered to Eric. Chyka stressed that, while Eric might experience an occasional resurgence of his symptoms, it would be impossible for him to remember what had happened the night that Kristen had drugged him, since those memories had been erased from his brain.

Kristen reminded Chyka that his personal safety hinged on Eric's inability to recall the events that had occurred on the night that she had drugged him. Kristen stressed that she wanted to reveal what had happened that night on her own timetable. Kristen recalled that Chyka had promised her that the drug would be completely untraceable. Chyka confirmed Kristen's recollection of his previous statement, but there was a hint of doubt in his voice.

At St. Luke's, while showering, Eric's body started to twitch involuntarily as he suddenly recalled vague details about the night that Kristen had drugged him. Trembling, Eric sank to the shower floor, unable to control his muscles. Eric eventually managed to leave the shower, get dressed, and make his way to his office. As Eric reached for his keys, his hands started to shake again.

Eric sank to the floor and leaned against his desk, eventually managing to use his cell phone to contact Daniel. When Daniel arrived a short time later, Eric's condition had improved slightly. Daniel checked Eric's vital signs as Eric recapped the details of his apparent relapse. Eric summarized that it seemed like something was preventing him from remembering what had happened the night that he had visited the state capitol.

Daniel wanted Eric to go to the hospital so that some additional tests could be performed. Eric initially refused to comply, but he soon changed his mind and decided that Daniel was right. As Eric rolled up one of his shirt sleeves, Daniel grabbed several empty vials, explaining that he wanted to perform a lot of tests and would need plenty of blood in order to do so.

Friday, July 5, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

While Sonny packed a picnic basket at Common Grounds, Will recalled the conversation he'd eavesdropped on between Sonny and Brent. When Sonny observed that Will seemed very serious, Will suggested that Sonny not go to the lake and do something fun instead because he didn't want Sonny to feel obligated or tied down. "I'm not tied down, Will. I'm tied to you and Arianna. There's no place that I would rather be," Sonny declared, kissing Will to demonstrate.

At Gabi, Will, and Sonny's apartment, Abigail cooed over baby Arianna. When Abigail learned that Cameron had stopped by the pub after she'd left to see Chad, she anxiously asked, "You didn't tell him I was with Chad, did you?" Gabi reassured Abigail that she hadn't said anything to Cameron. Abigail confided that she was confused, partly because Chad never pressured her but Cameron wasn't so patient. Gabi encouraged Abigail to take her mind off of everything by joining everyone at the lake that afternoon.

Abigail agreed, and Gabi confessed that she, too, could use a distraction. Realizing that Gabi was talking about Nick, Abigail apologized profusely for being so self-centered and asked what was happening with Gabi and Nick. Gabi divulged that she and Nick were getting an annulment. Abigail expressed her sympathy and asked gently if Gabi still loved Nick. Gabi admitted that she didn't know, although she still missed Nick sometimes.

Just as Gabi was declaring optimistically that she wanted to have fun at the lake with her baby and her friends, Will and Sonny walked in and announced that everything was packed and ready to go.

J.J. was moping upstairs in his room at the Horton house, remembering his fight with his mom. Meanwhile, Jennifer was downstairs, reflecting on happier times with Daniel and Parker while she waited for Adrienne to stop by to pick up a cooler to take to the lake that afternoon. When Adrienne arrived, Jennifer glumly informed her that she and her family wouldn't be going to the picnic that year.

Jennifer filled Adrienne in about her recent troubles with J.J. and explained that she thought letting J.J. go to a holiday picnic might send the wrong message. Adrienne confided that she and Sonny were having problems, as well. She urged Jennifer to go to the picnic with J.J. and Abigail because going to a fun family gathering might be what they all needed.

J.J. walked in as Adrienne was embracing Jennifer comfortingly. After J.J. greeted his aunt, Jennifer explained that she had told Adrienne a little bit about what had been going on, and Jennifer was going to give J.J. a couple of choices: he could stay at home and she would call him on the landline every twenty minutes to check in, or he could go to the picnic with the family. "Sounds cool. I'll go get my trunks and stuff," J.J. replied, somewhat subdued.

As J.J. went back upstairs, Jennifer expressed her surprise. Adrienne asked about Daniel. Jennifer explained that she and Daniel were "having some issues," but she wanted focus on making things right with her son.

At the lake, Chad and Cameron were roughhousing with Theo when T ran up, so Chad introduced T to Cameron and Theo. Later, T announced that he'd reserved a volleyball court for later in the day and asked if Abigail would be there to play with them. T recollected how they had called Abigail "the Hammer" because of her jump serve the year before. Theo thought that was a cool name, so T suggested "Stretch" for Theo's nickname. Theo liked that idea. When T left to find some others to play on their team, Theo pleaded with Chad and Cameron to play "pickle in the middle" again.

Will, Sonny, Gabi, and Abigail arrived with Arianna. Will spread out a blanket as Justin and Adrienne set up on a patch of grass nearby. Will headed off with a bag of charcoal to start the grill, explaining that T wanted to try to beat some guy's record for eating hot dogs. Abigail stopped him and mentioned the charges against Sami being dropped. Will thanked her sincerely for keeping quiet about the video.

Sonny and Gabi set up Arianna's car seat so that she was out of the sun. Gabi noticed that the baby really seemed to love Sonny, and he admitted that the feeling was mutual. When Jennifer arrived with J.J., she dropped off her beach bag on Sonny and Adrienne's blanket then made a beeline for baby Arianna.

Just as J.J. sat down with Justin and Adrienne, Abigail noticed that her brother had arrived and walked over to complain that he was at a picnic when he was supposed to have been grounded. J.J. retorted, "Mom filled the lecture quota for the day." As J.J. stalked off, Adrienne embraced her niece.

J.J. joined Gabi and Jennifer, and he smiled when he looked at the baby. Gabi let J.J. hold Arianna and he declared with a happy grin that the baby was "super-cute." Jennifer quietly got up and joined Justin and Adrienne. "Adrienne, you were right. This was really the perfect thing for my family today. I have not seen my son smile like that in a long time," Jennifer declared.

Jennifer's cell phone rang with a call from work just then. After telling the caller that that she would be at the hospital in a few minutes, Jennifer informed Justin and Adrienne that she had to go in to deal with some rumors of a hospital cover-up because the grand jury had no-billed Sami. Jennifer hoped to return later but asked Justin and Adrienne to make sure J.J. stayed close by.

Jennifer told J.J. that she had to leave -- but she expected him to stay right there with his family. J.J. seemed sincere when he said that he hoped Jennifer would be able to return, but he smirked to himself as soon as she was gone.

J.J. accidentally woke a napping Adrienne a little later when he returned to get Jennifer's beach bag so he could change out of his wet swim trunks. Adrienne noted that when she'd seen J.J. with the baby earlier, he had really reminded her of his father. She related a story from when J.J. had been a toddler and had climbed up on his changing table -- and had promptly fallen off. The only one who'd been able to calm J.J. had been Jack.

"Your father loved you so much, J.J. You must miss him terribly," Adrienne acknowledged, adding gently, "Your father would have wanted you to live a good and happy life -- you, your sister, and your mother. Honey, he wouldn't want her to be alone." Although obviously affected, J.J. announced that he was going to change into dry clothes.

Justin returned with a grocery sack just as J.J. was leaving. Abigail looked suspicious when she learned that J.J. had said that he was leaving to change clothes.

Will, Sonny, and Gabi watched as T held the baby. It made T happy when Arianna squeezed his finger. When Brent arrived, Sonny reintroduced him to Will and T and introduced him to Gabi. "It's crazy, you know, that you're a father now. Must feel like your whole life is different," Brent remarked. "It is, but in a good way," Will declared. Brent admitted that he was not ready for that kind of responsibility. Sonny declared that he and Gabi were lucky to have Will, who was a great dad.

When T asked if anyone wanted to play volleyball, Brent said that he had an inflatable joust set in his car and suggested that they start a tournament on the lake. Gabi was going to stay behind because it was Arianna's nap time, and Sonny promised that he and Will would watch the baby later so Gabi could have fun.

As Abigail was wandering through the woods, looking for J.J., Theo suddenly ran up and hugged her enthusiastically. "We're playing. Can you be in the middle?" Theo asked just as Chad and Cameron showed up. Before things could get too awkward, Theo led Abigail away by the hand.

J.J. called Rory so they could meet up. "Grounded? Nah, it's Independence Day. I'm a free man," J.J. declared, chuckling.

Arianna was asleep later when Justin sat down next to Gabi. He expressed his regrets after he informed Gabi that Nick had contacted him to handle the annulment.

Will overheard when Brent urged Sonny to go to the rave later -- and when Sonny told Brent to give the ticket to someone else. As the gang headed for the water to start their jousting tournament, Will looked pleasantly surprised.

Abigail, Chad, Cameron, and Theo were toweling off after playing in the lake when Theo heard the ice-cream truck and chased after it. Chad followed to pay for the ice cream. Abigail apologized to Cameron if she had ruined his "guy time" with Theo. Cameron assured her, "It's all good." Theo and Chad returned, and Theo presented Abigail with a cup of ice cream. Abigail thanked him graciously and then left to join Gabi and the baby.

Later, Justin playfully dropped a piece of ice down Adrienne's top, and she shrieked with laughter. Abigail and Gabi laughed as they watched the Kiriakises' antics. Abigail claimed to Gabi that things hadn't been awkward when she'd run into Chad and Cameron.

As Will and Brent dried off after a race in the water, they chatted about Sonny. Will seemed a little defensive about his relationship with Sonny. Brent asserted that he and Sonny had never been anything more than friends -- but it was weird for him to see Sonny in a completely different kind of life from before.

Will pointed out, "Sometimes life doesn't go as you planned, but you find yourself happier than you ever thought you could be." Brent noted that was what had obviously happened with Will and Sonny. "I can tell he really loves you. I mean, he must to give up so much to be with you," Brent added.

Sonny joined Will after Brent had gone. Adrienne approached them to congratulate Will on Sami's exoneration. She also apologized if she had been insensitive to Will's feelings. Nearby, Justin delivered a plate of hot dogs to Gabi and Abigail. He informed Abigail that J.J. had sent a text message to Adrienne to let her know that he'd gone home because he wasn't feeling well.

As Will and Sonny watched Arianna nap, Sonny observed that Will had been kind of quiet all day. Will explained that he had to study for an art history exam that he had to make up the next day. He urged Sonny to go out and do something fun. "What could be more fun than this?" Sonny said. He noticed that Arianna was waking up, and Will watched his enthusiasm with awe.

Adrienne was trying to find a video on her phone of Will and the baby when Sonny excitedly announced that Arianna was trying to roll over. Adrienne left her phone on the blanket as she and Justin got up to look at Arianna. While no one was watching, the video of Will and the baby played -- followed by the video of Sami and Bernardi. Moments later, the phone's battery died, and it shut off.

Abigail was alarmed when she ran into the guys because Brent was helping Chad walk, and Chad was holding his head. Theo said that Chad had hit his head. Insisting that he was fine, Chad explained that he'd banged his head while trying to do a log roll on the jousting float. Cameron was worried that Chad might have a concussion, but Chad refused to go to the hospital. Cameron pointed out that Chad shouldn't take chances with a head injury, and Abigail agreed. "I'm totally fine. Now come on -- let's get back to this game," Chad declared. Abigail and Cameron frowned anxiously.

On the phone at the hospital, Jennifer firmly declared, "Sami Brady's sole intent on pulling that trigger was to protect the life of a defenseless patient in this hospital -- and the grand jury's failure to indict, it just proves Ms. Brady's version of events." Anne appeared just as Jennifer hung up.

Anne criticized Jennifer over a perceived boundary breach regarding human resources, which Anne declared was her domain. Jennifer hotly maintained that she had followed procedure to the letter. Anne snidely asked if Jennifer's son always followed the rules like his mommy. Jennifer bristled. "He must bring you so much happiness and pride, which you so richly deserve," Anne declared malevolently as she walked away.

In Horton Square, J.J. surreptitiously handed over part of his stash to Rory. He explained that he had kept some of it for himself, adding, "I'm just worried that my paranoid mother's going to violate my constitutional right to privacy and go looking for this stuff." Bev informed J.J. that she had broken up with Cole. "You were so totally right about him," Bev explained. Rory concurred, "Yeah, he was going to screw it up for all of us. Also, dude, you took one for the team with that shoplifting thing."

Bev insisted that what J.J. had done had been "amazing" and asked what J.J. was doing for the rest of the day. J.J. admitted that he'd sent a text message to his aunt, saying that he was sick, in order to meet up with Rory and Bev, so he had to go home.

After Rory and Bev left, J.J. was headed in the opposite direction when a couple of firecrackers went off at his feet. He turned and saw the woman he'd met the previous day and whom he'd gotten in trouble for taking home. J.J. offered to show the woman some real fireworks at the lake that night, but she declined, citing his curfew. J.J. maintained that he always ignored his mom's curfews -- and he could show the woman a really good time.

The woman countered that she would only take J.J. seriously if he would let her in on his stash. J.J. said that he didn't have it with him but offered to go home and get it and then call the woman if she gave him her number. "We could get high and see what happens," J.J. suggested. "Yeah, no. See you in the candy store," the woman replied tauntingly as she walked off. A thwarted J.J. called after her, "Hey! What's your name?"