At the hospital, Kayla regretfully informed Hope that John's condition hadn't changed -- and that it might never change. The news saddened Hope, so Kayla quickly changed the subject and asked about Hope and Ciara's recent trip to New Orleans. Hope reported that it had been enjoyable, although each place she and Ciara had visited had reminded Ciara of their previous trip to the city with Bo.
Kayla wondered where things stood between Hope and Aiden, recalling that she had previously gotten the impression that Hope had started developing feelings for him. Hope insisted that she still loved Bo and that Kayla had misunderstood -- probably because Hope hadn't worded things properly during their previous conversation because she had been tired at that time. Before Kayla could respond, Hope abruptly excused herself.
In John's hospital room, Marlena sprayed some special perfume on her wrists as she thought about happier times with John. Marlena held John's hand and begged him to squeeze it -- or do something -- to let her know she was getting through to him, but he remained unresponsive. Marlena sadly exited the room, and after she left, John exhibited some slight eye movement, and a single tear trickled down the side of his face.
Elsewhere, Theresa interrupted Eve and Brady's conversation and demanded to know what was going on. Eve innocently explained that she had simply been expressing an interest in sitting down with Brady and getting to know him better. Brady politely declined the invitation, explaining that he was swamped with work and other things, but he added that he did want to meet up with Theresa later -- privately, at the Kiriakis mansion.
Theresa agreed and flashed Eve a triumphant grin. After Brady left, Theresa warned Eve to stay away from him. "Oh, come on. I don't even know the man -- yet," Eve teasingly replied. Eve added that she could tell that Brady certainly didn't need Theresa in his life. Theresa bragged that she hadn't heard anything else from Brady about the annulment since she had presented him with the paperwork, meaning that he might have changed his mind about going through with it. Eve groaned and declared that Theresa needed a reality check.
Eve dragged Theresa to Club TBD, where they continued their conversation over glasses of white wine. Eve advised Theresa to refrain from planning a future with Brady, reasoning that he would never be able to look at Theresa the same way again because she was a constant reminder of what had happened to John. Eve pointedly added that Theresa needed to stay away from Brady and everyone who was involved with him, since that would minimize Theresa's chances of being tripped up about what had really happened on the night of John's head injury.
Theresa guessed that Eve just wanted to have Brady to herself, but Eve protested that she had simply been having an innocent conversation with him earlier, adding that everyone knew she was a friendly gal. Eve advised Theresa to face the fact that Brady was a lost cause, but Theresa dismissed the advice and abruptly excused herself. Outside, Theresa vowed that Brady was going to be hers, not Eve's.
At the Brady Pub, Aiden spontaneously asked Jennifer out on a date, but when it seemed like she was about to decline the invitation, he quickly clarified that he had two tickets to a play that night and was simply looking for someone to accompany him -- as a friend. Jennifer accepted the invitation, although she was convinced -- despite Aiden's denial -- that he really just wanted a "beard" to ward off the many socialites who had likely been bugging him to go on dates with them since his appearance at the gala.
Later, Aiden had an awkward encounter with Hope at the police station. Hope wondered if Aiden had heard about the assembly that Father Louis wanted to hold at St. Luke's Academy to announce that the gala had been a huge success. Aiden confirmed that he had, and he quickly added that he wasn't going to be able to attend. Hope made it clear that she wasn't going to be there, either, and she and Aiden simultaneously and abruptly excused themselves so they could get back to their respective jobs.
Hope emerged from her office later and found that Aiden hadn't left the police station. Aiden explained that he had just been confirming dinner reservations, and he casually mentioned that he was taking Jennifer to dinner that evening and would be seeing a play with her afterward. Aiden walked away as Hope tried to hide her shock.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady gave Maggie an update on John's condition. Brady wanted to find out what Daniel thought about the hospital staff's recommendation to move John to a long-term care facility, but Maggie didn't know when her son would be returning to Salem, since she hadn't heard from him since the previous day. Brady admitted that he also wanted to talk to Daniel because he needed to make amends with Daniel.
Maggie assured Brady that he would have plenty of time to talk to and make amends with everyone he had treated badly during his relapse, but he sadly reminded her that there was one person he wouldn't be able to talk to -- John. Later, Theresa arrived, and Maggie excused herself so Theresa and Brady could have some privacy. Brady led Theresa into the living room, where she was surprised to see that a notary was waiting to witness the signing of the annulment papers.
After Theresa and Brady handled the matter, Theresa excused herself, trying to hide her sadness. Theresa warned Brady about getting involved with Eve, but he assured her that he wasn't interested in hooking up with Eve or anyone else at that time.
At the Horton house, J.J. started to halfheartedly protest that Paige couldn't pass up the opportunity to attend Stanford, but she interrupted and assured him that she was only planning to take a one-year deferral from the college. Paige added that the decision had already been made and that J.J. wouldn't be able to change her mind. "Man, this has got to be the best news I've heard!" J.J. excitedly declared as he picked Paige up and spun her around.
J.J. knowingly predicted that the news would upset Eve, but Paige assured him that she would handle her mother. Paige asked J.J. to take her somewhere to celebrate, but as they started to exit the house, Adrienne arrived to talk to Jennifer, so Paige politely excused herself. After Paige left, Adrienne wondered if J.J. really believed that dating Eve's daughter was a good idea.
Adrienne reminded J.J. that the apple usually didn't fall far from the tree, but he respectfully countered that Adrienne didn't really know Paige, and he assured Adrienne that she wouldn't be saying such things if she did know Paige, who had already received Jennifer and Abigail's approval. J.J. added that he was lucky to have Paige in his life, and he urged Adrienne to try to give Paige a break.
Impressed, Adrienne observed that J.J. had grown up in a hurry, and she assured him that his father would have been proud of him. Adrienne added that J.J. was a real chip off the old block, but he seemed to have mixed feelings about the compliment. J.J. vaguely explained that he had loved his father but had never understood a lot of things about him. Adrienne agreed that Jack had been a complicated man, and she urged J.J. to let her know if he ever wanted to talk to her about Jack. J.J. promised that he might eventually take Adrienne up on the offer, and he abruptly excused himself so he could take care of something, leaving her alone in the house.
When Jennifer arrived home later that day, Adrienne mentioned her earlier conversation with J.J., and she wondered if Jennifer believed that it was a good idea to encourage him to pursue a relationship with Paige. Jennifer insisted that she wasn't going to interfere with J.J. and Paige's relationship, and she added that Paige was a great girl. Adrienne feared that Jennifer might let her guard down around Eve as a result of J.J.'s involvement with Paige, but Jennifer promised that wouldn't happen.
J.J. met with Rory at the town square and happily informed him that Paige was going to be sticking around for another year. The news didn't really interest Rory, who was far more enthusiastic about the off-campus college party he and his brother had attended the previous night. Rory raved about the babes who had been at the party -- and what they had been willing to do -- and he insisted that J.J. needed to ditch Paige and accompany him to the next party.
Rory recalled that J.J. had often bragged about the wild times he'd had at boarding school, where he had regularly sneaked off-campus to party. Rory declared that it was cool that J.J. had never remembered what he had done -- or who he had done it with -- the next morning, but J.J. disagreed. Undeterred, Rory assured J.J. that college parties would be even wilder, but J.J. insisted that he wasn't that guy anymore. "All right, well, fine, Mr. Wannabe Good, but I know the real you, remember? Yeah, you'll be back for more," Rory confidently predicted.
In Paige's cousin's apartment, Paige informed her mother that she had officially requested a one-year deferral from Stanford. Eve wasn't very happy about the news, but Paige insisted that she wasn't going to change her mind about the matter. Meanwhile, Paige received a phone call from someone at Stanford, and she excused herself so she could answer it. "Guess what, J.J. -- you are done with my daughter. D-O-N-E," Eve muttered after Paige left the room.
In the back of a delivery truck, Daniel informed Kristen that her relationship with Brady was over for good. "That's not true! Don't say that! It's not over! It's not over! He loves me! He loves me!" Kristen insisted as she struggled against her bindings, angrily beating her fists against Daniel's chest until she eventually tired herself out.
Daniel noticed that Kristen had acquired some nasty rope burns on her wrists, so he searched the truck's first aid kit for some antibiotic ointment to rub on the injuries. Meanwhile, Kristen recalled that Jennifer had once told her that Daniel had gone out of his mind with grief for a while after his wife's death. "That's how I felt when I lost Brady, you know? Only, he's, um -- he's still alive, so I'm -- I'm basically mourning somebody that I can still reach," Kristen explained.
Daniel incredulously wondered if Kristen truly believed she could get Brady to forgive her and let her back into his life. Kristen confirmed that she did, explaining that she and Brady had a bond and that he had saved her. As Daniel untied Kristen's wrists so he could apply the salve -- reasoning that she wasn't much of a threat in the back of a moving truck, anyway -- she started to tell him about how her original goal, upon returning to Salem nearly two years earlier, had been to make John and Marlena pay for what they had done to her over a decade beforehand.
Kristen insisted that Brady hadn't been a part of her plan at first, although she had later realized that she could use him to further her agenda. Kristen admitted that she had never expected to fall in love with Brady, especially since she had decided years earlier that she didn't know how to love. Kristen recalled that, at some point, it had started getting harder and harder for her to continue to believe that she was just pretending to love Brady.
"I think it was just from being around him. He's such a good man. I don't know. I realized how I felt when I was with him -- how happy I was when I was with him -- and...he just made me realize something. He made me realize who I could be -- no, he made me realize who I used to be," Kristen explained. Kristen guessed that Jennifer had made Daniel feel the same way, but he insisted that his relationship with Jennifer was over for good, just like Kristen's relationship with Brady was over for good.
"I've always liked that about you -- you're so sure of yourself, even when you're dead wrong. Maybe you've given up, Daniel, but I have not. I love Brady, and as long as I love Brady, it'll never be over," Kristen insisted. Kristen informed Daniel that, while he would probably find it hard to believe, she had actually once been a pretty good person. Kirsten bitterly blamed Marlena for reveling in killing that person and replacing her with someone who had lived in misery for years and years. Kristen credited Brady with restoring her good qualities, and she vowed that, given the chance, she would help him the same way he had helped her.
Changing the subject, Kristen declared that Daniel was delusional and that his plan to take her back to Salem and make her pay for her crimes wasn't going to work. "I'm going to see Brady, but it's gonna be on my terms. I'm not going to Salem. I'm never going back there again," Kristen vowed.
Kristen pointed out that the delivery truck would be making plenty of stops along the way to Salem, and she confidently predicted that someone would eventually realize that two stowaways were aboard the truck. Kristen reminded Daniel that she could be very persuasive, and she assured him that she could easily convince people that he had kidnapped and abused her, especially since she had wrist injuries to strengthen her story.
Daniel said Kristen wasn't going to get the chance to make her case, because he had chosen the delivery truck they were hiding in for a reason -- because, according to its travel itinerary, which he had managed to sneak a peek at, its first stop was the Salem Inn.
At Will and Sonny's, Sonny read Will's article about Sami and E.J. After praising Will's "amazing" writing, Sonny kissed his husband passionately. As the two began undressing, Will suddenly remembered that Zoe, his editor, would be arriving at any minute. As he buttoned his shirt, he asked what Sonny had really thought about the article. Sonny enthused that the article read like a bestseller, but he worried that it would hurt Will's mom. "Not as much as she hurt everybody else," Will countered.
Will pointed out that every word he'd written was true, and he had been careful to protect Abigail's identity. Will stated firmly that he intended to give the flash drive containing his article to his editor as soon as she arrived, and the article should run the following week. Before Sonny could make a suggestion about something Will should do before signing the contract, there was a knock at the door. Assuming it was Zoe, Will answered the door -- but found Abigail instead.
Apologizing for the unannounced visit, Abigail explained that she'd realize she hadn't been a very good godmother to Arianna. With a pointed look toward Sonny, Will suggested that Abigail and Sonny take Arianna for a walk. While Sonny went to get the baby ready, Abigail noticed the article in Will's hands and asked if it were something new he'd written that she could read. Clutching the papers tightly to his chest, Will hedged that it needed another edit before he could show it to anyone. He asked about Abigail's job search, and she admitted that it had been difficult so far.
As Will was expressing his regret for everything his mom had done to Abigail, Sonny wheeled Arianna's stroller out of the bedroom. Before Sonny, Arianna, and Abigail could head out to the park, Will's editor arrived. After the others had said goodbye and left, Zoe gushed about how beautiful Arianna was then asked Will about the article. Producing the flash drive, Will announced that it was the story Zoe had asked for: "What really happened between E.J. DiMera and Samantha Brady."
While Will was signing the contract, Zoe skimmed his article. She seemed skeptical about the facts, but he assured her that everything he'd written was true. Zoe declared that it was definitely worthy of a cover story. "Great. Well, you were obviously the right man for the job... There is a huge appetite for all things DiMera. Welcome to the feeding frenzy," Zoe declared.
In Horton Square a little later, Abigail admitted to Sonny that she'd tried to put everything that had happened with E.J. behind her. "I learned a long time ago not to assume things are always going to be fine," Sonny said. Abigail was hopeful that it was better for everything to be out in the open, noting optimistically, "Things could always be worse. I mean, at least the only people who know I was a total idiot are just my friends and my family. I'll be fine. I'll be able to move on."
Nicole went to see Brady at the Kiriakis mansion and informed him that her and Eric's trip to the Vatican had been "a disaster." Brady was furious because he assumed that Kristen had scored another victory by keeping Eric from returning to the priesthood. Nicole explained that Eric had been cleared to be a priest again, but he'd said that he had lost his calling. Brady asserted that wasn't Nicole's fault -- and even though she had "screwed up...big time," she had done everything possible to make things right.
Nicole asked how John was doing, and Brady revealed that his dad was in a deep coma and might never wake up. A speechless Nicole took Brady's hand in hers. Brady lamented that all John had wanted to do was make things right between them, and John had been trying to save Brady from Kristen -- not out of hatred for Kristen but because he loved Brady. After urging Brady to stop punishing himself, Nicole suggested that the two of them go for a walk. Brady declined because he wanted to visit his dad.
Marlena was in the park when a seemingly distracted jogger approached and appeared to nearly run into her. Marlena heard the man approaching and turned around just as he got close to her. The man apologized and continued on his way. A moment later, Eric arrived and informed his mom that the cardinal had believed what Eric and Nicole had told him. Marlena was thrilled that Eric could return to being a priest -- until he told her that he felt he had lost the calling, and it was no longer in his heart.
Marlena fretted that meant that Eric was in love with Nicole, but he assured his mother that wasn't the case. A relieved Marlena asked what was next for Eric, then. He said that he thought he should leave Salem and perhaps even return to Africa. Marlena couldn't understand why Eric didn't want to stay in Salem, where his life was. "Because I don't want to be seen as the priest who slept with Kristen DiMera!" Eric asserted. Marlena tried to reassure him that wouldn't happen because everyone knew how destructive Kristen was to the lives of those around her -- and she didn't want to see that happen to Eric.
Eric vowed not to allow Kristen to ruin his future, but even though he had fought hard for the right to return to the priesthood, he'd refused when the opportunity had been given to him -- because he had realized that he hated Nicole. Eric became so enraged talking about how he felt about Nicole that Marlena asked if he were sure the only thing he were really feeling was hate. Just then, Nicole showed up.
Setting her purse down on the bench opposite Eric and Marlena, Nicole expressed her sympathy for what Marlena was going through with John. Although Marlena was gracious, she said that she and Eric were trying to have a private conversation. Just as Nicole was about to leave, the same jogger who'd nearly run into Marlena earlier suddenly reappeared, grabbed Nicole's purse, and ran off with it. Despite Marlena and Nicole's protests, Eric chased after the guy.
Soon, Nicole had her bag back, and a uniformed cop had arrived to talk to Marlena, Eric, and Nicole. Nicole thanked Eric for chasing the thief, although her gratitude fell on deaf ears. The cop requested the trio head to the police station to give their statements. "This day just keeps getting better and better," Eric grumbled as they followed the officer out of the park.
At the police station, Hope was reviewing the files on E.J.'s case when her gaze fell on a flyer that had been buried on her desk for the St. Luke's gala. After recalling her uncomfortably intimate waltz with Aiden, she also remembered that he'd informed her that he had a date with Jennifer later.
As Jennifer arrived at the hospital, she was on the phone with a discouraged Abigail, who was having trouble even getting an interview for a new job. When Jennifer hung up, Maxine confided that she was worried about Daniel. Maxine explained that Daniel had backed out, via text message, of several events at which he was supposed to have presented papers, and had even sent a text message to Parker.
That set off alarm bells for Jennifer because she knew that Daniel would never have contacted Parker that way -- but she maintained that it was really none of her business, and Maxine should call Maggie instead. Just as it seemed Jennifer might reluctantly give in and check in on Daniel, Hope called to report that she and Ciara had just gotten back from New Orleans. Jennifer asked if she could speak to Hope about something in person, so the two agreed that Jennifer would head to the police station.
When Jennifer arrived at the station, she filled her cousin in on Abigail's affair with E.J. and Sami's subsequent revenge. Hope offered to try to talk to Sami. When Jennifer mentioned Bo, Hope said that she was trying to focus on John, plus she was really worried about Brady. Jennifer revealed that although she hadn't gotten the summary judgment, Aiden was optimistic that they would win at trial. Hope asked about Jennifer's date with Aiden that evening, and Jennifer seemed to be eagerly looking forward to seeing the play with Aiden.
Hope asked about the status of Jennifer's relationship with Daniel. "It's over, and I really don't want to talk about it," Jennifer admitted. When Hope referred to Jennifer as a "free agent," a puzzled Jennifer asked, "Am I missing something, here? Is there some reason that I shouldn't be spending time with Aiden?"
When Brady arrived at the hospital, Maxine informed him that John had just been taken down for another MRI and wouldn't be back for another hour or so. She urged Brady to go home and get some rest because he needed to stay strong for his father.
Sami was looking at a painting in the living room of the DiMera mansion when Johnny rushed in and eagerly proposed that the whole family go to an amusement park -- that afternoon -- to ride a new roller coaster. Sami was hesitant, but Johnny reminded her how much fun they'd had the previous year when she and E.J. had gone, too. E.J. appeared in the doorway just then and cautioned Johnny that his mommy might be too busy. Tickling Johnny playfully, Sami asserted that she always found time for her children.
Showing his mom a photo that had been taken of everyone on the coaster the year before, Johnny said that he hoped they could have that much fun again. Sami promised that she would try very hard to make sure they all rode the roller coaster again. As soon as Johnny excitedly ran off to inform his sisters, a furious Sami turned to E.J. and spat, "How dare you use our children to try to get to me?" E.J. insisted that he'd had nothing to do with Johnny's idea about the amusement park.
Suddenly noticing the painting leaning against the table, E.J. demanded, "What is the Jackson Pollock doing here?" Sami explained somewhat smugly that she'd sold it to a dealer for five hundred thousand dollars. An incredulously apoplectic E.J. contended that the painting was worth at least fifteen, if not twenty, million dollars. "It's too bad I don't know as much about art as some other women," Sami noted with cool sarcasm. E.J. argued that the painting was part of their children's inheritance.
Sami calmly replied that she was well aware of that, but she intended to invest the money she was receiving for the painting very wisely. Changing the subject, E.J. noted that he'd observed his wife's reaction to the photo that Johnny had shown her. As she got to work on her computer, Sami casually recalled that it had been a nice outing -- but that had been before E.J.'s affair with Abby Deveraux. E.J. admitted that he'd overheard part of Sami and Kate's conversation earlier, and he'd heard Sami say that she had been close to giving him a second chance.
E.J. added angrily that he could only imagine what garbage Kate had spewed to convince Sami to never forgive or trust him again -- despite their love for one another and the previous crises they had weathered. Ignoring him, Sami continued clacking away at her keyboard. E.J. sat on the edge of the desk so Sami had to look at him. He quietly vowed to continue trying to win her back. Fed up, Sami grabbed her things and charged toward the front door. "I should never have let you live here in the first place. It's a mistake I'm going to rectify right now... When I get back, I will have a police officer with me -- to execute that restraining order," Sami declared before slamming the door behind her.
In the back of the delivery truck, Daniel took great pleasuring in informing a stunned Kristen that, according to the truck's manifest, its first stop would be in Salem, at the Salem Inn. Kristen flung a coiled length of rope at Daniel, and somehow it dislodged a box cutter from between a couple of the cartons of cargo. Kristen surreptitiously eyed the potential weapon and began formulating a plan. She pointed out that her lawyer would get all the charges against her dropped, plus she claimed to be worried about sending Brady even deeper into drug and alcohol abuse.
Kristen argued that it would be better if she didn't see Brady at all, but Daniel reminded her that she'd kidnapped him for the sole purpose of seeing Brady. She promised to back off, but Daniel didn't buy anything she said for a second. He insisted that his mission was to make sure she paid for all the lives she'd wrecked. Kristen needled him by accusing him of wanting to play the hero so Jennifer would go running back to him because he had blown things with Jennifer, just as Kristen had done with Brady.
Kristen's ploy worked because Daniel began pacing angrily around the truck, ordering Kristen to shut up. Daniel admitted that he had broken up with Jennifer because she had believed he couldn't be trusted to do the right thing if a woman were involved -- but he vowed to prove her wrong by making sure Kristen faced everyone she'd hurt. Still keeping her eye on the box cutter, Kristen begged Daniel not to make her face Brady that way, but Daniel was determined to make her see exactly what she had done to Brady.
"Please, don't do this to me!" Kristen pleaded tearfully, getting on her hands and knees to get closer to the box cutter. Daniel warned her that her crying would not get him to change his mind. Just as the truck pulled into Salem, Kristen got her hands on the box cutter and lunged at Daniel with it. He fought hard to keep her from plunging the blade into his chest. After an intense struggle, Daniel finally got the upper hand and disarmed Kristen.
With his body weight holding Kristen down, Daniel growled, "What is wrong with you? You try to slit my throat? [...] I'm going to tie you up, and I'm going to personally hand you over!" Just then, the truck lurched to a rather violent stop, sending Daniel flying, and a pile of boxes fell on top of him. Kristen pulled the boxes off of a knocked-out Daniel, but then she kicked him, hard, for good measure. He suddenly regained consciousness and grabbed Kristen by the leg.
Before Hope and Jennifer could discuss Jennifer's date with Aiden, a livid Sami charged into the police station. After a few hostile words between Sami and Jennifer, Sami showed Hope the restraining order against E.J., explaining that it stated he could not get within one hundred yards of her. Just then, the uniformed officer arrived with the purse-snatcher, Marlena, Nicole, and Eric. Sami greeted her twin with an enthusiastic hug and asked how things had gone at the Vatican. Before Eric could explain, E.J. showed up to plead with his wife. Hope and Sami warned E.J. to step back.
At the same moment that Brady was awakening with a start from a feverish dream in his bed at the Kiriakis mansion, another cop arrived at the station to inform Hope that there had been an incident on a truck near the Salem Inn. "Oh, my God!" Hope exclaimed as everyone in the room whirled around to see a uniformed officer walking in with Daniel and a handcuffed Kristen.
A sweaty Brady woke with a start. Worried, Brady said that something was wrong. Brady called the hospital to check on John, and reassured that John was fine, Brady decided to go out for a walk. Brady threw on a shirt and left the house without his cell phone.
In the police station, Sami pleaded with Hope to enforce her restraining order against E.J. while E.J. stood behind Sami and begged her to give him another chance. Marlena, Eric, and Nicole arrived at the station to give a statement against a man who had attempted to steal Nicole's purse in the park. While Jennifer stewed nearby over Sami's comments about her daughter, Daniel walked into the police station with a handcuffed Kristen. Everyone stopped talking and stared in shocked silence.
Marlena attempted to reach out and slap Kristen, but Sami grabbed her mother's arm and held her back. Kristen joked about the crowd that had turned out to meet her. As Sami, Marlena, and Nicole yelled at Kristen, Hope ordered everyone to be quiet. Once everyone had settled down, Hope asked Daniel what had happened. Daniel informed the crowd that Kristen had ordered henchmen to kidnap him and hold him hostage so that Kristen could question him. Daniel said he had turned the tables and dragged Kristen back to Salem.
Officer Philips started to escort Kristen to Hope's office when Eric stepped in front of Kristen. Hope cautioned Eric to step aside, which he hesitantly did. Nicole gently asked Daniel if he was okay. Ignoring Nicole, Daniel asked Abe why everyone was at the police station. Marlena said it was a coincidence and asked Daniel to tell them what had happened. When Daniel said that Kristen had attempted to use him to get to Brady, Sami and Marlena groaned.
As Daniel scratched his head, he realized there was blood on his hand. Marlena and Abe urged Daniel to go to the hospital to check his head wound. As Daniel protested, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he started to fall to the floor. Nicole and Abe grabbed Daniel and steadied him. Jennifer rushed to Daniel's side, but he waved her off. Daniel stressed that he wanted to see what happened with Kristen, but Abe declined Daniel's request and ordered him to go to the hospital.
On the way out of the station, Nicole stopped Daniel and said, "You did it. You got her." Daniel turned to Eric and apologized for taking so long to take Kristen to justice. When Daniel said that he hoped Eric's life could return to how it was, Eric and Nicole guiltily looked at one another. Daniel left with Abe, and Sami mentioned Brady. As everyone shifted nervously, Sami pulled out her cell phone and called Brady's phone. Nicole piped up that she had talked to Henderson who had said that Brady had left the house.
In Hope's office, officer Philips sat Kristen in a chair, and Kristen asked Hope to fetch her lawyer. When Hope returned to the main room of the station, Marlena begged Hope to let her question Kristen alone. Hope denied Marlena's offer and said that the only person that could talk to Kristen was her lawyer, E.J. As all the eyes in the room turned toward E.J., he stared at Sami. Sami scowled and reminded E.J. that Kristen was his blood family. Before E.J. could respond, Roman entered the station and asked what had happened.
"I need to speak to my sister," E.J. announced. As E.J. started to walk, Sami shrugged with annoyance. E.J. followed Hope to her office. Nicole walked over to Sami and argued that Sami could have stopped E.J., and she intended to hold Sami responsible if E.J. managed to free Kristen. Sami started to mention her situation with E.J. but stopped when she saw Jennifer's lemon-faced gaze.
"You know all about revenge, don't you, Sami?" Jennifer asked. Jennifer then left to check on Daniel. Nicole reiterated her threat against Sami. Annoyed, Sami yelled that she and Nicole were on the same side and that Nicole should back off. Eric pleaded with the women to focus on Kristen. Roman ordered everyone to leave the station, and he ushered Sami, Nicole, and Marlena over to the exit. Hope warned Nicole not to report on the situation in the news.
Roman took Eric aside and said that he wanted to talk about the Vatican later. Impatient, Sami ran over and begged Eric to tell her what had happened in Rome. Eric took Sami's hand and led her out of the station. Worried, Nicole followed.
In Hope's office, E.J. asked Hope for a moment alone with his sister. Hope handcuffed Kristen to the chair, and she ordered the officers stationed at the door to arrest E.J. if Kristen handed him anything. After Hope left, E.J. stared at Kristen. Kristen explained that she had thought it would be a good idea to grab Daniel in St. Louis but that he had managed to get the upper hand and take her back to Salem. Kristen wondered aloud why Brady was not at the station yet.
"Listen to me, you twisted, psychotic little bitch. You keep your mouth shut," E.J. growled. Kristen told E.J. not to be rude. Barely concealing his anger, E.J. warned Kristen not to be confident because he and Stefano no longer had access to the DiMera assets.
"I am in a downward spiral that started when I agreed to keep your secret about seducing the priest," E.J. said. "I think it started when you slept with Abigail Deveraux. I mean you're not really gonna try and blame that on me, too, are you?" Kristen countered. E.J. admitted that Abigail had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life and that that other mistake had been not listening to his instincts about Kristen. E.J. stressed that he should have stayed away from his sister.
"I'm being honest. That's why you wouldn't understand it. But just to be clear, you are finished," E.J. said. Kristen reminded E.J. that she had been the reason why E.J. had won Sami back previously. Kristen promised that she would return Sami to E.J. if he helped her get out of jail. In disbelief, E.J. shook his head. E.J. argued that Kristen had been so consumed with revenge against Marlena that she had run Countess W into the ground. Kristen disagreed. Kristen added that Sami and Kate had outmaneuvered E.J. E.J. said that he did not need help with Sami. When Kristen noted that E.J. should help her because they were family, he leaned forward.
"Samantha and my children, they are my family, and I would do anything to keep them. Goodbye," E.J. said. Kristen warned E.J. that he could not remain neutral. E.J. informed Kristen that he would cooperate with the court and the police to ensure that Kristen was punished. With a grin, Kristen warned E.J. that if he betrayed her, she would destroy him. E.J. chuckled. Kristen pleaded quietly with E.J. not to underestimate her.
"I'm gonna show you what hell is like," Kristen whispered. Hope returned, and E.J. informed her that he was refusing to represent Kristen. Hope smiled as E.J. left the office. Kristen asked Hope if Brady knew that she had been arrested. Hope shook her head in disgust.
At the hospital, Theresa thought about when she had hit John on the back of the head with the fire poker as she exited John's hospital room. Anne spotted Theresa and asked her why she was checking on John. Theresa mumbled that she had been paying her respects. When Anne wondered aloud if John would wake up, Theresa said, "He can't wake up ever! For Brady's sake."
When Anne reiterated that Theresa should gouge Brady for money in order for him to secure an annulment, Theresa noted that her relationship with Brady was over. Theresa added that her sister had made her realize the marriage was done and that she was ready to move on. Suspicious, Anne said that Theresa's defeatist attitude was not like her normal narcissistic self.
"I don't know what I did to deserve your friendship," Theresa said sarcastically. Surprised, Anne said she had not realized they were friends. Pleased, Anne smiled and noted that she and Theresa did understand one another. Anne reminded Theresa that she had agreed to seduce Daniel and drive Jennifer crazy. In disbelief, Theresa's jaw fell open. Theresa said she had not been able to spend any time with Daniel in the last year. When Theresa sighed, Anne asked her to stop her defeatist attitude.
With a twinkle in her eye, Theresa suggested that Anne pursue Daniel. Theresa jokingly said that she had seen Daniel checking Anne out. Giggling, Anne said that Daniel had given her a dirty look but that it was also a bit sexy. Theresa urged Anne to pursue Daniel. As Anne blathered on about cutting Daniel's hair, Theresa walked away.
Out in the park, Brady remembered the night at the lake when he had found Kristen and they had reconciled. As Brady stared into the distance, Theresa saw Brady and asked him what he was doing. Brady said he had woken from a nightmare and had gone out for a walk. Brady changed the subject to the annulment, and he promised that he would have the signed papers sent to Theresa. Theresa told Brady to take his time. Nodding, Brady said he wanted to concentrate on the present and forget the past.
Overcome with emotion, Theresa sat on a bench in the park after Brady left. Anne approached her and explained that she had watched Theresa talk to Brady. When Anne asked if things were really over with Brady, Theresa said yes and that it was for the best.
In the hospital, Abe stayed with Daniel in the exam room and took his statement about the kidnapping. Daniel hoped aloud that Abe would be able to charge Kristen for wrongful imprisonment and assault. Daniel lamented that the crime scene had likely been scrubbed clean while Daniel and Kristen had traveled in the laundry truck. With a sigh, Daniel said that putting Kristen in prison would mean a lot to Brady.
After Abe left, Daniel waited in the exam room for the doctor to return with the results of his x-rays. When the door opened, Daniel was surprised to see Jennifer walk into the room. Worried, Jennifer asked Daniel if he was all right. When Jennifer reached out for Daniel, he stood up and stepped away from Jennifer. Daniel asked about Brady, and Jennifer explained that no one had been able to find Brady yet.
Daniel winced in pain. As Jennifer fretted, Daniel downplayed his injuries. Daniel said that he wanted to call his kids and Maggie. When Jennifer offered to make the phone calls, Daniel declined the offer, noting that he wanted to talk to his family. Jennifer said that she wanted to stay with Daniel and take care of him. Nodding, Daniel said that he appreciated Jennifer's offer but that his feelings had not changed. Daniel noted that Jennifer had believed the worst of him, and he could not forget that. Jennifer reluctantly left as the doctor examined Daniel's head wound.
In the town square, Sami begged Eric to tell her what had happened in Rome. As Eric started to talk, he stopped when he saw Nicole across the square. Eric said that he would never be a priest again. Furious, Sami accused Nicole of tanking Eric's chances with the Vatican. Sami argued that since Kristen was in jail, they could prove that Eric had been innocent and that Eric could be rid of Nicole. Eric ordered Sami to stop after she called Nicole a "baby-stealing bitch."
Eric explained that the cardinal had concluded that there was enough evidence to clear Eric of any wrongdoing with Kristen. Eric added that he had been given the option to return to the priesthood but that he had declined the offer because he no longer had the devotion to return to the priesthood. Nicole jumped in and added that Eric had decided not to return to the priesthood because he was consumed with hatred for Nicole. Newly angered, Sami argued that everything was still Nicole's fault.
Shaking his head, Eric urged Sami to concentrate on Kristen. When Eric noted that he was concerned about Marlena and Brady, Nicole cautioned that Kristen might not be punished because E.J. would pull some strings and get Kristen released from jail. Sami disagreed. Nicole argued that Sami had married the man that had kept Kristen's secret and that she was obsessed with the DiMera power and money. Nicole warned Sami that she would be "dead" if Kristen walked away from the charges.
After a call from home about the children, Sami left. Nicole grabbed Eric's arm as he started to walk away. Nicole asked Eric if he blamed her for everything. "I wish we would have caught Kristen months ago. I still would have cared about you and loved you," Eric said.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami sat on the staircase after she had checked on the children. "Who am I kidding? Of course those kids know something is wrong," Sami said. The front door opened, and E.J. walked in. Startled, Sami's eyes widened then she narrowed her eyes in anger.
After talking to the district attorney, Roman and Marlena returned to the police station to talk to Hope. Marlena explained that the D.A. had agreed that there was enough evidence to charge Kristen with the sexual assault and drugging Eric. Marlena added that there would be no bail because Kristen was a flight risk. Marlena reiterated her request to question Kristen privately, but Hope declined the request. Hope promised Marlena that Kristen would pay for her crimes if they followed the law. Nodding, Marlena said that she wanted Kristen's life to be destroyed.
Marlena went to the Kiriakis mansion and caught up with Brady as he arrived home. Worried, Brady asked if there was something wrong with John. Shaking her head, Marlena said there was no change with John but that Kristen was back in Salem.
At the Horton Town Square, Abigail was between phone calls to potential employers when Clyde approached and asked to talk to her. Abigail agreed, so Clyde took a seat at her table and acknowledged that things had been a bit tense during his earlier encounter with her and Ben.
"You know, there -- there are some things that have never been right between me and Ben. [...] The truth is, I was, uh -- I was a terrible father to Ben and Jordan. I mean, they left because I drove them away, and that has haunted me since the day they took off. It's no wonder that they don't want anything to do with me. [...] My boy needs -- well, he deserves good people in his life, especially after the childhood I gave him. You make him happy, and I'm -- I'm so grateful for that," Clyde told Abigail.
Clyde added that he had seen how Abigail had reacted when Ben had gotten riled up during their earlier encounter. Clyde stressed that Ben and Jordan each had a right to the anger they were harboring toward him. Clyde admitted that he had started seeing a psychiatrist after Jordan and Ben had fled Poplar Bluff, and he said that psychiatrist had helped him understand that his kids didn't owe him forgiveness.
Clyde said he planned to stay in Salem and hold out hope that Ben and Jordan would eventually be able to find a place in their hearts for him. Clyde thanked Abigail for listening, and he abruptly excused himself. Abigail, who hadn't said much during the conversation, took a deep breath as she watched Clyde walk away.
At Club TBD, Jordan informed Ben that, per her request, Rafe had stayed away from her lately. Ben said Rafe hadn't visited the club recently, either -- which didn't surprise Jordan, since Ben had beaten Rafe to a pulp during their last encounter. Ben admitted that he might have gone a bit overboard, but he unapologetically added that he wasn't going to let anyone get away with hurting his sister.
Ben assured Jordan that things would get better and that she would get over Rafe eventually. "Unless...do you want Rafe back?" Ben wondered. Jordan noncommittally replied that the jury was still out on that. Ben groaned when Jordan admitted that, earlier that day, she had listened to some of her saved voicemail messages from Rafe. Jordan thought it was pathetic that she was acting like a teenager.
Jordan wished she'd had some adult relationships so she could have been properly prepared to handle such a situation. Ben advised Jordan to talk to a friend about the matter, but she explained that Rafe had been her best friend. Jordan assured Ben that there was nothing to worry about and that she would eventually bounce back from Rafe's betrayal.
Changing the subject, Jordan revealed that she hadn't seen Clyde lately, prompting Ben to report that he hadn't seen the man since before the fight with Rafe. Jordan optimistically suggested that Clyde might have gone back to Poplar Bluff. Meanwhile, Ben turned his attention away from Jordan for a moment so he could prepare a cup of coffee for her, and when he handed it to her, he could tell that she was thinking about something.
Jordan explained that she had been thinking about something Rafe had told her. Ben hoped Rafe hadn't tried to excuse the infidelity, but Jordan assured him that Rafe wasn't that stupid. Jordan revealed that Rafe had felt shut out, and she admitted that she had kept him in the dark about her and Ben's past for a long time. Ben insisted that Jordan couldn't blame herself for Rafe's betrayal, but she didn't share her brother's certainty.
Ben wondered if Jordan was just looking for a reason to take Rafe back. "I just don't get it, okay? After everything that happened, how can I still be in love with him?" Jordan painfully wondered. Ben knowingly predicted that it was going to take time for Jordan to get over Rafe, although he added that he wasn't sure if she really wanted to do that. Ben suggested that it might be best for Jordan to track Rafe down and talk to him so she could see how that felt.
Later, after Jordan left, Abigail arrived and greeted Ben. Before Abigail could say anything about her earlier encounter with Clyde, Ben interrupted and handed her a new list of available jobs in the area. Abigail appreciated the help, since she had just exhausted all the options on her old list. Abigail sighed and explained that everyone wanted a reference, which she wasn't able to provide.
Ben said he had always had to get jobs without references, and he explained that his strategy had involved showing off his bartending skills and making it impossible for the employer to refuse to hire him. Ben was confident that Abigail could impress potential employers in a similar manner. At Abigail's request, Ben showed her how to make a few of the drinks he had won employers over with.
Ben eventually remembered that Abigail had been trying to tell him something earlier, and she explained that she had talked to Clyde earlier. Meanwhile, in a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Clyde met with Jeremiah. Jeremiah reported that his most recent trip from Poplar Bluff had been easy, and he added that the new truck was rigged and was bigger than the one he and Clyde had used in Poplar Bluff.
Clyde was pleased to hear that, reasoning that it was time to step things up because he and Jeremiah were no longer operating out of a small town. Jeremiah reminded Clyde that they were going to need locals. "Yeah, I'm gonna put a crew together. And I know who will lead me to just the right people," Clyde replied.
At the Brady Pub, Kate wondered if Rafe had asked to see her so he could tell her he had worked things out with Jordan. Rafe doubted that was what Kate really wanted to hear, but she innocently assured him that she simply wanted him to be happy. Kate reminded Rafe that she had taken all the blame for their one-night stand, and she maintained that she had been a good friend to him.
"So that's all I was? You took on Stefano DiMera for coming after me -- you risked revenge from Stefano -- for a friend?" Rafe skeptically asked. Kate claimed that she would have done the same thing for any of her other friends, although she admitted that she had probably also been looking for an excuse to go after her ex-husband.
Kate reminded Rafe that she was the one who had ended their relationship in the first place, and she explained that she had done that because, while their relationship had been fun, she had known that it hadn't been headed anywhere and that he had wanted more out of a relationship than that. Kate added that she was glad that Rafe had found happiness with Jordan. Rafe admitted that Jordan had asked him to stay away from her.
"Oh, my God. I -- I wish there was something I could do to make her see that I'm not the problem. It's crazy. I mean, of -- out of everyone, I mean, I'm the last person who's a threat to her. I mean, I don't want to be tied down. I mean, I've been there, done that. I've always been an independent woman. I don't need a man to make me feel relevant. Even my ex-husband didn't get that," Kate mused. Rafe said he had understood that about Kate.
Kate grasped Rafe's hand as she declared that she would never forgive herself if her actions ended up costing him his chance at happiness with Jordan. Rafe insisted that he didn't want Kate to blame herself, but she guessed that he did want her to keep her distance so he could work on repairing his relationship with Jordan. Kate promised to cooperate, and Rafe hugged her and thanked her for understanding.
After Rafe left, Clyde -- who had witnessed the embrace -- approached Kate and observed that it looked like she and Rafe -- the man who was dating Jordan -- were pretty good friends. Kate confirmed the suspicion, and Clyde explained that he hadn't said hello to Rafe because Jordan didn't really want Clyde to be around Rafe yet -- or Jordan, for that matter.
Clyde insisted that, despite Jordan's misgivings, Kate had done a good deed when she had shared Jordan and Ben's whereabouts with Clyde. Clyde promised that Kate would eventually get the credit she deserved for that good deed, but she stressed that she wasn't looking for credit. Clyde assured Kate that he hadn't said anything about her involvement, and he added that he understood that she had simply been looking out for a friend. Clyde cryptically mused that everyone needed friends.
In the park, Jordan considered calling Rafe, but she decided not to. Meanwhile, Rafe thought about Jordan as he jogged through the town square. When Rafe entered the park, he spotted Jordan, and he paused to apologize for the chance encounter. Rafe started to leave, but Jordan stopped him.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Sonny was pleased to hear that Will's editor had praised Will's story about E.J. and Sami's conflict, calling it compelling and well-written. Will said the article would be published in the near future, prompting Sonny to wonder if Will planned to give Sami a heads-up so she wouldn't be blindsided when she read the article and learned that her son was the author. Will didn't think that was necessary, but Sonny argued that Sami deserved a chance to prepare herself for the publication of the article.
"Oh, a chance? A chance -- a chance like she gave Abigail when she barged into her house and showed Jennifer those pictures of her with E.J.? Or -- or a chance like how she -- she blackmailed Kayla into firing Abigail from the hospital? No. My mom blindsides people with nasty information all the time -- just ask your mom. [...] I doubt she was given any kind of a -- a heads-up when my mom told your mom that your dad was having an affair with Kayla -- which was a total lie," Will countered.
Sonny wasn't particularly happy to learn that Sami had manipulated Adrienne, but he reasoned that Sami might have pulled the stunt to try to get Adrienne to put herself in Sami's shoes. "That is a pathetic excuse, Sonny Kiriakis, and you know it. Which is why I hope that this article serves as a wake-up call. She's gonna be so busy answering for her own outrageous behavior that she'll be forced to leave everyone else alone," Will predicted.
Will opened a bottle of champagne, and Sonny proudly proposed a toast to his husband, the writer. Sonny hoped that Will's family wouldn't go ballistic when they read the article, but Will wasn't worried, since he had weathered worse storms with Sami. Will revealed that his editor had predicted that the story would get picked up nationally, and he admitted that he couldn't believe that the magazine had been willing to give an inexperienced writer a chance. Sonny said the important thing was that Will had taken the chance and had run with it.
Later, while Will and Sonny were lying in bed together after making love, Sonny joked that Will needed to write lots and lots of articles so they would have many more reasons to celebrate. Will agreed and once again mused that it was amazing that he had received such a great opportunity simply because someone had stumbled upon his blog. Will wondered how he had gotten such a lucky break. Sonny forced a smile but remained silent.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami informed E.J. that she still planned to get the restraining order against him enforced in the near future. E.J. insisted that wasn't necessary, but Sami disagreed. "Do you think something's changed? Do you think something's gotten better in the last couple hours? Then, on top of everything else, now you are helping your psychotic sister get away with what she did to my brother? You should pack your bags, dirtball," Sami advised E.J.
Although Sami wasn't particularly interested in listening to anything E.J. had to say, he eventually managed to keep her quiet long enough to explain that he had actually refused to represent Kristen. Sami bitterly mused that it was nice to hear that E.J. was suddenly on her brother's side. E.J. insisted that he had always been on Sami's family's side.
"Look, if I could take back one day in my life, it would be that day. This whole thing started then, with Kristen. I was loyal to a member of my family who did not deserve it. Never again. She is dead to me -- that is what I told her," E.J. added. Sami was reluctant to believe E.J., but he insisted that if she looked in his eyes, she would know he was telling the truth.
"I looked in your eyes for months, and you were lying to me, and I had no idea. So, no, I'm pretty sure I don't even know who you are anymore," Sami countered. Sami added that nothing had changed between her and E.J., even if he really had finally decided to ditch his sister. Sami dismissively asked if E.J. expected a medal for turning his back on a member of his family.
E.J. reminded Sami that the DiMeras took family loyalty very seriously, and he insisted that she had to appreciate the significance of his decision to choose her and their children over his sister. Sami maintained that she was never going to forgive E.J., but he reasoned that, in that case, there wouldn't be any harm in letting him continue to live at the mansion.
E.J. warned Sami that if she kicked him out, the news would quickly reach the board members and investors. Sami thought E.J. was threatening to spread the word himself, but he doubted that he would have to lift a finger. E.J. stressed that, while he didn't want the details of his private life to be made public, discretion was even more critical for Sami.
E.J. somewhat dismissively pointed out that Sami wouldn't be able to complete her plan to send him into financial ruin if the board members and investors panicked and started pulling their money out of the company, which could easily happen if she weren't careful. Sami warned E.J. not to make the mistake of believing that she couldn't hurt him. "You do that every minute -- every time you look away. And you don't need a company to do that, Samantha. But you have one, so I would like to see you win," E.J. replied.
Sami took a deep breath and started to warn E.J. about what would happen if he tried to use their kids against her or to help Kristen in any way, but he interrupted and assured her that he understood that if he committed either of those offenses, he would be thrown out. Sami glared at E.J. for a moment before heading into the living room. E.J. remained in the foyer and silently celebrated his minor victory.
Later, while Sami was on the phone with Shin, he asked about E.J. Sami claimed that E.J. wasn't home at that time, but E.J. -- who was in the living room with her, pouring himself a drink -- spoke up, acting like he had just returned to the mansion. Sami reluctantly handed E.J. the phone, quietly warning him about what would happen if he said the wrong thing.
E.J. kept the conversation friendly and agreed with the compliments Shin showered upon Sami. After E.J. ended the call, Sami stressed that she still didn't trust him and that she certainly wasn't going to forgive and forget based on the result of one phone call. E.J. dismissively changed the subject, advising Sami to pay attention to what he was about to say.
E.J. started to warn Sami that she was playing a very dangerous game, but she interrupted and made it clear that she wasn't interested in hearing his advice. Meanwhile, Sami received a phone call from someone, and she abruptly excused herself after a brief conversation with the caller. E.J. protested that what he had to say was extremely important, but Sami dismissively told him to share his concerns with Kate, who had just returned home.
E.J. warned Kate that she and Sami were walking a tightrope and that they needed to be careful. Kate assured E.J. that he wasn't going to succeed in frightening her, but he clarified that he was actually trying to help her. Kate was skeptical, but she stressed that she knew exactly where she stood on the tightrope. "Do you? Then you need to step up, because I don't think Samantha has any idea of what she has to lose," E.J. mused.
Sami met with Will's editor, Zoe, in the town square, under the assumption that Zoe wanted to interview her for an article about DiMera Enterprises. Zoe clarified that she wasn't interested in interviewing Sami and that the article had already been written. Zoe handed Sami a copy of the article and explained that she simply wanted to give Sami a chance to read and comment on it before it was published.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Marlena told Brady about Kristen's return and subsequent arrest. Brady rushed off to confront Kristen, with Marlena in tow. When Brady and Marlena arrived at the police station, he demanded to see Kristen right away. One of the police officers denied the request and asked Brady to leave, but he refused to do so, and he proceeded to antagonize the police officer. Marlena intervened and pulled Brady aside, warning him that he was giving Kristen exactly what she wanted.
Elsewhere, Kristen placed a phone call to Stefano and asked for his help. "Are you aware of what E.J. did to me? He turned his back on me. He betrayed me. Yes, he betrayed me! And you know what happens to a DiMera when they betray another DiMera -- there is a very, very steep price to pay," Kristen told Stefano. After ending the call, Kristen briefly wondered why Brady hadn't visited her yet, but she quickly reminded herself that she needed to stop worrying about him and instead focus on turning her dire situation around.
When Marlena and Brady returned to the Kiriakis mansion, he assured her that he no longer had any desire to confront Kristen. "Marlena, if I have my way with that woman, she'll rot in hell before she ever sees me again," Brady declared.
Brady said he was going to focus on doing whatever it took to help John recover. Marlena cautiously reminded Brady that, while everyone was hoping that John would recover, the doctors weren't very optimistic. Brady pointed out that the doctors didn't know John the way he and Marlena knew John. Brady refused to give up on John, who had never given up on Brady.
In the living room of the DiMera mansion, E.J. tried to warn Kate about what his father might do to retaliate after she and Sami had stolen the company -- because the two women could end up with nothing. Unconcerned, Kate insisted that she could handle Stefano. Reminding her about how much Stefano valued loyalty, E.J. recounted the ways Stefano had exacted revenge for her previous disloyalty. "So what are you telling me, Elvis? That your father is going to take out a hit on me and your precious Samantha?" Kate asked coolly. "What do you think?" E.J. replied.
Kate pointed out that E.J. had betrayed his father but had still survived. E.J. reminded her that, unlike Kate, he was a DiMera -- plus it was highly unlikely that Rafe would try to defend her honor. Kate countered that she didn't need defending, but she wondered how E.J. would feel if Rafe chose to ride to Sami's rescue. E.J. contended that someone was going to pay for their crimes against Stefano, who would show mercy to the mother of grandchildren, so Kate would end up paying the price.
E.J. wondered why Stefano had taken so long to get Kate out of the picture. Kate asserted that Stefano was secretly pleased with everything she and Sami had accomplished -- plus he was far too busy dealing with the return of his "prodigal daughter." Kate asked why E.J. wasn't down at the jail, bailing his sister out. E.J. declared that he wasn't going to lift a finger to help Kristen, who deserved to pay for what she'd done to Eric and Brady, and E.J. was fed up with the havoc she continued to wreak on his life.
Kate noted that it sounded like Stefano would have his hands full with saving Kristen from herself, but E.J. warned Kate that Stefano would never take his eyes off the company. Kate wondered aloud what the board would think if something terrible were to happen to the two women whom Stefano had put in charge. E.J. pointed out that the board was only interested in the bottom line. E.J. continued that there were silent investors in some of the companies that Kate and Sami had dismantled -- many of whom were "unsavory types" who were quite unhappy about what the women had done.
"My father's done a very good job of keeping these people at bay, but if they don't get what they want soon, they will do his dirty work for him. You sleep well, Kate," E.J. added ominously before leaving the room.
Outside Horton Square, Clyde met with Jeremiah, who was unsure if it were a good idea for them to expand their business to Salem. Clyde firmly stated that his family was in Salem -- and he had no intention of losing them again. Jeremiah said that he was about to head back to Poplar Bluff, but he was curious how Clyde had found someone to help put their team together. "She's the one who found me," Clyde explained with a glint in his eye. Realizing that Clyde was referring to Kate, Jeremiah was duly impressed. "Not only is she a fine-looking lady, she is very well connected," Clyde declared.
In the park, Jordan explained to Rafe that she had been completely unprepared for what had happened between him and Kate. Rafe started to apologize again but stopped himself, noting that apologies were just words and therefore meaningless. Jordan assured him that his words were important as long as he meant them. Rafe said that he felt terrible that he hadn't been the one to tell Jordan about Kate, but he was glad that Jordan could lean on Ben. "Obviously, I know how he feels about me. I'm sure your stepfather feels the same way," Rafe said.
Jordan snapped, "I don't care what Clyde thinks!" Rafe acknowledged that it would take a long time to earn Jordan's trust again, but he pleaded with her to give him a chance. As he reached out to touch her, she flinched away, declaring, "Stop! I think this was a mistake." Rafe asserted that the mistake would be if they didn't even try to work things out. He urged Jordan to at least think about it, and she gave him a tearful nod of agreement. "I'm not going anywhere. You mean more to me than anything in this whole world," Rafe assured her.
Later, E.J. was on the phone, walking past the Brady Pub. "So as soon as we have the new product and the employees in place, we'll be open for business," E.J. said before hanging up. He peered in the window of the pub and spotted Rafe inside, drinking alone, so E.J. went in and sat down across from Rafe. After ordering a drink, E.J. expressed his sympathy about Rafe and Jordan's breakup. With seeming sincerity, E.J. said, "I really couldn't help but wonder whether the split was about Samantha... I mean, just whether or not you broke up with Jordan because of what happened between me and Samantha."
"You really are a horse's ass," Rafe declared, but E.J. just guffawed at the insult. E.J. guessed that Jordan had been the one who'd dumped Rafe. "For once, you and I actually have something in common," E.J. observed, clinking Rafe's glass with his.
In Horton Square, Sami met with Zoe, the editor from True Vista magazine, so Sami could fact-check the article that had been written about her. Sami was filled with pride when she learned that Will had written the article and that the he was a very talented new addition to the magazine's staff. Sami was extremely touched when she read the first few flattering sentences -- until she got to the meat of the article, and her demeanor completely changed. "Oh, my God. There is no way my son wrote this!" Sami exclaimed, gasping in horror as she flipped through the rest of the pages.
Sami managed to curtail her fury long enough to offer Zoe a lot of money not to publish the article. Zoe politely declined, explaining that she'd only wanted to give Sami the opportunity to see the article before it went to press. As Zoe rose to leave, she urged Sami to call if she had any comments. "I have comments, and they will be heard," Sami hissed.
Will and Sonny were in bed together when the doorbell rang. Assuming that it was the takeout they'd ordered, Will hurried to pay for it but found Adrienne at the door instead. Adrienne apologized for not calling first. Sonny appeared and assured her that they had just been celebrating. After swearing Adrienne to secrecy -- even where Sami and Lucas were concerned -- Will proudly informed her that his first article was about to be published. Adrienne gave Will a congratulatory hug and asked what the article was about -- or at least what magazine it would be in.
Will said that the article would be in the next issue of True Vista. As he headed out of the room to grab a shirt, Adrienne realized that True Vista was published by one of Victor's companies. Sonny cut his mom off before she could blurt out anything damning in front of Will. Sonny quickly hustled Adrienne out the door to take the deposits with Ben at the club.
Just as Will returned to the bedroom to retrieve the champagne glasses, there was a loud knock at the door. When Sonny answered it, Sami charged past him into the apartment. "You! You put him up to this, didn't you?" she spat. Sonny's heart sank as Sami explained that she'd just met with Zoe Browning and read the article that Will had written for True Vista magazine. Will returned just then and informed his mother that Sonny had actually tried to talk him out of writing the article.
Sami expressed her incredulity that her own son would write something so "mean and nasty." Will calmly pointed out that every word he'd written was true. "You made me sound like a narcissistic, vengeful bitch," Sami complained. Will countered that he had taken a pretty measured approach. Sonny interrupted because he had forgotten to take care of something at the club, so he quickly headed out.
After Sonny had gone, Sami said that she understood that Will was upset -- but she hadn't realized just how much he hated her. Will insisted that he didn't hate his mom, but she had refused to listen to him or anyone else. "Because the only thing you or anyone else wanted to say to me was how much little Abby was suffering!" Sami insisted. She pointed out that Abigail had pretended to be Sami's friend all while she'd been sleeping with Sami's fiancé -- and Will had taken Abigail's side.
Will argued that he had tried very hard to get Sami to talk about her feelings, and he had never defended Abigail's actions, but then Sami had become obsessed with getting revenge on E.J. and Abigail. Sami fiercely reminded her son, "Did you think I was going to curl up in a little ball, the fetal position, crying my eyes out? Yeah, get to know me. I'm Sami DiMera, and I don't play victim." Will asserted that was exactly what Sami had been doing since the moment she'd learned about E.J.'s affair.
Sami contended that she had not been moping around, feeling sorry for herself or asking for sympathy -- though no one had offered any -- and instead, she'd taken charge and taken over a company to build a future for her children, and it was not her fault that Abigail had violated the conditions of her employment at the hospital. Will suggested that Sami might feel better about everything if she tried talking to Marlena. Sami reminded Will of the issues she had with her mom.
"But I did think that you and I had worked through our issues. How could you write such a scathing article about me?" Sami asked quietly. Will explained that the assignment was a big deal, a cover story. "So that's it? It's okay to throw your mom under the bus, just as long as you get to see your name in print?" Sami said, the hurt apparent even in her soft tone of voice. Will angrily maintained that he had nearly backed out of writing the article numerous times, but then Sami had taken her revenge even further -- such as lying to Adrienne that Justin had been having an affair with Kayla.
"I'm sorry that you're upset, Mom, but people needed to know what actually happened. Now they will," Will declared. Sami wondered what had happened to her "sweet little boy." She reminded Will, "Remember that night you came to confront me about Abby? You know what you threw in my face? That time you walked in on me with E.J." Will countered that she had repeatedly called Abigail a whore. Sami reminded her son that she had fought for him his entire life, and she'd done everything she could to protect him -- and Arianna.
"I realize I've made about a billion mistakes raising you, but I loved you unconditionally, and I was always willing to risk anything and everything to help you. And what you did, writing that article -- you basically threw that love and that sacrifice back in my face. And right now I hurt because I know someday you will realize what a huge mistake you have made. You will forever regret writing what you did," Sami warned her son, pained tears brimming in her eyes, before turning and walking out.
At Club TBD, Abigail informed Ben that she'd just spoken to his father. Ben was irked because it seemed as if Abigail were about to defend Clyde, but she simply wanted to tell Ben what Clyde had said. Ben listened grudgingly as Abigail explained that Clyde had admitted to being a lousy father, and he didn't blame Ben and Jordan for running away. Ben was certain that there had to be a catch. Abigail suggested that perhaps Clyde really had changed.
Before Ben could argue with Abigail about that, Adrienne showed up with the deposit bag for Ben. When Ben got up to deal with it, Adrienne sat down with Abigail. Ben returned from the back room a moment later, saw that Abigail was occupied, and slipped out the front door.
Although Abigail was very reluctant, Adrienne wanted to talk to her about E.J. Abigail acknowledged that Adrienne had been right about E.J. Adrienne explained that she had just been concerned, and she had gone to Jennifer when she'd seen Abigail with E.J. because she'd thought she could save Abigail from him.
Abigail admitted that it had already been too late by the time she and Adrienne had talked. Adrienne apologized sincerely for obliviously suggesting that Abigail help E.J.'s son bake cupcakes. Abigail assured her aunt that it was all right because there was no way Adrienne could have known what had been going on. Abigail admitted that she had been ashamed of herself and that was why she'd taken it out on Adrienne. After making sure that E.J. was completely in Abigail's past, Adrienne mentioned how nice Ben seemed -- and she observed that Abigail was blushing.
"It is so nice to see you smile again," Adrienne said affectionately. She made Abigail promise to ask for help if Sami went after her again, but Abigail was confident that she could take care of herself. Abigail went to the bar and asked a bartender where Ben had gone. The bartender surprised Abigail by telling her that Ben had left a little while earlier.
Sonny showed up while Abigail was away from the table and said hello to his mom -- who immediately demanded an explanation for why Sonny had gotten rid of her before she could mention that Victor's company owned True Vista's publishing company. Adrienne quickly deduced that Will wasn't aware of that -- and that Sonny had gotten the job for Will. Sonny insisted that his Uncle Victor had only put in a good word for Will, but Will would never have been offered a cover story if the editor hadn't respected his writing.
Sonny hoped that if Will did find out about Victor's ownership of the company, that it didn't happen until after Will had established himself as a writer, with good feedback. Although Adrienne was still worried, she changed the subject to ask what the article was about. "Sami and E.J. and the truth about why Sami took over DiMera Enterprises," Sonny admitted. Adrienne fretted, "Forget about Will finding out you got him the job. You'd better pray Sami never does."
Clyde met Ben outside Horton Square and greeted his son cheerfully. With a finger in the older man's face, Ben hotly warned Clyde, "I want you to stay the hell away from Abigail." Clyde cautioned Ben to keep his temper under control -- because Clyde had been able to tell that the angry side of Ben had frightened Abigail. Ben noted snidely, "Then you took the opportunity to go and tell her about how much you've changed, right?"
Clyde claimed that he had, indeed, changed -- for good -- because losing his kids had made him take a long, hard look at himself. Clyde explained that he had actually gone to therapy and had worked very hard at it because Ollie and Tammy Sue meant everything to him. "If you really cared, you'd go away," a skeptical Ben retorted. Clyde maintained that all he'd ever wanted was for his kids to find true happiness. "You look like you're doing real well for yourself... That Abigail's a fine catch, and your sister's got that nice detective," Clyde noted.
Clyde observed something in Ben's demeanor change when he mentioned Rafe and asked if something had happened between Jordan and Rafe. Ben set his jaw and refused to say a word on that subject. Clyde proposed that Ben and Jordan spend some time with him, then they could judge whether or not he had changed. Clyde asked if Ben could also try calling him "Dad," but Ben refused. With a shrug, Clyde urged Ben to at least give the offer some thought.
Jordan was wandering somewhat aimlessly through Horton Square when Abigail spotted her and said hello. Abigail asked if Jordan and Rafe had gotten a chance to talk. Jordan admitted that seeing Rafe had caught her off guard, and all the words she'd planned to say had vanished because she hadn't been able to stop imagining him with Kate. "How can I still love him after what he did?" Jordan wondered ruefully. Abigail guessed Jordan knew that Rafe had never intended to hurt her.
"I don't think the issue with Rafe is love. Isn't this really about trust?" Abigail theorized. Jordan agreed, but she didn't see how she could ever get past what Rafe had done. Abigail posited that perhaps the whole thing had been a test to make Jordan and Rafe's love even stronger. "If you and Rafe still really do love each other, then wouldn't it be such a shame to throw it all away, just because he made one terrible mistake?" Abigail asked.
On the phone at the magazine offices, Zoe stated, "Before we go to press, I want to make one small but very important adjustment... No, I have not spoken with the writer yet, but I will. Whenever the piece refers to E.J. DiMera's anonymous mistress, we need to change all of those references to her actual name: Abigail Deveraux."
