Xander pursues vigilante justice; Days of our Lives Recap for September 13, 2024

Tate was surprised to see Eric in the halls of the school. “I have no idea where [Holly] went. All I know is that she couldn’t wait to get away from me,” Tate said. Sophia eavesdropped from nearby. Tate explained to Eric that he had broken the news about Brady’s release, and Holly had also been upset with Tate for having supported his father.

“[Holly’s] really determined to make sure that my dad pays for what he did to her Aunt Sarah,” Tate said. “[And it’s made worse] because she found out I was the one who was driving the car that killed her father,” Eric said. Tate apologized for having told Holly. “It’s not your fault, Tate. Even if Holly is acting out with you now, it’s because she’s mad at Brady and me, not you,” Eric said. Tate disagreed.

“Just be there for her when she’s ready,” Eric said. Tate nodded. After Eric left, Sophia asked Tate if he was okay. When Tate shrugged, Sophia told him she was sorry about his father. “But I’m really glad to hear they let him go,” Sophia added. Tate appeared suspicious, but Sophia said she meant it. “After everything with your mom, you don’t deserve to lose your dad, too,” Sophia said. Sophia noted that Tate was lucky to have Holly for moral support.

“If only,” Tate muttered. Tate explained the situation, and Sophia said she understood why Holly would side with Sarah. “But she has to understand that your dad needs you right now and that you need her to be there for you,” Sophia said. With a wince, Tate explained that the situation was complicated because of Holly’s father. Sophia noted that it had to be difficult for Holly to deal with the fact that Eric had been responsible for Daniel’s death.

“Finding out [Eric] is not who he says he is,” Sophia said. “Yeah, but Eric is not like this monster. He’s actually a really great person, and he made a terrible mistake, and he’s paid for it,” Tate countered. After a deep breath, Tate said he knew that Sophia and Holly hated one another. “No, I don’t hate her,” Sophia said. Sophia explained that although she and Holly were no longer close, she still felt bad for Holly.

“And Tate, my God, I can only imagine how much this is weighing on you. I mean, you and Holly on opposite sides of this? That totally sucks,” Sophia said. “It hasn’t been easy,” Tate admitted. Sophia told Tate that she was there for him, and she hugged him.

In the district attorney’s office, Holly confronted E.J. about Brady’s release from jail. “I’m sorry, Holly, I just didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute him,” E.J. said. “What if I help you find some?” Holly offered. E.J. told Holly he did not think she could help him, because Kristen had destroyed Brady’s car, the only forensic evidence.

“So, barring some miracle in which Sarah Horton remembers the driver who hit her and can give credible witness testimony,” E.J. said with a shrug. E.J. assured Holly that he was working to hold Brady accountable for his crime. E.J. added that if Holly found any evidence, she was welcome to pass it along to him. As Holly turned to leave, E.J. asked her why she was so determined to see Brady arrested. Holly said she knew that Eric had killed Daniel.

“I’m so sorry. I know how much you looked up to Eric,” E.J. said. Holly muttered about how Nicole had lied to her. “You trusted her. And just so you know, I pleaded with your mother to tell you. I warned her that if you didn’t find out from her, you were going to find out some other way,” E.J. said. E.J. noted that Nicole had rejected his advice, because she had believed the lie protected Holly.

“Yeah, right. We both know she was really just protecting Eric,” Holly said. E.J. apologized, and he explained that he had lashed out about Nicole because he was upset about his divorce. “It was not my intent to turn you against her,” E.J. said. Holly assured E.J. that he had not done that. Holly bitterly complained that Nicole had always said that Holly was the most important person to her, but she had left Holly behind so she could start a life with Eric and their son. “I’m just an afterthought,” Holly said. E.J. disagreed. Holly noted that if the choice was between Eric and anyone, Nicole would choose Eric every time.

E.J. told Holly that his actions to hide Jude’s paternity had been indefensible. “But I know that it affected you deeply, Holly. Just as much as it did Eric and Nicole. And for that, I am terribly sorry,” E.J. said. Holly thanked E.J. “It did affect me. But I can see why you did it now,” Holly said. E.J. was surprised. Holly noted that E.J. had supported and taken care of Nicole and Holly during the coma.

“To be honest, I don’t think I’d be here if it weren’t for you. You did so much for her and for me, and I’m really grateful for that,” Holly said. “That means so much to me,” E.J. said. E.J. added that although Holly was not his daughter, he would always care for her. “Funny. Eric said that same exact thing to me when he and my mom broke up. I should have never believed him. But I do believe you,” Holly said.

After a moment, Holly noted that Eric had only served a year in prison. “Is that really all my dad’s life was worth?” Holly said. E.J. noted that the justice system was not always just. “Yeah, I get it. And now Tate’s dad is probably going to get away with what he did to my Aunt Sarah,” Holly said. E.J. promised Holly that he would not give up on making a case against Brady. “You’re a wonderful woman, Holly. And I am very, very proud of you,” E.J. said. Holly hugged E.J.

At Basic Black, Kristen informed Brady that a cop that confirmed to E.J. that Kristen had disposed of Brady’s car. Frustrated, Brady said that the officer had to have overheard him talking to John. “I didn’t think anybody was listening,” Brady said. “Well, obviously not,” Kristen said. Brady asked if E.J. had threatened Kristen.

“[E.J.] said that he would arrest me for evidence tampering if I didn’t admit that you confessed to me,” Kristen said. With a smirk, Kristen said she had called E.J.’s bluff. “You need to go back to him and tell him the truth,” Brady said. Kristen argued that Brady had not given her any more information about the accident than he had given to the police.

“But we both know that E.J. is nothing if not persistent. Especially when it comes to settling scores. He’s gonna railroad you just like he did my son,” Brady said. Brady told Kristen that he did not want to risk the possibility that both of Rachel’s parents would be sent to jail. Kristen countered that the police officer’s testimony was hearsay. “I promise you that they can't touch either one of us,” Kristen said. Brady told Kristen that Sarah was undergoing hypnosis and that Sarah would soon be able to identify him as the driver.

“I’ll be relieved,” Brady said. Brady told Kristen that he wanted to atone for what he had done to Sarah. “You can do that without going to prison,” Kristen argued. Kristen reminded Brady to think of his children, and she noted that Rachel needed her father.

“Is that why you’ve made sure that I hardly ever see her?” Brady countered. “I think we need to do something about that,” Kristen said. Anxious, Brady asked Kristen what she meant. Kristen said she wanted Rachel to know that her father would always be in her life. “Where is this coming from?” Brady asked. Kristen thought about when E.J. had accused her of still being in love with Brady. Kristen shivered at the memory.

“You are giving up. And I know the one thing that you will fight for. You will fight for your daughter, Rachel,” Kristen said. Kristen asked Brady to promise not to give up. “I won’t. I promise,” Brady said.

In Marlena’s office, Marlena hypnotized Sarah. “Tell me what you hear,” Marlena said. “I hear a car screeching. It’s going too fast. It’s dark,” Sarah said. Marlena asked about the car and the driver. After a moment, Sarah admitted that she saw a face behind the wheel. Sarah noted that a gray car was headed straight at her.

“Can you see who is driving the car?” Marlena asked. Sarah saw a blurry image of the driver in her mind. “I don’t see Brady,” Sarah said. “Who do you see?” Marlena asked. Sarah mentioned that there was a glare, so Marlena asked Sarah to review the memory frame by frame. Marlena asked about the driver again. “Yes. I know who it is,” Sarah said.

In the hospital waiting area, Xander paced in front of Fiona. “This hypnosis better work. I’m telling you, it will work, damn it!” Xander grumbled. “And what if it doesn’t?” Fiona asked. Fiona argued that it was better for Sarah not to remember such a traumatic incident. Xander argued that if anyone could help Sarah remember, it was Marlena. “Then, yeah, that scum is going down,” Xander said. Fiona cautioned Xander not to be too disappointed if Sarah was unable to recover the memory under hypnosis.

Confused, Xander asked Fiona why she was being negative. “Sarah already recalled a blurry image of the driver. And Dr. Evans was telling us that sometimes people, as a coping strategy, they'll block out memories if they’re too painful,” Xander said. With a shrug, Xander noted that Brady and Sarah had been close, so it made sense to not want to remember. Fiona asked Xander if he had thought about the possibility that the driver had been someone other than Brady. Xander argued that the facts pointed at Brady as the culprit.

“Trust me. [Brady’s] days of freedom, they’re over,” Xander said. Fiona sighed, and she admitted she had hoped that Brady’s release would mean that everyone could avoid the drama of a trial. With a shake of his head, Xander refused to move on until Brady was sent to prison.

“Are you sure that Sarah feels the same way?” Fiona asked. Fiona reminded Xander that Brady was family. When Xander grumbled that Brady did not deserve a pass, Fiona groaned. “I haven’t exactly led a life of virtue. And let’s be honest, neither have you. But we all deserve a second chance, don’t we? You gave me one. And I don’t take that for granted for one second,” Fiona said as she sniffled back tears. Fiona confessed that she had believed that she would never be a part of Xander’s life, and she could not stand the thought of losing her family again.

“What are you talking about? Why would you?” Xander said. Xander assured Fiona that she was welcome to stay as long as she wanted. “Do you really mean that?” Fiona asked. Xander called his mother a godsend. After a moment, Fiona announced that she needed to tell Xander something. “What is it?” Xander asked. “I don’t know quite how to say this,” Fiona started. Sarah returned.

“Did you remember?” Xander asked. Fiona held her breath. With a sigh, Sarah admitted, “I felt certain that it’s someone I know behind the wheel, but I just can’t make out the face.” Xander encouraged Sarah to undergo another session, but she was uncertain. Sarah asked Xander to take her home.

While Sarah was in the bathroom, Fiona told Xander that she was sorry that the hypnotherapy had not worked. “Me, too. I’m so sorry, what was it you were trying to tell me?” Xander asked. Fiona shook her head no. “Nothing important,” Fiona said. Xander looked at his phone, and he noted that he needed to attend an urgent matter personally.

In Marlena’s office, she dictated her notes on Sarah’s case into a recorder. “[Patient] became visibly upset when I pressed her for more details,” Marlena said. Kristen knocked on the door. Kristen invited Marlena and John to grandparents’ day at the school. Marlena was taken aback by the invite.

“I told [Brady] that I want to revisit our custody arrangement,” Kristen said. “What brought that about?” Marlena asked. Kristen admitted that the possibility that Brady could go to prison had made her rethink the situation. “Is that all it was?” Marlena asked. Kristen said that Rachel had a better understanding of the world, and she could not hide her daughter from it anymore.

“As you know, I’ve been letting Rachel spend more time with her father, and it has been going very, very well. And quite frankly, I’m tired of being thought of as the bad guy” Kristen said. Marlena smirked. “And your feelings for Brady are unchanged?” Marlena asked. Kristen muttered that Marlena sounded like E.J., who had accused Kristen of still being in love with Brady.

“Is that accurate?” Marlena asked. Kristen confessed that after years of effort, she had realized that she would never get over Brady. “Well, thank you for all that,” Marlena said. Marlena comfirmed that she and John would be happy to attend grandparents’ day at the school. “Just for the record, Marlena, I do hate what Brady is going through right now, and I am sorry it took this long for him to perhaps finally realize that he and I are meant to be,” Kristen said.

When Fiona and Sarah arrived home, Fiona offered to clean up the birthday decorations while Sarah napped. “It’s okay. That staff will do it,” Sarah said. “No, I like to feel useful,” Fiona said. Fiona said that she admired Sarah's positivity. Sarah thanked Fiona, and she headed upstairs. Once Fiona started to clean up, she noticed the bat from the piñata was missing. Fiona groaned.

Xander walked into the Basic Black office, and he informed Brady that Sarah had completed her hypnosis session. Xander started to roll up his sleeves. “How did that go?” Brady asked. “She doesn’t remember who was driving the car that mowed her down and left her for dead. So, in theory, this would be your lucky day. Except it isn’t,” Xander said. Brady told Xander that there was no need to fire him because he had resigned.

“That’s not why I’m here at all,” Xander said. Xander reached into the hallway and grabbed the bat from the birthday party. As Xander gripped the bat, he reminded Brady, “[You told us earlier] that you wished you were in that wheelchair instead of her. So, I’ve come to make your wish come true.” Xander told Brady that he had sent the staff home so that no one would hear Brady scream.

“I deserve what’s coming,” Brady said. “Don’t you dare play the brave martyr with me,” Xander growled through gritted teeth. Xander explained that the baseball bat was from a birthday party for Victoria. “The party that Sarah could barely even sit through because she was in so much pain,” Xander said. Brady nodded.

“This is for every tear that she wiped away when she thought no one was looking,” Xander said. Xander slammed the bat onto the desk. “This is for the brave, beautiful smile that she puts on for the world,” Xander said. Xander swung the bat and knocked a box of files off the conference table. “I’m gonna use you as a human piñata, Brady, so you will know the pain that Sarah has to live with for the rest of her life!” Xander yelled. Brady closed his eyes as Xander held the bat up to swing at Brady.

“No, stop!” Fiona screamed. Xander turned to face his mother. “You can’t do this!” Fiona said. “Why do you even care? You don’t know this man,” Xander said. Xander argued that Brady was a drunk driver that had left Sarah for dead. “He’s not going to get away with it!” Xander bellowed.

“This is not about him! This is about you. You’ll go to prison. You have a wife and a daughter, and they need you,” Fiona pleaded. Xander countered that he would hire a good lawyer like Brady had done. Brady told Fiona to go. As Xander pulled back the bat to swing, Fiona grabbed his arm. “I have a confession to make,” Fiona said.

In the Kiriakis living room, Sarah was sipping tea when Eric walked in. Eric explained that he was there to see Holly. “Is everything okay?” Sarah asked. “Not really,” Eric admitted. Sarah promised to pass along the message. “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you were in Paris,” Sarah said. Eric explained that he had returned to town for Brady. Sarah nodded, and she whispered, “Here to support your brother.”

“My brother who hurt you so badly because he was driving drunk, like I did when I took Daniel’s life,” Eric said. Eric told Sarah that he was sorry, and he asked how she was doing. Sarah said she was okay, and she told Eric about her unsuccessful attempt at hypnosis. With a smile, Eric changed the subject to Victoria’s birthday party, and Sarah’s face lit up as she talked about her daughter.

“Look at us. We both got our own happily ever afters, you know?” Sarah said. Sarah noted that she was grateful. “I know what you’re going through. It’s got to be very hard,” Eric said. “It is. At times. But I’m adjusting,” Sarah said. Sarah added that she had a lot of blessings in her life, including Eric.