At the DiMera mansion, Sami started to lead E.J. upstairs, but a phone call interrupted the moment. Sami checked her cell phone, reasoning that the call might be about the kids, but it was just a business call. E.J. told Sami to go ahead and answer it, but she decided that business could wait.
Sami and E.J. went to their bedroom and started to undress, but he sensed some hesitation from her, so he paused and asked her to talk to him about what was bothering her. "It's what I've always been scared of with us. [...] I'm scared that if I don't hold some piece of myself back, that if I ever lost you, I wouldn't be able to survive," Sami admitted.
E.J. insisted that, as far as matters of the heart were concerned, Sami was the bravest person he had ever met. E.J. recalled that he had always hated watching Sami wear her heart on her sleeve for all the "heartless bastards" she had previously been involved with. "I gave you my soul. I won't ask for it back. I don't have any need for it without you. But the rest...is up to you," E.J. assured Sami.
Sami tried to respond with a kiss, but E.J. stopped her. "Samantha, I know you trust me with your body, but I want your heart...and your soul. I will never give you a reason to cut me out, and I will devote my life to being worthy of you, but I want -- I need -- the words. This. Is. Our. Time," E.J. whispered as he kissed Sami's hand.
Sami groaned and teased E.J. about the cheesy way he had ended his statement, and they playfully wrestled as he tried to pin her down and tickle her as punishment for making fun of him. "I'm yours, E.J. No take-backs. Finally and forever -- my heart, my soul, whatever you want," Sami assured E.J. after pausing to catch her breath. E.J. replied that he wanted it all, and after Sami stated that she loved him, they started to make love.
In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Abigail questioned Ben about the large amount of cash he had been carrying earlier. Ben got a bit defensive, but Abigail assured him that she didn't believe Chad's accusations, since she knew Ben well enough to know that he would never steal -- especially from Sonny -- or sell drugs. Abigail explained that she was simply trying to understand what was going on.
Ben promised that he wouldn't lie to Abigail, but he added that it wasn't really his place to say anything else about the money. Ben started to complain about how things had been close to perfect between him and Abigail until Chad had returned to Salem, but she insisted that the matter had nothing to do with Chad, since it wasn't like he had placed the money in Ben's pocket. Abigail assured Ben that she trusted him and knew that if he wasn't able to say anything else about the money, there had to be a good reason for the secrecy, but she predicted that he would have been similarly curious if an envelope filled with cash had randomly fallen out of her purse.
Ben conceded the point and said he was sorry he had gotten defensive about the matter earlier. Abigail suggested dropping the subject entirely, and she quickly segued into a report about her earlier encounter with Jordan, who had seemed upset but had been vague about what might have caused the distress. Abigail guessed that it would probably be best for her to refrain from mentioning that she had seen Ben give Jordan the envelope filled with cash, and he confirmed that Jordan probably wouldn't want to talk about the matter.
Ben stressed that he hated keeping secrets from Abigail, and she assured him that she understood and could relate to his desire to protect his sibling. Abigail wondered if Ben truly believed that things between them had been close to perfect before Chad had returned to Salem. "Oh, as close as it gets," Ben confirmed before kissing Abigail.
Chad visited Kristen in her hotel room so they could catch up on everything that had changed since they had last seen each other. Kristen assured Chad that, despite any nasty rumors he might have heard about the things she had done the previous year, her motives had always been aboveboard. Kristen innocently complained about the unfairness of the situation, explaining that the people of Salem simply had it in for her -- and the rest of the DiMeras, for that matter.
Chad somewhat skeptically pointed out that, from what he knew about Daniel -- whose daughter Chad had once been engaged to -- and Eric, they both seemed like pretty good people. Kristen defensively assumed that, while Chad hadn't explicitly stated it, he was thinking that she had to be a wretched human being if supposedly fantastic, honorable, noble, well-respected people couldn't stand her. Chad clarified that he was simply worried about Kristen, and he hoped things would work out just the way she wanted them to. Kristen apologized for her earlier outburst and assured Chad that his concern was unnecessary because she was perfectly fine.
Changing the subject, Kristen guessed that it wasn't a coincidence that Chad had returned to Salem soon after the publication of Will's article about E.J.'s affair with Abigail. Chad claimed that wasn't why he had returned, but Kristen wasn't convinced. Kristen argued that E.J. had humiliated Chad in the most horrible way possible, and she bitterly added that E.J. was actually getting pretty adept at betraying family members.
Chad doubted that E.J. saw things that way. "I don't give a crap how he sees it. He slept with the woman you love, and he turned his back on me. He threw us both under the bus because he's an arrogant, self-centered son of a bitch, and I'm holding him accountable," Kristen vowed. Chad admitted that Kristen had always had a sixth sense about such things, and he wished he had taken the great advice she had given him in the past. Kristen was glad Chad had finally realized that she was infallible, and she decided to offer him some more advice, since it seemed like he was finally ready to take it.
While Chad wasn't willing to confirm the suspicion, Kristen was certain that he had returned to Salem to settle some scores. "[So] you need to listen to me -- listen very hard. Commit [this] to memory. When people hurt you, you have to make them pay. But you can hurt them even worse, and the way to do that is to make sure that they don't see you coming," Kristen advised Chad, who assured her that he understood that he needed to keep his friends close and his enemies closer.
After leaving Kristen's hotel room, Chad went to Club TBD, arriving just as Abigail was about to pay for a cup of coffee Ben had served her. "Your money's no good here," Chad told Abigail. Chad added that he owed Ben an apology, but Ben tersely replied that Chad didn't owe him anything. Ben walked away, but Chad stopped Abigail and asked her to hear him out. Chad admitted that reading the TruVista article had sent him over the edge and that he had been out of his mind with anger when he had arrived in Salem, but he acknowledged that lashing out at Abigail had been wrong, and he assured her that he knew she had never meant to hurt him.
Ben watched from the bar as Chad grasped Abigail's hand. Abigail allowed a moment to pass before pulling her hand away and thanking Chad for giving her the benefit of the doubt. Chad hoped that Ben would eventually cool down and let Chad apologize for the earlier misunderstanding, which Chad claimed had been the result of his own jealousy. Chad assured Abigail that he was trying to be a better person and that he had resolved to start owning his mistakes instead of blaming others for them. Chad regretfully acknowledged that he had to live with and learn from the fact that he was the one who had blown his relationship with Abigail, not her.
After Chad left, Abigail tried to convince Ben that Chad had simply been trying to make amends, but Ben insisted that he had zero interest in anything Chad had to say. Abigail pointed out that it wasn't necessarily wise for Ben to be outright rude to one of the people who owned the club he worked at, and she assured him that Chad was a good guy who had seemed genuinely sorry about what had happened earlier. Meanwhile, Chad stood outside the club with a satisfied smirk on his face. "You were right, sis -- don't let 'em see you comin'," Chad muttered before walking away.
In John's hospital room, Daniel informed Marlena and Brady that there had not yet been a change in John's condition. Brady and Marlena weren't terribly concerned, since Daniel had previously told them that it might take some time for the experimental drug to take effect. "Well, yeah, I know -- I know what I said, but I want to be honest with both of you -- something should've happened by now. [...] Time is, uh -- is running out. [...] The window for [the drug's] efficacy could be closing, [or] may have already closed," Daniel regretfully explained.
Theresa stopped Eric outside the Brady Pub to ask him about John's condition. Eric reported that, while the experimental drug had not yet delivered on its promise to revive John, everyone was praying that it eventually would. Eric was shocked when Theresa started complaining about the deal he had been forced to make in exchange for the drug, suggesting that John never would have done anything that selfless for Eric.
Admitting that she and John had never really liked each other, Theresa optimistically wondered if he might emerge from the coma with a different personality, since people weren't always the same after suffering brain injuries, especially if they subsequently lapsed into a coma for an extended period of time. Theresa reasoned that it would be better for John to forget about all the horrible things he had said to Brady beforehand, anyway, but Eric didn't think it would be wise to count on that possibility.
Eric observed that Theresa seemed distressed about the situation, and despite her claims to the contrary, he guessed that she was distressed not because it was a sad situation but because Brady would get a chance to reconcile with John if the drug worked. Theresa admitted that Eric was right, and she claimed that she was worried that if John emerged from the coma, he would do everything he could possibly do to turn Brady against her. Eric found it interesting that Theresa was making that her main concern when a man's life was at stake.
Theresa insisted that it wasn't her main concern, and she agreed that only a horrible person would want John to remain in a coma forever. Eric remained skeptical, guessing that Theresa didn't really want John to recover at all -- perhaps because she knew, deep down, that she had been the cause of the argument that had transpired between John and Brady. Eric advised that, while such a revelation could indeed turn Brady against Theresa, she would just have to learn to live with that if it happened, since facing the consequences of one's actions was simply a part of life.
Meanwhile, Eric received a text message from Marlena, so he excused himself so he could head over to the hospital. Theresa wanted to know if the text message had been about John's condition, so Eric hesitantly revealed that the drug had not yet started working. After Eric left, Theresa breathed a sigh of relief. "Eric, maybe you're right -- maybe there is a God," Theresa happily mused before rushing off to track down Brady so she could comfort him.
Theresa went to the Kiriakis mansion to look for Brady, but she instead found Daniel, who had gone there to retrieve a toy Parker had left behind during a previous visit. Daniel guessed that Theresa had heard the latest news about John's condition and was looking for Brady so she could comfort him. "Isn't it gonna be a little hard to hide the relief [...] that John is not going to wake up and tell the world what you did to him that night?" Daniel wondered.
Theresa feigned ignorance, so Daniel pointed out that she was the only person who truly knew what had happened to John on the night in question. "Was it you? Were you the one who hit John and put him in that coma?" Daniel asked after listing all the things that had aroused his suspicions.
Although he had promised not to during an earlier conversation with Daniel, Brady left the hospital and went straight to Kristen's hotel room so he could lash out at her for giving his family false hope. Kristen assured Brady that the drug simply hadn't been given enough time to work its magic, and she urged him not to listen to the doctors, who were in over their heads because they had never dealt with that sort of treatment before.
"I gave you hope, and despite all the lies between us, it's not false hope. I'm telling you, it isn't! I did everything I could, Brady, to bring your father back to you, because -- because I love you. I love you, Brady. I -- I love you, and I -- I -- I want to take that guilt that you have -- that soul-wrenching guilt that you're feeling -- I want to take it away from you. I want to -- I want to give you a chance to learn the truth about what really happened that night," Kristen blurted out, prompting Brady to wonder what truth she was trying to help him learn.
Kristen claimed that she wanted Brady to know that, despite anything that might have happened between him and his father on the night in question, he was still a good man -- and he was probably a better son than John had ever deserved to have. Brady warned Kristen not to bash his father, who would have done anything for him. Brady started lashing out at Kristen again for giving his family false hope, guessing that she had known all along that the drug wouldn't work, and she had simply wanted to put his family in a position where they would be desperate enough to ask her and Stefano, of all people, for help.
"How was the show? Did you like it? Was it fun? Because I'm losing my dad, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it," Brady angrily concluded before starting to leave. Kristen stopped Brady and announced that, even if John didn't emerge from the coma, she could still fix the guilt Brady felt about what had happened to John on the night in question.
In John's hospital room, Marlena thanked Eric for the sacrifice he had been willing to make in order to save John's life. "You gave me hope -- even for a little while -- and that was such a gift," Marlena gratefully added. Marlena mused that if anything good were to stem from the apparent failure of the drug, it would be the fact that Eric would once again be free to testify against Kristen and get the justice he deserved.
Marlena -- whose left arm was in a sling because she had sprained her wrist earlier when she had tripped on a step outside the doctors' lounge -- took a seat next to John and grasped his hand with her free one. "We have been through so much...over so many years. I can't -- I can't believe...that now...I have to find a way to say goodbye to you. I have prayed so long...and so hard...that you'll come back to me -- that you'll come back to us -- and now they're saying that I have to...find a way to say goodbye to you. John...I love you so. I love you so," Marlena tearfully stated.
Marlena suddenly felt John's hand twitch, but she dismissed it as a case of her mind playing tricks on her -- until it happened again. "Eric, he's holding my hand. He won't let go," Marlena happily announced. Eric quickly sent text messages about the new development to Brady -- who was still waiting for Kristen to explain how she could repair the guilt he felt about what had happened to John -- and Daniel -- who was still in the middle of his confrontation with Theresa about what had happened to John. "It looks like John...may be waking up," Daniel informed Theresa.
Meanwhile, back at the hospital, John opened his eyes.
While pacing her apartment, Eve called Marybeth on the phone to discuss the photos of J.J. from the party. Marybeth said that Paige had not mentioned the photos since the party, and Eve wanted to push the issue and tell Paige that Marybeth had told her about the photos. Worried, Marybeth asked Eve not to say anything, but Eve assured her that Paige would get over her anger quickly.
Eve abruptly hung up the phone when Paige returned home. Noting the look on Eve's face, Paige asked her mother what was wrong. Eve asked Paige what was going on with J.J. When Paige said there was nothing wrong, Eve countered that Marybeth had told Eve about the incident at the party with J.J. and another girl. Paige said that nothing had happened. Frustrated, Eve asked Paige to show her the photos of J.J. and the other girl.
Paige said no because she had deleted the picture. When Eve pleaded with Paige not to trust her cheating boyfriend, Paige defended J.J. citing that the incident had been a joke. After Paige left for the library, Eve wondered how she could make Paige question J.J.'s loyalty. Eve imagined pretending that someone had slipped another photo of J.J. with Jill under their apartment door and showed it to Paige. In Eve's daydream, Paige broke down in tears. Nodding, Eve forwarded the digital copies of her photo to a store in order to print copies.
In the Horton living room, J.J. grilled Rory about Jill. As Rory joked that J.J. wanted to hook up with Jill again because she was a "hot babe," a suspicious Jennifer rounded the corner with Abigail and demanded to know who was a "hot babe." Rory made an awkward excuse and ran out of the house. With a sigh, J.J. told his mother and sister that he had been high at the party and had kissed a random girl. With the tension thick in the air, Abigail left her mother alone with J.J. to talk.
J.J. informed Jennifer that someone at the party had drugged his soda. When Jennifer stared at the floor, J.J. swore that he would not take drugs willingly. Jennifer hugged her son and told him that she believed him. When Jennifer wondered aloud whether J.J. should go to a doctor, J.J. told her that Daniel had examined him. Jennifer was upset that Daniel had not informed her about the treatment, but J.J. assured Jennifer that he had asked Daniel not to speak to her about the incident.
After Jennifer left for a meeting at the hospital, Abigail returned to the living room and asked J.J. what had happened. J.J. updated his sister on the details, and he also told her that that someone had set him up but that he had not told Jennifer that part of the story. J.J. added that he was not sure that someone had intentionally drugged him or not. When Abigail asked J.J. who would want to hurt him, J.J. said his top suspect was Theresa.
At Club TBD, Nicole met with Roman to talk about Kristen. When Nicole argued that John's recovery would wound Eric, Roman assured Nicole that Eric had given his word that he would not testify against Kristen. Nicole argued that Eric should break his promise because Kristen had ruined Eric's life. Nicole begged Roman to talk to Eric about Kristen. With a raised eyebrow, Roman asked Nicole if she wanted him to convince Eric that Kristen was to blame for everything.
Upset, Nicole told Roman that she was paying for her sins, but Kristen was not suffering for Kristen's share of the blame. With a shrug, Roman countered that Nicole had not presented a miracle drug and had only lied to Eric. Through gritted teeth, Nicole said that she did not want Roman to ask Eric to forgive Nicole but instead to convince Eric to help himself. Shaking his head, Roman stressed that Eric would keep his word and not testify against Kristen.
As Brady argued with Kristen in her hotel room, the hospital texted Brady to inform him that John was waking from his coma. Stunned, Brady informed Kristen of the news. Kristen hopped in celebration and said how thankful she was to have helped Brady. When Kristen noted that Brady did not need to thank her, Brady bristled. Brady reminded Kristen that she had used the treatment as leverage to save her own skin.
"I did it for you. Only you. And I saw that look of hope in your eyes when you found out. God, it was so worth it," Kristen whispered. Flustered, Brady walked out of the hotel room. Kristen called Stefano and updated him on John's condition. With a grin, Kristen said that she had her on eye on Theresa because she believed Theresa, not Brady, had injured John. "Thanks to Theresa, Brady is going to have another reason to be thankful. To me," Kristen purred.
In the hospital, a groggy John stared into space as Eric and Marlena sat at John's bedside. As John's eyes slowly closed, Marlena begged him to stay awake. When Brady arrived, John was asleep and non-responsive. Daniel rushed into the room and examined John. After the exam, Daniel escorted Marlena, Brady, and Eric into the hallway. Daniel explained that patients waking from comas did so gradually. With a grin, Daniel assured the group that John was waking from his coma.
Eric stepped aside, called Kristen on his cell phone, and asked her to meet him at Club TBD. At the club, Eric told Kristen that John might not fully recover. With a raised eyebrow, Kristen reminded Eric that the agreement was that John would wake from his coma. When Kristen asked Eric if he was thinking of reneging on the agreement, Nicole interrupted and said that Eric would make Kristen pay for what she had done.
With a crooked smirk, Kristen asked Eric what he wanted. Eric grumbled that he would talk to the district attorney. Nicole chased after Eric and stopped him at the door. Nicole told Eric that though John was waking, Eric did not need to help Kristen. With a sigh, Eric reminded Nicole that his affairs were no longer any of her business. After Eric left, Kristen asked Nicole if she wanted to celebrate John's recovery.
Kristen joked, "I'll rejoice when you go to hell." Undaunted, Kristen teased Nicole about how everyone in town hated Nicole. Kristen noted that Eric hated Nicole more than her. With a smile, Kristen rose to leave. Nicole argued that Kristen was delusional if she believed that Brady would forgive Kristen. After Nicole left, Kristen muttered to herself that she would win Brady back.
Brady and Marlena celebrated John's recovery with a hug, and Brady wondered aloud why Eric was not with them. Brady and Marlena returned to John's bedside. Brady smiled in relief and told Marlena that he was thankful to Eric for his sacrifice.
Outside the Kiriakis mansion, Daniel informed Theresa that John was waking up from his coma. With a smirk, Daniel asked Theresa if she wanted to join him at the hospital. Theresa declined the offer, noting that she needed to find Brady. When Daniel commented that Brady would be at the hospital, Theresa lied and said that she was happy to hear that John was recovering. Suspicious, Daniel shook his head and walked away.
Alone on the Kiriakis porch, Theresa worried aloud about John's recovery. Theresa walked to the park and called Eve. Terrified, Theresa begged Eve to help her. Theresa rushed to the pub and met with Eve. When Eve asked what was wrong, Theresa explained that John's treatment was working and that he was waking from the coma. Eve warned Theresa not to tell her the details of the night of John's injury. Upset, Theresa demanded that Eve help her. Eve counseled Theresa to calm down because she was acting like a guilty person.
When Eve noted that she needed to leave to pick up photos, Theresa's mouth gaped open. Eve cautioned Theresa to research the facts about John's condition and remain calm. Theresa left the pub and walked to the town square. Worried, Theresa called Anne and left her a voicemail, begging Anne to update her on John's status. As Theresa cautioned herself to stay calm, she turned and ran into Abigail. Breathy with guilt, Theresa said that nothing was wrong. Abigail cocked an eyebrow and asked Theresa if she was scared that Abigail knew that Theresa had drugged J.J. at the party.
Confused, Theresa told Abigail that if J.J. were taking drugs again that she had no part in it. Abigail noted that if Theresa had not drugged J.J., she was clearly guilty of something. Defensive, Theresa argued that it was laughable to be lectured by Abigail about morals after Abigail had slept with E.J. When Abigail argued that she had taken responsibility for her mistake, Theresa laughed and countered that Abigail had taken responsibility because she had not had a choice about it. Abigail warned that Theresa would pay for her bad deeds.
Paige met with Marybeth in the town square and yelled at her for telling her mother about J.J. kissing another girl. When Paige worried aloud that Eve would never trust J.J. again, Marybeth shrugged and noted that Eve was right not to like J.J. Paige warned Marybeth not to badmouth J.J. Suspicious, Paige asked if Marybeth knew what had happened at the party. Marybeth said she had not had anything to do with the photos.
Paige recounted that Marybeth had insisted that Paige take her to the hospital and that Daniel had stated that Marybeth's arm had not been injured. Marybeth insisted that her arm had hurt. When Marybeth asked if Paige no longer trusted her, Paige responded that Marybeth had been vocal about her distaste for J.J. When Paige said that she and J.J. were suspicious that someone had set J.J. up, Marybeth stared in stunned silence.
Paige asked Marybeth for her phone. Pouting, Marybeth handed her phone to Paige. When Marybeth asked Paige what she was looking for, Paige explained that whoever had the photos had set up J.J. Marybeth guiltily shifted her gaze. After looking through Marybeth's photos, Paige gave her back the phone and walked away.
At the hospital, Jennifer dropped by Daniel's office to ask him about J.J.'s health. Daniel informed Jennifer that J.J was fine. When Jennifer asked him why he had not told her about J.J., Daniel stressed that he had an oath to protect his patient's confidentiality. Frowning, Jennifer noted that in the past, Daniel would have urged J.J. to talk to her and that she was disappointed that Daniel had not done so this time. Daniel nodded. Daniel reminded Jennifer that they were not together.
"And you're punishing me for that," Jennifer said accusingly. Daniel denied the charge. Jennifer noted that she had repeatedly attempted to reach out to Daniel and that he had shut her down. Jennifer added that Daniel had to have known that it would hurt her if Daniel kept J.J.'s drugging a secret. As Daniel attempted to interrupt, Jennifer talked over him and told Daniel to forget "us." "Which will probably be easy for you, since you already have," Jennifer said as she walked away.
In the park, J.J. met with Paige to discuss their day. Paige informed J.J. that Marybeth had told Eve about the photos. J.J. told Paige that he had talked to his mother and sister. When Paige asked J.J. if he had learned any information about Jill, he shook his head. Paige wondered aloud if they should stop investigating, but J.J. was adamant that they needed to determine who was behind the scheme to break them up. Paige countered that she wanted to have fun with J.J. and let the issue go. J.J. reluctantly agreed.
In her apartment, a giddy Eve looked at the print of the photo of J.J. and Jill that she had ordered. Marybeth knocked on the front door, and Eve ushered her into the living room. With a smile, Eve said that she had something to show Paige. When Marybeth warned Eve that Paige believed someone had set up J.J., Eve's smile fell away. Eve lamented that J.J. could talk Paige into believing anything.
Marybeth stuttered that Paige knew that she had not hurt her arm. Concerned, Eve asked Marybeth if she had told Paige that Eve had convinced Marybeth to pretend that her arm had been injured. Marybeth shook her head. When Marybeth said that Paige had taken her phone to look at the photos on it, Eve blanched. Marybeth explained that Paige believed that anyone that had a copy of the photos was a part of the setup. Eve slid the photo underneath her laptop computer. Eve noted that they needed to convince Paige that J.J. was no good. Marybeth agreed, and she left for class.
"Thank God I did not show Paige those pictures," Eve said to herself. Eve grabbed the photo and ripped it up. As Eve clutched the pieces of the photo, her eyes widened. Eve wondered aloud if it would be a better idea to target J.J. with the photos instead.
Eric returned to the hospital and met with Marlena and Roman in the hallway outside John's room. Eric informed them that he had talked to the district attorney and had informed her that he would not testify against Kristen. As Roman nodded, Eric said that the district attorney intended to drop the case against Kristen. Roman left to talk to the district attorney. With a sad smile, Marlena thanked Eric.
In John's hospital room, a worried Brady sat next to his father, clutching his hand. Overwhelmed with emotion, Brady sighed and rose to leave. As Brady grabbed the door handle, John called out, "son." Brady turned to see John staring at him.
In the town square, Theresa fought back her panic and waited for word about John. Anne texted Theresa and informed her that John was waking from his coma. As Theresa gasped, a smiling Kristen sidled up beside her. "What a difference a day makes," Kristen said cheerily.
When Chad arrived at Will and Sonny's apartment, he spotted a framed cover of TruVista magazine. Will explained that his editor had given it to him. He added sardonically that no one involved wanted to forget about his article. Chad congratulated Will on his move to Sonix. Will broke the news that Zoe wanted him to do a cover article for Sonix -- about Chad.
Chad guessed that, after the first article, Will was very much in demand as a writer and the DiMeras had become a hot topic. Chad also presumed that Will's next article would be about what he'd been doing since leaving Salem -- and how he felt about his brother having sex with the woman Chad had been in love with. Chad wasn't sure how comfortable he was sharing his feelings in print.
Will completely understood, but he cautioned Chad that even if Will didn't write the article, someone else would -- someone who would not work as hard as Will to protect Chad. Chad asserted that perhaps Will should write about something a little less close to home for his second piece. Will assured Chad that he would try to be fair and accurate in writing the article because they were friends, plus Chad was Sonny's business partner.
Pointing out that the article would be good for Will's career, Chad asked, "What do I get out of it? A little payback?" Will said that he had already hurt Abigail, so if that were what Chad wanted, Chad should get someone else to write it. Chad asked if Will had to protect E.J. Will pointed out, "Well, if I'm quoting you, then they're your words, not mine." Chad agreed to think about it and get back to Will.
In Horton Square, Kristen couldn't resist taunting Theresa that John was waking up from his coma. Theresa maintained that she was thrilled for Brady, especially since she was the one who'd been with him throughout the ordeal. Kristen wondered why Theresa wasn't at the hospital with Brady if she were really so supportive of him. Theresa said that Brady had reacted very protectively of her when he'd learned that Kristen had threatened her. Kristen snidely encouraged Theresa to go find Brady at the hospital so they could hear what John had to say.
Kristen phoned Stefano from her hotel room later and asserted that what John Black said when he woke up could have a profound effect on how Brady felt about everything. After cautioning Kristen that even the best plans could go awry, Stefano informed her that he'd just sent something to her phone to remind her never to overestimate her position. Kristen looked down at her phone and recoiled in horror when she saw a photo of Susan Banks.
"Honestly, isn't it enough that I see her in my nightmares? That horrible creature you found?" Kristen complained. Stefano reminded Kristen, "That horrible creature undid both of us." Kristen declared that she didn't care about Susan or her weird obsession with John; Kristen only cared about Brady.
Daniel was in his office at the hospital, dictating notes about John's possible recovery. He pondered Kristen's suspicions that it had really been Theresa, not Brady, who had struck John on the head and put him in the coma.
Hope ran into Marlena near the nurses' station after hearing the news that John was waking up. Marlena admitted that she was trying to prepare herself because there were no guarantees about what -- or whom -- John would remember. Hope was optimistic that John would return to Marlena and urged Marlena to have faith.
As Brady was leaving John's room, John managed, "Son?" Stunned, Brady eagerly rushed back to John's bedside. He was overjoyed when he realized that although John was groggy, he clearly recognized Brady. Brady asked if John knew where he was or what had happened to him. Before John could answer, Marlena entered the room. "Hey, Doc," John rasped, to Marlena and Brady's elation.
Daniel walked in, and Brady informed him that John had recognized Marlena and Brady. A pleased Daniel asked the others to wait outside while he examined John. Once he was alone with his patient, Daniel asked John to open his eyes. John greeted the doctor with a whispered, "Hey, Daniel." Daniel asked if John remembered what had happened to him.
Daniel exited John's room and cautioned Brady and Marlena that communication was still exhausting for John. He advised them that he was going to restrict John's visitors to just Marlena and Brady, because Daniel knew he could trust them to let John get the rest he needed to recover. While Marlena returned to John's room to sit with him while he slept, Daniel urged Brady to have patience with John. Theresa got off the elevator just as Brady was expressing his determination to apologize for what he'd done to his father. Asserting that Brady absolutely should not do that, Daniel took Brady to his office so he could explain why.
In Daniel's office, Daniel cautioned Brady against bombarding John with questions because John could be disoriented and confused for a while. Daniel made Brady promise to allow John to remember things at his own pace and not to plant suggestions in John's head. Brady assured Daniel that he would do whatever Daniel instructed. After Daniel reassured him that John would not slip back into the coma, Brady noted that a lot of people would be very glad to hear that. Daniel had to head home because Chloe was dropping Parker off.
Marlena found Theresa rifling through some files at the nurses' station and asked what Theresa was doing there. "I work here," Theresa reminded her, adding that she'd been thrilled when she'd heard that John was awake. "Funny -- you don't look thrilled. You look a little scared," Marlena remarked. Theresa clarified that she was concerned about Brady having to relive "that horrible night," and she didn't think it would really be good for John, either. Brady returned just then, and Marlena asked him to sit with John while she went to tell Sami the good news. Brady said that was the only place he wanted to be.
After Marlena left, Theresa cautioned Brady that he shouldn't listen to anything John had to say. She explained that she was worried John would try to make Brady feel bad about what had happened. Brady asserted that he had to own what he'd done, but Theresa reminded him that he already had. "You feel so guilty, and you're acting like everything that happened that night is all your fault and it's only your fault. You seem to skip over how he acted," Theresa stressed.
Brady pointed out that he had been so high that night that he didn't remember how John had acted. Theresa anxiously wondered what would happen if John tried to paint a different picture about what had happened that night because he wanted to make someone else pay for his mistake. Brady asserted firmly that John would not lie. "My father loves me, and whatever he has to say to me in there, I'm going to deal with it," Brady declared. He went into John's room before Theresa could protest. A nurse passed by Theresa just then with a rolling cart full of syringes, I.V. bags, and other medical supplies.
At his sleeping father's bedside, Brady observed that John's hands were cold, so he left the room to get another blanket for John. As soon as the door closed behind Brady, Theresa crept in through the room's other door. "Well, it's now or never," she said to herself and removed a filled syringe from her purse. Hands trembling, she took a deep breath, uncapped the needle, and began to inject it into John's I.V. line.
Daniel was at home when there was a knock at the door. He flung it open eagerly, expecting to see Parker, but he found Kristen on the doorstep instead. She wanted to know what was going on with John. Since Daniel knew that it would be public knowledge soon, he informed Kristen that John had awakened and recognized Brady, Marlena, and Daniel. "That's wonderful!" Kristen enthused. She thanked Daniel for sharing the information, but he requested a favor from her in exchange.
Kristen surmised that Daniel wanted her help to prove that Theresa was the one who had put John in the coma. Instead, Daniel warned Kristen to leave Brady alone -- not just for Brady's sake, but for hers, as well. Daniel suggested that Kristen leave Salem because her continuing to stay would be bad for both Brady and Kristen. Daniel added that he could tell that Kristen still loved Brady, but he warned her that no matter what she did, Brady would never take her back. Kristen refused to accept that.
Daniel pointed out that Kristen was a beautiful, smart woman, and she would find someone else to love whom she didn't feel the need to manipulate or use to get back at an ex-lover. Daniel urged Kristen to move on. Looking seductively at Daniel, Kristen interpreted his suggestions to mean that instead of a boy, she needed a man who could handle her. "I had no idea that you were so interested, Doctor Jonas," Kristen said coyly, tugging on his shirt collar.
"In your wildest dreams," Daniel said, pushing Kristen away. Chuckling, Kristen announced that she wasn't going anywhere. "So you can go ahead and worry about Brady, I will worry about me, and Theresa, she can just worry -- a lot," Kristen declared on her way out the door.
Hope went to the Brady Pub to give Caroline the good news that John was waking up from his coma. Although she was pleased to hear about John, Caroline guessed that wasn't the only reason Hope had gone to see her. Caroline was worried that Hope had gotten bad news about Bo. Hope reassured Caroline that nothing had changed; they still didn't know where Bo was, what he was doing, or when or even if he would return. Hope stated that she loved Caroline, who had always made Hope feel like a part of Bo's family.
Hope continued that she had prayed every day since Bo had left that he would return to her and Ciara, but she had lost faith that it would ever happen. Stopping Hope before she could say anything further, Caroline concluded that Hope had decided that she could no longer wait for Bo. "Not like this. He's deserted me. Caroline, I can't not know what my life is... I'm filing for divorce," Hope said sadly.
In bed at the DiMera mansion, E.J. told Sami that he wouldn't be able to recover if he lost her again -- but he had to be completely honest with her so there would be no more secrets between them. E.J. confessed that he'd known about what Kristen had done to Eric because she'd told him about it just before her wedding, but E.J. had kept it from Sami. E.J. explained that Kristen had sworn that she'd deeply regretted what she'd done to Eric and she had really loved Brady, and E.J. had lied to Sami -- with whom things had not been going well -- to try to hold on to her, not to cover for Kristen.
E.J. continued that he was telling Sami the truth because he needed her to see that he could be honest with her, even though he was aware that it might be more than she could stand. Sami revealed that she had known the truth for a while, but she'd realized that he would have done something about it if he'd been able to. "It was that lie that started everything," E.J. acknowledged. Sami reassured him that she had gotten the retribution out of her system. She admitted that his honesty meant a great deal to her because it showed her that he really wanted to make things work.
After Sami and E.J. had sex again, Sami noted wryly that their families might not exactly rejoice about their reunion. E.J. joked that he preferred it when it was the two of them against the world. Sami wondered how they would tell E.J.'s father. E.J. reminded Sami that she was the mother of Stefano's grandchildren, plus Stefano understood and even admired being motivated by the desire for revenge, as Sami had been. E.J. was certain that, in time, Stefano would forgive Sami.
Harold called E.J. just then to let him and Sami know that Marlena was on her way to the mansion. Sami guessed that Marlena had talked to Roman and wanted to lecture Sami that she was making a huge mistake. Sami declared that it didn't matter because she was the only one who could decide whom to love.
When Marlena arrived a little later, Sami explained that E.J. had gone so they could talk in private. It took a moment for it to sink in when Marlena announced that John was awake, but once it did, an elated Sami jumped up and down and embraced her mom. Marlena wondered why E.J. had left them alone. Sami explained that she'd assumed Roman had talked to Marlena, and that Marlena was there to tell Sami that she was being an "idiot."
Marlena pointed out, "Sami, what you are is a grownup, and if you decide that E.J. is what you want and he's going to make you happy, you're deciding that with your eyes wide open -- and all I have ever wanted for you in your whole life is for you to be utterly happy." Moved to tears, Sami said that she was happy. She threw her arms around her mom gratefully.
Chad spotted E.J. leaving a very expensive store in Horton Square. "So, is that a bribe to get Sami to take you back or a payoff because she already has?" Chad inquired. E.J. declared that his relationship with Samantha was none of Chad's business. Chad countered that they were family, so everything E.J. did was Chad's concern. Chad commended his brother, "High marks on some world-class philandering. Not many guys could do it with the brother's girlfriend, the wife's maid of honor, get it immortalized in print, and still get the wife back. So you must be really good in...negotiations."
"If you wish to keep living in that house, I suggest you start treating Samantha and myself with a little more respect," E.J. cautioned. Chad asserted that respect had to be earned. As he walked away, E.J. noted that it was nice to see that Chad had finally grown up. Chad called Will and said, "That article you wanted to write? Let's do it."
As E.J. passed through the town square, he overheard Abigail recording a voicemail message for Jennifer, thanking her for inviting Ben over to the Horton house for dinner. After Abigail ended the call, E.J. asked to talk to her for a minute, but she wasn't interested. Undeterred, E.J. said he still cared about Abigail and was pleased to see that she was happy, just like he was.
Abigail found it a bit amusing that Sami had suddenly decided to take E.J. back after going to such great lengths to make him pay for his betrayal. E.J. conceded that he was a very lucky man, and Abigail somewhat sarcastically agreed. E.J. started to say something about Ben, but Abigail interrupted and insisted that E.J. wasn't allowed to talk to her about Ben -- or her life in general, for that matter. "If you care about me at all, then the next time you see me, E.J., don't -- don't look at me, don't talk to me, don't even think about me. Just. Keep. Walking," Abigail requested before walking away.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami randomly offered Kate a compliment, prompting Kate to wonder what Sami wanted. Sami admitted that she wanted to talk about E.J., but Kate was only interested in having such a conversation if it included the revelation that Sami had finally banished him from the property. "Oh, my God. You invited that bastard into your bed, didn't you?" Kate guessed when Sami started fidgeting uncomfortably.
Kate disappointedly declared that Sami was a fool. Sami protested that she'd had to follow her heart. "Okay. But if you think you're following your heart, then you need a -- a refresher course in human anatomy," Kate dryly replied. Sami argued that Kate was just bitter because all of her relationships had gone up in flames. Kate sarcastically agreed that things were going to be different for Sami, who had a storybook romance with the man who had ended up seducing their kids' babysitter. Kate concluded that, while Sami tried to present herself as a new-age woman who had it all, she was really just a weak-willed slave to a really bad man.
Kate accused Sami of being naïve, arguing that E.J. was Stefano's son and would therefore say anything and do anything to anyone -- including Sami -- to regain power and money. Kate said she couldn't believe Sami had fallen for E.J.'s act, but Sami insisted that it hadn't been an act. "Fine. You keep on saying that to yourself," Kate replied before exiting the mansion, ignoring Sami's attempt to stop her.
Later, Sami entered the living room and was surprised to find E.J. waiting for her there, along with a candlelit dinner and a gift bag. Sami retrieved two jewelry boxes from the gift bag, and E.J. explained that one belonged to him and the other belonged to her. E.J. removed Sami's wedding ring from her finger and opened her jewelry box to present her with a new ring that was even more stunning.
"Samantha Gene Brady DiMera, will you marry me one last time?" E.J. asked. Confused, Sami reminded E.J. that they were already married, but he explained that he wanted to repeat the process because they hadn't exactly gotten married under the best circumstances the previous time. Sami happily agreed to marry E.J. again, and they consumed champagne as they reminisced about meeting each other for the first time -- back when E.J. DiMera had been E.J. Wells, the dashing racecar driver -- and faking a marriage to fool an immigration officer.
Sami teasingly reminded E.J. that both of those memories had been built on lies, but he clarified that his point was that things could have been much different if they had just settled into that marriage and made it a real one. Sami agreed but reasoned that she and E.J. weren't the kind of couple who could have taken such a boring route to their happily-ever-after ending. E.J. conceded the point, although he mused that he and Sami had certainly tortured themselves on the journey to their destination.
"Samantha Brady, I vow to tango with you -- literally and figuratively -- every day for the rest of our lives. I vow to catch you every time a piece of furniture or a door gets in your way. I vow to hold you when you need to cry, and I vow to spar with you when you need a good fight, and I vow to give you a big spoon when you need to stir up trouble. And I vow always to put you and the children first -- now...and forever. You are more than my heartbeat," E.J. said as he placed Sami's new ring on her finger.
E.J. retrieved from his jacket pocket the letter Sami had written him while she had been awaiting trial the previous summer. E.J. said the letter had really helped him find his pulse, and he promised that he would never again jeopardize or take for granted Sami's love for him. E.J. started to add that he would spend every day trying to earn his place at Sami's side, but she suddenly interrupted and said she couldn't let him continue. E.J. tried to protest that he wasn't finished yet, but Sami insisted that it was time for her to have her say.
"You were about to rehash all the terrible things we've done to each other, weren't you? All the horrible things, and the ways you hurt me, and I am tired of being a hypocrite. You hurt me, and I hurt you, and we're gonna move on from it. We're both very stubborn people, and I think we had to go through all of that to get to here. So...I know now that nothing is stronger than us -- not you at your worst, and not me at mine. I know that what we have between us...is more. It's unbreakable, and it's irreplaceable. And I meant what I said in that letter, E.J. -- I can't breathe without you, and I can't sleep without listening to your heartbeat, and I will love you -- always and forever," Sami promised before kissing E.J.
At the Horton Town Square, Aiden assured a somewhat disappointed Chase that they would check another store the following day for the popular zombie hunter Halloween costume they had not yet been able to get their hands on. Chase suggested that the search could resume as soon as school ended the following day, but Aiden explained that they would have to wait until after his lunch date with his mystery woman, whose identity he still wasn't willing to reveal to his curious son. Aiden downplayed the importance of the date and promised that Chase would always be his top priority.
At the Brady Pub, Hope explained that, while she had not yet told anyone else -- including Shawn and Ciara -- about her decision to divorce Bo, she felt like Caroline had a right to know. Caroline was curious about the timing of the decision, and she wondered if Hope might ultimately end up reconsidering. "Bo left two years ago. He has clearly chosen his mission above his family. So, no -- I'm not going to change my mind," Hope gently replied.
"Whatever happens between you and Bo...you'll always be my daughter," Caroline assured Hope. Later, while Caroline was in the kitchen, Aiden arrived and greeted Hope. Hope nervously glanced around the pub as she tried to hint that she didn't have time to chat, but Aiden missed her point and replied that he also only had a few minutes to spare before he had to get back to the town square to pick up Chase, who was with a friend.
Caroline emerged from the kitchen just as Aiden was asking Hope if they were still on for their date the following day. At Hope's request, Aiden excused himself, and after he left, she guessed that Caroline had overheard what he had just said. "Yes, uh...and, I mean, you tell me that story about you not being able to go on -- you never mentioned him. [...] You're gonna get a divorce so that you're free to date Aiden Jennings. Isn't that it?" Caroline demanded to know.
"No! Yes. And -- and no," Hope admitted with a sigh. Hope clarified that, while she was not yet sure if she had feelings for Aiden, she would have ultimately decided to divorce Bo even if Aiden hadn't entered the picture. Hope stressed that she could really use Caroline's support, and she wondered if Caroline -- who had seemed understanding before Aiden had arrived and mentioned the date -- still felt the same way about the matter. "I've loved you ever since you were a kid, and I've supported you, but I cannot support you in this. I'm sorry," Caroline replied before storming off to the kitchen.
Hope sighed and headed outside, where Aiden was waiting for her. Aiden apologized for causing trouble between Hope and Caroline, and he assured Hope that he would understand if she wanted to back out of their date. Hope confirmed that it would definitely be best for Aiden to refrain from talking about their relationship at the Brady Pub, of all places, but she promised that she would still meet him for lunch the following day.
Chad entered Club TBD and eavesdropped as Ben greeted a clean-shaven, well-dressed Clyde, who noted with amusement that it seemed like his own son hadn't recognized him at first. "How come you're all dressed up there, Johnny Cash? You headed to a funeral or something?" Ben wondered. Clyde laughed and explained that he had a big night ahead of him with a special lady.
Ben said he pitied the woman, but Clyde assured him that she could take care of herself. "Does she know how you used to 'take care of' Mom?" Ben asked. Ignoring the question, Clyde changed the subject and wondered if Ben's sister had received the money yet. "So...that's where you got all that cash," Chad mused as he approached the bar and introduced himself to Clyde as the owner of the club.
Ben was quick to clarify that Chad co-owned the club with Sonny Kiriakis. Chad assured Clyde that Ben was a great employee, and Clyde proudly replied that his son had always been a hard worker. After Clyde left, Chad tried to offer Ben another apology, but Ben tersely replied that the only thing Chad owed him was a paycheck.
Undeterred, Chad claimed that he hoped, despite the fact that he and Ben had gotten off on the wrong foot, that they would eventually be able to set aside their differences and perhaps even forge a friendship with each other. As Abigail entered the club, Ben replied that it would probably be best for him and Chad to just continue their working relationship as employee and boss, respectively. Chad agreed that he and Ben could play things that way if that was what Ben wanted to do, but he pointed out that their shared friendships with Will and Sonny might make that plan a bit awkward in practice.
Abigail interrupted and wondered if Ben was ready for their date. Ben nodded and went to get his jacket from the back of the club. Meanwhile, Abigail demanded to know if Chad had been hassling Ben. Chad replied that everything he did hassled Ben, but he assured Abigail that he had simply been trying to fix things between him and Ben. Chad told Abigail why the envelope filled with cash had been in Ben's possession in the first place, and she acted like the information was news to her, although she stressed that she had known all along that there was a reasonable explanation for the cash.
Ben returned and exited the club with Abigail, and Chad watched with irritation and discomfort as they left. Later, Chad received a phone call from Stefano, who wanted to know how things were going in Salem. Chad replied that things were basically going the way he and Stefano had assumed they would go. Stefano was hopeful that Chad and E.J. might have managed to bury the hatchet, but Chad insisted that he didn't think that was going to happen.
Stefano sighed and changed the subject, wondering what Chad had told Kate. "I told her everything you wanted me to tell her," Chad replied. Stefano warned that Kate wasn't a stupid woman, and he wondered if Chad was sure she had believed Chad's story about wanting to work with her to undermine Stefano. "Oh, yeah. She bought every word," Chad assured Stefano.
At the park, Abigail tried to talk to Ben about his earlier encounter with Chad, but Ben insisted that he didn't want to talk about Chad. Abigail assured Ben that she didn't want to talk about Chad, either, but she added that she also didn't want Ben to lose his job because of her. Ben explained that, while Chad had tried to make amends, Ben simply couldn't trust -- and didn't want to associate with -- anyone who could hurt Abigail the way Chad had. Ben added that it seemed like Chad was no better than E.J.
Later, as Ben and Abigail kissed, he suddenly stopped things from going further, pointing out that they weren't exactly in a private location. Ben assured Abigail that he badly wanted to be with her, but he explained that he was renting from people who didn't really allow guests. Abigail knew she wouldn't be able to sneak Ben past Jennifer and J.J., so she decided they would have to think of a plan to get the privacy they craved. Ben kissed Abigail again and coyly assured her that they would -- soon.
Kate met with Clyde at a fancy restaurant, where they each agreed that the other cleaned up nicely. Clyde poured champagne for Kate as he shared a story about a fortune cookie a waitress at a Chinese restaurant had urged him to open a few months earlier. Clyde showed Kate the fortune that had been enclosed in that cookie -- "You will meet a beautiful and mysterious stranger who will change your life" -- and she guessed that the waitress had likely set him up. Clyde admitted that he had been skeptical, too -- until he had met Kate the day after receiving that fortune. "So, is that what this dinner is all about -- celebrating your fortune?" Kate wondered.
"No, ma'am. This dinner is about seducing you," Clyde matter-of-factly replied. The line didn't impress Kate, but Clyde clarified that he hadn't been talking about anything physical -- he had simply been talking about the working relationship he wanted to forge with her. Clyde believed that such a relationship would be quite powerful, and he was also confident that he and Kate could learn a lot from each other.
Kate found it hard to imagine the kind of professional relationship she could possibly forge with Clyde. Clyde coyly explained that he had some money, although he wanted to save the details for another time. Kate wondered if Clyde was saying that he wanted to invest in her company, and he replied that he was ready to go all in. Kate still wasn't sure she understood what Clyde was proposing, but he simply asked her to give the matter some thought. Kate promised to do so, but she warned Clyde not to get his hopes up. Clyde agreed to respect whatever decision Kate made.
In John's hospital room, John woke up and uttered Theresa's name before she could inject his I.V. with the syringe. As Theresa stashed the syringe in her purse, Brady arrived and wondered what was going on. Theresa innocently claimed that she had simply been checking on John, who added that he had just been saying hello to her. Brady was pleased that John remembered who Theresa was, but John didn't know why that was noteworthy, since they had just met each other at her apartment the previous night, shortly after he had returned to Salem.
As John started demanding to know why he was in the hospital, Maxine arrived to give him a sedative. John tried to refuse the drug, but he was clearly agitated, so Maxine ignored his protests and administered it, anyway. After the drug took effect, Brady went to a break room to call Marlena, and when he returned to the waiting area, he told Theresa that, while he was pleased that John had finally emerged from the coma, he was worried about John's apparent memory loss. Brady knew John would want help recovering the lost memories, but Theresa argued that it would probably be best for those memories to stay buried.
Brady and Theresa went to Club TBD to continue their conversation. Theresa encouraged Brady to claim that John's head injury had been the result of a fall, but Brady had reservations about lying to John, and he knew John was clever enough to figure out that such a story didn't add up, anyway. Brady didn't understand why Theresa was invested in the matter, but she claimed that she didn't want John to remember because she knew the whole thing had only happened because Brady and John had been arguing about her. Brady said Theresa had already owned her part in the matter, and he advised that it would be best for them to all just learn from it and move on.
After Brady left, Theresa happily mused that the night had gone better than she had expected, and she assured herself that everything would be fine -- unless John happened to remember more about the night of his head injury. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Maxine checked on John after noticing a sudden spike in his heart rate -- the result of a dream he had just had about a fight with Brady at the Kiriakis mansion.
Sonny, Will, and Rafe entered Club TBD after a pickup basketball game, ribbing each other about how things had gone. As Will and Sonny stepped away, Rafe informed Ben that his conversation with Jordan the previous day had not gone well. Rafe wondered if it were even possible to fix things with Jordan after the way he'd hurt her. Ben asked if Rafe really felt bad about cheating on Jordan or if he just hoped Ben would pass that along when he talked to her. Tired of Ben's attitude, Rafe said goodbye to Sonny and Will and left.
Sonny told Will that it seemed as if Chad had really changed since his return. Sonny pointed out that perhaps it was the two of them who had changed. Ben's ears perked up when he heard the guys discussing how Abigail was watching Arianna, and Will and Sonny couldn't resist joking about how many children Abigail wanted. "Abigail's going to be an amazing mom. Abigail's amazing, period," Ben said. Will and Sonny teased Ben mercilessly for saying that.
Ben called a hotel about a special he'd seen advertised online, but he balked when he heard the price. Sonny asked if Chad had been in, but Ben said that he hadn't seen Chad since the previous day, when Chad had tried to apologize for accusing Ben of stealing and lying. Sonny wondered aloud if Chad intended to continue to be a silent partner or actually show up and help. "I want you to know that you have my full trust, and whether he's around or not, you're here to stay," Sonny reassured a grateful Ben. Ben noted that he wouldn't mind "tossing a block or two" on Chad the next time they played basketball. Sonny promised to make sure that Ben was on his team
At the DiMera mansion, Sami hugged her younger kids and welcomed them home from camp. Lucas listened with concern as Sami told the kids that E.J. was at a meeting but would be home soon. After Sami inspected Allie's poison ivy rash, Johnny and Allie filled their mom in about their exploits at camp. Sami sent the kids to the kitchen, where the cook had breakfast and a surprise waiting for them.
As soon as the children were gone, Lucas lit into Sami for -- predictably -- getting back together with E.J., even though not that long before, she had been dead-set on revenge because E.J. had betrayed her with Abigail. Sami protested, but Lucas didn't want to hear her explanations because he knew her story would be the same as it had always been. Sami needled Lucas that he was starting to sound just like his mother.
Bristling, Lucas wanted to know what Sami would do when Stefano found out what she'd done to him. Sami maintained that E.J. would protect her from Stefano. Lucas blamed Sami for "sucking [his] mother" into her plan, but Sami argued that Kate had blackmailed her into making Kate co-CEO. Sami said that her parents had given her their blessing, and it would mean a lot to her if she had Lucas', as well. Before leaving in a huff, a frustrated Lucas declared that the next time E.J. hurt Sami, she would be on her own.
Jordan visited Abigail, who was babysitting for Arianna at Will and Sonny's apartment. Abigail asked if Jordan had gotten a chance to talk with Rafe. Jordan admitted that she hadn't been able to look at Rafe without picturing him in bed with Kate. Jordan continued that she wished she could find a way past that because she really loved Rafe. Assuring Jordan that her feelings were completely normal, Abigail revealed that Sami and E.J. had gotten back together. Jordan wondered if perhaps Sami had gotten things right by realizing that she loved E.J. enough to forgive him.
Abigail said that she and Ben had gone on a picnic in the park the night before to get some privacy, since he couldn't have guests at the room he rented and she lived at home. Abigail asked if things had improved between Jordan and her stepfather. Jordan admitted they hadn't, but she added that things were more complicated than Abigail could understand. Jordan claimed that she had a client waiting for her at the hospital and left.
A little later, Lucas dropped by to see his granddaughter, but Abigail broke the heartbreaking news that "Princess Ari" was asleep. After Lucas and Abigail made small talk about her job search, Lucas said that he was glad Abigail and Will had buried the hatchet. Abigail clarified that although she was always happy to babysit, she still thought Will was "a complete jerk" for what he'd done. Lucas tried to insist that Will felt terrible about Abigail's name being revealed in the article, but Abigail cut him off, understanding that Lucas simply wanted to defend his son.
Will returned home just then, so Abigail started to head out, but Will stopped her to advise her that he was writing an article about Chad for Sonix. Will reassured his perturbed cousin that his contract gave him final approval on his article, plus Chad had promised not to throw Abigail under the bus. Before Abigail could leave, Will told her that Ben had called her "amazing." "Trust me, if a guy blurts something like that out in front of other guys, it means something," Will noted, and Lucas backed him up. Seemingly unmoved, Abigail left.
Lucas tried to reassure Will that Abigail would eventually forgive him. He asked if Zoe Browning had assigned the article to Will. "How did you know that? I didn't even mention Zoe's name," Will asked. Lucas sheepishly explained that he'd given Zoe a piece of his mind at the pub recently -- and she had called him a horse's ass. Will apologized for not telling Lucas about the article but reassured his dad that he'd "covered [his] butt."
Abigail met Ben at the club, and Sonny continued to tease Ben about referring to her as amazing. After Sonny left them alone, Abigail said that she was on her way to a job interview, but she didn't want to say anything more because she didn't want to jinx it. Ben said that he was trying to find a place where they could go afterwards, but he didn't want to jinx anything by telling her what he was planning. Abigail gave him a kiss for luck and left.
When E.J. and one of his henchmen met Clyde in the park, Clyde set down a satchel full of cash for E.J. to admire. Clyde suggested that he and E.J. could become even more successful together and make even more money, which they would otherwise be leaving on the table, by expanding their territory. Clyde explained that he'd been able to move E.J.'s competition out of the way easily. E.J. firmly warned Clyde, "This is my town, Mister Weston. You stick to the area that I designated to you."
Making it clear that he was in charge, E.J. asserted that he had intentionally restricted Clyde to the parts of town that E.J. and his family did not frequent. He warned Clyde that going against him would be a fatal mistake. Clyde assured E.J. that he understood. After E.J. and the henchman had gone, Clyde made a phone call and requested that the person on the phone set up a meeting.
Kate met Chad at the café in Horton Square, and he revealed that he'd advised Stefano that everything was going according to plan -- which included earning Kate's trust. A suspicious Kate wondered whose side Chad was really on. Chad insisted that he, not Stefano, was in charge. Kate wondered why Chad hated his father so much. Chad explained that despite promises to change, Stefano was still his old self -- someone who only wanted to use his son's pain to his own advantage. "I'm not his son. I'm his proxy, his pawn," Chad asserted.
Chad continued that he was back in order to go after Kate and Sami on his father's behalf. Kate declared that Stefano would not get what he wanted. Chad pointed out, "He thinks I'm on his side. We can use that against him." He continued that he wanted revenge against Stefano, just as Sami and Kate had -- and he and Kate could keep Stefano and E.J. on the sidelines permanently. "Not only do I want Stefano and E.J. gone, I want my fair share of what's left over," Chad maintained. Clinking her juice glass with Chad's, Kate declared, "Let's go get 'em."
Clyde appeared nearby and watched furtively as Kate left her meeting with Chad. Clyde followed her to the park outside the square and joked, "I just happened to notice you talking to a handsome young fella. I would hate to find myself in competition with a DiMera." Kate wondered how Clyde knew Chad, but Clyde hedged that he'd just met Chad the day before. Kate maintained that Chad was nothing like "those other two miscreants." Clyde claimed that he'd never met them. "If E.J. could just disappear, life would be perfect," Kate declared. As Kate started to walk away, Clyde remarked that if the two of them teamed up, they could rule the world -- or at least Salem.
Later, Clyde met E.J.'s henchman in the park at Clyde's behest. "I was watching you when I was with Mister DiMera earlier. You seemed to perk up when I mentioned all that cash being left on the table. Now it's clear that you have earned Mister DiMera's trust. I was thinking perhaps you could speak to him when he's in a more receptive mood -- or maybe there's another way to skin this cat," Clyde proposed.
Jordan dropped her purse as she was walking through the square. Chad spotted her and went over to help retrieve the spilled contents of her bag. Observing that Jordan's hands were shaking, Chad asked, "Has that guy been bothering you again?" Jordan said no. Chad suggested that she sit down and have a cup of tea anyway, but she declined. As Chad handed back one of the items from Jordan's purse, he grabbed his elbow in pain and claimed that it was just "a little tennis elbow."
Jordan asked Chad to sit down so she could have a look. After checking out his elbow, Jordan diagnosed Chad as having a "raging case of hypochondria." Chuckling, Chad admitted that he'd been faking to try to take her mind off of whatever was bothering her. Jordan agreed to have tea with Chad. They were laughing about the treatment for his previous case of tennis elbow over iced teas a little later when Rafe arrived in the square.
Although he was clearly dismayed to see Jordan with Chad, Rafe walked over to welcome Chad home. After the guys talked for a moment about Gabi, Chad left. Jordan started to follow suit, but Rafe asked if he could have just a minute. He warned her that Chad seemed like a nice guy, but he was a DiMera. Jordan maintained that she had heard all about the DiMera family -- but since she wouldn't want anyone to judge her or Ben based on their family, she would never do that to someone else. "I judge people on how they act, how they treat me and the people I care about," Jordan added before walking off.
Chad stopped in front of the Brady Pub to call Stefano, who said he was pleased with Chad's progress. Chad asserted that Kate had taken everything he'd told her on faith because she was so desperate to get rid of Stefano. Stefano advised Chad, "Tell her that you have learned that I am flying to Frankfurt tomorrow... She'll figure out the rest." As Chad hung up, Stefano was still chortling. "You just keep laughing, old man. You'll never hear me coming," Chad muttered.
E.J. arrived back at the DiMera mansion, on the phone with his lawyer about repaying the back taxes and penalties in order to secure a deal with the D.A. He hung up and went inside but paused in the doorway to the living room when he saw the kids showing Sami their gifts from camp. As she leaned over her mom's shoulder, Allie spotted Sami's new ring and asked about it. Sami explained that she and E.J. had exchanged new rings to remind themselves of how much they loved one another. "So now you're double, triple, quadruple married!" Johnny announced.
The kids spotted E.J., and all three of them ran over to give him a big hug. They showed Sami and E.J. the gift they'd made at camp: a crayon drawing of the family in a hand-decorated frame. "It's the perfect gift. You all are the perfect gift," Sami proclaimed, as E.J. scooped the family into a group hug. Sami reminded the kids that it was time to leave for school for orientation, so the little ones headed off to grab their things. Someone watched from behind the bushes out front as Sami left with the kids for school.
After dropping the kids off, Sami walked through the park. Kate stopped her and remarked that she'd seen very little of Sami. "I'm surprised your first question wasn't about your granddaughter, since she's just home from camp," Sami noted. Kate countered that Allie had probably been glad to get away from all the tension in the house for a while. Refusing to engage with Kate, Sami walked away.
E.J. was in the foyer when there was an insistent rapping on the front door, so he opened it -- and was stunned to see his mother, Susan Banks, on the doorstep.
