Brady told Arianna that he had posted Nicole's bail, and Arianna was outraged. Brady thought he had done the right thing, considering all that he thought Nicole had gone through. Arianna asked if he had told Sami what he had done.

Brady was perplexed as to why Sami needed to be informed about him posting Nicole's bail, and Arianna asked him if he thought that Sami deserved to know that he had helped "the one person that has tried to destroy her life." Arianna realized that Brady didn't know about the baby switch, so she told him that Nicole had switched Sami's baby with Mia's on the day that the babies were born, which meant that Grace was Mia's child, and Sydney was Sami and E.J.'s baby.

Brady refused to believe Arianna at first, so she spelled it out for him. Brady was in denial about the lengths that Nicole would go to hold on to Sydney. He said there was no way that Nicole would use him like that. Arianna explained that Rafe and Sami were celebrating Sydney's homecoming at that very moment. Brady realized that he had been played. He couldn't believe that Nicole would let him do that to his own sister -- or anyone, for that matter.

Brady asked Arianna how long she had known that Sydney was Sami's baby. Arianna said that Rafe had told her that it was a possibility. Brady asked again how long Arianna knew that Sydney was really Sami's baby, and Arianna admitted that she had known for "a while." Brady wondered why Arianna had not told him sooner. She apologized. He accused her of being so used to keeping secrets from him that it became "second nature" to her.

Arianna said he wasn't being fair and reminded him that he kept a secret for Nicole. He admitted that he had kept Nicole's miscarriage a secret, "and because of it, she stole my sister's baby," he added. He was angry with himself. Brady recounted how Nicole convinced him to keep the truth from E.J. He couldn't believe that he fell for Nicole's lies, but Arianna could believe it. Arianna accused Brady of still being in love with Nicole. Troy called Arianna, and she didn't want to ignore his call like she had done earlier. Brady said maybe he was gullible, but Brady had believed Arianna when she told him about her undercover operations, when she might still be dealing drugs. Brady didn't know who to trust, so he stormed out.

Nicole took a walk and contemplated her next move, reflecting on how Sami had taken Sydney back. Nicole vowed that she would find Sydney, because Nicole couldn't live without her. Nicole ran into Chad, who asked if Nicole was happy because the DNA tests proved that he wasn't Sydney's father. Nicole didn't know what he was talking about at first, but he reminded her. Chad asked where Sydney was. Mia walked up and was shocked that Nicole was out of jail.

Chad was surprised to hear that Nicole had gone to jail. He wondered what was going on, because Mia and Nicole used to be friends. Mia said that Nicole had lied to Mia and then Mia lied to Chad. Chad asked what else Mia lied to him about. Mia admitted that there was no one else but Chad. While Mia was explaining, Nicole sneaked away.

Mia said that Nicole convinced her to tell Chad that Mia had slept with other guys to convince him that he wasn't the father of Mia's baby. Chad wondered why the DNA tests came back negative. Mia said it was because Sydney wasn't Mia and Chad's baby. She said that Nicole switched babies with Sami and their baby was dead. Mia took Chad to the cemetery to show him their baby's grave. Mia apologized for lying to Chad. She also apologized that Chad never got a chance to know their daughter.

At Sami's townhouse, Roman, Caroline, Allie, and Johnny gathered together with Sami and Rafe to celebrate Sydney's homecoming. Roman asked where Will was, and Sami said that she hadn't told him yet. Rafe said it was because Will had a state cross-country meet and Sami didn't want to tell him over the phone. Will walked in and wondered why everyone was at Sami's house. Sami filled Will in on the details. He was overcome with emotion and hugged Sami. Will knew that Sami was especially happy after losing Grace.

Sami said that everyone would always miss Grace and would "love and treasure" their time with Grace, but then they were able to celebrate Sydney. Caroline thanked Rafe for returning Sydney to Sami. He said he just wanted Sami to be happy again. Roman remarked about how easily Johnny and Allie had bonded with their sister. Sami thanked Roman for taking E.J. to the station, thinking that he did it to give Sami time alone with Sydney, but Roman said the hit man really did finger E.J. as the guy who had hired him.

Sami told Will that just because they loved Sydney didn't mean that they loved Grace any less. Will knew that -- he was just thinking about how Mia must have been feeling. Sami hoped that Mia could find comfort knowing that Mia got to know Grace. Sami wanted Will to tell Mia that Sami wanted to thank her in person for Grace being a part of their lives. Will said he couldn't, because he had said some mean things to Mia that hurt her feelings. Will wanted to focus on having Sydney back.

Sami was looking forward to Thanksgiving with her family, especially compared to the year before , when she had to celebrate the season in protective custody with Rafe. It would also be Sydney's first Thanksgiving as a Brady. Nicole showed up outside Sami's place and listened to her family celebration. Nicole tried to convince herself to go inside Sami's townhouse.

Sami hoped that Will would make things right with Mia, and he promised to try. Sami said she would never be able to forgive Nicole. Will left to find Mia. Outside the door, Nicole lurked in the hallway.

E.J. yelled at Stefano and said that Stefano was the one person that E.J. was always supposed to be able to trust. Stefano said that E.J. could trust Stefano, because Stefano would do anything for him. E.J. said that Stefano lied to him, allowing E.J. to mourn the death of a child that wasn't E.J.'s. Stefano justified his actions, saying that if E.J. had known the truth, he would have gone to that "low-life Brady bitch" because E.J. had loved her and still did.

E.J. said that it was E.J.'s life and Stefano couldn't play games with his life. Stefano said he was only trying to help."I love you, but you can't do this," E.J. told Stefano, and then he proceeded to strangle Stefano. E.J. told Stefano that he meant nothing to E.J. Kate walked in and forced E.J. to let go of Stefano's neck. "You can be grateful that I am a better man than you, or else you would be dead," E.J. yelled at Stefano.

Kate demanded to know what had happened. "Father destroys everything he touches," E.J. said. He told Stefano not to be afraid, because E.J. wouldn't touch him, so Stefano could live the rest of his life in peace. "You are dead to me," E.J. said. "I remember the last time those words were spoken in this house. I said them to Anthony, and to my eternal regret, they became a reality," Stefano said. E.J. said he understood why Tony disowned Stefano, and E.J. wished that he had known it earlier.

E.J. said that Stefano was the reason that Sami didn't want her child to be raised in the DiMera mansion, and Stefano was the reason that Sami hid her pregnancy from E.J. E.J. asked how Stefano felt about that and if it made Stefano proud. Stefano told E.J. to take responsibility for the mistakes that E.J. had made. E.J. vowed to rectify his mistakes "if that's the last thing I do." E.J. told Stefano that he was moving out.

Kate tried to comfort Stefano, by telling him that no one was more devoted to his children or grandchildren than Stefano.

Melanie kissed Philip but stopped after Philip started running his hands up her back. Philip was confident after that kiss that Melanie had feelings for him. He tried to kiss her again, but she stopped him, told him "No," and slapped him. He wondered why she slapped him, and she told him to figure it out. He pointed out that she kissed him. Melanie agreed that she did kiss him and admitted that she had been attracted to Philip since they first met. He wondered why she was fighting their attraction, and she said it was because she was "screwed up and the only person more screwed up than me is you."

Philip said that was probably why he and Melanie were good together. He tried to kiss her again, but she stopped him and begged him to leave her alone.

Nathan was grateful that Stephanie chose to stay late at the hospital to help. He asked her for a favor, a "personal" favor. He wanted Stephanie to donate blood, because the bus accident had depleted the blood bank supply. She agreed to do it.

At the Java Café, Victor tried to reach Brady on the phone -- because Brady hadn't returned Victor's calls --but Brady didn't answer, so Victor chewed Brady by voicemail. Philip showed up, and Victor noticed that he looked flushed. Philip said that he wasn't sick -- he was feeling good. Victor assumed it was because of a woman, so he asked which one Philip was pursuing -- Stephanie, Melanie, or someone new. Philip didn't want to talk about it. He got up to find another table.

Victor guessed that Philip had been pursuing Melanie. "Why should you date someone with class and intelligence when there are so many brainless vixens out there just dying to get their claws into you?" Victor asked. Philip defended Melanie. Victor accused Philip of pursuing Melanie for one reason, "and once you get your fill of that, you're going to drop her like a bad habit," he said.

Philip pointed out that Victor liked Melanie when he thought that Melanie could cause trouble for Stephanie, but since Philip and Melanie were dating, Victor considered Melanie a loser. Philip was fed up with Victor's controlling ways. He accused Victor of being a "bitter, old man." Victor called Philip "an insolent little bastard" and "a colossal screw up." Philip said if he was such a "colossal screw up," maybe he had "a damn good reason." Then he stormed off. Vivian showed up and asked Victor if she could sit at his table.

At the hospital, Melanie offered to help, but Maxine said that everything had been taken care of, because most of the bus crash injuries weren't life-threatening. Melanie asked where Nathan was. Meanwhile, Nathan had drawn blood from Stephanie. He started to leave to tend to some more patients, and Stephanie got overheated. She got up to adjust the thermostat and almost passed out, landing in Nathan's lap just as Melanie walked into the room.

Nathan explained that Stephanie was giving blood. Melanie offered to donate blood, too. Nathan asked Melanie to keep an eye on Stephanie while he went to check on his patients. Melanie noticed the bandage on Stephanie's ankle, and Stephanie explained that Nathan wrapped it after Stephanie twisted her ankle. Stephanie asked how Melanie was doing, and Melanie said she was no longer conflicted. Melanie said she had decided that Nathan was the only man for her.

Arianna texted Brady to tell him to be careful. Troy handed Arianna a package, and she hid it amongst her belongings. Arianna wanted to leave, but he ordered her to sit down. He expected Arianna to be productive, since they had a new boss. She promised not to blow it. Troy left, and Arianna got up to leave but ran into E.J.

Roman and Caroline took Allie and Johnny with them, while Nicole still lurked in the hallway. Rafe tried to get Sydney to say "Mommy," and it worked. Meanwhile, Nicole tried to open Sami's door, but Brady grabbed her. Sami and Rafe watched Sydney as she slept. Brady asked what Nicole's latest scheme was. She said she just wanted to see Sydney again, but he said she wasn't going to see Sydney or Sami, because she was going with Brady.

At the Java café, Vivian surprised Victor . Vivian feigned shock at Victor's vitriolic greeting, and Victor asked her whether she was in town to get revenge on Carly. Vivian denied Victor's accusation, but he was not swayed by her argument. Vivian assured Victor that Carly was innocent of Lawrence's murder. "Innocent? Lady Macbeth had less blood on her hands," Victor retorted. Vivian said that although she was no fan of Carly, she was willing to let "bygones be bygones."

With a twinkle in his eye, Victor theorized that Vivian wanted Carly to be free so that Vivian could exact her own revenge. Victor urged Vivian to make a move soon, and Vivian joked that he was pushing her to act in order to separate Carly from Bo. With a smirk, Victor asked Vivian for advice on how to free Bo from Carly. Vivian offered that someone without a bias toward Carly should talk to Bo about the facts.

When Vivian suggested that Kate talk to Bo, Victor noted that Kate was married to Stefano and he was not speaking to her. When Victor mentioned that he sometimes felt lonely, Vivian reminded Victor that she was on his side and grasped his hand. Chuckling, Victor warned Vivian that there was nothing between the two of them. Vivian suggested that they shared a mutual hatred for Carly and that they could build off of that.

In Bo's living room, Carly informed Bo that she would be going after her future. Carly went to visit Maggie at her house and asked her to talk to the staff at the hospital about reinstating Carly as a doctor there. Maggie happily agreed to recommend Carly.

At the Brady Pub, Hope asked Abe for a new job away from Bo. When Hope mentioned that she and Ciara were living with Victor, Abe responded that he could not hire her as long as she was living in the Kiriakis mansion. Hope appealed to Abe by noting that Ciara was happy to be able to spend time with her grandfather. Noting that Carly had been exonerated, Abe asked Hope why Carly was still living with Bo.

Over at the Cheatin' Heart, E.J. reminded Arianna about his conversation with her on the docks, and he asked whether she knew then that Rafe was attempting to prove whose Sydney's parents were. When E.J. expressed relief that Nicole was behind bars, Arianna informed him that Nicole had been released on bail earlier. Furious, E.J. demanded to know how Nicole had managed to get bail. Arianna told E.J. that she was unaware of the specifics, then she ducked out of the bar while E.J. made a phone call.

After lovingly looking at a sleeping Sydney, Rafe and Sami checked their phones and both found text messages informing them that Nicole had been released on bail. As Sami fretted about the possible scenarios stemming from Nicole's release, E.J. called Sami's cell phone. E.J. warned Sami about Nicole, and then demanded to talk to her about the custody agreement. When E.J. stressed that he wanted Sydney at the meeting, Sami resisted. At E.J.'s insistence, though, Sami relented.

Rafe offered to call E.J. back and push the meeting to the next day , but Sami said that she felt like they could keep the peace between them better if they straightened out the custody arrangement as soon as possible.

On the docks, Brady yelled at Nicole for getting him involved in a plot to hurt his sister, Sami. "Who are you?" Brady bellowed. As Brady grew quiet, Nicole told Brady that at the time that he became involved in her plan, she intended to adopt Grace. Nicole added that when she learned that Sami was going to keep E.J.'s daughter from him that she felt like she had to "make things right."

"You've got no E.J., no baby, and no friends in the world," Brady said. "Are you saying that I've lost you, too?" Nicole questioned. "That's exactly what I'm saying," Brady growled. "If you turn your back on me, I will have nothing left and I don't know what I'll do," Nicole pleaded. Not moved, Brady wondered aloud what was wrong with him that he could love someone capable of doing what Nicole had done.

Hopeful, Nicole noted that Brady said that he loved her. Brady corrected Nicole, assuring her that he "loved" her, but that he no longer felt that way. Nicole disagreed with Brady and said that she learned from Sydney that "love never dies." Nicole urged Brady to take some time to think about what happened, but, still angry, Brady responded that he would give her one hour to make amends before she went back to jail. Shocked, Nicole begged Brady not to go to the police, but, furious, Brady responded, "just once do the right thing." As she stood along on the pier, Nicole whispered, "Okay. I'll do the right thing."

In the cemetery, Chad and Mia lay a bouquet of flowers on their daughter's grave. As Chad and Mia hugged one another in their shared grief, he assured her that they would get through the pain together. Will approached the grave and offered Mia an apology for judging her. Mia asked Chad to leave her alone with Will for a moment, and he agreed.

Will apologized, and Mia explained that she had lied to protect her child. "Because I kept lying, I lost my reputation, I lost my self-respect, and most of all, I lost you," Mia said. "It's not too late for us," Will responded. Shaking her head, Mia told Will he was wrong. Will offered his support, and Mia walked back over to Grace's grave. When Chad returned, Mia asked him to give her a ride home. After saying goodbye to her daughter, Mia left with Chad.

Back at her apartment, Arianna removed a bag of drugs from her purse just as there was a knock at her door. After throwing the drugs onto the dresser and tucking them under a pile of towels, Arianna opened the door to find her little sister. Gabriella stated that Caroline had made up a room for her and that she was settling in. As Arianna nodded nervously, Gabriella asked about Arianna's boyfriend. "He's funny, he's smart, and he's in love with somebody else," Arianna said.

Gabriella urged Arianna to break up with Brady, but Arianna said that she preferred to be left alone for the moment . Gabriella obliged, and Arianna headed out to find Brady. Once Arianna was gone, Gabriella returned to borrow a towel. When Gabriella found the room to be empty, she walked over to the dresser and picked up the stack of towels. With a gasp, Gabriella reached out to the bag of cocaine on the dresser.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami and Rafe arrived with Sydney. Sami put Sydney in the playpen to nap, and when she fell right to sleep, E.J. commented that it was because Sydney felt so comfortable around him. "I think that it is best if Sydney lives with me," E.J. said. Outraged, Sami listed the reasons why she did not want Sydney to live in the house with Stefano.

Rafe excused himself from the living room to take a call from Gabriella. Frantic, Gabriella begged Rafe to meet her at the pub because she was worried about Arianna. Rafe agreed and returned to the living room to find Sami and E.J. were still arguing. Rafe told Sami that he had to meet his sister, and Sami urged him to go and let her deal with E.J.

Once Rafe was gone, E.J. told Sami that he was moving out of the DiMera mansion. Stunned, Sami asked E.J. how he had reached his decision. E.J. explained that Stefano was aware that Sydney was E.J.'s biological child. Not surprised, Sami nodded. "I'm not going to be like my father," E.J. said. E.J. added that he did not want Johnny or Sydney to spend any time with Stefano ever again.

After dropping off Mia, Chad ran into Will at the Brady Pub. Chad thanked Will for letting Mia spend time with Grace. "I'm sorry you didn't get to know her," Will responded. Taking the cue, Chad asked Will to tell him about Grace. Will told Chad about Grace and gave him a photo of her. Staring in awe at the photo, Chad said goodnight and left the pub.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady called the police and asked them to revoke Nicole's bail. As Brady hung up the phone, Arianna entered the mansion and asked whether he was still angry with her. When Brady said that he was still upset, a visibly shaken Arianna told Brady that she was angry that he had run off to help Nicole. Arianna explained that although she could live with the idea that Brady once loved Nicole, she could not understand why he was still in love with her.

"Do you still love Nicole?" Arianna asked. "Yes I do," Brady whispered. Brady admitted that although he hated Nicole, that there was still a part of him that continued to love her. Arianna thanked Brady for his honesty, and then she left the mansion.

While Carly was standing in Maggie's kitchen waiting for Maggie to finish her phone call in the other room, a sad-looking Mia ambled into the kitchen. Pleased to see Mia, Carly said hello and inquired about how things were going for her. With tears in her eyes, Mia explained that everything was worse since the last time they had met. Mia told Carly about the baby switch and that she had learned that her daughter was dead. Carly pulled Mia into her arms and held her tightly.

When Carly asked Mia about her support system, Mia told Carly about how Maggie had been looking after her. Mia thanked Carly for her kindness. As Mia headed upstairs, a visibly touched Carly sat at the kitchen table deep in thought. When Maggie returned to the kitchen, Carly inquired whether Maggie had a room to rent her.

Hope and Ciara stopped by Bo's to visit. After noting her distaste for working Ciara's visits around Carly's schedule, Hope told Bo that she had to run some errands and would return later. Nodding, Bo went upstairs to check on his daughter. As Hope crossed to the front door, she noticed Carly's purse on the coffee table. Hope thought about her conversation with Bo about Carly having a secret, and grabbed the purse off of the table.

"I can't do this. I can't invade her privacy," Hope muttered to herself. "On the other hand, she invaded my house," Hope added. Determined, Hope opened the purse and began to rifle through the contents. With her mind focused on finding evidence of Carly's secret, Hope failed to notice that Bo had returned to the living room and was watching her look through Carly's purse. "What are you doing?" Bo asked.

Back at Arianna's apartment, Rafe arrived to find an uneasy Gabriella sitting on her sister's bed. "Looks like our sister is dealing again," Gabriella said as she handed a bag of cocaine to Rafe.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole stood at the front door of the house and rehearsed an apology to E.J. In the distance, the sound of Sami and E.J. arguing could be heard. Curious, Nicole sneaked around the side of the house to spy on Sami and E.J. In the living room, Sami argued that she wanted to keep Sydney until she was sure that E.J. had distanced himself from Stefano. E.J. countered that he felt that it was best to keep Sydney in familiar surroundings and therefore, the girl should stay with him.

"Can we take this conversation outside? You're gonna wake her up," E.J. said curtly as he took Sami by the elbow and led her to the foyer. As E.J. closed the living room door to muffle their argument, Nicole peeked in the back door window at Sydney, who was sleeping in her playpen without anyone watching.

In Maggie's kitchen, Carly asked if she could stay with the Hortons for a short while, until she got settled in Salem. Maggie wondered why Carly wanted to stay there instead of somewhere she would have more privacy. Carly replied that she wanted to move out of Bo and Hope's house, and she just wanted to stay with someone she knew, rather than being alone in a hotel or apartment. She promised to tell Maggie everything, including why she'd returned to town, if Maggie agreed. Maggie countered that she would have to get Mickey's approval first - plus, they already had two young women staying there.

Mia entered the kitchen just then, and Maggie was surprised that Carly and Mia had already met. Maggie and Carly asked if it would be all right with Mia if Carly moved in, but Mia hedged that it wasn't up to her. Carly and Maggie agreed to discuss it later, and then Carly left.

Mia was still despondent over the loss of Grace, and for not having realized that Grace was her daughter. Maggie urged Mia not to blame herself. Mia stated that although Will and Chad both felt bad for the way they'd treated her, she would let them hate her forever if it meant she could have her little girl back. Maggie held Mia while she wept, encouraging the teen to let it all out so she could heal. Maggie then suggested that Mia help her bake some pies for Thanksgiving dinner at the homeless shelter, as a way to stay focused on what was good and positive in life, and what they were grateful for.

Mia glumly replied that she couldn't be thankful for anything. Maggie recounted how low and lost she'd been when she was drinking, but once she'd begun attending meetings, she'd learned how important it was to be grateful for what she did have: her loved ones, her life, and the ways she could still do some good in the world. Maggie playfully prodded Mia until the girl managed a smile and agreed to help.

Later, Mia removed a pie from the oven, as Maggie praised her efforts, "It's perfect!" Smiling shyly, a grateful Mia declared, "Maggie, you've made me feel like I really do have a family." She added that since learning that her baby girl was gone, she'd begun to realize that family was more important than anything. As they put the last pie in the oven, Mia admitted that she felt better. "And who knows? Maybe some Thanksgiving I'll be as happy as I'm sure Sami is right now."

Kate was stunned and dismayed to find Victor chatting with Vivian at the Java Café. "Katie DiMera, as I live and breathe!" exclaimed Vivian brightly. Kate sullenly demanded to know what Vivian was doing in town. Vivian nattered blithely on about the three of them being reunited, asking about Philip, and how Kate was enjoying Vivian's former role as Mrs. Stefano DiMera. Annoyed, Kate repeated her question.

Vivian pleasantly replied that since Salem was her home, she intended to live there. Victor smirked, declaring to Kate that he was "tickled pink" that Vivian was back. Kate warned Vivian to stay away from Philip, and then left in a huff. Amused at how Vivian had provoked Kate, Victor chuckled, noting, "I'd forgotten how stimulating it is to be around a woman like you." Vivian hinted merrily, "Well, the party doesn't have to end now."

Bo caught Hope rummaging unapologetically through Carly's bag, looking for evidence of Carly's secret. Bo disapproved, but Hope contended that it was her house, so she had every right to go through Carly's things. She pointed out that Carly and her secret were making things more difficult between Bo and Hope. Bo maintained that Carly wasn't the root of the problem, and that she regretted any problems she may have exacerbated.

A skeptical Hope declared that Carly was a liar. Bo countered that Hope could only speculate about what Carly's had done or what her life had been like. Hope argued that regardless of the motive, Carly had admitted to killing her husband - and Bo was willing to throw everything away to protect Carly. Hope worried that Carly could be playing mind games with Bo, but he insisted that wasn't the case. Nonetheless, Hope could not forgive him for putting himself in danger by trusting Carly. As Hope left, Bo could only shake his head in exasperation.

Victor met Hope at the door as she arrived home to the Kiriakis mansion, and invited her to join him and his guest for a drink. Hope was taken aback to see Vivian in the parlor. Vivian gushed about how beautiful Hope looked, while Hope tried hard to remain civil. When Hope headed upstairs, Vivian stopped her, asking why Hope wasn't curious about why Vivian was back.

As Victor left to take a phone call, Hope replied to Vivian that she wasn't interested. Vivian pressed on, declaring that she would not let her nephew-whose death haunted her day and night-be forgotten. Suspicious, Hope remarked that it couldn't be a coincidence that after years of being away, Vivian had arrived in town right after Carly Manning had. Vivian countered that Hope was likely even unhappier than Vivian was about Carly's exoneration for Lawrence's murder.

Carly returned to the Brady house and informed Bo that she'd decided to move out - and in with Maggie. "Let me get this straight," Bo questioned. "You're planning to move into the same house as your daughter?" Carly nodded sheepishly.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. and Sami moved their argument about Sydney into the foyer so they wouldn't wake Sydney. E.J. closed the door to the parlor just as Nicole peered in the terrace doors, looking for Sydney. After making sure the coast was clear, Nicole crept quietly into the room and gazed wistfully down at Sydney sleeping in her playpen. "I just want to hold you one last time, and then I promise I will leave you," Nicole whispered. "Because that's what's best for you, and you are all I care about."

In the foyer, E.J. argued that Sydney hardly knew Sami, and therefore the child would be more comfortable staying with him. Sami defensively pointed out that she was Sydney's mother, and besides, E.J. was moving out and didn't yet know where he was going to live. Stefano arrived home just then, interrupting them.

"You bastard!" Sami pronounced, excoriating Stefano for allowing Nicole to steal Sydney, and for letting E.J. mourn a child who wasn't even his. E.J. reiterated Sami's allegations. Stefano contended that Samantha was a menace and a bad influence on "Giovanni," adding, "It was because of her original treachery that started this whole sordid mess !"

Nicole picked Sydney up and held her, listening as the quarrel in the foyer grew louder. "How am I supposed to leave you?" she wondered. "None of them deserve you." Nicole paced anxiously, knowing that taking Sydney with her would only cause hers more trouble.

In the entryway, E.J. suddenly shushed the bickering Sami and Stefano. "It's quiet," he observed, his ear cocked toward the parlor door. "A bit too quiet." He rushed inside and over to the playpen, and saw that Sydney was gone. Sami gasped with alarm, while E.J. shouted for Mary and Harold.

As everyone frantically searched for Sydney, Kate entered through the terrace doors. Sami and Stefano asked if Kate had seen anyone outside as she was arriving. Kate admitted that she had, but he or she was in the shadows, moving away from the house. E.J. ran out the side door.

Outside the DiMera house, hidden by the shrubs and trees, Nicole pulled a blanket more tightly around Sydney. "This is it, baby girl," Nicole declared. "This is our one last chance." Glancing around nervously, Nicole hurried away.

Arianna was stunned to find Gabi and Rafe waiting in her room. The two of them confronted their sister about the cocaine Gabi had found hidden on Arianna's dresser. "Ari, you said that you were done with all this!" Gabi scolded accusingly. "I'm not," Arianna replied quietly, and Rafe demanded an explanation. Arianna asked Gabi to step out so Arianna could speak with Rafe privately. Gabi initially refused, but finally stormed out, petulantly declaring, "I hate you!"

An incredulous Rafe began upbraiding Arianna, but she implored him to hear her out. He agreed somewhat dubiously. Arianna reminded her brother that she'd kept quiet about Sydney and Nicole, so it was his turn to keep a secret for her. She explained that she was working undercover as a condition of her early release from prison, and only one person at the Salem police department knew about it.

Rafe indignantly questioned why she hadn't told him. Arianna maintained that she wasn't allowed to tell anyone else, but Rafe quickly inferred that Brady also knew. Arianna confirmed it, adding that Brady had wanted to help her - but then Nicole had complicated things. Rafe wanted to know the whole story, but first he wanted Arianna to find Gabi and make things right. Just then, Sami called and tearfully told Rafe that she needed his help because Sydney was missing.

Nicole arrived with Sydney at the waterfront park, fretting about how she would get out of town without any money. As Gabi arrived in the park just then, Arianna tried to phone her, but Gabi ignored the call. Nicole approached Gabi and asked for her help. She introduced herself as "Laura," explaining that her husband abused her and her daughter, and she was trying to get to her sister's in Chicago.

Rafe met Sami and E.J. near the DiMera mansion, in the spot Nicole had just left. Rafe admonished E.J., "You knew Nicole was out on bail. How could you let this happen?" E.J. was livid, insisting that he and Sami were not to blame. Rafe apologized. E.J. noticed tracks on the ground, but Rafe pointed out that they went all over the place. The three of them agreed to split up, and E.J. left in one direction, Rafe and Sami another.

Stefano phoned one of his henchmen, ordering them to find Nicole and return Sydney unharmed. "If you fail to do so, I will fire your asses - all of them!" he bellowed before slamming the phone down. Kate gently suggested that Stefano check to see if E.J. had any news. Stefano irritably lamented how E.J. had banished him from E.J. and Sydney's lives, even though Stefano had only been acting in E.J.'s best interest. "I'm afraid my son has made a terrible mistake," Stefano concluded. Kate asked what he was going to do, and Stefano growled ominously, "What I should have done right from the beginning."

Gabi advised "Laura" to go to the police, but Nicole replied that she couldn't because her husband was a cop. "All I need is money for a bus ticket," Nicole pleaded, offering her diamond bracelet in exchange. "Please, do it for my little girl." Gabi consented kindly, handing all the cash in her wallet to "Laura," but declined to accept the bracelet. Nicole insisted, declaring that she had no other way to repay the debt. She added that Gabi wouldn't see her again, because, "I will never, ever bring my child back to this place." Nicole thanked Gabi for saving her and her daughter's lives, and Gabi wished them luck.

As Nicole departed, she saw someone approaching, so she crouched behind the stairs. Arianna arrived and tried to apologize to Gabi, but Gabi refused to speak to her. Arianna noticed the diamond bracelet and demanded to know where Gabi got it.

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, NBC did not air an original episodes of Days of our Lives in today's daytime line-up. This programming change was planned for and there will be no lost episodes as a result.

Regular programming will resume on Friday, November 28 and pick up where the November 25 episode left off.

On behalf of everyone at Soap Central, I'd like to let you know that your support of soapcentral.com over the years means so much to us. Without you, our loyal readers and fellow soap fans, we wouldn't be marking the close of our 14th year online. I hope that you and your loved ones have a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving.

Dan J Kroll
Founder, Soap Central

Bo warned Carly that moving into the same house where her daughter lived would put her daughter's life in danger. He reminded her that Vivian was out for revenge. Carly countered that Vivian would have thrown it in her face had she known Carly had a daughter. She explained that Lawrence had been so enraged and humiliated that she'd had a child by another man that he would never have told Vivian about it. Carly adamantly declared that Lawrence could no longer keep her daughter away from her.

After Bo returned from the kitchen with a couple of beers, Carly admitted with a grin that she was a little afraid to live under the same roof with her daughter after so many years. She related how Lawrence had become a completely different man after his illness, especially after learning that he couldn't have more children. He had hated the very existence of Carly's daughter, and so had banished the child - and relished Carly's pain. "I just said to myself, 'She's going to be okay,'" Carly continued. "Until he wanted her dead."

Carly showed Bo a picture of her daughter, and they both wondered how Lawrence could hate a child. Carly recalled how Lawrence had shown her a photo of the girl years after banishing her, but immediately snatched it away, spouting hateful, disparaging vitriol about the child and how Carly had cuckolded him. Carly had tearfully urged him to calm down. "Oh I will," Lawrence retorted nastily. "Everything's going to be fine. The screaming in my head will stop...when she's dead!"

Bo tried to comfort Carly as she sobbed on his shoulder, remembering how Lawrence had ripped up the picture despite Carly's protests that her daughter was just an innocent child. "I had to do it," s he cried of stabbing Lawrence to death afterward. "He was going to kill my baby."

Later that night, Bo found Carly on the sofa, holding one of Ciara's dolls, and both admitted that they had been unable to sleep. Carly confided that she was looking forward to getting to know her daughter. Bo cautioned her that Vivian would be very curious as to why Carly had moved in with Mickey and Maggie. Carly replied that she would simply try to keep her distance from her daughter, but Bo knew it would be difficult.

After Bo got a call from Chelsea, he explained to Carly that his elder daughter called him sometimes before her morning run in London, to wish him goodnight. Carly hoped that she and her daughter could someday have the same kind of close relationship that Bo and Chelsea did. Bo told her that things hadn't always been good between them, but all the turmoil had ultimately been worth it. He believed that Carly's daughter would eventually forgive and respect her for what she'd done, although it might take some time. A grateful Carly thanked Bo for being in her corner.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. was on the phone with one of his henchmen, ordering the men to search everywhere for Nicole and trace all of her phone calls. Stefano listened from the doorway of the parlor, and warned E.J. that even an army would not be able to find Nicole. E.J. was furious that his father was on Nicole's side once again, but Stefano insisted that he merely meant that the cunning Nicole was a formidable opponent. E.J. became even more incensed, growling that Stefano could have prevented E.J. from throwing Sydney out if he'd only told the truth.

Kate interrupted just then, and irritably urged E.J. to drop his grudge against Stefano so they could both be on the same side. E.J. flatly refused, raging at his father until Kate intervened again. "My God, will the two of you just shut up!" she shouted. Roman strolled into the parlor and announced that he was shocked to find himself agreeing with Kate. Roman's arrival put E.J. and Stefano on the defensive, but Roman wanted permission for his officers to thoroughly search the grounds for clues as to Nicole's whereabouts. E.J. consented, so Roman quickly radioed for the search team to get started.

Roman then asked the DiMeras to call off their thugs from the search for Nicole. E.J. was reluctant, pointing out that a kidnapper had worked right under Roman's nose, but Roman argued that the cops had training in negotiating with kidnappers - and weren't trigger-happy like the DiMera goon squad. E.J. agreed, but Stefano stipulated that Roman only had 24 hours. Roman then asked E.J. to call Nicole and ask her to return home, in order to keep her on the line so the police could trace the call.

Later, an officer delivered Nicole's mug shot to Roman. Kate remarked that Nicole looked like Ma Barker, and E.J. exploded. "Get her out of here now!" Stefano escorted his blustering wife into the foyer. When Roman asked for a recent photo of Sydney, E.J. grimly handed one over, still in its frame.

In the foyer, Stefano answered a brief cell phone call, which Kate inferred was from one of his men. Stefano explained that he only wanted Roman to think there was a 24-hour time limit, because the situation was too critical, adding, "The last thing I need is a Brady in charge." Kate asked if E.J.'s assertion that Stefano was on Nicole's side was correct, but Stefano maintained that his first concern was for Sydney.

E.J. overheard part of Kate and Stefano's conversation, and asked what they were discussing. Kate claimed that she was contemplating moving into a hotel for a while, to give them some privacy during a difficult time, but Stefano would not hear of it. Kate promised E.J. that she would try to be more sensitive, adding that she was very sorry that she hadn't stopped Nicole.

After E.J. went upstairs, Stefano commended Kate's brilliant talent for lying. She asked why he and E.J. didn't try to work together, since they both wanted Sydney back. Stefano replied that E.J. was likely blaming himself for what had happened, and needed a focus for his frustration and anger - and Stefano was happy to let his son hate him for the time being. Stefano then declared that once Sydney was found, he planned to spend some time with Nicole-alone-to show her what it meant to interfere with the DiMera family.

E.J. later gave Nicole's address book to Roman, who thought that Nicole might be reaching out to someone from her past. Roman wondered if Stefano could be helping his daughter-in-law. E.J. didn't think so, because Stefano seemed to be truly worried that Nicole would get away with the kidnapping.

In the woods near the DiMera mansion, Rafe informed Sami that the FBI couldn't help them with Sydney's kidnapping, because they saw it as a matter of custodial interference. He explained that the DNA test proving Sami was Sydney's mother had been done unofficially. Sami flipped out, reminding Rafe that they had to find Nicole before she left the country, and twisted her ankle hurrying out of the clearing.

After making sure Sami's ankle wasn't broken, Rafe encouraged her to sit for a minute and take a deep breath. Sami sadly noted that at least they knew Sydney was safe with Nicole - and happy, since she thought of Nicole as her mother. Rafe promised that they would find Sydney.

While Nicole held Sydney and watched from behind the stairs, Arianna noted that Gabi had on a fancy bracelet that she hadn't been wearing earlier, and demanded to know where she got it. Gabi retorted that her "druggie" sister didn't have the right to ask. Arianna apologized that all the two of them seemed to do was fight, but she wanted them to be friends. "You want to be friends?" Gabi snapped. "Get clean." She stormed off, with Arianna right behind her.

Nicole emerged from her hiding place. She remarked to Sydney that Rafe had judged her, while the whole time his sister had been doing drugs at the pub. "You know what, Sydney? I really don't think I'm going to miss this place," Nicole declared as they left.

Arianna followed Gabi into the Brady Pub, pleading with her sister to hear her out. Gabi angrily refused to listen, and headed upstairs. Rafe arrived and told Arianna that Nicole had taken Sydney. Arianna feared it was her fault, because she hadn't told Brady about the baby switch - and he had posted Nicole's bail. She also worried that he might be helping Nicole flee, since he was still in love with her.

As Sami walked through the park, she left a message pleading with Nicole to return with Sydney. When Brady showed up and asked what was going on, Sami succinctly filled him in: "Some idiot posted her bail, and the second Nicole was free, she found Sydney and ran off with her." Brady apologetically informed her that he had posted Nicole's bail, but explained that he hadn't known then that Nicole had switched the babies.

Sami was livid, and became even more enraged when Brady told her that he'd been there when Nicole had miscarried - because that meant he'd known all along that Sydney wasn't Nicole's baby, but had helped her anyway. Brady tried to apologize, but Sami slapped him violently across the face. He insisted that he'd only been trying to help a friend who had just lost her baby. Sami reminded him that she knew exactly what it was like to lose a child, so she understood Nicole's motives - but not Brady's.

Brady offered to do whatever he could to help, but Sami refused, maintaining that she no longer trusted him not to do whatever Nicole wanted. "For the last time, I did not know what she did!" Brady bellowed. Sami contended that it would not have made a difference. "You may be off the coke, Brady, but you are still addicted to Nicole," she spat before striding away.

While Arianna tried to reach Brady, Rafe phoned Roman to let him know that Brady might be helping Nicole. Outside, Sami posted some flyers with Nicole's mug shot and Sydney's picture, and then joined Rafe inside. Rafe informed her that he'd just spoken with Roman, and no one had spotted Nicole anywhere yet. Seeing how upset Sami was, Arianna took the flyers from her and urged her to take a break.

Brady paused in front of the pub to try to call Nicole. When she didn't answer, he left a message pointing out that she would spend the rest of her life on the run, which was no way for Sydney to live.

Gabi returned from upstairs carrying her backpack, and stomped toward the front door without a word. Rafe stopped her and asked where she was going. "Home," Gabi replied tersely, but sullenly stared at the floor when Rafe asked why. Surmising that his sisters hadn't made up, Rafe put his arm around Gabi reassuringly. He tried to introduce Gabi and Sami, but Gabi wanted to leave, so Rafe again asked why. "Ask her," Gabi replied petulantly, pointing at Arianna.

Sami recognized the bracelet on Gabi's wrist and grabbed her arm, demanding to know where the girl had gotten it. Brady entered and witnessed the exchange. "Why do you care?" asked Gabi hostilely. "Because that's Nicole's," Brady informed the group. Sami ordered Gabi to tell them exactly what had happened.

Gabi defensively swore that she'd gotten it from a woman who was running away from a husband who beat her. Sami asked if there had been a baby with the woman. "How did you know about the baby?" a surprised Gabi asked. "Because the woman was Nicole DiMera," Rafe replied. "And the baby was Sami's daughter."

Nicole and Sydney checked into a boarding house, where the proprietress went over the rules of the place, firmly warning them both to keep quiet. Nicole promised that she and her "son" would not cause the woman any problems. After the woman left, Nicole sadly removed her locket and wedding ring, while Sydney played on the bed. "Mommy has to make sure that no one in the world knows who she really is," Nicole explained.

Nicole then took out some scissors and stood in front of the mirror, her eyes filling with tears as she grabbed a lock of her hair and started to cut. Later, Nicole emerged from the bathroom with a towel on her head, and carried Sydney to the bed. Cautioning the little one not to be frightened, Nicole removed the towel. "What do you think?" she asked, revealing that her formerly shoulder-length blonde hair had transformed into a short, jet-black bob. "Now no one will ever be able to find us."