Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of February 18, 2019 on DAYS

Chad and Abigail remarried and moved to Paris. Leo handed over his evidence to the police, and Eli was forced to arrest Will and Sonny for attempted murder. Stefan fired Gabi. Eve discovered that Haley was Melinda's sister. Ben saved Ciara from Jordan. The judge ordered that Jordan be sent to Bayview for treatment. Claire thought about when she had set the cabin fire.

Jordan tries to kill Ben

Monday, February 18, 2019

by Mike

Eric was surprised when Sarah revealed that someone had tried to kill Kate earlier that night.

Sarah seemed a bit disappointed when Eric started to pack up the food to keep it safe until Rex returned to the apartment. "Do you have plastic containers? Or the zipper bags?" Sarah asked, trying to play along. "Actually, I ran out...[but] I can go and get some..." Eric replied before starting to rush off. "No, no, no -- don't do that," Sarah protested. "We don't know when Rex is gonna be home, [and] I'm hungry, [so]...let's just eat," Sarah added.

Kate tried to insist that there was no reason for Rex to stay at the hospital any longer, but he seemed determined to spend the night at her bedside.

"Honey, look -- they have given me every test they could possibly give me, [and] I'm fine, [so] you have to leave, okay?" Kate maintained. "Stop babying me [and] go home -- go back to Sarah. I don't want her blaming me for ruining her night," Kate continued. "No, she's not gonna do that. I already called her, and she's totally cool," Rex replied while fluffing Kate's pillows.

"What about the special meal you made for her?" Kate wondered. "I just [told her to] go ahead and eat it without me," Rex explained. "You told her to eat alone?" Kate asked incredulously. "No! I'm not that clueless! I [told her to] share it with Eric," Rex clarified. "You told her to spend Valentine's Day with your brother? Oh, no -- you're not clueless..." Kate sarcastically agreed.

"Sarah and Eric are friends. She's gonna have a nice evening with him, [and] when I get back there, I will make it right," Rex assured Kate, who was still skeptical but decided not to continue pressing the matter.

"Does this mean that she has forgiven you for what you did?" Kate wondered. "She's...working on it," Rex replied. "[And] there's no more secrets to drop?" Kate asked. "You mean...have I cheated any other times?" Rex knowingly summarized. "No -- I swear," Rex insisted, managing a laugh. "I hope so..." Kate said, again somewhat skeptical. "I still think it should be you [who's] having dinner with her right now," Kate added, but Rex maintained that it wasn't a big deal. "Eric is...kind of boring, [but] I'm just happy that she's not alone on Valentine's Day. She's gonna make the best of it," Rex predicted.

While eating dinner together, Eric and Sarah chatted about previous Valentine's Day celebrations.

"[Rex and I] didn't spend last Valentine's Day together, either..." Sarah suddenly remembered. "We were in Chicago, and the weather was really, really bad, and he had just gotten off of a shift, and he was walking out to the parking lot, and one of the nurses that we worked with was having car troubles, [so] he tried to help her, but he couldn't get the car started, so he drove her home in the storm...[and] the roads were really dangerous after he dropped her off, [so] he ended up spending the night at a motel..." Sarah continued. "Her name was Marcy, [and] she was really, really pretty, [and] I used to joke with Rex all the time that I thought that she was his type... What if he didn't get stranded at all? What if he just spent the night with her? What if he was just cheating on me -- again?" Sarah mused with a shake of the head, livid.

"Don't go there," Eric advised. "Why wouldn't I go there? It's not like he hasn't done it before -- twice!" Sarah reasoned. "I can't believe that I didn't see this [sooner]!" Sarah added. "I think you should give Rex the benefit of the doubt [instead of] going from zero to 60," Eric maintained, but Sarah ignored the advice and spontaneously decided, after downing a whole glass of Champagne, to contact Rex and demand a confession.

"To accuse him of cheating on you [when] he's at the hospital with his mother, who was drugged..." Eric pointedly began to protest. "Fine," Sarah conceded, dialing Marcy's number instead.

"So, I was wrong..." Sarah sheepishly admitted to Eric after a heated conversation with Marcy -- who, as it turned out, had a wife.

At the hospital, Kate filled Rex in on how Chad had managed to convince Jordan to hand over Charlotte -- and Rex realized, while listening to the tale, that Jordan was the grief-stricken woman he had met earlier that night.

Meanwhile, at the nurses' station, Ted watched jealously as Hope greeted Rafe with a hug and a kiss.

Rafe sensed some tension between Hope and Ted, but Hope pretended that Rafe was simply picking up on concern for Ciara's well-being. Hope told Rafe that Jordan was the one who had kidnapped Ciara and Charlotte -- and that Jordan had even tried to kill Ciara in an effort to frame Ben. "Why don't you seem shocked?" Hope asked curiously when Rafe barely reacted to the news. "I spoke with Eli, and he filled me in," Rafe explained. "Then...what took you so long to get here?" Hope wondered, drawing a nod of agreement from Ted, who seemed to be outraged on Hope's behalf as a result of Rafe's delay.

"Trust me -- I wanted to come find you the second that I got home," Rafe assured Hope before proceeding to explain that Ciara wasn't the only person Jordan had tried to kill that night. "Didn't you get my message?" Rafe asked Hope at the end of the tale. "Hope has been, uh, a little busy trying to save her daughter's life," Ted answered for Hope. "And how would you know that?" Rafe wondered. "Maybe because I spent the whole time with her [after] her husband abandoned her [and] went running off to Europe to be with his ex," Ted replied with a shrug. "Or maybe it's because you saw that she was vulnerable, and you tried to take advantage of the situation and insinuate yourself into her life, [because that's] what you do," Rafe countered. "I'm gonna give you one piece of advice -- stay away from my wife," Rafe warned Ted.

"Guys, enough! Stop! We're in a hospital! Please, stop it!" Hope protested. "You're absolutely right. We should be focusing on Ciara," Rafe conceded, calming down. "And finding Jordan," Hope agreed. "I would like to see Ciara," Rafe decided. "Go ahead," Hope replied before telling Rafe which room Ciara was staying in. "You're not gonna come?" Rafe asked, confused. "In just a second," Hope promised.

"What was that?" Hope asked Ted once the coast was clear. "I hate the way he takes you for granted. He does not appreciate you," Ted explained. "That's not true. Don't say that," Hope protested. "He was right about one thing -- you did try to take advantage of the situation just now," Hope added.

"What? How?" Ted innocently wondered. "By kissing me!" Hope whispered. "Thank God Rafe didn't see that!" Hope continued. "I wish he had," Ted admitted. "There is something between us!" Ted added as Rex emerged from Kate's room. "Sorry -- am I interrupting?" Rex asked. "Yes," Ted said. "No," Hope said at the same time.

Somewhat confused, Rex forged ahead, warning Hope that Jordan might be somewhere in the hospital at that moment.

Afterward, Rex returned to Kate's room and announced that Hope had a guard posted outside, just to be safe. Kate insisted that, in that case, there really was no reason for Rex to stay any longer. "Go! You need to be with Sarah!" Kate maintained, and Rex finally agreed. "Maybe I'll pick up some dessert on the way home [to make things up to her]," Rex spontaneously decided. "No -- you be dessert," Kate advised, embarrassing Rex.

Meanwhile, in Ciara's room, Jordan cautiously knelt beside Ben's motionless body. "I tried to warn you that he was dangerous! Thank God I was here to save you!" Jordan said to Ciara. "I didn't need saving!" Ciara insisted. "Stop it, okay? I saw him attacking you!" Jordan countered. "He wasn't 'attacking' me, Jordan; we were --" Ciara started to clarify. "Stop protecting him, Ciara!" Jordan irritably demanded.

"It is time that I take care of my brother -- once and for all," Jordan added, producing a filled syringe. "You said you didn't want to kill him! You said you just wanted him locked up for his own good!" Ciara desperately protested. "I did...but now I see [that] he's just gonna escape again," Jordan replied. "When Chad lied to me and made me think that [Ben] was dead, I was devastated...but I will admit that [I was also] a little relieved, [because] I see that he's just beyond help. I have to make sure that he won't hurt anyone else ever again," Jordan continued. "One day, you will thank me for this," Jordan assured Ciara while aiming the syringe at Ben's neck.

Ciara, who had been tethered to a hospital bed with an oxygen tube and various other pieces of medical equipment, managed to break free just in time to grab Jordan's arm, but Jordan easily shook off and knocked down Ciara, who was still sluggish. "I can see you're not gonna give up, so I'm gonna have to finish what I started at the cabin," Jordan decided before advancing toward Ciara with the syringe.

"Leave her alone!" Ben shouted, pouncing on Jordan. "I have to end this! You are sick!" Jordan insisted while struggling with Ben for control of the syringe. "You're the sick one! You tried to take Abigail's baby! You tried to kill Ciara!" Ben countered. "I cannot let you hurt anyone else!" Jordan maintained. "The only one I'm gonna hurt...is you," Ben vowed, aiming the syringe at Jordan's neck.

"Stop! You're not a killer anymore, Ben!" Ciara protested. "Yes, he is!" Jordan insisted. "You're better than this!" Ciara continued. "No, he's not! This is who he is!" Jordan maintained.

"Let me do this!" Ben told Ciara while continuing to struggle with Jordan. "You almost killed the one thing that matters to me in this world!" Ben snapped at Jordan, tense with rage.

Rafe burst into the room just in time to stop Ben from drugging Jordan. "You saw him! He tried to kill me!" Jordan insisted as Rafe put Ben in a chokehold and seized the syringe. "She would've killed Ciara," Ben explained. "Jordan brought the syringe here, Rafe," Ciara added. "All right -- Jordan, you're coming with me," Rafe began. "Okay. Where are we going?" Jordan asked. "Somewhere safe," Rafe vaguely replied. "Ben, you're coming, too," Rafe continued. "No, no, no -- keep him away from me!" Jordan protested. "Ben can stay here," Ciara assured Rafe. "I don't think that's a good idea," Rafe argued. "No, trust me -- I'm safe with him," Ciara maintained.

Rex returned home while Eric was awkwardly trying to insist that Sarah wasn't crazy, despite the earlier incident -- and that Sarah was a catch, in any case. Eric watched jealously as Rex and Sarah headed off to bed together.

Chad and Abigail stopped kissing as Jennifer entered the Horton house. "She's back?" Jennifer realized with a gasp of joy, seeing Charlotte in the living room with Chad and Abigail. "Thanks to Chad," Abigail confirmed.

While Abigail was filling Jennifer in on what had happened, Chad stepped into another room to contact Eli and find out if Jordan had been found yet. "[You and Chad] seem closer than ever," Jennifer knowingly observed once the coast was clear. "[I wasn't] sure if I was ever gonna get over [what Chad did]...but when Charlotte went missing, he promised me that he would find her and put her back in my arms, [and] he did," Abigail explained.

Chad soon returned and reported that Jordan was still on the run. "Well, the Salem P.D. has a car out front, just in case," Abigail pointed out, but Chad still wanted to spend the night, guarding everyone, as an extra precaution. "Mind if I sleep on the couch?" Chad asked Jennifer. "Please," Jennifer replied before carrying Charlotte upstairs. "I don't want you sleeping on the couch," Abigail told Chad once the coast was clear. "You want me to leave?" Chad assumed. "No, I want you to come upstairs with me," Abigail pointedly clarified, surprising Chad, who happily followed Abigail to bed.

At the hospital, Ciara grasped Ben's shaking hands and comforted him with a hug. "I almost killed my sister...and I wanted to," he worriedly admitted.

Chad makes a proposal

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

by Spalding

In the bedroom at the Horton house, Chad woke Abigail from a nightmare about Jordan. Chad reminded Abigail that Hope had arrested Jordan and that Charlotte and Abigail were safe. With a sigh of relief, Abigail snuggled up next to Chad. Abigail talked about how happy she was to have her family back together. Chad agreed and said that if they remained honest with one another, no one could tear them apart again.

After Abigail checked on Charlotte and Thomas, she returned to bed. Abigail confirmed that Charlotte was asleep and that Thomas was out with Jennifer at the library. Chad's phone beeped. As a cloud passed over Chad's face, Abigail asked what was wrong. Reluctantly, Chad told Abigail that Stefan had told the board that Stefan had been forced to pass on lucrative deals because Chad had been unavailable to approve the sale. Abigail urged Chad to talk to the board and fight for his company.

"What if I don't want to?" Chad asked. Abigail said she did not want to be the reason that Chad lost his company. "What better reason is there?" Chad asked. Chad reminded Abigail that his family name had been the source of all his problems. "I don't want to waste any more time. I want a new start for us. For you and for me. For our beautiful children," Chad said. Abigail asked Chad what he meant.

"What if we left Salem?" Chad asked. Chad offered to run operations in Paris instead of running the entire company. "This is a lot to think about," Abigail said, surprised. Chad said he understood if Abigail did not want to leave so soon after her father had returned to town. Abigail admitted that it would be difficult to leave her family, but she was tempted by a change of scenery.

"I know what I want, and I know what I need, and yes," Abigail said. Thrilled, Chad kissed Abigail and hollered with joy. Chad called Mr. Shin and secured the position in Paris. With a frown, Chad added that Mr. Shin was concerned about the company and wanted Chad to leave the next day. Chad told Abigail that she could meet up with him in Paris when they were ready.

"If we are going to do this, we have to do this together. We just have to say goodbyes," Abigail said. Chad told Abigail that he refused to leave Salem before he remarried her. Abigail gasped and smiled.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Leo woke up tied to his bed. Gabi sat in the chair next to the bed and typed on her phone. Gabi chatted about the bedding from the Gabi Chic collection she had used to cover Leo's body. "Untie me right now, or I will redecorate your pretty little face!" Leo barked. With a chuckle, Gabi pulled out her nail file and worked on her nails. Gabi reminded Leo that he was in no position to threaten her. With a smile, Gabi reminded Leo that she had knocked him out with one punch.

"Would you mind enlightening me as to why you are holding me hostage?" Leo asked. Gabi explained that Will and Sonny were the fathers to her daughter. Gabi said she was protective of her family. Leo argued that he had tortured Sonny and Will as retribution for their attempted murder. After Leo told Gabi the story of his murder, Gabi shrugged. Gabi said that whatever Will and Sonny had done had likely been justified.

"You are innocent like I am Mother Theresa," Gabi joked. Gabi reminded Leo that he had blackmailed Sonny into a loveless marriage. Gabi called Leo despicable. "Why shouldn't I be compensated for my pain and suffering?" Leo asked. Leo said he still had nightmares about the attempted murder. Gabi argued that Leo had faked a lawsuit. Leo countered that there was no proof that his lawsuit was fake. Angry, Leo added that he had incriminating photos of Sonny and Will. Leo grumbled that he would give the picture to the police if he was pushed to do so. Leo asked when Gabi would let him go.

"That remains to be seen," Gabi said as she walked out of the room. Leo strained against the ropes.

At the Salem Inn, Sonny grinned at Will as he woke up next to him. Sonny admitted that he had been watching Will sleep. "Your bed head is pretty adorable. But not as adorable as your stomach growling," Sonny joked. Sonny offered to get breakfast to bring back to the room. "How could I ever forget how beautiful you are? How beautiful we are. Together," Will said. Will kissed Sonny.

"I forgot how alive being with you makes me feel," Will said. "I think I remember every time we've kissed and every time we've made love," Sonny countered. Will raised a suspicious eyebrow. Sonny said he had been forced to focus on his memories after he had lost Will. "Every time I'm with you, it is like the first time all over again," Sonny said.

"What if it's the last time?" Will asked. "Now we have to wake up from this dream and confront reality," Sonny said plainly. Sonny's phone rang. It was Gabi. Gabi told Sonny that she had tied Leo to a bed. When Gabi mentioned Leo's accusation about the attempted murder, Sonny explained what had actually happened. Sonny added that there was no proof that it had been an accident.

"Leo Stark seems like a man who gets his jollies from making other people miserable, consequences be damned. The question is, how far are you and Will willing to go to stop him?" Gabi asked. After Sonny ended the call, Will asked Sonny if they were worrying too much about Leo.

"What if an opportunist is all he is? If he turns us in, he is going to have to give up his cushy life at the Kiriakis mansion," Will said. Sonny worried aloud that if they paid off Leo, he would keep asking for more. "We got to get rid of him, together, once and for all," Will said. Sonny wanted to handle Leo, but Will refused to let Sonny deal with Leo on his own.

At the caf in the square, Marlena noticed that John was distracted. John thought about when Diana had confirmed that Leo was his son. With a sigh, John told Marlena that they needed to talk. Marlena's phone beeped. Marlena told John that the Salem Police Department needed her to evaluate a suspect. John urged Marlena to deal with work and talk later. With a nod, Marlena grabbed her coat and left.

As John started to pay the bill for breakfast, Diana approached. Diana asked John if he had told Marlena the truth about Leo. John said he had not but that he intended to tell Marlena after work. "I really don't think you should do that," Diana said. Diana told John that when Leo was hurt, he hurt other people. John asked Diana what she meant. Diana said Leo could lash out and want to hurt Will and Sonny even more in retaliation if Leo learned the truth about his father.

"It is in everybody's best interest if you just let this go," Diana pleaded. John shook his head no. "The longer we wait, we are just setting ourselves up for more damage," John explained. John said he intended to tell Marlena after she left the police station.

After his chat with Diana, John walked over to the pub. John confided to Roman that Diana had put pressure on him to keep Leo's paternity a secret. John said he was conflicted about whether to tell the truth. Roman suggested that John could talk sense into Leo to avoid any blowback. With a sigh, John said he did not believe he could keep Leo from acting out.

At the police station, Lani asked Eli how he was doing. Eli rubbed his head and marveled that he had let Ben get the drop on him. When Eli mentioned getting his weapon back from Chad, Lani handed Eli an envelope. Lani said the package would not improve Eli's day. Wary, Eli opened the package to discover a 45 RPM of "I'll Wait Forever" by the Mynah Birds. Eli chuckled.

"I know you've been looking for it for a long time," Lani said. Eli asked Lani why the record would make him feel worse. "Because I got you something for Valentine's Day, and you didn't get me anything," Lani teased. Eli said he had wanted to give Lani a gift but had been distracted by work. Lani told Eli that he had a one-time pass "out of the doghouse."

With a grin, Eli pulled an envelope out of his desk drawer. Lani opened the envelope and found tickets to the Chicago Symphony. Lani reminded Eli that he did not like classical music. "I would do anything for my girl," Eli said then kissed Lani.

When Marlena arrived at the station, Eli updated Marlena on the situation with Jordan. Eli directed Marlena to the interrogation room to evaluate Jordan. After Marlena talked to Jordan, she returned to the bullpen and found Diana waiting for her. Diana apologized to Marlena for lying to her. "Skip your apology. I know exactly what you're hiding," Marlena said.

"Please understand the position I found myself in. When I ran into you, I didn't know what you knew. I didn't feel it was my place to tell you," Diana said. Marlena reminded Diana that Diana had sought her out. Diana chuckled nervously. Diana explained that John had told her everything about Marlena. Diana admitted that she had been interested in the woman that John had not been able to forget. Marlena turned to leave.

"Before you go, there is something that you should know," Diana said. Marlena told Diana that John had told her everything about their relationship. Diana said her news was about Leo specifically. When Marlena asked if the news was about Leo and Sonny, Diana shook her head no.

At the pub, Roman asked John if he trusted Diana. With a shrug, John said Diana had been a good-hearted person when he had known her. Roman asked John if Diana was truly worried about Leo or if she was more interested in causing trouble.

When Gabi returned to Leo's room at the mansion, she carried a large pair of scissors. "Oh, God, please no! Not the family jewels, no!" Leo screamed as Gabi clicked the scissors open and closed while she walked slowly toward him. Leo turned his head away. Gabi cut the rope binding Leo's left wrist to the bedpost.

"Next time, I will use these somewhere else," Gabi warned. As Leo sighed with relief, Gabi marched out. Leo scowled as he struggled to free his other wrist.

When Gabi walked into the living room downstairs, she found Will and Sonny had returned from their night out. Gabi said goodbye to Will and Sonny, and she left for home. Will asked Sonny if he was ready to confront Leo. When Leo walked into the living room, Sonny told Leo that their marriage was over. Leo grinned mischievously.

Eli and Lani walked into the mansion. Leo announced that he wanted to report an attempted murder. Leo pulled an envelope out of his back pocket. "I have proof," Leo said as he waved the envelope at the police.

Eli questions Will and Sonny

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

by Mike

At the hospital, Haley tried to convince Kate to eat a sandwich -- or at least drink some water. "Not hungry," Kate insisted while flipping through the pages of a magazine, adding that the idea of drinking the equivalent of lukewarm bathwater wasn't particularly appealing, either. "[But] if you get me an ice-cold martini..." Kate hopefully suggested, but Haley provided only a polite smile in response.

"It's really important that you keep up your strength...especially after what you've been through," Haley advised, not yet ready to give up. "How the hell would you know what I've been through?" Kate asked with a scoff. "I read your chart [and saw] that you overdosed," Haley explained. "I'm not judging you. I've actually been there myself. But, I promise you, it does get better," Haley added. "I didn't try to kill myself, you little twit; a deranged woman injected me with a sedative to make it look that way," Kate tiredly clarified. "Oh. Well, that was not in the chart..." Haley sheepishly admitted.

"Were you serious before, when you talked about overdosing?" Kate asked with just a hint of compassion. "Yes. But I'm okay now," Haley replied. "Hmm. Well, that's good...but I might want a different nurse handling my medication," Kate declared, already back to normal. "You're due to be released today...but if I catch you back here due to malnutrition or dehydration, I'll make sure they assign you someone else," Haley patiently promised.

Chad entered Kate's room as Haley was exiting it. Chad was glad to hear that Kate was going to be okay, and Kate was just as glad to hear that Abigail had finally forgiven Chad the previous night. "I think it's time that I forgive you," Chad told Kate, who was thrilled to hear that -- but much less thrilled to hear that Chad and Abigail were planning to move to Paris right away. "Guess there's no time for a 'bon voyage' party, huh?" Kate sadly mused. "But there'll be a wedding," Chad replied. "Pardon?" Kate asked incredulously. "It's gonna be small -- just family," Chad explained.

"Kate, I don't have a lot of family. You're it. I'd really like for you to be there," Chad continued. "[But] if you're not up for it --" Chad began to add.

"Seriously? Are you kidding me? Wild horses and a psychotic physical therapist couldn't keep me away," Kate assured Chad. "[And] you're okay [to leave]? You're not gonna sneak out of here?" Chad asked. "They're gonna release me soon, so no," Kate replied with a laugh. "I am more than okay," Kate added, getting serious. "Thank you for inviting me...[and] for forgiving me. You know, my life has been...kind of dark lately...and, um, I think your wedding is going to be the first light I've seen in a long time. I'm honored to be there," Kate concluded while fighting back tears. Chad nodded and gave Kate a hug.

At the Horton house, Jennifer happily informed Julie that Abigail and Chad had gotten back together the previous night.

"One couple down..." Julie began with a smile, pleased to hear the good news. "One to go," Julie mischievously added, already eager to move on to the next order of business -- reuniting Jennifer and Jack.

"I really just don't believe that a reunion is in the cards for me and Jack," Jennifer sadly admitted. "[But] you still love him, don't you?" Julie asked, confused. "Of course I love Jack...but our love is rooted in our history, and he doesn't remember any of that," Jennifer explained with a shrug. "[Maybe not] in his head...[but] in his heart..." Julie protested. "[But] I'm not really just fighting amnesia; I'm also fighting Eve Donovan, because she is doing everything she can to turn Jack against me," Jennifer reminded Julie. "Eve is nothing but a temporary port in the storm, and that storm is gonna clear up -- very quickly," Julie dismissively insisted.

"You shouldn't put your money on me and Jack," Jennifer advised, still not particularly hopeful. "Honey, I'm already all in. I'm betting on the two of you. [And] I think it's gonna happen sooner than you imagine," Julie replied.

Abigail soon joined Jennifer and Julie in the living room and cryptically admitted to having some good news to share -- and some bad news, too.

Jennifer and Julie both wanted to hear the bad news first -- and although Jennifer didn't take it very well, Julie immediately understood that Abigail and Chad needed a fresh start in Paris, just as Jennifer and Jack had once needed a fresh start in London. "I need the good news -- right now!" Jennifer tearfully requested after conceding that Julie was right. Jennifer and Julie were both thrilled to hear that Abigail and Chad wanted to have an impromptu wedding ceremony before leaving for Paris. Julie immediately sprang into planning mode, and Jennifer rushed off to find J.J. and Jack.

"Wait a minute -- uh, who is going to perform the ceremony?" Julie asked Abigail while going through a mental checklist of things that needed to be done. "I was hoping it would be you," Abigail replied. "[I mean], you got ordained for Hope and Rafe's wedding, and you never got to actually have the ceremony, so I was just thinking that you could do ours. [After all], you are the reason that I was able to come home and be with my children, and I never would have had this reunion with Chad if it weren't for you, [so] there is no one that I would rather marry us than you," Abigail elaborated.

"For once in my life, I'm speechless," Julie admitted before happily accepting the responsibility.

J.J. was in his apartment, getting dressed, when he received an unexpected visit from his father.

"I got your message," Jack began, referring to a text message that J.J. had sent the previous night. "Sorry I didn't get back to you -- I just...I just thought I'd come right over. So...you want to talk? Is it...is it about Charlotte? I heard she was found," Jack continued. J.J. assured Jack that everything was fine with Charlotte. "I wanted to talk to you about something [else] -- someone, actually," J.J. clarified before proceeding to stress that Jack could never tell anyone that Haley was an undocumented immigrant. "Promise," J.J. requested. "Sorry, son -- I'm not sure I can," Jack admitted, remembering Eve's warnings about Haley. "Why?" J.J. asked, confused and stunned.

"How do you know that this girl's not just using you [for] a green card?" Jack wondered. "That's ridiculous, because in order [for her] to get a green card, we'd have to get married, [and] I barely know [her]," J.J. replied with a dismissive laugh. "And yet she's already living with you," Jack skeptically countered. "I have no idea where this is coming from, but you're way off base," J.J. insisted, but Jack wasn't convinced. "You're my son. I have an obligation to protect you -- or at least keep you from getting in any deeper than you already are! [I mean], you are harboring an undocumented immigrant! If someone finds out, you go to jail!" Jack worriedly pointed out.

"Are you gonna turn her in?" J.J. asked Jack, who dodged the question.

Haley soon entered the apartment and immediately sensed the tension, but Jennifer arrived before Jack could explain the problem. J.J. happily greeted Jennifer, grateful for the interruption. Haley stepped into another room to give the Deveraux clan some privacy. Jennifer shared Abigail's good news with J.J. and Jack, the latter of whom was reluctant to attend the wedding ceremony. "Abigail specifically asked me to invite you. She wants you to be there...[and] so do I," Jennifer stressed. J.J. agreed that Jack needed to attend the wedding. J.J. then rushed Jack and Jennifer off, not wanting Jack to talk to Haley.

Once the coast was clear, Haley rejoined J.J. in the living room and wondered what Jack had been about to say before Jennifer had arrived. "I told him..." J.J. began to admit before pausing. "That I'm undocumented?" Haley concluded for J.J. "Don't worry. All -- all -- all I told him was about how -- how -- how we kissed that one time," J.J. claimed after seeing just how upset the truth would make Haley. "I -- I filled him in on -- on some of what I've been through with women, [and] now that he knows I've -- I've been hurt, he's -- he's just being protective," J.J. added as Haley began to calm down.

"Nothing to worry about," J.J. repeated before retreating to another room to change clothes.

Leo entered the police station just in time to stop Diana from saying anything else to Marlena.

"What are you two talking about?" Leo suspiciously demanded to know. "My, my, Matthew -- a little paranoid?" Diana evasively suggested. "It's Leo -- and maybe I should be paranoid, since the two of you clammed up the minute I walked in," Leo replied. "We were both taken aback by your entrance," Diana claimed with a shrug before changing the subject, observing that Leo was obviously fired up about something.

"Yes, Mother, I am," Leo confirmed. "I'm finally bringing two unrepentant criminals to justice," Leo triumphantly explained as Eli entered the police station with Will and Sonny. Marlena wanted to know what was going on, but Eli was only willing to reveal that Leo had leveled a very serious accusation at Will and Sonny, who were about to be questioned about it. "It's okay. We'll -- we'll figure it out," Will assured Marlena.

"You will not get away with this," Marlena warned Leo after Will and Sonny followed Eli into a conference room. "I'm not the one who got away with something, Dr. Evans; that was your grandson -- and my husband. And now they're gonna pay," Leo countered with an innocent shrug. "You know, you may think you've got the upper hand here, but you don't, because the truth always comes out -- always," Marlena insisted, causing not just Leo but also Diana to squirm a bit. "Mark. My. Words. You will regret hurting the people that I love," Marlena continued, scowling at Leo.

"Ugh -- I've had enough of this abuse," Leo dramatically declared before rushing out of the police station.

Diana tried to follow Leo, but Marlena blocked Diana's path and curiously wondered why sharing important information about Leo no longer seemed to be a concern. "You know what it's like when your child's upset -- you can't think of anything else," Diana evasively replied. "Right..." Marlena suspiciously agreed as Diana chased after Leo. "What is going on with those two?" Marlena muttered with a shake of the head.

Meanwhile, Will and Sonny told Eli about the series of events that had led to the incident that Leo's incriminating photographs had captured.

"What do you have that proves this isn't attempted murder?" Eli wondered at the end of the tale. "All we have is our word," Will admitted with a shrug. "Sorry, guys -- that's not enough," Eli declared. "So, us telling you what actually happened, [and] telling you these photos don't even come close to telling the whole story -- that means nothing?" Will asked incredulously. "It means something to me...but to someone else, it might look like you're covering up for the man that you love," Eli clarified. "But he's not! We are telling you the truth!" Sonny insisted. "Let me talk to Hope," Eli said before exiting the conference room.

"I never should have got you into this mess," Sonny said to Will with a heavy sigh. "This is Leo's fault. It's not yours," Will insisted. "[But] on Valentine's Day, I had Gabi tie Leo up -- literally -- so that we could spend the night together. I bet that's probably what pushed him over the edge. We never should have antagonized him in the first place," Sonny continued. "I don't regret it. I never could," Will assured Sonny. "Even if we go to prison?" Sonny asked skeptically. "I got to be with you. No matter what happens next, it was worth it," Will reasoned with a shrug.

Just then, Chad entered the conference room. "I went by the house, and Henderson told me that they brought you guys in for questioning," Chad explained before getting Will and Sonny to reveal what was going on.

"How can I help?" Chad asked at the end of the tale, knowing that Will and Sonny were innocent. "Thank you, but, uh...we've -- we've got it from here," Sonny insisted. "We're gonna be fine. We're gonna -- we're gonna get through this. Leo's a liar, [and] it's only a matter of time before we -- we get him out of our lives for good," Will elaborated. "[And] at least -- at least we're together," Will added. "That makes me happy," Chad said. "We're happy, too," Sonny replied, and Will nodded in agreement.

"You guys aren't the only two getting back together," Chad informed Will and Sonny, who were both pleased to hear the good news. "It's not gonna be a wedding without you guys," Chad fretted. "Well, I mean...we're gonna be there in spirit, if that counts for anything," Will assured Chad. "Go! You gotta start your amazing future with the person you love!" Sonny urged Chad. "That's my plan," Will said, beaming at Sonny. "Same here," Sonny replied, beaming back at Will.

Chad gave Will and Sonny a hug then rushed off, fighting back tears.

Eli returned a short time later. "Sorry, guys," Eli began with a sigh. "Hope won't let us go?" Sonny asked incredulously. "How could she believe Leo over us?" Will asked, just as stunned. "She doesn't. We both think you're telling the truth," Eli clarified. "But Leo made an official complaint, and he has evidence to back it up...[so] I have no choice but to book you for attempted murder," Eli apologetically added.

Chad and Abigail leave Salem together

Thursday, February 21, 2019

by Mike

While walking past the Brady Pub, Eve received a text message from Jack, who wanted to let her know that he was going to be with his family for most of the day because his daughter was getting married again. "Ugh! Damn it!" she grumbled before stuffing her cell phone back in her purse and continuing on her way, heading toward a person who was sitting on a park bench.

Eve realized, after getting closer to the person, that it was J.J.'s friend Haley. "Hello," Eve called out, getting Haley's attention. "I'm --" Eve began to add. "The wrecking ball," Haley recalled, ignoring Eve's outstretched hand. "Excuse me?" Eve defensively replied. "Your words," Haley reminded Eve with a shrug. "What you're doing to J.J., his mom, and his sister -- [it] sucks," Haley spat.

"You shouldn't talk about things you don't understand," Eve advised Haley before walking away with a shake of the head.

At Doug's Place, Trask chatted with Chloe while waiting for an order. "So, this is where it happened -- your life threatened, a man dead..." Trask dramatically mused while looking around the club. "You must have been so frightened. [You know], I just hope Mayor Carver has taken the appropriate measures to ensure your safety. [But] what if [that] isn't enough?" Trask continued. "Well, then, it's a good thing that I have Stefan DiMera to watch my back," Chloe replied with a shrug. "[I'm glad] you have someone to protect you...since the Salem P.D. dropped the ball," Trask declared. "They haven't," Chloe insisted. "Give them time," Trask countered.

"I promise you this -- if you vote for me, I will make sure that the kinds of criminals that came after you get sent straight back across the border," Trask continued. "Sorry, but Abe Carver has my vote," Chloe replied. "Well, you certainly have a knack for putting your faith in the wrong men," Trask observed with a shake of the head before storming off with the cup of coffee that Chloe had just finished preparing. Trask ran into Eve while exiting the club. "Campaigning your little heart out?" Eve assumed. "Oh, that's right -- you don't have a heart," Eve added with a laugh. "Hearts are overrated," Trask dismissively insisted before sidestepping Eve and rushing off.

"Ugh, that woman is infuriating!" Eve grumbled before greeting Chloe with a warm hug -- a greeting that was the complete opposite of the one that Chloe had received from Eve on New Year's Eve.

"My precious friend. It's just so good to see you in one piece after those thugs came after you. That must've been horrible," Eve said. "It was," Chloe confirmed. "I'm actually only okay because Stefan was here to protect me," Chloe added. "DiMera?" Eve asked incredulously. "Guess I'll just have to hate him a little less -- but just a little," Eve decided. "He's really not that bad," Chloe insisted. "Oh, yeah, he is," Eve countered. "[And] he may have played superhero for a nanosecond, but that doesn't mean you're safe. What if those thugs come after you again -- or your kids?" Eve fretted. "We'll be fine..." Chloe began to assure Eve.

"[Because] we've actually moved into the DiMera mansion," Chloe continued. "Great. Stefan's nursing a broken heart [after being] thrown overboard by Abigail's figment of her imagination, and what's he do? He sweeps up a damsel in distress and whisks her off to his castle! I mean, what are you -- the Beauty to his Beast?" Eve mused with a shake of the head. "He is just a friend, Eve -- nothing more," Chloe stressed.

"And where's your other friend in all this? How come Brady didn't move you into the Kiriakis place?" Eve asked pointedly. "Victor doesn't want me living there," Chloe explained. "Oh, my God! He is such a bastard! I mean, those are Maggie's grandkids! I mean, surely Brady can do something, right?" Eve argued. "I love Brady, and he's been an amazing friend, but...this is easier, you know? With Stefan, there's no baggage [and] no strings, and I know my kids will be safe," Chloe replied. "All right... [I just] hope you aren't making a huge mistake..." Eve said in a singsong voice. "Like the one that you're making with Jack?" Chloe countered.

"I am not making a mistake with Jack," Eve dismissively insisted. "You are using him to hurt Jennifer," Chloe argued. "I love him," Eve claimed. "Jack's family loves Jack," Chloe pointed out. "Jack. Chooses. Me," Eve stressed. "Right now, he chooses you...but what if he wakes up one day, and he gets his memory back, and he remembers his past, and he remembers that he loves Jennifer and their kids?" Chloe asked pointedly. "I wake up with that possibility every day... [But] what if [he] gets his memory back [and] actually realizes that I'm the woman he truly loves -- that I understand him in ways that Jennifer never could?" Eve countered, shrugging.

"[You know], Jack was an assemblyman before -- a very good one -- [and] he would be running for mayor if that witch Trask hadn't thrown her pointy hat into the ring and ruined everything!" Eve grumbled, eager to change the subject. "Last I checked, anyone can run," Chloe pointed out. "Yeah, but third-party candidates usually never win, [so] the only way that Jack [stands a chance] is if Trask or Carver [gets] knocked out somehow...and the only way that that's gonna happen is if I have some ammunition, and right now, I got nothing," Eve admitted with a sigh.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Haley spotted Tripp, who was in the middle of a work shift.

Haley happily observed that Tripp's burn had healed nicely. Haley also hungrily observed that the plate of food that Tripp was carrying looked really good. Tripp convinced Haley to eat the meal, explaining that it was just going to be thrown away otherwise because the customer who had ordered it was really picky about burgers and didn't think that the one on the plate had been cooked long enough. "Last time I saw you, you were regretting, you know, making some big decision," Tripp recalled as Haley claimed a table. "Well, I...I took a chance, and I trusted someone," Haley began to explain. "And...they let you down?" Tripp assumed. "No, not this time. It was a total happy ending, and one of my friends turned out to be one of the most trustworthy people I know," Haley clarified with a smile.

Trask soon entered the town square and watched from afar as Haley continued chatting with Tripp, who eventually managed to convince Haley to cap off the meal with a slice of pie. When Tripp went to get the dessert, Trask stormed over to Haley's table. "Come with me -- now!" Trask demanded, practically dragging Haley away. Eve, who had just entered the town square, chased after Trask and Haley with obvious interest.

"You and...whoever that was...looked a little too cozy," Trask said to Haley after finding a safe place to talk in the park. "I barely even know him," Haley clarified with a dismissive scoff. "You barely even knew J.J., and now you're living with him," Trask countered. "As a friend," Haley stressed. "[And] you just had to spill your guts [to him]..." Trask grumbled. "That was different," Haley insisted.

"I'm not gonna tell someone I don't even know," Haley promised. "Can you blame me for being paranoid?" Trask asked, unaware that Eve had just caught up. "J.J. swore he'd keep my secret. There's -- there's no reason to tell anybody else," Haley maintained, also unable to see Eve. "You better not. No matter how much you trust J.J. to keep quiet, it's bad enough he knows we're sisters," Trask replied, stunning Eve.

At the Horton house, Chad and Abigail's wedding ceremony began.

"If anyone here knows a reason why Chad and Abigail should not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," Julie read aloud from a script before looking around the living room with a smile, clearly assuming that no one would take the bait. "I have something to say!" Jack dramatically announced while leaping out of a chair. "I'm not objecting," Jack quickly clarified as everyone stared in disbelief. "[I just] wanted to thank you for allowing me to be a part of this ceremony," Jack explained, drawing sighs of relief from everyone. "I may not remember being your father, Abigail, but I will never forget the honor of being able to witness your courage, your joy, and your future, [so]...thank you," Jack concluded before sitting back down, leaving everyone pleasantly surprised and impressed.

"Now...before I say 'by the power vested in me by the Internet'...Chad and Abigail will make their vows," Julie continued.

"I drew the short straw, so I have to say my vows first," Abigail informed everyone. "And I gotta follow her, so who really drew the short straw?" Chad countered.

"Chad...when we first fell in love...God, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. People say that, uh, when you meet someone, and you fall in love with them, you're drawn to them because they have something that you need...and we're here today because I need you -- I need your courage, and I need your love, and I need your faith. [I mean], you believe, always, that we can face anything, and I'm so beyond grateful that I get a second chance at a life with you and our family -- our beautiful children. You are the love of my life, [and] there's nothing that I want more than to spend the rest of my days with you," Abigail said.

"[Abigail]...you're so beautiful...and I look at you and our children -- our family -- and, uh...I see a future -- a future that I almost lost. I doubted you, [but] you've never doubted me; your love for me has always been unwavering -- absolutely unwavering. You know, the other day, somebody asked me [what I thought you wanted]. On this crazy journey of ours, I've always fought for things that I thought you wanted -- a house, a job, things... [But] it dawned on me in that moment that all you've ever wanted is me -- just me, [flaws and all]. You've fought for your health and for us -- for our family -- and I am in awe of the woman that I fell in love with at first sight. I'll cherish you. I will protect you. I'm yours, and I'll never doubt you again, because a love like ours really does only come once in a lifetime," Chad said.

Thomas carried a pair of rings over to Julie, who led Chad and Abigail through the traditional vows as they exchanged them. "I now pronounce you husband and wife, and the bride may kiss her husband," Julie announced.

"Well, we, uh...we hate to marry and run..." Chad began after the kiss ended. "I want you all to know that, uh...that each and every one of you hold a very special place in my heart. You've all been more family to me than I've ever known," Chad added. "Dad, um...you weren't there for our first wedding, but Chad read a passage about family from my favorite book," Abigail began. "Family is the reason that we transcend hardships and know that no matter where we are flung in this world, we have a home," Abigail added, quoting the passage. "My book?" Jack realized, stunned. "You and Mom -- you taught J.J. and me that...that if we have family, we have a home, no matter where we are, and that is the [lesson] that we want to [teach] Thomas [and] Charlotte," Abigail concluded. "And we can't wait to start," Chad stressed.

Chad wanted to head over to the DiMera mansion to get a few things, and Abigail decided to go, too. "I don't think that's a good idea. I think Stefan's probably gonna be there," Chad warned. "That's okay. We can handle anything together," Abigail countered, and Chad conceded the point. With that settled, Chad and Abigail began saying goodbye to everyone. "You know, you are the last decent DiMera," Kate told Chad before promising to stay in touch. "Look after Mom and Dad," Abigail told J.J., who nodded in agreement. "I think this is where, uh, the father of the bride asks the groom to take care of his daughter," Jack said to Chad, who promised to do so.

Chad walked Kate out of the house. Jack and J.J. left together a short time later. Jennifer agreed to watch Thomas and Charlotte while Chad and Abigail were taking care of things at the DiMera mansion. After Chad and Abigail left, Julie wondered how Jennifer was doing. "I know that Abigail has to do what's best for her and her family, but I can't even stand to see her leave," Jennifer tearfully admitted. "I was talking about Jack," Julie clarified. "Must have been surreal -- having Jack here, at your daughter's wedding," Doug mused. "You have no idea. [But] it made me [think] I might have a chance to help him recover his memories," Jennifer replied.

Gabi stormed into the DiMera mansion, found Stefan in the living room, and demanded to know if the rumors about DiMera Enterprises were true. "Remind me to fire Harold," Stefan grumbled.

"I am now the sole CEO," Stefan added, confirming the rumors. "Why the hell would Chad give it all up?" Gabi asked incredulously. "[He's] not leaving the company; [he's just going to be] heading up the office in Paris [now]," Stefan clarified. "Paris? What are you talking about? This is Chad's home!" Gabi protested, suddenly even more confused than before. "Not anymore. He leaves today," Stefan revealed.

"What about Abigail?" Gabi wondered, struggling to process the unexpected development. "I'm not really in a position to ask any questions," Stefan pointed out. "Maybe they reconciled, maybe they're over for good -- I don't know," Stefan added with a shrug, clearly hoping that the second explanation was the correct one. "So, you have complete control of DiMera [now]? Total autonomy?" Gabi worriedly summarized, looking sick. "Yes," Stefan cheerfully confirmed. "And Gabi Chic has not performed as well as expected, so my first instinct is to fire you," Stefan continued. "You cannot do that!" Gabi insisted. "Oh, yes, I can," Stefan countered.

Chad and Abigail arrived while Gabi was desperately trying to change Stefan's mind. "What's going on?" Chad wondered. "Stefan just fired me, [and] he's gonna dismantle Gabi Chic!" Gabi explained before begging Chad to do something to stop Stefan. "I'm not CEO anymore. My hands are tied," Chad said with a shrug. "So, you're just walking away? You're really moving to Paris?" Gabi asked incredulously. "Can you blame us?" Chad countered as Abigail flashed a wedding ring. "You got married?" Stefan interjected, stunned. "Remarried. [And] we are going to Paris tonight with the kids. We're moving there," Abigail replied, putting an arm around Chad.

"[Well], the good news is that Charlotte [is] gonna be way better off with her mother and her real father, light years away from the hell that is Stefan DiMera!" Gabi spat before storming out of the mansion.

"Congratulations," Stefan grudgingly said to Chad and Abigail. "Just here to get some things," Chad replied. "I can wait for you [here]," Abigail assured Chad, who nodded then left the foyer.

"I'm glad Charlotte's okay," Stefan said to Abigail. "Thank you. Me, too," Abigail replied. "If you'll allow me, I have something that I'd like to say," Stefan added, and Abigail didn't object. "I just wanted to...apologize...again. Um...I -- I took advantage of you, and -- and I'm...genuinely sorry for that. And, uh...that other part of you -- I loved her...and for a moment, she loved me, too," Stefan stressed. "I know," Abigail agreed.

Meanwhile, Chad finished gathering things and headed back to the foyer, pausing in the living room to have one more conversation with Stefano's portrait. "You know, I'm not abandoning our family. I'll always be a DiMera; I love being a DiMera," Chad stressed. "Don't give me that look. I'll be back someday," Chad added before rejoining Abigail and Stefan in the foyer.

"Good luck. You're gonna need it...brother," Chad said to Stefan. "Thank you," Stefan replied with a hint of surprise while shaking Chad's outstretched hand.

After Chad and Abigail left, Stefan stared sadly at one of the queens on the chess table -- then angrily scattered all the other pieces. "Bad day?" Chloe assumed, joining Stefan in the living room.

Gabi ran into Kate in the town square and seized the opportunity to complain about Chad and Abigail's decision to move to Paris.

"Can't you even be just a little happy for them?" Kate asked. "I am...a little," Gabi replied. "But now that Chad's gone, Stefan's fired me, and he's gonna dismantle Gabi Chic!" Gabi added. "Oh, come off it. I know what you're capable of, [and] I find it very hard to believe that after this little pity party is finished, you're not gonna find a way to get even with Stefan for screwing you over," Kate dismissively replied.

Jack and J.J. went to the Brady Pub to celebrate Chad and Abigail's marriage with a round of beer, but Jack soon changed the subject, wanting to continue talking to J.J. about Haley. "Back at [my] apartment, before Mom showed up, you were gonna call Haley out, weren't you?" J.J. guessed. "Yes, I was," Jack confirmed. "You can't," J.J. insisted. "Maybe I need to," Jack argued. "No, you don't," J.J. maintained.

"Look, Dad, I -- I know you want to be here for me...[but] the best way that you could do that is -- is to keep this to yourself. Will you do that? For me? Please?" J.J. begged.

Chad and Abigail returned to the Horton house to pick up Thomas and Charlotte. "Don't ever stop fighting for Dad, okay?" Abigail advised Jennifer. "Yeah," Jennifer agreed, fighting back tears.

"Bon voyage!" Julie shouted as Chad and Abigail left the Horton house with the kids.

Jordan confesses to Rafe

Friday, February 22, 2019

by Spalding

At the hospital, Ciara sat in her hospital bed and called Hope on the phone to tell her that her tests looked good. Hope informed Ciara that Jordan was in custody. Ciara asked Hope to admit that she had been wrong about Ben. "I admit I've been wrong about a lot of things," Hope said. Hope promised to pick up food from the pub for Ciara.

As Ciara ended her call, Ben walked in with flowers. Ciara told Ben that the hospital planned to release her the following day. Ben recommended that Ciara go to Hope's house rather than the loft. Confused, Ciara asked Ben if he was okay. "I'm definitely not okay," Ben said. Ciara asked Ben if his head was okay. Ben said he was physically fine.

"What Jordan did must be a shock to you," Ciara said. "What really shocks me is how close I came to killing my sister," Ben responded. Ciara quietly reminded Ben that he had been protecting her from Jordan. With a shake of his head, Ben said he had wanted his sister dead, and he might have killed Jordan if Rafe had not intervened.

"I didn't think I was that guy anymore. I'm scared. I'm scared, Ciara, that he is still in there. I'm scared of who I really am. And you should be, too," Ben said. Ciara argued that Ben would not have killed Jordan. "Jordan has taken care of me since I was a little kid," Ben said quietly. Frustrated, Ben said he needed to see his sister.

In the park, Eve overheard Melinda talking with Haley, and she admitted that they were sisters. Eve ducked behind the hedge to remain unseen. Haley held up a flyer and pointed out that it advertised Melinda's push to crack down on immigration. "I will find a way to help you get papers after I win," Melinda said. Haley crumpled up the flyer and stormed off. Behind the hedge, Eve's mouth dropped open.

At the pub, J.J. asked Jack why he would get in trouble over Haley's immigration status, since no one but the three of them knew about it. J.J. asked Jack if he promised not to tell anyone. Jack urged J.J. to find another place for Haley to live. Dismayed, J.J. noted that the father he had known would have supported him.

"You were always for the underdog," J.J. remarked. Jack warned J.J. that Haley was desperate.

"You're worried about me being taken advantage of by a woman? You're the one that shacked up with Eve!" J.J. grumbled. Jack's phone beeped. J.J. snidely asked Jack if that was Eve texting. Ignoring the question, Jack said he had to go. Jack told J.J. that he loved him. J.J. said he loved Jack, too, and they hugged.

At the Salem Inn, Jack asked Eve what important information she had for him. "Turns out J.J.'s new roommate has friends in high places. Or at least a sister who wants to get there," Eve said with a grin. Eve told Jack that Haley's sister was Melinda Trask. With a chuckle, Eve said it proved that Melinda was a hypocrite. Jack said he did not want to use the information.

"I think I'm looking at Salem's next mayor," Eve said as she cozied up to Jack. "We can't use this information against Melinda," Jack stressed. When Eve said that breaking promises was part of the political game, Jack refused to betray his son because J.J. had been the only person in Salem with whom he had bonded. Eve urged Jack to divide J.J. from Haley because Haley would be deported eventually, and it would break J.J.'s heart.

"You know what he tried to do to himself a year ago. You can't let this blow up in J.J.'s face," Eve said. Jack reluctantly agreed. "I think I know how we can drop this bomb," Eve mused.

Haley returned to J.J.'s apartment and asked about the wedding. With a frown, J.J. said that his sister had moved to Paris. When J.J. mentioned how much he would miss his sister, Haley's face sank. Haley admitted that though her sister drove her crazy, she loved her. Haley wondered aloud if she had done the right thing in moving to Salem. J.J. told Haley that he was glad she had moved to Salem.

When J.J. offered to make lunch for Haley, she said Tripp had fed her at the square. J.J.'s tone changed as he repeated Haley's answer. "You sound jealous," Haley joked. "What if I am?" J.J. responded. Haley said she wanted to remain friends with J.J. When Haley noted that Jack did not like her, J.J. said it only mattered that he liked Haley, not his father.

J.J. said that despite what he had said after their kiss, he thought their kiss had been a good idea. "I still do," J.J. said before he kissed Haley passionately. "I hope I didn't come on too strong," J.J. said. "No. You were perfect," Haley said. Haley kissed J.J. again.

At the police station, Rafe was annoyed to see Ted walk in and stand behind Hope. "I wanted to talk to Hope, but you should probably hear this, too," Ted said. Hope thought about when Ted had kissed her, and her eyes widened in panic. Hope dismissively said she had no time to talk. Ted blurted out that Abe had appointed him as the interim D.A.

"For the time being, the three of us are going to be on the same side. Isn't someone going to congratulate me?" Ted asked. "There have to be lawyers in Salem that respect the law, so why did Abe choose you?" Rafe asked. Ted reminded Rafe that he had formerly been a prosecutor. With a scoff, Rafe joked, "I thought Trask was the bottom of the barrel."

Ted asked Rafe to get a confession from Jordan because he did not want to deal with another insanity plea. Rafe walked into the interrogation room. Ted asked Hope if she had recommended him for the D.A. position. Hope admitted that she had. Ted grinned. Hope reminded Ted that she, Ted, and Rafe were professionals and could work together.

In the interrogation room, Jordan was relieved when Rafe walked in. Jordan claimed that she had wanted to protect Ciara from Ben. "I know that is how you see it, that you were taking care of Ben and Ciara," Rafe said plainly. Jordan countered that it was her job to take care of people. Rafe asked Jordan about her attack on Kate. Jordan shifted her eyes away.

"Kate didn't need protection from bed, did she?" Rafe asked. Jordan claimed that Kate had attempted to stop her from taking supplies to Charlotte. With a shake of his head, Rafe said Jordan was not the same person he had known. Rafe asked Jordan about her car accident. Jordan told Rafe about her recovery.

"I never felt like the same person. I still don't," Jordan whispered. Jordan said the ordeal had reminded her of another accident from her childhood. With a sigh, Jordan explained that her last car accident had made her realize that she had always remembered the previous car accident wrong.

Jordan told Rafe a story about how Clyde had abused Ben. Fighting tears, Jordan said that when her mother had been pregnant with a third child, Jordan had driven the car into a tree in order to "take care of" her mother and sibling and keep Clyde from hurting them. Jordan said when she had survived the accident as a child, she had decided to run away with Ben.

"[But] Clyde had put his mark on Ben, too," Jordan said. Rafe noted that Jordan had not "taken care" of her mother because she had killed her. Jordan argued that Ben was a menace and had started the fire. Rafe responded that the only proof the police had was that Jordan had started the second fire. Jordan cried out and asked Rafe to see that everything she had done had been to protect everyone from Ben.

"Say that you understand!" Jordan said. Jordan started to cry. "I thought you would understand the most," Jordan wailed through tears. Rafe sat down next to Jordan and put his arm around her to comfort her. Hope walked in with Ted.

Hope, Rafe, and Ted returned to the bullpen to talk. Rafe recommended that Ted back off of Jordan because she was not fit to stand trial. "A family of nutcases. Too bad the Westons set foot in Salem," Ted lamented as Ben walked into the station.

Ted confirmed that the judge had agreed to drop the charges and had agreed to send Jordan to Bayview. When Rafe escorted Jordan out of the interrogation room, Ben walked over to her. "I didn't mean to hurt you," Ben told Jordan. "It's okay. It's who you are. It's who you always will be," Jordan said.

In the square, Tripp carried out a dessert for Haley, and he was disappointed to find she had left. Claire walked up. Tripp explained that he had pie for Haley, but she had disappeared. A clearly jealous Claire asked questions about Haley. "I didn't realize you guys were friends," Claire said tersely. Tripp reminded Claire that he loved her and was not interested in Haley. With a nod, Claire took the pie. Tripp smiled.

"This pie is so good. I think I'll take a slice over to Ciara at the hospital," Claire said. Tripp offered to go with Claire, but Claire asked Tripp if he really wanted to watch her apologize to Ciara again. Tripp firmly said he wanted to go with Claire. As Tripp headed inside to clock out, Melinda Trask stopped by the table and handed a stack of flyers to Claire to pass out to her friends. Claire happily took the flyers and threw them in the trash.

When Claire and Tripp got to the hospital, Claire apologized to Ciara for what she had done to break up Ciara and Tripp. Claire took Tripp's hand in hers and announced that they were back together. "We all got what we wanted. I really just want us to be friends again. Tripp forgave me, and I was just really hoping you could do the same," Claire said. Ciara said she wanted the same thing.

"Mess with my life again, and we're done," Ciara joked. Relieved, Claire hugged Ciara. Tripp said he was glad Claire and Ciara could work things out. With a smile, Ciara said she was ready to go home. Tripp asked about Ben. Ciara said Ben was upset about his sister. Tripp said he felt bad for Ben.

"The only reason mom found me in time was because of Ben. He saved my life," Ciara said. "I was so sure that he had set the first fire," Tripp said. A look of realization crossed Tripp's face. "What if Jordan had set the first fire?" Tripp suggested. Ciara said it was possible. "Who else could it have been?" Ciara wondered aloud.

Claire drifted off to a memory of her past. In her memory, Claire had found Ciara in the cabin, unconscious, after the bike accident. When Claire looked around, she had found a lighter on the table. Claire had flicked the lighter and stared at the flame. Claire snapped back to reality and looked at Ciara, smiling at her.