After visiting John at the hospital, Lucas ran into Jordan and asked if she and Rafe were trying to work things out. "Why do you care?" Jordan somewhat snippily replied before walking away. Lucas followed Jordan and explained that he cared because he believed that she and Rafe -- who was a good friend of his -- had been great together.
Lucas assured Jordan that he didn't want Rafe to end up with Kate, adding that he wouldn't wish that fate on his worst enemy, let alone a friend. Lucas said he suspected that Kate had orchestrated the one-night stand with Rafe, since he had seen them together on the night in question. Lucas warned that Kate would win if Jordan and Rafe split for good because of the one-night stand.
"And we can't have that. Hmm. Now I get it -- you want me to get back with Rafe just to punish Kate," Jordan guessed, but Lucas insisted that she had misunderstood. Lucas acknowledged that Jordan was an amazing, beautiful woman, and he explained that he simply wanted her to find happiness with someone -- even if that person wasn't Rafe -- because he believed that everyone deserved that chance.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will was flipping through pictures on his cell phone, looking for the ones he had taken of Arianna after she had gotten her hair cut for the first time. Will couldn't remember what day the pictures had been taken, so he called out to his husband for help, explaining that he wanted to send the images to his siblings, who were still at sleep-away camp. Sonny thought the milestone had occurred the previous Wednesday.
When Sonny emerged from Arianna's bedroom to help out with the search, he found Will staring sadly at a picture of Sami that had been taken on the day of Will and Sonny's wedding. "It's okay to miss Sami. She's your mom," Sonny assured Will, knowing what was on his mind.
Will said it didn't matter how he felt, since Sami still hated him for writing the TruVista article. Sonny insisted that no one -- not even Sami -- hated Will, and he added that when he had seen Sami recently, she had been angry but had also been worried about Will. "But not worried enough to show up or call. And that would be too much to ask right now -- I get that," Will conceded.
Sonny maintained that Will and Sami had simply had a fight, and he pointed out that he fought with his mother all the time. Will countered that his fight with Sami had been pretty big, but Sonny reasoned that if he and Adrienne could get past Adrienne's attempts to break them up and stop them from getting married, Will and Sami would be able to get past their fight, too. Will hoped Sonny was right.
Changing the subject, Sonny suggested to Arianna that they could go for a walk so Will could have some time to focus on writing his next article. Will wasn't particularly thrilled about his latest assignment, but Sonny was confident that Will would find a way to make the exploration of Salem's traffic problems riveting. Later, after Sonny and Arianna left, Will received an unexpected visit from Zoe, who explained that she had an offer for him.
Will reluctantly invited Zoe in and said he had heard that Victor had fired her. Zoe dismissively replied that she had only been unemployed for four hours before landing a job at Sonix. Impressed, Will pointed out that Sonix boasted national reach, with approximately seven million unique hits to their website each month. Zoe explained that she was the magazine's new feature editor and that she had complete editorial control -- in large part due to the success of Will's TruVista article. "So, I'm thinking...maybe we should get back together?" Zoe suggested.
Zoe clarified that she hadn't just visited Will to make him a job offer -- she had also been worried about him. Will confirmed that, while he was coping, he had definitely faced repercussions as a result of Zoe's decision to overrule him and include Abigail's name in his article. Zoe apologized for naming Abigail in the article without first talking to Will about the decision, but she admitted that if she could go back and do it all over again, she would still include Abigail's name in the article.
Will didn't think he could trust Zoe again, but she promised that she would always be honest with him in the future. Will stressed that he would never again write about his family, and Zoe agreed to the stipulation, adding that she would also guarantee that nothing would ever be posted under his name without his approval. Will demanded the guarantee in writing, and she happily agreed to grant his request.
Zoe excitedly informed Will that she had tons of ideas for his next story. Will pointed out that he hadn't accepted the job offer yet, but Zoe knowingly guessed that he didn't really want to stay at TruVista and write about things like traffic patterns. Will was surprised that Zoe knew about his latest assignment, but she explained that the story had been sitting around for months because no one had wanted to write it. Zoe added that Will had been given the assignment because his new editor believed that he was a green writer who couldn't refuse the assignment because he didn't have any other options.
Zoe disagreed with that assessment of Will, reasoning that Sonix needed his voice and his perspective because he was a member of their most important demographic -- college-educated readers ranging from eighteen to thirty-four years of age. Zoe added that Sonix was prepared to offer Will more money than he was making at TruVista and that they would make him a member of their staff, meaning he would receive a regular paycheck instead of only getting paid when one of his articles got published.
"And you would put all of that in writing?" Will skeptically asked. Zoe retrieved a file from her purse as she replied that she already had. "I know that you are better than what TruVista will let you do. The question is, do you know it? [...] Give yourself a real break, Will," Zoe advised Will. Will said he would have to talk to Sonny before making a final decision. Zoe agreed but warned that she needed an answer soon.
Sonny took Arianna to see Lucas at the Brady Pub. Lucas wondered how his son was doing, guessing that Will was still kicking himself every second for writing the TruVista article. Sonny confirmed the suspicion but added that Will was trying to move on and was actually already working on a new article.
Changing the subject, Sonny reported that he and Will had heard from Allie the previous day, and she had mentioned a boy she had met at camp. Stunned, Lucas protested that he had been under the impression that Allie still believed boys were gross. "Sorry, Dad, but, uh, Kevin apparently is 'awesome sauce,'" Sonny replied. Lucas vowed to sauce the little weasel if he went anywhere near Allie.
Sonny enjoyed watching Lucas squirm, but Lucas warned that Sonny had similar things to look forward to when Arianna got older. Sonny reasoned that it seemed like that was a good kind of problem to have -- a normal one, unlike the kind of problem Will was dealing with as a result of his decision to write the TruVista article. Sonny suspected that, deep down, Will regretted making that decision.
Lucas guessed that Sami had pushed all the right buttons to make Will's decision easy, but Sonny admitted that Will wouldn't have even been in a position to make such a decision if Sonny hadn't asked Victor to get Will a job. Lucas took the opportunity to apologize for unintentionally revealing Sonny's secret to Will, but Sonny acknowledged that he should have been honest with Will from the beginning, anyway.
Lucas agreed, adding that marriage was all about working through things together. Sonny teasingly wondered how Lucas had figured that out. "I read books. And they must be right, because that's exactly what I didn't do. So learn from my mistakes, my son -- you and Will, you just be honest with each other, okay? Everything else will be fine," Lucas advised Sonny.
When Sonny returned home with Arianna, Will told him about the Sonix job offer. Sonny was excited for Will until he learned that Zoe had made the offer. "You're seriously thinking about going to work for a woman who nearly ruined your life?" Sonny asked incredulously. Will explained that Zoe had given him a chance to write about meaningful things instead of traffic patterns, and he added that he had gotten the offer on his own, without anyone's help.
Sonny sighed and excused himself so he could check on Arianna. Sonny assured Will that he would support whatever decision Will made. Will protested that Sonny's opinion mattered to him. "Does it? 'Cause it sounded like you already had your mind made up before I even walked in the door," Sonny replied before retreating to Arianna's bedroom.
Outside Club TBD, Abigail confirmed Ben's suspicion that she had pushed him away earlier because she had been thinking about E.J. at that time, although she added that she didn't want to be thinking about E.J. at all. "Yeah, and I'm just the guy to help you forget. [...] I don't do rebounds, Abigail. You want E.J.? Go get him. [Or] do whatever you want, but I'm not gonna be your consolation prize," Ben bitterly replied.
Before Abigail could clarify things, T emerged from the club and started to explain that Ben was needed inside. T quickly stopped himself, guessing that he had stepped in at a bad time, but Ben welcomed the interruption and insisted that he and Abigail were done, anyway. Ben rushed back into the club, ignoring Abigail's attempt to stop him.
T told Abigail he was sorry for interrupting her conversation with Ben, and she walked away after quietly muttering that she was sorry, too. A short time later, Abigail ran into Jordan in the town square, and Jordan quickly deduced that something was wrong. Abigail said she couldn't talk to Jordan about the matter, but that just made Jordan certain that it had something to do with Ben.
Abigail reluctantly confirmed the suspicion, but she still felt awkward talking to Jordan about the situation, so she only offered a few vague details about what had happened. Abigail stressed that her relationship with E.J. had been over for a long time and that she had no desire to get back together with him, adding that she truly believed that he and Sami were meant to be together because they deserved each other.
Abigail guessed that the TruVista article had just dredged everything up again, but she insisted that she was only interested in Ben and that she had truly believed that they could have a real shot at a special relationship. Jordan encouraged Abigail not to give up on Ben without a fight.
T reentered Club TBD and apologized to Ben for busting things up earlier, but Ben replied that T hadn't busted up anything at all. Ben insisted that his relationship with Abigail was over. "Oh, that's too bad. Um...so you won't mind me asking her out? 'Cause she is smokin' hot," T said. Ben glared at T but remained silent. "So maybe things aren't as over as you think they are," T knowingly observed.
Ben encouraged T to ask Abigail out, claiming that he didn't care either way, but T wasn't fooled because Ben was a horrible bluffer. Annoyed, Ben busied himself with work while T teased him about his obvious unresolved feelings for Abigail. Later, T received a phone call from someone. After ending the call, T informed Ben that Sonny needed someone to retrieve a box of olives that had been left behind at the club's old storage unit. At T's request, Ben agreed to handle the errand. T grinned mischievously as he watched Ben exit the club. When Ben got to the storage unit, he was surprised to find Abigail there.
In the park, Clyde introduced himself to E.J. and explained that he was hoping they could do some business together. Clyde assured E.J. that, despite their obvious differences, they had mutual interests. "You know, I'm probably not saying this the right way. The truth is, I'm a little nervous finally meeting you. What I mean to say, sir, is I was hoping that maybe I could come work for you," Clyde respectfully added.
E.J. innocently stated that he already had a full maintenance crew at his house and at his company. "I understand the suspicion -- I'd feel the same way if I was in your shoes. I'm from a little town called Poplar Bluff; your people can check me out. Now, I don't pretend to be in your league, sir, but I do know our business, and from what I've seen and heard since I came to Salem -- all due respect -- you're getting ripped off. Now, I don't know if the people you deal with have more overhead than I do or if they're just greedy or foolish, but what I do know is I can see to it you do a whole lot better. Just give me the chance, sir," Clyde replied.
"Now, I'm looking to stay here in Salem for a spell, and I have access to a quality product at a lower cost than your current suppliers. And your distribution system is decent, but even there, you've got breakage -- spillage -- and I know how to put a stop to that. You check me out, Mr. DiMera -- you'll see," Clyde added. E.J., who had remained silent during the pitch, wondered if Clyde was finished yet. When Clyde confirmed that he was, E.J. walked away without saying another word.
"Son of a bitch," Clyde disappointedly muttered after E.J. left. Later, Clyde placed a phone call to someone and reported that, while he didn't know how things were going to go, he was optimistic that he had found himself a sweet deal that would set him up for good in Salem.
In an undisclosed location, Stefano was on the phone with someone, stressing that he wanted a jet fueled and ready to go because he was planning to return to Salem later that day. "We have anticipated every move that Katerina and Sami could make, huh? They are neutralized, all right? So there is nothing that they can do now to prevent my return, eh?" Stefano reasoned.
At the police station, Kate told Rafe that Stefano had threatened her life during a recent phone conversation -- one Sami had overheard because Kate had turned on the speakerphone the moment Stefano had started talking. Kate explained that she had wanted Sami to hear every word of the conversation because she had sensed right away that Stefano had been up to something. "Right. And what, exactly, were those words...Sami?" Rafe skeptically asked.
Kate started to respond, but Rafe interrupted and stressed that he wanted to hear Sami's version of events. "So, uh...well, Stefano was blathering about, you know, everything that's happened -- how we, heh, took his plane, and, uh, the company, and then the article at TruVista -- and, I mean, he was getting himself all worked up, you know? He was getting more and more angry, and then, I mean, he just came right out, and he said, 'Katerina, the games are over.' And he said, 'When I come back to Salem, I'm going to kill you, you broken-down whore,'" Sami claimed, doing a poor imitation of Stefano.
"A lot of it was in Italian. He said...puta? Or puttana. I forget -- which one's the Italian word for 'whore'? Um...I mean, he just kept going on and on -- it was really aggressive, but he definitely meant the word 'whore,'" Sami added. Kate sighed irritably but went along with Sami's story. Satisfied, Rafe excused himself so he could find the district attorney, Melinda Trask, and tell her about Stefano's threat. Rafe told Kate and Sami to wait for him in his office, explaining that the hearing was less than an hour away, and they might be asked to testify during it.
After Rafe left, Kate protested that Stefano never would have called her a "broken-down whore." Sami disagreed, but she reasoned that it didn't matter either way, since that was the story they might soon be forced to stick to -- under oath. Sami was worried about committing perjury, but Kate didn't understand why, since it would save them from Stefano, and it wasn't even much of a lie, anyway, because Stefano really had made a veiled threat.
Sami maintained that Kate was overreacting about what Stefano had said earlier, reasoning that when he returned to Salem, he would be more concerned with ousting them as co-CEOs of DiMera Enterprises than harming them. Kate conceded that Sami might be right, musing that things would certainly be easier for Stefano if they were out of the spotlight. Sami agreed and happily summarized that the worst that could happen was that she and Kate would be forced into early retirement. "No. You didn't hear me. [...] It would be easier for him to eliminate us if we weren't in the spotlight," Kate clarified.
Sami dismissively insisted that Stefano would never eliminate the mother of his grandchildren. Kate sighed and complained that she was sick of hearing that rationale. Kate stressed that, unlike Sami, she had actually talked to Stefano, and it had been obvious that he was out for revenge. Sami maintained that Stefano's revenge wouldn't involve murder, since that would incur E.J.'s wrath because, despite everything that had happened, E.J. still didn't want her dead. Kate groaned and wondered if Sami really believed that would matter to Stefano. "E.J. is his son," Sami matter-of-factly reasoned.
"Tony was his son, and he left him to rot on an island for God knows how long. Ooh -- he loved Marlena, and what did he do with her? He kept her prisoner. And Lexie -- poor Lexie -- he kept hostage in tunnels so toxic, they contributed to her death," Kate countered. Sami pointed out that none of those examples had involved outright murder, and Kate agreed, adding that Stefano preferred to torture his victims with fates worse than death. Kate predicted that instead of killing Sami, Stefano would simply lock her up somewhere so she would never be able to see her children again.
Sami sighed and muttered that the entire situation had gotten out of control. "You knew what we were doing -- we were stripping Stefano of everything, including his pride. And now we need to -- we need to face reality -- if he comes back here as a free man, we're not only going to lose our company, we're going to lose our lives...one way or another," Kate confidently warned Sami. Meanwhile, Rafe returned and reported that Melinda had agreed to put Sami and Kate on the witness stand during the hearing. Rafe left again after Kate confirmed that she and Sami were ready to go whenever he was.
Sami reluctantly agreed to go along with Kate's plan, conceding that, while it was risky, it was still better than the alternative. While Sami and Kate were practicing the story they planned to sell to the judge, Kate suggested that the part about Stefano calling her a "broken-down whore" wasn't really necessary, but Sami disagreed and reasoned that if they omitted that part, it might arouse Rafe's suspicion.
Kate conceded that the insult might actually make Stefano's supposed threat seem more serious, and Sami pointed out that it also provided Stefano with a motive because it implied that he still held a grudge against Kate for betraying him with other men. Kate admitted that Sami's little jab might have inadvertently helped their cause. Sami vowed that if she and Kate were imprisoned for committing perjury, she would hold it against Kate for the rest of their lives. Kate dismissively reasoned that if Stefano won the hearing, she and Sami wouldn't live much longer, anyway.
As Sami and Kate continued to bicker, Rafe returned and told them there had been a change of plans. Rafe explained that Kate and Sami no longer needed to testify because he had found some solid new evidence against Stefano that had just been verified. Rafe assured the women that the new evidence would guarantee that Stefano would immediately be arrested if he dared to set foot in Salem again.
Kate wanted more details about the new evidence, but Rafe kept things vague, explaining that he couldn't discuss the details of an ongoing investigation. Sami excitedly hugged Rafe and thanked him for the help, dismissively reasoning that the details didn't matter, but Kate's suspicions were aroused.
After Rafe left the office, Kate mused that something didn't seem right about the sudden development. Kate thought it was odd that Rafe had managed to find something that her and Sami's team of forensic accountants had missed when they had investigated Stefano. Kate suggested that someone might have helped Rafe find the evidence. "And we both know there's only one person who could give him that help," Kate told Sami.
Kate warned that it would probably be best for her and Sami to pretend they believed Rafe's version of events, and Sami unconvincingly agreed. Sami left, but Kate stuck around to thank Rafe when he returned, and as she embraced him, Jordan quietly watched from the doorway.
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. placed a call to someone and ordered them to find out more about Clyde and get the man's claims verified. Later, E.J. received a phone call from Stefano. "Oh, how I wish Rafael Hernandez was dead," Stefano snarled, and he proceeded to explain that Rafe had found some ridiculous evidence that had stopped the judge from dropping the charges against Stefano and had even created new charges.
E.J. innocently offered to handle the matter for Stefano, and he assured Stefano that everything was under control in Salem. E.J. added that the women were under his watchful eye and were actually doing a decent job with DiMera Enterprises. E.J. also reported that the core of the business was safe and thriving. E.J. promised to intervene if the women gave him a reason to do so. "Yeah, well, once the charges against me are resolved, I will intervene myself. I'll pay them back for all their efforts," Stefano vowed before ending the call.
When Sami returned home, E.J. was talking to the kids on the phone about the pictures they had received from Will. After E.J. ended the call, Sami said she knew exactly what he had done.
In the storeroom of Club TBD, Ben looked for the olives that T had asked him to take upstairs. Abigail moved the box propping open the door and let it close behind her, locking them inside. Annoyed, Ben asked Abigail what she was doing. Abigail told Ben that she wanted to talk to him and that she wanted him to listen. Ben grudgingly agreed and asked Abigail how E.J. had broken her heart.
Abigail countered that she wanted to talk about her relationship with Ben and not E.J. Shaking his head, Ben said that they were not alone together because E.J. would always be in the room. Abigail said that when she had admitted that she had been thinking of E.J. when she'd been kissing Ben in the storeroom, it hadn't been for the reason that Ben thought. Upset, Ben said he did not want to hear Abigail's explanation because he thought that Abigail had used him as a rebound relationship.
"I knew what everybody thought, but I was sure that they were wrong. That you wanted to be with me, that what we had would be so much better than what you thought you had with him," Ben said. Crying out, Abigail agreed and said that was why she had pushed Ben away. Abigail said that she had wanted to have sex with Ben in the storeroom but that she pulled away because she did not want their first time to be among a row of shelves.
Abigail explained that when she had pulled away from Ben in the storeroom, it had been because she'd felt like she did not deserve Ben. Ben told Abigail that she was crazy. Ben added that he was happy that Abigail wanted to be with him. Shaking her head, Abigail said that she still wanted to be with Ben if he wanted to be with her. Ben grabbed Abigail and kissed her. The moment was interrupted when T opened the door.
When T admitted that he'd been in on the plan with Abigail, Ben thanked him. Grinning, Ben asked T to go away so that he could finish kissing Abigail. When T turned to leave, Abigail stopped him and hugged him to thank him for helping. T asked Ben to help him upstairs with the crowd, and Ben promised he would be up to help. After T left, Ben asked Abigail to meet him after his shift ended.
In the pub, Hope and Ciara ate breakfast. As Hope looked across the room, she saw a man and a woman kissing by the front door. Hope thought about her kiss with Aiden. Ciara urged Hope to hurry up so they could meet with Chase and Aiden before class started. Startled by Ciara's request, Hope reminded Ciara that the first day was a half day, so they did not want to arrive at the school early.
Ciara told Hope that she was excited to audition for the role of Cinderella in the school play. With a grin, Ciara said, "I was born to act." Hope agreed that Ciara had a knack for theatrics. When Ciara asked Hope why she did not like the story of Cinderella, Hope explained that she did not like the message of the story because it urged women to wait around for a prince to rescue them. Ciara smiled and said that the character of Cinderella was boring and that she wanted to audition for the role of one of the wicked stepsisters. Hope laughed.
In the DiMera living room, Sami thanked E.J. for helping to keep Stefano from returning to Salem. E.J. denied that he had done anything to influence Stefano's indictment, but Sami refused to accept his denial. E.J. continued to act surprised as Sami informed him of details of the new evidence. Chuckling, Sami argued that E.J. was the only one that could have found the evidence and that she was pleased that E.J. had handed the information to Rafe to protect her.
With a frown, E.J. noted, "If my father thought for one moment that I had betrayed him, you know what he would do to me and to those people I love. So let me make this very clear. I did not do this. Do you understand me?" Nodding, Sami apologized and said that she and Kate had merely been guessing who could have helped Rafe. E.J. urged Sami to convince Kate that he was not involved. Sami nodded and looked at a photo from her kids.
"He is going to come back, isn't he? Now, later, sometime, he's going to come back. And he's going to come after Kate and me with a vengeance. And you've always known it. Haven't you?" Sami said quietly. E.J. sidled up next to her and gently stroked her hand. E.J. assured Sami that she was safe. With a sigh, Sami chided herself for believing that she could pull one over on Stefano.
"We did it, didn't we? Too well. How did we not realize it was going to end like this? And you know the irony is, I never even cared about Stefano," Sami said. "It was about me. And how much I hurt you. So whatever happens, I take full responsibility for it, Samantha. For all of it," E.J. responded. Sami told E.J. he should not shoulder all the blame because she had gone too far to punish E.J. E.J. said that he understood that he had betrayed Sami and hurt her.
In describing how she had felt when she had first seen the photos of E.J. with Abigail, Sami said, "It made me feel like a piece of my soul had been ripped out of my body, and I would never get it back." E.J. reached out to her and took her hand. "What kind of man am I to hurt a woman who I love so much?" E.J. asked.
"Human. I guess I just got used to thinking of you as something more," Sami said. As Sami said that she understood that she had pushed E.J. away, he interrupted her and stressed that he did not want her to accept any blame. "There is no excuse for what I did," E.J. said.
"And I'm not making excuses for you. But I know that there is more to the story. What you did...what you didn't do today, it reminded me that you are also a man who was willing to sacrifice everything for me and that you and I are not people who see the world in black and white," Sami countered. E.J. swore that he would spend the rest of his life working to make up for the hurt he had caused Sami. E.J. leaned toward Sami and softly kissed her cheek. Overcome, Sami started to cry and hugged E.J.
J.J. and Paige walked to his house. As J.J. unlocked the front door, he asked Paige why she wanted to spend their break at the house. Smiling, Paige whispered that she wanted alone time. When J.J. opened the front door, Jennifer threw confetti in his face and yelled "Surprise!" Confused, J.J. wandered into the living room and found a banner congratulating J.J. on starting college. Jennifer grinned and thanked Paige for helping her surprise J.J.
Jennifer gave J.J. and Paige each a Salem U sweatshirt to commemorate the start of their freshman year. When Jennifer asked about classes, J.J. said things had gone well. Jennifer asked Paige if she had any regrets about Stanford but Paige said no. Paige said her mother was still unhappy but that she had left Paige a note wishing her well on her first day at Salem U.
Marybeth called Paige's cell phone, and Paige slipped into the kitchen to talk to her friend privately. Jennifer asked J.J. about classes, and he said the believed classes would be more interesting than high school. J.J. noticed a note on Jennifer's purse with details for a meeting with Daniel. When J.J. asked about it, Jennifer shrugged and admitted that she and Daniel were going to have coffee together.
Jennifer asked about Marybeth. J.J. explained that Marybeth was an unpleasant friend of Paige that repeatedly urged Paige to break up with him. When Jennifer asked J.J. if he believed Eve was pressuring Paige to break up with him, J.J. shook his head and explained that he was not worried about Eve. J.J. said that he had talked to Eve, and they had even performed a song together in the living room. Jennifer's mouth fell open in surprise.
"When she left, I just felt like she wasn't judging me anymore. You know, not as much, maybe," J.J. said. J.J. suggested that they give the check to Paige, but Jennifer refused, noting that she needed to give the check to Eve personally. When J.J. asked why, Jennifer said that she did not want to use J.J. as a go-between. Jennifer added that she needed to figure out how to be civil with Eve for the sake of J.J. and Paige. J.J. thanked his mother. Paige returned to the living room, and J.J. reminded Paige that they needed to leave to meet their study group.
In the park, Eve sat alone on a bench, looking at her cell phone. Two prostitutes named Jill and Dana walked by and talked about making money. They noticed Eve and kept walking. Intrigued, Eve followed Jill over to Club TBD. While Eve sat at the bar, she watched as a woman left her purse hanging on her chair and left for the restroom. Jill casually walked over to the table and dropped a newspaper on the ground. When Jill squatted down to get the newspaper, she stole the wallet out of the unattended purse. Eve smirked and recorded the theft on her camera phone.
Jill hustled for the exit, but Eve stopped her at the door and asked about the wallet. When Jill played dumb, Eve informed her that she had recorded the theft on her cell phone. Eve reached into Jill's purse and pulled out the stolen wallet. With a sigh, Jill grabbed the wallet and returned it to the owner who had returned to her table. When Jill walked back to the bar, Eve asked to talk privately.
Eve escorted Jill to her apartment, and Eve handed Jill $50. When Jill scoffed at the money, Eve explained that she had followed Jill and had been watching Jill working as a prostitute. Jill was unnerved to hear that Eve had followed her around town. With a grin, Eve told Jill that she believed she could help her. Eve explained that she had been a prostitute once and that she understood that Jill would want to do whatever it took to leave that life. When Eve asked where Jill wanted to go, Jill admitted that she wanted to go to Lexington, Kentucky, to work on a horse farm with her cousin.
With a nod, Eve offered to help Jill go to Kentucky. When Jill asked why, Jennifer knocked on the front door. While Jill hid in the other room, Eve invited Jennifer into the apartment. Jennifer handed the check to Eve. Eve snatched the envelope out of Jennifer's hand and asked her to leave. As Jennifer walked out the door, Eve closed it behind her while Jennifer was still talking.
Jill returned to the living room, and Eve explained that she needed Jill's help in dealing with Jennifer. Eve offered Jill $2,000 to help her or else she would turn over the video to the police. With a nod, Jill asked Eve what she wanted her to do. Eve showed Jill a picture of J.J. and said that she needed Jill's help with him.
Hope dropped Ciara off at St. Luke's Academy and ran into Chase and Aiden. While Chase and Ciara talked about the play, Hope and Aiden eyed one another nervously. The bell rang, and Ciara and Chase headed inside the school. When Hope started to leave, Aiden told her that he had been out of line when he had kissed her. Aiden admitted that he had not been drunk, just tipsy enough to be inappropriate. Aiden apologized, and Hope accepted it.
With a sigh, Aiden apologized for acting on his feelings after promising that he would not. Hope said they were fine, but Aiden was not sure. Aiden urged Hope to talk to him about the kiss and be honest with him. Fumbling over her words, Hope agreed that she did not want to do anything to harm their friendship. Aiden apologized again, and they agreed not to talk about the kiss anymore.
After Aiden left, Hope remembered that she had Ciara's book of fairytales, and she called Ciara's teacher. When the teacher offered to send Ciara outside, Hope sat on the steps and looked at the story of Cinderella. Hope daydreamed that she had lost her shoe on the steps of the church and that Aiden had found it and placed it back on her foot. Ciara called out to her mother and woke her from her fantasy. Laughing, Hope handed the book to Ciara.
In the town square, J.J. and Paige ran into a classmate. When the girl flirted with J.J., Paige raised an eyebrow. After the girl walked away, Paige teased J.J., and he accused her of being jealous. With a smile, Paige and J.J. kissed. Marybeth interrupted to ask Paige about class. J.J. rolled his eyes. Rory then interrupted to ask J.J. if he was going to the big party that night. At the same time, J.J. said yes, and Paige said, "No way."
J.J. took Paige aside and asked her to go to the party. As Paige looked at him stern-faced, J.J. said that he wanted to have fun with Paige. Paige slowly smiled and agreed.
At the Brady Pub, J.J. asked Paige if she were still up for going to the party that night. Paige said that J.J. had convinced her. She added that every girl at the party would be jealous when she showed up with J.J. He assured her that she was the only girl he wanted to be with. J.J. advised Paige that Rory would be tagging along with them. Just then, Marybeth stormed in with Rory hot on her heels. When she learned that J.J. and Paige were going to the party, Marybeth declared that she wanted to go, too. "No way," J.J. said firmly.
J.J. asked to speak to Paige in private, so Rory and Marybeth stepped a few feet away while Paige and J.J. discussed their friends attending the party. Paige explained that Marybeth's presence there could be a chance for J.J. and Marybeth to turn things around, and J.J. reluctantly consented to allow her to join them. When Paige left for class, J.J. demanded of Marybeth, "You hate fun, so why do you want to go to a party?" Marybeth replied, "Guess."
At Paige and Eve's apartment, prostitute Jill looked at a picture of J.J. and noted that he was cute, but he was a kid. Eve declared that, with the right clothes, hair, and makeup, Jill could pass for a Salem U student at the party that night. Jill didn't think it would be too difficult to get J.J. in bed, but Eve suspected that wouldn't be possible because J.J. was supposedly in love. Eve continued that they would look at pictures of J.J.'s friends in the yearbook and formulate a plan -- but the whole thing had to stay between the two of them, or Eve would turn in the video of Jill stealing the girl's wallet at Club TBD.
Jill was worried that Eve wanted her to hurt J.J., but Eve assured Jill that wasn't the case. Jill wanted clarification about what Eve wanted -- but just then, Paige returned home. While Paige was busy unlocking the door, Eve hustled Jill into a bedroom. Eve tried to maintain her cool, but Paige quickly picked up on her mom's unease. Eve said that she'd thought, from Paige's schedule, that Paige would be in class. Paige headed for the bedroom to retrieve a printout she needed, but Eve pointed out the paper in the living room. Paige said that she planned to attend the beginning-of-school party that night -- but she reassured Eve that she didn't have to worry.
After Paige had gone, Jill emerged from the bedroom and announced, "Now I'm beginning to figure out why you're going after this kid." Eve explained that her daughter was young and full of promise, and Paige hadn't made the mistakes that Eve had made -- and Eve's goal was to make sure that Paige never did. "We are going to stop her -- tonight," Eve declared, clinking her wine glass with Jill's.
In the park, as Paige was reading Marybeth the riot act about J.J., J.J. and Rory showed up. J.J. apologized to Marybeth for being a jerk and implied that she was welcome to join them at the party. Rory enthusiastically declared that they were all going to have a great time. Paige asked to speak to J.J. privately. While Paige and J.J. were gone, Rory tried to make small talk with Marybeth. She snapped that he couldn't keep her from going to the party. After Marybeth had left, Jill -- dressed down and wearing little makeup -- approached Rory. She casually asked if he went to Salem U and if he were going to the party that night. "I am now!" Rory declared.
Meanwhile, as soon as J.J. and Paige were alone, she kissed him passionately. E.J. said, "You know, being with you in a crowd at a party is one thing, but what we don't get enough of is being together alone. Maybe soon, I just -- I just really want to show you how much I love you." Paige looked anxious as she put her arms around J.J.
As Jennifer got off the elevator in Daniel's building, she fantasized that when he opened the door, he was unable to resist kissing her. In reality, Daniel was a bit taken aback to see her because they were supposed to meet for coffee at Club TBD. Jennifer explained that she'd thought she would just pick Daniel up -- and besides, she wanted to say "hi" to Parker. Daniel said that he'd prefer it if Jennifer didn't see Parker because he wanted to take things slowly while they figured out if they could work things out. Before Jennifer could express how hurt she was, she got an urgent text message and had to head in to the hospital. She promised to call Daniel to reschedule.
A little later, J.J. dropped by Daniel's to ask for his advice about Marybeth. J.J. filled Daniel in about the party and how much Marybeth hated him -- and how she wouldn't let him forget the guy he used to be. "J.J., who you were isn't important. Who you are now, that's what matters, man," Daniel asserted. He urged J.J. to be the bigger person around Marybeth so Paige would have to stick up for J.J., instead of the other way around. J.J. was impressed and grateful for Daniel's counsel. As he left, J.J. expressed optimism that Daniel and Jennifer would work things out.
A dreamy Hope was sitting on the steps at St. Luke's, remembering her kiss with Aiden, when Kayla appeared and snapped Hope out of her reverie. Observing that Hope seemed worked up about something, Kayla offered to listen, so the two headed for Club TBD. Hope revealed that Aiden had admitted to having feelings for her, but he'd clarified that he didn't want to get involved with her or anyone else. She continued that he'd overheard a conversation in which she'd been trying to do something to help him, but he'd gotten the wrong impression. He'd been drinking a little, they'd fought, and then Aiden had kissed Hope.
Kayla eagerly asked Hope for more details, but Hope realized that she'd put her sister-in-law in an awkward position. Kayla pointed out that Bo was gone and unreachable, and she suggested that Hope be honest with Aiden about her feelings. Hope admitted that she couldn't because she didn't know how she felt. Kayla assured Hope that whatever her feelings were, it was fine -- but Hope should not feel guilty because she had nothing to feel guilty about. Kayla reluctantly announced that she had to leave, but on her way out, she urged Hope to level with Aiden.
At the hospital a little later, Kayla was surprised to see Jennifer working, since she knew Daniel and Jennifer were supposed to be having coffee. Jennifer explained that she'd had to cancel because of work, but she thought maybe it had been for the best because he hadn't allowed her to see Parker. Jennifer added that she understood, but it had caught her off guard. Kayla thought Jennifer should try to reschedule with Daniel for that evening, since she knew that Parker had plans for a sleepover with Maggie. "You might be right," Jennifer agreed.
Later, Jennifer bumped into Eve outside the Brady Pub. After a brief, somewhat spiteful exchange, Jennifer proposed that the two of them try to be civil with one another from that point forward for the sake of their children. Eve exclaimed insincerely that she felt the same way. Jennifer said that the kids were going to a school party that night. "I bet it's just going to be tons and tons of fun!" Eve declared.
A nurse tracked Kayla down to give her a file from the lab with the report on the proposed drug treatment for John Black. Meanwhile, Daniel was still at home, dithering about whether to call Jennifer. Just then, Kayla called and asked to meet with Daniel at his apartment about the lab report. When Kayla arrived, she asked Daniel to look over the report on the drug that Kristen claimed would awaken John from his coma. "Either it's a lie, or this is John's last best chance," Daniel acknowledged.
Nicole was in Horton Square, waiting to meet a man named Mark Newman, whom she was supposed to interview. Aiden found her and informed her that he was Mr. Newman's lawyer, and he'd advised Newman not to talk to Nicole. An irked Nicole complained that she'd been preparing for the interview for weeks. Scoffing, Aiden countered that he'd seen some of Nicole's interviews, and he didn't think she'd worked all that hard. "How dare you impugn my reporting skills!" Nicole snapped.
With one pointed question, Aiden pushed Nicole to admit that she hadn't been very prepared for the interview with Newman because her producer had forced her to do it under duress. Nicole and Aiden each admitted that they'd been in a foul mood, so Nicole suggested that they get a drink. Aiden agreed as long as the drink wasn't alcoholic. "I say and do stupid things when I drink," Aiden admitted. Nicole joked that he did so when he was sober, as well.
After Nicole and Aiden got a table, she had a glass of white wine while he stuck with sparkling water. Aiden asked why she thought her life was such a disaster. Nicole explained that she'd made Eric hate her, and she had a problem with trust -- in herself. Gulping down her wine, Nicole ordered another glass. Noting that Eric and Nicole hadn't been getting along well at Daniel and Jennifer's party, Aiden posited, "I'm just saying that two people can be good, just not good for each other."
Nicole suspected that Aiden had actually been referring to him and Hope. Aiden thought Nicole was being presumptuous, but she pointed out that Aiden and Hope had spent a great deal of time together, working on the gala. Aiden retorted, "Well, that proves it! Investigative reporting fail." He reminded Nicole that he and Hope also hadn't been getting along at the party because they were just too different. "So what you're saying is she's a bitch," Nicole concluded.
Aiden pointed out that Nicole had said that. Nicole complained that Hope's attitude was judgmental, especially toward Nicole. Aiden managed to keep Nicole talking without agreeing or disagreeing with her. Nicole remarked cattily, "The stupid nickname that her husband calls her, 'Fancy Face'? I call her 'Frowny Face.'" While Nicole laughed, Aiden barely cracked a smile as he acknowledged, "Pretty funny."
Just then, Hope appeared and stared at Aiden with disappointment. Nicole made an excuse about her camera crew and hurried away. Aiden hastily explained that Nicole had been drinking and kidding around. "I'm glad I could provide you two with a good laugh at my expense," Hope said. Aiden pointed out that Hope had told him that it was best for them to keep their distance -- but she had been the one who'd walked up to him and Nicole. "Well, now that I know that you make fun of me behind my back, it won't happen again. So, Mister Jennings, goodbye, and have a great life," Hope said as she walked away.
After E.J. told Sami that he would spend the rest of his life trying to make up for the hurt that he'd caused her, he kissed her tenderly on the cheek. She burst into sobs and threw her arms around him -- just as Kate walked in. "Oh, my God. Please tell me I'm not interrupting anything," Kate said, rolling her eyes. Sami insisted that she and E.J. had just been talking about the kids. Kate asked if Sami had told E.J. that they'd figured out what he'd done. E.J. pointedly maintained that Rafe had dug up the evidence about Stefano completely on his own.
E.J. warned the women that the tactic had only delayed Stefano, who would eventually return and would be furious with both of them. Sami suggested that they could use the delay to figure out how to handle Stefano when he returned, and E.J. concurred. As soon as E.J. left the room to take a phone call, Kate turned to Sami and demanded, "Are you out of your mind?" She guessed that E.J. had been trying to "worm his way back" into Sami's life. Kate reminded Sami of all the horrible things that E.J. had done -- such as sleeping with Abigail Deveraux. "Please, please tell me that you are not going to forgive him!" Kate implored.
"'Cause I actually might have a chance at being happy, instead of alone and miserable and bitter -- like you?" Sami asked, without much venom. She pointed out that she'd gotten her revenge, and she didn't see what was so wrong with wanting to find love and happiness in her life. Kate wondered, "Or are you just tired of sleeping alone, Sami?" Sami countered quietly that she just didn't want to end up like Kate.
On the phone in the foyer, E.J. asked, "You're sure Mister Weston is legitimate? And how long has he been doing business in Missouri? Okay, set up a meeting. Mister Weston needs to have no doubt who is in charge." Just as E.J. hung up, Stefano called. E.J. informed Stefano that it had, indeed, been Rafael Hernandez who had dug up the evidence against Stefano, probably with the help of the state investigators, and it was solid. He cautioned Stefano against returning to Salem.
"What a fortunate turn of events for Samantha and Catarina... Those women have given me no choice but to have my revenge!" Stefano growled. Reminding Stefano of the video from the children at camp, E.J. told his father that the kids missed their nonno very much.
E.J. returned to the living room and emphasized that Stefano was "hell-bent" on returning to Salem, adding, "He's not planning on taking the two of you out for tea." He clarified that Stefano's main goal was to save face, especially since Will's article had gone public. Kate asserted that Sami had practically dared Will to write the article. Sami said they needed to focus on how to fix things. As she left the room, Kate countered, "I'm realizing more and more that it's every woman for herself."
Sami assured E.J. that Kate knew that they were all in it together. E.J. reiterated his promise to protect Sami from Stefano. "You're really going to do this, even after everything I did to you?" Sami asked. "Well, after what I did to you, I don't expect anything less," E.J. admitted. He surmised that Kate had tried to convince Sami to doubt everything he'd said. Sami admitted that was true, but she reassured him that Kate had not been successful.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will was showing Arianna some pictures he had received from her aunts and uncle, who were still at sleep-away camp. Will thought it would be a good idea to send the kids a package of goodies, along with some pictures of Arianna, but he didn't have the camp's address, so he suggested to Arianna that they could go for a walk and hopefully kill two birds with one stone.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami promised E.J. that she was no longer going to listen to other people's opinions about him or their relationship -- instead, she was going to listen to her own heart. E.J. liked the sound of that, and he assured Sami that he would do everything in his power to derail any plan Stefano might concoct to get even with her. E.J. added that, while he had made a terrible mistake that he would regret for the rest of his life, his heart had been Sami's from the moment he had first seen her, and it always would be hers.
Before E.J. could continue, he received a text message from someone -- "meeting confirmed" -- and apologetically excused himself, allowing Sami to assume he had work to do. E.J. stressed that he had meant what he had told Sami earlier -- he just wanted one chance to win her back, and he was willing to be patient and give her plenty of time to make her decision. E.J. added that Stefano's fatal flaw had always been his habit of underestimating his enemies and assuming they were all stupid -- including Sami. "If anybody can beat Stefano DiMera at his own game, it's you," E.J. assured Sami before leaving. Sami sighed and hoped E.J. was right.
Later, Sami received an unexpected visit from Will and Arianna. Will explained that he needed the sleep-away camp's address so he could send some goodies to his siblings. Sami informed Will that the kids would soon be returning home, but he was undeterred, replying that he would overnight the package to the kids so they would be able to enjoy the treats during the ride home.
Sami pointed out that Will could have just requested the address via a text message, but he explained that there was another reason for his visit -- Arianna had been missing her grandmother. With a hint of a smile, Sami observed that Will was pulling out the heavy artillery, and he shamelessly wondered if his tactic was working.
Sami interacted with Arianna for a moment, sharing a story about how Will had enjoyed blowing raspberries and covering Sami with bits of plum when she had fed them to him as a child. "But that was a long time ago," Sami wistfully concluded before handing Arianna back to Will and excusing herself so she could forward him the address.
After Will received Sami's text message, she somewhat dismissively wondered if there was anything else he needed. Will admitted that Arianna wasn't the only person who had been missing Sami, but Sami didn't understand how he could miss someone who had done such horrible things that he had felt compelled to write an article condemning her actions. Will explained that he didn't miss that woman -- he missed the woman he had written about in the beginning section of his article, the woman who had once warned a first-grader who had punched Will that if he ever messed with Will again, he would have to deal with her.
"Well, I'm that woman, too. But I'm also a woman who was very deeply wounded by the man that she wants to spend the rest of her life with. And when someone hurts me or the people I love, I hurt them back, and I'm willing to pay that price. I'm not a perfect person; I'm not a perfect mother. And I understand that if this was fiction, I wouldn't be the heroine. But you don't get to pick which parts of me you accept, you know? That's not love, and that's not what real family is all about. You don't have to agree with everything, or like all the decisions that I make, but...if you accept me, then you gotta take all of me. And if you don't, then -- then that's your choice, but then you decide to walk away, and you -- and you get nothing," Sami reasoned.
"I get what you say about how you're a package deal, but you need to remember something, Mom -- I'm not a little boy anymore. I'm a grown man with a child of my own. And maybe I was out of line to write that article, but you can't expect me to like everything that you do. I'm my mother's son, and what you see is not always what you get," Will replied.
Will decided that it was time for him and Arianna to leave, since they still had goodies to prepare and send off later that night, so Sami carried Arianna to the front door and thanked him for visiting with the child. Sami smiled as she closed the door behind Will and Arianna. Outside, Will told Arianna that the visit could have gone a lot worse.
Clyde went to Club TBD to see Ben, who still wanted nothing to do with the man. Clyde pointed out that he had honored Ben's request to stay away from Abigail and had even made an effort to stop using Ben's real name because he knew Ben didn't like it. Clyde added that he had given Ben plenty of time to think about their earlier conversation, during which Clyde had asked for a chance to prove he had changed.
Ben said it didn't matter what he thought, since Jordan didn't want Clyde around, and after what she had done for Ben, she had earned the right to be the one to make that decision. Clyde maintained that Jordan had kidnapped Ben, but Ben didn't see it that way -- he believed she had saved him from Clyde. Clyde conceded the point and added that Jordan had also saved him from himself.
"It must be killing you to have to say that. [...] Now you can't just whip off your belt and wrap it around your fist the way you used to whenever I'd say something that you didn't want to hear, 'cause now I'm old enough and I'm big enough to knock you straight on your ass," Ben replied. Clyde admitted that he had needed the wake-up call Jordan had given him years earlier, since either he or Ben would have likely ended up dead otherwise.
Meanwhile, Abigail entered the club, so Clyde excused himself so she and Ben could get on with their day. Ben wondered if Clyde planned to stay in Salem for a while longer. Clyde confirmed that he did, since he liked the town and had met some fine people there, and -- most importantly -- it was where his children resided. After Clyde left, Abigail asked if Ben was all right, and he replied that her arrival had made everything better.
Ben was done working for the day, so he and Abigail went to the park, picking up soft pretzels and lemonade along the way. Ben explained that he had wanted to take Abigail to the new sushi restaurant that had just opened near the pier, but seeing Clyde had put him in a bad mood. Ben doubted that Clyde had truly changed, reasoning that the man simply knew how to turn on the charm when he wanted something.
Abigail admitted that her father hadn't been perfect, either, but Ben insisted that her father had been nothing like Clyde. Abigail wanted to know what Clyde had done to Ben, but Ben didn't want to get into the specifics. Ben wished things were less complicated for him and Abigail, but he stressed that their relationship was one complication he was happy to embrace.
The couple's date was cut short when Ben received a phone call from Sonny, who needed someone to cover the night shift at the club because the person who had been scheduled to work that shift had called in sick. Ben explained to Abigail that, while he could have declined the request, he wouldn't have felt right doing that because Sonny had been great to him. Abigail understood and said she admired the fact that Ben was a responsible guy, and he left after promising to call her the minute he finished working.
At the hospital, Theresa nervously asked Anne why John had not yet been moved to a long-term healthcare facility. Anne explained that some paperwork still needed to be processed before the transfer could be completed, and she curiously noted that it was unlike Theresa to be in such a frazzled state. "You try having some wing-nut like Kristen DiMera make threats to you. Your curls would straighten!" Theresa insisted.
Theresa claimed that she was just anxious for John to be transferred because she felt like she only had a limited amount of time to use the threats to her advantage, and she didn't want to talk to Brady about the matter while he was sitting at John's bedside. As if on cue, Brady emerged from his father's room, and Anne encouraged Theresa to take the opportunity to talk to him.
Theresa approached Brady and apologetically explained that she needed to talk to him about something important, adding that, while she knew it wasn't the best time for them to be having such a conversation, she really didn't have a choice in the matter. Brady agreed to give Theresa a few minutes of his time, and he led her to one of the break rooms so they could have some privacy.
Before Theresa could begin, Brady received a phone call from Daniel, who wanted to see him right away but didn't want anyone else to know about the meeting. After ending the call, Brady informed Theresa that he had a business crisis to deal with. Theresa started to protest that she and Brady had been about to talk about something important, but she changed her mind and assured him that it could wait until later.
After Brady left, Anne joined Theresa and got a quick recap of what had -- and hadn't -- happened. Frustrated, Theresa complained that she didn't know what to do next. "Well, you know, you may have better luck if you ask Brady for his protection in a cozy -- say, less fluorescent -- environment, if you know what I mean," Anne suggested. Theresa smiled and declared that Anne was a genius.
At the Horton Town Square, Marlena ran into Kristen, who wondered why Marlena wasn't at John's bedside at such a critical time. Marlena had no idea what Kristen was babbling about, so Kristen explained that Stefano had recently sent Daniel and Kayla the drug that was going to revive John. Kristen teasingly mused that the doctors probably hadn't bothered to keep Marlena in the loop because Marlena and John were no longer married.
Marlena countered that there might be another explanation -- Kayla and Daniel might have decided not to use the drug, in which case Eric would once again be free to testify against Kristen and get her sent to prison. "So I guess we're both on pins and needles, hmm?" Marlena concluded. Kristen argued that it would be foolish for the doctors to choose not to give the drug to John, since Stefano's team of scientists believed it would work.
Kristen was also confident that Eric would keep his word, since he wasn't a hypocritical liar -- unlike Marlena, who had once promised to back off and let Kristen and John live happily ever after together, but had apparently not meant a word of that promise. Marlena pointed out that Kristen was dredging up things that had happened years earlier, so Kristen cited the ruination of her relationship with Brady as a more recent example of Marlena's underhandedness.
"You know what's funny? I think you're the destructive one in this relationship. [...] You don't have any power over me anymore, Marlena. I have the upper hand, because I can give Brady back the one thing you threw away like a lousy piece of trash, and that's his father. And there's nothing you can do to change that. Ha-ha," Kristen gloated. Marlena warned that there would be hell to pay if it turned out that Kristen had cruelly gotten Brady's hopes up for no other reason than to try to win him back. Kristen feigned concern as Marlena shoved past her and walked away.
Kristen headed in the opposite direction after quietly reassuring herself that the drug would work, and she soon ran into E.J. "Hmm. First Marlena, and now you. I better get out of this place before I run into Jack the Ripper," Kristen dryly mused. E.J. was sure Kristen could handle Jack the Ripper, and he encouraged her to enjoy her freedom while it lasted.
Kristen reminded E.J. that he was also facing jail time. E.J. dismissively reasoned that white-collar crime was nothing compared to drugging and raping a priest. Kristen pointed out that she and E.J. could have helped each other out if he hadn't gone over to his estranged wife's side. "I mean, Jennifer's daughter, Chad's girlfriend? Really?" Kristen incredulously added. E.J. didn't want to talk to Kristen about the matter, and she agreed, stating that she thought his domestic situation was incredibly boring, anyway.
Satisfied, E.J. started to walk away, but Kristen stopped him and pointedly informed him that she believed things were looking up for her, since Stefano had been incredibly helpful and supportive. E.J. laughed heartily, but his smile faded when he realized Kristen was being serious. E.J. said his relationship with Kristen was what had messed things up between him and Sami in the first place, and he demanded to know if Kristen and Stefano were cooking up another scheme that would affect Sami in any way.
"You have got to be kidding me! She set you up. She had you arrested. She and Kate took the company away from you and Father. And you're worried what she's gonna think about what I'll do? [...] Let's see...team of wild horses, dessert cream, mashed potatoes, E.J. DiMera -- [I'm] thinking up a list of things that are whipped. When are you gonna stop letting Sami do your thinking for you?" Kristen wondered.
E.J. insisted that wasn't how his relationship with Sami worked, but Kristen disagreed, pointing out that his desire to please Sami had resulted in his foolish decision to make Kristen his enemy. E.J. sarcastically replied that he was shaking in his boots. "You should be!" Kristen warned as E.J. walked away.
Kristen sighed impatiently as she turned her attention to her cell phone, wondering why she hadn't heard anything from Brady yet. Kristen decided that she had to know what was going on right away, regardless of the consequences. Kristen went to the Kiriakis mansion, where she was surprised to find Theresa, who had been standing in the living room, rehearsing the things she planned to tell Brady about Kristen's threats.
Theresa tauntingly explained that she was waiting for Brady so she could tell him about Kristen's earlier threats, but Kristen didn't seem concerned. "He'll get over it. [...] I'm here to deliver some amazing news. [...] I found a drug treatment for John. He's gonna come out of a coma. He's gonna make a complete recovery," Kristen revealed. Theresa dropped her glass of vodka with a horrified gasp.
When Brady arrived at Daniel's apartment, he was surprised to see that Kayla was also there, and he quickly deduced that the meeting had something to do with John. Daniel confirmed the suspicion, and he and Kayla proceeded to tell Brady about the experimental drug that could revive John, explaining that it was designed to stimulate nerve cells in the brainstem that were responsible for maintaining a waking state. The doctors concluded that they were really excited about the drug's potential, and they really didn't see a downside to using it because, at worst, it would just do nothing.
"There's something else you need to know. The person who brought us this drug -- it's Kristen," Daniel revealed. As Daniel started to elaborate, Marlena arrived to ask him about what Kristen had said earlier. Daniel and Kayla shared their findings with Marlena, and Brady quickly decided that he wanted to give John the drug right away, despite the fact that Kristen was the person who had made the whole thing possible, because all he cared about was helping John.
The group rushed to the hospital, and Brady quickly signed the necessary paperwork so Daniel and Kayla could get things started. Brady believed that Kristen had made the treatment possible for his sake, and he admitted to Marlena that he was grateful for Kristen's help, even though he still despised her for what she had done to him. When Daniel was ready to administer the drug, Marlena and Brady followed him into John's room, and the group anxiously waited to see if the treatment would work.
E.J. and one of his minions met with Clyde in a secluded section of the town square. Clyde objected when E.J. ordered the minion to frisk Clyde, but when E.J. threatened to leave, Clyde changed his mind and agreed to the search. The minion left after confirming that Clyde was clean. "You've been pursuing me rather aggressively, Mr. Weston. [...] Why should I do business with you? Why should I trust you? In fact, can you give me one good reason why I should let you live?" E.J. demanded to know.
A mysterious figure entered the front door of the DiMera mansion and headed upstairs. Later, the person headed into the living room and looked around, pausing in front of the portrait of Kate and Sami.
In the park outside Horton Square, E.J.'s henchman patted Clyde down and pronounced him "clean." E.J. instructed the thug to make sure Clyde and E.J. weren't disturbed. After the goon had gone, E.J. demanded to know why he should do business with or even trust Clyde -- much less let Clyde live. "Mister DiMera, I don't cotton to threats. I never have," Clyde protested. E.J. clarified that if Clyde were playing some sort of game, the consequences would be lethal.
Clyde explained that he wouldn't have asked to meet with E.J. if he hadn't thought working together would be good for both of them -- plus, as Clyde had stated, he had good reasons to stay in Salem. E.J. noted that Ben and Jordan both hated him. "So why would you want to work for me?" E.J. asked. Clyde respectfully pointed out that his children had good reasons to dislike E.J. Clyde added that he'd learned it was never a good idea to mix business and family.
Acknowledging that E.J. had checked him out, Clyde emphasized that he had never had a run-in with law enforcement, and he could provide E.J. with a quality product at a lower price than E.J. had been paying. "I'm in business to make money, just like you. But when I heard I might be stepping on your toes -- well, my mama didn't raise no fool," Clyde added with a chuckle.
E.J. stated that Clyde would have one week to prove that his business model was as profitable as he claimed, and Clyde would receive no financial help from E.J. If E.J. were satisfied, he might consider working with Clyde. "There is, however, one caveat. You may not contact me directly. If you do, you'll regret it," E.J. warned Clyde. E.J. strolled away.
When E.J. returned home later, he paused on the doorstep to make a phone call instructing Miguel not to let Clyde out of his sight. E.J. hung up and went inside. He found a note on the entry table, and as he was reading it, someone suddenly sucker-punched him. Rubbing his jaw, E.J. calmly addressed his attacker: "Chad." With an angry grin, Chad announced, "I'm home."
Maggie was hurrying through Horton Square when Anne stopped her to say hello. Maggie greeted Anne as cordially as she could manage and tried to continue on her way, but Anne wanted to know what the big secret thing was that was happening at the hospital with Daniel and John Black. Maggie noted, "I assume that if I'm supposed to know about it, someone would have told me, so I guess it's none of my business -- or yours, Anne."
At the Kiriakis mansion, Kristen's revelation that she'd found a new drug treatment that would awaken John from his coma alarmed Theresa so much that she dropped her glass of vodka. A baffled Kristen wanted to know why Theresa was freaking out about the good news that John would soon wake up. "No! No, no, no -- John can't wake up! [...] That's never gonna happen!" a panicked Theresa stammered. Kristen demanded to know why Theresa was so upset.
Theresa accused Kristen of making up the whole thing about the miracle drug and showing up at the mansion just to prey on Brady because she was desperate. Kristen insisted that wasn't the case. Theresa guessed, "You found out, and you can't stand it, so you came over here to do what you do best -- screw up Brady's life..." Kristen was still puzzled.
Theresa boasted that after Brady had gone to Kristen's hotel room, he had turned to Theresa for comfort -- and the two of them had made love. Kristen refused to believe it. Theresa asserted that Kristen had made up the story about the drug because she'd been terrified that Brady and Theresa would get back together. Kristen became more and more enraged, but Theresa continued rubbing it in about how hot the sex had been. Kristen finally snapped, shoving Theresa up against the door and choking her.
Kristen threw Theresa onto the couch and climbed on top of her while continuing to choke her. Even with Kristen's hands around her throat, Theresa managed to declare, "He's mine!" Just then, Maggie arrived and pulled Kristen off of Theresa. "Stop it! What in the world is going on?" Maggie shouted. Shaking and panting, Theresa got up and poured herself a glass of water. Kristen politely apologized to Maggie for barging into the mansion and left.
Maggie asked what Kristen and Theresa had been doing there. Theresa explained that she'd gone to the mansion to see Brady, but before she'd been able to leave him a note, Kristen had arrived and tried to kill her. Trying without much success to maintain her composure, Theresa continued that Kristen was so desperate to get Brady back that she'd claimed to have invented a drug that would cure John. Maggie became very pensive as Theresa pointed out that Brady had said John would never wake up.
Observing the change in Maggie's demeanor, an anxious Theresa tried to convince herself that there was no way Kristen could have been telling the truth. Maggie pointed out that since Brady wasn't there, they had no way of knowing if what Kristen had said was true. Maggie escorted Theresa out.
At the hospital, Brady and Marlena watched while Daniel injected the experimental drug into John's I.V. When the beeping from John's monitor changed pitch, Marlena and Brady assumed that meant John was waking up. Daniel reminded them that he'd explained on the way to the hospital that the drug would not work quickly. Daniel asked Brady if they could step outside so that Daniel could go over a few things with Brady, so Marlena volunteered to stay behind with John. After the men had gone, Marlena promised John that she would not let him go again then she sent a text message.
Roman arrived after getting Marlena's message. She asked if he would find Eric, who had done something incredibly selfless. Without divulging any further details, Marlena said that she thought Eric deserved to be with his dad. Roman agreed to go to the pub and talk to Eric.
In the waiting area, Daniel urged Brady to have patience. Brady admitted that the entire situation was hard for him to process -- especially because Kristen had been the source of the possible cure for his dad.
Daniel stepped away for a moment to ask Maxine to keep an eye on John's vital signs. Maxine promised to send Daniel an update by text message every hour, and to advise the staff at shift change to keep everything "on the down-low."
Daniel asked Brady to leave the hospital with him so Daniel could fill Brady in on the rest of the story about Kristen and her motives. Soon, the two men arrived at Daniel's apartment. Daniel stated that Brady had been left out of the loop about what had been going on until the last minute. He continued that Kristen had expressed her gratitude for forcing her to return to Salem because it had given her a chance to reconnect with Brady -- and John was her opening. Brady understood that Kristen meant that she was giving him the one thing that no one else had been able to: saving John's life.
Daniel revealed that Kristen had stipulated that she wouldn't produce the drug for John unless Eric agreed not to testify against her. Brady castigated himself for being so blind to Kristen's evil while they'd been dating, but Daniel urged Brady to leave the past in the past. Brady asserted that Kristen was telling herself that she was helping John for Brady, but she was really doing it for the person she'd always done everything for: herself. "Because of her, my brother can no longer be a priest. That's not right, and that's on me," Brady added as he headed out to find Eric.
Eric was at the Brady Pub, looking at some photographs he had spread out on the table in front of him, when Nicole passed by outside and spotted him. She went inside and inquired about what was going on with John at the hospital. Nicole elaborated that John's transfer to the long-term care facility had been put on hold, plus Kayla and Daniel had locked down John's floor.
Eric reminded Nicole that he'd made it clear that he would never share anything with her again. While Eric was reading a text message, Nicole cautioned him that she would simply get the story from another source. She was on her way out the door when Eric stopped her. He asked if she would honor their agreement not to broadcast anything about him or his family, and Nicole said that she would.
Eric confirmed that something was going on at the hospital that involved John -- but it was good news. Eric refused to reveal anything further, which irked Nicole because she was concerned about John, who had been kind to her and was the father of one of her few friends. Eric pointed out that it was still none of her business.
As a fed-up Nicole was leaving, Roman walked in. Roman asked what Eric had done that was so selfless. Eric explained about the deal he'd made with Kristen in exchange for the drug to potentially awaken John from the coma. Roman protested that the D.A. wouldn't be able to make a case against Kristen without Eric's testimony, but Eric maintained that helping John was more important than revenge. Roman asked about the photos that Eric was looking at. Eric explained that he was going to start a website to sell his pictures. Roman hinted that his preference would be for Eric to return to the priesthood, but Eric urged his dad to let it go.
When Brady arrived at the pub a little later, he informed Eric that there had been no change with John. Brady expressed his heartfelt gratitude that Eric had sacrificed for John. Brady embraced Eric. Brady lamented how Kristen was hurting Eric all over again. Eric urged Brady to stay away from Kristen, and Brady swore that he wanted nothing more to do with "that psychopath." Brady said that he was heading home to get a photo album to help jog John's memory when he woke up.
Maxine went into John's room to check his vital signs. Marlena remarked that there hadn't been any change, but Maxine reminded her that it could take a while. Maxine added, "As far as I'm concerned, this new drug is not the only positive thing at work here. Medicine's one thing; love and faith is something else." As Marlena stepped outside to wait while Maxine worked, Maxine urged Dr. Evans to try to rest. "I'll be fine -- when he's fine," Marlena said.
Nicole got off the elevator just as Marlena was closing the door of John's room behind her. Nicole asked what was happening with John. Marlena was incredulous that Nicole had the nerve to approach her. Nicole pointed out that she was a reporter -- and while she would prefer to print the facts, she could just as easily run the rumors. Before Nicole could leave in a huff, Marlena stopped her and led her into a private waiting room.
Anne, who had been eavesdropping on the exchange between Marlena and Nicole, muttered, "Okay, time to find out what's going on in there."
After Nicole agreed not to print anything Marlena said until Marlena gave the go-ahead, Marlena revealed that John had been given an experimental drug that could reverse his coma. Nicole was excited for the Black family -- but she wondered why both Marlena and Eric seemed so reserved about it. Marlena admitted that Kristen had provided the drug. Appalled and disgusted, Nicole expressed sympathy for what both Brady and Eric were going through.
"Oh, that bitch! [...] Kristen is not human, and I bet the devil is ashamed for making her. She should be put down!" Nicole declared. Marlena agreed that no one would miss Kristen. Nicole suggested that the two of them team up again to stop Kristen, but Marlena firmly avowed, "You and I will never work together... because of what you did to Eric. I want nothing to do with you, and neither does he."
As Theresa was leaving the Kiriakis mansion, she got a text message from Anne that read, "MAJOR NEWS! Meet me in Square." Theresa's first reaction was irritation -- but when she realized what Anne's message might have meant, Theresa felt sick.
A bit later, Theresa found Anne having frozen yogurt in Horton Square. Anne told Theresa, "Doctor Dan the miracle man, he gave John Black some experimental drug. The scuttlebutt is that this drug is going to wake the old boy up any day now." Theresa tried hard not to panic while she attempted to think of a plan without giving anything away to Anne. "That'll work. That'll work," a wild-eyed Theresa muttered to herself as she rushed off.
Theresa showed up at the Kiriakis mansion just as Brady got home. Brady said that it wasn't a good time, but Theresa anxiously insisted, "There's something that I need to tell you, something you need to know."
Marlena was about to go back into John's room when Eric returned to the hospital. Mother and son embraced wordlessly outside John's door. As Nicole exited the waiting room, she spotted Eric and Marlena together. Nicole stepped quietly onto the elevator without them seeing her.
Maggie called Daniel and asked if there were a new drug being tried on John Black that could reverse his coma. Daniel reminded his mom that he couldn't discuss a patient with her. Maggie said that she'd heard Kristen was behind it, so Maggie intended to do whatever she could to help Brady. Before Maggie hung up, she told her son, "I love you, and I'm very proud of you." Daniel cautioned her not to count any chickens yet.
As Daniel hung up, there was a loud pounding on his door. He opened it, and Kristen charged into the apartment. "Disgusting, lying little slut!" she spat. Daniel told Kristen to leave, but she demanded to know if he'd given John the drug and if Brady knew about it. Daniel confirmed that he had administered the drug -- and he'd filled Brady in on every aspect of Kristen's deal. Unconcerned about Brady's reaction, Kristen said that she'd just had a run-in with Theresa, who'd claimed that she and Brady were sleeping together.
Daniel's wordless smirk verified Theresa's story. Kristen muttered that she'd thought Theresa had only been trying to bait her. Daniel asserted that perhaps Kristen would realize that Brady was no longer hung up on her. Kristen complained that Theresa had encouraged Brady to abuse drugs and alcohol, but Daniel argued, "And who sent him rolling down that road?" Kristen grumbled that Theresa was so self-centered that instead of being happy and hopeful, she had freaked out when Kristen had told her that there was a drug that could awaken John from his coma.
Kristen pondered why Theresa had seemed so panicked. "It was like she didn't even want John to recover. It didn't make any sense to me," Kristen said, then her eyes widened as the truth dawned on her: "Oh, my God. It wasn't Brady... She was terrified. She was afraid for her life. Brady didn't do it! He didn't hit John over the head. It was Theresa. Theresa's the one who put John in the coma!"
