E.J. told Anna that he was kicking her out and would not pay her the money she thought he owed her. "I don't owe you any money. You didn't do your job. I don't pay for failure," he said. E.J. called his bodyguard to have him, instead of Anna, watch Sydney. Anna told him that they were a team and he better not even think of getting rid of her, or she would make him regret it. E.J. asked if she was threatening him.

Anna denied that she was threatening E.J., asking if she looked like she had a death wish. He asked what she meant by him regretting it if he kicked her out. Anna said that she meant he would regret it "on an emotional level." E.J. called Anna nothing but an "overpaid nanny." He said he was going to give Anna millions of dollars and all she had to do was stay put, keep her mouth shut, and mind her own business. E.J. berated Anna for shooting her mouth off to Sami and the FBI.

It had slipped Anna's mind that E.J. had told her ten times that Rafe was with the FBI. E.J. said he could ring Anna's neck right there and no one "would be the wiser." Anna said that Sydney would be upset, because she was attached to her "Auntie Anna." Anna picked Sydney up and talked about what she did for Sydney that Benny couldn't do. E.J. said that Anna was replaceable. Anna said that she wasn't just a nanny to Sydney -- she was Sydney's aunt -- and anyone that E.J. hired wouldn't love Sydney like Anna did.

"Anybody I hire is not going to be as careless and stupid as you were," E.J. told Anna. Anna was upset that E.J. insulted her, so Anna planned to give Sydney to Benny so that E.J. could see for himself just how happy Sydney was. Anna said that E.J. would mess Sydney up by making her bond with someone else only to be ripped away from them later.

Anna said that Sydney had started saying her name along with a bunch of other new words. E.J. admitted that Sydney responded well to Anna, so he decided to let Anna keep taking care of Sydney. Anna was proud of E.J. for putting his daughter first. E.J. thought that the longer it took, the harder it would be for him to find the time to take his children away. Anna thought that leaving Sami was the last thing that E.J. wanted to do. E.J. called Anna an airhead. Anna said that Sami still floated E.J.'s boat. E.J. pointed out that Sami had tried to keep Sydney away from him.

Anna called E.J. "the loneliest guy on earth," and she urged him to admit that his life was bad. E.J. thought he was lucky, because he had two great children, but he also wanted the satisfaction of knowing that Sami was a lot lonelier than E.J.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Vivian made plans for Melanie to open her gift of the poisoned tiara on Melanie's wedding day, and Vivian fantasized about Carly watching Melanie die. Victor walked in as Vivian was talking to Gus. Victor was onto Vivian. "You need a hand, or is your friend Gus the caterer going to handle that for you?" he asked.

Victor accused Vivian of talking to her "henchman Gus." She denied knowing any Gus, but Victor said that he captured them on surveillance, so she claimed that Gus was her lover. Victor didn't believe her. He demanded to know what they were plotting. Gus was helping Vivian pay for Carly killing Lawrence, she said. "Besides, you have hundreds of minions. Why can't I have just one?" she asked.

Victor asked what Gus had done for Vivian. He pointed out that Carly was still in town and was with Bo. Vivian said that Gus had done a lot but could have done more if Victor hadn't put so many restrictions on Vivian's efforts. Victor said that he only placed restrictions on Vivian's revenge when it came to Melanie. Vivian assured Victor that no one would suspect that Victor was involved. "Because I'm not involved -- it's your revenge fantasy, not mine," Victor said.

Victor said he just wanted to get Carly out of Bo's life. Vivian said the real problem was Victor's "psychotic ex-wife." Victor asked "which one," and Vivian said it was "the worst of them -- Kate." She said that Kate had stolen Vivian's wedding present to Melanie and tried to make it look like it was from Kate and Vivian, because Kate was jealous and chose Vivian over Kate. Victor didn't believe it, because Philip couldn't stand the sight of Vivian.

Vivian thought that Philip was touched by Vivian's affection for Melanie. Vivian said she grew very fond of Melanie. "Only since you've been ordered not to kill her," Victor said. Vivian said she would never harm Melanie and predicted that she and Melanie would get closer.

Outside the Brady Pub, a drunk Nathan serenaded Melanie with the wedding march. She asked if something was wrong. "You, marrying Philip. I wish you wouldn't," he said. She asked why he said that, and he said, "You know why." Nathan said it was because he and Melanie "should be..." but his words were incoherent and Melanie couldn't understand what he was saying. He grabbed her face and then hugged her just as Stephanie approached. Stephanie asked if she was interrupting something.

Stephanie asked if Nathan wanted her to return to the pub later, and he said it was okay. Melanie reminded him that he was about to tell her something. Stephanie encouraged him to go home, and she offered to drive him to Stephanie's place. Melanie thought that Nathan's place was closer, and she suggested that they walk him to Maggie's house. Stephanie asked if Melanie was certain that she wanted to help Nathan, since Melanie was getting married in the morning.

At Maggie's house, Mia was doing homework when Stephanie and Melanie walked in with Nathan. Nathan spilled his coffee on Melanie, and broke her phone in the process. He helped her pick her things up, and they paused for a moment to look in each other's eyes. Stephanie asked Melanie to go to the pub to pick up Nathan's keys and then Stephanie would drive him home.

Melanie found Nathan's keys on the floor at the pub. Lucas walked in and said hi to her. She wondered why Lucas wasn't celebrating at a bachelor party for Philip. Melanie explained that she was picking up Nathan's keys. Lucas mentioned that Nathan seemed to be "out to lunch" lately. Melanie asked if Lucas knew why. Lucas asked why Melanie cared, and she said it was because Nathan was her friend. Lucas thought that Nathan was heartsick.

Nathan wolfed down some food, and Stephanie was shocked to see Nathan in that state. She went to the fridge to get him more food, and he started talking to himself about what he said to Melanie. Stephanie asked what Nathan had said to Melanie. Nathan said he meant to tell Melanie to stop looking at him like she felt sorry for him. Stephanie wondered why Melanie would feel sorry for him, and he said he was probably being paranoid.

Melanie returned with Nathan's keys, and Nathan was eager to leave. Stephanie offered to drive Nathan home, and Melanie asked how Stephanie planned to get home. "I'll figure something out," she said. Melanie offered to follow them, but Stephanie reminded her that she was getting married in the morning and didn't want dark circles under her eyes. Melanie asked Nathan what he wanted to tell her, but he said it wasn't important.

Stephanie accompanied Nathan to the Java Café, and she apologized for being "weird" with Melanie. Nathan said he couldn't wait for the wedding to be over with.

At the hospital, Kate was starting to put the pieces together about Carly and Melanie. She said that Melanie, Carly and Vivian had some kind of connection. Carly denied it, but Kate thought that she was onto something, because all the color had drained from Carly's face. Kate said that she could be helpful to Carly -- only if Carly was honest with Kate.

Carly asked why Kate thought that there was a connection between Carly and Melanie, but Kate wasn't willing to put all her cards on the table. She urged Carly to go first. Kate noticed that Carly was touchy when it came to Vivian and Melanie. "Should I hide all the sharp pencils?" Kate asked. Carly said Kate was in no position to make assumptions. Carly thought that Kate was bluffing and didn't know anything.

Kate said that there was probably no connection between Carly and Melanie, and Kate started to leave, but Carly stopped her. She said she would tell Kate what Kate wanted to know in exchange for a promise that Kate would tell Carly everything that Kate knew. Carly said that her relationship with Melanie was more professional than anything. Kate thought it strange that Vivian would care about Carly's relationship with Melanie. Kate mentioned how Vivian reacted to Vivian's wedding gift to Melanie.

Kate said that she overheard Vivian talking to some guy about Carly and Melanie. Carly demanded to know what Vivian said. Kate noted that Vivian made Carly uptight. Kate warned Carly to watch her back. Carly asked if she could help Kate. "Not to worry. You will at some point," Kate said.

Carly, looking for Bo, went to the Kiriakis mansion and ran into Vivian. Carly told Vivian to tell Bo that Carly was looking for him. Vivian told Carly to call Bo on the phone and stop wasting Vivian's time. Carly saw the gift that Vivian was planning to give to Melanie, and Carly asked to see it, but Vivian wouldn't let her.

Carly said Vivian was acting like there were snakes in the box. "You got it. That's right, look, air holes," Vivian said. Vivian asked why Carly was so interested in Melanie, and Carly said that she had gotten to know Melanie lately. Carly wondered why Vivian was so possessive of Melanie, and Vivian said it was because Melanie had married Vivian's "son" and was like a daughter to Vivian.

"That's something that you would understand. You know what that's like," Vivian said. Then she covered by saying that Carly would see what it was like when Nicholas picked a bride. Vivian remembered that Nicholas was estranged from Carly because Carly had killed his father. Carly realized that Vivian knew that Melanie was Carly's daughter, and she ran off to find Melanie.

Melanie went to the Kiriakis mansion to see Philip, and Vivian told her that he wasn't there. Melanie said that she couldn't marry Philip. Vivian volunteered to get her some water to calm her nerves, but Melanie said that nothing would calm her down, because she couldn't marry Philip. "If I can't talk you back into marrying Philip, we'll just have to go to Plan B," Vivian said, as she stared at the gift she planned to give Melanie.

Meanwhile, Carly stopped by Maggie's house to see Melanie, but Mia told her that Melanie wasn't there. Mia said that Melanie had already left, and Mia didn't know where Melanie was.

Kate met with Victor at the Java Café to express her concern about Vivian. Kate thought that Vivian had gone "completely around the bend." Victor found that funny, because Vivian had just said the same thing about Kate. Victor pointed out that Kate had stolen Vivian's gift to Melanie and tried to pass it off as Kate's. Kate accused Victor of being "whipped." Kate wondered how Victor would let Vivian get involved in Philip's life and his fiancée's life.

Victor thought it was hypocritical that Kate -- a woman who tried to kill her son's wife and then married the man who tried to kill her other son -- would say with a straight face that Vivian was dangerous. "And I also know what you're capable of, Kate, especially when teamed with your charming husband," Victor said. He pledged to let Philip know if Kate continued to try to make trouble, and Victor would make sure that she was barred from the wedding.

Rafe told Sami that he loved her and nothing would change that. He started to leave, but she stood in his way and told him that she loved him too. They started kissing and then moved to the couch, but she stopped him before things went any further. She thought that it was wrong for them to make love, but Rafe insisted that it wasn't wrong.

He said that she couldn't give him one reason why they couldn't make love, and she said she could think of a hundred reasons. He said that she still blamed him for not finding Sydney. Sami said she might have blamed Rafe -- but not half as much as she blamed herself. Rafe told Sami not to blame herself, because it didn't do any good. She said she looked at him and thought about what they could have had with Sydney.

Rafe reminded her that she didn't lose Sydney, and he promised that they would find her. He said that Sami didn't lose him, because he was still there. Rafe said he wouldn't leave Sami and they were stronger together. Rafe and Sami reminisced about how their romance began. Sami insisted that Sydney was Rafe's daughter, because Rafe returned Sydney to Sami. He vowed to return Sydney to Sami again and that Sami was stuck with him, whether she liked it or not. Sami said that Rafe made her a better person. Then they kissed and started making love.

At the Brady Pub, Kate warned Philip to keep an eye on Vivian. Annoyed, Philip argued that Kate was stirring up trouble. Kate pleaded her case to Philip by telling him that she could "feel" that Vivian was plotting something. "She's a different person now and she is not out to destroy people," Philip countered. Philip insisted that Vivian was only interested in his happiness, and then he marched out of the pub.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Carly walked up to the front door and mumbled to herself, "All right, Melanie, this is it. Since Vivian knows, all bets are off. You're gonna hear the truth from me." Carly continued to knock on the front door, but no one answered. Carly took a step back, slipped on a patch of ice, fell, and hit her head on the pavement. On the ground, an unconscious Carly murmured Melanie's name.

Inside the mansion, Victor looked around the foyer for the morning paper. With no paper in sight, Victor opened the front door to find Carly unconscious on the porch outside. Victor stepped over Carly and grabbed the paper from the porch, then headed back inside. When Henderson informed Victor that his breakfast was ready, Victor countered, "There does seem to be an accumulation of trash by the front door." Victor suggested that Henderson call an ambulance.

Melanie woke up in her bedroom at the Kiriakis mansion to find Vivian standing in the doorway. "I can't marry, Philip. It's not right," Melanie said. Vivian assured Melanie that she was having pre-wedding jitters. Sighing, Melanie disagreed with Vivian. When Melanie jumped out of bed to go talk to Philip, Vivian stood in her way and warned Melanie that she would not allow Melanie to embarrass Philip by backing out of the wedding.

With a grin on her face, Vivian presented Melanie with her first wedding gift. Vivian fastened her mother's necklace around Melanie's throat, and then she wiped away tears. "I'm full of joy because you and Philip are gonna get married, and the bells will chime," Vivian cooed. Melanie reiterated her desire to call off the wedding, which angered Vivian. "You are not going to break this commitment to Philip ever!" Vivian exclaimed.

"You're going to marry Philip. Even if it kills you," Vivian said. "Why are you being so mean like I'm a bad person for being confused?" Melanie asked. Vivian dismissed Melanie's question and said that Melanie was being "foolish, weak, and fickle." Furious, Melanie argued that she was young and made a foolish decision but that she was going to correct that mistake by backing out of the marriage. Melanie noted that since she told Vivian her intentions, Vivian had pushed her to go on with the wedding and plied her with wine and gifts in an attempt to force her to go through with the ceremony.

With a sly smile creeping across her face, Vivian announced that she figured out what was wrong. "You're in love with someone else," Vivian said. Embarrassed, Melanie noted that someone was banging on the front door downstairs. When Vivian pressured Melanie for answers, Melanie grudgingly admitted that there was another man. Quick on the uptake, Vivian noted that Melanie should not be pining over Nathan Horton. Surprised at Vivian's insight, Melanie asked Vivian who had told her about Nathan.

In the Kiriakis mansion foyer, Philip arrived home with Kate hot on his heels. When Kate banged on the front door, Philip grudgingly opened the door to admit her to the house. Philip warned Kate that although he wanted her at the wedding, he would bar her if she kept pushing her conspiracy theory about Vivian on him. "I have had it with you," Philip growled as he left the foyer. Victor entered from the living room and agreed with Philip's comment.

Victor called for Henderson to escort Kate out of the house until the wedding ceremony started. Furious, Kate asked Victor how he could stand by and watch Vivian affect their son's life. When Victor's scowl grew more menacing, Kate left the house and wondered to herself who she could get to help her with Vivian.

Upstairs in Melanie's bedroom, Vivian narrowed her eyes at Melanie. Vivian remarked that she had figured out the identity of the other man by making observations. When Vivian questioned whether Philip was aware that Melanie was cheating on him, Melanie interrupted to note that she did not act on any of her feelings for Nathan. "It's like when we broke up, something didn't take!" Melanie cried out. "If you really loved Philip then why would you want him to be with somebody that's not completely sure how they feel?" Melanie asked.

"You should have thought of all this before we made all the wedding plans," Vivian said. "You're gonna have to marry Philip. It will just be heavenly. Or maybe not," Vivian said gruffly. Melanie advised Vivian that she was making Melanie feel more upset. Panicking, Melanie started ranting and cried out, "I can't do this!" "Do what?" Philip asked from the doorway.

Noting the awkwardness, Vivian excused herself from the room and went into the hallway and attempted to eavesdrop on Philip and Melanie's conversation. Gus surprised Vivian in the hall and told her that Victor had found Carly unconscious on the front porch. "We can't have any hiccups! The plan has to go perfectly," Vivian whispered to Gus. Gus handed Vivian the pink present for Melanie and then ordered him to get an update on Carly. Vivian fantasized about Carly watching her daughter die, and then mumbled to herself that Carly would know what it was like to lose her daughter "very soon."

Inside Melanie's bedroom, Philip pleaded with Melanie to tell him what was wrong. "Sometimes I just, I don't feel like I deserve you. That's why I was telling Vivian I can't do this because I don't feel worthy of you," Melanie said through tears. Suspicious, Philip told Melanie that he did not believe her. Melanie noted that Philip was aware of her insecurities, and he countered that her insecurities would go away. Soothed, Melanie said that she felt better. When Philip exited the room, Vivian backed away from the bedroom door.

After Philip walked away, Vivian went into Melanie's bedroom and asked how things went. "Philip was very sweet. He made me feel very loved," Melanie said. Vivian suggested that Melanie "live every day as thought it were your last." When Vivian asked Melanie whether she was going through with the wedding, Melanie said that she wanted to marry Philip because he loved her for who she was. With a wicked smile on her face, Vivian pulled the pink present from behind her back and gave it to Melanie. Vivian urged Melanie to open the gift, and, shaking her head with tired resignation, Melanie slipped the ribbon off of the box.

At the Java Café, Daniel saw a young boy playing a game on his computer and helped the child overcome an obstacle in the game. Brady entered the pub and as he watched Daniel help the boy play the computer game, he smiled. When Daniel finished, he walked toward the door and Brady intercepted him to remark on his parenting skills. Daniel's face fell and Brady asked whether he had said something wrong. "It's not gonna happen. So just drop it," Daniel said curtly. Brady apologized for pushing, and Daniel explained that Chloe had suffered damage to her ovaries from the treatment she received. Daniel noted that they were hoping to adopt children in the future, but that he was not going to broach the subject of children with Chloe while she was still sensitive about the topic.

Down on the pier, Chloe attempted to give herself a pep talk into taking the pregnancy test she had bought at the store. Adrianna ran into Chloe, which caused her to drop the pregnancy test on the ground. Arianna picked up the box and asked Chloe whether she was pregnant. When Chloe's face grew sad, Arianna asked her whether being pregnant was a "good thing." Chloe noted that a pregnancy would be a welcome event but that if she were pregnant, there would be risks to the pregnancy. Chloe explained that she was not comfortable telling Daniel about the pregnancy because of the risks.

At the Brady Pub, Brady surprised Arianna by grabbing her and kissing her passionately while she was cleaning a table. Brady pulled out a small ring box and showed it to Arianna. Stunned, Arianna tentatively opened the ring box to find a charm bracelet inside. Brady informed Arianna that the bracelet had belonged to his mother. Noting the look on Arianna's face, Brady apologized for giving Arianna the bracelet in a ring box. Arianna told Brady not to worry and thanked him for the gift since it belonged to his mother. Brady admitted that he did not know his mother very well but added that he felt like his mother would have been proud of him for "choosing and loving" Arianna.

At the police station, Hope stopped by looking for Bo. When one of the officers asked Hope when she would return to the force, Abe overheard and echoed the sentiment. "I do want to get back to work," Hope said to Abe. Hope begged Abe to put her back to work immediately in order to provide a routine and a structure to her life. "Is there any chance that you and Bo could work this..." Abe started, before noticing the discomfort on Hope's face. "Bo made his choice. For both of us. He's with Carly now," Hope explained. Hope informed Abe that Bo was in love with Carly and that she had moved into the house.

"I don't think that Bo would have asked her to move in if it was just a little crush," Hope concluded. Abe advised Hope to keep Ciara in mind before she made any more decisions about her marriage. Hope gently asked Abe not to lecture her. Noting the sadness on Hope's face, Abe quietly informed Hope that Theo had difficulty when Abe was fighting with Lexie and that Theo was only able to make progress when Abe and Lexie had settled their differences. As Hope pondered what Abe said, an officer arrived with Hope's badge and her weapon. Abe welcomed Hope back to duty.

While Hope was finishing up some paperwork at the police station, Kate approached her and asked for help. Kate explained that Vivian had "become obsessed with Melanie." Kate told Hope about how Vivian had reacted strangely when Kate had given Vivian's gift to Melanie. Kate then added that she had overheard Vivian talk to a man about Melanie and that her tone of voice suggested that she was plotting something. When Hope asked whether Vivian would hurt Melanie, Kate countered, "I don't think it. I know it." Kate begged Hope to help her stop Vivian.

Hope asked Kate whether she had discussed her fears with Victor or Philip, and Kate admitted that although she had warned them, they would not listen to her. Kate explained that Philip and Victor said they believed that Vivian had changed. "Philip loves Melanie, and if anything should happen to her..." Kate said. Hope assured Kate that she would investigate.

On the pier, Lucas said a stiff hello to Daniel when he saw him walking by. Daniel asked Lucas if he could do Daniel a favor. Grimacing, Lucas declined, and Daniel started to walk away. Lucas shook his head and then called out to Daniel that if the favor was for Chloe, he would do what he could. Daniel explained that he was hoping Chloe could spend time with Allie because Chloe missed her. Annoyed, Lucas noted that it was not healthy for Allie to reintroduce Chloe into her life. "Why don't you give Chloe a child of her own? Right? That way she won't be obsessed with mine. She won't be pining after my kid. You can do that right?" Lucas said before walking away.

Bo waited at the Brady Pub for Carly but, growing impatient, Bo headed over to the hospital to see if she was working a shift. Lexie greeted Bo and informed him that Carly was at the hospital, but that she was there as a patient. Lexie told Bo that Carly had fallen and hit her head, and then Lexie took Bo into Carly's hospital room. Carly told Bo that she was on her way to talk to Melanie when she fell and hit her head. Carly insisted that she needed to tell her daughter the truth.

Bo warned Carly not to act rashly. Confused from her head injury, Carly wondered aloud what she was going to tell Melanie. "I have to remember," Carly lamented. After receiving a call from the police station, Bo left to get back to work. Daniel examined Carly and informed her that she would have to stay overnight for observation. Carly asked Daniel where the paramedics had found her, and he noted that she was picked up outside of the Kiriakis mansion. "What was I doing there?" Carly wondered aloud.

Kate, dressed and ready for Philip's wedding, went downstairs at the DiMera mansion and was peeved to find Stefano smoking a cigar in the parlor, still in his dressing gown. She firmly declared that he was going to accompany her to the wedding, but he refused. Kate warned him that she would not tolerate his petulance, because she needed his moral support to share the spotlight with Vivian. "I suppose I could offer something a little more practical than moral support," Stefano suggested. "One phone call, and I could have Vivian eliminated."

A while later, Kate listened as Stefano ended his phone call with, "You can put it on my account-and add a twenty percent gratuity for the service provider." Stirring her martini, Kate purred approvingly, "You do know the most helpful people." Stefano then announced that he would escort his wife to the wedding after all, if for no other reason than to get back at Victor for crashing their wedding.

Once Stefano was dressed, Kate admitted that she was feeling lighthearted after he'd taken care of Vivian. "I love to see you happy," replied Stefano, chuckling. "You spoil me," Kate murmured. They acknowledged that they were growing closer because they understood one another. Stefano then asked for a favor. "If you feel that you have to deal with Melanie-the same as you dealt with Chloe," he proposed. "Let me know. We could share!"

Intrigued, Kate wondered if that meant she could trust him enough to destroy the evidence against her. "Katarina," Stefano answered lovingly. "Don't be ridiculous." Kate huffed, "It was worth a shot." She then wanted to know what his plans were for Vivian. "Darling, don't you want to be surprised?" he asked mischievously.

At the police station, Hope left a voicemail asking Bo to call her back-and quickly clarified that it was about a work-related issue. Remembering her encounter with Vivian on the pier, Hope pondered what Vivian was up to. "What was in that bag? And why Melanie?" she mused.

When they met at the Brady Pub later, Hope told Justin about how Vivian had freaked out when Kate nearly saw Melanie's wedding gift-and Vivian had reacted the same way when Hope had almost seen it. Seeing Justin's confused reaction, Hope hinted that Melanie was the right age. "Melanie is Carly's daughter?" Justin asked in disbelief. Nodding, Hope added, "And Vivian knows it."

Hope then noted that Melanie's father, Trent Robbins, was a vile, dangerous man, and despite her dislike of Carly, Hope couldn't picture Carly with Trent. "But you still think that Melanie is Carly's daughter?" asked Justin. "She could be," Hope replied. Ciara suddenly appeared at the table, and confirmed, "Yes, she is."

Hope gently asked Ciara, "So Carly told Daddy that she's Melanie's mommy?" The girl nodded, and then returned to play with her grandma in the kitchen. Justin and Hope concurred that, based on what they knew, they had to get to Melanie before Vivian did. Hope realized that since she was back on the police force, she had to handle Vivian with caution. She asked Justin to take Ciara home while Hope looked into something. Justin agreed, but urged Hope to be careful.

At the hospital, Daniel told a dazed Carly that he had no idea why she'd been at the Kiriakis mansion. After Daniel had gone, Carly struggled to piece things together in her memory. Finally, she remembered Kate admitting to having overheard Vivian and a man discussing Melanie. With trembling hands, Carly tried to call Bo, but got his voicemail instead. She left him a panicked message, begging him to save her daughter from Vivian.

Carly then left a message for Melanie. "Oh, God, I hope you get this in time, honey. I know it's your wedding day, but you have to be very, very careful with Vivian, do you hear me?" Carly pleaded. "You stay away from her. I know it sounds strange, but your life could depend upon it."

At Daniel and Chloe's apartment, Chloe gasped as she read the results of her pregnancy test. "Oh, my God, it's positive!" she exclaimed in disbelief, sinking down onto the bed. "Daniel and I are going to have a baby!"

Chloe was in the bathroom later, changing into a negligée, when an exhausted Daniel returned home and flopped on the bed. He explained to Chloe that he had to cover a shift for Carly, whom he'd just admitted to the hospital as a patient, so he couldn't go with Chloe to Melanie's wedding. "Well, I have some news that I think is going to cheer you up," Chloe declared as she entered the room-but Daniel was already fast asleep.

Maggie sat at her kitchen table in her dressing gown, and opened a small jewelry box, a gift from Mickey. She removed a locket, and gazed sadly at the pictures of her and Mickey inside. She smiled as she pulled out a strand of pearls-but when she tried to fasten it around her neck, it broke, and pearls scattered across the kitchen floor. Devastated, Maggie burst into tears.

At the Kiriakis mansion, preparations were well underway for Melanie and Philip's wedding. Victor was in the parlor, which was festooned with floral arrangements and draped in garlands of greenery and flowers, with gilded chairs arranged on either side of a central aisle. Philip walked in, and thanked Victor for throwing Kate out.

Victor proclaimed, "I may not be the most supportive of fathers, but nobody loves you more than I do, Philip. And now that I've accepted that Melanie is the one you love, I want it to work out for you, right from the start. Your wedding is going to be a grand celebration, and I'm not going to let anybody screw it up for you." Philip clasped his father in a grateful, hearty embrace.

Lucas arrived after Victor had gone. Philip explained that Bo unexpectedly had to go on a stakeout, so Lucas would have to handle the groomsmen duties all on his own. Lucas asked Philip if he were sure that Melanie was over Nathan. Philip responded irritably, so Lucas elaborated that he had rushed into marrying Chloe, and didn't want to see Philip make the same mistake with Melanie. Lucas quickly apologized. Philip acknowledged that although he'd made mistakes in the past, he believed that marrying Melanie wasn't going to be one of them.

Philip stated that one of the first things he'd loved about Melanie was that his family didn't faze her at all. "That's because they haven't tried to kill her yet," quipped Lucas. "After Sami and Chloe, I don't think even Mom has the nerve to go after her," Philip reasoned. They deliberated whether Kate would show up with Stefano, and whether Vivian and Kate would "play nice." "Melanie and I should have eloped," Philip concluded. "You'll be fine," Lucas reassured him. "What could go wrong?" They both burst out laughing.

When Victor arrived at the Brady Pub later, Hope was surprised that he wasn't at home, getting ready for the wedding. Victor complained that the house was full of chatter-which he hated. Hope pointed out that he'd invited Vivian to live with him. "Yes, well, it seemed like a good idea at the time," Victor groused. Hope then asked pointedly, "Victor, is there something you'd possibly like to tell me about Vivian?"

In an upstairs guest room at the Kiriakis mansion, Vivian was delighted that Melanie had decided to go ahead with the wedding. She presented the box containing the poisoned hair comb to Melanie, and urged the girl to open her special gift. When Melanie raised the lid, Vivian gingerly lifted the comb out by the beaded decorative part, carefully avoiding the teeth. "It's so...unusual," Melanie pronounced, somewhat unenthusiastically. "Just like you," Vivian chirped with a Cheshire-cat grin. Vivian wanted to see how the comb looked on Melanie. Although still in her pajamas, Melanie shrugged her agreement.

Vivian had the comb poised to place in Melanie's hair, but just then, Stephanie and Arianna, clad in their bridesmaids' gowns, excitedly bustled in, and were carrying champagne to toast the bride-to-be. Stephanie quickly filled glasses for the three girls, and as she raised hers, she proclaimed: "To the future Mrs. Philip Kiriakis. Long may she live." Vivian muttered to herself, "Hear, hear."

Stephanie stepped into the hallway to take a phone call from Nathan, who told her that he'd pick her up right after the wedding for their ski vacation. Before hanging up, Nathan said, "Give Philip and, uh, Melanie my best." When she'd finished the call, Stephanie worried that he had barely been able to say Melanie's name, but then convinced herself that it didn't mean anything.

When Nathan went in to check on Carly, he found her trying to get dressed. He reminded her that Dr. Jonas had given strict orders that she was to stay overnight for observation, and urged her to get back in bed. "I can't!" Carly insisted. "I have to get to Melanie!" Somewhat confused, Nathan assured her that he'd just talked to Stephanie, and Melanie was fine. Carly stubbornly continued trying to pull on her clothing. Nathan threatened to find some orderlies to force her back into bed if she didn't go willingly. Carly grudgingly got under the covers, but as soon as he'd gone, she got right up again.

At the nurses' station, Nathan asked Maxine to keep an eye on Dr. Manning, who seemed a little agitated. Maxine was concerned because they were short-staffed. Gus, dressed as an orderly, arrived just as Nathan was leaving the nurses' station.

As Arianna filled another glass for a somewhat tipsy Melanie, the girls moved across the room, away from Vivian. Melanie whispered that she had hoped to get ready with just her bridesmaids in attendance. Arianna offered to get rid of Vivian without offending her, but before Arianna could do so, Vivian volunteered to leave so Melanie's friends could help her get ready. Vivian asked Melanie not to let anyone else handle the comb, since it was very delicate, and then cryptically added, with feigned warmth, "I want to wish you a very happy voyage."

Stephanie returned to Melanie's room after Vivian had gone. Melanie confessed that, although she was sure Vivian meant well, "The woman is driving me insane!" Arianna just handed Melanie another glass of champagne. Noting that at least Vivian had nice taste, Stephanie picked up the comb. "No-no-no-no, don't touch that!" yelped Melanie.

Just as Melanie was apologizing to Stephanie for overreacting, Vivian returned and saw Stephanie holding the comb. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Vivian demanded icily. "Put that down-carefully." A stunned Stephanie did as she was told, as Melanie reproached Vivian, who grumbled an apology.

Attempting to change the subject, Arianna asked about the comb's origins. Vivian claimed that it was an heirloom from her great-great-grandmother. Arianna politely hustled Vivian back out the door-and then slammed the door in Vivian's face while the woman was still nattering away. Stephanie and Melanie were duly impressed. "So-let's get you dressed!" declared Arianna.

In the hallway, Vivian tried to steady her jangling nerves. Gus declared that he had news that would surely lift Vivian's spirits: Dr. Manning was in the hospital. Vivian only fretted that something would go wrong with her plan to kill Melanie, which was for the bride to collapse from the slow-acting poison in front of all the wedding guests. Gus reassured her that he would take care of Dr. Manning, and urged "Madame" to remain strong. "I have to be-for Lawrence," Vivian replied.

In her room, Carly had managed to dress herself, but when she opened the door to leave, Gus was blocking the doorway. Carly dove across the bed for the phone. Gus grabbed her with one hand, and with the other, covered her mouth and nose with a cloth doused in chloroform, until she lost consciousness. He then put her on a gurney, covered her with a sheet, and wheeled her past the deserted nurses' station into an elevator.

Once Melanie had done her hair and makeup and donned her wedding gown, she stood in front of the full-length mirror, with a bridesmaid on either side of her. "You look awesome," Arianna gushed as they admired themselves. Melanie was ready to put the comb on, and asked Arianna to fetch Vivian. Stephanie and Arianna voiced their disapproval, but Melanie insisted she was only trying to be nice to a woman who probably had never had many girlfriends growing up.

Arianna agreed to do whatever Melanie wanted. The three of them were taken aback when Arianna opened the door and Vivian, who had clearly been eavesdropping, practically fell into the room. Vivian was just about to place the comb in Melanie's hair when the phone rang, which caused a jittery Melanie to jump. When Stephanie answered, Maggie asked to speak to Melanie.

Maggie apologetically explained to Melanie that she wasn't feeling well, and wouldn't be able to make it to the wedding. She added tearfully that she didn't want to make anyone else sick if she were contagious. Melanie fought back sobs, but managed, "I'm going to miss you so much. I love you." Maggie replied, "I love you too, darling. Forgive me for disappointing you?" Melanie insisted she just wanted Maggie to get better. Maggie urged her to have a wonderful day. Both women were in tears when they hung up. A distraught Melanie announced to her bridesmaids, "I can't do this!"

Carly moaned in pain as she awoke on a hard floor next to some crates. She looked around the unfamiliar basement until her eyes fell on Gus. "Where am I?" she demanded. "Six feet under," Gus replied. "Bring back memories?"

Carly woke up on the floor and asked Gus where she was. He replied that she was "six feet under" and asked if it brought back memories. Gus asked if Carly had a feeling of déjà vu. He said it wasn't "literally a coffin," but she was six feet underground and couldn't get out. He said the walls were six feet thick.

Hope asked Victor about Vivian, and he said that Vivian was always up to something, because she craved attention. Hope accused Victor of having fun at Kate's expense by making Kate share Philip with Vivian. Hope asked what Victor would do if Vivian hurt Philip by hurting Melanie. Victor asked what Melanie had to do with the situation, and then he realized that Hope had bought into Kate's conspiracy theory. Hope reminded him of what Vivian had done in the past.

Victor assured Hope that Vivian lived under his roof, and whatever went on under his roof was under his control. "Vivian is not going to hurt Melanie. Trust me, just not going to happen," he said. Hope asked if Victor planned to ensure Melanie's safety by remote control and pointed out that he wasn't at his house. Hope asked if Victor was worried about the gift that Vivian didn't want anyone to know about. He said that he had seen the gift, and Melanie would love it.

He assured Hope that Melanie would be fine. After Victor left, Hope realized that he had forgotten his bag. Hope looked through the bag and read a piece of paper. She made a phone call and then said to herself, "Well Bo, your father's at it again."

Nathan showed up at Maggie's and found that she wasn't getting ready for Melanie's wedding. Nathan pointed out that Melanie wanted Maggie at her wedding more than anything in the world, but Maggie cried and said she couldn't go to the ceremony. Nathan told Maggie that he wanted to call Stephanie and let her know that they weren't going on their trip, because he wasn't going to leave Maggie there like that.

Maggie urged Nathan to go on his trip, but he refused. Maggie said she would be upset if she ruined his trip, but Nathan didn't care. Nathan said that Melanie didn't want Maggie to pretend she wasn't sad. He said Maggie had gotten "more people through more crap" than anyone he ever knew. Maggie said that she had Mickey then, and Nathan said that she still had Mickey, and Mickey would be by Maggie's side the whole day through.

Melanie felt guilty that she had asked Maggie to attend Melanie's wedding on the same day that was Maggie's anniversary with Mickey. Vivian tried to downplay Maggie's reaction, by saying that Maggie would "stay home and have a cup of tea." Melanie wanted to be alone for a minute, so Arianna took Vivian out of the room, followed shortly thereafter by Stephanie.

Melanie said that Maggie had a great marriage and that was all she wanted. Melanie asked Stephanie to give an envelope to Nathan. Arianna volunteered to accompany Stephanie. Vivian received a text message telling her that Carly was awake. "The fun begins," Vivian said.

Carly asked why Gus had kidnapped her, and he showed Vivian on webcam, saying, "Welcome to my hideaway." Vivian said that she would savor a moment she'd been waiting for since she had heard what Carly did to Lawrence. Carly assumed that Vivian had sent Gus to kill Carly, but Vivian said that Carly wasn't going to be killed. Vivian pointed out that Carly didn't kill Vivian -- she killed someone that Vivian loved. Vivian confirmed that she planned to kill Melanie on her wedding day.

Vivian put the poisoned tiara on Melanie's head, and showed Carly by webcam. Melanie started feeling sick, and Vivian was surprised at how quickly the poison was affecting her. Vivian told Melanie to pull herself together and go get married. Melanie said that she was feeling better, so she asked Vivian to go downstairs and make sure that everything was running smoothly.

After Vivian left, Melanie fantasized that she would have to stop the wedding, because she and Nathan had unfinished business. There was a knock at the door, and she thought it was Nathan, but it was Arianna and Brady. Arianna noticed that Melanie looked sick, and Melanie said she didn't really know what was going on. Brady offered to let Lexie know that Melanie was sick, but Melanie didn't want Philip to think that anything was wrong. She thought that she was just being stupid

Arianna said that it probably didn't help to have "that crazy woman," Vivian, hanging out all day long. Melanie explained that Vivian was eager to leave once Vivian put that comb in her hair.

Carly told Gus that he wouldn't get away with it, because she had left messages all over town, so he wouldn't get away with it. Gus said that Carly's "baby girl" was "going down" and there was nothing that Carly could do about it. When he turned his back, Carly found a brick and hit him over the head with it. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. Gus got up and swung a wrench at her, but she was able to knock it out of his hand. He tried to choke her, but she succeeded in choking him.

Vivian had a glass of wine and fantasized about Carly watching her daughter die. She received another text message saying that there was trouble with Carly and asking for Vivian to get there. Meanwhile, Carly had texted the message to Vivian. Then she texted Bo to tell him her whereabouts and that Vivian was on her way. When Vivian arrived, Carly said that Gus was "tied up."

Chloe kissed Daniel awake and presented him with cinnamon buns. Chloe said she planned to give up caffeine and alcohol, and then she hinted that she was pregnant. Daniel got excited, and Chloe showed him pregnancy tests proving that she was with child. She said she hadn't planned to tell him at first, because of the superstition about the first-term of pregnancy. Daniel said he didn't want Chloe to be disappointed if they didn't have a baby -- that was why he didn't want to talk about it at first. Chloe planned to keep her pregnancy a secret from everyone else at first.

Lucas stopped by the DiMera mansion just as Kate was leaving with Stefano to attend Philip's wedding. Lucas told them that he would make sure that the wedding would go off without a hitch and that if something went wrong, Stefano wouldn't be the one who paid -- Kate would.

Lucas went to the Kiriakis mansion to tell Philip that their mother wouldn't be "pulling any stunts" and Philip didn't have a reason to worry.

Stephanie went to the hospital to deliver Melanie's envelope. Maxine asked what Stephanie was doing there, and she said that she had something for Nathan. Maxine said that Nathan was on break and offered to give the envelope to him, but Stephanie insisted on waiting. Stephanie wondered that was in the envelope. She opened the letter that Melanie had written to Nathan. In it, Melanie wanted to know if Nathan had real feelings for Melanie. If Nathan did, Melanie said she couldn't marry Philip, and if she didn't hear back from Nathan, that would be Melanie's answer. Melanie wrote that part of her would always love Nathan.

Nathan showed up at the hospital just as Stephanie had finished reading the letter. He asked if the wedding had started. Then he changed his mind and didn't want to know anything about Melanie's marriage, because he had had enough of ex-girlfriends. Stephanie said she was at the hospital to pick up some paperwork, but she planned to leave to help get the bride ready.

Victor told Philip that "in many ways, marriage is like a leaky canoe. The two of you can paddle like hell, and you still sink." Philip asked him to act like a normal father. Victor admitted he was joking. Philip got a phone call saying that the justice of the peace had the flu. Kate arrived with Stefano, and Philip berated her for inviting Stefano along. Stefano said that Philip should be "overjoyed" to see Stefano, because Stefano could help Philip. Abe and Lexie arrived next. Victor said that Philip had nothing to worry about.

Philip asked Abe to marry him and Melanie, and Abe was willing to do it. Kate told Philip he looked handsome, and Philip stormed out of the room. Victor said he would search for Vivian.

Justin called Hope to tell her that there was nothing to worry about, because when he arrived, he saw Vivian drive away. Maggie sat down in the wedding chairs for the wedding, and Will joked with Maggie about the locket she was wearing that Mickey had given to her. Justin and Lucas talked about how Maggie seemed to be doing better. Lucas planned to call Nathan to let him know that Maggie was okay.

Vivian pretended to be surprised to find Carly loose and Gus unconscious on the floor. Carly said that Bo was on his way. Vivian said that Melanie would die within a half hour.

Lexie grabbed some sweets from Stefano's hands and warned him that he could go into a diabetic coma if he didn't watch his diet. Stefano invited Lexie to his house for dinner. She said their appearance at the wedding didn't change the fact that Stefano knew about E.J.'s daughter and didn't tell him. Justin told Victor that Hope was worried about Vivian. Victor said there was nothing to worry about from Vivian. Philip wondered where Vivian was.

Looking for Bo, Hope went to the police station. An officer said that Bo wasn't back from the stakeout but had left his cell phone behind. She grabbed it and noticed a text from Carly.

In the underground cave, Vivian said that Carly killed a man who was much better than Carly was. Carly said that it was either him or Carly's daughter. Carly said that Lawrence was sick and then turned his anger on Melanie. Carly said that she had no problem killing again to protect Melanie. "They say it gets much easier," Carly said. "Spoken like a true doctor," Vivian said. Then she told Carly to do what she wanted, because Vivian had accomplished what she set out to do.

Nathan told Daniel that he didn't "throw in the towel" with Melanie and was fine with her getting married. Nathan pointed out that he was going on vacation with Stephanie, which proved he was moving on and he was "more than fine." After Nathan walked off, Daniel said to himself, "Keep telling yourself that."

Stephanie lied to Melanie and said that Nathan wouldn't read the letter once he saw that it was from Melanie. Melanie decided that she was ready to get married. When Stephanie left the room, Melanie fought back tears. Then, she collapsed on the bed.

Sami and Rafe fully reconnected and went to the Brady Pub. E.J., after plotting to move to an island with Johnny and Sydney, ran into a happy Sami. He learned of Rafe and Sami's reunion and his head spun. E.J. tried to convince Sami to dump Rafe, but she refuses.

At the wedding, Chloe told Arianna that she was pregnant but asked Arianna to keep it secret for a while. Chloe ran into Lucas, Kate, and Allie, and then received harsh words from Victor. Philip rescued her and the two shared a nice moment wishing each other the best. Just as Philip was about to go up and find Melanie, she showed up on Brady's arm and the wedding began. Meanwhile, Nathan took off to see Melanie. Just as Abe asked if anyone had just cause to stop the wedding, Nathan showed up at the Kiriakis door. Chloe prevented him from interrupting the wedding and telling Melanie he loved her. Melanie put Nathan behind her and married Philip.

Carly had it out with Vivian over trying to kill Melanie. Vivian confessed all and said Melanie was probably dying as they spoke. However, after figuring out where they were, Hope burst in to tell Vivian she was wrong. Hope revealed that Victor figured out Vivian's plan and switched the poisoned comb with another. Vivian panicked. Gus shouted for her make a run for it, and knocked crates over on top of Hope and Carly. With Carly trapped and Hope knocked unconscious by the crates Gus toppled, Vivian headed for the wedding to kill Melanie. Carly freed herself, then took Hope's gun and chased after Vivian. Daniel found Bo at the hospital and told him Carly was missing. Bo found a message from Carly on his cell phone to meet her at the basement.