At the Horton house, Jennifer thought about her earlier conversation with Eric as she stared at a framed photograph of them and their significant others. Jennifer tried to call Daniel, but the call went straight to voicemail. Jennifer guessed that Daniel was still busy at the hospital, and she decided not to leave a message for him, reasoning that she needed to talk to him in person instead.
Meanwhile, someone knocked on the front door, and when Jennifer opened it, she found Marlena standing outside. Marlena explained that she wanted to have a conversation with Jennifer about Eric, whom Marlena had talked to earlier that day. Intrigued, Jennifer wondered how Eric had seemed when Marlena had seen him. Marlena reported that Eric had seemed really, really happy, and she conceded that a mother really couldn't ask for more than that. Jennifer nodded but remained silent, realizing that Marlena wasn't aware that Jennifer had also talked to Eric earlier.
Marlena explained that Eric had asked her to watch out for Jennifer, predicting that Jennifer would need Marlena's support. Marlena wondered if Jennifer knew what Eric had meant. Jennifer evasively replied that she and Eric had forged a friendship with each other. Marlena said that she was already aware of that fact, adding that Eric had told her about Jennifer's ordeal with Liam and had also pointed out that Jennifer had just lost a cousin, Nick.
Jennifer gushed that Eric was "thoughtful to the core" and was a generous man that Marlena was surely quite proud of. Marlena agreed but admitted that she couldn't really take any credit for Eric's thoughtfulness and generosity, since he had always been "a joyous presence." Marlena sighed and added that she was going to miss that once Eric was gone, prompting Jennifer to suggest that he might not be going anywhere after all.
Marlena was confused and started to probe for additional details, but before Jennifer could respond, Marlena received a phone call and apologetically announced that she was going to have to cut the conversation short. Later, Jennifer went to the hospital to find Daniel, but a nurse reported that he would be in surgery for at least another three hours.
In the garden outside St. Luke's, Eric remained silent as he stared at Nicole, prompting her to ask if he had received a phone call from Daniel earlier. Eric shook his head and quietly replied that no one had called him. "Well, then, why are you so upset? Can you explain in the car? We have to go," Nicole reminded Eric, but he remained silent and stationary.
"What about Daniel?" Eric finally asked. Confused, Nicole wondered what Eric was talking about. Eric reminded Nicole that she had told him earlier that Daniel had been acting "a little crazy" lately. Eric suggested that he and Nicole needed to try to help Daniel, arguing that they couldn't run away from a friend who was in trouble.
Nicole countered that Daniel already had plenty of support in Salem, and she added that she and Eric were part of the problem, anyway. Eric suggested that he and Nicole could at least tell Jennifer what was going on with Daniel, but Nicole insisted that was a bad idea. Nicole reasoned that the matter was none of her or Eric's business and that it would be best to let Jennifer and Daniel figure things out on their own.
Nicole grabbed Eric's hand and turned to leave with him, but he refused to budge, informing her that they weren't going anywhere. Nicole reminded Eric that they only had one hour left to make it onto their scheduled flight to Las Vegas, but he protested that leaving didn't feel right. Nicole predicted that telling Jennifer about Daniel's infatuation would only make things worse, and she urged Eric to trust her advice.
Eric said that he had trusted Nicole every minute of his life since leaving the priesthood -- right up until the time that she had started pressing for them to leave Salem together. Nicole reminded Eric that he had wanted to elope, too. "Well, I wanted a lot of things -- a lot of things that I won't have now," Eric countered.
Confused, Nicole told Eric that he had lost her. "That's right -- I have lost you. How could you do this? How?" Eric asked. Nicole reiterated that she didn't understand what Eric was talking about, so he clarified that he knew that Daniel wasn't really in love with her -- she had just chosen to "trash" Daniel so that Eric wouldn't believe the things that Daniel had been planning to tell Eric.
Nicole tried to deny the accusation, but Eric told her to stop lying. Nicole countered that it seemed like Eric was the one who was lying, since he had suddenly conjured up an "elaborate story" despite his earlier claim that he hadn't talked to Daniel. Eric maintained that he hadn't received a phone call from Daniel, prompting Nicole to wonder who was filling Eric's head with "nonsense."
Eric explained that Jennifer had gone to Nicole's hotel room earlier that day and had overheard Nicole and Daniel's argument. "Everything -- she told me everything. Now I'm giving you a chance, Nicole -- I want to hear it from you," Eric added. Nicole remained silent as she nervously twisted her engagement ring around her ring finger.
"I know that look. I can see those wheels turning. 'What does he know? How can I still get away with it? How can I spin it?' Oh, I know this can be complicated, so why don't we just stick to the basics -- you had proof that Kristen drugged me. You had hard evidence in your hand that could clear my name, and I could still be a priest. But you destroyed it. That's what happened, isn't it? Isn't it?!" Eric demanded to know.
Nicole quietly admitted that Eric was right. Nicole quickly added that, as Eric had just said himself, the matter was complicated. Nicole insisted that she hadn't set out to lie to or hurt Eric. Nicole explained that she had found evidence in a safe in Chyka's hideout that had proven that Chyka had helped Kristen drug Eric. Nicole said that she had excitedly rushed back to Salem to tell Eric the good news, but when she had found him, he had repeatedly interrupted her to share his own news -- that he had chosen to be with her. Nicole summarized that Eric had sounded truly happy after weeks of agony, and he confirmed that he remembered how that had felt.
"I couldn't take that away from you...or us. I know you think that I can't say it, but...I didn't want to lose you. I -- I couldn't let you go. I just thought...'This is a moment; let me have this moment, and then I'll tell him.' And I -- I did -- I tried -- I tried to tell you. But...we were just getting closer and closer, and you kept choosing our life, and we were getting married, and we made love, and I just kept thinking, 'Wow -- he's -- he's here. This is what he wants. I am what he wants,'" Nicole tearfully explained.
"So what I didn't know wouldn't hurt me," Eric quietly concluded. Eric wanted to know how Daniel had figured out that Nicole had destroyed the evidence, so she explained that Liam had discovered her secret and had blackmailed her with some of the shredded documents, which Daniel had found on Smith Island after Liam's death. "So -- so this whole mess -- Jennifer almost died. Daniel was shot. Nicole, you put people's lives at risk to protect your lie," Eric incredulously summarized.
Nicole insisted that Eric was wrong and that she had never meant for anything like that to happen. Nicole tearfully added that she had only ever wanted to love Eric. "What you did -- what you did to me had nothing to do with love," Eric replied.
In Jordan's apartment, Rafe and Jordan were lying in bed together, enjoying the fact that they had both managed to get the same day off for a change. Jordan recalled that she had nearly declined Kayla's job offer the previous year -- dismissively reasoning that Salem was "too far north" -- and she told Rafe that she was very glad that she had ultimately changed her mind.
Later, after Rafe and Jordan made love, they joked that they should coordinate their schedules more often -- like for the next month or year. "Or for the rest of our --" Rafe started to say, but Jordan stopped him with a kiss. Rafe took the hint and admitted that he should have known better than to say such things to a "known flight risk." Jordan reminded Rafe that she was right beside him. "For now," Rafe replied.
"Well, that's all we ever have," Jordan pointed out. Rafe teasingly commented that Jordan's observation had been profoundly deep, and she laughed and told him that she was trying but simply "sucked" at such conversations. Rafe understood and assured Jordan that her skills would improve once she realized that he wasn't going anywhere. Later, as Rafe and Jordan were getting dressed, she thanked him for changing her life.
At the police station, a woman entered the conference room and interrupted the stunned silence that had followed Gabi's confession, demanding to know what was going on. Gabi started to say something, but E.J. stopped her and advised her not to say another word. E.J. informed the woman that he would be representing Gabi, who would not be making a statement at that time.
Confused, the woman said that she had been informed that Sami Brady's son was prepared to sign a confession. E.J. informed the woman that Will was innocent. "I gave the report to the assistant D.A. Our evidence points to another suspect," Hope added, prompting the woman to wonder if the suspect in question was Gabi.
As Gabi nodded and started to reply that she wanted to confess, E.J. interrupted and reiterated that she had nothing to say at that time. Sonny advised Gabi to listen to E.J., who once again interrupted her when she tried to say something else. Changing the subject, E.J. asked to see the "alleged proof" that Hope had mentioned earlier, and she promised to show it to him as soon as it was in her hands.
E.J. asked for some privacy so that he could confer with his client, so the woman agreed to give him twenty minutes alone with Gabi. Before leaving the room, Hope announced that she was going to call Rafe and let him know what was going on, and Gabi didn't object. As Will stood to leave with his husband and parents, Gabi stressed that she never would have allowed him to go to prison for her. "Listen to E.J. Let him help you. This isn't black and white," Will advised Gabi before following everyone else out of the room.
Sami, Lucas, Will, and Sonny went to Hope's office to wait for a social worker to arrive with Arianna. Lucas assured Will, who was anxious to see Arianna, that Hope had said that the child was in good hands. Sami complained that Hope should have asked one of the many willing candidates in Will's family to take care of Arianna instead, but Lucas reasoned that Hope had simply been following procedure.
"Gabi had to hand the baby over before she turned herself in. That must have been so hard," Will mused. Sonny admitted that he still couldn't believe that Gabi had killed Nick. Sami interjected that she couldn't believe that Will had been willing to go to prison for Gabi. Will ignored Sami's comment as he pointed out to Sonny that Gabi hadn't even known where they had hidden Victor's gun.
Confused, Sami wondered if Will was doubting that Gabi had committed the crime. Lucas was also confused, and he wondered who Will had been covering for, if not Gabi. "He thought he was protecting me," Sonny guessed as he locked eyes with Will. Sami dryly hoped that everyone had learned a valuable lesson that day about not confessing to crimes that they hadn't actually committed.
Sami guessed that Sonny had suspected that Will had killed Nick. "I knew he was mad enough. I know I didn't do it. Did you honestly think I'd let you take the blame for me?" Sonny asked Will, who shrugged and admitted that he had "hoped so." Sami reiterated that she hoped that everyone had learned a valuable lesson that day. "We have -- I have the bravest husband around," Sonny proudly stated as he hugged and kissed Will.
A short time later, Hope entered the room and informed Will that he had been cleared of all charges and was free to go. Hope added that Arianna was outside with the social worker. Will was reluctant to leave Gabi behind, but Sami promised that she would call him if Gabi needed him for any reason. "I'm sorry for your loss," Will told Hope before exiting the room with Sonny and Lucas.
Sami stayed behind and watched as Hope picked up a framed photograph of Ciara that was perched on the desk. "I watched Gabi say goodbye to Arianna. It looked so familiar," Hope sadly stated as she stared at the photograph. Sami pointed out that Hope was no longer separated from Ciara, prompting Hope to wonder if Sami realized just how long it would be before the same could be said about Gabi and Arianna. Sami nodded sadly but remained silent.
Changing the subject, Sami wondered if Hope had spoken to Rafe yet. Hope reported that her calls were being sent straight to Rafe's voicemail and that she had left numerous messages to let him know that she needed to talk to him about an urgent matter, since she didn't want to break the news to him in that manner. Sami worriedly predicted that the news was going to "kill" Rafe.
In the conference room, Gabi told E.J. that she was guilty and that she simply wanted to get the whole thing over with. "An hour ago, William was saying the exact same thing. He was two minutes away from signing this statement that would have ruined his entire life," E.J. pointed out as he tossed Will's statement on the conference table. Gabi said that Will had been lying, and she reiterated that she was the person who had shot Nick.
"Okay. Even if that is true, okay, you don't just lie down and let someone like D.A. Jenkins roll over you and lock you away for the rest of your life. You have to do something about it -- you fight it. So let me help you," E.J. told Gabi, who quietly agreed to take his advice. Satisfied, E.J. wondered what Gabi had told Hope earlier. Gabi reported that she had admitted that she had killed Nick but hadn't really gotten into the details.
E.J. starting thinking aloud about how he could spin the crime to give Gabi the best possible defense, but she interrupted and told him that she didn't want to lie about the matter. E.J. pointed out that there were plenty of people who would be happy to testify about the things that Nick had put Gabi through. Gabi wondered if that meant that someone else would get blamed for the crime instead. E.J. shrugged and reasoned that crimes often went unsolved. "Well, not this one...because I killed Nick. I wanted him dead. I shot him three times. I killed him -- it's that simple," Gabi replied.
E.J. urged Gabi to think about Arianna. "I did this...for my daughter...and now, every time I hold her...I can only see that gun. I thought -- I thought I could live with this, but I can't. I can't," Gabi admitted. E.J. asked Gabi to elaborate on her claim that she had committed the crime for Arianna's sake. Gabi explained that Nick had been trying to take Arianna away from the people who loved the child -- something that Gabi had been unwilling to allow. "He just -- he wouldn't let me go. And -- and I couldn't stand up to him because, with one word, he could send me to prison. He owned me...and my little girl," Gabi summarized.
E.J. assured Gabi that Nick's threats against her and Arianna could be presented as mitigating circumstances. "No, not -- not without putting everyone who -- who -- who helped me in prison, too -- Kate, S -- Sami, maybe even Will and Sonny. What, you think that I didn't think that through? No, I looked for every possible angle. He had me...until I got him. And the only way he doesn't win is if I go down alone. I should go to prison. I should. I picked up a gun, and I shot an unarmed man. I did that. I should go to prison, because I killed him. I did. I shot -- I -- I should go to -- I should go to jail," Gabi insisted as E.J. gently tried to calm her down.
E.J. said that if Gabi was really determined to confess, he wanted her to at least trust him to use her confession to get her the best possible plea bargain. Later, E.J. left the room, and Gabi stared at an image of Arianna on her cell phone as she waited for him to return with Hope and the district attorney, Jenkins.
When the group entered the room, E.J. informed Gabi that the state had agreed not to file her statement until the plea bargain was in place. Jenkins turned on a recording device and instructed Gabi to start at the beginning. "Nick was determined to be a part of my life. He said he loved me and that things would be different, but the truth is, he still wanted to control my life," Gabi explained, prompting Jenkins to wonder how Gabi had known that.
Gabi recalled and recapped a conversation that she had overheard between Nick and Sonny outside Club TBD a few weeks earlier -- a conversation in which Nick had matter-of-factly stated that he would send Gabi to prison if she ever turned her back on him. Jenkins wondered how Nick could have sent Gabi to prison. "Uh, I'm advising my client to stop and --" E.J. started to say, but Gabi quickly interrupted him, and he didn't try to stop her.
"Because in 2012...I hired a man to stalk me...to try to get the attention of Chad DiMera...because I thought that I was in love with him. But he loved Melanie Jonas. And so that man that I hired...kidnapped Melanie 'cause he thought he was helping me," Gabi tearfully admitted. Hope was surprised to learn that Gabi had hired Andrew. "And Nick knew that. And so he used that information to get me to do whatever he wanted -- to take me and my little girl away from everyone we loved. He wasn't gonna let go. I -- I didn't want my daughter to be around him," Gabi continued as Hope listened with a hint of discomfort.
Jenkins pointed out that Will had stated in his own confession that he had been the only person who had known where the murder weapon had been hidden. "Well, he and Sonny didn't know that I was in my room. I had forgotten my wallet, and I -- I came back for it, and I heard them talking, and it sounded intense, so I didn't want to interrupt. I was gonna go out the back way. But -- but then I heard something fall," Gabi explained. Gabi recalled and recapped the subsequent conversation she had overheard, during which Will had discovered the gun and had talked Sonny out of using it to kill Nick.
"As soon as they were gone, my -- my phone rang. I had a court date...for a custody hearing I didn't even want. Nick had pushed it along. He wanted my baby and me away from Will, and he wasn't gonna stop until he made it happen. Next, I got a message from Nick...saying to meet him at the park, that he had great news. That's what he called taking us away from everyone we loved -- 'great news,'" Gabi continued. Hope interrupted and somewhat angrily wondered why Gabi hadn't just said no to Nick's request to meet him in the park.
"Hope, because the last time that happened...before he moved to New York...it got physical. And I was scared. What was I gonna do -- go to the police? I already knew how he was gonna handle that. Nick did not know how to take 'no' for an answer. So I got the gun out of the closet and loaded it. I found the silencer there with it, so I put that on. Then I stuck it inside the diaper bag. I -- I just -- I knew what I had to do," Gabi tearfully replied as Hope silently absorbed the information.
"So I went to the park, and I saw him there. He was on the phone, and he didn't see me. I -- I went to a path right behind him...and I fired my first shot. And it hit him. And he turned around, and he looked at me. He was so surprised. And so the gun fired two more shots. And it was so quiet -- it was so quiet. And then I -- I got to the square. There were so many people, and I just couldn't get away fast enough, and he followed me. With three -- with three bullets inside of him, he followed me there because he wouldn't stop...okay? He wouldn't leave me alone," Gabi continued, crying and shaking as she remembered Nick's relentlessness.
Jenkins wondered where the gun had been at that particular time. Gabi explained that she had placed it back in the diaper bag with the intention of later returning it to the place where she had found it. Jenkins scoffed as she summarized that Gabi had still been thinking clearly enough at the time in question to try to cover her tracks.
"I thought that if I just put it back -- if I just put it back in the closet, then it would be like if it just never happened, and I could just forget, but I couldn't, because I knew. And I s -- I see him every day and every night. I see him. And sometimes -- sometimes -- sometimes I remember how he used to look at me and think that I was the most important thing in the world. And sometimes...I see how he looked at me the last time -- so, so surprised...like he didn't know what he'd become to me. Like he wanted another chance. Yeah. I took that -- I took that away from him. Yeah," Gabi tearfully concluded.
"Gabriella Hernandez, just to be clear, you are voluntarily stating that on May 12th, 2014, you met Nick Fallon in the park and shot him three times, resulting in his death?" Jenkins asked, and Gabi confirmed that the summary was accurate. Jenkins turned off the recording device and excused herself so that she could get started on the paperwork. E.J. reminded Jenkins that, in addition to the written version of Gabi's statement, they would also want to see the terms and conditions of the plea bargain in writing. Jenkins agreed and congratulated Hope on a job well done.
After a parting shot to E.J. about her hope that he would one day be the one who was confessing a crime to her, Jenkins left the room. E.J. hoped that Hope wouldn't allow Jenkins "deep respect" for him to cloud the district attorney's judgment, since everything was dependent on the terms of the plea bargain. Hope confirmed that she understood, and she started to leave, but Gabi stopped her. "Hope...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know Nick had good in him. I just wish things would have happened differently. I'm sorry," Gabi tearfully told Hope. "It could've been different. Nick didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to die," Hope replied before exiting the room.
Sami was alone in Hope's office, snooping through some of Hope's files pertaining to Nick's murder, when Lucas returned and startled her. Sami hid the files behind her back as Lucas asked where Hope was. Sami explained that Hope and the district attorney were taking Gabi's statement.
Changing the subject, Sami asked about Arianna, and Lucas reported that the child had been chattering and playing with a toy camera when he had left her earlier. Sami laughed and admitted that she was glad that the toy couldn't take real pictures, and Lucas agreed, musing that no one was going to want Arianna to remember that particular day. "But you know she will, right? This is the day that Arianna's mother was taken away from her," Sami sadly replied.
Later, Sami ran into Rafe and Jordan in the town square. Sami wondered why Rafe hadn't been answering his cell phone. Confused, Rafe explained that he had turned his phone off earlier, and he wondered why Sami had been trying to reach him. "You -- you still don't know about Gabi. Oh, God, Rafe -- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Sami said as she wrapped her arms around Rafe to comfort him.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Sonny emerged from his and Will's bedroom as Will was holding and talking to Arianna. "Daddy's so glad he's here. I can't stop looking at you. No, I can't. I won't stop. I promise you that, sweetheart. Yeah. Daddy's not going anywhere. Neither is Sonny. You'll understand. We'll do whatever we can to fill in the blanks for you. We promise you, baby girl. We promise," Will assured Arianna, who looked at Sonny as he nodded in agreement.
Later, Will emerged from Gabi's bedroom and informed Sonny that Arianna was sleeping. Sonny had just ended a phone call, and he reported that Gabi still needed to be processed, which meant that he and Will wouldn't be able to see her for a while. Sonny assured Will that they would go to see Gabi as soon as possible. "Will, what -- what just happened with us? Never again -- ever," Sonny stressed.
"No, never -- especially now. Arianna needs us. I can't do it alone," Will replied. Sonny promised that Will would never have to worry about that. Sonny added that in the future, Will had to always tell him -- and feel comfortable asking him -- everything and anything. Will agreed but made Sonny make the same promise. "Yeah. Starting right now -- Will Horton, you -- you've got to be the most romantic idiot that I've ever met. Did you honestly think I'd let you go to prison for me?" Sonny asked Will, who remained silent as they tightly hugged each other.
Back at the police station, E.J. was alone with Gabi. E.J. asked if there was anything that he could get for Gabi. "Yes. I want to hold my baby, please. I want to hold her in my arms, and I never want to let go. But I know that that's not in the plea deal that you made. I'm going to prison...and I'm never gonna see my daughter again," Gabi replied as she broke down in tears.
As Brady and Theresa lounged naked under a sheet on the couch in Theresa's apartment, Brady echoed Theresa's suggestion that the two of them stay there all day. With a credit card, he lined up some more cocaine for them to do. After Theresa ignored a call from work, Brady and Theresa had sex on the floor in front of the couch. Afterwards, Theresa proposed that they shower and go out for something to eat. Brady insisted that Theresa go first. After she headed for the bathroom, Brady picked up the vial of coke. He thought better of it and tossed the vial back onto the coffee table.
Brady and Theresa had beers with their lunch at the café in Horton Square. Theresa observed that Brady seemed to be crashing and suggested that he do a "bump" in the restroom. Brady started to decline until he spotted his father near the flower cart, so he took the vial from Theresa under the table. As soon as Brady walked away, John sat down across from Theresa and announced, "You and I need to have a little talk about my son."
It didn't faze Theresa when John expressed his displeasure that Brady and Theresa were drinking in the middle of a workday. When Brady returned, he ordered his dad to get lost, but John refused to leave. Brady gave John a light shove, but that only seemed to mildly annoy John. Fed up, Brady punched his dad and slammed him against the wall.
In the garden outside St. Luke's, Nicole maintained that she could prove she and Eric loved each other if he would only go with her. Eric argued that Nicole had deliberately kept the evidence from him that would have allowed him to be a priest again, but Nicole pointed out that he didn't understand why she'd done it. She implored Eric to do one last thing for her before making a decision.
Back in Nicole's hotel room, Nicole unzipped her suitcase, took out a tissue-wrapped photograph, and handed it to Eric. She explained that it was the picture he'd taken of his first sunrise in Africa, which he'd given to her to thank her for helping him through what had happened to him -- because they had shared, and still shared, a connection. Nicole reminded Eric that he'd given the engagement ring to her because they had loved each other. "Now that this secret, this ugly secret is out, I think I love you more than I ever did before," Nicole said, picking up the photo from the desk where Eric had placed it.
Eric pointed out that he'd given Nicole the ring while she'd been lying to him. Nicole insisted that her intention to take that secret to the grave proved how much she truly loved Eric. Eric wanted to know how Nicole had felt during all those months of keeping the truth from him. Nicole admitted that she'd felt terrible, and she'd wanted very much to tell him the truth. Eric concluded that what Nicole had done would have tormented her the rest of her life -- and God had done her a great service by having Daniel find the files, because it meant her torment had ended.
Nicole implored Eric to try to build on the compassion and understanding he'd just shown to her. Eric wanted to know if Nicole still had the evidence, but she explained that Daniel had it. "What? He wouldn't even trust you with it?" Eric noted incredulously, as if he had answered his own questions. He grabbed his suitcase and announced, "I'm leaving. I'm leaving you." Nicole begged him not to go, but a furious Eric reminded her that she had allowed his church to believe the lies that Kristen had told about him.
"I know how hard you fought to find the truth, to give me the chance to search my soul to make my own decision, but then you took that chance away from me. You didn't give me a choice -- a choice that was mine to make, not yours," Eric hissed. Frantic, Nicole begged Eric not to leave her and swore that she would never lie to him again. Eric pushed past her and out the door, knocking the photograph out of her hands, and charged down the hallway. "I don't know what I'll do if I lose you! Please!" Nicole cried after him. Devastated, she bent, sobbing, to pick up the shattered picture frame from the hallway floor.
In the Horton Town Square, while Jordan listened, Sami gently broke the news to Rafe that Gabi had been arrested after confessing to shooting Nick. Sami explained that everyone had been trying to reach Rafe for hours, but his phone had apparently been turned off. After Rafe rushed off to the police station, Sami said that they had tried to reach Jordan, as well. Jordan apologetically explained that she and Rafe had the day off.
Sami chastised Jordan because Gabi hadn't been able to reach her brother. "Wait. Are you blaming me for this?" Jordan asked incredulously. Sami accused Jordan of convincing Rafe to turn his phone off and of not knowing how important it was for Rafe to be there for his sister. After noting that it was neither the time nor place to have that discussion, Jordan left.
Marlena arrived at the police station at Hope's request. Hope revealed that Gabi Hernandez had confessed to killing Nick. A stunned Marlena eased herself into a chair as Hope requested that Marlena perform a preliminary psychiatric evaluation of Gabi. Marlena agreed but wondered how Gabi had been so confident the day before during Arianna's birthday party that everything would be just fine.
In the interrogation room, E.J. tried to reassure Gabi that they could argue that Nick had provoked her. Gabi tearfully stated that she hadn't shot Nick because of what he'd done to her; she had done so because she'd wanted to make sure that her daughter would be around people who loved her. Gabi was worried that she would never see Arianna again. E.J. assured Gabi that Will would never try to take away her parental rights, and E.J. would ensure that Gabi served her sentence -- which he would try to keep to a minimum -- in a facility near Salem, where she had access to email so Will and Sonny could send videos and photos of Arianna.
E.J. asked what Gabi had told Hope about Nick's blackmail. Gabi explained that she'd admitted to her part in Melanie's kidnapping, but she had not divulged anything about what had happened to Nick down by the river. She was worried about Percy and the pictures from that night. E.J. assured her that Percy had returned to England, and any evidence Nick had possessed about that night no longer existed. Gabi hoped that meant Sami and Kate would be all right, since they had been trying to help her.
Gabi remarked that she hadn't told anyone what she had done to Melanie because she'd been afraid of going to prison. "And now, after so many people are hurt and Nick is dead, I'm still going there, anyway!" Gabi cried. Hope and Marlena entered just then, and Hope explained that she'd thought it might help for Marlena to talk to Gabi. Marlena assured E.J. that anything Gabi said would be in complete confidence. E.J. told Gabi that he thought it was a good idea.
After E.J. and Hope had left the room, Gabi admitted that she did want to talk to Marlena. With tears streaming down her face during their entire conversation, Gabi confided to Marlena that she'd always felt as if she'd wanted more from men than they'd been willing to give until she'd met Nick, who had loved her as much as she'd loved him. Then when she'd gotten pregnant with Arianna, Gabi had felt like Nick had been trying to control every aspect of her life, but Nick seemed to have changed after Arianna's birth and his admission about what had happened to him in prison.
Gabi continued with the story of how Nick had gotten the modeling contract for her in New York because he'd wanted to take her and Arianna away from everyone who'd loved them and how he'd snapped when Gabi had refused to go with him. Marlena wanted to know more details. "I can't tell you this. I can't tell you this," Gabi repeated, rocking back and forth and crying harder. Marlena assured Gabi that whatever they discussed would remain in confidence.
Gabi told Marlena the whole story of what had happened with Nick the night he'd tried to rape her, ending with how Kate and Sami had helped dump Nick's body in the river. Marlena maintained her composure despite her shock at hearing about her daughter's role in the incident. Gabi sobbed even harder as she described how Nick's eyes had opened when he'd gone into the water. "So you all thought he was dead," Marlena clarified. "But he wasn't. We just -- we thought wrong," a weeping Gabi replied miserably.
Gabi tearfully described how unreal it had felt when she'd shot Nick and when he'd seen that she had shot him. She continued, "I think it was better that he knew it was me. And then when we came into the square, it was like the christening all over again, and I just was thinking, 'He just won't die!' But then he did." She added in a whisper, "And it was better because it was quiet, and people could love each other again." Gabi concluded that Nick just hadn't known how to love the way the rest of them did.
Hope and E.J. were in Hope's office when an upset Rafe arrived. When he learned that E.J. was acting as Gabi's attorney, Rafe accused E.J. of talking her into confessing. Inserting herself between the men before Rafe started throwing punches, Hope informed Rafe that E.J. had volunteered to represent Gabi when she had arrived to confess of her own volition. When Sami arrived, Hope asked E.J. and Sami to wait outside.
Once Hope and Rafe were alone, she informed him that Gabi had claimed she'd gone straight from Horton Square to the hospital after Nick had collapsed, but Gabi had arrived at the hospital without the diaper bag, in which forensics had later found gunpowder residue that matched the gun that had killed Nick. "She did it, Rafe. I wish to God she hadn't, but she did. She killed Nick," Hope said.
In the hallway outside Hope's office, E.J. reassured Sami that Gabi hadn't said anything about what had happened to Nick at the river.
At Club TBD, Ben freaked out when he saw a photo that Abigail was looking at. "Where the hell did you get that?" he demanded. Abigail explained that she had taken a picture of Ben with her phone and Photoshopped it into one of the shots she'd taken of Gabi during the photo shoot. Ben complained that he didn't like having his picture taken, but Abigail assured him that no one else had seen it. Ben quickly dropped the dark mood and apologized. While Abigail stepped away to take a phone call, Ben ripped up the picture.
Later, Abigail wondered where Sonny was. Ben explained, "I got a message. He said he couldn't come in, but he didn't say why." Abigail guessed that Sonny, Will, and Gabi had just needed some downtime. She asked if Ben had heard anything more about Nick's shooting, but Ben had not. Ben admitted that he'd been unable to resist looking up photos of Abigail online from her modeling days. Abigail was embarrassed. Ben reassured her, "You were beautiful -- true, true, not as beautiful as you are now. That wouldn't be possible."
Jordan arrived just then, so Ben got her a cup of coffee. Abigail tried to make conversation, although an obviously distracted Jordan kept her answers polite but brief. As soon as Abigail had left to take care of something for work, Ben asked Jordan what was wrong. Jordan told her brother about Gabi confessing, though she admitted that she hadn't felt it was her place to tell Abigail. Jordan confessed that a part of her had been relieved when she'd learned who had shot Nick. "My God, Jordan! Did you really think I killed that guy?" an incredulous Ben asked.
Outside, Abigail ran into E.J., who informed her that Nick's murder had been solved. E.J. explained that he couldn't reveal who had done it, since he was representing that person, but he had wanted Abigail to know that he had been telling her the truth. Abigail's phone chimed as E.J. walked off, and her eyes widened in horror when she looked at it.
Hope took Rafe in to see Gabi, who burst into sobs and rose to accept her brother's embrace. Marlena and Hope quietly left the room. Bawling, Gabi apologized for letting Rafe down.
In Hope's office, while Sami observed, Marlena gave Hope her assessment of Gabi's mental state. Marlena explained that Nick had convinced Gabi that she was hopeless and helpless, so Gabi had felt she'd had no choice but to shoot Nick -- but Gabi had known at the time that it was wrong. After Hope left the room, Marlena wordlessly narrowed her eyes at Sami. Taken aback, Sami asked, "Mom, what did Gabi say to you, exactly?"
Marlena pointed out that she couldn't tell Sami -- or anyone else -- what Gabi had said. Guessing what Gabi had revealed, Sami started to offer an explanation, but she stopped herself. "Is there something that you'd like to tell me?" Marlena inquired. Crossing her arms, Sami firmly replied, "No."
A frustrated Brady fumed when he saw John talking to Theresa in the café in the town square. The argument escalated, and Brady punched John. As the two men struggled, Theresa saw Hope out of the corner of her eye, and Theresa begged Brady to stop fighting with John. Hope ran over and pulled the two men apart. Brady explained that he had asked John to leave them alone, and John had refused. Hope warned John and Brady to get along.
Hope informed John, Brady, and Theresa that Gabi had been arrested for Nick's murder. As John, Brady, and Theresa lowered their heads in shock, Hope reminded them that no matter what had happened between them, no one had died. Hope recommended that John and Brady reconcile and move on with their lives.
"Stop being so selfish and focus on the people who really have problems," Hope said. Brady walked away, and Theresa followed. John walked to the pub and left a voicemail for Marlena, urging her to call him if she needed to talk.
In the park, J.J. saw Bev sitting on the bench, and he thought about his conversation with Paige about the medical test that Bev had left out for Paige to find. Furious, J.J. confronted Bev. Defensive, Bev explained that Paige had found the test results and that Paige had drawn her own conclusions.
"You think I want someone like Paige knowing that I got tested for STD's? You think I want her telling her snotty friends what a slut I am? But I still tried to keep her from thinking something bad about you," Bev said. J.J. backed off and said that he understood. J.J. said that the incident had created a stronger bond with Paige. When Bev sarcastically noted how happy she was about J.J.'s relationship, he retorted that he planned to have the best summer ever.
At the Horton house, Paige stopped by to see J.J. Upset, Abigail snapped and barked at Paige that she did not know where to find J.J. When Paige turned to leave, Abigail apologized and explained that she was upset because she had learned something devastating about her best friend, Gabi.
After Abigail and Paige, talked, J.J. arrived home. Paige stepped outside to call her mom. Abigail informed J.J. about Gabi's confession. Unsure what to do, J.J. announced that he would visit Will and Sonny and offer to babysit Arianna if they needed help. When J.J. asked Abigail is she wanted to join him, Abigail declined.
At Club TBD, Jordan confronted her brother Ben about the shooting. Ben admitted that he had a temper, but he stressed that he had not been involved in the shooting. With a sigh, Jordan explained that she had worried that Ben had shot Nick in order to protect Abigail. Jordan alluded to a prior incident. Nodding, Ben swore that his past mistake would not be repeated. Ben assured his sister that no one knew about their past and that they could move on. Jordan worried that Rafe felt responsible for his sister's predicament.
In their apartment, Sonny and Will talked about the shooting. Will assured Sonny that he was not to blame for what Gabi had done. Sonny countered that because he had carried the gun into the apartment, he had made the shooting possible. Will assured Sonny that they had both screwed up, and he asked Sonny not to feel guilty.
Sonny called the club and talked to Ben about the paychecks. Ben offered to drop the checks off at Sonny's apartment. Before he left, Ben promised Jordan that he would not talk to anyone about Rafe.
At the police station, Gabi hugged Rafe and apologized for disappointing him. Rafe blamed himself for pushing Gabi to abandon her relationship with Nick. Fighting tears, Gabi assured Rafe that he was not to blame. Gabi said that she had let Nick into her life, and it was her fault. Crying, Gabi said that she had shot Nick and that she would pay for her crime. Rafe was concerned that Gabi trusted E.J. as her lawyer. Gabi assured Rafe that no other lawyer could help her any better than E.J.
"It boils down to one thing. As horrible as Nick was to me, he didn't want to kill me. I had no right to take his life," Gabi said. When Gabi mentioned that she had talked to Marlena, Rafe bristled and noted that Marlena was Sami's mother. Gabi asked Rafe not to act like she was not responsible for her own actions. Rafe said that Gabi was not a bad person, and Gabi countered that she had done bad things in her life and needed to pay for those actions.
Gabi thanked Rafe for his help, and she asked him to let her stand on her own feet and take responsibility. When Rafe mentioned that their brother, Dario, and their mother had asked about Gabi, Gabi asked Rafe to talk to the family for her. Will arrived, and Rafe hugged his sister goodbye and left to call the family. Gabi asked about Arianna. A tearful Will admitted that Arianna had asked for her mother when she had woken up from her nap. Devastated, Gabi broke down into tears and hugged Will.
After Gabi calmed down, she sat down with Will and talked about the night of the murder. Gabi admitted that she had fallen into a trance after the shooting and had not thought about anything but the relief she had felt. Gabi added that when she had learned that Will had confessed to the murder, she had snapped out of her trance and realized that she needed to take responsibility for what she had done.
Will admitted that he had confessed to the murder because he had believed that Sonny had shot Nick. Smiling, Gabi took Will's hand. Gabi reminded Will of the day they had met when Sydney had been missing. Will assured Gabi that she was still his best friend. When Will added that Nick had pushed Gabi, she shook her head and stressed that she had shot Nick and needed to pay.
Gabi told Will various things about Arianna, like how to tuck her in at night. Will promised that he and Sonny would make sure that Arianna knew her mother. Nodding, Gabi added that E.J. had said he would make an effort to get Gabi access to email in prison so that Will could send pictures and videos of Arianna. Will promised that he would keep Gabi updated on Arianna. Crying, Gabi said that she was happy that Arianna had Will and Sonny in her life.
"We will get our daughter through this. We will find a way to make her understand," Will assured Gabi. Gabi hugged Will and told him that she loved him. After Will left, Abigail stopped by the police station. As Abigail started to speak to Gabi, Gabi urged Abigail to keep quiet until she heard the truth about Nick's murder.
Brady and Theresa returned to her apartment. Theresa cleaned up the cut on Brady's face from his scuffle with John. When Brady mentioned that Rafe was Gabi's brother, Theresa chuckled and noted that Brady was friends with a cop. Concerned, Brady wanted to check on Rafe, but Theresa reminded Brady that he was in no condition to talk to the police. Theresa handed Brady a mirror, and he admitted that calling was a better option.
Theresa headed out to retrieve dinner and left Brady alone in her apartment. Brady called Rafe, and he left a rambling voicemail. Shaking his head, Brady threw the phone on the table. When Theresa returned with Chinese food, she found Brady putting on his shoes. Brady admitted that he was headed home. Theresa sat on the couch next to him and purred that life would be easier if he did a bump of cocaine with her before he left. Brady agreed.
Ben arrived at Sonny's apartment with the paychecks for the club. While Ben held Arianna, Sonny called the accountant to ask about the missing overtime on the paychecks. After calling the accountant, Sonny put Arianna down for a nap. J.J. and Paige knocked on the door. Sonny introduced Paige and J.J. to Ben as a friend of Abigail. J.J. empathized with Sonny about Gabi. J.J. then entered his contact information into Sonny's phone and encouraged him to call if Sonny needed anything.
On the couch, Ben asked Paige about Abigail. Paige admitted that Abigail was upset about the news. When Ben nodded, a look of realization dawned across Paige's face. Paige said that she knew that Ben had looked familiar to her, and she asked him if he had lived in Miami.
In the park, Rafe called his friend Tim and asked him to collect any information available about Nick's time in prison. When Tim resisted, a frustrated Rafe reminded Tim that his sister's life was on the line. Tim promised to look into the matter for Rafe. As Rafe wrapped up his phone call, Jordan entered the clearing. Rafe told Jordan that he had been talking to a friend at the F.B.I.
Rafe admitted that he had promised his sister, Arianna, on her death bed that he would protect Gabi and that he had let his sister, Arianna, down. When Rafe stuttered that he had let his sisters down, Jordan hugged Rafe. Jordan reminded Rafe that he had been in a hospital bed when Gabi had been struggling. Jordan added that Rafe could still love and support Gabi. Nodding, Rafe thanked Jordan for helping him feel a little better.
When Rafe noted that he needed to call his mother to tell her the news, Jordan held his hand. Rafe called his mother and told her about Gabi. When his mother broke down in tears, Aunt Rosales took the phone and assured Rafe that she would watch his mother. Rafe admitted that he did not know what to do to help Gabi. After hanging up the phone, Rafe growled that he had failed to protect Gabi and had let down his mother. Jordan assured Rafe that Gabi was an adult and responsible for her own actions.
In the park, Hope noted aloud that she needed to talk to Julie and Maggie before they heard the news from anyone else. As Hope looked at her phone, she froze as she saw a photo of Bo on it. Hope wondered aloud how to weather the crisis without Bo. Hope closed her eyes and tilted her head back. When Hope wondered aloud where to find Bo, a shadow fell across her face. Startled, Hope fluttered open her eyes and found Aiden standing next to her.
When Aiden asked Hope if she was okay, she forced a smile and said she was fine. Aiden noted that Hope was using the smile she used whenever she was upset and did not want to show it. Aiden encouraged her to open up. Hope broke down in tears, and Aiden offered her a shoulder to cry on. After recovering her composure, Hope apologized for breaking down.
Aiden admitted that he had heard about Gabi and had left a message with Gabi, offering to represent her in court. When Aiden asked how Hope felt, Hope admitted that she had wished that Nick had changed. Aiden noted that there was nothing Hope could have done because Gabi had not asked for help. Upset, Hope noted that Aiden did not know Nick or Gabi very well. Aiden nodded and countered that he knew Hope very well.
Hope disagreed. With a grin, Aiden said that he had misjudged Hope at first but had grown observant and seen that she was a good and decent person. "I'm going to continue to think of you as an awesome lady. But don't let it go to your head," Aiden joked. Hope smiled.
As Bev left Club TBD, her phone rang. Bev talked to a friend on the phone and noted that since the person was returning to town, she would have to update them about everything, including the change in J.J.'s personality.
Due to NBC Sports coverage of the French Open tennis tournament, Days of our Lives did not air today.
This scheduling change was anticipated, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result.
Regular programming will resume on Monday, June 9, and pick up were the Wednesday, June 4 episode concluded.
Due to NBC Sports coverage of the French Open tennis tournament, Days of our Lives did not air today.
This scheduling change was anticipated, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result.
Regular programming will resume on Monday, June 9, and pick up were the Wednesday, June 4 episode concluded.
